2nd July 2026
17th Tammuz 5786
1,000th day since October 7th 2023
Shabbat Shalom dear friends. I wish you a “Gut Shabbes”. When I
asked AI how to say Shabbat Shalom in various languages, trying to reinvent
myself as a polyglot, it told me very firmly that wherever you are you still
say “Shabbat Shalom” but I suppose AI doesn’t speak Yiddish.
1,000 Days.
One thousand days since 7th October tore our world apart. One
thousand days since the slaughter at the Nova festival and in the communities
of the western Negev. For a country of fewer than ten million people, the cost
has been almost unimaginable: nearly 1,000 soldiers killed, more than 1,000
civilians murdered, around 25,000 soldiers wounded, 885 children orphaned of at
least one parent, 232 husbands and wives left to rebuild shattered lives alone,
almost 2,000 bereaved parents and more than 3,400 grieving brothers and
sisters. In all, over 6,500 Israelis have joined the nation's circle of
bereavement. These are not simply statistics. 1,000 days during which thousands
of homes were heavily damaged or destroyed in dozens of Israeli border
communities resulting in the displacement of over 200,000 Israelis from the
country's southern and northern borders.1,000 days and still no national
commission of inquiry. 1,000 days and nobody has accepted responsibility. In a
country as small as Israel, we lost neighbours, friends their children and our
families and we must know why, we cannot heal without it.
Even as I read those figures, I find them almost impossible to
comprehend. What is perhaps even harder to understand is the way much of the
outside world now sees Israel. As I wrote last week, disinformation thrives on
the relentless repetition of simple lies until they become accepted as truth.
And so the world has been turned on its head. Here is a nation still fighting,
seventy-eight years after its birth, for the very right to exist; an indigenous
people who have rebuilt their ancient homeland into a vibrant, successful
society, yet remain so profoundly—and so painfully—misunderstood.
If any good can emerge from the frightening rise in antisemitism
across Australia, Canada, Britain, the United States and most of Europe, it is
that many young Jews are choosing to come home. More than 22,500 new immigrants
arrived in Israel this year, around a quarter of them from Western countries.
They are doctors, scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs and young families who have
come to the painful realisation that, despite all they have achieved abroad,
there is only one country where they know they will never stand alone. That
country is Israel.
This week we received one piece of news that gave me genuine hope.
For the first time in decades, ordinary Lebanese men and women may finally see
a future free from Iran and Hezbollah's violent domination. Whether it will
happen remains to be seen. Until now, the very idea seemed out of reach.
I couldn't help thinking back to my first visit to Israel in 1963.
There was no real border with Lebanon then, merely a simple barrier across the
road. Like any curious teenager, I wandered over, chatted to the Lebanese
soldiers and even posed for a photograph with them. (Today it would have been a
selfie; in those days it was taken on a Brownie Box Camera!) Years later came
the Good Fence, and then when members of the Christian South Lebanon Army and
their families found refuge in Israel. It is terrifying how quickly our
northern neighbours became our enemies. Perhaps one day it will be possible for
one of our grandchildren to happily wander across the fence for a selfie, who
knows. Peace will not come while Hezbollah controls southern Lebanon, but if
its grip can finally be broken, perhaps our children and grandchildren will
discover that neighbours need not always be enemies.
Few political transformations have been as depressing as that of
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. I remember when Turkey was the holiday destination of
choice for many Israelis and trade was strong. The people were warm, the
hospitality legendary, and it was hard to imagine that relations between our
two countries that was so strong that our cooperation went well beyond military
collaboration. Ben Gurion dreamt of an alliance of non-Arab countries (Ethiopia,
Turkey Iran and Israel) could go so quickly down its current path. Over the
years Erdoğan steadily turned Turkey away from its traditional Western
alliances which culminated when his ambitions to join the European Union faded,
he increasingly looked eastwards. His ties with Islamist movements and,
ultimately, with Iran's regime grew closer and closer and his rhetoric became
more and more hostile toward us. Netanyahu recently observed: "If we
have learned one thing from the history of our people, it is that when someone
says he intends to destroy you, take him seriously." It is a lesson
Jews have learned at far too great a cost to ignore.
Thanks to the Israeli police's determined campaign against
organised Jewish crime, many of the country's leading crime figures have been
jailed, dramatically reducing the gang violence that once dominated the
headlines. Sadly, organised crime within the Arab sector has continued to grow,
and deadly shootings have become an almost daily tragedy, claiming innocent
lives as well as criminal ones. No citizen should have to live in fear because
certain neighbourhoods have become effectively beyond the reach of the law.
That must change. Every community in Israel deserves the same protection, the
same policing and the same security.
The Armenian Genocide is an historical fact. Between 1915 and 1917,
the Ottoman Empire murdered an estimated one to one-and-a-half million
Armenians. Israel is finally expected to recognise that reality officially, a
decision I never understood why it took so long. Then we visited Azerbaijan. I
began to understand the diplomatic complexity. Israel has close strategic ties
with Azerbaijan, while the long and bitter conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh has
left deep wounds between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Many Armenians found refuge in
Jerusalem, yet Azerbaijan remains one of Israel's closest regional allies.
