160408 UN Watch, Lord Carey, Impact-se, Kay Wilson, Rawlings, Gelb, Pesach

160408

8^th April 2016

Shabbat Shalom dear friends. How are you this week? I hope  you are feeling well. I know that your weather is probably very different to ours at the moment, especially if you live in North America. An Israeli girlfriend went to visit her son this week and found herself freezing in minus 3 degrees Celcius!!! Today Jerusalem is spectacular and the weather even better, a balmy 26 degrees, just perfect.

In the same way as I cannot control the weather I have absolutely no control over a biased media, wayward politicians or fanatical killers whose aim in life is to kill me – I don't have control but I will never sit back and accept it either.

I would not go as far as the Hungarian Prime Minister in his speech about enforced acceptance of immigrants but I do understand why he is speaking as he does about losing Hungarian identity. https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/153c48885179c7ae?projector=1

Take note of this exceptional documentary which includes footage of Hillel Neuer, the director of UN Watch. Please watch this short preview of the final movie Beyond Paranoia – The New Anti-Semitism

https://www.facebook.com/unwatch/videos/10153368022066561/

We have listened to the horrific story of Ex-Pat Brit Kay Wilson who found her way back to relative sanity after watching her friend being hacked to death in a machete attack and surviving herself despite awful wounds – hearing the words Allah Uakbar ringing in her bloody ears. They were just walking in the hills! Kay found her way by telling her story over and over again throughout the world to Standwithus groups. Her speaking didn't stop the nightmares but it was cathartic in many ways. Your government, together with many others, gives aid to the Palestinian Authority which in turn pays those who acted in just a barbaric and cruel manner toward her. If you are a British citizen please sign this Click this link to sign the petition "Stop spending a fixed 0.7 per cent slice of our national wealth on Foreign Aid" https://petition.parliament.uk/signatures/14729474/verify/8Ro70Fxzu3038ErWwDfG

If you are not a British citizen….. start your own petition!!!

One story you can tell is that of a 5 year old Syrian girl who had the misfortune of getting caught between rival factions in Syria, was brought to Israel and treated. During her stay in Rambam Hospital the doctors discovered she had cancer, needed  bone marrow transplant and the IDF managed to smuggle a relative who was a match out of Syria to save her life.  http://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-doctors-spies-rally-to-save-5-year-old-syrian-girl/

Lord Carey, former Archbishop of Canterbury, is an exceptional man. His rise to the leadership of the Church of England was clear, even as a young man, and his ability to see beyond the church is exceptional. It was Lord Carey who encouraged Canon Andrew White to come as his Emissary to the Middle East, thus for Andrew and I to have many adventures together! Lord Carey is a man who truly understands the Middle East, as few others, and has taken on the issue of anti-Semitism, both within and without the church. I am proud to say that Lord Carey reads my Shabbat Shalom letters and when invited to speak on Anti-semitism today at the Simon Weisenthal annual event he asked my counsel. Of course it was totally unnecessary since he is both eloquent and erudite, but I was flattered. Here is his speech, well worth reading. http://www.wiesenthal.com/site/pp.asp?c=lsKWLbPJLnF&b=9383833

I told you that I went to see the Israel National Library and Archives at the Hebrew University last week but forgot to give you a link to Sharon marks Altshul's site which shows you in enormous detail the treasures, ancient Jewish treasures, that we had the privilege to see. http://rjstreets.com/2015/01/28/israel-national-library-reveals-hidden-treasures/

Jay and Meridel Rawlings came to visit and reminded me that about 10 years ago they interviewed Zvi about Jerusalem. It really is an excellent piece of journalism. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zothiZCOw0

The British Government decided to pull funding for an anti-Israel "charity" http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/04/02/charity-backing-anti-israel-rallies-has-state-cash-pulled/

We love guests, especially when they believe me when I say "Please, don't warn us, just pop in"! That is exactly what Elisabeth and George Gelb did. I should say that they didn't fly in from Western Canada specifically to see us, they are here for a month, but they did pop in despite warnings of a chaotic house as we come toward Pesach…………. And my washing machine broke down, apparently died, which left a total soggy mess.

