20th June 2025
622 days of captivity for at least 20 hostages who are still alive
Shabbat Shalom although it’s only Thursday
Nothing so focuses the mind as the prospect of being hanged. Mark Twain
00:30 Here we are back in the safe room, filling our time, waiting to hear if we can go back to bed or whether more missiles on the way. Watching the news on our computers and ironically finding out about the political barometer of the pizza in Washington, apparently it all depends upon how many extra hours the civil servant’s work. It may sound a ludicrous subject to discuss on the news when virtually all of Israel is sitting in their safe room (if they are lucky), their building shelters or their community shelters, but I suppose we are all looking for something to lift our spirits amuse us.
It would appear that the pizza barometer is high, as the United States decides whether to join Israel with more than a few refuelling aeroplanes or whether the Iranians are serious about going to the negotiation table
Whew, only the regulation 10 minutes and we shot down the missiles and the shrapnel has fallen without any injuries. Time to go back to sleep and report to you tomorrow. Or Heller is the military reporter of Channel 13 Israel news and I have a feeling that his family hasn’t seen him all week and his ability to keep reporting without sleep has beaten the record of human endurance!
We will meet again tomorrow but I was staggered to find out that there was a Pro-Iran Demonstration or rally in Times Square yesterday. The 'Solidarity of Iran rally' was organized by the socialist pro-Palestine Bronx Anti-Iran coalition, which called for support for "the brave Iranian and Palestinian people." with the banner 'Iran make us proud, burn Tel Aviv to the ground” and “US drones in the sky, Iran’s missiles will reply!” Are they serious? Where are the arrests? To me these chants are treason they take free speech and trample on it!
Oh well, as we said, the world is upside down. Good night for now. Let’s hope we can stay in our beds until the morning.
07:10 and this time we had the warning and now the siren has sounded twice on our phones and outside over the entire area. At least we managed a few hours of sleep. Over our heads I hear the sounds of children running to their safe room, the neighbours grandchildren after their own home was destroyed a few days ago. The names of the towns and villages which are in the line of the trajectory of the Iranian ground to ground missiles including our area. It’s strange, I feel no panic, no fear, obviously discomfort although we worry about the rest of our family, spread throughout the centre. The report is of four “nefilot”, four missiles actually made it through the Iron Dome defence. Soroka Hospital has been damaged. The oncology ward was hit, thank heaven all the patients were moved yesterday to the safe area but then you must remember that oncology wards have radioactive material. All the patients of that ward have been moved to other oncology hospitals around Israel. A very important aspect of Soroka Hospital is that any and all soldiers hurt in Gaza are brought there to the trauma unit, which now means that they must be sent much further away. My first fear was for Sheli who is studying in Beersheva, but she is in the shelter. Ramat Gan and Holon were hit too
Yes we are in the safe room (mamad) and it is inconvenient but our pilots fly 2000 km in the middle of the night perform the acts they need to perform and fly back home, the first responders risk their lives going in to damaged buildings, our soldiers ae on permanent alert, so I have no right to complain that I spend half an hour in the mamad watching television on my computer. People in communal shelters, community spirit like London WW2, while checking their phones to see how their family is faring during the 30 missile bombardment.
09:20 and I am walking through our park to the hall where we do our Movement class. The park is just as beautiful as always and the sun is still bearable. We began our class with a relaxation exercise and then the music. We began with soft, contemplative music and ended after nearly an hour with noisy fun music – oh and in the middle we had an alarm so gathered in the mamad of the hall together with one young man who arrived for his class in woodworking a little early!
Nas Daily posted a short video about Iran and Israel in the 1960’s. Worth watching and learning about the friendship that was and the hatred that became Iran. https://youtu.be/dCY9-rDNtCw?si=LDKUzk8aUpIJFguR
Further to the light explanation of Iran/Israel relations, we at Impact have just released an up to date report on Iranian textbooks. Just to give you an inkling of what is happening and why.
“Iran’s
textbooks reflect and reinforce the regime’s militarization, belief in
martyrdom, and specifically emphasize anti-US and Western sentiment. The
curriculum promotes a revolutionary worldview, embedding militant activity and
nuclear ambition within a wider narrative of ideological struggle.
