The Jewish Weekly Issue 152

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• Residential • Respite • Independent Living

• Residential • Respite • Independent Living

Extraordinary Care from Extraordinary People

Extraordinary Care from Extraordinary People

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FACEBOOK & TWITTER BAN RAPPER WILEY 29 JULY 2020/8 AV 5780

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BY DAVID SAFFER

Anti-Semitic rapper Wiley has finally been banned from Facebook and Twitter after posting a torrent of unrelenting despicable anti-Semitic posts over five days.

Facebook, who own Instagram, acted 24 hours into a 48-hour Twitter boycott that started on Monday by users including politicians, broadcasters, entrepreneurs and community leaders.

Twitter didn’t initially follow suit but eventually relented this morning after intense pressure including Campaign Against Antisemitism projected examples of anti-Semitic tweets onto its London headquarters last night to illustrate how they had failed to address racist incitement on its platform.

“We made clear that the beginning of their path to building faith would be the removal of Wiley’s account, this morning

Wiley

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

Twitter has finally listened,” commented a CAA spokesman. “The closure of Wiley’s account is too little too late, but it is at least a start for this deeply irresponsible social network.”

CAA added, “After Twitter’s abysmal response to blatant anti-Jewish incitement on its platform, last night we decided to literally shine a light on the company.

“From their pitiful responses to the hate spewed daily on their platforms, it is evident that social media companies will stop at nothing to make a profit. It is time for these deeply damaging and irresponsible companies to be held accountable for the hatred they help to spread.”

Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl lambasted Facebook’s slow decision and Twitter’s eventual call.

“It is just not good enough,” she said. “Social media companies have not been strong or fast enough about tackling racism, misogyny or homophobia. We

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Williamson wishes schools Edtstadler slams social media over anti-Semitic content a “well-earned break”

BY NATALIE ASH

BY ROBERT LEVY

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has wished Jewish schools and pupils a “well-earned break” during the summer holidays in a video collaboration with the Board of Deputies.

The initiative marked the anniversary of the first Jewish MP, Lionel de Rothschild, taking his seat in the House of Commons.

Williamson said de Rothschild changed British history by “tackling discrimination and promoting diversity.”

A number of schools returned after the pandemic’s first wave and are taking steps to reopen in September.

Williamson praised Jewish schools as they have a vital role to play in teaching “tolerance, respect and inclusion”.

“Places in good faith schools continue to be in demand,” he noted.

“I know that schools where there is an established ethos, which promotes qualities such as respect, kindness and compassion can help children to build character and also resilience.

“These qualities are so important in getting us through the frustrations and setbacks that are part of our lives and this has never been more relevant than it is now.”

With Rosh Hashonah and Yom Kippur less than two months away, Williamson

Austrian Federal Minister for the European Union, Karoline Edtstadler, has condemned a lack of regulation of anti-Semitic content on social media platforms including Tik Tok. Edtstadler is set to tackle illegal content in Austria and support initiatives across Europe.

World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder applauded Edtstadler’s plans.

“Disturbingly, Tik Tok has become a reliable source for videos disseminating anti-Semitic content including denial and disgusting mockery of the Holocaust,” he explained.

“This trend is all the more alarming because Tik Tok is particularly popular among children. It is unconscionable that clearly anti-Semitic content is freely accessible on social media platforms, readily reaching the most impressionable and vulnerable segments of society.

“Governments have a responsibility to monitor for and regulate such content.”

Lauder added that Edtstadler had made it clear vile messages that normalise

Gavin Williamson MP

PHOTO: WIKIMEDIA

acknowledged it would be an “exhausting time” amidst a new set up but one filled with “positivity and enthusiasm” for good things to come.

Board of Deputies Vice President Edwin Shuker thanked teachers, parents and pupils for continuing to teach and learn in Jewish schools in the video.

A tribunal has backed Solent University after it dismissed Professor Stephen Lamonby for using “positive stereotypes” about racial groups.

The 73-year-old made controversial statements in a private conversation with his course leader.

They included, “Jewish people are the cleverest in the world” and “Germans are good engineers”. He made a similar comment about Japanese people and Americans.

Prof Lamonby took the University to a tribunal but lost the case.

Judge C H O’Rourke reportedly said, “For the avoidance of doubt, I find that it is clearly at least potentially racist to group nationalities, races, ethnic or religious

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hatred against Jews is dangerous.

WJC is to work with the Austrian government and European governments in condoning violent material and limiting its dissemination.

“As Federal Minister Edstadler said, children are not born anti-Semites,” he noted.

“We call on the leadership of the EU and its member states to publicly denounce anti-Semitic rhetoric and strengthen legal and regulatory means to end its spread.”

Tribunal backs university over dismissal

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groups, by entire categories and to ascribe certain abilities or talents (or the opposite) to them, when, of course, as with any such group, talents or abilities will vary wildly from individual to individual.”

Lamonby argued his stereotyping was “positive” but Judge O’Rourke ruled it was “potentially offensive” to the recipient.

Campaign Against Antisemitism has called for universities to take action against academics who indulge in negative stereotypes and anti-Semitism.

“If a professor can be dismissed for promoting positive stereotypes, it stands to reason that those deliberately denigrating Jewish students or intimidating them should face the sack,” noted CAA. Students concerned about antisemitism on campus should telephone CAA 0330 822 0321 or e-mail campus@antisemitism.uk.

WHAT’S INSIDE THIS WEEK 02 News 12 Opinion 14 Letters 16 Community 22 Feature 24 Health

28 Cookery 30 Travel 32 Judaism 38 Kids 40 Youth 43 Sport

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Tisha B’Av at the Western Wall

BY ADAM MOSES The Western Wall Heritage Foundation transmits a special Tisha B’Av broadcast from the Western Wall tonight and tomorrow.

The broadcast was organised for worshippers unable to attend the Western Wall or local synagogues. It is set to be shown on the Western Wall’s website www.thekotel. org for global coverage.

This year prayers will be recited against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic and government restrictions at Western Wall Plaza tonight and Thursday. The live stream is one of numerous initiatives undertaken by Israel to ensure the country is open to those around the world.

The plaza currently has a capacity up to 1,000 people so groups of 20 worshippers will be able to meet in prayer areas in accordance with Health Ministry regulations.

“These days in the shadow of social distancing and a great economic crisis obligate us all to increase “ahavat chinim”, baseless love, mutual responsibility, and our connection with Jewish heritage and tradition,” said Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, Rabbi of

the Western Wall and holy sites.

Due to expected crowds for prayers before the end of the fast, the foundation in cooperation with Police will restrict the number of people who can enter the plaza.

At the end of the fast, the foundation is distributing a pre-packaged baked goods for those breaking the fast at the plaza.

Emergency services will be positioned there all day.

Jerusalem Police will secure crowds on the routes leading to the plaza. Worshippers are being advised to take public transportation to the Old City.

The foundation has called on the public to abide by regulations at entrances to the Western Wall.

“Despite Israel not currently being in a position to accept tourists due to Covid-19, it is important that we are able to experience such significant days in the Jewish calendar together, albeit virtually,” commented Sharon Bershadsky, Israel Government Tourist Office UK director.

She added, “People in the UK can join the live broadcast directly from the Western Wall to experience the prayers together with those in Israel.”

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Government supports Holocaustera property restitution in Poland

BY NATALIE ASH The British Government supports Holocaust-era property restitution in Poland and other countries.

The confirmatory stance came when Baroness Ruth Deech asked a question in the House of Lords.

Speaking on behalf of the Government, Lord Ahmad said, “We are in regular conversation with the Polish Government on the restitution of property seized during the Nazi occupation. The UK post-Holocaust issues envoy, my noble friend Lord Pickles, is working with the US and other parties to call on Poland to pass legislation to provide restitution of, or compensation for, private property.”

Poland is the sole European Union country not to have passed legislation for restitution or compensation for private property taken during the Holocaust by the Nazis and subsequently nationalised by the Communists.

Lord Ahmad confirmed he would raise property restitution with Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz. But he may have to change contacts as Czaputowicz is reportedly stepping down this summer following a government reshuffle.

Nine other members across parties spoke on the issue.

Lord Pickles asked for a pledge to work alongside the U.S. and Poland to see that justice is brought to families of Holocaust victims.

Lord Ahmad affirmed the British government would work with the U.S. after the release of the JUST Act report. “We continue to ensure that Poland stands up as a signatory of the Terezin Declaration,” he said. “We will work with the U.S. Noble Lords have mentioned the JUST Act. We will look at its outcomes and work closely with our partners.”

“We applaud the British Government for its leadership on the issue of Holocaust-era property restitution and its commitment to continue to raise the issue with the Polish government,” said Gideon Taylor, World

Baroness Ruth Deech

PHOTO: WIKIMEDIA

Jewish Restitution Organisation (WJRO).

“We thank Baroness Deech and Lord Pickles for their leadership on this issue and all the other British members of both Houses of Parliament, across party, for their unwavering support.

“Seventy-five years after the Holocaust, time is of the essence for survivors and their families living in the UK and elsewhere, to receive a small measure of justice.”

“This is a powerful statement of Britain’s commitment to supporting Holocaust survivors and their families in their quest for justice,” added Marie van der Zyl, President, Board of Deputies.

“The United Kingdom has long played a leadership role working with international partners to encourage the full implementation of the Terezin Declaration. By asking the question about Holocaust-era property restitution in the House of Lords, Baroness Deech has helped raise awareness on this issue.”

The UK and 46 other countries back restitution of Holocaust-era property.

WJRO represents world Jewry claims for the recovery of Jewish properties in Europe (outside Germany and Austria).

Former Nazi guard sentenced for atrocities

BY ROBERT LEVY 93-year-old former Nazi guard Bruno Dey has been convicted in a Hamburg court of 5,232 counts of accessory to murder at Stutthof concentration camp near Gdansk during World War Two. Dey will serve a two-year suspended prison sentence.

World Jewish Congress welcomed the importance of Dey’s conviction.

“After more than seven decades, a small slice of justice has been served to the victims of Stutthof and their descendants,” said WJC President Ronald S. Lauder.

“Over 60,000 Jews were slaughtered by

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the Nazis at Stutthof, the last of the concentration camps to be liberated by the Allies at the end of the war.

“The murderers who so callously and mercilessly stole the lives of innocent Jewish men, women, and children were free to live their own lives after the war, without retribution or punishment for their crimes.”

Lauder added, “This is perhaps one of the last trials to be held of a former Nazi guard.

“We are grateful that the court has reached a decision on this matter while the criminal is still alive to serve his time, albeit decades late.”

29 JULY 2020 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 will be talking to Twitter today, and other social media companies and government partners over the coming days, to make sure this does not happen again.”

“We are sorry we did not move faster,” Twitter said in a statement.

“We deeply respect the concerns shared by the Jewish community and online safety advocates,” the statement added.

Facebook noted in a statement, “There is no place for hate speech on Facebook and Instagram.

“After initially placing Wiley’s accounts in a seven-day block, we have now removed both his Facebook and Instagram accounts for repeated violations of our policies.”

A quite extraordinary few days saw Jewish organisations and its allies make clear their disgust at Wiley’s actions.

Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, Lord Alan Sugar, Royal Opera House, McFly, Rachel Riley, Gary Lineker and LBC radio presenters were among backers of the boycott initiative.

Wiley has over 940,000 followers on social media and police are now investigating a plethora of posts on his Twitter and Instagram accounts including calls for Jews to be shot and ‘black people’ to go to ‘war’ with Jews”.

Rantings saw Wiley liken Jews to the Ku Klax Klan, claims that Jews had cheated him, Jews controlled “the Law” and were “snakes”. Wiley recounted conspiracy theories that Jews were responsible for the slave trade. There were also repeated claims about Israel “not being a Jewish country” and he targeted Jewish celebrities including Lord Sugar and David Baddiel.

After Facebook banned the rapper, Jewish organisations blasted the time it had taken and continued its calls for Twitter to apply a ban on Wiley for his anti-Semitic tirade on the platform.

“All eyes are now on Twitter, which evidently still values profit over decency,” said CAA chief executive Gideon Falter. “Twitter has disgraced itself in failing to take responsibility and act against anti-Semitism but it can still follow Facebook in belatedly making the right decision to ban Wiley for his unrepentant racist incitement.”

Falter added, “It is a lamentable state of affairs that it takes a 48-hour global boycott of social media to convince Twitter and Facebook to take the most elementary action against someone using their platforms to call for Jews to be shot.

“Twitter’s performance over the past few days has been beyond abysmal. Nobody makes a better case for regulation of social media than the technology companies themselves.”

Ms van der Zyl backed Facebook’s decision.

“This sends a strong message to those who believe that they can use social media platforms to spread hate and we hope that this is just the beginning of a crackdown on those who do so,” she said.

“We will be urging Twitter to permanently ban Wiley, especially as he has made it clear earlier today that he intends to exhibit even worse behaviour when allowed back onto the platform. Indeed, he should

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NEWS 5

now be banned from all social media CST welcomed support from differplatforms.” ent communities.

Facebook, before its ban, attempt“We must not allow this episode ed yesterday to stem a backlash over to divide our anti-racist struggles its failure to delete Wiley’s Instagram or to set our communities against messages by explaining its actions to each other,” they said. “A society that major advertisers, the Government tolerates racism against one minorand NGOs. ity, encourages hate against every “No one at Facebook finds this type minority.” of content and behaviour anything Mark Gardener, CST director of other than abhorrent,” they noted in a communications, speaking on LBC statement. radio early Monday morning, fumed Facebook said its law enforcement that there was no regulation on how engagement team were aware a crimpeople behave on social media inal report had been made to the Metplatforms. ropolitan Police. They added, “Hate “They (social media companies) speech has no place on our platforms need to get their act together and and we will continue to update you on the government needs to step in. how we evolve our approaches and “48 hours is a big deal because in policies to counter it.” a sense it prevents you from being CAA castigated Facebook for delayable to communicate with the outing its decision. side world. That in itself illustrates “Facebook is in panic mode as it how powerful Twitter has become.” realises it can no longer hide from Gardener added, “With great the consequences of its promotion of power comes great responsibility. racist Jew-hatred on its platforms,” a These companies have great power spokesperson said. “Even as it seeks to but don’t take any responsibility, assure advertisers that it is taking action not really. They just do a bit here against behaviour on Instagram that it Letter from the Chief Rabbi to Facebook’s Mark Zukerberg and there in order to get rid of the considers ‘abhorrent’, it is allowing that latest bad press which happened to behaviour to continue on Facebook. action to challenge the hatred that be because they didn’t act on something “Despite all the media attention that currently thrives on your platform.” quickly enough. this story has received, Wiley has still been Community Security Trust condemned “But something has changed, this is a able to maintain his Facebook account Wiley’s comments and welcomed police big moment.” and continue posting from it. There is ev- investigations.

A CAA spokesman commented, “He idently no depth to which a user can sink “Wiley’s relentless abuse, hatred and (Wiley) clearly has deeply-held anti-Sebefore Facebook decides to put human threats towards Jewish people are made mitic beliefs based on unhinged condecency before profit. much worse by his status and social media spiracy theories that in our experience “In its statement, Facebook is trying following meaning that his anti-Semitism are indicative of long-term exposure to to claim that it has done enough Jew-hatred. Instead of acting imagainst Wiley’s account, but it has mediately to close down Wiley’s not taken long for reality to catch accounts, Twitter and Facebook up and betray the company’s failhave decided to protect this racist, ure to take hate seriously. with Twitter deleting only a few “Advertisers would be wise to token tweets and leaving most of think twice about whether to assoWiley’s incitement to racial haciate their brands with corporate tred online. They have decided to enablers of racism, and the Govallow a racist to continue to use ernment must take action to bring their platforms to reach hundreds an end to the culture of impunity at of thousands of people.” social media companies.”

