Shevuot and Ben Gvir

 

21^st of May 2026

5^th Sivan, 5786

 

Good morning, Shabbat Shalom and Chag Shevuot Sameach and a Blessed Ascencion Day

 

The difficulties of peace are better than the agony of war.”

— Menachem Begin

 

Shevuot celebrates our receiving of the Torah — not only faith and ritual, but the moral foundations of how we live, how we treat one another, how we behave as human beings. The Torah contains 613 commandments, and while none of us manages to fulfil them perfectly, surely the most important among them are those that demand decency, compassion, justice, and respect for others.

 

That is why the behaviour we witnessed this week from Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and those around him felt so profoundly shaming. Cruelty, provocation, and hatred are not expressions of Jewish strength; they are a betrayal of the very values we celebrate on Shevuot. The violent extremists once romantically described as “Hilltop Youth” are not settlers safeguarding Israel’s future, but lawless individuals whose actions damage innocent people, deepen division, and stain the moral fabric of this country we love so deeply. Criticism of such behaviour is not anti-Israel; on the contrary, it comes from caring enough about Israel to expect better from those who claim to represent it.

 

It is also important to remember that the very framework of the Oslo Accords recognised that both Jews and Palestinians would continue living in Judea and Samaria while final status arrangements were negotiated. The existence of Jewish communities there is therefore not, in itself, the issue. One may support or oppose settlements politically, but there is a profound difference between lawful communities — families building homes, schools, farms, and lives — and violent extremism carried out in their name. Far too often the distinction is deliberately blurred, unfairly tarring entire populations because of the actions of a dangerous minority. Most Israelis, including many settlers themselves, want nothing more radical than safety, stability, and the possibility of living alongside their neighbours without fear.

 

I love Shevuot! The supermarket shelves suddenly become a sea of cheesecakes, cream cheeses, yoghurts and enough dairy products to keep the entire country happily overfed for days. Homes are filled with the smell of baking blintzes and cheesecakes, with every family utterly convinced, quite rightly, of course, that theirs is the best. Meanwhile, on the kibbutzim, harvest festivals are in full swing, children leap about in the hay, tractors are decorated, and otherwise perfectly respectable adults appear in alarming “Farmer Joe” outfits which would not look out of place in an old village fête. Babies born on the Kibbutz or moshav since last Shevuot are celebrated, their names often read out for all to hear.

 

And somehow this lovely festival, marking the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai, also weaves together one of the gentlest and most touching stories in the Bible: Ruth, who chose loyalty and love over comfort and familiarity, following her mother-in-law Naomi with the immortal words, “Where you go, I will go.” It is during the harvest that Ruth meets Boaz in the fields, a story of kindness, dignity, belonging, acceptance and ultimately renewal. So Shevuot becomes a perfect mixture of spirituality, harvest festival, family gathering and national cheesecake competition — which feels very Jewish indeed.

 

In easier times, on a Shavuot weekend like this, we would simply head north; to the breathtaking beauty of the Galilee, to tiny towns, kibbutzim and villages bursting with flowers and greenery. We would stop in Druze villages where extraordinary women prepared wonderful kosher meals for visitors from Israel and abroad, and the greatest concern of the day was whether one had packed a hat and enough water for the walk.

 

Now the reality feels painfully different. Even during what is supposedly called a ceasefire, Hezbollah continues its explosive drones, and little children celebrating Shavuot in their kindergarten are taught not songs and dances alone, but how to run for cover or lie flat on the ground protecting their heads. And yet so often the world hears only one side of the story, while the fear and disruption endured by Israeli families in the north barely merit a mention. It leaves one longing not for anything grand or political, but simply for the ordinary peace of those earlier days.

 

I know that we are living through an extraordinarily unpredictable time, our lives seemingly balanced between the decisions of two powerful men and an extremist theocracy openly committed to our destruction. One moment we are wondering whether we will spend Shabbat sitting in the mamad listening for sirens, and the next whether we might simply go for a peaceful walk in the Jerusalem hills. That uncertainty is exhausting.

 

Perhaps that is why I felt such anger this week when an American President casually remarked that Israel’s Prime Minister would “do as he is told.” Seventy-eight years after Israel fought for and achieved independence, those words jar painfully. Whatever one thinks of Netanyahu, and Israelis certainly think many different things, this country is not a protectorate, nor are Israelis a people who wait for others to determine our fate. We are proud, stubborn, argumentative, independent, resilient people who built a nation against impossible odds. And yes, there is confusion, frustration, and fear at the moment, but beneath all of it remains something unshakable: this is our home, our responsibility, and ultimately our future to decide.

