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The Week In News

AUGUST 12, 2021 | The Jewish Home

The Week In News

AUGUST 12, 2021 | The Jewish Home

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The Week In News

AUGUST 12, 2021 | The Jewish Home

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Dear Readers, The month of Elul is a serious and reflective month. It’s a time for us to take stock of the past year, strengthening the good behaviors and correcting the errors. Yet, there’s a strong underlying joy in this. The knowledge that Hashem wants us to return and welcomes us with outstretched arms shows how Hashem views us even in our present state and is reason for deepfelt gladness. Indeed, it is for this reason the Mishnah says “There are no great days compared to the days of Tu B’av and Yom Kippur.” The Baal Hatanya describes the month of Elul with a parable of a king: throughout the year there are limitations and rules governing who can visit him, but when he returns from a trip the citizens of each town have access to him, going out to greet him as he passes, and he greets all with a pleasant countenance. Those who wish to do so may then follow the king back into the city and palace. Knowing this gives a tremendous boost in our Avodas Hashem in general and specifically in the month of Elul. As timeless values and even the use of basic objective logic crumbles around us, it’s become clearer than ever that as Yidden we need to turn to our G-d given eternal Torah of truth to study and rely on to get us through the final stretch of exile and into the Geulah Shleima. May it be through open and revealed miracles. Wishing you an inspiring Chodesh Elul and a wonderful Shabbos,

Shalom

T H E P R E M I E R J E W I S H N E W S PA P E R H I G H L I G H T I N G L A’ S O R T H O D OX C O M M U N I T Y The Jewish Home is an independent bi-weekly newspaper. Opinions expressed by writers are not necessarily the opinions of the publisher or editor. The Jewish Home is not responsible for typographical errors, or for the kashrus of any product or business advertised within. The Jewish Home contains words of Torah. Please treat accordingly. FOR HOME DELIVERY, OR TO HAVE THE LATEST ISSUE EMAILED TO YOU FREE OF CHARGE, SEND A MESSAGE TO EDITOR@JEWISHHOMELA.COM

The WeekCorner In News Sarah's

AUGUST 12, 2021 | The Jewish Home

The Hidden Heart Sarah Pachter

After having my baby, I went to a varicose vein specialist. While the technician was performing the ultrasound, she told me that the calf actually serves as “another heart” for the body. She explained that while the heart pumps blood and sends it down to the legs, the calf acts as a second pump by sending the blood back toward the heart. This explained why movement is so important for our body’s general health and why “sitting is the new smoking.” When we sit for too long, blood can pool in the legs, or worse, the body is deprived of the blood it needs. After the technician performed the ultrasound, the doctor examined me and informed me that I had a few superficial blood clots in my left leg. Frustrated, I asked him, “While expecting, I cut salt from my diet, hydrated, and moved daily. Why did I still clot after delivery?” He explained that while pregnant, the veins expand, and after pregnancy, blood can pool inside the expanded veins, thereby creating a clot. He said that if I had not been careful after the birth, the clot could have easily become a dangerous deep vein thrombosis. I was comforted knowing that my postpartum efforts were not futile. And boy did I struggle postpartum, particularly with walking. After birth I could barely stand for quite some time, yet because of the pandemic, I was discharged from the hospital a mere 26 hours after delivering. This was the earliest I had ever left after having a baby, yet I was in worse shape than any other time. In the hospital, all of my core strength

disappeared. I could hardly lift my chest, but the doctors urged me to walk to prevent clotting. With gargantuan effort, I rose from the bed and slowly tried to walk the floor of the hospital as per their suggestion. Each step propelled me forward a mere inch; waking the entire hallway took me forty-five minutes. Just the day before I was capable of so much. Suddenly, having trouble walking left me feeling humbled. I was scared and wondered when and if I would ever fully recover. Every step was painful, and my slow pace chipped away at my sense of self. Even though one could barely call it a walk, those tiny movements actually saved my life by preventing dangers of deep vein clotting. This experience, coupled with the technician’s calf analogy, got me thinking. Our relationship with Hashem can be symbolized by the heart sending blood down to the extremities, and the calf pushing it back up. He is constantly sending us avenues of connection, but if we aren’t doing our part, our spiritual selves will suffer. Are we taking advantage of opportunities, and finding ways to connect through Torah, prayer, and mitzvot? Hashem never cuts off the supply, but we might not be reciprocating His efforts. It matters not how large or small the mitzvah performed, prayer uttered, or Torah learnt. Our small efforts effect change. Take for example Moshe, when praying for Miriam, said a mere five words and she was immediately healed from her tzaraas. Sometimes we are hit with a sudden challenge--like the pandemic, or my inability to walk--and every step forward requires enormous effort. But just like the tiniest movement sends blood back to the heart, so too our miniscule efforts do not

