Making Peace with Change

Every morning, one of the members of the shul where I attend shacharit (morning services) read a halacha (Jewish law), or two, from the Yalkut Yosef. This past Thursday morning, the halacha read essentially said a minhag (custom) I held during the first nine days of Av may be wrong. I won't go into depth about the minhag (eating meat until Shavoah she'chal bo) but after the service ended, I discussed with a few members of the community what I do, which was confirmed by a Rabbi who is well versed in the halachot of Rhodes, an island south of Turkey which was a home to a thriving small Sefardi (Judeo-Spanish) community before the Holocaust.

By the time the conversation had ended, I had decided I needed to do some research to ensure what I was doing was in fact ok. I e-mailed my dad to ask him if the Rabbi had a source, and also picked up Rabbi Dobrinsky's excellent A Treasury of Sephardic Laws and Customs. After going back and forth, I realized that I needed to change my minhag. When I told my dad this, he approved but made the following comment:

Unfortunately, the people who say that the tradition is untenable if there is no source are cementing the Holocaust’s work, because these communities’ written halachot were destroyed in the holocaust.

It hurt me to read that. I'm extremely proud of my roots, and do my best to adhere to customs that have been passed along for generations. It left me in a bind.

This morning after shacharit, I had a long discussion with Yossi, who reads the Torah every Shabbat morning. I told him why I was struggling with what to do. He made the point that since the minhag does in fact clash with the halacha, it's best I do change the minhag. However, he then stressed something that I was foolishly overlooking. I can still teach Nissim that this was done in Rhodes (even if we do not practice it in Israel) while actually teaching and observing with him the Rhodesli customs (with regards to food, nusach and music for example) that were passed on to me by my parents.

I hope that, like my father & mother with me, I'm successful in transmitting my enthusiasm, love and appreciation of these customs* to Nissim (and G-d willng, the other children that follow) so that he carriers them, like me, on his journeys.

* I'd just like to add that while these customs are important, they're 2nd fiddle to teaching Nissim to love his faith and be an active & respectful member of Am Yisrael.
_

Gilad Shalit

I don't even know where to begin this. Fact is, I really hope this boy sees his parents and home soon. He's been in solitary confinement for over four years, with no contact with the world he left behind on June 25th, 2006. He's probably endured mental hardships none of us will even come close to experiencing. And yet, what I'm seeing on TV with this march demanding his return doesn't sit with me well. Now don't get me wrong, if I was Gilad's father I'd probably be doing the same exact thing. But this still doesn't sit well with me.

Gilad cannot come back at any cost - especially if that price will include jailed terrorists who will continue to be active. If they kill again, are we willing to tell those newly bereaved parents that Gilad's life was worth more than the lives of their loved ones? Pidyun Shovyim is an important issue here, but I feel its importance is lessened in this situation as it increases the desire of our enemies to take hostages. If I was Noam or Aviva Shalit, I wouldn't care about the last paragraph I've written. As a father myself, I respect and understand that is their way is the only way the parents should be thinking. But as an Israeli with no 'family' attachment to Gilad, I cannot allow myself to think that way, or to expect my government to act that way.

As a soldier, I struggle with this 'what if' scenario all the time. I think however that once in uniform, our life becomes 'less important' than that of our civilian population, and hence, we shouldn't endanger it in any way. I'd never want to be in Shalit's position, but I'd rather not be the potential reason civilians die if I was. I'm sure it would be the opposite if I was sitting in the same room as Gilad is now, but this is where I stand without that horrific reality being a part of my decision making process.
_

34 years later

My latest article in Kaminando y Avlando, the Sephardi Hebrew Congregation of Cape Town's monthly publication:

***

July 4th marked the 34th anniversary of the Entebbe Raid. Although four years have passed since I wrote this article for my blog, I think the point is still highly relevant in light of recent events in Israel and abroad.

-*-*-*-*-*-*

Another 4th of July is fast approaching here in Israel. A day that should mean something not only in Israel, but also worldwide, will probably only be mentioned because of its significance in US history. Little will be made of the fact that it is the anniversary of one of history's most daring anti-terror rescue operations. Thirty years have passed, but this event can still play a major role in shaping the world's mentality in pursuing its inalienable rights. During such an uncertain stage in Israel's & the world's war on radical Islam's terror tactics, July 4th should be remembered for the actions of Israel's elite forces during Operation Thunderbolt, otherwise known as the Raid on Entebbe.

A brief overview of the event: Late June 1976, an Air France jet left Israel and landed in Athens, where two Germans and two Arabs boarded the plane and hijacked it. The plane arrived in Entebbe, Uganda, where the terrorists were joined by more Arabs and friendly Ugandan troops (by orders of the country's president, Idi Amin). The terrorists demanded the release of their imprisoned comrades throughout Europe and Israel. After a few days, all the non-Jews and non-Israelis are released and flown to Paris – an eerie reminder for Israel of the Holocaust and the selections. As the world remained predictably silent, Israel planned a daring mission while 'attempting to negotiate.' Late July 3rd, Sayeret Matkal (Israel's most elite unit), with other standout soldiers from various units, left Israel on a 4,000 km flight in an attempt to deal a death blow to terrorism.

On July 4th, Israel's forces did the impossible: they rescued all but 4 of the hostages (2 were killed by stray bullets at the terminal, 1 died of his wounds in a Nairobi hospital and Dora Bloch z"l was left behind in a Ugandan hospital, where she was murdered by Ugandan troops) and one soldier, the commander of Sayeret Matkal, Yonatan ‘Yoni’ Netanyahu z"l. Israel had once again stood up to terror, refusing to allow it to dictate her policies.

The significance and importance of such an accomplishment should be stressed in light of worldwide events in the last few years. Islamic terror has killed thousands of innocent civilians since 2000, and while their numbers, supporters and strength continue to grow, the world's reactions become more timid and appeasingly pathetic. When the US pursues actions (offensives against terror supporting Afghani & Iraqi regimes) that it deems necessary to protect its citizens, far too many countries refuse to react. When Spain suffered a devastating attack that killed 191 people, its reaction was to change prime minister (PM) and withdraw all its troops from Iraq. Wonder what the terrorists learned from that?! When Australia lost over 100 citizens in the attacks on Bali in 2002, the reaction was a few harsh words from PM John Howard and since then, very little else. After the first suicide bus bombing in London, England's reaction also left much to be desired. So as radical Muslim activity flourishes in Europe, Northern Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia, too little is being done to put obstacles in the terrorists' paths. The inability to preempt, or react, is only further strengthening the belief of the terrorists that one day they will win the war against us.

The rescue at Entebbe stresses the right and duty of any nation to defend its citizens. A day to honor the bravery and dedication of those soldiers would stress a vital point: A country should undertake whatever means it deems necessary to protect its citizens from the threats of terrorism, be it a preemptive strike or by reacting to attacks. A good example of the above are the events surrounding the World Trade Center towers: Bill Clinton should have reacted with force after the first attack in '93, and by that I don't mean bombing a medicine factory in Sudan, and George Bush should have started to act when all the warnings came in before the tragic events of September 11th unfolded.