 

On a much lighter note, we had rather mixed feelings watching this year’s Eurovision, seeing the Israeli song “Michelle”, with its extraordinary stage performance, come first with the viewers yet only second with the judges. It somehow summed up the strange atmosphere surrounding Israel these days; ordinary people responding with their hearts while official panels tie themselves into knots trying to appear balanced and terribly sophisticated. In truth, hosting next year’s Eurovision would probably have been rather complicated for us at the moment, but it would still have been lovely to win. Through it all, Noam Bettan conducted himself with warmth, dignity, and intelligence. No anger, no theatrics, just quiet confidence and pride in representing Israel at a time when doing so takes no small amount of courage. Sometimes simple decency speaks far louder than politics. I love that he ended his performance, as the cameras closed in for a close-up, he mouthed “Am Yisrael Chai”

 

Last Friday night we had an impromptu Shabbat Dinner here with our cousins Rachel and Yossi Ribak and Zehava and Ami Sever. As you can imagine, the conversation went from our current political, diplomatic situation and the emotional see-saw of both our leadership and Iran. The interesting Israel question of “Who will you vote for” was also clear in intent and uncertain in fact. It all depends up whether or not our current opposition cares enough to get together and form a majority to oust this Kakistocracy. I pray that it will happen and happen soon. I pray that we will return to a united, caring society without the splintering of the last nearly 20 years. I pray that we will retain our rightful place among the democratic nations. I pray that we will regain respect, both external and self respect. In other words, I pray that we will be everything we prayed for before May 14^th 1948.

 

So, the first song is an obvious choice. Michelle, the incredible performance of Noam Bettan and the dancers at the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest. https://youtu.be/E2aL4xRzNXI?si=lVymECDvT8lJ4uU0

 

Naomi Shemer wrote many of the most beautiful Israeli songs and this one doesn’t disappoint. SHIRAT HA´ASAVIM  Sung by Shuli Rand it is a song to the plants and trees, surely the epitome of Shevuot. https://youtu.be/GDw_2sHhxXQ?si=tzyrvKSLqThgc5Xd

 

Shevet Achim v’Achiot – a Tribe of Brothers and Sisters. What we are and what we will be. It’s our dream, it’s our fact. Here it’s home, Here it’s heart, Here our ancestors are the roots and we are the flowers, it’s our Israel we will never leave. Israeli artistes sing our greatest prayer. https://youtu.be/KLx6qOdA4OE?si=2FxwQl0F86HXMhIR

 

I wish you a peaceful celebration of both Shevuot and Pentecost. I wish you a harvest of love and joy, of understanding and acceptance of the other.

 

Shabbat Shalom to one and all and may God bless you with the ability to find the best in every situation.

With love from our veranda which is filled with the colour and scents from the blossoming trees and the newly emerged flowers and, of course, the view from our veranda, over the Jerusalem Hills, the view of Jerusalem, David’s city which is has no less than 70 names in the Bible including Ir Shalem, Ariel, Yerushalyim, Shalm, Moriah, Zion, yes Zion hence the word Zionist…..

 

Sheila

 

The Eve of Jerusalem Day

 

14^th May 2026

27^th Iyar, 5786

Jerusalem Day

 

Of course, I wish you Shabbat Shalom but most of all I wish Jerusalem to hold celebrations of Jerusalem Day filled with joy, fellowship, good will and safety

 

Today is the eve of Jerusalem Day, celebrating the day Jerusalem became one again; Old City and New, heart and soul. The day in 1967, on the fourth day of the war Motta Gur uttered the words “Har HaBayit b’yadeinu” “The Temple Mount is in our hands” and the sight of Yitzchak Rabin, the Chief of Staff, driving his jeep  through the Lions Gate, sent tears, disbelief, and overwhelming joy not only through Israel, but throughout the Jewish world. Jerusalem Day was never only an Israeli moment; it was emotional for Jews everywhere who suddenly felt history, longing, and return collide in a single sentence. A tiny country, fighting simply to survive against those who wished to destroy it, suddenly reunited with the heart of its history. 6 incredible days when Israel survived a simultaneous attack from all her neighbours near and far.

 

I woke this morning to that unmistakable scent of an early Israeli summer; pine trees warming in the sun, citrus blossom drifting on the air, and the dry sweetness of the hills around Jerusalem. We live beside the old Seven Sisters road, with its seven winding bends climbing towards the city, the very road that first carried me to Jerusalem as a wide-eyed seventeen-year-old on my first visit to Israel, its hairpin bends striking fear in our hearts as the ancient bus struggled its way up and up, the Aliya to Jerusalem, the driver manipulating the heavy wheel around each bend. This week, Gerald Fraser, an old friend from Cardiff and his wife Rhea, came to see us, Surprisingly Gerald forgot that we had been on that bus, in that group, in 1963, together and when I reminded him we spent our time reminiscing on that magical summer when a group of teenagers fell hopelessly in love with this country and quietly decided that, one day, this would be home. More than half a century later, through wars, terror, two Intifadas, sirens, heartbreak and joy, it still is. Jerusalem, whether Jew, Christian, Muslim, agnostic or even atheist, just the name is capable of warming the heart.