We originally met when George was the "upstairs neighbor" of my sister Eddie in Toronto, before he sold off his amazing dental practice and went off to live in Yellowknife – but I digress for a change!!!  From the second they came in the door my husband fell in love with them! We sat together and talked, listened and learned. They were riveted by Zvi's knowledge of history, not just Israeli but world history, and we loved hearing about how to bring "Yiddischkeit" and Israel Advocacy to Yellowknife (in the Northern Territories where there are a surprising number of workers from Arab countries) and to Vancouver Island where they now live. It was such a joy to hear people who didn't whine and bemoan their inability to act – it was so refreshing to hear them describe their activities and successes. I am thrilled that they are here for a month – Zvi has already arranged our meetings for the next month!!!

Talking of meetings (was that a good segway?) We had a Board meeting of IMPACT-SE (www.impact-se.org) and what the coming year holds with our new Director Marcus Sheff and Chairperson Helene Eisemberg Bornstein. The organization will take the deep research into tolerance in education and use it to inform. The report on Islamic Schools in North America has already been sent to Congress and the House of Commons and hopefully will be published widely very soon. http://www.impact-se.org/research/northamerica/index.html

Israel before Pesach (Passover) has a strange atmosphere. Maybe I should rephrase that – the air in Israel has a strangely acidic redolence, of bleach, cleaning fluids and of course furniture spray. The abrasive sound emerging from virtually every home is that of scrubbing , floors, walls, cupboards and of course ovens. Manicurists bemoan their bad luck as rough and reddened hands come for a rescue treatment! Yes, folks – it's the true spring cleaning season……PESACH. I am so proud of my fridge – not a single drop of old yoghurt to be found!! My oven smiles back at me and the hob is whiter than it has been for a year. Yes I know that I have another , what, 10 days, but if it is all immaculate then it only needs a quick wipe over at the last minute!!! Best of all, I can see my reflection in the silver candelabras!!

Our biggest bane is that the Passover dishes (11 boxes) are a full three flights of stairs below us (no lift) in the machsan or store room. I have a feeling that since I cannot lift etc, I may just decide to bring up the bare bones and use disposable crockery and cutlery. One can buy such lovely things these days and it can all be recycled. Our current Seder night count is just 23 but who knows, one can always find room for more. My Mummy had a philosophy, when we had festival meals she always had a full place setting or two on the sideboard. Why? Because if we had last minute guests she could quietly make room and put them place setting on the table without making anyone feel awkward.

Tonight our Shabbat Dinner will be a quiet one! Zvi and I together, just us, alone and although it is odd, I love it. I love Zvi's Kiddush (blessing) over the wine, then the Challah, his voice, his incredible Bass-Baritone ringing out loud and clear with the inherited memory of thousands of years. As we sit at our table, facing Jerusalem, framed with the riot of bright scarlet blossom, I am confident that life is good. We have a phenomenal country and a feisty, proud people which reaches out to those less fortunate. We just need the world to recognize our beauty when they do not even recognize our existence.

To anyone who is not feeling 100% today, I wish you well. To our dear friend Andrew White, please go and get your treatment, but we may have some incredible news for you pertaining to your MS. Doing research right now.

Shabbat Shalom dear friends. Remember the power of one and please, remember my motto

IF THE MEDIA DOES NOT INFORM YOU, YOU MUST INFORM THE MEDIA

Music music music!!! This is such a wonderful and uplifting muciscal experience at the Shalem college – at the beginning you think it is just another performance – stay till the end and be as amazed as the audience!! https://www.youtube.com/embed/94PNOPxHbH4

We are all so different, yet all the same. The Friday night song all over the world, our welcome to the bride of Shabbat is called Lecha Dodi. Here you hear the Abayudea Jews of Uganda singing just as we do.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKFGk2XNWME&nohtml5=False

Shabbat Shalom

Sheila

150326 Tragedy in Brookly, German plane, Rubio, Cameron, Pesach

150326

26th March, 2015

On this day in 1934, Hitler declared the boycott of Jewish businesses. BDS, you had a great teacher.