Morally, recognising the genocide is the right decision. Diplomatically, it is
far from simple since Armenia is a close ally of Iran.
Only in Israel. When a missile struck near Bat Shlomo in northern
Israel, it made a large crater in an agricultural field. But instead of leaving
destruction behind, it uncovered a previously unknown underground spring.
Today, that crater has become a natural pool where children paddle, teenagers swim
in the cool water and families come simply to enjoy the unexpected gift.
Ironically the spring is now called “Ayn Til” which translates as Missile Spring!
It may not quite be turning lemons into lemonade, but it is a wonderfully
Israeli way of turning devastation into life.
Athletes from all over the world are here for the “Jewish Olympics”
the Maccabiah Games. As I wrote last week, Canada, Australia and the UK had
difficulty in bringing a sizeable team, but wonderful Macabbeans marched on the
catwalk of the spectacular opening ceremony last night. Roy Salomon, Bill Iszo
(who is getting a special “Yakir Maccabi” award this year) and Tommy Bacher represented
Canada; Roy is an incredible friend, a huge supporter of Israel and a dear,
dear man. Michael Ziff proudly represented the UK and Lisa Borowick represented
Australia. Michael Segal, President of Maccabi World Union declared the games
open. We were thrilled to see a new generation of Maccabi leaders in the shape
of Roy Hessing, a friend of Zvi’s Amiad for many years. Roy did a truly magnificent
job.
The most special aspect of this Maccabiah has been spending time
with Michelle Fainsod, Zvi’s cousins Billy and Ruth Shapiro’s granddaughter. On
Sunday a whole group of Maccabeans are coming for lunch.
The Fast of the 17th of Tammuz marks the beginning of the three
weeks of national mourning that culminate in Tisha B'Av. It recalls a series of
calamities in Jewish history: Moses breaking the Tablets after the sin of the
Golden Calf; the cessation of the daily Temple sacrifice; the breaching of
Jerusalem's walls; the burning of a Torah scroll by the Romans and the
desecration of the Temple by the placing of an idol within it. Together, they
remind us that nothing is guaranteed. Faith can be tested, freedom lost and
sovereignty surrendered. History teaches us that recovering them may take millenia.
I was watching the news the other day, probably not the wisest
thing for one’s blood pressure, and suddenly realised that 3 of the most senior
journalists on Channel 13 are Israeli |Arabs! The phenomenal Lucy Aharish who
you all know, then Ali Mugrabi reporting from the North and Suleiman Muswahdah
who is a senior political correspondent. I was thinking, how many Jewish
reporters are there on Arab stations?
This week has been a week of girlfriends, the best! Gila and Merle on
Monday, Carmen and Dana yesterday and we met in our coffee shop, not only
chatting but also meeting the wonderful people who created the Wellness Centre
in what was the Convalescent Home of the Original Union. It is now a Wellness
Centre for those with PTSD. Merle, a renowned psychologist, was deeply
impressed.
I have a confession to make... and I fear it may disappoint some of
you. We are off to Albania again!
Before you ask, yes, I know, we've already been, but this time we decided
to leave Tirana behind and see the lakes, mountains and little villages that friends
have told us about, to discover another side of what is proving to be a
remarkably beautiful country. The only downside is that I'll be taking a short
break from writing. I really will miss our weekly conversations. They have
become a very special part of my life. With any luck, I'll return with plenty
of stories, a few surprises and far too many photographs!
My reason for writing today is clearly because it is 1,000 days,
but also because we have a simply insane day tomorrow. Zvi has a meeting at the
Efron Hora Dance Centre and then we go to Ein Kerem for a concert and finally to
our lovely friends Shoshi and Kobi Lecket for Shabbat Dinner.
And so to music.
Daniel Wais became famous when he sang a song to his father who was
killed on that fateful day in Kibbutz Be’eri. Daniel chose to express his
sadness at the loss of both has parents through his music. https://youtu.be/mcq3dqK0n18?si=CnZxVguXGNA65W43
Song of Freedom, to honour all who lost their lives.
I love Shlomi Shabat especially in this tribute to Jerusalem. https://youtu.be/_kQCTlFuCqQ?si=rqNQI0uCYKf8tbGp
Tomorrow, the 1,001 day after the 7th of October, is
Shabbat and Omer Adam makes it a joyous occasion, so different from the other
days of the week! I challenge you to stay silent! C’mon. sing along with us https://youtu.be/_kQCTlFuCqQ?si=rqNQI0uCYKf8tbGp
Shabbat Shalom lovely friends. See you in a couple of weeks. Stay
positive, be strong, this too will pass.
With much love from Jerusalem, the undoubted centre of the world
Sheila
