Exodus Magazine - June 2021 by Exodus Magazine

#224 | June 2021 • Tammuz 5781

‫ב”ה‬ ‫ב''ה‬

Commu

НОЯБРЬ 2020

Community Newsletter

JUNE 2021 | TAMMUZ

CALENDAR

28 SIVAN FARBRENGEN

MON.

07/20

12-13 TAMMUZ FARBRENGEN

page 13

KISLEV 5781

OGRAMS. VENTS & PR UPCOMING E I N R E V I E W. THE MONTH

5781

2 1 J U N E 2 0

COMMUNITY

Part, the at Earl Bales usually held by request. As BAOMER PARADE a large gathering ods in the GTA DRIVE-BY LAG BaOmer festival, Drive, over 160 different neighborho traditional Lag to Major Mackenzie traveled through their Lag In lieu of the a parade that all the way north Dozens of families ordered JRCC organized its way from North York is traditional were distributed. Lag BaOmer able to the parade wound and over 400 gift packages food truck along the way. forward to being visited that it delivered via families were Though we look demonstrated to go and had of one’s fellow. drive-by parade BaOmer barbecue unity and love Jewish spirit. Jewish pride, this year’s innovative the flame of the associated with extinguish place next year, can one in that nothing celebrate all togetherall circumstances, and S under we are united SHAVUOT PROGRAM School Hebrew The JRCC Wonderland hosted a Shavuot via Zoom virtual program Shavuot on of even on the 16 for children Sunday, May their families. ages 3 to 9 and registered in who Participants packages advance received interactive for the with supplies component of arts and crafts including the the program, Torah and an building of a Sinai treat. The edible Mount l event was fun and educationa uniquely by the highlighted

CANDL E LIGHTI NG TIMES Friday, June 4,

2021

Friday, June 11,

2021

Friday, June 18,

2021

2021 25, 2021 June Friday, June

The Jewish Russian Community Centre of Ontario Serving Canada's Jewish Russian Community Since 1980

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8:37 PM 8:41 PM 8:44 PM PM 8:455781 / Tammuz

to COVID-19 that strictly adhered to hear a live of Rabbi B. entertainment hosted services an opportunity as well) engaging musical several JRCC branches especially children, itself, than a few adults On Shavuot community members, participated (and more stilling giving who tradition. ents. Children protocols while a modern Shavuot Ten Commandm has become reading of the as part of what A SPECIAL LECTURE enjoyed ice cream of 12th yahrzeit In honor of the of blessed Shloimele Zaltzman, presented JRCC memory, the moving lecture and profound a of “The Human on the topic nt and AfterSoul, Bereaveme Plotkin Avraham Rabbi Life” by Dozens of Chabad Markham. in the of people participated with Zoom, via virtual lecture online for the many staying question and fascinating that followed. answer session to Rabbi Plotkin Thank you lecture, and for the engaging for their to all the participants evening for all. a meaningful in making this thoughtful contribution

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think! again. June 2021 • Tammuz 5781

5 | JEWISH SOUL

The Question of Conversion

8 | LIFE ON EARTH

Praying for Our Enemies?

According to the Torah a Jew is only a person born to a Jewish mother, or a proselyte who had been converted in conformity with the exact procedure laid down in the authoritative codes of Judaism.

Am I to pray for the brutal demise of the enemy, or for his salvation? Welcome to the inscrutable world of Judaism, where there are so few issues on which an honest, educated Jew cannot be conflicted.

— From the Rebbe's letters

— by Tzvi Freeman

editorial jewish soul made you think jewish thought life on earth first person ask the rabbi our community

6 | MADE YOU THINK

Why I am a Jew

10 | FIRST PERSON

The Ache in my Heart

The deepest question any of us can ask is: Who am I? The most fateful moment in my life came when I asked myself that question and knew the answer had to be: I am a Jew. This is why.

Perhaps I must apologize for not having risen to greater spiritual heights. For if I had attained these heights, then perhaps my spiritual connection with the Rebbe would suffice.

— by Jonathan Sacks

— by Jay Litvin

7 | JEWISH THOUGHT

18 | PERSPECTIVES

Today I feel that, although we don't see the Rebbe, he is nevertheless encouraging us. The light that started in 1928 is being seen and felt throughout the world.

Whenever I see violence erupting, one of my questions is: Is it something spontaneous? Did the population suddenly decide to go out for its own crusade or was this something that was pre-planned?

— by Yoseph Janowski

— by Dore Gold

Circle of Light

June 2021 / Tammuz 5781

simchas perspectives marketplace memorials

4 5 6 7 8 10 12 13 17 18 21 25

Behind the Recent Outbreak of Violence

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What is a Rebbe?" is a question that has been asked a thousand times. But who better to ask than a Rebbe himself? That was precisely the thinking of one fellow who found himself seated across from the Lubavitcher Rebbe at a private audience. "Rebbe, what exactly do you do? And why are you admired by so many?" "I try to be a good friend," the Rebbe replied. Incredulous, the man blurted out, "A friend? That's all you do?!" Unfazed, the Rebbe responded with a question of his own: "How many friends do you have?" "I have many." "Let me define a friend for you, and then tell me how many friends you have. "A friend is someone in whose presence you can think aloud without worrying about being taken advantage of. A friend is someone who suffers with you when you are in pain and rejoices in your joy. A friend is someone who looks out for you, and always has your best interests in mind. In fact, a true friend is like an extension of yourself." The Rebbe then asked with a smile, "Now, how many friends like that do you have?" Simple yet profound. And how strikingly reminiscent of the Midrash that tells us that upon Moses' birth his father chose to name him – of all names – Chaver, which means friend. How fitting a name for Moses, our nation's first Rebbe. In the Rebbe’s own words, from a letter written a few months after the passing of his Rebbe and father-in-law, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson. (Interestingly, the letter is dated the third of Tammuz, which would later mark the date of the Rebbe’s passing forty-four years later.): Many seek and propose to explain the qualities and greatness of Chabad Rebbes in general, and, in particular, the Rebbe of our generation, my father-in-law, in various areas: as a man of selfsacrifice, Torah genius, lofty character, prophetic ability, miracle-worker, etc., etc. These qualities are further magnified when

viewed in the light of Chassidic teaching, which explains what is true self-sacrifice, true Torah genius, and so on. And yet, none of this addresses the primary quality of the Rebbe — a quality which is not only primary in essence, but which is most important to us, his chassidim and followers, namely: the fact that he is a nassi, and particularly a Chabad nassi. A nassi, broadly defined, is a "head of the multitudes of Israel."He is their "head" and "mind," their source of life and vitality. Through their attachment to him, they are bound and united with their source on high. There are several types of leaders: those who supply their constituents with "internalized" nurture, and those whose nurture is of a more "encompassing" nature. This is further divisible into the particulars of whether they impart the teaching of the "revealed" part of Torah, its mystical secrets, or both; whether they offer guidance in the service of G‑d and the ways of Chassidism; whether they draw down material provision; and so on. There are also leaders who are channels in several of these areas, or even in all of them. Such was the nature of the leadership of the rebbes of Chabad, from the Alter Rebbe to, and including, my father-in-law, who embraced all these categories and areas: they nurtured their chassidim in both the "internal" and the "encompassing" qualities of their souls; in Torah, divine service and good deeds; in spirit and in body. Thus, their bond with those connected with them was in all 613 limbs and organs of their souls and bodies. Each and every one of us must know--that is, dwell upon and implant the awareness in his or her mind--that the Rebbe is our nassi and head: that he is the source and channel for all our material and spiritual needs, and that it is through our bond with him (and he has already instructed us in his letters how and by what means this is achieved) that we are bound and united with our source, and the source of our source, up to our ultimate source on high.

