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The Cycle of Yamim Nora’im: Transgression & Confession Politics 2008: An American Abroad

Trevor Asserson: Breaking the Aliyah Mold

Racism in Israeli Schools:

Education: Ease the Anxiety

Segregation or Integration?

ZALMAN SHOVAL

Shanah Tovah!

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choosing the right leader in an economic crisis *holiday candlelighting times will be published in the Travel Guide for Chagim

VOL. 2, ISSUE nO. 22 OCTOBER 2008

R”H 5769, Sept 29-Oct 1* LIGHT

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THE ISRAEL THE ISRAELMAGAZINE MAGAZINE

ShiurTimes would like to wish everyone a happy, healthy, & sweet new year! THE ISRAEL MAGAZINE

October 2008: Tishrei 5769 6 Tibits 8 When You Have to Sell Your Stocks by Douglas Goldstein, CFP

10 Opportunity Knocks by Elie Rubin

12 New Era of ‘Realpolitik’ by Olivier Rafowicz

14 Slippery Slope of Teshuva by Rabbi Hillel Faerman

16 Municipal Elections by Efrat Benn

16 Settelment Approval 18 Fighting the Brain Drain 20 Integration or Segregation? by Mebratu Meshasha

22 Human Frailty vs. Divine Constancy by Yaffa Epstein

24 Health Q&A by Dr. Simcha Shapiro

26 Guide to Parent-Teacher Conferences by Avi Silverman

28 Zalman Shoval: Balancing Business & Politics by Yehudit Singer

32 An American Abroad by Tova Scherr

34 Hebrew Never Died by Dr. Victor Roth

35 The Wonders of the Etrog

38 Holiday Reads 39 Environmentalism in the Talmud by Carmi Wisemon

40 Harmony & Balance with Feng Shui by Susan Gilbert-Goldberg

42 Classifieds 47 Back to School by David Kilimnick

48 Food-a-licious by Irène Sharon Hodes

50 Contributors

by Sharona Margolin Halickman

36 OU’s Eye-Squad by Jason Demant

36 Gap Year Perspective: Mendel Horowitz 38 Yom Kippur In Arabic by Yehudit Singer

Second Year, No. 21 September © 2008 by ShiurTimes, Inc., 1 Ben Yehuda Street. All rights reserved. To contact one of the staff with your questions, concerns, or subscription inquiries, please call (02)625-6225. For advertising needs, please call: (02)625-6227 or e-mail: staff.editors@shiurtimes.com. Managing Publisher & Editor-in Chief: Elie Rubin Editor: Yehudit Singer Marketing Manager: Hillie Roth Art Director: Deb Houben Classifieds & Marketing: David Hirschfield, Yoel Almog, Avraham R. Sayegh Studio Rubin & Co: (054)723-4520 Stock Photography: istockphoto.com, Flickr. News Partner: infolive.tv- Live television from Jerusalem 24/7. Copyrighting laws apply to all articles, and nothing may be reprinted without express permission from the Publisher. ShiurTimes is not responsible for the content of the advertisements. The Opinions of the articles within the ShiurTimes rest solely upon the authors. Reproduction of any parts of the ShiurTimes is forbidden without permission. PLEASE REFRAIN FROM READING THE SHIURTIMES IN THE BEIT KNESSET DURING TIMES OF TEFILLAH. Please make sure to recycle your copy of ShiurTimes when you finish reading!

| OctOber 2008

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Tidbits

1 Dog DNA Database to Keep Streets Clean Dog owners: be aware! A six month trial program in Petach Tikva will now enable municipal authorities to track down the owners of dogs who fail to clear up their pets’ mess. The aim is to register every dog owner in the city. If owners fail to clean up after the dogs, inspectors will collect samples of the pets’ mess and match it against the DNA data base. (Infolive.tv) ST: Don’t you wish you had that job?

2 Islamic Fundamentalism Threatens the Existence of Arab Christians in Jerusalem. Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other radical Islamic groups refuse to accept anyone else other than the Muslim population. When they talk about waging a jihad against Israel they also refer to the Arab Christian population, this issue should be realized by the entire world. (Infolive.tv) 1

CIA Head: America’s Greatest Threat Is A Nuclear Al-Qaida Israel’s air strike on a suspected Syrian nuclear reactor last year was the result of intelligence cooperation that included a “foreign partner,” CIA Director Gen. Michael Hayden said. Hayden refused to divulge the name of the “foreign party”. The CIA’s top concern is Al Qaida who, if given the chance, will try to obtain such weapons. “There is no greater national security threat facing the United States than alQaida and its associates,” he said. (Infolive.tv) ST: What color warning will they choose now? Rainbow? Wouldn’t that be ironic! 7

3 Israelis Vacationing in Sinai Called to Return Home Immediately. Concrete information from the Counterterrorism Bureau received that terror cells linked to Hizbullah and Hamas intend to abduct Israelis from one of the Sinai resorts and smuggle them into Gaza via the vast network of tunnels near Rafah and hold them captive in the Gaza Strip. (Infolive.tv)

When Art and Wine Become One Domaine Du Castel. What started out as a hobby for Eli Ben Zaken turned into a fully fledged family affair and a labor of love, as the art of winemaking swiftly turned Ben Zaken’s hobby into one of Israel’s top wineries. Domaine du Castel, located in Ramat Raziel in the Judean Hills, not only receives local recognition but international acclaim. It even got a favorable rating by the world’s top critics who compared Domaine du Castel’s wines to the best of French wines. (Infolive.tv) 8

Olmert Spends Last Days Contemplating the Return Of 98% Of West Bank To Palestinians & Parts Of Jerusalem- As PM Ehud Olmert’s tenure as premier draws to an end, he appears intent on making headlines up until the last minute when he hands over the keys of the country’s guardianship to another Kadima party member. Olmert it appears has been busy behind the scenes, discussing the future status of Jerusalem and the return of Palestinian refugees with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. (Infolive.tv) 9

| October 2008

Tidbits

4 Greenpeace Protesters Arrested in Ashkelon- 14 Greenpeace activists were arrested and taken into custody in Ashkelon after protesting against the Rotenberg coal power plant construction. Currently, the Rainbow Warrior is in the region on it’s expedition called “Quit Coal Save the Climate.”

5 New TV Campaign to Make Women Wear Islamic Veil. Television channels throughout the Muslim world have recently publicized advertising campaigns demanding young Muslim women to wear veils, especially in the modern era of globalization, religious openness and progress. This new Islamic war against female freedom and equality has spawned a serious social conflict in the Muslim world, allowing Islamic religious institutions to preserve their papal supremacy over stagnant Muslim societies. (Infolive.tv + photo credit)

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Immigrants Exhibit Their Art Work In Jerusalem. Thirty artists who immigrated to Israel from all over the world, and live in different areas in Israel were selected to exhibit their works at the Jerusalem Theater, a prestigious center of culture in Jerusalem. (Infolive.tv + photo credit)

MADA Sponsors Its Own Olympic Games Aimed At Saving Lives- Days after the Beijing Games came to a spectacular close, Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency services initiated its own Olympic Games for the second consecutive year, this time at the Dead Sea. Around 180 medics and paramedics from Israel and 12 other countries participated in this international sportive event which began with a festive ceremony on Massada .(Infolive.tv + photo credit)

Migron Outpost— A Bone Of Contention Locally and Abroad. The Migron outpost located outside of Ramallah remains a bone of contention and threatens to cause a political upheaval. The status of the land is currently being discussed in the courts, and meanwhile the Defense Ministry is seeking to reach a compromise with settlers that will allow them to construct permanent housing at a site nearby in order to avoid conflict. PM Olmert recently discussed offering Migron residents compensation to evacuate communities in Judea and Samaria. (Infolive.tv) ST: Did we NOT learn anything from the “evacuation” of communities three years ago? Oh, let us count the ways the government quickly forgets… 11

Rocket-Proof Beit Midrash- On Rosh Chodesh Elul, the students/soldiers of the Hesder in Sderot moved into their new magnificent “rocket proof” Beit Midrash. The building, which is one of the tallest buildings in all of Sderot, is absolutely stunning. A formal dedication ceremony in the new Beit Midrash will take place after the chagim. With the completion of the New Beit Midrash, attention is now to finishing the “rocket proof” dorm units currently under construction. (by Josh Hasten, photo credits to student Dov Dalin) 12

Giraffe Milk Kosher- The Torah position on giraffes has always been that they are kosher...but the question remains, where [on the neck] do we shecht (ritually slaughter) them? When the veterinary team led by Professor Zohar Amar went to treat a female giraffe in Israel’s largest zoo (Safari Park in Ramat Gan), they discovered from a routine milk sample that EUREKA! the milk clotted in a way that was consistent with the laws of kashrut. Dr. Yigal Horowitz, the zoo’s chief vet, said this does not mean there would suddenly be a surge in demand for giraffe food products in Israel. “After all, this is an animal in danger of extinction.” (Telegraph, Yedioth Ahronoth) 13

finance

Exclusively on shiurtimes.com Be sure to catch these and other great articles on our website! Laws for the Year after Shmitta by Rav Shlomo Hofmeister The Ten Martyrs of Israel by Rabbi Yaacov Haber Teenage Olim in the Israeli School System by Ari Cutler The Profound Message of Kol Nidre by Rabbi Ephraim Sprecher Edah Spotlight: Customs of Georgian Jews by David Druce Rimon Bling courtesy of Kelly Akouka

Correction: Jonathan Shapiro, author of “On the Face” which appeared in the September issue of ST, is a senior lecturer in Optometry at Hadassa College. His title is neither doctor nor professor, as it appeared in the article. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

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When You Have to Sell Your Stocks by dOuglas gOldstein, cfp

typical stockholder’s dilemma is: “Should I sell my shares or hold them?” However, while examining the fundamentals of a company is important, investors may sometimes need to liquidate their positions regardless of the quality of the asset.

When do you have to sell? Professional traders: For many professional traders, the recent collapse of companies like Lehman Brothers, Bear Stearns, and other financial firms meant dreaded “margin calls.” These people had borrowed money to buy more stocks than they had cash-on-hand to purchase. They used the shares as collateral for their loan. For example, they might have bought $100,000 worth of stock, but only put up half the money in cash, borrowing the other $50,000. When the $100,000 of stock dropped in value, the brokerage firms made a “margin call,” demanding that the shareholders put up more capital to insure the loan. If traders lacked the funds, they would have had to sell their stock. This would cause a downward pressure on the price of the stock, and it could continue to spiral even lower.

earlier, and by selling them, she faced a huge capital gain— and was subject to a painful tax. Though she certainly didn’t want to pay the tax, selling the stocks was a fiscally responsible move. If you’re not a professional trader, look beyond fundamentals such as price targets, P/E ratios, and balance sheets, and broaden your checklist of factors to consider before selling stocks to include facts about your own personal situation. Changes in your life should make you run to your financial planner to see how they may affect your long-term financial picture. Since no financial plan can take into account every possibility, you must examine the long-term implications of each decision. While the large tax bill could have discouraged the newly divorced woman from selling her stocks, she knew that it was critical to diversify. As it turns out, she made a good choice. The positions that she liquidated ended up tumbling over 30% in a relatively short period of time. Professional and personal investors should make choices differently. When determining what to do with your own portfolio, plan carefully. ° Comments? Respond at staff.editors@shiurtimes.com

normal

folks: Sometimes people find themselves in a fiscal bind, for better (a child’s wedding means bills for the parents), or worse (an accident or illness might put someone the position of being financially responsible for a relative). Or consider this case: I just met with a divorcee who, in the settlement, divided the stock portfolio with her ex-husband. The ex-wife’s whole future now relied on the potential returns of a bunch of stocks about which she knew nothing. Did she have to sell them? You bet. It would have been inappropriate for her to gamble her future on an unmanaged list of companies. Unfortunately, the stocks had been bought many years | OctOber 2008

publisher’s nOte

Opportunity Knocks ST’s publisher muses on how the world situation can help us prepare for a new year. by elie rubin

n the upcoming days we will be gathering with our friends and families in our shuls with our machzorim in our hands and talitot on our shoulders and we will start praying for a sweet upcoming new year, in which we should be healthy, happy, united, successful and prosperous: living in peace with our own people, safe from our neighbors and strong against our enemies. We will pray for the safety of our children serving in the army, for our Jewish state to be politically strong, stable and righteous. We will pray for Jerusalem to be united, to remain the eternal capital of Israel (recognized in the eyes of the world), and for the Land of Israel will remain our irrevocable property.

state buying all the bad loans [the homes], and rescuing large insurance companies such as AIG for trillions of dollars?

We will ask for justice and for forgiveness, and we will think about all we have done to others, and what has been done to us this year, both personally and as a people.

Tishrei is a month of deep tefillah (prayer) which is the miraculous power each of us has. Through this gift of tefillah, Hashem places in our hands the key to the Heavenly storehouse of blessings, and gives us the precise words that can release these treasures into our lives. And what treasures they are… our health, our ability to find a spouse and build a Jewish home, our success in raising our children, our safety, security, livelihood. Everything. From where do we learn this? From Moshe Rabbeinu! As it is written: And I prayed to God. (Deut. 9:26) And it is written afterwards: And God listened to me that time as well. (Deut. 10:10)

Sure I would have liked to write about politics...so much to talk about these days. Municipal elections, Prime Ministerial elections, McCain vs. Obama, etc. Who do we chose? Who is going to run our city, our state, our everyday lives? I would have liked to talk about economics, especially now that we are in the middle of such global economic uncertainty. Should we invest in the market? If so which market? Is our money in the bank secure enough? How much is our property really worth? How much are the properties in the Silicon Valley, Moscow or Tel Aviv really worth? Who sets the appreciation rates? On what is it based? Should the BibiBachar policies on private investments in Israel be reevaluated in light of the sudden bankruptcies of the banks in the US? Should all of this be seen as a crisis or an opportunity? What about the US federal

The most democratic and capitalist country is now becoming the newest Soviet financial sovereignty in the world. How? By trying to prevent economic collapse, the US is not letting the market fix itself naturally nor letting the players learn from past mistakes or frauds. So many questions, so many different answers, all good for a perfectly enjoyable debate. But I’d rather focus on the importance of the month of Tishrei. All these questions come at a perfect time for us. All this incertitude is exactly the feeling that we should have as we start davening Kol Nidrei. Our future is really being weighed on the heavenly scales, and they can incline so easily to one side or the other.

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The Cycle of Yamim Nora’im: Transgression & Confession Politics 2008: An American Abroad

Trevor Asserson: Breaking the Aliyah Mold

Racism in Israeli Schools:

Education: Ease the Anxiety

Segregation or Integration?

