200403 Modeh Ani, Music and Memories of Pesach Past

200403

4^th April 2020

Good morning, Shabbat Shalom, a Blessed Holy Week, almost Ramadan Kareem

As a Jew, each morning I thank the Almighty for giving me back my soul with a very simple prayer. Some say this prayer as soon as they wake, some say it once they have washed their hands, but all of us should say it in some form, in our own way, in our own faith, to express our gratitude for every moment, especially in these uncertain days.

We really shouldn't take anything for granted.

Each morning I wake, say "Modeh Ani", "I give thanks before you, my living and eternal King, for You have given me back my soul with compassion; In Your abundant faith in me!" and head off to the lounge, press the button to raise the electric shutter and wait with bated breath for the view from our verandah! This morning the sun was shining on all my work of yesterday, clipping back, sweeping up dead leaves, taking cuttings, refreshing the soil and preparing for spring. Our 40 square metres of veranda is the closest I can get to nature in urban Jerusalem! There is an eerie sense of silence, or near silence as the roads are nigh empty, the mall car park has not had a single vehicle for 2 weeks now, the only signs of activity are those going to the underground car park to reach the supermarket on the ground floor – but even that is very slow, most people are ordering online and the stores, not just food stores but every type, are delivering to doorsteps, the goods ready for washing, spraying and cleaning!

Our morning walk has been curtailed, for now, although many older people (that's us) do venture forth just to get some fresh air, keeping a careful distance and not more than 100 metres from their place of residence.

We had a lovely surprise two days ago. Danny Robas, a very well-known Israeli singer/songwriter, arrived in the parallel road beneath ours, on a flat-bed truck with a small band, armed with full speakers and police escort, and gave us a concert!! It was so much fun! Everyone came out onto their verandas, so happy to see each other, and we danced and joined in his concert, waving Israeli flags. It was a joy. Apparently they basically covered Jerusalem, stopping and setting up in every neighbourhood. Rachel said they came to their street too!

Everyone is trying to be positive about the fact that we will have a lonely Passover Seder; children far away from parents and grandparents away from grandchildren. Whatever ones religion, we will not be going to traditional places of worship, but on the other hand our very solitude will change the manner of prayer to a much more personal one, a genuine spiritual connection rather than a social event.

I have no choice, I have to speak a little about politics and "the situation". Above all I firmly believe that this is not the time for political disputes – the war of words has to cease, for now anyway. That is why I am so full of admiration for Benny Gantz, who decided to be the adult in the room, to take a chance and form an emergency government despite that obvious fact that his apparent acquiescence would be taken advantage of. He did it out of an almost altruistic understanding that Israel needs leadership now, not political ambition. I love what one political correspondent said "One cannot argue with Benny Gantz – he will always bring it down to a quiet discussion with good nature" Surely that is what the world needs right now.

Attacking our leaders is a fascinating game under normal circumstances but since virtually every leader of every country made bad assessments of the situation, let's just pray they find solutions. It isn't the time for dissent but rather for unity.

Talking about solutions, the Shabak, the Israeli Secret Service, has played a most unexpected role in providing solutions! They found the desperately needed masks and ventilators for hospitals. The difficult decision to allow them to use surveillance to enable discovery of contacts of known virus patients has, in fact, been of the utmost importance in isolating contacts. In fact soldiers have become a very important social aid as they bring Passover packages to the needy and help the elderly by collecting prescriptions or doing shopping. Our very own Shelly couldn't get back to her base so she is volunteering, helping those who cannot get out.

The Ultra-Orthodox community in Israel (and elsewhere) is in real trouble, albeit to an extent, self-imposed. Their insistence upon gathering in synagogues, markets etc., refusing to abide by the isolation laws has created a very sad situation whereby in some communities up to 32% are infected. The neighborhood/town of Bnei Brak has actually been curfewed, nobody in or out without a permit. Finally, several, if not all of the big Rabbis have demanded their flocks follow the rules and have closed places of worship - big and small.  My beloved father, Jack, was a partially lapsed Yeshiva student. His teachings to all his children was simple - The Almighty created us with a brain so we must use it and never follow any human like sheep, but use that God given brain to assess every situation on its merit and help ourselves.    https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Bnei-Brak-the-coronavirus-capital-of-the-Jewish-state-623414

Our Health Minister, Rabbi Litzman, a member of the Gur Hassidim, despite imposing isolation laws on the people, did not abide by them himself, has the Corona virus and has possibly infected the entire political leadership.

The World Health Organisation has, surprisingly, praised Israel for her control of the virus. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/278094 The full cooperation on all levels between the Palestinian Authority Health Ministry and the Israeli Ministry of Health is absolute and Israel sent 3,000 test kit and 50,000 masks to Gaza. https://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/COGAT-delivers-3000-coronavirus-test-kits-50000-masks-to-PA-622371

I don't know about you but we are sick of hearing about the virus, whatever you call it. Zvi and I are not complaining about the isolation, we just pray that it will work and that once we come out into the wide world again we will not be vulnerable. We are still carrying out meetings online and talking to the grandchildren through the various Zoom, WhatsApp, Facetime etc, but personally I cannot bear the ensuing cacophony, I'm a one on one person!!