The free world is in a vital phase in its war to eliminate radical Islam's terror tactics and allow a moderate and peaceful Islam to flourish. Any backtracking or hesitation, like we're seeing today with Israel with regards to Hamas for example, will only strengthen the terrorists' resolve to destroy the values most of us take for granted. By commemorating and highlighting the brave actions of the IDF on July 4th 1976, the world would be sending a clear and necessary message to the terror cells of the world: No action taken against the citizens of the free world will go unpunished.
_

United

Lyrics:

Chorus:
When the world's gone lost
We're gonna help you find the way
Too much drama in my eyes that I can't hide
When the world's gone lost
I don't plan to fall with it

Verse 1 (Ruff):
I'm on the wrong side of the map, activists with knifes got me trapped
Surrounded by hostility, trying not to react
Flotillas of hatred, ‫we're‬ caught in the matrix
I'm trying to survive, they're pulling the same tricks
This international hypocrisy won't get us far
One-sided media puts us behind bars
Nations with no minorities, judging ‫with no‬ authority
They're gonna tell me how to deal with what's in front of me
What about Sudan and North Korea? Could they care less?!
They wanna boycott us, they're gonna share less
We're lying on the fence for the rest of the world
Provide a buffer zone ‫while‬ overseas they get us sold
I know my people can be divided at times
Got too many opinions with too much shit on our minds
You can hate us now, we ain't gonna fight it
You're only making us stronger and more united

Chorus:
When the world's gone lost
We're gonna help you find the way
Too much drama in my eyes that I can't hide
When the world's gone lost
I don't plan to fall with it

Verse 2 (SHI 360):
‏But I‪'‬m already home and the media distorts your vision
‏Got blind followers here in full submission
‏Provocateurs,‬ they just wanna instigate
‏And create the image you love to hate
‏You can talk about humanitarian aid
‏Politically affiliated IHH
‏Guess who's more popular? Erodgan
‏Fuck left and right‪,‬ we should all stand as one
‏You really thought we were gonna let ‪'e‬m in?
‏When yesterday they tried to bring Karine A - was that aid or to arm Jihad?
‏Wanna talk about aid‪?‬ What about Gilad‪?‬
‏Because the horse is trojan, doors not open
‏I gotta do whatever to protect my home and
‏I‪'‬m a peace dealer, my flow killa
‏But no peace came at me on the flotilla

Chorus:
When the world's gone lost
We're gonna help you find the way
Too much drama in my eyes that I can't hide
When the world's gone lost
I don't plan to fall with it

עם ישראל חי

Lyrics: Guy "Ruff" Gabriel, Shai "SHI 360" Haddad
Music, production, mix and mastering: Avishay "Evish" Sapir
_

Ever Again

A must watch documentary. Please share this ...


_

Pilar Rahola

Two great speeches by Pilar Rahola, a Spanish left winger activist & former politician (courtesy of Portal of Ideas):

The first question, then, is why so many intelligent people, when talking about Israel, suddenly become idiots. The problem that those of us, who do not demonize Israel have, is that there exists no debate on the conflict. All that exists is the banner; there’s no exchange of ideas. We throw slogans at each other; we don’t have serious information, we suffer from the “burger journalism” syndrome, full of prejudices, propaganda and simplification. Intellectual thinkers and international journalists have given up on Israel. It doesn't exist exist. That is why, when someone tries to go beyond the “single thought” of criticizing Israel, he becomes suspect and unfaithful, and is immediately segregated. Why?

I’ve been trying to answer this question for years: why?

Why, of all the conflicts in the world only this one interests them?

Why is a tiny country which struggles to survive criminalized?

Why does manipulated information triumph so easily?

Why are all the people of Israel, reduced to a simple mass of murderous imperialists?

Why is there no Palestinian guilt?

Read the entire speech here.

I am not Jewish. Ideologically I am left and by profession a journalist. Why am I not as anti Israeli as my colleagues? Because as a non-Jew I have the historical responsibility to fight against Jewish hatred and currently against the hatred for their historic homeland, Israel. To fight against anti-Semitism is not the duty of the Jews, it is the duty of the non-Jews.

As a journalist it is my duty to search for the truth beyond prejudice, lies and manipulations. The truth about Israel is not told. As a person from the left who loves progress, I am obligated to defend liberty, culture, civic education for children, coexistence and the laws that the Tablets of the Covenant made into universal principles. Principles that Islamic fundamentalism systematically destroys. That is to say that as a non-Jew, journalist and lefty I have a triple moral duty with Israel, because if Israel is destroyed, liberty, modernity and culture will be destroyed too.

The struggle of Israel, even if the world doesn’t want to accept it, is the struggle of the world.

Read the entire speech here.
_

A Psalm in Jenin

My latest article in Kaminando y Avlando, the Sephardi Hebrew Congregation of Cape Town's monthly publication:

***

When reading stories about the IDF in newspapers from around the world, I am usually left aghast by the image they paint of our soldiers. Gone are the days when our soldiers were looked upon in a positive light. Nowadays, if most newspapers (including some Israeli ones sadly) are to be believed, IDF soldiers are vicious, blood thirsty lunatics who actively seek to eradicate Palestinians. In the past decade, newspapers have inflamed the worldwide anti-Israel sentiment with stories like the Mohammad Al-Dura death (the 12-year-old boy was killed in cold blood on live TV by IDF troops. Months later it was proven that Israeli soldiers were not stationed in a position where they could possibly have shot the boy – he was killed by Palestinian fire); the Jenin ‘Massacre’ (too many newspapers printed the ‘500 Palestinians killed, mostly civilians’ lie, when in fact only 50 were killed, of which over 80% were terrorists); the organ harvesting article last year...the list goes on and on. Too few articles, or books for that matter, paint the truthful image of the IDF – an army, which despite mistakes, strives to ensure the Palestinian population it works around is protected from unnecessary confrontations even at the risk of its very own soldiers’ lives.

One book that does do our soldiers justice is Brett Goldberg’s A Psalm in Jenin, which places the reader side by side with the soldiers who fought in Jenin during Operation Defensive Shield in 2002. What the book does well is it leads the reader from the ‘difficulties’ of the soldiers’ civilian lives straight into the difficulties the same soldiers, be they the 20-year-old kids or the thirty-something reservists, faced as they went from one booby trapped house to another in the heart of Jenin. It’s a must-read book – one that will give anyone who hasn’t served in the army a far better understanding of the human beings who fight to protect the land of Israel, and the many struggles they face while fighting a few miles from their homes. One of the book’s most powerful chapters takes place when the soldiers commemorate Yom Ha’Zikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day. During a break from fighting, a soldier organizes a ceremony during which he reads a letter by Gadi Ezra, who was tragically killed in Jenin:

My beloved Galit,

If this letter reaches you, it means that something has befallen me.

This morning I received word that the operation planned yesterday will take place, G-d willing. I told you that the operation had changed and that it was not what it was originally supposed to be – because I didn’t want you to worry you, my dearest. It was very hard for me not to tell you the truth, but I preferred to do so rather than to drive you crazy with worry. “One can tell a lie for Peace,” it is taught, and that also includes the peace of mind of the person that you love more than anything else on earth.

My beloved, I feel that on the one hand there is nothing that I would like more than to be with you, to love you, and to raise a family with you. But on the other hand, there is nothing that I want more than to go on this operation and deal such a great blow to the terrorists that they will never dare perpetrate another bombing or terror attack. That they will take into account that each time they commit an atrocity we will hit them in the most painful place possible and will be willing to pay the price. I am willing to be that price.

Do not be angry at me, my loved one, but in moments like this one must be guided by the greater good of the people of Israel, and one needs to deal a blow to evil as if one has no private life. As it is written, “In the armies of King David a conditional letter of divorce was granted before going off to war.”

My dearest, do not forget: everything is for the best, and if this is what the Master of the Universe has chosen, so be it. To us remains the task of accepting it all with love.

