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UK BACKS ISRAEL’S RIGHT TO DEFEND ITSELF AGAINST IRAN
Wishing all our readers a Happy Chanukah!
BY DAVID SAFFER
The UK supports Israel’s right to defend itself against Iran. Prime Minister Boris Johnson was unequivocal in his backing of Israel in a wide-ranging address on Monday at CFI’s first Annual Business Lunch since 2018. “The UK supports Israel’s right to defend itself with no equivocation, including from hostile states like Iran,” he told an audience of 650 guests, including 200 Conservative Parliamentarians and 12 Cabinet members in central London. Johnson’s comments came as a resumption of nuclear talks with Iran and the UK, France, China, Russia and Germany began in Vienna. “Along with our American and European friends, we will continue to do everything to prevent Iran attaining a nuclear weapon,” he explained. “As talks resume in Vienna, we hope that diplomacy can work. But while the nuclear
Yair Lapid and Boris Johnson were presented with Chanukiot
issue is the most urgent, Iran’s overall behaviour has to change. The attacks at sea, the support for terrorism and the destabilisation of the region all form part of the same pattern.” Johnson celebrated the UK-Israel partnership stressing he has been a “defender and a supporter of Israel” all his life. Noting that Britain and Israel were fiercely independent
PHOTO: STUART MITCHELL
minded, lovers of liberty and the most dynamic and enthusiastic about getting COVID-19 jabs, Johnson said that there was a tradition in both countries of “respect and understanding” for science and technology. “Look at Britain and Israel,” he enthused. “Look at the tech CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
PARASHAT MIKEITZ/CHANUKAH/ROSH CHODESH SHABBAT: BEGINS ENDS London 15:39 16:47 Manchester 15:37 16:50 Leeds 15:30 16:50 Liverpool 15:37 16:57 Bournemouth 15:46 17:01 Antwerp 16:18 17:34 Birmingham 15:38 16:55 Gateshead 15:23 16:46
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 start-ups in both our countries, we are building on this joint lead as two science superpowers. And we are starting with a new Britain-Israel partnership fund focused on scientific research.” Johnson looked forward to a UK-Israel innovation summit set for London in March 2022. And he was fulsome in his praise of Israel as an innovative nation due to its liberal values, democracy and freedom to think and create bound up with enterprise and healthy competition. Johnson added, “All my life I have been a defender and a supporter of Israel and I’m very proud that the Government which I lead is also a staunch defender and supporter of Israel,” he said. “As I discussed with President Herzog on his visit to London last week, it is a relationship that is getting stronger and stronger.” Referring to a joint Memorandum of Understanding signed by Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss on Monday morning, he added, “This roadmap will deepen and expand cooperation on joint priorities such as security, science, tech, and R&D.” Johnson said that over 10,000 businesses in the UK were trading with Israel to the tune of £4.6 billion but called for more beginning with an enhanced UK-Israel Free Trade Agreement at the start of next year. “I believe trade and economic development and improvements in shared infrastructure will be indispensable to a future for the whole region,” he noted. Johnson hailed the Abraham Accords
Boris Johnson and Tzipi Hotovely
PHOTO: STUART MITCHELL
as the “beginning of a new chapter for the region” and said he was “inspired” by the recent green water deal involving Jordan and Israel. Turning his attention to the fight against terrorism, Johnson noted, to rapturous applause, that the UK’s decision to proscribe Hamas in its entirety, once and for all. Johnson added that Israel could count on his support in the struggle against antisemitism abroad with opposition to the Durban IV conference then deplored the
treatment of Ambassador Tzipi Hotovely recently at LSE University. To this end, Johnson said that the government had brought forward its bill on academic freedom and praised far-sighted universities for adopting the IHRA definition of antisemitism first adopted by the UK at a CFI lunch in 2016. Johnson added that legislation was coming to stop public bodies pursuing BDS
campaigns against Israel. Moving on to domestic matters, Johnson lamented that there was still prejudices in the Labour Party. He concluded, “In this season of miracles let us continue to hope that with the UK and Israel continuing to work together, as science superpowers united in values our shared discoveries, our shared breakthroughs and our shared efforts will offer protection not just to our two countries but for the entire world.” Lapid addressed the large crowd, and like Johnson, received a standing ovation. Israel’s Foreign Minister forcefully stressed the issues concerning the Iranian regime. “The struggle between law-abiding democracies and murderous terrorist organisations is not a struggle between narratives. It is a struggle between good and evil,” he said. “Too many people have concluded that the strong are always wrong, and the weak are always right. Even when the strong are law-abiding democracies like Britain or Israel.” Lapid added, “We have the right to defend ourselves. Our children will not grow up in shelters under rocket fire, something the British understand. This industry of lies, uses democracy against democracy, international law against those who uphold it, our fairness and decency against us.” He continued, “The new President of CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
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Priti Patel in conversation with Yair Lapid and Lord Polak
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WHAT’S INSIDE THIS WEEK 04 News 20 Opinion 25 Games 26 Community 35 Features
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Please help us bring light, joy and support to more people this Chanukah and beyond. This Chanukah, we look forward to celebrating with residents, tenants and members across our care homes, retirement living schemes and our newly reopened day and community centres. Our Meals on Wheels drivers will be visiting housebound members of the community with doughnuts and latkes. Our telephone befrienders will wish members of the community a very happy Chanukah and our Helpline and Social Work and Community Support Teams will continue to be there for everyone who needs us. All of this and more is only made possible thanks to our generous supporters. We hope you can continue to help us bring light, joy and support to more people this Chanukah and beyond. So, on behalf of everyone who relies on Jewish Care, thank you and a very happy Chanukah to you and your families.
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 Iran, ‘The Butcher of Tehran’, who sentenced thousands to death, said in his first speech, “I have always defended human rights.” “The terrorists of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, who slaughter children sleeping in their beds in Israel, claim to be ‘freedom fighters’. Hezbollah members, active in the slaughter of half a million Syrian citizens, speak of “tolerance.” They assume that in democratic societies, everyone will simply freeze in the face of those lofty words. We must prove them wrong. Not all ideas are equally worthy of respect.” Lapid said further, “We are not going to get into a theological or ideological argument with them (Iran). We are going to defend ourselves from their evil and stand strong against their violence.” Turning to the Israel-UK relationship, Lapid said that the connection between Britain and Israel was not a symbolic connection, but a “deep, practical friendship” between political and security partners, who saw eye-to-eye on most of the geopolitical issues that preoccupy our world. “This friendship between us was most recently reflected in the government’s decision to proscribe all of Hamas as a terrorist organisation,” he added. Lapid thanked Johnson, Home Secretary Priti Patel and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss for their leadership on key political issues. “Our friendship will be reflected in the coming months in our shared determination to prevent Iran from acquiring a
PHOTO: STUART MITCHELL
Yair Lapid speaking at the CFI lunch
nuclear weapon, at all costs,” he said. “Israel will always protect itself, but we know we are not alone. And our hand is outstretched for peace.” Lapid and Truss launched the Strategic Partnership between the UK and Israel earlier in the day. “We share a partnership based on our shared values, and our shared interests,” he said. “We share a friendship between two ancient peoples, a collective memory and the knowledge that the important things
in life are not easily achieved. I stand here before you as a leader of a strong and confident state.” CFI Chairman Andrew Heller introduced Johnson where he emphasised that “there really can be no greater friend of Israel than Boris”. CFI Honorary President Lord Polak CBE marked Chanukah by presenting Johnson and Lapid with chanukiot. Ambassador Tzipi Hotovely, Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Boris Johnson speaking at the CFI lunch
PHOTO: STUART MITCHELL
Mansoor Abulhoul, Ambassador of Bahrain Fawaz bin Mohammed Al Khalifa and Jordanian diplomat Bilal Noureddin were among many dignitaries. The Lord Pickles and Stephen Crabb MP, CFI Vice-Chair Hilda Worth and CFI Treasurer and Canaccord Chairman Stephen Massey also addressed the event.
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UK and Israel sign MOU for strategic cooperation BY DAVID SAFFER Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and Israel’s Foreign Minister Yair Lapid signed a Memorandum of Understanding for strategic cooperation between the countries on Monday. Lapid was at the start of a whistle stop trip of diplomatic meetings as nuclear talks in Vienna restarted. Truss and Lapid discussed how the UK and Israel could develop an even closer partnership by formally agreeing a new strategic plan for the next decade spanning cyber, tech, trade and defence. They also looked ahead to the start of consultations on a new, enhanced UK-Israel trade deal next year. Truss and Lapid noted the MOU would see the UK and Israel forge a closer alliance to ensure future standards on new technology are shaped by democratic nations. And they discussed the Middle East Liz Truss amd Yair Lapid after signing the MOU peace process and shared desire to work closely on reliable investments into the official MOU signing ceremony. low and middle income countries. Speaking at a press conference after, Lapid thanked Foreign Secretary Priti Pa- Lapid said, “We are committed to the same tel for the UK’s decision to proscribe Hamas goal, that Iran will not be able to acquire in its entirety. nuclear weapons. The Iranians have only Truss updated Lapid on the UK’s efforts one goal at these talks, the removal of sanctions. They will play for time, they will earn to restore the JCPoA through talks. UK Ambassador Tzipi Hotovely witnessed billions from the removal of sanctions, they
Regarding the MOU, he added, “This is not only an agreement between close friends, but also between two technological powers. “This agreement will lead to a free trade agreement between the United Kingdom and Israel. “It will strengthen the economic, security, technological and cultural ties between us. “This is not only a win-win agreement, but also a must-must agreement.” Lapid went on to hold talks with Prime Minister Johnson at 10 Downing Street before a Chanukah lighting ceremony prior to meeting with the President of France, Emmanuel Macron in Paris. Lapid and Macron discussed the resumption of nuclear talks with Iran. Lapid’s spokesperson said that he stressed Israel’s position that Iran was attempting to stall talks to move forward with its nuclear programme PHOTO: STUART MITCHELL and called for the resumption of will continue to deceive the world, and se- sanctions “by the powers” possible. It was also reported the leaders discussed cretly advance their nuclear program. This is what they have done in the past, and this bilateral relations to “expand and deepen is what they will do this time as well. cooperation on security, economic and “The world must prevent it, and it can other issues”. prevent it. Tighten sanctions. Tighten suLapid’s delegation to the UK and France pervision. Conduct the discourse from a was reduced to key events due to the new position of power.” variant and changes in guidelines.
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Parties unite at BoD Chanukah celebration BY DAVID SAFFER Political leaders across the political divide celebrated Chanukah at the Board of Deputies’ Parliamentary reception on Monday night. Home Secretary Priti Patel spoke about the importance of the government’s recent legislation to proscribe Hamas in its entirety. “When it comes to terrorist organisations you can’t have any differentiation anymore,” she said. “I have been supported by the government to ensure that the proscription of Hamas by the government has taken place and went through Parliament. This says everything about our sincere commitment to do right by the Jewish community in the UK.” Patel told guests from Parliament and the Jewish community that the upsurge in antisemitism in recent years had been a tragedy. “Speaking as someone who grew up in Radlett in Hertfordshire antisemitism was never an issue,” she said. “This is why we work together so strongly and with others in the community as well, to stand up and speak out against this racism and work together to make sure that those who espouse this awfulness against the Jewish community are brought to justice.” Patel added, “Britain’s Jewish community and the values you all stand for make you part of our national fabric and in fact national treasures from my perspective. I’m willing you on for all the right reasons.” Labour leader Keir Starmer spoke about the help he had received from the Board in the fight against antisemitism in the Party. “We needed to make a lot of difference, a lot of change and a lot of progress in in our party,” he said. “I have always said that we will only know that we have made progress when those who had lost faith in the Labour Party regain their faith in the Labour Party.” Starmer noted a warm welcome he had received as step on that journey which meant a “huge amount” to him. Starmer also thanked the Board for being frank and giving advice needed. “We have needed a critical friend to ensure that we are moving in the right direction,” he commented. Israeli Ambassador Tzipi Hotovely welcomed the signing of a memorandum between the British and Israeli government. “This agreement is going to give Israel and the UK a strategic partnership,” she said. “We are going to be one of the very close allies of the UK together with likeminded countries. This achievement, together with the proscription of Hamas
Johnson and Lapid light menorah at Downing Street
Priti Patel
PHOTO: GARY PERLMUTTER
Ian Blackford
Munira Wilson
PHOTO: GARY PERLMUTTER
PHOTO: GARY PERLMUTTER
together with the strong fight against Iran is part of our strong work here as an embassy.” Liberal Democrat education spokesperson Munira Wilson recalled her upbringing in north west London. “As someone who grew up in Golders Green, I know the importance of Chanukah to the Jewish community,” she said. “I also know the resilience you’ve shown through the pandemic but also the wonderful support you’ve made to our communities through social action, through food banks, through your support for refugees and everybody else who is struggling.” Ian Blackford, Scottish National Party’s Leader in the House of Commons, stressed his solidarity with the community in the
fight against antisemitism. “We must all be united on one thing and that is speaking out against hate and speaking out against antisemitism,” he said. “All of us have a collective responsibility to stand up and be counted.” Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl thanked all those from across the political spectrum for their support. She said: “We are grateful for the cross-party support which has been shown on many issues of interest to the Jewish community in recent times,” she said. “These include ensuring the Coronavirus Bill was amended to avoid the prospect of cremations for Jews and Muslims, as well as support for the Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre,
Prime Minister Boris Johnson Minister and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid lit the menorah at 10 Downing Street on Monday night. Israel’s Ambassador Tzipi Hotovely and Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis participated before community members. Lapid said in a statement that Johnson’s support for Israel was “unequivocal” and the candlelighting was moving. Johnson hosted the event and thanked guests for the contribution British Jews make to the UK.
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Sir Kier Starmer
PHOTO: GARY PERLMUTTER
which will hopefully in due course sit just a couple of hundred yards from here. And most recently, of course, we note the wide backing given to the government’s announcement of its intention to proscribe the Hamas terror group in its entirety.” Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis lit the Chanukah candles and led guests in the singing of Maoz Tsur. Bury South MP Christian Wakeford, coChair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Jews and Liberal Democrat Peer Lord Monroe Palmer hosted the event. House of Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle was also among the guests. Chief Executive Michael Wieger gave a vote of thanks.
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Cardiff University SU adopts IHRA BY ADAM MOSES Cardiff University Students’ Union has adopted the International Definition of Antisemtism. The welcome move adds pressure on Cardiff University who earlier this year refused to adopt the definition fearing “a potentially divisive situation”. The motion was passed at the union’s Annual General Meeting last month following unsuccessful efforts by student groups in the past year to pressure the university into doing so as well. Elsewhere, students’ unions at the University of East Anglia (UEA) and Queen Mary University of London failed to show solidarity with Jewish members by adopting the Jerusalem Declaration rather than the IHRA definition. The motion retracted the IHRA even though it was supported by Jewish students, wider Jewish community and national governments. Campaign Against Antisemitism note the declaration undermines the IHRA definition. The UEA Jewish Society said in an e-mail to the Union Council it was disgusted and that non-Jewish people felt they had a right to the Jewish community what antisemitism was. It has been reported the campaign to
adopt the declaration was underway for months on campus. Jewish students are reportedly reviewing appeal options. At Queen Mary, the measure was reportedly not discussed with Jewish students, who also reacted with disgust. “UJS and Queen Mary Jewish Society are disgusted at a motion that passed at Queen Mary Students’ Union to repeal the IHRA definition of antisemitism and adopt the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism (JDA) definition, without any consultation with Jewish students,” a statement noted. “Not only was this motion not put forward to students by Jewish students, it went ahead without listening to the concerns of Jewish students. This is completely inappropriate as it should be up to Jewish people to define their own discrimination. It was only in October 2020 that the Jewish students fought so hard for the university and the Student Union to adopt the IHRA definition. Jewish students at Queen Mary feel completely betrayed by their SU and will not be silenced. UJS and Queen Mary JSoc are tirelessly fighting for the rights of Jewish students and will continue to ensure Jewish life at Queen Mary is vibrant and thriving.”
PHOTO: WIKIMEDIA
CAA Programme Manager Binyomin Gilbert has commended Cardiff Students’ Union for adopting the IHRA definition and called on the university to follow the inspired lead of students. CAA has also called on the UEA and Queen Mary’s SU’s to listen to Jewish students. “With efforts to water down the International Definition of Antisemitism increasingly failing, campus groups are now seeking to adopt the so-called ‘Jerusalem Declaration’ instead, which can
only sabotage efforts to fight antisemitism,” Gilbert added. “We have seen students’ unions take the opposite approach to their universities, where the university has adopted the Definition, the students’ union adopts the Jerusalem Declaration, and where the university has failed to adopt the Definition, the students’ union does so. It is extraordinary that fighting racism should be so controversial: all universities and students’ unions, if they truly care about Jewish students, should be adopting the Definition in full and without caveat or
substitutes.” Last June, Cardiff refused to adopt the definition to avoid a “potentially divisive situation.” CAA saw a response by the university to a letter sent from the Cardiff University Conservative Association requesting the university adopts the Definition over concerns how “other groups may react”. The Council stated the university’s existing framework for tackling racism was sufficient and policies would be subject to ongoing evaluation.
US celebrates 150th anniversary at Guildhall
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Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, Vincent Keaveny, The Lord Mayor and US President Michael Goldstein
The United Synagogue celebrated its 150th anniversary at The Guildhall last Monday. Guests heard from Vincent Keaveny, The Lord Mayor, followed by US President Michael Goldstein. Chief Rabbi Ephraim
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Mirvis lit a menorah made in the 18th century from one the US’s founding shuls. The evening concluded with a performance of Chanukah songs by the Wolfson Hillel Jewish Primary School choir.
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CAA and Board condemn West End antisemitic attack BY ADAM MOSES Jewish organisations have condemned a horrendous antisemitic incident in Oxford Street on Monday night. Police are investigating alleged perpetrators appearing to spit at Jewish passengers on vehicle, perform a Nazi salute and chant anti-Israel slogans. A Chabad Golders Green member contacted police shortly after the incident. The Jewish teenagers were reportedly on a Chanukah outing when the incident took place. It has been reported a vehicle carrying a group of Chabad Israeli Centre Golders Green members stopped outside the West End Primark shop when some teens got off to dance.
