Wedding in Jerusalem: Ceremony took place on a porch in a historic building of the Ottoman rule, built in 1908 to house the Vaad (Rabbincal Council of Nachlaot).
Lovely antique clock at the bride’s home.
This holiday past. Israelis made Tu B’av into a “VALENTINE’S DAY “.Dumb
I had fun with some young people Tuesday night. Went out alone to a neighborhood restaurant bar, Chakrah in Gan Ha Atztmaot. Evening air was perfectly refreshing. Actually didn’t want to be indoors at the bar because of Corona. The place was packed. The owners squeezed many tables outdoors.
Basically only the waiters were wearing masks. I decided this was a good venue to casually ask about dating norms. The variables in my study are income and age. The restaurant is NOT KOSHER.
I brought a container of coconut water. I just try not to eat after 7 or 8 PM until 12 PM the following day.
The maitre de was perfectly ok with my drink. He took my temperature and I looked over the crowd. There were 4 guys in their 20’s sitting on high chairs next to the entrance. They looked like they had consumed a few glasses of wine.
It is the practise of Israelis to go to America for part of the year and work in the home moving industry. I think this unreported activity is not approved for visitors but they manage to make this a major source of their income.
We started to chat while I was waiting for a seat. One fellow at the table worked in a family business in America. Many also work in shopping malls in those quasi businesses that line the halls, like the ubiquitous helium balloon kiosks.
We chatted a bit further. I still didn’t have a seat. Israelis like to show off their English and knowledge of American Jewish communities. That’s usually the icebreaker.
I wanted to know about how young male/female Israelis meet their potential dates. The consensus among young Jerusalemites is, whether at bar or even on the street, the guy walks up a girl, takes her cell phone number and they basically have each others numbers, and he’ll try to reach her and actively show interest in her.
By this time the waiter brought me a chair to stay outside and the young guys and I continued to chat. The waiter brought over a glass with ice cubes. After 5 minutes, he escorted me to a table up front. I waved goodbye to the young guys in my sample. After a minute or two I was invited to join two older guys up front next to the mellow band. Their table was next to mine.
One a bit older than the other, was Marcus Gershkowitz, the owner of Anjelica Restaurant, on King David Street considered the best restaurant in Jerusalem. He invited me to try the faire.
He is a big promoter of the renamed Jerusalem soccer team with the manager Ziv Arie, at his side. I had my container of coconut water because I don’t eat after 7 or 8. They tried to tempt me with a creme Brulet concoction. Marcus was not impressed with coconut water.
Arie remarked that he and Marcus had just now in renamed the Hapoel Yerushalayim soccer team.
The photo shows some of the Saturday night demonstrators on their way to Balfour Street. The restaurant Chakra is beyond the bushes.
A little history: As you know soccer is Israel’s national sport. Each city league draws from the local communities, often very poor.
Football club Hapoel Jerusalem was founded in 1926. The team belonged to the “Histadrut”, Israel’s organization of workers unions, and represented Socialist values. In 1957, the team advanced for the first time to the top Israeli league. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the years known as the “golden era” of the team, “Hapoel” outperformed and outnumbered in spectators city rivals , Betar Jerusalem, – a team associated with the right-leaning “Revisionist” movement. The most important achievement in the history of the club was winning the Isreal State Cup in 1973. Privitization did not fare well for the team.
Since the 1980s, “Hapoel” has lost its lead to Beitar Jerusalem. The team spent the 1980s and 1990s swinging between the 1st and 2nd leagues. Eventually, it was purchased by businessman Yossi Sassi, in 1993, who appointed his friend, Victor Yona, as chairman. Since the late 1990s, the two got into various disputes and legal proceedings, and the team changed hands back and forth between the two.
After the 2006–07 season, in which the team dropped for the second time to the 3rd league, and after years of searching for someone to buy Hapoel Jerusalem, disenchanted fans, extremely dissatisfied with the management, resolved to create a company with the aim of purchasing the club. When it became evident that reaching such a deal was impossible, they decided to start an alternative team.
The group, led by journalist Uri Shedadsky and supported by then future mayor Nir Barkat, bought Apoel MaMivaserret/Abu Gosh (which was founded in 2004 by a merger of two clubs by those names and renamed it “Hapoel Katamon/Mevasseret Zion” The new name was taken from Katamon, a neighborhood of Jerusalem where Hapoel Jerusalem played from 1954 until moving to the YMCA stadium and later on to the Teddy Stadium in the early 1990s.
The first game was played October 19, 2007, to a crowd of 3,000;
Not all of Hapoel Jerusalem fans supported this move; some believed that creating Katamon was “betraying” the team. A popular slogan among the critics was “love can’t be bought for a 1,000 Shekels”, a reference to the membership price. However, the number of spectators at Katamon matches has steadily outnumbered that of Hapoel Jerusalem.
Eventually, it was decided by a vote of member-fans to end the cooperation with Hapoel Mevasseret, and instead establish a new club altogether. The advantages of this move were that the new club was untied to the management of Hapoel Mevasseret, was owned and operated by Hapoel Katamon fans alone, and since it was based in Jerusalem, could be supported by the municipality. The main disadvantage was that a newly created team must start out at ligations Gimmel, the 5th division.
The new club, named “Hapoel Katamon Jerusalem”, started playing in late September 2009 at the Hebrew University Stadium at Givat Ram, Jerusalem. The new management form consists of 3 representatives elected by the fans. Amir Gola, a team icon, returned from retirement as a former captain of Hapoel Jerusalem to be captain of the new team. Throughout the 2008/2009 season Hapoel Katamon had a steady lead, and it finished first in the league, advancing to Liga Bet. The final home-match was played to an estimated crowd of 4,000.
For the 2009–10 season, the team reinforced with numerous new players, most notably Shai Aharon, who was Hapoel Jerusalem’s captain for several years, including the 2008–09 season. the Aharon’s decision may help cement Katamon’s future as “the true Hapoel Jerusalem”.
Throughout the 2009–10 season in Liga Bet, Hapoel Katamon had a steady lead, and it finished first in the league, advancing to Liga Alef. At that season, the club had also established a youth branch and some of the youth teams managed to advance a league for their first season.
In May 2020, during the 2019-2020, the club’s Council decided to rename the club’s name to Hapoel Jerusalem, and changed the logo accordingly. On August 9, 2020 the club has been officially recreated, as Hapoel Katamon renamed to Hapoel Jerusalem.
As soon as I sat down Marcus offered me a season membership for 1000 sh, gives you a seat to two games during the season. That’s about $250. “There are 100 owners and you will be the 101st”.
Not a lot by American standard, with 33 to 36 matches. That’s about $7.00 a ticket. No tickets are sold the day of the game. Only subscribers. Really membership owned.
On Shabat? No, they don’t play on Shabat, only during the week. This makes sense because the workday could end for many at 4. the guys are itching to get out from behind a desk. They take a gym bag along and maybe still play. and then end the evening at a game and manage not to see the wife at all. Bingo.
When I mentioned that basketball was my sport, they both groaned. Ziv, age 49 admitted that until 6 years ago he played soccer semi/pro including a 6 hour regimen. Remember, soccer players run up and down the court numerous times. 43 is beyond the age of a football, baseball or basketball player.
The conversation got around to keeping fit. Ziv was relatively trim. He admitted to gaining a few kilos since joining management. And by 62 a guy who was trim in the army can be obese, just by gaining a kilo a year. This was discussed over eating pastry.
He declared, now I don’t exercise, I did it for 6 hours a day my whole life until a few years ago. Now is where the humour comes in. I revealed that I was trying to understand the norms of Israeli dating.
I asked my question, when they were single did they chase after a woman that they were interested in? Call them, etc. They had some funny answers. Both said that they never chased after a women. THE WOMEN chased after them, including their wives. I am not surprised because I heard this from a man recently, twice divorced. And Ziv was very proud of his inclination.
Tziv Arie went on to reveal how this attitude impacts on his philosophy of life. He said, “The young man works hard, he comes home, he has no energy to chase a woman. He wants to sit down on the sofa and not move, be served food and drink ( not beer), and watch soccer. He said that he never gets up even to play with his little kids.” He seems to run his home to his liking.
