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PURIM SAFETY GUIDELINES ISSUED IN UK AND ISRAEL

BY DAVID SAFFER Rabbanim, political figures and community leaders have released guidelines to celebrate Purim safely this year.

The Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregation has called on educational institutions not to send students or charity organisations out in groups of vans collecting for Purim. Donations should be given to teachers to minimise people on the streets whilst a seudah should be restricted to family members.

Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis has called on communities to safely celebrate and hear the Megillah at synagogues but if that is not possible then listen to a live online

Purim 2019. This year’s Purim celebrations will be very different to previous years

recital rather than a recording.

To fulfil the mitzvah of mishloach manot, people should leave a gift on doorsteps of a recipient while charity should be given online.

The United Synagogue, meantime, has delivered a range of programmes to enable members to celebrate Purim safely and in full.

‘Purim in a Box’ fulfils three of the four mitzvot of the festival. The US will arrange for Mishloach Manot to be sent. And the organisation will distribute Matanot Laevyonim (charity to help people in need) on behalf of anyone who wishes. All initiatives

are open to the wider community and US members.

In Israel, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Health Minister Yuli Edelstein and UTJ MK Moshe Gafni have agreed that synagogues can open with a maximum of 10 worshippers indoors, 20 outdoors or 50% capacity for people with ‘green’ passports who have recovered from coronavirus or been fully vaccinated.

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Staying safe on Purim Fauci scoops CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 other gatherings are banned. Restrictions are limited to gatherings, but there are no restrictions of movement on Purim.

US Director of Education, Rabbi Michael Laitner said, “Nearly 12 months on from the first national lockdown, many of us might find it more challenging to feel joyful. It will certainly be a different Purim to what we’ve known in the past. But to help us celebrate, our communities have been busy planning wonderful local programmes and to complement them.”

The London Beth Din was asked by the Rabbinical Council of the US for a ruling.

US guidance states, “Ordinarily, adults have an obligation to hear the megillah in person both in the evening and day of Purim. If you can hear a reading in shul or from somebody else whilst complying with government and US Covid regulations, or if you can read it yourself from a kosher scroll, then you should do so. If owing to Covid restrictions it is not possible, then you should listen to one of the live recitals we are broadcasting, rather than a recording.”

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Dayan Menachem Gelley added, “Given that Covid poses a grave threat to our health and is putting immense strain on the NHS, it goes without saying that all government health directives should be strictly adhered to.”

Next Thursday and Friday, members can join the US for a feast of Purim events online including a variety of live Megillah readings. Options include a Women’s reading, a fast reading, an explanatory reading and a family reading by Tribe. Other highlights include a Tribe Purim Adventure with Captain Calamity, a Purim musical extravaganza, cocktail making for young professionals and a presentation from Illusionist and TV’s Britain’s Got Talent Finalist, Josh Horus.

The US will be broadcasting events via its Facebook page and live on TheUS.tv.

Michael Goldstein, US President, congratulated the US team for its innovative programmes and commended Dayanim of the London Beth Din for working sensitively with the Rabbinical Council of the US to issue Purim guidance enabling members to fulfil halachic requirements in a safe and meaningful way.

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Dr Anthony Fauci has won a prestigious $1 million Dan David Prize for work in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic.

Fauci, who appeared on televised US presidential briefings with former US President Donald Trump, has been director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the US National Institutes of Health since 1984.

Fauci has advised seven presidents on domestic and global health issues. Renowned for his work on HIV, he helped George W. Bush launch the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief during his administration.

The awards committee said, “As the COVID-19 pandemic unravelled, (Fauci) leveraged his considerable communication skills to address people gripped by fear and anxiety and worked relentlessly to inform individuals in the United States and elsewhere about the public health measures essential for containing the pandemic’s spread. In addition, he has been widely praised for his courage in speaking truth to power in a highly charged political environment.”

Six other researchers shared two $1m prizes for contributions to health and medicine.

Alison Bashford, University, New South Wales in Sydney, Katharine Park, Harvard University and Keith Wailoo, Princeton University, shared a $1 million prize for studying the history of health and medicine.

Zelig Eshhar, Israel’s Weizmann Institute of Science, Carl June, University of Pennsylvania and Steven Rosenberg, NIH National Cancer Institute, shared a $1 million prize for pioneering anti-cancer immunotherapy.

Previous winners include filmmakers Ethan and Joel Cohen, former US Vice President Al Gore and former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair.

The Dan David Prize is an international award, endowed by the Dan David Foundation and based at Tel Aviv University.

Accolades recognise innovative research across traditional boundaries and theories fostering universal values of excellence, creativity, justice, democracy and progress whilst promoting scientific, technological and humanistic achievements.

The Prize covers three ‘time dimensions’,

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DEALERS, COLLECTORS AND PRIVATE CLIENTS

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$1m Israeli Prize

Dr Anthony Fauci

Past, Present and Future, representing human achievement. Each year an International Board select a field in each time dimension.

The Past refers to fields that expand knowledge of former times, the Present recognises achievements that shape and enrich society, the Future focuses on breakthroughs that hold great promise for improvement to the world.

Prizes are granted to individuals or institutions with distinct excellence in the sciences, arts, humanities, public service and business without discrimination of gender, race, religion, nationality or political affiliation.

Prize laureates donate 10% of prize money to postgraduate students to advance a new generation of scholars.

The Prize, in conjunction with Tel Aviv University has initiated the ‘Name Your Hero’ Essay Competition for High School Youth throughout Israel. Students are encouraged to submit an essay describing individuals they deem worthy of the Prize.

Fields selected are influenced by high school students’ input and ideas.

A Scholars Forum comprises recipients around the world. The forum serves as a platform for scholars to discuss research topics, present individual research and exchange ideas.

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Bristol Uni academic’s “conspiratorial We want to hire a great junior obsession” with Zionism

BY ADAM MOSES Campaign Against Antisemitism is writing to the University of Bristol after an academic with a history of promoting conspiracy theories proclaimed that “Zionism is racism”.

David Miller, a Professor of Political Sociology at the University of Bristol, in an online event attended by 350 people, complained of being criticised by the President of the Bristol University Jewish Society and Union of Jewish Students.

“We will continue to see attempts to drive the possibility of anybody speaking out about Palestine or about what Zionism is or having any critical kind of Zionism,” he said.

“This is a problem for freedom of speech and also for academic freedom.”

A CAA spokesperson said Miller’s conspiratorial obsession with Zionism and Israel’s supposed nefarious worldwide agenda are reminiscent of some of the worst ideologies in history.

“Bristol University should be alarmed by his grossly inflammatory comments and also by his persistent promotion of ridiculous falsehoods that have no place in academia,” they added. “We offer our full support to Jewish students at Bristol.”

CAA noted Miller accused the student group of being part of a worldwide Zionist conspiracy adding that it is fundamental to Zionism to” encourage Islamophobia and anti-Arab racism”.

Miller has portrayed the International Definition of Antisemitism as an attack on free speech and accused the Israeli Government of engaging in an “all-out attack” on the global Left as part of an “attempt by the Israelis to impose their will all over the world”.

Miller insisted “Zionism is racism”, asked how “we defeat the ideology of Zionism in practice” and “how is Zionism ended”.

This is not Miller’s first controversy in relation to Jews, anti-Semitism and Zionism.

CAA last June revealed that Miller was behind disgraced MP Chris Williamson’s Resistance Movement.

The group aimed to give a home to the “politically homeless” politicians who had been expelled from the Labour Party for anti-Semitism, such as Jackie Walker, Tony Greenstein and Mark Wadsworth.

Miller has a history of conspiracy theories about Jewish community organisations and figures that has reportedly distressed his Jewish students.

In a presentation titled “Harms of the Powerful” in 2019, Miller said the “Zionist movement” is one of the “five pillars” of hatred of Muslims and is bankrolled by “ultra Zionist funders”.

Miller has accused current Labour Party leader, Sir Keir Starmer, of taking “Zionist money” and talked about what he referred to as the “witch hunt” against Labour members accused of anti-Semitism.

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UCL academic resigns over IHRA ‘advisory’ resolution

BY ADAM MOSES A University College London academic has resigned in response to the Academic Board calling to ‘retract and replace’ the IHRA definition of Anti-Semitism with one that ‘respects academic freedom and freedom of speech’.

Dr Lars Fischer, a scholar of Hebrew and Jewish Studies and editor of an academic journal on Jewish history, also lambasted UCL an “anti-Semitic cesspit”.

Campaign Against Antisemitism described the Board’s decision to pass the ‘advisory’ resolution as “scandalous”.

CAA are to write to the Provost of UCL calling for a commitment to Jewish students.

Binyomin Gilbert, CAA Programme Manager, said, “UCL’s apparent effort to undermine the commitment of British universities to their Jewish students by calling for retraction of the International Definition of Antisemitism continues apace with this latest scandalous vote at UCL. “When KCL (King’s College London) passed a similar motion late last year, we said that UCL’s reputation in the Jewish community is in the gutter. Evidently, UCL is intent on remaining there. Fortunately, today’s vote is merely advisory, and we shall be writing to the Provost of UCL to ensure that wiser heads prevail.”

Dr Fischer wrote in a blog, “When I embarked on the academic study of anti-Semitism, it was still taken for granted that one did so in order to combat anti-Semitism.

These days have long gone, and the academy is now full of academics who specialise in explaining why only some forms of anti-Semitism are harmful and others are not actually forms of antisemitism anyway.

Whatever they may believe their subjective intentions to be, they are doing wonders for anti-Semitism promotion.”

UCL’s governing Council adopted the definition in November 2019 to send a message of solidarity to Jewish students. Shortly after, the Board established a ‘Working Group on Racism and Prejudice’ to “examine the efficacy” of the Definition.

CAA described the Working Group report as “scandalous” as anti-Semitic incidents had persisted yet still recommended a retraction of the IHRA Definition. It has been alleged evidence was taken from the President of UCL’s Jewish Society but “largely ignored” in the report.

Shortly after the Working Group report was published last month, UCL’s Students’ Union intended to hold a vote on the eve of Holocaust Memorial Day to call for a retraction of the Definition. According to the Jewish Society, they had 45 minutes notice. The Union delayed the vote but it took place last week and failed.

UCL’s decision follows Secretary of State for Education, Gavin Williamson call for universities to back the IHRA definition.

Any students concerned about anti-Semitism on campus should email campus@antisemitism.uk or telephone 0330 822 0321.

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Zahawi praises Hatzola for vaccination campaign

BY ADAM MOSES The UK’s vaccination minister, Nadhim Zahawi, has praised Hatzola for coordinating a Covid-19 vaccination campaign at the John Scott Centre in Hackney last Saturday.

Over 360 members of Stamford Hill’s community, including Rabbonim, received the vaccine at the four-hour event after Shabbat. Charedi, non-Jewish and Muslim residents attended.

The joint initiative included Hatzola, NHS City and Hackney GP Confederation supported by Hackney Council, Strengthening Faith Institutions and the Ostro Fayre Share Foundation.

Vaccinations were carried out by local GPs and Hatzola volunteers who oversaw the administration of the event. Hatzola have supported the London Ambulance Service during the pandemic and received special training to administer the vaccines.

Government, local and public health officials have reacted positively to the event.

“Huge thanks to local NHS, Hackney Council & first responders in the Hatzola Ambulance service who are encouraging vaccination in the Jewish community & getting people vaccinated at the John Scott Centre,” Zahawi tweeted Monday. “Vaccines will save thousands of lives & help us get out of the pandemic.”

Speaking on Saturday night at the centre, Zahawi thanked Hatzola for an “incredible job” during the evening. “It is truly humbling to see the trust, the depth of community coming together to make this happen and protect the most vulnerable people,” he said.

Mayor of Hackney, Philip Glanville, noted that the event showed the “strength and passion” of the community and was a great example of grassroots groups working together to keep people safe.

He added, “We are hoping to replicate this work with other voluntary groups and communities, harnessing Hackney’s wonderful community spirit and the knowledge within our diverse communities to ensure people from all sorts of backgrounds are able to access the vaccine.”

Dianne Abbot MP, congratulated Hatzola for its work as “they are saving lives”.

Laura Sharpe, City and Hackney NHS GP chief executive, said Hatzola had been “amazing”.

She enthused, “They are here vaccinating, they have done all their training. They have used their networks to publicise the event. I can’t thank them enough.”

Ms Sharpe added, “Taking the vaccine is the most effective way for people to protect themselves from Covid-19 so we’re delighted by the success of last night’s event to increase uptake in Hackney’s Charedi community. It is testament to the hard work of all those involved, especially

Nadhim Zahawi (second from left) with representatives from Hatzola

“It is crucial that all of our community have their vaccinations when invited and sessions such as these which bring the vaccinations to the most vulnerable in the Charedi community are to be welcomed.” the local voluntary sector. Whether you have had a vaccine or not, it is really important to continue to follow government guidance and to keep your distance, that means sticking to the ‘hands, face, space’ advice.”

Board of Deputies vice president Edwin Shuker applauded organisers aiming to get Charedim vaccinated.

“It is crucial that all of our community have their vaccinations when invited and sessions such as these which bring the vaccinations to the most vulnerable in the Charedi community are to be welcomed,” he said. “Our congratulations go to the organisers on a true Kiddush Hashem.”

Binyomin Stern, Union of Orthodox Congregations President and Hatzola Trustee, noted, “Across the community, we understand the urgent need for as many people as possible to be vaccinated. There has already been a high take-up of the vaccine from within the priority groups across the community.”

He added, “At Hatzola, we have been proud to play our part and support the NHS during such a challenging period. We are, likewise, pleased to participate in the vaccination programme and help vaccinate as many people as possible. Our fantastic, hard-working volunteers give up their own time to volunteer with us and we are hugely thankful for the dedication they have shown over the past year.”

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Joel Friedman, Interlink Foundation, said the trial event displayed how a community can help make vaccination more accessible. “We hope to see more of such events in the near future and to continue this collaborative approach in supporting local communities across the country,” he commented.

Maurice Ostro, Ostro Fayre Share Foundation, said, “It is great to see so many people from the Charedi community receiving the vaccine. They are role models in the fight against COVID-19 by showing that they have not been swayed by fearmongering or misinformation.”

He added, “All of us have a role to play in beating COVID, I’m pleased that Strengthening Faith Institutions has been able to help the Charedi community as well as other minority communities across England to deal with the pandemic.”

The event followed the announcement of a COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake Plan to boost vaccine uptake in vulnerable groups.

The plan sets out how the Government and NHS England are partnering with directors of public health, charities and faith sectors to increase vaccine take up and ensure equal access.

The initiative came days after reports that the Hackney vaccination centre had been forced to close as low numbers of people were taking up the opportunity to be inoculated.

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CAA lambasts Labour “sham” investigation into Rayner

BY ADAM MOSES

Labour Party, Gideon Falter, CAA chief executive, lamented that it was “still busiCampaign Against Antisemitism has lam- ness as usual”. basted the Labour Party for failing to act “It is hard to see how the handling of over an anti-Semitism complaint against this complaint by Labour under Sir Keir Deputy Leader Angela Rayner.

Starmer has been any different to how it Labour has reportedly opened and would have been handled under Jeremy closed an investigation submitted by Corbyn,” he noted.

CAA relating to Rayner’s promotion “Our complaint against Angela of a controversial book entitled The Rayner was never acknowledged Holocaust Industry by Norman

by Labour. The Party also did Finklestein. not confirm that it was investiThe author claims the American gating, and now it has tried to Jewish establishment exploits the drop the investigation without Holocaust for political and finana word. The EHRC found Lacial gain. bour’s disciplinary processes Rayner published an article unfit precisely because the in the Morning Star and Unison Party tries to sneak through North West official website enexonerations without due titled ‘Inside the Factory process. Our complaint deof Genocide’ regarding manded that any investiFinklestein’s work in gation be delayed until an 2015. Twitter users independent process is noted Rayner reinstalled, which Labour posted the article on has publicly confirmed Facebook on Holocannot happen until caust Memorial Day the autumn, therein 2018. fore as far as we Although Rayner are concerned, our apologised after complaint remains the exposure of the open.

