091119
19th November 2009.
Shabbat Shalom
This week I was angry. Not the anger that one feels toward those whose hatred is overt but rather the anger one feels toward those who claim undying friendship yet fail to deal an even hand.
Let me describe the Jerusalem neighbourhood of Gilo for you. White stepped buildings typical of Jerusalem's hillsides roll down toward the Israeli Arab neighborhood of Beit Safafa; they have an incomparable view over Jerusalem to the Old City. The railway line which formed the pre-67 border with Jordan is just down in the valley and one sees clearly where the old border cut Beit Safafa in half, splitting families who are now united under the Jerusalem Municipality and consider themselves Israeli.
Gilo is home to nearly 50,000 people, good regular folk who just want to go about their lives. There are medical clinics, drug stores, local corner shops and stores, pizza parlours and a good shopping mall; there are parks and schools, old people's homes and normal, normal life. These are not extremists they are people just like you and me and the popular Jerusalem neighborhood needs more homes. To call a press conference stating that building in Gilo is the only stumbling block to peace is an insult to our intelligence and treachery in the first degree. The greatest stumbling block to peace is the fact that our neighbours are sworn to kill us! The greatest stumbling block to peace is that we are told to stop building on disputed (formerly Jordanian) totally empty land while the Palestinians build at a phenomenal rate with impunity.
Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat stated: "Israeli law does not discriminate between Jews, Muslims, and Christians or between eastern and western Jerusalem. The demand to halt construction by religion is not legal in the United States or in any other free place in the world. I do not presume that any government would demand to freeze construction in the United States based on race, religion or gender and the attempt to demand it from Jerusalem is a double standard and inconceivable."
So why was I so angry? Why was this day different from all other days? Because not one TV report mentioned the fact that simultaneously the Jerusalem Municipality is building housing in Arab neighborhoods too! The announcement came over the wires exactly as the others but only IMRA chose to pick it up. http://imra.org.il/story.php3?id=46452
All the major US Emissaries from Dennis Ross to Martin Indyk leave their positions and tell of the unyielding stance of the Palestinians yet, while "on duty" they refuse to speak up. No-one refers to the fact that the Two State Solution was executed in 1948!!!
Incidentally, Gilo is part of a contiguous city - part of Jerusalem - all the photos you saw which indicate that it is a settlement on the top of a hill were taken from the formerly Christian Palestinian village of Beit Jalla or the formerly Christian town of Bethlehem. You can see the protective wall which was built when the Palestinians were shooting at Gilo.
The Palestinian Authority intended unilaterally declaring statehood, or not - depending upon with whom one speaks. Terrific! It would cut our taxes by at least 10%; mean that we wouldn't have to give free water, gas, electricity and hundreds of trucks of aid each week if the Palestinian Authority became an independent state. Unfortunately I think they did their sums and decided that they prefer milking us all dry instead. Vast quantities of money have been sunk into the PA, money which should have relieved hunger in Africa and Asia, but has been squandered on the corrupt Palestinian leaders by countries who want to keep everyone's attention on this tiny area so that no-one will notice their own mismanagement at home. http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/MFAArchive/2000_2009/2002/6/International%20Financial%20Aid%20to%20the%20Palestinian%20Aut . I know where my tax money goes since it is all published http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Government/Communiques/2009/Increased_humanitarian_aid_Gaza_after_IDF_operation_Jan_2009.htm but I am not sure that you do.
This week Zvi gave one of his entertaining and informative speeches before the marvelous and highly appreciative Buffalo Mission in the King David Hotel. The hotel was buzzing with the Saban Forum attended by President Clinton, Governor Schwarzenegger, Senators Joe Lieberman and Lindsey Graham. They met with PM Netanyahu and many other Israelis but in essence they talked, travelled to Ramallah came back to the finery of the King David and went home. Good intentions have done nothing to bring peace but the attendees enjoyed Israeli hospitality at its finest.