I am reminded of my French teacher, Miss Brenner, in 8th grade, who never rose from her seat. She looked straight ahead and gave oral instruction to a roomful of quivering adolescents. Her method was to throw out a question, and before one could finish a sentence she was on to the next victim.
The next day, I needed to purchase protective glasses. I asked David the owner of one of the large hardware stores on Agrippas Street, the same question. I know David for 12 years, and he has helped numerous times. He said they were lying. If the lady is worth it a man would do everything, necessary to win her over. And the man is afraid to show emotions. He has a reputation to keep as a strong, independent guy.
So what’s the takeaway?
I think the urge to chase a woman diminishes with age, so much so that by the time a man reaches 60 or 70 he is ready to hang up his cleats if he not already done so 40 years before. And if he didn’t chase a woman as a youngster then he’s not going to suddenly start.
If the man is successful and single a long time another factor kicks in.
He asks himself, “If I show interest and emotional investment I’ll have to put out money to court the lady. But if the woman chases me she can’t have expectations that I’ll be showering her with gifts.” For the independent woman, if she regards herself as the prize, she may be just that, left alone at 31 on the shelf.
My cousin Ros stands alone as exceptional story and joke teller, balancing a calm renditionand perfectly timed delivery. At 100 she is blind, still can hear and can still Baruch Hashem enjoy a good joke and a piece of chocolate babka. Our far flung families sat around our respective Zoom video cameras for two hours this past Sunday to celebrate her birthday. At the end, a niece promised to return with a chocolate Babka anda visit, which reminded me how we over- 80’s are cautioned about sugar consumption. My related joke goes like this:I believe the source is an Aubrey Beardsley cartoon or a contemporary of the artist at the turn of the20thCentury. We arein Whitechapel wherea prosperous lookingJewis leaving the fish monger’s shop with a nice size fish wrapped in newsprint for Shabat. The shnorrer approaches and knowing that the gentleman has some pence change in his pocket, puts out his hand to request the change. With an indifferent stare the gentleman drops the coins into the shnorrer’s hand. A short time later the two meetup this time the gentleman is loaded down and the shnorrer has a nice size salmon in a bag. The gentleman exclaims, “That’s a respectable fish. How did you manage to reach such a tidy sumand blow it on a fish?” The schnorrer looks around at the other prosperous passerby’s and replies, “If I DON’T BUY salmon when I have 2 pence when will I buy salmon”?
The same with my100 year cousinRos. If she doesn’t have chocolate Babka now, when is she going to have chocolate Babka?
It is hard to decide where and how to show your support. You have power within your communities to exert pressure on your local supermarkets to expand Israeli food products, including wine, cheeses etc. Please explain to your supermarket Wine buyer that you( the buyer) is a link in a chain for supplying the consumer to imbibe wine from grapes that have been grown in the soil of the Holland and therefore in drinking this wine they are imbibing some of the holiness of Eretz Ysrael. If you want to support the soldiers, the following are not subject to administrative charges.
Three battalions of reservist soldiers were recruited for urgent security operations in Yosh since the beginning of the war. Now they are cold. A crowdfunding campaign for them to buy them warm clothing for the winter. They are there for all of us. Let’s help them!
Thousands of soldiers are fighting in harsh conditions of frost, mud, and snow on the northern front with Lebanon!
In a special operation, a convoy of cars of ‘Vaad HaTzedaka’ volunteers travelled to the northern border and distributed 300 sets of warm clothing and equipment for the soldiers serving in the area.“Warm clothing for the frosty conditions here is the best comfort that you can provide us” said the soldiers at this special Outpost.
The temperatures continue to drop and more kits are urgently needed for tens of thousands of soldiers fighting at the front in harsh conditions! 🆘🇮🇱
The story merits retelling. The Wars of Jacob’s Mighty and Courageous Sons, (From Genesis 36:40 is described in Me’Am Loez, which is a series of books written to explain the Five books of the Bible verse by verse.
This third book of the series, Rabbi Culi (azl) (1689 to 2732 ) Is referred to as The Twelve Tribes. As we know a verse mentions the origin of Amelek from the line of Esau, Jacob’s brother.
If you have sat at a Passover seder you heard about Amelek. Descended from Ben Timna, the concubine of Eliphaz son of Esau. On the other hand, the mother was in fact no more family, her children are not circumsized. Therefore, the Torah provides us with a list since it saw the descendants of Esau, that we can distinguish between the children of Esau and the descendants of Esau and those of Amalek. We learn twelve important lessons from them. We therefore see that three chapters, even though a cursory examination seemed as if they were of no importance at all. We therefore see that the words of the Torah must be cherished.
All of them are important and the wars of the sons of Jacob: Seven years after the Schem massacre, when the brothers Shimon and Levy destroyed Schem all of its inhabitants Jacob and his sons moved back and settled in Schem.
It was a place of excellent pasture, and about 300 people had already resettled the city.
Jacob and his family built their home on a plot of land he bought from Chamor the father of Shechem. When the Canaanite and Amorite kings heard that Jacob had returned, they were furious. They said, “It is not enough that they destroyed the entire population of Shechem. Now they are back! If they remain indifferent, they will wipe out the city again, just like Shimon and Levi did the first time.” Once again King Tapuch sent messages to his fellow rulers, Ailon King of Gaash, Aihori, King of Shiloh, Pirathon King of Chasar, Susi King of Sarton, Laban King of Choron, and Shevir, the king of Machnimah. The message said: “You are ALL being called to battle against Jacob and his sons.
They ( the Kings said,) the sons of Jacob, returned to Schem to kill its entire population, as in the past. They all came in huge armies, and they ALL gathered in under the command of Yeshav. The army was divided into seven battalions, each with countless men, all of them warriors strong and old.
They sent the following letter to Jacob.
You must leave Shechem at once and present yourself to us to explain why you killed so many innocent men seven years ago.
You must also explain why you had the audacity to return and settle in the city again. Since you are ALONE, (Sound familiar)do not be proud ; we have come now to repay you for your crimes.
Genesis 36:40
When Jacob’s sons read this missive they were furious. Ten of the brothers, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Dan, Naphtali, Gad and Asher, immediately took their weapons and girded themselves for battle. Jacob, who was then 115 years old,” also joined them, along with 102 well armed servants.
lacob then said the following prayer: “Lord of the universe, Merciful Father, You created us so that we would be able to serve You. Rescue me and my sons through Your great mercy from the enemies who are coming to wage war against us. You have the power to allow a small number to be victorious over a large multitude. Grant strength and courage to my sons that they may emerge victorious. Oh please, do not let my sons and servants die by the hand of these Canaanites. If You wish to take their lives, take them through Your good angels, but do not let them fall into the hands of these enemies.
As soon as Jacob finished his prayer, a loud noise was heard, and all the attacking kings became confused and terrified. When they saw Jacob’s sons coming, they regretted they had come and wanted to flee home. The only thing that held them back was the thought that it would be a terrible humiliation for them when the world would say, “Seven kings were terrified by a small band of Hebrews.” No one wanted to be the first to run away, so they stayed and fought. The battled lasted seven days.
On the first day, all the kings banded together. Judah led his brothers in battle, flanked by ten servants. Leading the enemy troops Yashuv king of Tapuach, the most powerful of all the kings, went out to meet Judah in one to one combat. Yashuv was dressed in heavy armor from head to toe, and while riding his horse, he was able to fling his lances with both hands. As he approached Judah, he began to throw lances at him, but Providence did not let any of them hit Judah. A number of the lances even landed among Yashuv’s own men.
Judah came forth fearlessly on foot. When he was around 70 cubits (120 feet) away from the king, he lifted up a huge boulder, ran toward Yashuv, and threw it at his shield with all his might. The king was thrown from his horse, and from the force of the blow, the shield flew 15 cubits (25 feet). When the other kings saw Judah’s strength, they were terrified, and stood there bewildered. Judah then drew his sword and attacked, killing 42 men.