They added, “Likening Jews to Ms van der Zyl concurred. “Wiley the KKK is a hideous anti-Semitic has continued his obsessive tarslur, which Wiley can add to the geting of the Jewish community anti-Semitic tropes he has tweeton Facebook, now that Twitter and ed about Jewish power and Jews Instagram are closed off to him,” in business. she noted. “We have stressed in the “He joins a number of celebristrongest possible terms that they ties who have promoted anti-Seshould remove him from their platmitic themes or individuals in reform as well.” cent weeks, some of whom have She added, “We are in additional apologised and sought rehabilitatalks with Twitter to urge them to tion. Wiley must immediately do delete Wiley’s account, especially the same, otherwise no respectaas he has made it clear on Faceble label or manager should work book that when he gets back on with him ever again.”

Twitter he intends to exhibit even In the midst of the boycott, worse behaviour.” has been amplified to a huge online audi- the Board, CST and Jewish Leadership As pressure mounted Prime Minister ence as shown by support he has received Council wrote to Twitter and Facebook Boris Johnson’s spokesperson said he in replies to his tweets and comments on demanding answers. echoed comments of Home Secretary Priti his Instagram posts,” a spokesman noted Ms van der Zyl called on all social mePatel that Wiley’s anti-Semitic posts were in a statement. dia platforms to adopt the international abhorrent and his material should not They added, “There is no excuse for Twit- definition of anti-Semitism and for global have been able to remain on Twitter and ter and Instagram allowing Wiley’s cam- moderators to interpret offensive lanInstagram for so long. paign of hate to carry on for so long with- guage within a local context. She also apChief Rabbi Mirvis wrote to Twitter boss out consequence. The decision by Twitter pealed for a new regulator to impose puJack Dorsey and Facebook chief executive to remove only a handful of his tweets and nitive fines when companies fail to crack Mark Zuckerberg. impose a temporary lock on his account, down on hate.

“Your inaction amounts to complicity,” leaving the rest of his anti-Semitic tweets he noted, adding, “I urge you to take swift visible for all to see, is dangerously weak.”

“There is no place for hate speech on Facebook and Instagram. After initially placing Wiley’s accounts in a seven-day block, we have now removed both his Facebook and Instagram accounts for repeated violations of our policies.”

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Travel industry ‘positive’ news

BY DAVID SAFFER Israel’s beleaguered travel industry had positive news today with an announcement that travellers from ‘green’ countries do not have to undergo a quarantine period if coronavirus cases are low.

Health Ministry Associate Director-General, Professor Itamar Grotto, confirmed the ministry is doing everything possible to advance the update.

Tourism Minister Asaf Zamir welcomed the news. “The skies should open as fast as possible,” he reportedly said. Transportation Minister Miri Regev backed the decision as “important news” for the aviation industry.

‘Green’ countries include the Seychelles, Cyprus, Greece, South Korea, Slovenia, Montenegro, Georgia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Austria and Lithuania.

The ministry, meantime, reported a record 2,062 new coronavirus cases yesterday.

Current data shows 33,377 patients are battling the deadly virus, 315 are in serious condition with 490 fatalities to date.

Coronavirus czar Prof. Ronni Gamzu announced his ‘Israel Protector’ plan in the fight against the pandemic.

Israel Defence Forces will mount the country’s contact tracing program as they have the technology, tools and ability to do so.

The IDF’s Home Front Command is “at the heart of stopping the pandemic”, Gamza reportedly said at a press conference. Noting the importance of wearing masks, Gamza confirmed virus testing would be increased to 60,000 people daily within two months and up to 100,000 by the winter months. Transparency would also be more forthcoming.

Gamzu presented a ‘traffic light’ model where mayors would administer measures.

A ‘green’ city enables restaurants, theatres and businesses to be open. Cities marked ‘yellow’ are in danger of an outbreak, a ‘red’ city has a confirmed outbreak and will be managed at national level.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Health Minister Yuli Edelstein back the plan.

Budgeting will be decided by Gamzu, Prof Grotto and Major General Ori Gordin of the Home Front Command in the coming days.

Meantime, MK Yifat Shasha-Biton has been sacked as head of the Knesset’s coronavirus committee after allowing gyms to re-open against a government ban.

Shasha-Biton blamed Netanyahu for

Ben Gurion Airport

PHOTO: WIKIMEDIA

attempting to stop discussions within the party.

“This is a decision that aims to prevent listening to the public and making other voices heard,” she reportedly said. “I am glad that I opened the committee to the public with transparency, seriousness and full care. I pledge to continue to do so in the future, wherever I may be.”

Opposition leader MK Yair Lapid of Yesh Atid slammed the decision.

“Shasha-Biton fulfilled her role honestly, thoroughly and for the benefit of the public. Her punishment, Bibi fired her,” Lapid reportedly noted on Twitter.

In related news, a second wave has seen a number of hospitals reach its occupancy limit. They include Hadassah Ein Kerem and Shaarei Tzedek Hospital in Jerusalem.

“The infection rate in Jerusalem is high,” Hadassah Director Prof. Yoram Weiss reportedly said.

“The difference this time, though, is that the infection rate is high in all the population groups in the area. This includes East Jerusalem and all neighbouring localities.

If in the past the outbreak was in specific neighbourhoods, today the outbreak is happening in every neighbourhood in the area.”

“There is a finite number of medical staff,” added Weiss. “Those same staff have to care for both those ill with coronavirus and those who suffer from other ailments, and these two groups are quite significant in number.”

Meanwhile, the High Court of Justice has ruled that workers not having the

coronavirus in quarantine are ineligible for sick pay.

The judgement followed a petition by the Manufacturers Association that financing should not be an expense of employers after former Director of Public Health Prof.

Sigal Sadetsky called for employers to compensate workers in quarantine.

The ruling comes into effect after September 30 allowing the government to adjust legislation.

“This change of balance, which has ramifications for employment rights for both sides, is not the sole jurisdiction of the Health Ministry, but that of the legislator,” judges reportedly ruled.

Israeli MKs in the Knesset’s coronavirus committee have voted to reopen cultural centres.

“We want an outline that would allow events to take place indoors and outdoors, but mostly outdoors,” Shasha-Biton reportedly said before a debate. “We are here to find the best way to open up the industry.

Let’s talk about ‘how’ and not ‘if.’”

The debate focused on the future of numerous industries including music, film, television and theatres that have been closed since the onset of the pandemic.

“The expression ‘the show must go on’ has lost its meaning,” Tzipi Pines, Beit Lessin Theatre general director reportedly noted. “We are not talked about, they talk about resuming flights but not about bringing us back. If it continues, we will never be able to reopen. So far, we have been polite.

I do not want to say that we will open up against the orders, but it is a rebellion.”

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Prof Grotto, who supports a partial reopening, noted that plans are in development and would soon be presented to the government approval.

Israel’s cabinet, meantime, has approved a plan for a grant for citizens to help boost the economy.

According to a NIS 6.5 billion proposal, Israelis over 18 years of age will receive NIS 750, couples with one child NIS 2,000, two children NIS 2,500 and three or more children NIS 3,000.

Grants are for citizens except those earning over NIS 640,000 annually and public employees earning over NIS 30,000 a month.

Netanyahu said the measure would be passed to the Knesset for “lighting legislation” to get grants to citizens “as quickly as possible.”

“We are also working on additional plans to encourage the economy and channel funds to those who have been hurt by the coronavirus. We will continue to move the wheels of the economy in order to put people back to work,” he reportedly added.

A Covid-19 forecast model developed by Ichilov Medical Center predicts between 390 to 550 patients in serious condition if the coronavirus rate keeps at its current rate by mid-August.

Two weeks ago, the model predicted between 282 and 338. According to data by the Health Ministry the number has reached 311.

“It is a model that looks retroactively at the connection between infection rate, new cases and serious patients reported a week later,” Prof. Eli Sprecher reportedly explained. “The model cannot predict the development of the infection over a period of months, but it can do so over a period of weeks. This usually provides the hospital with time to prepare for the arrival of new patients.”

“This pandemic is not one dimensional.

The state needs to prepare for a variety of cases, not only patients in a serious condition,” he added.

“HMOs are overburdened and there is a serious need for better epidemiolocal studies. We need to know how many people we need to investigate once a person is diagnosed as the virus carrier.”

Prof. Sprecher continued, “Personal discipline and adherence to social distancing are of the utmost importance. But what is also needed is a large, efficient and mostly fast way of conducting epidemiological investigations. These two things are needed to keep improving the efforts in the battle against the virus.”

Thousands of Israelis held demonstrations across the country against Netanyahu last weekend including one outside his official residence in Jerusalem.

Police arrested two demonstrators alleged assaulted by Netanyahu supporters.

Protests have been ongoing against the government handling of the coronavirus crisis and Netanyahu’s ongoing corruption trial.

The event was among a series of demonstrations across the country.

Last week a number of rallies turned violent with police clashing with protesters and arresting dozens. Police were forced to use water cannons and tear gas to disperse crowds.

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Netanyahu warns Hezbollah not to “test” Israel

BY SIMCHA ABIR Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned Hezbollah not to “test” the State of Israel after a botched attack at the Lebanon border on Monday.

IDF troops stopped a potential strike when a terror cell in the Har Dov region advanced into Israeli territory before retreating when troops opened fire. The attack was possibly a response to the shooting of a Hezbollah terrorist in an Israeli raid near Damascus Airport last week.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah blames Israel for the strike that killed one person.

“I do not suggest anyone try testing the IDF or the State of Israel,” Netanyahu reportedly said at Northern Command’s headquarters. “We are determined to defend ourselves.”

“Yesterday’s operation was important and prevented an infiltration into our territory. Everything that is happening right now is the result of an Iranian attempt to establish itself in our region.”

Netanyahu said the IDF was prepared “for any scenario”.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kochavi,

Maj. Gen. Amir Baram and security officials attended the briefing.

IDF troops have been on high alert in recent days after Hezbollah attempted to cross into Israeli territory.

Military numbers have been boosted but are positioned away from the border to avoid being targeted by terrorists believed to be in the Har Dov area.

Israeli civilians are going about everyday lives but caution is the watchword.

IDF commanders are hoping to avoid an escalation in violence in border communities. Operations are taking place to stop Hezbollah gaining advanced weapons and a foothold.

Netanyahu and Defense Minister Benny Gantz warned Hezbollah of a “powerful response” to any strikes during a joint press conference in Tel Aviv.

“We take a severe view of this infiltration attempt into our territory,” Netanyahu reportedly explained.

“Hezbollah and Lebanon bear responsibility for this event and for all attacks aimed at Israel from Lebanon,” added Netanyahu. “Hezbollah must know it is playing with fire.

“All attacks against us will be met with

brute force. (Hezbollah leader Hassan) Nasrallah already made a huge mistake in underestimating Israel’s will to defend itself and Lebanon will pay for this a heavy price. I suggest he does not make this mistake again.”

Gantz, praised IDF troops for helping prevent a “serious incident” that could have cost lives.

He reportedly said, “Israel is determined more than ever to protect its sovereignty, its soldiers and especially its people.”

“We will continue to ensure our security interests, which include removing Iranian entrenchment in Syria, blocking the transfer of advanced weapons, and preventing the development of precision-guided missiles anywhere in the region, in Syria or in Lebanon,” Gantz added.

“The situation in Lebanon and Syria is bad, economically, coronavirus and infrastructure wise.”

Gantz noted that Syria and Lebanon were responsible for what occurs in the region.

“We are not looking for unnecessary flareups, but those who test us will be met with our superior capabilities,” he reportedly said.

Pro-Netanyahu activists arrested Police are investigating a violent attack against anti-government protesters in Tel Aviv on Tuesday night.

Demonstrators calling for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s removal from office came under attack by pro-Netanyahu activists. At least five required hospital treatment.

“The investigation is ongoing,” Netanyahu reportedly said today. “I expect the police will get to the truth and prosecute all those responsible.”

Defense Minister Benny Gantz called for the arrest of the criminals.

“We must not let such go unpunished,” Gantz reportedly said. “They must be caught and brought to justice.”

Gantz called for Netanyahu and the government to condemn the attacks. He also wants a cabinet meeting to take place to discuss the incident.

Police confirmed three people were arrested and are being questioned.

Netanyahu noted that an exhibit by Israeli artist Itai Zalait in Rabin Square of him sitting in the middle 12 empty chairs at a feast based on ‘The Last Supper’ was a death threat.

The exhibit, according to media reports, is the artist’s interpretation of the short time left to save Israeli democracy.

Rabbi and Sheikh join interfaith conference

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BY SIMCHA ABIR Rabbi Matanya Yadid and Sheikh Eyad Amer addressed an interfaith Zoom conference in Israel on Monday in the buildup to Tisha B’Av. The religious leaders were speaking on a topic of “baseless love”.

“This meeting is rare, two people who live in the same land with different religions and the same goal of spreading baseless love,” Yadid reportedly said. “The lesson is to know and learn about Islam.

We can disagree, but not without knowing.

Without harming our own identities, we can learn that what we have in common is a lot more than what divides us,” he said.

Amer reportedly noted, “There is plenty in common between us and the Jews, including that we fast at the same time, and we work to spread baseless love.”

Last year, Israel banned 200 orthodox Jews from the Temple Mount on Tisha B’Av over fears of violence. The decision was overturned although there were disturbing clashes.

The conference was organised as Tisha B’Av, which ends tomorrow night, coincides with the Day of Arafah when Muslims fast if they don’t attend the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.

Last year, Tisha B’av coincided with Eid al-Adha, which begins 24 hours after the Day of Arafah.

Rabbi Yadid teaches at Bar-Ilan University, Sheikh Eyad is Imam of Kafr Kassem mosque.

The Jerusalem Tolerance Coalition event was sponsored by the Interfaith Encounter Association and Mosaica Center of the Religious Peace Initiative as part of “Jerusalem baseless love week”.

0-800-051-8227 | 020-8371-5250 | gci-en@jafi.org

NEWS IN BRIEF

CST 2020 report due The Community Security Trust publishes its latest Antisemitic Incidents Report for the period January-June 2020 tomorrow.

The review covers the period the coronavirus pandemic and will illustrate the number of anti-Semitic incidents during the first half of this year.

Supporting quotes will come from politicians, government bodies and police.

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10 NEWS

29 JULY 2020

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Sell now

ADVERTORIAL

ahead of the Capital Gains Tax review?

BY MARC OVITS

The writer is the Owner and Managing Director of Alpha Wealth Management Ltd – a boutique independent financial advisory practice. As a Chartered Financial Planner and drawing on over twenty years’ experience in financial services, Marc helps private clients, businesses, charities, and trusts optimize their finances. Prior to acting as a financial adviser, Marc was a Director at several global investment banks, providing investment advice to Europe’s leading institutional investment and pension fund managers.

The chancellor has commissioned a review of the UK’s capital gains tax (CGT) regime in a move that might be a forerunner to increases in the levy. Rishi Sunak asked the Office of Tax Simplification to investigate how capital gains are taxed for both individuals and smaller businesses, to improve simplification and “ensure the system is fit for purpose”.

