20th
February, 2026
Shabbat
Shalom, Ramadan Kreem, I hope you had a good Shrove Tuesday and are prepared
for Lent.
As
you know, I love to begin my missives with a wise quote, usually, Churchill,
Oscar Wilde, Mark Twain or GBS, but today I found the perfect quote for our
times from Tolstoy.
“The
most difficult subjects can be explained to the most slow-witted man if he has
not formed any idea of them already; but the simplest thing cannot be made
clear to the most intelligent man if he is firmly persuaded that he knows
already, without a shadow of doubt, what is laid before him.”
Surely
the ideal of an open mind is most lacking from society throughout the world, wherever
we may be, we have the mistaken belief that we are right. Perhaps it’s true,
perhaps our way is the least wrong, but sometimes seeing the view of the other,
no matter how much we disagree, can prevent not only arguments but war. It is
the conviction that there is no way, no road, no path other than the one we
have set out for ourselves that creates the trajectory to war.
Once
again, the Western world stands at the edge of something it barely dares to
name. The shadow of the Bay of Pigs hangs heavily, that same sense of
miscalculation, of dangerous certainty masking deeper chaos. But this time it
is not simply United States facing Russia. The lines are blurred, loyalties
obscured, and the true alliances hidden behind diplomacy and denial. Iran is
cast, rightly, as the obvious threat, yet behind it stand China and Qatar, the
latter small in size but vast in influence, shaping events in ways the
complacent world prefers not to see, but will soon be forced to confront.
Talks
continue but all options are still on the table. An armada of American warships
and aircraft carriers are closing in on the region. The largest American
aircraft carrier is the USS Gerald R. Ford
at 1,106 feet long, displaces 100,000 tons, it can carry more than 75 to
90 aircraft has now joined the fleet. A major war is not inevitable but the
anticipation is worrying, not just for this region but we must fear the
supporters of Iran throughout the world who may well wake up from their “sleeper”
position.
At
the inaugural meeting of the “Board of Peace”, President Donald Trump pledged
$17 billion ($10 from the USA and $7 from other participants) to rebuild the Gaza
Strip. Security arrangements will involve Egypt and Palestinian
representatives, and foreign forces intended to replace Israeli troops. It is a
promise, a lifeline to the many generations whose leaders have taught them that
their only alternative is war and terror. History has proven that money alone
cannot heal a broken society, that alongside the ruins of buildings stands the loss
of childhood itself, shaped by years of conflict, fury, grievance and
dependence on aid and worst of all the teaching of hatred, rather than the
chance to build independent lives. Billions can rebuild physical walls, but
unless they also rebuild hope, education and the possibility of a future, the broken
society will remain.
The
situation within parts of the Haredi community feels as though it has reached
breaking point. It is no longer only about demonstrations that bring cities to
a standstill or the venom directed at the police; this week it descended into
something far more painful. Two young female soldiers, in appropriate, skirted
uniform, went to visit a Haredi recruit who was frightened to walk his own
streets because he had enlisted in the IDF. They were attacked by a venomous
crowd of men and the police had to rescue them. Whatever one’s views on
enlistment, this is a moment of profound distress. When fear replaces
solidarity and intimidation replaces argument, something essential in our
shared fabric begins to tear. All we ask is that the weight of defending the
only Jewish State be shared, that this sector enlists in some form and works to
pay taxes that support the essentials of society; we have never asked that they
abandon Torah Study because we are after all a Jewish State, but simply to be a
relevant and active part of our society.
All
of those arrested have been released. In the same vein, Bezalel Smotrich has
announced that he does not believe that females, in particular his own
daughter, should serve in the IDF.
“The
Eighth Front: The Battle for Western Civilization,” was held in Nashville, Tennessee.
A large group of influencers, famous and less so, Jewish and Christian,
addressed a problem that is facing most sectors of society, not merely another
conference in support of Israel but a declaration of a much broader arena of
struggle. Sagiv Assulin, a former Mossad agent, says, “Today, we face a very
large wave of antisemitism, anti-Westernism, anti-Western values,
anti-democracy, and anti-everything the West represents. This wave is occurring
across Europe and within the US, using Israel, Zionism, and Judaism as tools to
harm the entire Western world. In 1897, Theodor Herzl established the First
Zionist Congress in response to a huge wave of antisemitism in Europe. In 2026,
I conceived the idea to establish a non-Jewish Zionist Congress to confront
this wave.”
After
Netanyahu’s recent visit to the USA and talks with President Trump the question
of his pardon suddenly came up! Surely not a coincidence but this time the
American President verbally attacked our President Herzog for not granting a
pardon. Here’s a reality check. Israelis follow the rule of law, a law which
requires pardons be granted only after a defendant has been declared guilty and
expresses regret for his actions. I know that I speak for myself and not for
all Israelis, but we really resent the interference in a complex and disturbing
series of events that are now being decided in an ongoing trial. Whether or not
the demand came after a conversation with Netanyahu we will never know, but
when one is ignorant of the severity of the charges of corruption and worse
that face Netanyahu, one should not interfere in the legal process of another
INDEPENDENT country. Yes, we are grateful for our alliance with the USA but
still abide by our own laws.
