210108 Good news, Bad news

210108

8th January 2021

 

Shabbat Shalom to you all

 

I have been trying and trying to think of a way to open this letter after the horrific mass lunacy in Washington.  I remember being stunned by the riots after Donald Trump won the elections 4 years ago https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-inauguration-protests-idUSKBN1540J7   but those riots were tame in comparison. Extremism, that is opinions that reach the outside acceptable thought of both right and left, have become the order of the day and when those thoughts are not controlled the average citizen is forgotten in the fury that spills over. One thought kept running through my head over the last couple of months. As child I, like most Brits, was taught, "It isn't if you win or lose, it's how you play the game" or "Don't be a bad loser always congratulate the winner" "That behaviour isn't cricket" Simple good manners in everyday life, accepting losing "the game" are a part of life and clearly essential in a leader.

 

Israel has now vaccinated nearly 20% of the population with the first Pfizer vaccination, as opposed to Britain and the USA who are nearly 2% of the population

 

Our friend Dr Joel Zonszein, former Head of Endocrinology at Albert Einstein Hospital and recent Oleh Hadash with his wife Nattie, wrote this excellent summation of why Israel has succeeded so brilliantly in vaccinating the population, and I would add a few words. Israel has universal health care rather than socialized healthcare and it was the early Zionists who created the healthcare system in 1911 long before any other country even thought of it.

 

"The success of mass vaccination in Israel, it is because it is a small country and because of its socialized medicine.

The health fund Clalit (the general fund that serves ½ of the population), was created during the Ottoman rule.

It had doctors and nurses in communities, so that patients would not have to travel by cart for hours (and be killed), before they received medical care.

The farmers, teachers and clerks, organized a second fund in the 1930s, different from Katznelson’s socialist worldview; the network became Leumit (the national fund)

In 1941, a group of athletes broke away from the labor union and they created their own fund Maccabi, named for the sports-based youth movement and a nod to the Maccabees of Jewish history. It provided care mostly in the big cities and is the second-largest kupa in Israel with 2.3 million members, including Nattie and I.

Meuhedet, the third-largest HMO was founded in 1974 through the merger of two veteran HMOs, Amamit -founded by Hadassah in1931 for the Farmers' Union to provide services to settlements (the pre-State of Israel "Yishuv") and Merkazit, founded in 1935 by the General Zionist Workers', to provide medical care to independent employees, and freelance professionals.

 

Healthcare in Israel is universal and participation in a medical insurance plan is compulsory.

All Israelis are entitled to health care. Everyone in Israel gets affordable or gratis medical care. https://www.ynetnews.com/magazine/article/SJtkaOg0D ”

 

Now for a "Good news, bad news" session

 

Obviously we must begin with the very bad news of the utter abuse of the freedom afforded by the democratic process in the United States. I believe that demonstrating and expressing one's human rights is a wonderful thing, irrespective of views, but violence, destruction storming the Capitol is beyond the pale.

 

Bad news, but expected is the closure imposed upon Israel and the UK, thanks to those who do not understand that their behaviour kills. Good news, Israel's Health Funds have done a brilliant job and the PM thought ahead and ordered millions of doses of vaccine

Bad news is that the UK Covid variant arrived in Israel with travellers, the good news is that the Pfizer vaccine covers it.

Bad news, the supply of Pfizer vaccine finished before many of the essential workers, teachers and chronically ill have been vaccinated; good news, there's lots more on its way!

Better news, Pfizer chose to send millions of vaccines to Israel in exchange for the research we have performed on the effects of the vaccine.

Good news, the Oxford University vaccine is now in production and is infinitely cheaper than the commercial vaccines, giving poorer countries availability.

The good news is that the Israeli medical care is phenomenal and available for all; the bad news is that the medical staff are exhausted, their numbers depleted by those either sick or in isolation, working to their very limits without the usual help from the patients families. This is a disease which forced scared patients to cope alone and lonely.

Bad news, there are still idiots who refuse to wear masks, refuse the vaccine and refuse to limit their activities, the good news is………..but even here there is good news because more and more people are socially aware and go for Covid tests.

 

The good news here is that the weather has been absolutely glorious and we have taken beautiful walks in the Deer Park, the Railroad Boardwalk and Valley of the Cross; the bad news is that the weather is glorious, temperatures of up to 20 degrees C, sunshine and we can't go further than 1,000 metres from home!