With UK borrowing set to hit its highest level in peacetime history, chancellor Rishi Sunak’s request for a review of CGT feels like the starting pistol for a tax grab ahead of the Autumn Budget later this year. Currently every individual has an annual CGT exemption of £12,300. This means the first £12,300 per annum of profits you make on the sale of an asset are tax free. It never ceases to surprise me how so many people don’t take advantage of their capital gains tax annual exemption. Above this allowance, CGT is currently charged on gains at 10 per cent for basic-rate taxpayers and 20 per cent for higher and additional rate taxpayers, or 18 per cent and 28 per cent respectively where the gains relate to residential property.

abolished. Income tax is charged at a basic rate of 20 per cent, rising to 40 per cent and 45 per cent for higher and additional taxpayers.

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ALIGNING CGT RATES WITH INCOME TAX RATES Mr Sunak could be contemplating aligning CGT rates with income tax rates as doing so would both simplify the tax system and raise additional funds, especially, if the annual CGT exemption of £12,300 is cut or

SIMPLIFY MAIN RESIDENCE EXEMPTION

The chancellor has not shown much enthusiasm for a wealth tax so far, but given that much of the population’s wealth is tied up in their homes, restricting the CGT exemption on a person’s home would enable him to tap into this vast source of wealth. The rules for

Volume 1

the main residence exemption (AKA principle private residence exemption) can be very complicated and as disposals now need to be reported and taxed within 30 days of completion, simplification is needed.

Some countries (for example USA) apply a flat rate exemption for the sale of a home.

Perhaps the Chancellor will create the same in the UK: an exemption of £500,000 per person would mean that couple would only pay CGT on the sale of the home where gains were over £1million.

INHERITANCE TAX

When you die, all the assets you own are treated as disposed of but there is no capital gain. Instead the current market value is used to determine the amount of Inheritance Tax payable. Introducing CGT on death could raise a huge amount of revenue for the Chancellor but would need to go hand in hand with reform of IHT to be fair.

BUSINESS SALES

Entrepreneurs’ Relief reduces the amount of Capital Gains Tax payable when you dispose of (sell) shares in all or part of your business.

It results in a tax rate of 10% on the value of the disposal. There’s no limit to how many times you can claim and you can claim up to £1 million of relief during your lifetime.

The same rules apply regardless of the rate of income tax you pay. If you are a business owner, you may want to sell your business sooner rather than later in case the Chancellor makes changes to Entrepreneur’s Relief.

Whilst all the above highlights how changes to CGT might affect you, next week we will look at how you can mitigate any CGT you incur.

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Holocaust victims discovered in Satanov

BY SIMCHA ABIR 286 victims of the Holocaust recently discovered in Satanov, Ukraine are to be buried in a mass grave in the town’s Jewish cemetery.

A memorial park to remember victims of the atrocity will established near the site.

Jews had settled in Satanov in the 16th century, many working in state-owned factories nearby. Satanov’s Jewish population of 1,516 was just under half the population by 1939.

Very few Jews survived after the Nazis captured the town in July 1941.

Nazis shot to death a number of Jews but worse was to come when Gendarmerie and Ukrainian police locked around 200 Jews including children, women and old people in a cellar in May 1942. They all died of suffocation or starvation according to records.

Around this time, 180 Jews were also shot to death near the town’s Old Synagogue. Other Jews in the area were murdered in the town of Yarmolintsy.

The Red Army liberated Satanov on March 25, 1944.

Prominent Jewish figures included Hebrew poet and author David Vogel who

was arrested in France in 1944 and murdered at Auschwitz.

Victims’ bodies in the cellar were not removed following liberation but a sign noted the mass grave.

After the house collapsed an outdoor market was opened on the site.

Local Jewish communities lost a bitter legal battle with the landowner to look for the victims’ remains until a settlement was finally agreed and search began in 2019.

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Synagogue in Satanov

PHOTO: WIKIMEDIA

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12 OPINION

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29 JULY 2020

Say no to sanctions against Israel

BY LUKE AKEHURST Shadow Foreign Secretary Lisa Nandy’s call for a ban on settlement goods if Israel extends sovereignty/annexes the West Bank is not OK. I believe Nandy herself genuinely believes in the Two State Solution but does not realise that what she is calling for intrinsically delegitimises Israel.

You can oppose any move towards annexation and use a range of tactics to criticise and put pressure on Israel without crossing the line into calling for the UK to take punitive economic measures against Israel, however targeted.

The measures Nandy is calling for may be targeted at the settlements but they are intended as a punishment for Israel. A state taking punitive economic measures such as banning any form of trade constitutes economic sanctions. Sanctions are the most extreme component of the

escalatory series of economic measures called for by the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign.

It’s disappointing that politicians and campaigners instinctively reach for the measures promoted by the BDS campaign, rather than looking for positive incentives that might get both Israel and the Palestinians back to the negotiating table.

Their response is “but this is different, it only affects the settlements”.

In reality this narrow boycott of or sanction against settlement goods is seen as ‘the first stage’ by the BDS campaign, the culmination of which is intended to be a full consumer, cultural and academic boycott and state sanctions against Israel on both sides of the Green Line.

Boycott is an extreme tactic of last resort that has traditionally been used against international pariah regimes who epitomise evil

Isolation Diary

BY JONATHAN METLISS I have now been in Lockdown for some four months at my house in Sussex. The flowers are in full bloom, the trees and hedges are starting to get overgrown and the birds and butterflies, and assorted wildlife, are still keeping me company.

But things are changing, and hopefully for the better, notwithstanding the various mixed messages from the Government.

“To wear a mask, or not to wear a mask?”

That is the question. I have made up my mind that I have to return as much as possible to the normality of my previous life after this 16-week siesta.

I have had my hair cut and my beard removed at the first available opportunity, and I have started to visit London and my close family, together with the few friends that I have still have, on a more frequent basis. More importantly, I also made a visit to my manicurist and my hands and toenails are now in good shape.

However, I remain confused about the social distancing rules. It amazes me that the Leeds and Liverpool supporters are allowed to congregate after their teams’ respective successes without any penal consequences. It makes a mockery of everything the Government says.

I have now been brave enough to eat out locally on a couple of occasions – both were in the open air and I was wearing a mask. So far, no adverse consequences.

I have attended my synagogue in London, which sadly was very sparsely

When Nandy calls for a ban on settlement goods it isn’t just greeted as a victory by people who specifically dislike annexation or settlements, it is celebrated by the BDS movement as a stepping stone on the path to delegitimisation of Israel and an eventual one state solution i.e. Israel ceasing to exist.

Practical manifestations of a settlement BDS campaign are very difficult to tell apart from those of a general anti-Israel boycott.

We Believe in Israel is open to any friend of Israel, however critical or not they are of current Israeli policies, as long as they support Israel as a Jewish and democratic state.

But we have a very firm view about when criticism becomes delegitimisation. Any form of BDS constitutes

delegitimisation because it reinforces the false narrative that Israel is analogous with apartheid South Africa.

Boycott is an extreme tactic of last resort that has traditionally been used against international pariah regimes who epitomise evil – currently the UK has import sanctions against North Korea and Syria – not as a way of influencing the policy of an allied democracy. As such its use implicitly delegitimises Israel.

Friends of Israel who are looking for ways to criticise and put pressure on its government over annexation urgently need to find ways of doing so that avoid falling into the trap of using the same delegitimising tactics that Israel’s most hardcore enemies use.

We would urge your readers to sign our petition against the sanctions proposal: https://www.webelieveinisrael.org.uk/ no_sanctions Luke Akehurst has been Director of We Believe in Israel, BICOM’s grassroots pro-Israel network, since 2011.

Jonathan Metliss eases out of lockdown depression with a return to normality

populated, and an open air service in Brighton in the sun where we all congregated in the garden - shades of Israel and South Africa. I certainly preferred the latter. There was appropriate social distancing on each occasion.

I am still purchasing sporting memorabilia at online auctions and attending various religious talks and seminars by Zoom, which I continue to find inspiring and comforting.

I have had my hair cut and my beard removed at the first available opportunity, and I have started to visit London and my close family…

That beard: before and after

As far as business is concerned, I feel quite re-energised and excited about a relative return to normality. Most business has still been conducted online and by Zoom. I organised another very successful Axiom Stone Real Estate lunch on 5 July, with over 100 attendees. I was also instrumental in an exhaustive advertising campaign in local London and provincial newspapers promoting the services of Axiom Stone.

Without doubt, the end of furlough will be a challenge to the business community,

albeit an opportunity for the Axiom Stone employment team.

I am now getting bolder by thinking about going into the office one or two days a week, and have even met two of my colleagues in Berkeley Square, (both were female and at a distance) with a Pret a Manger coffee, but no nightingales! New instructions are rolling in following my introductions, which is further evidence of a return to normal business. Even one of my connections at Citigroup has asked to meet me for a coffee.

On a personal note, I have the energy

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and vigour to pursue a piece of litigation frozen through the Lockdown.

I am staying alert, keeping my distance and being sensible, notwithstanding being chastised by my 40-year-old lawyer son on a pretty regular basis. But, I need to start living again, as we all do, which will help to restore my sanity and mental well-being as well as my peace of mind.

I hope that you can all join me in this endeavour.

Jonathan Metliss is Chairman of Axiom Stone Solicitors

14 LETTERS

29 JULY 2020

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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.

LUFC & THE LJC

Dear Editor, I was delighted to read the letter by Rafi Goodwin in last week’s edition, “MARCHING ON TOGETHER,” Jewish Weekly, 23 July).

He wove together a wonderful item about the L-Word (Leadership). What I felt so heart-warming was how Mr Goodwin conflated two issues – football and Judaism that often feature in the news for different, and sadly negative, reasons.

His piece referred to Leeds United Football Club (LUFC) and The Leeds Jewish Community (LJC) - the common denominator being the letter L, for Leadership. Both football and religion can be a force for good in our world today as Mr Goodwin so eloquently stated – something not reported enough on by the media currently.

Mr Goodwin states that the words of the Leeds’ fans anthem, “Marching on Together,” encapsulate their loyalty and hope.

Such words could easily be applied to the Jewish people everywhere – “Am Yisrael Chai.” May Leeds have a successful 2020/2021 Season in the Premier League and their fans keep loyal to the Club, and the Jewish people keep loyal to Hashem. Hope is of course, the name of Israel’s national anthem, the “Hatikvah.”

J D Milaric

TAKING THE FIRST STEPS

Dear Editor, My name is Evelyn M. After 12 years of not being allowed to see my daughter or grandchildren,my daughter Ruth,had the courage to leave her verbal and bullying husband after 20 years of marriage. She did not know which way to turn,and was completely lost and destitute.

I would like to say thank you to Jewish Womans Aid and to JAMI,who have been there to support her and us. Their help and kindness has been beyond belief. It has continued in spite of COVID 19.I know they are all working hard behind closed doors.

The situation is bad enough in ordinary times,but it must be even worse now. I just want to say G-d bless to all of you. I am very proud of Ruth. I wish and hope anyone who is in my daughter’s position,please take that first step,and get your life back.

Evelyn

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Dear Editor, I really enjoyed the articles by Dina Spielman in the Health and Wellbeing section of your newspaper 16 July 2020. You always read about nutrition but theses articles were just so different and refreshing. I really hope she is planning to put in more articles.

P Cohen

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BACK TO GOOD OLD BASICS!

Dear Editor, By nature I am an optimist, appreciating many good people in our wonderful G-d given world, yet the words of our prophet Isaiah, read in last week’s Haftarah, have a chilling ring and speak to all of us, at this time leading up to Tisha B’Av. In chapter 1ff. Isaiah powerfully inveighs against us. ‘HaShem says… Children I have reared… and they have rebelled… The ox knows his owner… but Israel does not know… The whole head is sick, And the whole heart faint; From the sole of the foot even unto the head… THE BODY POLITIC is completely diseased). When you come to appear before Me who required this… to trample My courts? Bring no more vain oblations… I will hide Mine eyes from you: Yea when you make many prayers , I will not hear;… WASH you, make you CLEAN…; SEEK JUSTICE, relieve the oppressed, Judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come let us reason together… If you be willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land;… Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and they that return of her with righteousness’. The entire chapter has to be read!

Translating these stirring and thought provoking words into our present lives, we should be ever grateful to HaShem - Ha’karat Ha’Tov, rid ourselves of spiritual sickness, respect others, ensure our prayers are not self centred or rushed (sadly our Shuls are empty), understand that “CLEANLINESS is next to G-dliness” and finally the remedy, the practice of Social justice, putting others first, thus bringing Healing to the world!

The corona virus has sadly affected the world but if Jews are to be “ a light to the nations” as Prophet Isaiah exhorted, we must set the example. We have the tools - our spiritual Leaders! Let us listen and act, facilitating our return to the GOOD old basics of our daily pursuits. After all man is a social animal!

Yours sincerely Flora Frank (Mrs.)

OBITUARY R. YAAKOV ZVI ERBLICH, ZTL

The community was shocked and devastated at the sad news of the recent and unexpected petirah of Chazan R. Yaakov Zvi Erblich, of blessed memory.

Son of the well-known Chazan R. Moshe Leib Erblich (who occupied cantorial positions at Hendon Adath Yisroel and Grove Lane Synagogues as well as in the USA), he was directly descended, (inter alia) on the paternal side, from such renowned luminaries as R. Moshe Leib of Sassov and the ‘Yehudi HaKadosh’, and on the maternal side, from the Chacham Zvi Ashkenazi.

The Niftar studied intensively for several years at Gateshead Yeshiva before migrating to the United States – following in his father’s footsteps – to take up various prestigious cantorial posts in Massachusetts and Los Angeles. Blessed with an exceptionally powerful dramatic tenor voice, he was a veritable cantorial giant who impressed his listeners worldwide with his melodious and heartfelt singing and melodious renderings of the liturgy.

He frequently participated in international live concerts.

R. Yaakov was proud to carry on the Chasidic tradition of his forebears. In his later years he opened a Chasidic-style Beis Medrash in Monsey, New York, where he delivered regular public shiurim and led religious discussions which impressed and inspired his audiences.

Amongst his numerous and varied achievements were his regular visits to hospitals and prisons to offer comfort, advice and assistance to sick and downtrodden members of the community. He indeed founded a charitable organisation known as ‘Samcheinu’ for the furtherance of these objectives. In this connection, he drew particular inspiration from his ancestor R. Moshe Leib of Sassov, who was renowned in his lifetime for his emphasis

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R. Yaakov Zvi Erblich, Ztl

on the mitzvah of Pidyon Shevuyim – obtaining the release of Jewish prisoners. R. Yaakov even went to the length of attending prisons on Yom Kippur to conduct the services there for the Jewish inmates.

Of R. Yaakov it can truly be said that he combined within himself Torah, Avodah and Gemilus Chasadim, the three pillars upon which, Chazal tell us, the world stands.

The Niftar is survived by his beloved wife (who was a constant support to him), his five children, and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. May he be a meilitz yosher for his family, relatives and friends as well as for the entire K’lal Yisroel.

BH

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Sandys Row - Our Roots project

Artist, Adam Dant

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Rushanara Ali MP for Tower Hamlets gave an inspiring and heartfelt address re the importance & significance of the Jewish community in the Borough and praised the work the synagogue were doing in creating sustainability for the community but also for their ongoing interfaith work and presentations to the schools in the area.

She stressed that,”now more than ever we needed to increase the engagement of young people in London in understanding the diversity of faiths and all people and that Sandys Row synagogue and the Our Roots project could really make a meaningful impact.”