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June 2021 / Tammuz 5781

jewish soul

The Question

Conversion

From a letter to David Ben-Gurion

his is in reply to your letter regarding my opinion on the registration of children of mixed marriages, when the father is a Jew and the mother a nonJew who did not undergo conversion before the birth of the child. The intent of the inquiry is—as the wording of the resolution has it in the above-mentioned letter—“to define instructions that should be in harmony with the tradition accepted in all circles of Judaism, both orthodox and non-orthodox of all trends, and with the special conditions of Israel as a sovereign state which guarantees freedom of conscience and religion as a center of ingathering the exiles.” My opinion is absolutely clear, in conformity with the Torah and the tradition accepted for generations, that in these matters there can be no validity whatsoever to a verbal declaration expressing the desire to register as a Jew. Such a declaration has no power to change the reality. According to the Torah and the tradition of ages, which still exists today, a Jew is only a person born to a Jewish mother, or a proselyte who had been converted in conformity with the exact procedure laid down in the authoritative codes of Judaism from ancient times down to the Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law). The above applies not only to children whose parents or guardians declare their desire to register them as Jews, but to whosoever comes forward to declare his wish to change his status in order to enter the Jewish community. Such a declaration has no force whatever unless he actually fulfills, or has fulfilled, the appropriate conversion procedure as laid down in the Jewish codes and in the Shulchan Aruch, as above. I do not cite sources, since there are clear and detailed rulings on the matter in the codes of Maimonides, the Tur, Shulchan Aruch, etc. All that follows now is merely an additional postscript, written with the intention of emphasizing that even if the following is not accepted, either in part or in full, this does not detract at all from the finality of the opinion I have outlined above. The following remarks are merely a reaction to the account of the situation delineated in your letter. a) The question of registration, or however

June 2021 / Tammuz 5781

it may be described, is not a matter confined to Israel alone. It goes without saying—as explained in your letter—that no one may raise a barrier between the Jews of Israel and those of the Diaspora. On the contrary, all our brethren, wherever they may be, have constituted one people from the moment of their emergence, in spite of their dispersion in all the corners of the world. Consequently, the solution of the problem must be one that is acceptable to all members of the Jewish people everywhere, that is capable of forging and strengthening the bonds between and the unity of all Jews, and certainly not one that would be a cause, even the remotest, of disunity and dissension. Accordingly, even if you may argue that the present conditions in The Land of Israel call for a special study of the above-mentioned question, those conditions do not restrict the problem to The Land of Israel, but as noted constitute a matter of common concern to every Jew everywhere. b) Belonging to the Jewish people was never considered by our people as a formal, external matter. It has always been defined and delineated in terms of the commitment of the whole being of the Jew, something

intimately linked with his very essence and innermost experience. Accordingly, any movement which disregards or belittles any of the procedures in this connection degrades the feeling of belonging to the Jewish people, and cannot but be detrimental to the serious and profound attitude toward the Jew’s inner link with his people. c) To ease the conditions of transition and affiliation to the Jewish people—particularly in the special circumstances of The Land of Israel, surrounded by countries and peoples unsympathetic towards it (that is an understatement)—is to endanger considerably the security of The Land of Israel. d) What emerges from the above points is that even if an attempt is made to avoid the proper solution to the problem by a compromise, such as substituting for the word “Jew” a word of completely secular connotations, this will not constitute a way out, since the damage would remain both with respect to strengthening the bonds of unity with Jews everywhere, as well as from the point of view of inner strength and security. e) Of course, no argument can be adduced from the cases of people who have been converted in the proper manner and have nevertheless caused harm to the Jewish people. On the other hand, there is the possibility that one who merely makes a verbal declaration of his Jewishness may benefit the Jewish people. The demand for a due conversion procedure is likewise not negated by the fact that there are non-Jewish “saints” who, as the description implies, are for all that still non-Jews. f) In the frame of reference in which the question was put, the matter of discrimination was mentioned. Discrimination can, however, apply only to granting or withholding of rights, or meting out punishments; it can have no relevance to the question of registration, which has to do with existing reality. Let me conclude with the hope and expectation that the Land of Israel in all its aspects, both present and future, should constitute a factor uniting Jews everywhere, both orthodox and non-orthodox of all trends, by attuning itself in all its affairs more and more to the name by which it is known among all the peoples of the world—“the Holy Land.” EM

made you think

Why I

am a Jew

Jonathan Sacks

he deepest question any of us can ask is: Who am I? To answer it we have to go deeper than, Where do I live? or What do I do? The most fateful moment in my life came when I asked myself that question and knew the answer had to be: I am a Jew. This is why. I am a Jew not because I believe that Judaism contains all there is of the human story. I admire other traditions and their contributions to the world. Nor am I a Jew because of anti-Semitism or anti-Zionism. What happens to me does not define who I am: ours is a people of faith, not fate. Nor is it because I think that Jews are better than others, more intelligent, creative, generous or successful. It’s not Jews who are different, but Judaism. It’s not so much what we are but what we are called on to be. I am a Jew because, being a child of my people, I have heard the call to add my chapter to its unfinished story. I am a stage on its journey, a connecting link between the generations. The dreams and hopes of my ancestors live on in me, and I am the guardian of their trust, now and for the future. I am a Jew because our ancestors were the first to see that the world is driven by a moral purpose, that reality is not a ceaseless war of the elements, to be worshipped as gods, nor history a battle in which might is right and power is to be appeased. The Judaic tradition shaped the moral civilization of the West, teaching for the first time that human life is sacred, that the individual may never be sacrificed for the mass, and that rich and poor, great and small, are all equal before G‑d. I am a Jew because I am the moral heir of those who stood at the foot of Mount Sinai and pledged themselves to live by these truths for all time. I am the descendant of countless generations of ancestors who, though sorely tested and bitterly tried, remained faithful to that covenant when they might so easily have defected. I am a Jew because of Shabbat, the world’s greatest religious institution, a time in which there is no manipulation of nature or our fellow human beings, in which we come together in freedom and equality to create, every week, an anticipation of the messianic age.

I am a Jew because our nation, though at times it suffered the deepest poverty, never gave up on its commitment to helping the poor, or rescuing Jews from other lands, or fighting for justice for the oppressed, and did so without self-congratulation, because it was a mitzvah, because a Jew could do no less. I am a Jew because I cherish the Torah, knowing that G‑d is to be found not just in natural forces but in moral meanings, in words, texts, teachings and commands, and because Jews, though they lacked all else, never ceased to value education as a sacred task, endowing the individual with dignity and depth. I am a Jew because of our people’s passionate faith in freedom, holding that each of us is a moral agent, and that in this lies our unique dignity as human beings; and because Judaism never left its ideals at the level of lofty aspirations, but instead translated them into deeds which we call mitzvot, and a way, which we call the halakhah (Jewish Law), and thus brought heaven down to earth. I am proud, simply, to be a Jew. I am proud to be part of a people who, though scarred and traumatised, never lost their humour or their faith, their ability to laugh at present troubles and still believe in ultimate redemption; who saw human history as a journey, and never stopped traveling and searching. I am proud to be part of an age in which my people, ravaged by the worst crime ever to be committed against a people, responded by reviving a land, recovering their sovereignty rescuing threatened Jews throughout the world, rebuilding Jerusalem, and proving themselves to be as courageous in the pursuit of peace as in defending themselves in war. I am proud that our ancestors refused to

be satisfied with premature consolations, and in answer to the question, “Has the Messiah come?” always answered, “Not yet.” I am proud to belong to the people Israel, whose name means “one who wrestles with G‑d and with man and prevails.” For though we have loved humanity, we have never stopped wrestling with it, challenging the idols of every age. And though we have loved G‑d with an everlasting love, we have never stopped wrestling with Him nor He with us. I admire other civilizations and traditions, and believe each has brought something special into the world, Aval zeh shelanu, “but this is ours.” This is my people, my heritage, my faith. In our uniqueness lies our universality. Through being what we alone are, we give to humanity what only we can give. This, then, is our story, our gift to the next generation. I received it from my parents and they from theirs across great expanses of space and time. There is nothing quite like it. It changed and still challenges the moral imagination of mankind. I want to say to Jews around the world: Take it, cherish it, learn to understand and to love it. Carry it and it will carry you. And may you in turn pass it on to future generations. For you are a member of an eternal people, a letter in their scroll. Let their eternity live on in you. EM Rabbi Dr. Sir Jonathan Sacks, of blessed memory, was the former Chief Rabbi of the UK and the Commonwealth and a member of the House of Lords. He was a leading academic and respected world expert on Judaism. He was the author of several books and thousands of articles, appeared regularly on television and radio, and spoke at engagements around the world.