ZALMAN SHOVAL

Shanah Tovah!

May our tefillot bring blessings to our thoughts, actions and decisions. In this new year 5769 I would like to wish all of our friends and families, and all of Am Yisrael a Shana Tova Tikatavu, v’Tchatamu. May you be blessed and inscribed for a good, healthy, and prosperous year. May we all witness the final redemption speedily in our days. Amen. °

‘REALPOLITIK’: A NEW ERA

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choosing the right leader in an economic crisis

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R”H 5769, Sept 29-Oct 1* LIGHT

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| OctOber 2008

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BEHA’ALOTCHA JUNE 13, 2008 LIGHT END

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Spotlight on Libyan Jews Safety in the Sun Real Estate Classifieds Inside CHUKAT, JULY 4, 2008 LIGHT

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Racism in Israeli Schools:

Education: Ease the Anxiety

Superfoods: You are what you eat!

Aliyah for the Elderly Spotlight on Tunisian Jews Classifieds Inside

Segregation or Integration?

ZALMAN SHOVAL

Shanah Tovah!

choosing the right leader in an economic crisis

Elul Z’man: ...what does that entail? AUSTRALIA . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5.00 CANADA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5.00 EUROPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€3.00 ISRAEL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NIS 15 SOUTH AFRICA . . . . . . . . . . . R20 U.K. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £ 2.50 U.S.A.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$3.00

VOL. 2, ISSUE NO. 21 SEPTEMBER 2008

Shoftim, Sept 5, 2008 LIGHT

BET SHEMESH GUSH ETZION JERUSALEM MODI'IN TEL AVIV NEW YORK LONDON

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*holiday candlelighting times will be published in the Travel Guide for Chagim

VOL. 2, ISSUE NO. 22 OCTOBER 2008

R”H 5769, Sept 29-Oct 1* LIGHT

BET SHEMESH GUSH ETZION JERUSALEM MODI'IN TEL AVIV NEW YORK LONDON

LIGHT

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Opinion

Israel Enters a New Era of ‘Realpolitik’ Livni’s victory represents Zionism 2008: adapting to survive. by Olivier Rafowicz

n Wednesday, September 17th, Tzipi Livni was elected as the new leader of the Kadima political party. While the election may have been only a primary, its true meaning goes far beyond Kadima. In essence, on September 17th Tzipi Livni was elected the de facto Prime Minister of the State of Israel, and by choosing Tzipi Livni the people of Israel chose to vote for change.

Minister and the role of politics in Israeli society. While it will not be easy to repair the failures of the past, Tzipi Livni seems more than determined to complete the task at hand. Yet, the fact that a woman is now the leader of the Jewish state, is by itself a revolution— after all it has been over 30 years since Golda Meir left office. On Sunday, September 14, at the Exhibition Fairgrounds in Tel Aviv, Livni declared in front of thousands of supporters that Israel is and must remain both a Jewish and a democratic state. “We will not compromise on security of the State of Israel, but we will have to make painful territorial concessions in order to ensure that the State of Israel remains a Jewish and a democratic state.”

Today, change has become the defining issue of every major democracy in the world and the catch phrase of every major democratic leader. Beginning with Tony Blair in the United Kingdom, followed by Angela Merkel in Germany, continuing with Nicolas Sarkozy in France and now in the current US presidential campaign between John McCain and Barack Obama, the idea of change is part of a global wave overtaking democracies around the world. Tzipi Livni represents a direct continuation of this worldwide trend of young democratic leaders understanding that the old order is over and a new era has come.

Coming from a veteran Likud member whose family was heavily involved in the Irgun resistance movement against the

Democratic populations around the globe are fed up with the old games of bad politics and corruption, which are ultimately the most subtle, yet most divisive enemies of democracy. By choosing Tzipi Livni, the people of Israel expressed their hope for a new kind of Israeli politics, a new perspective on Israel’s problems and a new movement to put politics back in the hands of the people. These are exactly the areas where Olmert failed, causing unimaginable damage to the image of the Israeli Prime

British before the independence of the State of Israel, this message essentially expressed the evolution of Zionist ideology in year 2008, mainly that the vast majority of Israelis have now moved from dogmatism to pragmatism.

everyone mixes a little too much water with their wine, making the wine either undrinkable or taste like grape juice.

‘‘

By choosing Tzipi Livni, the people of Israel expressed their hope for a new kind of Israeli politics, a new perspective on Israel’s problems and a new movement to put politics back in the hands of the people.” Kadima, now the leading centrist party in Israel, is neither the dawn of a new era in Israeli politics, nor a fleeting moment in Israeli history. It is the product of a nation which was created upon a hard and welldefined ideological base and which, after 60 years of existence, has come to terms with the reality of the situation inside and outside of Israel. The final result is that Israel has realized it must adapt itself and must take into account many increasingly complicated situations in order to survive. Only a visionary political movement combining modern Zionism with adaptability can lead the State of Israel in the years to come. The fact that Israel’s classic political parties are slowly disappearing and no longer have the same political clout they once did, is often troubling to Israelis.

The once “infallible” ideologies of Israel’s major political parties— such as the notion of a Greater Israel on the right, or the notion of a pure socialist State on the left— now have more room to move in Israel’s current political scene. Indeed, in today’s Israel,

Many Israelis miss “the good old days,” when there were only two major Israeli political parties: the leftwing Labor Party, composed of kibbutzniks and the intelligentsia of Eastern Europe; and the right-wing Likud party, made up of masses of traditionalists from “the East” who lived in Israel’s major city centers. This dichotomy, which was the result of distinct and separate waves of Jewish immigration arriving to Israel at different times in history, is no longer as relevant today as it once was – undoubtedly for the better. The rise of a centrist party in Israel helped blur these social differences, creating something that resembles the centrist political parties of Western nations - less ideology and more pragmatism; less talk and more action. ° | October 2008

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rOsh hashanah

The Slippery Slope of Teshuva With all of the preparation involved, we still seem to slide into our old ways. by rabbi hillel faerMan

t’s all set. You’ve bought the simanim. You’ve arranged your seating in shul and paid. You’ve dusted off your machzorim and found your Kittel. You may be ready for the “Aseret Yemay” part, but you’re not so ready for the “Teshuva” part. Why not? Why don’t we feel spiritually ready for Rosh Hashanah, even if we’ve made a conscientious effort to prepare ourselves during the month of Elul? Firstly, our aveirot (sins) feel enormous. We are overwhelmed by the task of repentance. “Where do I begin?,” we ask ourselves. Our davening seems deficient, as does the time and effort that we devote (or fail to devote) to serious Torah learning. Speaking lashon harah (gossip) is out of control as well as BRING THIS AD FOR A SPECIAL DISCOUNT!

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our biting remarks. The list does not end there, so what hope do we have? The problem is that we have traveled this route before. We say slichot each year. We have studied the prayers. We’ve reached true regret for our actions, making firm

‘‘

Why should we try so hard if we’ll only end up back at square one?” resolutions to fix them. Yet we still seem to slide right back down that slippery slope to our old ways. Why should we try so hard if we’ll only end up back at square one? The answer is not “don’t try.” The Sefarim HaKedoshim (holy writings) say that no effort or even the thought of doing a mitzvah is ever lost. Even if we don’t succeed in achieving that mitzvah, we have succeeded in developing our relationship with Hashem. As the Gemara (Sanhedrim 106 B) says, “Hashem requires our hearts.” Furthermore, Rabbi Bachya Ibn Pakudah (11th century, Spain) in his Chovot Halevavot (“Duties of the Heart”) explains that the choice and willingness to do something in this world is all we can do. The final outcome is in Hashem’s hands. Of course we must try our utmost to succeed in carrying out our decisions to do good, as that is a reflection of our inner resolve. This inner resolve to do good in the world is our main job. Once we have accomplished that, we are credited as if we have also actually accomplished the good deed. Rabbeinu Yonah (12th century, Spain) proves this concept from the Torah’s account of the first Korban Pesach (Passover Sacrifice) (Shaari Teshuva 2:10). The very day they

were commanded to bring the Korban, the Torah states, “and they went and they did [the Korban],” (Sh’mot 12:28) even though the actual sacrifice wasn’t offered until two weeks later. Why? Because they had completely accepted in their hearts to do the mitzvah and acceptance was their main job. Therefore they immediately received full credit. Here then lies our solution. We can avoid sliding down our destructive paths. All we must do is to firmly resolve to rectify our ways. In that one small moment of resolve we can leave the darkness and enter into a great light. If we resolve to keep a particular mitzvah, then we immediately merit the reward of that mitzvah! This was the amazing strength of the Jewish Nation when they said “Naasei VeNishma”(Sh’mot 24:7). For this they each received great spiritual crowns and Hashem remarked, “who revealed to My children this great secret?” (Tractate Shabbat 88 A) Our greatest efforts to strengthen our resolve to do all the mitzvot should take place on Rosh HaShana itself. It is a day of enormous “Siyata DeShmaya” (help from heaven), for on that day the original man was created and we too are commanded to recreate ourselves again. May we all merit this great achievement, a sweet, happy and healthy new year and the final redemption. ° Comment at staff.editors@shiurtimes.com! | OctOber 2008

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Eretz

Jerusalem’s Municipal Elections by Efrat Benn

t was in June that I first became aware that Jerusalem and other Israeli cities would be holding municipal elections this November. I had been invited to a parlor meeting in which Nir Barkat, Jerusalem mayoral hopeful, presented his platform and entertained questions. Caught offguard by the upcoming elections, it took me a week to digest his message. Afterwards, I committed to becoming his supporter and I currently work for his campaign. My initial reaction: How can I choose one candidate without researching the others? While my political leanings would put me in the camp of the secular, Zionist mayoral candidate (i.e., not ultra-Orthodox), that is not why Barkat has my vote. I support him because I believe he that will be a good mayor, period. To me, Barkat represents the “Doctors Without Borders” candidate. Just as doctors can drastically improve the standard of public health in rural African communities with antiseptic, gauze bandages, and sterile equipment, Barkat’s platforms are elegant in their simplicity, coherence, and direct response to the needs of this broken city. He is a native Jerusalemite with experience in business and civil service. He has his finger on the pulse of this city and can articulate a long-term vision as well as concrete, short-term steps to actualize his vision. My support for Barkat, however, comes with a twinge of disappointment. I wish that his opponents were courting me with competing visions and tempting me to cast my vote with them. Elections are a healthy phase of the democratic process in which candidates propose ideas and residents debate their needs and most suitable solutions. In an ordinary city, the current election would serve as a referendum on the light rail. The city is paralyzed by the endless poorly-planned and poorly-coordinated construction, yet Barkat’s opponents have not articulated any type of transportation reform. His opponents have also not publicized to the general voting populous their solutions to the city’s job and affordable housing shortages. While Barkat has housing, employment, education, and transportation platforms, his opponents are still engaging in back-room, power-leveraging negotiations. As a city resident, I want a mayor who is committed to the city’s growth, not someone who wants the job for purposes of bragging rights or a stepping stone to future political glory. Barkat would be strengthened if he had a bona fide opponent who is capable of debating his policies. The absence of public discourse on the city’s most pressing needs is a disservice to all. Voting on the ethnic, religious, or charisma card is a gesture of loyalty that happens in high schools and tribal-voting countries like Zimbabwe. Running the country’s capital city requires competence, vision, and leadership. We need Barkat to win the mayor’s seat, increase the public’s involvement during his five years in office, and elevate the level of discourse. By the next election cycle, perhaps we can have a true race and not one candidate with ideas and the others seeking votes based on tribal loyalty. °

Finally! Settlement Approval for Gush Katif Evacuees by st staff

he National Planning Council has approved to register the new community of Mirsham in the Lachish region, near Beit Guvrin and Kiryat Gat. Twenty-four families who were evacuated from Gush Katif, along with 20 families of new olim, and alumni of World Bnei Akiva are planning on settling the community. The final decision came after much opposition from environmental groups, who argued that the Lachish region has been an area of conservation and biosphere efforts. They claim that more people settling there would harm the area’s natural habitat. The group of Gush Katif evacuees, who have been living in temporary caravans for over three years, countered the arguments saying that they also have interests in protecting the environment, since they will actually be living there. Zeev Schwartz, Director of World Bnei Akiva, participated in the committee meeting and said, “I am amazed at this rare meeting where such important values of the State of Israel are being discussed; values about environmentalism and nature were considered so seriously. At the same time, we discussed Zionism today, pioneering and the need for settlement, and of course the importance of Kibbutz Galyuot and Aliyah. Bnei Akiva is proud to be a partner in this endeavor, and praises the decision-makers on their decision.” Schwartz calls for all World Bnei Akiva alumni to come and support the pioneering spirit of establishing and settling the Land of Israel. Close to two years ago, hundreds of BA teens came from around the world called to settle the Lachish region, and finally their efforts have paid off. “What a wonderful idea to combine olim hadashim, young couples, idealists and families together in a new community,” Schwartz said. °

Comments? Responses? staff.editors@shiurtimes.com

| October 2008

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Society

Fighting the Brain-Drain Top UK litigation attorney who made aliyah and took his law firm with him. by st staff

brief Google search on “Trevor Asserson” will lead you to numerous articles about his extensive research uncovering the systematic bias against Israel by the BBC. While Asserson made headlines with this oft-quoted project, you will find little mention of how his Zionism transformed his personal life, when he and his family moved to Israel and he built an English law firm in downtown Jerusalem. In an exclusive interview with ShiurTimes, top UK litigator Trevor Asseron spoke about how his groundbreaking international law practice can be a paradigm for how Israel can transform itself into a platform for providing top quality professional services around the world. Following his degree in Oxford, where he studied History, Trevor Asserson trained as a lawyer and worked for England’s premier UK litigation firm, Herbert Smith, where his clients included some of the largest banks and corporations in the world. But an altruistic streak persuaded him to abandon the city and become a partner in one of the UK’s largest legal-aid law firms; for five years he headed a department defending the rights of homeless people in London, mainly suing local government offices. All along, he dreamed of being in Israel, and in 1990 tried his first attempt at aliyah. “It was 98% successful,” he says—“I met my wife.” Although he qualified as an Israeli lawyer, he decided to return to the UK after two years. There he returned to the field of commercial litigation and within two years found himself the international head of litigation, at one of the UK’s larger law firms (some 200 partners). After seven years, he became a senior partner at one of the world’s largest law firms, one with 450 partners and over 2,500 lawyers. His reputation grew as he acted for some impressive clients, including the UK government, the Greek and Macedonian governments, numerous

major corporations and some well-known individuals— most famously for Don King, the US boxing promoter. He was short-listed as “litigator of the year,” and began to be written up in all the main legal directories in the UK including “Who’s Who in the Law.” But Asserson was not content with life in the UK. He had promised his wife they would return to Israel and in 2005 they did so, together with their two children. He had offers to work at some Israeli firms, but felt that to do this would be to start at the

‘‘

‘People talk about sending low-grade services offshore to India...I decided to offshore an entire law office.’”

bottom in the Israeli market and to throw away the skills and reputation which he had developed during more than twelve years in the UK. Instead, he took a radical step, and having abandoned his partnership at one of the world’s largest firms in the UK, he set himself up as one of the world’s smallest law firms, providing English law advice from an office based in Israel.

is concerned, I’m an Israeli lawyer. I pay my membership to the Israel Bar Association, I am insured, and I comply entirely with Israeli law. As far as the English Law Society is concerned, we are a full-fledged English law firm. Indeed, we have two trainee solicitors who will qualify as English solicitors never having stepped foot in England to do so.” As far as he is aware, his is the only UK law in the world, which exists entirely outside the UK. The secret ingredient is the internet which, in recent years, has become the preferred method of communication for almost everyone, now even for phone calls. Thus communication is today the same speed and the same cost with Israel as it is with an office next door. With a UK address for service, telephone number and email address, clients barely notice the distance. “Many clients have commented that they get a faster response time from us than they did from their UK based lawyers,” Asserson told us. Asserson was quick to point out that he does not in fact practice Israeli law, since he has no desire to compete in the Israeli legal market. “Asserson Law Offices is an English law firm which just happens to have a strange address: Jerusalem. Our competitors are other English law firms, not Israelis.”

