150219 Herzliya,Benny Gantz, Politics, Daniel and family,

​150219

19th February 2015

Shabbat Shalom dear friends. For a change I am not looking at the view of Jerusalem from our veranda but rather the stormy waves of Herzliya.With the impending snowstorm hanging over Jerusalem we came a day early to Herzliya, where I undergo minor surgery tomorrow.

This has been a turbulent week in an ever less stable world, but for me it has been a glorious week as my eldest son Daniel, his wife Karen and their two amazing children came to visit us in Jerusalem. Seeing our city through the eyes of a 7 year old child and watching all the children of our now extended family playing together was absolutely amazing. Children manage to cross language barriers so much more successfully than we do. I will tell you about our adventures and visits later but I owe you a short description of our upcoming elections before the sweet dessert of talk of small people.

Actually, I am beginning to think that all politicians are small people too. They don't have the verve and elan of children but they don't seem to have learned how to put the brakes on their tongues either.  This election is about dirtying the reputation of ones opponents rather than informing us of what they intend doing.  As a Brit I learned about Party Manifestos, the intentions and plans of each party set out clearly so that any choice will be educated rather than rumour driven. When the accusations are flying about profligate spending in the PM's house I assumed it was more politicking but apparently it was already in the works.

Then one comes to the international interference in the Israeli electoral process. I always try to stay out of the politics of other countries but sometimes they don't stay out of ours which demands a response. At a time when it is fashionable to kill people for being Jews and even more fashionable to demean and malign Israel it does not behoove an American President to allow his White House press briefings to contain strong condemnation of the Israeli Prime Minister. There is not another country in the entire region, and possibly further afield, that has given such unconditional support to the United States and the current slap in the face is unwarranted.

Mr Netanyahu has stated clearly and unequivocally that he does not wish to electioneer but rather to express his deep concerns about the current policies concerning Iran. Iran is of clear and present danger to Israel and also to other American Allies in this region and I cannot begin to quote Shimon Peres yet again about countries where many citizens are willing to become hangmen. This is a time for all Allies to work together, to listen to each other and to speak out very clearly against evil regimes and the horrors that are taking place in the world as I write.

Sorry, I know I tend to "bang on"about this particular situation but it is devastating when ones greatest friend and ally hits the headlines of popularity at ones expense.

As you know, I am not particularly right wing - nor left wing actually - but rather a pragmatist, an intensely pro-Israel pragmatist, but pragmatist I am. My girlfriend Sheila Zucker (some of you New Yorkers will remember the SheilaShow) is probably right of my thoughts but we have the same convictions as to our right to live in peace in our own land. Sheila wrote this piece in 2004, but it rings true today - even more so. http://zioneocon.blogspot.co.il/2004/05/voice-from-jerusalemisrael-is.html

The fact that we wake up and switch on the news, then watch or listen to news every hour on the hour is not a matter of obsession but rather of the need to know what is happening. We are a happy people that wants to be informed........... just in case.

To my own amazement I am about to give you a link to the Guardian newspaper. Yair Lapid wrote a very interesting article about the 700 second class artists who signed their evil pact to boycott Israel. http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/feb/19/israel-boycott-painful-truths-middle-east

Another lady who is not for turning is Maureen Lipman, outstanding actress and wit, and proud Jewess, she gives her honest opinion about the boycotting actors, especially the Jewish ones. http://www.jewishnews.co.uk/maureen-lipman-shame-jewish-boycotters/

I am not certain that the Supreme Courts decision to overturn the Election Committees ban of two electoral candidates, Haneen Zoabi and Baruch Maazel, extremists from the very opposite side of the political map, is a good or wise move. Both are dangerous, both have taken their right of free speech to places outside democracy.