go unnoticed. Hashem treasures every tefillah and act of closeness for Him. At my check-up, the doctor explained that even flexing the foot helps the calf create blood flow. So too, Hashem doesn’t need us to be a marathon runner; He just needs something to work with. If we want to maintain our connection in the harder times, put one foot in front of the other, no matter how slowly, and go forward. The pandemic hit us last year, and our lives were transformed overnight. Besides the obvious physical and emotional challenges, connecting to Hashem also became more difficult, for various reasons. For some, davening became blocked because their faith was shattered. For others, life became so hectic that just finding a minute to say the morning brachot was challenging. When circumstances like these arise, we must push on regardless of the challenge. We can’t afford to stop moving, both spiritually or physically. It is when we feel the most overwhelmed or challenged that Hashem is calling to us most strongly for connection. One afternoon, my husband and I were driving a long distance for a quick getaway. I utilized the long drive to write from my phone. I was in the middle of an important sentence when the wifi connection suddenly went spotty. I frantically thought, No! Come back! I need the connection! Later, during the same car ride, I was reciting tehillim and my mind began to wander. I became so distracted that I placed the tehillim down and started to handle something else. Suddenly, it hit me: perhaps this is

what Hashem thinks when we disconnect from him mid-sentence. Wait, where did you go? I want to connect with you! Hashem constantly sends opportunities for connection in our direction, and when we respond with growth, we succeed. Every small flex or inch forward has a significant impact, and can connect us back to Him. I was working out in an exercise class and the instructor asked the participants to perform leg lifts. She was not satisfied with stagnation; she wanted each person’s lift to be one inch higher than their previous one. She announced in the middle of the class, “The extra inch makes all the difference in the workout, and isn’t it true for everything in life?” That one inch made the difference between getting a quality workout and just going through the motions. Here are a few other practical examples: You are pressed for time? Say just one additional prayer, or one prayer with more kavana. A friend had a baby and you don’t feel you can make them dinner? Push the extra inch and offer to buy dinner, make part of a dinner, or offer to deliver it for someone else. Yet another tzedaka email popping up in your inbox? Try stretching yourself and give any amount you can. You pass someone on Shabbos and don’t feel like being your friendly self? Greet them with a smile anyway. You forgot your daily tehillim commitment, and are too tired to say it? Stretch yourself to say the words. You find yourself beginning to speak lashon hara? Push the inch and zip those lips. It is in these moments of stretching ourselves that a deep connection to Hashem is generated. True growth transpires in the metaphoric flexing of the calf or the inch forward on the hospital floor. In fact, these “extra inch” moments are where the greatest connection is built. Hashem always sends opportunities to connect back to Him, and it’s our job to receive and respond. When we feel we can’t move forward, just make a small gesture of connection. Hashem will welcome it with open arms, and often surprise us in unimaginable ways. It is in those moments where we discover a truly hidden heart, a deeper connection to G-d.

The Week In News

AUGUST 12, 2021 | The Jewish Home

“Rav Chaim’s Brocho” Spawns yet ANOTHER Kollel Plus ANOTHER Farher By Rabbi Eliezer Sandler

It was just four years ago, at a Shas Yiden farher on the entire Shas at the home of the Nasi of Shas Yiden, Maran Sar Hatorah, Hagaon Hagadol Harav Chaim Kanievski, shlit”a. “Rav Chaim” had made a request to the founder of Shas Yiden, Hagaon Harav Avrohom Eisen, the Pozna Rov, shlit”a, to open a Shas Yiden kollel in Bnei Brak. Rav Eisen did, and it took off with a minyan of avreichim geonim. Now, he told “Rav Chaim” that he had been asked by Rabbonim in Yerushalayim and other Torah communities to open more Shas Yiden Kollelim. They saw how unique the program was, especially with each of the avreichim geonim completing Shas every year. Aside from finding suitable avreichim geonim, it would be a tremendous fiscal responsibility. He asked for “Rav Chaim’s” opinion and for his brocho. Without batting an eyelid and with a

broad smile “Rav Chaim” gave a warm brocho and said that Rav Eisen should blessed to open TEN such kollelim! He well knew the worth and ‘product’ of Shas Yiden, after all he had tested them for years, and the Sar Hatorah gave an amazing approbation - “I can say that they know Shas!”