Facebook post caused “The investigation outrage in the British of our complaint Jewish community, against Angela CAA registered the Rayner has been a complaint. sham and we will be When it comes to re-introducing the PHOTO: WIKIMEDIA Angela Rayner MP anti-Semitism in the complaint to the

independent disciplinary panel when it is set up. British Jews should be under no illusion that despite Sir Keir’s promises, under his leadership the skulduggery apparently continues at Labour Headquarters.”

CAA submitted a complaint against Rayner and other MPs on the day of the publication of the report into anti-Semitism in the Party by the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Complaints were accompanied by a demand that no investigation be launched specialist until Labour introduced “an independI WANT IT NOW!” ent disciplinary system mandated by the Full colour, EHRC. Last year, the Party announced its action plan to address anti-Semitism.

The Party has not acknowledged receipt of CAA’s complaint. CAA are unaware if an investigation has been closed. “As far as we are concerned the complaint against Ms Rayner remains open, and we expect a full and transparent investigation once the independent disciplinary system is in place later this year,” noted CAA on its website.

CAA has lodged a complaint against former leader Corbyn, holding him responsible for conduct that is prejudicial or grossly detrimental to the Party.

CAA are seeking Corbyn’s immediate resuspension and, if the complaint is upheld, expulsion.

The Labour Party was found guilty by the EHRC to have engaged in unlawful discrimination and harassment of Jews. The report followed the EHRC’s investigation of the Labour Party.

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PA education includes incitement to hate

BY DAVID SAFFER Shocking revelations surfaced at an online webinar focusing on education in Palestinian Authority areas last Saturday.

UK Parliamentarians informed delegates that pupils are being incited to hatred and classes are funded by British taxpayers.

The ‘Educate for Peace’ event was jointly hosted by the Board of Deputies, Jewish Leadership Council, Zionist Federation and We Believe in Israel.

Stephen Crabb, Parliamentary Chair of Conservative Friends of Israel, told delegates about a shocking example in a maths textbook for six-year-olds.

“A maths exercise asks children to add the numbers of martyrs in the First Intifada to the number of martyrs in the Second Intifada,” he explained. “This for me really shows how deep the problem goes.”

Noting that normalisation of violence is present throughout the curriculum,” he added, “This insidious messaging is extremely effective at manipulating young minds. I believe there is a direct link

between this indoctrination and the participation of Palestinian minors in acts of violence against Israelis. We should be in no doubt that Palestinian incitement makes peace harder to achieve.”

He continued, “It was the UK government that lobbied international partners in the first instance to carry out the review into textbooks and whilst we should give credit where it is due, the UK also then has a responsibility to ensure the review is being conducted properly. The UK is paying for teachers and public servants to draft and implement and to teach this material potentially in schools even named after terrorists. I am a big supporter of foreign aid but it absolutely must be spent properly and effectively and we must have proper and complete oversight of the process.”

Steve McCabe, Parliamentary Chair of Labour Friends of Israel, agreed that the curriculum content was unacceptable.

“LFI have been warning the Government about this since (the curriculum) was introduced in 2017,” he said. “People will say that the UK does not directly fund the textbooks,

but we do fund the 33,000 teachers and civil servants who design the curriculum and deliver it, so who prints the textbooks is of little consequence.” McCabe added, “There is a memorandum of understanding covering our aid relationship with the Palestinian Authority and it states quite clearly that the PA must act against incitement to violence, including allegations of incitement in the educational curriculum.”

McCabe called on the UK to suspend aid to the PA directly or indirectly financing teaching and implementing curriculum until there are wholesale revisions.

He added, “We propose that the money should be given instead to Palestinian NGOs that have a proven track record of promoting peace initiatives in schools, designed to foster tolerance, coexistence, and respect for the “other”. We don’t want Palestinian children to suffer because of the behaviour of their PA leaders but we can’t see this outrage be allowed to continue any longer.”

The Institute for Monitoring Peace and Cultural Tolerance in School Education has researched Palestinian textbooks.

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The organisation’s chief executive, Marcus Sheff, said, “Textbooks are uniquely authoritative, they convey the political and social values that society wants to impart to the next generation, this is particularly so in the Middle East. Whilst textbooks can be a powerful barrier against acting out violence, they can also be a blueprint for radicalisation.”

The Board’s Senior Vice-President, Sheila Gewolb, delivered opening remarks.

“The seeds of peace will never be able to take root and flourish, if at a young age, Palestinian children are indoctrinated to hate,” she said. “As the winds of change blow through the Middle East and the advancement of peace in the region progresses, it is now more important than ever to educate for peace.”

Paul Charney, Chairman of the Zionist Federation, offered closing remarks. “This is a human rights issue about indoctrinating an entire generation with the burden of violence against Israel,” he said.

The panel was chaired by Claudia Mendoza, JLC co-chief executive.

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Kisharon outrage over DNR report

BY DAVID SAFFER It is “unthinkable” that blanket ‘do not resuscitate’ (DNR) decisions are being applied to vulnerable groups says Kisharon’s Hadassa Kessler.

Kisharon’s Director of Operations was responding to an article in The Guardian last Saturday highlighting Mencap findings that individuals with learning difficulties with Covid-19 were given ‘DNR orders’ during the second wave of the pandemic.

The practice was reportedly condemned last year and led to a Mencap investigation.

The Care Quality Commission confirmed last month that Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (DNACPR) notices had resulted in potentially avoidable deaths last year.

DNACPRs are generally for people too weak to benefit from CPR, but Mencap said some were issued to people with learning disabilities. The CQC are to publish a report on the practice.

Ms Kessler is a champion of human rights and with Kisharon raises awareness about the valuable contribution to society people with Down’s Syndrome and other learning disabilities make.

“It is unthinkable that blanket DNR decisions are still being applied to vulnerable groups, and with the numbers of people with a learning disability who died of

Kisharon’s Hadassa Kessler

PHOTO: KISHARON

value the lives of this group of people? We must continue to raise awareness on this and champion human rights and equality for all.”

So, what is the procedure if a person that Kisharon supports goes into hospital?

“Thankfully, all the people supported by Kisharon have remained safe and well in the second wave, aside from one mild case of Covid which was treated at home,” Ms Kessler explained. “However, we do have Hospital Passports prepared for everyone we support so that if they do need to be admitted, there is information accompanying them that identifies their health, communication and cultural needs in a clear format so that everyone

“It is unthinkable that blanket DNR decisions are still being applied to vulnerable groups, and with the numbers of people with a learning disability who died of Covid as well as the persistent lack of prioritisation of people with learning disabilities for the vaccine.”

Covid as well as the persistent lack of prioritisation of people with learning disabilities for the vaccine,” she said. “What does this say about us as a society and how we

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treating them knows how best to support them.”

She added, “We would strongly advocate for staff or a family member to be allowed in, in full PPE, to ensure that all their needs are being upheld and that the person is given the treatment s/he needs, however, this is not a given and we are aware of this. Our links with the CCG and local authority learning disability group would ensure that the Learning Disability Hospital Liaison team can intercede on behalf of the patient as well, both in terms of their admission and discharge.”

Kisharon is well known for its role in the community so how are families supported if a child is in hospital?

Ms Kessler commented, “If a family had a child in hospital we would be in regular communication with them and wherever possible we would advocate for a support worker or family member to be allowed in, in full PPE, as well as ensuring hospital staff had all their medical details and Hospital Passport.

“We have known of some cases when family members have been allowed to visit regularly in full PPE, and no doubt this impacted significantly and positively on the person’s treatment and recovery.”

Revelations in the report are disturbing, how is Kisharon supporting families affected by this story?

Ms Kessler said, “We at Kisharon are a family and will always ensure families are fully informed and supported. To anyone who is concerned we will confirm the processes we have in place.

“Currently, we know much more about prevention and risk than we did in the first wave, which is really important. Ensuring all staff and people supported have regular Covid tests, and of course continuing to promote the vaccine for staff and people supported will certainly go some way

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to help. But equally we need to be able to challenge poor practice and blanket clinical decisions which undoubtedly can cause death and ensure that families and people’s circle of support have a say in determining decisions about treatments and hospital protocols.

“One way to ensure this is to consider application for Deputyship or Power of Attorney, something we have been strongly encouraging for many years, and another is to make sure that each Hospital Passport represents the choices of each person at the heart of their treatment and that all required interventions are carried out in order to preserve life.”

She added, “There is a halachic implication here too, which I am not qualified to answer, but we will support families to clarify these crucial questions with their Rabbi and to ensure that religious viewpoints are upheld too. Each individuals Rabbi would also ensure any choices would be noted in their Hospital Passport.”

The ‘DNR’ revelation came with Ministers under pressure to reconsider a decision not to give people with learning disabilities priority for vaccinations.

Late yesterday, the government announced 1.7 million people would be added to the shielding list, prioritised for the vaccine and asked to shield until 31st March, an extension from 22nd February in a previous shielding letter.

“The people on the new list will be added based on a new tool using complex algorithms, taking into account a variety of factors including ethnicity, deprivation and BMI,” commented Ms Kessler. “This may result in the prioritisation of more people with learning disabilities due to the variety of risk factors identified by the algorithm, but it is my understanding that the diagnosis of learning disability itself does not factor in the tool.”

Edel Harris, Mencap’s chief executive, had called on the government to save some of society’s most vulnerable people by prioritising all people with a learning disability for a vaccine.

Regarding the DNR situation, she confirmed that people with a learning disability faced “shocking discrimination” with DNACPR notices.

“It’s unacceptable that within a group of people hit so hard by the pandemic, and who even before Covid died on average over 20 years younger than the general population, many are left feeling scared and wondering why they have been left out,” she reportedly said.

The Guardian article noted recent NHS figures in the five weeks since the third lockdown where Covid-19 accounted for 65% of deaths of people with learning disabilities. Office for National Statistics illustrated the rate for the general population was 39%. Both statistics are taken from different measurements.

According to Public Health England, younger people with learning disabilities aged 18 to 34 are also 30 times more likely to die of Covid than people the same age.

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NEWS 9

Israel to import natural gas to Gaza IAF northern

BY SIMCHA ABIR Israel is set to import natural gas to the Gaza Strip to power its power station.

The deal is part of an international agreement brokered by Qatar, the European Union and United Nations signed last Sunday.

The deal requires ratification from Israel, but is expected to be approved as Qatari envoy to Gaza, Mohammed al-Emadi, has published an official statement. The first contract sees Israeli energy giant Delek sell gas to the Palestinian Authority on route to Gaza. A second contract includes construction of a pipeline from Israel to Gaza’s power plant.

The EU will allocate $5 million to the project, Qatar will fund building work in Israeli territory. Al-Emadi confirmed to Arab media, “An agreement has been reached with Europe to allocate $5 million dollars for the assembly of gas pipelines from the border to the power station, while Qatar will install pipes on the Israeli side.”

The agreement was reached after negotiations with the PA, Delek, Middle East Quartet representatives and European diplomats.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, meantime, welcomed Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades to Jerusalem. The energy sector was among topics discussed.

“We will continue to work on the East-Med pipeline,” Netanyahu noted. He added, “Israel and Cyprus embrace a future of progress, prosperity, peace and security.

To better seize the opportunities of the 21st century, Israel and Cyprus cooperate in energy, water, tourism, technology and many other fields. And to better ensure the safety and wellbeing of our citizens, we cooperate in healthcare, public security and emergency services. Our medical collaboration has grown over the years. But the common battle against the COVID-19 pandemic has energised that important cooperation.”

The visit came following a visit to Israel of the Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis. “It’s a fact that we have built not only a bilateral alliance but a trilateral alliance, which I think is good for the region, good for our countries, I think it’s good for

the world,” commented Netanyahu. “We already see this through the involvement of Arab countries in the East-Med Gas Forum. They’re coming to our gas cooperation, and that’s a sign of the future. I think this is only just the beginning.”

Bicom view the Gaza gas plan as potentially alleviating the economic and humanitarian challenges in the Strip where there is limited power supply and growing demand. The Strip has a sole power plant and is dependent on diesel from the Israel Electric Corporation as well as Egypt for power.

Bicom note that the PA pays $11 million for a power line from Israel and $2.5 million for the power station. Qatar buys $7 million in fuel monthly for the Gaza power station. Earlier this year, the Qatari government agreed to provide $360 million in financial assistance for the Gaza Strip during 2021.

Al-Emadi is pivotal to diplomacy between the Gaza Strip, Ramallah and Israeli officials. There is speculation Israel and Qatar may agree a normalisation accord.

There is also hope the pipeline could see Israel and Hamas agree a long-term ceasefire arrangement.

The infrastructure project will take around two years. A team of officials is being set to convert the power station from diesel to natural gas.

THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM

border drills

The Israeli Air Force has completed a three-day exercise on the northern border.

Speculation Hezbollah is planning ‘small-scale’ conflicts has been behind the ‘Galilee Rose’ drills.

The IDF demonstrated it is capable of attacking over 3,000 targets in a 24 hours period. Fighter jets, cargo planes and drones participated in the exercise.

IAF personnell included serving and reserve troops. Last month a Hezbollah anti-air unit failed to shoot down an Israeli drone.

“During a month of fighting in southern Lebanon in 2006, we attacked some 3,500 targets, the same amount we have simulated in just one day,” an IAF spokesman reportedly said. “Our attack plans are wide-spanning and up to date.”

They added, “During this exercise, we examined the possibility of Hezbollah attacking through Syria, attacking their cruise missiles and preparing defensively against them. We simulated attacks on their command centres, including infrastructure meant to facilitate the transfer of Iranian weapons.” The officer also pointed out that a response to rocket attacks on civilians ending in a few days was “unrealistic.”

10 NEWS

18 FEBRUARY 2021

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• This is because once ‘income’ has been accessed under the new rules, the annual allowance for money purchase schemes will drop to £4000 and any unused carry forward allowances will be lost forever.

• Anyone in capped drawdown before April 2015, or who only takes their tax-free cash, will retain the £40,000 allowance.

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• Again, carry forward can be used to maximise the contribution and whatever is actually paid by individuals in the current tax year will get tax relief at their highest marginal rate.

5. BUSINESS OWNERS AND DIRECTORS MAY PREFER THE TAX EFFICIENCY OF A COMPANY PENSION PAYMENT RELATIVE TO A DIVIDEND PAYMENT. • An employer pension contribution enjoys the same NI savings as paying themselves a dividend. But a company pension payment to their pension (company or personal) will in addition be treated as allowable expense and thereby not be taxable unlike a dividend.

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• The child benefit, worth over £2,500 to a family with three kids, is cancelled out by the tax charge if the taxable income of the highest earner exceeds £60,000.

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Bibi to meet Biden

BY SIMCHA ABIR Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be the first Middle East leader to speak with US President Joe Biden.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki confirmed the news earlier this week.

“Israel is of course an ally,” he reportedly told reporters. “Israel is a country where we have an important strategic security relationship, and our team is fully engaged, not at the head of state level quite yet but very soon.”

There has been criticism in Israel’s media

of the time taken for Biden to officially speak with Israel’s leader given the relationship between the two nations. Former Presidents, Barack Obama and Donald Trump, spoke with Netanyahu within days of beginning their administration.

It has been well documented that Biden’s stance regarding Iran and Palestine could be challenging.