The opening words of the Passover meal, the Seder, "We were slaves" open the Passover story. We then ask "Why is this night different to all other nights?" which this year will have even deeper meaning than before! The purpose of the service is to tell the story, especially to children, so that what happened, our fight for freedom, our fight to return to our land, will not be forgotten by those who follow us. If the children are ignorant of their history then we have no future. If well told, the story is an adventure story with huge characters and clear heroes. It teaches the children the results of their actions and also how to listen. The four brothers are the perfect example. The Wise brother, the Wicked, the Simple and the one who doesn't even know how to ask. Think carefully, it is the explanation of mankind, not just Judaism. Which one are you and what are your children? As you know I'm far from being a Torah scholar but I know someone who is and he talks about Passover in his singular and wonderful manner, Jeremy Rosen. http://jeremyrosen.com/2020/04/passover-or-passunder.html

On the subject of the Rosen Family, Rabbi David Rosen broke through the previously solid barrier to Jews, religious Jews, going to an inter-religious conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Bravo David, so proud of your work. Here he describes his incredible experience. https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/israel-middle-east/articles/rabbi-david-rosen-saudi-arabia?fbclid=IwAR2pt8zOCjkCt48kzXx6C5XXktgOu10QwKD77Na7BsjPdKtdg8k_vWj5C1g

If nothing else, a consequence of this insane situation is appreciation of the most incredible, selfless, hard-working, amazing healthcare workers, from the top professors to the simple ancillary staff. They are deserving of our admiration, gratitude and hopefully, our governments will show they're appreciation by paying them the salaries they deserve.

This Shabbat is called Shabbat ha Gadol, the Great Shabbat or my favourite name the Special Shabbat. Just five days before the Jews left slavery in Egypt it has many special aspects https://www.chabad.org/holidays/passover/pesach_cdo/aid/1692/jewish/Shabbat-Hagadol.htm

So we come to music, yes I know that lots of you wade through  my words so that you can enjoy the music at the end!!

Biglal Ha Ruach – because of the spirit, is a beautiful song for tough times. Ninet Tyeb sings and it has English subtitles. https://youtu.be/PViwIr3pEUQ

We have an exceptional President. Reuven Ruvi Rivlin was a very outspoken politician but since becoming President he has become the Saba, the Grandpa, of the nation. His determined effort to bring us all together, young and old, left and right, orthodox and secular, are exceptional. Here he sings Halleva'i ( a prayer saying I wish everything would be alright) with Boaz Sharabi. https://youtu.be/Xnnlqj9Fdeg

David Broza sings Yihyhe Tov – It will be alright. Surely the most appropriate song for our times https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtI7h5A9eEQ

There's one more – a Passover Song – THE Passover song. Vehi Sheamda, in case you hadn't guessed – I love it!! The words of this prayer speak to us all "And this (Hashem’s blessings and the Torah) is what kept our fathers and what keeps us surviving. For, not just one arose and tried to destroy us, rather in every generation they try to destroy us, and Hashem saves us from their hands." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnnKFpiP1hs

I just took a break to join Zvi and half the country in front of Avri Gilad on Channel 13 to do our daily 10 minute workout!!

So, wonderful people, this is going to be a challenge but it's one we are more than capable of dealing with.  We will be in our own homes but tradition will keep us together as it has done for a thousand, thousands of years. Tradition! To all our family whether blood relatives or deep friendship, we will miss you but, never forget………throughout those thousands of years we sang just one song "Next year in Jerusalem" and for everyone who cancelled their trip to our table – next year!!

Be strong, be safe, do as you are told and then some. Don't visit relatives, don't let your children play with others, by protecting yourselves you protect everyone in your building, your street, your neighborhood and your town.

Wish you a beautiful Shabbat with time for prayer and contemplation, appreciating every bloom and blossom heralding the time we can go out and greet our loved ones in person. A hug has taken on new meaning eh?

Shabbat Shalom from Jerusalem, beautiful, golden Jerusalem and of course, the view from our veranda.

Sheila

200320 Conspiracy Conniving Crowns and Clapping

200320

20^th March 2020

Shabbat Shalom dear friends. I hope you are abiding by the rules or as I call it "Activity in the Shadow of the Crown"

Tell me something, how many Presidents decide to calm all the worried children in his country by reading them children's stories? Ours does. Our amazing, wonderful President Reuven (Ruvi) Rivlin took time from dealing with naughty children (aka politicians) and chose a story by Leah Goldberg to read to Israel's children. See for yourselves – it has subtitles https://youtu.be/8O0jVoLhyzQ

Israelis have really, almost every one, shown the best of the togetherness that is normally saved for wartime. Here is one of my favourite examples. Two youngsters decided to mobilise the entire country, irrespective of creed, to come out onto our balconies and gardens and clap. Yes, to applaud the doctors and nurses of Israel who are putting their lives on the line and working non-stop to save us, to ensure that we will be safe. We did it!! Anyone who really cares did it! Our neighbourhood rang with applause and cheers, so too did this neighbourhood, I don't know exactly where. I hope you can see this from Standwithus Facebook https://www.facebook.com/StandWithUs/videos/2860910793990887/?t=6

Gal Gadot is in isolation without make-up as are most of her buddies in Hollywood. They got together on line and this is the wonderful result. I have a feeling John Lennon would have approved.  https://youtu.be/bQK32bwvRuI  

Well that was nice wasn't it? All sorts of heart warming thoughts on the COVID-19 Situation. However this is Israel and our leaders cannot cope with one crisis at a time so they create new ones! It is so confusing that I don't think even they understand!! OK here goes.