“I did give some thought to commuting on a weekly basis to the UK,” he said, “but I wanted to be building a position within the Israeli business environment.” And so he tried something entirely new. “People talk about sending low-grade services offshore to India. I decided to offshore an entire law office. It started with just me and I wasn’t sure whether I could persuade any clients to use my services at all from an off-shore base like Israel,” he told the ShiurTimes.

In addition to its eleven lawyers, Asserson Law Offices also has a close relationship with a Harvard qualified US lawyer who sits in Asserson’s office, and enables them to provide joint US and English advice when required. “A lot of Israeli clients need both UK and US law in their international work.”

Three years and eleven lawyers later, the firm has a unique position in the legal market. It complies with all of the regulations of the Israeli bar, and simultaneously complies with all of the regulations imposed by the English Law Society. “As far as Israeli law

The client list is impressive. They are acting for Israeli, US and European banks in different actions, including acting for one US bank which specializes in Collateralized | October 2008

Debt Obligations (CDOs), “the toxic waste that has caused the recent credit crunch,” explains Asserson. “This has thrown off some fascinating work, often suing some of Europe’s largest banks,” he tells us. He also acts for a number of international corporations and some high-profile individuals. The firm has been worked on several cases with a value of over $100 million and their biggest case— acting for an offshore hedge fund— is currently

valued at $500 million. “Half a billion dollars is a serious claim by the standards of any law firm,” he says. With the case coming up for trial in a few weeks, he admits to being pretty busy at the moment. What is interesting is that the firm has developed a truly international practice. Clients are found as far away as the West Coast of the USA and South Africa, as well as in several European countries the UK and Israel. Opponents are located in New Zealand, Turkey, Cayman Islands, and the Dominican Republic, where Asserson is in dispute with the Armed Forces of the government.

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As the firm has grown, it has developed a corporate department and most recently hired David Prais, a partner from a major UK law firm who is a specialist English property lawyer. If one wishes to deal with residential or commercial property in England, you no longer need to fly to London or to pay London prices. You can now get a City of London lawyer on Jerusalem’s Jaffa Street. “A law firm sells brains,” said Asserson, “and in that respect the firm is quite remarkable.” It boasts graduates from some of the finest universities including Oxford, Cambridge,

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Education

Integration or Segregation? Ethiopian kids in the educational system: a look into Israeli Society. by Mebratu Meshasha

he story of 1st grade “Chaya,” daughter of Sarah and Meir accurately highlights the situation that keeps repeating itself without any solution in sight. Sarah and Meir, a young, bright couple from Ethiopia, received a recommendation from Chaya’s gan teacher for a particular private school in their city that would suit the level of their daughter. “I phoned the secretary, and set a date for the entrance exam, and she asked me to bring my te’udat zehut, and the t.z. of my my mother and daughter,” Sarah relates. “I was born in Ethiopia and I don’t have a birth certificate. I told this to the secretary, who called me the day after to say “we don’t accept Ethiopians here. Even Russians we hardly accept.” Sarah and Meir insisted on bringing their daughter to the entrance exam anyway. Depending on her test results, she would have been considered for acceptance to the school. “She even got compliments from the vice principal of the school and her file was passed onto the school administration. I waited two weeks for an answer and then I called. They told me to bring proof of Judaism.” Sarah turned to the Chief Rabbi of the Ethiopian community, HaRav Yosef Edna, and sent the document to the school. There, they refused to recognize the rabbi’s certification and demanded that the family go through giyur l’chumrah (the strictest requirements for a Jewish conversion). Sarah realized that in light of the timeframe, even if they did decide to convert, school registration would have been closed, so she registered Chaya in another school; one that was considered to be on a lower level, and one in which 90% of the students are from Ethiopian origin. “It’s unacceptable to me to not give my daughter the best education that she deserves,” she says and asks, “Whoever wants a good education for their kids has to be white?” Aliyah from Ethiopia started in the 80’s and has been replete with problems, primarily religious. The demonstrations from the community against giyur l’chumrah

demanded creative solutions. One of them was to send the kids to the dati-leumi sector’s schools, and a portion of them even go to Charedi schools. This situation has turned into a religious war, where the main people who are hurt are the kids themselves. Many of them are not accepted into various schools, because in the eyes of the decisionmakers in the schools, Ethiopians are not Jews. In recent months, initiatives have shown another option: segregation. While in previous years, the community fought for the right to integrate into the educational system at any price, this year, voices rose from the community that supported segregation. “What has integration done for us?,” they asked. In Rechovot, an alternative school was opened called ‘Hadarim— Yona B’Golah,” where 99% of the kids are Ethiopian. “Integration is good, but if we look past the

the gap is great between the declarations of the Ministry and the reality on the ground. Research shows what is happening in reality. A study put together by the Information Center of the Knesset shows that in schools, separation between students from different cultures and groups exists because of different classes and study tracks that are taught at different levels. A report from the state comptroller in 1993 shows that contrary to the directives of the Ministry of Education, in 26% of junior high schools in the dati-leumi sector (keep in mind that 60% of Ethiopian children learn in the dati-leumi sector), there is educational “tracking” where there are

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The situation has turned into a religious war, where the main people who are hurt are the kids themselves.” theories and look at the reality, the fact is that there are 30-35 schools where between 60-98% of the students are Ethiopian, and they are an example where integration just did not succeed,” says Rona Ekla, Director of the organization Fidel, which stood at the heart of the media storm, when his opinions were interpreted as a wish for the community to be segregated. These initiatives made a lot of noise in the media and dealt with the question of supporting or opposing integration or segregation. Parents actually threatened to strike against integration. According to their claim, only through segregation will integration succeed. The Ministry of Education states that integration is one of the top priorities, but | October 2008

Nati, Hadera, by mcil sets of same-aged students being taught on different educational levels. “In Israel, there is denial about the lack of equal opportunities and the racism that exists towards Ethiopians,” says Yossi Yona, Professor of the Philosophy of Education at Ben Gurion University. “We don’t want to fully address the problems.” As one of the founders of Hakeshet Hademocratit Hamizrahit (a Mizrachi

www.shiurtimes.com

enough schools.”

social movement that promotes equality and multiculturalism in Israel), Yona uses the Shas educational network as an example: “Shas set up an educational network based on Torah, but the children of the Shas leaders study in the yeshivot of the Ashkenazi elites. They still have an inferiority complex and the message to their public is “we are not good enough to establish good

“The situation of the Ethiopians is more complicated,” he says. “Color emphasizes the difference. On one hand, it complicates the situation, but on the other hand, it’s good because it took a lot less time than the Mizrachim to understand the problem of inequality.”

“If society wants integration, then the State is going to have to go through a deep change,” he sums up. “When the State sees itself as Middle Eastern, and not White European, the Ethiopians will also be integrated equally.” As for the claim that specifically the Mizrachim discriminate against the Ethiopians, Professor Yona responds, “The Ethiopians are the ‘accident’ of Zionist history. Black, in the eyes of a ‘white State’ is a problem. The more serious problem is for the community, because it internalizes the message that black is a problem and then there is conflict amongst the groups within the community. The story with the Mizrachim is identical. Lack of confidence from the Mizrachim, and their desire to join the whites pushes them to turn their backs against the Ethiopians.” Translated & edited by Yehudit Singer. Original Hebrew text was published in the Israel Association for the Jews of Ethiopia (IAEJ) magazine, Kav Ha’Ofek (Horizon). ° Tell us what you think! staff.editors@ shiurtimes.com

Yom Kippur

Viduy & Selichot: Human Frailty vs. Divine Constancy Two aspects of repentance and repair. by Yaffa Epstein

om Kippur is seen as the holiest day of the year; the day when the human being comes as close to the divine as possible. The day is spent removed from all physicality, immersed in prayer. But what are these prayers that we recite on Yom Kippur? How do the prayers themselves shape the day? In Sefer Bamidbar we are told that when a person sins, they must confess the sins they have committed (Bamidbar 5:5-7). While this obligation to confess is not limited to Yom Kippur, the Viduy (confession) service has become the central component of the Yom Kippur liturgy. An interesting halachic discussion surrounds the obligation to confess. While the Viduy must be recited loud enough to be heard by the person themselves, the question arises as to whether one must add the details of their sins to the set structure of the Viduy. Rav Yosef Karo in the Shulchan Aruch (Orech Chaim 607:2) rules that a person does not have to add to the standard Viduy text, and specify his sins. However, if he is praying silently, he should. The Ramah continues with this logic and states that if a person will be saying the Viduy aloud, he may not specify his sins. In other words a person should not make it known to others exactly how they have transgressed, and sinned. At first glance, this h a l a c h a s e e m s strange. After all, wouldn’t we assume that it is more important to confess our sins before God and to ensure that we are we have performed a thorough confession,

than to worry about being heard by our fellows? There is a well known Mishnah in Masechet Yomah (8:9) that states that when a person transgresses against God, Yom Kippur atones for the sin; however when a person transgresses against another person, Yom Kippur does not atone for the sin until the person forgives the transgression. This Mishnah informs us that Yom Kippur in and of itself contains the power to grant forgiveness from sins that have hurt our

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Despite the transformative nature of the day and the holiness that we attain, if we have not yet made peace with our fellows, we have not achieved atonement.” relationship with God. However, our relationships with others require more effort and consciousness. Despite the transformative nature of the day and the holiness that we attain, if we have not yet made peace with our fellows, we have not achieved atonement. The responsibility for hurting our friends rests solely on our shoulders, and we must make the effort to create peace and harmony. Perhaps the halachic opinion that forbids us to list our sins in detail out loud is meant as a protective measure for our fellows, in order to prevent their being upset and hurt, and to help us recognize that human relationships are more fragile and require more effort. This causes us to recognize our own responsibility for our friends and community, even if it means we will not be reciting a complete confession before God. Conversely, the Selichot prayers that are said leading up to Rosh HaShana, during the Asseret Yemei Teshuva, and on Yom Kippur itself seem to contain a different message. The central component of the Selichot prayers is the recitation of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy— the

attributes that describe God. These begin with the words “God God.” The Gemara (Masechet Rosh Hashana 17b) asks the question, why is the word God repeated here twice? The Gemara suggests that this is to symbolize God saying to the Jewish People “I am your God before a person sins, and I am your God after a person sins.” This Gemara contains a beautiful insight. God is our God no matter what we may do! We may sin, and transgress, and still God is waiting for us; God remains. The relationship with God is a constant, always there, always accessible. Human relationships however, are exactly the opposite. They are not everlasting, and can not be counted on to be consistent. They cannot be taken for granted. It is up to the individual to repair the relationship. Interestingly, these two sets of prayers present the dichotomy of Yom Kippur. Viduy represents the human recognition that we sin, that we transgress, and contains within it the recognition of our relationship to others, and the frailty of that relationship. The Selichot prayers demonstrate God’s awesomeness, and God’s constancy in our lives, no matter what is to happen. Ultimately the mission of Yom Kippur is to embrace both messages simultaneously— God’s constancy, and human frailty. I would like to suggest one more idea— that of the relationship to one’s self. The Shulchan Aruch states that one is not allowed to recite Viduy out loud so that their fellow will not hear their sins. Perhaps this law is not simply about disturbing others, or about causing embarrassment to others, but also about causing embarrassment to ourselves. When noting that our human relationships are frail, we must also note that our relationship to ourselves is at times frail, and we must take steps to work on our relationship with ourselves. When we can achieve that, we have the opportunity to experience God, and experience the depth of God’s constancy and presence in our lives. ° Voice your opinion! staff.editors@shiurtimes.com | October 2008

health

Health Q&A With Dr. Simcha Shapiro Living with fibromyalgia: conventional and natural remedies for chronic body pain. Q: Dear Dr. Shapiro, I was recently diagnosed with a condition called “fibromyalgia.” There seems to be so much conflicting information out there. Some people say fibromyalgia is a condition, and others say it is all in my head. It sure doesn’t feel like it is all in my head... my body hurts! Please help me understand what this is all about! — Sick-and-Tired

in fibromyalgia, it seems clear from all of them that there is an alteration in the way people with fibromyalgia perceive pain. What would normally be perceived by most people as a sensation of pressure or light-touch, might be perceived by a person with fibromyalgia as pain, to the degree that even the pressure from wearing clothes may be painful to some.

A: Dear Sick-and-Tired, While it is

Treating fibromyalgia is a great challenge, in no small part because we don’t fully understand what causes it. Even so, here are some things that many people who have fibromyalgia have found to be helpful. Keep in mind that fibromyalgia is a very individual condition, so these suggestions many not be right for everyone. Test them and see what works for you.

unclear what causes fibromyalgia, rest assured that it is a medical condition. So much so, in fact, that the US FDA just approved a new medication to treat it. Fibromyalgia is a condition that is characterized by chronic widespread muscle and soft tissue pain. It affects women more than men (up to 80%), and can be very debilitating. Very often patients who have fibromyalgia also have problems related to non-restorative sleep (waking up feeling exhausted), and depression. It is unclear if these other problems are a result of the chronic pain, or if they are part of the unknown process which causes fibromyalgia. While there are many theories about what is happening special deal:

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Lower the bar. If you overdo it with fibromyalgia, you will not feel well. One of the hardest things for people who are newly diagnosed with fibromyalgia, is adjusting their lifestyle to take in the new reality of their condition. Exercise. Many people who have fibromyalgia find ‫בס“ד‬ exercise to be very difficult, but they feel much better afterward.