Netanyahu did not refute the issue on Channel 12 earlier this week but noted the two leaders had a “very strong” working relationship. Netanyahu rebuffed suggestions Biden was ignoring him. “He’ll call. We have

had very strong, friendly relations for nearly 40 years, dating from the time I came to Washington as an Israeli diplomatic representative and he was a young senator from Delaware,” he reportedly noted.

Speaking to Channel 12’s Meet The Press, Israeli Ambassador to Washington Gilad Erdan dismissed the time taken for the leaders to formally speak due to the Covid-19 pandemic and economic issues.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken commented on Iran and the 2015 nuclear deal.

“The path to diplomacy is open right now,” he reportedly said. “Iran is still ways away

THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM

from being in compliance (with the deal), so we’ll have to see what it does”.

Blinken noted Biden stated that if Iran complied with the deal, the US would.

“The president’s been very clear publicly, repeatedly, about where we stand. And we’ll see what, if any, reaction Iran has to that,” he said.

Former US President Donald Trump left the nuclear deal in 2018.

Netanyahu is clear regarding Iran and the peace process. Discussions with Biden will be scrutinised especially after the support from Trump’s administration.

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18 FEBRUARY 2021

Israel to exit third lockdown but warnings persist

BY DAVID SAFFER Many areas of Israel’s commercial sector are scheduled to reopen on Sunday.

Street shops, shopping centres, open-air markets will be open to everyone. Entry to gyms, cultural and sporting venues, hotels (no dining rooms), art galleries and swimming pools will be open to ‘Green Passport’ holders and individuals recovered from coronavirus or fully vaccinated.

‘Non-Green’ Passport holders and children under 16 not vaccinated must have a negative coronavirus test for 48 hours to enter venues. Houses of worship have similar measures for large congregations.

Otherwise, limits of 10 people indoors and 20 outdoors apply. This does not pertain to Purim where special measures are in place.

A second phase of restrictions is due to end on March 7 for small restaurants and cafés for customers with ‘Green’ passports.

The reopening of the education sector, meanwhile, continues with 5th, 6th, 11th and 12th grader pupils in ‘low’ infection

cities returning to classes. Grades 7-10 are expected to return on March 7. Kindergartens and grades 1-4 returned last week.

Schools not meeting criteria will continue run remote learning.

The decision has not been accepted by all politicians including Education Minister Yoav Gallant who reportedly noted that schools could be partially reopened in cities with ‘medium’ infection rates.

And Health experts have called for a staggered approach. Coronavirus czar Prof.

Nachman Ash warned that an “irresponsible opening” of the economy could lead to another lockdown.

Yamina leader Naftali Bennett also blasted the government’s stance.

“The Prime Minister claims we will be the first out of the pandemic? That is not true,” he reportedly said. “New Zealand, Australia and Taiwan are open even without vaccines and lockdown only in isolated instances.

Taiwan is more crowded than Israel but unlike our government, theirs has managed the pandemic well.”

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“Statements like the one made by Finance Minister Israel Katz recently that we have had our last lockdown is a joke, there is no long-term planning,” Bennett added.

Latest Health Ministry data reported 990 patients in serious condition and 284 on ventilators. There have been 5,403 fatalities.

Prime Minister Netanyahu and Health Minister Yuli Edelstein, meantime, met the four millionth person to be vaccinated in Israel. Mayor Moshe Lion, Leumit Chairman Yaakov Edri and Leumit CEO Haim Fernandes attended the ceremony at Leumit Health Care Services in Jerusalem.

But while Israel’s vaccine campaign has been heralded a great success it has experienced a slowdown in some quarters with officials blaming conspiracy theories online.

“Decide whether you are part of the celebration or whether you will be left behind,” Health Minister Yuli Edelstein noted on Twitter. “Just lend a shoulder to the vaccine.”

Vaccine rates are among the highest in the world but some religious leaders still call on followers not to be immunised. Rabbi Yuval Hacohen Asherov reportedly posted anti-vaccine videos with hundreds of thousands of views. A recent video claimed the Covid-19 vaccine caused death. The Health Ministry duly called on the Justice Ministry to get the video removed from YouTube as they endangered the public.

The Ministry monitors social media activity for anti-vaccination posts in Hebrew, Russian, Amharic, Arabic and English on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Telegram. The centre is building the department to deter conspiracy theories.

Undeterred, Netanyahu has appealed to the 570,000 people over 50 yet to be vaccinated.

“In the worst case, side effects are a few hours’ discomfort,” he reportedly said, adding, “you take upon yourselves the risks of death and severe illness with effects that could be for life.”

Netanyahu continued, “The danger of not being vaccinated is far greater than the slight discomfort of the jab of the vaccination. The second reason to be vaccinated is we are now opening the Green Passport plan. Whoever has been vaccinated will be able to go and enjoy the theatre, the cinema, sports events, flights abroad, restaurants and more. The third reason is even more important. Not only are you saving yourselves, if you do not go to be vaccinated then many of you will become very sick and you will be a challenge for our hospitals and then we will be compelled to impose a new lockdown. To preserve life and allow all of us to get back to life, be vaccinated.”

Aside from Netanyahu’s appeals, Israel’s government is boosting its vaccination

THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM

campaign by utilising mobile vaccine units at workplaces, yeshivas and hiking trails.

The ‘jab on the job’ campaign will be carried out by Magen Dovid Adom with the Manufacturers Association, Health Ministry and IDF’s Home Front Command.

Companies reportedly participating in the campaign include HP Israel, Osem Nestle, Flex, SodaStream, Unilever and Elbit Systems.

Maccabi Health Services carried out vaccination drives at large companies this week including Israel Aerospace Industries, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, Isracard, Shufersal and Direct Insurance.

In related news, Health Ministry Director General Prof. Hezi Levi said the government was considering legislation for all Israelis to be vaccinated.

Health Minister Yuli Edelstein proposed legislation last year but it was blocked as it violated civil rights. The government still advocates “essential” professions receiving the vaccine or providing a negative test before entering a place of work even though legal obstacles remain.

It is believed a law would apply to teachers, police officers, medical staff or people in contact with individuals through work.

The Association for Civil Rights in Israel has stated legislation violates “privacy rights” and could harm an individual’s right to employment. But MKs are determined to propose an amendment to the coronavirus bill.

Levi, meanwhile, noted there was a 400% increase in Covid-19 cases among children in recent months. The increase was due to the UK variant. He also backed Ash’s viewpoint on the lockdown.

“We are not out of the woods,” he reportedly said. “We have thousands of new daily cases and over 900 people hospitalised in serious condition.”

“I agree with the decision to reopen some of the schools and lift some restrictions but I am also fearful of the ramifications of that decision,” Levi added.

In related news, El Al Airlines became the first airline globally to vaccinate its entire staff last week.

The Health Ministry also suggested new arrivals in Israel could quarantine at home with an electronic tag instead of staying at a state-run quarantine hotel but the Knesset needs to approve the initiative.

Dr. Asher Shalmon, said health officials are looking at the policy as officials were struggling to process the number of requests to enter Israel.

Israeli citizens may be struggling for bureaucracy to return home due to restrictions but hundreds of athletes are set to arrive for an international Grand Slam Judo competition in Tel Aviv next week.

Up to 500 athletes from 63 countries will compete in the global event.

18 FEBRUARY 2021

OPINION 13

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OPINION

The opinions on this page do not reflect the opinions of this Newspaper

Liberal professor continues to attack Churchill OPINION PIECE

BY JAMES J MARLOW Earlier this week an online discussion took place at Churchill College in Cambridge.

Kehinde Andrews, a professor of black studies at Birmingham City University, called the British Empire, “far worse than the Nazis”, and suggested WWII “would have ended the same day” with or without Churchill’s leadership.

Professor Andrews then proceeded to tear every aspect of Winston Churchill’s character apart and suggested his politics “was the perfect embodiment of white supremacy”.

The comments later on social media were mostly in support of Andrews and many referred to Churchill as a “racist” and “white supremacist”.

We have all heard how the liberal left have taken over parts of college campuses and how Jewish students are constantly picked on, ridiculed and in some cases, physically attacked. But this debate was not about Israel or religion. It was about a past British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, who stood up to perhaps the worst evil of the twentieth century, if not the last 1000 years.

While Britain stood strong and proud,

nearly every other nation completely collapsed under the might of Nazism.

I believe in free speech and the right to express an opinion, provided it does not incite violence, racial tension or is abusive. But the constant misinformation, re-writing of history and ignorance we hear on University campuses, is astounding.

Winston Churchill was the backbone of resistance and fighting spirit. He gave the British people encouragement, the will to succeed and the self-confidence to believe Hitler and the Nazis, could and must be defeated, at all costs. Churchill was a hero and we Jews owe him a great deal of thankfulness.

I do not subscribe to the endless dribble from punch drunk, doped up, lefty layabouts, who believe they are the future, because they study for a degree.

The claim from Kehinde Andrews that any other leader could have encouraged the vast majority of British stiff upper-lip, spirited

Brits to defeat Hitler is simply not true. Stanley Baldwin and Neville Chamberlain failed to see what was occurring before their very eyes. Both were subsequently devastated, when they discovered they got it so wrong.

As for the absurd comment that Churchill was a white supremacist, which is code for neo-Nazi, if the liberal left today, were faced with a tenth of what Britain faced in the thirties and forties, they would be the first to appease the enemy with tea and biscuits.

Failing that, they would be so scared and confused, they would run from their own shadow.

Professor Andrews is the same person who has branded “whiteness” a “psychosis”, called for the overthrow of “genocidal” capitalism and repeatedly compared, Sir Winston Churchill to Adolf Hitler.

Historian after historian has credited Churchill’s leadership with overcoming Britain’s policy of appeasement towards Hitler and helping to persuade the USA to

Historian after historian have credited Churchill’s leadership with overcoming Britain’s policy of appeasement towards Hitler and helping to persuade the USA to join the war.

join the war.

Ironically, the debate earlier this week was held at the college, named in honour of Winston Churchill. Of course the man had significant flaws, but we must never forget how he spearheaded the people, who were dejected and scarred in the beginning.

Kehinde Andrews earned a PhD in sociology and cultural studies from the University of Birmingham in 2011 and is now a professor of black studies in the school of social sciences at Birmingham City University. He calls himself a “campaigner” and is regularly wheeled out on TV debates to air his divisive, hateful and racist views for the ratings.

Professor Andrews gives the impression he hates Britain, but nevertheless the 38-year-old, who lives in Birmingham with his wife, Nicole, a lecturer in Health and Social Care at Newman University, accepts that as an employee of a public university his “primary income” comes from the state. But he still believes the decision to build tributes like, the Bomber Command Memorial was “justifying terrorism”.

James Marlow is a broadcast commentator and communications trainer Facebook: James Jeremy Marlow Twitter: @James_J_Marlow

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Election 2021 News Once again covering the Israeli Election exclusively for The Jewish Weekly is our weekly columnist JAMES MARLOW with his report, latest poll numbers according to several Israeli surveys and his News Briefs.

James has been covering Israeli Elections since the eighties and has extensive knowledge of the many Political Parties, the Candidates, the Proportional Representation system and analysing coalition agreements.

The Marlow Report

Since the very first Israeli election back in 1949, the campaign fight has mostly been between the Left versus the Right. That all changed in April 2019 when it became practically everyone, against Bibi Netanyahu, and Netanyahu still came out on top.

The familiar Left bloc versus the Right, collapsed soon after the 2015 election and once again, this campaign is no longer about ideology and social and economic issues. It’s about the Bibi camp holding onto power through the ballot box, against those who wish to oust him.

In fact, you have to go back 20 years to find the last Labor led coalition government in power, which was under the leadership of Ehud Barak. His reign lasted for just over one year, before Ariel Sharon assumed the role, following a wave of suicide bombings across the country.

In some circles, the left are still blamed for the aftermath of the dreaded Oslo Accords, which turned over security in Palestinian cities to the PLO and brought about more than 2000 Israelis deaths, and tens of thousands of injuries.

The country then moved to a centre party called Kadima which has since disappeared into the fire of insignificance. Labor renamed itself the Zionist Camp for the 2015 election, but they fell apart. Blue and White appeared next in April 2019, which was a merger of the anti-Bibi camp with ideologies from the left to the right. They have now practically disappeared.

These days, the Likud led by Netanyahu have strengthened their voter base and its natural satellite parties, Shas and United Torah Judaism continue to watch Bibi’s back.

Shas is the strictly orthodox chareidi Sephardi party, although in the past, it has attracted, many traditional, but not religious voters.

United Torah Judaism is made up of two parties, Degal Hatorah and Agudat Yisrael.

Degal is the strictly orthodox chareidi Lithuanian faction while Aguda is the strictly orthodox chareidi Chassidic party.

For many years, these two parties ran alone, as they each had their own board of Rabbinic Sages advising them. But when talk began in the nineties about raising the minimum threshold for a party to enter the Knesset, both sets of Rabbis decided they had more in common with each other, and after two years of talks, officially merged. It was hoped that Shas would eventually follow, but that failed to happen.

Both Shas and UTJ together make up a strong 15 or 16 seats and will once again endorse Netanyahu to become the next Prime Minister. In addition, if the Religious Zionists can make it over the line, Smotrich is also expected to recommend Netanyahu to the President, in return for two cabinet posts.

Today’s anti Bibi camp is made up of two right wing parties, similar to Likud, but led

by Sa’ar and Bennett, a centre to left party, led by Lapid and a smaller right wing left party, headed by Lieberman. The apparent re-emergence of Labor, although its ideology has moved much further to the left and a far-left Meretz party. Plus the Arab bloc.

Yesh Atid, which was once part of Blue and White, has made it very clear that it will never join a Netanyahu led government. Its leader, Yair Lapid, would prefer to have another dozen general elections, costing the country hundreds of billions, rather than work with Bibi.

Yesh Atid first sprang onto the political scene in 2013 with 19 seats, behind Likud Beitenu’s (merger with Lieberman’s party) 31 seats. Lapid was appointed Finance Minister by Netanyahu, but senior officials of the Finance Ministry later hinted that Lapid’s strong points were not economics.

Netanyahu went further and ridiculed Lapid for accepting the job when he did not

In addition James is giving his intriguing insights into Israel’s fourth Election in 2 years on Sky News, LBC Radio and a number of online events including at Edgware United Synagogue through Zoom on Wednesday 3 March from 8pm, Ner Yisrael and the Zionist Federation. really understand the subject. The government fell apart two years later and Yesh Atid lost 8 seats in the 2015 election.

Yair Lapid should have insisted on taking the Foreign Minister post in the next Netanyahu government, but Lapid refused to work with the Prime Minister.

As a former popular television chat show host with a great image, Lapid is a smooth talking articulate communicator, in both English and Hebrew and could have been a very effective Foreign Minister.

It was a job designed for Lapid as he could have carefully built Israel’s case in the international arena and had he been successful, Lapid would be seen today as a possible alternative to Netanyahu.

But his entire past 6 years have been spent criticising and condemning Netanyahu at every opportunity. Much of the public does not see Lapid as a competent Prime Minister, as he has not been tested in government.

Besides, it’s very difficult to see Gideon Sa’ar and Naftali Bennett who are also running for Prime Minister, crowning Lapid because he may have 6 or 7 seats more than New Hope or Yamina.

In fact, what is more likely, is both Sa’ar and Bennett would join their factions, with an approximate 25 or 26 seats combined and have a rotating Prime Minister slot for themselves. But it’s hard to see Lapid backing this, even if Netanyahu was ousted. In any case, the anti-Bibi parties would still fall far below the magic number of 61 seats.

According to polls, Likud are about 10 seats ahead of their nearest rival, Yesh Atid.