One of the finer aspects of Israeli generosity to the PA is shown in medicine. Whether through the free passage of Palestinian patients to Israeli hospitals for treatment or the training of PA medical professionals at Haifa's Rambam Hospital this week for a seminar on the treatment of cancer http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1258489190455&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FPrinter
Israel's scientists are rated number four in the world in scientific activity and publications. Not bad for a little country eh? http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1128738.html
Just in case you had any doubts as to Israel's contribution to our world "Tikkun Olam" click on the link and watch this outstanding video and then send it to everyone you know. I believe it was inspired by the brilliant letter by Barry Shaw http://97.74.65.51/readArticle.aspx?ARTID=875 after attempts to boycott Israel. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbIQto3KPUM&eurl
In Judaism we are told that we must leave the world a better place than that we found. This Israeli team has built a hospital in Equatorial New Guinea where they live with the nationals and serve them, teaching and nursing. This Youtube video shows you the side of Israel and the Israelis we want the world to know - the real one. Sorry it is in Spanish and Hebrew but the message is clear without words. http://www.youtube.com/v/JkI537wmYY0&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6&border=1
Incidentally the Governors of Trondheim University in Norway halted another attempted boycott. http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1127734.html
This amazing video, Mexican entry to the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival is required viewing for Mr Ahmedinejad, David Irving, Jeremiah Wright and Mahmoud Abbas whose doctoral thesis was on the premise of Holocaust revisionism, indeed anyone heartless enough to claim there was no Holocaust. http://www.youtube.com/user/SFJewishFilmFestival#p/a
It rained again this week and my veranda is rewarding the Heavens with a sudden surge of growth and colour. The Jacaranda tree is losing its leaves, gathering strength to produce its long lavender flowers next spring; the vivid purple bougainvillea flowers are so bright from the wash and dry cycle that one needs sunglasses to look at them; the fuchsia, relieved that the scorching sun of summer has finally gone is greening up and producing flowers in abundance; the oranges are rounder, bigger and plumper slowly reaching their luscious edible state as are the kumquats; the "hadass" (box hedging) are green and fragrant, the herbs flourishing and best of all the pomegranates are bursting with pride at their sheer fecundity offering succour to the tiny "tsufit", an iridescent black native bird rather like a humming bird in shape and habit, as their fruits explode to reveal the bright, red juicy treasure within. Imagine all of this with the beauty of Jerusalem in the background. How lucky are we?
I wish you and yours a wonderful weekend, a fine Shabbat, a beautiful Sabbath day of peace and warmth, love and kindness.
With love from a spectacularly beautiful Jerusalem, white stones gleaming and glistening after the cleansing rain.
Sheila
Showing posts with label aid to Palestinians. Show all posts
Showing posts with label aid to Palestinians. Show all posts
Thursday, 19 November 2009
Shabbat Shalom from Sheila
091119
19th November 2009.
Shabbat Shalom
This week I was angry. Not the anger that one feels toward those whose hatred is overt but rather the anger one feels toward those who claim undying friendship yet fail to deal an even hand.
Let me describe the Jerusalem neighbourhood of Gilo for you. White stepped buildings typical of Jerusalem's hillsides roll down toward the Israeli Arab neighborhood of Beit Safafa; they have an incomparable view over Jerusalem to the Old City. The railway line which formed the pre-67 border with Jordan is just down in the valley and one sees clearly where the old border cut Beit Safafa in half, splitting families who are now united under the Jerusalem Municipality and consider themselves Israeli.
Gilo is home to nearly 50,000 people, good regular folk who just want to go about their lives. There are medical clinics, drug stores, local corner shops and stores, pizza parlours and a good shopping mall; there are parks and schools, old people's homes and normal, normal life. These are not extremists they are people just like you and me and the popular Jerusalem neighborhood needs more homes. To call a press conference stating that building in Gilo is the only stumbling block to peace is an insult to our intelligence and treachery in the first degree. The greatest stumbling block to peace is the fact that our neighbours are sworn to kill us! The greatest stumbling block to peace is that we are told to stop building on disputed (formerly Jordanian) totally empty land while the Palestinians build at a phenomenal rate with impunity.
Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat stated: "Israeli law does not discriminate between Jews, Muslims, and Christians or between eastern and western Jerusalem. The demand to halt construction by religion is not legal in the United States or in any other free place in the world. I do not presume that any government would demand to freeze construction in the United States based on race, religion or gender and the attempt to demand it from Jerusalem is a double standard and inconceivable."
So why was I so angry? Why was this day different from all other days? Because not one TV report mentioned the fact that simultaneously the Jerusalem Municipality is building housing in Arab neighborhoods too! The announcement came over the wires exactly as the others but only IMRA chose to pick it up. http://imra.org.il/story.php3?id=46452
All the major US Emissaries from Dennis Ross to Martin Indyk leave their positions and tell of the unyielding stance of the Palestinians yet, while "on duty" they refuse to speak up. No-one refers to the fact that the Two State Solution was executed in 1948!!!
Incidentally, Gilo is part of a contiguous city - part of Jerusalem - all the photos you saw which indicate that it is a settlement on the top of a hill were taken from the formerly Christian Palestinian village of Beit Jalla or the formerly Christian town of Bethlehem. You can see the protective wall which was built when the Palestinians were shooting at Gilo.
The Palestinian Authority intended unilaterally declaring statehood, or not - depending upon with whom one speaks. Terrific! It would cut our taxes by at least 10%; mean that we wouldn't have to give free water, gas, electricity and hundreds of trucks of aid each week if the Palestinian Authority became an independent state. Unfortunately I think they did their sums and decided that they prefer milking us all dry instead. Vast quantities of money have been sunk into the PA, money which should have relieved hunger in Africa and Asia, but has been squandered on the corrupt Palestinian leaders by countries who want to keep everyone's attention on this tiny area so that no-one will notice their own mismanagement at home. http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/MFAArchive/2000_2009/2002/6/International%20Financial%20Aid%20to%20the%20Palestinian%20Aut . I know where my tax money goes since it is all published http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Government/Communiques/2009/Increased_humanitarian_aid_Gaza_after_IDF_operation_Jan_2009.htm but I am not sure that you do.
This week Zvi gave one of his entertaining and informative speeches before the marvelous and highly appreciative Buffalo Mission in the King David Hotel. The hotel was buzzing with the Saban Forum attended by President Clinton, Governor Schwarzenegger, Senators Joe Lieberman and Lindsey Graham. They met with PM Netanyahu and many other Israelis but in essence they talked, travelled to Ramallah came back to the finery of the King David and went home. Good intentions have done nothing to bring peace but the attendees enjoyed Israeli hospitality at its finest.
