Wednesday, April 24

Yesterday in the Yerushalaim Mall

Yesterday, my sister and I went out for lunch to celebrate our father's 70th birthday.  (It's not OUR fault that he didn't come in from Canada to join us!!)

Before eating, I popped into a store to price an item.  After the salesguy told me the price, he told me which other store in the mall has a similar item, and that I should price their item and then see which is more worthwhile for me.

THEN, at the cafe, I was nervous that the sauce on a certain dish would be too sharp / spice/ harif for me, so I asked for the sauce to be on the side.   After placing our order, the waitress returned with a member of the kitchen staff , who felt he MUST tell us that, "the dish will lose its taste if it isn't cooked with the sauce, and don't worry, he'll make sure it is mild, not too much sauce....."   And he did.   Salmon Pad Thai at Greg - excellent!!!

Yes, Israeli culture encourages the busybodies, and that can be very helpful.


Tuesday, April 16

Remember When... there were Refuseniks?

When I was in high school, we said that when the Refuseniks get to go to Israel, Mashiah will have come.

And here we sit watching the Speaker of Knesset (yuli Yoel Edelstein) say Sheheheyanu, as Yom HaAtzmaut is also his personal Yom Ness, the date he was released from Soviet Prison 27 years ago, after being sentenced for teaching Hebrew.

Has Mashiah come? Are we living the Geula?

When I was a kid, Olomeinu magazine published futuristic stories of Mashiah coming that were all supernatural, with shuls and school buildings flying in the air and landing in a rebuilt Yerushalaim, with a complete Beit HaMikdash ready and waiting.
From that perspective, Mashiah might never come.

But from the perspective of the Gemara, of the Rambam, Mashiah / Geula is here - in the form of a bit more light shining from Yerushalaim, a few more Jews coming Home, a few more Jews taking on a few more mitzvot, a few more organizations being started to improve the country according to Torah values in different areas of life. And at the same time, some truly supernatural events that we don't appreciate because we are living through them, and as the Gemara says אין בעל הנס מכיר בנסו (נידה לא א). Do we recognize the miracle in the USSR opening the Iron Curtain and letting the Jews leave? It happened almost overnight - Gorbachev , who rose through the ranks of the Red Party, and should have been as Commie as the next guy, opted for Glasnost and ended 70 years of decrees against the Jews. 70 years, the length of Galut Bavel, long enough for a new generation (people my age) to grow through teenage-hood knowing nothing about being Jewish except that it was a reason others could beat you up.

It seems so natural to us that 600,000 Jews, with few weapons, no real army, very few adults, many young holocaust survivors, should be able to stave off 11,000,000 arab soldiers - and go on to conquer territory!!

It seems so natural to us that with an enormous defense budget, we should have a government that provides free education to a population that is 25% schoolchildren, It seems natural to us that Israelis, after losing three years between high school and university to the army, and then a month a year to reserve duty, should win more Nobel prizes per capita than the US, Canada, France, Germany, Australia.... than 60 out of 71 countries that have laureates.

It seems so natural to us that children should play in the streets of Yerushalaim, that the elderly should sit and watch the children play, with their walking sticks , as they live to a ripe old age. (1)

It seems so natural to us that the land which lay barren for almost two millenia, should suddenly, when the Jews plant, bear fruit - fruit that is exported all over the world, winning awards for its wines and other products. (2)

It seems so natural to us that Torah learning in Israel should flower - that Torah learning should be part of "secular" radio and tv programs, and get high ratings, week after week, year after year. It seems natural to us that Jewish holidays are official days off work, that the school year, including college, are almost entirely set by the Hebrew calendar. (actually, college school years ARE entirely set by the Hebrew calendar). It seems natural to us that every mall and public building has a beautiful shul. It seems so natural to us that kids from all over the world should learn Torah and enter an international contest on the Tanach, and just hop on a plane to Yerushalaim to compete with other Jews from other places around the world, compliments of the Israeli government.

It seems so natural to us that a State should pay for this competition, dedicate resources from both civilian offices and the army , to support the learning of Torah. It even seems natural to us that there should be an army unit called the Army Rabbincal Choir.

It all seems so natural to us because we are going through it. Just as Yetziat Mitzrayim looked natural to anyone who didn't want to see HaShem's Hand. Paroah's magicians could copy some of the plagues. Some came about, probably, through earthquakes and volcanoes. So natural. (Forgetting, of course, that HaShem created Nature too.)