Netanyahu is not giving up his position, and now his trial has been deferred until May (as is our agony). His Ministry of Health has done an amazing job of protecting us, asking self-isolation for weeks now and halting all incoming foreigners – yet the Minister belongs to the Gur Hassidim and they refuse to follow the rules, unwilling to accept the "minyan" rule of 10 people at any gathering and self-isolation if returning from abroad or being in contact with anyone declared positive of the virus, holding big weddings etc. OK that's by the by, back to the infighting.

So after 3 elections we are in the same stalemate, but an emergency coalition is suggested and accepted, but who will be the PM? The whole ethos of Blue and White has been that they refuse to sit in a coalition with a PM under indictment and now they are suddenly willing…..but are they? Several members of B&W will leave the party if they unite with a Netanyahu led Likud! Are you with me? Now there is the question of the B&W coalition. Balad is part of the Joint List but not pro-Palestinian and B&W wanted them in the broad coalition but Likud is not willing!

The rather draconian edicts about human contact and what one can and cannot do all made sense, even accepting huge invasion of privacy methods such as using cell phones to find out who met with carriers of the virus – even that we accepted, with trepidation, but accepted. Now we have reached the stage that the police have been asked to arrest curfew breakers…….. What can I tell you, it feels like 1984!!

I keep digressing from the political implications of what is happening while we are obsessing about the Corona Virus! So, back to the Knesset.  The searing in for the new session was really weird. Four people sat in the Assembly for the ceremony – President Rivlin, Speaker of the Knesset Yuli Edelstein, PM Netanyahu and Leader of B&W Benny Gantz. Edelstein read the traditional opening and called up the two politicians to respond to his demand that they swear allegiance (I swear) and then they left. On his way out Bibi felt the need to tell the Speaker and the President to sit further apart to obey the rules!!! From that time on Members of Knesset arrived at the door 3 at a time to swear in, from the door and honouring the 2 metres distance one from the other. The door was held only by the steward wearing gloves. What strange times we live in!!!

We thought that the two major parties would work it out and form the much needed emergency government and then, yet another surprise! Edelstein declared the Knesset session over, two days after opening!! I give up! https://www.timesofisrael.com/president-to-speaker-a-likud-mk-reopen-knesset-avoid-harm-to-democracy/?fbclid=IwAR1X2y3Njr-VhuqaFKm0oTWQVWr-thUDCGzf8uk0NlENZMqeKk95RD6nnTs

Zvi and I decided to continue our 2 kilometre walks, obviously wearing our masks and I wear gloves. Each day we set off to walk around our neighbourhood but yesterday decided to walk in the gazelle park just down the road – of course it was closed. When too many people used parks as a meeting point to cheat the isolation the government closed the parks!! So we decided to walk along the ancient brook, in what was a wadi running along the railway lines to Bet Shemesh. It was a "brisk" day, in other words bloomin' cold, but the sun was shining and it blew the cobwebs out. We say glorious wild cyclamen, wild rosemary, sage, mustard and a variety of wild water birds. For the entire 35 minute walk we only saw 3 other people!

Feeling refreshed and brave we decided to head for the big supermarket under the silent shopping mall. Again we wore masks and gloves, as did virtually all the customers and all the staff. As everyone went in their temperature was checked, which made me a little more confident! We cleansed the trolley handle and bought what we needed, got back in the car, used Alcogel and went home. I felt as if I had climbed Anapurna!!

Most of our time is spent sorting through all the mementoes – I believe that Zvi's wonderful Mother Alla recorded every event, particularly of her beloved son Zvi, and he has a daunting task ahead of him. I think he is such a hero to tackle it. My stuff was easy. After changing homes 17 times until this one, I was forced to discard so much, so many memories, that it is almost all from the last amazing 30 years with my Zvi. I did however find some beautiful photos of my children, all three of them, so as you can imagine many tears were shed.

That's it folks, if only the virus responded to rain because we have had vast amounts!!

Some music to cheer you up

I love President Rivlin, Koolulam and my favourite song, as you well know, is Al Kol Eleh, so https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxzR9Z-kG6Q 

The inimitable Tom Lehrer had an answer to everything, even the Corna Virus!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frAEmhqdLFs

Finally, back to my childhood! Yom Zeh l'Yisrael, my favourite Shabbat song, but then all of them are!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBlX_XWb_DU

So stay home, find what to do, be active, exercise, if you take the dog (or your spouse, for a walk, wear a mask an dif you go to the supermarket wear disposable gloves. I don't understand what is going on, don't know if it is real or a big conspiracy but we don't take risks – don't be generous, keep your germs to yourself!!

This weeks Torah reading gives us a glimpse into the beginning of internecine fighting as Jacob works for the hand of Rachel and through his sons, some with Rachel some with others, the 12 Tribes are born. https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/parashat-vayetze/

Shabbat Shalom. I know we are all upset that Pesach will be rather lonely this year, but hey, think of Anne Frank and realise that being cooped up at home really isn't so bad.

With all our love from our rainy but ever beautiful verandah.

Sheila

200327 Chaos, Coalition, Corona and Confusion (and Cabbages!)

200327

27^th March. 2020

Good Shabbes, Shabbat Shalom and remember, you don't need a place of worship to pray. Sometimes the prayers that come from your heart, in your own fashion, are those that ease one's pain and confusion.

Chaos, Coalition, Corona and Confusion (and Cabbages!) seem to be the only possible "headlines" for this week's missive!