One of the finer aspects of Israeli generosity to the PA is shown in medicine. Whether through the free passage of Palestinian patients to Israeli hospitals for treatment or the training of PA medical professionals at Haifa's Rambam Hospital this week for a seminar on the treatment of cancer http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1258489190455&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FPrinter
Israel's scientists are rated number four in the world in scientific activity and publications. Not bad for a little country eh? http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1128738.html
Just in case you had any doubts as to Israel's contribution to our world "Tikkun Olam" click on the link and watch this outstanding video and then send it to everyone you know. I believe it was inspired by the brilliant letter by Barry Shaw http://97.74.65.51/readArticle.aspx?ARTID=875 after attempts to boycott Israel. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbIQto3KPUM&eurl
In Judaism we are told that we must leave the world a better place than that we found. This Israeli team has built a hospital in Equatorial New Guinea where they live with the nationals and serve them, teaching and nursing. This Youtube video shows you the side of Israel and the Israelis we want the world to know - the real one. Sorry it is in Spanish and Hebrew but the message is clear without words. http://www.youtube.com/v/JkI537wmYY0&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6&border=1
Incidentally the Governors of Trondheim University in Norway halted another attempted boycott. http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1127734.html
This amazing video, Mexican entry to the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival is required viewing for Mr Ahmedinejad, David Irving, Jeremiah Wright and Mahmoud Abbas whose doctoral thesis was on the premise of Holocaust revisionism, indeed anyone heartless enough to claim there was no Holocaust. http://www.youtube.com/user/SFJewishFilmFestival#p/a
It rained again this week and my veranda is rewarding the Heavens with a sudden surge of growth and colour. The Jacaranda tree is losing its leaves, gathering strength to produce its long lavender flowers next spring; the vivid purple bougainvillea flowers are so bright from the wash and dry cycle that one needs sunglasses to look at them; the fuchsia, relieved that the scorching sun of summer has finally gone is greening up and producing flowers in abundance; the oranges are rounder, bigger and plumper slowly reaching their luscious edible state as are the kumquats; the "hadass" (box hedging) are green and fragrant, the herbs flourishing and best of all the pomegranates are bursting with pride at their sheer fecundity offering succour to the tiny "tsufit", an iridescent black native bird rather like a humming bird in shape and habit, as their fruits explode to reveal the bright, red juicy treasure within. Imagine all of this with the beauty of Jerusalem in the background. How lucky are we?
I wish you and yours a wonderful weekend, a fine Shabbat, a beautiful Sabbath day of peace and warmth, love and kindness.
With love from a spectacularly beautiful Jerusalem, white stones gleaming and glistening after the cleansing rain.
Sheila
19th November 2009.
Shabbat Shalom
This week I was angry. Not the anger that one feels toward those whose hatred is overt but rather the anger one feels toward those who claim undying friendship yet fail to deal an even hand.
Let me describe the Jerusalem neighbourhood of Gilo for you. White stepped buildings typical of Jerusalem's hillsides roll down toward the Israeli Arab neighborhood of Beit Safafa; they have an incomparable view over Jerusalem to the Old City. The railway line which formed the pre-67 border with Jordan is just down in the valley and one sees clearly where the old border cut Beit Safafa in half, splitting families who are now united under the Jerusalem Municipality and consider themselves Israeli.
Gilo is home to nearly 50,000 people, good regular folk who just want to go about their lives. There are medical clinics, drug stores, local corner shops and stores, pizza parlours and a good shopping mall; there are parks and schools, old people's homes and normal, normal life. These are not extremists they are people just like you and me and the popular Jerusalem neighborhood needs more homes. To call a press conference stating that building in Gilo is the only stumbling block to peace is an insult to our intelligence and treachery in the first degree. The greatest stumbling block to peace is the fact that our neighbours are sworn to kill us! The greatest stumbling block to peace is that we are told to stop building on disputed (formerly Jordanian) totally empty land while the Palestinians build at a phenomenal rate with impunity.
Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat stated: "Israeli law does not discriminate between Jews, Muslims, and Christians or between eastern and western Jerusalem. The demand to halt construction by religion is not legal in the United States or in any other free place in the world. I do not presume that any government would demand to freeze construction in the United States based on race, religion or gender and the attempt to demand it from Jerusalem is a double standard and inconceivable."
So why was I so angry? Why was this day different from all other days? Because not one TV report mentioned the fact that simultaneously the Jerusalem Municipality is building housing in Arab neighborhoods too! The announcement came over the wires exactly as the others but only IMRA chose to pick it up. http://imra.org.il/story.php3?id=46452
All the major US Emissaries from Dennis Ross to Martin Indyk leave their positions and tell of the unyielding stance of the Palestinians yet, while "on duty" they refuse to speak up. No-one refers to the fact that the Two State Solution was executed in 1948!!!