Everything the Lord does is for the best. Everything is for the best, even this. I promise you that I am in the most wonderful of places, without suffering, without regret. My only sorrow is for those who remain – for you, for my family, and for my friends.

Spread the good news, my dearest one. “Never despair, be only joyous.” That is what I ask of you even, if it is difficult.

I know that I can ask this of you, because I know well the joy and bliss that radiate from you naturally, those qualities with which I fell in love. They are what drew me to you when I first laid eyes upon you.

My dearest, my beloved. I love you and will always love you. Promise that you will continue onwards, and will not allow Sodom to triumph. You be the triumphant one. That is what must be.

I will love you to all eternities, and will always be yours.

The letter is often read during Yom Ha’Zikaron ceremonies nowadays. It’s painful evidence of the dedication and sacrifice our soldiers are willing to make to ensure this country eliminates the dangers facing her. Galit followed Gadi’s advice and ‘continued onwards,’ she got married and had four children.

Though I’ve always been a big fan of this book, it took on a whole new meaning since I joined my miluim (reserve duty) unit in 2006. On another one of those long guard duty stints, the topic of Jenin came up. By the time the conversation was over, I’d found out that a few of the soldiers in my unit were the Golani soldiers who fought in Jenin with Gadi Ezra and quite a few of the people mentioned in the book. During each stint, I discuss more of the book with them. They’re all my age, most of them married with kids and they still talk about those nights as if they happened yesterday - their fears, the long nights and close brushes with death, their friends, the blood and the funerals. The conversations normally end with a similar outcome, “It was hell, but we must continue on. It will be ok, יהיה טוב.” It’s as if Gadi’s words were engrained in all of them…
_

The Spies and their Sin

A few ideas about the sins that cost Moshe's generation a chance to conquer the land of Israel:

- Ramban focuses on the word אפס (translation: but, BaMidbar 13:28). If this was in fact a factual report, there was no need for a qualifier - stating facts was all that was required. 'But' was a contradiction to their first two sentences, that described the land so glowingly.

- Why was there a need to mention Amalek (BaMidbar 13:29)? Amalek was deliberately mentioned, despite not even being part of the land of Israel, in order to incite fear and doubt.

- Rav Twerski points out that the Spies' report highlighed their lack of belief in the mission at hand: "We were like grasshoppers ... and so we were in their eyes," (BaMidbar 13:33). So lacking in confidence were the Spies that they felt 'small' during the mission, and even anticipated how the residents of the land would view them. Hashem had taken Israel out of Egypt, but their feelings of weakness and inferiority due to the years of slavery had sadly accompanied them. This generation wouldn't have the privilege of conquering the land.

- לא נוכל לעלות (BaMidbar, 13:31) ... The Spies tried to convince the Nation of Israel that the task was not possible ("We cannot ascend"). The mass hysteria that followed on Tisha Be'Av ("the people wept that night," BaMidbar 14:1) has haunted us till this very day.
_

Dear Boss ...

People who do lots of work ... make lots of mistakes

People who do less work ... make less mistakes

People who do no work ... make no mistakes

People who make no mistakes ... gets promoted

That's why I spend most of my time sending e-mails & playing games at work I need a promotion

_

Back in London

While waiting for my flight to London on Sunday, I was looking at our plane when I saw none other than Ehud Olmert putting his bag in a shining Audi with his bodyguard watching. I wonder if our former Prime Minister enjoyed the Champions League final he watched in Madrid Saturday night.

***

So I’m back in London with IDT. I arrived late Sunday night and was rather startled by the English weather. No it wasn’t snow, or hail, or even a rainstorm. It was warm, t-shirt appropriate weather … at 11pm at night!

***

So I have a friend who was rather surprised that I was going abroad for almost two weeks, leaving my wife and 18 month old son alone. I do understand where he’s coming from. It’s not easy for me or my wife. It does however seem to be a necessary part of any professional’s routine if s/he intends to climb his/her way up the corporate ladder (or in another world, any eligible reservist in Israel who understands the importance of serving the country, and does so). It is something that deprived me of my father for many weeks as I grew up, and Talya of her dad too. I doubt they would have been able to give their families many of the luxuries they provided were it not for these sacrifices. The question in my mind then becomes how can one strike a balance between his commitments to his career and his family so he can satisfy his desires and be happy & satisfied in both fields.
_

Pirkei Avot - Ethics of Our Fathers - Chapter 6, II

Pirkei Avot 6:11

כָּל מַה שֶּׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בָּעוֹלָמוֹ, לֹא בְרָאוֹ אֶלָּא לִכְבוֹדוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, כֹּל הַנִּקְרָא בִשְׁמִי וְלִכְבוֹדִי בְּרָאתִיו יְצַרְתִּיו אַף עֲשִׂיתִיו, וְאוֹמֵר יְהֹוָה יִמְלֹךְ לְעֹלָם וָעֶד

All that the Holy One, Blessed be He, created in this world, He created for His glory, as is said in Isaiah XLIII:7, "...every one that is called by My name; for I have created him for My glory. I have formed him; year, I have made him." And it is also said in Exodus XV:18, The Lord shall reign for ever and ever."

- The first line is saying that everything has been created for a purpose. We all have a role to play, a paint stroke in a master painting.

- The last mishna is a fitting end to Pirkei Avot. We've spent six weeks reading what great figures in Judaism have stressed in order to improve our attitudes, behavior and way of life. All these lessons are rather meaningless if they're not done for a reason. As we are on this planet for a reason (As the first bullet point states), if we don't ensure that our time here is used in order to enhance the greatness of our Creator, then what exactly is the point of our existence?

Another cycle is done ... It's been fun and challenging. Until next time ...
_

Rivlin's comments on Jerusalem Day

Reuven Rivlin, Knesset Speaker, delivered a few interesting words during his speech in the special Knesset session commemorating this national holiday:

Jerusalem Day was created by law as a national holiday. And yet the nature of celebrations in Jerusalem and the identity of those dancing in the streets today teach us that the national holiday in its current form more resembles a sectorial holiday. To be honest, most of the main events in Jerusalem have long been held under the auspices of the religious public.

Rivlin is pointing out a problem that I've raised before on this blog. It's a worrying issue with the secular Zionism movement - a failure to stress Jewishness as an essential part of the Israeli identity, a failure that could have grave consequences for our future ... or as Arik Sharon put it:

I remember back in the 1950s and '60s when I was traveling abroad I felt the desire by others to consider me not a Jew but as an Israeli, to draw the distinction. You are an Israeli, they seemed to say. They, those people over there with strange clothes and strange ways - they are Jews. And in a way it felt easy to be accepted like that. But it was also dangerous. It was a signal that we had lost our Jewishness. And I for one, even then, never believed we would really be able to survive here if we were nothing more than Israelis. For our attachment to the land of Israel, our identity with it, comes through out Jewishness. I am a Jew, I thought then, as I think now. That does not mean I am a religious man. I am not. When it comes to practicing Judaism, there is much I do not know. But I do know for certain that above everything I am a Jew and only afterwards an Israeli and the rest

_

18 months of Nissim

It's crazy how quickly time has flown by. It feels like just yesterday that I was told I have a healthy baby boy, or that Talya & I gave him my late Nonnou's name, or that I started taking photo after photo to capture the many precious moments as he grew up in front of my eyes.