But if we look at the broader picture, take a step back and look at the headlines of the last century and a half of Jewish history - the Geula / Mashiah is making his slow and steady entrance, קמעא קמעא, as the Gemara says. (3) In order not to blind us with his light. In order to give us chances to improve - as individuals and as a nation- from the sins that lead to the exile, and deserve a Beit HaMikdash which will stand forever.


(1) "כה אמר ה' צ-באות: עֹד ישבו זקנים וזקנות ברחֹבות ירושלִָם, ואיש משענתו בידו מרֹב ימים. ורחֹבות העיר ימלאו ילדים וילדות משחקים ברחֹבֹתֶיהָ" (זכריה ח', ד-ה).

(2) "ומנין שכעת התחילה הגאולה האחרונה? זה מפורש בגמרא במסכת סנהדרין (דף צח.): "אמר ר' אבא: אין לך קץ מגולה מזה שנאמר 'ואתם הרי ישראל ענפיכם תתנו ופריכם תשאו לעמי ישראל כי קרבו לבוא'". ומפרש רש"י: "'מגולה מזה' - כשתתן ארץ-ישראל פריה בעין יפה אז יקרב הקץ ואין לך קץ מגולה יותר".

(3) תלמוד ירושלמי, ברכות, פרק א, הלכה א :
רבי חייא רבא ורבי שמעון בן חלפתא הוו מהלכין בהדא בקעת ארבל בקריצתה, וראו איילת השחר שבקע אורה. אמר רבי חייא רבה לרבי שמעון בן חלפתא בירבי: כך היא גאולתן של ישראל, בתחילה קמעא קמעא, כל מה שהיא הולכת היא רבה והולכת


Sunday, April 14

Here in Ramat Beit Shemesh, a greater miracle than lag ba'omer

That's right - no one even really knows WHAT the miracle of lag ba'omer was.
Was it a plague that stopped?
Was it one day off from a plague?
Was it a major battle that was won, in the midst of an unsuccessful rebellion against the Romans?

Who knows?

But here in Ramat Beit Shemesh, as well as everywhere in Israel, every child will mark that day, because - now hear this - because of a MUCH GREATER MIRACLE
drum roll.....
THE MIRACLE OF JEWISH REVIVAL

As we sit at our locally-designed computers, on land that 65 years ago was barren AND off limits to Jews, it behooves us to think...
outside of Israel, how many Jews have heard of lag ba'omer? 10% , maybe 20%?
Sad to say, but more than 50% of Jews outside of Israel don't even know about Purim.

Here in Israel, like it or not, the Jewish government gives every Jewish child a day off school for lag ba'omer.
and every Jewish child will be doing the exact same thing on lag ba'omer.
(how's that for ahdut?)

Come thank HaShem for This Great Miracle
tomorrow night
daven Arvit with Pirkei Hodaia
join the "music-march" to the Ulam Sport at 8:30pm,
listen to the Ahavat Yisrael Boys' choir,
and
dance to the Bubba Maises puppet band
not for anyone's personal glory, but for HaShem's
that the world should see that Am Yisrael can be united not only in mourning
but also, and BEH mainly, in our appreciation for LIFE

Thursday, April 11

Flying The Israeli Flag - It's An Attitude of Gratitude

   The Israeli flag was developed in many places at many different times.  Somehow, Jews everywhere have felt that the Magen David symbolizes Jewish Strength.   And drawing the Magen David onto a Tallit , to show that our strength is rooted in our connection to HaShem, happened so often that it seems to be in our genes.

   There is an excellent book for children, HaDegel by Uri Ophir, which explains the sources of each aspect of our flag - the meaning behind the colour techelet, the connection between the Magen David and the Menora in the Mishkan, etc.   

   The act of flying the flag, in and of itself, is also significant.  Obviously there is the "small" matter of pirsum ha'ness.   The day the British left Israel, 7 Arab armies, numbering approximately 11,000,000 soldiers, attacked Israel, with the realistic goal of finishing what Hitler missed.   There were onyl 600,000 Jews in Eretz Yisrael at the time, many of whom were holocaust survivors themselves.    Over the previous 12 years, the British mandatory Government had done their best to ensure that the Jews would be left defenseless, having killed many Jewish military leaders and confiscated any Jewish weapons they could.   They also handed over strategic posts and weapons to the Arabs.
    But HaShem had other plans, and the flag of  the Jewish State, declared less than 12 hours before the attack, represents the national victory.  
    Flying our flag is saying, "They tried to wipe us out, but HaShem saved us, not just as individuals, but as a Nation."

