The view from my veranda

2020

Inoculation, Extradition and Education

18th December 2020   Shabbat Shalom dear friends. Only 4 more days until Christmas Eve, 5 days until Christmas Day and 6 days until Boxing Day. Incredible to think that 2020 is almost over accompanied by a huge sigh of relief.   As we see more and more anti-Semitism in the guise of anti-Israel sentiment…

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Presidents, Prime Ministers and Praise for Pouring Rain

27th November 2020   Shabbat Shalom and Happy Thanksgiving! Yes, I know Thanksgiving was yesterday in the USA and in October in Canada, but perhaps it is time to have Thanksgiving Day every day.   We all love to complain, about our government, our neighbours and in Israel after complaining about the hot summer, the…

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Pompeo, Pounds, Pandemic and gorgeous weather

20th of November 2020   Hello! Bonjour, Guten tag, אַ גוטן טאָג, buongiorno, يوم جيد, buenos días, hyvää päivää, diwrnod da, יום טוב, and most importantly Good Shabbes and Shabbat Shalom. Gosh that was fun! If I missed your language out then please let me know! In fact, I would love you to write back…

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Professors, Planes and Remembering

201113 13th November 2020   Shabbat Shalom, have a beautiful weekend   Watching the news has become more depressing than the usual gloom and doom reporting. Of late the subject matter has become obsessive, US elections and Covid-19 with an occasional mention of the vaccine. Today, once the essential news reports are written I’m going…

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Voting Violence and Dissent

201106 6th November, 2020   Shabbat Shalom! Wish you all a good weekend. No point in worrying, what may happen, or may not……it already has!!   I sense that the world in general and the USA in particular is in a state of turbulence, agitation with extreme conflicting emotions roiling inside her. Here in Israel we have…

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That Was The Week That Was

30th day of the 10th month of the 20th year of the century!   Shabbat Shalom, Happy All Hallows Day and happy Breadstick Day (really!) Despite the title this has nothing to do with David Frost!!!   “To write history one must be more than a man, since the author who holds the pen of…

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Concords and Concerns

23rd October 2020   Shabbat Shalom,   How are you? I miss you guys and wish you could come back to Israel to enjoy all the beauty we have to offer!   I thought I’d start with some amazing facts about Israel’s relationship with some of the Arab States. Did you know that we have…

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Leaders, Hugs and Tabernacles

9th October, 2020 21st day of the Hebrew month of Tishrei 5781   Good Shabbes! Shabbat Shalom! A Blessed Tabernacles   So how was your week?   Everyone I talk to, irrespective of where they are in the world, expresses at the very least, disagreement and disappointment with their government. I’m not a demonstration person,…

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Shabbat, Succot and some other stuff

1st October 2020   Shabbat Shalom, Chag Succot Sameach and Blessed Tabernacles   Yom Kippur – the Day of Atonement came and went. On Sunday evening – all Jewish Festivals begin at dusk the night before – Zvi stood on our veranda and sang Kol Nidrei (the opening of the Yom Kippur service) for me…

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Sweet Memories

27th September 2020   Erev Yom haKippurim – the Eve of the Day of Atonement   I’m sure that we all have wonderful memories of shule on “Yomtov” and I would love to hear them! My immediate thoughts are of Cardiff, South Wales, sitting in the balcony (best seats!) high above the congregation watching everyone…

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