This is the electorate speaking, not the media or the establishment or the anti-Bibi camp. The election results are the people’s voice. Therefore Bennett or Sa’ar or preferably both, should adhere to the election results and join another Netanyahu led government.

Israel’s big issues are not going away.

Covid, the economy, unemployment, numerous threats on Israel’s borders and Iran is closing in on the nuclear bomb.

Intelligence shows Hezbollah has an arsenal of at least 400,000 missiles aimed at Israel and in the next war, 2000 to 3000 missiles could fall on the country every single day, in a war. The Palestinians aren’t going anywhere. The settlement enterprise remains divisive. The relationship with the new American administration is currently cold.

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More help is needed for new olim, bridges need to be built with Diaspora Jewry and inequalities in Israel must be addressed.

There is no shortage of problems and challenges and real politicians would step up to the mark. It’s very easy to sit in opposition, criticising and condemning, or worse, calling for a fifth election. But being part of government is about leading and making the tough decisions and this is exactly what the Israeli people expect and demand.

IMPORTANT DATES: February 21 Final party lists set after challenges to Supreme Court March 9 Election television and radio commercials begin March 11 Diplomats and soldiers begin voting March 19 Final polls released March 23 Election Day March 30 Final results presented to President April 06 Deadline for President to choose candidate to form government May 18 Deadline for first candidate to build coalition June 15 Deadline for second candidate to form coalition July 6 Failing the above, deadline for any MK to form government October 5 Date of next election if no government is formed

18 FEBRUARY 2021

ELECTION NEWS BRIEFS: • PM Netanyahu told Yonit Levi on Channel 12 News that the right will receive more than 61 seats, he can do more in an hour than Yair Lapid could do in a life and that he was not worried that President Biden had not yet called him. He added, “I have always maintained my bipartisan relationship with the US”.

• Naftali Bennett told an Anglo meeting online that Lapid and Sa’ar “do not have the qualities and competence to lead the Jewish state” and that he could do it better. He further said “We don’t need recycled politicians who have been in 17 parties.” Jerusalem Post journalist Gill Hoffman said in response, “Bennett

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himself formed the Israelis party, joined Jewish Home, formed New Right and then formed Yamina.”

Hoffman believes Bennett will try and join Likud once Netanyahu leaves.

• The fight between rivals on the right, continues as New Hope reminds voters that Naftali Bennett (Yamina) barely voted in the Knesset.

• Prime Ministerial candidate, Gideon Sa’ar of New Hope again criticised Netanyahu for not “annexing” the territories last summer as he promised he would. The application of Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria was postponed due to

the peace and trade treaties with UAE and Bahrain.

• The number 2 on the New Hope party list, MK Yifat Shasha Biton said, her party will not sit in a coalition with Labor’s number 7 candidate (Ibtisam Mara’ana Menuhin) or the Religious Zionists party’s number 3, (Itamar Ben Gvir), because they are too extreme on both sides of the spectrum.

• The Economy Party led by the former Finance Ministry accountant, Yaron Zelekha is showing a rise in popularity, but still failing to cross the minimum threshold of 3.25%.

• The Democratic Party led by Professor Ehud Shapiro from the Weizmann Institute and is one of the leaders in the weekly,

sometimes violent protests outside the Prime Minister’s house every Saturday night, is also not expected to cross the line.

• Bibi vows he will not form another rotating Prime Minister deal with any other leader, like he did last time with Benny Gantz.

• In a Channel 11 News survey, the Meretz party fell below the minimum threshold for the first time. In response, the party said, it was because some of their supporters were planning to vote for a party that had a chance of removing Netanyahu as PM. • Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid urges his former ally, turned rival, Benny Gantz to drop out of the election race, predicting his Blue and White party won’t clear

ISRAEL VOTES 2021

the electoral threshold and “If it continues running, it will throw 80,000 – 90,000 votes in the trash” he told Walla News. “If Benny Gantz is still a responsible man, he needs to quit.”

• Outspoken supporter of immigrants in Israel, MK Michal Cotler-Wunsch who ran with the Blue and White party last March has not been placed on any party list this time, giving the impression the parties do not respect the Anglo candidate.

• Another firm denial from Netanyahu on Channel 12 that he would appoint Itamar BenGvir from the far-right wing Otzma Yehudit party, a Minister in the next government, due to his past problematic statements.

JAMES MARLOW compiles this week’s poll numbers based on several Israeli leading pollsters including Panels Politics, Direct Polls, Midgam Panel, Statnet Institutes, TNS Teleseker, Camille Fuchs, Dr Mina Tzemach and Mano Gever.

In total, 39 parties have registered to run but only the parties expected to cross the 3.25% minimum threshold are listed below. If a party receives less than the minimum 4 seats, the votes are discarded. The election for the twenty-fourth Knesset is Tuesday 23 March.

NAME OF PARTY

HEADED BY

SEATS

CURRENT POLLING

LIKUD

Binyamin Netanyahu

36

28 – 29

YESH ATID

Yair Lapid

Broke from Blue & White (33)

17 – 19

NEW HOPE

Gideon Sa’ar

NEW PARTY

12 – 13

YAMINA

Naftali Bennett

5

11 – 13

JOINT LIST (Arab) Hadash, Balad, Ta’al

Ayman Odeh

15

8–9

SHAS

Aryeh Deri

8

7–9

UNITED TORAH JUDAISM

Moshe Gafni

7

7–8

YISRAEL BEITENU

Avigdor Lieberman

7

5–7

LABOR

Merav Michaeli

1

5–6

RELIGIOUS ZIONIST, OTZMA, NOAM

Betzalel Smotrich

Break away from Jewish Home

3–4

MERETZ

Nitzan Horowitz

5

3–5

BLUE AND WHITE

Benny Gantz

33

3–4

RA’AM (Arab)

Mansour Abbas

Break away from Joint List

3–4

NEW ECONOMY PARTY

General Yarom Zelekha

NEW PARTY

2–3

TOTAL NUMBER OF KNESSET SEATS

120

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16 LETTERS

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Letters to the Editor Send in your comments to letters@thejewishweekly.com

Please note: The views of the letters do not necessarily reflect the views of this newspaper. Letters may be edited and publication is at the discretion of the editor.

HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL AND THE BOARD OF DEPUTIES Dear Editor There have been a number of letters published in both the Jewish and general media in support of the proposed Holocaust Memorial in Victoria Tower Gardens.

One such letter published last weekend was signed by a broad selection of “the Great and the Good” including Marie van der Zyl, the President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews.

I am a Deputy (representing Finchley Synagogue). I do not agree with Mrs van der Zyl. In my view, the proposed Memorial is an eyesore, misconceived and potentially the source of abuse by both the far left and far right.

But that is my personal view. I have not sought the views of my constituents. But neither has Mrs van der Zyl. The Board continues to support and promote this plan as though it had overwhelming support amongst Deputies and the wider Jewish Community. The truth is, like most issues, the Board’s Executive has never sought the approval for their stance from Deputies, let alone their constituents. In fact, the Board rarely seeks formal votes on Policy from Deputies and “debates” at Plenary meetings often resemble the unfortunate Parish Council meeting that gained so much publicity recently, with the President firmly cast in the Jackie Weaver role.

Democracy is a fragile beast, and perhaps instead of consuming Deputies’ energies on an arcane debate about the minutiae of the Board’s Constitution (as Deputies will again be asked to do for 90 minutes this coming Sunday having already once failed to endorse the proposals), the President, or her successor if the forthcoming challenge to her re-election succeeds, should consider how best to involve rank-and-file Deputies in the decision-making process.

From the editor’s desk Last Purim seems like decades ago, with so much having transpired in the 12 months since. I remember how people were casually talking about the virus in China and one guy even dressed up in full PPE as a joke. Within days it was clear it was not a joke.

As the country descended into full lockdown before Pesach, tragic news started coming out of the community, with Purim Seudahs being widely highlighted as a key factor in the devastating spread of the virus through our community.

One community attributed over 20 deaths to their communal Purim Seudah.

Pesach was strange with many people spending Seder night alone or without the usual comfort of close family.

Jews continued to die in disproportionate numbers to the rest of the UK and again the close knit nature of our religious lifestyle seemed to be a crucial factor.

Since then, the vast majority of British Jewry have strived hard to keep with lockdown rules, and help save lives in the process.

Much good work has been put in, with many Shuls becoming Covid safe and shops working miracles to keep customers safe whilst shopping for vital goods.

Some people will struggle with the temptations of Purim. The urge to celebrate as they normally do will be very enticing for certain people. However we urge you to listen to the countless rabbinic figureheads and lay leaders who this week put out many posters and messages urging people to listen to government guidelines and tone down their celebrations. One food parcel of two different types of edible foods to just one recipient fulfils the mitzvah of Misloach Manot.

Better to spend the money on giving more Matanot Laevyonim, money to the poor. One can learn more Torah and pray more fervently on this special festival. But let’s stay safe.

If this is not enough to encourage a Covid safe Purim, remember this: The non Jewish media and some Jewish media will be out in force on Purim, looking for the perfect front page picture of massive crowds of lawbreaking Jews. Our community is reeling from recent bad press, let’s not make more of a Chillul Hashem, desecration of G-d’s name by being downright naive.

Queen Esther sacrificed many things on behalf of her people, let’s follow her lead.

Wishing all our readers a freilichen and safe Purim!

Brian Gedalla

A POEM OF APPRECIATION Dear Readers I hope you will enjoy this poem written for my daughter’s kindergarten teachers…

Thank you dear teachers You install the importance for all that you do, to care for one another, Our children wouldn’t be the same The value of listening without you. to their father and mother Snow at the Kotel on Wedneday night. Thanks to a Jewish Weekly reader in Jerusalem

You always work hard to show them the way, To navigate them through life everyday.

Our bundles of nachas are infused with Yiddeshkeit, illuminating the next generation to be a nation of light.

With beautiful arts and crafts coloured and decorated so bright, The Shabbos table is lit up with sheer delight.

From deep in our hearts we thank you so much, You always give that extra touch.

Dear Editor Please see a poem by my late husband Malcolm Brookes z”l

Faith

The parsha is taught with abundance of fun, Songs aplenty for everyone.

May Hashem bless you with health and success, You’re second to none, You’re simply the best!

When is faith put to the test?

When certainty falters into doubt.

When worried minds know little rest, When gloom and failure are all about.

Our faith is tested every day, Also in our fellow man.

We dispel doubts, When to Hashem we pray.

Can we pass the test?

With faith we can.

Love from the Pink Room Parents

When setbacks come and troubles start, When trusted promises are unfulfilled, When honesty and justice play no part, When frustrated, bitter tears are spilled.

You teach them about the world Hashem made, To strive for integrity and to not be afraid.

A POEM

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It’s about the future of our communities Census Day is Sunday 21 March

Every 10 years, the census survey builds a picture of your community. It helps plan public services your family needs, like doctors’ surgeries and school places.

Look out for more information in the post. www.census.gov.uk

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Bury And Whitefield Jewish Primary School Year 6 pupils Yossi Rosenberg and Yoni Schwinger, showing their art work produced during a trip to Chester Zoo.

Over 200 join Northwood in Havdalah Service

Online Havdalah brings a smile to a Northwood Synagogue member

Yoni Schwinger and Yossi Rosenberg

PHOTO: LAWRENCE PURCELL.

Northwood United Synagogue held a special Communal Havdalah last motzei Shabbat bringing members of the community together online.

Special guest, Benedict Roth led the service with his son Noam and then gave a thrilling shiur on how reading the Megillah, even on Zoom, can help to destroy the memory of Amalek.

Over 230 members were sent Havdalah sets that were made people who attend Kisharon College - almost the entire community received.

“Due to the success of our online Kabbalat Shabbat services we are so thrilled our first Havdalah service online was so popular where we all welcomed the week ahead together. Thanks to our communal sponsors we were delighted to be able to support Kisharon and its Social Enterprise Design and Print Store, Equal. We thank all our volunteers for their doorstep delivery service, ensuring members of

the community received a Havdalah set.

During these very difficult times we want to help make a difference for our community”, said Alan Moss, Chairman of Northwood United Synagogue.

Aviva Braunold, Manager of Kisharon Further Education College commented, “We are so pleased that the Northwood community could use the sets that our students worked so hard to put together. It is so rewarding for them to complete a task that they know so many will benefit from using and we are so proud of another joint communal and social enterprise activity with The Kisharon Equal Design and Print Store”.

To order Havdalah sets for your community or to see the range of gifts available online from Kisharon where profits go straight back into the Kisharon main charity visit: https://equal.kisharon.org. uk or call 020 8457 5000

CONSIDERING ALIYAH? Join hundreds of British Olim making their Aliyah dream a reality.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT

DOV NEWMARK: dov@nbn.org.il www.nbn.org.il 0800-075-7200

WORKING IN COOPERATION TO BUILD A STRONGER ISRAEL THROUGH ALIYAH

Every one of us, together

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Beit Shvidler fundraising campaign

Purim Kindness Campaign

GIFT’s Shira Joseph Beit Shvidler Primary School

Beit Shvidler Primary School will be launching an essential fund matching campaign this Sunday 21st February for 36 hours only, with a fundraising target of £250,000.

Like all Jewish schools, Beit Schvidler has had to contend with extended periods of home schooling over the past year, which has seen the school have to adjust all aspects to the new reality, both helping children adjust to the loss of in-person learning and physical isolation from their peers and teachers, as well as helping the teachers to adapt their lessons and teaching to online platforms and technologies. The leadership of the school, under headteacher Rabbi Jonny Spector was rewarded for its efforts when a recent parent survey found that 94% of respondents

thought the school had managed the coronavirus pandemic well.

Beit Shvidler depends heavily on voluntary contributions being made by the parent body, in order to maintain its excellence in learning, as well as its facilities. Those contributions have been hit by the wider economic landscape, which has left some parents unable to meet the voluntary contributions. The school has also lost income from renting out its facilities for functions and in order to ensure the school’s financial sustainability and continued progress (which saw its rating upgraded to ‘Good’ by Ofsted at the last inspection), they are now reaching out to the Beit Shvidler family and beyond to help make a difference to the future of this much loved school.

Aisling Reynolds, year 1 student at Bury And Whitefield Jewish primary enjoying a Zoom lesson.

PHOTO: LAWRENCE PURCELL.

Seed is teaming up with GIFT and Connect Borehamwood on a community kindness campaign for Purim, featuring the catchy original song “Show Them W​e Care”. The aim is to encourage people to give mishloach manot (a gift of two items of food) on Purim to someone who lives nearby using the yellow campaign gift bag and card, which can be ordered for free at www. seed.uk.net/spreadasmile. The goal is to distribute 2,500 packs in time for Purim.

Shira Joseph, Senior Educator at GIFT, said: “We have really enjoyed working on this important project with Seed and Connect. A central theme of Purim is giving, and even though this year our Purim will be very different, we need to keep that giving spirit alive now more than ever.”

To make this act of kindness even more meaningful, those taking part are encouraged to try to think of someone outside of their normal circle who would appreciate receiving the gift, such as a neighbour who recently moved in, an elderly person who lives alone or a family who is isolating. As our “Show Them We Care” lyricist Rabbi

Aron Litwin of Seed Manchester put it: “Even though you can’t give people physical hugs at the moment, you can still give them emotional hugs, and that’s what this song and the campaign are all about.”

The original take on Shloime Gertner’s “Hands in the Air” was sung by members of all three organisations and produced

by Kedma Recording Studios. The video was filmed at a COVID-safe distance in Borehamwood, Edgware, Finchley, Prestwich and Whitefield, directed by Connect Borehamwood’s Rabbi Peretz Goldstein and edited by Lauren Kayser of Moviebytes Ltd. Rabbi Goldstein said: “We all had so much fun making the music video and I hope it encourages people to think of someone they can reach out to, to show them they care.”