So, as he reaches this small milestone in his life, I'd like to share the below slide show ... Enjoy:

_

Jerusalem at 43

A nice video courtesy of Aish:


_

Pirkei Avot - Ethics of Our Fathers - Chapter 5, II

Pirkei Avot 5:16

ארבע מדות בנותני צדקה רוצה שיתן ולא ייתנו אחרים עינו רעה בשל אחרים שייתנו אחרים והוא לא ייתן עינו רעה בשלו שיתן וייתנו אחרים חסיד לא ייתן ולא ייתנו אחרים רשע.

There are four categories of those who give chartiy: a person who wishes to give, but does not desire that others also give; such a person has an evil eye towards others. He who desires that others give, but not he, such a person is stingy. One who gives and desires that others also give; he is pious. One who does not give, and wishes that others would not also give, he is wicked

- The Talmud states that one who gives charity is enriched (This is deduced from Malachi 3:10). Hence, one who wants others to not give charity has an evil eye as he doesn't want others to be enriched.

- The first question one should ask when reading this mishna is how can this mishna be talking about donors when two of the four examples (#2: desires that others give but not he and #4: does not give) do not give? This is explained nicely by Rav Moshe Aleshkar - who says that all four refer to people who do give charity but whose attitudes differ. Rav Twerski (Visions of the Fathers, pg 303-4), using Rav Aleshkar's reasoning, breaks the donors down in the following way:

1. One who prefers that no one else should give, so that he may claim the entire credit for the project himself
2. One who ultimately does donate but is a non-giver at the start
3. One who gladly gives and hopes others follow suit
   
4. One who donates begrudgingly

It's a privilege to give tzedakah, and hence it should be done with enthusiasm and consideration - one should try to internalize that so that their giving not be considered as that of a rasha.
_

Richard, Ron & Tzippi

While I was waiting at the dentist on Wednesday morning, I picked up the Yediot Achronot newspaper on the floor. The main story was about Richard Goldstone, the man responsible for the one-sided report on the Gaza war that even he said was flawed. The story bought to light how Goldstone was responsible for sending as many as 28 blacks to the gallows as an Apartheid era judge in South Africa. By the next day, the story was in the Jerusalem Post and Goldstone defended his decisions, "I was part of a system and had to respect the laws of the state." I was startled a man who's held in such high esteem by the international community could defend his actions that way. No one forced him to be a judge in South Africa - only he is responsible for putting himself in the position where he could do something he claims he was so opposed to (capital punishment). Alas, he did what he 'had' to do ... even if it meant turning his back on his own 'values'.

When Goldstone's name first hit the headlines many months ago, I asked some friends in the Johannesburg community what they thought of the man. They said that Goldstone would do anything to further his own political career. Knowing now how he willingly became an active cog in the Apartheid system and his similar eagerness to be a part of the UN's Gaza War report, their comments seem to have been right on the money.

Does anyone know if Goldstone gave any TRC testimonies?

***

Last week, Tel Aviv mayor Ron Huldai caused an uproar by slamming the private Haredi education system (though he did mention similar issues with secular & Arab private schools, he specifically focused on the Haredim). While it seems that his speech stems from hatred, he does touch on an important issue that I think is critical to Israel and her education system, “There is no other democracy in the world where the government funds private schools. If you want to fund a private school, you need to fund it yourself.” If private schools want to follow a different curriculum than that stipulated by the Education Ministry (though I think this curriculum needs ‘refreshing’), they have every right to do so. But they shouldn’t be funded by the government. It's only unfortunate that Huldai's message comes off as (or maybe is?) so hate filled -

***

Haaretz's weekend edition contained an interesting interview with Tzippi Livni, the head of Kadima. Two points about the lady:

- I found it very odd that during the political tension between the US and Israel Livni remained so quiet. She's never shied away from taking shots at any of her political rivals, but here was a golden opportunity to do so and she remained mute. My guess was that Livni thought that US pressure would topple Bibi's government and would allow her the chance to establish a government. Now that it seems the US-Israel relationship is back on track and her 'hopes' for Bibi's collapse dashed, Livni is opening her mouth again, slamming Bibi and stating that the Likkud and Kadima need to unite in the Knesset. I wonder what stopped Livni from joining the coalition when Bibi was given the task to create one last year? Oh wait, you were too busy sulking about the election 'loss' or hoping that Bibi's coalition would fall to put the country ahead of your political career?

- Part of the interview revolves around the need to change three elements within Israel - education, military/national service & work. While I do agree with the need to change all three (and I'm happy Livni also stressed 'Jewish studies' along with civic studies for education reform), I just find it rather telling that she's pushing this a few days after Huldai's comments and news that Yair Lapid may be part of a new party pushing for the same reforms. I think this highlights what Shaul Mofaz said about Livni's inability to lead. I just hope she never gets close to being our Prime Minister again.
_

Pirkei Avot - Ethics of Our Fathers - Chapter 4, II

Pirkei Avot 4:1

בן זומא אומר איזה הוא חכם הלמד מכל אדם שנאמר מכל מלמדיי השכלתי (תהלים קיט צט) איזה הוא גיבור הכובש את יצרו שנאמר טוב ארך אפיים מגיבור (משלי טז לב) איזה הוא עשיר השמח בחלקו שנאמר יגיע כפיך כי תאכל אשריך וטוב לך (תהלים קכח ב) אשריך בעולם הזה וטוב לך לעולם הבא איזה הוא מכובד המכבד את הברייות שנאמר כי מכבדיי אכבד ובוזיי ייקלו (שמואל א ב ל). סוף

Ben Zoma used to say, who is wise? He who learns from all men, as is said in Psalms CXIX:99, "From all my teachers I have gained wisdom." Who is strong? He who controls his passions, as is said in the Book of Proverbs XVI:32, "better is the slow to anger than he mighty, and the one who rules his spirit than he who captures a city." Who is rich? He who rejoices in his lot, as is said in Psalms CXXVIII:2, "For thou shalt eat the labor of thy hands; happy shalt though be, and it shall be well with thee in this world and in the world to come." Who is honored? He who honors his fellow men, as is said in I Samuel II:30, "For I honor those who honor Me, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed."

- I find it interesting, and telling, how Pirkei Avot dictates we define someone who is smart, strong, rich or honored. Compare how 'we' define the aforementioned in the 'Western world,' and we see one of areas where the Western world and Jewish world constantly clash.

- Surely if one can learn from 'all,' one should be able to learn from a baby too ... but what? One of the things Nissim has taught me is one should do things with excitement. Whenever he gets up, he doesn't lay back down and relax. He wants to start his day an enthusiastic burst of energy. Babies look forward to each morning - a new discovery awaits - while those later on in life sadly lack that youthful passion. If I can learn such a valuable lesson from my 18 month old son, I'm sure I can learn something from everyone.

- Slightly related to our region and the difficulties in making peace, but perhaps he who is strong is one who 'represses the hatred we feel towards an enemy and makes a friend of him or her,' (taken from Rabbi Meir Matzliah Melamed's Pirkei Avot commentary).

- "Self control therefore needs the incredible strength of restraint. It requires holding back for just a few seconds between the things that happen to us and our response, creating a little space to think and process the point of view of the divine voice. It is what Stephen Covey calls the 'pause button between the stimulus and the response.'

We need to train ourselves not to act quickly and instinctively. We need to use the unique ability of the human being to stop and ask ourselves the question: is this wrong or right? It takes amazing strength to wait a few seconds, but those few seconds can be the difference between an animalistic act and a divine one." (How Strong are You? by Rabbi Michoel Gourarie).

