The Law is an Ass
22nd of November 2024
21st Heshvan 5785
Shabbat shalom to you, wherever you may be in this upside down world. Prepare yourselves for a long missive!
Charles Dickens wrote “The Law is an Ass” in Oliver Twist, meaning that the law, when applied too rigidly or too flexibly, can be blind to the realities on the ground and the requirements for justice. The Law most represents a donkey (ass) when an international court is misused to forward political aims, ignoring true criminals or criminal leaders in this case, and indicts, for the first time in its history, the leader of a democratic state.
For those who still don’t know of what I write, The United Nations (already a big question mark) International Criminal Court has decided to indict both Prime Minister Netanyahu and Former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes. Who knows, we are not perfect but war is a dirty and cruel state, however, the question that has not been asked is who started this war? Who slaughtered, raped, burnt and kidnapped? Who rained rockets, missiles and explosive drones upon whom? Who is the true criminal, the one or ones who should be indicted? Why? Why Israel? Understand that it is not the Israeli Prime Minister on trial, it is the State of Israel and our very existence.
The last time that the International Criminal Court attempted to indict Israeli leaders, Canada and Australia had leaders who were 100% supportive of Israel and they fought the decision; both countries are now led by so called “liberal” leaders. At that time, we had a strong, brilliant Attorney General, Adv. Yehuda Weinstein, a fighter for justice, who succeeded in quashing the indictment. Sadly, that has not happened in this case, so far. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-830139
The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King said “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
Last week, IMPACT-se published a new report which highlighted the endemic links between UNRWA’s education system and terror organizations. The report analyzed extremist institutional teaching material taught in UNRWA schools in Gaza, where Hamas commanders and operatives have been doubling up as UNRWA school principals. Perhaps that is a good place to start in the ICC!
61 years ago, on the 22nd of November 1963, an American President, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, was assassinated while driving in an open car through Dallas Texas. 61 years! As the announcement came over the television news, our doctor came downstairs to tell us that my incredible, beautiful Mother, Betty Silver, has passed away. The tragedies may not be compared, but for me, for my family, the two are inexorably linked.
800. 800 IDF soldiers have lost their lives fighting for this little country’s survival. We cried, horrified at the number of families, mostly young families that lost husbands and fathers. We cried on Wednesday and another four soldiers died since then. 804. Unbearable. 804 soldiers, 101 hostages, we must find a way to end this war without endangering our future.
Incidentally, the world has blamed Iran for supplying new weapons to Hezb-Allah, soldiers on site have discovered up to the minute RUSSIAN weapons in the Hezb-Allah arsenals.
As you know, I am not a great fan of the current version of Prime Minister Netanyahu. His brilliant past as a spokesperson for Israel is marred by those he chose to stand with in his Cabinet. No, I’m not talking of the Haredi Members of the Knesset, that’s a different internal argument entirely, I am talking about the extremists whose views are tearing us apart as a society. When settlement leader Daniella Weiss, without the knowledge of the Chief of Staff or the Southern Command, was taken in an IDF vehicle into northern Gaza to scout out where to build Jewish settlements, something is horribly wrong; when Ben Gvir and his party spout hatred, don’t accept Arab citizens, something is horribly wrong, and I know some of you feel I shouldn’t mention such things, but today we are not out in the Diaspora where we must keep our mouths shut, here we can complain. It’s a bit like the new immigrant from Russia who was asked to answer questions about his aliya. It went thus “How was life in Russia – I can’t complain. How was the availability of food in Russia – I can’t complain. Was it tough to be under a dictatorship – I can’t complain. Finally, Sergei, how is life in Israel? You can answer with as many words as you wish. Life in Israel is hard, as a new immigrant I need to start life afresh. So, you are saying that life in Israel is harder than in Russia. – No but here I can complain!
Talking of “out in the Diaspora” life in countries that not only accepted their Jewish communities but welcomed them with open arms has become difficult for Jews. Canada is one example but Australia, Australia was the place that families who went through the Holocaust found peace and the good life as far from Europe as they could possibly get. The communities of Melbourne and Sydney have given to their chosen home, not only in their love of country, but by building hospitals, medical research centres, museums, being good citizens in every way. Suddenly, they hear “From the River to the Sea” even Death to Jews. Synagogues, Jewish centres and restaurants are being attacked and those who remember the Holocaust know where that leads. As in Canada, the situation is exacerbated by a, so called liberal government, that has allowed what former governments would have shut down in a flash. It makes me sad. I have many Australian friends, some are like family, some are family, and they really do not deserve the situation. We talk about the takeover of Europe, but sadly it is time to look at ourselves.