 

I may be a dreamer, even an optimist, and I recognise that things have changed, emotions that ran deep in love may have turned to hatred, but still if you go to the Old City markets, to the centre of the city, to Mamilla and of course the that most Yerushalmi of places, Machane Yehuda market, the Shouk, you still see everyone together enjoying life! Most evenings, after the bastot (market stalls) have closed, leaving only the aromas of fresh fruit and vegetables, knaffe, sweet halva and the echoes of the costermongers in the air, the metal blinds come down, revealing wonderful graffiti depictions of famous Israelis – and Einstein, and the chairs and tables come out, the musicians warm up, the beer kegs are in place and young  people of all ages and creeds come to celebrate being alive. The years of fear of explosions in that wonderful place are a memory, hopefully never to return.

 

This morning I walked to my Mind and Movement class and our beautiful leader, teacher, guide, Gali, suggested we each talk about our memories of childhood in Jerusalem, our thoughts of the present and our hopes for the future. Of course I was not born in Jerusalem, one born in the USA, one in Haifa, one in Algeria and myself in Wales, just Tami spoke of her childhood in Rahavia and the little roads that haven’t changed, walking to school and going to the little sweet shop, each of us spoke of our connection to that city, from near and far, and our emotional attachment, be it through prayer or through our parent’s dreams. I walked back together with Galia, who was born in Algeria but came to Israel as a young woman together with her family. As we walked through the village of Motza, in itself with historic ties to Jerusalem and Teordor Herzl (yes I meant to write Teodor because that is how he called himself) we spoke of what Jerusalem gave to us when we were children in far countries. We spoke of our love of that city, that moving to Motza was not leaving Jerusalem because we feel part of Jerusalem, simply a rural suburb.

 

Jerusalem has undoubtedly become more religious over the years, though in truth that applies to all three monotheistic faiths that hold the city so dear. To digress, (what would you do if I wrote without digressions) there are no less than 52 Christian denominations, 8 Muslim denominations and about 600,000 Jewish denominations!!! There is, however, an interesting phenomenon among some people who leave Jerusalem for the freer, more energetic rhythm of Tel Aviv life. Quite often, they seem to remember only the frustrations and changes, focusing on the crowded entrance to the city, the towering new buildings, or the tensions of modern Jerusalem, rather than its extraordinary heart and soul.

And yet cities evolve; they always have. Jerusalem is no exception. Alongside its ancient stones and timeless beauty are hi-tech companies, start-ups, cafés, galleries, and the creative pulse of a modern capital. In fact, many of Israel’s beloved coffee chains began there. It seems a pity to see only one side of the city’s character, because no great city in the world remains frozen in time. If we judged every beautiful city only by its traffic, cranes, or changing skyline, we would probably never travel anywhere at all. The city centre is filled with students during the day and many stay to enjoy the cool Jerusalem evenings instead of the sticky humidity of anywhere closer to the sea.

 

There is an old saying that nine-tenths of the world’s beauty was given to Jerusalem, and on certain days it is tangible. One of the loveliest buildings in the newer part of the city, after the YMCA, which can hardly still be called new, is the Supreme Court. Whatever one’s politics, the architecture is breathtaking. Funded, like the Knesset, through the generosity of the Rothschild family, the Court carries with it a remarkable story. Dorothy de Rothschild had one request: that the Supreme Court should stand on higher ground than the Knesset, to symbolize the supremacy of the rule of law and justice over the political legislative branch and that a pathway should connect the two buildings, and that the Court should always remain accessible to all. After her death, that vision became reality.

 

The building itself feels both modern and timeless. Vast arched spaces filled entirely with natural Jerusalem light, Jerusalem stone flowing seamlessly from outside to inside, and courtrooms designed to reflect different parts of the Old City. Even the smallest details carry meaning. Above each section are stones representing those in the Choshen Mishpat, the High Priest’s breastplate of judgement, once used to seek wisdom and guidance for the people of Israel. It is very Jerusalem somehow — history, symbolism, beauty, and modern life all layered quietly together in one extraordinary place.

 

I hope that I have done justice to the city that I love so much. Of course it has changed as the demographics dictate, but despite the 120 members of the Knesset it is still the spiritual heart of Christianity and Judaism and has become, in recent years, equally important to Islam.

 

Since the class this morning was called Movement after our musings, we then danced to several utterly Yerushalmi songs. The Banai family was born in the Shouk, Mahane Yehuda; The renowned Israeli artistic dynasty originated from Persian Jewish roots, settled in Jerusalem's Mahaneh Yehuda neighborhood; Rahamim Banai (then Bana) arrived in the Land of Israel from Shiraz, Persia, in the early 1880s. They have produced generations of celebrated musicians, actors, and entertainers, unquestionably the "first family" of Israeli entertainment.