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Even the anti-depressant and anti-epileptic medications work due to changes in the chemical system of the nervous system that determines how we interpret pain. Take natural medicines. Many people have found significant help from cranial osteopathy/cranio-sacral, acupuncture, and massage. Eat the right foods. While there is no one diet that helps those with fibromyalgia, many people find that through trying various restrictions of foods they have found a combination which helps them. Since no clear cures have been developed to-date for fibromyalgia, it is important for people living with fibromyalgia to learn ways of coping with the pain. To deal with the pain, cognitive-behavior therapy, meditation, and biofeedback have been very helpful for many. There is life after fibromyalgia. With the help of some of the many lifestyle changes and treatments available, the impact that fibromyalgia has on one’s life can be significantly decreased. ° Want to respond? email staff.editors@shiurtmes.com

Take medications (pain killers, anti-depressants, muscle relaxants, and anti-epileptics). These medications all work to affect the way our body perceives pain. | OctOber 2008

Nature Calls at

Deer Land Ranch

Home of the Longest Omega (Zip-line) in Israel & the Second Longest in the World! This magical spot nestled in the heart of the forest includes a huge wildlife reserve, with many types of deer and other animals from parrots to ostriches, and can be the perfect setting to celebrate weddings and other lifecycle events! Come visit and participate in a wide variety of outdoor/extreme activities like our rope park and our climbing walls.

Contact Lior: 050-538-8705 (heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hanging around waiting for your call...) www.shiurtimes.com 25

educatiOn

Guide to

Parent-Teacher Conferences Now that you’re a parent of an Israeli student, know how to get what your child needs from his/her educators. by avi silverMan

“

Acharei Hachagim” (after the holidays) will soon arrive and school will start in earnest. With that comes an earnest approach to your child’s educational integration, signaled by parent-teacher conferences. In the upcoming weeks you will receive a notice about your one-on-one meeting with your child’s mechanech/et teacher. Parent-teacher conferences can be one of those anxiety experiences for olim, so this article will hopefully ease your worries by presenting some issues surrounding these conferences, and how you as an oleh parent can successfully get what you need from the evening. While fundamentally there are not many major differences between

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Toss that old country idea that you don’t ‘bother’ your kid’s teacher at home.” raising your children here and raising them abroad, one area of difference lays in short and long-term planning. As an example, in Israel the notice for the parent-teacher conference may come three days before the meeting. This is also common when it comes to school parties, class programs, and the end-of-the-year class trip. As the year gets underway, try to bear this in mind and maintain a flexible attitude. You will either be assigned a specific time to meet with your child’s mechanech/et, or you will have to arrive when the evening begins, and sign-up for a meeting slot on a sign-up sheet on the door. It is safe to assume that your time slot will always be late and it’s a good idea to use the gap time before your appointment to meet with the “Miktzoa” (math, science, English etc.) teachers.

While it is sometimes intimidating to sit across from your child’s Hebrew speaking mechanech/et, you must muster the mental strength to initiate the conversation in Hebrew. It is important for you to make that breakthrough and use whatever Hebrew you have to become an Israeli parent learning about your child. For some parents this 7- minute conversation in Hebrew may be a little daunting, but is worth the effort. If you honestly think that you will not be able to facilitate this meeting in Hebrew, and the mechanech/et cannot conduct it in English, bring a neighbor or a Hebrewspeaker with you to assist. You do not want to miss this meeting as: a) it shows the teachers that you are a concerned parent trying their best to work with the school; b) it shows your child your dedication to them AND sets an example for them of how to work with your limitations as an oleh and not run away for comfort; c) it is a necessary part of your growth as an oleh parent toward becoming a more integrated immigrant. There are other cultural differences that you should be aware of: 1) Teachers by and large do not initiate phone calls to parents. It is the assumed norm in Israel that the school deals with educational/behavioral issues within the school staff, and will only notify parents if they feel the situation has gone beyond acceptable standards. 2) While their intentions are good, most school administrators and educators will not return your phone call. You will need to be more hands-on in this area as well. It is the accepted norm in Israel that you call your child’s mechanech/et at his/her home. They should have given you their home phone number by now, and the hours when you may call. Mark your calendar to call them bi-weekly the first part of the year.

Toss that old country idea that you don’t “bother” your kid’s teacher at home. The key to success this first year is to be proactive and consistent, remembering all the while to respectfully portray your child and their needs to their new school. Show much love and understanding towards your child as they go through the initial months of reorienting themselves to the Israeli school system. Parent-teacher conferences are your first foray into putting these steps into play, and to experience a new growth as an oleh parent. °

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Economy

Zalman Shoval:

Balancing Business and Politics (part I) The founder of Bank of Jerusalem discusses what led him to professional greatness and the impact of the current economic crisis.

Z. Shoval & D. Ben Gurion (1971)

by Yehudit Singer

| October 2008

How do you manage to balance running a successful business and be so politically active?

There was a definite risk that our plane would be shot down by the Egyptian Air Force on the way to Cyprus.

If you are straightforward, one of the two is going to suffer. I say “straightforward” because if you try to use one for the other, you will get into trouble, as you have seen not just in Israel, but even more so in the States. Whenever I was more active in my political activities, I had to lower my activity in business, and vice versa.

After I finished my training period in the Foreign Ministry I got married, and my wife’s family was in banking. I had to make a choice, because after those two years they would have sent me on some foreign tour of duty. And at some time you have to make a decision about what you want for your future, for your kids…. So I took a sort of indefinite leave of absence from the Ministry. How could I guess that I would return more than once?!

According to Israeli law, MK’s are not allowed to earn a salary or wages from business activities, but one can still be a shareholder. When I was in a more executive position, in charge of the overseas information at the time that I was the de-facto Deputy Foreign Minister, I didn’t even go to my business office. I had to abstain not because it was legally forbidden, but because it was too much. When I was Ambassador to the US, I had to abandon my business activities altogether, but I saw this as an additional contribution to the State of Israel.

I started in banking with the Export Bank, which doesn’t exist anymore. A bank that specialized in trade was rare, as the government had complete control of financial markets, so it was difficult to be a private bank. But then I started another banking venture, the Bank of Jerusalem, in 1964-5. Actually it was the idea of the Bank of Israel to develop Jerusalem, which was in the dumps economically. And two years after I established the bank, the Six-Day War happened, Jerusalem was reunited and all of a sudden the Bank of Jerusalem became a much more interesting venture, and it is developing very nicely from all points of view.

On the other hand, when I am very active in politics, like at the present time, I devote less time to my business activities to a certain degree. From a wider perspective, I would say that my deep involvement in international activities did give me a certain advantage in my financial activities, and vice versa. For instance, I initiated the matter of the famous “loan guarantees” in order to facilitate the wave of immigrants from Russia. I went to US President George Bush, the State Department, the other government offices in America and to Congress to convince them that this is something that Israel needed and should get. Few Ambassadors can say that they started something and brought it to conclusion! And this would not have been possible without my banking background, because I talked to the people there on the same level professionally. What would you say came first, your business aspirations or political? Definitely political. I have been politically-minded all my life. I got a citation in high school (in ‘44-‘45), when Israel was still under the British Mandate, for writing a long essay about a tour of Israel, which included everything on both sides of the Jordan River. In the army, I was the Chief Assistant of the Head of Intelligence Research. After I finished the army, I applied to become a member of the Foreign Ministry and we already had the system of cadets like now. Out of about 150 candidates, I was one of 5 who were elected, so I went to the Foreign Ministry. I worked under Herzog— the head of the American division— Yaakov Herzog. I was the go-between him and David Ben-Gurion in the post-Sinai campaign situation. During the Sinai War itself, Ben-Gurion sent me, though a very junior officer, to be a liaison officer with the French forces in Cyprus— together with the late Professor, then Colonel, Yuval Neeman. www.shiurtimes.com

But I never really completely shed my political interests. Whether this is inbred or not, I don’t know. I could have sat back and had a very convenient life, but a year or two ago, I decided that the problems that Israel was facing were of such complexity that anybody who can do something; who can contribute something should not remain on the sidelines. The result: I am again active politically in the Likud party— mainly in foreign affairs. How is the current economic situation affecting Israel? Is there a way to prevent it from affecting Israel? How is it affecting the real estate agents working with foreign populations? No doubt that the crisis in the U.S. banking sector is the most serious crisis since ’29 and I’m not the only one who says this. It’s very serious. But it is not a complete failure or breakdown of capitalism or the free market. It is, as someone said a month ago, a result of mistakes, fraud, bad regulations, excessiveness, a rush to easy profit—all these things together. All of this started from the mortgage structure which was badly built and this created implications for investment banks and insurance companies, and so on.

‘‘

I could have sat back and had a very convenient life, but a year or two ago, I decided that the problems that Israel was facing were of such complexity that anybody who can do something— who can contribute something— should not remain on the sidelines.”

Now, I am an optimist, which means that even if things are not going to get better tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, I see this crisis as a catharsis, where many institutions will fall by the way side, as already did— but those which will survive will be stronger and healthier than in the past. We shouldn’t forget that America is still the largest economy in the world and whatever happens on the NYSE does not reflect continued on page 30

Economy the real value of the American economy. The American economy is way above the prices that their shares reflect these days. When you see headlines on “the death of capitalism,” that is complete nonsense. There is no real economy that is not marketoriented. Sure, there were experiments with socialist or communist economies, but with them, not only a few financial institutions went bankrupt; entire countries went bankrupt! All of the citizens were impoverished. It’s like a person who overeats and over-drinks and doesn’t exercise. And at the end of the day, the doctor says “you have to reform or you’re going to die.” So that’s what’s going to happen to the American economy. I don’t think it will affect Israel in a very serious fashion. So far, despite the weak dollar, exports are growing. Maybe there’s compensation in our Far Eastern markets; especially commodities are doing very well. Still the economy will be affected, especially after this Lehman Brothers problem, especially with regards to investments.

Z. Shoval & President G.W. Bush

As for real estate, I could imagine that expensive apartments mainly geared towards foreign markets or foreign buyers could be affected. But it won’t affect general real estate because there is still a great shortage of available flats in Israel. The supply is much smaller than the demand, for Israelis and immigrants. Some of the builders face credit problems, but on the whole, the real estate sector is still pretty successful in Israel, with certain impediments. The banks have less credit available, but I said at a meeting with some of our own foreign investors, that this year, growth is still going to be respectable in Israel, around 4% at the end of the year. Over 5% the first half, but I think in 2009, it will still be around 3%which is not as nice as we would like it to be, but it’s still respectable…but we need to think on the positive side.

Z. Shoval & B. Netanyahu, Madrid Conference 1991

In the next month of coming elections both in the United States and municipal elections in Israel (and maybe elections for PM), what do you suggest for the lay people? How does the lay person foresee an effective political leader? With regards to US elections I cannot offer any advice because we will have to work with whoever will win. With the municipal elections, I think any mayor should be as un-political as possible and look after the welfare of the people of his city. About the rest, look, people can make mistakes— I mean, everywhere, not just in Israel. But I think the Israeli people are much more intelligent than perhaps people in other countries; we have to be. People have a chance to look at the record of this party, that party, and ask themselves should we award parties who make terrible mistakes with another chance or not? Should we give a chance to people who, we believe, may lead the country in a better way than the past? Experience will tell who is right—that is the advantage of democracy—that you have a choice. I hope we will have elections fairly soon because otherwise we are getting ourselves into a blind alley with the Palestinians and the Syrians. Tomorrow we might face Iran in our backyard, and so these are all things that need to be considered by the public when they vote. Another sphere is education which is #2 to security… ° Please keep up with Part 2 of our exclusive interview with Mr. Shoval in the November issue of ShiurTimes, where he speaks about Education and Leadership.

Responses and comments welcome! staff.editors@shiurtimes.com | October 2008

Opinion

An American Abroad

stake here. The President of the United States is not elected in order to quell an Iranian nuclear program or resolve things with the Palestinians. There are over 300 million people living in the United States. While foreign politics and the global perspective are important, the internal situation is more critical right now. House values are plummeting, people are defaulting on loans, and small businesses are struggling to stay afloat. I’ am worried and I don’t even live on US soil.

Ex-pat ponders top issues at stake in the US elections. by Tova Scherr

itting outside café Hillel, enjoying a café hafooch on a warm and sunny September afternoon, it is hard to imagine the elections are only 47 days away. Another year, another absentee ballot. I am fortunate to be from the mighty blue state of Massachusetts, which hasn’t elected a republican presidential candidate since – maybe ever? Thanks to the Electoral College put in place in 1787, my vote doesn’t really count. But as an American citizen living abroad, I still think it’s absolutely essential to do my civic duty and vote, if for no other reason than to have the confidence to look other people in the face while defending my country. It helps to know that I did what I could to change things. I am not neutral in my beliefs about participation. I was always involved in politics growing up— elected to student government in middle and high school, my undergraduate degree was in political science, I’ve interned for my representatives in the State House and then in Congress, and worked on congressional and presidential campaigns— all for the Democrats. But that’s not what this is about. In politics there is not one right and one wrong answer. If that were the case, elections would have wider margin.