Incidentally, Gilo is part of a contiguous city - part of Jerusalem - all the photos you saw which indicate that it is a settlement on the top of a hill were taken from the formerly Christian Palestinian village of Beit Jalla or the formerly Christian town of Bethlehem. You can see the protective wall which was built when the Palestinians were shooting at Gilo.
The Palestinian Authority intended unilaterally declaring statehood, or not - depending upon with whom one speaks. Terrific! It would cut our taxes by at least 10%; mean that we wouldn't have to give free water, gas, electricity and hundreds of trucks of aid each week if the Palestinian Authority became an independent state. Unfortunately I think they did their sums and decided that they prefer milking us all dry instead. Vast quantities of money have been sunk into the PA, money which should have relieved hunger in Africa and Asia, but has been squandered on the corrupt Palestinian leaders by countries who want to keep everyone's attention on this tiny area so that no-one will notice their own mismanagement at home. http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/MFAArchive/2000_2009/2002/6/International%20Financial%20Aid%20to%20the%20Palestinian%20Aut . I know where my tax money goes since it is all published http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Government/Communiques/2009/Increased_humanitarian_aid_Gaza_after_IDF_operation_Jan_2009.htm but I am not sure that you do.
This week Zvi gave one of his entertaining and informative speeches before the marvelous and highly appreciative Buffalo Mission in the King David Hotel. The hotel was buzzing with the Saban Forum attended by President Clinton, Governor Schwarzenegger, Senators Joe Lieberman and Lindsey Graham. They met with PM Netanyahu and many other Israelis but in essence they talked, travelled to Ramallah came back to the finery of the King David and went home. Good intentions have done nothing to bring peace but the attendees enjoyed Israeli hospitality at its finest.
One of the finer aspects of Israeli generosity to the PA is shown in medicine. Whether through the free passage of Palestinian patients to Israeli hospitals for treatment or the training of PA medical professionals at Haifa's Rambam Hospital this week for a seminar on the treatment of cancer http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1258489190455&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FPrinter
Israel's scientists are rated number four in the world in scientific activity and publications. Not bad for a little country eh? http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1128738.html
Just in case you had any doubts as to Israel's contribution to our world "Tikkun Olam" click on the link and watch this outstanding video and then send it to everyone you know. I believe it was inspired by the brilliant letter by Barry Shaw http://97.74.65.51/readArticle.aspx?ARTID=875 after attempts to boycott Israel. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbIQto3KPUM&eurl
In Judaism we are told that we must leave the world a better place than that we found. This Israeli team has built a hospital in Equatorial New Guinea where they live with the nationals and serve them, teaching and nursing. This Youtube video shows you the side of Israel and the Israelis we want the world to know - the real one. Sorry it is in Spanish and Hebrew but the message is clear without words. http://www.youtube.com/v/JkI537wmYY0&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6&border=1
Incidentally the Governors of Trondheim University in Norway halted another attempted boycott. http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1127734.html
This amazing video, Mexican entry to the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival is required viewing for Mr Ahmedinejad, David Irving, Jeremiah Wright and Mahmoud Abbas whose doctoral thesis was on the premise of Holocaust revisionism, indeed anyone heartless enough to claim there was no Holocaust. http://www.youtube.com/user/SFJewishFilmFestival#p/a
It rained again this week and my veranda is rewarding the Heavens with a sudden surge of growth and colour. The Jacaranda tree is losing its leaves, gathering strength to produce its long lavender flowers next spring; the vivid purple bougainvillea flowers are so bright from the wash and dry cycle that one needs sunglasses to look at them; the fuchsia, relieved that the scorching sun of summer has finally gone is greening up and producing flowers in abundance; the oranges are rounder, bigger and plumper slowly reaching their luscious edible state as are the kumquats; the "hadass" (box hedging) are green and fragrant, the herbs flourishing and best of all the pomegranates are bursting with pride at their sheer fecundity offering succour to the tiny "tsufit", an iridescent black native bird rather like a humming bird in shape and habit, as their fruits explode to reveal the bright, red juicy treasure within. Imagine all of this with the beauty of Jerusalem in the background. How lucky are we?