June 2021 / Tammuz 5781

jewish thought

Circle

Light

Yoseph Janowski

eventy years ago, the Rebbe agreed to become the seventh Lubavitcher Rebbe. He went on to lead a monumental campaign to uplift the Jewish people, and to bring to the world an awareness of G‑d and His laws, the fulfillment of which would bring peace to all mankind. In one snapshot of the extent of his influence, this past Chanukah, despite the global pandemic, there were reportedly fifteen thousand public menorah lightings worldwide, plus hundreds of Chanukah parades featuring menorahs on top of cars. News outlets covered events, including a menorah lighting in England which was seen by one million viewers via BBC News. Social media and Zoom connected tens of thousands of isolated people to Chanukah. At the public menorah lighting in Warsaw, the city’s mayor attended and reflected on how the reach of Chabad has come full circle. This is where it all began, he said, when the Rebbe married the previous Rebbe's daughter in 1928 in Warsaw. The mayor talked about a circle of light that began then and continues now, in Warsaw, and throughout the world. I remember hearing that someone once asked the Rebbe why he moves his hand in a circle when he encourages singing, and the Rebbe answered that a circle represents truth; just as a circle continues uninterrupted, so too truth is constant and eternal. Around forty-five years ago, I stood with about fifteen people in the small upstairs study hall at 770 Eastern Parkway, Lubavitch world headquarters and the Rebbe’s synagogue in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Crown Heights. It was the holiday of Shemini Atzeret, and almost all of the Lubavitcher Chassidim had left the neighborhood, walking to other New York communities to dance and sing and spread happiness to others. I was very self-conscious standing in the Rebbe's presence, knowing that the Rebbe really wanted everyone to go spread the light elsewhere. But due to extenuating circumstances, I couldn't go. So I tried to be as unnoticeable as possible, while I prayed with the Rebbe’s minyan. The prayers ended, and just before the Rebbe walked out, a song started. The song was "Al hasela hach," describing

June 2021 / Tammuz 5781

how Moses struck a rock, and out came water. The fifteen Chassidim sang loudly and joyfully, and suddenly the Rebbe stood on his chair, vigorously moving both of his arms in a continuous circle to encourage the singing. As I sang and danced, leaping up and down, I was amazed that the Rebbe was putting in all this effort for fifteen people. And then it dawned on me that the Rebbe wasn't just encouraging us. He was sending encouragement to the Chassidim marching to other neighborhoods. They didn't see him, but I was sure that their souls felt it. In a similar vein, today I feel that, although we don't see the Rebbe, he is nevertheless encouraging us. The light that started in 1928 is being seen and felt throughout the world. There is an interesting passage in chapter eight in the Book of Daniel. During the third year of the reign of King Belshatzar, which was the year 3,389 after creation, Daniel saw a vision. One angel asked another, “Till when will the deterioration continue? The other angel answered, “Till evening morning

2,300, and the holy will be vindicated.” When we add 2,300 to 3,389, we get 5,689. The year 5,689, ninety-two years ago, was the year of the Rebbe’s fateful wedding in Warsaw. It was indeed a time of “evening,” the beginning of darkness. Stalin assumed full power in Russia. The Nazis gained influence due to the stock market crash. In the Land of Israel, dozens were being mercilessly killed by Arabs in pogroms in Hebron and other places. But 5,689 was also “morning,” the beginning of light, the year when the future Lubavitcher Rebbe married the previous Rebbe's daughter. Today we merit to see the continuation of this light, growing in ever-increasing measure, illuminating the entire world so that very soon, the darkness will end, and only the true light of the Redemption will shine. That is the Rebbe’s wish for us. Our duty is to do everything in our power to make it happen. EM

Yoseph Janowski lives in Toronto, Canada.

life on earth

Praying

for

Our Enemies?

Tzvi Freeman

m I to pray for the brutal demise of the enemy? If the enemy is the dark evil of this world, pray for an end to evil. If the enemy is a human being, defend yourself, attack first if necessary, and pray that all your enemies will live, become your friends and fulfill the mission for which they were born: To join together to create a peaceful, harmonious world. Welcome to the inscrutable world of Judaism, where there are so few issues on which an honest, educated Jew cannot be conflicted. In Jewish Law, in ethics, in mysticism, in whatever field—even once an issue is resolved, it must take into account so many angles and conditions that very little can be said in a simple line or two, other than, "Hear O Israel, G‑d is our L-rd, G‑d is One." And as the paradigm of Jewishness, the Rebbe's approach was one that could never be pigeon-holed. In every assertion, its opposite lies; in every approach, the other road must be taken into account. And here you have touched one such perfect example. Just yesterday, a friend referred me to a talk in which the Rebbe discussed your question. This was in September of 1982, at the height of an incendiary war between Iraq and Iran that had begun to threaten the entire region with the fear of nuclear reprisals. "Nations are attacking one another," the Rebbe repeated again and again, "and the whole world teeters." He spoke of how some take a partial approach to the war, praying for "whatever is good, whatever that may be." He himself opposed such a position. War is not good, he said, because human lives are lost, and "... we are commanded to care for the poor even if they be idolators, together with our own— all the more so to care for their lives." The talk that followed gave us a remarkable look into the Rebbe's Weltanschauung. The Rebbe's words are not always smooth reading—filled with allusion and euphemism. I've translated from the Yiddish: Yes, there are violent people and terrorists in the world. But there is nothing that says the only way to deal with this is through taking their lives. Even when we speak of "the enemy and the avenger," our actions must be "to stop the enemy and the avenger."

Meaning, to stop and to annul this that he is an enemy and avenger. In the language of the Talmud, "the sins should cease—not the sinners themselves." To the point that they will become friends of the Jews and assist us. As the promise concerning the Time to Come, "Strangers will arise and tend to your sheep"—although they are "strangers," that is not the emphasis. The emphasis is that they nevertheless tend to your sheep. You read that correctly—the Rebbe prays that the terrorists should become our friends. But does this mean we should not defend ourselves? On the contrary, the Rebbe took a zero-tolerance approach to self-defense. He rested his argument, as always, upon a legal ruling. Here is how he explained this to Rabbi Immanuel Jakobovits, then chief rabbi of the U.K., in a letter dated November, 1980: I am completely and unequivocally opposed to the surrender of any of the liberated areas currently under negotiation, such as Judah and Samaria, the Golan, etc., for the simple reason—and only reason— that surrendering any part of them would contravene a clear ruling found in Shulchan Aruch (O.C., Ch. 329, par. 6,7). I have repeatedly emphasized that this ruling has nothing to do with the sanctity of the land of Israel, with "the days of Moshiach," the coming redemption or similar considerations—but solely with saving lives. The Rebbe here refers to a ruling in the standard codification of Jewish Law that discusses a border town attacked by marauders. The ruling is that all that are able must go out, even on Shabbat, to fight with them—even if the marauders are only attacking to obtain straw. The reasoning behind this ruling is that once a border town has become vincible, life within those borders is endangered. The Rebbe generalizes this logic: In a situation involving danger to human life, the mitigating factor for determining action is exclusively how best to protect and save lives, and nothing else. Not how will we justify this, not how do we finance this, not what the world will say or what they will think of us. Just the protection of lives.