Police warn Swindon woman over swastika flag
After a group of men appeared to mock them, Rabbi Shneor Glitsenstein, to avoid a confrontation, got them back aboard but the incident escalated. Disturbing footage shows the alleged offenders striking the bus with shoes, shouting insults and spitting at the bus. The shocking incident was reported to CST on Tuesday by two of the victims who were in the group targeted the previous day. CST is working to support the victims and to ensure that it is investigated properly by the Police. “London is a city where Jewish people must be able to celebrate our festivals and enjoy an open, confident Jewish way of life, epitomised by the enormous Chanukiah in Trafalgar Square,” a spokesman said. BY SIMCH ABIR Police have warned a woman in Swindon about displaying a swastika flag from her bedroom window on Friday night. Officers were called to a property in Winton Road, Stratton following a report of a suspicious item by concerned neighbours. Campaign Against Antisemitism have criticised a sickening act by the individual. Wiltshire Police attended the address and gave strong words of advice to the person living there. Officers advised that possession of the
Screen grab from the phone footage
“This disgusting incident goes against everything this city stands for and should be condemned by all. We will be working closely with the police to support the victims of this attack and ensure that those responsible are identified and brought to justice.” “We are appalled by the horrifying footage of Jewish people targeted,” commented Board of Deputies president Marie van der Zyl. “We note that besides attempts to spit at them, at least one of the perpetrators appears to be performing a Nazi salute.” “We hope the police will swiftly identify and arrest those involved in this disgusting incident,” she added. Anybody who information relating to this incident should contact the police and CST.
flag was not illegal, but if it can be viewed from a public area, it could be considered a “racially aggravated public order offence”. “The person agreed to remove it from public view,” a police spokesman said. “It is sickening to think that there are still people in Britain who take pleasure in hanging giant Nazi banners in their homes,” commented a CAA spokesman. “This person even apparently had the audacity to display the flag for anyone looking from outside to see. She vastly underestimated the common decency of her neighbours. If it happens again, the police must
issue more than just warnings.” A stunned local resident reportedly said that you “couldn’t miss the flag”. They added, “It’s vile and this is such a nice area which makes it even more shocking. We’re all disgusted. That symbol means nothing but hate and evil. Why would anyone want to have it hanging on display for everyone to see through the window?” About the flag, the homeowner reportedly said she had “lots of flags in my home.” It was alleged her stepdad, when told about the swastika symbol, said, “So? You want to mind your own business.”
CER discuss European Jewry leaders BY SIMCHA ABIR The Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities has called for the government to designate “escape property” as “cultural property seized as a result of Nazi persecution.” It also wants “flight property” in Swiss museums and private collections to be restituted accordingly. There is a misconception that a fair deal was made by people escaping Nazi Germany. The Washington Declaration signed by 44 states has ensured over a thousand works of art confiscated by the Nazi regime have been restituted to owners or heirs. Switzerland was a signatory to the Declaration in 1998 but the interpretation is restrictive for ‘flight art’. The Conference of European Rabbis discussed training young rabbis and future leaders of European Jewry in Munich this week. Chief Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt was joined in the hearing by Europe’s leading chief rabbis hosted by the Bavarian Government. Katharina von Schnurbein, European Commission coordinator on antisemitism, and European Parliament President David Sassoli attended. Ms von Schnurbein
Katharina von Schnurbein
highlighted her commitment to protecting Jewish practices and combatting antisemitism across Europe. Chief Rabbi Goldschmidt met Minister-President of Bavaria and Markus Soder to discuss Jewish life in Germany and online antisemitism. “It is clear that more needs to be done to tackle the spread of online hate and it is incumbent upon social media companies to implement tighter regulations over its users’ content, especially when of a minacious and racially-charged nature,” he said. “No platform should ever enable such vitriol. “Dr Soder has committed to using his power to protect religious freedoms in Bavaria and beyond to the best of his ability.”
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Israel warns of military strikes on Iran as nuclear talks resume BY SIMCHA ABIR Israeli leaders have warned that lifting sanctions could lead to military strikes on Iran as nuclear talks with the Iranian regime and the UK, France, China, Russia and Germany began on Monday. Foreign Minister Yair Lapid held meetings with Prime Minister Boris Johnson in London and French President Emmanuel Macron Paris. Regarding the Vienna talks, Lapid noted, “Sanctions must not be lifted from Iran. Sanctions must be tightened. A real military threat must be put before Iran, because that is the only way to stop its race to become a nuclear power.” Defence Minister Benny Gantz added, “In the past days, Israeli teams have shared intelligence with our friends around the world that points to Iran’s current process of dashing towards a nuclear weapon, blatantly violating the agreement that is in place with Europe. “To our partners I stress, the time that passes must have a price expressed in sanctions or military alternatives, so that Iran will stop its nuclear race and its regional aggression. We do not oppose negotiations but we must not cooperate with their stalling. We
ourselves. Our children will not grow up in shelters under rocket fire, something the British understand. This industry of lies, uses democracy against democracy, international law against those who uphold it, our fairness and decency against us.” He added, “We are not going to get into a theological or ideological argument with them (Iran). We are going to defend ourselves from their evil and stand strong against their violence.” PHOTO: AMOS BEN GERSHOM/GPO Bicom note that early discussions recognise the international community’s reportedly involved the Iranian delegation work to reach a diplomatic solution with the giving a basic presentation on sanctions. Iranians, yet we must continue, as a strong The US are holding indirect talks with the and independent country to maintain the UK, France, China, Russia and Germany in a capability to defend ourselves.” different room as they are not of part official Johnson commented this week, “Along negotiations. with our American and European friends, The negotiations are the seventh round we will continue to do everything to prevent of talks. Israel has made their concerns over Iran attaining a nuclear weapon.” He add- Iran clear for some time especially over Iran ed, “We hope that diplomacy can work. But having sufficient enriched uranium to be a while the nuclear issue is the most urgent, nuclear threshold state. Iran’s overall behaviour has to change. The Israeli officials are concerned talks could attacks at sea, the support for terrorism and take months while Iran continues to enrich the destabilisation of the region all form part uranium. Gantz is in Washington to continue discusof the same pattern.” Lapid added, “We have the right to defend sions on the Iranian issue next week.
Bennett lights the Chanukiah at the Kotel
Naftali Bennett lighting the Chanukiah at the Kotel
PHOTO: AMOS BEN GERSHOM/GPO
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett lit the first Chanukah candle at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, with Western Wall Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz and Western Wall Heritage Foundation Mordechai (Soli) Eliav in attendance. Before the lighting, Prime Minister Bennett toured The Great Bridge Route, which has just been opened to the public, and which in the time of the Second Temple led pilgrims to inside the Temple. During the tour, the Prime Minister visited the rooms and halls from that period and observed the ancient finds that served the people of that time. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and his wife attended a lighting ceremony for the second Chanukah candle with Nativ course soldiers, on Monday evening. President Isaac Herzog, IDF Chief-of-Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kochavi and his wife, Intelligence Minister Elazar Stern and Jewish Agency Acting Chairman Yaakov Hagoel were also in attendance.
Herzog visits Bat Melech shelter for women in distress BY ADAM MOSES President Isaac Herzog and First Lady Michal Herzog visited a shelter for women in distress run by NGO Bat Melech on International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women last Thursday. Bat Melech was founded to provide physical shelter, protection, mental health support and legal assistance for religious and Charedi women suffering physical and emotional abuse by husbands. The President and First Lady spoke with children in the shelter and heard about their daily lives. Harrowing stories were told by women present to the President and First Lady. Herzog noted, “You have done something momentous, and you can’t begin to understand its magnitude for other women. It is not women’s fault. Don’t think for a moment that it’s your fault. Nobody can stop this revolution. Keep going, and bit by bit you’ll see the light.” The First Lady added, “I know it’s not easy and we’re strangers, but you’ve opened your hearts and said everything from the bottom of your hearts. Each with her own painful story. You are genuinely true heroines. You are strong, and you’ll keep moving on.”
President Herzog honours activists against violence
Welfare Minister Meir Cohen commented, “Our role as elected officials is to put this issue at the top of our priorities and make our best efforts to find the violent men before they act.” Bat Melech chairwoman Tzilit Yakobson thanked the President and the First Lady for visiting the shelter.
PHOTO: AMOS BEN GERSHOM/GPO
“Their work for women in distress has been priceless,” she noted. “Bat Melech works 365 days a year so that every woman in distress in her family knows that she has an address for assistance, especially in communities where the issue is not publicly discussed.” Herzog and the First Lady also hosted a
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ceremony awarding certificates of recognition to activists against violence in the Arab community. This year’s winners were Amal Alnasara, a social activist for women’s rights in Bedouin society. Manal Shalabi, the founder and CEO of A’dar and Ola Najami Yusuf, an activist who raises awareness in Israeli society. Herzog noted, “Don’t think that the message that you are projecting is not being heard.” The First Lady added that ‘family honour killings’ are terrible acts that have nothing to do with honour and nothing to do with family. She added, “This generation is certainly leading to change and inspiring hope in all of us.” Meirav Cohen, Minister for Social Equality said that the road to changing a violent reality was “long, complicated,and exhausting” but she was determined to fight this ‘terror at home’ as we in the State of Israel fight forms of terror. “We are advancing legislation against economic violence, we shall adopt the Istanbul Convention, committing the state to a high standard of addressing this phenomenon and the list of policies is long,” she added.
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Herzog celebrates Chanukah at Cave of Machpelah BY DAVID SAFFER President Isaac Herzog lit the first Chanukah candle at the Cave of the Machpelah in Hebron on Sunday. Herzog toured the holy site before the candle lighting ceremony. Hebron Jewish community head Rabbi Hillel Horowitz, Kiryat Arba council leader Eliyahu Liebman, rabbis, the IDF, Israel Police commanders, residents and yeshiva students participated. “I am glad to light the first Chanukah candle with you here, in this holy place, the tomb of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs,” he said. Herzog explained how his family’s connected stretched back “many generations” to the site. His father, Chaim Herzog, Israel’s ambassador at the United Nations and sixth President of the State of Israel, had recited verses from the Torah sedrah Chayyei Sarah 45 years ago. The verses told the story of the purchase of the field of Machpelah in President Herzog intricate detail, he noted. Herzog added that they became an offi- Yitzhak Hillman (a dayan at the London cial document of the United Nations that Beth Din), was in the 1929 massacre of over “exemplifies our connection to the Cave 65 Jews of Hebron. of the Patriarchs”. “She had made the whole journey from Rabbanit Faya Hillman, mother of Her- Lithuania, just to live in the holy city of zog’s great-grandfather Rabbi Shmuel Hebron,” Herzog recalled. “She was saved
as the President of the State of Israel.” Regarding the Festival of Lights, he commented, “On Chanukah, lighting the candles and publicising the miracle, here in the Cave of the Patriarchs, we connect the Chanukah candles to the light of Adam, the light of our Patriarchs and Matriarchs. “When we assemble around the wonderful light of the Chanukah candles, it is important that we respect the Israeli principle of ‘mamlakhtiyut’ and its tenets, listen more to the other, respect difference, and build one bridge after another in order to protect our togetherness, of course without prejudice to any individual or community, their opinions and faiths. “We will not agree on everything, but we will always remember that “we are all sons of one man” (Genesis 42:11). That we all share deep roots branching out of this tomb. Herzog acknowledged the caves, 30km south of Jerusalem, is a holy site for Muslims. “We must remember that we are not PHOTO: KOBI GIDEON/GPO the only ones whose roots branch out from certain death by pretending to be from this tomb,” he said. “Today, of all days, dead after her serious injury.” here, of all places, in this site sacred to all Herzog added, “I have no doubt that she Children of Abraham we must continue to would have been very moved by the fact dream about peace between all religions that one of her descendants is lighting Cha- and faiths in his land, and to denounce all nukah candles in the Cave of the Patriarchs forms of hatred and violence.”
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Cannabotech’s wellness workshop at its flagship My Being store at Westfield will empower women BY DAVID SAFFER Cannabotech is running a lunch ‘n’ learn ‘wellness’ workshop at their brand new flagship store at Westfield London on Monday (12-1pm). The event will empower all women to learn practical plant-based healing tips ‘n’ tools to boost their families immunity and wellness this winter. Experts will be on hand at what promises to be an illuminating session. Cannabotech is revolutionising the UK’s health and wellbeing retail experience and growing the UK Cannabidiol (CBD) market through exciting technological approaches, including in-store face scanners, holographic interactive tables and one-to-one consultations. Cutting edge research is at the heart of the company who are leading the way in the next generation of preventive care products. The biomedical company have been dubbed the ‘The Botanical Pharmacy’ as they apply untapped benefits of cannabinoids and functional mushrooms to today’s health issues. Fusing traditional Asian knowledge with modern science products are designed to help consumers take control of health concerns. Stress, sleep, immunity, skin conditions, muscle and joint fatigue, mood support and health maintenance are all associated with a modern lifestyle. CBD and mushroom research and development has helped advanced the company’s standing in the industry. Dr Basem Fares is part of the R&D team that will enable Cannobatech to make a giant stride with groundbreaking products. It is now almost two decades since Fares put together a project supervised by Dr. Nael Azam on the ecological habitat of caves at Carmel Medical Center in Haifa. “The effects of Indoles on the development of prostate cancer cells in-vitro” city was nominated in the young scientist competition as the school project of the year at Bloomfield Science Museum Jerusalem. Graduating with a B.Sc in Life Science and M.Sc. in Human Biology at Haifa University, Fares completed his Ph.D at the Clinical Research Institute at Rambam, Division of Oncology, in Haifa prior to joining the Cannabotech team in 2019. “I did extensive research about the development of proteins and how they affect cancer cells,” he recalled. “During that research I discovered that one of the major proteins was involved in metabolism. There are many ideas for treating cancer by affecting the metabolic pathways of cells. Cannabis affects the metabolism of the human body so I was very excited to join a team that would give me the tools to research a new,
ongoing experiments are proving there is synergism that is causing the death of cancer cells in a very efficient manner. We believe that chemotherapy and our products together will give better results for patients.” He added, “We want to know the level of compounds that is required to cause a specific effect. We took on the challenge by buying the compounds and testing their efficiency. Eventually we had a product consisting of the right amount designed in the formulae. And it leads to a better result than just inhaling cannabis.” “There is medication for side effects and that is where we come in because we get very good results by using natural compounds,” Fares continued. “We are not adding more synthetic medications for a patient. Cannabis has proved to be safe, medicinal mushrooms has been used in Chinese herbal medicine for thousands
fascinating area.” Fares during his academic studies worked with Prof Solomon Vasser, a leading professor at Haifa University, during his Master’s degree. “He’s been studying medicinal mushrooms for decades,” he noted. “We tested different compounds of mushrooms on the development of cancer cells. My PhD on biological models was added experience for the R&D team. Cannabotech was where the worlds of cannabis and medicinal mushrooms joined. We proved
that there was a synergism between them. They have a better effect together than each one on their own.” What are you currently working on at Cannabatech? “We are building new formulas to treat cancer,” explained Fares. “We have patients who have had chemotherapy which causes nausea, pain and inflammatory diseases. We know cannabis can solve most side effects and also affect the cancer cells. Our formulas are composed of cannabis and medicinal mushrooms,
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of years. We know you get hardly any side effects with doses we are using. New products will sit alongside medication for side effects in cancer.” Cannabotech’s approach is to personalise the needs for every client. Continuous feedback is essential. Looking to the future it may take two years for new products to hit the market. When they do it is sure to make headline news. “We have eight different formulas for cancer and another eight for side effects,”
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Cannabotech’s Relax Drops and Beauty Sleep drops Relax Drops contain extracts of three types of functional mushrooms and premium pharmaceutical-grade CBD. The uniqueness of the formulation is its ability to battle stress via several biochemical pathways simultaneously, significantly increasing the probability of receiving a desirable effect. Bioactive compounds from functional Mushrooms support the nervous system, acts as a sedative; in the case of stress, promote inner peace and relaxation; decreases sleep disorders; decrease cases of cardio phobia; treats nervous, digestive disorders; reduces depressive moods; for insomnia caused by constant thinking. Whereas CBD interacts with receptors in the nervous system and providing high efficacy in treating anxiety, depression, of restlessness, you can use Relax to help and stress. CBD has grown in popularity over you let go. time because of its effectiveness in the fight against anxiety, depression, and stress. •Cannabotech’s Beauty Sleep drops contain The simultaneous usage of both functional a blend of high-quality functional mushrooms mushrooms and CBD creates a supercharged, to strengthen your immune system and 1+1=10 effect on your health-being. to help you manage healthy stress levels, To further supercharge results, Cannaboincluding lion’s mane, cordyceps, reishi tech have added chamomile and lavender alongside chamomile and 5HTP to promote extract to help further support relaxation with relaxation further, and premium pharmabotanicals proven to soothe an overstimulatceutical-grade CBD to help strengthen your ed nervous system. endocannabinoid system and further support If you’re someone who experiences bouts relaxation.