Seeing this, the army fled, leaving King Yashuv lying on the ground dazed. Seeing Judah approach him, he regained his senses, and stood up to fight hand to hand. The king aimed a blow with his mace at Judah’s head, but Judah ducked and caught the blow on his shield. The blow was so hard it split Judah’s shield in two. Before the king could usse his him. With the king helpless, Judah struck the final blow, severing his weapon again, Judah struck him in both legs with his sword, downing head. Witnessing Judah’s exploit from a distance, his brothers gained courage and attacked the assembled armies. They killed 15,000 men and scattered the rest. Judah plundered his fallen enemy, taking King Yashuv’s fine weapons. While he was examining the corpse, nine of the king’s per- sonal bodyguards attacked him. Grasping a large stone, Judah threw it a the first one, smashing his head and knocking him from his horse. The other eight were horrified and they began to flee in terror. Judah and his ten servants pursued them and finished them off.
Judah’s brothers were plundering the fallen soldiers, when Levi suddenly heard a sound behind him. When he turned his head, Ailon king of Gaash was attacking him along with 14 troops. Levi mustered twelve of his men, and they were able to dispatch the king of Gaash and his men without trouble. Seeing them going down in defeat, the king of Shiloh attempted to come to the rescue, but Jacob killed him with a single arrow. Seeing the fall of the three strongest kings, the other four began to flee, seeing that they could never defeat Jacob’s sons. The brothers pur sued them, until they caught them at the gate of Chasar (Pirathon) killing 4000 men. Jacob sought out the kings themselves, and with his arrow killed them all, one by one. As the leaderless armies attempted to flee, Jacob’s sons killed another 400 of them, but three of Jacob’s servants also fell in battle.
Realizing that all seven kings had been killed, the troops were terrified, and they sought refuge in the city Chasar. When the brothers tried to follow them into the city, four of the city’s best fighters stood upon the gates with drawn swords, letting no one pass. Naphtali, who was as light footed as an eagle, jumped to the top of the gate, and decapitated two soldiers with a single blow of his sword.The other two tried to escape, but he readily caught them and dispatched them. Entering the city, the brothers saw that it hid a double wall. The entrance to this second wall was so well concealed that they could not find it. Using all his strength, Judah clambered up the wall, followed by Simeon and Levi. The three of them killed all the troops that had sought refuge in the city, as well as all its inhabitants. They then stood on the wall and called Dan, Naphtali and the other men to enter the city and take the spoil, as well as the weapons. From the inside, they were able to show their brothers where the entrance was located, and Jacob’s sons thus plundered the city.
On the second day, the brothers came to the city Sarton, since they heard that it was preparing to attack them. The city was well fortified with high walls, and it also was surrounded by a moat 50 cubits deep and 40 cubits wide. The only way into the city was across a concealable drawbridge. When the citizens saw Jacob’s sons approaching, they lifted the drawbridge, and concealed it inside the city wall. The brothers went all around the moat and could find no way to cross over. Meanwhile, the people stoood on the wall and hurled insults at the brothers. The brothers became so angry that they jumped and climbed across the moat and were able to reach the city gate. They tried to batter it down, but could not, since it was made of iron. As they tried to take the gate, 400 Sartonite defenders stood on the wall, raining down stones and arrows on them.
The brothers then devised a plan.
Judah scaled the wall on the east, while Gad took the west wall, Simeon and Levi, the north, and Reuben the south wall. Issachar and Zebulun remained below, since they could not vault up onto the wall. While the other brothers were distracting the defenders, [Issachar and Zebulun] lit a huge fire under the gate, causing it to expand and break its hinges. When the gate fell, all of Jacob’s men were able to enter the city, and they exterminated the entire populace.
Some 200 Sartonites fled to a castle that was near the city. Judah pursued them, and with his great strength, he battered down the gate and killed them all.
While standing on the wall of Sarton, the brothers saw another city of whose existence they were not previously aware. They attacked the city without warning and found 300 men there. Most of these were killed, while a few escaped. When Simeon and Levi pursued the survivors, they suddenly encountered twelve powerful warriors, who engaged them in battle.
One of the warriors attacked Levi, and gave him a blow that could have cut off his head. Levi ducked and blocked the sword with his arm.
When the warrior began hacking at his arm, Levi grabbed the sword away from him and cut off his head.
Seeing this, the other eleven warriors attacked Levi, and there was no way for him to overcome them . Simeon came and gave such a loud yell that all of them were startled.
Hearing the yell and recognizing Simeon’s voice Judah ran to the rescue with Naphtali. When they arrived at the scene they saw that Simeon and Levi were fighting with shields that had been smashed by the warriors blows. Naphtali ran and fetched them two new shields,
Shimon, Levy and Judah thus battled against the eleven warriors until evening., but they could not overcome them. They therefore sent a message to Jacob asking him to pray for them. After a short prayer, Jacob arrived at the scene together with Naphtali, and with a single arrow, killed three of the warriors.
The other eight tried to flee, but Dan intercepted them and killed two of them. Judah and his brothers were then able to catch the others and dispatch them .
Gall and Asher meanwhile were exploring the city, when they came upon twenty young men who were hiding in a cave. These were also killed. Dan and Naphtali pursued a number of other men who had fled from the castle anal these men were also dispatched. Thus, all the men of Sarton were killed.
Many of the Sartonites were such powerful warriors that a single man could stand up against a thousand ordinary troops.
On the third day, the brothers headed toward Tapuach to occupy it, when they saw the men of that city coming to wage battle against them. After a fierce battle, the brothers made them flee to Arbelio. Four hundred emerged from Arbelio, and they fought with the brothers until evening, almost defeating them. All were expert fighters, and the women were able to man catapults, throwing huge stones at the brothers. Toward evening, however, Providence had mercy, and the brothers emerged victorious, killing all their foes.
On the fourth day they came to the city of Shakir whose men had gone out to help the men of Tapuach. The brothers wiped them out and killed all their warriors.
On the fifth day, the men of Gaash, who had allied themselves with number of Amorite kings, prepared for battle. Gaash had a triple wall, one inside the other. When the brothers came to the city, they saw over 400 soldiers on the walls, Meanwhile, thousands of warriors surrounded the city, thus surrounding the brothers on all sides. The brothers were thus trapped between the enemy troops, who were battling them on all sides. The defenders on the wall, meanwhile, were hurling stones and shooting arrows at them.
Seeing their dire situation, Judah let out a tremendous war cry, terrifying all the enemy troops. As a result, the brothers were able to over-come the enemy outside the city. Still, they could not come near the wall, since the defenders kept hurling stones and arrows without letting up. Along with the stones, the defenders began to hurl taunts and insults, jeering, “Weaklings! What business do you have fighting? You think that we are like those weaklings that you fought up until now? We could cut those ‘warriors’ up like squash. You’re nothing but a pack of curs to us, and we will now give you what you deserve!”
Judah was enraged, and he began to pray to G-d with great emotion. He became filled with strength and courage, and vaulted up onto the wall. In the process, however, he dropped his sword, and he stood on top of the wall unarmed. He then gave a war cry louder than the first, and the men on the wall were so startled that many fell off to their death. Seeing Judah without his sword, the other defenders attacked, and within moments he was surrounded by twenty men all with drawn swords. Hesitant at approaching, they screamed loudly in order to un nerve him. Judah let out a yell, summoning his brothers to help him. Seeing his son’s dire straits, Jacob took his bow, and dispatched three of Judah’s attackers. Distracting the others with his terrifying war cries, Judah was able to grab a sword and defeat the others.
Judah’s war cry was something to hear. It was louder than the roar of an infuriated lion, and all who heard it would tremble. More of this in the Portion of VaYigash.
Jacob fired his bow again; he and his sons were able to kill another ten men on the wall. Seeing thirty of their fellow defenders killed, a large number of soldiers ran toward Judah with drawn swords to take revenge. Among them was a powerful warrior named Arod. He aimed a blow with his sword at Judah’s head, but Judah parried it with his shield. 5o powerful was the blow, however, that Judah’s shield was split in two. Arod had put all of his strength into the blow, and when it was avoided he lost his balance and fell from the wall, where the brothers dispatched him at once
Although Judah had parried the blow, he was struck in the head by the sword, and was in terrible pain. He let out a piercing scream. When Dan heard it, he took a running jump and vaulted up onto the wall. Seeing two of the brothers on the wall, the defenders retreated to the second wall, where they pelted the brothers with arrows and stones. Jacob and his sons who remained below had their hands tied. Since they could not see what was happening on the wall, they dare not shoot. The defenders were now on the second wall, where there was no direct line of fire. Unable to bear the steady hail of stones and arrows, Judah and Dan leaped to the second wall. Seeing them coming, the defenders began to scream, and out of fright many fell from the wall.
