Hamas/Gaza War Musings #60: "Peace Plan"? You Must Be Joking!

 

Simply put: Prepare more cemeteries. Yes, I see things, political and security decisions in black and white. And I look at the big picture, too. 

Does this "deal" promote long term Israeli security? NO!

There's lots of wishful thinking, with a big popular distraction. I'm sure you can guess what the distraction is, sort of like coating poison with your favorite ice cream... That's the return of all the hostages live and dead. 

Of course the chances are that the dead ones won't be well-preserved bodies. There will be bones, body-parts of humans -hostages and Gazans- mixed with animals. It will take months at best to identify them. I'm not kidding. The scientific experts who had worked so hard on identifying those murdered on Simchat Torah, aka October 7th, two years ago, whose body parts were left in situ, are probably gathering their white coats and equipment to start all over again. I wouldn't be surprised if they find some "parts" of the victims they identified previously mixed in with the holy mess Hamas is preparing for us.

I hate to be a killjoy, but I'm a realist, a pragmatist. As much as I wish I could be hypnotized to discover what my maternal grandfather spoke to me about when I was a three year old, before he passed away, I doubt that hypnosis would work on me.

I see so many holes in this deal/plan that it's more like a window with a thin modernistic frame.

Israel/Bibi shouldn't have accepted it before Hamas, the Gazan terrorists had agreed to give up their arms. Bibi doesn't know how to negotiate; he's too concerned about being liked. And he doesn't understand that the smiles he's getting are mocking not admiring. Trump played him...

Gd willing the hostages will really be released and not held while the terrorists demand more Israeli concessions. 

I pray that somehow Bibi Netanyahu will be out of politics in all ways, along with his devoted followers. We need true, brave, sovereign Israeli leadership, a government that takes Israel's needs first as a country. Gd willing....

Honestly, until I see all of our hostages home, I can't be joyful, I can't believe it possible/probable.

But one thing for sure, this isn't the end of the war... Of course, you can and should pray that I'm mistaken...

Hamas/Gaza War Musings #59: Commemorate According to Jewish Calendar, Simchat Torah, Not October 7th

 

Jewish Calendar, this year, the one that just began on Rosh Hashannah 5786

I follow the Jewish Calendar*. We were brutally and viciously attacked on Simchat Torah, 5784 two years ago, which fell on the 7th of October, 2023.

We must respect and follow our calendar; it's an extremely important part of Judaism. It davka shows/proves our permanent and indisputable connection to the Land of Israel. It gets adjusted to coincide with the seasons of the Land by adding days and months.

That's the exact opposite of the nomadic Muslim calendar in which holidays wander among all the seasons, proving that they have no connection to land. The Muslim calendar is strictly lunar and always only twelve months. That doesn't jive with the solar calendar; it's short a few days, which adds up. It also means that their year number is inaccurate. Their year has fewer days, so every few years, they've added a year. Also if they count ages by their calendar, people are younger than they claim to be. Just think... you don't need to be a mathematician.

While I'm talking about calendars, did you notice that the Jewish one and the Christian one are up to different years? 5786 vs 2025... Yes, Judaism is a lot older than Christianity. And Islam only began in the 7th century, 610. Judaism is much older than both. Neither religion is a contemporary of Judaism, so Abraham, Isaac and Jacob weren't at all involved in those two religions. Those two religions adopted/stole Jewish History; call it identity theft... More food for thought.

*This link is really clear about how the Jewish Calendar gets adjusted to stay connected to seasons, the solar calendar and make sure certain holidays don't end up on certain days of the week.

Simchat Torah in Stereo Plus

Eleven years ago I didn't celebrate Simchat Torah. It was the Jewish year 5770 I had rushed to New York to bring my elderly father to Israel. The holidays fell like this one, 5781, with Succot beginning on Shabbat and Simchat Torah the following Shabbat in Israel and Sunday in New York. I kept thinking of that crazy time yesterday as I could simultaneously hear the prayers of two, and sometimes three different outdoor prayer groups near my house. Yes, stereo plus.

Perched in my "private row of seats" by my front door I could usually hear most words very clearly from the outdoor minyan (prayer group) in the park across the street and the sounds of the prayers from where our neighborhood synagogue was praying behind our house. Sitting in our livingroom I could hear much of the prayers across the street and sometimes even some of the praying even further away.

But the stereo plus, three different outdoor prayer prayer groups could be heard very clearly when I went to hear the Yizkor* prayer behind my house. The Yemenite minyan was praying outside on the other side of our synagogue building very loudly. So I heard them, our prayer leader and the prayers from the park. 

Simchat Torah was full of songs and prayers in the air.