I wish you and yours a wonderful weekend, a fine Shabbat, a beautiful Sabbath day of peace and warmth, love and kindness.
With love from a spectacularly beautiful Jerusalem, white stones gleaming and glistening after the cleansing rain.
Sheila
Thursday, 5 March 2009
Shabbat Shalom from Sheila
090305
5th March 2009.
I knew something was wrong the moment I looked out of the window. The traffic was backed up on the road down to the main intersection which leads to town, Begin Boulevard and the Shopping Mall. The police and ambulance sirens began moments later and it was clear something had happened. Right on the junction an excavator (JCB or Caterpillar) driver ploughed into a police car and lifted it in the air twice and then went for a thankfully empty tour bus. A passing police car and a taxi driver witnessed to the scene and quickly shot the attacker. The two policemen and the attacker were taken to hospital but the attacker died upon arrival thus not giving any information on whosoever sent him on his "Holy" mission.
The excavator driver, who had the Quran open on his knee during the attack, is an Israeli citizen with a blue ID and came from Jabel Mukaber – yet again. I am confident that his family receives all the medical and social services that being an Israeli offers and he obviously worked and had a good salary as a heavy vehicle driver. How can we prevent such actions if one has no means of punishment? Hillary doesn't want us to be "meanies" and punish his family by pulling down or closing their home but if that is unacceptable what does she suggest? How does one combat the mentality which declared joy in the death of ones son as a martyr? I am equally confident that the headlines in the worlds press will read "ARMED POLICE AND TAXI DRIVER SHOOT PALESTINIAN WORKER".
On the subject of Hillary and the press - Why is it unacceptable for Israel to build houses on disputed territory in established centres of population surrounded by nothingness, but acceptable for Arabs to do same? Issawiya is part of Israel, the residents get all their services from the Jerusalem Municipality yet they build vast quantities of housing (funded by the Saudis) which lies empty awaiting the influx of Palestinians from the PA to ensure the demographic annihilation of Israel.
We often discuss the fact that the Palestinians take the attention and publicity of the world, through an incessant campaign of hatred against Israel, and take it away from those who really need the world to plead their case. The Palestinians take aid money which could feed entire countries in Africa and squander it on strengthening their hate machine. Maybe Hillary would speak differently if she read the table below (BMJ is British Medical Journal) but then she probably has these figures at her fingertips and for some reason continues to demand "painful concessions" from Israel and doling out rewards to the Palestinians.
We still don't have a government!!! Bibi is still talking to Udi and cajoling Tsippi and the current state of affairs is that Udi (Ehud Barak) wants in but his party wants out and Tsippi wants out but her party wants in. Eli won't let Yvette take any position which touches on religion (Interior, Justice, Education) and Yvette will only be in if Danny (Freedman) continues as Justice Minister. In the meantime Shimon is trying to make everyone see sense and keep Dalia as the Speaker of the Knesset. Got it?
Yesterday I met with Tom Gross whose very telling article was published in the WSJ this week. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123594125500204049.html Tom's article, in which he quotes our Kinneret Chaya, says that Israel cannot continue making concessions and continue to be the only one to make concessions when all we really want is for the Palestinian Authority to bring forth an Anwar Sadat to make peace. His simple truth brought forth a spate of hateful talkbacks which proliferate an inability to accept the possibility of another truth. The anti-Semitism and anti-Israel viewpoint is reaching its height and over the past few years in which the air was ripe, it has been carefully created by spin. Sitting in a wonderful little French Café on Keren Kayemet Street near the Wolfson Buildings (where they make the best brioche imaginable) Tom and I commented on the fact that today's journalists do not write the news, they create it. Today a journalist writes his opinion over and over again until it becomes the truth. The trouble is that ordinary folk can see that this isn't the truth yet are powerless to stop the flow of propaganda. There are a few good guys who stand up to the pressure from editors, Tom is one, Krauthammer, Pipes and Canadas Rosie di Manno and Christy Blatchford are all willing to go against the stream, or torrent, in the name of accuracy, honesty and truth.
