Shabbat Shalom from Jerusalem - Egypt, July 4th, Yvel, Saul Same

130705

5^th July 2013

Dear lovely friends, I hope that those among you that hail from the United States had a wonderful July 4^{th .} Happy birthday Uncle Sam! I have often wondered how many people understand that relevance of that holiday to today and todays problems. People who fled religious persecution and found a home in a far distant land after a dangerous journey settled and created a land of bounty from nothing, split into two by economics and culture, a leader encouraged by William Wilberforcehttp://www.probe.org/site/c.fdKEIMNsEoG/b.4218071/ to embrace the ideals of freedom and liberty to all citizens which brought the country to a bloody civil war ending in the creation of one people under G-d. If it were not true one could even imagine it to be a fairy story. Birth of a nation which was to be an example to the world in its defence of freedom in all forms wherever her strength and leadership was needed. Americas leadership learned the hard way that becoming insular and dealing only with her own problems almost led to the destruction of Europe and incurred a horrific attack on the US Fleet – please G-d those same warnings will be met head on this time. A nations economy is not the only item on the agenda -if you take on the job of the worlds policeman one must address every crime............ PC or not.

Egypt is less of a conundrum than most- or is it?. Logically and emotionally we are taught that a military coup cannot be a good move towards democracy yet here it is a real democracy whereby they have publicly stated that this is temporary and they intend re-establishing full democracy. They have not not disallowed the Mosbros as a part of any future government but in this case the Egyptian army is the most democratic way forward - incredible as it may seem to western mentality. For me the most worrying aspect is the unpredictable Mohammed El Baradei who fooled the world while we trusted him to oversee the Iranian nuclear programme (that worked didn't it?) now claims to be against the Moslem Brotherhood government of Morsi yet was exposed as being Moslem Brotherhood himself!!!!

David Horovitz give us 6 reasons for the downfall of Morsi. “After Morsi: 6 thoughts on the ouster of an undemocratic, elected president” http://www.timesofisrael.com/after-morsi-6-thoughts-on-the-ouster-of-an-undemocratic-elected-president/ Quoting American hesitancy, the Brotherhood’s extreme anti-Semitism, and how the short lived leader was the architect of his own downfall

Daniel Pipes explains why he is both delighted and concerned by the events in Egypt http://www.danielpipes.org/13051/egypt-after-morsi

While most Islamic countries are killing and oppressing Christians in Israel Arab Members of Knesset demand that the Greek Orthodox Patriarch fire one of his priests for encouraging his parishioners to go into the IDF thus to be eligible for better jobs and become an essential part of Israeli society.

Last week, Balad MK's Basel Ghattas and Haneen Zoabi wrote to Patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem Theophilus III, demanding that Father Gabriel Nadaf either halt his activities supporting Christian Arab enlistment or be fired by the patriarch from his position as a serving priest in his congregation in Yafia, near Nazareth. http://www.jpost.com/National-News/Campaign-against-Christian-Arab-conscripts-condemned-by-Knesset-318601

The wet blankets abounded. They complained about the cost, existence, everything about the wonderful 5^th Presidential Conference on Tomorrow, if not for the Conference' invitationErtharin Cousin, The Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme, would not have been here to learn of how Israel can feed the world.

http://www.wfp.org/news/news-release/wfp-and-fao-explore-new-cooperation-israel-smart-solutions-increasing-global-food- 

Phillip Pasmanick is one of Israels finest proponents. If you haven't joined his wonderful Facebook Page “Israel and Stuff” then you should! Phillip wrote this

