The Jewish Weekly Issue 260 - December 8th

LORD SACKS BLOODMOBILE DEDICATED IN ISRAEL

A bloodmobile crowdfunded in memory of the late Chief Rabbi, Lord Jonathan Sacks was dedicated in September in a moving ceremony in Israel. The tribute - conceived following his untimely death in November 2020 - was unveiled following a fundraising drive in partnership with the Jewish News that raised the £135,000 needed to make the purchase the vehicle. The life-saving vehicle will traverse the country to collect blood from up to 80 donors a day - with each unit split between three recipients, potentially saving thousands of lives each year.

Members of Lord Sacks’ family joined with friends and Magen David Adom dignitaries at the newly opened Marcus National Blood Services Centre in Ramla, central Israel. An inscription on one side of the vehicle describes Lord Sacks as a “giant of world Jewry who’s impact crossed faiths and borders” and on the other side is a pertinent quote from Rabbi Sacks himself: “At the heart of Judaism is the principle of the sanctity of life.”

Lady Elaine Sacks, who was joined at the occasion by her son Joshua, was presented with a specially commission mezuzah, a replica of those adoring the doorframes of the centre.

Lady Elaine commented, “To remember my dear husband in this life saving way, here in Eretz Yisrael - is so very special.”

Speaking after the event, British ambassador to Israel, Neil Wigan said, “Rabbi Lord Sacks had a truly global impact and was an exceptional ambassador for the Jewish people. It is fitting that part of his lasting legacy will be to save lives on the streets of Israel.

The Sacks Bloodmobile will be stationed at MDA’s new state-of-the-art blood bank in Ramle, which it is hoped will enable the collection of 500,000 units a year, double the current capacity.

Lady Elaine Sacks hands over the keys to the new bloodmobile

SAVING LIVES KNOWS NO BORDERS

There is an international flavour to this edition of Red Shield.

Over the past six months our fundraising e orts have taken us to Italy, Jordan, Nigeria and of course Israel. Our London based team worked with French colleagues to organise an incredible dinner which raised over £450,000. Just as Magen David Adom knows no borders when it comes to saving lives, there are no geographical boundaries when it comes to raising the funds needed to save more lives.

Here in the UK we have been busy up and down the country. Our Hendon, Manchester, She eld and Maidenhead committees have all been active and it was a huge privilege to be hosted by Bloomberg to celebrate the work of our organisation back in September. This coincided with the launch of Jonathan Straight’s latest book for us, DOORPOSTS. I encourage you to have a read yourself (www.mdauk.org/ doorposts). You will be blown away by the creativity of the artists from the Bezalel Art College and the designs they produced for the mezuzot at the newly opened Marcus National Blood Services Centre.

What struck me most were the markedly di erent personal backgrounds of those that participated. Israel is a multicultural, ethnically and religiously diverse country. This is refl ected in the workforce of MDA and it is amazing that an Israeli-Arab can design the mezuzah to adorn one of the main doorways at our landmark lifesaving location.

Anyone can support Magen David Adom. Anyone can help to save a life. Thanks for all that you do for our boundary breaking organisation.

AUDIENCE OF ONE MILLION FOR MDA IN NIGERIA

On Wednesday 10th August, Magen David Adom UK Chief Executive Daniel Burger gave a keynote speech to one million people at the 2022 RCCG (The Redeemed Christian Church of God) 70th anniversary international Perfect Jubilee Convention in Lagos, Nigeria.

In his speech, Burger thanked the General Overseer Pastor E. A. Adeboye and Mother-inIsrael Pastor (Mrs) Folu Adeboye for their continuing philanthropy towards the organisation.

Accompanied by the Africa Coordinator of Magen David Adom UK, Mrs Oluwatobi (Tobi) Lovv the Nigerian - Israeli entrepreneur and founder of Sharelovv International which fosters co-operation between the State of Israel and Africa - Mr Burger expressed gratitude that the ambulances donated by the Adeboyes had contributed towards saving 23,000 lives and birthing over 1,000 babies.

The Adeboyes were so moved by the tribute that they have subsequently committed to donating a further two ambulances in the coming weeks.

Speaking on his return to the UK, Mr Burger said, “The support for Magen David Adom in Nigeria is immense. I could not believe that one million people turned up and were able to hear about our work. Their commitment to saving more lives is genuinely incredible.”

Tobi Lovv, who has been instrumental in orchestrating the relationship, said, “The people of Nigeria are staunch friends of Israel. We are committed to the land and its peoples and we are committed to being a lifesaving force for good in the region.”

Daniel Burger Chief Executive

Tobi Lovv, the Pastors Adeboye and Daniel Burger in Lagos.

The Pastors dedicating their first ambulance in Jerusalem

Board hails

BY DAVID SAFFER

The Board of Deputies has hailed an “un precedented” Church of England Tribunal ruling against The Reverend Dr Stephen Sizer. One allegation against the retired priest was deemed antisemitic.

Twelve complaints against Sizer were brought by BoD President Marie van der Zyl and former President Jonathan Arkush between 2005 and 2018. Evidence by both was vital to the verdict.

Four allegations by the Board were up held. The Tribunal viewed Sizer’s conduct “provoked and offended the Jewish com munity”. His actions, the tribunal noted, were “unbecoming to the office and work of a clerk in Holy Orders”.

The most serious allegation related to the former Vicar posting 9/11 conspiracy theories.

A link on his Facebook page in 2015 blamed Israel for 9/11. The Tribunal, chaired by Worshipful David Pittaway KC, found the article in its tone and content “truly shocking”. Promoting Israel was be hind terrorist attacks on 9/11 was deemed “antisemitic activity” by the Tribunal.

In an interview on 30 March 2018 on Australian radio, Sizer defended his 9/11 link. The Tribunal accepted evidence that the Jewish community were “offended” by Sizer’s answers to questions.

Of particular concern was Sizer’s

ruling against vicar

Jewish community over a sustained period. He was also criticised for being "disingen uous in his answers”.

Ms van de Zyl added: “The Board will always act to defend and protect the Jewish community.”

She placed on record thanks to Mr Ark ush for his work in pursuing the case on behalf of the community.

Seven allegations of antisemitism were not proven. But the Tribunal accepted evidence the Jewish community were “provoked and offended” on allegations including Sizer speaking alongside Holo caust deniers, attending an event chaired by Baroness Tonge, sharing alleged anti semitic material and posting an item that Jeremy Corbyn was a victim of the “hidden hands of Zionists”.

The Church of England has accepted Sizer committed misconduct under the ‘Clergy Discipline Measure’ and will de termine a penalty.

Sizer was vicar of Christ Church, Virginia Water, in Surrey.

assertion that a number of Israelis had “benefited from 9/11”.

On this allegation, the Tribunal viewed Sizer’s conduct “unbecoming” of an or dained minister but did not consider it antisemitic activity.

Regarding a meeting with Sheikh Nabil

Kaouk, a senior commander of Hezbollah forces in 2006, the Tribunal accepted the Jewish community were “provoked and offended” by posting a photograph on his website. Sizer had shown a “lack of sensi tivity to the Jewish community”, noted the tribunal.

Ms van de Zyl commended the Tribunal’s decision. She said: “In an unprecedented judgement, it has been found that Rever end Sizer has engaged in “antisemitic ac tivity”, repeated "conduct unbecoming" of a Church of England Minister and engaged in conduct that “provoked and offended” the

Pittaway noted the Church of England formally adopted the International Hol ocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism. This took place in 2018.

The panel included The Reverend Geof frey Eze, The Reverend Canon Liz Hughes, Canon Andrew Halstead and Ms Gabrielle Higgins.

In May 2022, after a complaint by the Board, a Church hearing was held in pub lic with media access over 11 accusations from 2005 to 2017. Sizer "absolutely and resolutely” denied claims of antisemitism and misconduct arguing his actions were against the State of Israel not Jews.

Antisemite Chabloz banned

The

Lambeth’s Vauxhall Ward condemned the ‘Year-End Review in Speech and Song’ event, tweeting it was “shameful” the thea tre would welcome someone with “abhor rent” views. “The right to free speech is not a right to platform,” they noted. “Antisemi tism has no place in Vauxhall.”

A Campaign Against Antisemitism spokesperson said it was “prudent” the venue heeded its call for Chabloz to be

denied a platform.

Earlier this year, Chabloz was guilty of a communications offence concerning the classic Oliver Twist film involving the char acter Fagin. CAA noted Chabloz uploaded a video with a song of her own how Jews are “greedy”, “grift” for “shekels” and cheated on taxes.

Chabloz has ongoing prosecutions. She is connected to far-right movements in the UK and North America, and is currently banned from entering France, where Hol ocaust denial is illegal.

Tea House Theatre in South London has cancelled an appearance by Holocaust denier Alison Chabloz.

New era of

BY DAVID SAFFER

President Isaac Herzog outlined Israel as pirations for space exploration in a keynote speech at the Abu Dhabi Space Debate in the United Arab Emirates this week.

National and industry leaders discussed challenges and opportunities facing the global space economy.

Herzog, who also visited Bahrain on an official state trip, told delegates that a new era of space exploration was dawning.

“The heavens are now open to a dizzying array of public and private actors, launch ing satellites, sensors and spacecraft into the great unknown,” he enthused. “This creates paradigm-shifting opportunities and challenges unlike those humanity has ever known.”

Herzog took the discussion on to tackling the climate crisis.

He explained: “The greatest promise of space exploration lies not only in discov eries on distant planets but also in redis covering our potential for collaboration.

“On international space missions, on the first day astronauts point at their countries, on the second day they point at their con tinents and by the third day they are aware only of one Earth.

“Hundreds of kilometers above land, borders disappear and are replaced by an intense awareness that we all share one

exploration beckons

Earth, which we all have a common duty to preserve. We must work together across these divides, to combat the climate crisis.”

He added: “The fate of humanity will depend on outer space. But in the imme diate present, the ultimate value of space technologies lies in saving the planet we already have.”

Herzog welcomed Israel’s cooperation

with NASA, the European Space Agency and other countries. He also highlighted Israel’s space partnership with the UAE. “Our two countries are boldly leading our region toward new frontiers in space and leaving our mark on history,” he observed.

The Venus satellite Israel-French project provides data for Israeli-Emirati research. Herzog explained that it provides mul ti-spectral images of vegetation in forests, croplands and nature reserves.

This first joint space venture will enable scientists to better understand the global environment. Herzog called for an expan sion of transnational partnerships to ben efit the planet.

“The UAE, Israel and India can lead the way for the entire region, together with our friends and partners,” he said.

“We are all deeply impressed by the ac complishments of the UAE’s space pro gram, including the Mars Mission. It is a perfect match with Israel, a world leader in technologies for miniature satellites, high resolution and remote sensing capabilities, and cybersecurity in space.”

Herzog said that space education for the younger generation was the future.

“Our greatest natural resource is the cu riosity of our children,” he enthused.

“In Israel, we have introduced the TEVEL program, which is already working with high school students from across the coun try, Jews and Arabs alike. They are building, testing and launching nanosatellites into space, and then using them to gather data and conduct experiments.”

Herzog called for an expansion of the program regionally and internationally.

“Together, we will harness the collective creativity, genius and wonder of our youth,” he said.

“Let us move onwards and upwards, not with the competition of a cold war, but with the cooperation of our warm peace. Let us harness the power of space for the promise of Earth. Let us gaze at the heavens, with our sights set firmly on our planet. Together, we can take space exploration to new heights and save our planet from new depths.”

Israel’s President said: “The UAE is a major linchpin in the movement towards peace in the region. The Abraham Accords are a national consensus in the State of Israel, for all parties and for all factions of Israeli politics.”

Al Nahyan responded: “This is a new relationship, we are trying to build a very strong bridge between our two countries. The Abraham Accords are achieving their goals.”

Herzog is Israel’s first head of state to visit to Bahrain since the establishment of official diplomatic relations in 2020.

Herzog participated in an economic forum at the Bahrain Economic Develop ment Board.

Israel’s leader met with Crown Prince of Bahrain, Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa and said that an expanded business delegation would visit Bahrain to promote economic cooperation.

Herzog also met Israel’s Ambassador to Bahrain Eitan Naeh, Jewish community representatives and Bahrain's representa tive to the World Jewish Congress.

King Hamed welcomed Herzog to Al-Qudaibiya Palace in Manama for bilat eral discussions.

“Our nations joined the path of peace and the Kingdom of Bahrain is really one of the pioneers in this process,” noted Herzog. “We are here to do business with the people of Bahrain.”

King Hamad called for a consolidation of relations in a spirit of “friendliness, toler ance and peaceful coexistence”.

Herzog met with Jewish community members and Israeli economic bodies.

Herzog met UAE President Sheikh Mo hammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dha bi during the whistle-stop trip.

President Herzog at an economic forum in Bahrain

President Herzog meets UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed in Abu Dhabi

factions and warned of a “tax revolt.”

Defence Minister Benny Gantz has been outspoken against Smotrich and Ben-Gvir.

“Israel needs to fight terrorism at all costs, while at the same time taking care of Israeli settlements and making sure the Palestinian Authority is strong, since the alternative is more terrorist organisations,” he said this week.