Now - A Sixth Shas Yiden Kollel With this Rosh Chodesh Elul, a SIXTH Shas Yiden Kollel was opened in Kiryat Sefer – Modiin! The excitement at grooming Shas Yiden in this Torah community has stirred the imagination of tens and tens of avreichim, all who wish to learn how to master Shas by heart. They are expected to cover 13,555 blatt a year – the entire Shas 5 times! The aim is also to master every Rashi and Tosfos b’al peh! While there are so many applicants for the twelve slots, competition is fierce and the

L-R: Hagaon Harav Yaakov Yehoshua Englander, Rosh Yeshivas Machnovka; Maran Hagaon Harav Matzliach Mazuz, Rosh Yeshivat Kisse Rachamim; Maran Harav Chaim Tzvi Shapira, Raavad Belz in Eretz Yisroel; Hagaon Harav Avrohom Eisen, Pozna Rov, Meyased Shas Yiden; Hagaon Harav Moshe Isaac Samet, Rosh Hakollelim

entrance examinations are grueling. Twelve tears ago. Shas Yiden started with 6 avreichim geonim in Beit Shemesh, where there are now 23, Yerushalayim (15), Bnei Brak (18), Beitar (12) and London (13). With the new Shas Yiden in Kiryat Sefer, the total will be 93. The Rosh of all the kollelim is Hagaon Harav Moshe Isaac Samet, shlit”a.

Another Dynamic Farher What better a way to celebrate the opening of another Shas Yiden kollel than with another dynamic farher of all the avreichim geonim? This, just within two months of the last farher, and which is posted on the Shas Yiden website (www.shasyiden.com). The avreichim geonim gathered in Bnei Brak and were tested vigorously back and forth throughout Shas. Each Shas Yid had his own microphone, and the responses were like a Torah tidal wave.

L-R: Hagaon Harav Moshe Isaac Samet, Rosh Hakollelim; Maran Harav Chaim Tzvi Shapira, Raavad Belz in Eretz Yisroel; Hagaon Harav Avrohom Eisen, Pozna Rov, Founder - Shas Yiden

The Week In News

AUGUST 12, 2021 | The Jewish Home

Avreichim Geonim - Shas Yiden

L-R: Maran Hagaon Harav Matzliach Mazuz, Rosh Yeshivat Kisse Rachamim; Hagaon Harav Avrohom Eisen, Pozna Rov, Founder - Shas Yiden

As well, there were individual debates between the Shas Yiden and the examiners. Each of the examiners came with his own style and searching questions. Some involved identifying passages and even specific wording used in various masechtos, others contextual or contrasting, and many others in depth and explanations of Rishonim. There were also ‘trick’ questions that tested their mettle. One examiner was Maran Hagaon Chaim Tzvi Shapira, shlit”a, Rav Khal Chassidim Ramat Aharon, Rosh Av Beit Din Belz in Eretz Yisroel and Rosh Yeshivas Belz in Bnei Brak. The other examiner was Maran Hagaon Harav Matzliach Chai Mazuz, shlit”a, Rav in Rishon Lezion and Rosh Yeshivat Kisei Rachamim, Bnei Brak.

Gedolim and Luminaries of the Generation

Avreichim Geonim - Shas Yiden

Rav Shapira said that he felt inadequate to express his amazement and surprise when he examined the Shas Yiden. “Not only do they know Shas, but the commentaries as well, with incredible clarity… praised is the eye that has witnessed this.” With that he turned to the supporters of Shas Yiden who were present and declared: “You should know that Shas Yiden is the best investment of your lives – in this world and the World-to-Come.” He then went on to say, “For me, today is like a Yom Tov. There was not a question that I asked from across the entire Shas that they did not answer, whether relating to exact recall or clear analysis as required by Chaza”l… Without doubt, the future gedolim and luminaries of our generation will come from Shas Yiden.” Commenting on the farher, Rav

Mazuz said, “Aside from asking many questions, I was privileged to ‘walk’ with them through all the areas of Shas. I so enjoyed hearing their full and all-encompassing answers and was amazed by the breadth and full mastery by all the avreichim geonim. The entire Shas is sharply honed in their mouths, including Kodashim and Taharot. They are like those rare ones who can claim that ‘I am versed in all Six (Sidrei Mishna)’ (refer Bava Metzia 114b and Rashi’s comment). “Praised is a generation that such has been possible in its time!” To watch the dynamic farhers, or for more information on Shas Yiden, or to donate click on www.shasyiden.com or call 718-702-1528 or Mail: 1274 49th Street, #562, Brooklyn, NY 11219. London: UK Registered Charity #1191225 – 2 Timberwharf Road, London N16 6DB, England

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AUGUST 12, 2021 | The Jewish Home

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Living with the The Week In Times News