 

I don't want to break the flow of words by talking politics. It is said that we get the leader we deserve, but I'm not sure that is true of many Western countries at the moment. However, if we are in a "Good news, bad news" mood, we should really be grateful for our freedom. Too many countries are so corrupt that they become either demagogues or cruel dictators. We may have created demi-gods but luckily we also have the power to change.

 

The Torah Reading this week is Shemot, or names. It tells the tale of the thriving Jewish community in Egypt who do so well the Pharaoh decides to imprison most and orders the Jewish midwives to kill all the male Jewish babies. We all know the story of Yocheved who hides her baby boy in the bulrushes and he's found by Pharaoh's daughter and grows up to be a great leader who after seeing an Egyptian soldier beat a Jew understands the cruelty of the leadership and leads the Jewish people to freedom and the Promised Land. OK, I know that's the short version that everyone knows, but the late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks saw the ancient portion in a very different light, bringing the clear moral story up to date. Here he writes but as I read his words I could almost hear his beautiful dulcet tones in every wise word. https://rabbisacks.org/shemot-5774-women-leaders/  Thanks to my friend Rosa Romanowsky for sending it to me.

 

Two days ago we went to see the progress on our new apartment and meet the project manager. While there we discovered that several friends are also moving there and then we joined the WhatsApp group of new neighbours and discovered that there is a wonderful advice there – buying white goods as a group, telling each other about good carpenters, ari conditioning experts, plumbers etc, and of course Zvi discovered that he knows the parents of half of them! We found a sense of community that is heartwarming and rare. Unlike most places that one lives we already have a community. I can already imagine meeting friends for a chat on one of the many benches along the walking path after our morning constitutional! Next to the entrance door of our building is a reasonably sized garden plot, as yet without purpose. Zvi suddenly came up with the idea of a communal herb garden! The project manager loved the idea, said he would create whatever we want…… I was so excited, that I volunteered immediately and already designed it with raised beds of all the herbs any cook could desire! Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme are just a beginning!

 

Last night, before the midnight closure, Zvi turned to me and said "Go now to see Rachel, Igal and the children because it may be as much as 3 weeks until you see them again" I suddenly realised that I will have no need for the frozen pizzas that they love much more than my home-made food, not for a while, so I jumped in the car and set off, but not through Samuel's Tomb, I went through the highway which is much faster but not nearly as interesting! I didn't tell them I was coming so when I knocked on the door I was greeted with "Safta's here", and delighted faces and many "Covid hugs". Actually I don't need to worry because they have been really careful and of course not been to school. The funniest was to see Talia's face when she found out that I had brought a frozen roll of her favourite cookies! I make the dough and freeze it in a roll ready to cut into discs and bake for unexpected guests who no longer come. Wonderful mixed sweet spice flavour and raisin cookies she goes crazy for! I think Ayala was upset I didn't bring her favourite veggie "ktsitsot" or patties, but my arrival was a spur of the moment decision!

 

Looking out from our verandah this morning was quite eerie, quieter than even a regular Shabbat. The roads are almost empty, so my eyes were drawn to other things. The beautiful trees of Keren Kayemet creating a triangle of green on the right; cyclists and walkers along the path which follows the Ottoman railway line; walkers up and down the street beneath ours……… suddenly the hustle and bustle of everyday life has been forcibly halted.

 

I loved the song "Katan Aleinu" which has no direct translation but means It's Easy from my first hearing and I think I even gave it to you a couple of weeks ago. My friend Elizabeth Gelb sent me this recording with English subtitles!! Love it. https://youtu.be/58AjdhGSaTU

 

On March 12th, 2019, Koolulam came together with Link20 movement of the Ruderman Family Foundation at Menorah Stadium. 8,000 people sang ‘Shiro Shel Shafshaf’ with Stephane Legar to promote a message of accessibility and equality between people with and without disabilities. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZitrjOnyTzE

 

Before Covid Mahane Yehuda Shouk (the Jewish market) was a meeting place for young and old before Shabbat. Here is a taste of those days, we are all impatient for their return https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHg2qu38jlE

 

Please, please take care, you are very special to me even if we have never met. I wish you a good weekend, wish you a fruitful future very soon and good leadership which will teach tolerance

 

Shabbat Shalom with love from Jerusalem

Sheila

 

 

  

 

 

  

010121 Out with the old in with the new

 

010121

1^st January 2021

 

Shabbat Shalom lovely friends. Shabbat Shalom as the world is looking just a little brighter every day.