Gantz dismissed rumours he will reunite with Lapid. “We communicate frequently,” he said. “Lapid will be the chairman of the Opposition. We each have our own agenda, and will serve as a synchronised Opposition.”

The Biden administration has said it will wait to see government policies, not person alities, of Netanyahu’s coaliiton. But there has been a backlash from Jewish American organisations.

Netanyahu recently defended his decisions on NBC’s Meet the Press’. “I ultimately decide policy,” he said.

Politicians, head teachers and parent groups across Israel have spoken out against Maoz’ projected involvement in the Educa tion Ministry.

Bicom reported dozens of Mayors, includ ing from Likud, objecting.

Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai said, “The mes sage that has been sent from local authorities is strong and clear. We will not allow anyone to play games with the education of our chil dren. I will make sure that in our city, we con tinue to educate in keeping with our values.”

Likud Mayor from Bat Yam Tzvika Brot not ed, “No party has a monopoly on Judaism, just as no party has a monopoly on pluralism.

We will not allow anyone to meddle with our policies or values and change the status quo in this city.” And Ramat Gan Mayor Carmel Shama Hacohen, a former Likud MK, said: “The city of Ramat Gan will fund two hours of class time on liberalism, inclusiveness and equality for every hour the government slash es on those topics.”

It has been reported that some 200 school principals have written to Netanyahu, stating they will “protect democracy and the basic rights of the citizens” due to Maoz’ conserv ative views “tearing apart” communities in Israel. “We will not allow benighted views to dictate the agenda in our schools,” they wrote. “We call for this decision to be changed immediately,”

Over 660 civic teachers and educators added in a letter: “We will not quietly ac cept educational leadership that promotes, via legislation and action, anti-democratic actions that is damaging to human rights.”

Lapid announced after Shabbat that he will launch a hotline for parents to express disapproval of the far-right politician.

Jewish-American leaders have voiced con cern about ‘religious’ lawmakers. And the Anti-Defamation League and Jewish Fed erations of North America have spoken out. The political rhetoric will continue in the coming weeks and months.

A vote to replace current speaker Mickey Levy is scheduled for the Knesset on Mon day. This will enable Netanyahu to offer Shas leader Aryeh Deri a ministerial post despite two corruption convictions.

Netanyahu faces proceedings for brib ery, fraud and breach of trust. He denies all allegations.

Starmer meets with community leaders

was to rip out antisemitism from our Party by its roots. We've made huge strides in doing so, no better measure of which is earning back the trust of Jewish communities. Winning back Barnet council in May this year was a special milestone for me as it signified that Jewish people could feel able to put their faith back in our Party.”

Starmer praised the Boards’ “vital work” in raising awareness of issues facing British Jews.

“Our relationship and continued open di alogue is important to me, for our Party and our path to forming the next government,” he said. “I want to do that working alongside Jewish communities and look forward to working with organisations like the Board of Deputies to achieve it.”

BoD president Marie van der Zyl said: “I look forward to continuing these conversa tions in the coming period,” she said.

Keith Black, JLC co-CEO, said: “The change

in the Labour Party is evident and strong pro gress has been made over recent years. We have always said that we could only judge the Labour Party on its actions in tackling antisemitism and to date we have seen strong action to match the strong words.”

Mark Gardner, CST, added that the meeting was a welcome opportunity to share con cerns about anti-Jewish incitement, growing far right terrorist threat and prosecuting an tisemitic hate crimes.

He noted: “We particularly appreciated Sir Kier's understanding of the vital importance of the government grant for security guard ing at Jewish schools and other communal buildings.”

Anneliese Dodds, Labour Party Chair and Shadow Secretary of State for Women and Equalities, Sarah Owen, Shadow Minister for Local Government and Faith, BoD CEO Mi chael Wegier, JLC co-CEO Claudia Mendoza and CST Head of Policy Dave Rich attended.

BY ADAM MOSES

Labour leader Keir Starmer has spoken of his pride at making “huge strides” in the battle against antisemitism in the party at a meeting with Jewish community leaders.

Starmer discussed a range of issues with a communal delegation led by the Board of Deputies, Jewish Leadership Council and

Community Security Trust.

Aside from the ongoing fight against anti semitism, topics included security of the Jew ish community, how elected officials raise issues regarding Israeli-Palestinian relations, the Israel connection, treatment of refugees and cost of living crisis.

Following the meeting, Starmer said: “When I became leader, my first promise

The National Jewish Assembly hosted an online Q&A forum with former UK Am bassador to Israel Mark Regev this week. Regev answered questions on the new Is raeli government, Israel-Diaspora relation ship and Israel’s security challenges. He also provided expert analysis of Palestinian

terrorism, Iran’s nuclear ambitions and BDS.

Regev was positive about Israel forging Middle East relationships and defense capabilities. He also encouraged UK Jews to challenge historical revisionism and antisemitism.

Keir starmer sitting next to BoD president Marie van der Zyl

IDF strike Hamas targets

BY DAVID SAFFER

Israel Defence Forces have struck Hamas infrastructure in the Gaza Strip after a terrorist group fired a rocket into border communities last Saturday.

A rocket production site and terror tun nel were targeted according to an IDF spokesperson.

Hamas fired anti-aircraft missiles at Is raeli fighter jets after the air strikes.

"A military post was attacked as a re sponse to shooting at our planes," noted an IDF statement.

“Tonight's attack continues the trend of harming Hamas' military build-up in the Gaza Strip.”

The IDF confirmed on Sunday that the missile launched from Gaza was the first in a month.

“Following the report regarding sirens sounded in open areas, one rocket was fired from the Gaza Strip toward Israeli ter ritory,” said a spokesman. “No interceptors were launched. Full routine continues on the Israeli home front.”

Although the missile landed in open fields near the Gaza border and no inju ries were reported, Israel responded as a warning to terror groups.

The Gaza attack came a few days after IDF special forces shot and killed Jenin Brigade commander Mohammad Al-Saadi who was

behind terrorists snatching teenager Tiran Ferro's body from a Jenin hospital.

Ferro’s body was returned. Israel had placed Jenin in lockdown until the body was returned for burial (November 24).

Prime Minister Yair Lapid held a secu rity assessment at IDF Judea and Samaria headquarters following the rocket attack.

He said: “The IDF is active on multiple fronts that demand no small effort from the security forces.

“When this government was established, we made it clear that there would be a harsh response to all fire against Israel. The era in which they fire at us and we do not respond is over. This is how we have restored the deterrence with Gaza.”

Lapid added that the IDF, ISA and Border Police were in action in Judea and Samaria to thwart terrorist attacks.

“This has been a wide-ranging, deter mined campaign with many accomplish ments,” he explained. “Since the beginning of the year, 445 significant terrorist attacks, including over 300 shooting attacks, have been thwarted. To confront these terrorist organisations, we have a strong, disciplined army with a clear chain of command, that operates solely within the law. This is the secret of our strength, this is what has formed the power of the IDF.”

Lapid added: “This government gives full backing to our soldiers. We will not allow

investigations by foreign bodies. We will not accept the defamation of IDF soldiers, ISA and Border Police personnel, who risk their lives on a daily basis to safeguard the State of Israel and its people.”

Lapid had a message for the IDF. “You watch over us, but we also watch over you,” he said.

Lapid also visited the Israel Air Force underground control centre during joint IDF-US Armed Forces exercises for region al threats particularly Iran.

IDF Chief-of-Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Koha vi and Air Force Commander Maj.-Gen. Tomer Bar discussed operational challeng es. Lapid heard about the IDF's intelligence gathering and attack capabilities.

He said: “The strategic cooperation with the United States and other countries strengthens the capabilities of the IDF against the challenges in the Middle East, led by Iran. We have partners in the sky and on the ground, but we also have the right to act as we see fit and defend Israel.”

Prime Minister Yair Lapid Visits Israel Air Force Underground Command Center

PHOTO: GPO

report EJC backs German hate strategy

CST has released its Antisemitic Discourse 2021 report.

The publication reviewed antisemitism in mainstream media and politics in Britain last year.

Discussion of antisemitism on campuses included an investigation into University of Bristol Professor David Miller over state ments about Jewish students. Miller even tually lost his position.

Antisemitic incidents on campus peaked in May 2021 during the Israel-Hamas con flict. Politicians expressed solidarity with the Jewish community.

The Education Secretary convened an antisemitism summit and called for uni versities to adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism.

The House of Lords held an antisemitism debate on UK campuses while Labour Party leader Keir Starmer took steps to eradicate antisemitism in the party. Delegates at La bour’s annual conference voted to overhaul the independent complaints process. And a Jewish Labour Movement survey showed a majority believed the party was a safe space for Jews under Starmer.

Antisemitism flourishes on social media platforms. And it played a role in sport. There were allegations of antisemitism directed at the BBC after a bus attack at Chanukah.

Antisemitic discourse was also connected to Covid-19 through Holocaust imagery and terminology.

BY ADAM MOSES

The European Jewish Congress has wel comed the German government’s stance on fighting antisemitism.

The first ‘National Strategy Against An ti-Semitism and for Jewish Life’ (NASAS) was presented in Berlin and encompass es five areas crossing political and social divides.

Dr Felix Klein, Commissioner against Antisemitism, put together the strategy. Jewish associations were involved in its production.

The NASAS includes data collection and research, antisemitism education, a culture of remembrance, preserving Jewish history and measures to combat antisemitism.

EJC President Dr Ariel Muzicant praised the government strategy.

He said: “It is a significant moment in the history of modern Germany, es pecially as we see a concerning rise in antisemitism in the country. It shows the importance Germany’s leadership plac es in fighting antisemitism and making its streets safer and more secure for Jews.”

Muzicant added: “This national strategy is being released one year after the EU wrote its first ever ‘Strategy on Combating Antisem itism and Fostering Jewish Life’ calling on member states to develop their own strategy. We hope all EU Member States will join Ger many in releasing and implementing their

own strategy to combat antisemitism.”

President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Dr. Josef Schuster, hailed the initiative as Jewish voices had been ignored regarding antisemitic incidents.

“It is an important sign for the Jewish community in Germany at the right time,” he said. “The strategy takes up important issues, such as the joint recommendation on deal ing with antisemitism in schools, which was developed by the Central Council of Jews, the Federal and State antisemitism commis sioners and the Conference of Ministers of Education.”

He added: “Education is one of the most important tools in the fight against the poison

of antisemitism.”

Schuster has been elected for a third term as president and wants to focus on positive elements of Judaism in Germany.

Israeli Ambassador Ron Prosor was guest of honour at the council meeting.

Schuster hailed the Jewish Academy of the Central Council in Frankfurt planned for spring 2024.

“For me, it is about constantly devel oping the work within the Jewish com munity,” he said.

“After long deliberations we have now been able to introduce a new jurisdic tion for the communities and I thank the delegates of the council meetings for supporting this reform.”

Prosor called for a “joint effort” to counter antisemitism and delegitimisa tion of Israel.

Antisemitism is an ongoing issue in Germany.

A German-Iranian man last week was arrested on suspicion of committing arson at a Bochum synagogue accord ing to the Attorney General’s Office in Dusseldorf. It has been reported a witness attempted to persuade the 35-year-old to attack a Dortmund synagogue the same night as Bochum. Police are investigating and have taken electronic devices from the suspect’s home and car.

The suspect is reportedly linked to an attack on an Essen synagogue last month, Nordrhein-Westfalen Interior Minister Reul told the media.

Officers are trying to establish a connection between the attacks in neighbouring cities. Police suspect involvement by the Iranian secret service. It is thought the suspect com mitted the attack for amnesty from Iranian authorities.

APPG call for protection of religious rights

BY ANNIE ABRAHAMS

European politicians have called for the protection of religious rights.

The All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom of Religion or Be lief (APPG FoRB) highlighted the threats to freedom of religion last week.

Peers and organisations outlined how leg islative measures affect religious practices.

Baroness Caroline Cox chaired the ‘Leg islative Threats to FoRB in Europe’ event.

A panel comprised Lord Singh of Wim bledon, Shimon Cohen, Shechita UK and Portia Berry-Kilby, APPG FoRB. Speak ers identified key issues facing European countries.

Baroness Cox said: “Restrictions in Eu rope are not as severe as the challenges faced by religious and belief groups in cer tain parts of countries like China, Pakistan or Nigeria nevertheless there are FoRB con cerns at play.”

Berry-Kilby overviewed restrictions in Europe whilst Lord Singh explained the importance of religious dress for faith tra ditions. He also noted French legislation affecting people’s faith.

Shimon Cohen warned about the growing intolerance in countries passing or propos ing measures against religious practices in recent years. Jews and Muslims in particular have been attacked on Kosher and Halal slaughter due to ill-information.

Following the event, Jim Shannon MP, APPG Chair, said: “Restrictions on freedom of religion or belief in Europe should be of great concern to parliamentarians. We should not take our freedoms for granted and we should be wary of tolerating seem ingly small restrictions just because we are afforded greater freedom than those in oth er parts of the world.”

Shechita UK monitors governments across Europe to highlight greater legisla tive protection.

Dr Felix Klein

Pardes House Grammar School is looking to recruit enthusiastic and skilled office staff for the following two positions:

PA to the Menahel (Principal) and Headteacher

Administrative Assistant

Be part of a school that has recently doubled in size, recruited excellent teaching and support staff, cares for its pupils and staff and is looking to create a state of the art environment where everyone can thrive.