Fares explained. “One by one we are testing them in cells then we will move on to animal and then clinical trials. These results will serve a patient and physicians to prescribe our medical cannabis, it’s very different to anything else on the market.” He added, “Each indication takes five or six months, we will then apply some products to animal testing, which is a crucial step before human tests, which takes time and a lot of investment, because that is when the calibration takes place. “We know our products are safe but we still want to tune them with the exact
dosages and compounds so it will work before reaching a final product. This is very important.” Fares explained that Cannabotech should stand alone from what is happening currently in the market. R&D is so important and Fares is working with Prof Tamar Peretz at Hadassah Hospital, Jerusalem, a renowned oncologist who is internationally recognised on breast cancer. “We have chosen specific types of cancer that are the most abundant - breast, lung and colon. We are aiming at these
to prove our concept then can drill down to others. There are sub types and we are going through those as well.” Cannabotech’s R&D is cutting edge, even revolutionary. He explained, “Our team gathered every piece of information available from different academies, universitys, companies before we picked a strategy to work on. This is the best strategy, the best revolutionary idea.” Is it exciting to be a part of a project like this? “Of course, I’m a cancer researcher working with botanists, pharmacologists and chemists,” he enthused. “Everyone has their vision of tackling a certain question, so it’s very interesting seeing it come together into one line of an idea. The future in healthcare is towards personal engagement for every patient. It’s fascinating, so I long as I’m learning something new it’s awesome.” Fares added, “We can’t claim that we can treat cancer, but we have a lot of evidence which shows that adding compounds causes the death of cancer cells. We have data where combining chemotherapy with certain mushrooms causes a better result than just chemotherapy. The patient suffers less, side effects are reduced but most important the overall survival increases up to five years.” Finally, what is special about Cannabotech? “Our approach is different, we use arable medicines, we use organic compounds,” Fares explained. “I’m not trying to cancel traditional medicine, I respect this industry, I came from it researching
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different medicines during my PhD but I see the combination of both worlds giving a better result for all of us.” He added, “The stage is changing. Patients are looking for traditional treatments, not only ones available currently in pharmaceuticals. They are the ones deciding what medication to take. Cancer patients have their own forums and share information what helped and what did not. “We have joined the forums and have seen how things have changed in the past few years.” When it comes to the world of Cannabis and mushrooms, Cannabotech are ahead of the game. Cannabotech’s ‘wellness’ workshop takes place at My Being, Unit 1135, Westfield London, W12 7GF. Smart parking is available for customers to the workshop. Telephone: 0203 3712300.
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Israel bans tourists over Omicron variant BY ADAM MOSES Israel has banned entry to tourists for 14 days to stem the spread of a new COVID-19 variant. Mandatory quarantine increased from 24 to 72 hours and Shin Bet can track down those exposed to the Omicron variant last weekend. Many countries have banned travel to South Africa and neighbouring countries. Israeli authorities put 50 African nations on the “red” list last Saturday. Israelis returning from those countries have had to quarantine and undergo COVID-19 tests. Israel confirmed just four cases of the infectious variant first detected in South Africa on Wednesday. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has admitted the government’s steps are “severe” but believed they were necessary, a viewpoint echoed by Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz. “In the coming days we will have more accurate information about the efficacy of the vaccine against Omicron, but there is already room for optimism and there are initial indications that those who are vaccinated with a vaccine still valid or with a booster will also be protected from this variant,” Horowitz said while visiting Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba earlier this week.“The vaccine is crucial right now. Anyone exposed to the variant without a
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK
vaccine will put themselves at unnecessary risk.” Head of Public Health Services Dr. Sharon Alroy-Preis added, “The greatest concern for us is the very rapid spread of this variant in South Africa. From what we hear, those vaccinated do not have significant symptoms, it is a mild disease, but for now this is preliminary information.” She added, “The Shin Bet system is one of our tools to identify and interrupt the transmission chains. The time it has bought for us is helping us to vaccinate the population
and get our citizens to be in a more protected situation.” Horowitz continued, “We will not close the country and will maintain life as normal as possible. There is currently no intention to impose restrictions on life within Israel, and we will do everything possible to ensure that this continues.” Bennett told his weekly cabinet meeting, “We have taken stringent measures to keep Israel protected from outside and open within. We will adapt our steps and make them more precise. What I request
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from the public is patience and discipline. I understand that everyone is tired of life in the shadow of the coronavirus. I hear what people are saying to me, ‘We have just emerged from the Delta strain and now a new strain has arrived.’ It is not easy but it is reality.” He added, “Our mission as a government is to facilitate routine life as much as possible. To this end, we are assessing the situation and are estimating the magnitude and type of threat on a daily basis, and adapting the steps and restrictions accordingly. Now we need to tighten the borders in order to keep the country open within. I understand that perhaps it might be necessary to change the holiday destination and go into quarantine upon returning, this is also happening in my family. “Imposing restrictions on the country’s borders are not an easy step, however, it is both necessary and temporary. There are sectors that will be hurt, such as tourism and air travel and we are thinking about them. The most important thing is when facing a threat, one needs several layers of protection. We have vaccines, I ask that everyone go get vaccinated. Indications are that a vaccine prevents serious illness and the booster is very significant for protection against serious illness.” Israel has seen over 8,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic according to recent data.
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OPINION
Parliamentarians united over Israel at Board Chanukah celebration OPINION PIECE BY MARIE VAN DER ZYL It is three years since the Board of Deputies last held its last Parliamentary Chanukah Reception. In 2019, our reception fell victim to the unfortunate scheduling of the General Election and last year’s celebration was cancelled as the result of the pandemic. So it was with a huge amount of joy that we were able to welcome Home Secretary Priti Patel and Leader of the Opposition Keir Starmer, alongside representatives from both chambers of Parliament, on Monday evening in the House of Lords. We had plenty to thank them for. There has been cross-party support shown on many issues of interest to the Jewish community in recent times. These include ensuring the Coronavirus Bill was amended to avoid the prospect of mandatory cremations for Jews and Muslims, as well as support for the Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre, which hopefully in due course will sit just a couple of hundred yards
from where our guests gathered on Monday. And most recently, there was wide backing given to the Government’s announcement of its intention to proscribe the Hamas terror group in its entirety. The Home Secretary spoke about this in her speech, saying this was part of the Government’s “sincere commitment to do right by the Jewish community in the UK.” I was grateful for the opportunity to thank her in person for the Government’s work on this most vital issue for our community. We were also delighted to welcome the ambassadors of both Israel and Bahrain, which goes to show how far the situation in the Middle East has progressed since the signing of the Abraham Accords in 2020. Israeli Ambassador Tzipi Hotovely spoke
of the new strategic partnership between Israel and the UK, which is great news for the two countries and all of Israel’s supporters in the Jewish community. The Chief Rabbi gave an uplifting address speaking about the centrality of family to the festival of Chanukah, before lighting the Chanukah candles and leading a stirring rendition of Maoz Tzur. The room was filled with distinguished guests. These included Stephen Bush, Chair of the Board’s Commission on Racial Inclusivity in the Jewish Community, as well as representatives of EcoSynagogue, a partnership with the Board of Deputies which is working hard to make the Jewish community more ecologically conscious. And I was really delighted to see Baroness
It has been a very difficult 18 months for both our country and the world. But, in kindling the lights of the menorah, we pray that we are finally beginning to emerge from that dark time into a new era of opportunity and hope.
Merron, who this time last year was our Chief Executive before her elevation to the House of Lords. We also welcomed friends from the Union of Jewish Students and Bristol University Jewish Society, who, in the face of considerable opposition, stood firm and ensured that a foul conspiracy theorist was held to account for his actions. We were proud to support them in that effort and will always work to ensure that Jewish students feel safe on campus and in schools. The first Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rav Shneur Zalman of Liadi, once said: “A little bit of light dispels a lot of darkness”. These wise words are still so true today. It has been a very difficult 18 months for both our country and the world. But, in kindling the lights of the menorah, we pray that we are finally beginning to emerge from that dark time into a new era of opportunity and hope. Next year, Covid permitting, we will be able to welcome even more friends and colleagues to our Parliamentary reception. And I can guarantee there will be plenty of doughnuts and latkes to go around. Marie van der Zyl is President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews.
The blinkers need to come off OPINION PIECE BY ROBERT FESTENSTEIN Last week it was revealed that Azeem Rafiq the former Yorkshire cricketer who was giving evidence to Parliament about the racism he had suffered had, when he was 19, produced some anti-Semitic comments on social media. He has since apologised for this and much has been written about his conduct from 10 years ago. It is generally accepted that his subsequent apology is heartfelt and sincere and hoped that we can all move from this. On a personal level this is likely. There is though a more significant issue and that is how do address the bigotry present in the community from which Mr Rafiq originated. This of course is tricky territory. Claudia Mendoza, the co-CEO of the Jewish Leadership council referred to this in her piece in the Jewish Chronicle on the 24th November. She said: “The Institute for Jewish Policy Research showed that most Muslims are not antisemitic (and it is damaging to stigmatise all Muslims as such) but also, sadly, that a significant proportion do hold bigoted views about Jews to a greater degree than the general population. Or as the British Muslim commentator Mehdi Hasan put it: “it pains me to have to admit this but antisemitism isn’t just tolerated in some sections of the British Muslim community; it’s routine and commonplace”.
So what is to be done with this problem. Ms Mendoza went on to say: “The danger with wading into this arena is that it is so vulnerable to manipulation by those who have an agenda. I note that Rafiq has already been embraced by the campaigning organisation MEND which self-promotes as working for a cohesive society. No doubt Rafiq is unaware of MEND’s history of inflammatory comments from some of its senior members. Sometimes it can just seem easiest to avoid this minefield all together. That, too, is wrong and dangerous. Vacating the space leaves it open to those who will be only too willing to fill it with venom. To quote Jonathan Boyd from the Institute for Jewish Policy Research, “when we see such complex territory before us, we have a choice: to avoid it, fight it, or to enter into it with caution and thoughtfulness. I would advise the third: to enter it with caution, with a clear goal in mind”. He is right.” Ms Mendoza has put her head above the parapet in an area which is fraught with risk, a brave move on behalf of an organisation which prides itself in trying to steer a middle course between those who see Jew-haters behind every tweet and those who believe that those from ethnic minorities are incapable of being racist. What is interesting is that Ms Mendoza appears so far be a lone voice. There have been plenty communal leaders referring to the comments alone, but so far nothing on the origin of the bigotry and what might be done to deal with it.
Last week four men accused of engaging in racist abuse by yelling sick antisemitic abuse from a car in a ‘Convoy for Palestine’ in May of this year entered not guilty pleas. Their trial is likely to take place next year. Commentary appears to be centred on them as individuals which of course is safe territory. So what is the right approach, since whatever has been tried – if anything – over the last few years clearly hasn’t worked. Perhaps the starting point is for us as a community to recognise that there is a problem which needs to be addressed. Ignoring and hoping it will go away is not an option. Calling for a two state solution as a means of demonstrating our even handedness has also failed, as have calls of solidarity in relation to Islamophobia, well-meaning those these actions are. The convoy in May was about Jews, not Israel. The calls for violence were against Jews and for as long as we ignore the roots of this hatred not only will it not go away, it will only get worse. There needs to be engagement, proper engagement and not solely centred on those areas of agreement, such as concerns about the far right. The engagement has to concentrate on the bigotry referred to by the Institute for Jewish Policy Research and it has to not pull any punches. It needs to distinguish between concerns over Palestinians and outright anti-Semitism and additionally there needs to be acceptance by all concerned that there is indeed a serious issue which needs firm and sensible attention.
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This is not about picking a fight with another minority group, it is about being realistic concerning the challenges faced by the Jewish community every time there is a conflagration in the Middle East. Sadly there are still countries which refuse to deal with Israel. As Al Jazeera reported last week – “a major squash tournament in Malaysia has been cancelled, the sport’s governing body has said after the Southeast Asian country refused to grant visas to an Israeli team. It is the latest instance of Muslim-majority Malaysia, which has no diplomatic relations with Israel, barring the country’s athletes.” It is not all bad news though. Reports of Jews openly wearing kipot in Abu Dhabi and Dubai are now becoming commonplace, evidence that it is perfectly possible for good relations to exist between Jews and Muslims. On a further positive note, the Jewish museum in Melbourne in Australia has reached out to the non-Jewish community, including Muslims and Christians with the result that engagement between these communities is positive and two way. It is time that the Jewish community in the UK took a deep breath and followed these examples. Robert Festenstein is a practising solicitor and has been the principal of his Salford based firm for over 20 years. He has fought BDS motions to the Court of Appeal and is President of the Zionist Central Council in Manchester which serves to protect and defend the democratic State of Israel.
2 DECEMBER 2021
OPINION 21
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Why I Support the Bennett-Lapid Government OPINION PIECE BY MIKE EVANS I traveled to Israel on May 14 during the Gaza War to defend the State of Israel against a vicious antisemitic Muslim Brotherhood attack against Israel in the media. I mobilized the top evangelicals in America to film and express their support for the State of Israel and had scheduled a global Facebook live special that I had produced. The leaders included the Rev. Franklin Graham, son of the famous evangelist Billy Graham, along with Christian Broadcasting Network President Gordon Robertson, former President of the 22-million member Southern Baptist Convention and Pastor Jack Graham, First Baptist Dallas Pastor Robert Jeffress, former presidential candidate and Gov. Mike Huckabee, actors Jon Voight and Pat Boone and numerous other major evangelical leaders representing tens of millions of evangelicals. I was informed on the plane to Israel that my Facebook page the Jerusalem Prayer Team, with 77 million followers, had been attacked by an anti-Zionist Muslim Brotherhood group and we had become a victim of cyber terrorism. The organized attack included more than 2.1 million antisemitic
hate messages posted on the page in a 72hour period. Many of the posts included death threats. Others said Hitler should have killed all the Jews. Facebook had the power to stop those comments from being posted, but they didn’t. My team made many appeals to Facebook for help but were ignored. To our shock, instead of Facebook blaming the perpetrator, they punished us, the victim, and shut our page down. We are the largest religious Facebook page in the world and without a doubt the largest pro-Israel page worldwide. We had recruited more than 14 million Muslim young people as followers in an attempt to win their hearts and their minds to combat antisemitism. I brought camera crews into the warzone to film so we could tell the truth about Siderot and Ashkelon and show the suffering that the Jewish people were experiencing because the media was only spotlighting the suffering that Muslims were experiencing, and blaming Israel. It was Jew-hatred, fundamentally fueled by the Muslim Brotherhood’s anti-Zionism. When I was then informed that Ra’am, an anti-Zionist party, was joining the government, I was outraged. To think that a pro-Muslim Brotherhood, anti-Zionist party would be part of a Jewish State was more than I could stand.
I’ve been mobilizing support for the State of Israel since the days of Menachem Begin, and have stayed out of politics. As a matter of fact, Shimon Peres dearly loved me and I dearly loved him. He was my international chairman and commissioned the Friends of Zion award that has been given to 22 world leaders, including two U.S. presidents. My policy has always been not to focus on the right-wing or the left-wing, but always focus on the bird, Israel. Yet on this particular occasion, I came out strong and hard, criticizing the government that was being formed because it included a pro-Muslim Brotherhood, anti-Zionist party. I apologized at a press conference for those comments because I realized that it was wrong for me to criticize Naftali Bennett, who has been a very strong Zionist. Regretfully, while I was in Israel in May, there were media organizations that made false statements of what I had said. As a journalist for more than 40 years, I know the game the media plays. It’s called, “If it bleeds, it leads.” Sometimes secular media makes up fake news simply for headlines. I’ve dedicated my life to supporting the State of Israel—and I will not stop now. I have built a $100 million campus, the Friends of Zion Heritage Center in Jerusalem, to create a home for the 800 million evangelicals of the world and Israel. They
are, I believe, Israel’s best friends. As I have always done over the decades, I will continue to mobilize support for the State of Israel with all of the evangelical organizations that I have founded. On the Friends of Zion Heritage Center campus in Jerusalem, I’m building an Ambassador Institute to train Christian ambassadors to support Israel’s brand in their countries and combat antisemitism. I’m building the first evangelical Research Institute and think tank to provide strategic, real-time data to universities, Christian media outlets and churches throughout the world and the State of Israel, along with building a 21st-century social network platform that cannot be gamed by anti-Zionist Jew-haters. As an example, Ayelet Shaked, the Minister of Interior, sent me a short three-minute video on Jerusalem. In two weeks, we had more than 21 million people view it. I wish Prime Minister Bennett as well as Yair Lapid, Minister of Foreign Affairs, God’s richest blessings and great success. My Jerusalem Prayer Team members will continue to lift them up in prayer. We will stand 100% behind the State of Israel. Mike Evans is a #1 New York Times bestselling author with 108 published books. He is the founder of the Friends of Zion Museum in Jerusalem.
BY CAMPAIGN AGAINST ANTISEMITISM
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OPINION
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Inspiring leaders, influencing our future OPINION PIECE BY RABBI ANDREW SHAW Rabbi Sacks ztl once discussed the Talmudic question ‘Can you take one Chanukah light to light another?’ He writes: Two great sages of the third century, Rav and Shmuel, disagreed. Rav said No. Shmuel said Yes. Why did Rav say you may not take one Chanukah candle to light the others? Because, says the Talmud, ka mach-chish mitzvah. You diminish the first candle. Inevitably you spill some of the wax or the oil. And Rav says: don’t do anything that would diminish the light of the first. But Shmuel disagrees, and the law follows Shmuel. Why? The best way of answering that is to think of two Jews: both religious, both committed, both living Jewish lives. One says: I must not get involved with Jews who are less religious than me, because if I do, my own standards will fall. I’ll keep less. My light will be diminished. That’s the view of Rav. The other says No. When I use the flame of my faith to light a candle in someone else’s life, my Jewishness is not diminished. It grows, because there is now more
Jewish light in the world. When it comes to spiritual goods as opposed to material goods, the more I share, the more I have. If I share my knowledge, or faith, or love with others, I won’t have less; I may even have more. That’s the view of Shmuel, and that is how the law was eventually decided. So share your Judaism with others. Take the flame of your faith and help set other souls on fire. This idea is the driving force behind Mizrachi UK’s latest initiative – Yehudi. Yehudi will inspire the next generation of Modern Orthodox and Religious Zionist students to be role models for the community, to take their light, and instil a strong, meaningful Jewish and Zionist identity into thousands of young Jews across the UK. Initially Yehudi is working in 15 Jewish primary schools, engaging with 660 Year 6 children who are being led by 130 leaders
from across our secondary schools and universities. This will continue to grow next year and beyond. Mizrachi UK is proud to be launching this initiative and on Sunday 5th and Monday 6th December we will be asking to the whole community to join us in supporting Yehudi as well as our other programmes, to help aid the transformation of the UK community and a strengthening of our community’s connection to the people of Israel, the land of Israel and the Torah of Israel. Our campaign during Chanukah is no coincidence. Chanukah celebrates the extraordinary story of how a small group of passionate individuals made a monumental difference to the direction of the Jewish people. Although our Modern Orthodox and Religious Zionist community is fairly small in the UK, we have made, and continue
Chanukah celebrates the extraordinary story of how a small group of passionate individuals made a monumental difference to the direction of the Jewish people.
