Yet Another Parsha Sheet

Today DH went to a Yom Iyun at the Knesset.  11 speakers presented different aspects of the issue "Tefilla on Har HaBayit".   That the parliament hosts these discussions is, in itself, very "cool".   Jewish country,  Jewish topics....  But , let's say that this was a one-time event, even though in reality there are many such Yemei Iyun all the time.  But each stands alone....

What is NOT a one-time event, but is now a regular weekly feature of life in the Israeli Parliament, is the weekly Parsha sheet חכימא.  The sheet is a compilation of divrei Torah related to the parsha and/or time of year, written by MKs, aides, advisors, and Rabbanim.  The editor is a man named Yaron Ungar, a lawyer and legal aide in the legislature and legal research at he Knesset.  His article in this week's חכימא is titled במצוות החוק- in The Command of Justice, bringing quotes from this weeks Haftara (Yeshayahu, perek aleph) and Arba Turim about the necessity of improving our judicial system as a key to Geula.  

On the other side of the page is Rav Drukman's explanation of what exactly we are mourning, and of the expression כי עין בעין יראו, emphasizing that we must use TWO eyes- the eye that sees how much we already have and the eye that sees towards what we are still striving.  

If the nation is reflected by what is happening in the Knesset, then we are also reflected by the beautiful words in this sheet.   These words are very encouraging, because each of us personally can improve our two eyes, our appreciation for what we have and our striving towards what is still missing.  And that second eye can take into account the message Yaron Ungar is teaching - that our individual honesty will affect the honesty of the leadership.  And when honesty is the norm, Hashem promises towards the end of hazon Yeshayahu: ואשיבה שופטייך כבראשונה, ויועצייך כבתחילה.  I will return your judges as at the beginning, and your advisors as at the start.  After that, you (Yerushalaim) will be called City of Justice, a Faithful Quarter.

We have a tradition that leaders have limited Free Will, as their moves are dictated according to what we, the nation, deserve.  (לב מלך ביד ה' - משלי)

Personally, I see this parsha sheet, written, published, distributed and read in the Israeli Knesset, as a sign that we as a nation are moving towards the fulfillment of this ending of the Haftara: ציון במשפט תיפדה ושביה בצדקה

Zion will be redeemed through lawfulness, and her returnees through fairness.

slowly but surely.... קמעא קמעא

keep those two eyes open, and together we will make it happen

Wonderful people working together

Last night, together with other local women and girls, I attended an awards ceremony for a fund in memory of Yaffa London-Yeari, as a representative of the Beit Shemesh Womens' Council.  The award was presented to Miri Shalem as the founder and chairwoman of the Women's Council.

Miri and the BSWC received the award for the work in promoting dialogue between different "tribes" of Jews in the city of Beit Shemesh.  The Council is composed of women from different backgrounds, different countries of birth, different religious views, different educational backgrounds, coming together to support each other as women - with shared needs for health, safety, parnassa, etc. We also each have unique needs, and part of the Council is to support others even when our needs are different.   

The camaraderie of the Council is a model to Jews everywhere, that we can talk, argue, laugh, share, agree, disagree, support other Women - we can find the common ground and develop it.  

The Yeari family is a model of caring, a desire to assist women of all streams and stripes, to encourage women to volunteer in their communities and improve life in Israel.

It was a wonderful experience to feel the appreciation of the Yeari family for Miri's intiative.

  

Added to that was the experience of having the opportunity to learn about others, to hear from the 3 other women who were recipients this year, as well as recipients of pervious years' awards.  Last night was a chance to learn more about the wonderful people who make this country beautiful.

The other recipeints of this year's awards are: 

Galit Abu-Aharon, age 40ish, mother of 4, lives in Kiriat menahem in Yerushalaim, an "underpriviliged neighbourhood".  She spearheads a group of 30 women from her neighbourhood who never had academic training. The group are learning in David Yellin college, in a program put together specifically for them ("הזדמנות שנייה", Second Chance).  They are now finishing their 3rd year of a 4 year B.Ed., learning one day a week.  As they are neighbours, they support each other and keep each other going strong.  Despite the warnings of doomsdayer's that half to two-thirds wouldn't make it through the first year, all 30 finished their first year, and most are more than half-way to their degree already.

Tal Ohana, deputy mayor of Yeruham.  She has started programs, including צעירים בירוחם (a play on the Hebrew expression "young at heart"), in order to help residents reach their dreams, including higher education.  She recruits Jewish youth from Morocco, so that they make aliya rather than move to Canada or NY.  

and

Galit Deshe, of the Women's Lobby (שדולת נשים), dedicated to helping women, especially mothers, be able to work.

One of the women who had received the Yaffa London-Yeari award in a previous year is a metapelet, a babysitter, who organized a group of metaplot, and now has made contact with almost 3,000 metaplot all around the country.  As metaplot, these women work with no social benefits.  By organizing all metaplot in the country, regardless of their religious affiliation, she is working to give them status that allows them to also have pensions, sick days, perhaps even continuing education and professional guidance.

All in all, I cannot say that I agree with all the goals of everyone who receives this award.  In the same way, the family that gives these awards do not appear to be Orthodox Jews, and yet they gave 50% of this year's awards to Orthodox women representing, among other needs, the needs of Orthodox women.   They might not agree with everyone on a personal level, but in priciple, they are supporting women who are improving their communities.  The emphasis is on working together, supporting each other.   This cooperation strengthens all of us.   When wonderful people work together, we can be much, much more than the sum of our parts.

Idea to improve integration of Olim from Ethiopia

This past Yom Rishon, DH and I visited the protest tent outside the Prime Minster's Residence.  This tent was set up 2 1/2 months ago to protest discrimination against Jews of Ethiopian background.  It was  such a wonderful experience to sit with the people there - olim and native Israelis, some from Ethiopia, some "ordinary, white folk" to talk about what can be done better.

I asked what the feeling is among olim from Ethiopia about integration in school.  In most religious public schools in Beit Shemesh, the city places 1-3 olim in each class.   There is someone who works as a "megasher" (liaison) for the parents, however, this does not necessarily help the olim feel understood or wanted by their teachers or classmates.  

What they do NOT want is to have separate classes or separate schools.  On the whole, there is a desire for integration, but they are not looking for their children to becoming second-class European-culture-wannabes.  They want their culture to be integrated into the general Israeli culture.  That certainly makes sense to me.  It's what every Oleh wants, really.

An action item was proposed, with a request that we as parents demand this of our children's schools:

There are plenty of older Olim from Ethiopia who have finished teachers' college, who could work in these schools, but they aren't being hired.  As Anglo olim, I know that my children's schools understand where we are coming from as well as our children's needs because there are many Olim like ourselves on staff  in each of our children's schools.   What the people in the tent were saying is that if there were 2,3 (or more!) teachers in each school, teaching a variety of  subjects, the conversation in the teacher's room would immediately assist the teachers in understanding the cultural differences among the students.  In that new environment, far fewer children of Ethiopian background would be getting punishments for "inappropriate behaviour" when they are actually simply being misunderstood because of cultural differences (many olim get such punishments in the army , too).  The teachers' room would model cooperation and understanding between the very different cultures.  The olim children and their parents would get the support they need.   

So, now it is up to us - to make this demand of our city, our schools.   Off I go.  Please join me.