Shabbat Shalom dear friends. 

This has been a week of thanking G-d for what we have, taking nothing for granted. The Germanwings/ Lufthansa aeroplane crash over the French Alps was a tragedy. While inured to aeroplane tragedies, that the co-pilot committed suicide taking the lives of 150 others is beyond belief. 

Another tragedy does not bear thinking about. A religious family decided to pick up their roots in Jerusalem and head off to the Goldener Medina - to the USA, there, in their beautiful new home, an electrical Shabbat Platter shorted and caused a terrible fire, killing 7 of the Sassons children. As we read of the tragedy my son Gideon suddenly realised that the father of these beautiful children was a fellow student at Carmel College in the UK. To close the circle my son in law carried the body of the youngest child for burial here in Jerusalem. Life is a circle within a circle, of tragedy and joy, of connections and breaks, of lives cut short, of a father whose will never see his childrens future because they decided to stay in Brooklyn rather than go to New Jersey with their father, because of bad weather. Heart breaking. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3006459/Orthodox-Jewish-mother-lost-seven-eight-children-house-fire-recovering-hospital-does-not-know-died-plans-forward-burial-Israel.html

We all watched the West Wing with deep fascination as White House Press Secretary, C. J. Cregg, conducted a spin on the journalists, against her will; I feel that real White House press sec. Jen Psaki has been thoroughly enjoying her constant berating of Israel in general and Prime Minister Netanyahu in particular. As with all such people she leaves her post to rise in the hierarchy of the White House. While I feel that Mr Netanyahu was unwise in a few statements prior to the elections, for instance, concerning Israeli Arabs for the elections, his statement concerning the two state solution (so-called) was severely misinterpreted. A wise leader does not make statements that can be misinterpreted, but nontheless, he said that a peace would not be reached in his term - Why? Because peace has not been reached despite best efforts of PM's, over the last 67 years so why should it happen in his term? I am very confused by the American President who immediately congratulated even the most evil of leaders when they won corrupt "elections" yet made it clear he didn't want to call Mr Netanyahu. Surely this fit of pique has gone far enough? He congratulated the Moslem Brotherhood when they won the Egyptian elections; even Hamas in Gaza when they won; indeed every new leader gets a call from the American President. Threatening to go against Israel and not exercise the veto in the United Nations is going a step too far http://www.jewishpress.com/news/breaking-news/obama-netanyahu-has-to-prove-he-supports-two-state-solution/2015/03/26/

Marco Rubio, Presidential hopeful and determined supporter of Israel gave a phenomenal speech in Congress https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdMWbqZsyuM&t=11

Prime Minister Cameron's words gave pause for thought: 

When I was at school, I remember watching “The World at War”, listening to the voice of Laurence Olivier and learning about the Holocaust. I thought it was part of history and could never happen again, but somehow, after all the horrors of the past, people are once again being targeted simply for being Jewish. During my visits to Yad Vashem and Auschwitz last year I had some time to reflect on where bigotry and prejudice can lead. It doesn’t matter how many books you’ve read, documentaries you’ve studied, films you’ve seen……it’s only when you stand under that sign, “arbeit macht frei”...…when you walk alongside those train tracks that brought millions to their death……when you see the children’s clothes, the parents’ luggage, the hair…the gas chambers and the ovens...…that the horrific enormity of it all comes home to you.

I found that I kept asking myself some difficult questions: 'what would I have done if I had seen this terrible crime unfolding in front of me?' 

Would I have hidden my Jewish neighbours?

Would I have had the courage to speak out against the murder?

Would I have joined the resistance?

Would I have tried to do any of these things if I placed my family at risk?