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ABOUT MIZRACHI UK Mizrachi UK inspires people with a sense of commitment to the Torah, the Jewish people and the Land of Israel. Mizrachi UK holds dear a conviction that all the work we do, whether through our Rabbinical Fellowship Programme, our Yehudi initiative, our Shlichim community work, or our Community engagement, serves to enhance and add to the spiritual life of our schools, shuls and campuses. We are very much part of the fabric of the British Jewish community. We focus on all age groups with our programming, inspiring primary school kids all the way up to octogenarians and beyond! Mizrachi UK focuses on the community and family, by scaffolding existing establishments in the work they do.
WHY WE ARE RUNNING A CAMPAIGN Mizrachi UK is determined to invest in the future of British Jewry, proudly strengthening Jewish identity and supporting Israel.
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2 DECEMBER 2021
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1: Roman Key Card Blackwood 2: 2 Key cards and Queen of trump - here ♣cAce, ♠sKing and ♠sQueen West led the ten of diamonds and the declarer foresaw no traps in the play. He took the first trick with the ace of diamonds and led a trump to East’s five and his ten. Declarer next led a diamond to the king and a second trump to East’s seven and his jack. After ruffing the jack of diamonds with dummy’s nine of trumps, declarer played dummy’s last trump. East stepped up with his ace of trumps and returned a club. Declarer had to win this in dummy and try to get back to hand by ruffing a heart. While the ace hearts stood up the king did not: East ruffed it and the contract was down one. “A 4-0 heart break! Now that was really unlucky,” offered declarer somewhat mournfully. As ever, dummy was there “Luck had nothing to do with the outcome,” he answered. “The only danger to the contract was bad breaks in both
major suits and you should have acted accordingly. At trick two, you cash the king of diamonds and play a trump. When the 4-0 break comes to light, you ruff your diamond loser in dummy with the nine of trumps and cash the king-queen of clubs, followed by the ace of hearts. Only then do you play a second trump. East would have let you win the trick but, when he wins the next trump, he has no heart to play. No matter which suit he returns, you would win the trick in hand, draw the outstanding trump and claim the last two tricks with the ace of clubs and the king of hearts.” “And, if by chance East had had a second heart, his lead of that card would have put you safely in dummy, whereupon a heart ruff would have allowed you to pull his last trump. In that way, you would only have needed East to follow to one heart and two clubs.”
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GAMES 25
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Chai raises £2.6m in weekend of activities
Rabbi Dovid Eisenberg was the guest speaker at the Keren Hashviis reception in the Ateres Rochel Ohel Torah Hall. Keren Hashviis is the only organisation that supports farmers and encouraging the sacred mitzvah and allows Shmitah to happen in Eretz Yisrael. Rabbi Dovid Eisenberg speaking at the Keren Hashviis reception
PHOTO: LAWRENCE PURCELL.
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Louise Hager and Lisa Steele with Chai’s big cheque
Chai Cancer Care’s ‘One BIG Community for Chai’ campaign started with the Chai Big Weekend and ended late into Monday night with a £2.6m matched-funding campaign. The activities kicked off on Thursday night (25th November) with a ‘Challah Dough Disco’ as 35 women joined event organiser Micaela Chetrit (who was supported by Chai after her mother died of cancer five years ago) and the ‘Challah Mummy’ herself, Allegra Benitah. Participants were entertained throughout by DJ Mesiba who led a rolling-pin conga and the Macarena while the dough was proving. Friday saw Chai’s now annual ‘Mad Hair Day’ take over 17 schools across the country. Thousands of students turned up with crazy hair styles with all funds raised going towards the ‘Chai in Schools’ programme. Chai in Schools supports children affected by a cancer diagnosis of either themselves or someone in their family. It also gives Headteachers, teachers and SENCOs advice and training in how to respond appropriately to the child’s needs as well as those of their classmates. Into Shabbat, with over 130 synagogues and communities from all denominations involved in the Chai Shabbat. Events included purple themed kiddush with purple cupcakes, to Havdalah with purple glow sticks, with many Rabbis using the opportunity to speak about the work of Chai in their sermons. As the online fundraiser began at 10am on Sunday morning, volunteers took to the streets (and shops) to promote the work of Chai. Volunteers from Project ImpACT among others were at Tesco Brent Cross while Chai volunteers, staff, friends and family kitted out in purple hoodies manned the tills at locations across the UK including Tesco Borehamwood, Kosher Kingdom and Brackman’s in Manchester. The dedicated teams braved sub-zero temperatures and icy conditions to spread the word about Chai. By late Monday night, the 320 fundraising
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‘Mad Hair Day’ at Hasmonean Primary School
teams and close to 9,000 donors from across the world had raised over £2.6m, a truly monumental feat. Speaking as the charity passed its initial fundraising target, Chai Chairman Louise Hager said, “our annual running costs are £3.5m, and the demand on cancer support charities is only likely to rise as a result of the ongoing Covid pandemic. For the community to support us to such an extent in a year where our fundraising opportunities have been reduced yet again, is truly wonderful. We are so thankful, grateful and inspired by the outpouring of love and affection from across the country and further afield.” On Monday night, as the campaign came to a close, Chai Chief Executive, Lisa Steele reflected, “It was important for us that, this year, our campaign was not just a fundraiser but also something that would include the whole community. ‘One BIG Community for Chai’ reached tens of thousands of people over the whole weekend and illustrates and confirms how we are always there for the community and, the community is always there for Chai.” The funds raised will be used to support all Chai Cancer Care’s services and running costs for the year ahead.
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First Lady lunches with MDA
MDA Chief Executive Daniel Burger presenting a book to Israel’s First Lady, Michal Herzog
On Monday 22nd November, Magen David Adom UK hosted Israel’s First Lady, Michal Herzog as part of her visit to the UK. Hosted at the home of top kosher caterer, Tony Page, the event came on the second day of President Isaac Herzog’s official three-day visit to London where he is following in the footsteps of his father Chaim,
who also visited as President. During the meal, Michal declared herself “a big fan of Magen David Adom” and spoke about its lifesaving work of and importance to the State of Israel - specifically MDA’s response to the Covid-19 crisis and its new £90m National Blood & Logistics Centre in Ramla, opening in the coming months. When complete, the Centre will safeguard Israel’s blood supply against population growth, terrorism, cyber-attack and natural disaster. First Lady Herzog spoke of the opportunities presented by the changing dynamics between the Jewish state and her Arab neighbours, and recalled a recent meeting with the “impressive” first Bahraini ambassador to Israel at Beit Hanassi and his eagerness to work together with Israel across sectors for the benefit of all. When asked by one guest what people in Britain could do to aid Israel’s image, Michal spoke of the need for delegations to visit Israel and see for themselves the reality: “We have amazing people. Just look at Magen David Adom’s people and the Israeli healthcare system.” Daniel Burger, Chief Executive Magen David Adom UK commented: “It was a great honour to host the First Lady and hear first-hand her commendation for our organisation - for its lifesaving work as well as efforts to redefine the narrative in joining forces with Gulf neighbours in order to save more lives.”
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Chanukah Community round-up
Sacks Morasha does Chanukah
Kisharon have ‘jam’ packed fun Sacks Morasha had a fun filled and exciting week for the children. After all of the unsettled moments of the last year and half the teachers were determined to give the children an amazing week packed with magicians, entertainers, parties, Chanukah themed learning activities and of course lots of doughnuts. Mr Kett, Deputy Head and Head of Kodesh said ‘Having spent last year’s Chanukah celebrations online, it was sheer de-light to bring so much Simcha into our school hall and corridors once again’.
Wonderland and magic as Central celebrates Chanukah
Kisharon Noé School pupils celebrate Chanukah
Kisharon celebrated Chanukah across adult services, the Noé School and Tuffkid Nursery. Noé School celebrations included pupils making Chanukiahs and decorating jugs. Children were also wowed by a recycled menorah. Srulik Morgenstern from AA Maintenance Ltd created it out of donated pipe materials from Plumbers Depot Ltd. Children have really enjoyed seeing it on the way into school and lit on the way home. Tuffkid nursery held an oil activity where children took olives and squeezed them to see if they could get any shemen zayit. They then had a chance to taste them.
Pupils continued the ‘oil’ theme and made decorative doughnuts. Kisharon’s Social Enterprise have been very busy too over the Chanukah period. Further Education college students sold over 800 Chanukiah Children’s craft packs, 7,500 wooden craft pieces and 29,000 candles packaged together. The project provided learning opportunities for people Kisharon support. Sets have been enjoyed by communities, schools and synagogues for Chanukah and Bedside Kosher delivering to Great Ormond Street Hospital. Positive feedback has flooded in.
Abie Friedlander and Ely Noe Broughton Jewish Kindergarten boys.
Central Synagogue Chanukah fun
PHOTO: LAWRENCE PURCELL.
PHOTO: LAWRENCE PURCELL.
Avri and Yishai Richman aged 7 and 4 years built their own Menorah from their clicks toy and even managed to light it each night!
Avi Finlay lit Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation’s menorah. Avi and his brother Yoni davened at the Shul. Rabbi Daniel Walker organised the event that included pizza and a bouncy castle for children.
An epic Chanukah Wonderland was held at Central Synagogue on the first night of Chanukah for members and local young families. The bumper crowd enjoyed a jam-packed party with crafts, bingo, glow in the dark disco and treasure hunt and were well fed with pizza and doughnuts. On Tuesday a Chanukah party was held with candle-lighting and songs from Chazan Steven Leas with the added attraction of Michael Gee, magician from the Magic circle, who entertained the large crowd in the newly refurbishing banqueting facility of the Shul. Central was delighted to welcome so many people to its activities and thriving social
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Chanukiah painting
programme. Chanukah has provided an excellent opportunity for the Synagogue to entertain its members and friends.
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Norwood celebrated Chanukah across adult residential and supported living Activities over the Chanukah included daily Zoom sessions featuring candlelighting, music, a Chanukah performance led by Belmont United Synagogue along with a DJ set and karaoke led by members of Young Norwood. A Chanukah party to place at Norwood’s Kennedy Leigh Centre. Gifts and doughnuts (were donated to all our homes by Kelmans, Kosher Kingdom, Hendon Bagel Bakery and Parkway. Norwood Rabbi Stanley Coten led candlelighting, Jewish cultural adviser Dov Richman led a Chanukah celebration and activities. Norwood Chief Executive Dr Beverley Jacobson, “During Chanukah we celebrate the commitment Judah the Maccabi had to his beliefs and values, the courage he showed in taking on the mighty Greek army, and how, against all odds, he won through. “From this story we learn how passion can produce unexpected victories and good outcomes. I have seen this so often at Norwood. On several occasions, I have seen residents discharged from hospital on palliative care who have, against all odds, rallied back to health with thanks to the love, care and belief of their staff. I have heard of a disengaged and excluded child who has been successfully
Celebrating Chanukah at Norwood
returned to education through nurturing and appropriate support. I have seen the professional coaxing that has resulted in the growing self-esteem of a young person previously quite ready to give up on life. “All these outcomes are exceptional and whilst they have relied on professional input they have been powered by passion. It is the secret special ingredient that holds the key to making Norwood a truly exceptional organisation. “Just as the Chanukah candles light up the dark winter nights so we will harness our collective passion to bring even brighter light to the lives of those who need our support to conquer challenge, connect to the community and have a chance to thrive.”
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GIFT distributed thousands of Chanukah presents to children who wouldn’t have ordinarily received. The gifts were collected in partnership with Camp Simcha, Manchester Charitable Trust & from Yeshaya Rinkoff who did a toy fundraiser for his Barmitzva.
GIFT has been busy over Chanukah running initiatives for the community. Rabbi Avrohom Zeidman’s ‘8 Nights 8 Lights Challenge’ mini gifts were a hit with 800 given to 20 shuls and primary schools across London and Manchester. Booklets contained eight kindness challenges together with eight chocolate coins, one for each night of Chanukah, a sweet incentive after completing a kindness challenge. Bnei Mitzva students along with school pupils in London and Manchester crafted then distributed 300 electric menorot to residents of Langdon, Bedside Kosher for hospital patients and care home residents. The electric menorahs were used in place of real candles for safety.
In conjunction with Cards of Care, students across London designed and delivered over 500 personalised cards for Jewish Care residents. Hundreds of menorahs, packs of candles, dreidels and chocolate coins were made and distributed to GIFT recipient families across London and Manchester. And Barmitzva boy Yeshaya Rinkoff held a fundraiser and with friends, wrapping over 700 presents for GIFT families to receive over Chanukah. GIFT Manchester ran a festive decoration initiative, GIFT Israel & UK launched a Chanukah toy drive partnering with Camp Simcha and MCT, distributing almost 3000 toys to youngsters. GIFT initiatives: info@jgift.org
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Jteen Parent Event Jteen, the newly formed charity for teen emotional health, was honoured to have Rabbi Malcolm Herman, Seed’s Associate National Director, speak at its recent Parent event, “A parent guide for teen friendships.” Over 200 parents from the UK, Antwerp and Gibralter joined the session online and enjoyed the practical advice which Rabbi Herman is so renowned for. Rabbi Herman reminded parents that good friendships are the most vital element of a child’s school life. As teens move from being a child to an adult, “friends are oxygen to adult life and provide the stability they so desperately need.” This being the case, Rabbi Herman pointed out that, as parents, we must take issues around
our children’s friendships very seriously. Following Rabbi Herman was well known Cognitive Behaviour Therapist and one of the Jteen helpline supervisors, Alli Sturgess. She answered some common questions that parents have around their teen’s friendships and gave tips about how a parent can help their teen overcome shyness and anxiety around their peers. Concluding the event, Yaakov Barr, founder of Jteen, thanked parents for working together with Jteen, encouraging their children to reach out and share their feelings via text when they prefer not to speak directly to parents and teachers. The feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive with
2 DECEMBER 2021
Alli Sturgess
Rabbi Malcolm Herman
parents appreciative of the practical guidance being provided to help their teens.
Plans are already afoot for, Jteen’s next parent event.
Resolution guide launched National family justice organisation Resolution has organised a free ‘Parenting through Separation’ guide for Good Divorce Week. The guide provided accessible advice and practical tips on ensuring family break up has as little impact on children as possible. Resolution have also produced a short film that reveals five ways parents can put their children first during separation or divorce. With nearly a quarter of a million people getting divorced each year there is a huge need for parents to have information and support to help them co-parent following their separation. Research makes it clear that it is critical to recognise that children are at risk of harm when parents separate, particularly where there is unresolved parental conflict. Rebekah Gershuny is an accredited
Bernard Stone z”l in 2018
PHOTO: LAWRENCE PURCELL.
The levaya of Mr Bernard Stone took place, leaving from the Jewish Community Centre, where the Cheetham Hebrew Congregation is based. It headed to Agecroft Cemetery. Mr Stone took the job of Shul President on a temporary basis 39 years ago! The Shul is one of Manchester’s smallest and oldest Congregations. The Rav at the Shul Rabbi Yaakov Abenson is one of Manchester’s longest serving Rabbis for 35 years. The Cheetham Hebrew Congregation was founded in 1958 originally located on Cheetham Hill Road, once a hub of the North Manchester Jewish Community, relocating to the Manchester Jewish Community Centre several years ago. The shul was founded through the mergers of Chaye Adam & Chevra Tillim, Rydal Mount Synagogue and Sellel & Psalms Synagogue.
family mediator who is only too well aware how many children are caught up in disputes after a family separation. She explained, “I frequently see parents struggling to cope and to come to terms with the trauma of divorce or separating. They are trying to make the best arrangements for their children but lack the tools to do so. Mediation is one of the best ways for these parents to have constructive conversations in a safe setting. Sadly, I hear so often how hard it is for parents to access advice and support, often believing that the best way of sorting out their differences is to go to court. This is probably the worst option.” Details:www.resolution.org.uk/ parenting-through-separation Rebekah Gershuny can be contacted at www.evolvefamilymediation.co.uk or on 01923 909343
Barmitzvah GIFTs wrapped up Yeshaya and family are regular packers and sorters at the GIFT warehouse. In the run up to Yeshaya’s barmitzvah, they decided to run a 48 hour fundraiser to raise money to buy Chanukah presents for the children of GIFT families, to be popped into their weekly food parcels during the week of Chanukah. Yeshaya had great fun selecting the gifts and chose amongst others, scratch art, sand art, popits, magic beads, squishy balls, stretchy carrots, light up rhinos, ice cream pens and fabulous London themed tumblers with straws. Yeshaya says ‘This was such a fun, meaningful tzedakah project. I wish I could see the faces of the kids when they find surprise gifts inside their weekly food bags!’ Altogether, Yeshaya with the help of friends and family, wrapped 704 gifts with the £865 raised. This project will surely make a brighter Chanukah for many families.