 

The first day of the first month of the new Gregorian year. Phew! 2020 is behind us.

This Irish New Year blessing sums up what I wish for you

 

"May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light,

May good luck pursue you each morning and night.

May you always be strong in your journey.

In the New Year, may your right hand always be stretched out in friendship and never in want."

 

This past year was challenging at best, frightening at worst, but in so many cases it brought out the best in us, the fighting spirit that kept our heads above water.

 

A medical catastrophe brought out the very best in medical science when it was discovered that an existing vaccine could be adapted to inoculate against a horrific new strain of virus that emanated from Hunan Province in China -Covid-19. Laboratories all over the world worked at full pace and the results were nothing short of miraculous!

 

There are always silent heroes in these battles. Here a husband talks about his wife who worked together with the CEO of Pfizer, Albert Bourla, a Jew from Thessaloniki whose family was taken to Auschwitz and who swore that if the opportunity ever presented itself to give thanks for the fact that his father survived the Holocaust he would take it.

 

"Benita Alkon Baitner (to be honest, my wife), the director of the Vaccination Unit of the global Pfizer company in Israel, succeeded in performing this job with modesty, discretion, seriousness and courtesy, connecting, mediating and promoting both sides, with her dual loyalty. Because, on the one hand Benita is the Pfizer representative in Israel and on the other hand she is an Israeli citizen who wanted the vaccine to arrive in Israel as soon as possible ... She did all this while completing two periods of quarantine and with her daughter with verified Corona in the next room"

 

Israel has now inoculated 10% of its population. Enormous thanks must go out to our Health Funds. They managed to get organised in record time and utilize the Pfizer vaccines that the government had bought in the most efficient manner.

 

The Middle East is heading toward a very different, kinder face as accords, treaties and agreements are signed with Moslem countries. It began with the Abraham Accords between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, a true agreement, one of two friendly countries. The Abraham Accords were quickly followed by Bahrain, Sudan, Morocco and even Saudi Arabia is reaching out to us. The incredible "behind the scenes" workers of the Foreign Ministries involved, not just the leaders, deserve accolades, they too are silent heroes.

 

The greatest upside and, by the same token, downside of the closures is that many parents, if they are working, are working from home, spending real time with their children who are home learning. Of course there is a serious downside, many families have fallen into poverty and in countries that do not have socialized medicine they cannot afford medication, let alone housing.

 

Here in Israel the very best in people has come to the fore with neighbours, municipalities  and even Facebook groups organising food for the sick and elderly who could not leave their homes and ensuring that nobody goes without.

 

Ask Israelis what they miss most they would almost inevitably say "a flight to anywhere" in their top 5. Israelis have an inbuilt wanderlust and guided tours to understand far flung places are number one. A side effect of the Abraham Accords was the rush of some 50,000 Israelis who travelled to the Dubai, and some brought back Covid! More importantly Emeratis who came to Israel were amazed to find everyone so friendly, helpful and the freedom of prayer excited them.

 

Political change is on the cards here in Israel. The demonstrations were echoed within the Knesset as dissatisfaction with the determined braggadocio of Prime Minister Netanyahu and as a result we head to the fourth elections in less than 3 years. Israel does not have a Presidency like the United States, although our titular President Reuven Rivlin has been the voice of reason during this period, coaxing Members of Knesset to reach an agreement and prevent yet another highly costly round of elections.

 

Our athletes have been winning Gold Medals all over the world! European Golds in Windsurfing, Gymnastics both individual and team, Judo………. And more!

 

What have Zvi and I been doing during the past year? We have been preparing for our eventual move to the new apartment although it is hard to know where to start! We have walls and floors and even the bare-bones of the kitchen is in place, we met many of our future neighbours, but the move is still on the distant horizon! Maybe for Passover

 

We are both very involved in community and national organisations. We successfully raised the funds for an apt memorial for my Daniel in "Dr. Dan's Room" giving voice not only to the children who cannot speak for themselves but to a joyous and beautiful organisation "Shalva". The moment we can go to Shalva after this closure, we will give a full report.

 

Zvi became Chairman of the Board of the Jerusalem Teacher's Training College and a Member of the Board of the Jerusalem Academy of Music and I became Chairman of the Board of Impact-se. Impact has had some exceptional successes this year, both in the totally revised school curriculum for East Jerusalem and cooperation with the UAE education authorities on their excellent new curriculum which leads the way in Moslem countries. 2021 promises to open many doors to teaching children tolerance instead of hate. It is a team effort but Marcus Sheff leads the way and Nir Boms does everything behind the scenes!