Here are some of the issues I think are critical to consider: -The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan need immediate attention. Do you think it’s better to stay or to get out? -The economy is going downhill. Is it better to sit back and watch or for the government to get involved? -Roe vs. Wade and a woman’s right to choose is in jeopardy – something I have completely taken for granted in my 26 years. Should it be protected or abolished? -Protecting the environment is becoming “cool”, but it is serious too. We must act in order to preclude climate change. Do you agree? -Developing alternate sources of energy and investing in new technology. Do you think it’s important or not? Please think about these things before you vote. And if you’re not registered yet, go to https://www.overseasvotefoundation.org before it’s too late. °

Brain-Drain... continued from page 19 London and Harvard, Fulbright Scholars and other prize winners. Asserson himself is rated as one of England’s top litigators by Chambers and Legal 500, even though he is based in Jerusalem. Elliot Lister, another senior lawyer with the firm, is also highly recommended by the Legal 500 directory. “Essentially, we can attract some of the brightest lawyers around and our team includes people who have achieved academic success and have had experience in some of the top firms in the UK.” But notwithstanding the quality of the staff, the firm is able to keep its prices at around 50% of UK prices because overheads are so much lower in Israel than in the UK. “There is no other jurisdiction in the world where highly-qualified professionals will go and be willing to take a reduction from their former salary. But in Israel you can do that. And of course the savings can be passed directly to the client.” Asserson explains that many of his staff could walk into any job anywhere. But they are coming to him. He admits that no small firm like his could conceivably attract lawyers of this caliber anywhere else, but the opportunity of working in Israel without changing language or culture and making use of your existing experience creates a rare and attractive opportunity. “Of course no one will go to a lawyer just because they are cheap. There is no point in coming second in a court battle,” explains continued on page 41

It’s sad to be in the position of needing to defend the United States - the home of the American dream and golden opportunity. Unfortunately their (or our) foreign policy does not always reflect these ideals, especially lately. I am tired of trying to defend my nation’s policies to taxi drivers and baristas, as I have been doing for the last 4.5 years on both sides of the Jordan River and in Europe. I want to know what it’s like to be proud of my country. At the end of the day I only have one nationality— I am American. This election is about more than just one issue. Yes, it is important what the candidates think about Israel. But don’t worry – the special relationship between Israel and the US will not change. There is more at

| October 2008

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Language

Hebrew Never Died, it Only Went into Hiding

In the first five verses of the Torah, five words stand out. ‫ ארץ‬Erets v.1 ‫ אור‬Or v.3 ‫ וירא‬Vaya’ar and ‫ ויבדל‬Vayavdil v.4 ‫ קרא‬Kara v.5

Appreciating ancient Hebrew.

Look at each word carefully and see if you can spot an English equivalent (consonant equivalent and similar conceptual idea).

by Dr. Victor Roth

n this edition of ShiurTimes we begin a new series of articles on the relationship between English and ancient Hebrew. Modern English is undoubtedly one of the most important vernacular and scientific languages of the 21st century. However, to maintain that today’s English has its origins in the ancient Hebrew of the Torah is an anathema to Western academia. Nevertheless, a close examination of the English Bible and the Hebrew text of the Torah will demonstrate that, if any one of the 54 parshioth of the Torah is chosen at random, between 10-15 Hebrew words or their roots can be shown to have the same or similar transliterated consonants and conceptual connotations as modern English words. There is, of course, much duplication between the parshioth but, at the same time, one Hebrew root can be the source of many English words. In fact, hundreds of modern English words can be shown to have an early Semitic origin. All this will become evident as this series progresses. It is necessary to state at the outset certain linguistic rules or guidelines, which will aid the reader to follow the consistency of the system to be expounded. Rule 1: Recognition of English equivalents to ancient Hebrew consonants. Because the Hebrew alphabet has only 22 letters and no vowels, except “w,” as opposed to 26 letters and a series of vowels and diphthongs, direct transliteration is not always possible. What exists is a table of equivalents or acceptable interchanges between the two languages.

Rashi in Parashath Kedoshim (Lev.19:16) [q.v.] discusses the relationship between the Hebrew ‫ רכיל‬rachil— ‘a gossip’ and ‫ רגל‬regel— ‘leg’ (‫ כ‬caf and ‫ ג‬gimmel interchange ) and in this commentary Rashi discusses other groups of letters which commonly interchange in Hebrew. Experts in phonetics recognize seven groups of human phonetic groupings, but Hebrew consonants may be divided into three primary groups (see inset) where the consonants may interchange within each group yet the roots will retain a close conceptual relationship, as Rashi shows. The equivalents in English are much more complicated because of the use of letters as vowels; in consonant combinations as diphthongs (including -gh, ph, sch, etc.) each combination may be equal to a single Hebrew letter or conversely. For example, an ST combination may be read as a single Hebrew letter or as ‘s’ and ‘t’ separately in a Hebrew root. Rule 2: “Metathesis,” or a change in letter order. According to this rule it is common to find the same consonant equivalents in Hebrew and English in different arrangements of letter order between the two languages, but still with the same conceptual connotations. In fact, metathesis is probably more common than retention of same letter-order when comparing English with Hebrew. A few practical examples will help to demonstrate the system:

‫ ארץ‬EReTs can be related to ‘earth’ ‫ אור‬OR and ‫ ראה‬RAH both have

the common denominator of ‘light’ and ‘seeing’ which today is scientifically related to the English ‘ray’ from which the concept of ‘radiation’ is derived.

‫ ויבדל‬Vayavdil is from the root ‫ בדל‬B D

L— ‘separate’— which can be associated with the English noun ‘b l a d e’ an instrument designed for the purpose of cutting or separating material. However, here we have an example of metathesis ‫דל‬-DL changing to English— LD while retaining the ‘separation’ concept. The root ‫ קרא‬KRA— ‘call’ (out), ‘cry out,’ ‘proclaim,’ ‘read (out)’ and ‘name’ has many connotations some of which can be related to the modern newscaster or the old English institution of the ‘Town Cryer’ who used to proclaim or read out important matters publicly in the village square until people became able to read and write. It should also be noted that in addition to the direct ‘c r y’ equivalent , a metathesis exists between K R A and ‘c a ll’ where ‘‫ר‬R’ and ‘‫ל‬ L’ are interchanges in Hebrew group 2 and are linguistically associated in other nonSemitic languages. We can now refer back to the last parashah of the book of Deuteronomy and theTorah, ‫‘ וזאת הברכה‬vezoth habrachah.’ Here we can see that the name ‫‘ דברים‬Devarim’— Deuteronomy— is the plural of ‫דבר‬ DAVAR: ‘a thing,’ ‘word,’ ‘matter,’ where WORD is a methathesis of root ‫ דבר‬DBR, ‘to speak.’ In the Hebrew words ‫וזאת הברכה‬ ‘vezoth habrahah,’ ‫ זאת‬zoth has the same connotation of ‘this.’ We can also understand how ‫ ברכה‬berachah— ‘a blessing’— is once again an ‘L’ /’‫ ר‬R’ interchange between ‫ברך‬ BRCh— ‘bless,’ where the ‘ch’ acts like a group 3 rather than group 1 letter, similar to the French ‘ch’ as in ‘chef’ pronounced ‘shef.’ A similar situation is found in the English CiviC. Until next month...Happy New Year! ° | October 2008

Sukkot

The Wonders of the Etrog Medieval sources encourage women to bite the end of the etrog for an easy labor. by Sharona Margolin Halickman

W amaze me.

alking the streets of Jerusalem, every so often I happen upon an etrog tree. The beauty of the tree and its fruit never ceases to

A few days before Sukkot, the streets of Meah Shearim are filled with etrogim with different price tags lying on tables ready to be touched and smelled. Everyone is trying to find the nicest etrog that they can afford in order to perform the mitzvah of the four species in the most beautiful way. In Vayikra 23:40 we are told: “You shall take for yourselves, on the first day (of Sukkot), pri etz hadar (the fruit of the beautiful tree), a branch of palm trees, boughs of thick-leaved trees and willows of the brook and you shall rejoice before HaShem, your God for seven days.” How do we know that this pri etz hadar, fruit of the beautiful tree, is the etrog? Rabbi Avraham ibn Ezra (11th century Spain) comments that there is no fruit of the tree more beautiful than the etrog.

‘‘

Chava’s sin consisted of taking the etrog alone, so we obtain God’s favor by means of taking the etrog together with the other species. What was Chava’s punishment for eating the fruit (Bereshit 3:16)? “To the woman God said, ‘I will greatly increase your suffering and your childbearing; in pain shall you bear children.’” How do we make a tikkun (correction) for Chava’s eating of the fruit without permission and possibly alleviate the pain of childbirth? There is a custom for a pregnant woman to bite off the end of the etrog (pitom) on Hoshana Rabbah (the seventh day of Sukkot). After biting off the pitom, the pregnant woman should give tzedakah (since “charity saves [one] from death,” as it says in Mishlei 6:2), and pray to God to be protected from the suffering of bearing the child that she is carrying; that she may give birth easily.

According to the Kabbalah, pri etz hadar is the fruit in which there is a great deal of desire.”

R a m b a n

(Nachmanides, 13th century Spain) states that

the word etrog is the Aramaic translation of the Hebrew word “hadar.” Targum Onkelos (Aramaic translation of the Torah) says that it is nechmad (pleasant to see.) The word etrog can also mean desirable. According to the Kabbalah, pri etz hadar is the fruit in which there is a great deal of desire. This is the fruit with which Adam and Chava sinned in the Garden of Eden (Bereshit 3:6): “And the woman perceived that the tree was good for eating and that it was a delight to the eyes and that the tree www.shiurtimes.com

was desirable as a means of wisdom, and she took of the fruit and she ate.”

According to Chava Weissler, professor of Jewish Civilization and expert on women’s prayers, in her book Voices of the Matriarchs, this custom was considered to ensure an easy childbirth. The custom appears both in the Tsene Urene (the famous Yiddish translation of the Torah, haftarot and megilot which was first published at the end of the sixteenth century), as well as books of Tchines (women’s prayers).

women must suffer such great pangs as to die. Had I been there, I would not have had any enjoyment from the fruit. Just as now I have not wanted to render the etrog unfit during the whole seven days when it was used for a mitzvah. Now on Hoshana Rabbah the mitzvah is no longer applicable, but I am still not in a hurry to eat it. And just as little enjoyment as I get from the pitom of the etrog would I have gotten from the fruit that you forbade in the Garden of Eden.” If Chava had not eaten from the Tree of Knowledge, each woman would give birth as easily as a hen lays an egg, without pain. Ladies, don’t give up your Lamaze classes and doulas, as I am not guaranteeing that this custom will make childbirth a breeze, but it certainly can’t hurt. The Talmud, in Masechet Ketubot 61a, adds that a pregnant woman who actually eats the etrog (after the holiday) will have children that smell good. Bon Apetit! °

Voice your opinion! staff.editors@shiurtimes.com

The pregnant woman should recite the following prayer: “Ribono shel olam (Master of the World), because Chava ate the etrog, all of us

Education

OU’s Eye Squad The hotline for gap year students combats psychological and social issues. by Jason Demant

few weeks ago on a Motzei Shabbat, it was tough to get a cup of coffee at Jerusalem’s Coffee Bean on Rehov Yaffo, let alone to find a seat. Over four hundred students, all participants on one year, posthigh school programs, flooded the café; there to enjoy a free gourmet cup of coffee courtesy of the Eye Squad. Launched in March of this year, The Eye Squad, an initiative of the Council of Young Israel Rabbis in Israel, primarily provides a confidential 24-hour hotline for the 7,500 English speaking students here for a year of personal growth and study. Whether enjoying intensive yeshiva or seminary study, participating in a leadership program or volunteering on a kibbutz, a year in Israel is largely filled with inspirational teachers, new friends and wonderful experiences. However, for some, the reality can be somewhat different; in a new environment and away from home, a variety of psychological issues rise to the surface. “The problems were far more serious than I had imagined,” explained Rabbi Aaron Tirschwell, founder and director of Eye Squad and National Council of Young Israel’s Director of Israel Operations. “We estimate that approximately 10 percent of students suffer from some sort of psychological or emotional issue. The hotline has successfully helped young people with concerns relating to drugs, eating disorders, relationships and loss,” Tirschwell told ShiurTimes. “The Eye Squad aims to complement the excellent care provided by all the programs,” explained Tirschwell. Indeed many programs have social workers and therapists on staff, who, alongside

dedicated teachers and rabbis, provide excellent care for students, often giving of their own time and resources. With fierce competition for acceptance into the best yeshivot and seminaries, a student might leave an existing psychological condition undisclosed, in fear that it might adversely affect his/her chances of getting a place.

‘‘

‘The problems were far more serious than I had imagined,’ explained Rabbi Aaron Tirschwell.” In religious programs, issues such as eating disorders are becoming more common; a young woman may suffer in silence, scared that her chances of catching a good shidduch be prejudiced should knowledge of her condition slip out. A student fearful of being dismissed from their program is very unlikely to confide in anyone in an official capacity. It was with all these considerations in mind that the Eye Squad Hot Line was set up. “The Hotline calls are fielded by trained, accessible and non-judgmental counselors who listen, empathize and give constructive advice to callers,” explained Tirschwell. This year, Eye Squad has also launched BAYIT (Building a Year in Israel Together). Through BAYIT, students are paired with host families, with an aim to helping their time in Israel be as comfortable as possible. Host families are selected from English speaking Olim who provide hospitality on Shabbat, holidays or as needed. ° To reach the Eye Squad in Israel just dial *9111. From the US and Canada, the Eye Squad can be reached (toll-free) by dialing (866) 550-4EYE or visit www. eyesquad.org

Gap Year Perspective An expert responds. ST contacted Mendel Horowitz, Rabbi at Derech Etz Chaim in Har Nof and Clinical Sociologist at Kav L’Noar, to comment on the psycho-social issues associated with the gap year phenomenon:

“

The Israel year has become for many a rite of passage. There are boys [and girls] in yeshivot who are not really sure why they are there. While they talk about growing religiously, much of their development turns out to be social. I see kids who are not getting drunk or doing drugs but who are confused about their role in society. Time away from home can be refreshing. [Kids] often use the experience to discover their desires, abilities, and limitations. Still, how helpful can I be to kids when I know so little about their families? How lasting is their change when they are returning to their original contexts? In all of my years of experience, less than a handful of parents have maintained regular contact with me. It appears as though parents are sending their children here to develop but are not involved enough with the growth process.

‘‘

‘While they talk about growing religiously, much of their development turns out to be social.’” There is too much that is expected from the Israel year. The hope is that students will grow personally, spiritually, scholastically, and socially. How many of these goals are reachable in one year? The Israel year is a complex system that can be made more effective with greater preparation, clearer goals and with more parental involvement.” °

| October 2008

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Yom Kippur in Arabic by yehudit singer

f there is any time during the year that Hebron is most meaningful to me, it is Yom Kippur. I’ve always been incredibly fascinated by the city; not just the Cave of the Patriarchs itself, but the entire city, the houses, the [now closed] Kasbah market, the [now closed] storefronts, the Palestinian flags that wave just beyond the fence up the road from the old Beit Hadassah Hospital, site of the 1929 massacre. The dichotomy that exists between the residents there is simultaneously inspiring and frightening for me. I’ve always been a humanitarian, in favor of good treatment and rights for all, but one that is also deeply connected to, and respectful of Jewish history. How do they two coexist in the heart and mind of one person?