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz

AUGUST 12, 2021 | The Jewish Home

Consideration

Publisher of the Yated Ne’eman Many contend that the United States is currently being led by a president who is out of touch. He is not in control, is often dishonest, breaks campaign promises, doesn’t follow the will of the people, makes wrong decisions, and knowingly skirts the constitution. A Covid-inspired nationwide ban on evicting renters who have not paid their rent expired July 31st. The Supreme Court ruled that the ban exceeded the government’s power and could not be renewed without an act by Congress, but the progressives couldn’t muster enough votes to enact such a law, so last week President Biden was pressured into announcing a new, albeit narrower, eviction ban. Biden admitted that “the bulk of the constitutional scholarship says that it’s not likely to pass constitutional muster.” In other words, he knew that he was likely acting in an unconstitutional fashion. But, he explained, “I went ahead and did it. I can’t guarantee you the court won’t rule if we don’t have that authority. But at least we’ll have the ability, if we have to appeal, to keep this going for a month, at least — I hope longer than that.” Meanwhile, they’ll press forward with their attempt to save people from paying rent, and as long as they can drag it out, they will. That is not the way Biden promised to govern. In fact, all during the campaign, he, other Democrats and the media continued harping that it was imperative to vote for Biden if only to “end Trump’s assault on the rule of law.” Biden said that a vote for him would be a vote for “the rule of law, our Constitution.” Apparently, that hasn’t happened. Throughout the campaign, Biden claimed that he would govern as a mainstream Democrat, and it was that promise that helped the lackluster candidate beat back the long list of progressives who were running against him in the primary, convincing middle-of-theline voters to choose him over Donald Trump in the general election. But you couldn’t tell that from the way the administration has been handling every issue that has come down the pike. We’ve seen massive government spending, plans for all types of new taxes, myriad new regulations, open borders, advancing critical race theory at every opportunity, and actions to satisfy every whim of The Squad and other radicals. Biden and his administration, along with allies Schumer and Pelosi, continue moving ahead with their socialist agenda, even as recent elections demonstrate that a majority of Democrats aren’t supportive of the progressive takeover of the party. For example, last week in Cleveland, in what was termed an upset, mainstream Shontel Brown beat the heavily favored radical candidate for a congressional seat. In New York, Eric Adams beat back a slew of progressives to win the Democrat primary – tantamount to winning

the election – for mayor of New York City. The government continues to dump – read: waste – money on silly programs, such as increased unemployment benefits and other holdouts from when the economy was in lockdown because of Covid. That infusion is causing runaway inflation and shortages of workers and, consequently, goods and services. No matter, Biden denies that one thing has anything to do with the other. Another situation in which Biden denied that his action would affect what anyone could have expected would be the outcome was when he announced in July that he would quickly pull U.S. troops out of Afghanistan, where they have been stationed for the past twenty years to prevent terrorists from establishing bases there from which to attack the U.S. and other Western targets. On July 8th, he said that the goal of denying terrorists a haven in Afghanistan was accomplished. To the question that the Taliban could be expected to sweep back in and gain control of large swaths of the country, he said, “I trust the capacity of the Afghan military, who is better trained, better equipped, and more competent in terms of conducting war.” Anyone could have told you that to speak that way showed that he was not in touch with reality. In fact, since that statement, the Taliban have been fighting and beating the Afghan army and setting up shop wherever they please. But it doesn’t matter. Nobody confronts him on any of these things and he continues to steer the country on a downward path. Nor is he forced to answer for his bumbling response to Covid and the new variant. He and his administration swing and swerve, with a different story and strategy every day. First, it’s no more masks. Then, it’s yes masks. First, it’s no mandate forcing people to take the vaccine. Then, it’s pretty much down to you’re going to have to get the shot, like it or not. They couch it in different language, as epitomized by former Chicago mayor and Obama aide Rahm Emanuel, who said on Sunday that he would advise the administration “not to use the word mandate.” He would say to “call it a requirement to participate in the rest of the economy opening up.” They’re playing word games with people. In Eretz Yisroel, as well, the country is being led by a bumbling crew of hypocrites. They took over a country in which Covid had become largely absent, and now it is once again spreading, unafraid of their pronouncements and edicts. The government kept the country open throughout the weeks of summer vacation, knowing that the people wouldn’t stand for another lockdown. But they sit behind closed doors and plot on a shutdown in honor of the upcoming Yomim Tovim. They will seek to shut shuls and yeshivos, preventing people from davening and celebrating as Jews have