These are really difficult questions. I suppose that you never know precisely how you would behave until you are faced with the choice. But as Prime Minister of this country............. http://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/131971/in-full-david-camerons-speech-cst

Yemen. I remember as a child the British Forces Posted Overseas would broadcast home from Aden and now, now the world fell silent as Yemen falls to Iran, Iranian backed forces, and Saudi Arabia is considering fighting back.  Another country falls to deaf ears.

The Jews of Wales. I never experienced anti-Semitism but apparently it existed at the turn of the last century when poverty hit the mining towns. A small Welsh mining town of Bryn Mawr ( Big Hill in Welsh) stood up to the rioters and a Home Secretary by the name of Winston Churchill ordered the troops in to protect the Jews of Wales.  My children should be very proud of their family name, and their Bryn Mawr origins, as you will see. https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=80&v=0zsCBtsXQ1I

Coincidentally, tomorrow, in Haifa, Wales plays Israel for a place in the UEFA Cup, football that is, the real stuff where the players use their feet - thus the name!!!!

This video with Admiral Ace Lyons is an eye-opener and should go viral. "We had many opportunities to change the course of history but whether Democrat or Republican we failed. Reagan approved combined strike Wienberger refused to issue the order, In the Gulf, bring down Khomeini Regime, and the one who undercut the administration was Chief of Staff.  Mind blowing statements! http://rightwingnews.com/war-on-terrorism/retired-admiral-james-ace-lyons-says-any-thinking-american-should-see-the-obama-strategy-is-anti-american-pro-islamic-video/

When friends asked me what to buy for Zvi's birthday gifts I said "Anything that doesn't need food or space"! As a result we have some wonderful concerts and theatre tickets to look forward to. It began after Shabbat when we went to Herzliya, to a concert of the Duda'im. Special because today Yisrael Gurion (nearly 80 years old) sings alongside Assaf Amdursky, the son of his former singing partner. The songs were like old friends revisited. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hxGLAISoAo.  On Tuesday I went to a concert for "Jerusalem Good Deed Day" at the Municipal Council Chambers. The singing group appropriately called "9 Lives" since all of them were severely injured soldiers who got together while in rehab. Each has made a life for himself, lawyers, doctors, married, children, and now they give their wonderful singing services to charity, this time for Keren Or and the disabled children they serve. A young blind, autistic man, led into the chamber by the Mayor Nir Barkat, got up to sing with the group - phenomenal. 

Wednesday night we went ot a concert of both chazzanut ( Cantorial Singing)  and show tunes to benefit Keren Malki - a charity set up by her parents after Malki Roth z"l  was killed in the diabolical homicide bombing of the Sbarro restaurant. When we left the theatre, with Danny and Judit Liwerant, the foyer was filled with music lovers at a free concert - three Israeli girls singing the songs of the Andrews Sisters! I loved the charitable gifts most of all! Last night we were back at the theatre for a show of Hora Yerushalyim, dance and song with Adrienne and John Kraus of Melbourne, Australia.

OK, I admit I am trying to avoid the forming of the coalition because it is so ridiculous! Not this coalition but the fact that the electoral system forces coalitions!!! President Rivlin has called upon Mr Netanyahu to form a coalition and he is trying his best to make a broad choice although admittedly it must be difficult to ask those whose election slogan was "Just not Bibi" to join in government!!! I want a broad coalition not a right wing one because I have never been right or left wing - I have always been pragmatic, socially left, politically pragmatic and very, very proud and loyal to Israel. We do not always do everything right but we must stand firm with a rational policy that does not include being forced into unsustainable policies in a world that tries to tell us we are not the indigenous peoples of this area - we have been enslaved and exiled more than once and as we read the Hagaddah story we swear that it will not happen again. Interestingly, Zvi pointed out that it was actually former Generals and chiefs of Staff on the left who worked hardest and got closest to bringing peace to the region - with an unco-operative PA. It is time for a new approach, time to talk openly, together without interference.