Ideally full-time but would consider part-time. Starting as soon as possible. Generous salaries offered corresponding to experience.

Successful candidate s will:

Have excellent written and verbal communication abilities

Be well versed in IT

Have exceptional people and organisational skills

This is an opportunity for outstanding individuals to join a school which is looking to build upon its strengths in supporting the day to day running of the school and catering to the needs of all our pupils.

Please contact the School Office for job descriptions and an application pack : Call 020 8349 4222 or email office@pardesgrammar.co.uk

Application closing date: Tuesday 20th December 2022

Pardes House Grammar School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expect all staff to share this commitment. Any offer of employment will be subject to receipt of satisfactory references from previous employers and a DBS check at an Enhanced level, including the Barred Lists.

Do you want to work in a great office environment and feel you are making a difference?

BY RABBI DOVID LICHTIG

On Sunday night over 1500 people gathered at Hendon Adas with stand ing room only, to hear divrei hesped For Harav Hagaon Dayan Chanoch Ehrentreu zt”l with Rabbonim present from across the community including the London Beis Din, Federation, the United Synagogue and virtually every local institution. The illustrious line-up of speakers included Maran Hagaon R’ Avrohom Gurwitz, Dayan Dovid Dunner, Dayan Menachem Gelley and Rabbi Yehudah Boruch Lieberman. The four speakers appropriately cov ered the four major areas of impact the Dayan Ehrentreu had over the course of his life. The world of Torah, the world of psak halocho, his role as Rov of Beis Hamedrash Beis Yisroel and his role as a visionary and a marbitz torah open ing up kollelim and centres of Torah learning across the world.

While the maspidim spoke of their personal connection with the Dayan and the impact he had over their sphere of influence, all spoke of the tre mendous love and deep connection the Dayan zt”l had to Torah learning and the unbelievable hasmodoh and breadth of learning the Dayan zt”l possessed. He routinely learned through the night and

into the early hours of the morning and whatever the Dayan zt”l accomplished was on the back of absolute dedication to Torah and Torah learning.

Another theme highlighted by the speakers was the astounding dichotomy of the Dayan’s uncompromising stance to

halochoh and standing up unequivocally for what he believed was right no mat ter the challenges or the consequences alongside his unbelievable chessed and the love and warmth he had for everyone he came into contact with. As the speak ers asked, how was the Dayan zt”l able

to balance the world of din and the world of rachamim so perfectly and so magnificently? And the answer quite simply is, because it was the ratzon Hashem. That was all that counted and if that called for standing up for what is right and being uncompromising in his Torah values then that is what he did and if that means spending countless hours helping the downtrod den, raising funds for the needy and giving innumerable hours of support to members of the community from all walks of life then that is what he did. The ratzon hashem dictated every move of the Dayan zt”l and there are no longer any questions. The stories told of the Dayan’s incredible love, care and generosity are matched only by stories of his unyielding stance to what he be lieved in and standing up for what was right no matter the cost.

The speakers also spoke of the Dayan as the quintessential leader with not only a vision but with the ability to act as well and turn vision into reali ty. His beloved shul Beis Hamedrash Beis Yisroel and the kollelim in Edgware, Borehamwood, Berlin and Jerusalem are a living testament that there are the thou sands of talmidim, community members and families who count themselves as part of the family of the Dayan zt”l.

Over 1500 people attended the Hesped for Dayan Ehrentreu zt”l

Our Bar and Bat Mitzvah Project ensures that young people, on their special day, can share it with a child Holocaust victim who was denied a future. Over the past 10 years we have twinned over 1000 children. Complete the on-line Twinning Form and researchers at Yad Vashem will use the information to find a suitable twin.

Celebrants will receive a comprehensive Twinning Pack which contains:

• A Page of Testimony, with details of your chosen twin

• A Study Guide

• A Certificate

• A letter from a Holocaust survivor

• A Yad Vashem pin

• Memorial and Shabbat Candles

• An invitation to become a Guardian of the Memory

Phone: 020 8187 9881 Email: office@yadvashem.org.uk www.yadvashem.org.uk www.guardianofthememory.org

@yadvashemukfoundation @yadvashemUK @yadvashemukfoundation

CST Antisemitic Discourse Report

and support.

OPINION PIECE

BY DAVE RICH

There are lots of differ ent ways to measure anti-Jewish hatred, to see whether it is getting worse and how it is affecting the Jewish community.

The most obvious way is to count the number of antisemitic hate incidents and hate crimes that are reported each year and follow the different trends. CST does this in our annual Antisemitic Incidents Report, and they show that in five of the last six years there has been a record total for antisemitic incidents in this country. The trend lines are not promising.

However there is another way that is just as important, which is to track how people talk about Jews and antisemitism in mainstream politics, in our media, and in broader public life. This is what CST does in our Antisemitic Discourse Reports, and our latest edition, covering 2021, shows that while antisemitism remains a prom inent issue in our national conversation last year, there is significant evidence that our community has plenty of sympathy

Last year saw Professor David Miller finally sacked by Bristol University after nearly three years of campaigning by CST, the Union of Jewish Students and other communal organisations to highlight his dangerously antisemitic views. When Miller was under fire he was supported by hundreds of other academics from universities across the UK. This is deeply troubling and shows that he was not a one-off: his objectionable views are more widely shared than we might like to think.

However, many more publicly opposed Miller: over 800 academics signed a letter condemning him that was organised by myself and two other academics. We were three people from different faith back grounds who shared a common contempt

for antisemitism and a determination to stand up against it.

We saw a similar dynamic in politics. CST’s new report includes allegations of anti semitism from four different mainstream political parties in this country. Most of them concerned the Labour Party, a legacy from the Corbyn years, but the report also details the progress made by Labour in tackling it.

More impressive was the number of voices in Parliament and across politics who spoke up for the Jewish community last year. The House of Lords held a debate on antisemitism in universities and during

the war in Israel and Gaza in May 2021, leading politicians from the government and opposition parties publicly condemned the wave of an tisemitism that crashed over the Jewish community.

Last year also saw examples of anti-Jewish prejudice and stereotyping in sport and in the arts, and I am sure we all remember the outrage over the way that the BBC reported the appalling attack on a bus full of Jewish teenagers on Oxford Street. There are still significant problems of antisemitism in this country and around the world, and as we have seen most recently with Kanye West’s hateful comments, in many ways they are growing. But we also have allies and supporters across society and, as CST’s new report shows, they are increas ingly willing to speak up for us.

You can download and read a copy of CST’s Antisemitic Discourse Report 2021 on the CST website at https://cst.org.uk/ research/cst-publications

The

Dr Dave Rich, Director of Policy, Community Security Trust.

Teacher of Jewish Studies

With the opportunity for

WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG?”

Dear Sir

When I read the article, “Boris visits Ruislip Shul,” in last week’s edition (The Jewish Weekly, 1 December), my thought was as per this letter’s title.

Having been an MP for the constituency of Uxbridge and South Ruislip since 2015, and such a strong support er of the British Jewish Community and State of Israel, how is it that he has only now visited Ruislip Synagogue? As the chairman informed him, this was the first time he recalled a local MP visiting the establishment even though there’s been a synagogue in the community for 75 years!

Politicians of all hues usually say and do things that are expedient for them, so I wonder what the reason is for him going to this Shul now? Whatever it may be, I welcome that he has been, as an MP and Prime Minister, a consistent positive voice in our political arena for the continuance of our Jewish practices, the existence of, and excellent relations between, Britain and Israel, and firmly against antisemitism.

I’m sure that he’d be welcome to attend again, at any time.

Yours sincerely JD Milaric

additional

responsibility • Full time / Part time

We are seeking a dynamic and committed individual to teach Tenach, Talmud and Jewish Knowledge and Skills to a range of ages and abilities. Teaching will include the GCSE Religious Studies syllabus. The successful candidate will prove to be an effective teacher with a wide Jewish knowledge and will identify with the Modern Orthodox ethos of the school. There is the opportunity for additional responsibility for the right candidate. Applications are welcome from ECTs or those willing to work towards a teaching qualification.

IImmanuel College is entering a new, exciting era of educational and physical development, which will build on our Jewish modern orthodox, co-educational, independent roots. You will join a school characterised by high academic standards, outstanding pastoral care and a renowned programme of Jewish study. We enjoy an environment of happy, fulfilled young people who are fully engaged in the life of this friendly school, are aspirational and committed to their studies and their community. We are looking for colleagues who are eager to contribute to their futures and build a bright beacon of Jewish life and learning.

Immanuel College is a vibrant, professional and caring place to work, where every day brings new challenges and opportunities. We are deeply committed to the emotional and professional well-being of all our staff and believe that happy, well-cared for staff make the best team. We pride ourselves on providing an environment where staff have the freedom to learn and grow.

We provide access to the Teachers Pension Scheme (TPS), a supportive CPD system, membership to a healthcare scheme, subsidised lunches, family-friendly policies and a range of well-being initiatives.

For further information and to apply, please visit our website www.immanuelcollege.co.uk

An Application Form, Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form and the names and contact details of two referees should be sent to Dr Millan Sachania, Head Master, at jobs@immanuelcollege.co.uk

Applications will be reviewed upon receipt and shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend an interview.

For further enquiries relating to the role please contact Mr Michael Lewis, Assistant Head of Jewish Studies at mlewis@immanuelcollege.co.uk

Immanuel College is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

FOR CHANUKAH BRAND NEW

ough Poppies Grow in Flanders Fields

from the author of City of Dreams

Jake — A young Jewish soldier facing his mortality on the front lines during WWI. Esther — A young Jewish woman unraveling her family’s past while hoping for the future. A shidduch suggestion from an unlikely source throws her some unexpected answers — and raises many more questions…

A Disabled World

from the author of A Deaf World Tzvi Arbel has big dreams – and so much energy that he’s always racing to the next big thing. His wife Shevi just wants a happy, quiet, normal life. Doesn’t he? But who sets the norms? And who says that any of them are right?

Just Moved…

Mazel Improved!

from the author of the bestselling Just Imagine! comic series

Reb Tuvia the woodchopper needs parnassah desperately. A wise, elderly man advises him to move to far-off Yaffo. Is that the solution? Discover the answer as you ride the ups and downs of Reb Tuvia’s emunah-filled journey.

A Giant-Sized Short Story

NEW from the author of Power Plays, Shinobi, Time Savers, and other popular comics

Baruch and Shimi discover “the ing”— a mysterious device that’s more powerful than any technology they’ve ever seen. But someone else is after the ing, and there’s nothing he won’t do to get his hands on it!

Danger in Seville

In the middle of the twins’ birthday party on Chanukah, there’s a knock at the door. Did someone inform on the Del-Medala family? Will they manage to escape? A thrilling comic set in the Spanish Inquisition.

Zemel and Avremel

Discover America

e latest volume in the popular Zundel of Chelm series.

Turn back the clock and travel along with Avremel and Zemel as they leave Poland, begin a new life in old-time America, and learn to be loyal to Torah and mitzvos –despite the challenges they face.

A charming comic, sprinkled with humor and wisdom.

Just Imagine!

We Beat the Greeks

e Bestselling Chanukah Classic!

An original, fascinating rendition of the miraculous story of Chanukah

Celebrate Chanukah with Kisharon

Chanukah Cookie set with ingredients, cookie cutters and a few surprises added in and a candle and matches set.

From brainstorming to securing sales this project has been a busy and meaning ful creation process.

Learning and Development Lead, Aviva Braunold said: “It has been inspiring to see how the people we support have been working hard to produce these wonderful Chanukah gift sets. As part of the project they have been learning about food safety and hygiene rules, weighing out ingredi ents and labelling packages, measuring and documenting stock, emailing the E-Commerce and Fulfilment Manager and working as a team, as well as completing easy-read timesheets in order to get paid for their work.”

Chanukah is around the corner and The Kisharon Gift and Homeware Store, EQUAL, is fully stocked ready for this ex citing chag.

A selection of special gifts for family, friends, teachers or a work colleague are available.

People Kisharon support have been working hard on producing Chanukah gift packs for this project from concept to fruition. Available are a Bake-your-own

The Riffkin Brothers Movember Moustaches for Chai

Aviva added: “Everyone felt a sense of achievement. Thanks to the Kisharon social enterprise outlet they have been given an equal opportunity to thrive whilst being engaged in this meaningful project.”

Gift set prices: Chanukah cookie recipe gift set - £8; Chanukah candle and matches gift set - £5; Chanukah Magnet art set - £5 Giftware is available in store and online. Popular items include Estella Bartlett purs es and jewellery boxes and vases and bowls from one of Scandinavia’s leading interior brands, Broste Copenhagen. Dishes for doughnuts, latkes and cookies. Profits from EQUAL sales go to Kisharon services.

Mirvis at Yavneh Boys

Every November, men across the world are encouraged to grow a moustache to help raise awareness about men’s health including testicular and prostate cancer. This November, brothers, Zac and Josh

Riffkin abandoned their razors in favour of growing their best moustaches in aid of Chai. They said: “£2,131 raised and it couldn’t go to a more fan-tashe-tic cause! Thank you again Chai for all your work.”

Central Chanukah activities

Over 250 people attended the official inau guration of the Alan and Caroline Howard Cultural Centre at Central Synagogue last Shabbat.