been doing for thousands of years. They seek to force people to leave kollel and to squeeze yeshivos and Torah institutions, but this week kollelim and yeshivos across Eretz Yisroel opened with larger attendance than ever before. They work to suppress and torment us, but the forces of Torah, emunah and bitachon are stronger and longer-lasting than the paste that holds down the prime minister’s kippa. The decrepit coalitions of ego and depravity are no match for the accumulated eternal inner strength of the Jewish people, fortified under the duress of centuries of exile. We have something no one else has, and it is laid out in this week’s parsha. The Torah prescribes proper leadership. “Shoftim veshotrim titein lecha.” In order to maintain a society, it is incumbent to establish a system of incorruptible justice. The shoftim, judges, must be learned, intelligent, honest, upstanding and incorruptible. Their ambition and motivation must be to pursue truth and justice. There is no room in the Torah’s system of jurisprudence for people driven by ego and lust for power and money. The officers of the bais din must also be beyond reproach. They must be men of uncompromising honor and power, who have the skill and determination to enforce the rulings of the shoftim with strength and dignity. Anarchy and mediocrity have no place in our system of rule, for they result in a breakdown of respect for authority and righteousness. The Torah, in this week’s parsha, also states that when the people choose a king, he must not be driven by a need to enrich himself or a desire for the senseless trappings of power, a big house, a retinue of aides, a fleet of cars wherever he goes, and lots of publicity. The posuk further commands that the king write for himself two Sifrei Torah, from which he should learn throughout his life. The Torah’s priority is to encourage people to follow an honorable, humble and just path. The monarchy, the Sanhedrin and other institutions were created to foster correct behavior and ensure that society is governed by Torah. The beginning of the parsha is connected to its ending. Proper shoftim and shotrim keep everything straight, honest, compassionate and proper. Under them, the society flourishes and produces a successful, happy populace. The parsha ends with the mitzvah of eglah arufah, the procedure to follow when a body of an unknown person is found at the outskirts of a town. The elders of the city must wash their hands over the eglah arufah and state that their hands did not kill the person and their eyes did not witness it: “Yodeinu lo shofchu es hadom hazeh ve’eineinu lo ra’u.” Obviously, no one would suspect the elders of murdering a person. The lesson of

the eglah arufah is that the leaders must be able to declare that they worked to establish a society in which murder would never take place. They proclaim that they established a proper system of justice, a compassionate treatment of strangers, and everything in between. With the kohanim at their sides, the zekeinim proclaim that they did everything in their ability to ensure that no person suffers abuse of any kind. They state that they have always acted in the best interests of the community, without engaging in corruption and favoritism of any sort. They say that there is nothing that they knew of in the city that would cause a person to meet their end in this way. In our day, although we no longer have the eglah arufah, we still must all be able to proclaim that we have done what we can to set up institutions of jurisprudence, chesed, tzedakah, chinuch, mesorah, and so on, so that people can live their lives without fear of crime, hunger or deprivation. The obligation to have such shoftim and shotrim is a communal responsibility, not only the responsibility of the ziknei ho’ir, the ones who make the declaration when a body is found. It is incumbent upon every person to see to it that their community is a loving, peaceful place, where people get along and proper leadership is in place to guide and lead. We need to all live our lives in a way that ensures that we can all safely say, “Yodeinu lo shofchu es hadom hazeh,” our hands never spilled the blood - both literally and figuratively - of anyone. We must act in a way to never cause people needless pain. We must be considerate in all we do, including the way we drive. Why is it that in our neighborhoods, people aren’t given a break and aren’t extended common courtesies of the road? Why is it that when people park, they aren’t careful to stay within the lines, allowing others to park as well? These are just minor things; they are indicative of a larger problem. We aren’t considerate. We must be sensitive to other people’s needs and feelings. We should give chizuk to people who need it. It doesn’t necessarily require much. Sometimes, all it takes is a smile, or a hello, or a good Shabbos. Some people are lonely or shy, and it’s hard for them to get out of their shell. If we help them, it will breathe life into them and be a zechus for us as we approach the yom hadin. Many years ago, I was away for Shabbos and met someone in the shul where I had gone to daven Friday night. I knew that he lived far from that shul and asked him why he troubled himself to walk there from the other end of town. He said something that stuck with me: “When I come here, I know that at least one person will say good Shabbos to me - the rov.” Imagine the zechus you get if you are the one to wish such a person a good Shabbos. Imagine if you do it with a smile. Imagine if you ask him how his week was. You’d make his day. You’d make his Shabbos. And you’d earn yourself eternal reward. Start with the little things. They add up. And when you are down and need a little chizuk, Hashem will repay you. Elul is a good time to start.

AUGUST 12, 2021 | The Jewish Home

OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Feature The Week In News

A Year Since the Abraham Accords TJH Speaks with Dorian Barak, Co-Founder of the UAE-Israel Business Council BY SUSAN SCHWAMM The Abraham Accords became official a year ago, when, on August 13, 2020, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States issued a joint statement about normalizing relations between the UAE and the State of Israel. The Abraham Accords were record-breaking as they marked the first public normalization between an Arab country and Israel since 1994, when Jordan issued an agreement with Israel. Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco quickly followed suit in establishing relations with Israel. This week, we spoke with Dorian Barak, who co-founded the UAEIsrael Business Council with Fleur Hassan-Nahoum. Although born in the U.S., Barak lives in Israel. He has been doing business in the UAE for many years, spending much of his time there.