 

Interestingly enough the late Meir Banai’s most famous song is called Shaar HaRahamim, the Mercy Gate. Although this video, for some reason, shows the Kotel, in fact the Mercy Gate is opposite the Mount of Olives on the other side of the Old City. The Messiah (we never argue if its his return or his rising) will arrive through the Mercy Gate followed by all those buried on the Mount. The Jewish cemetery is on the hillside, the Christian on the lower slopes and, sorry I get a bit political here, The Mercy Gate (Golden Gate) was sealed in 1541 by the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, who also initiated the placement of a Muslim cemetery in front of it. While the gate had been closed previously, this 16th-century action was part of rebuilding Jerusalem's walls, with tradition stating it was done to prevent the entry of the Jewish Messiah. 

Here’s the beautiful song  https://youtu.be/zexmsOcywnQ?si=OkvoWBeNcSAiymQq

 

"Shabchi Yerushalayim" is based on Psalm 147 here sung by Avihu Medina. The lyrics praise God for protecting and strengthening Jerusalem. “O Jerusalem​, praise the LORD; praise your God, O Zion. For He has strengthe​ned the bars of your gates, and blessed your children in your midst.” https://youtu.be/ByWfUx0QnyE?si=tMvsReGk1eaCRJC3

 

I had never heard Jerusalem of Gold, a very different Jerusalem of Gold and I have no idea who sings but it is truly magnificent, telling the story of the return to Jerusalem, to the Old City, to the Holy sites. I apologise for the advert in the middle. https://youtu.be/zRVnjucnWtg?si=AJonxsbi20BqepIt

As I write about Jerusalem, about Jerusalem Day, the news came in that a Hezb-Allah drone with an explosive warhead hit Rosh Hanikra, in the north of Israel, one of the towns that has suffered horribly from Hezb-Allah attacks for many years, and two people were seriously injured and one moderately and rushed to the Galilee Hospital. I wish them a speedy recovery; indeed, I wish the north of Israel a speedy recovery. After elections, assuming there will be a new government, the rebuilding of the broken north and south of Israel and return of those who were sent to safety and had no home to return to, we cannot lose two thirds of our country to our enemies.

 

So another week has passed and I have tried to keep our attention on Jerusalem, because she deserves this day of unity, unification, flag waving and generosity of spirit. I hope and pray that the Jerusalem march will be one of celebration and not one of triumph.

 

Undoubtedly, the most important day in our history was May 14, 1948, when Ben Gurion declared the State and named her Israel after the ancient tribe that once lived here.

 

Actually May 12^th was a momentous day too! Rachel announced that she really needed to see me and was already on her way. I had a class but told them I’d come late, worried that something was wrong. She walked in with my fabulous granddaughter Talia who had finally returned from 6 months in South America! Tears, hugs and a million emotions! The best surprise anyone could possibly have! Thank you Sally, thank you for giving her a home away from home and being her new BFF.

 

In fact, yesterday was wonderful too, starting with a quick visit from our friends Ronit and Yossi Dagan and then meeting the incomparable, amazing, Poodle (her real name is Alex but …..she’s Poodle because it reflects her hairstyle when she was in school with Daniel) and Rachel in Derech haGefen in Bet Zayit for a delicious lunch.

 

It may not seem directly concerning Jerusalem, but everything we, Impact-se, do is intended to make our lives safer, wherever we may be, and to stop the child abuse of hate education; a research institute that began in the hallowed halls of the Hebrew University now influences beyond comparison. An explanation for everyone who asks about our work, but especially for Sylvia Liwerant and all her friends who asked to understand what and who Impact-se is ….. here goes. The Institute for Monitoring Peace and Cultural Tolerance in School Education (IMPACT-se) is a transformational research and policy institute that delivers strategic outcomes for the Jewish world. Operating from Ramat Gan, Dubai, London and Washington DC, IMPACT-se is helping to shape the way millions of schoolchildren perceive Jews and Israel in their daily school education. Our mission is clear: to counter radicalism, and hate education through world-class, proprietary research and top-level policy engagement, IMPACT-se is contributing to changing the textbooks of millions of students. Take a look. https://www.impact-se.org/

 

Sending you all love from Jerusalem, the city that still lives up to her nine-tenths of beauty. So from our home in the Jerusalem Hills, Shabbat Shalom and Happy Jerusalem Day.

Sheila

 

The Power of One

 ​THE POWER OF ONE

8^th of May 2026

20^th of Iyar 5786

 

Shabbat Shalom everyone! So good to talk to you today.

 

Before I sit to write to you, I read the Israeli paper to see if there is anything that catches my eye so that I can tell you about it. I always read what Brenda Katten writes because she so often echoes my thoughts and fears. When in London recently Brenda went to see a play at the Young Vic Theatre, “Broken Glass” the Arthur Miller play which took its title and theme from The Night of the Broken Glass; Kristallnacht.