 

I got a new hip which has changed my life! Nearly every day Zvi and I go for a walk of at least 2 kilometres. Sometimes we walk through the park opposite, nodding to neighbours although it's difficult to recognise them with their masks; sometimes we go to the "Park haMessilah" a beautiful 7 kilometre walk from the neighbourhood of Baka along the old Ottoman tracks all the way to the Biblical Zoo, I do about 3 kilometres! Another favourite of mine is the Deer Park, just down the road. It is such a delightful, utterly unspoiled green lung of Jerusalem and I love the feel of the countryside and if we are lucky we see a tell-tale scut in the near distance indicating that a herd of deer is coming out to feed. Zvi is convinced they hide from us since deer are shy creatures indeed.

 

We have spent as much time as the rules allow with our Israeli grandchildren who discovered that a small birthday party with just close family members can be just as exciting as a fancy big affair. Ayala's Bat Mitzva was a prime example of just parents, siblings and grandparents attending and sticking to the rules. Rachel made each party exciting by providing her amazing pinatas. @lalapinatas on Instagram  

 

You all know that this year has been a year of tears as our entire family tries to come to terms with the loss of Daniel, my beautiful eldest son. We all turned our eyes toward Karen, Joshua and Callie in New York who faced their loss and Covid with true fortitude and bravery. If only we could all be together but Covid dictated that we be on 3 continents. We must look toward our future, to do his memory justice by living life to the full as he did.

 

What do I wish for the coming year? If I gave myself 10 wishes what would they be?

1.     I wish for leaders who care for us more than their comfortable and elevated seat

2.     I wish for tolerance, tolerance for the beliefs of others, be it religious or political, tolerance which goes both ways

3.     I wish for honest, civilised debate rather than contentious verbal altercations from our leaders and our television pundits.

4.     I wish for the return of good old fashioned manners. The fact that someone opens a door for me doesn't demean me it elevates me!

5.     If only we accepted each other's manner of prayer as valid, as equal.

6.     I wish I was more computer literate than our 6 year old grand-daughter Ella!

7.     I wish that all my family, siblings, cousins, nieces and nephews would come and visit us here rather than us going there!

8.     I wish I knew what to do with all the books and paintings we have when we move to our new home!

9.     I wish that young people understood that a lifetime's experience means that you have so much to give

10.  I wish that you would all write back to me so that I know I am not whistling in the wind! Really, I'd love to hear from you. I feel that you are my friends and care about you.

 

Finally, we must ring in the new with song, but which songs?

 

For the first part, herewith two full concerts and a message from Zvi

"As you may know, I have always been interested in music, so I was happy when a year ago I was asked to be a member of the Board of Management of the famed Jerusalem Academy of Music.

As its 2021 greetings for the New Year, the Academy sent its friends a student concert that I thought you would enjoy!

So, let us all hope that 2021, will be the light that awaits us after the darkness of 2020

May we all see our loved ones in person, instead of through Zoom, and may we all be happy and HEALTHY!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqwpTk7olcg&feature=youtu.be

 

There is just one song which sums up all our prayers for a kinder world – One Love, sung by a Koolulam gathering of Jews, Moslems and Christians in the Tower of David https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZzK29_V8jQ

 

Don't Worry be Happy was hardly the expression of 2020 but hey… this is 2021, we are allowed to be happy!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWXUWepSak4

 

I wish you a Shabbat Shalom, a time to begin looking forward not back, a time for hope of a better, healthier, kinder year.

 

I send you love from Jerusalem, from both of us thinking of all of you.

Sheila

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

Peace on Earth and Shabbat Shalom

 

25^th December 2020

 

Shabbat Shalom to all and a special wish for a blessed Christmas Day to all my Christian friends.

 

"Peace on earth and goodwill to all men" What a beautiful wish, one which we should wish for every day of our lives. Can you imagine how wonderful life would be if we could let those words out of our mouths and into our hearts?

 

The Christmas tree in Nazareth is spectacular this year, a thousand coloured lights shining in a perfect triangle pointing up to heaven; Bethlehem Road in Talpiot has the usual decorations, sparkling and welcoming on the short road to the City of Bethlehem, even though visitors to both places are very limited. Watching both on television is something of an anti-climax but it's the best we can do during this very strange period of our lives.