- Ah yes, the 'who is rich' statement. Something that my Nonnou lived by, something I would love to master. I think that being 'happy with your lot' is allowing yourself the balance of being grateful for what you've been granted and striving to better your life ... for the right reason. We're a greedy species - and we're always liable to be jealous & ambitious (for the wrong reason), but if the striving is done for the right reason (I think the 'right reason' changes for each individual), it should allow us to handle & hopefully suppress the "look what s/he's got" mentality and fear that we'll not be able to sustain ourselves if what we think we need isn't granted to us.

- The part about honor is perhaps best summed up by Cuban poet Jose Marti, "Honrar, honra, "To honor, brings honor" (Rabbi Melamed).
_

Pirkei Avot - Ethics of Our Fathers - Chapter 3, II

Pirkei Avot 3:14

רבי דוסא בן הרכינס אומר: שינה של שחרית, ויין של צהרים, ושיחת הילדים, וישיבת בתי כנסיות של עמי הארץ, מוציאין את האדם מן העולם

Rabbi Dosa ben Harkinas said, morning sleep, noonday wine, children's talk and frequenting the synagogues of the ignorant takes a man from the world of life

- 'Morning sleep' can refer to those who struggle to wake up, which results in being late to (or missing) shacharit or hours at work. That takes you away from your zecut to pray in a minyan (perhaps leading to more sins as is stipulated in Pirkei Avot 4:2, chet gorer chet), or can lead to trouble with your boss at work. It could also just simply be referring to a lazy person.

- In my opinion, 'noonday' wine means going out of your way to have wine (or other alcoholic beverages) during the day.

- I think 'children's talk' could refer to unnecessary talks with children or playing with them when there's other issues that need to be addressed. However, if this is a adult talking with kids for a positive benefit (be it helping with schoolwork, or teaching him the importance of good morals etc.), then there's surely no problem with it as it's something an adult should be doing.

- All these actions have something in common - they all take away from necessary daily tasks (work, study etc.) and are of little benefit to the person partaking in them. This mishna is warning us to not allow distractions to 'remove us' from far more important Torah & related goals.
_

Pirkei Avot - Ethics of Our Fathers - Chapter 2, II

Pirkei Avot 2:17

רבי יוסי אומר, יהי ממון חברך חביב עליך כשלך. והתקן עצמך ללמוד תורה, שאינה ירשה לך וכל מעשיך יהיו לשם שמים

Rabbi Yose says: Let your fellow's belongings be as dear to you as your own; apply yourself to study the Torah, for it is not yours by inheritance; and let all your deeds be for the sake of Heaven.

- Rabbi Abraham Twerski (Visions of the Fathers) quotes his great uncle, Rabbi Yehoshua Heschel Rabinowitz, who interprets the first line in the mishnah to mean: Let that which you give to your neighbor (i.e., tzedakah) be as dear to you as what you own and retain. To back this up, he brings in a story about Don Isaac Abarbanel, a renowned scholar and the minister of finance during the Golden Age of Jews in Spain.

Abarbanel enjoyed the unwavering trust of the king. Several anti-Semitic people in the court sought to defame him, and repeatedly told the king that this minister was growing extremely wealthy by embezzling from the royal treasury, and that his estate far exceeded what he could amass from his salary. Although the king tried to ignore the accusations, their repetition eventually led him to ask his minister to present him with an accurate inventory of all he owned. Several days later, Abarbanel presented the king with a rather meager account. The king remarked, "This cannot be. You obviously own much more than this."

"Your Majesty," Abarbanel said, "Your inquiry as to how much I own could result only from the efforts of my enemies to discredit me. If they can cause Your Majesty to suspect me of embezzlement, they may also prevail on your Majesty to confiscate my belongings. I can hardly consider anything that I can lose at a moment's notice as being truly mine. I therefore made a list of all that I have given to charity, because that can never be taken from me. That is all I can truly claim as my own, and that is the amount I have submitted to Your Majesty."

- The first part of the mishnah can also simply mean, 'Respect other people's property like you respect your own.' That should also mean that one needs to respect the lands we live in, it is 'property' too ... and just like you wouldn't litter or spray graffiti on your property, so you shouldn't do it on public property.

- Does the statement "Apply yourself to study the Torah, for it is not yours by inheritance" not negate what we're told in the Torah, "It [Torah] is an inheritance to the congregation of Jacob," (Deuteronomy 33:4)? The Gur Rebbe says the 'it' is not the Torah, but 'study.' The aforementioned Twerski analyzes the mishnah with the following comparison: You inherited a large sum of money which is in the bank; The money is yours, but if you do not put it to use, the mere ownership of the money does nothing for you. Unless we 'put the Torah to use' (i.e., study it), the fact that it still is ours is of little value.
_

Memorial Day

On Sunday night, Memorial Day begins in Israel. I normally write something about this day, a day where a majority of Israelis mourn and remember the lives of those we've lost in wars, terror attacks & missions abroad. However, this time I'll let Barbara Sofer's powerful article in the Jerusalem Post do the 'talking.' If you're interested in reading more about Gadi Ezra and the victims of the Jenin battle in Operation Defensive Shield, Brett Goldberg's 'A Pslam in Jenin' is a must read.

‘I’m sick and tired of defending Israel,’ wrote an American relative, annoyed by a wave of criticism over its plans to expand a Jewish neighborhood in Jerusalem. He’s run out of patience with us Israelis who think we’re smarter than everyone else about our country.

I couldn’t find a civil answer. All I could think was: You’re tired of defending Israel? What about the Peretzes?

Said mother Miriam Peretz, a school principal, in a press interview: “In Morocco where I was born, I went around with my head bowed and I had no freedom. Here in Israel I see my boys in uniform and I’m proud to be Jewish.”

And then, 12 years ago, she heard a gentle knock on their door, the sound feared by every Israeli parent.

“Such a quiet knock and in one moment, your entire world is destroyed,” she said.

Uriel, their first born, was dead, killed by timed explosives in south Lebanon. Five years ago, father Eliezer Peretz died of cancer. And then last month, the angel of death came knocking again. Their son, Maj. Eliraz Peretz, was killed in a firefight with terrorists placing explosives on the Gaza border.

And there’s more.

WHEN URIEL was killed, his short M-16 was passed to another officer in his unit, until it became the property of a soldier named Gadi Ezra [picture below] from Bat Yam.

Ezra was the youngest child of Roseline and Soli Ezra, immigrants from Algeria and Egypt whose families had lived in those countries since the Spanish Inquisition.

Gadi was home on leave when, on the eve of Pessah 2002, a terrorist entered the Park Hotel in Netanya, exploded and killed 30 men and women, mostly Holocaust survivors.

In the early morning hours Ezra’s phone rang, summoning him back to the army. He fought in Operation Defensive Shield, transferred to Jenin. There he was assigned a new commander: Eliraz Peretz, Uriel’s younger brother.

The narrow alleys of Jenin where the terrorists were holed up were rigged with explosives, but the IDF decided against air attacks and artillery to minimize civilian casualties. Peretz and Ezra fought together in booby-trapped houses, seeking out terrorists.

Until they were caught in an ambush. Ezra stooped to help a wounded soldier, and took a bullet in his neck.. He couldn’t feel his limbs. “You have to save me,” Ezra called to Peretz, then “Shema Yisrael...” He died in Peretz’s arms.

Peretz was also wounded. When he returned to his fighting unit, he took a new weapon. A short M-16. Only later did he learn, from the strap, that it was Gadi’s, and before that it had belonged to his own brother, Uriel.