To drive my point: The source for this ruling is in the Talmud (Eruvin 45a). The example given of a border-town is the city of Neharde'a in Babylon (present-day Iraq) — clearly not in Israel. As I have emphasized time and again that it is a question of, and should be judged purely on the basis of, saving lives and not geography. The said ruling deals with a situation where gentiles (that is the term, not enemies) besiege a Jewish border-town, ostensibly to obtain "straw and chaff," and then leave. But because of the possible danger, not only to the Jews of the town, but also the cities, the Shulchan Aruch rules that upon receiving news of the gentiles (even only of preparations), the Jews must mobilize immediately and take up arms even on Shabbat — in accordance with the rule that "saving lives supersedes Shabbat." The Rebbe continues that the decision whether a particular concession will endanger lives or not must be left up to the experts. Just as in a medical question, the experts are the doctors, so in a military question, the experts are military experts. Yet even they are not to make political, economical or sociological considerations, but simply: the protection of human lives. Since all the experts he consulted agreed that returning the areas of Judah and Samaria would place many millions of lives in greater danger, the Rebbe was opposed. On the one hand, a hawkish view indeed: Not an inch of territory could be relinquished to the PLO. Even the very act of discussing territory, the Rebbe asserted, was enough to embolden the terrorists and endanger lives. Furthermore, the Rebbe would cite the Talmudic ethos of self-defense: "If someone is coming to kill you, rise early to kill him first." "Which means," the Rebbe insisted, "that it is possible to know that someone wants to cause mortal harm, and in such a case, one has the responsibility to prepare a preemptive attack." Yet, even here, the Rebbe noted that the dictum does not say that you must actually kill anyone, only that you must be ready to do so. They said, "Rise early to kill him," he pointed out, not, "Rise early and kill him." If you show that you are ready to attack first,

June 2021 / Tammuz 5781

there will be no need for such. The emphasis in all these matters was on psychological warfare first: Act weak, and all are placed in danger. Show you are strong and no one will be hurt. Again, what was the consideration? Simply the protection of life. Indeed, the Rebbe expressed his concern over the loss of Arab lives on several occasions. For example, a month after the talk cited earlier, the Rebbe spoke again about security and defense in Israel. Again he declared that those who proposed relinquishing territory were endangering the inhabitants. With strong, secure borders, the Rebbe asserted, there would be no need for war. Citing the verse about the Land of Israel, "you are bolted with iron and bronze," the Rebbe noted that: If the door is well bolted and locked, there is no need for war. Obviously, bolts and locks don't go out to battle. And if so, this is to the advantage of those who oppose us. For if there is no need for war, no one is killed or wounded on the opposing side either. Similarly, shortly after the Yom Kippur War, as the Rebbe was bemoaning the upcoming Geneva Conference at which "nothing would be accomplished," he interjected, "At least, in the interim there is a ceasefire. For even if an Egyptian falls in battle, it is not a good thing…" And then, in an almost mystical way, the Rebbe invoked the guardian angel of Egypt, saying, "He also has an opinion. If we explain to him that this is not good for them either, that could have an effect." The Rebbe was the most outspoken critic of Israeli compromise, and yet a passionate humanitarian. In all my years standing at the Rebbe's farbrengens, never did I hear the Rebbe speak about death to the enemy. It's

June 2021 / Tammuz 5781

not something you could begin to imagine. Neither could I imagine the Rebbe saying "the opposite of a blessing" (that's the term the Rebbe would use for—well, if he wouldn't say it, should I?) on any person, even the most nefarious dictator (other than "may their names be erased" on "Hitler and his professors"). Dumbo could grow wings, but the Rebbe wouldn't speak bad of any person. In that very talk that provided the answer to your question about prayer, the Rebbe mentioned this, as well: We should speak only good and desirable things about Jewish people. G‑d forbid to say something derogatory about a Jew. We must try not to say anything derogatory about any human being. For with negative words, the opposite of blessing is brought into the world, G‑d forbid. And right now we are in a situation where we must inundate the entire world with blessings of revealed, visible good… This was how the Rebbe understood the mission of the Jewish People, our purpose in this world: To be a light unto the nations that they should do their part in building a stable, peaceful and harmonious world, a world where the light of a great teacher we call the moshiach could shine, and "all the nations will serve G‑d as one." As the Rebbe wrote in one of his last political correspondences, in 1991 to Mr. Ardadiusz Rybicki, President of the Council for Polish-Jewish Relations: Our sages of the Talmud explain why the creation of man differed from the creation of other living species and why, among other things, man was created as a single individual, unlike other living creatures created

in pairs. One of the reasons— our sages declare—is that it was G‑d's design that the human race, all humans everywhere and at all times, should know that each and all descend from the one and the same single progenitor, a fully developed human being created in the image of G‑d, so that no human being could claim superior ancestral origin; hence would also find it easier to cultivate a real feeling of kinship in all interhuman relationships. Yes, it is conflicting to be a Jew. We are not meant for warring and killing. But G‑d has placed us in a world—or perhaps, we have made His world into such a place—that sometimes a life must be taken to save one, or even many lives. It's strange, but there is something of profound beauty in a soul large enough to straddle both sides of such a conflicting world. Pacifism alone can turn as ugly as its opposite, militant extreme, but to know the season for each thing and temper one with the other, that takes great wisdom. Perhaps that is the wisdom the Torah demands of us. Perhaps that is why He has sent our souls into a world of such conflict, so that we can also become that profound beauty, and only then can we make harmony out of conflict. Which is the true meaning of peace. EM

Rabbi Tzvi Freeman, a senior editor at Chabad.org, is the author of Bringing Heaven Down to Earth and more recently Wisdom to Heal the Earth. To subscribe to regular updates of Rabbi Freeman's writing or purchase his books, visit Chabad.org. Follow him on FaceBook @RabbiTzviFreeman.

first person

The Ache in my Heart Jay Litvin

am basically one of those “flesh and blood” sort of people. While the Rebbe’s writings and teachings are of great importance to me, while I continue to experience the Rebbe as a very active, involved part of my life, still, I miss the flesh and blood connection. Perhaps I must apologize for not having risen to greater spiritual heights. For if I had attained these heights, then perhaps my spiritual connection with the Rebbe would suffice; or perhaps I would have more internalized the truth that a great tzaddik (righteous person), once freed from his body, is freed as well from the limitations of his body. But, if I am to use this opportunity to write, I must use it to be honest. And in honesty, in spite of my spiritual connection to him, I miss the Rebbe. My heart aches to once again have him as part of his and my flesh and blood relationship. What was this relationship? Well, if I were to tell you how few times I even saw the Rebbe you might wonder at my grief. And knowing that I never spoke directly to him, your wonder would be greater. No, I was simply one of those people who went to a few farbrengens (I never lived in Crown Heights), stood in line for dollars[3] once or twice, and sent letters when needed and received answers when they were necessary. I was thirty-six years old when I first saw the Rebbe some seventeen years ago. But, you see, whenever I went to the Rebbe, or even when I wrote him, I felt known by him. Seen by him. And I mean these words— known and seen—in their most profound sense. I felt naked before him. And through him I saw myself fully exposed. Stripped of illusion and self deceit. Whether I was privileged to a momentary glance when he caught my eye and nodded as I lifted my cup at a farbrengen to say l’chaim; whether, in a whoosh of excitement, I passed before him to receive a dollar; or whether, in one of those extraordinary times when he caught and held my eyes for what seemed like an eternity but was in truth only five or ten or fifteen seconds, I was stripped bare: known from my most superficial, petty self