Torah and Science

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Hebron is not a haven for tourists to the extent that the Kotel is. I find it to be a serious place for serious, heartfelt prayer. On Yom Kippur, I want exactly that: a place where I most connect to the text of our liturgy and G-d. What better place than a private room with the forefathers and mothers of the world’s three major religions that just happens to be laden with Arabic writing? But no one seems to mention that part…. For the first couple years that I lived in Israel, I chose to spend Yom Kippur with the world’s most famous couples (move over Brangelina), and connected to their legacies as I thought about the generations of our predecessors who dreamed of coming to this location, and, at the same time, I kept in mind those 100,000+ Palestinians

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surrounding us. I prayed for sound national leadership, justice and peace. And so when one of our readers suggested that in honor of Rosh Hashana, every Jew around the world should donate $1 to the community of Hebron, it definitely struck a chord in me. By giving donations or by sending prayers, as Rav Yitzchak Marciano told me, each one of us could share the z’chut of having a presence in the City of our Fathers. Rav Marciano, himself, has established a Kollel in the Cave (Me’ara) itself, as part of the Nahalat Avraham V’Shmuel organization, where people learn day-in and day-out. A few times a year, they also take care of over one hundred needy families in the area. continued on page 49

Waiting for Rain BRYNA LEVY

Acclaimed teacher Bryna Levy’s Waiting for Rain offers a compelling collection of meditations that examine the biblical and liturgical readings associated with the High Holidays, in a highly personal approach that resonates with our own modern lives.

Real Power DOVID LIEBERMAN

Real Power, a new book by New York Times bestselling author, Dr. David Lieberman, draws on the wisdom of Jewish philosophy and fundamental principles of psychology to offer thoughtful insights and concrete ideas on how to deal with such common challenges as anger, anxiety and insecurity. | OctOber 2008

eretz

Environmentalism in the Talmud

L.D. Events ltd

by carMi wiseMOn

According to the environmental theorist Paul Ehrlich, there are three factors that impact on the environment (I= P x A x T). Negative Environmental Impact is determined by the size of the Population, the Affluence of society and Technology. Should we in Israel be worried about the over-population part of the equation? To answer this question, let’s take a look in the Gemara. In Jeremiah 3:19, the Land of Israel is described as the “land of the deer.” Referring to this phrase, the Gemara in Gittin 57A asks why this particular animal has been chosen to represent the Land of Israel. It responds that the deer has a very special property that other animals lack; after a deer is slaughtered and its skin is removed, the skin rapidly shrinks and can no longer cover the carcass of the deer. In other words, while the deer is alive, its skin can

‘‘

After a deer is slaughtered and its skin is removed, the skin rapidly shrinks and can no longer cover the carcass of the deer.” encompass its body. The Land of Israel is like the skin of the Jewish people; as long as Jews continue to live here and populate the land, the land “grows” proportionately with them. That said, since we should not rely on miracles, we should do our hishtadlut (make an active effort) and minimize our environmental impact by cutting back on excessive consumer spending (a product of the affluence of our society), eradicate polluting industrial practices, separate our wastes and recycle them, refrain from littering and invest our money in adopting sound and responsible energy solutions to ensure plenty of room in our homeland for all of the world’s Jews. °

www.shiurtimes.com

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lifestyle

Harmony & Balance with Feng Shui by susan gilbert-gOldberg

eng Shui, which means ‘wind and water’ in Chinese is also known as the Ancient Art of Placement. It started in China over 3,000 years ago and was first used in palaces. Towards the end of the 20th century it became popular in the United States and in other western countries. Feng Shui is now a well-known subject. It is based on the knowledge that everything has an invisible energy and an effect on us, whether it be the position of furniture, the color on a wall or the shape and texture of objects. Q. What does a Feng Shui consultant do? A. Feng Shui consultants arrange a space with a special emphasis on energy. Q. What is energy? A. Everything on the planet is energy and having balanced energy in living spaces can benefit the lives of the occupants. Q. Can a Feng Shui consultant be a color guide? A. Yes, Feng Shui colors include red, white, green, purple, blue, yellow, brown and pink.

Q. What color should a hall be? A. The hall is much less important in terms of color than the lounge and bedroom which are the major living spaces in a home. Q. Can colors create a feeling of harmony? A. Yes. For example, blue can calm down a nervous person and help him/her to “go with the flow.” Red, for instance, is the opposite, and makes people excitable. Q. In terms of health, does it matter if there are too many electrical appliances in a room? A. Yes, these send out electro-magnetic energy which is not healthy. For example, a computer should ideally be used for the minimum amount of time, not left on all day and night. Q. Where should mirrors be placed? A. As a Feng Shui cure they are placed in what we call a ‘missing space’ in a room to bring energy to that area. Q. Is it o.k. to have a mirror in my bedroom? A. If you do not have trouble sleeping when a mirror is in your bedroom then it is o.k. as this can cause sleeplessness. Q. I heard that clutter is not good Feng Shui. So where should I put all my stuff? A. Try and get rid of things that you don’t need or love. Put the rest in pieces of furniture and boxes etc that cleverly store your belongings and don’t give you the feeling of chaos, overcrowding or general havoc!

Q. How do I emphasize affluence and prosperity? A. In the lounge and bedrooms there is a corner which is connected to the issue of abundance. A Feng Shui consultant can finely tune it so that you are not blocking off this side of your life. This means that a consultant will remove any obstacles that could interfere with the energy of abundance flowing there. Q. What about health? A. The simplest thing you can do for your health is to keep the center of your living spaces empty, since all of the energies meet in the center of the room. Q. Is there something I can do on a weekly basis to keep the right kind of energy in my home? A. After you or someone else has cleaned it, you can burn some incense to augment the new energy. Q. Is it good Feng Shui to put shoes under the bed? A. This area is best kept entirely free of storage so that energy can flow freely under and over it. Q. Why is a cactus bad feng shui? A. If you are in direct and close proximity to things that are spiky or pointed it can cause subliminal discomfort. Q. Is Feng Shui all about chimes and bells? A. No. I have never left a place looking like a Chinese restaurant and there are many different objects that one can use to get the effect one is looking for. ° | OctOber 2008

Brain-Drain... continued from page 32 Asserson. “We pride ourselves in providing a high quality service from lawyers with lots of top rate experience. We also happen to be very competitive on price, but that is incidental.” Asserson shows his greatest enthusiasm when he explains his vision for developing his model for other professions. He argues that Israel can become a platform for international practices in accounting; financial management; investment banking, some medical services and much more. The arbitrage between local Israeli prices and the cost of professional services in America and Europe creates enormous scope. Zionist Jews from around the Western world can bring their experience and training to Israel, and turn Israel into an international hub for competitively priced but highest quality professional services. This is a reverse of the brain drain and turns Israel’s lower cost base into an engine for growth. This can shake up markets both domestically and internationally. A number of businesses have used the outsourcing model in Israel, mainly call-centers, to create employment options for entry and junior–level positions. But Asserson Law Offices is outsourcing at a more sophisticated level— providing top level services with experienced professionals, not sales or administrative jobs.

give Israeli lawyers and their clients a real edge when negotiating in other jurisdictions,” Asserson tells us. When asked whether he and his staff are integrating into Israeli society, Asserson admits, “I know that walking into our office feels a bit like walking into a small part of England” “but the more we work with Israeli clients, the more integrated we become. We are already part of the furniture for a number of Israeli law firms and individuals who have used us.” Asserson advises new or potential olim to look for their personal competitive advantage. The internet has made a new work method possible. Rather than compete toe-to-toe with Israelis he advises that you hang onto your skills and make them the foundation of your aliyah. Far from Israel suffering from a brain drain, it should in fact be a magnet for the best and the brightest from around the world.” And what about the battle against the BBC that first brought Asserson to prominence? “Well, I am still active. I was asked to appear on a TV debate on the subject just last week. However I think that building up business in Israel is, in its own way, just as important as defending Israel’s reputation abroad.”

Shaping your ident

Asserson’s firm does not endeavor to compete with other local Israeli firms, since his firm does not advise on Israeli law. On the contrary, the long-term vision is for Asserson Law Offices to become a local resource enabling Israeli lawyers to provide a full service to their clients by offering English law advice locally, on the door step, as an add-on feature for the international Israeli law firms. “This will

In the next issue of ShiurTimes Trevor Asserson will begin a monthly column providing insights into international legal issues. °

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Musrara, Arab style cottage, full of character, private entrance, 3 bedrooms, 1.5 bath, mosaic floors garden, asking $2200. Contact Annette 054-255-6225 RE/MAX Vision 02-673-1661 www.remax-capital.com RAMAT DENYA Near Park, gorgeous ,spacious, 4, balcony, high floor, immediate, 4,500 NIS. ANGLOSAXON 02-625-1161, MICHAL: 052-863-3668.

| October 2008

CLASSIFIEDS

Jerusalem FOR SALE ABU TOR Ishai st.-Luxurious cottage 9 rooms separated in 2 units (join possibility), garden, private entrance. Hamishkenote 052-320-2488, Michael. ARNONA UNIQUE! Caspi St. - Beautiful cottage 200 sqm, garden + terrace (60 sqm), view on the Temple Mount, luxurious, 2 parkings. Hamishkenote 052-320-2488 Michael. Magnificent Villa, 11 rooms, highest standard, garden, balconies, amazing views. Contact Alyssa 0524-668-4111, RE/MAX Vision 02-673-1661 www.remax-capital.com Politi St. Cottage 5 rooms, huge terrace, fireplace, covered parking, storage-room, renovated. Hamishkenote 052-672-4003 Elisheva. Grate beautiful 4 rooms, renovated by Architect, full of light 1st floor private entrance, air condition , patio. Sonia: 0505595773. Colony 02-561-1611. In Arnona Hatseira! 5 room architecturally designed penthouse, 175 sqm on 2 levels, parking. Private roof. Asking 3,150,000 NIS Contact Sigal 052-860-8663, RE/MAX Vision 02-673-1661 www.remax-capital.com Beitar St. - Beautiful cottage 7 rooms, private entrance, garden + large clear basement transport in independent unit. Hamishkenote 052-838-5401 Tovah. BAKA Close to Baka. 4 rooms + studio, 1st floor, spacious, bright, quiet, balcony, completely renovated. Hamishkenote 052-320-2488 Michael.

ALEX LOSKY

Real Estate Group www.losky.co.il

Most beautiful house in Jerusalem! 4 level private home in Baka, magnificently renovated with authentic charm, dome ceilings, gorgeous garden and private parking. Alex Losky-Lisa : 054-305-0409 02-623-5595

ALEX LOSKY

Real Estate Group www.losky.co.il

Baka - 3 room apartment, renovated, 2nd floor. Alex Losky-David: 052-380-2860 02-623-5595

ANGLO-SAXON JERUSALEM

Israel’s leading real estate brokerage organization SALES . PURCHASE . RENTALS RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL NEW PROJECTS & RESALES

HAVE A FOOTHOLD IN JERUSALEM!

ALEX LOSKY

Real Estate Group www.losky.co.il

Baka- 1st floor, stone building, spacious 4 rooms, 110 meters, garden, 15sqm studio. Alex Losky-Moshe: 054-479-3384

40+ YEARS OF EXPERIENCE 50 BRANCHES

THOUSANDS OF SATISFIED CUSTOMERS

02-623-5595

Wonderful, spacious family home. Approx. 230 sqm. , 5 bedrooms, 3 full bathrooms + 2 half bathrooms, large kitchen, studio suite, landscaped garden, 3 parking spaces, storage. Asking $1,450,000. Contact Annette: 054255-6225 or Yona 054-224-5121 RE/MAX Vision 02-673-1661 www.remax-capital.com Pastoral, authentic Arab house 220 msq. on 450 msq. plot + extension building possibility, green. Hamishkenote 052-320-2488 Michael. 5 room apartment, 2nd floor, 3 balconies (2 sukkah), needs renovation, parking, large storage. Asking: 1,990,000NIS (after price reduction). Contact Annette: 054255-6225, RE/MAX Vision 02-673-1661 www.remax-capital. com

3 MOSHE HESS ST., P.O.BOX 1706, JERUSALEM 94185 +972(0)2-6251161

jerusalem@anglo-saxon.co.il www.anglo-saxon.co.il/jerusalem YOUR ADDRESS FOR REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS IN JERUSALEM

Magnificient penthouse, 160sqm, luxurious, elevator, large balcony, beautiful view, storage-room, parking. Hamishkenote 052-320-2488 Michael.

A rare opportunity! 6th Floor, 100 sqm., elevator, magnificent city views, 4 rooms, for renovation. Asking price NIS 1,390,000. Contact Annette: 054-255-6225, RE/MAX Vision 02-673-1661 www.remax-capital.com

A Fresh Concept in Jewish Art

5.5-room cottage, terrace, parking, storage, exclusive: ANGLO-SAXON 02625-1161, GALILA: 054-431-0085. Rare!! New Cottage 220sqm. + garden 300m2, high ceilings, parking, decorated to clients taste “Hamishkenote” 052672-4003 Elisheva.

www.yoramraanan.com Enjoy a special visit at the artist's studio. For appointments call: (02) 533-4371

www.shiurtimes.com

CLASSIFIEDS BEIT HAKEREM Very special!! 4 rooms on Chaluts St. 2 floor, central location. Judith: 054-5910348. Colony: 02-561-1611. On Degania St. 4.5 rooms, 1 floor, full light, renovated, porches. Judith: 054-5910348. Colony: 02-561-1611. Very good offer!! 4.5 rooms, low floor, Succa porch + storage room + parking space. Batia: 050-7910000. Colony: 02-561-1611. Beautiful 4.5 room + big garden +2 storage rooms + 2 parking spaces, entrance with no stair. Batia: 050-7910000. Colony: 02-561-1611.

       

Sharon 052-5164-286 Janet 052-2870-919 brideandjoyisrael@gmail.com

By appointment Rechavia JERUSALEM

DAVID VILLAGE

ALEX LOSKY

Real Estate Group www.losky.co.il

David Village, 3 room apartment, very spacious, great location! Alex Losky - Veronique: 054-202-0446, 02-623-5595 02-623-5595

FRENCH HILL 7 room townhouse with a private entrance and a garden. Huge terrace. Needs light renovation. Contact Hadar 050-756-8666. RE/ MAX Vision Exclusive 02-673-1661 www. remax-capital.com Investment opportunity! 4 rooms for renovation. View, elevator. Asking 980,000 NIS. Contact Hadar 050-756-8666. RE/MAX Vision Exclusive 02-673-1661 www. remax-capital.com GERMAN COLONY Near Emek Refaim, 3 rooms, 2nd floor, renovated, $500,000. Contact Yona (054-2245121) RE/MAX Vision 02-673-1661 www. remax-capital.com

Unique Properties in the Most Exclusive Neighborhoods in Jerusalem Sale * Rent * Investments 33rd Keren-Kayemet St. Jerusalem Email: office@century21jerusalem.com

Tel: 972-2-5672030

www.century21jerusalem.com Jerusalem's leading real estate agency

3, large, sunny, good condition, quiet, elevator, parking. ANGLO-SAXON 02-6251161, RACHEL: 054-487-2054. Yehoshua Ben Nun - 3 rooms, ground floor, spacious, green place, garden, private entrance, potential. Hamishkenote 054-467-1623 Dorit. GIVAT HAMIVTAR Sheshet Hayamim, new on the market! Luxurious! 9, garden, terraces, needs renovations! ANGLO-SAXON 02-625-1161, SAVION: 052-223-2476 .