 

I'm going to write a short summary of events in Israel, because I hope you are all, whatever your religion, enjoying the prospect of a beautiful day.

 

We are going into our third closure, lockdown, quarantine, curfew, sequestration – whatever the word or description is means that so many people will be lonely and without work or the money to feed their families that it makes this Christmas a difficult one. Hotels and restaurants that have stocked up for the holiday season are left with food that will go to waste unless donated to the poor. The Covid-19 situation has been mismanaged the world over, with a tsunami of repercussions that nobody could fortell. The world order has changed and it is basically up to us to ensure that it changes for the better.

 

Prime Minister Netanyahu has been on a vaccine hunt for many months now, cajoling and coaxing the major drug companies to ensure that Israel received the maximum number of vaccines, and he succeeded. Israel tops the world chart of inoculations per capita. Quite an achievement. The Health Funds really got their act together and created large inoculation stations. Zvi had his first vaccine this week (I'm on the 28^th) and the efficiency was truly magnificent. The vaccination station was in the Pais Basketball Arena, just near us. Plenty of parking, a huge reception hall with well spaced chairs for the pre- and post-vaccination waiting. First he registered, showing his ID card and was given a number; we sat and waited, an LED sign showing the numbers and a voice calling each number proved that the patients were called at a surprisingly fast rate. There were 10 stations with a nurse and a volunteer checking that the right person came for their jab and that they had no recent medical problems which could interfere with the inoculation. We then sat for the obligatory and usual 15 minutes to make sure there were no sudden surprises and went home! It really was amazingly efficient.

 

That efficiency has resulted in Israel being top of the world chart for inoculations per capita – next in line is the UK then the USA.

 

Yet another repeat situation that has overtaken the country is……you guessed it….another round of elections, our fourth in two years! The party map is changing by the minute with defections and new parties being formed. In may cases it is out with the old and in with the new. The entire process is too complicated to bore you on Christmas Day and for those masochists among us here is a timeline from Gil Hoffman https://www.jpost.com/israel-elections/election-timeline-all-the-important-dates-until-the-election-and-beyond-653046 and an analysis of the economic  repercussions from Joshua Schuman https://www.jpost.com/israel-elections/israel-pays-economic-price-for-fourth-election-in-two-years-653149  

 

All passengers arriving from the UK this week have been taken to compulsory isolation in various hotels in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem after the discovery of the "UK Variant" Covid-19. The entire operation was horribly botched since there was no forewarning and the passengers had none of their requisites for an overnight stay let alone a 10 day stay. Of course, in the day of the cellphone video proof of their situation became obvious. The army did its best to rectify the situation since none of the hotels were prepared, no staff because there were no guests and – oy a balagan! I was, however, very proud of the "Brits Living in Israel" Facebook group led by Anton Delin who immediately jumped into action and provided everything needed to the "incarcerated" Brits. I would not fly anywhere right now but many think differently even though 4 passengers were found to have the new variant.

 

Just to make things worse, an even more potent variation has appeared from South Africa. The Israeli Cabinet made the decision that all countries are considered red and all arrivals have to go into a 10 day isolation, mostly in Corona Hotels, until they test negative.

 

That's enough doom and gloom although the truth be told there was one terrible incident when a beautiful, joyful, mother of 6, Esther Horgen z"l, went running through the countryside near her home, as she did virtually every day, and was brutally murdered in a terrorist attack. Our amazing IDF has virtually halted all terrorist activity and I know that a single murder in over a month is not impressive to anyone living in the West, but this is different, this perpetrator had been taught hatred on a daily basis in his school, hatred of Jews, hatred of Israelis irrespective of their beliefs.

 

Observant Jews will not be celebrating today since it is a minor fast mourning a major event. The 10^th day of the month of Tevet remembers the siege of Jerusalem by King Nebuchadnezzar which ultimately led to the destruction of King Solomon's First Temple and the conquest of the Kingdom of Judah. Fascinating to think that if that had not been the case the constant battles over Judea and Samaria might never have happened. I know "if only" has never helped anyone but it links nicely with Bethlehem, Jesus and Judea and of course the claim that Judea and Samaria are not Jewish at all.