to the depths of my being, deeper than even I knew existed. My conscious self cannot know, much less describe, what the Rebbe placed within me during these encounters. The incomprehensible ways he affected me; the life, inspiration, courage and commitment with which I left these brief meetings changed my life more than any human could ever expect a life to change. But there was something else, something much simpler, more easily comprehensible, more connected to the simple flesh and blood existence of the Rebbe that had great power over my life. It was merely the expectation that I would see the Rebbe again. Or, to be more precise, that he would see me. I knew that I would, at some point in the future, stand fully exposed before him, his eyes piercing through my best “look good” to see who I really am. And I wanted both he and I to feel proud at that moment. And I didn’t want to feel ashamed. And I knew that while the Rebbe had the greatest compassion and understanding of my very limited self, that still, he had great expectations of me. That he saw my highest potential, and believed that I could attain it. And though I knew that he would love me in spite of what I did or didn’t do to live up to his expectations, I wanted him to love me for what I did do to live up to his expectations. Is this a childlike relationship? Perhaps. Would it be better, more mature for me to strive for my highest potential without requiring “outside approval”? Perhaps. But as I said, I am a simple, limited person of flesh and blood who has not reached such great spiritual heights. So be it. The expectation of meeting soul to soul with a person who has reached heights so far greater than I can imagine, and the knowledge that this meeting would reveal the gap between who I was and who I could be, kept me straight. It helped me be more honest with myself. It invigorated my potential and forced it before my awareness, constantly. When I saw the Rebbe’s capacity for love, it enlivened and expanded my own capacity for love. When I encountered,

directly, personally, the Rebbe’s capacities, it enlivened the whole of my own. And always, daily, I carried with me the anticipation of our next meeting. So, what do I do now? I have much advice to give myself in answer to my own question, as I’m sure many of you who read this have much advice, words of wisdom to share with me. Certainly there are countless, perhaps even more profound ways, to maintain communication with and receive inspiration from a tzaddik even when we cannot see him, hear his voice, and experience his physical presence. But this does not ease the ache in my heart. Nor replace my personal encounters and my very fervent expectation of them. Nor have I found a way to replace that moment when I stand revealed before one who can both see me for who I am and love me at the same

June 2021 / Tammuz 5781

future tense My conscious self cannot know, much less describe, what the Rebbe placed within me during these encounters. The incomprehensible ways he affected me; the life, inspiration, courage and commitment with which I left these brief meetings changed my life more than any human could ever expect a life to change.

time. As a man of flesh and blood, I find consolation neither in my memories nor in the Rebbe’s writings. I find it instead in the ache in my heart, the place I keep the Rebbe. For each time I feel the ache I am reminded of him for whom it aches. I am reminded of what he taught me: That for every sickness there is a remedy, for every pain a consolation, for every act of G‑d there is a purpose, for every lack there is a fulfillment, for whatever potential the Rebbe sees in me, there is the possibility of its realization. Will I find the strength, wisdom, courage, devotion and faith during this most difficult time? Sometimes I wonder. But then, in these moments, if I allow myself to truly feel the ache in my heart, to enter fully into the

depths of this ache, a strange thing happens. I begin to see myself once again standing before the Rebbe, bringing before him my doubts and my fears, my loneliness and limitations. And from the ache in my heart, in a soft and gentle voice, I hear his answer, clearly. EM Jay Litvin was born in Chicago in 1944. He moved to Israel in 1993 to serve as medical liaison for Chabad’s Children of Chernobyl program, and took a leading role in airlifting children from the areas contaminated by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster; he also founded and directed Chabad’s Terror Victims program in Israel. Jay passed away in April of 2004 after a valiant four-year battle with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and is survived by his wife, Sharon, and their seven children.

MOSHIACH MUSINGS

The redemption is a state in which the world has achieved its purpose and wholeness for which it was originally created. Yet the world already has been in a similar state, at the time when the Torah was given. It is written about that time, that we were shown visibly, to our physical eyes, as the verse states, “All the people saw the sounds.” They saw that which is generally only heard or understood. The rabbis also state, “They stared towards the east and heard the voice emerge, saying, ‘I am…’ And so also to all four directions and from above and from below—as they explain in the Tikunei Zohar, There was no place from which He did not speak with them.” Why did it occur this way? Because, whereas all else that exists locks in His light and conceals it from us, within the Ten Statements that were made at that event His will stands out openly. After all, these Ten Statements comprise the entire Torah and the Torah is His innermost will and wisdom. Therefore, there was nothing to negate His presence there at all, as we say, For in the light of Your face you gave us the Torah of life. Where there is nothing obstructing His presence, He can be found as He truly is, within all space, even in the physical realm. This is the reason that the people who experienced the giving of the Torah repeatedly expired from existence, as the rabbis taught, “At each utterance, their souls flew out…” Yet the Holy One, blessed be He, returned their souls to them with dew, the same dew with which He will revive the dead in the future. What is this dew? It is the dew of Torah, which is called strength, as the rabbis said, “Anyone who occupies himself with Torah, the dew of Torah gives him life.” This is what we said earlier, that Torah fortifies the person to exist within the Infinite Light.

ask the rabbi

Why didn’t the Rebbe visit Israel? Rabbi Yoseph Y. Zaltzman

I understand the Rebbe didn’t move to Israel because he had people depending on him and a movement to run in the US. But why didn’t he ever visit Israel?

This is a great question. In general, the Rebbe was encouraging of people who wanted to settle in Israel as long as they didn’t have an influential role in their diaspora community. The problem is for those who have vital roles in the community, and if they leave, everything will crumble. They are compared to ships' captains in stormy seas; the captain is always the last to abandon ship. First, he must save the passengers. But your question is about visiting Israel, not moving there, so I will focus on that. The Rebbe himself addressed this question on several occasions in conversations with various people, including Israeli businessman Yosef Yakir when he visited the Rebbe in 1991, and Rabbi Shlomo Goren, the Chief Rabbi of Israel from 1973 to 1983. To Mr. Yakir, the Rebbe answered, “If you would write to me a halachic responsa that according to Jewish law, I would be permitted to afterward return to the United States, not to abandon the Jews here, then I would evaluate the validity of the argument to see if it is indeed a proper conclusion according to Jewish law. But to abandon all the Jews here, more than three million people! And it’s not just the American Jews. Some of the Russian Jews are settling here now in the United States, and when they come here, the ground must be prepared so they can continue in their Judaism. And this will be much more difficult to solve if I am in one place and they are in a different place.” There is an opinion in Jewish law that forbids leaving Israel. Maimonides writes, “It is forbidden to leave the Land of Israel for the Diaspora at all times except to study Torah, to marry, or to save one's property from the gentiles. After accomplishing these objectives, one must return to the Land of Israel.” While the Rebbe did make exceptions in sending

people for short periods, apparently the Rebbe was either being strict with himself or felt that the leniencies would not apply to him. The Rebbe also expressed concern that were he to visit Israel and then return to the US, people might think he felt the US was better than Israel. In his conversations with Rabbi Goren, the Rebbe made a few interesting points about why he didn’t visit Israel. He pointed out that he never left Lubavitch (i.e., New York) since he became Rebbe. If he would leave, the first place he would go is Israel. On another occasion the Rebbe explained that none of the previous Chabad rebbes ever visited Israel, seemingly because of a heavenly decree preventing them from doing so. Interestingly, the Previous Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson, did visit Israel (in 1929). The Rebbe explained that in the course of a rebbe’s work, there is need to pray at the resting place of his predecessors. After the Previous Rebbe had to leave Russia, he was no longer able to visit any of the gravesites of the preceding rebbes, all of whom were interred in the USSR, from which he was exiled and forbidden to enter. He therefore traveled to Israel to pray at the gravesite of the Patriarchs in Hebron. Since the Rebbe’s predecessor was buried in nearby Queens, the Rebbe concluded that he did not have the same reason to break with precedent and travel to Israel. Of course, we are all looking forward to the day when all of our people will be reunited in our holy land. EM Rabbi Yoseph Y. Zaltzman is the Senior Rabbi of the Jewish Russian Community Centre of Ontario. You can Ask the Rabbi at jrcc.org or fax to 416.222.7812. To meet with Rabbi Zaltzman in person, feel free to call 416.222.7105 to book an appointment. Appointments are generally available on Wednesday evenings after 7pm. Rebbitzin Chiena Zaltzman is also available for private consultations by appointment on Wednesday evenings from 9 to 10pm by calling 416.222.7105.