A picture depicting renowned contemporary artist Adam Dant,famous for his visual narratives realized through elaborate and intricate pen-and-ink drawings is shown, taken in his studio above the synagogue, formerly a Huguenot building, famous for the clarity of light , reflected so well in his work. The painting he created for the Launch of Our Roots is called The Grand Plan of Sandys Row...

Limited edition prints are available with

a percentage being returned to the synagogue community.

Trustee Rose Edmands & President Harvey Rifkind thanked everyone for attending, especially Deputy Lieutenant for Tower Hamlets Leslie Morgan, the MP & Mayor of the borough John Biggs.

The Mayor shared his story of growing up in the area and recognised that the synagogue and its heritage was so important to the life of the Borough and hoped that the Borough could support its vision for its future.

Harvey thanked the work of all involved in the project, whilst Rose reminded everyone that the innovative project, the painting, was part of the strategic vision for the community of creating a Living Museum. and encouraged all to view it online and help complete the missing seat plaque information via the Sandys Row website For more details on the Our Roots and how to purchase a seat plaque and or the painting visit Sandysrowsynagogue.org

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29 JULY 2020

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Aish UK’s Summer Internship Programme Aish UK’s month long Summer Internship programme ‘Venture’ is running with 50 students across the UK. This combination of a summer internship with a leadership and development programme has been incredibly successful and was oversubscribed in under a week from launching. The programme runs from 6th to 31st July, concluding this coming Friday. The three facets of the Venture Programme are; (i) Leadership & Development, (ii) Internships, & (iii) Jewish Enrichment, clearly appealed to what students were looking for.

After initial interviews, 50 students were accepted onto the programme. With special guest lecturers and mentors from across the professional field, the programme launched with a session from entrepreneur Mr Daniel Green, who implored the participants to seize this moment and gain as much as they can from this initiative. Following the launch, participants had the opportunity to hear a snapshot of the upcoming courses in Jewish Enrichment that they would have the pleasure of choosing between to fill their schedules. Examples of these include, Jewish Philosophy, Women in Judaism, Intro to Talmud and many more.

A highlight of the programme interface is the beautiful Venture website designed for ease of use and simplicity. The leadership & development tracks allow students to participate in a training course with iHeart who

Venture Leadership Skills with Karen harris

specialise in Innate Health, or volunteer with GIFT. For those who wanted a more leadership driven track, they will be hearing from public influencers, business people & leaders.

The Venture programme is an innovation that has exceeded expectations. Despite the restrictions & isolation, Venture is connecting students to each other, and to their Jewish identity.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of the venture programme. It has really given me insight into different areas of Jewish philosophy - allowing me to really challenge

myself. My internship at Aish has developed my understanding of the incredible organisation which brings Jewish youth together.

The iheart programme has allowed me to delve deep into my mind and understand that each and every one of us has resilience inbuilt within! Thank you for giving me this opportunity! (Danielle Jeffries – Recent graduate of Bristol University) “Interning for the Moshal Scholarship Program & participating in the social action track with GIFT offers the exciting opportunity to have hands-on experience within the charity sector. Additionally, through

the Jewish enrichment sessions I am able to consider & critically think about a broad range of concepts.” (Lauren Lewis – 3rd Year Student at Leeds University) “Venture has succeeded in providing a productive and meaningful summer experience in what could have been a difficult summer for so many of our students. It is amazing to see so many engaged in and studying Jewish wisdom on a daily basis, whilst gaining valuable professional & leadership experience” (Rabbi Gideon Goldwater – Director of Aish on Campus) Rabbi Daniel Rowe, Aish UK’s Executive Director added: “Over the past few months we have found a way to bring new and exciting programmes to students across the UK and the jewel of this strategy is our Venture programme. Students are placed in real work environments (albeit remotely) in the mornings and then choose from a range of leadership development options for the afternoon as well as participating in a daily Jewish learning track of their choice.

We’re incredibly proud of the high quality of both internships and students who are participating and have been impressed and amazed at the level of participation, excitement and dedication from the students who are responding so positively to high degree of professionalism of the entire course. Our entire team of educators have been involved in adding value to the various tracks.”

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Manchester Maccabi teams started training for the new soccer season under the direction of Michael Sacks, the Maccabi 1st team player manager, at the Brooklands playing fields Sunday morning, and also training during the week.

Kisharon celebrates pupils graduation

Principal Sora Kopfstein with some of the Kisharon pupils

Manchester Maccabi joint team training

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Surprise guest, popular singer Shloime Gertner sang for the children at Kisharon School’s emotional end of term Zoom graduation ceremony.

Five pupils from three classes left, and RE Coordinator Ella Weil put together a video of photos with clips of their funniest moments at school which she set to music that pupils with their parents enjoyed watching. Principal Sora Kopfstein spoke about the progress the children made, and how she will miss them.

Ella said, “It was important to get everyone together for a goodbye. The past few months have been difficult and we needed

closure and to celebrate everything pupils have done at Kisharon.”

The staffing team at Kisharon have also been busy this week packing up and preparing to move into the new school premises on Parson Street. Kisharon will increase its reach, focus and impact to achieve outstanding outcomes for the children it supports.

The new premises will host state-of-theart facilities and will meet the growing need in our community. The school will offer the opportunity to create specific expert learning zones for autism and profound and multiple learning disabilities.

Bake Sale for Cancer Research UK

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Pupils from Sacks Morasha have been baking and braiding challah to raise money for Cancer Research UK. Friends and Family visited the bake sale to purchase delicious treats and could also purchase challah dough to take home to braid and bake for Shabbat. The children raised £500

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for Cancer Research UK. “We had so much fun selling challah dough and doing a bake sale. All our friends loved braiding and baking the challah at home for Shabbat too. We can’t believe we managed to raise so much money for charity!”

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20 COMMUNITY

29 JULY 2020

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A GIFT of yet another 1000 catered meals

Manchester Mesivta held a Seudas Preida in the schools Beis Hamedrash Wednesday evening and of course at social distancing, combined with a siyum on Mesechta Meggilah learnt in the Veharev Noh Programme.

Mesivta Upper Sixth form boys leavers siyum at social distancing

GIFT MD Rabbi Sandor Milun and Rabbi Danderovitch with some of the 1000 catered meals

Last week, ready for the Shabbas during the 9 days, GIFT volunteers delivered another 1,000 catered meals to those most in need in the community; resulting in a total number of over 8000 meals distributed to the vulnerable, elderly and those isolating during the lockdown period.

One recipient, suffering with serious mental health issues, relayed his gratitude “GIFT has been incredible this whole time. I’ve been locked down for the past 4 months, not seen anyone. I’ve not been able to go to my hospital appointments; I’ve had little support from anyone else, but GIFT have been there constantly, phoning me, reassuring me, shopping for me and providing me with my essentials. Even if I

could cook, I don’t even have cooking facilities. There’s nothing like a cooked meal when you’re feeling low and alone. Their regular supply of cooked food has been a life-saver!”

GIFT MD Rabbi Sandor Milun explained “During this pandemic, GIFT staff and volunteers have done all in their power to be there for the community. We feel very blessed to have provided those most in need of our services such a life-line. We have been inundated with new referrals and we are acutely aware that unfortunately this is just the tip of the iceberg.”

To sign up for GIFT’s support; or to donate your time, money or resources, contact info@jgift.org

PHOTO: LAWRENCE PURCELL

Rabbi Avrohom Moishe Lampin was at the Friday morning Podium for Start Your Day The Torah Way, being streamed live on Zoom, in the MH Shul New Wing upstairs with social distancing, Rabbi Lampin is Belz Shul Rosh Kollel. Rabbi Lampins Father Rabbi Dovid Lampin was watching his son at the podium

Rabbi Avrohom Moishe Lampin at Start Your Day The Torah Way

PHOTO: LAWRENCE PURCELL

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Extraordinary Care from Extraordinary People

22 FEATURE

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From the front line…

BY JACQUELINE CURZON This week I must begin by reporting the jury is in - my knee is indeed torn. I did a cracking job on it, and I am hoping for a swift assessment at our famous Stanmore Orthopaedic Hospital to see if I will be ‘fixed.’ I am quite concerned that I will slide down the waiting list chute, because of lockdown backlog, and even if I were to be given a fair crack at being repaired, I wonder if the NHS might decline to assist, given I might not survive the predictable wait, nor be deemed ‘value for money.’ I can hardly consider jumping the queue, given I cannot 'jump' now, nor could I 'run off' elsewhere for similar reasons. But my next hurdle of more serious import, is that I am shortly due a repeat PET scan, and await this with trepidation. I have been feeling well, even whilst off chemo, but there's always the worry that the gremlin is waiting by the door.

Now over to another jury and some nasty gremlins… but, before continuing, I must state that the following views are mine alone, and refer to this specific case.

I mentioned PC Andrew Harper last August, a police officer who suffered the most barbaric death at the hands of a group of teenagers.The case was heard in the Old Bailey; the first trial was halted because of serious allegations of jury tampering and the second trial - only recently concluded may also have elements of jury tampering, despite being conducted with a whole raft of extra security.

But let's skip past that for a moment. I think what caught my eye was the fascinating CV of the accused - Cole, Bowers and Long, with already a catalogue of offences behind them. Here we go: assault, burglary, motor vehicle theft, shoplifting and public order offences. This combines to accord them the dubious accolade of being ‘career’ criminals - it is what they aspire to. All three further distinguish themselves by being illiterate, showing their level of social accomplishment, and they will - once serving time - doubtless continue to create fear amongst other prisoners, with their manslaughter conviction. Manslaughter, murder - it still amounts to the death of an innocent.

Whilst we in our religious community pay great attention to the subtleties of human behaviour, there are some who presumably care only about the blood of their own.

We can be slightly mollified by the fact they are now going to prison (not a young offenders institution) and I wonder if criminals' own justice might now be meted out by their peers, in the same way that justice might have been served more appropriately by their peers in the Old Bailey. Long, the ringleader, had the temerity to suggest that 'had he known the police officer was attached to the back of a vehicle and in a position of endangerment, he would have

Jacqueline Curzon PHOTO: LARA MINSKY PHOTOGRAPHY

Manslaughter, murder - it amounts to the same: the death of an innocent, for the definition of murder includes the ‘intention to cause grievous bodily harm.’ brought the vehicle to a halt and rendered assistance.' Look back at their colourful CVs and see whether you would agree? A good samaritan he is not. By leaving the scene of their crime and speeding and weaving up that lane, trying to dislodge a man who had the misfortune to be caught on the harness at the back, they can't claim to be remotely virtuous. The definition of murder includes the ‘intention to cause grievous bodily harm.’

The defendants sat laughing during the trial and their families cheered at the verdict.

The widow of PC Harper broke down on hearing it. She, like all of us, had kept faith in the legal system, only to be very let down.

Her husband of 4 weeks, an upstanding, likeable member of society, put his life on the line daily for society. And he was well past the end of his shift I think perhaps the time has come for imposing much stiffer penalties for crimes against emergency service workers. These three individuals have obviously shunned not just an education, but any life skills, or appreciation of the value of life. I know that some people may find my views here very harsh, but I think there is no penalty - NO penalty whatever - that fits a vile crime like this.

I learnt right and wrong when I was but a small child, and by age 12, heard the immortal words of The Mikado… 'Let the punishment fit the crime.' A manslaughter verdict in this case is NOT justice, merely a poor substitute. Just rearrange the word vile, and you see EVIL, which is the only fitting term for these individuals.

In my dream world I would transport the three of them - without further ado - to the state of Texas and let real justice be applied.

In the USA, life means life, and young people are frequently condemned to spend their lives incarcerated. I truly feel for a youngster of 16 or 18 who is often deeply repentant, but still told they will spend 50 or 60 years behind bars, for only very occasional appeals see this overturned. Those convicted of murder - in certain states - are served up a death penalty, even though it essentially results in a whole life tariff instead. Over in holiday camp UK, if you get a sentence of 10 years at the age of 18, you can look forward to being back on the streets in 5 years, assuming for your good behaviour and a gullible parole board. Plenty time ahead to live a life of crime, repeat offending and start a family, creating another generation from the same stable. We've seen this all too often.

I think for certain offence categories, including heinous crimes, a 'manslaughter' verdict should not be an option. If that also necessitates a trial without a jury [because a ‘jury of one’s peers’ might conceivably consist of sympathetic followers, or because of perjury, witness intimidation or jury tampering], then so be it. Sections 44 to 50 of the Criminal Justice Act (CJA) provide for non-jury trials in cases where there is ‘danger of jury tampering or where jury tampering has taken place.’ This is likely why Lord Blunkett and others are calling for an inquiry, and I would like to think that most upright individuals would support a retrial of these villainous thugs.

After the jury had deliberated and pronounced their verdict, one of them made a particularly heartless and heinous comment. Think of Rhett Butler's closing response to Scarlett O'Hara in the final scene of Gone with the Wind….just said in a less refined vocabulary. This comment alone indicates that they have not a shred of decency between them. Our hearts go out to Lissie Harper.

Having already prepared my column, it was then a coincidence that Gone with the Wind (1939) appeared in this week's dispatches, with the death, at age 104, of Olivia de Havilland, who played Melanie Wilkes in this epic movie.

She was born in Tokyo in 1916, the year before her sister, Joan. Their father Walter (a cousin of the aircraft manufacturer Peter de Havilland) studied at Cambridge and then taught at Waseda University, specialising in patent law. Her mother Lillian had trained at

RADA, gave concerts, took part in amateur dramatics and tutored students, including her daughters, both of whom were also instructed in elocution.

By 1919, the marriage had foundered, and Lillian decided to return to England. On reaching San Francisco both girls became ill though, and whilst they recovered, they took a house in Saratoga, New York. It was a peaceful and positive place, and plans for England were then extinguished.

Her mother then remarried George Fontaine, a grocer, who vehemently disapproved of the theatre, Having acquired a beautiful mid-Atlantic accent, and a lovely singing voice, Olivia then showed an interest in dramatics. After grammar school she was compelled by her stepfather to learn typing, although secretly she wanted to become a teacher, winning a scholarship to train.

Things at home were difficult, with the consequence that Olivia moved out aged 16 - a bold step in the 1930s.

Like her mother and sister, she greatly enjoyed amateur dramatics, and played the lead in Alice in Wonderland, followed by the role of Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream, both with the Saratoga Community Theatre (1934). At this time the famous Austrian director Max Reinhardt was preparing to produce his version of The Dream in Hollywood, and his assistant saw the Saratoga production with 18 year old Olivia, and invited her to Hollywood. Thus began HER dream, with her being signed by Warner Bros. Warner Bros later introduced the dashing newcomer, Errol Flynn, in the pirate story Captain Blood, with Olivia playing opposite him. After appearances in several costume dramas, she joined the massive frenzy for the lead female role in Gone with the Wind, playing opposite Clark Gable as Rhett Butler. Olivia shrewdly opted instead to try for the supporting role of Melanie Her sister Joan - convinced she herself would get Scarlet's role - put her sister up for Melanie.

This was to prove a defining moment in their lives as Olivia won the part of Melanie, but Scarlett O'Hara was given to Vivien Leigh.

The sisters had a massive falling out after this, which lasted throughout their lives.

Joan was evidently a talented actress, going on to win an Oscar for her role in Suspicion (1942), co-starring with Cary Grant. After Gone with the Wind, Olivia de Havilland played lesser roles, but one memorable film was The Dark Mirror (1946), a psychological drama about identical twins. She won two Oscars: To Each His Own (1946) and The Heiress (1949), and had acted alongside Hollywood greats such as James Cagney, Richard Burton, Dirk Bogarde and Bette Davis during her 50 year career. She spent her last 60 years living in Paris, and was appointed DBE in 2017. What a journey! Au revoir! Gone now, but not forgotten.