Congregants enjoyed a choral morning service and bumper kiddush.

A pre-Chanukah concert at the syna gogue features Chazan Steven Leas and the London Jewish Male Choir on Sunday. Events for adults and children over the

Chanukah period include a Women’s lunch club event on December 14th, Spirit of Chanukah celebration on December 16th, Chanukah evening at the British Li brary on December 20th and Rabbi Lerer’s lunch ‘n’ learn Chanukah shiur on Decem ber 21st.

The next kiddush talk will be given by Theresa Villiers MP on January 14th 2023.

Contact: Bookings@centralsynagogue.com

Working hard on the Chanukah product project

Chief Rabbi Ephraim

Shacharis minyan in Manchester. He addressed the boys and spoke about growing up in South Africa.

PHOTO: LAWRENCE PURCELL

Chief Rabbi Mirvis being called up Thursday at KD Yavneh Boys

Zac and Josh Riffkin

JFS students enjoy AJEX talk Mill Hill East’s rabbinic couple

AJEX archivist Martin Sugarman gave an il lustrated talk to a JFS 6th form group.

Twenty pupils attended a seminar on Jews fighting back for UK and Commonwealth forces in World War I and II and resistance during the Holocaust.

Head Boy, Edgar Santos, who is part of the JFS Combined Cadet Force, initiated the talk.

Martin commented: “I was delighted to share details on such an important subject and look forward to returning next year to further educate pupils on important parts of Jewish history.”

Board legacy project

The Board of Deputies has formed a Legacy Board for Holocaust remembrance.

A board will be displayed at synagogues, Jewish secondary schools, youth groups and communal organisations as a symbolic

Year 12 pupil Scott said: “Learning about the role of Jews who served in the British Armed Forces was fascinating. Hearing sto ries about those who risked their lives to fight for their country was inspiring and made me feel proud to be Jewish.”

Head Boy Edgar added: “It was a wonderful talk. We were all blown away by the stories told and Martin’s vast knowledge on the topics.”

Martin was assisted by AJEX member and photographer Stan Kaye who also spoke to pupils.

reminder about the Shoah for future from generations.

Yom Hashoah will be marked annually. Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl said: “The Holocaust is our greatest tragedy. The project is crucial to ensure the memory of the Holocaust is observed.”

GIFT inspires JFS pupils

Sixty JFS year 12 students have started an 18-week volunteering initia tive across multiple GIFT projects to learn about charity development.

Pupils attend ed Norwood care homes in Hendon and Edgware to help vulnerable residents decorate their flats for Cha nukah this week. They had the op portunity of getting to know residents and observe dayto-day routines whilst colouring, cutting and hang ing Chanukah decorations together.

Barry Colman, Secondary Schools Man ager, welcomed the programme.

“It’s wonderful to see students giving of themselves whilst interacting with vulner able members of our community,” he said.

Dov Richman, Norwood’s Cultural Ad visor commented: “Our residents were so excited for the students to come. It was the highlight of their day. This activity enabled students to bond with residents and create a memorable giving experience.”

Incorporating kindness into one’s daily

life is an integral part of GIFT’s mission.

Bat Mitzvah girl Tehilla Hirsch col lected toiletries for families supported by GIFT. With help from the charity, she arranged for her collection to go out to the families along with their weekly food parcels.

Tehilla’s mother said: “I am thrilled that Tehilla got to do this. GIFT has helped bring so much light to peo ple’s lives.”

Another Bat Mitz vah initiative, in spired and run by GIFT’s Israel Coordinator, Hannah Cohn, saw a group of young girls engage in a cre ative act of kindness at a young girl’s Bat Mitzvah in Jerusalem.

Hodaya’s family, originally from the Unit ed States and now living in Israel, want ed to integrate a meaningful activity into the event. Guests made colourful beaded bracelets for girls in children’s care homes to be donated before Chanukah.

GIFT offers various opportunities when it comes to volunteering.

Details: volunteer@jgift.org

Mill Hill East Jewish Community have an nounced the appointment of Rabbi Jack and Rebbetzen Rivka Cohen as their new rabbinic couple.

The Cohens were voted in by the com munity and are expected to take up their new roles in February. They have two sons, Itzik and Yoni.

Rabbi and Rebbetzen Cohen said in a statement: “We are really looking forward to working with this vibrant and engaged community.”

Chloe Prager and James Neidle, MHEJC chairs, said in a statement: “Their ability

to provide inspiring, modern Jewish lead ership together with warm and sensitive pastoral support makes them an ideal cou ple to take us into its next chapter.”

Rabbi Jack, who is currently Associate Rabbi at Hampstead United Synagogue, studied in Yeshivat Har Etzion and received Smicha from Rabbi Yosef Tzvi Rimon on the Mizrachi Musmachim programme.

Rivka is a software developer at Enter tainment Partners. She studied Maths and Philosophy at King’s College London, and attended Nishmat and Midreshet Moriah Seminaries.

JFS Pupils with AJEX Archivist Martin Sugarman

Rabbi Jack and Rebbetzen Rivka Cohen with their children

PHOTO: STAN KAYE

Bat Mitzvah girl Tehilla Hirsch

by Rabbi A. Leib Scheinbaum

Reb Shloime Yeshaya Lipschitz Edition

A Road Map for Life Drawing upon the Wisdom of the Steipler Gaon

by Rabbi Yaakov Mordechai Greenwald

Rabbi Yaakov Mordechai Greenwald was a widely respected therapist, with strong personal relationships with many gedolei Yisrael. He was particularly close to the Steipler Gaon, Maran HaRav Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky zt”l, whose guidance strongly influenced his therapeutic approach to healing. Guiding With Wisdom offers us a powerful Torah-based perspective on healing and emotional and mental health, with many priceless insights from the Steipler.

by Rabbi Moshe Bamberger

This addition to the much-hailed “ Jewish….” series brings us powerful quotes on bitachon, with a brief explanatory com mentary, accompanied by spectacular photo graphs and images that bring these concepts to vivid life.

Mrs Leah Last o”h

Mrs Leah Last o”h was born to Moshe Yehuda Turner and Bluma (née Kosiner) in 1932 in Mother Levy’s Nursing Home (later to be called the Bearsted Memorial Hospital), Highbury, London. She was the younger sister to Reuven (Rudi) and Myer. Leah’s parents were from Germany, where her two brothers were born.

Her parents were visiting family in London when Leah was born, which turned the visit into a long-term stay. This enabled them to invite many relatives to England, by spon soring them and being their guarantors, thus saving them from the Holocaust.

Until she started school at the age of five, Leah spoke no English, as Yiddish was all she heard at home. She enjoyed a happy and carefree child hood and made many friends easily. This tranquil life came to an abrupt stop when Britain declared war on Nazi Germany for the invasion of Poland.

She would describe how everyone in England would be constantly listening to the radio for news of events. Once war broke out, the whole school was evacuated, so Leah and her brother Myer had to leave home. At the train station they were given a gas mask and a packet of nuts and raisins, whilst with tears, they waved goodbye to their parents and older brother, and were taken by train to a vil lage near Northampton, where a priest’s wife chose Leah and Myer to come and stay with them.

Schooling was soon restarted, and although there were only a handful of Jewish children there, they soon settled down happily. Having been warned before leaving London not to eat any non-kosher food products, they survived on a very meagre diet.

A few months into the evacuation Leah caught mumps, and was sent back to London together with Myer, where they were soon caught up in the London Blitz. There was a shelter in the garden, where they would sleep every night, until a cou ple of bombs blew up some houses near by. After that, family Turner sheltered in Manor House Underground Station, together with countless others, which seemed like fun during the day, as they could ride on the trains. But this soon turned to frighten them, as they slept on the cold hard ground, like sardines in a can, whilst hearing the bombs exploding above ground.

Bluma, Leah and Myer were then evacuated to Bradford and were allocated to live with a miner’s family. When he got

home and discovered they were Jewish, he had them moved away because he suspected them of being spies.

Meanwhile Leah’s brother Reuven found houses for them, and for several other families, to rent in Leeds. It was there that they formed a close bond with the Shotzer Rebbe, Rabbi Shulem Moskowitz zt”l and with Rav Elchonon Halpern zt”l, who was unmarried and in the UK without any family. In order to have Cholov Yisroel, Rav Halpern arranged to supervise the milking at a local dairy farm, and Leah would often be present.

At 16, Leah was one of the first girls to go to the Gateshead Girls’ Jewish Sem inary. Most of the other girls were from France and there were many camp survi vors, who had numbers tattooed on their arms. They would not talk about their experiences and were outwardly happy and cheerful girls. Leah admired them for still being able to smile after all their trials and tribulations.

She left Sem an elegant and charming young lady at the age of 18, and Leah got a secretarial job in a charitable organisation.

In 1953 a shidduch was suggested, a larger than life young man from Galicia, Poland - David (Weisel) Last, to a refined, gentle and modest young lady – Leah

Turner. What sparked her interest was that he was of good character, and very kind, especially to his parents and to the elderly. They met and later that year they were married at Hendon Adass Yisroel Shul – which at the time was just a portakabinby Rabbi Dr Solomon Schonfeld zt”l. David and Leah were an amazing devoted couple who complemented each other, and were rarely, if ever, seen apart over the next almost seven decades. They were regularly seen walking briskly together on Shabbos and Yom Tov mornings, from their home in Hendon, all the way across the bridge, to Beis Shmuel Beis Hamedrash (Reb Chuna’s) in Golders Green, always arriving before the start of davening. As was said at various Hespeidim, Shimon HaTzaddik declares in Pirkei Ovos that the world stands on three things: Al HaTorah V’al Ho-Avodah V’al Gemillas Chasodim. David and Leah built a home on these three foundations, never deviating, not even slightly drifting, from all they were taught or instructed by the many Rabbonim they were so close to. It was in such a home that their son and daughter were raised.

As David’s business grew and prospered, with Leah’s encour agement he would spend more and more time dedicated to learning Torah. He was also a renowned philanthropist; this too was with Leah’s full support. Together they would sit at the table to discuss the appropriate amount of the Tzedoko donation, and she would write out many of the cheques. Sometimes Leah would com ment that although David had allocated a very generous amount, she still felt it was not sufficient, and they both agreed to increase it. When David would come home after a long and tiring day in business, having first gone to Maariv and a shiur, they would often set supper aside in favour of answering the door to the Meshulochim.

Leah and David were beacons of Chesed, and a huge pillar of support to the Mishpocho, and to so many others, without any fanfare. They had a very close connection with all their extended family members, especially nephews and nieces, financially supporting many of them, who all felt the abundance of their genuine warmth, care, love and affection.

Leah was very particular about Hachnossas Orchim, and guests would often frequent the home. No matter who came to her door, from the loftiest Godol to a poor beggar, they were all welcomed and well received, and made to feel most comfortable. She spent many hours care fully indexing audio tapes of the entire shas to make it easier for her husband and others to find straight away.

Throughout her life, Leah was dedi cated to helping others. She was a close friend of Rebbetzen Halpern o”h, and she assisted her with all her needs. Her

son Reb Moishe Halpern Shlita includ ed in his Hesped the Hakorass Hatov that the entire family Halpern owe her. Leah was constantly busy helping other people, particularly by providing them with lifts for their medical appointments and for their shopping. Throughout it all, she always had a cheerful smile on her face, and had a friendly kind word for everyone. She never raised her voice, and had a very calm temperament. She left a lasting impression and was a role model to all who knew her.

Leah volunteered for many causes: as a dinner-lady at Menorah Primary School, which is fondly remembered 60 years later, as well as providing sewing lessons whilst her granddaughters were in the school. She was treasurer of Hasmonean Grammar School for Girls in the 70’s, and also of Bikur Cholim London committee for over 25 years. Bikur Cholim hospital in Jerusalem was especially important to her, and she proudly campaigned and dynamically raised funds to improve the facilities and welfare of its staff and pa tients. For many years Leah was involved with Emunah, and she also volunteered for Meals on Wheels, helping the vulner able and elderly in their daily lives, taking people to appointments or going shop ping for them. Leah herself was passion ate about nature cure and homeopathic remedies, advising countless people. She showed interest in everyone she met, and her actions spoke louder than words, never drawing attention to herself.

Leah had a huge heart, a great sense of humour, and a passion for art, music and especially family, from which she was zoche to derive great nachas. Never forgetting a birthday or anniversary, each child, grandchild and great-grandchild would receive a pretty artistic card and useful gift every year. She never missed any of the Chanukah shows, Siddur parties, or graduation ceremonies of her grandchildren and would enthusiastically photograph and applaud them.

Her Tefilloh was of paramount im portance to her, and without fail, she davened 3 times a day. To ensure nothing would disturb her Kavonoh and concen tration, she would take the phone off the hook, something that was only discov ered once the grandchildren were staying over. Indeed, from when she was a teen ager, Leah would daven quietly with great diligence and full concentration. This was clearly noticed by the ladies of Rabbi Ferber’s Shul in Dean St, in the West End of London, who remarked “This young girl is destined to be very special indeed!” After the Petirah of her husband, and with her encouragement, Leah’s grand son Rabbi Avi Wiesenfeld, then a Maggid Shiur, opened up a Yeshiva in her hus band’s name. A few months later, under his leadership, Yeshivas Beis Dovid in Yerushalayim was founded.