Our neighborhood has so many outdoor prayer groups; it's amazing. I think that more people are praying together than ever before. We're in lockdown, so few people have to rush to work or school. I really enjoy that the sounds of prayers fill my house.

We have turned life of lemons into lemonade.

*Yizkor is the prayer said for the dead on certain Jewish Holidays.

State of Israel Must Stop All The Sniveling and Begging!

I just don't understand why we Jews keep thinking that we can somehow, charm, rebrand, beg, convince etc. ad nauseum people, countries, diplomats, journalists, media and so on to accept and support us and the State of Israel.

Italian PM Matteo Renzi addresses
Knesset‏. photo credit:
KNESSET SPOKESMAN'S OFFICE

Every time someone comes up with a pro-Israel statement, we start cheering as if the Moshiach has arrived, or even louder. The truth is that I see our acceptance of the real Moshiach as more difficult for many Jews to fully accept and show enthusiasm for than the welcome we give to those like the Italian  Prime Minister Matteo Renzi.

In a dramatic twist, Italy vows to oppose UNESCO’s Jerusalem resolutions
These resolutions are “incomprehensible, unacceptable and wrong,” Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi told an Italian Radio station during a visit to Brussels.

Stephen Harper touches the Western Wall,
AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP/Getty Images

I hope you haven't forgotten that barely a few months ago, my Canadian friends had been bragging that their country was so completely and loyally pro-Israel. Yes, that's when Stephen Harper was Prime Minister. And then, all of a sudden, Justin Trudeau defeated him, and instantly, Canada had a very different policy vis a vis Israel.

International support for Israel is at best fickle, and it's mostly fake. When foreign leaders and diplomats make speeches in Israel or for large/important Israeli or Jewish organizations/institutions, they pay good morning for speeches that will get them a lot of applause.

The recently deceased Elie Wiesel was one of the foremost speechwriters for such occasions. Yes, he certainly wrote lovely speeches which warmed the soul and gave the impression that the one at the microphone truly cared about Jews and Israel. But all the speeches, even the best and most professionally and convincingly performed (worthy of an Oscar) are totally meaningless.

Our salvation will not come from any of these "powerful" people. 

There is only one source for Salvation, and that is Gd Almighty! And Gd will only step in when we recognize that and pray to Gd and not to all these people and others.

We're about to celebrate the last holiday of the Tishrei, New Year Holidays, Simchat Torah, when we joyously celebrate the fact that Gd gave us the Torah the bylaws to live by. We must activate them in our lives. It's not enough to dance around with a Sefer Torah in our arms, we must make the mitzvot the mainstay of our lives. That is how we can get Gd to activate Salvation, Redemption Speedily in Our Days, Gd willing.

Chag Sameach to All!

this photo is from Independence Day
I just wanted something joyful in the synagogue for illustration

Simchat Torah, Memories

Here in Israel, we've just finished the marathon of Jewish Holidays which begins the Jewish Year.  A couple of hours ago, this year's Simchat Torah, Being Joyful in the Torah ended.  Whew!  I'm just catching my breath before getting read for Shabbat, which begins in less than twenty-four 24 hours.  Outside of Israel, Torah observant Jews are only now celebrating Simchat Torah. They won't have a break.  Holidays are a bit different there, but that would be the topic for another post, if at all. I'm not a real expert in it, so no promises.


Eretz Israel Museum

I have very limited memories of Simchat Torah from my "pre-frum" (before I became religious) days. No doubt they taught us something in the Oakland Jewish Center, Bayside, NY, (Conservative) Hebrew School.  I went to "services" at least once and have memories of dancing around with special flags and being given a "jelly apple" to eat.  I have no idea why we got the apples, but they are as distinct in my memory as the flags we were waving while singing and marching/dancing.

The next very distinct memory of Simchat Torah was when I was becoming religious and attended services, as the prayers are called in America, at the Great Neck Synagogue.  I remember it as joyous and that the men were extra "joyous" due to the shot glasses of schnapps that they were polishing off.  If I'm not mistaken we danced with the Sifrei Torah in the street, or am I imagining it?  I don't remember if women received one to hold.  Possibly the following year, NCSY arranged for our region to be in Boro Park, Brooklyn for the holiday.  As usual we danced during the meals, but I don't remember much about the synagogue we attended. 

My first Simchat Torah in Israel was before I was married.  I as here as a student, and my friend and I went wandering around Meah She'arim looking to see the dancing.  I remember being disappointed.  It wasn't as large as I had expected, at least where women could view it.  The Hakafot Sh'niyot, Second night, which actually was after the holiday was great fun.  It's a very popular Israeli custom to celebrate Simchat Torah when it's over, but then one is permitted to use live bands.