Rabbi Malcolm Herman, Associate National Director of Seed, added: “In these strange times when we all feel so isolated, it’s great to celebrate the strength of partnership, and we’re thrilled to work with GIFT and Connect to spread a smile to people across the community this Purim.”

King David Primary School’s year 5 students have been making art work in the style of sculptor Dame Barbara Hepworth. They made salt dough art garden sculptures from shoeboxes. The children foraged around the school to decorate their gardens.

King David Primary year 5 pupils with their garden sculptures

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PHOTO: LAWRENCE PURCELL.

18 FEBRUARY 2021

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Kisharon Purim collection goes virtual

Norwood Spin Masterclass

Norwood keeps finding new ways to put the ‘fun’ into fundraising One of the good things to have come out of the current situation for established charities such as Norwood has been the rethinking of traditional ways to raise money for charity. And nothing illustrates this better than two recent events that have, together, raised more than £10,000 for Norwood.

First up was the Norwood Quiz Night, previously held each year at Alyth Synagogue but transferred to Zoom for this year’s event on Sunday 31 January. One tradition did not change, however, as the Lottery’s “Voice of the Balls”, Alan Dedicoat, was again on-hand to ask the questions and 230 people joined in to raise money for Norwood at this sell-out event organised by the Enterprise Committee of Leah Brand, Jeremy Callman and Ron Fogelman.

The Quiz Night was followed by a new event that proved so popular it could now become an annual favourite. The Norwood Spin Masterclass held on 13 February was the brainchild of Jeremy Teacher, a Norwood supporter who has taken part in the charity’s legendary Challenge cycle rides

and was keen to get back in the saddle.

The fact that this event took place online with participants pedalling away on fixed bicycles did not deter more than 60 people from signing up to raise money for Norwood and have a great night in at the same time, with a live DJ set and a party atmosphere to cycle along to.

And to prove that there is something for everyone in Norwood’s new ways of fundraising, on Sunday 28 February the charity is hosting the first annual Norwood Carnival, for families with children up to the age of 11. This event, sponsored by the Credo Group, will provide entertainment, crafts and the chance to dress up and celebrate Purim with the emphasis firmly on having fun, celebrating together and raising money for a good cause. See https://www. norwood.org.uk/pages/fundraising/norwood-carnival/ for details.

For further information on any of these events please contact the Norwood press team.

Email: pressoffice@norwood.org.uk. Phone 07957 919 837

Kisharon are appealing to the community to take part in their Covid safe Purim fundraising with a number of options to raise money for the charity.

Instead of mishloach manot Kisharon have designed a virtual Purim card so people can still make a donation this Purim.

The card can be posted or downloaded and emailed to family and friends. The Kisharon Social Enterprise, Equal Home and Gift Store is also fully stocked with sweet filled bottles for children and a chocolate mishloach manot set that can be delivered or collected from the Finchley store to fulfil the mitzva of giving.

Usually, many people on Purim hit the streets with a Kisharon Purim collection bucket, this year Kisharon are asking people to create a fundraising page online via Just Giving or Virgin Money Giving pages.

“Sadly, this year we won’t be able to celebrate the way we usually would for Kisharon. We can’t be on the streets in fancy dress, filling our buckets with change or collecting in schools or workplaces but

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we inviting people to join us and be part of a Virtual Bucket Collection this year to ensure funds are raised. We have been so grateful in previous years on the effort people made to raise money and hope this Purim will be a success. I really hope people will join us and celebrate Purim in this unique way or support us via purchasing mishloach manot at the Equal Home and Gift Store” said Jessica Levy, Acting Director of Fundraising at Kisharon.

To take part in the 2021 Kisharon Purim Bucket Collection set up a Just Giving or Virgin Money Giving page, select Kisharon and reach out to friends, family, colleagues or pupils that would normally help you to fill your bucket.

To send friends and family a mishloach manot card or order mishaloach manot gifts to raise money for Kisharon visit: equal.kisharon.org.uk/product-category/ purim/ or phone: 020 8457 5000 The Equal Home and Gift Store is a not for profit enterprise, so all the profits help the people they support.

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From the front line…

BY JACQUELINE CURZON Having recently done the Covid Congo, at Cullimore pharmacy in Edgware, I must recommend it as both an excellent pharmacy with multiple consulting rooms, and as a quick easy provider of the vaccine.

If you get a chance to get jabbed there - as I did in my clinically vulnerable capacity - do take it, for there were no queues and all the staff were polite and professional.

My only reservation, despite all the scientists and medics telling you the vaccination is painless - which is absolutely true - is that several Jacqueline Curzon hours later you may feel that you PHOTO: LARA MINSKY PHOTOGRAPHY have been kicked in the arm by a delinquent, oversized Spanish bull. It was a significant pain which lasted almost a week. Despite being a matador with an enviable threshold for pain, I struggled with this, more so because I chose to keep it a secret from members of my family, so as not to deter them from getting themselves jabbed, but I mention it here, because no-one had warned me, and forewarned is fore'arm'ed (excuse the pun). I in the way we have just done for years, as hope its propensity to afford protection covid strains continue to emerge. will manifest soon, and that I will not In overseas news, Israel has developed fall into a repeat covid state, as once was a new drug called Allocetra which treats alarming enough. the extreme overreaction of the immune We have a minor cause for celebrasystem seen in some severe - critical tion now that we are told we can sit on coronavirus patients, a reaction which can a park bench and let our children talk lead to organ failure and death (cytokinetic to their grandparents, although indoor storm). According to Israel's channel 13, assignations are evidently still forbidden.

90% of a sample (20 patients) who were More encouraging it looks as if primary seriously ill, recovered after they were schools may return on March 8th, with treated with the drug during the second secondaries following after this. But, for stage trials and which is now going into those with children desperate to return its 3rd trial phase. Yair Tayeb, one of the to outdoor sports, it looks as if only 1:1 recovered patients, told The Times of Israarrangements such as tennis and golf will el, “I couldn't breathe, could barely speak be permitted, so should your child want and was in a very serious condition. After to re-engage in a team sport, be it footie, they gave me the drug my breathing came ballet or gymnastics, please drop back in back, I stopped coughing and sweating. the summer when the weather improves.

I couldn't believe it.” This is 1 of 2 drugs My, oh my, I never imagined we would being developed in Israel which scientists have a government calendar of permitted think may be a game changer; the other activities, controlling our every physical drug, EXO-CD24, was tested on 30 patients nuance. Surely a 12 month effective lockdown - give or take the illusion of freedom with moderate - severe covid symptoms, where 29 of them were feeling better we were granted in between - should be within 5 days. These both show promising enough? Otherwise, if we are forced to research, but it remains to be seen whether wait for the complete population to take NERVTAG will show an interest in this. up the vaccine {and some of course will At home Nadhim Zahawi has said forcdecline} many of us will be underground ing care home staff to be vaccinated would before we smell the roses of freedom. We be “discriminatory and could lead to some have been reassured that the top nine of of them losing their jobs.” He said 93% of the priority groups will have been vaccicare home residents have been vaccinated, nated by April. More than 60 MPs in the Covid Recovery Group [CRG] are exerting but far fewer care home staff have been. He pressure on the PM to get a firm timetable said ‘we don’t mandate vaccines in the UK, I would rather do this through persuasion.’ for lockdown release, additionally calling Prof Anthony Horndon, deputy chairman for a new public health act to prevent of the JCVI, said the update of the vaccine future restrictions on liberties without Parliamentary approval. This is not entire- amongst care home staff remained “far too low,“ at just 66%. Now my question ly unreasonable as we could ping & pong

is as follows. With a killer on the loose, does anyone have the right to decline intervention, thereby putting others at risk? It feels a tad overkill to tell people who have had covid and been vaccinated, to endlessly maintain social distancing and mask obligation, when walking on the same side of the street as someone a-symptomatic and unvaccinated, who’s possibly declining to be tested or comply with regulations. Where’s the wisdom in allowing them to work with the elderly or clinically vulnerable. I feel I’m getting lost in the maze.

Chuka Umunna who previously was a champion for fighting 'reckless' city pay is leaving PR firm Edelman, to join JP Morgan.

The former shadow secretary who defected from Labour to Change UK and then to the Liberal Democrats, will lead the Wall Street titans ‘environmental social and governance efforts.’ Both Umunna and JP Morgan have declined to comment on his salary, despite a 2010 Guardian article in which he said ‘bankers' pay should be made public,’ speaking out repeatedly against corporate excess. Well, it looks like rules are there for everybody, as long as it doesn't include yourself.

The ICO (Information Commissioner's Office), the data watchdog, is responsible for flagging up irregularities and holding public bodies to account, and should be an exemplar of good practice. They have revealed some irregularities in their own departmental spending, where transactions of £6,250 on a credit card were spent on items from Hotel Chocolate, on December 21st. Since the most expensive chocolate purchase would have been a Signature Cabinet {100 chocolates} priced at £170, one has to ask what kind of party would have necessitated an equivalent purchase of 36 boxes. This must be a bitter-sweet moment for ICO, where not only have they landed in hot-chocolate, but it has instigated an internal investigation.

Nicola Sturgeon has called for legal powers to be invoked to compel Alex Salmond to give evidence under oath at Holyrood, this after she was forced to deny her own husband had committed perjury. Sturgeon refused several times to say whether she would resign if she was found to have broken the ministerial code in her handling of the case, also rebutting claims from Ruth Davidson that her husband Peter Murrell had misled the Hollywood inquiry into the botched civil service probe against Mr Salmond. The SNP leader is skating on very thin ice, over rather dark waters, so one wonders if she can swim uphill, as Salmon indeed can. In other news the Scotch Whisky industry has called on the UK government to address aerospace subsidy violations (being provided to Airbus and

The flowers that bloom in the spring, tra-la… bring promise of merry sunshine.

Boeing by European governments), as they indicate tariffs on their whisky exports have reached £500 million, resulting from the 25% tariff on single malt Scotch whisky.

This has resulted in a drop in exports to the US of around 35%. Remember it is the Scots national drink, with only Irn Bru favoured by Oor Wullie - coming in a close second. In the interim, perhaps those who stole the Glenfiddich back in December could send it back….hic.

Mountains are the dream of many, but the reality of only a few. I recall vividly the 1996 Everest disaster, where 8 climbers died in one day. Well, for elite mountaineers, Everest may not be the ultimate challenge - it might be K2. Hope has ultimately faded for the safety of 3 climbers who went missing whilst making their K2 summit attempt in February, after a helicopter search failed to locate them. The 8,611m peak, part of the treacherous Karakoram Range has earned K2 the accolade ‘Savage Mountain,’ and was only scaled for the very first time in winter this January. A climber who wrote of an infamous disaster on K2 back in 2008 when 11 climbers died in a single day, said that it was ‘far harder than Everest in a normal season, and in winter was completely unknown territory.’

This week I conclude with the obituary of General Nikolai Antoshkin (78), commander of the ‘Liquidators’: not at all in the sense of a military campaign or death squad, but as the chief of the helicopter reconnaissance crews who bravely sealed off the blazing inferno, which was Chernobyl. His orders at the time of the disaster in April 1986 were to drop sand, boron, lead and clay into the inferno which had been Reactor 4. The target aperture was only 19 metres, with each of his 100 helicopter pilots hovering 200 metres above the core, in temperatures above 200° centigrade.

28 of his pilots died shortly afterwards, and 14 more later from lingering cancers, although it was perhaps a testament to his strength and determination that he survived to 2021, to die from coronavirus instead. His crews flew over 4,000 sorties in the subsequent 2 weeks following the explosion, until the blaze was out and concrete poured in to seal the core. When he revisited Chernobyl in 1996, it was surrounded by a 20 km exclusion zone, the plant encased in a concrete sarcophagus.

That Antoshkin was awarded Hero of the Soviet Union was less of a celebration in his mind, for he felt it was awarded over a domestic issue, rather than on an international war footing, as his father had done as a hero in the Great Patriotic War on the eastern front. Chernobyl, although apparently uninhabitable for the next 20,000 years, will be forever remembered in our history, but the courageous acts of those - like Antoshkin - will outlive even that timescale for eternity.

Love Jacqueline x

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Date and Poppy Seed Hamantaschen Two delicious recipes for Purim from Denise Phillips For more recipes and inspiration visit my website: www.jewishcookery.com

As a London girl with family and friends ‘Up North’ ie Manchester and Leeds there is a distinct difference between the Hamantaschen available in the Kosher bakeries. This is the northern version of Hamantaschen - bigger, made with yeast and often served with butter.

Hamantaschen in the London area are made with biscuit pastry.

Packed with a delicious date and poppy seed filling enjoy this special treat at your Purim seudah. Alternatively, make them a little smaller and pack them up into boxes for your mishloach manot gifts.

Preparation Time: 1 hour Cooking Time: 15 minutes Makes: 12 Ingredients For the Bun Dough 450g strong white flour, sifted 14g dried yeast (2 sachets) 200ml warm water 110g margarine - cut into cubes 1 tablespoon oil or oil spray 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar 1 tablespoon caster sugar Filling 225g pitted dates –roughly chopped 110g poppy seeds Glaze 1 egg beaten with a little water Method 1. Combine water with yeast and sugar in a mixing bowl. Leave to sit in a warm place for about 10 minutes or until it becomes frothy.

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2. Add the cubed margarine, oil, vanilla sugar and the flour. Knead with a dough hook and continue kneading until combined completely and the dough is smooth.

3. Remove the dough hook and oil the bowl (use oil spray). Return dough to the bowl and cover with cling film.

4. Leave to rise in a warm place until dough has doubled in size (around 3/4 hour).

5. Prepare the filling by combining the date and poppy seeds in the food processor.

6. Preheat the oven to 180 C/ 350 F/ Gas mark 4.

7. Divide the dough in half and roll out as thinly as possible.

8. Cut into 10 cm rounds using a round cookie cutter. Put a tablespoon of filling in the centre.

9. Pinch the sides together to form a triangle ensuring the filling is well concealed.

10. Arrange on a baking tray lined with baking parchment paper.

11. Brush with eggwash and leave to rise again in a warm place (about 10 minutes). Sprinkle with sesame seeds if using.

12. Bake in oven for 10- 15 minutes until golden brown.

13. Sprinkle with hundreds and thousands if using.

14. To serve the stylish way: Cut into thick slices and buttered.

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COOKERY 27

Poppy Seed & Cranberry Cake with Chocolate Icing This will be an impressive cake for a Purim Seudah or cup-cakes for Mishloach Manot.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 50 minutes for large cake / 15- 20 minutes for cup cakes Serves: 8 people or 8- 10 cup cakes Ingredients 250g plain flour 150g caster sugar 3/4 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 100g chopped cranberries 2 tablespoons poppy seeds 1 egg 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 180ml fresh orange juice Chocolate Icing 300g icing sugar 100g unsalted butter/ margarine –room temperature 40g cocoa powder – sifted 50g plain chocolate melted 2 tablespoons milk/ soya milk Decorate: Chocolate sprinkles Method 1. Line and grease a 1 kg loaf tin.

2. Combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda. Add the cranberries and poppy seeds, and stir to coat with flour.

3. Mix together the egg, oil and orange juice in a separate bowl.

4. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture, and stir until just blended.

5. Spoon the cake mixture into the prepared loaf tin.

6. Bake for 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted near the centre comes out clean.

7. Cool in tin for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool down completely.

8. For the icing, beat the icing sugar, butter, cocoa powder until well combined.

9. Add the milk and when this is has been incorporated add the melted chocolate. Beat well for a light fluffy mixture.

10. Spread or pipe onto the cooled cake and decorate as desired.

11. Bake in oven for 10- 15 minutes until golden brown.

12. Sprinkle with hundreds and thousands if using.

13. To serve the stylish way: Cut into thick slices and buttered.

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ASK THE RABBI

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

Dear Rabbi My father died from Covid in May of last year. I am in the process of arranging his stone-setting. Due to family conflict many years ago my eldest brother disowned himself from the family. My father would have been insulted to think of my brother’s name appearing on the stone. Can my family intervene in this process? Is there any law about what names appear on the stone? I can’t mourn the loss of my father until this is resolved.