Together, David and Leah were very proud parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents, with all their grand children following in their footsteps al pi derech Yisroel saba.

Leah was always a source of positivity, a true Eishes Chayil, and with her regal manner, she touched the lives of so many. She is deeply missed by all who knew her.

Chanukah Gifts for Every

Dream On

Gila Arnold

See You

Riva Pomerantz

See You, by bestselling author Riva Pomerantz, is a compelling, mul tilayered story about redemption and resilience. Join Esther as she’s forced to tear apart the fabric of her life. Will she succeed in finding real meaning and happiness?

This engaging, humorous novel, filled with unusual twists and turns, will keep you riveted as its characters struggle to reconcile their pasts and move forward — because all it takes is just one match.

The

Truth or Dare

Truth or Dare is a powerful teen novel about the games people play to avoid facing the truth and the potential to change the rules. Join Raizy as she struggles to overcome her pain and find her place to belong — but only if you dare.

Never Alone

Luis is sent to a boarding school far from his home. But somebody is plotting against him. Anti-Semitic donors come to the dor mitory. And fighter planes are flying overhead.

Join Luis on his travels, and discover how every step of the way comes together to form a magnif icent story of Hashgacha Pratis

The Lost Island Y. Bromberg

When their ship is attacked, Tuvia is separated from his family. He’s rescued by Captain Alex, who is searching for a lost island filled with treasures. What secret is Captain Alex hiding? Will they find the lost island? And will Tuvia ever see his family again?

Find out in this spellbinding adventure.

Miriam Kreitman

Chavi Singer

The Golden Gate

Join Bracha, Sara, and Cousin Shoshi as they tour San Francisco, encounter Chinese gangs, and learn some intriguing family history in this captivating adventure, the third in the Rivkah Gross Academy series, now back in print!

Sukey Gross

Freidele Galya Soban Biniashvili

Just One Match

one on

Top Titles

Four Seasons with Madame Chamberlaine Tzipie Wolner

Once again, Tzipie Wolner has crafted a collection of actionpacked escapades that will brighten your day. The fourth book in the wildly popular Madame Chamberlaine series — magnifique!

AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL HEBREW BOOKSELLER DISTRIBUTE BY LEHMANNS www.lehmanns.co.uk info@lehmanns.co.uk The

B.Y.

Stuck

The Feldman twins can’t stop bickering. And it’s making life miserable for everyone around them. What will it take for the boys to declare a truce? Something no one ever expected!

Easy as Pie

Menucha Fuchs

Who Wears a Yarmulke? C.B. Lieber

The Baker’s Dozen #17 No Room for Bakers!

Miriam Zakon and Emmy Zitter When Chanukah arrives, the Bakers learn about sharing and understanding, and experience their own miracle in the Baker’s Dozen grand finale!

The B.Y. Times #17 Starting Over

Leah Klein

Two great new editions of your favorite series.

In this delightful board book, join Yudi as he searches for just the right spot to put his yarmulke.

An original and engaging story that will equip children with tools to handle unexpected challenges. Written by professional educators, with lively illustrations by talented illustrator Sarah Zee, this book offers a powerful message in an entertaining way.

There’s a Frog on My Stage! Chaya Kramer and Sarah Massry, MSED

Dishy Schiffman

Rafi Rooster

Chaya Esther Chafeitz

When the Cohens agree to foster a troubled boy, they don’t know what they’re in for. Twelve-year-old Ezra turns out to be helpful and good-natured. But why has he been stealing? A tale about trust, courage, and friendship.

ASK THE RABBI

Looking for answers? Send your question to Rabbi@RabbiSchochet.com

CHANUKAH – THEN & NOW

Dear Rabbi

I am a teacher in a Jewish secondary school in New York. I’m an avid reader of your column online and I hope you don’t mind if I reach out to ask for some inspiration. I am expected to give a talk at a joint school event next week, about Chanukah. I will be addressing the graduating classes of three schools and I want to give them a meaningful message to take away with them. I know it might be a chutzpah but if you could share something with me in your column, then all your readers can benefit as well. Here’s hop ing.

Fiona Dear Fiona

It can never hurt to ask, right? Here is my ultimate Chanukah message: Inasmuch as we light our candles to remember the miracle of the Menorah in the Chanukah story, Jewish law stipulates that we light it from when the sun starts to set. This is in direct contrast to the way the original candles were lit on the Menorah in the Temple –specifically by day! Furthermore, in the Temple all the candles were lit each time, while we add another candle every night. Why the discrepancy?

What is a candle? You are a candle. Think about it. A candle is a ball of wax with a fire burn ing at the top. You are a body and your soul is the fire at the top. “The soul of man is the fire of G-d,” says the verse.

Some candles burn bright while others wax and wane at

risk of being blown out. Some people, their souls are on fire; they shine bright; they are like the sun in the middle of the day. Other people, their souls may be switched off; for one reason or another they walk in darkness; they are like the thick black in the middle of the night.

Think about planets. Mercury is very hot because it is so close to the sun. Pluto is very cold because it is so far from the sun. There may be those who are Mercury Jews – always so close to G-d, so switched on, always so hot and passionate about their faith. Like the planet, they are close to the essence of light, so their lives shine bright and radiant with spiritual luminescence.

And there are Pluto Jews – those who stumble, who struggle, who grapple with coldness and apathy in their Jewish lives. They’re so far from the light; they find themselves at a distance hence they walk in darkness.

For the most part, most Jews are neither Mercury nor Pluto. We walk planet earth – some where in between. We have both hot and cold moments as part of our living reality. We are neither bright as day nor dark as night. In fact we are much like the sunset – not always shining bright – not necessarily walking in darkness. We are fluctu ating Jews – navigating both experiences.

I look at the Chanukah candle – and I see myself – a body and a soul. I am lighting specifically at sunset and I recognise the reality that I am a sunset Jew – the struggle between light and dark. But in those darker

moments; during those times of struggle, how do I get myself to shine a little brighter? How do I fire up my soul? I consider the reality that these candles are lit purposefully in increasing order. If I want to light up my life I have to add a little light every day. I don’t light all eight at once – I’m not at that level. Just a little bit of light, one good deed, daily gestures that add meaning and splendour into my existence.

That’s the essence of Judaism in our world today. It’s not about quantum leaps – it’s about baby steps. It’s not about going from 0 -60 in under five seconds. You do that and you’ll just burn out. It’s about growing gradually and resolutely. It’s not about big bursts of light - lighting eight candles all at once. It’s about adding another flame day by day.

In Temple times, Jewish life was bright as day. So the Menorah was lit by day. Every one was engaged, involved, enthused, energised, Jewish life was all about all the candles. But today it’s altogether different. Two thousand years of trial and tribulation, the pervading darkness overwhelms. But we light the Chanukah candles to remind us, not to despair. We may vacillate between extremes in our lives – we may be sunset Jews – we may indeed struggle with darkness in our lives. But don’t let that define you. Don’t give up on yourself.

You’re more than just a ball of wax. You have a spark within as well, and it’s waiting to be unleashed. The starting point – light a candle today. Do something meaningful, however trivial you perceive it to be. Then

tomorrow do it again and add something more. That’s the way we light up our lives – that’s the way we light up our world. That’s

the way we will merit, as in the days of Chanukah to be able to light the ultimate Menorah once more, forever more.

Follow Rabbi Schochet at: RabbiSchochet.com Twitter: @RabbiYYS Facebook: facebook.com/Rabbiyys.

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Torah from Israel Jews, Greeks and Christians

BY RABBI MOSHE TARAGIN

Many Jews who were raised in Christian countries developed a strong distaste for the holiday of Christmas. We suf fered through the month of December, which was drenched in holiday song and imagery, struggling to insulate ourselves against this cultural barrage. We vigilantly turned our televisions sets away from holiday programming, tuned out holiday-themed commercials, and avoided listening to Christmas carols. The holiday celebrations were a painful part of growing up Jewish in Christian lands, and the last weeks of December became a period we all grinned and beared.

Our visceral aversion to this day was based on many factors. Firstly, this day, more than any other Christian holiday, accentuated the most heretical aspect of Christianity, namely, the belief in a physi cal child of infinite and non-physical god. For centuries we bravely defended pure monotheism, flatly denying any physical association with Hashem, often paying the ultimate price for our conviction. As sociating anything human with Hashem is a terrible corruption of our belief.

Historically, this day was also associ ated with violent and cruel antisemitic attacks. On this day, an annual vitriolic sermon from the local pastor would, inevitably, incite vicious and brutal pogroms against the local Jewish com munity. The situation was so dreadful that Torah study and public prayer were banned on this day, so that Jews would not be murdered on their way home from the Beit midrash or from shul. Infamous ly, this night was referred to as “nittel nacht” or the night devoid of Torah study.

All these factors left a very bitter taste in our mouths. To be courteous to our gen tile neighbors, we wished them a generic “Happy Holidays” instead of uttering the actual word Christmas. We were even taught to refer to the day as X-mas, to avoid directly mentioning this unpleasant holiday.

Additionally, we were offended by the juxtaposition between this Christian holiday and our own celebration of Chanukah, which usually occur in the same month. We were always delighted to witness public Chanukah displays, but, just the same, we were dismayed to observe public chanukiyot sitting in dis play windows alongside holiday trees. We all grew up with a strong distaste for this Christian holiday, and we tried to buffer it from our Chanukah celebration.

Ironically, there is a hidden historical link between Chanukah and the rise of Christianity, a relationship which reframes our view of Christianity.

THE GREAT REVOLUTION

In 1263 when Judaism was put on trial in Barcelona, the Ramban valiantly defend ed it against its alleged crimes against Christianity. Though the Ramban elo quently represented Judaism, our religion was found guilty as accused. Of course, the verdict was “in” well before the trial began. Fearing for his life, the Ramban eventually fled for his life to a safe haven in Israel. It was a very dark moment in the history of Jewish Christian relations.

To raise the morale of his dispirited Jewish community, the Ramban penned a pamphlet entitled Torat Hashem Tem imah in which he observed an interesting religious impact of Christianity.

Historically, Christianity was tragic calamity, as it committed so many bloody and heinous crimes against the Jewish people. However, ideologically and reli giously, Christianity contributed to the great advance of monotheism.

Initially, the Jewish nation was tasked with spreading monotheism and morality across the planet. Had we remained in our homeland, we would have been the sole architects of this grand educational project. Our model for a religious life of prosperity and spirituality would have inspired an entire world to a G-dly life style. It was not to be, as we failed, were evicted into exile, and watched, as history shifted gears. Cast aside by history, we were no longer capable of solely and independently spreading the knowledge of G-d. There would be other forces driving the conversion of our world into monotheism. By adopting monotheism, Christianity became part of this revolu tion of religious consciousness.

THE GREAT ESCAPE

Prior to this revolution, humanity was trapped in a murky underworld of pagan ism and black magic. People assumed the presence of multiple warring gods who battled over control of our planet. These human-like gods were, unsurpris ingly, very similar to humans, flawed and sinful. They were also angry gods who toyed with their human playthings for recreation.

A world which was subject to the whims of capricious gods would always be random, and could never be organ ized through logic nor mapped through

science. Additionally, labouring under the tyranny of decadent gods, humanity had absolutely no incentive for moral behavior. In this dark and violent world, the concept of a compassionate “one” G-d remained distant.

Christianity shifted much of this chaotic world away from its pagan clutter and closer to monotheism. Emerging from Judaism, adopting and adapting the Bible, Christianity embraced core Jewish values such as charity, forgiveness, sanc tity of life, morality and the dignity of the human condition. Most of all, it asserted a one G-d who was responsible for all creation.

Unfortunately, while these ideas were lifted from Judaism, they were also corrupted, and no corruption was more offensive than the repelling notion that a non-physical Hashem could have a child. These corruptions were so severe that Christinaity lost most of its resemblance to Judaism. However, some of its core ideas remained monotheistic and this religion has participated in a religious revolution. Amidst the fury of medieval antisemitism, the Ramban’s comments reminded us that Christinaity was partial ly responsible for delivering a more civil society, which believes in a one G-d who cares about his creatures and who gifted them with the tools of science to improve their condition.

WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH CHANUKAH?

The Chanukah story should not be shrunk into a series of isolated military battles between courageous Jewish heroes and militant Seleucid Greeks who banned religion and erected statues of Zeus in our Mikdash. The Chanukah battle was just a part of a larger cultural encounter between Athens and Yerusha layim spanning several generations. As the Greeks probed their world seeking universal truths, they had a gnawing sense that the road to religious truth ran through Yerushalayim. The Greek descendants of Yafet realized that they must return to the tents of Sheim to un cover prophecy. Science and philosophy weren’t sufficient to uncover the deeper truths of this world.

Part of this cultural encounter erupt ed into violence through attempts to Hellenize Judaism and desecrate our mikdash. We resisted and fearlessly defended our land, our mikdash and our religion. However, the cultural tides of this encounter between Athens and

Yerushalayim flowed both ways. Many Jewish values backwashed to Greece, effectively creating Hebreacized Greeks who adopted numerous Jewish values and practices and possessed mono theistic leanings and sympathies. The Septuagint or the Greek translation of the Bible, written during this era of cultural encounter, made Jewish ideas even more accessible to the Hebraicized Greeks who inhabited the Mediterranean basin.