I'm starting with the fact that each and every one of us should feel thankful if we have avoided this virus, coronation is not a happy state; however when you really think of it, we should all be grateful for our lot, however tough it may seem. Rabbi Jeremy Rosen went for a walk through Central Park last Saturday, last Shabbat and recounts his route http://jeremyrosen.com/2020/03/a-walk-in-the-park.html

I should have known that Life of Brian was his favourite movie too!! The Monty Python heresy is given permission by its sheer silliness and wisdom and right now we all need some silliness in our lives and walking anywhere, even if it's just to an open window, is a blessing; that and turning off the news!  

Zvi and I have been walking too, now limited by the new restrictions of no more than 100 metres from home. Restrictions which apply to everyone unless going to essential work, buying groceries, medication or going to the doctor, the police gently reminding those who unintentionally overstep and imposing fines (not big enough) on those who refuse to abide by them.

We have our route, not to see the magnificent buildings and huge parks of NYC, nor the ancient magnolia and cherry blossom, but rather up the hill toward the village back down again and through the little park opposite, donning our mask and gloves before going to the makolet (corner store) to protect the owners Oren and Itzik…. and us.  We then walk back home through the park, spray the soles of our shoes (unlike Paul Simon - no diamonds on them) with Dettol; hands with Alcogel then soap hands and cream them, then back to normal life! Wow! Today the phrase "normal life" has become an oxymoron! After more than 2 weeks of voluntary then imposed isolation we both thank heaven a million times that we are well, our children and grandchildren are well and Justin and Claire will be well.

Since we in Israel like complicating our lives, after all being surrounded by enemies, now attacked by a deadly virus isn't sufficient, we introduced some political chaos too. Exciting, rather like mixing Stephen King and Jeffrey Archer to produce the ultimate hair-raising novel!

As to what happened yesterday, well I wish I could tell you about the process but I can't because I went to sleep at about 15:00 ( a shloof) and woke up at 16:30 to find we had a political earthquake!

As always my resident political advisor gave me a quick run down.

As you probably already know, General Benny Gantz and his Blue and White Party succeeded in forming a coalition with 61 seats, a very narrow majority of the 120 seats in the Knesset. The coalition was made up of disparate views, Blue and White, New Labour and the Joint List, all also made up of disparate views! The glue which held them together was "Just not Bibi" which is not a logical policy to adhere to. Finally, acting like the Chief of Staff that he was, Benny Gantz decided to try form a government with Likud, still headed by Netanyahu. His decision was not easy; his refusal to sit in government with a Prime Minister indicted on very, very serious charges was the reason d'etre of the last 3 elections. However, Gantz decided that Israelis are tired of political chaos and in the time of Corona we need a government that can make decision and he wanted Blue and White to be part of that essential decision making by continuing the effort to form an emergency government with Likud rather than taking Israel to yet another round of elections in a time of pandemic hysteria.

After Yuli (Yoel) Edelstein rejected the decision of the Supreme Court to reassemble the Knesset he stepped down as Speaker, in order not to comply with the Supreme Court decision and everything fell into place. Former Labour leader Amir Peretz, the longest serving Knesset Member, handed the gavel to Benny Gantz who is now the elected Speaker of the Knesset until the outcome of the Hosen/Likud negotiations.

Hosen wants the Foreign Ministry,  Gabby Ashkenazi as Minister of Defence, the Ministries Culture and Sport and of Communications and the Ministry of Justice.

Hosen? One of the two parties made up Blue and White have left the party, angrily going to the opposition seats rejecting the Gantz decision leaving the original Hosen party led by Gantz. Of course the scene isn't over and the intermission is yet to come. We have yet to see if Netanyahu holds to his commitment or whether he will renege on it before signing. If so the Hosen Party and its leader Benny Gantz will lose credibility and it may well be check mate for Netanyahu.

Nothing new about the government on the news this morning, but, I did get an explanation for "Cabbages". Apparently the farmers of the Negev are destroying their crop of cabbages because the government, or rather the Ministry of Agriculture, decided to import cabbages rather than us eating our home grown variety!! In the north, the absence of people to gather crops has initiated a call to youngsters who are fed up of being stuck at home to come and harvest the fruit and vegetables for our consumption, obviously telling folk to check that the produce they buy is home grown. We tend not to check because importing produce is a new phenomenon for Israelis.

For just about every Jewish grandparent and grandchild this Passover Meal is sad. We open the Seder with "Why is this night different from all other nights". It is called the Seder or Order, because we adhere to a very specific order of events, reading the story of the Exodus (some in Aramaic), blessing the various symbols on the Seder Plate, then eating very specific foods according to the traditions of our dispersion into the Diaspora, with all our family around us. This year, with extreme limitations, each part of the family will be in their own home instead of being together. Zvi and I are going from 35 around our table to the two of us. Fascinatingly the Orthodox Sefardi Rabbis have given a "Kosher" stamp to families to use "Zoom" during the Passover Seder meal so that families will not feel lonely, especially the elder members.