Jacob and his sons began to worry about Judah and Dan. They could not see them, and had no idea what was happening. . Hearing screams they did not know what caused them. Naftali took a running leap and bounded to the top of the wall to see what was about. Meanwhile, Issachar and Zebulun began to batter down the city gates, so that all of Jacob’s men would be able to enter. Naphtali jumped from one wall the next, to help Dan and Judah. Finally the city was breached, and Jacob and his sons assembled in the city square. They went through the city, killing at will, until they had dispatched over twenty thousand men. Blood flowed all the way down to the valley near the city of Choron.
While they were still sifting through the spoils, the brothers saw three giant warriors approaching, ready for battle. One of the giants saw that Zebulun was the youngest and smallest of the brothers, and he threw him to the ground with all his strength. Jacob rushed to the defense, striking the giant under the arm with his sword, literally slicing him in half. The top half of the body actually fell on Zebulun. The second giant attacked Jacob, but Simeon and Levi hacked at his legs with their swords and knocked him down. When he used his immense strength to try to get up, Judah split his head in two with a single blow from his sword.
The third giant saw two of his companions killed, but he had nothing but his bare hands with which to fight. He ran into the city, found a sword, and rushed back to battle the brothers. Seeing that Judah had put down his shield for a moment, the giant aimed a blow at his head. As quick as lightning, Naphtali took his shield and absorbed the blow, which was so powerful that the sword shattered in two. Simeon and Levi rushed into the fray, and hacked the giant to pieces.
The men of Beth Choron then approached. They had seen the river of blood flowing toward them and had become very outraged. They said, “What will people say? A small band of Hebrews causing such a great slaughter!” They took their strongest warriors and surprised the brothers in the middle of the night. The brothers were in great distress, since there were not night warriors. They began to pray, and God made the people of Churon confused, so they began to kill each other in the dark. Jacob and his sons continued to Beit Huron and rested outside the city, while their enemies fought each other all that night.
In the morning the brothers went and sent the survivors away.
On the sixth day they attacked Beit Horon itself, a city whose population was as numerous as the sands. The battle lasted half a day, but in the end, the city was wiped out. With that, the war was over. None of their enemies survived. They took the booty, the cattle and the weapons from these seven cities and returned to Shechem. They did not immediately enter the city, because they had reason to fear an ambush. Instead they camped in the plot of land that Jakov bought from Chamor. They stayed there for ten days, but when they saw no one coming to attack them, they entered the city itself.
News of this war spread around the world. Wherever people heard about it they were amazed. People said: “Have you ever heard the like? One man and his ten sons defeated seven kings and thousands of men without losing a single casualty.” Everyone was very scared of Jacob and his sons.
The king of Hebron, whose name was Yafia, sent a secret message and summoned six other kings: the king of Ai, the king of Gibeon, the king of Salem (Jerusalem), the king of Adullam, the king of Lachish and the king. of Chazor. He also sent similar messages to the kings of the other Canaanite city-states. His intention was to make peace with Jacob.
His message to all the kings was: “You must come quickly. We must make Jacob consider us as his friends. Otherwise, he might think we are his enemies and wage war against us as well. Each king should bring three advisers, and each adviser will have three assistants. We will all prostrate before Jacob and ask him to accept us.
The preparations took forty days, and all the kings gathered in Hebron. In total there were 21 kings, 63 advisers and 189 assistants.” [Total 273 people). They all agreed that the King of Hebron would be their spokesman.
When Jacob and his sons heard about this meeting, they sent four. of their servants to reconnoiter the situation. When they reported that a total of 288 men were on their way, the brothers girded themselves for battle, thinking it was an attack. When they encountered the king of Hebron, however, he immediately prostrated himself to them and explained that he had merely come to make peace. Suspecting of treachery, they searched the other kings, but when they found them to be unarmed, and submissive, , they realized that they had no bad intent. They made a peace treaty, and the 22 kings agreed to pay the sons of Jacob an annual tax.
This battle took place in 2223 (1538 BCE) when Jacob was 115 years old. The Torah does not speak about this war because it involved hidden miracles. It was indeed a great miracle that eleven men fought such a great battle and none of them were killed. This demonstrates how God protects those who fear Him, protects them from their enemies and gives them much good
******Jacob sent the following letter to the Viceroy of Egypt, (Yosef):
From your servant, Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham the first priest, to the mighty wise ruler, Tzaphanath Paaneach, viceroy of Egypt:
Greetings of peace. As you know, my lord, the famine has been very severe in the land of Canaan, and I am forced to send my sons to your land to procure some food to sustain us. There are seventy men in our household, and I am very old, not just from years, but from troubles. My eyes are heavy with tears, weeping for my darling son Joseph, who disappeared suddenly and has now been gone for 22 years. I have not forgotten him for a moment.
I ordered my sons not to go through the same gate when they came to the Egyptian capital. I also told them to go through all the city, each one taking a different street, looking for my son Joseph. Maybe they would be fortunate and would find him in some forsaken place.
As a result, you accused them of being spies, and spoke to them harshly. You do not do that to anyone else. People come from the ends of the earth to buy grain, and they buy what they need and return home without anyone asking them a thing.
I am all the more surprised, because I have heard of your good reputation. I hear that you are wise and intelligent, and that you interpreted Pharaoh’s dream perfectly, predicting this terrible famine. How is it possible for you to make such a mistake as to suspect my sons of being spies? One look at their faces should have told you that they are not that kind of men.
Now, your excellency, I am sending you my son Benjamin as you have ordered. I plead with you that you take good care of him until he returns to me with his brothers. Remember your history. You must know what my G-d to an earlier Pharoh who took my grandmother Sarah,and to Abimelekh who took her to his palace for just one night. You certainly heard how my grandfather Abraham fought against the four kings and was able to defeat them all. He wiped out their entire army.
I am sure that you have also heard how two of my sons, Simeon and Levi massacred the entire city of Shechem because of their sister Dinah as well as their defeat of the eight Amorite kings. All of these involved super natural miracles. Our G-d is omnipotent, and He listens to our prayers.
I swear to you that when my sons came and told me that you had falsely accused them and had imprisoned Simeon, I was ready to lift my eyes in prayer.
If two tears had run from my eyes, it would have made dust and ashes out of you and all your kingdom. I said to myself that since my son Simeon is in your power, I would not harm you. Patience is a virtue.
Now my sons are coming to you with Benjamin. Be careful to treat them well, and when they are ready, let them come home. God will then make you famous and protect you from all evil. Peace
1000 Israelis gather for historic symposium on Jewish resettlement in Gaza.
Jews from around Israel attended a historic symposium emphasizing the importance of Jewish settlements in Gaza. ‘In enemy eyes, everyone is a settler. “ This writer took a look at the audience in the conference.
As it so happens, seniors often are involved in seminars for information and cannot be relied upon to move to a front line community like Gaza. So it’s hard to say how many in the crowd were serious.
Lital Slonim, head of the Political Desk and Public Relations in the Nachala Movement, spoke about the link between security and Jewish settlement:
The Nachala Settlement Movement led by Daniella Weiss and the Samaria Regional Council rebuilt Evyatar in the aftermath of a May 2021 terror attack. 1,424 people have been killed to Palestinian violence since September 2000. (30.5.2023)
“These days, many people already understand the connection between living securely in the land of Israel, and encouraging Jewish settlement in Judea, Samaria, the north and the south.
It’s already been proven beyond the shadow of a doubt, that in order to provide national security to the entire country, we need to ensure Jewish settlement.