This week we have all been racing to show Joshua (my grandson) everything possible in Jerusalem without disturbing his baby sister Callie. We went to the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo, a huge and beautiful zoo, so big and beautiful it really impressed my NYC family with the sheer variety of creatures in natural settings; then we went to the Bloomfield Science Musem which he adored, the Herzl Museum which set him thinking and which he also loved. Inevitably we went to the Kotel on the new shuttle bus from the First Station and as we were leaving that incredibly spiritual site we saw two big black cars arrive, Israeli flags aflying alongside the IDF flag and out stepped both Benny Gantz and Gadi Eizenkopf - the outgoing and incoming Commanders in Chief of the Israel Armed Forces. After their official ceremonies they both came to the Kotel for the swearing in ceremony - where else? Soldiers have their passing out parades here and it is the one place on earth where to swear an oath - especially a Jewish oath to protect the Jewish State - is right at the very core of our faith. Joshua was so impressed, as were the adults!  May G-d bless our new Commander in Chief and give him the wisdom to make the right choices. Benny Gatz talked to Christiane Ananpur on CNN, a brilliant man http://edition.cnn.com/videos/world/2015/02/16/intv-amanpour-benny-gantz-retiring-gaza-iran-isis.cnn

My favourite part of the entire week was watching the children playing together. Watching them enjoy each other and seeing my daughter Rachel soaking up her time with big bruvver. I admit to being whacked but it was fabulous and Rachel actually hosted them and also their cousins Sagi and Ditty and the children and making them home-made pizza, felafel, tehina, and all the amazing goodies that she makes so beautifully.

I would love to continue - there are so many events that I missed this week including seeing my hero Malcolm Hoenlein and joining the Conference of Presidents Jerusalem conference and hearing Khaled Abu Toameh speak -  but actually, I am going into hospital for minor surgery tomorrow so am conserving my energies!!!!

As I told you I am writing facing the window of our hotel, watching the stormy sea lashing the sands, sands that are more used to laughing tourists than powerful rollers crashing on the unsuspecting shoreline.

Hopefully by this time next week I will be writing to tell you that it is all behind me and will be back looking at my favourite view - the View from our Veranda.

I wish you Shabbat Shalom with this song Shabbat Menucha - Shabbat Rest. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uphFhOEHf5Y

One of my favourite songs of all time is "Tishmor al ha Olam Yeled" Guard the World Child - sung by the Israeli counter tenor David D'Or. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7EV4IWgR2A The words are so important that I give you those too. The song tells that we, our generation has done a poor job of saving our world so it is up to our children. http://www.hebrewsongs.com/?song=shmoralhaolamyeled 

So I wish you Shabbat Shalom, with all our love from Herzliya, with our hearts in Jerusalem.

With love

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

Mid-week Elections update

090211



11th February 2009.

The day after the night before!



The final votes are in although some are not yet counted and Kadimah is the largest party, closely followed by Likud, but the decision as to who will lead the government is still in the air. Israel's election laws are somewhat confusing since there are so many small parties and varied parties which could potentially form coalitions. It is a long process, taking anything up to 30 days to enter into negotiations with the previously opposing parties to gather the 61+ seats needed to gain a majority coalition. President Peres has called for the relevant parties to try to form a government within a shorter period of 10 days since this is a crucial time in Israeli politics. Based upon their ability to form a substantial and stable coalition he will announce the next Prime Minister of Israel.



Lieberman's Israel Beiteinu did not achieve the huge landslide they expected, although their 14-15 seats will probably swing the direction of any coalition. His immoderate words brought out the normally low Arab vote and the Arab parties have increased their number with at least 8 seats. I say immoderate although, if one really examines the ethic of loyalty to ones country maybe the words are not as extreme as they appear, they do, however, open the door to excessive action and reaction closer to nationalism than loyalty. I am a moderate but when Arab Members of Knesset overtly support Israel's enemies in time of war, enemies who proclaim Israel's demise, I believe it is treasonous. Members of Knesset swear to protect and support the State of Israel against her enemies and should be disciplined when they abuse democracy by not adhering to their own oaths.