SO MANY, so many beloved soldiers have paid with their lives, year after year, decade after decade for our existence as a state, but Gadi Ezra’s name may be familiar to readers. A letter he wrote to his fiancée Galit Meislik before going to battle has often been reprinted and read at ceremonies.

Here’s a shortened, translated version.

“My Dear Galiti, If this letter reaches you, it means that something has happened to me. This morning, we were informed that the mission planned yesterday, with the Almighty’s help, will take place today. My beloved, on one hand I feel that there is nothing more that I want in this world than to be with you – to love you and establish a home and a family with you. But on the other hand, there isn’t anything I want more than to be a part of this military operation and strike those terrorists a blow so strong that they will never again even consider carrying out a terrorist attack.

“Don’t be angry with me, my love, but at moments like this, your feeling for klal Yisrael (the people of Israel) is the feeling that is supposed to guide you – and you relate to this evil as if your private life does not exist.

“To do this, there is a price that we must pay. I am willing to be that price. Soldiers of King David’s army would free their wives from marriage before going into battle. My beautiful one, I love you so much and the only grief of mine is that you will have sorrow and I won’t be the one who will be privileged to make you happy.

“You deserve all the happiness in the world. I will always watch over you from wherever I am and I will see to it that you will meet someone who will make you even happier than I could have made you. Only promise me that you will continue onward and will not allow Sodom to be the victor. I will love you forever, Gadi.”

BY THE time Eliraz Peretz could leave the battlefield to make a condolence call to the Ezra family, the shiva was over. He drove to Bat Yam with his fiancée Shlomit Gilboa. Shlomit spent much of the condolence call with Galit, who was mourning even though she and Gadi hadn’t yet wed. Shlomit asked Galit to take part in her bridal Shabbat before her wedding. Galit tried to beg off – she wasn’t in the mood for parties and certainly not bridal parties, but Shlomit was relentless.

Six weeks later, on the bridal Shabbat, Galit met the Gilboa family except for Shlomit’s brother, Eliezer, who wasn’t home. “Several times on that Shabbat, family members and friends said that I would be ‘perfect for Eliezer,’” Galit told me. “It was awkward, to say the least.”

Galit said Eliraz Peretz, the new groom, “called us and pressured us and simply wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

Three months after they met, Galit married Eliezer Gilboa. They have four sons. Galit recalled, “At the engagement party, Eliraz took me aside. He said he’d finally understood Gadi’s dying demand for him to help him meant that he had to introduce me to Eliezer.”

The Peretzes and the Gilboas were now family, and the Ezras close to family.

Then, last month, Eliraz Peretz joined the too long list of soldiers who had given their lives to protect his civilians.

Yossi Ezra, Gadi’s older brother, has the M-16 now. A biology teacher, he’s also in charge of security in his village. His mother is unhappy about him using it, he told me.

“Our families have become very close,” says Gadi Ezra’s sister, Vivian Elbaum. “We attend each other’s joyous occasions and the sad ones. Happiness and mourning are mixed up together for us, the bereaved families of Israel. We remind each other that we have to go on, because life is stronger than death.”

May all the memories of the fallen be for a blessing. May we be privileged to defend the State of Israel with words, and not to be put to the ultimate test.

_

Akavia ben Mahalalel & Corruption

With so much of the news in Israel currently revolving around Ehud Olmert and the Holyland bribery scandal, this brief passage I read in Rav Abraham Twerski's Visions of the Fathers really struck a chord:

We know that he [Akavia ben Mahalalel] stood head and shoulders above all his peers, who wished to appoint him as the Head of the Sanhedrin. However, Akavia differed with his colleagues on four halachot, and he was told that if he would retract his position on these four issues, the distinguished position would be his. Akavia stated that inasmuch as he was espousing the opinion of his teachers, he felt that this was the prevailing opinion of the authorities of the previous generation. He was therefore not at liberty to retract. Furthermore, he argued, if he did yield to his colleagues who now constituted a majority of the Torah scholars, he might be accused of having changed his mind because he could not resist the lure of the lofty position as Head of Sanhedrin. "I may be considered a fool for not yielding and thereby forfeiting this singular honor, but I would be considered unscrupulous if I did yield. I would rather people think of me as foolish than as corrupt," (Eduyot 5:6-7)

_

Stranded in Cape Town

After a wonderful 3+ weeks in Cape Town, Talya & I were ready to go home. It was time to get back to the routine of ‘reality’ that would begin on Tuesday morning. We arrived at Cape Town’s airport on Monday afternoon two hours before our flight was scheduled to depart for Johannesburg. At the baggage check-in, the lady behind the counter innocently said, “I don’t see you on this flight.” Confused, I pointed to the e-ticket and said, “But we’re right there, surely there’s a mistake.” After asking for some help, the lady sent us to the British Airways (BA) desk to find out exactly what was happening.

This stuff happens. I wasn’t too worried. If there’s one thing I’ve learned since coming to Israel is that you stay calm when these situations arise and try and turn them in your favor – and this is where I diverge from the ‘standard’ Israeli way as I’m not that good at the screaming and yelling part.

We approached the agent at the BA desk and explained what had happened. He started bringing up the data and within a few minutes, a lady had joined to help him out. Struggling to figure out why we were not showing up on the flight, the agent called El Al’s Jo’burg desk to see if they could assist in the matter. While the two were chatting, the supervisor (or at least I thought she was as she had her own room on the side) came in. She looked at the screen and said, “You were supposed to be on the AM flight leaving Cape Town.” “How is that possible if El Al’s flight from Joburg to Tel Aviv is leaving at 8:55pm?” I asked. “That flight left before noon too sir,” she said.

Talya and I looked at each other; we were both caught completely off guard. “Can I speak to the El Al agent please?” I asked the BA agent and he passed me the phone. So this is the story. In December, two months after we’d purchased the tickets, El Al changed the time of the flight. Our travel agent unfortunately forgot to pass this information on to us. What was even more annoying was that when we confirmed the flight with BA on Friday – they never warned us about this either! The balagan (Hebrew for mess) could have been avoided.

Talya & I weren’t too happy about this, but what could we do? We were now stuck without a ticket and the next El Al flight to Tel Aviv was only leaving Thursday (ironically enough, around the same time our flight was supposed to have left at). I asked the El Al agent to please help us and get us on that flight and then called my Nonna. “No,” she exclaimed, “But you confirmed!” I explained it to her briefly and within two hours, we were all back at Nonna’s flat in Sea Point. We had mentally prepared ourselves to leave, so it was odd to be ‘back.’ The next day, the aforementioned El Al agent called back, “We’ve confirmed you on the El Al flight on Thursday and because this was not your fault, there will be no extra fees for you to pay.”

Oddly enough, I don’t think I got angry during the entire episode. I guess there was no point in getting angry – Nothing we could do could change what had happened. The fact that we were getting such excellent service from the BA & El Al agents also helped I'm sure. If they were being well mannered and helpful, surely we could also return the favor. These things happen and despite the few negatives, there are quite a few positives due to this balagan – more time with Nonna and Sea Point.

גם זה לטובה … This is also for the better ...
_

Table Mountain & Boulders

So today I finally got to take Talya up Table Mountain, one of the most beautiful sites the world has to offer. We went up there with a good friend of mine from Israel (whom I met in Turkey, but that's a story for another day) and his lady. Though it was slightly foggy early on in the day, the weather cleared up rather quickly leaving us with a perfect day for seeing much of the Cape Peninsula. The scenery was, as expected, breath taking. One of the highlights for me was spotting two whales just off Camps Bay. Though we were so far away, we could see them coming in and out of the water. Fantastic stuff. I've uploaded a few pictures (In the 1st, you'll see Robben Island in the middle of the picture, just after the fog) - and will upload more when I return to Israel.