Kim Dear Kim If there is one thing I genuinely thought this wretched virus would achieve, it is a change of heart and attitude. Life is too short for any of the lingering arguments.

For the record, there are no laws as to what names have to go on a stone, apart from the deceased of course. But I do think you should consider the implications of allowing a rift to fester even after death. You suggest your father might be insulted to know his son’s name went on the stone. I don’t buy into that. I know many a parent who went to their grave with a heavy heart because of a falling out with a child years before. Only recently I officiated at a funeral where I was the only attendee. How sad is that?

It is tragic enough that your father spent much of his life estranged from his son. It would be even more tragic if that had to carry on after his passing. In the final analysis there are no halachic criteria per se, but I think you should consider chiselling

away at your heart before doing so on the stone.

A MISSIONARY ON A MISSION

Dear Rabbi I am a Jewish missionary with a question I would like to bounce off you. According to ancient pre-Talmudic scripture, the coming of the Messiah had a time constraint: it was connected to his descent from the tribe of Judah. Genesis 49:10, a well-recognized messianic prophecy, indicated that Judah was to retain its identity until Shiloh (one of the names for the Messiah) was to come.

According to the book of Ezra (1:5-8), Judah’s position was maintained throughout the 70 years’ captivity in Babylon.

It was also intact back in the Land, until the Romans made the kingdom of Judah a Roman province. At that time the Sanhedrin was stripped of its authority and, according to Josephus, they [the members of the Sanhedrin] “covered their heads with ashes and their bodies with sackcloth, exclaiming, ‘Woe unto us, for the sceptre has departed from Judah and the Messiah has not come.’

While there was a provincial government in place about 50 years later (in 70ce) that too ended. Not only was the Messiah to be from the lineage of Judah, but more specifically from the house of David: “I have made a covenant with My chosen, I have sworn to My servant David: your seed will establish forever, and build up your throne to all generations.” This messianic prophecy clearly refers to a descendent of David. Proof of such lineage was destroyed when the Temple was sacked. And while we do not

Pirkei Avot

have the Temple records, we do have the record of Y’shua’s family tree in the accounts of his life by both Luke and Matthew.

They both identify that he is from the house of David. We don’t know anyone else who lived at that time and claimed to be the Messiah, who is descended from the tribe of Judah and the house of David, apart from Y’shua (Jesus). What is your comment on this, please?

Mark Dear Mark You want my comments? You asked for it!

1) “Jewish missionary” (and for any other religion) is an oxymoron, like a square circle or a kosher pig.

2) There is indeed a time-constraint in the sense of there being a definite final time when the Messiah will appear on earth.

Along with that, there is an indefinite time, i.e., that he may come anytime earlier, whenever the people of Israel are worthy for that.

3) Who says that Shiloh is a name for the Messiah? Jewish oral tradition! Thus if you accept that part, you must also accept the other part of that same tradition which gives clear criteria who the Messiah is and his qualifications. This clearly excludes any Christian interpretation and claims.

4) The verse you cite from Genesis means simply, no more and no less, that legitimate kingship over Israel is limited to the tribe of Judah until the Messiah comes, who himself will be of that tribe through the lineage of King David.

For a refuah Shalema for Yitzchak Refoel Chaim ben Rifka

Reb Yochanan Ben Zakai lived through the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash, and instituted many decrees to preserve the Torah through that difficult time. He has grabbed this column’s headlines recently with the advice and qualities of his best students dominating the last few Mishnahs.

We carry on in the same vein this week, with an interesting challenge he set to his students. ‘Go out and see which path is good for a person to follow.’ According to Reb Eliezer, the most important quality is to have ‘a good

5) We have clear lineage to King David to this day. The earthly kingship indeed ceased (and even that not completely, as the exilarchs in Babylonia, for hundreds of years after the destruction of the Temple, was held by descendants of King David). The spiritual leadership of the Jewish people continued for centuries in the hands of King David’s descendants. The famous sage Hillel was a descendant, and his lineage of leadership continued on. In fact, I myself (like numerous other people) have a family-tree going all the way back to King David!

6) Where do you get this rubbish of there being Temple-records of tribal affiliation? And even if there had been, you mean to say that over-night, all of a sudden, everyone forgot who is who and where they come from and to which tribe they are affiliated? In fact, at the time of the destruction of the Temple (and even way before that, after the exile of the Ten Tribes during the time of the First Temple), most Jews in the Land of Israel were

from the tribe of Judah!

7) It is altogether dubious whether we can trust any of the so-called historical date in the New Testament, as acknowledged even by Christian scholars and theologians. The apostles wrote that in order to justify their claims, thus for simple reasons of self-interest, without offering any evidence but their own words.

8) Even in the New Testament there are mutually contradictory inconsistencies in the alleged genealogy of the Christian messiah, proving they did not know what they are talking about, and the editors couldn’t get their act together.

9) Even by the New Testament accounts, his alleged descent is only through his mother (after all, according to that source he had no father...). In Jewish law and tradition, as stated in the Five Books of Moses, tribal affiliation goes exclusively through the father, and never through the mother. Thus, for example, if the mother is the daughter of a Cohen or Levite, and the father (or lack thereof...) is not, the child is not a Cohen or Levite. In the case you cite, or any instance where the father is unknown, that individual may be Jewish but does not belong to any tribe!

10) The aforementioned Hillel lived much earlier than the time you describe, was known to be of Davidic descent, thus making it known for all his descendants as well.

You should open your eyes, study history, learn to be honest and objective, drop all the nonsense you have been duped into, ensnaring you into a faith that contradicts the Torah and the unbroken chain of tradition of Judaism, and return to your roots and true identity.

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

Perek 2: Mishna 10 part 1

eye.’ It is difficult to always try and see the good in other people, yet it is a trait worthy of the very best amongst our great nation. Answers from the other rabbis included ‘a good friend, a good neighbour, anticipating the outcome of your actions beforehand, and having a good heart.’

Reb Yochanan Ben Zakai told his students that the answer of Reb Elazar ben Arach, namely ‘a good heart,’ is the best as it leads to all the others. Next week we will IY’H carry on this Mishnah by seeing what are the traits to distance oneself from.

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Torah from Israel

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Parashat Zachor: Learning to Hate

BY RABBI MOSHE TARAGIN Amalek attacked us at our most vulnerable moment. Viciously assaulting the newly freed slaves in an empty wilderness, the cruel guerrilla armies of Amalek were out for blood. Valiantly defending ourselves, we rebuffed their attack and reached a military stalemate. In the wake of this armistice, G-d commanded us to forever remember this war and the ongoing battle with the merciless nation of Amalek. We are instructed to eternally recall this battle and, also, to completely obliterate the Amalek nation- men women and children. Once a year, prior to the onset of Purim and prior to discussing the Purim phase of the Amalek battle, we review the Amalek section of parshat Zachor to remind ourselves of this stark mandate.

The actual legal mitzvah of crushing Amalek is morally challenging. The notion of executing “innocents” should trouble any moral conscience; systematic annihilation of an entire nation is morally atrocious and should appall our sense of decency. As Jews, who have frequently faced threats of genocide, this mitzvah seems every more incomprehensible. Yet, G-d commands us and at the core of religious identity lies obedience and the ability to submit to Divine command even when the human mind and the human heart cannot grasp those instructions. The very first Jewish kingShaul- questioned the morality of eliminating Amalek. Unable to fathom the Divine logic and unable to justify this mitzvah he flinched, and he spared an older Amalek king named Agag. For this mistake and, more significantly, for questioning Divine will, he forfeited his right to monarchy.

It is unlikely that the actual mitzvah of eliminating Amalek applies today. Firstly, we no longer enjoy halachik Jewish monarchy and the formal commandment only applies under those conditions. Furthermore, it is almost impossible to identify the descendants of the ancient nation of Amalek. Given the population re-shuffling throughout the centuries it is amost impossible to identify genealogical Amalek. In the 8th century BCE the Assyrians redistributed the local populations of the Mideast, making it impossible to trace or identify the original ‘races’ of the Torah. Perhaps during Messianic times, the mitzvah may be rejuvenated, but it certainly doesn’t occupy a central feature of historical Judaism. If this mitzvah is so historically peripheral, why do we annually read about our mitzvah to annihilate Amalek?

Beyond the actual mitzvah of eliminating Amalek, the story teaches us an important lesson about human history and

the evolution of human society. As civilization evolves, people become more civil and society trends toward greater moral sensitivity. In the modern era, the brutality of ancient civilizations has been replaced by softer and more polite societies. Abusive institutions of the ancient world such as slavery have been eliminated or significantly reduced. Though racial and religious bigotry haven’t completely subsided, much of the modern world frowns upon these discriminatory attitudes. It is safe to say that, in general, modern society is softer and more compassionate than ancient civilization; Man’s moral conscience has definitely evolved.

It is easier than ever to believe in the inherent virtue of Man. Many would say that belief in human virtue is a religious mandate; G-d endowed humans with unique capabilities and inner kindness and appreciating Man and believing in Man is part of appreciating G-d Himself. This is the basic ‘case’ for ‘religious humanism’.

In this type of environment, it becomes difficult for some to imagine the existence of pure and unconditional evil. If Man is pure and the modern society he crafted so civil, can Man also be evil? Perhaps ‘evil’ isn’t real, and doesn’t truly exist; perhaps we need to better understand and appreciate the perspective of someone who acts criminally. Perhaps evil doesn’t exist in absolute terms and every act must be judged from the legitimate perspective of the author. This attitude has created the position known as ‘moral relativism’ where no ideology or behaviour can be branded as evil. By viewing it from the perspective of the other almost any behaviour can be justified. Moral relativism blurs the distinction between right and wrong and between good and evil and erases all absolute moral values. Parshat Amalek reminds us that there are evil people in our world, and we must learn to despise evil. Our belief in humanity and in the ongoing moral evolution of the human spirit cannot blind us to the existence of evil. Germany of the 20th century was the cradle of European culture, yet it perpetrated one of the most heinous crimes ever attempted by humanity. As Man evolves and moral behaviour progresses, we sometimes abdicate the ability to recognize pure evil. The Amalek story reminds us that evil will always exist, and it will always rear its ugly face and threaten humanity. As the Torah stresses, the Amalek battle endures throughout all the generations of Man – m’idor dor. Even though we have lost the traces of actual Amalek the battle against evil is perennial.

The second message of the Amalek story is that part of the Jewish mission is to

Beyond the actual mitzvah of eliminating Amalek, the story teaches us an important lesson about human history and the evolution of human society. oppose and defeat the evil which threatens the world. We aren’t merely a nation of priests who model religious behaviour to the entire human race. We are also the defenders of G-d in this world and when forces of evil attempt to erase the presence of G-d from our world we must stand tall and defeat those forces. In the past century, Soviet Communism attempted to build an ideology bereft of the presence of G-d. The “struggle of the working class” defined human experience rather than any religious or moral value. This Soviet empire appeared indomitable; only a few desperate Jews dared to defy this Soviet superpower by demanding free passage to Israel. In 1986, Natan Sharansky walked across ‘Checkpoint Charlie’ to his freedom and a few short years later the entire Soviet empire collapsed. Jews are always at the centre-stage of history standing tall in the face of the dangerous forces of evil which seek to consume good men.

Finally, the section of Amalek reminds us that, although this struggle is perennial and rears its head throughout various stages of history, ultimate victory can only be achieved when the Jews return to the land of Israel. The Torah prefaces the Amalek challenge: When you live in your land and

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are relieved of foreign threats – eliminate Amalek. Even though this mission is universal – to protect humanity against the devouring forces of evil- it is anchored to our homeland. Only when Jews return to Yerushalayim will the ultimate conquest of “Amalek” be achieved and will humanity be fully protected. In fact, the first Amalek battle occurred on the 28th day of the second month of the year. Three thousand two hundred and seventy-nine years later, on the very same day that the Amalek battle was launched, the city of Yerushalayim was restored to the Jews. The battle of Amalek snakes through Jewish history and courses through Yerushalayim.

We must strive to be good human beings who respect humanity and appreciate the inner virtue of Man. This sensitivity cannot blur the differences between good and evil. Jews stand on guard opposing the evil which threatens our world. Parshat Zachor reminds us of these truths.

Rabbi Moshe Taragin is a rabbi at Yeshivat Har Etzion/Gush, a hesder yeshiva. He has smicha and a BA in computer science from Yeshiva University as well as a masters degree in English literature from the City University of New York.

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Weekly Dvar Torah FR O M ER ETZ Y I S RA E L

A Home for G-d

BY RABBI DOV LIPMAN Parashat Terumah focuses on the details of the construction of the Mishkan. G-d tells Moshe, “They shall make a Sanctuary for Me, so that I may dwell in them” (25:8). Commentaries question the use of the word “B’tocham” – “in them.” If it is referring to G-d dwelling in the Mishkan shouldn’t it say “B’tocha” – “in it?”

The Alshich answers that the intent is not that G-d will dwell in the Mishkan but that all Jews should turn their own bodies into a dwelling place for G-d’s presence.

Hence the words “in them.” This message is repeated in the very next verse. The Torah says “v’chein ta’asu” – “and so shall you do.” Rashi quotes the Gemara in Sanhedrin 16b explaining this to mean “for all generations.” The Malbim teaches that this means that no matter whether or not there is a Mishkan or Beit Hamikdash, we have ability to create a dwelling place for G-d within ourselves.

This is not the first time this message appears in the Torah. During their shira following the splitting of the Yam Suf, the

Jews sang “Zeh keili v’anveihu.” “Zeh keili” means “this is my G-d.” But what does “v’anveihu” mean? Rav Hirsch and the Kotzker Rebbe teach that it comes from the word “naveh” which means a “home.”

The Jews saw G-d clearly and said, “I am going to make a home for G-d within me.”

This message was captured in the “Bilvavi” poem written by Elazar Azikri: “In my heart, I will build a Mishkan for G-d’s glory.”

Every single Jew has the capacity to purify the body through Torah, Tefillah, and mitzvah observance and to have G-d dwell inside of them and to truly be with them wherever they go.

If one takes this command seriously and seeks to find a way to feel and

experience G-d’s Presence with no Mishkan or Beit Hamikdash, all signs must point toward the Land of Israel.

The Gemara (Taanit 10a) teaches that whereas G-d uses angels to guide what transpires in other lands, G-d is directly involved with what happens in Israel. The Midrash (Tehillim 113) says that if one wants to see G-d’s Presence, one should study Torah in the Land of Israel. The Kli Yakar (Bereishit 26:3) explains that G-d instructed Yitzchak to remain in Israel since he would not be able to experience the revelation of G-d’s Presence outside of Israel. The Malbim understands that when Yitzchak told Yaakov, “May He grant you the blessing of Avraham to you and to your offspring with you, that you may

Every single Jew has the capacity to purify the body through Torah, Tefillah, and mitzvah observance and to have G-d dwell inside of them and to truly be with them wherever they go.

possess the land of your sojourns which G-d gave to Avraham” (Bereishit 28:4), he was telling him: “Inheriting the Land of Israel is the condition to enable G-d’s Presence to dwell among them.”

When people talk about living in Israel, the discussion often revolves around living in a country where we defend ourselves and living in a state which is culturally Jewish. The command in this week’s parasha to create a home for G-d in our midst and the sources which teach that Israel is the place where one can truly experience G-d’s Presence add another dimension to the importance of living in Israel: making it easier to fulfill the command to feel and experience G-d in every aspect of our lives.