This week, when Zvi and I realised that the even greater restrictions were about to be imposed (for our own good of course) we made a decision based on Zvi's brilliant idea. We suddenly realised that his boys don't have the basics for a Seder; the seder plate, the special story books etc because they have always been with us.  We decided on a surprise for the boys and Rachel's family, a final fling before total isolation. We gathered all the essential traditional items – Seder plate, Matzo cover, a box of special Matzos (unleavened bread), a bottle of wine, a bottle of grape juice for the children, a packet of parsley, a jar of gefilte fish, a jar of chrane (fiery horseradish and beetroot sauce essential accompaniment to the gefilte fish), a Passover cake and some chocolates. We bought new shopping bags to abide by the "new" aspect of Passover and filled each one appropriate to the needs of each family. Then we set off to Nes Ziona, where standing at the essential distance of 2 metres, we placed the booty beside the gate and called the 4 girls whose excitement at seeing us was a joy! We then drove to Tel Aviv where Noga and the children were just coming back from the park. They didn't see our car so I called them "Why can't you say hello?" "Because of Corona you can come to us" "Look up to your left"! It was so hard not to get out and hug them but we placed the goody bag on the garden table and retreated!! Finally to Givat Zeev where Rachel's entire family hung over the balcony so excited to see us they could barely contain themselves!! And so back home with a very empty feeling in our hearts but joy at having finally seen them all.

So, this night will be different from all other nights but not in the usual way. Please I beg of you not to feel the urge to flaunt the rules and have people over. It's harder if one is truly religious and cannot use WhatsApp or Facetime or Zoom to be together with your loved ones, but it is different and it is just this year. Please don't take chances because if you are infected then your entire building may be infected. Remember, spray your shoes with Dettol when you come in from the street; wipe all surfaces and handles and one fascinating fact – apparently the Covid-19 virus is very fragile and disintegrates with the use of soap so you don't need to buy expensive concoctions, good old fashioned soap and water!

I'm so wary of all the "advice" on the net so I went to my medical guru, Prof. Michael Baum, to find the best explanation of the virus and he sent me https://youtu.be/PWzbArPgo-o

The Torah portion this week is Vayikra – Leviticus 1-5 which talks about animal offerings for various sins. Obviously we no longer kill animals to atone for our sins but the principle of being aware of and taking responsibility for what we have done is basic to Judaism. If one just takes the time to learn, we have a pretty wonderful religion!

Gosh, and so to some music, something to lift our hearts eh?

I thought that "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right out of My Hair" was appropriate but that's a bit too corny! If there is one thing we need now, apart from a vaccine against this ghastly virus, it's togetherness. A group of Israeli singers of all creeds and colours got together to sing "Brothers and Sisters together"  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9qa8oGlL9c

For beautiful 19 year old Eden Eilene this was her huge break, a song written by the magical pair of Idan Raichel and Doron Medali, sung in Hebrew, Arabic and Amharic, winning the right to represent Israel in the Eurovision then………….. cancellation! Her chance of fame and fortune gone like a burst balloon. Let's make sure her video goes viral! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjzyZZ-oidc

When a Jew is in trouble, when his heart aches he says just one prayer, Shema Yisrael, Hear Oh Israel. This version, from a song competition sung by Uziah Tzadok , although not the original prayer, is my favourite. It has no translation but … Lord, you can do everything, you gave me my life, you gave me everything; now that my heart is quietly crying and I am alone……… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_TBMtzeK08&list=RDZ9-l5z9jT6A&index=19

Dear wonderful friends, stay safe, stay well, please. Remember it is for a short time and it is all for our own good. Be strong………. We are never alone!!

With much love from our veranda where the orange blossom is just waiting for the sun to shine before it bursts into aromatic blossom and the tiny, delicate grape hyacinths bravely blue poked their heads through the earth and we overlook Jerusalem and her empty streets.

Sheila

    

200408 Passover, Pascha and Prayers

200408

8^th April, 2020

In Hebrew this festival is called the Festival of Freedom, Chag ha Herut. Strange really that this year we spend the Freedom Festival in seclusion! On the other hand the seclusion, while imposed, doesn't prevent us from celebrating as our ancestors did.

This week also leads up to Good Friday and Palm Sunday, to Easter. The seclusion applies whatever one's faith so no church services, no Easter Parades or Easter Bonnets; no pilgrimages to Jerusalem or anywhere else.

We have all been given a rare opportunity to really contemplate our traditions and religious obligations without the usual distractions. This year it is us and our religious beliefs, clean, pure and undisturbed. No-one else is going to see or judge our performance, it's just us and, if we are lucky, our closest, nearest and dearest.

Our world has changed drastically and we none of us know what will be when we come out the other side, but in the meantime, let's think about that past week, since Friday.

A 93 year old Monarch who has seen the world change drastically and served in a World War, spoke to her nation and the Commonwealth, words of condolence and encouragement. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wE4Cmr1j0tA

A young Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, ignored his own symptoms which were not particularly severe, ran the United Kingdom from seclusion, and is now in the ICU of St. Thomas's Hospital, leaving his chosen replacement Dominic Raab, to make decisions of State.

The world's Capital City, the heartbeat of the West, New York, is in distress, the virus having taken too many lives. The number of those killed by the virus is greater than the number killed on September 11^th. I fear for my loved ones there, and indeed everywhere.

Here in Israel there has been enormous antipathy toward the Ultra-Orthodox community, a proportion of whom ignored the edicts to isolate, which prompted President Rivlin to make a public statement declaring that whenever he hears such atrocious comments, he wants to scream out loud. "We are brothers who are responsible for each other," he said, "and it is wrong for any section of the population to heap needless blame on another. A whole community cannot be blamed for the misdeeds of a few individuals"

So, we enter this period of celebration with a heavy heart, but on the other hand, we have survived worse and thrived. If there is one thing I have learned from the recent months it is that despite the worst tragedy, one can continue living, loving and being the person you were when your heart was free.