 

Arthur Miller’s Broken Glass holds today’s fears and deep emotional concern because it no longer refers only to the past. Sylvia’s paralysis becomes a deeply human reflection of what happens when people grow numb in the face of hatred and frightening world events. In the play, ordinary Jewish families ask what Nazi persecution has to do with them, even as Kristallnacht looms in the background, and there’s something quietly frightening in their distance and disbelief. Perhaps that is why the play feels so relevant. In a world of endless headlines and constant cacophony, our current threats can too easily become just another story. Broken Glass reminds us how dangerous it is when people stop seeing each other’s fear and humanity, and how important it remains to care enough, aware enough, not to look away.

 

I have said it before; I will say it again until my voice is heard too. We are currently living in 1936, but this time it isn’t just Nazi Germany it is worldwide. The carefully crafted assault on our daily lives, not just anti-Israel; not just anti-Semitism; not just attacking churches; it is an attack on our very beliefs and way of life.

 

I write here about the UK, because that’s what I know, but in truth this could apply almost anywhere;  north, south, east, or west. This week the British Ambassador, Simon Walters, felt it important enough to hold a press briefing about the growing wave of antisemitism and the response to it. He spoke not only about hateful language, but about something much wider and more troubling: the overlap between extremism, intimidation, vandalism, and the steady rise of fear within Jewish communities. Over the past year we have seen terrible incidents not only in Britain, but in Australia, America, and elsewhere, and for many Jews there is a growing sense of unease in places where they once felt entirely at home. What struck me most was not the politics of it, but the sadness that such conversations are necessary at all. No Jew should feel anxious about wearing a kippah, entering a synagogue, or simply being visibly Jewish in the country they call home. And yet, here we are, having these conversations once again, hoping that the wider world understands that antisemitism is never just a Jewish problem — it is a warning sign for society as a whole.

 

Just for you to know, Belgium has declared Brit Milah illegal when not performed by a doctor. They clearly know nothing about the British Royal family who, when the Royal Princes are circumcised the Queen asked Rabbi Snoman, a Mohel, to perform the surgery

 

The conversation in Jewish families everywhere is, “Who among our friends would save us?” We are in an undeniable crisis of antisemitism, and many are asking whether they need to leave their current home countries. Many have already done so, or are planning to. Two of the people in the UK who have been publicly outspoken, one is Kemi Badenoch, Leader of the Opposition, and Trevor Phillips who has a Sunday Morning programme on Sky News, both people of colour. Trevor Phillips’ monologue sums up the situation in the UK but it could be anywhere.  https://www.instagram.com/reels/DX46v6MM0ln/

 

The outside world is cross about the cost of petrol and the subsequent rise in the cost of living, we complain too, but never forget that for us, it isn’t only about the cost of living; it is about an existential threat from Iran and Qatar and their proxies who intend, after disposing of us, ultimately changing your way of life. This war is not about whether or not you like the leaders, it’s about survival.

 

Did you know that children living in the north of Israel haven’t been to school on a regular basis for 3 years? Did you know that half of the homes in the north of Israel have been destroyed or damaged? Do you know the Hezb-Allah name for their current campaign against Israel? “The Campaign to Occupy the Galil” It’s so clever to convince the world that the accuser is the occupier!

 

As I wrote last week, the strange thing is that in sport, where there is plenty of antisemitism and unsportsmanlike shunning of Israeli sportsmen and women, we are doing very nicely thank you!!

This week the Israeli national team won gold in Rhythmic Gymnastics at the 2026 European Cup in Baku in the five-ball final and Daniela Munits won gold in the clubs title and another gold in the Cross Battle event.  In Ice Hockey, Israel's men's team won against Taiwan 6-1, remaining undefeated at the IIHF World Championship in Sofia, Bulgaria. Finally, Congratulations to Israeli judoka Melissa Safronsky for winning two gold medals at the Budapest Cup and she is only 12 years old.

 

We are undefeatable because we are indefatigable!

 

Talk about indefatigable, that is IMPACT-se. After years of painstaking research exposing incitement and extremism within UNRWA schools, the organisation has helped drive a dramatic shift in international attitudes. In 2025 alone, UNRWA funding fell by more than $500 million, with major donors, including Arab States, withdrawing or significantly reducing support. Time and again, IMPACT-se presented governments with compelling evidence that children were being educated not for peace, but for hatred, a reality the world could no longer ignore. Don’t even get me started on the leadership of António Guterres, the Secretary General of the UN.

 

Do you follow Nas Daily, aka Nuseir Yassin? if so you must see this one where he talks about the Indians of Uganda and their incredible success after being given 90 days to get out. As he says, pain is not a choice but how you deal with it is, to be a victim or not. https://www.instagram.com/reels/DKwwQAxM2aH/

 

This week started with our big car deciding that it had had enough and refused to move. Luckily it was in our outdoor car park when it died. We tried everything and after consultation with Osama we called the tow truck. He was really sweet but when he mentioned what he thought was wrong with the car, I really didn’t understand. I grew up with cars and know my “bits” but this one was strange to me. He said that he thought it was the blugs. He repeated it 3 times but still no luck until I remembered that Arabic speakers cannot pronounce the letter “P” and he was describing a problem with the PLUGS. I find it strange that a people that cannot says the letter P calls itself Palestinian. Anyway, we took the car to the workshop and thanks to Osama it came out like new.