Поговорим о судьбе. Слово «судьба» пре д -полагает опре деленную заданность, предопре-деление. Говорят, «злая судьба», и это означает, что в жизни человека все плохо. Или – «счастли-вая судьба», когда у человека складывается все благоприятно. Само понятие «судьба» подраз-умевает, что все запрограммировано и не осо-бенно зависит от человека. Если кому-то пред-писана злая судьба, то, как ни крути, все равно будет плохо. Вопрос: так ли это с точки зрения Торы? Имеется ли у каждого своя судьба? Властен ли человек над своей судьбой? Влияют ли поступ-ки человека на его судьбу? Судьба действительно влияет на жизнь челове-ка. Но у любого человека имеется возможность из-менить судьбу на определенном уровне. Особенно у евреев. Судьба – это часть структуры Мира. Вселенная работает по законам, установленным Вс-вышним. Несмотря на то, что человечеству дана определен-ная степень свободы выбора, мир работает в рам-ках созданной структуры, частью которой, как мы уже сказали, является судьба. Выполняя данные Вс-вышним народам мира 7 заповедей Ноаха, че-ловечество на некотором уровне может повлиять на улучшение своей судьбы. Дам пример. Про нееврея. В Торе мы читаем, что Вс-вышний наказал Фараона за то, что он из-девался над еврейским народом в Египте. Но ведь Вс-вышний сказал еще Аврааму, что его дети будут в изгнании у чужого народа. Чужой народ – это Еги-пет. Почему же тогда Вс-вышний наказывает Фара-она, если Он Сам запланировал рабство для евре-ев? Где справедливость? Фараон должен был стать тем, кто поработит евреев... The article above is excerpted from the Russian edition of Exodus Magazine. To subscribe, please visit exodusmagazine.org or call 416.222.7105.

June 2021 / Tammuz 5781

‫ב”ה‬ ‫ב''ה‬

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

J U N E 2 0 2 1 7

07/20

KISLEV 5781

T H E M O N T H I N R E V I E W. U P C O M I N G E V E N T S & P R O G R A M S .

JUNE 2021 | TAMMUZ 5781

MON.

Our

Community

НОЯБРЬ 2020

28 SIVAN FARBRENGEN

12-13 TAMMUZ FARBRENGEN

DRIVE-BY LAG BAOMER PARADE In lieu of the traditional Lag BaOmer festival, a large gathering usually held at Earl Bales Part, the JRCC organized a parade that traveled through different neighborhoods in the GTA by request. As the parade wound its way from North York all the way north to Major Mackenzie Drive, over 160 families were visited and over 400 gift packages were distributed. Dozens of families ordered their Lag BaOmer barbecue to go and had it delivered via food truck along the way. Lag BaOmer is traditional associated with Jewish pride, unity and love of one’s fellow. Though we look forward to being able to celebrate all together in one place next year, this year’s innovative drive-by parade demonstrated that we are united under all circumstances, and that nothing can extinguish the flame of the Jewish spirit. SHAVUOT PROGRAMS The JRCC Hebrew School hosted a Shavuot Wonderland virtual program via Zoom on the even of Shavuot on Sunday, May 16 for children ages 3 to 9 and their families. Participants who registered in advance received packages with supplies for the interactive arts and crafts component of the program, including the building of a Torah and an edible Mount Sinai treat. The fun and educational event was highlighted by the uniquely

engaging musical entertainment of Rabbi B. On Shavuot itself, several JRCC branches hosted services that strictly adhered to COVID-19 protocols while stilling giving community members, especially children, an opportunity to hear a live reading of the Ten Commandments. Children who participated (and more than a few adults as well) enjoyed ice cream as part of what has become a modern Shavuot tradition.

CANDLE LIGHTING TIMES Friday, June 4, 2021

8:37 PM

Friday, June 11, 2021

8:41 PM

Friday, June 18, 2021

8:44 PM

Friday, June 25, 2021 8:455781 PM June 2021 / Tammuz

thoughtful contribution in making this a meaningful evening for all.

A SPECIAL LECTURE In honor of the 12th yahrzeit of Shloimele Zaltzman, of blessed memory, the JRCC presented a profound and moving lecture on the topic of “The Human Soul, Bereavement and AfterLife” by Rabbi Avraham Plotkin of Chabad Markham. Dozens of people participated in the virtual lecture via Zoom, with many staying online for the fascinating question and answer session that followed. Thank you to Rabbi Plotkin for the engaging lecture, and to all the participants for their

‫ב"ה‬

Birth Kit

OSCAR YOLLES

PROGRAM For all the newborn Russian Jews 1ST-4TH GRADES

REDESIGNED INNOVATIVE HEBREW AND JUDAIC CLASSES FROM HOME 5 SESSIONS CONTACT: ARIEL.ZALTZMAN@JRCC.ORG 416-222-7105 EXT. 225

Did you just gave a birth? Did you become a grandparent? Do you know any of your friends who just gave a birth? JRCC is ready to deliver a baby package right to the house. It includes: baby diapers, body suits, napkins, baby cream, kids cup, baby powder, shower gel, Jewish soft toy, blessing for a child and a mother, Jewish educational book, baby blanket.

Contact JRCC office for more info

416.222.7105 ext.245

Upcoming

FARBRENGENS MONDAY, JUNE 7 28 Sivan Farbrengen

Commemorating the Rebbe’s arrival in the U.S.A. after fleeing Nazi-occupied France.

TUESDAY, JUNE 22 12-13 Tammuz Farbrengen

Celebrating the release of the Previous Rebbe from Communist prison

For information on times and how to attend www.jrcc.org/Farbrengen

LAG BAOMER

Even during the lockdown the JRCC brought joy on Lag BaOmer to our community and beyond to over 130 families with 140 burgers, 160 Hot Dogs and 400 snacks and of course - 1000s of smiles!

JRCC Daycare

June 2021 / Tammuz 5781

JEWISH IDENTITY GRANTS Teffilin, Mezuzah, Kosher, Sheitel and Jewish Education grants available for members of the Russian-Jewish community. For eligibility requirments, information and to apply

www.JRCC.org/JIG

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! Packing and / or distributing holiday gift packages Packing and / or distributing life cycle gift packages Getting involved with the birthday cake program Food bank – packing and delivery

FOR MORE INFORMATION

416-222-7105 #291 June 2021 / Tammuz 5781

Faces of the Community Boris Zaltsman I have been living in Canada for forty-five years. I was born in Ukraine, in Kiev. Before the war, there were four brothers in our family. At the outbreak of the war, the two older brothers voluntarily went to the front. One brother died, the other was seriously injured and became severely disabled. Before immigrating to Canada, we lived in Lviv for twenty-five years. After leaving school, I entered a one-year course in sewing shoes, and acquired the specialty of a procurer – a fashion designer. All my adult life I have been studying history, and I continue to do so to this day. I pay special attention to the study of ancient history, drawing information from the work of Joseph Flavius , “Jewish Antiquity,” and also devote a lot of time to the study of the general history of the Jewish people. Josephus Flavius was one of the most educated people of his time. He lived in Judea and Rome in the first century – that is, almost 2,000 years ago. Flavius is known throughout the world as the author of two outstanding works: “The Jewish War” and “Antiquities of the Jews.” “Antiquities of the Jews” is practically the only source of information on the history of the Jewish people from the era of the Maccabees to the period of the conquest of Jerusalem by the Romans. It also contains most valuable material on the history of Rome and ancient Greece. At the beginning of the first century, the Jews revolted against the Roman Empire. The uprising, as we know, was brutally suppressed by the Romans. As a result, we lost our statehood and were scattered throughout the world. This past year, my book, "Catastrophe: To Know And Remember,” was published, in which I describe how Jews lived in the first and second millennia on the territory of modern anti-Semitic Europe, and how the Khazar Empire was formed. But primarily this book is about how the Jews walked a bloody path through 2,000 years of history in exile, until we raised a rebellion against the British Empire (like David against Goliath), drove the British out of the Middle East, and until the Jewish state was declared in 1948. We raised an uprising against the British Empire and managed to expel the occupiers from our historic homeland. From Menachem Begin's book “Uprising,” published in 1951, you can learn about how it all happened. After reading my book, the reader will understand what our closest allies are. It was they who connived with Hitler and his gang in the destruction and ruin of all European Jewry, calmly watching as they robbed and drove 7,000,000 Jews into the grave. After all, in every country there are always villains who hate Jews. They actively helped Hitler. Before World War II, there were 11,000,000 Jews in Europe. Currently, there are only about a million European Jews. The Western countries hid behind the Germans – that’s democracy for you! And after the war, Jewish property was brazenly plundered – houses full of property and millions in Jewish money were seized. All this continued to bring the robbers billions of dollars in income. The people have been viciously destroyed. There are no witnesses left. In 200 American museums and private collections, there are valuables stolen from murdered Jews – paintings, antiques, silver, and precious jewelry. For fifty years I have been studying historical and archival documents, read a huge number of newspaper and magazine articles, essays, books, memoirs, testimonies of people who miraculously escaped from that hell. I present excerpts from several publications in my book. In addition to the horror, from which the blood froze in my veins, I experienced a vague feeling of a certain reticence, as if someone wants to influence the formation of public opinion, to impose a false historical truth. America, England and other Western countries today are eager to portray their involvement in the salvation of Jews during the Second World War. But they were also involved in the destruction and ruin of the Jewish people. I made this conclusion based on my research and conclusions. I also want to share them with the readers of my book.