Zvi just came in and brought me my morning cuppa, I have to say that for a Sabra he makes a stonking good cup of the golden brew. One of the joys of recent years is that Yorkshire Tea is "Kosher for Passover"!!

I can't even begin to explain the rules of Passover, which basically stem from the fact that we don't eat leavened (risen or yeast) bread, in recognition of the fact that when the Jews fled slavery in Egypt they didn't have time to prove their dough so the resulting bread, cooking on their backs, came out flat and crispy. From that simple start we now have a myriad of rules and traditions. We Jews do like to complicate our own lives!! Today one changes dishes and utensils, after thoroughly cleaning and emptying all cupboards, creating a new and different atmosphere for the first night of Passover.

Actually, this is my favourite explanation of Passover by a London Cabbie in Cockney Rhyming Slang…… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjN2-U0G1tE

As so often happens, my cup of tea was accompanied by pearls of Zvi wisdom….. this time about the first night of Passover (Seder, literally the order)  and the book from which we read. I hear you sigh, oh no, she's going to tell us a load of things we already know, but think of this – the Haggadah, the book we read on the Seder Night, is, in fact, not a story as we always thought, but, in fact, it is an agenda of our meeting with history! Think about it. We start with blessings and then told that this is about the time we left slavery in Egypt. We ask questions, go into a bit of psychological analysis of 4 types of people, bless our luck at what we have received, read a few Rabbis opinions, spill wine in recognition of the 10 plagues and then we eat, say grace and sing songs, some in a strange language. There is no description of the 40 year travels through the wilderness, it's up to us to teach the importance of freedom…………just a thought!

As a child, the Passover meals were extra special. My beautiful Zeidy (grandfather) always sat next to me, patiently explaining the proceedings, his large, square, freckled hands pointing to each word; my Daddy at the head of the table in our beautiful oak paneled dining room, the food set up on the big sideboard, ready to serve; my siblings, Aunts and Uncles all knew who the real star of the evening was – the beautiful lady with the big smile, never showing her exhaustion after cooking a huge meal, her pride in the exquisite table obvious, my Mummy. She would always set the table with a huge Madeira, hand embroidered, tablecloth, ironed within a breath of its life, and the smile would waver for a moment, knowing what came next, the moment Daddy would recite the first blessing from the book. We would all hold our breath……….. then, he would smile his wickedly wonderful smile and spill a little crimson wine onto the pristine tablecloth "OK now you can all relax, I've already made the first stain".

It's memories like those, memories that carry us through life and bring a smile to even our darkest moments, those memories are the reason behind traditions. I used to hold huge Seder Nights when my children were small, using the family Seder Plate – thinking nothing of having 45 people sitting down to the meal. It is just one of the many joys of living in a small community where we were each other's family. So many thoughts race through my mind as I write, one of my favourites is Valerie and Martin gingerly walking down the 5 steps from the driveway to the front door, carrying huge saucepans and Pyrex's full of her half of the meal, then helping me set up before lighting the festival candles together. My Daddy glowing with pride at his little girl's welcoming table; the children asking any question the wished as long as it was pertinent to Passover – clearly good training for Gideon, today a fine lawyer, a Queen's Counsel!

In recent years "Seder Night" evokes memories of our table in front of the view, Zvi's Father, Saba Kalman, sitting in his cream silk jacket, proudly listening to Alla, Zvi's Mother, reading from the Haggadah in dramatic voice, worthy of a performance in Habima, Habima Theatre which her family founded in Russia and brought to the nascent state. Tomer, today a soldier, standing on his chair aged 2, excitedly reciting "Ma Nishtana". Throughout the years one thing is constant, apart from the traditions – my world famous Charoset (combining) made to Mummy's recipe.

There is a deep moral to this year's festival, a moral over and above the usual family get-togethers. If I may return to the beginning, it is a Passover that forces us to contemplate our world, our own little world and our place in it. Suddenly a plague is not only in the story of our escape from slavery but it is very real, in modern language, a clear and present danger. Perhaps this plague will free us of our preconceptions, our chasing bigger and better, perhaps it will free us too.

My musings have taken me to places that barely touch on politics; I think you all know that tolerance, teaching children to accept each other, children of every colour and creed living in a world where the full rainbow of diversity is part of their everyday education. Those thoughts, perhaps influenced by today's lack of acceptance and the clear teachings of hatred in school curriculae, drew me to a special organisation which began as Hebrew University Professor Yochanan Manor's dream and has grown into a force to be reckoned with in the world of education and tolerance. Impact-se is the epitome of how I want to see the world and two days ago, in a Zoom meeting, they honoured me by making me the Chairperson of the Vaad, of the guiding committee. Thank heaven I will be helped in the huge responsibility by Marcus Sheff, Nir Boms, David Lui and Jay Ruderman, as well as having our guiding light, Yochanan as our President. In addition Marcus announced that the library of Impact works, which will be in the Hebrew University, will be named "The Dr. Daniel J. Cammerman Library" which he would have loved as yet another expression of his love for all children.

Please take a look at the incredible work, expressed in reports as well as successes. Perhaps the greatest success is right here in Jerusalem where the school curriculum of East Jerusalem was changed, removing the extreme incitement, and the teachers retaught that either we learn to live together or we will die together.  www.impact-se.org I am so proud of our work.

What music suits Passover, Easter and Ramadan?