 

On Tuesday we drove to Ra’anana to the most wonderful event. My childhood friend Jen, Jenny, Jennifer held her birthday party! It was an early lunch but although the food was good, the restaurant had a lovely country feel, the best part was that Jen had invited only close friends. For me, my to Zvi’s concern, we were placed at a table of Ex-Cardiffians and I had a ball! It was probably difficult for our partners who had no idea of whom we spoke and about what we got excited!! Most of all my beautiful friend Jen, who I have loved from the age of 7, and her incredible husband Brian (they met at my birthday party) simply glowed! Their children Robert and Rachel insisted I have one of the family Tshirts which declared “I’, not really 80, I’m 18 with 62 years’ experience”!!  I loved it so much I even wore it to my Mind and Movement group!!

 

After the party we drove to Kfar Saba ha Yeruka to visit Rachel and Yossi, Zvi’s cousins that I absolutely adore and then on to our grandson Yonatan’s Basketball game in Tel Aviv. I became very excited, cheering both his team and the opposing team!! Yonatan is 11 by the way, but will be 12 on Sunday. Tomorrow we are going to be with the family for his party at Amiad and Noga’s.

 

On Wednesday my friend Gila brought her sister Margo to visit. Margo and I were friends of Facebook without realising she was Gila’s sister. By the way I’ve been thrown off Facebook! Can’t find out why but I have a good idea how. Their propensity to hatred of Israel is undoubtedly the cause. Anyway our meeting was delightful and since Margo Dudkevitch is a journalist of renown, we had loads to talk about. On Thursday Zvi performed with David De’Or at the Jerusalem theatre. Well to be exact, Zvi sang with the Zamir choir under the baton of Ronit Banit and the performance was stupendous. Yesterday Sheli and her friend Elior came to visit and obviously I made lunch and today we have the Azkara, the visit to the cemetery to say the prayers in memory of Alla and Kalman, Zvi’s incredible parents about who I have often written. Tomorrow Yonatan’s birthday and that ends this week! I’m exhausted jut reading my own words!

 

Music, and this song is about as far from my usual picks as one can get but it is number one on the Israeli charts. Iranian Rapper and anti IRGC,  021KID with Lion Sun  https://youtu.be/l5cyUblMrFo?si=pYpLI2fr1x_wPz48

 

David De’Or, world famous Israeli counter-tenor, has chosen to perform only Israeli songs this year, in fact at the concert he also told wonderful stories about his various gigs around the world. A long time ago he wrote the song “Shmor Al Ha’Olam Yeled” a song about a parent talking to his son and asking him to take care of the world because we did a lousy job of it. https://youtu.be/e7EV4IWgR2A?si=f30PWK7KfAhPI7nH

 

Noam Bettan is singing this year’s entry to the Eurovision Song Contest. As usual there is a great deal of hatred from many of the countries but we are there and this song is a strong contender, Michelle in three languages, Hebrew, French and English. https://youtu.be/xWCnWSoG8nI?si=AihWx7b6kw1fTDS5 I want you to vote! Please do! You can cast your vote by phone, SMS or at www.esc.vote, depending on where you are in the world, and you can vote up to 10 times. It is so important to prove to the haters that we stand tall and support Israel.

 

And so we come to Shabbat again. The aroma of delicious epicurean concoctions of so many countries and traditions waft in the air. Food is such a central and essential part of Jewish life. It may be Chicken soup with matzo balls or kubeh soup; it may be gefilte fish or chraime, as David De’Or said on the stage this Wednesday, his songs are not defined by being Ashkenazi or Sefardi or Misrachi, in the same way as he believes that people should not be defined in that manner, we are all Jewish, we shouldn’t split we should unite. So it is in life, to unite against evil, to unite against any enemy that would teach hatred. This is our one attempt at creating a better world for our children and grandchildren. Unity, such a short word for such an important decision. Unity, tolerance, acceptance, they work only when it is  reciprocal, but if we are persistent, if we accept that with The Power of One we can change the world for the better.

 

I wish you a peaceful weekend, a beautiful Shabbat, the chance to go out there and breathe in the beauty of nature. Shabbat Shalom from Jerusalem, the View from Our Veranda and its spring display.

Sheila

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If the media does not inform us we must inform the media

My Website http://www.theviewfrommyveranda.info/

​Involvement   http://www.impact-se.org/ 

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pARANOIA, DIOKOPHOBIA OR PLAIN TRUTH

 

PARANOIA, DIOKOPHOBIA OR PLAIN TRUTH

 

1^st of May 2026

14^th of Iyar 5786

 

 

Shabbat Shalom Dear Friends! Shabbat Shalom and a happy May Day.