Rabbis, members of the Knesset, and over 1000 attendees have demonstrated overwhelming sovereign support for reclaiming and resettling the Gaza Strip.”MK Tally Gotliv emphasized the strategic importance of embracing the entire land of Israel: “Our enemies do not desire life. The only thing that matters to these murderers is their perception of the land.
I call upon our government to immediately establish a security wall and tower in the northern strip of Gaza. A right-wing government that doesn’t create a discourse referring to the entire Land of Israel is not right-wing.”
MK Ariel Kallner spoke about moving beyond Oslo: “Everyone is talking about a concept that has fallen apart. The root of all evil that we’ve experienced is the misconception of Oslo followed by the disengagement from Gush Katif, and followed by the perception that Jewish settlement is a security burden. It’s essential that we uproot these misconceptions from their roots and return to Zionist values.In enemy eyes, everyone is a settler. According to our enemies, we don’t have any right to existence. The only way to subdue and conquer this evil is to encourage and enable Jewish settlement throughout all of Israel.”
The Nachala Movement emphasized that “in the book of Judges after G’d gave Gaza to the tribe of Judah, they did not succeed in driving out all those inhabitants who had chariots of iron.
Fast-forward 3000 years, and the people of Israel are engaged in a war in Gaza called Swords of Iron. With G’d’s help, the nation of Israel will overcome her enemies and reestablish sovereignty in Gaza.”
A few days ago I attended the Pinyan Ha Ben for the firstborn of friend’s children (original) from SouthAfrica.
At my table was a female General Practitioner who works for one of the HMO’s in Gilo, a a suburb of Jerusalem, close to Arab Israeli villages. She observed that half the staff are Arb in her Clalit center and data indicated that physicians from the Arab sector entering the system has risen and now accounts for 30% of the new physicians in Israel. The proportion of active Arab physicians are approaching their proportion of the population which is 21%. According to the female physician that I spoke with, her impression is that the figure is 50% in Gilo.
Remember the first time you listened to Eric Clapton? If you haven’t, listen to J.J.Cale, Call Me The Breeze. I can listen to it again and again. Maybe listening increases serotonin?
Now I really see the interest this study arouses because Serotonin is the joy secretion.
The effect of losing “get-up-and-go” neuron inspiration is a loss of the fundamental of being human, “bipedalism”. The Long Covid brain fog ties directly into the gastrointestinal bulwark of life and neurotransmitter’s horsepower that prevents malaise. Virus pathogenesis (persistence) is devastating when embedded in the delicate intestines. One might suspect autoimmune consequences as well or misery on steroids. A “Long Covid” epidemic might be with earthlings forevermore.
Who knew that our serotonin reserves were so limited and devastatingly consequential.
I am inclined to believe in the phrase “garbage in garbage out”. If one exercises results come with patience depending on the effort. I cannot recommend that Yoga is for everyone, but it is good for me. The practice of 1hour and a half almost everyday is what gets me going. You can easily put together a series of standing poses ( I have repetitious sun salutations and breathing stretches done slowly) . The standing session consists of about 10 poses with variations and that takes about 40 minutes. Floor movements are also slow and take about 30 minutes ending with relaxation breathing of 20 minutes. I started about two months ago practicing Yoga at home for 10 minutes using the routine that I had been taught by Shula my Yoga instructor. Then slowly increased to session. An additional benefit is that I do not need a sleep machine. I was diagnosed with sleep apnea and used a positive pressure machine for about 20 years. I decided to try sleeping without it, and over several weeks, the waking up during the night reduced to once or twice and feel overall energetic.Yoga breathing can help sleep apnea by strengthening upper airway muscles. Although not a direct treatment for sleep apnea, Yoga breathing exercises help strengthen, tone and open the upper airway muscles which can help reduce the symptoms of sleep apnea.
BEET & SWEET POTATO LATKES
The Nosher Staff
YIELD: 15 LATKES
These brightly hued latkes made with beets, carrots and sweet potatoes are as delicious as they are beautiful to look at. The additional sugar in the beet and sweet potato can cause them to burn more easily, so watch carefully when frying.
INGREDIENTS:Any ratio you wish
DIRECTIONS
1. Using a hand grater or food processor, coarsely grate the beet, sweet potato and carrot. Set aside in a large bowl.
2. Heat 3-4 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.
3. Drain excess liquid from vegetable mixture. Add eggs, matzah meal, or flax meal instead of eggs. (or flour) and salt and pepper to vegetable mixture.
4. Using your hands or a large soup spoon, form patties. Fry on each side until golden brown, around 4 minutes each side.
5. Remove from the pan and add a pinch of salt on each latke. Note: You may need to add a little extra oil in between frying each batch.
6. Serve while warm with applesauce and sour cream.
This war has initiated changes in all of us. We are now comfortable being Jewish. We want to do something for the “Cause”, rather than to make our individual lives better. Gone is the idea that what motivate me is solely my needs: I don’t have to focus on my needs or my offsprings. (Rabbi Manis Friedman). Now we can focus on the job of Jews. With the defeat of Hamas, the whole world is focused on us. What should we say to the world? We ARE THE Jewish people and we speak to the world. Don’t state the obvious, that we have a right to defend ourselves. Don’t say that Israel is the only Democracy in the Middle East. Democracy only works when it is practiced by people who obey the Ten Commandments. As long as America was Bible based it flourished. That is a Democracy based on a Foundation. Every Jew in the world must speak up for moral integrity. We never saw this coming. However, secular education, a liberal arts education, is demoralizing. This is a crisis. For many years, we relied on two sources for morality, religion and education. We discovered that during WW11 that the more educated were more monstrous than THE UNEDUCATED.
Now we see that the barbarous acts were done by religious and educated. WE are living in an age of neutral, a lack of morality. Neither here no there. WE see that the whole world today is not horrified. The focus is on Jews, because we are the only ones with a morality.
WE know who we are. We are the chosen people. We have the entire Book of Genesis, which proclaims that the world was created by G-d and the Jewish People have a small place bequeathed for all eternity.
WE have atheists proclaiming Jews.
But not always. Just let a group shout invectives about the Jewish people. A professor at Columbia stood up against the shouting demonstrators. The next day he came to class. A studentsaid to the professor, “Welovedthatyou, stood up. We know that you are one of thechosenpeople.We want to hear your message”. 1)Don’t think about your needs. Think about the needs of Hashem’s worlds. Whose world are you fixing, TO G-d, I am an Atheist. He says, I don’t need you any more. Our society has technology. I am the new G-d. G-d says can you make a man out of dust? Man grabs some dust. No says G-d, not MY dust. So you can make man only from MY substance.
2. Yes clean up the world so it is a G-dy world.
3) Don’t be needy. Be needed. Be outside yourself.
What then WILL we do when there is no more Evil? The world of Mashiach will be times of being authentic, an do (Jews) tell the world what they can do to help. With the authority of a Chosen people. You are needed , not needy.
A few days after the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war, I (Alan had an article published in these pages giving people some general tips and suggestions on how to deal with weight gained during the holiday period, and how to get back on track to shed weight and promote better health. Like all of my Jerusalem Post articles, it later appeared on social media.
One person who commented was very upset that this article was posted while we were in the grips of a national tragedy and a war. First of all, this article had been prepared for publication before the Sukkot holiday even started. Second, and I think far more important, our health cannot take a back seat even when the worst of the worst has happened.
It is especially important in the most stressful and pressured times, that we strive to keep our health intact. Those stressful times are exactly when we turn to food, especially poor-quality food.
What is it about being under stress or great emotional burden that causes many people to turn to food for relief?
Let’s first establish one important fact. Food will never take the place of problem-solving or working through an issue. In our current situation, no matter how many donuts, pieces of cake, or chips you eat, it will not have any positive or negative impact on the IDF’s current offensive.
Food poisoning from junk food (illustrative) (credit: INGIMAGE)
Junk food will make our problems worse, not make them go away
It is true that food tastes good and brings pleasure from taste and texture, and it is also a mechanism for social integration. But, physiologically, food serves two basic purposes. First, it is the main mechanism for putting needed nutrients in our bodies; second, food can resolve hunger (real hunger, not emotional hunger).