Feature The Week In News

AUGUST 12, 2021 | The Jewish Home The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

Dorian, good morning. You look like you’re in some sunny location. I’m in Malta. Do you live in Malta? No, I live in Israel. I generally travel between Israel and the UAE. But I’m in Malta on business. Tell us about your background. Well, I’m a fund manager and business person who’s been involved in UAE-Israel trade for a long time. I was born in the U.S. and was educated in the U.S. I went to Yale for law school and business school, and I was in England for years and I worked on Wall Street in different areas. I was a consultant with the Boston Consulting Group. I was a lawyer with Skadden, Arps. And then I came to Israel to run M&A for Bank Hapoalim. I oversaw the global activities of the bank. When I left the bank to start my first of several funds, I found myself, not intentionally, working a lot in the UAE. This was over a decade ago. Since then, I’ve been in and out of the UAE several times a year. I’m kind of part of what I would call a global business community based in Israel, which tends to do a lot of business outside of Israel. It’s very common in Israel. The joke is that in the city of Ra’anana everyone leaves on Sunday and comes back before Shabbat. That’s been my life for many years. But I do a lot of business in the Gulf. Over the years, I’ve had companies that were operating in the UAE. I set up companies in the UAE. And there was a community of people I knew – both Emiratis and Israelis – who were working together for a very long time and were looking for pathway to do it in more open and transparent way. With the advent of the Abraham Accords, which very few expected to happen, we were able to bring things out into the open and really ramp them up in a very material way. Well, so let’s talk about those years before the Abraham Accords, the nine years that you were working with UAE businesses. Did you ever experience any anti-Semitism, any anti-Israel sentiment, during those times? No. In fact, although I’m an American, people can always find with a little bit of Google searching that I live in Israel. I never had any overt hostility. I knew it made some uncomfortable that I was Jewish and live in Israel, but I never faced any hostility. On the contrary, a lot of people were just delighted to meet with somebody from Israel. They had a sense that Israelis – from a technological perspective and from a finance perspective – were extremely advanced. It’s natural in many parts of the world to con-

flate being a Jew and being an Israeli. Conflating Jews and Israelis is very, very common in places other than western Europe and the States – and even in western Europe and the States. “Your nation” is what people refer to. That’s a common perception of citizenship and nationhood. I never really faced any overt hostility other than from a few people who were uncomfortable, but only uncomfortable because it was novel and strange and they were fearful they might be doing something wrong. In fact, I’ve encountered over the years a lot of Palestinians and Jordanians of Palestinian extraction, and no one’s ever made me feel uncomfortable at all. Do you feel like you swayed anybody’s perception about Jews or Israel by interacting with them? Absolutely. I think encountering Israeli businesspeople, especially people who have integrity and are good business partners, is something that creates a lot of appreciation for Jews and Israelis. Israelis and Jews are many things. People can say, generally, that they’re very transactional, especially Israelis – they’re aggressive in business, straight to the point, direct. But what is clear to most people who deal with Israelis, or American and British Jews in the UAE, is that they find very good business partners, serious people with a lot of experience who are educated in the West. I think there’s an appreciation for that, especially around finance and fund management. These are people, especially American Jews, who strive to be part of the world’s leading capital market and the world’s leading financial ecosystem. And it’s natural when they come to the UAE that they’re considered impressive by the locals. I also think that Israelis tend to be very solution-oriented, very resourceful people, and very hard workers. And that’s something that impresses the locals very much, although business can be a little bit slower here at times. What was your first thought when you heard about the Abraham Accords and

what the Trump administration was orchestrating in the Middle East? Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Fleur Hassan-Nahoum and I had actually put together the UAE-Israel Business Council even before the Abraham Accords came out. As soon as the Accords came out, we decided to come out of the dark. We already had a community of people that were involved. Today, we have over 5,000 people that are registered with us, which is an enormous group. We have online events; some in-person events, although it’s more difficult these days. We have a very active newsletter and a community of businesspeople on both sides who are helping us to meet counterparts on the other side. It’s incredibly rewarding. Why did you start the business council? We started the council in June of 2020. There was a bunch of us, especially in Israel, who were eager to meet others who were doing the same thing in the UAE. It was an open secret that we were all doing business together. Half of my shul had been to the UAE, because I go to a very international shul. I’ve been for chagim to the UAE. Many people, like me, felt that we should have a forum for doing business together. The most active of us are reaping the benefits of creating much closer ties with a very interesting cross-section of Emiratis on the other side of the aisle. Since the Abraham Accords came out, how many more members did you gain? Well, initially, we were just a handful of people who established this as a forum for discussing the common issues we face – flights, visas, restrictions, opening bank accounts – the plumbing that gets business going. And then we went live, and we attracted a very broad group of people. I think most of the people that we attract – the vast majority of people – had never been to the UAE and had never done business there. It’s funny to me when I get people calling me and saying, “I’m an expert in UAE-Israel rela-

Dorian with Deputy Mayor Fleur HassanNahoum, co-founder of the UAE-Israel Business Council, meeting with Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor, founding chairman of the Al Habtoor Group

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tions. I really need to educate you about doing business there.” People have called me about this. And I say, “What are you going to educate me about?” They say, “Well, I’ve been doing business in the UAE…” And I answer, “For how long?” “For the past six months.” I tell them, “I’m sorry. Good luck. We’ve been there for a decade.” But you know how Israelis are. There’s an expression we say in Hebrew, “Thank you for introducing me to America,” meaning that I’m already

the time in the world. They’re more interested in doing business with people with whom they have preexisting relationships and developing the relationship for business to come out of than the other way around. Israelis and Jews – these are generalizations, of course – who are active in business, they’re very bottom-line. For Emiratis, trust is the paramount quality. The way you establish trust isn’t necessarily through commercial ties. It’s you knowing each other as individuals, through family relationships and friendships. It’s a very pleasant and warm place to do business from that perspective.