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Young volunteers wrapping gifts
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From the front line… Let’s hope for a season of goodwill. We’ve waited long enough! BY JACQUELINE CURZON The debacle of the cross-channel migrants continues apace. I have to ask why Britain has not only promised France £54 million to intercept the boats leaving their shores, and has paid the first instalment of this, whilst the French are holding back until they have the full amount? We read frequently that French beach patrols watch the proceedings, practically waving ‘au revoir et bon voyage,’ watching inflatables no better than paddling pools and severely overloaded, taking to their waters. This lack of interception is surely criminal in itself, for they have no idea how many will be alive should the dinghies reach the other side. The tragedy which happened just last week in which 27 people died - not so much from drowning - but through being left stranded in perishing channel waters till they were finally overcome with hypothermia, was a classic example of the French refusing to show due diligence. One of the few survivors said they had called the British authorities, who refused to come, and the French who responded, ‘we’re not coming because you’re in UK waters!’ ‘UK’ waters only seems to apply if it concerns a sinking boat full of migrants, not if it’s a fishing dispute, then it’s British waters, with ‘international’ rights. Macron has a nerve, pointing fingers at Boris Johnson and effectively blaming the British for the death of migrants. He commented very recently, ‘the British want us to do what we were doing before Brexit,’ forgetting they actually weren’t doing much of a job then either. At the beginning of November an Irish ferry, the Isle of Ishinore, threw ropes to 13 migrants in a sinking dinghy and pulled them on board, then returned them to France. In a totally separate incident, an overcrowded wooden boat with 99 migrants was rescued by a team from Medecins sans Frontieres off the Libyan coast earlier in the week. Ten people were found dead crammed at the bottom of the boat, probably as a result of fume poisoning in the confined hold space, said MSF. The point remains - to the evil traffickers, the migrants and victims are not people, they are money. Now on a practical level, these dinghies must have a do-not-exceed limit of passengers, probably not more than 7-10 per dinghy, but the mercenary traffickers pack them in, many without life vests, often showing violence to those who refuse. At Calais asylum seekers told reporters that some people were kneecapped (shot in both knees) for refusal to get on board. Neither unfortunately will the French intervene, even when seeing the boats are double or triple safe capacity. This ‘turning a blind eye’ is also criminal. Maybe Macron should just invest the £54 million into providing a ferry and bring them safely to the UK - at least that would be transparent and save people from his complicity in reckless endangerment.
Jacqueline Curzon PHOTO: LARA MINSKY PHOTOGRAPHY
I realise the French carry guns, so why don’t they simply fire at the inflatables and render them useless, thereby thwarting the traffickers plans? That would send a no-nonsense message. Should the traffickers then show violence, they would risk being shot too. Rather a bullet in a dinghy than a torn or deflated inflatable in the middle of the English Channel with innocent lives lost. Surely! With numbers reaching Britain tallying 500 a day, often far more, we could easily expect anything up to 50 - 100,000 incomers a year which would be impossible to absorb nor sustain. We do have an absolute right to send migrants back to their point of origin, or at least the first safe country they passed through, but many don’t want to go, but want to continue on to the UK. WHY? Language must be one of the factors - English is a ubiquitous language, spoken internationally, unlike French, German or Polish. Lukashenko also has a lot to answer for, regardless of who is pulling his strings. Encouraging migrants with a ‘we want to help you reach your dream’ along with very relaxed visa controls, is merely a scurrilous trick of depopulation, often bringing nothing but misery to those who fail, for many of the migrants being pushed over the Belorusian border will end up in France and finally on a wee boat in the middle of a dangerous shipping lane heading for England. Macron and Lukashenko are effectively brothers-in-arms, born with the same callous indifference to human life. I determined I would not dedicate this week’s column to covid, but of course the emergence of the omicron variant is slightly worrying. For the present we must take the advice of Sergeant Jones [Dad's Army] whose mantra was, ‘don’t panic!’ Despite no indication by scientists or health professionals that omicron is of any more concern than other variants, new covid rules have just been enshrined in law, a path that Conservative MPs described as ‘a path towards hell.’ We will now be forced to self-isolate for 10 days if we are pinged as having come into
contact with someone with omicron, even if fully vaccinated. This rule is to last until March, and it remains a distinct possibility that the festive season will be wrecked by further restrictions, and possibly education too. Across the border 9 cases of omicron have been discovered in Lanarkshire, Greater Glasgow and Clyde, however their FM underplayed the threat as no Scottish cases have required hospital treatment. Scots are however being recommended to take a covid test every time they meet someone from another family (household). The FM also called for the PM to extend the self-isolation period for those returning or entering the UK until a negative result on day 8, rather than day 2. She is demanding more funding for business support, should she decide to impose further restrictions. Her ‘demands’ show utter hypocrisy when we recall her hatred of being connected by the union's umbilical cord: happy to be bailed out by the UK when it suits her, but will shout ‘Foul, Ref!’ at all other times. Hmm. This might be just about reasonable were she following central government guidelines or initiatives, but I think in the absence of any sisterly love, there should be no more furlough or business bailout - let her show her leadership, management and superlative financial nouse and balance her own books. For once. In other news, a pedestrian stabbed a car driver, who had been forced to make an emergency stop to avoid running him over. James Stokoe (40) who had his four-year-old son in the car, shouted at Alexander Layton (34) who had jaywalked into the road. During the verbal altercation, Layton pulled out a carving knife and stabbed Stokoe repeatedly, causing him to die within minutes. In the hours before the attack, he had threatened to murder someone who owed him money, and apparently had a history of mental health issues. The judge said that was no excuse for stabbing Mr Stokoe four times, causing him to die at the scene. Murder is by no means the prerogative of adults and youth crime is another particularly ugly subject. Peer pressure, social media, truancy and turf wars all contribute to motivation for the most awful juvenile crimes. The recent murder of Keon Lincoln (15) has made for very unsettling reading. He was chased from outside his home by a gang of five boys, aged between 14 and 17, and not content with stabbing him eight times with machetes and knives - enough to send him to hospital, if not the morgue - he was then shot by Yussuf Mustapha (14) for no apparent reason. Keon’s mother ran out to find her son dying on the pavement. At sentencing, as Mustapha was given a life sentence, she described the killers as ‘heartless, evil monsters.’ What I found particularly sad was the attitude of the killer's father, who remarked, ‘I came to Britain because… I wanted my family to have a good life. Now I regret that.’ I’m sure Keon’s parents also regret his decision, after all they would have simply settled for Keon having a
life! We do have to take some responsibility for how our children turn out, and not just wave away a lack of morals or ethics as an unconnected result of social circumstance. I’m sure we also join with the nation in condemning the murder of 12-year-old Ava White, a schoolgirl from Liverpool, whose attacker has been formally charged with murder. The 14-year-old, unnamed for legal reasons, will be held in secure youth detention until trial at the Crown Court. Further troubles are brewing over in the east, where Dmytro Kubela, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, has called on the west to prepare economic sanctions should Moscow decide to invade Ukraine. He has asked NATO for increased defence and security support in this eventuality, a not unimaginable possibility, given around 115,000 Russian troops have amassed near its borders. Lukashenko has however pledged to stand with Putin if war breaks out. Jens Stoltenberg, NATO’s Secretary General, has said Ukraine cannot rely on assistance, even though Europe and the US are in favour of supporting the country beleaguered in an ‘undeclared war’ since 2014. This might neatly end all hopes of my Trans Siberian trip for the second year running, after all I don’t need to travel to a war zone - I have enough aggravation at home, but if I do make it, my column will likely read, From the Frozen Front Line. Watch this space for updates. This week's ‘funny’ comes from Aberdeen University, my alma mater, where students have been warned that Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel ‘Kidnapped’ concerns abduction. Is it me, or are the staff getting stupider? Having confessed to being a bit of a hoarder I mention that I have an original Terry’s Chocolate Box from c.1958. This is no mere throwaway item like those currently found in the shops, but a proper box, with lift-up lid for the top layer, and two side-by-side drawers below. I believe I was given it by my aunt, and cannot of course remember the contents, but it has been the keeper of numerous diaries and trinkets over my lifetime and I’m loath to throw it away. You never know, my children might one day find something useful or valuable in it, although I doubt it will be a gold sovereign. On that sweet notion - a silver shilling struck in colonial America in 1652, has just made headlines after being found in a sweet tin. The coin belonged to William Wentworth, a British nobleman, and reached the princely sum of £264,000 at auction in London. Now I suppose you should get cracking and see what delights are hidden in your old biscuit boxes or sweet tins. Wishing you all a sweet and lovely end of Chanukah, and may we merit to see the miracles which it can bring. Love Jacqueline x
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Rebbe’s Chanukah campaign still burns bright
BY DAVID SAFFER From the leafy village of Shenley to Sydney and San Francisco, Jews around the world lit the first candle on Sunday night. But there are many Jews unable to celebrate the festival for various reasons. This is where Chabad annually swing into action to ensure every Jew that wishes can enjoy the wonderment of the Festival of Lights. The Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, was renowned for welcoming Jews of all backgrounds to Judaism and Chanukah was a time that sentiment shone through brightly. The Rebbe called for every Jewish home to be filled with the light of a menorah and flames to illuminate the wider world. “We should listen attentively to what the Chanukah lights are telling us,” the Rebbe wrote in 1982. “The mitzvah of the Chanukah lights symbolises, in a tangible and visible way, all the mitzvot of the Torah, all of which are defined in terms of light.” “Living Yiddishkeit”, he added, required a “continuous growth” to enrich one’s “spiritual life”. For the Rebbe, it was essential that menorah candles could be seen outside to “publicise the miracle of Chanukah” and symbolically convey a message that everyone who lights the candles must not
forget those “unaware of Chanukah” or their “Jewish identity”. It is our duty, he continued, to reach out and bring the “light of living Yiddishkeit” into their hearts and homes in the “spirit of Chanukah in a growing measure”. The Rebbe’s global Chanukah campaign kicked off way back in 1973. The aim was straight forward, share the light of Chanukah with families and friends. Almost 50 years on and ChabadLubavitch emissaries around the world continue that desire. The age-old Chanukah story will be told forever and this year Chabad emissaries on six continents will share the beauty with around eight million Jews through 15,000 public menorahs erected in public spaces and courtesy of 6,500 menorah-topped cars taking over streets aside a plethora of inventive events. Online an estimated 10 million unique visitors will utilise Chabad’s ‘how-to’ guides. Chabad will distribute 64 million Chanukah candles, over 700,000 menorah kits and 2.5 million holiday guides in 17 languages. It is a monumental effort but one emissaries do annually. “There is a pre-eminence in the mitzvot connected with lighting candles, in that the effect of the action, the appearance of light, is immediately visible,” the Rebbe
explained in his ’73 letter. “The mitzvah of kindling the Chanukah light is unique in that it is required to be displayed to the outside. Thus, every by-passer, including non-Jews, immediately notices the effect of the light, which illuminates the outside and the environment.” Twelve months after his famous public letter, the first public menorah outside Independence Hall in Philadelphia, followed by a 25-foot menorah in Union Square, San Franciso in 1975. By the end of the decade, public menorahs were in New York City, outside the White House in Washington D.C., and on Hollywood streets in central Los Angeles. Meantime, Chabad emissaries distributed tin menorah and candle kits. The uptake was a huge hit alongside programs such as Chanukah on Ice and olive-oil press workshops not only in the US but around the world. Creative thinking was essential on different continents indeed, a boomerang-themed menorah was available in Northern Queensland, Australia! Drive-ins have been hugely popular, Borehamwood hosted one at the weekend, the same day Minneapolis participated. Games, firework shows, this year there will be every kind of celebration imaginable catering for different temperatures and landscapes. Central to many communities will be a car menorah parade that started in the US as part of the Rebbe’s Chanukah-awareness campaign. Thousands of cars of all shapes and sizes have hit the roads this year but how did it start? As the Rebbe’s fledgling Chanukah initiative built Rabbinical students, newlyweds and veteran rabbis were more than happy to skip knocking on doors to distribute fliers and portable menorah kits. Rabbi Shmuel Lipsker was a student at Lubavitch World Headquarters in the Crown Heights, Brooklyn. A regular on 47th Street in Midtown Manhattan to attract New Yorkers he recalls building a homemade menorah and placing on top of a station wagon, stopping to pick up flares to light it. “This was before public menorah-lightings, the concept didn’t exist,” he reportedly told Chabad. “It was such a huge attraction. We were giving out menorahs, more and more people were gathering around us. By the time we lit our menorahs with the flares, we had a huge crowd. It was unbelievable, just a knockout.” The group continued lighting their menorah in Manhattan, and by the next year, a new tool in the Chanukah campaign was officially born.
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Throughout the late ‘70s the parade gained strength and continued into the 1980s. The mid-90s brought a new development when Nochum Goldschmidt, a yeshivah student in Sydney, Australia, felt that the parade initiative needed a boost so designed an improved car menorah, and in 1998, started Carmenorah.com to sell everyone you need for every type of car. “What’s interesting is that over the years, we’ve begun seeing more and more orders being made from outside the Chabad community,” he reportedly told Chabad. The “Happy Chanukah” sign and “Chabad wishes you a Happy Chanukah” are well known. The Rebbe’s initiative has taken may turns, the car menorah is one of the best. This week, sports fans will once again enjoy an annual sight of a giant menorah being lit across the US at big sporting events including at Columbus Blue Jackets’ 18,000 seater Nationwide Arena. The Columbus Blue Jackets take on San Jose Sharks in an NHL clash takes place on Sunday. The game will include kosher food and Columbus Blue Jackets-branded Jewish Heritage scarves. Rabbi Areyah Kaltman, co-director of Chabad Columbus, will perform the honours with “Maoz Tzur” played over the speakers before an exultant crowd. “We empower the kids with Jewish pride and identity,” his wife, Esther reportedly told Chabad. “I cannot describe the effect this has on thousands of children. It ignites a pride to be Jewish in their hearts.” Back in 1987, Rabbi Raphael Tennenhaus, co-director of Chabad South Broward County, Florida was in at the start of the boom when he lit a menorah at the Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami before 80,000 fans. Days before that Chanukah, Rabbi Pinny Andrusier, co-director of Chabad Southwest Broward, was attending a farbrengen in Brooklyn and told the Rebbe of the pending lighting at the Miami Dolphins game. “L’chaim,” the smiling Rebbe acknowledged, knowing the significance of a vast live and TV audience. It is now the norm for Chabad to host a ‘Jewish Heritage Night’ at games. Almost 50 years on from the Rebbe’s Chanukah wish to light up the world his dream is still growing. So, the final word must go to the Rebbe who concluded in his famous letter, “May G d grant that everyone of us be truly inspired by the teachings of Chanukah and of the Chanukah Lights, and translate this inspiration into actual deeds, in our everyday life and conduct.”
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38 COOKERY
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Traditional Donuts These are traditional Chanukah donuts that are served during the Chaunkah festivities. Flavour with cinnamon, mixed spice, vanilla extract or even lemon zest to ring the changes. Preparation Time: 10 minutes plus 1 hour 15 minutes rising time Cooking Time: 10 minutes Makes: 12
Two delicious Chanukah recipes for Chanukah from Denise Phillips For more recipes and inspiration visit my website: www.jewishcookery.com
Ingredients 1 tablespoon yeast – 1 sachet 4 tablespoons caster sugar 100ml milk / soya milk, warmed 250g strong white flour, plus extra for dusting ¼ teaspoon salt 50g butter/ margarine melted 1 egg, beaten ~ 300ml vegetable oil, for deep-frying Filling: Jam of your choice Dust in cinnamon sugar ~ if desired Method 1. Mix the yeast with half a teaspoon of the sugar and two tablespoons of the warm milk. 2. Place in a warm place to rest for 5 minutes, or until frothy. 3. Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. 4. Stir in one tablespoon of the sugar and keep the rest for dusting when cooked. 5. Make a well in the flour and pour in the yeast mix, the rest of the milk, the melted butter and the egg. Combine using a mixer to make a dough and then cover the bowl and leave to stand for 45 minutes, or until the dough has doubled in size. 6. Divide into 12 balls (approx. 45g each) and place in a warm place for 30 minutes, or until they have doubled in size. 7. Heat the oil in a deep pan until it reaches 190C/375F, or a cube of bread dropped in sizzles and turns golden in 30 seconds. 8. Gently lower the dough balls one at a time into the hot oil, in batches of two or three, and fry for 3-5 minutes or until golden-brown, and then carefully turn over. 9. Remove from the hot oil with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. 10. Roll the hot doughnuts in the remaining sugar. 11. Make a small slit in the donut and fill using a special syringe or piping bag with fine nozzle with jam. Best enjoyed on the day made.
Leek & Sweet Potato Fritters Fritters and latkes are a tasty tradition at Chanukah and leeks and potatoes are a great combination. This is a common dish in Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria, my version has a healthy twist. Preparation Time: 30 minutes Cooking Time: 25 minutes Serves: 6 Ingredients 350g sweet potato, peeled and grated 250g leek, finely chopped 200g coconut flour 200g SR Flour 2 teaspoons salt 2 tablespoons dried/ fresh thyme ~ 3 eggs, whisked 1 lime zest and juice Pinch pepper Rapeseed Oil for frying Method 1. Preheat oven to 180°C/ 350 F/ Gas mark 4. 2. Into a mixing bowl place grated sweet potato, chopped leek, coconut flour, self-raising flour, salt, lime zest, pepper and combine. 3. Add in whisked eggs and mix well. 4. Heat the rapeseed oil until hot.
5. Spoon about 1 1/2 tablespoons mixture in to the frying pan and spread to about 2 cm thick. 6. Allow the underside to turn golden brown (about 2-3 minutes) before flipping (carefully) and cooking the other side. 7. Once both sides are nicely browned, place the fritters on a baking rack to drain any excess oil and then pop in the oven for 5 - 10 minutes at 200C/ 400F/ Gas mark 6 to ensure they are cooked through. 8. Once cooked squeeze a generous amount of lime juice on to them and serve straight away or allow to cool and serve later.
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LIGHT UP YOUR CHANUKA with a good read!
Room for Tomorrow
Twists and Ties
Ruth Arieli, Rapaport
Eli & Sruli and the Chinese Spy-Bot
Gripping sequel to No Room for Two
Motty Heller A Comics Book
latest page-turner from bestselling author Rachel Schorr.
A moving book about girls on the cusp of adulthood, pushing onward despite the many obstacles in their path.
The Chinese ambassador is determined to help his government's sinister plan succeed. Can two boys stand up against the mighty Chinese Communist regime?
V'higadeta on Chumash 5 Vol Set
Rachel Schorr
How many secrets can a family carry, and why is Devory at the center of every one? Will she ever get her simple life back? And what will the future hold for her if she doesn't?
My Sister is a Kallah
A Deaf World
Mind Games
Hess, Esti
Ana, Batya
Scharff, P.
Real-life stories and eye-catching illustrations that appeal to young children and contribute to their positive emotional development.
High school student Emmy Arad rescues two students from a burning school building, right under the noses of the entire school. No one can figure out how she did it.
Benjy Romano, a scientist and a baal teshuvah living in Bnei Brak, makes an amazing scientific breakthrough one night.