Israel smells of cleaning fluid, carpets hang from windows and the sounds of scrubbing is in the air.............. Pesach (Passover) is nigh!!!! I will give you a wider description again but since the wonderful Tim Vince, Canon Andrew White with Hana and Hannah Rivka came for lunch I seem to be running out of time and space! Tim was so excited to see the view from our veranda and the explanation of the Jerusalem he knows from ground level, it looks different from up here! The little orange tree decided to burst into blossom  just for Tim's visit and the sun shone upon us as we waited for Andrew, Hanna and Hannah Rivka. We spoke of shared experiences and the joy of being in Jerusalem. I loved taking a few minutes to appreciate the plants and trees that are finally showing signs of life after their winter hibernation. Cyclamen, Freesias, fuschias and of course the newly leafy pomegranate tree, even an Ixia and the first rununculus peeking out from behind the foliage. As we sat to eat, I love the banter between Zvi and Andrew, of the stories of each of the guests, always something new to learn no matter how long you know people, especially people who have had even more adventures than you!!!!

I am watching the 3 hour morning news programme (I told you we Israelis have news mania) and I learn that the alliance of Britain, France, Russia and China have succeeded in reaching a proposal for an agreement with Iran - a glimmer of hope. Apparently the Iranian leader trusts them. ?? http://af.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idAFKBN0MM1HJ20150326 

To bring a smile to our faces - a beautiful, moustached, wonderful Druze gentleman proudly told Israel that he is entering the 2015 National Zionism Quiz. Love it! Hope he wins!! He, and most Druzim are more Zionist than Jews. Hey J Street - learn from him please!!!! 

And so to Shabbat. My regular and so special visit with Talia, Yosef and Ayala, my view of the panorama from Samuels Tomb and the flurry of activity as I pass through the religious neighborhood of Ramot - and then the week toward Pesach and the frenzy of last minute preparations.

I leave you with something special. Hatikva as you have never heard - on the Jerusalem Light Rail!!! Watch the faces of the surprised fellow travellers!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFc3qTowuRk

With love to you all from Jerusalem, spectacularly beautiful this morning even though we lost an hour last night! The sun is shining, the view from our veranda breathtaking as always. 

May your week be kind, your Shabbat gentle and your preparations for Passover or Easter filled with pride, history and joy.

Sheila

-- 

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

Sheila's blog http://shabbatshalom-theviewfrommyveranda.blogspot.com/

Facebook      Sheila Silver Raviv
Involvement   http://www.impact-se.org/   http://www.yurishtern.org.il/eng/content.php?id=17

140411 Kerry Poof, Ed Milliband, Cow eat kosher, Pesach.

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140411

11th April 2014

Shabbat Shalom Everyone!

The Shabbat before Pesach I 

can 

understand John Kerry's disappointment that all his efforts were apparently in vain. If it is any consolation Henry Kissinger,  John Mitchell, Denis Ross and Ambassadors Kurtzer and Dan Shapiro  can sympathise with him. I was equally disappointed by his "Poof"! 
What the United States ​ administration​ does not understand is that while Israel is willing to accept peace at ALMOST any price the Palestinians are not. They have too much to gain by being dependent and ​the "​injured ​" party​ because the moment they actually achieve statehood they have to be responsible​, build an economy​ and earn credibility instead of relying on fictitious rhetoric to  ensure their survival. The talks went poof over two issues. Israeli reticence to release two dozen terrible murderers and the Palestinian threat to go to the UN - again! 

Why does the USA keep trying? It  is the only conflict that allows them control, respect and media time. Israel is the only country in the Middle East that cares, even remotely,  what the USA thinks  since the others get US money irrespective of killing ambassadors, blowing up embassies and burning Old Glory

!