Please click here to read IMPACT-se’s most recent analysis of
Iran’s curriculum. Iranian textbooks promote hostility toward the West,
depicting the US as a satanic enemy intent on destroying Iran and its Islamic
values. Western norms like secularism and liberal family structures are
portrayed as threats, while dissenting Muslims or those partnering with the US
and Israel are labelled illegitimate.
For example, a Grade 9 textbook on ‘Defense Readiness’ claims that the
“Death to America” slogan derives from faith in the nation of Iran, which
opposes America’s “arrogant disposition,” and calls for death to the “tyranny,
aggression, slaughter, terrorism, sanctions, and antihuman policies of the
American government.” A Grade 10 ‘Defense Readiness’ textbook explicitly claims
that ISIS was formed by the United States.
Iran’s school textbooks include shocking incitement, urging students to chant
“Death to Israel” and teaching that Israel “must be wiped out,” embedding
hatred into religious rituals and national identity.”
If you think that history doesn’t repeat itself-
After Haman's fall, Mordechai issued a new decree:
"The king's secretaries were summoned to write the decree that Mordecai had dictated. on the 23rd day of the third month, the month of Sivan..." (Esther 8:9). It was written for the Jews in their own language (the language that we speak today)
What did it say? "The king had granted the Jews of every city the right to assemble and defend their lives, to destroy, kill, and annihilate any armed force of any people or province that attacked them, including children and women, and to plunder their property. » (Esther 8:11) That's when History changed:
Fear turned into fire, and the Jews were no longer victims, but fighters. This Thursday, today, is that date.
The 23rd of Sivan.
Not everything is bad news. I received this from a friend. When good people do good - the heart expands.
My dear friend, Shay Ezra the owner of Ezra Restaurant in Jerusalem - opened the restaurant today in a reduced feature of take-away and deliveries, according to the instructions of the Home Command.
Suddenly a group of 25 fighters from the Shimshon-Kfir unit, came in after returning from their commander's funeral on Mount Herzl. Without thinking twice, Shay welcomed each and every one of them with a hug; sat them down, indulged them with barbecue meats, salads, hot wraps, all the way from the appetizers (the traditional multitude, nay cornucopia, of salads and Iraqi pita straight from the taboon oven) main courses, drinks, desserts. When the fighters asked to pay - Shay refused. So Israeli, so very Yerushalmi (Jerusalemite)
Please dear friends, don’t forget Mordechai, his plot to confuse the evil plans of Haman, his decision to dictate the words which changed us from obedient people to feisty combatants for justice. We ae fighting the war against evil, against the determined efforts to change our world, this irritating little country will continue to challenge those who would see us gone, those who encourage death and destruction to all who do not follow the antithesis of freedom. We mourn our losses but just as I did today, we come out of each attack and dance, or just go to work until the next bombardment. I grew up on stories of the Brits during WW2 when most of Britain’s towns and cities were bombarded for nearly 6 years; one of the most popular songs we sang then was written in WW1, "Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit-Bag" to continue to the second line “and smile, smile, smile” https://youtu.be/suV26OS_XV0?si=3Zo6U_nPW_R6hECr I know it’s really hard for you out there in the world, you worry about all your loved ones here, even me!!!
We all worry about our brave pilots, soldiers and everyone who defends this little country. There is a beautiful prayer which I remember was recited each week in my synagogue in the UK. Here it is sung by a child, Nerya Granot, https://youtu.be/UlGy2nPg9uQ?si=MfXsbXIBzRWcvfem
Keren Peles is a famous singer/songwriter here in Israel. Many of the Israeli stars sing for the soldiers and Keren is no different. This video was made a few years ago, before Covid, before October 7th, before this ghastly war. I love it! She sings with a young woman fighter. “You Suddenly Appeared” https://youtu.be/KGSBrPc9-os?si=5cFJK9hi4yb9diU-
I hope that I will have nothing more interesting than the recipes for our Shabbat Dinner. I hope and pray that there will be nothing special to report although it is my belief that we have to respond to last night’s attacks. For those who don’t understand, this is not a case of responding to something that we started, just remember that they have been attacking us for years through their proxies. I wish you peace of mind and all of Israel a peaceful Shabbat without fear.
I promise that we will talk soon
Shabbat Shalom
Sheila
Involvement http://www.impact-se.org/
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