Some people say that Arabs are "native Palestinians", while Jews are "invaders" and "settlers".
I read the biographies of Israeli and Palestinian Arabs political leaders, and was confused.
Who of Israeli and Palestinian Arabs´leaders was born in Palestine?
Igal Allon. Interim Prime Minister of Israel in 1969 born 10 October 1918 in Kfar Tavor, Ottoman Empire, Palestine
Yitzchak Rabin. Prime Minister. Born 1 March 1922, Jerusalem, British Mandate of Palestine.
Benjamín Netanyahu, Born 21 October 1949 in Tel Aviv.
Ehud Barak. Born 12 February 1942 in Mishmar HaSharon, British Mandate of Palestine
Ariel Sharon. Born 26 February 1928 in, Kfar Malal, British Mandate of Palestine
Ehud Olmert. Born 30 September 1945 in Binyamina-Giv'at Ada, British Mandate of Palestine.
Izhak Navon, Israeli President in 1977-1982. Born 9 April 1921 in Jerusalem, British Mandate of Palestine.
Ezer Weizman. Israeli President in 1993-2000. Born on 15 June 1924 in Tel Aviv, British Mandate of Palestine.
Palestinian leaders.
Yasser Arafat. Born 24 August 1929 in Cairo, Egypt( Cairo, in case someone does not know this, is the capital of Egypt and Egypt is not in Palestine. It´s not even in the Middle East; Egypt is situated in Africa.)
Mahmud az-Zahar. Born in 1945, in Cairo, Egypt.
Saeb Erekat . Born April 28, 1955, in Jordan. He has the Jordanian citizenship.
Faisal Abdel Qader Al-Husseini . Born 1948 in Baghdad, Iraq.
Sari Nusseibeh. Born in 1949 in Damascus, Syria

So, Israeli leaders born in Palestine are “invaders” and “settlers”- while Palestinian Arab leaders born in Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Tunisia are “native Palestinians” ?

Perhaps the information above is irrelevant to todays negotiations and situation but this is not. An excellent article by Michael Ordman about the medias “Cloak of Invisibility” when it come to Israeli Tikkun Olam – making this world a better place http://blogs.jpost.com/content/magic-touch

I think I told you that a slew of wonderful visitors have arrived! Since writing to you last week we have been having a ball with the amazing people who come ot see us and give us love -us and Israel.

Friday lunch – Our friend Danby did an amazing job of entertaining all the participants of her and Zvi's Italy trip with his tourism course. We sat happily on their veranda, overlooking the Judean Hills. Jews, Christians and Moslems from all over Israel, eating, talking, laughing and even singing together, each enjoying the company of others. About half way through Professor Gabby Barkay arrived so we invited him to the next step of our week – Shabbat Dinner!

In between the two events I managed ot squeeze in collecting the children from their schools. I was not going to miss an opportunity for my pre-Shabbat kisses or the breathtaking view of Jerusalem on my way home!

Friday night - Joyce and Fred Claar here on course at the Hartman Institute, Mickey and Shlomit Keren, Prof Gabby Barkai and Danby and Marvin Meital came for supper. Fascinating conversation. The weather was perfect, the stars came out to order and I wanted to show them the incredible moon-rise on the horizon of Jerusalem but as they say about the best laid plans.............. it rose about four minutes after they left!!!

We managed to see everyone....... The Liwerants, Danny and Judith, for lunch at Mishkenot Sha'ananim; Then we got to spend lots of precious time with the Lindenfelds which was beautiful, some of it just driving around Jerusalem showing them the places a guide would never take you and a meal at "haTahana" in the old Ottoman period railway station. Made into a boardwalk of restaurants and craft stands and all sorts of cute things. http://www.timesofisrael.com/the-trains-in-the-station/ After our sad goodbyes to the Lindenfelds Arlene Wittels and her daughter Rona arrived which lifted my mood again. Arlene cannot live without her visits to Jerusalem, Israel and me!!!! Rona chose her 50^thbirthday gift as a visit to Israel – yeah Rona! Yesterday we went to Yvel, the prize winning jewellery factory and shop of Isaac and Rona Levy. What an amazing achievement and I don't just mean their exquisite pearls and jewels I refer to their programme to teach Ethiopians to become goldsmiths – fine jewellers – with their own collection. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBJEMJbkNFM

Incidentally I thought you should know that our Mirpesset now has not just oranges, pomegranates and herbs but also green bell peppers, tomatoes and the kumquat and lemon trees are in blossom!!!