GIVAT MASUA Beautiful 5 rooms, 1 floor with elevator, extraordinary 40sp.m. Terrace to view. Colony: 02-561-1611. New on the market!! 4 rooms, 2 floor; terrace and elevator prestige location. Colony: 02561-1611. HAR HOMA Beautiful 6 room duplex apartment, private entrance, full of light, beautiful 80 sqm garden, 20 sqm. Terrace. Sonia: 050-559-5773. Colony: 02-561-1611. GOOD DEAL! 4 + 1 rooms, in religious project, invested, garden (80 sqm.), 2 parking spaces. 1,290,000 shekels. Hamishkenote 052-6787813 Manu. Beautiful 4 rooms in a central location + garden, ground floor. Religious area. Yaniv: 052-802-8526. Colony: 02-561-1611. Penthouse 5 rooms, very invested, big salon, beautiful view, private elevator in the apartment. Hamishkenote 052-678-7813 Manu. Very special! Duplex, spacious, large porches, private entrance. Yaniv: 052-8028526. Colony: 02-561-1611. HOLYLAND Superb 6 rm. cottage with potential, private entrance, parking- Hamishkenote 052-3202488 Michael. KATAMON Kiryat Shmuel on Nili St. Beautiful 3 rooms renovated by Architect, + large. Garden. Gil: 052-808-4312. Colony: 02-561-1611. LIVING / INVESTMENT on KOVSHEI KATAMON st.- 3 rooms, 2nd floor, balcony/sukkah, bright. Hamishkenote 052-320-2488 Michael. KIRYAT SHMUEL Green neighbourhood adjacent to Rechavia and Talbieh, on a quiet one-way street, meticulously renovated architecturally designed 5 room apartment. 130 sqm with huge master bedroom, on the first floor with a sunny succah balcony. Asking price: $730,000. Call Century21 at 02-567 2030. KIRYAT YOVEL Very special! Beautiful renovated 5 rooms apt. on Guatemala St. + porches. Colony 02561-1611. MALHA Located in Old Malha, a unique architectural gem created with authentic Oriental style, and dome ceilings. 400 sqm, 8 rooms, master bedroom, 3 levels, impressive view, A/C and a private heating system. An exquisite house | October 2008

CLASSIFIEDS filled with unique amenities and character. Asking price: $2,500,000. Call Century21 at 02-567-2030. MEAH SHEARIM Serious Buyers Only. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Damei Mafteachâ&#x20AC;? Home. 90 sqm. Private yard, 3 rooms, large kitchen. HaRav Shmuel Salant St. #11. $1,000,000 USD. Shown Fridays 9am-Noon. By owner. No appt. necessary. MEKOR HAIM Good Deal!!! 3,5 rooms (like 4), recent, 2nd floor + elevator, balcony/sukkah, storageroom and parking - 1190000 shekels â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hamishkenoteâ&#x20AC;? 052-678-7813 Manu.

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NACHLAOT Authentic house, 170 sqm. on 3 levels, high arcs (120 yrs. old!), 5 bedrooms, 2 full baths + 2 guests toilets, 3 Sukkah balconies (one with deck), underfloor heating, A/C. Recently renovated. $1,200,000, Elia 052862-9208 RE/MAX Vision 02-673-1661 www.remax-capital.com

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,EADERS OF ,UXURY 2EAL %STATE IN *ERUSALEM

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PASTORAL NACHLAOT! 2.5, small house, first floor, private entrance, balconies. NIS 890,000. ANGLO-SAXON 02-625-1161, JUDY: 050-394-0777.

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Ă?Ă&#x201A;Ă&#x17D;Ë&#x2DC;â&#x20AC;Ą Ë&#x2122;Ă&#x201C;ÂŻ Miriam Drori

054-668-4111 052-842-4083

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EM AX OFFICE IN JERUSAL

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Asaf Kuhn

052-329-0220

ARNONA/TALPIOT

Ë&#x2122;Ă&#x201A;Ă&#x2C6;Ă&#x2122;Ă?Ë&#x2122;Ă&#x2DC;â&#x20AC;°î&#x192;°Ă&#x201A;î&#x192;°ÂŻâ&#x20AC;Ą Ë&#x2122;Ă&#x2C6;Ë&#x2122;Ă&#x2122;ÂŻË&#x2020; â&#x20AC;°Ă&#x161;Âˇâ&#x20AC;&#x161; Sigal Galil

052-860-8663

Ă?Ă?Ë&#x2DC; Ă&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ă?â&#x20AC;&#x17E;î&#x192;°â&#x20AC;° Ă&#x2C6;Ă&#x17D;ÂŻË&#x2020; Ă?Ă&#x17D;Ă? Ă&#x2C6;Ë&#x2DC;Ă&#x2C6;â&#x20AC;Ą Ă&#x2019;Ă Ă&#x2C6; www.shiurtimes.com

CLASSIFIEDS

t 3&"- &4T"5& t #6: t 4"-& t 3&/5

Magnificent, modern 9 room home with garden and all amenities, 250 sqm. Ground floor 130 sqm with garden can be sold separately. Contact: Edna 050 633 0850 RE/MAX VISION 02-673-1661 www.remax-capital.com Palatial 220 sqm garden apartment in Old Katamon. Private entrance, private garden, newly renovated to highest standard, unique design. Asking 8,750,000 NIS. Contact Ilana 0545-341-403 or Dov 052-553-3739 RE/MAX Vision 02-673-1661 www.remax-capital.com

Mikael

Yehuda 10, Baka

02-673-7725 TPMM FrFF

e-mail: mikaelaz@bezeqint.net

www.azran.co.il NAYOT 150 sq.m. + separate unit, huge garden, private entrance, needs renovations. ANGLO-SAXON 02625-1161, GALILA: 054-431-0085 On Burla St. 5 beautiful rooms nice view. Gil: 0528084312. Colony: 02-5611611 OLD KATAMON

ALEX LOSKY

Real Estate Group www.losky.co.il

Old Katamon - 5 rooms, 3rd floor, elevator, sukkah terrace, 4 exposures. Alex Losky Veronique: 054-202-0446 02-623-5595

ALEX LOSKY

Real Estate Group www.losky.co.il

Old Katamon - Completely renovated 4.5 rooms, 120 meters, terrace, elevator and parking, 3 exposures! Alex Losky Moshe: 054-479-3384

RAMAT BEIT HAKEREM 3.5 (formerly 4) , spacious, balcony, view, quiet. Exclusive: ANGLO-SAXON 02-625-1161, ANAT: 050687-7663. RAMAT SHARET MUST SEE! 4, elegant, spacious (105 sqm.), many built-ins, fantastic view.ANGLO-SAXON 02-6251161 , MICHAL: 052-863-3668 . REHAVIA Stunning 2 room garden apartment in this exclusive Jerusalem neighborhood. Situated in a prime location, this bright and peaceful home is completely renovated and furnished at the highest standard. Amenities include a private entrance, double bathrooms and a passage to a garden. Asking price: $320,000. Call Century21 at 02-5672030.

ALEX LOSKY

Real Estate Group www.losky.co.il

Rehavia- Desired location, spacious 4 rooms (140 meters) , 3rd floor, elevator, large sukkah terrace, on quiet street. Alex Losky- Veronique: 054-202-0446 02-623-5595

ALEX LOSKY

Real Estate Group www.losky.co.il

Rehavia - 4.5, (105 meters). Classic, gracious, well maintained, 1st floor, balcony, good exposures, good view! Alex Losky Vic : 054-804-0690

Best location! Adjacent to Shaarei Chesed. 70 sqm, 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment, luxuriously renovated with unique style and quality. One-of-a-kind property is serene and bathed in light. Located on the first floor with a beautiful succah balcony. Asking price: $595,000. Call Century21 at 02-567- 2030.

ALEX LOSKY

Real Estate Group www.losky.co.il

ALEX LOSKY

Central Shaarei Chesed! 320 sqm. house on a corner lot, 6 rooms plus separate unit and courtyard. Needs renovation. Asking $2,500,000. Contact Ilana 054-534-1403 or Dov 052-553-3739 RE/MAX Vision 02-673-1661www.remax-capital.com

Talbieh: 2 room apartment, 1st floor, bright and spacious, balcony,good condition,very quiet. 1,280,000 NIS -Alex Losky Real Estate Group Veronique: 054-202-0446

Beautiful 5 rooms 130 sp.m, 3rd. floor, private elevator, renovated by Architect, Succa porch. Haviva: 050-5525250. Colony: 02-561-1611.

Talbieh - Beautiful 6 rooms, newly renovated, 4 terraces, 2nd floor, storage room. Alex Losky-David: 052-380-2860

Magnificent 3 bedroom apartment completely renovated and fully furnished. Centrally located, within walking distance to the city centre, Shaarei Chesed, Yeshurun Shul and Great Synagogue. Special features include master bedroom with Jacuzzi, gourmet kitchen complete with electrical appliances, private parking, balcony and Shabbat elevator. Asking price: $ 895,000. Call Century21 at 02-567-2030. Stunning newly renovated 4 room apartment with sukkah balcony, covered parking, Shabbat elevator. Central location. Asking $750,000. Contact Ilana (0545-341-403) or Dov (052-553-3739), RE/ MAX Vision 02-673-1661 www.remax-capital.com. In the stunning and authentic Jerusalem neighbourhood. A fantastic 5 bedroom, 170 sqm penthouse. Renovated to the highest standard with impeccable design. Penthouse includes elevator, covered parking, large succah balcony and a storage room. Asking price: $1,700,000. Call Century21 at 02567 -2030.

www.losky.co.il 02-623-5595

02-623-5595

ALEX LOSKY

Real Estate Group www.losky.co.il

King David St- Rental, lovely 3 rooms, fully furnished, 2nd floor with elevator 1950$ Alex Losky-Moshe: 054-479-3384 02-623-5595

Pinsker st., 5 rooms, beautifully renovated, 3 full baths, double kitchen, all appliances, storage, parking. Only $670,000! Alyssa 054-668-4111 RE/ MAX Vision 02-673-1661 www.remax-capital.com Very quiet and fancy! 3 rooms for renovation on 2nd floor. 1,700,000 shekels. Haviva: 050-5525250. Colony: 02-561-1611.

Green and quiet in Rehavia. 1st floor, 80 sqm., 3 room apartment in need of renovation. Sukkah balcony. Option to purchase renovated. Contact Ilana (0545-341-403) or Dov (052-553-3739), RE/ MAX Vision 02-673-1661 www.remax-capital.com.

In beautiful Talbieh! 3 room apartment on Brenner street., 5th floor with elevator, sukkah balcony, views, parking. Needs renovation. Asking $550,000. Contact Ilana 054-534-1403 OR Dov 052553-3739.

OLD CITY Incredible Old City Home. Mamluk period 3 level house with private entrance,150 square meters, 6 rooms with a separate 2-room unit. Includes 60 sqm. balcony space with panoramic views of the Old City including Har HaBayit and a partial view of the Kotel. The property is in need of renovation. Contact Ilana 054-534-1403 RE/MAX Vision 02-673-1661 www.remax-capital.com

TALPIOT Hayarden St. Recent building, duplex 6 rooms, bright, terrace, elevator, mahsan, parking- â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hamishkenoteâ&#x20AC;? 054-467-1623 Dorit.

02-623-5595

Unique Penthouse, 309 square meters with over 100 square meters of balconies, Shabbat elevator, private parking. Contact Ilana (054-534-1403) or Dov (052-553-3739) RE/MAX Vision 02-673-1661 www.remax-capital.com

TALBIEH

RAMAT ESHKOL Beautifully renovated 4 rooms, lovely view, walk to buses & shopping. Call Miriam Drori 052-8424083 RE/MAX Vision 02-673-1661 www.remaxcapital.com

YEMIN MOSHE Stunning renovated home in Yemin Moshe, unique design, 3 bedrooms, separate formal dining room, spacious terrace with panoramic view of the Old City walls. Asking NIS 6,500,000 Contact Ilana (054-534-1403) or Dov (052-553-3739) RE/MAX Vision 02-673-1661 www.remax-capital.com

02-623-5595

| October 2008

huMOr

oooOOoooool

Back to Schoo by david KiliMnicK

Dear David, I’m new to

Israel and my kids have just started school here. How can we adjust to an Israeli school? I’ve heard the kids can get violent. How can my children protect themselves?