Lucy
Aharish is Israeli. She is an exceptional journalist who presents a daily news programme.
Lucy Aharish is an Israel, Arab, Moslem who grew up in Jaffa of parents who
understood the importance of being part of the society one grows up in. Lucy
Aharish is one of our greatest proponents and her gentle but determined
journalistic style is exceptional. Lucy married an actor, an Israeli Jewish actor,
Tsachi Halevi, who’s father is an 8th generation Israeli, and served
many weeks of Miluim having rushed to serve after October 7th. Of
late Lucy has come under verbal attack and threats because she supports equal
rights for Arab Israelis. I apologise Lucy, I admire you and am furious with those
who dare to vilify you, remember that most of us stand by you, love you and
understand you.
At
the risk of sounding a little odd, I love receiving the notice telling me that
a parcel awaits in the Bet Zayit Post Office! It isn’t the anticipation of
receipt but rather the short drive to our adjacent village. The drive down our winding
road, remember thanks to the hairpin bends it’s called the Seven Sisters, and
then at the bottom of the hill, turn right at the roundabout and then right
again toward Bet Zayit. As I pass the entrance to the promenade alongside the
reservoir, my excitement grows as the plethora of pink and white blossoms come
into sight! Hundreds of almond trees, shkediot, surrounded by pink wild
cyclamen and the bright scarlet spots of calaniot, or anemones. It is
breathtaking! I love it! Actually we’ll
see it tomorrow as we head off to hear a lecture by Or Heller, the exceptional
war correspondent of Israel Channel 13 followed by a wonderful Shabbat lunch
with the Voss family, Sharon and Ernst.
Since
we are talking about Sharon, she and I went to the potential women’s parliament
in the Moreshet Coffee Shop. We met up with my lovely neighbours Yael and Ika
and chatted about our park before returning to English while I took her on a
mini-tour of the exquisite Big House. We met up with two young men, both
miluimnikim, who were setting up for a big event to initiate an organisation
for men and women who have done reserve duty in Gaza and beyond, to help them
find work, study and a new path in life after the IDF. Of course, we got
chatting and I discovered something wonderful about Sharon; Sharon was a social
worker who upon retirement (maybe before) helped those with PTSD respond to sewing.
I know that when I sew, I feel a sense of achievement and calm so it is logical
that it will do the same for those in need of both, irrespective of male or
female.
This
was a full week, a busy week, between visiting sick friends, trying to arrange
an agreement concerning parking in our estate, and managing to spend time with
Rachel! Zvi has been very busy between his parliaments, choirs, grandchildren
and meetings….but yesterday evening we collected our friends Merle and Frank
Friedman from their future home and headed off on my favourite route, albeit in
the dark, to Bet Zayit and “Derech haGefen” restaurant. "Derech
HaGefen" (דרך הגפן) translates from Hebrew as "The Way
of the Vine" or "Path of the Vine," from the Jewish
blessing for wine. It is used to describe a spiritual path in Judaism or the
agricultural/ritual journey of making wine but in this case it is the source of
fabulous food!
I
am afraid that you will have to do without the newsletter next week, we are off
to Albania in the hope that we will not have a problem coming home. Don’t
worry, we fly El Al! I’ll miss you, but I just can’t write on my phone and I
don’t have a laptop! I want to leave you with music and sweet thoughts, so here
goes!
Uziya
Zadok came to fame when he was a child with a beautiful boy tenor voice. He’s
now grown up but for me this song, this voice of innocence, tell a tale of
hope. The song, You’re not Alone, Ata lo Levad. https://youtu.be/lv-bqvfIHek?si=VpGzsRbsahDtKl_q
Omer
Adam is a popular Israeli singer, that I happen to love! This song is about the
week of normal life and the excitement that Friday brings, Friday when the
Almighty finished his work and found it to be good. https://youtu.be/yI73P4c6vlQ?si=Of2RLkhoJTzPGWwr
Legendary
Israeli singer, composer, and producer Matti
Caspi passed away on Sunday, February 8, 2026, at the age of 76. Known
as one of the most influential figures in Israeli music, he composed and
produced over a thousand songs during his long career. This song expresses
both love and the sadness that he carried with him. https://youtu.be/7Rjg3we1-2c?si=-em5b-sfifeqc1Xi
Here
we are, yet another Shabbat in front of us, Shabbat, Sabbath, Sabt, a day of
rest and peace, although tomorrow and maybe many tomorrows the threat of war
hangs over us. Nonetheless, it is a day of rest, it is a day in which we can
appreciate what we have, our family, a roof over our head, be it small or large,
friends, food and prayer, the sun is shining today and the trees are swaying in
the breeze. I have my freedom, which is more than most countries and maybe,
perhaps, the threat today is more on the freedom of ordinary Iranians than
anything else.
I
wish you Shabbat Shalom, health, love and good news, good news on every level.
Shabbat
Shalom and much love from atop a hill in the Jerusalem Hills
Sheila
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