Flying the flag also says Thank You to many people, who risked and gave their lives as HaShem's messengers in creating the Jewish State.   We say thank you to the soldiers and the civilians, who settled the land in hardship. so that we can live here in comfort.   We thank the military leaders, who used their talents for the benefit of Am Yisrael.   And we even thank the politicians, whether we agree with them entirely or not, developed a country with plenty of bureaucracy, plenty of overhead, and even so, plenty of material benefits for Jews living in Eretz Yisrael.    

   I must share the fact that it does not bother me that some people fly the flag without putting all this thought into it.  First of all, as Hazal taught us, מתוך שלא לשמה, בא לשמה.    As the years go by, there is more and more demand for Torah in all circles.  There are learning group in many places of work and community centres, initiated by people with no religious background.  They know that it isn't just the laws of nature that keep us here and make us special.   
   Also, showing appreciation for  the people and the institutions of the army and government is a very important Jewish value.   If the frogs who went into the ovens in Egypt deserved special mention for their unconscious self-sacrifice, how much more so do the men and women who knowingly risk their lives to protect each of us.  So too we must show gratitude to the people in power, (for example, people such as Stanley Fisher) who changed their entire life plans, gave up on honour, comfort and more,  in order to benefit Am Yisrael.



Monday, April 8

יום השואה והגבורה - העיסוק במרי ובלחימה פיזית בנאצים

מכתב שלי לראש הממשלה ול"יד ושם":


שלום וברכה
השנה התחדד עניין שעולה אצלינו בכל שנה ביום השואה
סבתי היא היחידה ששרדה ממשפחתה מהונגריה.   סבא שלי ואביו היו היחידים ששרדו ממשפחתם בפולין.
הגבורה שלהם לא היתה בלחימה נגד הנאצים - לא עלה בדעתם, במצבם כדור מי-יודע-מה להשפלות אנטי-שמיות, שאפשר אחרת.
אנחנו חווים את יום השואה קצת כביקורת אם לא סלידה מהיהודי החלש , שאכן היהודים היו עם שלא ידע להתגונן, ולא יכול היה להתגונן.
הגבורה של סבתא שלי היתה באופטימיזם שלה, שבכל שעה באושוויץ, היא חשבה שאולי בשעה הבאה יהיה יותר טוב.
הגבורה של אבא שלה היה במסר שהוא אמר לה, כאדם דתי מאד, שהיא חייבת לאכול מה שהיא מוצאת, ולא לשאול אם זה כשר או לא, כי היא חייבת עכשיו לחיות.
 ומצד שני, היא צמה ביום כיפור באושוויץ.   וסבא שלי, גבורתו היתה באמונתו באלוקים, שהוא לא נטש לרגע , לא באושוויץ ולא אחר כך.
הדגש ששמים ביום השואה על הלחימה הפיזית נגד הנאצים פוגעת מאד בנו, ועוד יותר בזיכרון של אלו שנהרגו, כאילו שהמדינה והיהודי-הישראלי-החדש לא יכול לסבול או לזכור או לכבד את מי ש"נתן לעצמו" להיהרג על היותו יהודי.
זה סוג של האשמת הקרבן, דבר שכולנו עושים, אבל עלינו להיות מודעים לזה ולא לחזק את התופעה.
ההרוגים על שהם יהודים הם לא פחות חשובים מאשר אלו שנלחמו.
ואין לנו שום אפשרות - גם לא לראש הממשלה ולרמטכ"ל - להבטיח שזה לא יקרה שוב.   כי זה עדיין קורה.  עובדה שיהודים נהרגים כאן, ועוד נענשים או עומדים למשפט כאשר מתגוננים.
כואב לי מאד הדגש הזה על אלו שנלחמו.   נכון שאלו שנלחמו מלמדים אותנו לקח, ועלינו להנחיל את המורשת הזאת לכל יהודי, ולאפשר ולעודד כל יהודי להתגונן מפגיעה נגדו על היותו יהודי.   יחד עם זאת, עלינו להיזהר מאד שלא נבדיל בין זיכרון לזיכרון ובין דם לדם.   היהודים שהלכו כצאן לטבח מתו על קידוש ה', ועלינו להוקיר אותן, לכבד את זכרם, ואפילו להעלותם על נס, ולזכור שזה בעצם העבר שלנו כעם נרדף, עם שלא יכול היה להגן על עצמו , ושרד בדרכים לא דרכים כי כך הקב"ה רצה.

בכבוד רב,
חנה 
נכדה למיכאל ז"ל וגולדי תיבדל לחיים ארוכים (פרל) קליינר
שהביאו לעולם לאחר השואה ב"ה 3 ילידם, 20 נכדים , וכ-80 נינים, בין הגדולים כבר בוגר צבא ובוגרת השירות הלאומי, עוד חייל בדרך והיד עוד נטויה