While random eating might make us feel “good” for a few minutes, turning to food, especially highly processed junk food, will not solve other problems, and it certainly can cause many. Research has taught us that the three main ingredients for both comfort and addiction are salt, sugar, and fat. Further, combining fat with either sugar or salt enhances the addictive power. Advertisement
DURING THE COVID-19 pandemic, many gained weight. A Harvard University study of 15 million people looked at weight changes the year before the start of the pandemic, and then after one year.
As it turns out, 39% of patients gained weight during the pandemic, with weight gain defined as above the normal fluctuation of 2.5 pounds. Approximately 27% gained less than 12.5 pounds, and about 10% gained more than 12.5 pounds, with 2% gaining over 27.5 pounds.
In her research regarding eating habits during the pandemic, Manhattan Community College Health Education Department chairperson Lesley Rennis states that “strong emotional states make us turn to comfort food to feel safe and in control. Comfort foods not only taste good, they actually lessen the impact of stress hormones.”
How? Eating sweet and starchy food helps our bodies make serotonin, which makes us feel calmer, and decreases the stress hormone cortisol. Several studies show that people feel less stressed and anxious after consuming carbohydrate-rich foods. Rennis says fatty foods, like cheese, have a numbing effect, which helps decrease the emotional response to stress.
Different people are attracted to different hyper-palatable foods. This is any food which for any individual creates a situation for always wanting more of that food. Maybe you remember the old Lays potato chip commercial: “Bet you can’t eat just one!”
For many, it can be the potato chip. For some, chocolate, and believe it or not, even something like chicken can be called hyper-palatable. All substances of abuse cause the brain to release high levels of dopamine. This release can be two to 10 times the amount our brain releases normally, giving the user a sense of a “rush” or “high.”
Even though we get an increase in serotonin and dopamine, and that makes us feel happy and good for a short time, there is a lot of baggage that comes with most of the hyper-palatable food. These are usually foods high in sugar, fat, and cholesterol.
Just like reaching for a cigarette, drinking alcohol, or snorting cocaine can bring good feelings, food can do the same; and similarly, the long-term ramifications of overconsumption can be devastating.
THERE ARE plenty of ways to deal with stressful situations, which I enumerated in my previous article. Food should not be one of them. But this brings us back to the criticism I received. Living a healthy lifestyle, such as trying our best to incorporate the six precepts of lifestyle medicine into my life, is a full-time job.
It applies during finals for students, during stressful periods in the workplace, during pandemics, and even during a war. If you are a soldier on the battlefront, you are eating what they give you, and there isn’t a choice (although I know of many who are going out of their way to send healthy food).
But for the rest of us, sacrificing our health will only make things worse. So eating a plant-predominant diet, trying to be active and exercising, sleeping enough (I know it’s hard, I too have a child in the reserves), controlling our stress through appropriate means, not abusing substances, and maintaining our social relationships are integral. We aren’t going to be perfect – it’s not a perfect time – but every effort we can make will pay dividends. Avoid hyper palatable foods –combine high levels of fat sugar sodium or carbohydrates. They trigger the brain’s reward system and encourage excessive eating. Sweetness, saltiness or richness; stay away.
I can’t emphasize enough the power of exercise for both physical and mental health. Daily brisk walks do wonders. If you can add some muscle-building and stretching, the effects are even better.
We are all in this together. Let’s help each other during this period, so when we make it to the other side, our health won’t be any more compromised than it needs to be. Making health a full-time job will “add hours to your day, days to your year, and years to your life.”
The writer is a health and wellness coach and personal trainer with more than 25 years of professional experience. He is the director of The Wellness Clinic. He can be reached at alan@alanfitness.com.
Doron Katz Asher, an Israeli-German Citizen , 34, and her two daughters Raz, four, and Aviv, two, were taken captive while staying with relatives near the Gaza border. Doron’s husband, Yoni, saw a video of his wife and daughters being loaded on to a truck with other hostages. I fear that such re-unions will not be seen again.
Image caption, Yoni Asher embraces his wife Doron and their daughter Raz, four, and Aviv, two, after their release
“I am determined to bring about the resurrection of my family from the trauma and the terrible bereavement we went through,” Mr Asher told the BBC following their release.
“I don’t celebrate, I won’t celebrate until the last of the kidnapped returns,” he said.
“The families of the kidnapped are not posters, they are not slogans, they are real people, and the families of the kidnapped are from today my new family, and I will make sure and do everything that the last of the kidnapped comes home.”
Ninja Breakfast To Keep You Going all day. It has been a WHILE since this blogger talked about food and recipes. A few blogs back mention was made to stay away from salt, sugar and fats. All of us are stretched and stressed. I recommend using the Ninja to make your own Steel cut grains. Packages of Steel cut oats are available in America but not in Israel. The trick is to have an ample supply of the groats in your pantry. I keep a supply of oat, wheat, rye, and spelt whole grains. The packages are each 500 grams. Some health food stores provide the grains in barrels.The wheat I ground unto flour. The kitchen aide grain mill attachment was given to me by someone who decided it took up too much room in her kitchen. So today Henry Penny ground up wheat for 3 lbs. of dough in order to make the bracha over Challah.
The Ninja will grind the groats to a flour cracker consistency. I keep the cracker mixture in the fridge.
The amount per serving is 4 tablespoons mixed with two tablespoons of Goat or Buffalo yogurt. Include some of the clear liquid. Add some boiling water, mix and place the bowel in the fridge overnight. This combination of calcium and grains breaks downthe grains.
Instructions: In the morning after exercise: Add some cinnamon to taste to the soggy bowl contents, stir.
Set microwave to 100%. start for 1 minute, check, stir and repeat after stirring.Since I am active and require more protein, I’ll add an egg and repeat the process. Can also ad leftover lentils, or beans or goat cheese, ground buts, seeds (sesame, flax, sunflower, pumpkin). Remove from microwave and add some sliced banana. This breakfast is very satisfying and keeps me satiated until my next meal 5 hours later.
Ingredients
For the Almond Snacking Cheese Roll
1 cup blanched almonds-place almonds in pot of boiling water, drain and place a second time in boiling water. When comfortable to handle press the almond and the peel will squeeze off.
Add the almonds to a food processor (I used the smaller bowl fitting in my food processor). Blend until the almonds are finely ground but don’t over blend or it will start turning to almond butter! Now add the remaining ingredients to the ground almonds and blend to combine, stopping to scrape the sides down as needed, until it’s as smooth as possible.
Scoop the mixture into the prepared mold, use a spatula to compress firmly, and smooth the top. Place on a baking paper sheet and compress into a log shape.
Gramman dedicated to Joanne Weiss on her 90th Birthday.
Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters swarmed the streets surrounding Rockefeller Center on Wednesday, clashing with NYPD cops and chanting “River to the sea,” long seen as an antisemitic slogan, in an effort to support Gaza by derailing the annual tree lighting.
Waving Palestinian flags and signs calling for the “end to genocide,” the rallyers gathered along Sixth Avenue alongside hordes of tourists waiting in line to see the iconic ceremony.
Unable to get to the NYC Christmas tree, the enormous crowd instead swarmed around the tree outside the News Corp building, which houses The Post and Fox News, and which has already been targeted by pro-Palestinian protesters on at least two occasions.
“Free, free Palestine!” the protesters chanted.
One rallier was seen climbing on top of the pillar bearing the building’s address, and another was seen carrying a massive sign bearing a swastika, comparing the Israel Defense Forces to Nazis.
People who like to draw serious political cartoons for a living – people like me – have to be extra careful in these divisive times.
In just the last month three major newspapers – the Washington Post, the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Guardian in Britain – have pulled down or decided not to publish cartoons drawn by the best editorial cartoonists in the world.
Michael Ramirez, Monte Wolverton and Steve Bell each bravely applied their talents and opinions to the brutal war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas that started Oct. 7.
For their troubles, they were charged with being Islamophobic, anti-Semitic or racist by readers, their fellow journalists and editorial boards. Bell was even fired.
The most recent example was at the Washington Post, where my good friend (of Daryl Cagle). Michael Ramirez ran his caricature of a Hamas spokesman, Ghazi Hamadi, in a suit with five women and children roped to his body.