CANDIDATES FOR CONVERSION

Two centuries later these Jewishly influenced Greeks who had already been sensitized to Judaism, formed receptive audiences for Christian values. Fortunately, Jews themselves resolutely rejected Christian ideas, but these values shifted the ancient world of Greece closer to true monotheism. The Chanukah victory increased the appeal of Judaism, inspiring Jewish sentiments in Greeks who would one day turn away from their pagan mess and inch closer to a world of monotheism and enlightened science.

During the al hanissim prayer we announce that G-d’s miracles made his presence more “kadosh” in our world.

The term “Kadosh” refers to G-d being different or transcendent. Chanukah reminded the world of a G-d who was different from this world and responsi ble for all of it. As the centuries passed more of humanity began to comprehend this- even in a corrupted form. Chanukah formed a major milestone in the advance of this brave new concept of G-d. Its rip ples were felt across the religious world.

The writer is a rabbi at Yeshivat Har Etzi on/Gush, a hesder yeshiva. He has smi cha 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.

From Loneliness to Oneness: The Endless Expansion of Self

BY RABBI SHMUEL REICHMAN

There is a wide spread problem that plagues humanity, leaving us lonely and disconnected. Many people live their lives in a state of ego — a state of mind in which one views themselves as an isolated being inside their own body; their own mind, their own world, alone and independent. The consequences of this state of mind are obvious: Since everyone else in the world is separate from us, we will feel disconnected from them; we will also likely feel the need to compete with them — to beat them — in order to gain self-worth, in order to convince ourselves that we’re good enough. This often means pushing others down just to feel like we’re better than them. We might even hate certain people or even go so far as to hurt them because they don’t make us feel good or perhaps because they challenge our own self-worth. But most of all, this state of consciousness leaves us lonely, abandoned, and empty. (This state of ego also makes us feel independent and separate from Hashem, resulting in the ultimate feeling of spiritual emptiness.) However, there is another option.

LIVING AS A SOUL

Rather than succumbing to separation and isolation, we can choose to live in a state of soul, a state of oneness. This means living with the understanding that, while we are each unique individuals, at our spiritual and existential core we are all one. At root, we are an interconnected self, a single consciousness, with a single soul. This is the concept of Klal Yisrael — a singular, unified self. The Rambam states that one who disconnects himself from the Jewish People has no portion in the World to Come (Ram bam, Mishneh Torah, Teshuvah 3:6.). This is intuitive, though. Klal Yisrael is one entity, a single body, a single self. If a leaf falls from a tree, it withers; if a finger is detached from its body, it dies. If you remove yourself from your source of existence, you cease to exist.

WE DON’T EXPERIENCE THIS

However, it is clear that most people do not experience this state of oneness. We do not naturally perceive ourselves as part of a cosmic self. In fact, the starting point of every person’s state is ego and selfishness. Research has shown that children perceive themselves as the center of the universe and believe that they are all that exists. It is only with time that they come to realize that they are but one of billions of people existing in this world, each with their own unique life experience and inner world. However, many people cease their existen tial and experiential growth at that point. They don’t expand further, breaking down the boundaries of consciousness, realizing that they aren’t an isolated being but are rather a part of a bigger whole. They live the

rest of their lives as an ego, alone, hollow inside. So, the question becomes: How do we break down the walls of our limited ego to expand our sense of self outwards? The key to this deep principle lies in under standing the gifts that the Jewish People donate toward the building of the Mishkan (Tabernacle).

THE PURPOSE OF GIFTS

The Torah describes the voluntary gifts that the Jewish People donate toward the build ing of the Mishkan (Tabernacle), the place where Hashem was most potently manifest in the physical world. The emphasis of these donations is their voluntary nature — Hashem commands Moshe to collect from Klal Yisrael “whatever their hearts inspire them to give.” Rashi explains that in addition to the required contribution (of machatzis ha’shekel), Hashem allowed them to give whatever they personally felt compelled to donate (Shemos 25:2). Why is this so? Why not specify a required amount? To answer this question, let us take a deeper look at the nature of giving.

WE ONLY LOVE OURSELVES

Rav Eliyahu Dessler explains that naturally, we only love ourselves (Michtav Me’Eli yahu, Kuntress HaChessed). This is not surprising, as each of us only experiences life from our own individual perspective. I can only know what I want, what I need, what I feel. It takes a lifetime of work to understand another person on this level and to be as committed to their needs as you are to your own. True love, however, is when someone else becomes an extension of your consciousness, when you feel their needs and hopes and dreams as strongly as you do your own.

The “love” that most people experience does not compare to this ideal. Just think about the way we throw the word “love” around. Someone might say “I love chick en,” but then turn around and say, “I love my wife.” Can these two experiences really be compared? When a person says they love chicken, do they really mean that they love chicken? Of course not! If they loved chicken, it wouldn’t be dead on their plate. What they actually mean is that they love the way chicken makes them feel. It’s them selves that they love. The problem, though, is that too often when people speak of love, they are referring to this same kind of love. More often than not, when we say we love someone, we really mean that we love how they make us feel. If this is true, then what is true love, and how can we create it?

TRUE LOVE

True love is absolute oneness. It’s when individual pieces connect in such a way that they create something transcendent, greater than the sum of the parts. The ideal is for man and wife to experience this oneness in their relationship. This ideal was modeled in the very creation of humanity: As the Midrash explains, Adam and Chavah were originally created as one androgynous

being, a physical manifestation of a deeper existential oneness. They were then broken apart and forced to rebuild that original oneness. The ideal and goal that we must learn from this is clear: each one of us must strive to build deep, existential oneness with our own life partner. Chazal add a layer of depth to this and explain that before a man and wife are born, they exist as a single neshamah. When they are born into this world, they are broken apart and exist as two distinct beings. The goal is to then travel the world in search of your soulmate, choose each other, and then rebuild that original oneness. Adam and Chavah are created as one before being split apart to model the oneness that we are striving toward as husband and wife. So, if at root we are one, but our natural experience in this world is twoness and multiplicity, then how do we both build and develop an awareness of this oneness?

HOW TO CREATE ONENESS

Rav Dessler explains that the mechanism for creating love and oneness is giving. The logic is as follows: We naturally love our selves. We also find, though, that parents love their children. Why is this? It’s because children are an extension of their parents. We love anything that has a piece of our selves in it, as we personally identify with it, seeing it as an extension of ourselves. This is why we find ourselves loving our ideas, our pets, and all the creative projects that we have spent countless hours working on. When we invest ourselves into something, we see a part of ourselves manifest within it, which naturally fosters our love for that object, person, or idea.

It’s interesting to observe that parents almost always love their children more than children love their parents. However, based on Rav Dessler’s explanation of love and giving, this makes perfect sense. Parents give an infinite amount of themselves to their children. Beyond just giving over their physical DNA, they devote endless time, energy, money, and care to their children. This is also why the Hebrew word for love is “ahavah.” The root of this word is “hav,” which means to give. Only when you give can you experience true love, true one ness. (At root, all oneness and connection already exists; we simply don’t experience it. The act of giving and expansion of self does not actually create connection; it reveals the deep oneness and connection that already exists at a root level, helping us become ever more aware of the true nature of reality. Thus, what we are, in fact, creating is a higher level of awareness.)

ONENESS OF THE MISHKAN: PARADIGM OF TRUE ONENESS

The theme of oneness is prevalent throughout the Mishkan. Rashi quotes the Midrash which says that the Menorah was not created by fusing separate pieces of gold together; rather, it was carved from a single block of gold (Shemos 25:31). This idea of oneness is prominent in many other

parts of the Mishkan as well. This is because the Mishkan (and Beis Hamikdash) is where the physical world connects to and fuses with the spiritual world. It is the focal point of Hashem’s connection to, and man ifestation within, this world. It is the place where all of Klal Yisrael come together to become one, first as a nation, and then with Hashem. The Menorah was created from a single block of gold, reflective of a much deeper idea. Just as the Menorah begins as a single block of gold before becoming manifest as branches and pieces, the Jewish People are a single soul at root expressed as a multitude of individuals.

CREATING A BOND OF ONENESS WITH HASHEM

The donation process of Klal Yisrael ex emplified this process of creating oneness and love. The Jewish People had to give of their own volition, to choose to donate their possessions to Hashem. This is because love and oneness can only be created and manifest through genuine giving. Hashem gave the Jewish People the opportunity to create a bond of oneness and love with Him. Only by giving themselves to Hashem — and recognizing Him as the source of their existence — could the Jewish People truly create this bond of love and oneness. It is therefore no coincidence that these do nations were directed toward the building of the Mishkan, the very center of oneness, and the place where the Jewish People would connect directly to Hashem. Think about your own life. Are you walled in? Are you afraid of being loved? Of loving others? Are you living as an ego or as a soul? Are you expanding outwards, giving your self to others, or are you isolating yourself, living empty and alone? Let us be inspired to give ourselves to others, to build genuine love, and to endlessly expand beyond our limited sense of self into true oneness with our family, our friends, all of Klal Yisrael, and ultimately, Hashem Himself.

Rabbi Shmuel Reichman is a bestselling author, international speaker, and the CEO of Self-Mastery Academy. He has lectured internationally on topics of Torah thought, Jewish medical ethics, psychology, and leadership. His bestselling book, The Journey to Your Ultimate Self, serves as an inspiring gateway into deeper Jewish thought. He is also a business, executive, and leadership coach, with a unique approach based on Torah values. After obtaining his BA from Yeshiva University, he received Semicha from Yeshiva University’s RIETS, a master’s degree in education from Azrieli Graduate School, and a master’s degree in Jewish Thought from Bernard Revel Graduate School. He then spent a year studying at Harvard as an Ivy Plus Scholar. He currently lives in Chicago with his wife and son where he is pursuing a PhD at the University of Chicago. To enjoy more of Rabbi Reichman’s content, to contact him, or to learn more about his services, visit his website: Shmuel Reichman.com

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Weekly Dvar Torah

FROM ERETZ YISRAEL

Morality in War

BY RABBI BINNY FREEDMAN

This week’s portion, Vayishlach, contains a fascinating detail, hidden in the larger than life story of Ya’akov’s encounter with Eisav.

The Torah tells us:

“Vayira Ya’akov me’od, vayeitzer lo.” “…Ya’akov was very afraid and he was distressed.” (Bereishit 32:8)

The Torah doesn’t waste words, so the question is: what is the difference between Ya’akov’s fear and distress?

Rashi (quoting the Midrash Tanchu ma) suggests that he was afraid in his upcoming battle with Eisav, he might be killed, and he was distressed lest he be forced to kill others. One might think that Ya’akov was a more passive individual, afraid of violence. But as the story unfolds it becomes clear that he is not averse to violence if need be.

The Siftei Chachamim (Rav Shabsai Bass; Amsterdam 1680) posits that Ya’akov was afraid he or his men might accidentally kill innocent bystanders, or

Eisav’s men who might not need to be killed. Referencing the Talmud (San hedrin 74a; and see Shulchan Arukh, Choshen Mishpat, 421:13) he points out that even when saving the life of some one being pursued by a rodef (someone intent on taking revenge for his acciden tally killed relative), if one can stop the pursuer by maiming him, one is actually not allowed to kill him and would be liable to capital punishment!

What is fascinating about this question, is that technically, since Ya’akov was afraid Eisav was coming to kill him, Juda ism is clear (Sanhedrin 72a) that “When someone is coming to kill you, you can kill him first”, and yet Ya’akov is still trying to avoid unnecessary force!

It follows that the dilemma here is not strategic, nor is it merely fear and anxiety; rather, Ya’akov is struggling with an ethical dilemma. And even if legally (halachically) one might be ‘covered’ in killing the enemy, Ya’akov is looking for the moral high ground.

There are two principles at play here. Self-defense on the one hand, meaning one actually has a responsibility to pro tect oneself (and in this case, one’s loved ones), which might mean killing some one (Eisav, and perhaps some or all of his men…), and ‘Thou shalt not murder’ on the other, expressing the inviolate sancti ty of human life and the imperative not to take another person’s life. But to uphold this principle and as a pacifist refuse to kill would mean violating the principle of the sanctity of one’s own life.

While Judaism and the Torah will tell us what choice to make in such circum stances, perhaps Ya’akov is teaching us

that we should at least struggle with the decision. I have vivid memories of the hours we spent in the officers’ course considering the dilemma of facing ‘RPG kids’ and the like (seven- and eightyear-olds trained by the PLO to fire anti-tank missiles). And I recall the base commander himself (Sha’ul Mofaz, who would later become the IDF Chief of Staff) sitting with us late into the night until every cadet agreed in principle that, faced with such a horrible scenario, and assuming no other choice, the correct thing to do was to fire on the child to protect and save one’s men. And intellec tually, until this day I have no problem justifying such actions. But that does not mean it should come easy. In fact, if a sol dier forced to act in such circumstances does not struggle, something is seriously wrong.

We as Jews, are meant to struggle, not only with what is right, but every bit as much with the impact of what that right course of action might mean.

Rabbi Binny Freedman is Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Orayta. He is a member of the Mizrachi Speakers Bureau (www.mizrachi. org/speakers).