The success of the Abraham Accords from a business perspective will be judged not just by the quantity of goods and services bought by Emiratis and Israelis from each other but by how Israelis were able to integrate into the greatest commercial center in the region.

very aware of what you’re trying to sell me… What language do you speak to your UAE counterparts? Only English. The truth is the real Emiratis – and they’re a very educated group – most of the people have studied in the UK or the U.S. It’s a very sophisticated community. Are there any cultural traditions or values that people should know when they do business in the UAE? Yes. Israelis are very transactional: “Okay, what’s the price? How much are you going to put in? How much money?” Money, money, money... And Emiratis, they’re in no hurry. They have all

Bahrain Foreign Minister Abdullatif alZayani, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Donald Trump and UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the signing of the Abraham Accords at the White House, Sept. 15, 2020

Do you feel the Trump administration was correct in establishing Middle East peace with the advent of the Abraham Accords? Yes. The Trump administration came to two conclusions. The first is that Arab-Israeli peace doesn’t depend on the Palestinians. The Palestinians don’t define the terms of an agreement and shouldn’t be an obstacle for relations between Israel and the rest of the Middle East. I think everybody felt that people were afraid of the reaction of the street and the “everyman.” And as we saw, it was fine. It didn’t have the far-reaching negative consequences that the naysayers said it would. And the second thing is the Trump adminis-

tration, because they are businesspeople working in this area, assumed that diplomatic progress and a warm peace would follow only if there was economic cooperation. Economic cooperation would really be the basis of building ties between the people of the UAE and Israel and the broader Gulf region. I think they were right on both counts. I hope that the Trump administration’s legacy here won’t be erased by the current administration, which is very eager to kind of deal with the Iranians and whose starting point is that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is the touchstone of the relationship between Israel and the broader Arab world. Anyone who spends time in the Arab world and identifies openly as a Jew or an Israeli will tell you that’s absolutely not the case. It’s a shame that we’ve wasted decades assuming that the Palestinian issue is all that Arabs care about. It’s not. And it shouldn’t be an obstacle to Middle Eastern peace. If you had your way, what would be the next few countries that you would want to have sign on to the Abraham Accords? Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia, and Saudi Arabia. Do you think Prime Minister Bennett’s government will be pursuing more Middle Eastern partners with whom to establish relations? They understand the importance of this. But they’re focusing on what they view as rebuilding Israel’s civil society and political culture. This is going to be a secondary focus for them. They have a coalition to keep together and internal stuff to contend with that is more important than the international issues. A year ago, the Abraham Accords was in the news. Last week, the news was dominated by Ben & Jerry’s and how they’re not going to be selling in the “Occupied Territories.” What do you say about these divergent themes: BDS on one hand, and Israel establishing business partners in the Middle East on the other hand? Israel has more startup unicorns than all of Europe. And Israel, as we see, directed investment every month essentially for the past two years, even during COVID. So from a factual standpoint, an empirical standpoint, BDS is irrelevant or is not that significant. If all people can point to is that Ben & Jerry’s decided that ice cream produced in Israel should not be distributed in the West Bank after 2022, or whatever the agreement is, and if that’s what we’re fighting about, we should be happy that those are our problems. It’s so insignificant.

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BDS has been made into a much larger issue than it actually is. I mean, generally, people not wanting to deal with Israel is a problem. But

The Abraham Accords Declaration

– ask any economist about this – BDS has not had any significant impact on the Israeli economy. True, it’s difficult to know when someone doesn’t do business with you why they didn’t do business with you. But I think BDS is not the reason why. I also think that the Ben & Jerry’s thing was really blown out of proportion. The Israeli company isn’t even owned by Unilever. It’s owned by a local company here. It’s just a lot of noise. I don’t believe BDS is an existential threat to the Israeli economy. I don’t think it ever has been. I think it’s overblown, and sometimes we give it credibility by speaking about it incessantly. At the same time, there are people who don’t want to trade with Jews, period, and they’re finding a voice within the BDS movement to justify what they already they didn’t want to do. To close out this point, I think BDS has been over-hyped. I think as a phenomenon it’s much less common than people think. And as I mentioned, if the best example of BDS that we can find is Ben & Jerry’s, we’re in a really good place. What have you seen in UAE-Israel relations over the past year since the Accords came out?