“How dare Israel attack civilians…” the Hamas spokesman was saying.
You’d think it’d be easy for anyone to get the point Ramirez was making. Many cartoonists have used the same idea of Hamas or Hezbollah wearing children as human shields, including me.
But many readers immediately expressed outrage on social media and bombarded the paper’s comment section from their silos.
Ramirez was charged with excusing Israel’s war crimes and pushing Israeli military talking points and accused of being a racist for his malicious, offensive and “grotesque caricature” of a Palestinian.
The reader outrage was so intense that the boss of the Post’s opinion section, David Shipley, “re-evaluated” his decision.
He didn’t just pull it down from the paper’s web site. He issued an apology for having “missed something profound, and divisive” and published a selection of critical comments by readers.
Ramirez ably defended himself on Michael Smerconish’s Nov. 11 show on CNN.
Calling the charges against him “ridiculous,” he said, “The cartoon was very specific. It pointed out the hypocrisy of an organization that uses civilians as shields” and said his critics “used the race card as a way to eliminate a contrary political opinion they don’t agree with.”
I Cagle, agree with Ramirez. It was outrageous how quickly – and abjectly — the Post caved to the complaints of its noisiest, most partisan and most sensitive readers.
What happened last month at the Philadelphia Inquirer to my good friend Monte Wolverton was another example of how careful editorial cartoonists have to be today.
My small business represents Wolverton and syndicates his work. His Oct. 18 cartoon showed an oversized Israeli army boot crushing Hamas terrorists.
It ran in many other newspapers without any complaints, but the Inquirer reconsidered and decided to take it down and apologize because its editors thought the cartoon reinforced “pernicious anti-Semitic tropes about Israeli aggression.”
I (Eagle) suggested to Monte that he withdraw the cartoon and apologize for it because I think any big military boot in an editorial cartoon could be seen as a Nazi boot and portraying Jews as Nazis is an anti-Semitic trope.
The most outlandish – and unjustified — case of cartoon cancelling happened to the highly respected Steve Bell of the Guardian newspaper in Britain. He was fired after 40 years at the paper, over a cartoon that was never even published.
His fatal cartoon depicted Benjamin Netanyahu carving the map of Gaza on his bare belly with a scalpel and saying “Residents of Gaza get out now.” The cartoon drew upon a famous photo of Lyndon Johnson, lifting his shirt to show a scar from a recent surgery, which formed the basis for a famous cartoon by David Levine, with LBJ showing a scar shaped like Vietnam on his belly – an image familiar to all cartoonists and a good analogy. Gaza is Netanyahu’s Vietnam.
Bell quoted his bosses as saying the cartoon could be seen as anti-Semitic because somehow they believed it was playing on the “pound of flesh” line spoken by Shylock, the Jewish moneylender in Shakespeare’s 1596 play The Merchant of Venice.
On my “Caglecast” podcast I asked the top three editorial cartoonists in Israel if Bell’s cartoon qualified as anti-Semitic and they agreed it wasn’t even close. Declaring Bell’s cartoon anti-Semitic was a ridiculous stretch. (Cagle doesn’t explain who are the Israeli Cartoonists he asked). See blow
From PARTNERS IN Kindness blog: (The writer) My father grew up in an observant Jewish home. When he was in his teens he rebelled against his father’s ways, and became an ardent fan of jazz music, which was not a part of his Orthodox roots. He went away to college, in the Midwest, and then enlisted in the Army Air Force, and, ultimately, married and raised his children–my two sisters and my brother—and so, had to leave his religious observance fully behind.
My parents raised me in a secular, yet morally instructive way. But I was a rebellious and wild young man, just like my father, through my adolescence and teenage years. He was unable to rebuke me, as perhaps he should have, not just because he felt hypocritical; for, mainly, after all, he loved me very much.
In the year 1981, when I was just 26 years old, I lived in a halfway house in Boston, after having been discharged from a psychiatric hospital. The rent for the home was a financial burden for my father, and though I was working at a local drug store, I was unable to pull my weight. And on top of it all, I was altering my lifestyle to become an Orthodox Jew.
This was a source of tremendous conflict for my dad; perhaps he felt contrition for the way he had gone against his fathers’ path of Faith.
On my 27th birthday, at Passover time, he came to visit me and to take me out to a kosher deli in Brookline to celebrate. Although I was struggling, I strove to “keep it together,” to fulfill my obligation to honor him.
I had read, and had been deeply moved by, the story in the Torah about how our Forefather Jacob had sought his father Isaac’s blessing. We were parked outside the home, and as I felt so wonderful, he was treating me—I was subsisting on tuna fish and herbal tea, the only food that was kosher at home or at work—I decided to ask my father for his blessing, just like Jacob did. In my mind I begged him to overlook my woeful life circumstances. I knew my sisters and my brother were more accomplished and healthier than I.
My Dad, who hadn’t practiced Judaism for nearly 50 years, leaned forward over the steering wheel, and whispered the Hebrew word, “Yiverechacha.” It means “You shall be blessed,” and is the first word of the Priestly Blessing pronounced by the Cohanim in the Holy Temple, and on Jewish Festivals.
This blessing which my dad gave me with a full heart, has sustained me through my life, making it possible for me to achieve recovery; become successful in my work and in my marriage; and to be a member of my Jewish community. Furthermore, this blessing has inspired me to pray daily for the welfare, health, and happiness of my family. Thank G-d, they enjoy meaningful and serendipitous lives; but, most of all, they have continued to love me and give their own blessings to me and my wife, who have flourished and enjoyed each other for nearly 30 years.
The Winter Cathedral at Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s annual Lightscape show (all photos by Liz Ligon)
Brooklyn Botanic Garden invites you to Lightscape, a magical mile-long illuminated trail with new works of art that promises to be an immersive and amazing experience for visitors of all ages. Lightscape has fast become NYC’s contemporary classic for the holidays, offering an imaginative, joyful spin on winter traditions. The expanded and reimagined trail builds on the natural beauty of Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s landscapes, trees, water features, and architectural details, taking visitors on an otherworldly nighttime journey through 18 installations while enjoying seasonal treats and festive music. The crowd favorite Winter Cathedral returns near the trail’s end, but almost all works of light art this year are brand new to the garden.
This year’s Lightscape is complete with a newly curated playlist featuring Taylor Swift, Elton John, Philip Glass, and Viter Ukrainian Folk Choir among others, as well as a Brooklyn hip-hop zone celebrating the genre’s 50th anniversary. Pop-up dining areas throughout the trail offer hot buttered rum, s’mores in a jar, homemade donuts, and other seasonal treats and warm beverages. Allow an hour to 90 minutes for your visit.
Lightscape runs from November 17, 2023, through January 1, 2024. On select Value Nights, adult tickets are just $24.
I suggest that you visit the Partners in Kindness website. The last tube showed that we can’t put medical labels on new boens’.
My dear soldier,* Sent to Aisha Ha Torah I can picture you in my mind, a child of love, an offspring of Hashem with a holy soul. You know this week we learn of our forefather Yaakov, who studied for 14 years in the Yeshivah of Shem and Ever. Shem had lived through the time of the flood and seen the degradation to which humanity had succumbed. Yaakov needed to learn of the ways of Galut, as he was raised in the holy family of Yitchak. So here, what is the meaning? When a Jew goes out in the world in every encounter he brings sparks of holiness. He raises light. I know you are from a very holy place, a loving family and a warm community. I want to give you a blessing for a holy. restful, Shabat, a Shabat of clarity, and renewal. May your heart stay open to love. I am a grandmother and great grandmother. My grandson.Naftali Golshevsky is now in Nahal training. Maybe you will meet this Charedi youngster of 18. Fondly, Chava Farkash Cirota.
This is the kind of sale I would definitely attend. I’d walk in and show off some of my hand knitted creations. And the ladies would go gaga. Sunday Dec 3rd 11-to 3 Family Lancy: 401 Central Avenue Cedarhurst, NY
My brother’s niece Batyah Cohen in Israel collecting for her son and his unit From: joseph schikman Date: Mon, 20 Nov 2023 14:49:58 PST
To. Hillcrest community
My brother’s niece Batyah Cohen in Israel..