Gosh, I hope I haven’t depressed you but I know that you rely on me to be honest, and honesty requires reporting the truth, not a prettified version. However, as Monty Python used to say (I love Monty Python, so clever) Now for something entirely different. Actually, when I think of Monty Python, not just the television programmes but perhaps most of all their movies, it reminds me of the days when nobody, no political party, no religion, no colour, was out of bounds for their humour. They were as far from Woke as possible and none of us took offence!
Women in the Bible are often brave, strong, warriors for justice. Those that are specifically named even more so. When a little girl is born or she has her Bat Mitzva (coming of age), she is blessed thus “May she grow to be wise and strong like our matriarchs. May God make you like Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah.” Or “May you be like Ruth and like Esther” is added since these women were strong and feisty. So it is today. Israeli women do not take a back seat in the IDF, they are fighters, pilots, on the front line and that includes religious women. The only difference being that their battalion is women only, for obvious reasons. Israeli women are strong like their matriarchs and respected as Abraham respected Sarah. (this week’s reading from the Torah, Chayei Sara Genesis 23:1-25:18 )
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-830063
Did you know that the Kafiyya and its pattern are not Palestinian at all? The kaffiya comes from Mesopotamia and represents the fishing culture of that country until it was overcome and the people were forced to convert to Islam. This is fascinating. I had no idea until my friend Monica sent it to me. I hope you have Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thetravelingclatt/reel/DCg7T9_tE1n/
Shlomo Artzi, arguably Israel’s most popular singer for the last 40 years has his birthday this week. Actually, if I may digress (when don’t I digress?) Over 12,000 tickets for the reunion shows of the “The 16th Sheep”, a group with Yehudit Ravitz, Gidi Gov, Yoni Rechter and David Broza, sold out within minutes of going on sale Tuesday morning. What is amazing is that the group, all are over the age of 60 yet youngsters fought to get tickets, sitting on line for hours! Hakeves Hashisha-Asar (The Sixteenth Sheep) is based on a children’s book written by Yonatan Gefen z”l and set to music.
Back to Shlomo Artzi, is now over 70 but his young audience knows every word of every song and sing along with him at packed concerts. So the first song, my first choice is his latest production. He sings of a simpler world with the sun in our pockets. The subtitles are in Spanish but if you click on the subtitles box there is an English translation https://youtu.be/ZMmT6lTMC4Q?si=7wI69fUtsG1yW0rn
The late Uzi Hitman wrote a children’s song, a prayer to the Almighty called Elohim Sheli, My God. He asks the questions of a child with the words of all of us. https://youtu.be/uVr1Qdp-tI4?si=_Oz8wJ2baNxdqeq6
The Israeli search for the next singer to represent Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest has shown incredibly talented young singers, this week, Daniel Weiss’ sweet voice made us all cry. Daniel is from Kibbutz Be’eri the South of Israel and on October 7th his father Shmulik was killed outright and his mother Yehudit was taken hostage and killed. Daniel is barefoot because growing up on Be’eri he was always barefoot and it represents the freedom of kibbutz life. By chance that he was not in the family home on that fateful day. Here he sings Ani Gitara – I am a guitar which was his father’s favourite song that they used to sing together. https://youtu.be/z8JrHEVGykA?si=l5TUKu0txghLEfGj He ends his song with the words “Mother, Father, thank you”
Take a breath, I know the tears flow.
And so to Shabbat, the day of rest. The Sabbath. For some of us it is on Saturday and for some it is on Sunday, the seventh day, all depending upon from where one counts the beginning of the week. I often think of our similarities, our beliefs, our determination to live in a just world, in a world of kindness, and I believe that we must somehow fight to get that back. Our belief in values, in respecting the other, those who differ from us, should be paramount in our lives and somehow it has been pushed into the background by the imposition of different, less tolerant, views. So perhaps this Shabbat, this Sabbath, we not only pray for a kinder world but actually employ the bases of our beliefs.
Growing up in Wales our friends were of every colour and creed. Being one of few Jewish girls in my high school we had a Jewish assembly each morning as the main school had a Christian religious assembly, then were invited to join in the last part which included the Lord’s prayer and the Welsh national anthem. Sadly, all of the above no longer happens, apparently religion isn’t woke. Sorry, that was meant to be positive, so, growing up in Wales showed me that respect for each other is the basis of a free society. All our neighbours knew that we kept our Sabbath and they kept theirs and it was truly beautiful.
We never needed to be ashamed of the Mezuzas (the littles boxes on Jewish entrances) on our doorposts
Gosh that was digressing with a capital D, but I want to say that we have to re-introduce love of our identity back into our lives. So, I send you love, I send you a Shabbat Shalom from Jerusalem. I especially send love to Herman and Gerda, our beautiful friends from Holland, from the Dutch Christians for Israel, who never fails to lift my spirits with their love and support and to Kim Taylor who is now flying home after joining the Jewish Agency Conference.
With much love
Sheila