 

As a child I remember dancing around a May Pole, well actually it wasn’t me dancing around a May Pole but I remember film and photos of young people weaving and plaiting the ribbons which then magically untangles! Such wonderful, innocent memories. I wish children today could have those memories rather than glued to their phones alongside parents equally glued; but then I always was a dreamer.

 

Back to cruel reality and the acceptable antisemitism around the world. I learned yesterday that the police in Sydney, Australia, were warned about an attack on Jews before Bondi Beach, but didn’t take it seriously, not because they hate Jews, but rather because they didn’t believe there would be an attack of this nature in Australia. Perhaps the police felt it was paranoia whereas it was, in fact, a well based case of diokophobia, the technical term for the fear of being chased. Thus it was in Michigan, Manchester and now London. What causes it? This intense, often groundless dislike is also described as animus, malice, enmity, bile, vitriol, and prejudice, but is far simpler than that; it is well coordinated and planned antisemitism, taught, viewed, read and above all the uncontrolled use of TikTok and the like.

 

Perhaps it is coincidence, perhaps not, but the attack on Jews in London coincides with the anniversary of Adolf Hitler’s suicide alongside Eva Braun April 30^th in 1945.

 

There is something rather unsettling in the echoes of history. After the false messiah Shabtai Zvi betrayed the hopes of so many by converting to Islam, countless Jews were left devastated. For some, the disappointment was so profound that they abandoned not only him, but in some cases their connection to Judaism itself. The sense of betrayal ran that deeply. At times, I can’t help but wonder whether we are witnessing a modern version of that same painful phenomenon; the danger of misplaced faith, grand promises, political certainty, or ideological extremes that ultimately leave ordinary people disillusioned. Once again, many are being asked to place their trust in narratives of redemption, only to find themselves facing the far more familiar reality of Israel continuing its enduring struggle for survival. My concern is not simply political, but communal. For Jews around the world, particularly those already wrestling with identity, rising hostility, and moral confusion, profound disappointment can become deeply corrosive. When controversial governments or troubling decisions create alienation, there is always the risk that some may distance themselves not merely from policy, but from their peoplehood itself. History reminds us that disillusionment can have lasting consequences, and that is why clarity, honesty, and a grounded sense of Jewish continuity matter now more than ever.

 

Israelis, in particular, and Jews in general have a seemingly natural tendency toward positivity and hope, after all that’s the name of our Anthem, and seeing a gathering of forces of the Israeli Opposition represents hope and renewal for us in Israel. Instead of infighting, Lapid and Bennett have joined forces and Eizenkot will probably join them. It doesn’t mean that our enemies will suddenly love us and we will live in everlasting peace, but it offers a more positive vision of change. A vision of a government that doesn’t use the “divide and conquer” policy, a strategy employed by this or any government to create or exploit internal divisions to maintain control, often leading to deep social fracturing. What so many of us long for is not uniformity, but unity, a return to being a strong, resilient society capable of holding many different views while still recognising our shared future. In a country as diverse and passionate as Israel, that may be one of the most hopeful visions of all.

 

The country is in turmoil over the killing of a young man on Yom Haatzmaut. Eight or nine youngsters were using the spray party foam to celebrate our Independence; hardly a problem, but they were doing so inside a pizza parlour and Yemanu Binyamin Zelka z”l  who was on the night shift, asked them to stop spraying inside the shop. They went away then came back and stabbed him to death. This is Israel where youngsters grow up with a sense of responsibility, it is something that we have never seen, but it is happening. Something is happening that Israelis don’t understand; something frightening is happening where youngsters feel they can kill someone with impunity. They have been caught and will undoubtedly serve long prison terms, but they killed Yemanu and ruined their own lives, and the lives of his and their families.

 

Enough! Enough doom and gloom, let’s look on the bright side!! For one, we haven’t needed our safe room for some time now! Yes, I am sitting typing, writing to you in that room and true that I haven’t drawn back the heavy, metal guard across the window, but life has returned to normal and we look forward to Lag b’Omer, the 33^rd day of the counting of the Omer, 49 days between Passover (Pascha) and Shevuot (Pentecost); a period very similar to Lent in its restrictions. Many young couples marry on Lag b’Omer because they can have music and dancing at their celebrations. Youngsters’ light bonfires and camp out, beside their bonfires made of carefully gathered wood and twigs, although the glorious weather has dried the earth and grasses making it a problem in terms of starting bush fires. I suppose every good thing has its setbacks which can be solved by following the rules. This festival expresses our positivity more than any other because it is a celebration of the passing (yahrzeit) of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai (Simon son of Yochai) a master of Kabbalah and author of the Zohar who instructed his students to mark the day with joy rather than mourning. The bonfire represents that light that Bar Yochai brought to the world. Haredim celebrate in Meron near Shimon ben Yochai’s grave by lighting a special beacon and dancing.