Tonight we have a very special guest. Tonight Saul Same, who comes all the way from Melbourne Australia each and every year, will celebrate his 96^th birthday on our veranda, our mirpesset. Saul was born 96 years ago in Be'er Tuvia, right here in Israel and although his parents took him to Australia as a child his heart is, was and always will be in Israel. HAPPY BIRTHDAY SAUL

Strangely enough, another man that I love dearly has his birthday on Sunday, my adored son Gideon Saul – incredible father, wonderful husband and great friend – and by the way an a pretty darned amazing son too!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY GIDEON SAUL!!!!

So that's this week and next week holds even more fun!!!!

Shabbat Shalom to you all. I wish you love, laughter and a Shabbat filled with family, contemplation and tradition. Having said that here's a non-traditional thought for Shabbat 1http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaIviASmllI

With love from Jerusalem

Shabbat shalom letter

120615

15^th June 2012

Shabbat Shalom dear friends. This week there is lots of news, good and bad, so I will try to inform you rather than depress you and give you brief information so that you get an overview and can click the link if you want more.

In a ceremony at the White House on Wednesday, President Obama awarded the Medal of Freedom to Shimon Peres, the President of Israel. Proud and dignified President Peres accepted the medal, saying that this medal was not for him but rather for the State of Israel. His phenomenal career spanning 60 years culminated in his becoming President of Israel and we are grateful for the love he engenders around the world. http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/06/14/president-obama-honors-israeli-president-shimon-peres The usual nay-sayers who cannot bear to recognise a good news get things wrong as always....... Shimon Peres is not responsible for Oslo, Yossi Beilin is. Read http://www.knesset.gov.il/lexicon/eng/oslo_eng.htm

Talking of historical documents, Zvi found this at the National Archives while doing research and found himself looking at the exchange of letters between President Truman and Chaim Weizmann http://www.archives.gov.il/NR/exeres/67ED5D78-2046-4364-A9C0-553256CF182E,frameless.htm?NRMODE=Published and I found this wonderful statement by Winston Churchill Minister for the Colonies in 1922 “In Palestine as of Right and Not on Sufferance ...”
“When it is asked what is meant by the development of the Jewish National Home in Palestine, it may be answered that it is not the imposition of a Jewish nationality upon the inhabitants of Palestine as a whole, but the further development of the existing Jewish community, with the assistance of Jews in other parts of the world, in order that it may become a centre in which the Jewish people as a whole may take, on grounds of religion and race, an interest and a pride. But in order that this community should have the best prospect of free development and provide a full opportunity for the Jewish people to display its capacities, it is essential that it should know that it is in Palestine as of right and not on sufferance.”

Clever analysis of how the media twists and edits in order to make the news what THEY want it to say http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/how-media-condition-people-to-be-anti-israel/

Israel has a problem. The very freedom which we take for granted has proven a magnet for illegal immigration, mostly from Sudan and Eritrea, looking for work in Israel. They pay huge amounts ot get here and most are Moslem. A dear friend is an anaesthetist in a large Tel Aviv hospital and when one of these women are given free treatment for childbirth, including epidural etc, she turned ot him and said 'You will get out of this country, this is our country not yours'. The Israeli government has taken the first steps to return these immigrants to their countries of origin and for this we are portrayed as racist. There is no country in the West which does not do the same yet we are vilified as racist.

As always Iran is in the headlines and as always the finger points at Israel as if other countries are not equally threatened. Ex-Mossad Chief: Israeli Attack Would Help Iran Go Nuclear- Meir Dagan says Bibi and Barak are serious about attacking the Islamic Republic. http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/06/ex-mossad-chief-israeli-attack-would-help-iran-go-nuclear/258434/

However, I believe the headline is misleading. If anyone attacks us we will respond but to assume that Israel will attack alone - is not realistic. Also "attack" has so many connotations today and it is my guess that we will attack in a very different way - not by land and only by sea if the Allies join us.

Closing down facilities works and does not unite a currently very divided people.