Dear Parent, or aunt/uncle who cares a lot about your nieces and nephews: I understand that you feel bad. You left the car and the school bus, all to move your kid to a new country, where you’re a foreigner. You have no idea what to expect for your child, and you already feel bad for them, because you know that even now, with your Hebrew language skills, you would fail kindergarten. You would be left back, but your child is now smarter than you. To ease your worries, here are some tips: Have your child read the school memos to you. The 5 year-old is the only one in the house who knows how to read Hebrew properly, so let him/her read and translate what the memos say. The ‘spoken child method,’ as I call it, also works for teacher’s notes and report cards. You will feel much better viewing your un-maimed child as the victim of a hockey stick attack, than the one who put the other kid in the hospital. And the nachas (pride) you will feel when your Rebecca comes home from her first semester in Israel with all ‘alephs’ (A’s), as opposed to ‘peh sofits.’ Get a cool-looking backpack for your kid. Maybe get an Israeli action hero, like Bob HaBoneh (Bob the Builder). Your child’s backpack should express your child’s emotional state. Mine used to say ‘kick me.’ www.shiurtimes.com

Save money on back-to-school shopping. Go to airport security. They will provide you with a plethora of scissors, staplers and pencils. Israeli schools can be violent. Your child is going to have to join a gang. With the nursery school gang wars of ‘98 in our past, your child should be safe, but you must be careful. Your child might have to take up smoking (purchasable at any Cigomat machine— the cigarette machines that are placed very low, so as to not discriminate against kids in preKindergarten). There are some tough elementary school gangs your child can join for protection, such as Hamas. They educate the children too. To help, arm your child with a tasty snack. This may help your un-Krav Maga-trained child defend him/herself (and yes, they beat up girls ever since Yael Arad won medal in Judo). By using self-defense methods, such as ‘Have a PesekZ’man chocolate,’ your child will have won the fight the American way. In the settlement areas of Israel, you should be able to find an extra gun lying around. There are many problems with carrying weapons. That is why I suggest that you conceal your child’s knife very well. Israeli kids are tough. What can you say? Not much, because you don’t speak Hebrew. I just saw a kid with scars all over his face. He got into a cat-fight. A literal fight with a cat. But she was proud of it and her dad explained that it is normal for Israeli kids to beat up each other. In America, I had toys. I didn’t fight with my friends, because we had Nintendo. The only time we fought was on Shabbat, because we had no other form of entertainment. To stop fighting amongst Israeli children, I submit! More good Israeli TV. David Kilimnick: Jerusalem’s Comedian, is available for private parties & groups and can be seen performing at the Off The Wall Comedy Basement, in Jerusalem, every Thursday Night at 8:30pm. See www.israelcomedy.com. °

COMEDY BASEMENT Jerusalem’s 1st Comedy Club

Take a break! 02-624-3218

English Stand-Up

Every Thursday & Saturday Night

Monday Night (English) open mic ‫אפ בעברית ימי רביעי‬-‫סטנד‬ ‫במה פתוחה ימי חמישי‬

1st

Comedy Basement

Anniversary

October

3rd Annual Sukkot Oct 12-26 Comedy Slam

34 Ben Yehuda Y ((corner orner of King George) down the stairs near the Mashbir

(see website for schedule)

www.israelcomedy.com

David Kilimnick JERUSALEM’S COMEDIAN

creator of

the Aliyah Monologues Uncle D Find Me a Wife Frum From Birth available for

Private Parties, Birthdays, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs Anniversaries, Sheva Brachot & Tour Groups of all ages call for Private Bookings of The Jerusalmy Comedy Show for your tour group or family event! EveryThursday, 8:30pm, English stand-up starring David

050-875-5688 47

fOOd-a-liciOus

Inspiration and Revitalization:

Fusion Food for the New Year

by irÈne sharOn hOdes

n a recent trip to Tuscany, I visited a small familyowned vineyard. Surrounded by crusty breads and rustic cheeses, the smiling couple and their children shared their hard-earned creations: tart Chiantis, musky Grappas, and an inspired Vin Santo made from the most mature grapes of the season. But it was the dessert— a rare creamy whiteblonde acacia honey— that I took home to Israel. Wandering the world, often desperately alone, all I thought at that moment was how perfect this particular honey would be months later on Rosh Hashana. As a new olah finishing her first year here, and as a single woman rounding off the end of her 20s, I only now came to realize how important is the nature of structure. In our daily schedules, weekly traditions, foods, relationships, prayers, in the very execution of our lives, a solid structure is the plan, the roadmap. With it we are better able

to achieve our milestones, experience our joys, and endure in times of hardship and sorrow. Without it, we are lost. Having lived in seven countries, made and left dozens of friends, and changed careers, all too frequently, I have come to realize that living without structure is much like not having an identity. This continued absence has profoundly affected my quality of life since making aliyah, what I thought was fulfilling a lifelong dream. Now that Rosh Hashana has arrived, my first here, the structure that is manifest in Jewish life has opened my eyes in a remarkable way. This is the time of year we take stock. When I did, I realized I overlooked another dream I had accomplished— graduating from culinary school. It’s been three months since graduation, and in the chaos of my unsettled life, I had forgotten how thrilling it was being in a professional kitchen every day.

Masquerading as vital sustenance, food is a physical manifestation of history, a deliciously important inheritance. Like a hidden code, the symbolism inherent in our recipes is a direct link to our ancestors. Bitter herbs at Pesach create a visceral connection to the hardships of our forefathers. Apples and honey at Rosh Hashana evoke the sincere prayers of our foremothers for a good and prosperous

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Masquerading as vital sustenance, food is a physical manifestation of history, a deliciously important inheritance..” future, something we simultaneously pray for in tasting the sweetness. As I ease myself into new concrete plans, I am strengthened by my Jewish heritage. For what else is tradition but a time-tested standing structure? It is my hope that these recipes will inspire, sustain, revitalize, and sweeten your palate in envisioning the new year ahead. Me? I’ll be holding firm for the first time in a long time, savoring my “miele di acacia,” and with every drop, the memory of that perfect day, and the hope I had, even then, for a sweet new year. ° | OctOber 2008

Food-a-licious

Applesauce Cake

Fusion Taboule

This first recipe came from Jamie Geller’s newest cookbook, Quick & Kosher, and it was a pleasant surprise. The book’s lackluster title (as well as the subtitle Recipes From The Bride Who Knew Nothing) made me more than a little skeptical, but after reading the introduction, I couldn’t put the book down. Don’t get me wrong – after years of delving into complex gourmet cuisine, it’s doubtful Quick & Kosher will become the foundation of my kitchen. But with its fun no-nonsense approach, it’s certainly a book I would give to my friends, and definitely to my own mother (for whom I have to thank for honing my culinary skills, growing up in the absence of hers). The clever Mrs. Geller devised a strict and ingenious guideline: preparations for every recipe must be able to be done in under 15 minutes. She cuts some corners (occasional soup powders, canned goods, and frozen items), but the recipes are quite innovative, simple to execute, and pleasing to modern palates. The selection ranges from the traditional (classic chicken soup, stuffed peppers, challah kugel), to the fresh and multicultural (hot salmon salad, beef sukiyaki with noodles, curried coconut couscous). Her desserts are particularly mouth-watering, and this applesauce cake would be a welcome centerpiece on any Rosh Hashana table.

An old Middle Eastern mainstay with a thoroughly modern twist, my take on taboule looks back in time as it looks forward. Perfect for the holidays at hand: the sweetness of apples, pomegranates, and honey mingles with the invigorating cilantro and ginger, all resting upon the foundation of the hearty, humble quinoa. Replacing the traditional bulgur wheat, this ancient and nutritious South American grain has become so popular, almost every café in Israel is experimenting with it. The ingredients come from every corner of the globe, and the resulting combination is a sincerely satisfying culinary experience.

3 cups flour 1½ cups sugar 2/3 cup canola oil 1 (12 ounce / 340 gram) jar applesauce 2 eggs 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 teaspoons cinnamon sugar ½ cup non-dairy whipped topping Preheat oven to 350° F (180° C). Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33 cm) cake pan with non-stick baking spray. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine flour, sugar, oil, applesauce, eggs, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and vanilla. Mix on medium speed until well combined, about 2 minutes. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake at 350° F (180° C) for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature with a dollop of non-dairy whipped topping!

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1 onion, finely chopped 1 cup pre-rinsed quinoa 2 cups water Large handfuls (4-6 stalks) each, roughly chopped, of fresh: Mint Cilantro Parsley ¼ cup raisins 3 stalks green onion, chopped finely 1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger 1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic 1 apple, cored and diced Seeds of 1 pomegranate ½ cup olive oil ¼ cup lemon juice ¼ cup honey salt and pepper to taste Heat a small amount of olive oil in a saucepan and add the chopped onion. Cook 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add quinoa and continue to stir 1-2 minutes or until onions sweat and quinoa browns slightly. Add the water and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce temperature, maintaining a simmer for 14-18 minutes. The quinoa is ready when the germ has unfurled to a tiny curl and has a slight bite to it (like al dente pasta). Set aside and cool. While quinoa is cooling, prepare the dressing by whisking together the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, ginger, garlic, salt, and pepper. Transfer cold quinoa to a large bowl and mix all other fruit and vegetable ingredients into it well. Add dressing and stir to coat the quinoa. Adjust seasonings to taste by adding salt and pepper, a drizzle of olive oil, a spoon of honey. Serve and enjoy! Note : This recipe is very versatile. Apples and pomegranates can be replaced by halved grapes, plums, melons, or grapefruits, depending on the season.

Y”K in Arabic... continued As I spoke with Rav Marciano, a spirited man who firmly believes that the Avot are watching over us like parents, the same dichotomous twinge ran through me… Aren’t we ignoring the demographics there? Do we ignore that we lock people in their houses so we can pray in the Me’ara? Did no one else see those kids peeking out of their balcony windows watching us walk down the road after services? For over 1000 years, there’s always been Jewish presence there, even when there were just 10 or 20 families! If it weren’t for even the smallest Jewish presence, perhaps Hebron wouldn’t be so seeped into our consciousness as a nation. For me, as difficult as the present political situation has it, history is my answer. I still very much wish to pray at the Me’ara this Yom Kippur. I find it cathartic, uplifting and very eye-opening. Yes, we have a long way to go until the redemption comes. I do think that if more of us non-Hebron residents actively supported the Hebron community (more frequently than Chol HaMoed and Parshat Chaye Sarah, thank you very much), it would empower Jewish presence there. Our concern and activity would make a strong statement and hopefully remove the stigma that only the ‘fanatics’ are in favor of a Jewish presence there…(unless, maybe I, too, am a fanatic?). ST intends to delve into the complex subject of Jewish support of Hebron in our next issue. The first time that a piece of the Land of Israel was officially purchased by the Jews, and yet what are we disputing today? Stay tuned and Ketiva v’Hatima Tova. ° Responses & comments welcome at staff.editors@shiurtimes.com

Contributors Efrat Benn is a Jerusalem resident and works with the Barkat campaign.

Rav Faerman, email tsama_nafshi@yahoo.com; www.tsamanafshi.org

Jason Demant is a sought-after educator, as well as being the rabbi of Katamon’s ‘Late Late’ Minyan’ and is pursuing research on the writings of Rav Yitzhak Hutner. He can be contacted at ravdemant@hotmail.com

Susan Gilbert Goldberg studied Art, The History of Art and The History of Design in England, and Feng Shui in Israel and England. She is a certified Feng Shui consultant, and made aliyah in 1994. She can be reached at susangg1@hotmail.com

Yaffa Epstein holds a law degree from Bar Ilan University. She has studied at the Pardes Kollel and Matan, and teaches Talmud, prayer and contemporary issues courses at Pardes and SIACH, a program of the Alexander Muss Institute for Israel Education. She is a member of the Executive Board of Mavoi Satum and is currently pursuing an MA in Talmud. She can be contacted at yaffaepstein@gmail.com Menachem G. Jerenberg is an aspiring cartoonist, and will study Computer Graphics in the upcoming year. He lives in Beit Shemesh. He can be contacted at batyai100@013.net. Douglas Goldstein, CFP is the director of Profile Investment Services. He is a licensed financial professional both in the U.S. and Israel. His book, Building Wealth in Israel: A Guide to International Investments and Financial Planning, can be ordered at: www.profile-financial.com Rav Hillel Faerman is the Rosh Yeshiva of Tsama Nafshi, a Torah skills improvement center located in Jerusalem. He is originally from Montreal and lives in Telstone. To contact

David Kilimnick is Jerusalem’s Comedian. He is a vibrant comic with professional experience as a Hillel rabbi and social worker. A native of New York, he made aliyah in December 2004. After studying and practicing comedy in the US, he opened the Off the Wall Comedy Empire. He is available for private parties & groups and can be seen performing at the Off The Wall Comedy Basement, in Jerusalem , every Thursday Night at 8:30pm See www.israelcomedy.com. Sharona Margolin Halickman is the founder and director of Torat Reva Yerushalayim, a nonprofit organization which provides Torah study groups to students of all ages and backgrounds. Sharona is the author of Parsha Points: Torah from the Land of Israel. Sharona made aliyah with her husband Josh and her children in the summer of ’04 from Riverdale, NY. In the fall of ’09 Sharona plans to open Midreshet Devora (www. midreshetdevora.org) a Modern Orthodox post high school seminary in Jerusalem for young women from North America. See www. toratreva.org for more info. Irène Sharon Hodes (www.irenehodes.com) is a writer, adamant pedestrian, and sometimes-cook living in Tel Aviv. Hailing from Chicago, she has been (and may still be) a theatre director, line cook, drama teacher, contemporary art publicist, barmaid, eternal student, administrator, travel bookstore clerk, editor, internet startup worker, playwright, and award-winning radio producer and journalist. She is completing her first novel about her experiences coming of age as an expat Jewish American in Paris. Mabreto Mashasha immigrated to Israel from Ethiopia. He is currently studying for a MA in Psychology at Tel Aviv University. He also sits on the Committee for the War Against AIDS. He currently lives in Netanya.

We want to know! Tell us about it at staff.editors@shiurtimes.com 50

Olivier Rafowicz is the CEO of Infolive.tv, the largest online video news operation in Israel. A reserve colonel in the Israel Defense Forces, Rafowicz directed much of all international media operations during the Israel Lebanon Hezbollah war. In 1999, he escaped death when a convoy he had joined was attacked by the Hezbollah with two roadside bombs. He is the

author of Le Temps du Retour, and is a member of the prestigious on-line public relations forum, Israel PR. Dr. Victor Roth was born in London, and made aliyah in 1969. An Orthopedic Surgeon by profession, one of Dr. Roth’s main interests is researching ancient Hebrew linguistics. He currently lives in Har Nof, Jerusalem, has four kids and seven grandchildren. Elie Rubin, born in Paris, made aliyah from Toronto 1997. He earned an MBA from Hebrew University, and is the Managing Publisher of ShiurTimes Magazine. Tova Scherr grew up in the suburbs of Boston, but more recently has called Amman, London, and now Jerusalem home. She eagerly watches her mailbox for an absentee ballot. Dr. Simcha Shapiro is a US-trained physician and osteopath. He is the founder and director of the Listening Hands Institute, located in the Terem building of in the Romema section of Jerusalem. See www.listeninghands.co.il for more information. Avi Silverman works in Education and Community Advisement in the Department of Guidance and Community Resources at Nefesh B’Nefesh. He currently resides in Ramat Beit Shemesh. See www.nbn.org.il for more info. Yehudit Singer is the Managing Editor of ShiurTimes. She made aliyah in July 2004 from New York. She currently resides in Jerusalem, but dreams of verdant surroundings in the Galilee. Yona Wiseman is a seasoned tour guide who resides in the Yemenite Quarter of Tel Aviv. She first made aliyah in 1961 and finished her studies at the Archeological Seminars in Jerusalem, where she qualified as a licensed tourist guide. Yona is an expert guide on Neve Zedek, Tel Aviv’s Bauhaus Architecture, Jaffa and the outdoor Carmel and Old Jaffa markets. She frequently leads walking tours, and can be contacted at yonawise@013.net. Rabbi Carmi Wisemon is the Executive Director of Sviva Israel and the editor of the annual journal Hasviva B’halacha Ubmachshava - The Environment in Jewish Thought and Law. For more info, see www.svivaisrael.org

Shanah Tovah U’metukah!

| October 2008

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