Sunday was St. David's Day –the Welsh saints day. I set off in a terrible rainstorm for Netanya – about one and a half hours drive from Jerusalem for a big Welsh Ex-Pats get together. I spent the afternoon with my delightful cousins Jean and Stuart before we headed off to the King Solomon Hotel and the Welsh evening. As we entered the hotel I admit being a little scared of seeing people whose memories of me were 40 years old, but I should have remembered the "Welcome in the Valleys"! Gerald Rapport met us sporting a marvelous Welsh dragon sweater and showed us to our dining-room which was bedecked with Welsh flags and green and red bunting. The faces looking back at me were as excited as I!!! Suddenly the photo of my Girl Guide troop began to come to life and the former seats of Cyncoed Shule filled the room. Les and Viv Greenbaum have not changed in 40 years – which is quite astonishing! It is amazing how we all seemed to fit together without effort – very different people from the ones we used to be, with a width of experience that we would never have known had we stayed in Wales. Faces lit up as Gerald began to quote a Welsh language poem from grade 3 and Rochelle and Brenda Samuels (I don't even know their married names) acted out two stories from Dylan Thomas' "Miscellany". Finally amid laughter, we all tried to remember the words to the Welsh National Anthem and Sospan Fach. What fun and how amazing that so many of us from that tiny community chose to come to Israel – a country the size of Wales without the rain and the sheep!!! Not one of us expressed any regrets – life here is too fulfilling to go back!
The first freesias are blooming on my veranda, beside the ixia and muscari. I have a feeling that we will suffer a sandstorm soon since I already began my Passover cleaning and today the veranda got a thorough washing to clean away winter. It is guaranteed that every time I get everything sparkling - the Sahara pays a visit!!!!
With love from Jerusalem, the heart of our world, a heart which on days like today skips a pulse but then beats on, stronger than ever. Sheila
5th March 2009.
I knew something was wrong the moment I looked out of the window. The traffic was backed up on the road down to the main intersection which leads to town, Begin Boulevard and the Shopping Mall. The police and ambulance sirens began moments later and it was clear something had happened. Right on the junction an excavator (JCB or Caterpillar) driver ploughed into a police car and lifted it in the air twice and then went for a thankfully empty tour bus. A passing police car and a taxi driver witnessed to the scene and quickly shot the attacker. The two policemen and the attacker were taken to hospital but the attacker died upon arrival thus not giving any information on whosoever sent him on his "Holy" mission.
The excavator driver, who had the Quran open on his knee during the attack, is an Israeli citizen with a blue ID and came from Jabel Mukaber – yet again. I am confident that his family receives all the medical and social services that being an Israeli offers and he obviously worked and had a good salary as a heavy vehicle driver. How can we prevent such actions if one has no means of punishment? Hillary doesn't want us to be "meanies" and punish his family by pulling down or closing their home but if that is unacceptable what does she suggest? How does one combat the mentality which declared joy in the death of ones son as a martyr? I am equally confident that the headlines in the worlds press will read "ARMED POLICE AND TAXI DRIVER SHOOT PALESTINIAN WORKER".
On the subject of Hillary and the press - Why is it unacceptable for Israel to build houses on disputed territory in established centres of population surrounded by nothingness, but acceptable for Arabs to do same? Issawiya is part of Israel, the residents get all their services from the Jerusalem Municipality yet they build vast quantities of housing (funded by the Saudis) which lies empty awaiting the influx of Palestinians from the PA to ensure the demographic annihilation of Israel.