Until next week Jacqueline x To follow Jacqueline’s journey blog {Yocheved bas Sara} please go to https://whenallissaidanddone.home.blog

To support Jacqueline in her cancer battle, please go to: www.gofundme.com/f/jacqueline039s-front-line-cancer-battle-fund THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM

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4 Steps for Enhancing Marriage

BY ARYEH SAMPSON The first is to gain insight into the dynamics of the relationship, which includes its strengths and areas of challenge.

One of the most common problems is “falling out of love.” Many relationships begin on a high, but when this begins to fade, the true person is revealed — warts and all. Negative traits may then begin to cause antagonism, and it is common for power struggles to develop in which each person strives to have their needs met. Shaming and blaming often follows, where each person lashes out at the other causing harmful arguments to occur.

What often develops is a ‘Hailstorm and Turtle relationship’. The ‘hailstorm’ person criticizes the other – throwing hail stones at them. The other acts like a turtle, pulling away and going into their shell.

The hailstorm person then thinks – I am not getting my point across, so they throw more and larger hails stones – which make the turtle withdraw even more. This creates a very strained relationship.

focus on their faults, negativity occurs.

So it’s important to keep focused on the good in the relationship and overcome negative thinking.

When we feel negatively toward someone, we tend to justify the feelings with compelling reasons. “They are so selfish/ inconsiderate/rude!” Cognitive therapy points out that our reasoning often results from distorted thinking; we may jump to the wrong conclusions, see things in all-or-nothing terms, or fail to view the whole picture correctly.

Imago relationship therapy teaches that often the same difficult behaviour patterns we experienced with our parents reoccur with our spouse or are projected onto them. Understanding how pain from past relationships can be projected onto current ones, helps to reduce the upset. We realize that the pain that we are experiencing is not wholly due to the current relationship, but results from experiences in our past. This understanding helps a person to become less reactive and more compassionate.

2 THOUGHT

3 COMMUNICATION

1 AWARENESS

When we focus on a person’s virtues we feel positive towards them. When we

4 ACTION

Couple therapists often suggest increasing acts of care, and giving, either in small steps, such as giving a little gift or having a weekly “date” night, or larger ones such as taking short trips away to spend quality

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Aryeh Sampson is a psychotherapist based in North London and counsels online . He is the author of ‘Go to Yourself, Transformation through Jewish Wisdom and Psychology’.

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For more information about counselling view www.ascounsellinginnorthlondon. co.uk

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ments that begin with “you.” When we feel understood, it has a calming effect and creates an empathetic environment in which people can work together to resolve differences.

time together and reconnect.

Dr Gary Chapman, author of ‘The Five Love Languages’, explains that there are five ways in which we express and experience love: Gift Giving, Quality Time, Physical Touch, Acts of Service (Devotion), and Words of Appreciation.

Different people have different ‘love languages’. So it’s important to understand the other person’s needs and express the form of love they appreciate most. These acts can create an upward spiral of affection, reigniting love and connection in the relationship.

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Building healthy communication plays a vital role in developing good

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26 HEALTH AND WELLBEING

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The Curable Virus

Even when ‘all systems are COVID-19’ efforts are being made worldwide to eliminate viral hepatitis C SHARON GELBACH As little as 10 years ago, the prognosis for those suffering from end stage Hepatitis C (HCV) was dim. Standard available treatments at the time were iffy; they included injections together with oral medication that needed to be taken for as long as a year, the side effects were brutal, and the cure rate was only 50%, leaving a liver transplant as the only resort. Things changed dramatically in 2013, with the introduction of revolutionary direct-acting antiviral (DAA) drugs. The new medications are administered orally for an average of 3 months, show negligible side effects and are effective in 95% of cases.

The introduction of DAAs, combined with a relatively simple screening process, led the World Health Organization (WHO) to embark on a mammoth project to eradicate this disease, which affects more than 71 million people globally.

In 2016, representatives from 194 world countries convened for the 69th World Health Assembly, where all committed to eliminating viral hepatitis by 2030.

As we approach July 28 — World Hepatitis Day — the WHO together with the American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) among other global health organizations are seeking to raise awareness of viral hepatitis and ensure that world leaders are taking the

necessary steps to meet the 2030 deadline. This year’s theme for World Hepatitis Day is “Find the Missing Millions,” implying the need for widespread screening to discover carriers of the hepatitis virus.

“The point is that unlike other diseases, with HCV, we know how to identify the populations at risk — and screening involves nothing more traumatic than a simple blood test,” explains Professor Ziv Ben Ari, founder and director of the Center for Liver Disease at Israel’s Sheba Medical Center. “Additionally, we have excellent medications today, and here in Israel, they are subsidized by government health insurance. We hope that by raising awareness, we will reach the point where Israel will succeed in eradicating HCV within the next decade.”

Criteria for identifying high-risk populations differ slightly depending on the country. Dr. Nancy Reau, associate director of organ transplantation at the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, says that the CDC identifies the biggest high-risk group as the baby boomers, those born between 1945 and 1965. Since HCV is transmitted primarily through contact with infected blood, other people at high risk include those who received blood transfusions begore 1992 (when blood-screening was first instituted); those who inject illegal drugs and prisoners.

In Israel, Professor Ben Ari recognizes another high-risk group: olim from the former Soviet Union, possibly due to their having received their childhood vaccines with needles that were unsterile.

Currently, Israel has a national plan to eliminate HCV, and groups such as Hetz — The Israeli Association for Liver Health, a patient, non-profit organization that Professor Ben Ari chairs, are lobbying the Knesset to establish a task force that will enforce more widespread, routine screening in Israeli HMOs. According to Professor Ben Ari, the Israeli Health Ministry is highly supportive of implementing the national plan.

HCV is called a “silent” disease because the majority of sufferers are unaware that they have it. “They can have no noticeable system for years, even decades, at a time when their livers are slowly being damaged,” says Dr. Reau.

“As HCV progresses and the disease advances, carriers may begin to see the classic symptoms of liver damage, jaundice and fluid accumulated in the belly and legs, but these are late manifestations of a liver that no longer functions very well and that is on its way to liver failure, or even cancer. That’s why screening is so crucial,” says Professor Ben Ari, adding that medical experts estimate that there are some 80,000 silent carriers in Israel.

Not all types of liver disease are curable,

Prof. Ziv Ben Ari

but Sheba’s Center for Liver Research is at the forefront of developing ways to provide relief to patients. “Chronic liver disease, regardless of the etiology, leads to scarring of the liver (fibrosis), whereby the liver tissue becomes increasingly less functional,” Professor Ben Ari explains.

“There are currently 50 million people worldwide who suffer from chronic liver disease, but there is no drug therapy that addresses liver fibrosis,” she continues. “In a recent trailblazing study, my research team at Sheba succeeded in identifying two biological molecules that are secreted by healthy liver cells and which were seen to be effective in combatting the process of fibrosis. We’re still in the pre-clinical testing phase, but have registered a patent and are optimistic that we will soon be on our way to a breakthrough treatment.”

Schools out, kids about

BY DINA SPIELMAN It’s the end of the school year and there’s that all too familiar feeling of having the kids home again for weeks and weeks. I’m lucky since my son was in year 1 so he went back for four hours twice a week!

But what do we do now? The craft supplies are finished, you’ve been to the local park way too many times and the thought of battling through breakfast, lunch and supper is just too much… not to mention the snacks!

To implement more structure, with less stress and even less guilt, Ellyn Satter outlines the division of responsibility in feeding (DOR). In short, this is where the parents are in charge of the what, when and where.

The child is in charge of how much they eat and whether they eat at all.

This model is based on trust. Trust that the child can use their own internal cues of hunger, fullness and satisfaction. Think of a young child who screams the house down for food when hungry or purses their lips together, refusing more because they’re full.

Children are born with the amazing ability

to listen in to their body and their body does a super good job of guiding them!

So our job as parents is simple - TRUST. This then begs the question, how can we as caregivers know how much to put on our child’s plate? The answer is we don’t! The adult chooses what food to provide, decides the timings of meals and snacks and also where the food is to be eaten. But the actual eating - how much and what the child chooses to eat from the table, is entirely up to the child.

By using DOR, we keep those precious skills alive so children can grow up trusting themselves and being able to use their own body as their guide to eating.

Remember those days of chasing your toddler round the room with a fork full of chicken and potatoes? You won’t win anyway so you might as well relax and stop stressing!

Studies show that by using DOR in feeding, children develop a positive attitude towards eating, less overeating, increased food acceptance and good food regulation.

But also competent eaters become adults

who are more self aware and trusting of themselves in general, have better body image and enjoy a variety of food.

Take Berel for example. When he was full, his worried mother coaxed and bribed him to eat two more bites of fish pie. So good little Berel listened to his Mummy and ate the required bites. But when Berel grew up his mother wasn’t there anymore to tell him how much to eat. So he tried to eat whatever was in front of him because of course that’s what he was taught- to eat past fullness.

(But he didn’t even remember what fullness was because he hadn’t been taught to listen

THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM

to it and he didn’t always enjoy the food because it wasn’t what he liked or he felt too uncomfortable afterwards).

On the other hand there’s Shprintzy who chose some food from the serving dishes. She then enjoyed her meal and stopped when she felt done. Shprintzy’s parents let her leave the last spoonful of mashed potatoes and the untouched pile of peas. It happened to be that this meal she hadn’t eaten much in her parents eyes but they didn’t stress, knowing that they couldn’t feel what’s going on in her insides. So they trusted her, thinking maybe she just wasn’t hungry or she may eat more at the next meal. What a surprise, Shprintzy grew up confident in her body’s wisdom.

She could choose a variety of foods she knew she enjoyed and recognised her hunger. Shprintzy took more if she wanted but then stopped when she had eaten enough.

The proof is in the pudding! So, try it at home, research Ellyn Satter for more information, and watch how your children develop into independent, competent eaters. You do your job and let them do theirs.

29 JULY 2020

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28 COOKERY

29 JULY 2020

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Savoury Salmon Frittata Muffins Frittata is an Italian open faced omelette dish that can be made in advance and reheated through gently when required. It is a creative way of using cooked pasta. I have made individual portions which make an impressive starter but one large frittata inside a cake tin would work equally well ~ cut into thick wedges to serve. Just ideal for picnics and alfresco dining.

I have served it with a picked cucumber salsa.

Another delicious recipe from Denise Phillips For more recipes and inspiration visit my website: www.jewishcookery.com

Preparation Time: 25minutes Cooking Time 35 minutes Serves: 6 Ingredients 150g dried fusilli Pasta 6 large eggs – lightly whisked 1- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil – to grease ramekins 250ml milk or single cream /soya cream (Alpro) 3 tablespoons Dill- roughly chopped Salt and freshly ground black pepper 150g fresh salmon –skinned and pin boned - roughly chopped Zest of 1 lemon Pickled Cucumber Salsa 3 pickled cucumbers – drained from the brine ½ fresh cucumber – cut in half 1 tablespoon lemon juice Pinch caster sugar 1 tablespoon fresh dill 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

3) Mix the eggs and milk or cream together. Stir in the salmon, lemon zest and dill and season well. Add to the pasta.

4) Pre-heat the oven to 200 C/ 400 F/ Gas mark 6.

5) Using a large spoon, ladle in the pasta mixture into the prepared ramekins.

6) Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.

7) To make the salsa, finely chop the pickled cucumbers. Using a spoon remove the seeds from the inside of the fresh cucumber and then finely chop and combine.

8) Stir in the lemon juice, sugar and extra virgin olive oil.

Garnish: 1 lemon cut into wedges, sprigs of fresh dill Method 1) Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions and drain well.

2) Line the base of 6 ramekins with non-stick baking parchment paper.

Grease the sides with a little vegetable oil.

To serve the stylish way: Invert the ramekins on to a plate and serve with the pickled cucumber salsa. Garnish with a wedge of lemon and sprigs of fresh dill and a dusting of black pepper.

Picnic time

BY DENISE PHILLIPS Eating and entertaining outside is the safest way during Covid times, so I thought I would share some tasty and useful tips for enhancing the ‘Al Fresco’ experience. Hopefully, whatever the weather, soggy sandwiches and split salad dressing containers will be a thing of the past!

A reliable picnic basket is a good start with space for eco-friendly reusable plates, cutlery, containers, a flask and the all-important waterproof blanket. However successful alternatives could include a waterproof bag, rucksack, freezer bag or cold box.

Cold boxes and ice packs are essential to keep food cool and safe to eat. Non-food essentials are tissues, wipes, anti-bacterial gel, bite cream, sun cream and plasters-I keep these in a small waterproof bag in the car so that they are never forgotten.

Planning your meal carefully will ensure that you enjoy a balance of ingredients both cooked and raw from different food groups.

I personally like to keep this dining dairy or parev. One portion dishes such as cod goujons, salmon fillets, fish balls, cheese flapjacks, savoury muffins, individual fritatas and vegetable bakes cooked in ramekins all work well. Savoury tarts, puff pastry vegetable pies and quiches are far better cooked in

Networking Events for Jewish Singles individual portions or sliced in advance, as is my delicious Cauliflower Cake- see the recipe below.

Another idea for a different main course is a picnic loaf.

This is where you scoop out the inside of a large loaf and layer with different colourful fillings-try roasted veg with sundried tomatoes and pesto, falafel with fried aubergine, egg and humous or tuna with celery, pickled cucumber and baby spinach.

Wrap tightly to keep firm and fresh and cut into slices to serve. (Don’t forget to take a knife!)

Salads made in jars where the ingredients are layered, such as Russian salad, look impressive and are also easy to serve and transport. Pasta and potato salads are perfect for picnics as they are not fragile and travel well. Keep any dressing separate in reliable non-spill containers. Delicate leafy green salads tend to wilt quickly- cut up some chunky crudités to serve with unopened dips for a more robust option.

Take ready washed and prepared fruit in an airtight box or fruit kebabs for dessert. Muffins, cupcakes, flapjacks, scones and yoghurts are good for something sweet but nothing with chocolate; it is just not worth the mess!

And ideally the sun will shine, and a good time will be had by all!

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Travel AUGUST IN BRITAIN – Trust in Heritage facilities for youngsters. In order not to be disappointed do check on the individual website before visiting.

When it comes to ‘Staycation’ National Trust has over 400 unique cottages to cosy cottages in the hills, manor houses and even a lighthouse or two. Also beginning to open are a limited number of bunkhouses in spectacular locations and within easy reach of national parks, beautiful countryside, unspoilt coastlines and landscape parks.

National Trust also owns a number of hotels leased out to local management including Bodysgallen Hall (Llandudno), Hartwell House Hotel (Aylesbury), Middlethorpe Hall Hotel (York), Hunter’s Inn (Exmoor) and The Causeway Hotel (County Antrim).

Travel News Roundup is brought to you by Malcolm Ginsberg, Editor in Chief of Business Travel News (www.btnews.co.uk). He is a member of the International Travel Writers Alliance, a noted analyst on aviation matters and is seen from time to time on TV and heard on the radio. He is always pleased to hear from tour operators and travel agents who have packages that might interest Jewish Weekly readers. malcolm@ginsberg.co.uk Finally, August has arrived, the traditional school holiday period writes our travel correspondent Malcolm Ginsberg. Flights to Israel are very limited and if you don’t hold an Israeli passport the reception at the other end will be firm. Check daily on the UK Foreign Office website www.gov. uk/foreign-travel-advice/israel But do not despair. It is stay at home for this summer and later, hopefully, a long-haul winter break in Eretz Israel with plenty of sunshine. Maybe Eilat.