 

Back to Christmas and a story that fits everyone, everyone who loves a happy ending. My children grew up on a wonderful television and book series called Ivor the Engine, written and narrated by Oliver Postgate. It was set in Wales and held the children enraptured by the soft Welsh accent, Jones the Steam, Idrys the Dragon and the sheer beauty of the stories. Daniel Postgate, the late Oliver Postgate's son, happens to be my nephew and here he reads "Bluebell's Christmas Mission" https://youtu.be/0eKEpzrbgZg

 

This morning I woke to a glorious sunny morning, after two days of blessed rain. The panorama before me glistened in the sun, the pinky white Jerusalem stone showing its true beauty after nature's laundry had washed the Saharan dust of last week.

 

Wouldn't it be wonderful if "goodwill to all men" could be our motto for the coming year? Tikkun Olam is exactly that – to leave this world a better place than we found it. Just imagine if those harsh words that were on the tip of your tongue were swallowed instead of being spat out? Tikkun Olam is not giving to charity, it is not instead of our prayers and it isn't something to replace our identity, Tikkun Olam is to be proactive, to make our street, town, city, country a better place for those who are unable to help themselves. After all, a country is judged on how it provides for the weakest sectors of its society.

 

This week's Torah reading teaches us about tolerance and forgiveness as we reach the climax of the story of Joseph. After Benjamin finally travels to Egypt and stands before the great Joseph, Joseph finally reveals who he is to his younger brother. His first question is after his father's welfare and then, when Benjamin asks if his brother is angry Joseph tells him "No, everything has a purpose and G-d wanted me here so that I could save my people in a time of famine and distress" As we know the story ends well and Joseph is able to hug his father etc, but think about what he said and its depth of meaning. He didn't eat himself up in hatred of his brothers or thoughts of revenge, who had, after all, thrown him into a pit and sold him to Egyptians out of jealousy since he was his father's favourite, he recognised that nothing happens in a vacuum, every situation, no matter how seemingly hopeless, can be turned into Tikkun Olam.

 

Here's a happy Shabbat song and it's in English! Remember to be proud of who you are and your age old traditions, irrespective of how you pray. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_L_1wuOqLQ

 

Imagine a Jewish immigrant, Irving Berlin, writing the greatest Christmas song ever written! Sounds crazy but it's true and I love it! Here Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra sing White Christmas. May your days be merry and bright! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMl4Pls41qI

 

People often ask me "What do you really want from this world" or "What do you pray for Israel and for the world"? It expressed in this song The Prayer. Simple and pure for us all to be kind and tolerant of others………… can you imagine how beautiful it would be? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYJCYr1I-Sk

 

I wish you well, however you pray, whatever your identity, whoever you love, wherever you are.

 

I wish you a Shabbat Shalom and much love from Jerusalem where it all starts for us all. This beautiful city that I am proud to call home.

Sheila

 

     

  

201218 Inoculation, Extradition and Education

 

201218

18^th December 2020

 

Shabbat Shalom dear friends. Only 4 more days until Christmas Eve, 5 days until Christmas Day and 6 days until Boxing Day. Incredible to think that 2020 is almost over accompanied by a huge sigh of relief.

 

As we see more and more anti-Semitism in the guise of anti-Israel sentiment I am reminded of Sir Winston Churchill's prophetic speech in 1936

 

‘They go on in some strange paradox, decided only to be undecided, resolved to be irresolute, adamant for drift, solid for fluidity, all-powerful to be impotent…Owing to past neglect, in the face of the plainest warnings, we have entered upon a period of danger. The era of procrastination, of half measures, of soothing and baffling expedience of delays, is coming to a close. In its place we are entering a period of consequences…We cannot avoid this period, we are now in it.’

 

There is only one way to stop the tsunami of hatred and that is to change what children are taught. Tolerance must replace hatred, for the sake of our children and the sake of our world. More of that later.

 

There are many philanthropists in this world, many good people who never forget from whence they came, but few reach the level of good works of the Lowy family from Australia. Lady Shirley Lowy, matriarch of the Lowy family, passed away this week in Tel Aviv after the family made Aliya, leaving her family bereft and thousands of friends mourning. Her son Stephen, a really good man, is the Chair of the Board of Governors of Keren Hayesod/UIA following in his parents footsteps of philanthropy in general and a strong connection to Israel. May the family know no more sorrow.

