Some explanations

regarding the current tensions in Beit Shemesh could be found in this article, about the New Israel Fund
Again, I don't disregard the existence of the phenomenon and the problems. But, let's introduce nuances and avoid generalizations of any kinds. And various brainwashings.

Love is the opposite of hate

Love is the opposite of hate

“Do you hear what they say in the heavenly academy? That to love your fellow Jew means to love the completely wicked just as you love the completely righteous”.

Chassidic master Rabbi DovBer, the Maggid of Mezeritch

Beit Shemesh and Us

I am watching for a couple of months the various (re)textualization of the story from Beit Shemesh. From time to time, the narrative is developped with added accounts: about the separate streets on Sukkot, the bus segragation - a story outlined also in Brooklyn by a local publication - some "burqa ladies" and men spitting on women and women spitting on men. 

Neglecting or avoiding on purpose the future electoral campaigns (in Israel and the US), journalists, politicians and pundits are vehemently condemning the situation. People mostly overexposed rather to to media and social media bombardment than to the serious learning - not always their fault - are condemning the "Iranization". The "haredim" are portrayed as a group of dangerous people starting a religious war. At the end of the day, "we" too can be like "them" and please, with such an image, you can't claim that you can be better than the "Muslims" or the "ayatollah". I don't believe in conspiration, but I am not so naive to chew all the pieces of this campaign, started at least in two places and with enough money behind to save from starvation 2-3 families for a year.

Hanukka is over now. Each day, a new light was added, a new promise of hope. The holiday reached its end we have one year to keep our lights on. Long time ago, I was considering this one of the holidays when I should learn to hope more about miracles and wonders. Now, I realized that, in fact, we need to be happy with our lot and enjoy our simple good deeds and avoid doing bad - to us and the others around us. I don't believe in "Jewish extremism", but in the dangers of eating non-sense and starting to believe that, in fact, we are as bad as they expect us to be. If we'll spend more time learning and seeing the other as our partner of discussion, our chevruta, it will be easier to live the miracle of Hanukka every minute of our days. In a way, we recognize it or not openly, we all are fighting to do our part of tikkun olam. We, we are trying to do this.  

Related articles

• 'Spitter' Released, Banned from Beit Shemesh (israelnationalnews.com)
• Rally set in Beit Shemesh to protest exclusion of women (jta.org)
• Ultra-Orthodox Jews ask Israeli media to help 'rid them of extremists' - Haaretz (haaretz.com)
• In Beit Shemesh, Religious War Escalates [Video] (inquisitr.com)
• Thousands Support Girl Harassed by Extremists (foxnews.com)
• Peres urges Israelis to mobilise to thwart zealots - Reuters India (in.reuters.com)
• Move to segregate women leads to violence in Israel (smh.com.au)

Middle Eastern Refugees and Manipulation/Lies

In October 1948, the Economist published the following eye-witness account regarding the situation in the state of Israel concerning the issue of the Arab population:

"During the subsequent days, the Jewish authorities...urged all Arabs to remain in Haifa and guaranteed their protection and security...Various factors influenced their decision to seek safety in flight...far the most potent of these factors was the announcement made over the air by the Arab Higher Committee urging all Arabs in Haifa to quit. The reason given was that upon the final withdrawal of the British, the combined armies of the Arab States would invade Palestine and drive the Jews into the sea. It was clearly intimated that those Arabs who remained in Haifa and accepted Jewish protection would be regarded as renegades".

Orthodox Child Sex Abuse Details Revealed: Report – Forward.com

Report – Forward.com

Whoever they are and their denominations, the situation is terrible and characterizes not exclusively Brooklyn. Think about the huge number of people arrested this time - 90!

Very sad.

Back to the basis

I watched the so-called controversial ads of the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption shortly after the release and I was sadly amused. I didn't find nothing wrong or misleading. Maybe to real for being gulped with pleasure - mostly for those who self-imposed the acculturation and dreamed for assimilation 0 and too much harsh Israeli humor.

It is true that America was a safe heaven for persecuted Jews from Europe when the State of Israel didn't exist, but as we can find in the dedicated literature and studies on the issue, the price was assimilation. True is also that America remains a golden destination for many Israelis - thus, the US warning ad campaign released recently - looking for more space and business opportunities. And this is available everywhere, not only in the US: in Canada, France, Germany. Some of them are living together with other Israelis, some of them intermarry, celebrate Halloween, Xmas or other holidays. Their kids are doing the same, the language being sometimes their only - if any - connection with Judaism being. 

Nu...what's the problem?

Book Review: The Pages In Between

When I started reading this memoir, it was hard to stop me to run to the end. A memoir about Shoah and Poland, American Jews discovering their roots and old antinomies, what can this book bring new? This was the reason why I kept this book isolated on my shelf for a couple of months.

It was my mistake and only my mistake, because the book is good written, with a honest journalistic flavor. You are introduced into the story of all non-fictional the characters part of the sad history of our 20 century Europe with a lot of attention and ambiance details. While reading, I really felt like moving around Poland observing their newly discovered enthusiasm for the Jewish culture, entering the house of Erin's mother and trying to understand the reasons behind her mother's "savior". From various reasons, I also understood her mother's silences and Erin's regrets for not having her mother alongside during this fundamental journey. And I agree that in our quest for not forgetting the perpetrators, we don't have to forget the victims, their histories and sad days of not knowing their past or of trying to forget it.

A recommended reading for Shabbat and in a month where more than ever we are looking for more light in our life and words.

Welcome in the Ishmael's house?