The Kadimah results surprised me because I thought that the wonderful heavy rain throughout the country may serve the more extreme parties, the less committed, voters staying home in the warm, but it didn't affect the results as severely as I predicted. The Left is the general loser in yesterdays political equation - Meretz is almost wiped out with 3 seats and Labour with only 13 seats is the 4th party in size.



Zvi and I chose a short break in the rain to walk through the park on our street to our polling station. We took Yosef and Talia, our little grandchildren, with us so that they could experience the excitement of choosing the right "petek" – voting slip. Once inside the school, each voter is directed to his/her polling room, one person at a time, a panel of invigilators sits in each room, one of whom checks the voters ID card and voting card, hands him an empty envelope and directs him to the booth. Unlike most countries, stepping inside the booth one is faced by a vast number (I think about 30) slips, all with one, two or three letters in Hebrew, so that not only must one choose a party, one must remember which letters apply to ones preferred party! Having chosen the petek, it is sealed inside the envelope and taken back to the panel, in front of whom one posts it into the sealed box. Yosef and Talia did the honours – and then chose a treat from the local corner shop as a prize!



Time will tell who will ultimately be the Prime Minister – although Tsippi Livni has already offered Likud a strong two party coalition with her as Prime Minister. One political pundit has suggested a rotational Kadimah/Likud Prime Ministerial system until much needed electoral reforms are in place.



Australia suffered a catastrophic bush fire which took the lives of over a hundred people. http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=6833919 The fire, in Victoria State, was a heinous case of arson. Vast areas were wiped out and families destroyed, burnt in their homes unable to escape the inferno. Australia and her governments have been true and stalwart supporters of democracy and stood by Israel in her hours of need. I think it would be appropriate and right if we were to write to the Victoria State Premier John Brumby premier@dpc.vic.gov.au offering him and the people of Victoria our condolences.



Last night we went to see the movie "Defiance", the true story of the Bielski family, four brothers whose parents were killed in Nowogrodek, Byelorus, and hid in the surrounding forests, to become the leaders of the hundreds and hundreds of people who joined them. Through their defiance and wiles they and many of their followers survived until the end of the war. The film is harrowing, brilliant, essential and I left the movie house knowing that we, as a people are survivors. We will never use deprivation and destitution or death as an excuse to wallow; we are a defiant people and will always, but always survive and thrive. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1034303/synopsis



As a perfect example of positivity and togetherness the World Maccabi Union held the preparatory international meetings for the 18th Maccabiah which will be held in July. The sheer joy and good intentions of those who come from near and far to Kfar Maccabiah to lay down the plans for the "Chai" games makes me very proud. Through Zvi's voluntary work with Maccabi I get to see the background preparations and incredible planning which are behind the second largest international and most joyous of sports events in the world. http://www.maccabiah.com/maintxt.asp?cid=195&parents=&psn=195&maincatid=195

The Maccabiah is a way for young Jewish athletes (and some not so young) from all over the world, to come to Israel, meet, compete and socialize at the Kfar in a celebration of Israel, sport and the joy of togetherness.



While Zvi attended meetings at Kfar Maccabiah, I drove to see my amazing friend Jenny. Jennifer and I have been friends since the age of 7 when our Mother's introduced us (Jenny met her husband Brian at my 17th Birthday party) and although we meet rarely we always care about each other. There is a rare joy in meeting someone after a 3 or 4 year break and simply "carrying on the conversation. Incidentally, Jenny is still as beautiful as she was at age 7!!



Congratulations to the Liebler Family on the 50th wedding anniversary of Isi and Naomi here in their beloved Jerusalem. Naomi is World President of Emunah and Isi is known for his writings and determination to make the Jewish world a better place. Mazal Tov to you both "ad me'ah ve esrim beyachad"



An early Shabbat Shalom, hoping for a continuation of the rain and a cessation of political ambition for the betterment of the people - we need a smidgen of political stability! I know, I am back in Pollyanna-land!!!



Love from a wet and windy Jerusalem

Sheila