 

Australians are relieved this week as the nightmare of Malka Leifer came to an end and a new chapter in bringing her to justice began. I believe you are familiar with the drawn-out legal battle to have Malka Leifer extradited to Australia to face charges of child sexual abuse. Her legal team used Israel's legal system to the fullest, but this week, after 74 court appearances and appeals Israel’s Supreme Court rejected her final appeal. Despite a process that often takes weeks if not months, Israeli Justice Minister Avi Nissenkorn signed her extradition order within a day. Leifer will be back in Australia within two months to face her victims. The question on everybody's lips is who paid for her extortionate legal expenses.

 

The vaccine arrived in Israel and tomorrow night the vaccinations begin. Too many ridiculous and dangerous fallacies are circling the world, suggesting that the vaccine is dangerous, changes ones DNA etc. Do you remember the lies that circulated about wearing masks and the suggestion that here was no pandemic that it was all a political intrigue? So the stories of the vaccine are given the false veracity scaring people into falling ill and extending the pandemic. I can promise you that Zvi and I will run to the clinic to receive our vaccine the minute we are called.

 

The moment that Israel signs any kind of treaty or accord Israelis feel the need to travel and see that country. 50,000 Israelis already travelled to the UAE, yes, you heard me, 50,000 Israelis in the UAE since the Abraham Accords and many visitors from the Emirates came here, each talking of the beauty of Israel and the warmth of the people. There is a downside though, the Israeli Government has not declared the UAE as a "red" state and many Israelis have brought Covid-19 back as a memento of their trip, some even having to stay in the UAE until better. In fact, the number of Israelis taking advantage of the current open skies policy is terrifying. We have enough problems without adding to the causes of infection. Shopping malls and stores are not the problem, travel and large weddings or funerals without masks are a huge and utterly negative contributor.

 

Despite the fact that he was my son Daniel's Rabbi in Oxford University, I don't often cite Rabbi Shmuley Boteach as my source. In this week's opinion piece in the Jerusalem Post, he hit the nail right on the head. American Jews have become so factionalised that hatred is rife. https://www.jpost.com/opinion/americans-have-gone-insane-hating-each-other-opinion-652355

 

It isn't only the treaties and accords that caused a peak in pique in the Palestinian Authority leadership. Thanks to the brilliant work of Impact-se, the Norwegian Government decided to cut their 20 million krone aid to the PA unless the PA takes hate speech out of their school curriculum. IMPACT-se’s report, delivered to policymakers, showed that no changes were made to the 2020-21 curriculum, despite promises made by Palestinian officials to the visiting British and Norwegian Foreign Ministers and other European politicians and diplomats. The textbooks contain antisemitism, incitement to violence, hate and do not recognize Israel or a peaceful settlement with Israel. On the other hand Impact is working with the UAE, is helping Bahrain and Morocco to change their school books and, wait for it, Saudi Arabia too!

 

We know that the teaching of hatred and violence affects specific countries but the terrifying fact is that those teachings filter down throughout the West too and create an untenable situation of inculcated hatred for "the other". That is our next objective, to bring tolerance to all sectors of society, wherever you may be, through tolerant education. https://www.timesofisrael.com/anti-semitism-and-anti-zionsim-leaving-saudi-textbooks-monitoring-group/

 

Relations with Morocco have almost always been warm, but now we not only have a treaty with Morocco, they are teaching Jewish studies in their schools!

 

The latest agreement is with Bhutan. Bhutan? What or where is Bhutan? Bhutan, between India and China, is a secret gem, discourages visitors and is one of the world's unspoilt countries. They have virtually no internet, they live a simple life, are happy with their lot and it sounds just wonderful.

 

John Le Carre, genius author, fascinating man passed away this week. He spoke of his affinity to Israel and the Jews in an interview 22 years ago. https://www.timesofisrael.com/when-john-le-carre-poured-out-his-soul-on-jews-and-israel/  

 

Don't you love Gal Gadot? She and Jimmy Fallon taste each other's traditional food, here Fallon bravely eats gefilte fish….. It's really funny  https://youtu.be/4rsY-YZavlM

 

Chanuka is over, well the last candle lighting is over. We had some lovely experiences, some actual some virtual. We lit candles with all our future neighbours, each bringing a chanukiah and singing together, outdoors obviously. We lit with Zvi's boys and families; we had virtual candle lighting with various organisations and of course by ourselves. I had a wonderful visitor this week – Kinneret Chaya's big sister Nitzan. It was such a delight and of course we sat out on the famous veranda and I made her shakshuka while she brought wonderful bread from a local bakery to mop up the delicious spicy juices. We had a surprise visit from Eli and Eva, "just for coffee on the mirpesset (veranda)" and in about 20 minutes I made special cookies and a chocolate cake – after all it is Eli's 70^th birthday! In fact today, Eva is taking most of the choir on a tiyul (tour) near Bet Shemesh. Since it is over rather rough countryside I decided my hip wouldn't be happy so stayed home to write to you! Since you can't come to tour Israel. Here's a tour brought to you! https://israelisbeautiful.com/