Professor Irwin Cotler is an exceptional politician who is true to his principles. Prof. Cotler just succeeded in passing his proposal that the Canadian government demand a minutes silence at the London Olympics to honour the sportsmen so cruelly murdered in the Munich Olympics. Bravo Irwin, bravo to the Canadian government for yet again caring more for what is right than what is convenient. http://www.timesofisrael.com/canadian-parliament-calls-for-moment-of-silence-at-london-games/

The country is in shock at the diabolical graffiti on the walls of Yad Vashem. 'Thank you Hitler for the Holocaust which brought the State of Israel upon us' and other such foul words. The police are looking toward the extreme Hareidi community but Rabbi Lau says the terminology is not appropriate. Whoever did it should hang his head in shame. http://www.timesofisrael.com/anti-semitic-graffiti-sprayed-at-yad-vashem/

Now to the happy news. Our very favourite Australians, some of them at least, have been in Jerusalem for the Hebrew University Board of Governors meetings. Robert and Anita Simons, Victor and Judy Berger and of course the incredible Saul Same with his delightful grandson Joshua. Spending time with Saul is a life lesson in love and history. Born in Beer Tuvia, Palestine in 1918 Saul's parent emigrated to Melbourne, Australia when he was just 6 years old and life proved to be excellent for him. He married the love of his life, the wonderful Lucy z'l, and they built a truly Jewish home, welcoming and proud, and while serving Australia with devotion Saul never forgot his roots. His stories are fascinating and we are honoured he calls us friends.

Zvi was Saul and Josh's main guide, I just joined in the food.......... they went to the Herzl Museum, to the Old City and the Kotel and did the driving tour to show them all the aspects of Jerusalem that even after all these years Saul still hasn't seen.

Next week we are taking many of our friends on a tour of Jerusalem. We begin at Emek Tzurim the site to which our friend Professor Gabby Barkay brought all the remaining earth dug out of from under the Temple Mount Sheik Raeed Salah and rescued by Prof Barkay. http://www.mountofolives.co.il/eng/panorama.aspx?index=18 Our guests may just find a pre-1^st Temple artifact as they sift the fine earth – from there we will go to David's Village, finally ending up at Zion ha Gadol for a truly Jerusalem feast. Salads galore – egg-plant, carrot, houmous, tehina, mushroom, garlic and lemon, mejadara, cabbage slaw, chopped Israeli salad, spicey tomatoes, burning hot green hawaj - the Yemenite version of jalapenos but much hotter and so many more and that is just the first course. We will show those Tel Avivim what Jerusalem hospitality means eh.

Some favourite people arrive this week. Our lovely Kim Taylor will make his way from Cardston, Alberta, Canada to see us – oh and to come to the Presidential Conference which takes place this week. The Presidential Conference is a fascinating exchange of views and ideas, great minds come to inform us and teach us, to answer our questions and look for solutions to our complex world. My old friend Jill is coming too, with her friend Victor, to be in her adored Jerusalem and explore and show Victor just what she loves about the place.

So dear friends, it is almost that time. Shabbat is nearing, the aromas gathering and rising to tempt the palate and remind us that Shabbat food is an ethnic cornucopia, just as our music and our traditions are. The dispersion served to create variety so that now, now that we are home we can merge our traditions, whether culinary or religious, making this such a fascinating conglomeration of humanity.

The searing heat, today was 38 degrees, is beginning to find its way into the shadows of evening as homes prepare for Shabbat. The Parasha, Bible portion, this week is Shelach and talks of the 12 spies that Moses sent into the land of Canaan to see if it really was the place to take the Israelites. 10 returned and said it was a land of giants and inhospitable but two, Joshua and Caleb came back with huge bunches of grapes a pomegranate and a fig as proof of a fine and fertile land. Had we listened to the nay-sayers we would never have come here, and today the nay-sayers still outweigh those who see the truth- that we have great abundance and beauty and innovation and freedom and that this really, really is the land of Israel. Read it, it is as if it was written yesterday, or today.

Shabbat shalom dear friends

Always remember the cup is half full and smile.

With all our love from Jerusalem

Sheila