Vayishlach Sidra Summary

nevertheless dislocates Yaakov’s hip. The ‘man’ then tells Yaakov that his name will later change to ‘Yisrael’ and blesses him.

3RD ALIYA (SHLISHI) – 32:31-33:5

Yaakov’s injury is the source of the pro hibition of eating the sciatic nerve of an animal. As Esav approaches, Yaakov bows to him seven times. Esav embraces and kisses Yaakov, and they both weep.

1ST ALIYA (KOHEN) – BEREISHIT 32:4-13

Yaakov sends angels to inform his broth er Esav that he is returning home, after decades away. Yaakov’s message offers Esav the chance to make peace, but also conveys Yaakov’s own strength (Rashi). The angels return, warning Yaakov that Esav is approaching with 400 men. Yaakov becomes afraid, divides his camp into two and prays to G-d for survival.

2ND ALIYA (LEVI) – 32:14-30

Yaakov sends copious gifts to Esav, hoping to appease him. That night, Yaakov’s family crosses over the Yabok stream. Yaakov is left alone. He is attacked by ‘a man’, identified by the Midrash as the min istering angel of Esav. They wrestle until dawn. The ‘man’, unable to defeat Yaakov,

4TH ALIYA (REVI’I) – 33:6-33:20

Each person in Yaakov’s family bows to Esav. Yaakov successfully urges Esav to accept the gifts that he had sent. Esav suggests that he and Yaakov travel to gether, but Yaakov politely declines. Esav departs for Seir and Yaakov departs for a place called Succot. Yaakov then travels to Shechem.

5TH

ALIYA

(CHAMISHI) – 34:1-35:11

Dinah is captured and violated by Shechem the son of Chamor, ruler of the town. Shechem falls in love with Dinah and asks his father to secure her as his wife, whilst still holding Dinah captive. Yaakov’s sons are outraged. Chamor speaks to them, suggesting that their two families unite in marriage, as well as

offering them trade and land prospects. Shechem offers a large dowry for Dinah. Yaakov’s sons trick Chamor and Shechem – they offer the Israelite girls only if all the town’s males are circumcised. Chamor and Shechem agree; all the men of the town circumcise themselves. Three days later, when they are in great pain, Shimon and Levi kill them all, take Dinah back and plunder the town. Yaakov rebukes them.

G-d appears to Yaakov, telling him to go back to Beit El, where he originally built an altar when escaping from Esav. As the angel had previously foretold, G-d changes Yaakov’s name to Yisrael. Point to Consider: Why did Yaakov rebuke Shimon and Levi? (see Rashi to 34:30)

6TH ALIYA (SHISHI) – 35:12-36:19

Rachel dies whilst giving birth to

Binyamin and is buried in Beit Lechem. After Rachel’s death, Reuven, Leah’s son, moves his father’s bed out of Bilhah’s tent and into Leah’s (Rashi). Yitzchak dies, aged 180. He is buried by Esav and Yaakov. Esav’s descendants are listed.

7TH ALIYA (SHEVI’I) – 36:20-36:43

The Torah lists eight Edomite kings and their origins.

HAFTARAH (HOSHEA 11:7-12:12)

The Haftarah, according to the general United Synagogue custom, is taken from the Book of Hoshea. The prophet refers to events in Yaakov’s life, including his struggle with the angel. Hoshea encour ages the people to learn from Yaakov’s responses to the spiritual challenges he faced, so that they can become worthy of being his descendants.

We as Jews, are meant to struggle, not only with what is right, but every bit as much with the impact of what that right course of action might mean.

“Thus Rachel died, and was buried on the road to Efrat, which is Bethlehem” (Bereishit 35:19)

BY GAV COHN

I want to discuss Yaakov’s struggle with the angel, as it is taken by some as a central motif for all of Judaism.

In the dead of night, Yaakov found himself alone. An anonymous angelic figure starts to wrestle with him. Eventu ally, Yaakov overpowers the angel and, suffering only a blow to his thigh, emerg es victorious.

Rabbi Joseph B Soloveitchik uses Yaak ov’s mysterious battle to explain what keeping Jewish law is all about. He writes how each of us is locked in a private wrestling match between our observance and our body’s temptations. When we stay committed to halacha, overcoming our desires, we are truly heroic. Leading a devout life, for Rabbi Soloveitchik, is a personal, private achievement, a battle won inside of ourselves. In a way, this is a highly individualistic way of looking at Judaism.

Other thinkers have also shared an in dividualistic worldview. For the Rambam perhaps, Judaism’s primary aim is for each of us to perfect ourselves as individ uals. Communal living and the practical mitzvot are only tools to help each of us perfect our characters and intellects. Essentially, we, like Yaakov, stand alone in our journey to encounter G-d.

However, there is contrasting school of thought. It views Judaism as focused more on perfecting the whole world. The mitzvot push us to live in a group, connect with others, and partake of physical pleasures in the best possible way. Judaism is not so much about our inner worlds as individuals, but about the outside one, actively engaging in practi cal ethics, wider society, and physicality (Sefer haChinuch, R’ Hirsch).

This second understanding is also reflected in Yaakov’s meeting with the angel. True, this was one of the most personal experiences recounted in the Torah. Yaakov encountered a divine be ing all alone. Yet the Torah concludes the story with a most remarkable postscript: “Until today, the Jewish People do not eat the displaced tendon on the socket of the hip of an animal, because in that place the angel struck Yaakov.”

The individualistic and spiritual drama of Yaakov was transformed into a prac tical and collective mitzvah, accepted by all his descendants. Yaakov’s most private, otherworldly experience was commemorated in the most physical and communal way possible, uniting as a group to remember it with every meaty meal.

Judaism does value each individual and their inner personality. But it is also focused on making us look beyond ourselves, pushing us to engage in life around us.

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Va yishlach

Yaakov is on his way to see his brother Esav for the first time since he tried to kill Yaakov. Has he forgiven Yaakov? Will he still try to kill him?

So Yaakov sends messengers ahead to Seir where Esav lives. They spot Esav and 400 soldiers heading straight at them! Quickly the messengers return to Yaakov with the dreaded news. "Soldiers... weapons... that means war!" declares Yaakov. Yakov prays hard, splits up his family and prepares gifts to Esav: gold, silver and jewels, plus over 200 goats, camels, cows, bulls and donkeys. He orders his servants not to give them to Esav all at once, but to spread them out so they look more.

In the evening, just before he is going to meet Eisav, Yaakov realises he has left a couple of jars on the other side of the river. Being a true tzadik, everything is meaningful and important to him, so he goes back for them.

On the other side, a strange man attacks him. All night they fight, locked arm in arm. The sun begins to rise and in desperation, the stranger dislocates Yaakov's hip. Now Yaakov is left limping, but still he will not loosen his grip on the stranger. Now the stranger begins to panic! He begs Yaakov to let go. But before Yaakov will release him, he wants to know why, and who this stranger is. Turns out he is the guradian angel of Eisav who was trying to kill Yaakov. Instead, Hashem proves that He will always protect Yaakov. Yaakov forces the angel to bless him and the angel admits that the brochos do

belong to Yakov.

As the sun rises, Yaakov sees Esav and his army approaching. As Esav comes up to him, Yaakov bows before him seven times. This makes Esav calm down. He runs up to Yaakov with thirty years worth of hugs and kisses.

Yaakov goes to Shechem and Eisav goes to Seir where he wins lots of wars just as Yitzchok blessed him. But in all the excitement there is one thing that Yaakov has forgotten. Remember what Yaakov promised he'd do for Hashem if he came back safely to Israel? Not another step, Yaakov! Hashem orders him to make a u-turn and head back to Bait Ail to offer those very Korbanot he promised so long ago.

While in Bait Ail, Devora, Yaakov's mother's nurse dies. Yaakov buries her under a large tree in Bait Ail. But Yaakov soon receives another piece of bad news! His mother, Rivka, has died at the age of 121. Hashem uses this moment to comfort Yaakov with a promise that he will have many children who will own the land of Canaan.

Yaakov and his family head toward Chevron where his father, Yitzchok, lives. Along the way, near Bait Lechem, Rachel gives birth to her second son, Binyamin but she dies at the same time!! Yaakov buries Rachel right then and there. Even today, Jews pray to Hashem at this very spot…

Yaakov and Yitzchok finally see each other again but what adventures await them in Israel? See you next week.

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England face France in ‘Saturday night’ showdown

BY DAVID SAFFER

Millions of football fans will be glued to television screens on Saturday night when England take on France for a place in the World Cup semi-finals next week.

Gareth Southgate’s Lions go into a highly anticipated showdown with optimism after seeing off Senegal at the Al Bayt Stadium in the last-16 of the tournament.

England won 3-0 but more importantly played with a swagger that suggests they are ready for what will be the sternest of tests against the defending champions.

French superstar Kylian Mbappe, who scored twice in an impressive 3-1 win over Poland, will be a threat as will Olivier Gir oud who is now France’s all-time leading men’s goalscorer. But England showed enough skill and scoring power against Senegal to suggest they can prevail.

Most pundits predicted England would reach this stage but no further. Confidence though is growing that Southgate et al can go all the way and join the Boys of 66 but whisper it quietly!

After keeper Jordan Pickford produced a stunning save, teenager Jude Belligham

set up Jordan Henderson for the opening goal on 39 minutes against Senegal before breaking clear and combining with Phil Foden for Harry Kane’s first goal of the competition. England’s skipper is one goal from moving alongside Wayne Rooney’s record goal haul of 53 goals.

Foden crossed for Bakayo Saka to seal a fine victory just before the hour.

The 2022 Qatar World Cup has seen extraordinary goals, shocks and plenty of talking points.

And last-16 clashes did not disappoint with Morocco’s historic penalty shootout victory over 2010 winners Spain following a 0-0 draw after extra time arguably the standout result.

Achraf Hakimi’s ‘Panenka’ spot kick claimed a 3-0 victory after Yassine Bounou saved two Spanish efforts. The north Afri can nation take on Portugal in their first ever quarter-final match.

Fernando Santos sensationally dropped star striker Cristiano Ronaldo against Switzerland and his daring decision was rewarded with 21-year-old Benfica forward Goncalo Ramos on his full debut scoring a brilliant hat-trick in a sensational 6-1 win.

Ronaldo may yet grab headlines from the bench but his days leading the line for Por tugal are all but over as a new generation of players emerges including substitute Rafael Leao who fired home the sixth goal.

Ronaldo’s great rival Lionel Messi, mean time, inspired Argentina to a 2-1 triumph over Australia with a superb opening goal of an intriguing clash but they face a chal lenge in the last eight of the competition against The Netherlands who eased to a 3-1 win over the United States.

Memphis Depay scored the pick of the goals following a 21-pass move in the first half.

Pre-tournament favourites Brazil are chasing a sixth title and brushed aside South Korea 4-1 in a stunning performance.

Tite’s side put on a spectacular show in the first half scoring four goals in 29 min utes. And he gave third choice keeper Wev erton a run out to ensure every member of his squad has played a part.

In an eye-catching performance Vinicius Jr scored with aplomb from Raphinha’s cross after seven minutes before Neymar slotted in a penalty. Back from injury, Neymar’s 76th goal for Brazil puts him one

behind Pele’s all-time record.

Richarlison then joined the party, head ing the ball three times before combin ing with Marquinhos and Thiago Silva to score one of the great World Cup goals of all time. Tottenham’s striker also scored a wondergoal against Serbia in the group games. Lucas Paqueta notched the fourth on a memorable night for the Brazilians who displayed their samba brilliance to the watching world.

Croatia who came through a penalty shoot-out against Japan 3-1 after a 1-1 draw.

The winners of Croatia vs Brazil and Netherlands vs Argentina on Friday meet on Tuesday for a place in the final. Victors of Morocco vs Portugal and England vs France meet on Wednesday.

All four matches offer intriguing match ups next week. With four former World Cup winners, two finalists and two Euro champions involved the semi-finals will be heavyweight affairs before the final. Off the field controversies labelled against Qatar 2022 will not be forgotten but an exciting few days now awaits football followers around the world.

Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe are set for a Saturday night showdown

PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK

LSJS Education Page

No

BY YVONNE BARON

One of the highlights and privileges of headship is the opportunity to develop and nurture your teachers and staff. When I became a headteacher and no longer had a class of my own, my staff team became my class. In the same way that a teacher is continually looking for ways to help their pupils be the best that they can be, a headteacher is contin ually looking for ways to help their staff be the best that they can be.

Teachers (and support staff) are the most important resource in any school. The quality of pupils’ learning and achievement will depend on the quality and commitment of their teachers. Even more than that, the quality of pupils’ overall school experience will depend on the care and dedication of their teach ers. A school can only be as good as the teachers that work there and as a Head teacher I knew that success is all about

growing others in your team at every level.

As a community we are extremely fortunate to have fantastic teachers, many of which qualified via the different routes at LSJS, and access to a wealth of devel opment opportunities. From my experi ence, when teachers join the profession they have the potential to become great teachers and are keen to do so. They are passionate lifelong learners, do their best based on what they know, are eager to learn from others and are receptive to

feedback so they can hone their skills and become better practitioners.

There is a huge range of professional development opportunities on offer to teachers. From courses to in house training sessions, coaching, networking and collaborative projects. Good practice is shared in abundance through books, blogs, online videos and social media sites. Often the best nuggets are the ones staff pick up from their colleagues, the teacher next door and the ad hoc conver sations in the staff room.