Wayne Shur sent me this extremely outspoken article which although not the most tactful I have ever read, explains the situation beautifully! http://nypost.com/2014/04/09/contemptible-john-kerry-blames-israel-for-his-own-mess/

 

Two American politicians saw first hand the idiocy of our reverse discrimination. They
 were shocked at the treatment they received from the Muslim Waqf guards, who followed the group throughout the tour of the Temple Mount to ensure that nobody uttered a non-Moslem prayer. Senator Bill Johnson and Congressman David McKinley felt the reality for non-Muslims on the Temple Mount. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/177773#.U0aqGfmSw0E

I said it before and am prepared to repeat it ad infinitum. Jews who touch our soldiers or IDF bases are terrorists just like our enemies, indeed they are our enemies. Defence Minister Yaalon  condemned the attack in no uncertain terms. The perpetrators have been arrested.

  http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Yaalon-condemns-extremist-settlers-who-attacked-soldiers-police-in-West-Bank-347870

Bayit Yehudi Chairman Naftali Bennett demanded Prime Minister Netanyahu exercise Israeli sovereignty on major settlement blocs in the West Bank in response to recent unilateral moves by the Palestinians. In a letter to Netanyahu, Bennett requested “to have a session as soon as possible on an alternative plan (Plan B) to begin the process of applying Israeli sovereignty on areas in Judea and Samaria that are under Israeli control.” http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4508759,00.html

British opposition leader Ed Milliband is visiting Israel

. His interviews have been emotional and his recognition of his Jewish roots surprising. His 

parents were Holocaust survivors and his 

mother was very far left and somewhat anti-religion but he appears to be 

open, visiting his family in Israel as well as his official visit and

  despite criticism from his party. http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/apr/10/israel-grandmother-sanctuary-holocaust-ed-miliband

Friend on Facebook Bobby Brown said  "I am always confused when European countries allow late term abortions as a G-d given freedom, yet want to bar circumcision as barbaric."

 Good point!!!

No it isn't April Fools -

Israeli Dairy cows eat kosher le Pesach!!! http://www.jpost.com/Jewish-World/Jewish-Features/Why-Israeli-dairy-cows-eat-kosher-for-Passover-347709

Billionaire  Roman Abromovich is not worried about cooking for Pesach  - he rented an entire hotel of 111 rooms for himself and his family. Not just any hotel but

 the luxurious  Beereshit in Mitzpeh Ramon. Wow!!!  http://www.timesofisrael.com/abramovich-books-entire-hotel-for-passover/

Thanks to Tom Gross for  reminding  me just how old I really am!   This weekend marks the 50th anniversary of the only time any band or artist has occupied all five top positions in America's Billboard charts. It was, of course, The Beatles. The Fab Four's Fab five on April 4-11, 1964 was: 1. Can't Buy Me Love 2. Twist and Shout  3. She Loves You 4. I Want to Hold Your Hand  5. Please Please Me. Ah good times eh?

This week in Jerusalem the children are entertained by willing grandparents and excellent shows, designed to relieve their boredom at the cleaning activities around them! Yesterday Zvi took two of the grandchildren, Gili and Amit, to the Bloomfield Science Museum in the morning, fed them there and then to a human circus show later in the afternoon. They were absolutely thrilled. We then took them to a reception at Mayor Nir Barkats home. As the two little girls put on their best clothes and asked me to do their hair Amit said "Safta, we have to look good to show the Mayor our respect. He is the Mayor of our Capital City and that is important" Both the girls became incredibly shy as Nir stood beside them for a photograph - in fact their faces are buried in my sweater unless I am much mistaken!

The Mayor of Jerusalem has no fancy and expensive official Mansion, he lives in his own home, with his family. Indeed I know for a fact that two of the three recent Mayors took one shekel a year salary! Mayor Barkat told us of the improvement in relations with the Jerusalem Arab population to the extent that they hold official demonstrations in the Municipality Square rather than angry ones in the streets. Cultural events have increased beyond belief and the number of students in regular schools has increased enormously too and tourism is through the roof. As to crime, in a recent visit to the USA Nir Barkat spoke to an audience in NYC and told them that unnatural deaths in NYC are ten times those of Jerusalem per capita. Best of all, a recent poll shows that Jerusalem residents are the happiest and most content with their city of all cities in Israel!