Is personally collecting and shopping (or having others shop)for her son’s unit in the Israeli army.
“My son’s unit is one of the units that is in charge of guarding cities in Yehuda and Shomron. Many of these cities are surrounded by villages that have become increasingly hostile as the war progresses. Right now his unit is looking to get knee pads but any unused funds will go towards rain and winter gear as the weather turns. Knee pads are $35 a pair and thermals and rain gear tend to be in the $15-$20 range. If you’re interested in contributing towards his unit, donations can be made via Venmo- https://venmo.com/code?user_id=2630673449877504191 Or PayPal @sarahbatyah
נפש ב נפש מציעה טיסות חינם להורה אחד שיבקר את ילדו החייל הבודד בישראל. העבירו את זה לכל מי שאתם מכירים שזה יהיה שימושי עבורו https://www.nbn.org.il/operation-hug/
Nefesh B Nefesh is offering free flights for 1 parent to visit their lone soldier child in Israel. Pass it on to anyone you know that this will be useful for https://www.nbn.org.il/operation-hug/
Benefit for Jerusalem reservists
The municipality recently launched special benefits within the Jerusalem club for the reserve servants, residents of the city. The benefits will buy the reservists benefits at a number of selected eateries and restaurants in the city. The benefits are provided subject to registration with a Jerusalem club and approval from a reserve officer. After performing the operation and within five business days, the reservists will receive an SMS message with a voucher code that can be presented at the business. Among the businesses that provide benefits, you can find well-known restaurants in the city, such as Rehavia Sushi, Big Apple Pizza, Domino’s Pizza and Shoshana Bar.
“Remember,” the former secretary of state said, “there was a cease-fire on Oct. 6 that Hamas broke by their barbaric assault on peaceful civilians and their kidnapping, their killing, their beheading, their terrible, inhumane savagery.”
Those three words — “that Hamas broke” — aren’t trivial. They give the lie to the “Cease-Fire Now” mirage, or imposture, that has become a rallying cry at pro-Palestinian demonstrations. They are at the heart of what the war is about, and the key to how it can end. And they are the bright dividing line between those who would allow Hamas to get away with murder, and those who would refuse.
Why should it matter that it was Hamas that broke the cease-fire when Palestinian civilians are being killed in large numbers by Israeli bombs and bullets? Those saying that it shouldn’t matter argue that questions of culpability become secondary, if not irrelevant, when kids’ lives are at stake. If Israel has the power to save those kids by halting its campaign, goes the argument, then it has a moral obligation to do so.
But wait: Doesn’t Hamas also have the power? Hamas has a long record of firing those rockets from the vicinity of schools. It has sought to prevent ordinary Gazans from obeying evacuation orders, deliberately putting them at increased risk. It hides in a vast network of tunnels while civilians must fend for themselves above ground.
The Israeli government and Hamas agreed on Wednesday morning to a four-day cease-fire in which Hamas would free 50 of the hostages. But Hamas did that only because it’s under intense military pressure. It could get a real and lasting cease-fire for the people of Gaza — and probably safe passage out of the territory for many of its members — in exchange for releasing all the hostages, surrendering its arms and renouncing its rule in favor of some other Arab power.
That Hamas has done none of these things isn’t shocking: It’s a terrorist death cult. What’s shocking is that people in the Cease-Fire Now crowd don’t appear to have much interest in making any demands of Hamas equivalent to those they make of Israel.
They want Israel to stop firing. But do you often hear them insisting that Hamas return the favor? They want Israel to provide Gaza with humanitarian relief in the form of electricity, fuel and other goods. But I haven’t seen those protesters in the street demanding that Hamas provide Israel with humanitarian relief in the form of immediately freeing all hostages. They claim to want a “free Palestine” for all its people. But I never hear them criticize Hamas’s dictatorship, or its contempt for the civil and human rights of its own people, or its members’ avowedly antisemitic boasts of slaughtering Jews.
There is a buried, unwitting compliment to Israel in this asymmetry — an assumption that, as a Western democracy, the Jewish state is susceptible to moral suasion, public shaming, or at least diplomatic pressure in a way Hamas and its patrons in Iran aren’t.
Yet that compliment is rarely accompanied with even a gesture of respect for Israel’s grief, or the legitimacy of its grievance with Hamas, or its need to keep its citizens safe, or even its right to exist as a sovereign state. Even when Israel’s notional right to self-defense is briefly acknowledged, every exercise of it is immediately deemed a war crime, whatever the evidence.
For Israelis, what “Cease-Fire Now” means is “Surrender Now.” No wonder they decline to heed the call.
What about for Palestinians — women, children and noncombatant men for whom the calls for a cease-fire are supposedly intended? Would they benefit? In the short term, of course: Palestinian lives would be saved if Israel held its fire.
But a cease-fire wouldn’t spare just civilians. It would spare, and embolden, the main fighting force of Hamas. It would also embolden terrorist allies like Hezbollah. That’s a virtual guarantee for future mass-casualty attacks against Israel, for ever-larger Israeli retaliation, and for deeper misery for the people of Gaza. No Israeli government of any political stripe is going to allow the territory to rebuild so long as Hamas remains in charge.
That gives a second meaning to “Cease-Fire Now”: Either a demand for Israel’s total capitulation, or a recipe for a perpetual cycle of violence between a terrorist group sworn to Israel’s destruction and a Jewish state that refuses to be destroyed. Whatever else one thinks of Israel, no country can be expected to sign its own death warrant by indulging those who, if given the chance, would annihilate it.
There are good intentions, if also ignorance and shortsightedness, among many of those demanding a cease-fire. But there is also the bottomless cynicism of others who accept, and even celebrate, Hamas as it uses living Gazans as human shields and dead Gazans as propaganda victories. The tragedy of these protests, like so many “antiwar” movements in the past, is that the naïve and earnest are again being manipulated as tools of the cunning and cruel.
Instead of Cease-Fire Now, we need Hamas’s Defeat Now. Only on that basis does a lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinians alike have any chance to follow.
Morton Williams Supermarket has been targeted with anti-Israel, antisemitic boycotts and destruction of property at the Columbia University location.
JCRC-NY calls upon New Yorkers to support Morton Williams Supermarkets! Recently the Jewish owned supermarket chain, Morton Williams, has been targeted with anti-Israel, antisemitic boycotts and destruction of property at the Columbia University location. The chain, a community staple, has been named to the Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace BDS list, resulting in two Columbia students entering the store at 2941 Broadway, defacing Israeli products and verbally assaulting the store employees. Read more about the attack here. Co-owner Avi Kaner stated “You have a right to your opinion. You don’t have a right to deface private property. These actions are blatantly antisemitic. They have to be called out.”We urge you to join us in BUYING OUT the Israeli product section and doing all of your Thanksgiving shopping at Morton Williams Supermarkets! Show your appreciation for Morton Williams and their continued support for Israel and the Jewish community!
It is my understanding that you are scheduled to show the film Israelism on your campus. It is greatly alarming, as not only is it a film made with a very clear agenda – to delegitimize Jewish support for Israel – but it is of particular danger to the Jewish students on campus specifically in these polarized times.
The film Israelism is not educational. It is not inclusive. It is not portraying an interesting viewpoint but rather simply promotes anti-Israel sentiment. There is never a time to air this film, but especially not at a time when the ADL reports that incidents of harassment, vandalism and assaults against Jews have increased by 388 percent over the same time last year. It truly saddens and hurts me that your institution thinks this is acceptable.
The movie openly gives justification to those shouting “Kill the Jews”, “Globalize the Intifada” etc. Showing this movie denies reality, incites further terror and violence and opens up for more bloodbaths — and opens up a major security risk on your campus for Jewish students. Just consider the quickness of groups of students blaming Israel for the murderous orgy and abduction of nearly 250 babies, children, teens, adults and seniors, on October 7. Before Israel even had time to react, to get a clear picture of the scope of the damage, students on US campuses were in full defensive mode. Please do not allow your campus to be a platform for terrorist ideology.
Morton Williams 
savyatseventy 