Insights, stories, and teachings on THE WEEKLY PARASHAH from the treasure-trove of the maggid Harav Yaakov Galinsky zt"l
Just Imagine! We Beat the Greeks Safra, M.
Timeless Tales: Chanukah Comics Safra, M.
An original, fascinating rendition of the miraculous story of Chanukah Dear Children.
Join Yanky and his friends as they meet fascinating characters from the tales.
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Hasmonean Primary School was founded by Rabbi Dr Solomon Schonfeld z”tl on Chanukah 1946 as part of the Jewish Secondary Schools Movement (JSSM) in the aftermath of a time when attempts were made to extinguish the Jewish light in Nazi Europe. This Chanukah will be the 75th anniversary of the school and we need your help to secure its financial future so that we can continue to keep its light burning for many more decades to come.
Hasmonean Primary School is committed to providing the very highest standards of education of which we are so proud. The money raised with your help will enable us to: n Modernise classroom equipment and technology
HPS
YRS
A PROUD PAST A BRIGHT FUTURE Hasmonean Primary School
n Expand our Kodesh resources n Offer more targeted one-to-one support where needed n Expand the school’s mental health and well-being facilities n Upgrade the school building
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5-6 December 2021 Matched Funding Campaign www.charityextra.com/HPS75
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Looking for answers? Send your question to Rabbi@RabbiSchochet.com LIBERAL FAKE NEWS
Dear Rabbi I attended the big Menorah lighting in Trafalgar Square in previous years and always found it so uplifting. Thousands of Jews gathering in front of a magnificent Menorah was always beautiful and made me feel proud to be Jewish. I was always under the impression that this was a Chabad spearheaded event so imagine my surprise when I read online that the director of Liberal Judaism was invited to light the Menorah this year. According to their own announcement, it is the first time that a woman, and a liberal rabbi was invited to light the menorah at the ceremony at Trafalgar Square. Pardon the pun – but can you enlighten me on this? Debra Dear Debra First, to be clear, nobody ever heard let alone had anything to do with public Menorahs. It is a Chabad innovation already for decades. Of course, over time, it became increasingly popular, so other organisations jumped on the bandwagon and to one extent or another took it over. So, whatever happens there, cannot be blamed on Chabad. More to the point, for me the most surprising element is the blatant misinformation. Firstly, there was no ceremony. There were no adverts, there were no people; just a smidgen of those who gathered for a quick photo-op with the mayor. There was one candle being held by the “rabbi” in question, nothing to do with the main Menorah there, and what’s worse is that she recited a blessing over the
candle. The reason I say that it is worse is because – get this - it was apparently all pre-recorded according to my sources – so it wasn’t even Chanukah yet. Essentially, everything about that news item was apparently fake news. To be sure, it might be better described as the first time anyone recited the Chanukah blessing over a candle in Trafalgar Square a few days before Chanukah. Now, that would be a first!
HOW CAN I PROTECT MY SON?
Dear Rabbi This might not be a question suitable for your cross mix of readers but I am hoping you can answer me. I am sending my son soon to a Yeshiva in Israel. My problem is that I recently discovered that he’s figured out how to bypass our computer filter and for the past year or more has been exploring the open web under our noses. I am wondering how to deal with this in the here-and-now, as well as how to strengthen him so that I can safely send him out of town next year. While the Yeshiva will certainly have rules in place to limit availability, I believe the world is wide open everywhere and the only thing that will keep him in check is his own self-control. I fear for the risks that presents and wonder whether you can offer any advice that might help put my mind at ease. Shlomo Dear Shlomo Per this week’s Torah portion, Jacob is reluctant to send his youngest son Benjamin down to Egypt, “lest an accident occurs
Pirkei Avot Rabbi Elazar of Bartotha said: give to Him of that which is His, for you and that which is yours is His; and it says similarly with regards to King David: “for everything comes from You, and from Your own hand have we given you”. Rabbi Jacob said: if one is studying while walking on the road and interrupts his study and says, “how fine is this tree! or how fine is this newly ploughed field!” the Torah accounts it to him as if he was mortally guilty.” Whilst the first half of this Mishna is readily understood, the second half demands explanation. Why would someone who is in awe of G-d’s creation be held accountable for praising G-d whilst in the middle of Torah study? Two
to him on the way.” Benjamin is also referred to as a “lad,” even as a quick calculation suggests that he would have been at least thirty at the time. The point is that he was always sheltered, cocooned in his father’s home. Stepping out into the world would pose obvious danger. That’s the reality every parent faces when sheltering their kids for so many years, then having to send them into the big wide world. And the concerns extend well beyond just fears about technology. As to your specific question, filters are essential but that should be consistent in the home environment and not limited to your son’s phone, otherwise he’ll feel singled out and resent that. Some filters enable parents to see whatever their child is accessing with their technology as well. There is always the option of a “kosher phone” which restricts any access to the web. Shouldn’t all Yeshivas and Seminaries insist on only kosher phones? Needless to say some will always smuggle in a smartphone, especially a young man who’s already spent time figuring out how to bypass filters at home. To that end, open conversation is essential. To be sure, overemphasis on the perils that lurk out there can be counterproductive. It’s about finding the right words and striking the right balance. Rather than a wagging finger and a admonitory speech which will likely have the opposite effect; some kind words and establishing mutual trust will go a long way to encouraging a young man or woman to be more honest with their parents about their struggles. Above all
else, keep praying for his wellbeing and enduring nachas.
A FREUDIAN CHANUKAH PRESENT
Dear Rabbi I enjoyed your explanation about Chanukah gifts and more to the point so did my kids. By that I mean that I never did believe in the whole idea before, but having read what you wrote it resonated with me. So this year my kids are the recipients of some Chanukah presents, and in exchange they will be doing some extra Jewish study projects. I thought you might want to know the impact you had on one family. Rosanna
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For Refuah Shalema for Mordechai Ben Chaya Sara explanations are offered. The first, as explained by Rabbi Avraham Katz is that it is comparable to one who receives a diamond presented in a cushioned gift box from a king. When accepting the gift, the person exclaims, “Thank you, Your Majesty, for the cushion!”. This is in fact a disgrace for one is ignoring the purpose of the gift for the surrounding detail. The Torah is likewise the purpose of creation and is in fact the blueprint of the world. If one is engaging in Torah and fails to appreciate this and instead gets carried away by the peripheral detail, they are held accountable. A further explanation given is that one must not “interrupt Torah” to appreciate nature. Our
appreciation of the incredibly meticulously designed world we live in must come within the framework of Torah. It is a shame to read well-written science books which repeatedly refer to “wondrous” and “miraculous” workings of the human body, for example, but which then blatantly deny that these “miracles” are a result of chance, not design. We see with King David himself how this Mishna’s message ended up killing him. King David asked Hashem to tell him when he would die so he could properly repent. Whilst this is not allowed, Hashem did compromise somewhat. As David was thoroughly righteous, Hashem in His mercy agreed to tell him that he
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Dear Rosanna Thank you for that feedback. My wife told me the other day; “Yitzchak. I had a dream last night, that you gave me this wonderful gift box for Chanukah and inside was a beautiful gold necklace. What do you suppose it means?” I smiled wryly and said, “You’ll find out tonight.” Sure enough after candle lighting Tuesday night, I handed her a beautiful gift wrapped box which she opened with glee. Inside, was a book, “Freud: The Meaning of Dreams.” You can’t please everyone. Wishing a truly happy, illuminating and meaningful Chanukah to one and all.
Perek 3: Mishna 7 would die on a Shabbat, but not which one. David made sure to always learn Torah each shabbat so the Angel of Death couldn’t take him, yet the Malach Hamaves made a noise outside and David got up to go outside and investigate the noise. This allowed him to be killed. It’s a very high level to learn non- stop but King David tried it and nearly succeeded. The King of Israel truly lives forever! Wishing all our readers a very happy Chanukah!
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Shabbat Chanukah: Greeks, Jews and the Value of Charity BY RABBI MOSHE TARAGIN About 200 years prior to the Chanukah miracle, Alexander the Great marched upon Yerushalayim, designing to capture this renowned capital. Encountering the Cohen Gadol named Shimon Hazadik, Alexander immediately recognized this man as the saint who had visited his dreams prior to each Greek military victory. Deferring to this holy man, Alexander spared Yerushalayim, opting instead to penalize the local Samarians who had been harassing the Jews. This “chance encounter” between a Jewish Priest and a Greek general was characteristic of a broader cultural exchange between Athens and Yerushalayim. As ancient Greece expanded their culture and their global influence, they looked to the cradle of prophecy- the city of Yerushalayim- for eternal truths. The Chanukah military faceoff was just a small instalment of a larger confrontation. During the actual Chanukah battles, this encounter turned violent as the Northern Greeks attempted to crush our religion. However, in the centuries prior to the battles, the encounter between the two cultures was nonviolent, as Greece looked to Yerushalayim for knowledge and religious truth. Though Alexander paid great honor to Shimon Hazadik, unfortunately he didn’t read the Mishnah which this cohen had authored. Had he studied Rebbi Shimon’s well-known proverb, he may have discovered a vital religious value sorely deficient in Greek philosophy. In a well-known saying, Rebbi Shimon Hazadik delineated three pivots upon which the world is “founded”: Torah study, prayer and chesed. Greek culture accounted for the first two, but was oblivious to the third. In the 3rd century, about one hundred years prior to the Chanukah miracles, the Greek King of Egypt named Ptolemy II, authorized the translation of the Torah into Greek- once again reflecting the great thirst in ancient Greece for Torah muse. The Greeks realized that Torah contained eternal “Heavenly” truths inaccessible through scientific inquiry. To study these prophetic truths, it must first be translated to Greek. In a more general sense, beyond the study of Torah, Greece appreciated the importance of philosophical study, acquisition of knowledge, and the inquiry into the human condition. Likewise, Greece acknowledged the value of prayer, offering praise to their gods or petitioning them for support. The “general” concepts - study and prayer- were familiar to the Greeks.
Unfortunately, ancient Greece placed little value in chesed, or charity for the poor or needy. For all their grand visions about an enlightened civilization, altruism was almost completely lacking. As Greek culture rapidly advanced across the world it promoted a model of religion and of society devoid of charity. By defeating the Greeks, the Jews protected the world from this fraudulent ideology. Chanukah assured that charity would always sit at the heart of the religious experience. To be more precise, charity did exist in ancient Greece, but in a very different form. The Greek word “philanthrôpia” doesn’t refer to assistance to the poor or the underprivileged. Instead, it refers to hand-outs to socio-economic peers: friends, family members or guests. It was more hospitality than charity. Specific care for the needy or support for the impoverished isn’t a feature of Greek “philanthropy”. Greek charity was also driven by very different motives. Generosity to others wasn’t motivated by selflessness, but rather by what could be acquired “in return” for generous deeds. Kindness was reduced to a transactional “exchange” rather than unselfish charity. By performing acts of charity, a person could achieve honour, fame, social status and prestige. Charity was, in reality, a personal pursuit of social standing rather than a noble act of relieving suffering. Shockingly, many Greek philosophers encouraged charity only in situations of actual reciprocity. The 8th Century Greek poet named Hesiod wrote: “Give to him who gives but do not give to him who does not give [back].” Giving to others purely for reciprocal benefit perverts charity into a selfish and greedy practice. Not unsurprisingly, there is little record in ancient Greece of organised charities or charitable societies allocating public funds to the poor. In the Greek ‘polis’ state poor people were viewed as inferior in the eyes of the gods who instead celebrated strength and power. The comfortable station of the rich was evidence that they, and not the poor, had been preferred by the gods. Why should humans shower mercy on those who the gods disliked? The gods had little interest in the weak and the feeble, so why should humans show them any kindness? Ancient Greece made great strides in science, art, philosophy, mathematics. Additionally, they were the first to craft a semi-free democratic state, paving the way for modern democracies. However, The Greeks could not imagine a society which cared for the weak and lent a hand to those who could not support themselves. Greece
Not unsurprisingly, there is little record in ancient Greece of organised charities or charitable societies allocating public funds to the poor. was a cold and efficient state, in which the anguished cries of the needy were unheeded by the gods and ignored by humans. Likewise, the Greeks they could not imagine a divine Being who was all-powerful, but also compassionate and caring for the weak. To their credit the Greeks liberated the human imagination from the folly of paganism. They no longer worshipped nature or metal images. Science replaced darkness and logic supplanted the world of black magic. Religiously, the Greeks were veering in the right direction- toward a world of monotheism. Yet their image of the divine was bereft of empathy and benevolence. By defeating the Greeks, Judaism preserved the vital role of chesed and charity within religion. The cold and uncaring societies of Greece would not become the norm. The impersonal and aloof gods of Greek mythology were discredited. The Chanukah triumph upheld the image of a caring and compassionate G-d. It preserved the centrality of chesed to our religious experience. The third leg upon which the world “rests” was safeguarded. Greece envisioned a society built upon honorable ideals of democracy, honor, science and progress. Yet these noble ideas never trickled down to day-to–day behavior and to simple acts of kindness for the needy. Greece constructed a moral foundation for the “state”, but compassion and kindheartedness never inhabited their cities.
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Ancient Greece is still alive in the modern world. We defeated their armies but their ideas still infiltrate the human imagination. The moral trap of Greece still ensnares modern man. The modern world has adopted numerous moral and social causes- from environmentalism to social equality to the defeat of bigotry and racism. These broad-scale movements are based on high-minded ethical values. Any desire to craft a better world for all its inhabitants is a noble calling. However, moral behaviour can’t be expressed solely in global or political agendas. Campaigning to change public opinion or to inspire policy changes is not equivalent to a life of compassion and kindness. Crafting a better “society” does not substitute for acts of charity and generosity to the “individuals” in our lives. Sadly, renowned social crusaders who launch grand reforms are often incapable of charity and morally sensitive behaviour. Don’t be trapped in ancient Greece. It is not sufficient to dream of a more democratic society or even a more prosperous world. Without charity our world turns cold and callous. Without kindness we no longer resemble our Creator. The writer is a rabbi at Yeshivat Har Etzion/ Gush, a hesder yeshiva. He has smicha and a BA in computer science from Yeshiva University as well as a masters degree in English literature from the City University of New York.
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Weekly Dvar Torah F R O M E R E TZ Y I S R A E L
To Be Successful BY SIVAN RAHAV MEIR
What is success? Once a year, as we read Parashat Mikeitz, we are reminded of a believing Jew living in a foreign culture – Yosef the tzaddik. As long as complete redemption has not arrived, most of us encounter many contradictions daily in our world of values. We live, study and work in settings where we do not feel entirely at home. Many of us can be inspired by the character of Yosef, so it is worth dwelling on every detail: “Hashem was with Yosef, and he was a successful man; he stayed in the house of his Egyptian master.” This passage raises in full force a modern question: Is it possible to combine success in working in a foreign environment with a strong Jewish identity? Note that the phrase that describes Yosef sounds as if it was derived this morning from the newspaper – “a successful man.” Usually, in modern culture, one who is rich, handsome, or
famous is referred to as “successful.” In the Torah, success is something else. A successful person connects success to the Source of success all the time. Even his Egyptian master knew how to attribute the success of Yosef – to G-d. Rashi writes: “The name of G-d was a familiar word in his mouth.” Everyone who knew Yosef heard from him about G-d! He did not attribute the success to himself – even strangers who came in contact with him immediately understood his identity. The Midrash writes of Yosef, who was “whispering and coming in, whispering and going out.” Yosef would pray while at work, not forgetting for a moment where he came from and who he was. Yosef, who
is in a completely foreign Egyptian culture, where it is more difficult to maintain spiritual independence; Yosef, who a short time ago was thrown into a pit by his brothers; Yosef, who has all the reasons and excuses to be angry with his family and maybe even assimilate – Yosef does not break away from his father’s house and identity. And more than that: If he had faced hardship and bitterness in Egypt, it might have been more apparent to us that he was supposed to turn to G-d, but, even when he is advanced and very successful, he turns to G-d! It’s not easy to behave in such a manner. But Yosef does, and it evokes respect in the non-Jewish environment
Yosef would pray while at work, not forgetting for a moment where he came from and who he was.
Mikeitz
Sidra Summary appoint someone to oversee grain storage during the years of plenty.
3RD ALIYA (SHLISHI) – 41:39-52
1ST ALIYA (KOHEN) – BEREISHIT 41:1-14
Pharaoh dreams that he is by the River Nile, from which seven healthy cows emerge. Seven lean cows follow them out of the river and consume them. Pharaoh then dreams about seven good ears of grain on a stalk, which are swallowed up by seven thin ears growing after them. Pharaoh’s magicians cannot interpret the dreams satisfactorily. The cupbearer, who had been imprisoned with Yosef, tells Pharaoh that Yosef interprets dreams. Pharaoh summons Yosef from prison.
2ND ALIYA (LEVI) – 41:15-38
Pharaoh relates both dreams to Yosef, who explains that there will be seven years of plenty, followed by seven years of famine. He advises Pharaoh to
Pharaoh appoints Yosef as viceroy of Egypt to implement his economic plan. Pharaoh gives Yosef his ring, dresses him in regal clothes, changes his name and gives him a lady called Asenat to marry. They have two sons, Menashe and Ephraim. Yosef organises mass grain storage during the seven years of plenty.
4TH ALIYA (REVI’I) – 41:53-42:1
The famine begins and the Egyptians are starving. Yosef sells them spare provisions. There is also a famine in Cana’an. Yaakov tells his sons, apart from Binyamin, to go to buy food in Egypt. The sons arrive in Egypt. Yosef recognises them but they do not recognise him. Yosef accuses them of spying and imprisons them; they will only be released after one of them goes to fetch Binyamin.