Rabbi Dov Lipman is a former MK and the author of seven books about Judaism and Israel. He is a member of the Mizrachi Speakers Bureau (www.mizrachi.org/ speakers).

A Torah bite for the Shabbat table

What you see is not what you get RABBI GOODMAN When viewing the world from a Jewish perspective, what you see is certainly not what you get. The regal sight of a Chassidish Jew enwrapped in his Tallis, shaking his impressive lulav and beautiful esrog with deep concentration and piety, may convey spiritual devotion, but were that esrog to have been stolen, he may as well be waving a lulav and a pomegranate at a fancy-dress party. The external trappings of a Mitzvah bear no witness to its intrinsic spiritual value.

This principle unravels so many spiritual mysteries. Who hasn’t cried out in exasperation, “G-d, what more do You want from me! Look how much I’ve already given up for You!” That may be true from our perspective but from Hashem’s perspective the situation may look somewhat different.

Unfortunately, our eyes can only send information to our brains to help us perceive the physical world but not the spiritual world.

Ironically, the greater our physical vision, the worse our spiritual vision.

(Indeed, the Talmud refers to a blind person with the euphemism, “Sagi Nahor,”

literally meaning “Great light,” because the less one can see in the physical world, the greater “light” he can see in the spiritual world. Accordingly, Rabbi Meir who was blind, taught the Mishna in Pirkei Avos, “Do not look at the jug, but at what is in it.”

He perceived firsthand the emptiness of external trappings.)

Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik (18201892), otherwise known as the Bais Halevi, learns from the juxtaposition of Parshas Terumah to Parshas Mishpatim, the importance of making sure the “invisible” dimensions of our Mitzvos are intact. By placing Hashem’s instruction- that Klal Yisroel donate towards the building of the Tabernacle- after the Parsha primarily dealing with monetary law, the Torah insinuates that before we give tzedakah from our own money, we must ensure that it really is our own money. Although giving tzedakah with other people’s money looks like tzedakah,

in reality it is theft.

People who religiously give a tenth (and sometimes even a fifth) of their earnings to charity wonder why they cannot make ends meet. “Surely,” they wail, “the Torah’s formula for becoming rich is to give a tenth of one’s earnings to charity?” Essentially there are two possible answers to their dilemma: either the Torah lied (unlikely) or their tzedakah is not really tzedakah (not out of the question.) Giving tzedakah without settling “unilateral debts” means giving tzedakah with stolen money – a wonderful way of diving deeper into poverty.

We dedicate our lives to serving a G-d we cannot see, utilizing a Neshama we cannot see, with the goal of reaching a world we cannot see. Torah observance requires x-ray vision – the ability to see beyond our limited and warped perspective and behold that which is hidden. As well as continuously granting us our physical sight, may

People who religiously give a tenth (and sometimes even a fifth) of their earnings to charity wonder why they cannot make ends meet.

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Hashem bless each one of us with 20/20 spiritual vision, enabling us to perceive the truth of our actions and the beauty of the Mitzvos.

A project of My Dvar Torah, Torah Bite is your resource for a short, dynamic, and meaningful Dvar Torah to share at the Shabbos table. Originally from London, Rabbi Ben Goodman has spent 20 years in Jerusalem, teaching and inspiring students from all backgrounds and from all over the world. He is the director of My Dvar Torah, providing tailor-made Divrei Torah for all occasions. www.mydvartorah.com.

He encourages feedback & ideas: ben@mydvartorah.com

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Terumah RABBI DR RAYMOND APPLE

NO HOLY PLACES

The most famous sentence in the sidra is HaShem’s command, “Let them make Me a sanctuary and I will dwell in their midst” (Ex. 25:8).

Everybody knows the rabbinic commentary that says though HaShem wants a sanctuary His intention is to dwell amongst the people.

The building would be called a sanctuary, a mikdash, but it would only be holy so long as the people who assembled there were holy. The Divine Presence was not in a building but in the builders.

In the same way we have holy days but it is not the days as such which are holy but the people who observe them.

In modern times when, Baruch HaShem, we have Jerusalem, what is holy is not the city but the people. We attach a great fanfare to the so-called holy sites, but they are only holy when people come there and take part in holy activities.

We say that a Jewish home is mikdash me’at, a minor sanctuary, but even though a Jewish home is said to be sacred, what really is sacred is the family that has a Jewish heart, mind and soul.

GOLD, SILVER & BRASS

The sidra sets out the offerings required for the building of the tabernacle. They include

TO ADVERTISE CALL 020 3906 8488 gold, silver and copper.

But the Israelites were in the midst of the wilderness! How did they get these metals?

One answer is that families may have owned metals for generations, from the earlier, more pleasant period in Egypt. In addition, the Torah states that on leaving Egypt they were endowed with assets by the Egyptians. They could also have acquired spoils of war from the Amalekites.

When the time came, therefore, to create the sanctuary, they had not only the will but also the means to adorn the edifice with appropriate dignity.

Their generosity established the precedent which has been part of Jewish life ever since – the instinctive support for a worthy cause. The full flowering of this impulse for generosity has come in our generation, which the historian Cecil Roth called the Philanthropic Age of Jewish history.

Reconstructing the Jewish world after the Holocaust, creating the State of Israel, establishing the infrastructure for the Jewish future, all called forth all the reserves of gold, silver and bronze which we were able to give, and we gave and continue to give with a willing heart because we knew from Moses and the Israelites in the wilderness that to give is a mitzvah.

18 FEBRUARY 2021

TELEFUNDRAISING.

When you answer the phone you never know who will be on the other end of the line.

You can get a pleasant surprise to hear from someone you love dearly. You can also be pestered by someone who is trying to sell you something you don’t want.

It is tempting to be rude to the telemarketers who disturb your life, usually at meal times, with a well-rehearsed line of sales talk which gives you no chance to think carefully.

But you have to feel sorry for the people who make the calls who are only trying to make a living and probably don’t enjoy what they have to do.

What this has to do with the Torah reading is more than merely the general ethical duty (Parashat K’doshim, Lev. 19) not to oppress people or mislead them with selective information. It raises an aspect of telemarketing that can be called telefundraising.

The name of today’s portion, Terumah, is the modern Hebrew word for a donation. In Biblical literature it means an offering, with the technical connotation of a percentage of one’s earnings which is the due of the kohen.

The root of the word denotes to lift up,

Terumah, is the modern Hebrew word for a donation. In Biblical literature it means an offering, with the technical connotation of a percentage of one’s earnings which is the due of the kohen.

and hence to set something apart for sacred purposes. In Mishnaic Hebrew the noun gives birth to a verb, taram, to donate.

In Israel there are so many good causes for which telefundraisers solicit terumot, and it is hard to refuse them. We just have to hope that the telemarketers who are so eloquent about their causes give a personal example of generosity.

In England a certain Quaker used to say, “Friend, my sympathy is worth a five-pound note: what is yours worth?”

Rabbi Apple served for 32 years as the chief minister of the Great Synagogue, Sydney, Australia’s oldest congregation. He is now retired and lives in Jerusalem. Rabbi Apple blogs at http://www.oztorah.com

Chovot Halevavot Hilchot Shabbat

Chovot Halevavot now gives a parable with which one can understand human effort and G-d’s influence on what transpires in this world.

Imagine you have an animal tied to one wheel, which itself is connected to a second wheel. The second wheel is attached to a pail which is used to draw water from a well.

Through the animal’s efforts turning the wheel, the filled pail is drawn up from the well.

The pail which draws the water seems to be the most obvious contributor to the efforts and the person who tied the animal to the wheel is the “furthest away” contributor to the efforts. All the implements in between bridge the furthest away contributor (the person) to the immediately apparent contributor, the pail. If anyone in the chain does not carry out its purpose, the water drawing activity will fail.

Hashem is the cause of all things, sometimes we see numerous people or items which seem to carry out a task for us, but in reality, G-d is the One Who prepares

those causes to carry out a certain task and if He didn’t want the result, it would not happen.

When it comes to sustaining ourselves, human effort seems to be necessary at all stages. At the very least, if a person needs to eat, even if food is brought to their mouth, if they don’t chew it and/or swallow it, it will not bring about the nutritious benefits needed, and the person will remain hungry.

All the more so if the food is not prepared and requires baking or cooking, if the person does not do it, it will not get done and the food will not reach them.

Finally, if a person needs money to buy the ingredients and does not have it, then they will be one step even further away from eating and therefore a person (seems to) needs to work in order to bring food to their table and live.

So, we see that Hashem has set up the world in a system that human effort is required in order for a person to be sustained. The question is, why?

Although strictly speaking, a child under the age of three does not have their own obligation to keep Mitzvot, it is nevertheless forbidden to feed any child a forbidden food and likewise to physically make them do any sin.

When it comes to Shabbat however, there is an [additional] obligation for one’s children, slaves and animals to rest from Melacha on Shabbat.

Therefore one cannot instruct a child of any age to perform a forbidden act on Shabbat especially if it is not for the benefit of the child.

As for what is permitted to allow a child under 3 to do, here are some common examples: One may allow a child to play in a garden or in the street even though they know that they will pull grass or dig in the soil. Likewise one can allow a child into a room even though the child may take a chair and press the light switch so long as one does not indicate to the child to do so.

Something which is prohibited by the Sages and is needed for the child may be performed by the child on Shabbat.

Therefore for a young child to carry

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something which the child needs, in a manner in which there would only be a Rabbinic prohibition to carry, would be permitted. However, in practice, this should only be done if an adult will also benefit from this and thereby perform a Mitzvah such as a chumash or siddur. It is therefore not of frequent relevance.

One can give a toddler etc a toy that makes a noise when shaken or squeezed, however, an adult may obviously not shake or squeeze such a toy, even if they do so to soothe the child.

If a light is off in a room, one can allow their very young child to play in that room even though they will inevitably switch on the light for their own benefit.

Similarly if one has dropped their wallet in the garden, they can let their child play outside even though the curious kid will undoubtedly bring the wallet inside.

38 JUDAISM

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Torah from Uman We are honoured to present the teachings of Rabbi Shlomo Segal, of Uman, being presented, l’ilui Nishmat his mother, Ella bat Liza and his grandmother Liza bat Reisa When I set out to combine my understanding of the revealed Torah and the inner meaning of Torah, I didn’t initially understand where to start.

Uttering a prayer, I decided to open the “Likutei MaHaRan” (collected teachings of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov), “Likutei Tanya”, and I then understood that for an ordinary human being, “thinking” is not the manner in which it would be possible to understand the essence of the Torah.

The reason for this is because the Torah was given to people, not to angels, and when a person tries to understand the Torah only logically, he cannot experience real joy and satisfaction.

Therefore, Rabbi Nachman writes, the greatest “wisdom of all wisdoms” is not to rely on your wisdom and understanding, because it is impossible to even compare human wisdom with the wisdom of the Holy Torah.

So, let us start with the help of Hashem.

When I studied the “Mishna Berura”

(the commentary of the holy Chofetz Chaim on the Shulchan Aruch), much more than plain “laws” were taught to me. It revealed the inner meaning and spiritual plan of fulfilling the commandments of the Torah.

For example, it is written that a person should wake up “like a lion”, although our body is not the same as that of animals.

The inner meaning of this is that our true self is always awake, but when falling asleep we can forget about our real self, which lives forever.

We live by the spirit of Hashem, as it is written, the Almighty breathed into a person the spirit of life. When we are born, we breathe in this spirit of Hashem and when we die, we breathe it out and the whole world lives with this spirit of life, which means that the whole world was created for this breath. In the coming segments, we will delve into the meaning of prayer and blessings and our morning conduct.

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Terumah

Terumah Word Search

Parshat Teruma is the first opportunity the Jewish people are given to share! To give some of their great wealth towards a really important cause. The Mishkan! This was a special place for the Jewish people to come and enjoy being close to Hashem as it were. In it was the Aron, the Menorah, the Shulchan, the Kiyor and two Mizbechot. It was covered with beautifully coloured tapestries and animal skin and surrounded by the Courtyard. The purpose of this structure which would later become the Beit Hamikdash was for G-d to be able to place a strong presence on this world and to take all the inspiration and excitement from Matan Torah and be able to hold on to it forever! Sadly we don’t have a Beit Hamikdash today but, in our hearts, we can build a place of love for Hashem, His Torah and Mitzvot!

Tangram Challenge!

Using all the shapes on the left can you make the Key shape on the right?

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AMALEK • ARON • KAPORET • KOHEN • MENORAH • MISHKAN • MIZBEACH • SHULCHAN

42 YOUTH

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Terumah In a nutshell In this week’s Sidra, Moshe is taught of the building a Mishkan which would serve as a place for the Shechina to reside. This means that a special feeling of Kedusha – holiness, would be felt there. The Mishkan was also the forerunner of the big Beit Hamikdash which would eventually be built (and, sadly, later destroyed) in Jerusalem and which we await the rebuilding of.

We are first taught of the different materials G-d wanted the Jews to contribute to the Mishkan. Gold, silver, copper, wool, oil and stones among other things were to be used for the building and running of the Mishkan.

In the Mishkan, there were various fascinating objects each with their own measurements. Many of the contained four rings into which two long poles were inserted. These were used for carrying the holy objects as the Jews travelled through the desert for 40 years.

The first of the objects we are taught about is the Aron. The Aron was shaped like a box, and inside the external pure gold box there was a wooden box, which itself contained a smaller gold box. On top of the Aron,

there were two cherubim – shapes of children facing each other, which showed the love G-d has for the Jewish people, especially when they were doing the correct thing.

Then we are taught about the Menorah. This looked similar to the Menorah we are familiar with except that it had 7 branches (including the middle, central one) and was fashioned out of one solid piece of gold!

Moshe had to be shown by Hashem Himself how this was to be built. On the Menorah were ornaments fashioned from it such as cups, buttons and flowers.

Moshe is then told about the Shulchan. On this “table” were twelve shelves onto which the “Lechem Hapanim” the unique bread were placed. These miraculously stayed fresh from week to week.

The walls of the Mishkan were created from 48 wooden boards, covered in gold and which had two prongs which were inserted into silver sockets.

The Mishkan was divided inside between the “Kodesh” and the “Kodesh Kadashim” sections and in between the two was a decorative curtain which

Word Wheel The goal of a word wheel puzzle is to create as many words possible with the letters in the word wheel.

Each word must contain at least three letters. You can only use each letter once and every word must have the letter in the centre of the wheel.

served as a partition.

The “roof” of the Mishkan was made of three layers.

The first one was a tapestry of mixed colour of wool and linen. The second was made of goat’s hair and the tirm a mixture of ram skin as well as a special animal called the Tachash. This was a multi-coloured animal that seems to have been created for the occasion of building the Mishkan!

Much of the activity in the Mishkan surrounded the Mizbeach. On it, animals were brought up as offerings to Hashem. Moshe was taught how to build this and it’s equipment.

Finally, outside the Mishkan was a Courtyard. The Courtyard itself was closed off by linen hangings supported by pillars.

There are two further objects in the Mishkan - do you know what they were?

It is important to note that the purpose of the Mishkan was not simply so G-d would have somewhere to place His Shechina; it was for us to be aware that G-d wants to be close to us in all circumstances!

Use this area to write the words you have found.

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Last week’s words: Here are some words you may have found from last week - you may have found more! cue eel one ore roe rue see sue

use clue cone core cues cure eels else

lens lone lore lose lure nose once ones

reel role rose rues rule rune ruse seen

sloe sole sore sure user clone close clues

cones cores creel crone cruel cures curse enrol

ensue loner loser louse nurse ounce reels reuse

roles rules runes scene scone score sneer snore

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ulcer uncle censor clones closer course crones encore

ensure loners ounces rescue resole screen secure source

ulcers uncles censure cloners closure counsel enclose encores

recluse enclosure

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Q: What’s the best thing about Switzerland?