If you fancy a UK “self catering” holiday just look up on the web.

But where to go? Two very large charities are ready to help you.

THE NATIONAL TRUST

The National Trust goes back a long way and in 1895 was called “The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty”.

One of the largest landowners in the United Kingdom, the Trust owns over 250,000 hectares and 780 miles of coast.

It also cares for over 500 historic houses, castles, archaeological and industrial monuments, gardens, parks and nature reserves.

Most properties are open to the public for a charge (members have free entry), while open spaces are free to all. As well as the great estates of titled families, it has acquired smaller houses including some whose significance is not architectural but through their association with famous people, for example the childhood homes of Paul McCartney and John Lennon. The White Cliffs of Dover are owned by the National Trust.

In these Covid-19 days it has worked hard to keep its properties safe and where possible open to the public. Some 130

ENGLISH HERITAGE

The Giant’s Causeway

gardens and parklands are open as well as more than 200 coast and countryside car parks in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Seven houses in England and Northern Ireland are now allowing building entry, part of a pilot scheme to welcome back visitors to its houses and buildings.

Advanced bookings are available at some places to help manage visitor numbers and maintain safe, social distancing, even if you are a member. Sadly, if you do not book, you will be turned away. New

tickets are released on a Friday for the following week.

Whilst the Giant’s Causeway in County Antrim is the most popular site (7,38k visitors in 2019), Altringham Park (511k) and the magnificent Altringham Hall leads in terms of buildings closely followed by Cliveden (499k) and Waddesdon Manor (471k). The word ‘attraction’ does not cover this huge estate and the Trust has always been mindful of children’s requirements, and the need of refreshment cover for visitors. Many sites have special

English Heritage (officially the English Heritage Trust) manages over 400 historic monuments, buildings and places. These include prehistoric sites, medieval castles, Roman forts and country houses. The charity states that it uses these properties to “bring the story of England to life for over 10 million people each year”. Within its portfolio are Stonehenge, Dover Castle, Tintagel Castle and the best-preserved parts of Hadrian’s Wall. English Heritage also manages the London Blue Plaque scheme, which links influential historical figures to particular buildings.

As with National Trust in order to help keep everyone safe, it has bookable arrival time slots and is limiting visitor numbers by about a third. Because of this visitors will need to book in advance and show the confirmation upon arrival – either as a printout or on a mobile device. English Heritage is expecting a high demand for tickets, and so emphasises that if making a booking it should be honoured. From Saturday 1 August, every English Heritage site will once again be open to explore and enjoy. Whilst entry is free to members they too will have to book.

Stonehenge is perhaps English Heritage’s most famous site offering. Its estate also includes Carisbrooke Castle and Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, and in London Kenwood, rural Hampstead, plus the Wellington Arch and nearby Apsley House, the home of The Duke of Wellington.

Around 200 free-to-enter sites are already open, including places such as Iron Bridge, Caister Roman Fort and many parts of Hadrian’s Wall. There’s no need to book your visits to free-to-enter sites. www.visitbritain.com/gb/en www.english-heritage.org.uk www.nationaltrust.org.uk

Stonehenge

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Marvelous (Kosher) Mykonos…

Starting this upcoming Sunday and until the end of Sukkot, the Luxury events firm Fleishman-Peles joint with a long time partner of excellence Glatt-Kosher food - Gaya Tours to offer a new concept of vacation, especially tailored for a secure and relaxed family holiday, Ultra-High-End experience in the most glamorous island in Greece - Mykonos.

The island where every picture is an Instagram hit, with shallow crystal-clear waters and golden sands, dipping in the water couldn’t be more enjoyable. White-washed houses all around and pebbled streets, gives the real sensation of Greece.

Usually a very busy island, this year Mykonos decided to take the more modest approach and not host its yearly scheduled events. For that same reason Fleishman-Peles & Gaya Tours decided that this is the only year their religious clients can come and enjoy this magnificent island.

As their upscale level can not be matched, they personally selected the most astonishing villas of the island, each villa has a private pool and is well secluded for Tznius.

The culinary experience program is an essential part of a remarkable experience, therefore, each villa will be pre-stocked with basic kosher groceries and served each day with 5* Lux hotel service and the clients can

Gourmet food on offer

choose between Half-Board or Full-Board Culinary services arriving directly to the villa, organised, served and cleaned by a professional waiter.

The gourmet dishes would be prepared in a state-of-the-art kitchen in Mykonos town, under the strict supervision of Rabbi Nehemiya Rotenberg, Vienna, Austria.

Meat is Lubavitch Shechita, dairy is Cholov Yisroel.

Fleishman Peles & Gaya Tours pay special attention to comfort and health. Therefore all their staff (cleaners, butlers, chefs etc.) are regularly inspected for good health, all villas are meticulously sanitised, to preserve a peaceful feeling throughout the holiday.

Mykonos couldn’t be completed without the renowned professional concierge

Heavenly accommodation in Mykonos

service that the companies provide, from exclusive daily boat trips, through In-villa private-chef dinner and to surprise you in the middle of the island with a freshly squeezed juice in Mykonos old town.

A wonderful day trip to Delos island, where an ancient synagogue explains the story of Jews in the area already centuries ago.

Mykonos airport is positioned in the island’s western part, and it is a max. 15 min drive from each villa. Starting last week,

there are daily direct flights to the island from London.

Villas start at €990 per night (Villa rental only) Half-Board (Breakfast + Supper): €195 per person/day Full-Board: €280 per person/day To receive a tailored price quotation, please contact their European operations manager at +421-903-656770 (available also by WhatsApp) or by Mail: david@ fp-pro.com

We are part of the government 50% off dining scheme* * 50% off Mondays to Wednesdays, maximum discount £10 per person dining in restaurant throughout August

The Place for a Simcha

“Eating at Kaifeng is always a special experience unmatched in a Glat Kosher restaurant anywhere.

The food is always delicious and you know that it was made with the finest and highest quality ingredients and above all it was just cooked moments before, specially for you!

Their attention to detail is fantastic. The tables are always covered with fresh clean, white crispy starched table clothes. Now the cleanliness and attention to safety is even better, with heated one-time use napkins replacing the hot towels to refresh yourself and staff wearing gloves and face masks.

Pareve or meaty, vegan or vegetarian, all Glat Kosher le’Mehadrin and in complete safety too!”

Rabbi Akiva Osher Padwa - July 2020

Voted ‘Best Kosher Restaurant’ Three Years in a Row Weekday Lunch great value!

Most dishes at Take Away price or less

Shabbos meals blast chilled every Thursday evening Simchas up to 30 people

Fine Glatt Kosher Chinese

Glatt Kosher Le Mahadrin under the strict supervision of the London Beth Din and Rabbi Akiva Osher Padwa 51 Church Road, Hendon NW4 4DU Reservations: 020

8203 7888

www.kaifeng.co.uk

Open Sunday to Thursday: Lunch 12.30 - 2.30pm, Dinner 5.30 - 10.30pm, Motzei Shabbat: September - Pesach

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ASK THE RABBI

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

Dear Rabbi I have a deep theological question. We have all been praying that this virus goes away and yet here we are still in the midst of it in Israel. Simply put, does prayer work?

Isadore Dear Isadore In a small town just outside Tel Aviv someone decided to open up a nightclub right opposite a Chassidic shteibel. You could imagine the uproar. The riffraff, the atmosphere in the neighbourhood - the shteibel and its congregation started a campaign to block the club from opening with petitions, government lobbying and even a daily vigil where they gathered for extra prayer, tehilim etc. All to no avail. Work progressed. Three days before opening there was a huge storm, lightning struck and the club burnt to the ground. The club owner sued the Chassidim on the grounds that the shteibel through its praying was ultimately responsible for the ill fate of his dream project, either through direct or indirect actions or means. In its reply to the court, the shteibel vehemently denied all responsibility or any connection between their prayers and the club’s burning down. As the case made its way in to court, the judge looked over the paperwork at the hearing and commented: “I don’t know how I’m going to decide this case, but it appears from the paperwork, we have a nightclub owner who believes in the power of prayer and we have an entire congregation that doesn’t.”

We all utter prayers of sorts;

sometimes personal ones, usually structured ones, but what’s it really all about? What are we hoping to achieve? What do we expect to accomplish? A child wants something, so he or she asks Mom or Dad for what they want or need. Is that what prayer is all about? Is it as basic as that?

Each of us has something that we need or want in our lives.

There is something within that needs repair, a broken heart, a hurt over loss, possibly physical pain or emotional anguish. The beauty of prayer is the realisation that you are not alone. There is Someone you can talk to, you can confide in. Even with no one else around you, there is always G-d you can talk to! And you should never hesitate – never measure your words – never limit your outpouring, never question your right to ask for whatever it is you want.

However, bear in mind the following: Moses prayed 515 times to be allowed into the Land of Israel. Commentaries observe that had Moses gone on to pray one more time - 516 times - had he gone that extra mile – his request would have been granted. And in all likelihood he was aware of that as well. Which would have surely made him wonder why G-d didn’t yield sooner – if only because as much as one can evoke Divine compassion, the true believer appreciates that your prayers are always answered, albeit that sometimes the answer is “no.” We can never be sure what the answer will be, but we can find comfort in the ask, and confidence in the anticipation that like with every mother or father, our Supreme Parent knows what’s in the best

interest of His children.

The bottom line is no prayer is ignored and no tears go unnoticed. But the response is not always in the form we expect it to be. In the finale of Yom Kippur, at that holiest of moments, during the Neilah prayer we plead from G-d: “You who hears the sound of weeping, store our tears in Your flask, and save us from all cruel decrees.”

Why are we asking G d to store our tears? Not always are our prayers answered in the way we want them to be. Sometimes G-d, in His infinite wisdom, for reasons known to Him which defy our comprehension, does not grant us our wishes at the time we demand them. But that doesn’t mean that they are in vein. Instead, those tears are stored away, those prayers are filed. They may be taken out and answered at another time, or will spill over to impact in different ways.

Though we are not privy to G d’s mechanisms and we don’t get His system, every word, every prayer is accounted for, and makes an impact. In physics, the law of conservation of energy states that energy can never be destroyed, it just changes from one form to another. No prayer is ever lost; no tear is ever wasted.

Your request will be granted; it just may be in an unexpected form. So keep praying and look for the blessings to roll in.

HERE COMES THE JUDGE!

Dear Rabbi If there is one thing I have come to discover during this whole lockdown period it is how judgemental people can be. I find

it sad that in our wider Jewish community everyone decides to judge others about the way they are dealing with the crisis. I was personally a victim of this and feel the need to vent my upset.

Maybe you can inspire your audience to be a little less judgemental. We would all be better off for it.

Anonymous Dear Anon I’ve shared this before: A few years back when I was on a plane with my dear wife returning from a solidarity trip to Israel. This elderly woman sat next to my wife and myself.

She proceeded to tell me which community she comes from and how wonderful her rabbi is. I asked her if she knew the rabbi of Mill Hill Synagogue. “Oh yes.

Sch…Sch…Schochet. I don’t like him!” My wife smiles and asks sweetly, ‘why not?’ “Oh he’s very opinionated and I don’t like his views at all!” She sees me smiling and says, “I’m sorry if you have anything to do with him, but I just don’t like him!” Later she’s standing with some friends at the back who clearly identified me and as I walked past with my wife she stops us: “What is your name?” My wife says, “Chani,” and quickly beats a hasty retreat.

I said “Yitzchak.” “What is your surname?” “Schochet,” I said, sheepishly. “And so you are! Are you the rabbi?” Trying to make light of an otherwise embarrassing situation I reply, “Let’s just say I am very, very closely related to him!” “Oh good!” she says, “As long as you’re not him! I really don’t like him!”

It’s good therapy sometimes to forget yourself, drop the image and let others tell you like it is.

We got along really well throughout the flight, this lady and I. She

was very grateful for my help, putting her sweater up into the overhead compartment, taking it back down; Helping her with the remote control and even sharing a laugh or two with her.

It’s amazing how people are so quick to jump to conclusions and form preconceived notions, judging and passing verdict without ever really experiencing matters first hand. For the record I’m not suggesting she’s wrong.

But aren’t we to one degree or another guilty of the same? We are quick to pass judgement on other people without ever really looking beneath the surface.

Is there hope for the forlorn Jew if we just judge them then write him or her off as another statistic? Why are we so quick to criticise – to pounce – to see the bad in other people, rather than looking beneath the surface at the inherent goodness that exists within? A timely thought at this juncture in the Jewish calendar and thank you for bringing it to readers’ attention.

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

Pirkei Avot This week we continue into the second phase of our journey through Pirkey Avot. We can immediately see an obvious connection to the first Mishnah.

Mishnah Alef ended with the Men of the Great Assembly giving a general address to all of society. Mishnah Bet introduces us to one of the survivors of the Men of the Great Assembly, Shimon Hatzadik. He gives us 3 crucial life facts, highlighting the link between heaven and earth.

‘On three things does the world stand: on Torah, on Avodah and Gemillat

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Mishna 2 Chasidim.’ These three pillars mirror the outstanding qualities that our forefathers were renowned. Abraham was famous for supreme kindness to all people strangers included. He had his tent open on all 4 sides to welcome visitors from all different directions.

His son Isaac worked hard on himself in prayer and repentance representing Avodah or service.

And Jacob was a Powerhouse of Torah learning never sleeping a full night whilst spending 14 years in the Yeshiva of Shem and Ever.

We must ensure to have all these qualities not just some of them. If someone is full of Torah knowledge and knows many laws it means absolutely nothing if he is a horrible person and doesn’t know how to treat people.

Even the most righteous person has to be respectful of others and it is often the mark of how great someone is by how they treat others.

By copying our Ancestors we will truly merit to play our part in binding the world together.

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Corona Diary #13

29 JULY 2020

Covid 19 and Coveting

BY RABBI MOSHE TARAGIN Most mitzvoth mandate our behavior which actions are obligated and which are banned. The second more challenging set of mitzvoth regulate our thought and our belief system: which ideas are we meant to subscribe to, and which views are heretical. Though “mental mitzvoth” are more complex and complicated, they are still reasonably attainable. Ideas can be studied and assimilated and the thought-system of a Jew can be outlined by the Torah.

The third set of mitzvoth- those which govern human emotions- are clearly the most challenging; the Torah actually maps which emotions are obligated such as love and fear for G-d. Likewise the Torah prohibits the emotion of covetousness; the final Commandment – Lo Tachmod- prohibits coveting the possessions or the wife of another.

Assuredly, the halachik parameters of this prohibition are quite limiting- it is extremely rare to be in actual violation of this prohibition. Technically, the prohibition only bans ‘acting’ upon our desires but not internal coveting which is never implemented. If desire doesn’t translate into, at the very least, an attempt to extract the coveted home or secure the desired woman, the legal prohibition hasn’t been violated.

Secondly, the strict prohibition would only obtain to “unique objects” such as a home or a wife. In these instances, the person’s desire comes at the cost of the “current” husband who must be somehow displaced so that desire can be fulfilled.

My desire for another person’s home can only be realized if that person is relocated.