5TH ALIYA (CHAMISHI) – 42:19-43:15
Three days later, Yosef changes the conditions. One of the brothers must stay in prison; the others must go to Cana’an
to bring Binyamin. Yosef imprisons Shimon and sends back the brothers with grain in their bags. Yosef also plants money in the bags. During their journey, Levi discovers the money in his bag and fears that Yosef will accuse them of theft (Rashi). The brothers arrive home and tell Yaakov their story. They discover that in fact each one of them has money ‘planted’ in his bag. Yaakov refuses to let Binyamin go. Yehuda persists, guaranteeing Binyamin’s safety. Yaakov finally agrees, telling them to take a tribute for Yosef, in addition to the original ‘planted money’ and payment for the new grain. Point to Consider: Why did Yosef specifically choose to imprison Shimon? (see Rashi to 42:24)
6TH ALIYA (SHISHI) – 43:16-44:17 The brothers arrive in Egypt. Yosef
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around him. This is a principle that is important to remember: Awe inspires awe. Once a candidate for vice president, Joe Lieberman is the Jew who has reached the highest status in American politics. In his book about Shabbat (that was recently translated into Hebrew), he writes that, in particular, keeping Shabbat aroused great appreciation for him. He would stop the presidential race once every seven days, and people around him praised him for standing by his principles. His message to the younger generation, in America and worldwide, is huge: You do not have to give up your tradition to reach the top. On the contrary, tradition is part of what you bring with you to the role. Lieberman summed it up when he wrote: “When asked: ‘How can you stop all your work as a senator to keep Shabbat every week?’ I answer: ‘How could I do all my work as a senator if I did not stop to keep Shabbat every week?’” May we all have such success. Sivan Rahav Meir is a popular Israeli media personality and World Mizrachi’s Scholar-in-Residence. instructs his chamberlain to invite his brothers to come in and eat a meal. Shimon is released. Yosef asks them if Yaakov is still alive. He identifies and blesses Binyamin. Overcome with emotion, Yosef rushes to his room, cries, composes himself, then returns and gives them all food. Yosef orders them to be sent home, but has his own silver goblet ‘planted’ in Binyamin’s sack. Yosef’s chamberlain chases after them, accusing them of stealing the goblet. After denying the charge, they find the cup in Binyamin’s sack. They return to the palace. Yosef demands that Binyamin remain as his slave, allowing the others to leave. Yehuda says that they will all stay as slaves, not just Binyamin.
7TH ALIYA (SHEVI’I) – (BEMIDBAR 28:9-15)
The reading for Shabbat Rosh Chodesh is taken from parashat Pinchas and details the additional Shabbat and Rosh Chodesh offerings in the Temple.
HAFTARAH
Yehoshua was the Kohen Gadol (High Priest) at the time of the inauguration of the second Temple. The prophet Zecharia describes an angel warning Yehoshua to listen to God’s laws and perform the Temple services properly. The angel shows Yehoshua a Menorah with olive trees on either side of it, symbolising prosperity and spirituality.
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Pearls of Divine Providence Princess without a Crown Bridge Across the World Rabbi Yosef Gabay Jenna Maio Rachel Pomerantz Drawing from Tanach, Talmud, and contemporary sources, Rabbi Gabay presents a collection of hard-hitting stories that will help us recognize G-d’s hand in our lives.
In this coming-of-age story filled with drama and humor, Jenna discovers her heritage and navigates the newfound blessings — and challenges — on her path to growth.
Ruth converted to Judaism and moved to Jerusalem; her best friend Karen disapproved of her choice. Can Ruth and Karen bridge the barriers of mistrust that keep them apart?
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Mikeitz: What keeps us Jewish? BY GAVRIEL COHN Writing this week’s article posed several challenges. How could we possibly explain this troubling story? Yosef became, in his own words, “master over all of Egypt,” second only to Pharoah. His brothers then came to Egypt to buy food, due to the famine. Yosef (who they didn’t recognise) “spoke to them harshly” and set them several heart-wrenching challenges. Why? Furthermore, what messages could this sedra have for Chanukah? Are there any elaborate interpretative theories that we could advance to explain it? R’ Joshua Berman of Bar Ilan University wrote a fascinating article explaining “the tension that Yosef experienced as a Hebrew, on the one hand, and as a prominent Egyptian, on the other – a tension between what we might call his host culture and his heritage culture.” Yosef, that “Hebrew youth,” was dragged out of Pharaoh’s dungeon, shaved (Semitic men were all bearded then), given an Egyptian name and an Egyptian wife from a politically prominent family; Pharaoh then “placed him in charge of all the land of Egypt.” Yosef even remarked how he had “forgotten all my hardships and all my father’s household.” He was an integrated Egyptian perhaps, embracing his “host culture.” Yet Yosef also remained loyal to his ancestral home land, referring to Egypt as “the land of my suffering.” So, there seems to be plenty of material in our sedra to link to Chanukah, when we mark the Jewish People’s tension with a foreign, Hellenistic culture. Perfect.
Mikeitz RABBI DR RAYMOND APPLE
THE LIFTING OF THE DREAMS
This sidra and last week’s tell us a great deal about dreams. The dreams are mostly concerned with events and phenomena in Egypt and reflect times of slavery and oppression. Living all day in circumstances of persecution the Hebrews almost automatically dreamed of persecution. But the hard times are never the end of the story. No-one merely dreams that the future will always be a black nightmare. There is always the glimmer of hope, of the eventual coming of light when the darkness will roll away and a great destiny will unfold. That is Jewish history – the gloom that lifts and the glory that emerges. The situation today is that Jewish population figures are on the rise, Jewish
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Yet perhaps all of this is missing the point. Arguably, no matter how high Yosef climbed up the Egyptian social ladder, how he far he was succeeded within his “host culture,” he never became lost in it; he never forgot his people. As the verses describing Yosef’s encounters with his family make clear, Yosef always possessed deep empathy towards them. Yosef bursted with both a palpable love towards his brothers and a searing pain at the tragedy of his situation: Yosef remained connected to his people. These passages are some of the most emotive in Sefer Bereshit: “He turned away from them and wept, then returned to them and spoke to them; and he took Shimon from among them and imprisoned him before their eyes.” “And Yosef hastened, for his mercy was stirred toward his brother and he wanted to weep; so, he went into the room and wept there. And he washed his face and came out, and he restrained himself and said, ‘Serve the food.’” “And he fell on his brother Binyamin’s neck and wept, and Binyamin wept on his neck. And he kissed all his brothers and wept over them, and afterwards his brothers spoke with him.” “And Yosef harnessed his chariot, and he went up to meet Israel, his father, to Goshen, and he appeared to him, and he fell on his neck, and he wept on his neck for a long time.” So, Yosef remained emotionally bound to his family. Yet he wished that they would have the same feelings for him as he had for them. Perhaps, that was the whole purpose of the tests he set for his brothers. He was trying to make his brothers understand what they put him through, to feel his pain. He imprisoned them for a few days
(42:17), like when they threw him into the pit; he separated them from their brother, Shimon (42:19, 24), like when they tore him away from his family; he thrusted important possessions upon them, hiding money and his silver goblet in their sacks, to be either a blessing or a curse – perhaps like the coloured tunic he was given by his father, awarded to him without any choice. Furthermore, Yosef knew that the demands he made on his brothers, for them to bring Binyamin, would be difficult for them to ask of their father, despite the fact that they would have to - perhaps mirroring the dreams of Yosef’s youth, which Yosef felt compelled to share. Even though it pained him, Yosef desperately wanted his brothers to appreciate what they put him through, to feel what he felt, for them to have an affinity with him, like he had with them. Yosef rose to unprecedented heights in Egypt. Pharaoh bestowed upon him almost unlimited power. Pharaoh even proclaimed to his subjects, “Go to Yosef, whatever he tells you, you should do!” Yet, Yosef’s inner life, his personality and emotional pulse, did not become marred by these foreign corridors of power. He didn’t become driven to become a ‘real Egyptian,’ to erase those deep feelings for his family or his origins. Instead, he did the opposite. On the inside, he remained totally connected to his family. He used his political position primarily to help his people. The only times in the Torah that Yosef, as viceroy, had an audience with Pharoah, he uses them to plead for his family: requesting permission for his brothers to settle in Goshen and to allow Yaakov to be buried in Canaan. He sees his life only in the context of his family and his people: “God has sent me ahead of you to ensure your survival and to sustain you
for a momentous deliverance.” When he finally reveals himself to his brothers, he doesn’t even want his Egyptian courtiers to be present: “Yosef could not bear all those standing beside him and he called out, ‘Take everyone away from me!’ So, no one stood with him when Yosef made himself known to his brothers. And he wept out loud… Yosef said to his brothers, ‘I am Yosef… please come closer to me,’ and they drew closer. And he said, ‘I am your brother Yosef, whom you sold into Egypt.’” So, ultimately, remaining loyal to Judaism and the Jewish People (and this is our sedra’s link to Chanukah), isn’t just a question of navigating our “host culture with our Jewish heritage” or of rejecting foreign philosophies (although these are certainly important demands). Rather it’s about having that unbreakable bond and connection, deep inside us, to our family and our people – just as Yosef had. Furthermore, we don’t need any “elaborate interpretative theories” to understand Yosef’s actions in this week’s portion. He simply loved his brothers and wanted them to share that same affinity for him. Despite how distant he had become from his family, how far he was culturally from the old country, and how powerful he now stood up – in control of the world’s economy – his only wish, which he whispered lovingly, choking back the tears, was “please, brothers, come closer.” That is the secret of maintaining our Jewishness. Happy Chanukah!”
observance is increasing, and Jewish loyalty is deepening. This is our response to antisemitism and anti-Israelism. Chief Rabbi Hertz used to say, “The answer to more antisemitism is more Semitism.”
things are on the Jewish scene have not realised (or prefer to deny) that our great growth industry is Jewish learning.
difficult spot should not fail to pray for Divine support, and often G-d will answer by sending an earthly agent to work on His behalf. But if one tries to manage without G-d entirely, human beings may prove to be a broken reed. The point is beautifully illustrated in a story told of David Ben Gurion and Chief Rabbi Isaac Herzog. In the tense days of the Israeli War of Independence, it is said that Ben Gurion came to the rabbi and asked, “Why does G-d not send us some miracles to get us out of this crisis?” Rav Herzog is reported to have answered, “Prime Minister, He has. You are one of G-d’s miracles!”
WAS JOSEPH AN AVRECH?
When Joseph went by in his chariot in Egypt, the court officials called out Avrech! If this word comes from berech, a knee, it is a call for homage, “Kneel in obeisance!” (cf. Gen. 24:11). The view of the Talmud (BB 4a), together with Onkelos and Rashi, is that it means “Father (av) of the king (rach)” suggesting “a royal statesman”. Rabbinic usage in the halachic Midrash, the Sifrei, says avrech is a Talmudic student; in that sense the word combines “young in years, old in wisdom” – av b’chochmah, rach b’shanim. There are two categories of yeshivah student, the unmarried bachur and the married avrech. The second category act as role models for the first. One of the great achievements of the contemporary Jewish world is the proliferation of yeshivot and the constant increase in numbers of bachurim and avrechim. The alarmists who snoot about how bad
A PRISON SENTENCE
Joseph was very trusting. He thought that people are grateful and return favours. In prison he did the royal cup-bearer a good turn and asked the latter to keep him in mind and mention him to Pharaoh (Gen. 40:15). A reasonable request? The Midrash (B’reshit Rabba 89:3) does not think so. Its view is that because of the two things Joseph asked (“remember me” and “mention me to Pharaoh”), two further years were added by G-d to the time Joseph spent in prison. This explains why the sidra commences, “And it happened at the end of two full years…” (Gen. 41:1). But why should Joseph be punished in this way? The Midrash quotes the Psalmist, “Happy is the man who makes the Lord his trust and does not turn to the arrogant” (Psalm 40:5). The Natziv (Rabbi Naftali Zvi Yehudah Berlin) of Volozhin (1734-1802), author of the commentary Ha’amek Davar, says this shows that one should not rely on human beings alone when one needs help, nor rely solely on miracles from G-d. Someone who seeks a way out of a
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Gavriel Cohn is an informal educator at Immanuel College, Bushey. If you have any feedback, please get in touch! gavcohn@ gmail.com.
Rabbi Raymond Apple was for many years Australia’s highest profile rabbi and the leading spokesman on Judaism. After serving congregations in London, Rabbi Apple was chief minister of the Great Synagogue, Sydney, for 32 years. He also held many public roles, particularly in the fields of chaplaincy, interfaith dialogue and Freemasonry, and is the recipient of several national and civic honours. Now retired, he lives in Jerusalem and blogs at http://www.oztorah.com
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Chanukah: Re-examining our ideological battle against the greeks GREEK CULTURE
BY RABBI SHMUEL REICHMAN There was once a public debate between a rabbi and an astrophysicist regarding the nature of our universe. The astrophysicist, representing the atheist perspective, confidently approached the podium and began addressing the audience: “I don’t know much about Judaism, but I believe I can sum it up in a few words: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” With that, he went on to detail how physicists could now adequately explain the nature of our universe, without the need for religion. When he finished his speech, it was the rabbi’s turn to address the audience and represent the religious approach. With a sparkle in his eye, he turned to the crowd, and said: “I don’t know much about astrophysics, but I believe I can sum it up in a few words: twinkle twinkle little star how I wonder what you are.” With that, he went on to deliver the rest of his speech.
THE AGE-OLD DEBATE
Spiritual debate has been a recurring phenomenon since the beginning of time. Chanukah is when we tap into the spiritual debate between the Jews and the Greeks, as the Greeks specifically attempted to destroy our spiritual way of life. They aimed to cut off our connection with Hashem and replace it with the worship of the natural, physical world. Yavan, the Hebrew name for the Greeks, means quicksand (Tehillim 69:3)- the Greeks sought to “drown” us in their secular culture, replacing spirituality with atheism and hedonism. The Midrash says that the Greeks attempted to darken our eyes- “hichshichah eineihem” (Bereishis Rabbah 2:4). Darkness represents a lack of clarity, the inability to perceive true form. Physical darkness prevents physical clarity, spiritual darkness prevents spiritual clarity. This was the Greek attack on the Jewish People: a distortion of truth, a darkening of knowledge and perception. For this reason, the Jewish People went to war against the mighty Greek army, and to this day we carry on that fight against Greek culture, a culture that we view as damaging and antithetical to Judaism.
However, if we take a deeper look into Jewish literature, we find a strikingly different picture of the Greek nation and their culture. In Parshas Noach, Noach blesses his two sons, Shem and Yefes, with a seemingly peculiar bracha: “Yaft Elokim l’Yefes, v’yishkon b’ohalei Shem,” Hashem will grant beauty to Yefes, and he (Yefes) will dwell within the tents of Shem. Yefes is the precursor to the Greeks, and Shem to the Jews. This seemingly paints the Greeks in a positive light, as a beautiful nation fitting to dwell within the framework and boundaries of Judaism. In a similar vein, the Gemara (Megillah 9b) states that despite the general prohibition of translating the Torah into different languages, it is permissible to translate the Torah into Greek due to the beauty of the language. According to both of these sources, it seems as though Greek culture does not contradict Judaism, but is meant in some way to complement it, harmonizing with Jewish ideology. How can we understand this contradiction? In order to explain it, we must first develop a deep spiritual principle.
THE SPIRITUAL-PHYSICAL RELATIONSHIP
How do we understand and perceive Hashem? Is Hashem within time and space, limited to this world alone, as Pantheists believe? Or is Hashem completely transcendent, beyond time, space, and this physical world, as many of the ancient philosophers believed? The Jewish approach, as explained by the Rambam, Maharal, Ramchal, and others, is a beautifully nuanced blend of these two approaches. Hashem is transcendent, completely beyond our physical world of time and space, and yet, He is also immanent, within our physical world. This principle applies to all spirituality; we believe that the spiritual and transcendent is deeply connected to the limited and physical world. In other words, our physical world is a projection and emanation of a deeper, spiritual reality. This is the meaning behind the famous Midrash, “Istakel bi’oraisa, u’bara alma”, Hashem looked into the Torah and created the world (Bereishis Rabbah 1:1). This means that the physical world is an emanation and expression of the Torah, the spiritual root of existence. To give an analogy, imagine a projector: the image you see on the screen is emanating from the projector. The projector and film are the source, the image on the screen is the expression. Similarly, each and every one of us was once a zygote, half and male and half a female genetic code. From that single cell a fully developed and expressed human being ultimately manifested. The same is true regarding the physical world, it stems from a spiritual root, a transcendent dimension. Thus, we are able to understand and experience the spiritual through the physical, as the two are intrinsically connected. If you’re wondering how to understand this concept, consider the way other human beings experience, relate to, and understand you. All
they have ever seen is your physical body. They’ve never seen your thoughts, your consciousness, or your emotions. The only way they can understand you is by relating to how you express yourself and your internal world through your physical body. Through your words, actions, facial expressions, and body language, other people experience what’s going on inside of your body, inside of your head, inside of you. The same is true regarding our experience of Hashem and the spiritual. We can’t see spirituality, only physicality. We must therefore use the physical to connect back to the spiritual root.
THE BATTLE OF CHANUKAH
The Greeks sought to uproot this Jewish perspective, to detach the physical world from its higher root. They claimed that human beings have no connection to anything higher than the physical world itself, and that it’s therefore impossible to connect to Hashem. As the Ramban explains (Ramban Al Ha’Torah, Vayikra 16:8), the Greeks believed only that which the human intellect could grasp. Anything that requires spiritual sensitivity, that transcends rational proof alone, was dismissed as false. Even the Greeks G-ds were glorified humans- as anything that transcended the physical, human world was dismissed. In essence, the Greeks served themselves.
THE JEWISH PERSPECTIVE
The Jewish approach is much more nuanced. We embrace human intellect and reason but are aware of a realm that transcends it. We recognize the wisdom of science, medicine, psychology, mathematics, and other forms of worldly wisdom, but also recognize a higher form of wisdom, the Torah. As the Vilna Gaon explains, where logic and human intellect ends, Jewish wisdom begins. The reasoning behind this principle is based on the aforementioned idea: the physical world is an expression of the spiritual world. Just as the physical world stems from a higher, spiritual realm, physical wisdom is an expression of a higher form of wisdom, the Torah. While the wisdom of the physical world is true, it stems from a higher truth, the Torah. Torah is the absolute foundation and root; all physical wisdom is its expression.
