160722
22nd
July 2016
Shabbat
Shalom dear friends. Much has happened since we last spoke, some good, some bad
and some surprising!
Tayyip
Erdogan of Turkey is a very wily political dictator. He had a problem however,
he was uncertain of his military, both leaders and soldiers, and even though
Turkey is not really the Middle East, the same principle applies – keep the
army on your side or you are finished.
As we
sat and watched the "military coup" unfold, one thought kept running
through my mind "This is too staged, too choreographed. Something is not
right". I spoke out to many friends about my concerns and most disagreed
but slowly, as we understand that he arrested thousands of military who were
against his ever increasing closeness to fanatical Islam, his demand for the
death penalty to be reinstated and his determined manhunt for anyone against
his regime. It is unknown how many have already been arrested but it is in the
thousands and possibly tens of thousands. Erdogan has declared a state of emergency
which allows him to arrest without apparent cause. Erdogan has arrested thousands
of judges. You may think that this is a
storm in a teacup, that it is taking place thousands of miles away, but do not
forget that Turkey is a modern, well-armed society with a well-trained
military, an effective air force and access to the Mediterranean.
More
and more disturbing facts emerge concerning the Iranian Nuclear Arms deal. When
a member of the Moslem Brotherhood is in charge of overseeing the nuclear
facilities (El Baradei) and the leaders declare a desire to eradicate Israel
and bring the USA under its rule one wonders why a deal was struck in the first
place!! Perhaps one should begin with education – always education. It is not just a matter of weapons, it begins in
kindergarten. The greatest weapon of all is educating ones children to hate. Following the one year Iran Nuclear Deal anniversary
IMPACT-se http://www.impact-se.org/ blog describes the possible future
ramifications of the current Iranian curricula by IMPACT-se Director of
Research, and author of our latest report: Iranian Education the Contusion
Revolution - Dr. Eldad Pardo. http://www.impact-se.org/one-year-after-the-nuclear-deal-a-troubling-curriculum-in-iran/
This
weeks Torah reading deals with the fact that we often miss the truth which is
right in front of our eyes, so clear that even our donkey can see both danger
and signs before we do. It would seem that our leaders, all of them, do not
have the acuity of that donkey and ignore the signs. Hopefully Theresa May, the
new British Prime Minister, has that ability to see what is in front of her but
Francois Hollande did not when he said that the French people must get used to
terrorism. One never gets used to terrorism. One is never inured to its evil.
As individuals we can only demand that our leaders will put up a strong fight
on our behalf but if someone is intent upon changing who we are, only force can
possibly stop them.
The
Donald. Donald Trump, surrounded by his loving family, was accepted by the Republican
Party to represent them in the upcoming Presidential race, despite the bitter and
somewhat inappropriate words of Ted Cruz. Trump was not expected to get as far
as nomination day let alone to be the candidate, which must tell us something
about where people, Americans, are going in their minds. There are several
conditions to voting. One is that Joe Bloggs vote is almost always against what
was, DISSATISFACTION. Two is when one feels ones standard of living is
threatened – POCKET. Three, and in the current world disarray perhaps number
one is dread, consternation, distress – FEAR. There are many other factors,
including one that I never understood which is party loyalty – I am the
original floating voter who has always voted with the needs of the moment. Mr
Trump represents a different, less slick, less sophisticated, openly aggressive
form of candidate. The feeling of Joe Bloggs is that if any of the two fear
triggers – pocket and fear – become a reality, he will stand up for them. Most
of all, Joe Bloggs loves the fact that he calls a spade a shovel. One thing for
sure, this will be a fascinating race, not necessarily a clean one!! Next is
the Democratic Convention which will probably be without the drama of the
Republicans but just as rivetting!!!
Yesterday
evening was Jerusalems Gay Parade, the largest yet, with 25,000 participants,
gay and straight alike. I don't necessarily see the point of a specific Gay
Parade – I think of everyone as individual, contrasting in views and
appearance, thoughts and sexual preference without the need for a parade, but
if that's what they want then so be it. Many have fought hard for their freedom
to be open and thus feel the need to express themselves. It was a festive
affair, filled with goodwill, to celebrate the short young life of Shira Banki
who was senselessly killed at last year's parade. Shira was not gay; she just
wanted to support her friends. I accept the right of everyone to express their
views but not to incite hatred for…….. anyone. We lost two Temples because of
"Sinat Chinam" hatred without reason, hatred of our own, isn't it
time we learned better? If you don't want to go to the Gay Parade then don't
but let others live freely.