 

Things are changing in the Rabbinical Court. For the first time in Israel’s history, and thanks to a High Court emergency injunction that ended a delay of several hours, three women took the rabbinical exam administered by the Chief Rabbinate on Monday. The Rabbinate begrudgingly allowed women to take the test, which is given to men seeking rabbinical ordination, after a landmark High Court decision in July, following a years-long legal battle. The exam is part of the series of tests on Jewish law taken by rabbinical candidates.

 

The State Department’s determination that PA textbook incitement should carry real consequences, based on our research, is gratifying, and a testament to IMPACT-se’s determined work over many years alongside multiple administrations in Washington is finally paying off. European Parliament urged a funding freeze over PA textbook hate. The vote comes after the PA’s repeated empty assurances to the EU that textbook reform has been implemented, claims that are clearly and consistently contradicted by IMPACT-se’s research.  You can check it out on our website www.impact-se.org

 

Talking of Impact-se, the New York Post wrote about our research into Iranian textbooks. https://nypost.com/2026/04/25/world-news/iran-released-vile-textbooks-instructing-children-to-destroy-great-satan-us-and-israel/

 

Congratulations to Israeli epee fencer Dov Vilensky for winning the gold medal at the under 23 European Championship in Italy!  Raz Hershko won gold in the Judo European Championships. Gymnastics (Osijek World Cup): Artem Dolgopyat won a gold medal in the floor exercise at the World Cup in Croatia. Every week another Israeli athlete wins gold; it’s in our DNA to compete in sport, despite all the jokes to the contrary!!

 

So what’s happening in our world? Next Wednesday Zvi is singing with his choir at the Jerusalem Theatre with the exceptional David De’Or. Of course, this means that he has been out most evenings at rehearsals to ensure harmony.

 

Last Saturday an old friend of Zvi’s came for afternoon tea with her husband, and it was fascinating to hear stories of Zvi’s period in university and his many adventures in charge of culture which, of course, led to his organizing demonstrations for the Soviet Jewry, the first in the world in 1969, his argument with Golda and the start of the Soviet Jewry Campaign “Let My People Go”. That was a digression of a proud wife, definitely allowed!! Anyway, we sat at the table with the usual challah, cheeses, egg salad, dips and crudites etc, and they barely ate we were so immersed in the stories. Anyway, they left and the Friedman Family, Merle, Frank and Kevin who came to help his parents move in to the new apartment, arrived, ready to go out for a meal together. We looked at the laden table and we all decided that we prefer to stay and natter about everything, including the fact that Merle and Frank’s move into their new apartment is imminent. Much better than any restaurant. I also discovered that Frank and Merle love Matza which eased the problem of what to do with leftover Matza from Pesach!!

 

I have been meeting friends in our local coffee shop, within the wellness centre, run by three young people who suffered extreme PTSD after the Nova Festival. I also went to Abu Ghosh to the plant nursery and bought a whole load of flowers to plant. They are still tiny but beginning to acclimatize to their new surroundings to give us the pleasure of their bright colours.

 

Tomorrow, we celebrate Gili’s, our granddaughter’s 17^th birthday! I’m making antipasti and one thing is for sure, between the Raviv’s and myself, the tables will be laden!!

 

What is happening in our world, the clear hatred that has emerged, is on my mind all the time. Our wonderful friend Canon Andrew White has call for unity, for Christians to openly support their Jewish communities; he recognises the need for us to come together, to share love for each other, to recognise the lies, the calumny, for what it is and ensure that we teach our children to honour each other. His leadership, his true Christian love is heartwarming and, in many ways, makes up for the hatred out there.

 

If there is anything we must learn from these last months, maybe years, if that we must learn to accept those different from ourselves, be they people who vote differently, people who pray differently, people who look different, and to read beyond headlines; to teach our children that what they see on TikTok may be exciting but it may also be untrue, inciting them to hate; teach them to question and to judge rather than be judgmental.

 

Today, Zvi is in Jerusalem, taking a young Italian Christian to see the beauty of Jerusalem old and new; to see the multicultural aspect of a city that carries the weight of the world on her beautiful shoulders. At 12 he will go to his parliament, back in their private room in Caffit, in the Botanical Gardens. I wonder what they will talk about?

 

This Shabbat, let your thoughts take you to a better place, remember that you don’t have to be Jewish to light a candle, to say a prayer. After saying the prayer for Shabbat I always say a prayer for my family, for the world’s children while allowing the glow of the candles to warm my face and my heart. It does well to remember that the light from those Shabbat candles can light the world if we just strike the match of tolerance.

 

I started this missive with the world “Shabbat Shalom dear friends” and that is what I wish you. From our veranda to your home, I wish you a peaceful mind and a warm heart. With much love from Jerusalem, the heart of our world.

Sheila