THE IDEAL RELATIONSHIP
The ideal is for the physical wisdom of the Greeks and Yefes to reside within the tent of Shem, for science and the wisdom of the world to be in harmony with Torah. The problem occurred only once the Greeks denied the existence of anything beyond their independent intellectual wisdom. This was the battle of Chanukah. The Greeks tried to destroy the Torah, which contradicted their ideology, and the Jews were forced to fight for their beliefs, to defend their spiritual connection with Hashem and the transcendent wisdom of Torah. Rav Hutner explains that Chanukah is the chag of Torah Sheba’al Peh, the Oral Torah.
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Chanukah is the one holiday with no source in Torah Shebiksav. Unlike Purim, it does not even have a Megillah; it is completely of Rabbinic origin. Furthermore, it doesn’t even have a Mishna; the only canonized source for Chanukah is a few Gemaras which mention Chanukah in an almost coincidental manner. Why is this so? Chanukah represents the battle against the Greeks. The Greeks claimed that the only source of truth is the human intellect; nothing transcends human logic. The Jews not only showed that there is a transcendent source of truth, but took it one step further. When done appropriately, with humility and proper recognition of the Torah’s transcendent root, the limited human being can actually use his human intellect to participate in the creation of Torah. This is the unbelievable nature of Torah Sheba’al Peh: human beings are given the ability to participate and even create novel Torah ideas and insights. The greatest victory over the Greeks wasn’t to simply prove that transcendent Torah exists; it was to reveal that even the human intellect can connect to Torah, even limited human beings can connect to the infinite.
OUR PLACE OF CONNECTION
The Greeks tried to spiritually destroy our Beis Ha’Mikdash, the point of connection to the transcendent, where Hashem most intimately connects to this physical world. After our victory on Chanukah, we reignited the flame of that spiritual building, and every year since, we must reignite that same flame within our own homes; we must inaugurate our own personal Beis Ha’mikdash. Every day, we get to choose whether we’ll become further entrenched in secular and Greek culture, or if we’ll build our connection to the infinite, the transcendent, and carry the message of Chanukah deep within our hearts. Our life is like building a personal Beis Ha’Mikdash, building an ever-deeper and ever-closer relationship with Hashem. It’s the result of every brick we lay down; every day is like another brick, another opportunity to add to our eternal home, our eternal self, our eternal existence. Rabbi Shmuel Reichman is an author, educator, speaker, and coach who has lectured internationally on topics of Torah thought, Jewish medical ethics, psychology, and leadership. He is the founder and CEO of Self-Mastery Academy, the transformative online self-development course based on the principles of high-performance psychology and Torah. After obtaining his Bachelors degree from Yeshiva University, he received Semikha from RIETS, a Masters degree in Jewish Education from Azrieli, and a Masters degree in Jewish Thought from Revel. He then spent a year studying at Harvard as an Ivy Plus Exchange Scholar. He is currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Chicago. To find more inspirational content from Rabbi Reichman, to contact him, or to learn more about Self-Mastery Academy, visit his website: ShmuelReichman.com
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Mikeitz
Mikeitz Word Search
The dream theme continues and this week we have Pharaoh having two dreams. The first talks of cows, the second of Ears of corn. He doesnt understand his dreams so the Butler remembers that there’s a Jewish lad in jail. The rush Yosef from the pit and bring him to Pharaoh. Yosef informs Pharaoh that there’ll be seven years of loads of food followed by seven years of famine. In the meantime they should store loads of food for the years of hunger. Pharaoh is amazed as Yosef’s brilliant ideas and then appoints him as second in command! The years pass and the famine strikes Egypt and the Holy Land and Yosef’s brothers come down to Egypt and bow down to Yosef. Yosef wanted to check that they’ll never repeat their harsh behaviour to a brother so he tests them. He pretends he doesn’t know who they are (and they actually did not know who he was either). He instructed his son to hide his goblet in Binyomin’s sack and when it was found there, he threatened to keep Binyomin as a slave. The brothers were completely shaken by this and, next week, Yehuda will tell Yosef exactly why it is impossible for him to return home without Binyomin!
Tangram Challenge! Using all the shapes on the left can you make the candle shape on the right?
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COWS • DREAMS • FAMINE • GOBLET • NILE • PLENTY • SPIES • YEARS
2 DECEMBER 2021
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can’t believe it is almost Chanuka!” Hadassa said to Rivki as they passed by the local bakery. “Look at all the yummy doughnuts they
have!” Ima had sent them on a mission to get some more milk before Shabbos. “Ooh I am so excited!” Rivki said as skipped along the street. “I wonder if we will get any presents.” “Great Aunty Devorah is coming for our first night Chanuka party and she usually gives the best presents!” replied Hadassa. Shabbos seemed to whizz by that week and all of a sudden it was Sunday morning! Time to get ready for Chanuka! Already the smell of doughnuts and latkes frying in oil filled the streets. Queues were forming outside all the kosher bakeries in the town, everyone wanting to get the best doughnuts for Chanuka. Rivki and Hadassa were having a lot of fun making Chanuka cards for their grandparents and of course, Great Aunt Devorah who would be coming over later that day. Time flew by and it was only an hour until the party when Ima called to them. “Hadassa, Rivki, I just realised that I forgot to get enough oil to light the Chanukia, please could you go out and get me some from Kosher Nation?” It was pretty cold outside and the wind was howling, but you couldn’t light the
Chanukia without oil; so Hadassa and Rivki hurriedly put on their hats, coats, scarves and gloves. They stepped outside into the street and started making their way up the road towards Kosher Nation. It was a long, slow walk as rain and leaves battered the two girls, but they finally managed to make it to Kosher Nation. “Phew!” said Hadassa “That was crazy
out there, I hope it quietens down a bit before we have to walk back.” “At least we have a bit of time to spend here before we have to go back” replied Rivki. “Let’s go and get the oil for Ima and use the extra time to get little Chanuka presents for Yehudis and Shloime.” Hadassa and Rivki first chose a bottle of olive oil for the Chanukia and then quickly
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found the Chanuka activity section. “Wow” exclaimed Rivki. “Look at all these Chanuka activities and toys!” “There is so much to choose from here,” said Hadassa. “What should we get for them?” The next half an hour was spent in great enjoyment weighing up the pros and cons of each of the toys and activities. They didn’t have much money on them either so they were looking for small but toddler and baby friendly toys. “I like this large dreidel-shaped torch.” Rivki said happily, putting in their basket. “I think Shloime will love it.” “That’s such a good idea,” said Hadassa. “I think I’ll get the same for Yehudis, but I’ll get her the candle-shaped one so that they will know which one belongs to them.” “To avoid any fighting!” Rivki said, smiling. “Good plan.” Hadassa checked her watch. “Oh my goodness, we need to get going or Ima won’t have the oil for the Chanukia in time.” Hadassa and Rivki rushed to the checkout. “Could we pay for these please?” Hadassa said, handing over the money. Quickly they packed everything into a bag and turned to the door. It slid open to reveal the freezing, stormy weather outside.
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Mikeitz
In a nutshell Mikeitz opens with the theme of dreams - and it may be an idea to guess how many dreams are discussed in the entire book of Beraishit. You may recall from last week that Yosef is in a prison in Egypt and he had dreamt of being bowed down to in last week’s Sidra. Pharaoh’s first dream is one of 7 fat cows and 7 thin ones appearing from the river. The thin ones eat the fat ones but remain thin. He awakens and falls back asleep, this time dreaming of 7 weak ears of corn “eating” 7 strong ears of corn and not being impacted. Pharaoh demands an explanation. His interpreters gave him pathetic explanations but he isn’t impressed. Then, the Butler perks up and says, “I was in prison and there was a Hebrew lad there who knows how to interpret dreams”. Yosef is rushed out of prison (as soon as Hashem had decided it was time, it happened instantly), he is shaved and dressed and comes before mighty King Pharaoh, who tells him of his reputation to interpret dreams. Now, imagine you had just spent twelve years locked up you were now recognised for some talent which it appears your freedom depends on. Wouldn’t we rush to
agree that we have that talent? Not Yosef! He answers Pharaoh, “It’s not me; G-d will grant the peace (of mind) for Pharaoh” ! Wow! How honest and brave of Yosef! Yosef then explains what the dreams meant, that there would be seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine and it’s time to start stockpiling!! Pharaoh is over impressed by this interpretation and points Yosef as second in command! The dream is fulfilled, affecting not only Egypt but the land of cana’an too and guess who lives there? That’s correct! Yosef’s father and brothers! So, when the famine arrives, Yaakov sends his son down to Egypt where he knew there was plenty supplies. The boys - besides Binyomin - who Yaakov is desperate to protect, head down to Egypt, and find themselves standing before Yosef. What do you do in front of a mighty second in command? You bow down! That’s what Yosef had dreamt (almost, there were still a number of people missing from the dream). Yosef recognised his brothers, but they didn’t have a clue who he was. He begins acting harshly to them, accusing them of spying and locking up Shimon. He demands they bring their final
Word Wheel The goal of a word wheel puzzle is to create as many words possible with the letters in the word wheel. Each word must contain at least three letters. You can only use each letter once and every word must have the letter in the centre of the wheel.
brother down to Egypt (as he tricked them into “revealing” that they had another brother. The brothers return home and tell their father all that had transpired and, after a while when the food runs out, they tell their father – we have no choice we must go down to Egypt with Binyamin. Yaakov has no option and sends the brother down pleading with G-d to say “Enough” to his troubles! The brothers return to Egypt with Binyamin, Yosef arranges a meal for them all and releases Shimon. At times Yosef cries at the way he is treating his brothers, but it is understood that Yosef had in mind to bring about their full regret for selling him. In his final test of his brothers’ loyalty for each other he does a trick. He sends them home with food – but also hides his goblet in Binyamin’s bag! Yosef sends his son after them and the cup is found in Binyamin’s bag! The brothers are told: Whoever’s bag the cup is found in, that person will be a slave! The brothers won’t let Binyomin go – there’s no way they can return home without him and they all go back to Egypt, for the epic conclusion of this awesome story!
Use this area to write the words you have found.
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Last week’s words: Here are some words you may have found from last week - you may have found more! ace act arc cab car
cat ice tic acre carb
care cart cert cite crab
crib lace lice race rice
talc brace bract cabal caber
cable carat caret cater clear
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cleat crate lacer react relic
trace trice cartel claret racial
rectal relict article cabaret calibre
citable recital bacteria bacterial calibrate
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YOUTH 51
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Q: What’s worse than finding a worm in your apple? A: Finding half a worm. Q: Did you hear about the new restaurant on the moon? A: The food was good, but there really wasn’t much atmosphere. Q: What kind of dinosaur loves to sleep? A: A stega-snore-us.
(Answers at the bottom of page upside down)
1. I build up castles. I tear down mountains. I make some men blind, I help others to see. What am I?
3. What gets wetter as it dries?
Q: What do you call a group of disorganised cats? A: A cat-tastrophe.
2. The cost of making only the maker knows, Valueless if bought, but sometimes traded. A poor man may give one as easily as a king. When one is broken pain and deceit are assured.What is it?
3) A towel
2) A promise 1. Sand
1. Good intentions 2. In complete control 3. Chat forums
4. Three piece suite 5. Cash on delivery 6. Don’t answer back
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Faithfold climb Premier Sixteen-goal Lions with Maccabi win rout Scrabble in Cup BY DAVID SAFFER Reiss Mogilner scored six goals as Maccabi London Lions thumped Scrabble A in the second round of the Cyril Anekstein Cup. The Premier League side racked up a 16-0 win with Daniel Green and Michael Kenley both bagging a hat-trick. Ed Brafman, David Dinkin, and Adam Hassanali completed the rout in a mismatch of a tie. Lions could have scored in the opening minute of the clash but soon opened the scoring and led 9-0 by half time. The Division One team, though outclassed, battled away to the end. Lions boss was lost for words at full time such was the display from his team who gave every respect to the opposition. “I’m not really sure there’s anything to say, we are happy to make it through to the next round of the cup,” he commented. Hendon United Sports ran out 3-1 victors against League One outfiFarm t North Temple Fortune clear a Brook RoversLondon corner kick 16-goal Maccabi London Lions Raiders. BYTh DAVID SAFFER e Premier side led early in the second nearest rivals with Borussia Jewdinese in cup action. half only for Raiders to equalise but struck must-win game,” commented Galaxy playBrook Farm Rovers Faithfold Whitetomoved the foot the er-manager two late goals book off a place in of round Luke Lewis.jumped into third a 3-1and away win atOakwood Temple ForPremier League table with a 3-1 win over place three of the competition. “Wewith sat back allowed the tune A in a hard fought mid-table clash. Maccabi FCtheir in bitter conditions. HendonLondon now turn attentions to the ball, given the one-man advantage and The result sends de Chigwell Mill Hill Dons defeated Jewleague as they travelClub to Oakwood A fortoa looked to hit them on theRedbridge counter attack the bottom signalling be an with ish Care Purple 3-1 courtesy of goals from crucial top of the tablewhat clashcould on Sunday pace. interesting battle to avoid the drop with a Scott Hircombe, Harry Moss Adam (10am). “Both goals came down the and right-hand Isaacs. number clubs in the mix. Danielof Kristall’s team stunned the league side. Leigh crossed the first one into Cohen Chigwell’s clash versus Oakwood wasa to Hampstead picked a fourth leaders last month when they won 2-0, finish, beforeDucks slotting homeup himself. Up postponed. win ofwe thego. season as they eased to a 4-0 victory would move them to within a point to first ” facea Chigwell on Sunday in win bottom thanks of Faithfold Hendon with match in hand. Theagainst Division Twoclub titleScrabble race also took what is a crucial between the ato twist a Bloom brace alongside Gaon and AlElsewhere in thesix-pointer latest round of fixtures, with league leaders Herstwood league’s bottom two clubs. bergagoing strikes. 10-man North London Galaxy made it a Vale down to a 2-1 defeat at Temple Premier title pacesetters areonly backDivision in action at Fortune. Division Two leaders Geez Park Rangthree-way race in the One the weekend when United Sports took a firm grip on the title race with a clash of the day afterHendon defeating Oakwood B. ersFaithfold B have played a game more look to bounce backred from a first defeat of than ninthVale consecutive win in as many Jamie Murray saw early on but Galaxy but moved level with a 5-3games. win at Rangers defeated Madreidel 4-2 the campaign against last time out. rallied with goals fromHMH Josh Cohen and Ja- North London RaidersReal Masters. from home andtwice the win was sweetHendon travel to London Bears2-1 in what cob Leigh to record an important away away Jacob Kalms struck for Fortune who er as Camden earned a share of Milthe should be an intriguing game on Sunday. scored win. throughCity leading scorer James spoils with second London AthletBears arehead in their first premier season Galaxy Redbridge Jewish Care and A in letwith his 17th goalplaced of the season. have made a solid three of ico 1-1. was all the more remarkable the table by just onestart pointwinning after 10 matches, Thto e aresult matches from six games played. resultwere was adown blowto to 11 Athletico’s title third place Fairlop FC are five points be- asThe Temple players with Division One leaders Stoke Salmon de- ‘keeper aspirations theredislocating are plentyaof games hind with two games in hand. Ben but Rebuck shoulder feated Straw Hat Pirates who forfeited the in to the go, warm however, Rafi Bloom scored for Oakwood. up. having played two games clash. it will be win toughgiven to catch “It was a fantastic performance in a more “Thisthan wasStoke a fantastic the Stoke moved seven points clear of their the league leaders.
PHOTO: DAVID SAFFER PHOTO: DAVID SAFFER
Geez will be looking to make it 10 wins on the trot when they host Millbrook Park Calcio at Rowley Lane on Sunday. Boca Chillers moved into third spot as they ran out comfortable 4-0 victors against Brady FC who prop up the league. Oakwood Town earned a first home win with a comfortable 5-2 triumph against Temple Fortune B. Town’s fourth win of the campaign moved the new boys into a share of fourth place. Inwill other fixtures Hapoel Hampstead one enjoy. ” routed Redbridge Jewish Care Vale boss Jacob Emanuel wasWhite quick8-1 to to jump a couple of places the table. wish Rebuck well following hisininjury. Adam a brace,everyone Jack Davis “FirstFeldman, and most with importantly, at and would James like Belchak scored the goals. Vale to wish the Fortune ‘keeper Jewdinese advanced thehim second a quick recovery, we hopeinto to see back round of the Cyril Cup with a on the football pitch Anekstein as soon as possible, ” he penalty shoot-out win over Millbrook Park said. Calcio 1 1 draw. As forafter the adefeat, Emanuel commented, cup tie was a tight two cup “ItThe doesn’t matter how affair big aand squad you clashes take at the weekend. have, you canplace never account for unavailOakwood A host London FC ability or injury. OnlyMaccabi five of today’s team in the Peter Cup second round,a played in ourMorrison recent win over FC Team, London Athletico welcome Boca Chillers lack of togetherness and poor individual on Sunday.
“It was a proper old school performance, we battled and defended for the 90 minutes and took our chances. Experience proved to be the winner.” circumstances,” said delighted Fortune boss Simon Linden. “We had a number of players out, Rebuck got injured, so I couldn’t have asked any more from the players. We wish Ben a speedy recovery. “It was a proper old school performance, we battled and defended for the 90 minutes and took our chances. Experience proved to be the winner. It’s a big win, one we will enjoy and we hope to build on it in 2019.” He added, “This win marks 50 years as a football club and will be one Nigel Kyte and everyone associated with the club from day Battle for possession between PHOTO: DAVID SAFFER Temple Fortune and Brook Farm Rovers
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Your capital may be at risk.
This advertisement has been issued by the Development Company for Israel (International) Ltd., which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and registered in England No. 01415853. This is not an offering, which could only be made by prospectus. Your capital is at risk, the rules under FSMA for the protection of retail clients do not apply. An investment in any of these bonds will not be covered by the provisions of the Financial Services Compensation scheme, nor by any similar scheme. Israel bonds are intended as a long-term investment as they are not listed or admitted to dealing on any recognised investment or stock exchange nor is there any established secondary market, as a consequence Israel bonds are not readily realisable before their maturity date. DCI (International) Ltd is not the issuer of these bonds, they are issued by the State of Israel.