Unbridled coveting is based upon the assumption that the current husband or resident is somehow less deserving of the home or of a particular wife than the person who covets. In a world of mass produced goods, the strict prohibition of Lo Tachmod rarely applies, since the person who covets can easily satiate their envy by purchasing a similar item without depriving the original owner. My envy for a sports car doesn’t come at the cost of the current owner’s license and therefore, strictly, I haven’t violated the legal prohibition of Lo Tachmod. From a strictly halachik standpoint, Lo Tachmod only applies to unique items and only when efforts were exerted to dislodge the current owner or husband.

Though the strict legal prohibition may be quite limited, the spirit of this prohibition applies more generally and is especially relevant in the modern era.

Capitalism has become a game-changer in the struggle to regulate our covetousness. We may not often broach the

actual prohibition of Lo Tachmod, but we certainly struggle with the temptation to acquire and with a thirst for shopping and purchasing. The modern world has empowered most of us with greater buying power than past generations possessed.

Mechanisation and the dizzying technological revolution have fed our desire to acquire the latest and greatest models.

A world of throwaway goods and of easy “replaceability” has bred a culture of disposability and constant turnover of the objects. Efficient supply chains and delivery systems have facilitated the quick and effortless acquisition of our desired objects. It is ironic but instructional, that Amazon began as an online seller of books aiming to deliver ideas to the human imagination. This behemoth has now morphed into the largest global marketplace delivering electronics, clothing, food and housewares with unimagined ease (Yes, I am an Amazon Prime member). We may not violate the actual prohibition of Lo Tachmod, but we all struggle with the religious and moral challenges within the culture of “acquisitiveness”.

Battling this potentially hazardous trend requires first understanding it. Sometimes, our outsized consumerism is merely a form of addiction; like any addiction it offers an escape from the difficulties or drudgeries of daily life into a fantasy world of blurred reality. Many feel a rush when a package arrives, and that rush or thrill can distract us – momentarily- from our heavy responsibilities or our painful frustrations.

Behavioral therapists have coined this disorder BDS- or “Buying Shopping Disorder” and on-line shopping has exacerbated this addiction. Like other addictions, a compulsive desire to acquire goods can destabilize our day-to-day experience as well as damage our personal relationships.

In most cases however, our consumerism doesn’t attain levels of harmful addiction. More often our “desire to acquire” is wedded to lofty and valuable character traits. Ambition and a general desire to improve our current condition is vital to a meaningful lifestyle. To fulfill these healthy and worthy ambitions we often purchase the objects we deem necessary to enable our general welfare and enable our advancement. These itemswe believe- will enhance our personal prosperity, free us from menial labor and increase our general productivity. Just as our purchase of essentials such as food is vital to our basic survival, similarly, our acquisition of the “tools of improvement “ is crucial to assist us in the fulfillment of our dreams and the attainment of our personal goals.

However, a healthy moral life is based upon a careful calibration of our desire

A world of throwaway goods and of easy “replaceability” has bred a culture of disposability and constant turnover of the objects. to improve or change our reality, with a healthy acceptance of our situation and the ability to excel within our current framework. The oft-cited Mishnah in Pirkei Avot attributes inner bliss to our ability to sense contentment with our “lot in life” and the ‘chelek’ or portion we have been allocated. This inner contentment must extend to our financial condition, our personal and professional lives and, yes, even our “religious portion” or our religious roles. Very often, over-ambitious people suffer from terminal restlessness and cannot ever sense the inner tranquility so vital to healthy emotional life.

Ultimately, this inner disquiet or the “uneasiness born of over-ambition” is the more threatening danger of extreme immersion in the modern consumerist culture. Healthy life demands the fostering of ambition, but also the careful calibration of that ambition with acceptance of our framework and of our circumstances.

This current medical crisis has, in many ways, exposed the importance of this calibration between ambition and contentment. Firstly, the flimsiness of our consumerist culture has been unmasked and we now realize how terribly fragile the entire supply chain truly is, and how quickly it can be disrupted. It is more obvious than ever that the objects of our

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cravings will not always be quickly or easily obtainable. Additionally, we are likely veering toward a financial slowdown (at best) and we all sense that our purchasing power will be diminished, forcing us to contract our consumerist tendencies.

Beyond these practical changes, the Corona experience is also teaching us about “accepting our reality” and excelling within that reality, as opposed to altering or improving our reality. As much as we desire a return to a normal world – it appears that the “familiar” “normal” reality is still, at the very least, a few long months away. We cannot easily remodel our current framework but we can learn to thrive within that framework. Will these tools of life help us better balance personal ambition and inner contentment when this crisis blows over? Will this experience dampen our consumerist passions or, at least, help us regulate them more carefully? Will the lessening interest in consumerism liberate our imaginations to pursue matters of greater spiritual weight? Will we invert the “Amazon effect” and begin to pursue ideas and religious experience rather than goods and items?

Rabbi Moshe Taragin has taught at Yeshivat Har Etzion in Gush Etzion, for the past 22 years.

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Weekly Dvar Torah F R OM E R E TZ YISRAE L

Every Little Bit Counts

BY RABBI SHALOM ROSNER “Then Moshe set aside three cities in Transjordan, to the east.” (Devarim 4:41) The Torah specifies that at this juncture, several weeks prior to his death, Moshe establishes three cities of refuge on the eastern side of the Jordan River. Rashi explains: Moshe found it in his heart to take this upon himself, notwithstanding that the three cities of refuge would not be effective until the three other cities of refuge in Eretz Yisrael, and Moshe already knew he would not enter Eretz Yisrael. Nonetheless he said, “I will do all in my power, and any mitzva that I can fulfill, I will fulfill.”

Rashi emphasizes that although Moshe knew that the three cities of refuge in Transjordan that he established would not be effective until all six cities of refuge were established (including the remaining three to be established in Eretz Yisrael), he still proceeded to engage in the performance of a mitzva, even though he would not complete the mitzva in its entirety. The Hafetz Hayim al HaTorah derives an

important lesson from Moshe’s action.

Although we may not be able to complete a task, that should not prevent us from initiating it. Often the yetzer hara tricks us into surrendering before we even get started. Why bother starting Daf Yomi if there is no way we are ever going to get through Kodshim and Taharot. Why should I try to concentrate on the amida, if I know I’ll lose focus after a few berakhot? We have to be strong and willing to initiate a challenge, even if at the start we are uncertain if we will indeed be able to complete such a task. Every moment of learning, each of the berakhot, is an accomplishment in and of itself.

The Hafetz Hayim presents a mashal to underscore the importance of not giving up, that it does not have to be “all or nothing.”

There was once a man walking along the shore, and he suddenly witnesses thousands of pearls and diamonds being washed ashore. Apparently, there was a pirate ship that capsized at sea, and the current of the ocean waves was carrying with it many of the precious stones that were aboard the ship. How will this

individual react? Will he state: “I can’t get all of them, forget it, I’m leaving it all there. It does not even pay to begin to collect these precious stones, if I cannot recover all of them.” That would be ludicrous. Every single stone is valuable. The more he can recover, the better, even if he cannot collect them all.

It is like having an hour to go on a shopping spree. True you will not be able to place every item in the store in your wagon, but would that stop you from spending the hour collecting as many goods as possible?

The Rambam, in his Commentary on the Mishna (Avot 4:2), emphasizes this same idea and adds that if even Moshe Rabbeinu, the lofty human who reached the highest of heights, the one who spoke to God “face to face”, ran and persevered even to do a “half of mitzvah”, then certainly all of us, who have so much more to work on, should recognize the beloved nature of each and every opportunity for spiritual growth. We have to have Moshe’s attitude when it comes to Torah and mitzvot. Let’s not waste a second. We should try to accomplish as much as we can, without having the attitude of abandoning a task that we fear we may

not be able to complete.

The Hafetz Hayim concludes with one final addition that we can think about during our davening. The pasuk that we recite during hagbaha (lifting up the Torah): “ve-zot ha-Torah asher sam Moshe lifnei Bnei Yisrael…” appears right after Moshe established the three cities of refuge. What is the relevance of this general and universal sounding statement, “This is the Torah that Moshe placed before Bnei Yisrael…,” juxtaposed with the establishment of these cities of refuge? This pasuk sounds like there is a defining all-encompassing message that has just been stated. He suggests that perhaps this is to stress that this is the Torah that Moshe taught us: a half a mitzva, a little bit of a mitzva, one pearl – don’t worry that you can’t finish it. It is our job to initiate a mitzva or a hesed, and with God’s help, may we complete what we begin.

Rabbi Shalom Rosner is a Rebbe at Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh and Rabbi of the Nofei HaShemesh community. He is a member of the Mizrachi Speakers Bureau (www.mizrachi.org/speakers)

A TORAH BITE FOR THE SHABBAT TABLE

One Step at a Time RABBI GOODMAN Ever since Yaakov’s Avinu’s twelve sons declared with unswerving faith, “Shema Yisroel: Hashem Elokeinu, Hashem Echad,”- ‘Hear, O Israel: Hashem is our G-d, Hashem is One,’ the six words of “Shema”—also featured in this week’s Parsha—became the hallmark of the Jewish soul. No matter how far a Jew may stray from his roots, these holy words never leave him. Indeed, after the end of World War II, the Ponevezer Rav, Rabbi Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman, used the words of Shema to save orphaned Jewish children from Catholic orphanages. Despite being told by these institutions that there were no Jewish children to be found, he would visit the orphanages at bedtime and call out “Shema Yisroel,” and reacting instinctively, the Jewish children would raise their hands to cover their eyes.

However, like an insurance policy, the Shema gets tricky once you start reading the small print. “You shall love Hashem, your G-d, with all your heart (your emotions and desires), with all your

soul (even to the point of giving up your life), and with all your resources (even at the cost of your wealth),” connotes a momentous undertaking. Judaism is much more than a charming way of life that infuses its members with a sense of purpose and meaning; it is an awesome responsibility demanding absolute loyalty and commitment.

Yet, despite the magnitude of its calling, Judaism remains perfectly manageable and attainable. As the Chofetz Chaim (Rabbi Yisroel Meir Kagan 1833-1933) illustrates, the Torah goes on to provide, in its ensuing small print, the strategy for loving Hashem with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your resources.

The Chofetz Chaim explains that the Yetzer Hara (our physical nature) commonly undermines our spiritual efforts with an eloquent three-pronged attack.

He tells us that we cannot practically accomplish all the Torah’s requirements; that we are not indispensable; and that we do not have to finish everything today.

Although we might not be consciously aware of these thought processes, they

are present, operating in perfect harmony and subtly wreaking havoc on our spiritual growth.

Accordingly, the Chofetz Chaim says that the next line of Shema, “And these matters that I command you today shall be upon your heart,” allude to three distinct mindsets each person should adopt in order to combat their Yetzer Hara.

“And these matters” suggests focusing specifically upon the Mitzvah or Torah learning at hand, without worrying about accomplishing everything else. “That I command you” suggests viewing yourself as the only person in existence, and, therefore, indispensable for the task at hand; while “today” suggests that today is the day, to the exclusion of all other time.

Although Judaism is a lifelong commitment which requires serious dedication, there is no reason to feel overwhelmed.

The Torah itself tells us to take our spiritual growth one day at a time, focusing purely on the job at hand. The powerful combination of every word of Torah we learn, along with every Mitzvah we perform, cements another brick into

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the spiritual edifice we are in the process of building. With a generous dose of consistency and perseverance, there is no limit to what we can achieve.

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

36 JUDAISM

Vaetchanan RABBI DR RAYMOND APPLE

BACK TO THE FUTURE

Parashat Vaetchanan contains a repetition (with some changes) of the Ten Commandments, which we encountered for the first time in Parashat Yitro.

The natural question is why we need the repeat.

One of the many answers is suggested by the commandments themselves. The more we repeat the crucial words, “Do not kill”, the more likely the thought is to become natural to our thinking. The more we speak of honouring our parents, the more the rule becomes second nature.

Having a second version of the Ten Commandments helps to fix them in our mind.

The more we look back at these basic Biblical duties, the more we will bear them with us on our progress to the future.

CAN THEY TELL YOU NOT TO COVET?

It’s all very well to say, “Don’t covet”, but how can anyone – even G-d – order it?

There’s only a problem if we consider the Decalogue to be ten legislative commands, but the truth is that the Decalogue is not law but a set of principles (the Torah calls the Decalogue Aseret HaDib’rot, “Ten Words” or “Ten Statements”) meant to govern our relationships with G-d and each other.

Ibn Ezra says that the reference to coveting has to be understood logically.

A peasant can be jealous of the good

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fortune of a second peasant because they both have the same opportunity of working hard and being successful. A peasant will, however, not be jealous of someone who marries the king’s daughter because he knows that royal marriages are generally not possible for the peasantry.

Coveting is a rule about recognising the differences between people.

If the peasant does not marry the princess no-one will think badly of him, but if the same peasant is lazy and does not work towards prosperity people will be disappointed.

In religious life everyone has the same opportunity of reaching out to G-d. No human being can be G-d, but all can look towards Him and if they don’t, they have wasted their opportunities.

ammi. They think it is a message from G-d to the people and says, “Be comforted, be comforted, O My people”.

But that is not what the Hebrew means.

Nachamu is an active verb, an imperative, with the meaning, “O prophets, comfort, comfort My people”. The command is addressed to the prophets.

They are being told that there are times to rebuke G-d’s people and times to comfort them. The rebukes are deserved when the people lapse in the pursuit of truth, justice and mercy.

But even though the people sometimes bring suffering upon themselves, G-d asks two things from the prophets – to chastise the people when they deserve it, and to comfort them when that is what they need.

GO COMFORT MY PEOPLE

The law against murder is basic to the Ten Commandments, as to the ethic of every nation.

The Torah knows, however, of more than one kind of murder, and provides a method of dealing with unpremeditated killing.

There were six cities of refuge to which

Chapter 40 of Isaiah is this week’s haftarah and its opening word, Nachamu, gives this Shabbat its distinctive name.

There is a grammatical transgression committed by many people when they look at the phrase Nachamu nachamu

HOW MUCH CRIME?

Having a second version of the Ten Commandments helps to fix them in our mind.

29 JULY 2020

the perpetrator could flee from the wrath of “the avenger of blood” (Num. 35:1115) – three on each side of the Jordan.

Yet many more people lived west of the Jordan, as against a mere two and a half tribes on the east.

In an age when people demand that action not be “disproportionate” (another word hijacked by people who live by slogans and not sanity) we wonder whether the provision of cities of refuge was proportionate.

Maybe there was more crime and anarchy on the east of the Jordan, perhaps because it was further away from the sanctuary.

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

Mesillat Yesharim: Hilchot Shabbat Part 47 They’re back! Wasps, bees and mosquitoes!. What can I do to rid myself of these on Shabbat?

RABBI MORDECHAI ULLMAN Now that Ramchal has explained how to go about acquiring the trait of humility he warns us of what causes one to lose it.

He opens with a verse from next week’s Sidra! Moshe warns the Jewish People “lest you will eat, be satisfied etc… and your hearts become exalted and you forget Hashem”. There is a genuine concern that when a person has all their desires fulfilled and all their expectations met, that they simply become too arrogant to even leave space for G-d in their lives.

This is another reason, says Ramchal, that pious people trained themselves to be able to occasionally refrain from satisfying a (non essential) pleasure.

The real cause for arrogance, says Ramchal is foolishness. Arrogance is generally found amongst people lacking in Torah wisdom. We see that the most learned of all men in history was Moshe Rabbeinu - the most humble of all

people. Only an ignorant person thinks they have studied enough Torah or that they know all there is to know on a Torah topic.