We’re going to have, this year, close to a billion dollars in trade over the course of 2021 between the UAE and Israel. I think that in 2022 it’ll double. And it may double again by the end of 2025. The UAE is a natural transit point for business. Much of the business that was conducted in Hong Kong and Singapore shifted to the UAE during the pandemic. It’s a great business hub; it’s a great base from which to conduct business. And Israelis lack a home market which is very large. The fact that they’re able to tap into the most important commercial center in the region, in the very middle of this region, is key. It’s also kind of the commercial capital of South Asia. For Israelis who want to access India, which is a much, much, much bigger market, the UAE is a natural place for them to do it. I think the success of the Abraham Accords from a business perspective, or the success of the UAE-Israel agreement from a business perspective, will be judged not just by the quantity of goods and services bought by Emiratis and Israelis from each other, but by how Israelis were able to integrate into the greatest commercial center in the region and make it part of their broader ecosystem.

ACHI mission: “Think Israel--Buy Israeli.” In a time of open and closed borders and spreading Delta variant, travelling to Israel may seem like a complex proposition. Actually, Israel is just a click away! The ACHI Market at www.achi613.org is a bustling virtual showplace of 100 Israeli vendors, featuring a wide range of products including Judaica, art, jewelry, cosmetics, and more. All of the vendors deliver in Israel and will ship anywhere in the world, including the US and Canada. ACHI stands for American Communities Helping Israel. Its mission is to “Think Israel--Buy Israeli.” Made up of volunteers, ACHI is a not for profit organization, dedicated to boosting the sales of Israeli merchants, challenged by the pandemic and current downturn in tourism. Suzanne Weilgus founded ACHI in 2000, during the Second Intifada to help Israeli merchants whose sales were suffering. She organized Ben Yehuda Fairs in Teaneck, NJ and Monsey, NY. Dozens of vendors hard-hit by the shutdown in Israeli tourism came to the US to sell their wares. The ACHI Market went virtual in September, 2020. From high range to moderate, the Market features all kinds of gift giving

possibilities—birthday, housewarming, Bar and Bat Mitzvah, wedding gifts and all occasion. Each category in the market features a variety of vendors. ACHI hopes that when you get an invitation to a special event, you think of ACHI as your go to source for gift giving. A glimpse at the vendors is an opportunity to buy the unusual and the beautiful which is Israeli art and artisan. Consider the earrings by Irit Digmi, who designs earrings in one style—three marquises inlaid with stones. Irit claims that this style of earring compliments every woman’s face. The stones are a combination of different crystals and precious glass. Her choice of setting is influenced by the natural surroundings of the moshav where she lives. Jordana Klein’s art is an impressive explosion of color. Long time artist and painter, many years ago, Jordana made the leap from canvas to glass and textiles to create inspiring Judaica pieces for the Shabbat and holiday table. Her painted décor pillows put art on the couch and enhance any room. Her work typifies many of the artists of ACHI, expressive, unusual, and innovative.

There is the esoteric and there is the mundane. Eating is an important category in the Market. Many of the merchants are foodies, creating and delivering amazing gift packages and baskets. Eat Around Israel features handcrafted Israeli spices and dried goods. Gili’s Goodies are what their name suggests—fresh baked treats with love from home! The food items are primarily intended as gifts for any occasion for family and friends that live in Israel. Bon Appetite! To better promote the Market’s vendors, ACHI is turning to the younger generation to be “ambassadors.” Per Suzanne Weilgus, “Committed youth becomes committed adults.” ACHI Ambassadors are young and spirited youngsters who share a love for Israel. They think creatively and are influencers, using social media to spread the word among their friends to shop the ACHI Market and to support ACHI’s message. Eden Gershman, age 16, is entering the twelfth grade at the Berman Hebew Academy in Rockville, MD. Eden said, “I decided to join ACHI as a teen ambassador because I want to see the country of Israel thrive. I feel closer to it when I am

participating and helping ACHI.” Eden continued, “At my Bat Mitzvah, I spoke about ACHI and every table also had a centerpiece which was a KLEE—a vessel—filled with Israeli nosh. Creating a KLEE in the form of plate, bowl, or platter and filling it with Israeli goods has been a project which ACHI has fostered for many years. They have gone into schools and synagogues to help students create their own KLEE to fill with Israeli edibles. Lynda Zentman, one of the ACHI Team, entertained many audiences as Laytzee the Clown and brought along her sidekick, Daphne from Dimona, (her favorite hand puppet). ACHI looks forward to welcoming more ambassadors to its ranks to create a national movement of young influencers who promote the ACHI market and KLEE in their schools and peer groups. ACHI Ambassadors can receive community service recognition from their school. If your child or student is interested in becoming an ACHI Ambassador or for more information, email ACHI at team@achi613.org

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