Uri Geller was in Jerusalem. We were supposed to meet him in the magical wonderland that is Mosaic artist Roslan Sergeev's workshop. A wonderland of huge magical creatures which double as slides and interactive playgrounds, Roslans creations stretch the imaginations of children and many are specially designed for children of special needs. Uri Geller had already left but who cares? We got to spend special time with Roslan, his best friend Igor Sarni and the magical menagerie!!!  http://www.ruslan-sergeev.com/#!gallery/c1han

Han Kim, 17, plays Shalom Aleichem, Rov Feidman by Bela Kovacs for Clarinet and Orchestra arranged by Sun Kim with Changwon philharmonic orchestra conducted by Prof. Chi-yong Jeong. Phenomenal how he captured the very Jewish emotions of the music.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjHEu6aovFw&feature=player_detailpage

​Zvis choir - or to be more precise HaKol Yechassi and the Hora dance troupes put on a phenomenal show as the closing performance of the Jerusalem Festival of the Arts. It was truly amazing and both singers and dancers really showed their mettle.​

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​This Shabbat is called Shabbat haGadol - or the Great Sabbath. Why it is so named covers many opinions but I believe that it is because the Jews began to fight back against the edicts of Pharaoh and distinguished themselves as Jews. Pharaoh still refused to let my people go - a fact that angered the first born Egyptians who then killed many of Pharaohs men. It is the Shabbat before the Exodus, the Shabbat before Hashems decision to lead us to freedom in our own land. A Shabbat Gadol indeed. The Parasha, or Torah reading is from Malachi Chapter 3 http://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/16221/jewish/Chapter-3.htm#v=23

Jerusalem is so beautiful. She looks as if the spring cleaning (aka Pesach) has brightened the white buildings allowing the slight pinkish tinge of the natural Jerusalem stone to shine through. The warm sun of April has brought forth the flowers and the first orange blossom is visible on the tiny orange tree and even one bright red flower on the pomegranate. The leaves are still pale green and new but the trees are strong and flourishing. The day-lillies are about to burst forth and most importantly, our new pergola is absolutely wonderful!!!! It is enough to make me happy the snow destroyed our old one!

Friday, soon to be Shabbat. Shabbat ha Gadol and then Pesach. Zvi made the weary trips back and forth to our store room, 3 floors down without a lift, to lug up the Pesach dishes. It was like greeting old friends whose face one couldn't quite remember as I opened box  after box discovering anew old dishes and pots.  Pesach, like so many of our festivals, celebrates our determination to be a free people in our own land. Today's slavery is a different slavery. It is a slavery to things and success rather than building pyramids by the lash and starvation. Things, success, money, communication by text not face to face- all tie us down just as the slavery of old. We need to take time, relive our history and be proud of who we are not what we have. 

I have to think fast now because I have painted myself into a corner in terms of my need to be ready ahead of time. I will go and buy something to eat for Shabbat - I already stored all my Chametz pots and pans!!!!!

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On Pesach we sing Vehi Sheamda and I found you this incredible rendition by Yaakov Shwekey and Yonatan Razel.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGwoVn1Pjf8

"Vehi She’amda, La’avotainu Velanu Shelo Echad Bilvad, Amad AleinuLechaloteinu Ela Sheb’chol Dor VaDor Omdim Aleinu Lechaloteinu V’HaKadosh Baruch Hu Matzilenu Miyadam. "

"And this is what kept our fathers and what ensures our survival. For, not just one arose and tried to destroy us,but in every generation they try to destroy us, and Hashem saves us from their hands"

​Shabbat Shalom to you all. Thank you for helping me put my emotional and Zionist house in order each week. Your participation makes me think more clearly and be more pragmatic. You are my leveller. When I write I think of every single one of you and what you may or may not feel about my words and it is like a salve to my wounds that you care.

With love from our Jerusalem. Whatever may be said surely we have paid our dues to be accepted internationally and have our ancient capital city in our hands as ALL her residents desire.

Sheila​