21st of August, 2026
8th of Elul 5786
Shabbat Shalom from sunny Jerusalem! Yes I’m back from equally sunny
London. I really wanted to write to you last week but unfortunately nobody’s
computer is working. I really must get myself a laptop or Android tablet so
that I can type and write to you when I am away
Walking through central London with our family, I kept wondering
where this supposed invasion of hijabs was. I certainly didn't see it. What I
saw was a wonderfully clean, busy and friendly city, full of people going about
their daily lives. From shop assistants to people sitting beside us in the
parks, everyone we met was warm and welcoming, and not once did we encounter
the antipathy towards Israel that we have been told is everywhere. In fact, the
staff at our hotel were talking enthusiastically about coming to Israel to see
the country for themselves. Perhaps there is a difference between what we are
told about London and what ordinary people actually think. I’m not suggesting
that there is not a problem with anti-Israel extremists, but not more than
anywhere else.
Most importantly, however, this was a family visit, and wherever we
went we had something far more precious than sightseeing: real time together. I
see my UK grandchildren, Sammy, Liv and Zac, only twice a year, and my New York
grandchildren, Joshua and Callie, just once a year, so every moment together is
precious. My sister Doreen travelled all the way from Wales while Claire went
to CST to receive important materials for her and Steve’s work for the
community and I loved my time with my friend Valerie (we grew our children
together), Judith and old friend and star of TV, stage and cinema Rudolph
Walker. Stephanie and Gideon were exceptional hosts, somehow making room for
all of us, while my grandson Zac became the family's unofficial Uber, patiently
driving everyone wherever they needed to go. With Sheli travelling with me and
so much of the family gathered around us, it was the kind of time that doesn't
need an itinerary. We talked, laughed, ate, wandered and simply enjoyed being
together. Those are the memories I brought home with me.
We went to see Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club, a production I
had been looking forward to after seeing the film many years ago. Nothing
prepared me for the difference between the two. What was suggested through
innuendo in the film was presented here with extraordinarily overt sexuality,
and several scenes made my skin crawl. The gorilla scene, disturbing enough in
itself, was made even more uncomfortable by the way the antisemitic
implications were presented and by the nervous laughter from parts of the audience
when the love song ended with “She’s a Jew”. The performances were brilliant,
but I left deeply disturbed by what I had watched. When we met outside
afterwards, our family talked about the production and discovered that we had
all reacted in much the same way. Then something happened that restored a
little of my faith in people. I noticed two young women taking photographs and
offered to take one of them together. We started talking and discovered that their
feelings were exactly the same as ours. Neither was Jewish, but one had visited
Dachau only weeks earlier and both were involved with the Holocaust Trust. They
reminded me that however disturbing what we see on a stage may be, there are
still young people who recognise hatred for what it is. I left feeling that
perhaps the human race is not quite as lost as it sometimes appears.
Shelley and I are so lucky that we made it home before the
supposed strike in Ben Gurion airport! Today was even more chaotic than our
trip. We arrived back in Israel an exhausting 5 hours late and leaving the
baggage claims area to go out of the airport was like everyone leaving a pop
concert in Wembley Stadium simultaneously, with luggage! Insane!!! Yesterday it
really happened, the non-strike caused absolute chaos with people needing to
fly without their luggage, those who actually got away after waiting 4 hours to
find out if they were flying at all. The crazy thing is that Transportation
Minister Miri Regev took the PM to see how amazingly the airport worked before
heading off for yet another visit to Morocco with her entire staff!!
The Israeli election campaign has barely begun and
already some of the far right seem to have abandoned any sense of proportion.
There is a legitimate debate to be had about the death penalty for terrorists,
although I do not support it; reasonable people can disagree, and the
legislation has already passed the current Knesset. But celebrating executions,
proposing viewing booths for the families of terror victims and circulating
videos of gallows being built is not responsible leadership. It is political
theatre at its ugliest. AI has certainly changed facts into fake. As for my
vote, I know exactly what I am looking for: facts rather than slogans, a
reasonable and inclusive list, and people who genuinely serve the country
rather than their own political interests. Too far right, too far left, or
those who do not support the extraordinary country they have been elected to
serve will not get my vote — or Zvi's.
On the international front, Erdogan's determination to
recreate the glory of the Ottoman Empire is becoming increasingly evident in
Syria. Many hoped that the fall of Assad might open the door to a new
understanding with Israel. Instead, Turkey seems determined to stand in the
way. Erdogan's folie de grandeur is winning through once again.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation project was
buried in the sands of Gaza, and now another Israeli concept appears to be
heading toward the same fate: the network of local militias Israel established
and cultivated as a counterweight to Hamas has failed. We have short memories
if we forget that Hamas was created and encouraged in order to replace Fatah in
Gaza, the idea of Benjamin Netanyahu. As a result, Hamas slaughtered all and
any Fatah supporters. Disarmament doesn't work if we remember that the October
7th attack used rifles and guns, hatchets and bare hands.