I often bump into past pupils that I taught and love to hear about what they are up to, most are now grown up and some have even become teachers themselves! When I bump into staff that I worked with as a headteacher I also love to hear what they are up to and I also feel an immense sense of pride as I hear about their professional successes and how they have developed over the years. Many I knew as unqualified or newly qualified teachers and are now leaders in the schools they are working in. They always thank me for the experiences and opportunities they had when I was their headteacher. In reality, I may have created or signposted these opportunities for them but it is the teachers themselves that grabbed them, responded to them and grew from them because like their pupils, they are life long learners striving to be the best they can be.

Yvonne Baron, Education Consultant and Founding Headteacher of Etz Chaim Jewish Primary School

Jill Redhouse

Sacks Morasha

BY POPULAR SPEAKER AND COLUMNIST DEVORIE KREIMAN

The Greatest Loss. The Way Forward. A Mother's Story. We were the family who lost half our children; over a ten-year period, four of our eight children died, as infants, from a rare mitochondrial disorder. After the babies died, I was sure that nothing terrible could happen to us ever again. Not to us... ...The comfort of these truths was there for me, if I was ready to accept it, but also—as I learned—"even if I’m not”… Even If I’m Not is the story of doing the impossible.

A Novel. For decades, the only way forward for Sima Hertzberg was to push all thoughts of her estranged brother out of her mind—and she was almost successful. Yet when a series of unconnected events puncture the bubble of her carefully constructed life, she is forced to revisit—and resolve—the haunting and formidable past. The Thirteenth Gate is a deeply moving story of faith, forgiveness, and family ties. It explores some hot-button issues facing our community, with insight, authenticity, and finesse. By Ester Zirkind, author of Where Is the Daughter I Raised?

In Building a Shul, readers are taken on an exciting tour of the whole shul-building process. From designing the blueprints to rolling in the excavator and cement trucks; from erecting the elevator shaft to waterproofing the basement; from framing the walls to installing the windows and doors; and everything in between—the construction site where this shul will one day stand is buzzing with activity, and you’re invited to watch it all from up close! So put on your hard hat, step over those pipes and ducts—careful with the spray foam over there!— and come along!

A Novel. In Wall of Fire, another soul-stirring master piece by beloved author Meir Uri Gottesman, eightyyear-old Leibel Stretiner has a cataract operation and is given new lenses. Unbeknownst to him, though, these lenses were ground by a Jerusalem tzaddik, which makes them very atypical. To Leibel’s shock and dismay, he suddenly finds, upon entering shul af ter his surgery, that he can now read the aveiros that everyone has done, inscribed right on their foreheads! And this is just the beginning… For all of the many Rabbi Juravel fans who loved listening to this story on CD, now you can read and

the story even

in comic-book form, while learning important hilchos Shabbos at the same time—just as with Falsely Accused and Shugashvili’s Secret!

By Simmy Horwitz

GEMS FROM THE NESIVOS SHALOM: SHOVAVIM Nesivos Sholom. One of the most widely celebrated volumes on Jewish thought in recent history. For the first time ever, this modern-day classic is now accessible in the English language. With the release of the eighteenth volume - focusing on the messages and lessons of Shovavim - the English-speaking public can discover what it is about Nesivos Sholom that has captured the hearts and minds of Jewish seekers worldwide. By Rabbi S. Binyomin Ginsberg

This beautiful English sefer covers many topics in halachah, all with the clear psakim of Rav Yisroel Belsky zt"l. The perfect "learn-with-your-family" sefer for your Shabbos and Yom Tov table.

A must-have, for all those with a true appreciation of halachah in general and of Rav Belsky's noted psakim in particular! Compiled by Rabbi Moishe Dovid Lebovits, Rabbinical Administrator KOF-K Kosher Supervision and author of the Halchically Speaking series

Short, inspiring thoughts and stories on the weekly Parshah and Yamim Tovim. A bolt of inspiration. A fascinating way of understanding the words of a pa suk. A beautiful story about a gadol, connecting to an event from the parshah. Glittering nuggets of Torah. That’s what Flashes of Torah is comprised of.

If you’re looking for a short but dazzling vort on the parshah, look no further than this book.True to its name, Flashes of Torah will provide you, in a flash, with magnificent and compelling divrei Torah to say over at the Shabbos table each week and on every Yom Tov. The beauty of each piece is in its brevity yet clarity. By Rabbi Ephraim Nisenbaum

Understanding the Wondrous Body, Meaning, Halachah, Lessons and Stories.

Acclaimed author Rabbi Moishe Dovid Lebovits of the Halachically Speaking series has produced a treasure trove of facts, insights, practical halachos, and stories about the miraculous workings of the human body and the wondrous brachah of Asher Yatzar. This book will fill you with a newfound appreciation of the gift of health and the tremendous power of Asher Yatzar. Never again will you recite this brachah the same way.

Current events within the process of the Geulah through the lens of Chazal. "Several years ago, shortly before publishing my first sefarim, entitled Keitz Meguleh, I had the zechus to bring a copy of the manuscript to Maran Rav Chaim Kanievsky zt"l Before I even handed it to Rav Chaim, he said to me, 'Ihr vaist az mir halt shoin bei der Keitz Megulah? Do you Know that we are already at the Keitz Megulah? '" -excerpt from Chapter 28, The End Illuminated. What exactly is the Keitz Megulah (lit. Revealed or Illuminated End) and what did Rav Chaim mean when he said that we're already "at the Keitz Megulah"? By

BIRCHOS KRIAS SHEMA—ALEINU. Stories on the Siddur to Bring Your Tefillos Alive. In this second volume, the tefillos of Birchos Krias Shema through Shemoneh Esrei, as well as the tefillos after Shemoneh Esrei, are explored and beautifully explained. As with Volume 1 of this highly-in-demand series, you’ll find yourself turning to Portraits of Prayer frequently as a way to connect to your tefillos...and to your Father in Heaven. By Rabbi Eliezer L. Abish

Rabbi Yisroel Moshe Sorotzkin

EXPERT ADVICE

Dear Jacob

Having worked as a mortgage broker in a local company for the last few years, I would now like to set up my own business providing mortgage broking services. Would you recommend starting out as an Appointed Representative or proceeding straight to direct authorisation?

Hi Aaron

Many new brokers choose to initially form their business as an Appointed Representative (AR), as this means their Principal Firm will take on the role of providing compliance oversight and support. Whilst your Principal Firm will require you to adhere to strict processes and rules, conversely, this will usually lead to less challenging requirements for you to complete yourself, such as obtaining Professional Indemnity Insurance (PII), submitting FCA reports, undertaking audits, etc. In return for their involve ment and oversight however, your Principal Firm will usually charge relatively high ongoing fees.

If you instead choose to immediately pursue becoming Directly Authorised (DA), you will have complete authority over your own activities and compliance oversight, but it will be your own responsibility to ensure you are complying with the FCA regula tions. You will therefore find that most DA firms require ongoing compliance support, meaning you need to consider this cost as well as other DA costs such as obtaining your own PII and paying your own FCA Fees, etc.

Finally, it is also important to note, that it is currently taking the FCA up to 12 months to process a mortgage broking DA application, at a cost of £2,500. In contrast it can take as little as 4 weeks with far lower initial fees, to become an AR.

At Richdale we specialise in supporting both new and established brokers on this journey, whether it be as their Principal Firm or by supporting them in becoming directly authorised, and providing all the necessary ongoing support thereafter.

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FAUDA MAN PUTS IN A SHIFT FOR MDA

Fauda hard-man and Israel TV superstar Lior Raz joined Magen David Adom UK this week for a series of events in London.

Over 300 people joined the charity across a reception, dinner and then breakfast to hear about the adventures of Israel’s most famous army commander and to find if the real life of Lior Raz bears any resemblance to the onscreen persona.

The guests were not disappointed as Raz, together with journalist and series co-writer Avi Issacharoff spoke about their own experiences in comparison with that of their star character, Doron Kabilio.

Speaking at the event, Lior Raz said, “Every

time you need someone, Magen David Adom is there for you and I think the spirit of the people who volunteer for Magen David Adom is very much the spirit of Israel.”

Magen David Adom UK Chief

Daniel Burger said, “Lior Raz is one of the celebrity stars of Israel and to hear him support our medics, paramedics and volunteers - genuine stars of Israel - shows just how important they are to Israeli society. Everyone depends on them to save lives - even the stars of Fauda!.

Yoni Yagadovsky, Director of International Relations at MDA Israel, provided an update from Israel at the events before going on to speak to audiences in Sheffield and Maidenhead.

Executive

MAGEN DAVID ADOM TECH STEALS THE SHOW AT NEC

In September, in a first for Magen David Adom, the organisation exhibited at the Emergency Services Show at the NEC in Birmingham.

MDA’s paramedics presented the latest in life-saving technology from Israel to buyers and industry professionals from the UK and around the world. The software, named MDANET, was well received as MDA’s stall was inundated with interest and enquiries.

MDANET is an end-to-end software that tracks the full process from the bystander or witness contacting Magen David Adom to the patient transfer at the hospital. It was designed by first responders themselves through a user-focused process. The software takes on board the

bureaucracy and on-the-ground issues that act as a barrier to provide emergency care. From discussions at the show it was found that other companies struggle integrating this form of software, making MDANET a viable option for many service providers.

Where other companies provide a solution to each individual aspect in a time-consuming manner, MDA incorporates it all at once. Cutting time and saving more lives.

The events raised £350,000 with the funds raised by the 180 guests at the Impromptu Committee Breakfast going specifically towards a new Kia Picanto First Response Vehicle in memory of MDA UK committee member Denise Israel who sadly passed away in 2019.

Guests Jennyfer Abergel and Eric Murciano with Lior Raz

Rahat Station supported by MDA UK Trekkers

Carter MDA Station in Tel Aviv

Andrew Waterman and family – Medicycle

ENTENTE CORDIALE RAISES £450K

In a fundraising first, Magen David Adom UK and Magen David Adom France co-hosted a gala dinner in November. The event was held at The Carlton Tower Jumeirah in Knightsbridge and saw over 250 members of London’s French-Jewish community in attendance.

The event was hosted by Eric Murciano and Jennyfer Abergel and sponsored by Goldman Sachs. Director General of Magen David Adom in Israel, Eli Bin addressed the audience before

musical entertainment from Enrico Macias & Amir and comedian Samuel Bambi. After an appeal by Ilan Klein, Director of the International Department at MDA Israel, in excess of £450,000 was donated to help save lives in Israel.

Speaking after the event, Victor Wintz, Director General of MDA France said, “It was incredible to collaborate with our British colleagues to reach a new audience and bring the lifesaving work of Magen David Adom to the French Jewish community in London. I am sure this entente cordiale will result in

BLOOMBERG HOSTS MDA CELEBRATION

On Thursday 29th September Bloomberg hosted a celebration of the work of Magen David Adom at its European headquarters in London.

The event was the latest in the long-standing relationship and collaboration between the global media company and Israel’s only national medical emergency and blood service. Most prominently, the Bloomberg name can be seen on the exterior of the Jerusalem MDA station, named after Michael Bloomberg’s late father, William.

The reception also saw the launch of photographer Jonathan Straight’s latest work, ‘DOORPOSTS’. The book showcases the work of the Bezalel Art College students who were shortlisted to have their mezuzah displayed on the recently opened MDA Marcus National Blood Services Centre in Ramla, Israel.

The competition gave up-and-coming artists, from diverse backgrounds, a platform to showcase their

work and for 3 of them, their designs used as mezuzot on MDA’s landmark building.

One of the winning mezuzot was designed by an Israel-Arab, Muhammad Saadi, who was able to attend the launch and speak to those present about what it meant to him to have his work displayed.

Straight’s book, DOORPOSTS, shows photographs of the artists and their mezuzot as well as providing an insight into their personal backgrounds.

Speaking after the event, Magen David Adom UK Chief Executive Daniel Burger, said, “The connection between Bloomberg and MDA is so important to our organisation. When Michael Bloomberg opened the Jerusalem station in his father’s memory he praised MDA’s ‘spirit of volunteerism and its unwavering commitment to treat all people equally regardless of race or religion’ – now, a decade later, that is being evidenced through the work of Muhammad Saadi. MDA is an organisation run by all Israelis,

TREKKING BACK TO ISRAEL

Our trekkers returned to Israel for the first time since 2019 and it was great to be back. En route the group spent a few days in Jordan, walking through the picturesque terrain and seeing the sights. Whilst there they also took the opportunity to see the medicines donated to the Jordanian Red Crescent in continuation with our collaboration with IHP and Anera.

many more partnerships in the future.”

Daniel Burger, Chief Executive of Magen David Adom UK said, “We were delighted to work with Jennyfer & Eric and thank MDA France for all their assistance. It was fantastic to reach a crowd of mainly new donors for Magen David Adom here in London. The response from the local French Jewish community has been outstanding and I hope we can repeat it again soon.”

serving all Israelis and, most importantly, saving more lives.”

Photographer Jonathan Straight and award-winning artist Muhammad Saadi

by Osnat Reichman from Bezalel Academy of Arts & Design, Jerusalem