We often discuss the fact that the Palestinians take the attention and publicity of the world, through an incessant campaign of hatred against Israel, and take it away from those who really need the world to plead their case. The Palestinians take aid money which could feed entire countries in Africa and squander it on strengthening their hate machine. Maybe Hillary would speak differently if she read the table below (BMJ is British Medical Journal) but then she probably has these figures at her fingertips and for some reason continues to demand "painful concessions" from Israel and doling out rewards to the Palestinians.
We still don't have a government!!! Bibi is still talking to Udi and cajoling Tsippi and the current state of affairs is that Udi (Ehud Barak) wants in but his party wants out and Tsippi wants out but her party wants in. Eli won't let Yvette take any position which touches on religion (Interior, Justice, Education) and Yvette will only be in if Danny (Freedman) continues as Justice Minister. In the meantime Shimon is trying to make everyone see sense and keep Dalia as the Speaker of the Knesset. Got it?
Yesterday I met with Tom Gross whose very telling article was published in the WSJ this week. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123594125500204049.html Tom's article, in which he quotes our Kinneret Chaya, says that Israel cannot continue making concessions and continue to be the only one to make concessions when all we really want is for the Palestinian Authority to bring forth an Anwar Sadat to make peace. His simple truth brought forth a spate of hateful talkbacks which proliferate an inability to accept the possibility of another truth. The anti-Semitism and anti-Israel viewpoint is reaching its height and over the past few years in which the air was ripe, it has been carefully created by spin. Sitting in a wonderful little French Café on Keren Kayemet Street near the Wolfson Buildings (where they make the best brioche imaginable) Tom and I commented on the fact that today's journalists do not write the news, they create it. Today a journalist writes his opinion over and over again until it becomes the truth. The trouble is that ordinary folk can see that this isn't the truth yet are powerless to stop the flow of propaganda. There are a few good guys who stand up to the pressure from editors, Tom is one, Krauthammer, Pipes and Canadas Rosie di Manno and Christy Blatchford are all willing to go against the stream, or torrent, in the name of accuracy, honesty and truth.
Sunday was St. David's Day –the Welsh saints day. I set off in a terrible rainstorm for Netanya – about one and a half hours drive from Jerusalem for a big Welsh Ex-Pats get together. I spent the afternoon with my delightful cousins Jean and Stuart before we headed off to the King Solomon Hotel and the Welsh evening. As we entered the hotel I admit being a little scared of seeing people whose memories of me were 40 years old, but I should have remembered the "Welcome in the Valleys"! Gerald Rapport met us sporting a marvelous Welsh dragon sweater and showed us to our dining-room which was bedecked with Welsh flags and green and red bunting. The faces looking back at me were as excited as I!!! Suddenly the photo of my Girl Guide troop began to come to life and the former seats of Cyncoed Shule filled the room. Les and Viv Greenbaum have not changed in 40 years – which is quite astonishing! It is amazing how we all seemed to fit together without effort – very different people from the ones we used to be, with a width of experience that we would never have known had we stayed in Wales. Faces lit up as Gerald began to quote a Welsh language poem from grade 3 and Rochelle and Brenda Samuels (I don't even know their married names) acted out two stories from Dylan Thomas' "Miscellany". Finally amid laughter, we all tried to remember the words to the Welsh National Anthem and Sospan Fach. What fun and how amazing that so many of us from that tiny community chose to come to Israel – a country the size of Wales without the rain and the sheep!!! Not one of us expressed any regrets – life here is too fulfilling to go back!
The first freesias are blooming on my veranda, beside the ixia and muscari. I have a feeling that we will suffer a sandstorm soon since I already began my Passover cleaning and today the veranda got a thorough washing to clean away winter. It is guaranteed that every time I get everything sparkling - the Sahara pays a visit!!!!
With love from Jerusalem, the heart of our world, a heart which on days like today skips a pulse but then beats on, stronger than ever. Sheila
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