“During the many years of incarceration on Robben Island, we often looked across Table Mountain at its magnificent silhouette … To us on Robben Island, Table Mountain was a beacon of hope. It represented the mainland to which we knew we would one day return.”
Nelson Mandela

***

After Table Mountain, Talya and I met up with my 'rents and went to Pinelands Cemetery. It was tough, really tough. So many members of our family tree - so many names that are carried by my siblings, my son & I. My tears started flowing when I saw my late Granny's grave. Oh how I wish she could have interacted with my son. She was such an incredible woman. I broke down when I saw my late Nonnou's grave - Nissim Piha. My son's name on a tombstone ... in English & Hebrew. I guess what I felt was what my dad must have felt when he saw his grandfather's (the man whose name I carry) grave in Rhodes with me. A tradition continues. A simple one, but one that creates an unbreakable bond to our history and identity.

***

We finished off the day with a trip to Boulders, a beach shared by man and penguins (and a few dassies). It was fun to see Nissim's reactions to the penguins. He really does love the sand but still no success with the water bit. Oh well, at least we tried! :)



***

It's amazing to think this (almost) month long vacation is almost over ... It's been such a wonderful experience. A home away from home. I'm looking forward to get back to Israel ...
_

One Pair of Socks

I really liked the following story, so decided to share (taken from the Sephardi Hebrew Congregation of Cape Town's Communal Directory & Diary):

Edward Reichman died in Jerusalem after a long illness at the age of 80 years old. He was a real estate tycoon who had become a billionaire. When he passed away, he left a vast fortune worth billions of dollars. He left 2 wills directing that one be opened immediately and that the other one to be opened 30 days later. Among the instructions left in his first will was the request that he be buried with a certain pair of socks he owned. The Reichman children immediately brought the socks to the Chevra Kadisha (Wikipedia definition here), requesting that their father be buried in them. Of course the Chevra Kadisha refused, reminding the family that it is against Halacha (Jewish law). They pleaded explaining that their father was a very pious and learned man, and he obviously had a very good reason to make this request. The Chevra Kadisha remained firm in their refusal.

The family frantically summoned the Chevra Kadisha to the Beit Din (Wikipedia definition here) where the great Rav explained to them "Although your father left that request when he was in this world, now that he is in the world of truth, he surely understands that it is in his best interests to be buried without the socks."

Mr. Reichman was buried without his socks.

30 days later, the second will was opened and it read something like this: "My dear children, by now you must have buried me without my socks. I wanted you to truly understand that a man can have 1 billion dollars, but in the end, he can't even take along one pair of socks!"
_

He's alive!

March 30th, Al Jazeera reported:

A 15-year-old Palestinian boy has been killed and several others injured near Gaza's border with Israel after Israeli troops opened fire at Israeli Arabs and Palestinians protesters marking the "Land day".

Witnesses said Mohamed al-Farmawi was shot dead on Tuesday after he approached the fence along the border with Israel.

Gaza emergency chief Moaweya Hassanein told reporters that medical teams and International Red Cross Committee (ICRC) co-ordinated with the Israeli army to collect the boy's body.

The New York Times was a bit more skeptical:

Palestinian officials said the youth, Muhammad al-Farmawi, was killed by Israeli soldiers close to his home in the southern Gaza town of Rafah. The military denied having fired at anybody in that area, however, and local Palestinians said the boy had been missing since Monday, raising questions about whether he could have been the victim of internal violence.

Yesterday, YNET provided the story with a happy ending:

The teen returned home on Friday after apparently trying to cross over into Egypt via a smuggling tunnel, where he was kept for several days. The Ma'an news agency reported that his family was overwhelmed with happiness at the news

The curse of the Palestinian 'witness' strikes again ... When will we learn?
_

Pirkei Avot - Ethics of Our Fathers, II

I've decided to, bli neder, try this exercise again, almost two years since I did it last. I won't go into the mishna I choose as deeply as I did during the first round, but will just offer ideas and relate personal stories to it. A quick introduction as per the original blog:

Pirkei Avot (Ethics of Our Fathers), one of the tractates contained in Nezikin within the Mishnah, offers moral advice and insights of the leading sages of different generations. One of the customs of the Sfradim & Mizrachim is that we read the six chapters of Pirkei Avot during the last six weeks of the Counting of the Omer. So, as I continue to delve into this amazing work, I've decided to share one quote a week and offer some commentaries on it. The format will be simple - the quote in Hebrew & English followed by some commentary on it. Please feel free to add your take in the comments.

*This 'project' is also dedicated to my late Nonnou (Grandfather in Italian) Nissim who lived by this tractate. Although he failed to get me interested in it as young boy (I did write the opening few lines for 100 Rand though), he helped plant the seeds that have allowed me to mature spiritually.

For the reason Sfradim & Mizrachim do this during this time period, please click here.

And now the quote (1:17):

שמעון בנו אומר, כל ימי גדלתי בין החכמים, ולא מצאתי לגוף טוב אלא שתיקה. ולא המדרש הוא העקר, אלא המעשה. וכל המרבה דברים, מביא חטא

Shimon his son said: All my life I have been raised among the Sages, and I have not found anything better for the body than silence. It is not the theory that is the primary thing but action. Whoever talks excessively brings about sin.

- It's interesting that Shimon says silence is better for the body (and not the soul, as is continually mentioned in Chafetz Chaim's work). The pain we cause others, or the strife we promote within our relationships due to unnecessary talk, can lead to great discomfort and depression.

- I think the 'silence' is important for our finger tips too. I often find that discussions, be it about serious subjects or even just jokes, get taken out of context online and upset people unnecessarily. The most recent one for me was a discussion about kitniyot with N., a friend. Looking back on it, I don't even think we disagreed with each other's view point. However, my inability to use proper 'typed' talk upset N., who I think took my words as an attack on his point of view. We're not going to always agree on everything and though debate is critical, respect and silence can sometimes be better than debating a machloket (disagreement). If however, there is a need/desire to discuss, one must use their words wisely as 'excessive talk' can only cause harm.

- My family was invited to the Rabbi's home last night for Shabbat dinner. I asked the Rabbi what he most associated with my late Nonnou Nissim. He responded after some thought, "His anavah (humility) and ability to come to synagogue and just be quiet. He just focused on prayer, and didn't talk about anything unrelated. I even used to see people trying to talk to him to see if they could get a rise from him, and I don't ever remember him rising to the bait."
_

Chol Ha'Moed on Clifton

As it was Chol Ha'Moed for Tals and I already, we decided to take the scenic walk from Sea Point to Clifton's 4th beach for a swim today. The 45 minute walk takes one around Lion's Head and to the beach (see pic below) via the coastal route, where one has a stunning view of the cable car station on top of Table Mountain & the 12 Apostles. The time on the beach was a lot of fun. While I've been to this beach many times in the past, I don't quite remember the water ever being that close to freezing. Didn't stop me from spending time in it however, but boy was it cold ... maybe I'm just getting old. Nissim didn't really want anything to do with the water, but after much convincing from his mother, he started enjoying the sand! Hopefully, when we go to the Indian ocean beaches, he'll take the next step in the 'How to Enjoy the Beach' booklet and actually play in the water too!