The latest Impact-se report on Saudi schoolbooks is
outstanding. Our work in the entire area is showing a desire to improve their learning,
reduce the previous extremist teachings, the whole purpose of the work of
Impact-se under the lead of our CEO Marcus Sheff. I’m so proud of the staff, Directorship
and my position of Chair. This has been an exceptional year in which Indonesia has
changed its school books to be more inclusive, greater tolerance with our
guidance, that’s 60 million schoolchildren! Back to Saudi Arabia. Here’s the
report https://impact-se.org/publication/review-of-saudi-textbooks-2024-2026/
Galei Zahal, aka Galgalatz, Israel's army radio station,
is far more than a military broadcasting station. For decades it has been a
hugely influential source of news, information and music, and has helped launch
the careers of many of Israel's leading broadcasters. It became, however, a
serious bee in this government's bonnet, and the decision was taken to close it
down. The Supreme Court has now reversed that decision, warning that it
appeared to have been driven by "the dissatisfaction of the
decision-makers with the fact that the broadcasts, in their view, contradicted
their positions." Quite apart from politics, surely this comes down to a
very simple question: what happened to freedom of the press?
Last night we went to a Yehoram Gaon concert at the
Mevasseret Amphitheatre, and once again we were amazed by the power of his
voice not bad for a man of 87! Yehoram, the legendary Israeli singer, actor and
radio personality, still has a weekly programme on Galei Zahal, which perhaps
explains why the station has been such an important launching pad for so many
of Israel's stars, including those who continue to appear on it today.
He began the evening by thanking the miluimnikim and their wives in
the audience for their service, and then launched into the songs we all know
and love. One particularly magical moment came when he introduced a little
girl, perhaps six years old, whose special request to her mother had been to
sing with Yehoram Gaon. He placed her on a high chair beside him and, without a
hint of self-consciousness, she sang along with him. At the end of the two-hour
performance, the audience, which had sung every word with him throughout,
demanded one more song. The musicians and backing singers stood at the front of
the stage and sang Al Kol Eleh with the audience joining in. That
introduction was not for Al Kol Eleh but rather for another wonderfully Israeli
song “Shalom Lach Eretz Nehederet” Hello Wonderful Country. https://youtu.be/__oEmwpEmTc?si=BgnNAf7BbeYxitbr
Another exceptional man Zvi and I have known for over 30
years is Dr Mike Evans. Together with his son Michael, he created the Friends
of Zion (FOZ) Museum in Jerusalem, celebrating Israel and the contribution of
Christians who have stood beside her. Mike had a dream for this year: bringing
1,800 Christian leaders to Jerusalem for a summit on 7th October. Mike created
a song, wrote the lyrics and asked Zvi and his exceptional musical director
Ronit Banit, to help bring together the voices from every continent and create
something very special, reaching hundreds of millions people. Prepare
yourselves for a beautiful, emotional experience! If you like it, as I do,
please send it on.
https://youtu.be/Az9n4X5w72o?si=RVOu6Ug85EW_3sAw
Arik Einstein, the late great Israeli singer/songwriter
creates an impression of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza as he sings his song “Ani
ve Ata” You and Me. You and me we will change the world. You never know, after
all, as I always say, it only takes one, one person, to start a revolution of
truth and honesty, THE POWER OF ONE. Ani ve Ata. https://youtu.be/iOv9wSI8Qe4?si=rGq_2TXVWXK2a8rv
As beautiful as it was last Friday night with all my family around
the table at Gideon and Stephanie’s home, to light the candles with everyone
around me, to hear Gideon’s clear and confident voice singing the kiddush, the blessing
over the wine, as my grandchildren mouthed the words along with him, but it is
also so good to come home, to hear Zvi sing the kiddush with the same words as
every Jew around the world stands before the Shabbat Table.
Zvi will miss his parliament today and I won’t go to Rachel to hear
all the latest news of my Israeli grandchildren because we are going to Tel
Aviv to see Zvi’s boys and their families instead. They came home from Greece
in time before the travel chaos! I’m rather disappointed that Zvi managed
perfectly well without me! He was very busy with his various choirs and of course
his interest in the Jerusalem Dance Troupe, Hora Yerushalyim at the Efron
Centre. Most other organisations are on summer break.
As I look over our beautiful veranda, that breathtaking view of
Jerusalem on the horizon, I wish you a Shabbat Shalom, with love from Jerusalem.
Sheila
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