I went
to Mahane Yehuda this week!!! Oh my goodness I love that place. We met Roselyn
and Benjamin Freeman outside Tsidkiyahus pickle stand………….. but wait, I am
getting ahead of myself.
On
Tuesday we went to a miraculous wedding. Mordechai Tsidkiyahu, the groom, is a
handsome young man whose family has run Shouk Mahane Yehuda for many
generations and is very politically involved in Jerusalem. We have been
friendly with Mordechais father for many years. When Mordechai was at his
school graduation party, they brought in a big swimming pool and he decided to
do a somersault into the water. Sadly he missed and broke his back, literally.
Months of immobility in hospital, years of being a paraplegic in a wheelchair,
cut is academic career short. Last Tuesday night Mordechai, on the arm of his
beautiful bride, walked haltingly up the aisle to the chuppah. With the aid of
a walker he was finally upright! It was miraculous and there was not a dry eye
in the house. Mordechai stood to break the glass under the chuppah.
Back to
Mahane Yehuda, Roselyn and Benjamin! Benjamin is doing a very special 3 week
course for bright young scientists at the Technion in Haifa and we had the
pleasure of seeing them before he began his adventure. Where to go to eat?
Should we go to one of the amazing coffee shops or to the Indian restaurant,
the Yemenite restaurant with the wonderful stew-like concoctions on low
"ptiliot" wicks overnight, or what? Of course we asked the best
person around, Yaron Tsidkiahu, where to go. "Just one genuine Middle
Eastern restaurant, without fancy tablecloths but great food. Shamulah! Turn
left out of the shouk, past Marzipan, over the road and it is on the corner on
the left" Not only was it delicious but we discovered tha tour lovely
friend Yossi was working there so we got a delicious tableful of stuffed
vegetables, salads, kebabs, rice and beans…………. And each items was scrummier
than the last!!! We left there barely walking but found the energy to buy some
fruit in the shouk. Oh my! This is the
season of mellow fruitfulness – but Keats would not have recognized the incredible
variety, lushness and colours of the current selection. Green and black grapes,
big or tiny; Huge peaches that dribble down your chin as you bite into them,
still warm from the sun; Orange, purple and green mangoes; nectarines, lychees
and the very last of the cherries. Don't even get me started on the vegetables……….
If you haven't been there you cannot imagine the vibrancy of super fresh,
straight from the farm, vegetables. Misshapen and oddly sized they are all
delicious. So we gathered out energy and resources, dropped the Freemans off at
their hotel and set off for home.
Yesterday
I didn't join Zvi on his babysitting expedition, but met Irit lev at the
Islamic Museum, a beautiful, small museum next to the Jerusalem Theatre. There
was a wonderful exhibit of Iranian graphic art and then I showed Irit the unique
and wonderful clock and watch selection. The pearl of the exhibit is an
original watch made for Marie Antionette, phenomenal! http://www.wristwatchreview.
Sara
Tuttle Singer wrote this excellent piece on Israel – not a normal country http://blogs.timesofisrael.
Tonight
we have friends coming for supper. I love watching those who have never been to
us for Shabbat dinner before as Zvi begins to hum a niggun, then breaks into
Shalom Aleichem, reaching full voice as
he launches into the Kiddush, the blessing over the wine. If I don't go soon there
will not be challot for our Shabbat and we will have to buy them, which will be
very disappointing! Tonight we have a milk meal, fish balls in chraimeh (Moroccan
sauce), fresh salmon in a Teriyaki and pomegranate sauce, roast potatoes, all
sorts of salads and two coloured beans. Tomorrow the children all come to us
and we will eat a totally different menu…………. One that they will enjoy!!!
And so
to music!
I
often, indeed usually, give you songs about Shabbat but forget to give you
songs of Havdala. Havdala is the separation or difference between Shabbat and
an ordinary day and the service takes place as Shabbat ends. We reawaken all
the senses with the light of a candle, the warmth of the flame, the scent of
the spices, the taste of the wine, the music of the song. Enjoy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdKVK2ryBUQ
It is
followed by a fun video of the IDF Choir.
The
next song is in honour of Mordechai Tsidkiyahu and my incredible grandson
Samuel George and all our children and grandchildren. Yaakov Shwekey and I can
be https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3nF2KHmQ60
Shabbat
Shalom dear friends. All of us can bring light to our world – we just have to
be heroes for a moment.
Sheila
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