JRCC Directory

JRCC Program Spotlight

416-222-7105 | www.jrcc.org Jewish Russian Community Centre of Ontario

SMART MEMORIAL BOARDS Yizkor prayers during holy days when Yizkor is recited.

Memory plays a profound and central role in Jewish life. From the Sabbath and festivals to the commandments to historical events both good and bad, the Torah is repeatedly imploring us to “remember” things. There are even the “six daily remembrances” that it is customary to recite and contemplate each day. In addition, there is the natural, human instinct to remember, commemorate and process the people, places and events of our lives. When it comes honoring our departed loved ones, the personal/human and religious aspects of memory converge. For centuries, Memorial Boards have been an important way of honoring and eternalizing the memory of our loved ones. An elegant memorial plaque dedication is a distinguished, reverent way of paying respect and tribute to the memories of our dear departed loved ones, showing as it does the prominent places they occupy in our place of worship and in our hearts. The name of each departed friend or family members is inscribed on a plaque that symbolizes their eternal presence in our lives, and the support given to the the synagogue in their honor. It also serves as a reminder for those in the synagogue to recite kaddish prayers on their behalf on their yahrzeit (day of passing) and the

As part of the rebuilding of the flagship JRCC Rockford branch, new Memorial Boards were recently installed to replace those destroyed in the fire that devastated the building last year. Rabbi Shmuel Neft, director of the JRCC Rockford, spend considerable time and energy to find the most appropriate design and the best way to integrate them into the interior space of the synagogue. The result is an aesthetically pleasing and meaningful display that creatively situates the Memorial Boards near the ceiling where they can be most visible without being overbearing. The new smart Memorial Boards, which have so far also been installed in the JRCC West Thornhill and East Thornhill branches, are a modern upgrade to the traditional memorial boards in two ways. Firstly, the design is and materials are a uniquely modern yet classy interpretation of the traditional synagogue memorial plaques. The way the individual plaques are shaped and staggered allows each one to be more prominent. And, since it is 2021 after all, the new Memorial Boards are computerized; instead of someone having to manually turn lights on and off on the appropriate dates, a computerized system is programmed to do it automatically. Jewish tradition sees memory as a sacred act, allowing us to be inspired by the good in a loved one’s life and motivated to live our lives more fully. A Memorial Board plaque is a permanent remembrance of a loved one, ensuring that his or her name will be recalled in perpetuity in our community. For information about adding your loved ones to the Memorial Boards, contact the JRCC at 416.222.7105.

5987 Bathurst Street, #3 Toronto, ON M2R 1Z3 Canada Office Hours: Sun: 12 — 5 Mon to Thurs: 9 — 6 • Fri: 9 — 3hrs before Shabbat

JRCC BRANCHES JRCC of Ontario: 5987 Bathurst St., #3 Rabbi Yoseph Y. Zaltzman x278 Roi Aftabi, COO x257 JRCC Woodbridge: 25 Sandwell St. Rabbi Avrohom Yusewitz x261 JRCC S. Richmond Hill & Maple: 9699 Bathurst St. Rabbi Avrohom Zaltzman x247 JRCC Concord: 411 Confederation Parkway, #14 Rabbi Avraham Weinstein x 249 JRCC Affiliate CRC of Thornhill Woods: 8808 Bathurst St. Rabbi Chaim Hildeshaim x224 JRCC West Thornhill: 1136 Centre St., #2 Rabbi Levi Jacobson x240 JRCC East Thornhill: 7608 Yonge St., #3 Rabbi Mendel Zaltzman x227 JRCC South Thornhill: 1 Cordoba Dr., Party Room Rabbi Levi Blau x288 JRCC Rockford: 18 Rockford Rd. Rabbi Shmuel Neft x235 JRCC Affiliate Jewish Gorsky Assn.: 465 Patricia Ave. Rabbi Dovid Davidov x255 Downstairs JRCC Willowdale and the City: 5700 Yonge St. Rabbi Yisroel Zaltzman x231 JRCC Sheppard & Bathurst Senior’s Building 4455 Bathurst St., Party Room / Mr. Roman Goldstein x221 JRCC Lawrence & Bathurst Senior’s Building 3174 Bathurst St., Party Room x221

JRCC AFFILIATES Danforth Beaches Rabbi Shalom Lezell (416) 809-1365

Durham Region Rabbi Tzali Borensein (905) 493-9007 Georgina, Ontario Rabbi Yossi Vorovitch (905) 909-8818 Hamilton Region Rabbi Chanoch Rosenfeld (905) 529-7458 London, Ontario Rabbi Lazer Gorgov (519) 438-3333 Niagara Region Rabbi Zalman Zaltzman (905) 356-7200 Ottawa, Ontario Rabbi Chaim Mendelsohn (613) 218-8505 Waterloo Region Rabbi Moshe Goldman (519) 725-4289

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS L&M Gelfand Daycare JRCC Daycare and Preschool x501

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perspectives

Behind

the

Recent Outbreak

of Violence

Dore Gold

he eruption of the violence that we saw occurred during the month of Ramadan among the Muslims. While most Muslims find Ramadan to be a joyous time, for a small but very dangerous minority it’s a time to initiate what they call jihad. Whenever I see violence erupting, one of my questions is: Is it something spontaneous? Did the population suddenly decide to go out for its own crusade or was this something that was pre-planned? Was it something that was incited and for political purposes? The evidence that the disturbances in Jerusalem were incited and planned is overwhelming. It was not spontaneous. One of the most disturbing aspects of what went on in Jerusalem is the evidence that the Palestinian organizations – Hamas and Islamic Jihad – were pre-positioning the implements they used for attacks on Israelis on the Temple Mount. This is not a new phenomenon; it goes back to the days of the Mufti of Jerusalem, Hajj Amin al-Husayni, when they would store firearms on the Temple Mount to be used during times of violence. The

Israel Police had no choice but to go up on the Temple Mount, where they found large amounts of rocks and boulders which had been brought there to be used first against the Israeli security forces, and secondly, against Jews who prayed at the Western Wall just below the Temple Mount. But when you see material stored for future violent use, you know that this is a pre-planned operation and not something spontaneous. The Abraham Accords was one of the biggest sources of defeat for Hamas and for Iran. All of a sudden you have Israelis coming to Gulf States and speaking about their joint interests, which include dealing with the problem of Iran. That was something which Iran wants to see rolled back and defeated. I believe they set as a goal for themselves to break the Abraham Accords. The Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs has been developing ties with think tanks in the Gulf. I’m on the phone with their leadership quite frequently, and recent events did not lead to any sudden cooling on the other end. They were concerned, they wanted information, and they wanted

to know why this is occurring and when it’s going to end. The fundamental interest they have in a warm relationship with Israel continues, but it is under a potential strain should events drag out. It’s going to take a long time to defeat the force we’re dealing with. It’s going to require a lot of patience on the part of the Israeli public. Some people get very frustrated in these situations. One of the things we should take pride in is that Israel wages war with a sense of the moral elements of modern warfare, particularly when the other side is completely immoral and uses human shields to protect its highest-level officials.