Another trap people fall into is that of recognition and compliments from people. For example, a person may enjoy being told by a friend how up-to-date he is on all the town’s gossip, which may mistakenly make the gossiper think how clever he is, when in reality he has nothing to be proud of. A person may enjoy being complimented on a host of worldly achievements - but this is not good as it can lead them to arrogance.

Choose your friends wisely - exhorts Ramchal. If we are careful what foods we eat due to concerns over our health, we should certainly be sure to choose as friends those who will occasionally point out our faults, set us on the correct path and, in general, be a good influence. Certainly not one who just boosts our ego.

At the outset it must be pointed out that animals and creatures are Muktzah on Shabbat.

Now, assuming you had no intention of touching the buzzing guests, you probably mean to ask whether one may trap them and guide them out of the house. This leads us to the Melacha of “Tzad” which means to “trap”.

As you may be aware, there are two levels of transgression on Shabbat - the Torah level and the Rabbinic one. To transgress the Torah level of “Tzad” the captured creature (large or small) must be one that is regularly caught.

Most agree that wasps, mosquitoes and even bees are not of the types to be trapped with intention of benefitting from them and therefore trapping them on Shabbat falls under a “Rabbinic” prohibition as opposed to a Torah prohibition.

So to trap a wasp or mosquito in a cup or similar and leave it no room to escape is forbidden. Next week we will discuss in what manner they may be caught and removed.

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If a creature is on the skin of a person and there is a real concern that the person will be stung (and it is not possible to shake off the creature via one’s clothing) the creature may be trapped. This is because the Rabbis suspended the laws of trapping in cases of distress.

There is an interesting dispute regarding if one cannot sleep due to buzzing of the creatures. Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach said that it would be forbidden to capture the creature as the Rabbis only permitted the act of trapping when there was actual pain that could come to a person. Rav Nissim Karelitz held that there is no difference; distress is distress and one would still be permitted to remove it if bothered by the lack of sleep.

29 JULY 2020

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Vaetchanan

Vaetchanan Word Search

Moshe was told by Hashem after hitting the rock that he would not be allowed to go into Eretz Yisrael. Did Moshe accept that meekly? No! Moshe davened to Hashem to allow him in. How many times did he daven? Once? Ten times? One hundred times? No! He davened 515 prayers to be allowed in, but unfortunately the decision was made and he was not allowed in.

Nevertheless, he still found room in his heart to bless the Jewish people and guide them to serving Hashem correctly and in this week’s Sidra he reminds them not to worship idols or become arrogant and forget Hashem.

He foresees that the Jews will eventually be sent out of the holy land and spread out across the world and this is what we are currently living in fulfillment of - the “Galut” - the exile which we pray continuously for its end.

Moshe also tells them the 10 Commandments and other famous passages such as Shema and Ve’ahavta which we love saying every day! Special Mitzvot are included in that passage. Tefillin, Mezuza and learning Torah as well as simply loving Hashem as He does us.

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COMMANDMENTS • IDOLS • JORDAN • MEZUZAH • REFUGE • SHEMA • TEFILLIN • TRIBES

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Vaetchanan

In a nutshell This week, Parshat Va’etchanan begins with Moshe relating the large amount of prayers he prayed in order to be able to enter the holy land. Hashem did not allow him to enter though, and after 515 prayers (which has the Gematria of “Shira” - song, he was told to stop praying.

Instead, he was to gaze at the holy land and encourage Yehoshua in his new role. Some say that had Moshe gone in, the Beit Hamikdash would never have been destroyed.

Moshe reminds the Jews not to serve idols - and ends that paragraph with the famous words, “Ve’atem Ha’Devekim” - and you who cleave to G-d are alive today. Living life to the fullest means being connected to Hashem. He tells them further that when the non-Jews see the Mitzvot being kept by the Jewish people they will be impressed at their wisdom.

Moshe warns them that after settling the land for many years the Jews may forget Hashem and serve idols. He says prophetic words - that the Jewish people will be sent

into exile and scattered amongst the nations (as indeed we were and to a large extent still are). He reminds them of their greatness - “Has any nation heard the voice of G-d as you did? You saw the fire and you heard His voice from the midst of the fire..and since Hashem loved your fathers therefore he chose you as a nation” - we are the chosen nation because our ancestors were the choosing people (as a wise man once said).

Moshe then designates the three cities of refuge in the east of the Jordan for the two and a half tribes for one who mistakenly killed someone We are then reminded of the Ten Commandments - you will be familiar with them but note the differences between Parshat Yitro and this week’s for example Shabbat. In Yitro it says “Zachor” which we say means to sanctify the day - by making Kiddush and Havdala etc. In this week’s Sidra it says, “Shamor” - guard the day. Learn the laws of Shabbat. We are taught that these two words

Word Wheel

Use this area to write the words you have found.

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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.

were said at once, obviously only a G-dly feat.

Honour your parents - “as you were commanded” even when you had all your needs provided for by G-d as you did in the desert - you still were commanded to honour your parents. Even if one won the lottery and ordered takeout and had a live-in maid since they were 5 years old - they still must respect their parents, because Hashem said so and we must view our parents as a link in a golden chain.

We then have the famous passage of Shema - the words that accompany a person throughout life, through good times and through other times, followed by “Veahavta” love Hashem your G-d, teach the words of Torah to your children and students. Talk about them wherever you are at home, on a walk to the park, on a train, on a plane (one day...). If you’re 13 or older - write these special Parshiyot as Tefillin and everyone is commanded obviously to have a Mezuza on their doorpost and gates.

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Last week’s words: Here are some words you may have found from last week - you may have found more! die doe elf end foe ice ire led

lie one ore red roe clef code cone

core cred deli dice dine dire dole done

fend fern file fine fire fled floe fore

froe iced idle ired lend lice lied life

line lire lone lore nice node once rein

rend rice ride rife rile rode role cider

clone coder cored cried crone decor diner drone

enrol field fiend filed filer fined finer fired

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flier force fried lined liner loner nicer oiled

oiler olden older oldie relic riced rifle cinder

cloned cloner coiled coined coiner colder confer corned

docile enfold finder foiled folder fonder forced friend

ironed recoil rifled confide conifer fondler confider cornfield

29 JULY 2020

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Q: What do elves learn in school?

A: The elf-abet.

Q: What do you call a bear with no teeth?

A: A gummy bear!

Q: Why are seagulls called seagulls?

A: Because if they flew over the bay, they’d be bagels!

(Answers at the bottom of page upside down)

1. Where can you find cities, towns, shops, and streets but no people?

3. What word is spelled wrong in the dictionary?

Q: Why do bees have sticky hair?

A: Because they use honey combs!

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Take away a letter and I become even. What number am I?

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4. What goes up must come down 5. One in a million 6. Repeat after me

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Cup glory awaits Sixteen-goal Lions Gunners or Blues rout Scrabble in Cup

BY DAVID SAFFER Arsenal and Chelsea go for FA Cup glory at BY DAVID SAFFER Wembley this weekend.

No fans will bescored present the as all-London Reiss Mogilner sixfor goals Maccabi post-lockdown showpiece where Frank London Lions thumped Scrabble A in the Lampard’s team are favourites but don’t second round of the Cyril Anekstein Cup. write Mikel League Arteta’s side Gunners with Theoff Premier racked upsharpa 16-0 shooter Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in win with Daniel Green and Michael Kenley scintillating form. both bagging a hat-trick. Ed Brafman, DaMount or Olivier Giroud vidChelsea’s Dinkin, Mason and Adam Hassanali completcould move the Blues clear in third place on ed the rout in a mismatch of a tie. theLions all-time list with a victory but 13-time could have scored in the opening winners of Arsenal will hope to move two the triminute the clash but soon opened umphs ahead of Manchester United at the scoring and led 9-0 by half time. summit.

Finals are usually affairsoutso The Division One team,cagey though this clash may go all to the to a penalty classed, battled away theway end. shoot-out.

Lions boss was lost for words at full time Chelsea anddisplay the Reds secured the final such was the from his team who two Champions League spots for next gave every respect to the opposition. season as the League cameanything to an excit“I’m notPremier really sure there’s to ing conclusion lastto Sunday. say, we are happy make it through to the Oleround Gunnar Solksjaer’s team edged past next of the cup,” he commented.

Leicester City 2-0 win in a winner-takes-all Hendon United Sports ran out 3-1 victors clash at King Power Stadium whilst Lamagainst League One outfit North London pard’s Blues enjoyed the same scoreline at Raiders. home to Wolves.

The Premier side led early in the second The Foxes play to in equalise the Europa half only for will Raiders butLeague struck next season, as will Jose Mourinho’s two late goals to book a place inTottenround ham Hotspur, who drew at Crystal Palace to three of the competition. sneak past now Nunoturn Espirito team Hendon their Santo’s attentions tointo the sixth place on goal difference.

Wolves league as they travel to Oakwood A are forin a the lattertop stages of the competition have crucial of the table clash on so Sunday plenty to play, but should they fall short will (10am). compete in ‘20/21 win Daniel again Kristall’s team should stunnedChelsea the league the FA Cup final. leaders last month when they won 2-0, a Solksjaer deserves huge credit aaspoint his victory would move them to within charges have completed a remarkable turnof Hendon with a match in hand. around after in trailing Brendon side Elsewhere the latest roundRogers’ of fixtures, by 14 points earlier in the season.

United 10-man North London Galaxy made it a can relax for final stages the Europa three-way titlethe race in the onlyofDivision One League where they face LASK in the last-16 clash of the day after defeating Oakwood B. knowing they dosaw notred need to on win the tourJamie Murray early but Galaxy namentwith for agoals Champions League spot. rallied from Josh Cohen andThe JaReds are going in the right direction but cob Leigh to record an important 2-1 away need to reinvest heavily in the upcoming win. transfer before theJewish 2021/22 season Galaxywindow head Redbridge Care A in kicks off in September. the table by just one point after 10 matches, Theplace signing of Bruno has been third Fairlop FC Fernandes are five points bethe catalyst to success.

The silky Portuguese hind with two games in hand. schemer settled United when he slotRafi Bloom scored fornerves Oakwood. ted“Ithome a penalty after Anthony was a fantastic performanceMartial in a

had been scythed down in the penalty area on 71 minutes. Jesse Lingard had the final say when he got the better of Kasper Schmeichel in the dying moments of the game.

Jamie Vardy collected the Golden Boot for his 23 league goals but the Foxes will be desperately disappointed to have thrown away a chance of participating in the premier competition after holding a 16-goalEuropean Maccabi London Lions top-four place for months.

Chelsea game, struck twice in firstGalaxy half injury must-win ” commented playtime to end Luke Wolves’ Euro dreams for now er-manager Lewis. courtesy Mount’s free kick and “We satofback and stunning allowed Oakwood the Giroud’s neat close-range finish. ball, given the one-man advantage and HarrytoKane, meantime, openedattack the looked hit them on the counter scoring for Tottenham in the first half only with pace. for“Both Jeffreygoals Schlupp earn athe point for Roy cametodown right-hand Hodgson’s Palace the who safety side.

Leigh crossed firstachieved one into Cohen weeks ago.

Star player Wilfred Zaha looks to finish, before slotting home himself.

Up set to leave the south Londoners so a tough to first we go.” season looms forTwo the former England The Division title race also boss. took Tottenham sat in 14th place when Moura twist with league leaders Herstwood inho succeeded Mauricio Pochettino so Vale going down to a 2-1 defeat at Temple aFortune. top-six finish will be welcomed at White Hart Lane but they need huge investment Faithfold B have played a game more to bridge the gap to the top-four. than Vale but moved level with a 5-3 win at Nevertheless, this wasMasters. an achievement by North London Raiders the north London team who Jacob Kalms struck twice forfinished Fortunethree who points clear of cup finalists Arsenal. scored through leading scorer James MilIn other fixtures, Champions letwith his 17th goal of the season.Liverpool started the match at Newcastle with The result was all the more United remarkable their star strikeforce of Mohamed Salah, as Temple were down to 11 players with Sadio and Roberto Firmino on the ‘keeperMane Ben Rebuck dislocating a shoulder bench. in the warm up.

Dwight Gayle struck inwin thegiven opening “This was a fantastic the

minute but Jurgen Klopp’s champs eased to a 3-1 win on Tyneside to end the campaign with the second-highest points total of 99 points. Virgil van Dijk, Divock Origi and substitute Mane scored the all-important goals.

Runners-up Manchester City warmed up for next months’ Champions League assault with a 5-0 rout against relegated Norwich City who will be relived the season is finally over.

Gabriel Jesus, Kevin de Bryune (2), Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez scored for Pep Guardiola’s team. Both teams applauded David Silva off the field to end his stela Premier League career that brought four league titles. He will hope to end on a high with a Champions League title next month.

At the other end of the table, Aston Villa completed the great escape to survive the last day drama as Bournemouth and Watford slipped through trap door with circumstances, ” said the delighted Fortune Norwich to the Championship. boss Simon Linden.

Villa wereaseven points two weeks “We had number of adrift players out, Reago and needed a miracle.

They found it buck got injured, so I couldn’t have asked just in time. any more from the players. We wish Ben a Home-town hero and skipper Jack Grespeedy recovery. alish looked to have deal when “It was a proper oldsealed schoolthe performance, he opened the scoring against West Ham we battled and defended for the 90 minutes six from time only for Andriy Yarandminutes took our chances.

Experience proved molenko to score a freak equaliser within to be the winner. It’s a big win, one we will aenjoy minute London Stadium.

Nerves and at wethe hope to build on it in 2019. ” were jangling for Villa followers but He added, “This win marks 50 years they as a held outclub to finish a point clear of the Cherfootball and will be one Nigel Kyte and ries and Bees. everyone associated with the club from day

Bournemouth’s five-year Premier sojourn ended in heartbreak after a fine 3-1 win at mid-table Everton and Eddie Howe’s team will have endured a tough trip back to the south coast as they made a positive start to the season before an extended dip in form. Joshua King, with a penalty, Dominic Solanke and Junior Stanislas scored the goals in the win but it was too late to save them.

Credit must go to David Moyes’ Hammers who finished five points PHOTO: clearDAVID ofSAFFER the drop. West Ham have enjoyed a sustained run of form post-lockdown and will look ahead with renewed vigour.

The Bees, though, will take some time to get over this relegation disappointment after a 3-2 defeat at the Emirates.

Watford’s season has ended in chaos after sacking manager Nigel Pearson with two games to go. Last season’s FA Cup finalists were fancied to escape the drop and only fell into the bottom-three last week for the first time since February. They will be one willdistraught enjoy.” being relegated and only time will tell Jacob if talisman Troy was Deeney stays Vale boss Emanuel quick to at theRebuck club. well following his injury. wish Mikel and Arteta’s led 3-0everyone just after “First most team importantly, at the half hour courtesy of an Aubameyang Vale would like to wish the Fortune ‘keeper Kieranwe Tierney Deeney abrace quickand recovery, hope tostrike. see him back and fit-again Danny Welbeck made it” an on the football pitch as soon as possible, he interesting last half hour but they could said. not further for acommented, miraculous Asforce for the defeat,goals Emanuel recovery.

“It doesn’t matter how big a squad you Brighton & Hove Albion andfor Southamphave, you can never account unavailton won the remaining fixtures against ability or injury. Only five of today’s team Burnley and Sheffield United respectively played in our recent win over FC Team, a to close out the season. lack of togetherness and poor individual

“It was a proper old school performance, we battled and defended for the 90 minutes and took our chances. Experience proved to be the winner.”

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