The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, all sequestered in their own homes, have made a glorious video for Passover https://www.afipo.org/backstage/video-gallery/

For my Christian friends, the exceptional Andrew Lloyd Webber wrote and Sarah Brightman sang Pia Jesu https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N12zCiY-xWk

We open the proceedings tonight with a series of four questions all based on one big one "Ma Nishtana" "Why is this night different to all other nights". This year so many things are different it is difficult to count! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmabziV1LiY

Oh dear friends, we live in scary times but by staying positive, by performing our traditions, by being together while apart, we can get through it and meet the changed world the other side of the virus. I wish you a beautiful, kosher Pesach; a blessed Easter and a Ramadan Kareem.

Our little tiny orange tree is smothered in burgeoning buds, ready to burst into the most beautiful scent in the world; the view of Jerusalem spreads before us the moment we open the blinds and I try to remember that next year we can be with our children, sitting around the same table and telling stories of Grandpa Jack spilling wine on Grandma Betty's tablecloth – a tradition happily followed by yours truly. I will shed a tear, or two or three, for my beautiful son Daniel, who can no longer sit at our table but will be there in spirit.

With much love from a silent, carless, locked down but still oh so beautiful, Jerusalem.

Sheila

 

191129 Ishmael, Danny, Corbyn and other stuff

29^th November, 2019

Shabbat Shalom! How was your Thanksgiving? Did you remember just how many things we have to be thankful for?

November 29^th, Kaf Tet b'November, the 333^rd day of the Gregorian Calendar, 72 years ago the United Nations General Assembly voted to partition Palestine into Jewish and Arab States joined by economic unity. The partition map proposed by UNSCOP allotted the Jewish state only a small part of Western Palestine. Despite this fact, the Zionist Organization and the institutions of the Jewish community in Eretz Yisrael agreed to accept the plan, since it recognized the right of the Jewish people to a state and not only a "national home" as stated in the 1917 Balfour Declaration and the 1922 Mandate for Palestine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB0M-6UdBRQ

Sometimes the surrounding buzz makes us forget how lucky we are, even how lucky we are to have annoying, disruptive politicians in our lives. Believe me it is infinitely better to live with mendacious politicians than to live in a cruel dictatorship or theocracy, ruled by tyranny.

The confusion and enormous responsibility of living in a free society can sometimes reach breaking point, especially when one's leader ignores the mores of acceptable leadership as is happening here or the possibility of an anti-Semitic, mendacious politician changing the entire social structure of one's free and open society. In Britain the only good thing that can be said about Jeremy Corbyn is that he has consolidated the determination of Chief Rabbi Efraim Mervis, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, Reform Senior Rabbi Laura Janner and a former Director of MI5, all of whom express their fear of the danger that is Jeremy Corbyn.  Andrew Neil is a veteran, brilliant journalist and his interview of Jeremy Corbyn is bordering on the genius. This interview is like watching a walrus toying with and then catching a slippery eel.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EySXP15S8k

So, ladies and gentlemen, we are not going to talk about politics, either local or international, we are going to talk about the wonderful things that happen in Israel. However before we get to the good stuff, if you don't mind, I want you to understand what it means for children who are in the line of fire from Gaza and then tell me who is oppressing whom. A mother in Ashkelon decided to film her children during a Red Alert, the child, after danger is passed, wants to stay in the safe room, terrified to go home. https://13news.co.il/item/news/politics/security/kids-afraid-in-ashkelon-947117/

Some good news for a change!!

1.     A brave and beautiful Moslem woman on London Tube tackled someone bullying a Jewish man and his children. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7717907/Muslim-woman-wins-praise-stopping-man-unleashing-abuse-Jewish-family-tube.html?fbclid=IwAR3XnE1D81mz9Tnk0unZGgt6DklMgFol12s7GjDeb-eFBY3OMc6lDa1aXrg

2.     A Lebanese man bought Hitler mementos so they wouldn't fall into the wrong hands https://www.timesofisrael.com/lebanese-magnate-buys-up-hitler-items-at-auction-donates-to-israeli-group/?fbclid=IwAR2aXLB-UOAt9V9ojaJikyspGgzNy6N0Hz5hi4Wjhj1l7q9gT7_9t3z_WKQ

3.     25 Palestinians from Hebron went hiking in Wadi Celt on Friday night. They had no food or drink and the night drew in, it was cold and they were lost. Men from nerby Jewish settlements formed a search party, despite Shabbat, and rescued the terrified hikers.

Danny Adeno Abebe is an Israeli journalist and now author.  His book "The Journey Isn't Over" or in Hebrew "המסע לא טם" begins with his family's journey home from Ethiopia; the horrors of the Transit Camp in the Sudan which Danny describes as a "little Shoah"; to their arrival in Israel. We were so honoured to be considered among Danny's friends and received an invite to the book launch. After all the politicians had their say Danny described the first meeting with a fridge and made the audience laugh, "In Ethiopia everything we ate was fresh, we went and picked it for yourself. We thought the fridge was a cupboard and put our clothes in it! Only later we found that food came from the supermarket and went into the fridge – after it was plugged in" Today Danny is very much a sophisticated Israeli, educated, well-travelled father of four glorious children. His story takes us from Ethiopia to Israel and his journey into acceptance and ultimately his shlichut to the South African Jewish community. Why the title? What is unfinished in his journey? Too many young, educated Ethiopian Israelis have not been accepted and sometimes graduates find work as security guards. It certainly cannot be said of Danny. Politicians from the extreme left (Nitzan Horowitz of Meretz) to the extreme right (Rafi Perez – Minister of Education) and everything in between expressed love, friendship and admiration for Danny. Even Minister of Culture and Bibi Groupie Miri Regev took time out of the Pro-Netanyahu demonstration to come and hug Danny. Danny also has an interesting perspective on the remaining "Falash Mura" https://www.jta.org/2008/08/07/opinion/falash-mura-masquerading-as-jews