* * *

Ever since Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip in 2005, there has been speculation about the precise connection between Hamas and the Islamic Republic of Iran. The Israeli disengagement plan was supposed to produce a more stable outcome and not four Israeli-Palestinian

June 2021 / Tammuz 5781

perspectives

wars. After all, the Israel Defense Forces pulled out of the Gaza Strip; all of the 9,000 settlers who lived there abandoned their homes as well. It is hard to find the basis of outstanding grievances that could justify Hamas launching salvo after salvo of rockets at Israeli population centers and devoting scarce resources to an endless war with the Jewish state. It makes sense then to look elsewhere for Hamas’s motivation. What, for example, is the precise role of its main financial sponsor, Iran, in keeping this conflict raging? Is there an ideological imperative that everyone is missing? Iran and Hamas are not natural allies. Hamas, according to its own charter, is the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, a network of Sunni organizations operating in nearly 130 countries. Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iran has been a Shiite theocracy, seeking to spread its Shiite doctrine around the Middle East and beyond at the expense of the Sunni world. Hamas had strategic ties with Sunni powers. In the late 1990s, between 50 and 70 percent of the Hamas budget came from Saudi Arabia. But that all changed after 9/11, when Riyadh insisted that the ideological foundations of the attacks on New York and Washington came out of the Muslim Brotherhood. Today Hamas does not receive a penny from the Saudis, who have outlawed the Muslim Brotherhood and its offshoots. But Iran’s role in Hamas has only grown. Only last week, Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the Hamas political bureau, reportedly spoke on the telephone with Esmail Qaani, the commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and the man who replaced the notorious General Qassem Suleimani. It is noteworthy that Hamas and Iran are communicating through individuals at the pinnacle of their power structures. There have also been monetary links. A senior Hamas official described the visit of a Hamas delegation to Tehran in 2006 which left the airport with $22 million stuffed into suitcases, and claimed that Suleimani

June 2021 / Tammuz 5781

The evidence that the disturbances in Jerusalem were incited and planned is overwhelming. It was not spontaneous... This is not a new phenomenon.

thaw in US-Iranian relations after the 2015 nuclear deal and sanctions relief for Tehran was false”. The study added that “the number of militias created by the IRGC surged after this period…” Iran has had a militant militia doctrine for its global ambitions and Hamas fits right into that doctrine, along with the Taliban, al-Qaeda, and other Sunni groups. And Shiite groups like Hizbullah and the Houthis of Yemen have increased their capabilities as well. Indeed, Houthi missile attacks into the heart of Riyadh in recent years have been strikingly similar to what Israel has been enduring in the Gaza War. It is imperative that Israel defeat Hamas in this round of conflict. But Israel’s victory would have wider implications. It is important that Iranian expansionism through Middle Eastern militias is halted. The mistake of the 2015 nuclear deal must not be repeated, with billions of dollars going to Iran, fuelling the next wave of terrorism – including the terror of Hamas. Not only is the security of Israel at stake but the security of the wider Western alliance.

* * * had agreed that Iran would transfer an even larger sum. To understand Iran’s importance to Hamas, it is critical to recall the remarks of the Hamas representative in Lebanon that “Iran is the only country that supports the resistance with money and weapons”. The current Hamas offensive against Israel should be placed in a broader context of Iranian ambitions. It is doubtful that Hamas would launch a war in the Middle East without running the idea by its Iranian sponsors. Undoubtedly, Iran is focused on getting rid of Western sanctions in its Geneva talks with the Western powers. But will Iran moderate its behavior backing its militias across the Middle East? An illuminating study published by the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change this February asserted that “the premise that Iran would moderate its commitment to creating and sponsoring militias due to the

Senior PA sources express concern that Iran is working with Hamas to ignite a large intifada in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, which will also spread to the Arab sector in Israel, destabilizing the PA Chairman’s rule and bringing it down. According to them, Iran is exerting pressure on the Hamas and Islamic Jihad organizations to continue its rocket attacks on Israel while assuring that it will help with money and weapons to torpedo any agreement on a ceasefire. The flareup in the security situation of the territories and Israel during the month of Ramadan encouraged Iran to believe the ground was ripe for an intifada against Israel. According to Hamas sources, Iran was party to the secret about Hamas’ premeditated plan to attack Jerusalem with rockets on “Jerusalem Day.”

perspectives

In recent days, senior Iranian officials have held telephone conversations with Hamas and Islamic Jihad leaders, Ismail Haniyeh and Ziyad Nakhalah, expressing strong support for the rocket attack on Israel, encouraging them to continue firing rockets at Israel. Among those who spoke with the leaders of Hamas and Islamic Jihad were General Esmail Ghanni, commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force (Qassem Soleimani’s successor) and Ali Akbar Velayati, an aide to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. On May 17, 2021, Ali Akbar Velayati told Hamas leader Haniyeh in a phone call: “You have proved that Israel is weaker than a spider’s web; Iran stands with the resistance and with the Palestinian people.” General Esmail Ghanni said on May 17: “The Palestinians need to prepare for the management of their country after the destruction of Israel. Iran will do everything possible to help liberate all Palestinian land.” Ismail Haniyeh responded to Ghanni that “the campaign for Jerusalem is the campaign for all Muslims,” also alluding to Shi’ite Muslims, not just Sunni Muslims. Iran recognizes the weakness of PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas following the cancellation of the Palestinian elections and the split in the Fatah movement, as well as the instability of Israel’s political system, which is struggling to form a stable government and may go to its fifth election in two years. Iran’s interests in bringing about a security crisis and an intifada include: Overthrow the PA chairman’s rule and prepare the ground for Hamas’ takeover of the West Bank. Create security chaos in Israel by pushing Israeli Arabs to launch a violent rebellion against state authorities. Retaliation against Israel for its ongoing bombing of Iranian targets in Syrian territory and the Israeli Mossad’s covert actions against the Iranian nuclear project. The collapse of the normalization agreements between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and

Morocco. In the Iranians’ assessment, the conflagration between Israel and the Palestinians will help thwart any military alliance between Israel and the Gulf States against Iran. In recent years, Iran has supported Hamas and Islamic Jihad with funds and weapons beyond the funds that came from Qatar to help Hamas’ military buildup. Also, Hamas’ annual budgets came from Iran. Even during the crisis between Khaled Mashaal, former chairman of Hamas’ political bureau, and the Iranian leadership and Syria in 2012, Iran continued to transfer funds and weapons to Hamas’ militaryterrorist wing. In addition, it provided Hamas with technological knowledge regarding rockets and unmanned aircraft and trained Hamas’ elite “Nokhba” and naval commando fighters within the ranks of the Revolutionary Guards Corps. According to Israeli security sources, Iran recently transferred technological knowhow to Hamas’ military-terrorist wing in order to improve the guidance of their rockets.

On May 7, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei praised the Palestinians’ “new intifada,” saying: “Israel is a terrorist base against the Palestinian people and other Islamic peoples. It is a blood-shedding entity, and it is our general responsibility to fight the oppression and terror of the Zionist entity.” Iranian President Hassan Rouhani also condemned the “Zionist attacks” on the Palestinian people and expressed support for the resistance organizations. He attacked Egypt, Jordan, and the rest of the states in the region for their “silence on what is happening to the Palestinians.” EM Ambassador Dore Gold has served as President of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs since 2000. From June 2015 until October 2016 he served as DirectorGeneral of the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Previously he served as Foreign Policy Advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s Ambassador to the UN (1997-1999), and as an advisor to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. jcpa.org

June 2021 / Tammuz 5781

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