I had no idea there was a custom to have all of the children gather under a Tallit (or as many as needed to cover) to be blessed.  I just don't remember seeing it until I was a mother, and my husband would take the children.  It's a gorgeous sight to behold from the Ezrat Nashim, Women's Section when we're sitting high up on a balcony.  This year things were a bit different; I guess it's a new custom.  Apparently parents were informed that there wouldn't be enough room for all of the kids, so little girls over the age of five were to be excluded.  Or this could have been the custom from the neighborhood shul that joined with us for the dovening/prayers.  As a response, the young mothers showed up with a collection of large tallitot and made a canopy for the little girls upstairs.  I have no idea if this custom will continue.

A real local, neighborhood custom is for young girls, youth, women to go to homes of those unable to make it to the synagogue and sing and dance for them.  It's enjoyed by both the "entertainers" and those being "entertained."  That's the joy of Simchat Torah, the mitzvah of being good to others and making including them in the holiday.

Shabbat Shalom!  Yes, it's soon.

Investing Time

Yesterday, our Simchat Torah services/prayers, in the Ramat Shmuel Synagogue, Shiloh, took almost all day. We started a bit earlier than on a Shabbat, but we ended up finishing in the afternoon. On Shabbat it takes us just over two hours to pray.

No, it wasn't because of an operatic Chazan with a choir. Baruch Hashem, the kids kept things going. Actually things started off pretty quiet and slow. Many of us ran out at nine to attend a Brit Milah (circumcision ceremony) in the nearby yeshiva, but when we returned things were "hopping." Not only was the floor filled with dancing worshipers holding the Sifrei Torah (Torah Scrolls) but kids were dancing on the railings.

Yes, it was wild! I was glad to have a front row seat in the Ezrat Nashim, Women's Gallery.

The enthusiasm of the youth was wonderful. So what if the prayers were taking longer than planned. We want the youth to have good positive memories of the holidays.

After our community kiddush, in the middle of the Hakafot, dancing with the Sifrei Torah, I joined the over twenty, mostly young girls, visiting the elderly, who couldn't make it to synagogue. We have a custom in our neighborhood to go from house to house to involve everyone in the Holiday. This time there were so many young participants, we asked the elderly to join us dancing and singing in the streets.

Like in many synagogues, honors are auctioned, and the men offer to pay lots of money. This year we're fundraising to expand the synagogue, since there isn't room for everyone to sit, nor seats for new members.

We had a new auction this year, and it involved the kids who bid for honors, too. They didn't bid money. They pledged to learn pages of Jewish Law. There were different categories, up to ten years of age, up to Bar Mitzvah, post-Bar Mitzvah. A big "siyyum," will be held before Passover, and the winners will give "Divrei Torah," Torah talks, to explain what they learned.

Yes, the auction for the youth also took more time. And the extra dancing and singing that the kids wanted took more time. But that's time invested well.

Have a wonderful year.

Yes, Succot is a Real Holiday

Robert, of Seraphic Secret, has a great piece of dialogue about Succot:

I was asked to attend a script conference tomorrow, Tuesday morning. I told the producer that it was a Jewish holiday and I couldn't attend.
“Wait, the holidays are over, your Yom Kee-pur just ended, right?”
“Uh, yeah, but now we have Succot, Shemini Atzeret and then Simchat Torah.”
“No disrespect, but you are kidding, tell me you're kidding.”
“Sorry.”
“Let me get back to you.”
An hour later the producer, not Jewish, truly bright, creative and decent, calls back.
“I asked all the Jews in the company and they're drawing a blank.”
“Right. Well, I'm not surprised. Look, lemme send you a few links and then get back to me.”
“Hey, I believe you. Just tell me when we can have our sit-down?”
I suggest a day and time.
“Robert?”
“Yeah?”
“I respect your commitment. I really do. But tell me, how come none of the Jews in the company know what I'm talking about?”

It brings me back to the days when I didn't really know about the holiday. In OJC Hebrew School, they took us to see the funny hut decorated with hanging fruit, and I think I visited the rabbi's home with my aunt who was their friend, but it wasn't a holiday we actually celebrated.

We didn't celebrate Simchat Torah either.

In New York City, at least in my school district in Bayside, the schools were closed for Rosh Hashannah and Yom Kippur, but after that it was business as usual, except in Hebrew School. But since it was the beginning of the school year, it didn't feel like a school vacation.

Shavuot from my childhood is a total blank. We must have learned something about it, but I don't remember anything, not even cheesecake. At least for Purim I have vague memories of hamantashen and a grogger. No, I don't remember hearing the Megillah. And no mishloach manot either.

At least in Israel, even for the non-religious, the Jewish Calendar is the calendar of the country.

Succot are all over. My kids put up ours.

They even hung a picture of their favorite rabbi, "HaRav Tzimmerman."