Another exceptional Israeli is Ishmael Khaldi who has also written a book about his experiences called " A Shepherd's Journey: the story of Israel's first Bedouin diplomat" Ish was born in the Bedouin Village of Khawaled, near Haifa; an exceptionally bright young man he went on to study at Tel Aviv University and also took young Jewish Israelis on hiking tours of the Bedouin villages. It was these tours that piqued his interest in foreign relations and his ultimate entry into the Israeli Foreign Service. Ish was an advisor on minorities to the IDF . During his second posting in London the community loved him! He visited almost every community big and small and spoke openly and lovingly about Israel. Ish recently arrived in Miami as the Israeli Consul and is still finding his feet. I trust all our friends in the vicinity to welcome him to Florida https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ishmael_Khaldi

Last Saturday a free bus service began in the Tel Aviv area. It is not a regular service but for those who have no other form of transport – be it low income, carless Israelis, Christian and Moslem Israelis or tourists – it is a huge change. The service is free because by Israeli law one cannot have a normal bus service, but I see it spreading allover Israel. Many people are simply stuck at home, unable to go anywhere, on their one day of leisure in the week and this releases them. Not everyone is religiously observant.

Sacha Baron Cohen is best known for his highly irreverent, honestly coarse movies such as Borat, but little is generally known about the proudly Jewish, eloquent, Cambridge Graduate Londoner. Baron Cohen gave a brilliant speech to the ADL https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=5&v=ymaWq5yZIYM&feature=emb_logo 

I know that I am jumping from subject to subject today but I would be horribly remiss if I didn't tell you about a phenomenal Jewish woman by the name of Dona Grazia. We celebrate her 450^th anniversary this week. Born in Portugal, the daughter of a wealthy family she married a major banker, lived in Antwerp then fled to Venice and on to Turkey where she believed she could live freely as a Jew. In 1552, Dona Grazia settled in Kushta, the capital of the Turkish Empire, where she devoted her life to fostering Jewish culture, poets wrote in praise of her many achievements as a patron and helper of Jewry in those dark days. She built synagogues, established Yeshivot (centres for Jewish study), libraries, supported Torah scholars and Rabbis and resettled hundreds of Marranos enabling their return to Judaism. Donna Grazia decided to establish a refuge for Jews in the Land of Israel, in Tiberias, the city on the Sea of Galilee, where it was written that “from Tiberias, Israel will be redeemed and it will be the spiritual centre of all Jewish communities of the Diaspora”. 1558 Donna Grazia leased Tiberias, in Palestine, from Sultan Suleiman, for a yearly fee of 1000 ducats and, in 1561, Joseph Nasi obtained ruling authority over Tiberias and Safed, developing major new centres of Jewish and religious settlement which thrive until today. It came to pass that Donna Grazia succeeded in being the Visionary of the State of Israel, with the support of the Turkish Empire, 300 years before Theodore Herzl recognised the fate of the Jewish people at the trial of Dreyfus in France. A true example of the role of a woman in Judaism.

Talking of an amazing women, Shelly Silver is the daughter of Ira and Valerie Silver of whom I have spoken many times. This week Shelly graduated with honour after her entry course to the IDF in a ceremony. Unfortunately I couldn't go to cheer her on but I wanted to wish her a great big MAZAL TOV and tell her that I love her!

Songs. What music should I choose this week?

One expression of gratitude that is oft forgotten is to the soldiers in WW2. This beautiful accolade requires at least one box of Kleenex as the D-Day Darlings sing Vera Lynn's "There'll be Bluebirds Over the White Cliffs of Dover"  https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=_vDFKba_WDE&feature=emb_logo

I love the Revivo Project and their wonderful renditions of traditional songs with a Mizrachi (Eastern Jewish) twist. "Mi ha Ish" Psalm 34 13-15 carries a message for all of us. "Who is the man that desireth life, and loveth days, that he may see good therein? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. Depar​t from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMI150jql14

The IDF choir sings "Because of the Spirit" – Whatever comes I will change because our world is changing all the time and we must rise up to face the future. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPY7TwkwimM

The rain still hasn't come to dampen our parched earth, but it will. It seems that half the earth is praying for rain and the other half is praying for a break in the rainfall. The veranda is a glorious splash of colour as the evenings draw in and get cooler. The Hibiscus particularly thrives on the cooler weather giving forth a glorious show in gratitude. Bright red, orange and peach coloured it is spectacular. The herbs are dying back, except for the mint and lemon balm and the kumquats are slowly turning orange. The sunsets are becoming redder and redder, as if announcing the imminent winter.

It's time for soups again! Tonight it is just Zvi and I then tomorrow Amiad and Noga are bringing Ella and Yonatan so that Saba Zvi can take them around the corner to the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo. It really is a spectacular zoo with every animal imaginable set out in continents. I love the place.

I wish you a Shabbat Shalom. Put the calumny and spitefulness of politics aside for 25 hours and rejoice in what we have.

With much love from our home to yours

Sheila