 

This week Yosef Eliyahu, my beautiful, amazing grandson, reached the ripe old age of 16. We had a very limited celebration, just his parents, sisters and two lots of grandparents, but we made enough noise for an entire party! Talia baked and decorated a magnificent cake and my favourite part was when Ayala appeared with a broomstick covered in 16 balloons which she jiggled about and the birthday boy had to try and burst all the balloons.

Gideon and Stephanie, all the way away in London, celebrated 20 years of marriage. It's incredible to see how the years have flown but their love produced 3 incredible children and I adore all of them. Mazal Tov to all.

 

The sunrise from the veranda have been spectacular this week, even through the torrential rain. We are lucky in Jerusalem, we live on a series of hills but the coastal plain suffered flooding, spectacular flooding. Incredibly the Kinneret, the sea of Galilee, is already almost full and winter is just beginning. Soon they will be able to open the sluice gate and allow the water to flow down to the Dead Sea.

 

On the 18^th of December last year we took a group of lovely friends on a tour of Jerusalem, winding up for lunch at "Missedet Ima" an excellent Middle Eastern restaurant near Shouk Mahane Yehuda. Life was good, food was excellent and the company marvellous. Suddenly, I received a phone call from my son Gideon. Leaving the room I heard "Mum there's been an accident in New York" He waited until Zvi and I rushed home to tell me the full news, Daniel had not survived the accident. Of course we, the entire family, flew immediately to New York for the funeral. The outpourings of love and admiration were overwhelming and for that I am ever grateful but as another mother who lost her son, Camille Fox in far off Australia, said "It is a silent paralysing internal ache"

 

Nothing will bring Daniel back but I beg of you to cherish every moment with your children. Never ever be too busy to hear what they have to say, always give them loving confidence to be the best they can be and never take them for granted. Fill every day with joy and love, reach out to others who may be in pain and be proactive; defend what is precious to you and do everything in your power to heal this broken world. That is what Daniel would have wanted me to say to you.

 

Tonight Zvi and I are on our own, but not before I go to hug Rachel, remind her and the children just how much I love them and thank heaven that they live close by. If I remember I'll stop at the new vista point and take a photo of the mosaic, the panorama of Jerusalem from Samuel's Tomb. I chose to be alone, with my Zvi and my thoughts. Even I reach the point where I just don't want to be with anyone else.

 

Music. I wonder what music would suit this strange week?

 

Adon Olam – Lord of the Universe – is so familiar to every Jew that one cannot help but join in with whichever music is chosen. Sweet memories of Reading Shule. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvOtcWEFWo8

 

Once upon a time the late great Nat King Cole sang a Christmas song which reached out to all of us, irrespective of our religious beliefs. This beautiful rendition is by his daughter Natalie and Andrea Bocelli. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVHvIGf1i0s

 

Bob Geldorf always thought out of the box, a rebel with a cause. He began the whole idea of a vast number of stars singing a Christmas song to raise money for the children of Africa back in 1984. Understanding that all the big organisations were top heavy and a tiny percentage of the money raised by them ever reached those who most needed it he went personally to the poorest towns and villages and without taking one penny for himself he disbursed the monies raised and oversaw the purchases. Her eis a joyous version of the song that began social consciousness in the pop world. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gifrd7ljNL4

 

I wish you a good Shabbes, a day of thought and contemplation, and as you open the last 4 windows on your advent calendar, think of how we could change our world by accepting each other for what we are – not trying to force or change those around us. The Emerati visitors, when asked what most surprised them when they came to Jerusalem and all the Holy Sites of the 3 monotheistic religions, is that they were enlightened by the tolerance and acceptance of their traditional dress by every Israeli they met.

 

I just received the best phone call any Safta could get. Ayala has been dreaming of my vegetable patties (ktsistot) all week since she had them here and so please, please, since I'm going to visit them anyway, can I prepare some for her!! Since I watched her devour about 12 of them while watching Gilmore Girls I could hardly refuse!!

 

With much love from beautiful Jerusalem

Sheila