***
While Nissim can say most of our names (Abba, Imma, Nonna, Tova & Nonnou), he's come up with two quite brilliant nicknames for my mom and little brother. My mother is called 'I see' (Due to the game where she covers her eyes and says, "Where's Granny? Where's Granny," and then uncovers her eyes and says, "I see!" ... My little brother is called "Saba" (Grandfather in Hebrew) - No one is quite sure how this came about! Oh well, every time he calls either name out, most of us are laughing ... Ahhh kids.
_

A-24430

It's a letter, a dash and a few numbers ... Written in black ink.

Every time I take a glimpse at it, my stomach churns and I shiver slightly. I turn my head. Madame Sarah asks me a question, "Do you speak Spanish?" "No, I answer," as my head turns and catches a glimpse of A-24430 again. I look at her. She's almost 90 now. Still strong, still glowing of life despite her health issues. She amazes me. What a phenomenal testament to the will of man to live, to survive, to march on.

At 22, her world - as well as that of European Jewry - was viciously attacked. Torn away from her home in Rhodes and put through a journey to hell - a journey to Auschwitz. She was given a letter. A dash. A few numbers. She asks and then demands that my wife and I have a drink. We oblige as she offers a wrapped present to Nissim. His curiosity peaks and he approaches her. He gets a toy car. She looks at me and compliments me on my articles for the community's magazine. I look at it again - she's been carrying it for almost 68 years now. Why? How? Never again? A quick peak at my watch and the questions stop twirling around my head, it's time for mincha & arvit, "We need to go, we'll see you soon Madame Sarah." I pick up Nissim, and after Tals says her goodbye, I lean over and kiss Madame Sarah goodbye. A privilege and a lesson.

A few days ago, an elderly Jew started interacting with Nissim at Checkers (A large South African supermarket chain). After a few seconds, he turned to Tals and said, "I hope he doesn't see what my eyes had to see." His words gave me chills - I hope the old man was right.
_

Happy Passover

Another day, another really bad road sign in Israel. Oh well, at least this one isn't dirty! (h/t to Yaakov)


On that note ... I hope everyone has a happy & kosher Passover, חג שמח וכשר לכולם

... and last thing (honest) ... Big mazal tov goes out to my sister in law, Odelia, who just got engaged to Netanel over the weekend in London (yes, in London ... If you don't get the joke, you probably don't watch Friends enough).
_

Watching

Before today's update, here's a pic of Nissim we took yesterday with the one armed 2010 World Cup mascot, Zakumi:


Back to the present ... My cousins (Simone & Francois) took us on a road trip to Gordon's Bay, Betty's Bay & Hermanus, a prime spot to see whales. We picked a gorgeous day for the trip that even had Nissim wearing a hat, something he usually hates to do:

The first pit stop gave us the beautiful view facing Gordon's Bay. Quite magnificent really, but I'll let the pics do the talking:


As we were passing Betty's Bay, I saw a penguin sign and suggested we go check it out. We were not disappointed as we saw a handful of African penguins (while I took quite a few pictures, the below is the best one - Nissim spent a few minutes chatting up the poor penguin as it was trying to sleep) and even a few dassies (Afrikaans for Hyrax), with one trying (& luckily failing) to get intimate with my camera:


When we got to Hermanus, we were hoping to spot a few whales. Unfortunately, as is evident by the Blog's title, we were only watching. A whale never came into the equation ... Well, at least not a 'real' one.


As Nissim was none too happy about this, we decided to lessen the disappointment by giving him a few licks of a Rolo ice cream bar ... Kid was happy, parents were happy, cousins were happy ... A fun day.

_

Full Circle

My first impressions of Johannesburg's airport were only positive. Helpful and friendly staff eager to help whenever approached. Lots of helpful signs & footballs and well, a clean floor for Nissim to crawl around on:


***

It was slightly odd to walk around Nonna's apartment again. It's the same place it was some ten years ago when my sister, father & I came for a visit to be at my late Nonnou's tombstone unveiling. I said my good bye to Nonnou Nissim that time - he was a man I respected deeply and loved. This time, I returned with my wife and my Nissim. The cycle continues.

Though I spent so little time living in Cape Town throughout my life, it's the only place I'd call home if I wasn't so attached to Israel. I've missed it. The warmth, the memories ... and the beautiful view.



***

On Friday morning, I took Talya for a walk on Sea Point's beach front. Talk about memories. We walked by the Pavilion (the pool where I used to fling myself off the 10 meter high diving board), the ice cream shop (where Tova & I used to get caramel dipped vanilla ice cream cones), the playgrounds (which my cousins and I used to frequent, and now Nissim can enjoy too!), the beach (sorry Tov, couldn't find one of those shells we used to go hunting for) and a quick stop at 2 Tobi Lodge on Oliver Road, where my Gramps & late Gran lived. Sheesh ... Life moves on, but at least the memories stay ...


***

It's been a lot of fun to see Nonna interacting with her great grandson. After a long frown at her when she welcomed us to her building, Nissim warmed up to her and cannot stop saying her name. The best 80th birthday present we could have given her! ... רק בשמחות


***

It's great to eat delicious chopped herring again (part of the Saturday kiddush offered by the Sefardi synagogue). Not to mention bourekitas and reshikas ... Ahhh Spangole delicacies ... Next on the craving list: Sparletta's Cream Soda!
_

Current Threats

From Rabbi Twerski's Angels Don't Leave Footprints:

The Chazon Ish gave a parable. A general fought a battle to defend his country from an enemy from the north. When he died, his son assumed his position. Years later, the country again came under attack, this time by an enemy from the south. The son dispatched the army to the north, because his father had done so. He was reprimanded, "You fool! Your father sent the army to the north because that is where the attack was from. This time it is from the south, and that is where the army must go."

The Chazon Ish said, "Every generation faces new threats. We must confront these current threats and not those of previous generations if they no longer exist."

_

R-Rated Road Signs

The English translation of road signs in Israel are usually terrible. I can't help but grimace when I see some of these signs (like the 'Petach Tiqwa' signs for example - it should be Tikvah). However, I now think the issue should be looked at a wee bit more urgently, especially with signs like the one below!



** if you can't read Hebrew and you're over 18, I'll translate for you **

h/t Max
_

Tears & Books

I remember quite well the first movie which made me cry. I was 6 or 7 years old when my Nonnou & Nonna let my sister and I watch Raid on Entebbe, starring Peter Finch and Charles Bronson. When Yoni died near the movie's climatic end, my sister and I started crying. I was devastated. "Why Yoni?" I kept on asking my grandparents. That movie left its mark on me - and since then, I've watched all 3 Entebbe movies too many times to remember (and my "Oh no, you're not watching it again" family are my witnesses!), and read as many books about the operation as possible (From Yoni's Letters to Yoni's Last Battle).

Two years ago, I found another book on the subject, Sayeret Matkal in Entebbe (The book seems to only be available Hebrew, סיירת מטכ"ל באנטבה). The 700+ page book is interview after interview with figures, be it the Minister of Defense (Shimon Peres) or the receptionist at the Chief of Staff's office, who found themselves around Sayeret Matkal during the hectic 3 day (Thursday - Saturday / July 1st - 3rd, 1976) period that gave us one of the most daring rescue attempts history has ever known. While I'm only on the 'Friday' so far, I've learned a lot of new information about the planning of the raid (for example, the Mercedes idea was raised on Thursday evening during the first few hours of planning, and the Ugandan flags on the car were actually drawn by a few soldiers as there were no authentic ones available). What has impressed me the most so far is the incredible speed Yoni and his team developed a plan and how they continually improved it before any dry runs. Tough book to put down ...
_