A: I don’t know, but the flag is a big plus!

Q: Why do we tell actors to “break a leg?”

A: Because every play has a cast!

Q: Hear about the new restaurant called Karma?

A: There’s no menu: You get what you deserve!

(Answers at the bottom of page upside down)

1. I weigh nothing, but you can still see me.

Maybe in a bucket or your pocket.

What am I?

3. Why is an

2. What five-letter word becomes shorter if you add two letters to it?

Q: Did you hear about the claustrophobic astronaut?

A: He just needed a little space!

island like the letter T? 3) They’re both in the middle of water!

1. A hole

2) Short

1. Can’t spell for toffee 2. Look both ways 3. Balancing act

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4. Bob up and down 5. In black and white 6. Up for grabs

44 SPORT 34 SPORT

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Pep powering towards Sixteen-goal Lions Premier afterinEverton rout Scrabble Cup triumph

BY DAVID SAFFER

Reiss Mogilner scored six goals as Maccabi London Lions thumped Scrabble A in the second round of the Cyril Anekstein Cup. The Premier League side racked up a 16-0

BY DAVID SAFFERGreen and Michael Kenley win with Daniel both bagging a hat-trick. Ed Brafman, DaManchester CityAdam are powering towards the vid Dinkin, and Hassanali completPremier League title after a 3-1 win against ed the rout in a mismatch of a tie.

Everton at Goodison Park last night.

Lions could have scored in the opening Phil Foden, Riyad Mahrez and Bernardo minute of the clash but soon opened the Silva scored the9-0 goals takes Pep Guarscoring and led by that half time. diola’s 10 points clear ofthough the chasing The team Division One team, outpack at the top away of thetotable with 14 games classed, battled the end. remaining.

Lions boss was lost for words at full time Citywas extended theirfrom top-flight record such the display his team who winning run to 17 games with this triumph gave every respect to the opposition. and it not seems no sure Premier team has the “I’m really there’s anything to quality season.to the say, we to arechallenge happy to them make this it through City’s form is quite even by next round of the cup,”remarkable, he commented. their own high standards in recent seaHendon United Sports ran out 3-1 victors sons.

Domestically, they swept the board against League One outfit North London in 2019. With the league all but tied up, a Raiders. place the EFL final FAinCup The in Premier side ledand early the quarter second final (coincidently against Everton next half only for Raiders to equalise but struck month) to come, it isa hard any two late isgoals to book placetoinsee round side stopping them in their tracks.

Guardithree of the competition. olaHendon has thenow squad landattentions not only atosecturntotheir the ond treble but also plan an assaultAonfor thea league as they travel to Oakwood Champions League for the firston time.

City crucial top of the table clash Sunday face Borussia Monchengladbach in the (10am). last 16 first leg nextteam Wednesday.

Daniel Kristall’s stunned the league Whilstlast Citymonth move towards a fifth Premier leaders when they won 2-0, a crown the race for Champions victory would move them to within League a point spots is building a clutch of teams harof Hendon with awith match in hand. bouring hopes of landing a top Elsewhere in the latest roundfour of fispot. xtures, Everton played their part in an eventful 10-man North London Galaxy made it a match on title Merseyside but theDivision visitorsOne dethree-way race in the only servedly opened the scoring just after clash of the day after defeating Oakwoodthe B. half hour through who better Jamie Murray sawFoden, red early on gets but Galaxy by the with week.goals The from 20-year-old England rallied Josh Cohen and inJaternational was on the spot to fire cob Leigh to record an important 2-1home away when Mahrez’s cross fell into his path from win.

Michael header. Jewish Richarlson Galaxy Keane’s head Redbridge Care Aforin tuitously equalised shortly after but City the table by just one point after 10 matches, reasserted authority the break third place their Fairlop FC are after five points bethanks to Mahrez’s brilliant curling effort hind with two games in hand. before Silva set the seal on another win.

Rafi Bloom scored for Oakwood.

A few days before this latest victory, “It was a fantastic performance in a

16-goal Maccabi London Lions

must-win game,” commented Galaxy player-manager Luke Lewis.

“We sat back and allowed Oakwood the PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK Olivier given Giroud hit target for Chelsea versus and Newcastle ball, thetheone-man advantage looked to hit them on the counter attack with pace.

“Both goals came down the right-hand side. Leigh crossed the first one into Cohen to finish, before slotting home himself. Up to first we go.”

The Division Two title race also took a twist with league leaders Herstwood circumstances,” said delighted Fortune Guardiola’s side eased to adefeat 3-0 win against boss Bale’sSimon form Linden. has been a huge talking point Vale going down to a 2-1 at Temple Tottenham at the weekend. Rodri opened in“We recent days.

His briefofrun out late in Rethe Fortune. had a number players out, the scoring from a disputed penalty before game offered some hope that he is ready Faithfold B have played a game more buck got injured, so I couldn’t have asked Ilkay Vale Gundogan settled the contest to make impact issues than but moved level with a 5-3 with win ata any moreanfrom the after players.

We with wishhis Benfita brace.

City face Tottenham in the EFL final ness.

And Tottenham need him if they are North London Raiders Masters. speedy recovery. inJacob April Kalms but on struck this showing the trophywho will to“It make impactold in the chase for Europetwice for Fortune wasan a proper school performance, remain at the Etihad. an spots aside from a Europa League camscored through leading scorer James Mil- we battled and defended for the 90 minutes Of greater concern to season. the north Lon- and paigntook which arguablyExperience their best route to letwith his 17th goal of the ourischances. proved don side is the chasm in form at the mothe Champions League.

Tottenham travel The result was all the more remarkable to be the winner. It’s a big win, one we will ment.

Sincewere Tottenham 2-0 inwith the enjoy to RZ and Pellets tonight as Temple down to won 11 players we WAC hope to build in onthe it inround 2019.” of corresponding fixture last November, City 32. ‘keeper Ben Rebuck dislocating a shoulder He added, “This win marks 50 years as a have up 41 of 45 points compared football Regarding their in thepicked warm up. club and willlatest be onewin, NigelGuardiola Kyte and Tottenham’s 16 from 42 available.

Gareth told BBC Sport, “We have a special wayday to “This was a fantastic win given the everyone associated with the club from

play and we will continue, you have to be patient, patient. Calm. The penalty is clear and then the first time we attack in the second half we score, that can happen.”

Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho told Sky Sports, “What do I make of the game? A fresh team against a very tired team (Tottenham lost a few days earlier to Everton 5-4 after extra time), but a team that started the game very well. We controlled it, we hit the post, and going 1-0 (up) could give us the fuel you need when you are tired. And then they (got) one more of these modern penalties, I call them modern penalties, that put us in a difficult situation.”

Regarding the spot kick, he noted, “A modern penalty is one where even if you touch with a nail it can be aPHOTO: penalty.

It DAVID SAFFER depends on the opponent. For some you touch with a nail it is a penalty, and the VAR cannot deny there is a touch with the toe or the nail or the nose. You cannot deny there is contact.

“We had nothing in our favour. But the second half was very difficult.”

City have overhauled neighbours Manchester United, who laboured to a 1-1 draw at relegation bound West Brom, during a magnificent run of form.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side had shown great resolve a poor start to the camone will enjoy.after ” paign but have slipped in recent Vale boss Jacob Emanuel wasweeks quickand to were Rebuck woeful at thefollowing Hawthorns. wish well his injury.

The Baggies have shipped 55 goals, 13 “First and most importantly, everyone at more than any other team, they also have Vale would like to wish the Fortune ‘keeper third worse we goal-scoring record, yet athe quick recovery, hope to see him back stunned United with an 83-second goal on the football pitch as soon as possible,” he from on-loan striker Mbaye Diagne. said.

Bruno Fernandes acrobatically equalAs for the defeat, Emanuel commented, ised from a Luke Shaw’s cross before “It doesn’t matter how big a squad half you time and victory appeared be the only have, youacan never accounttofor unavailability or injury. Only five of today’s team CONTINUED played in our recent win overON FCPAGE Team,46a lack of togetherness and poor individual

“It was a proper old school performance, we battled and defended for the 90 minutes Guardiola has the squad to land not only and took our chances. Experience proved a second treble but also plan an assault on to be the winner.” the Champions League for the first time.

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45

46 SPORT outcome of this clash between second top versus second bottom.

But the visitors failed to take the make their undoubted class tell in a poor second half display. Mason Greenwood had a shot hacked off the line and there were other opportunities including a last attack of the match when Baggies keeper Sam Johnstone brilliantly kept out a Harry Maguire header aimed at the top corner of the net.

However, United could also have lost as Diagne blazed a golden opportunity over the bar late on from close range. A point apiece was no good to either side though United did move ahead of Leicester City on goal difference by sharing the spoils.

Solskjaer vowed to continue chasing City.

He told Sky Sports, “I said we shouldn’t be talked about (in the title race). (It’s) a compliment for the boys we got into position we are now. We won’t let them (City) run away with it, we’re playing them soon. We’re not giving it away early, no we’re not.”

He added, “I am disappointed. We want to get three points on the board and challenge teams above us. We gave ourselves a difficult start going 1-0 down after a minute.”

The Foxes, meantime, came from behind to secure a sensational 3-1 win against defending champions Liverpool with a late burst of three goals in seven minutes. The Reds have slipped to sixth place in the table.

Mo Salah opened the scoring on 67 minutes and the Reds looked capable of sealing an important win after a woeful run of form but their hopes were dashed 12 minutes from time after VAR ruled against a penalty award following a clumsy challenge on the edge of the penalty area.

The adjudication was marginal but correct, however James Maddison’s free kick eluded everyone including Liverpool’s under pressure keeper Allison Becker who had a howler against City at Anfield last week. The equaliser was initially ruled out for offside against Daniel Amartey then awarded after a VAR check. Again, the decision was marginal, but technically correct.

There was no disputing Leicester’s second goal three minutes later however when Allison raced from his goal to clear Youri Tielemans’ long ball only collide with defender Ozan Kabak. Allison’s woeful clearances resulted in two of City’s goals at Anfield. This time, Jamie Vardy, who wasted two openings in the first half, could barely believe his luck as he tapped home into an empty goal. Allison went on to miraculously save another Vardy effort before Harvey Barnes sealed the win with a clinical finish on 85 minutes.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has accepted the title defence is over, but of more concern, aside from a crippling injury list in defence especially, is whether the Reds will make the Champions League next season. They have made a good start in the round of 16 by defeating RB Leipzig on Tuesday night. But league form is crucial, a run of three consecutive defeats and just two wins in the last seven league games must change if they are not to miss out.

Commenting on the defeat to Leicester, Klopp told BBC Sport, “It was a clear game that we should win. We played good football, dominated possession (and) took the game out of Leicester. We were really top in the game. We scored a goal, could have and

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Jamie Vardy scored Leicester’s second against Liverpool

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang struck a hat-trick against Leeds United

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

should have scored more. Everything (was) fine and then (a) penalty, free-kick, offside, not offside, goal. That had a proper impact.

That is something that has to change. The first goal for me is offside. The difference is we think it’s an objective thing but it’s not. Three players offside for Leicester but it was decided to take another moment in the game. That is how it is. The second goal is a misunderstanding obviously. It is a situation where we should shout and I didn’t hear anyone shout. It is not that cool. The third goal I really don’t like. We are so open, I cannot accept. That was it.

The performance for 75 minutes or so was outstanding then we lost 3-1. That shows what a tricky situation we are in.”

Leicester are now in prime position to take a Champions League spot after missing out last season.

Manager Brendan Rodgers told BT Sport, “I am very proud of the team. A year ago, if we’d have gone behind we would have got nothing from it. We had good chances in the first half but we needed to be more aggressive. Second half we were much better and we attacked with aggression, we adapted really well to a plan if we went behind. We went to two up front with a diamond, so when the game broke down for them we could exploit it. We had to fight, to

run, to work and then we had the quality to get the goals. Whatever we are asking the players to achieve with important players missing they are doing. There is a long way to go, 14 games, we are not getting carried away with anything.”

Chelsea continued their recent winning form under new boss Thomas Tuchel with a 2-0 win against Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge.

Olivier Giroud and Timo Werner scored a quick fire double just after the half hour for an important victory that saw the Blues jump into fourth place level on points with West Ham and two clear of Liverpool. The Geordies are now six points clear of Fulham having played a game more.

The Hammers are ‘dark horses’ for an unlikely Champions League place, but more likely a Europa League spot, after a comfortable victory against relegation-bound Sheffield United.

David Moyes’ team trail Chelsea only on goal difference. Declan Rice, with a penalty, Issa Diop and Ryan Fredericks scored the goals. Referee Simon Hooper awarded the Hammers another penalty when Craig Dawson was fouled by Enda Stevens only for VAR to overturned the decision.

Arsenal got back to winning ways with a 4-2 win against gung-ho Leeds United at

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Emirates Stadium.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang bagged a hat-trick as he returned to the side after missing two matches due to his mother’s ill health.

The Gunners talisman opened the scoring in the 14th minute then doubled the lead from a penalty after Illan Meslier made a hash of clearing his lines. Hector Bellerin fired home Arsenal’s third goal just before half-time. Aubameyang nodded home his third on the resumption. Leeds continued their attacking philosophy and pulled two goals back, firstly from Pascal Struijk with a thumping header from a corner, and then substitute Helder Costa. The visitors continued to press and had a penalty shout turned down when striker Patrick Bamford was challenged by two defenders in the penalty area. A goal would have set up an exciting finish.

Wolves edged towards safety after coming from behind to defeat Southampton 2-1 at Molineux. But Saints manager Ralph Hasenhuttl rued two VAR decisions involving penalties, one to the hosts and another to the visitors.

Both went against his team. Clearly, and arguably justifiably frustrated, Hasenhuttl said VAR was “destroying the game”.

Danny Ings opened the scoring in the 25th minute for Saints only for Wolves to hit back from the spot when Ryan Bertrand blocked Nelson Semedo’s cross with an arm. The question of whether Bertrand’s arm was in an unnatural position was the debating point. VAR’s team led by Martin Atkinson did not call on match referee Graham Scott to check the on-field monitor. Ruben Neves duly slotted home the resultant spot kick before Pedro Neto struck a superb 66th minute winner.

Saints pushed for an equaliser but Wolves keeper Rui Patricio denied James Ward-Prowse and Che Adams. Wolves welcomed the win but the penalty award was the main talking point at full time.

Brighton missed opportunities as they shared the spoils with Euro-chasing Aston Villa.

Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez denied Alexis Mac Allister, Dan Burn and Joel Veltman to stretch the Seagulls unbeaten run to six games in the fight to avoid being sucked into the bottom three.

Burnley and Fulham shared the spoils in a battle to avoid the drop last night.

The Clarets came into the match eight points clear of the visitors after a 3-0 win against Crystal Palace at the weekend.

Fulham had enjoyed a terrific 2-0 win at Everton to boost hopes of escaping relegation, and after Burnley bossed the first half, opened the scoring just after half time through Ola Aina. But Ashley Barnes equalised on 52 minutes to maintain a healthy gap from the bottom three clubs.

Scott Parker’s team are six points adrift of 17th-placed Newcastle. West Brom are 12 points behind Steve Bruce’s side with Sheffield United two points back. Both appear doomed.

Fulham could yet save themselves but must turn draws into victories if they are to survive. To date they have drawn 10 games, only Brighton have drawn more.

The season is far from over for Fulham, a few teams are still nervously looking back at their results.

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