Very often, for those living outside the European area, it was almost a stereotype to state that the Jews "always" benefited of better conditions in the Arab lands - a generic name that, in fact, was referred to the late Ottoman Empire. The comparison term was always the troubled European life, with the Spanish expulsions, the pogroms and ghettos and, of course, Shoah. One of the explanations is that we don't know too much what the idea of Arab lands mean and unless the latest terrorism alerts, we didn't care about it. Another one is our common threat of mind laziness.

But if you want to change your mind on the basis of carefully gathered data, Sir Martin Gilbert's book is extremely useful. Well written and diplomatically providing various - often terrible - facts, it is offering an almost accurate picture of the Jewish life in Muslim lands from the very beginning. The author is covering Iraq - with lots of interesting details - Yemen, Afghanistan - if you didn't know, yes, there are Jews in Afghanistan - Iran, Libya, Morocco, Algeria and, of course, the Ottoman Empire. Would like to know more about Lebanon - mentioned in a couple of sentences - or Syria. Maybe Jordan too. The general feature of the lives of thousands of Jews living there is a permanent threat, the violent killings and the periodical bursts of hate and aggressivity. Even though there were periods of calm, generous individuals hosting them or saving their lives, the daily reality was brutal and dangerous. As everywhere, Jews were humiliated, killed and living at the mercy of cruel religious and political leaders. That the galut in Muslim countries wasn't a paradise is proved also by the fact that among the 687,739 Jewish refugees in Eretz Israel from 1948-1951, only 100,000 were from Europe. The incredulous ones can talk with old people from Iraq or Iran still having vivid memories of their survival. The book is providing maps and a detailed bibliography helpful for all those curious to continue the documentation.

This book was on my reading list for a long time. Now, it offered me lots of subjects to write about.

Elie Cohn, our man in Damascus

An interesting story of one of our heroes: Elie Cohn, an Egyptian-born Jew, offered significant information helping the Israeli Army to win the 6-day war with a minimum of casualties.

Book Rewiev: All for the Boss, by Ruchoma Shain

Most part of the book I've read lately regarding the beginning of Jewish life in America during the 19th and beginning of the 20th century are written in a pessimistic tone: Shortly after landing on the "New World" soil, the Jewish life and religiousity is disappearing. Probably the phenomenon continues today among the young Israelis arriving in the big American cities, although in comparison with the "old times" you have nowadays all the possible choices to continue living your Yiddishkeit. Long time ago, such a situation wasn't possible or easy at all and the struggle to survive and work for obtaining enough money for bringing your family and dear ones left in "the other land" was powerful enough to push the newly Americans-in-process to leave their old ways of Torah living. Working on Shabbos and Yomim Tovim, neglecting the daily prayer and laws of kashrut were in some cases also the consequence of the absence of the community feelings and role models, the effect of the the deep alienation and cultural shock.

A completely different image is reflected in this interesting book on the life of Yaakov Yosef Herman, written by his younger daughter, Ruchoma. We are acquainted with the image of a family and its practices that we can hardly imagine sometimes in our busy 21st century: the strict Torah education and way of life, whatever the immediate social risks - for example the wedding invitation of his children mentioning the need to be dressed tzniut or to refrain dancing together prompted some of the guests to leave the event - or financial price - encountered every time when while on a business trip he needed to adjust his schedule to pray in time or to observe Shabbos; the dedication of the wife, carefully chosen through shidduchim, assuming the hard task of taking care alone of the children and the house allowing his husband to dedicate his life to the Torah (in the book we'll find many such examples of dedicated wifes sharing the shadows of the learning life of their husbands).

Recently, I saw again - with a different company and in a different interpretation and language - the Fiddler on the Roof. Some of the main tensions in the story are created by the conflict between tradition and the emerging modernity: the increased presence of secular Jews, the danger of intermariages - very often a direct consequence of the anti-semitic environments, the mind laziness encouraging a lenient approach on Torah and mitzvot - which you can find in the Conservative and Reform movements.

Is it easy or hard to continue and practice an observant life? Does it make any sense to be shomer mitzvot when nobody around you - meaning fellow Jews - is doing it? Yaakov Yosef Herman's inspiring story is proving the opposite: as long as you believe it is difficult to understand why some could follow the difficult path of separating of tradition. It's so easy to be inside...

Maharal's solution for profane conversations

"While in Moravia, Judah Loew attempted to lessen conversation during religious services by instituting a prayer in honor of those who refrained from profane conversation during the prayer service".

From Mystical Theology and Social Dissent. The Life and Works of Judah Loew of Prague, p.27

Book Review: Everyday Holiness

From the very beginning, I must confess that I am not a big fan - at all - of books about spiritual memories and journeys, awakenings and various wake-up calls. I am trying to keep myself as much as possible on the rational side of the road, wherever it leads. In addition, given the huge mountain of books written by respected spiritual masters that is waiting for me on the left part of my writing desk, I would rather avoid to get lost in comments and stories originating from sources unknown to me other than by name. The motto of the month is: write the sources and know the basics and later continue with your meditations and speculations of various kinds.

On the other hand, as in the last 10 days I was relatively out of my daily routine - meaning reading a lot and learning even more each day - I decided to include this Mussar book on Everyday Holiness part of the process of readjustment to the "normal" life back home. In a way, it resumes partially some of my recent attempts of getting familiar with the Mussar, an area that I avoided for year because not considered myself "smart" enough to understand and follow the techniques correctly. My later immersion was made with a lot of humility and attention and still consider myself a perfect beginner. This book helped me to understand the practice and to keep in mind a couple of ideas to be used after further documentation and discussion.

The style is accessible, with lots of quotations, stories and direct experiences of the author, with a direct address to the ways in which Mussar techniques are a guidance in the daily life, its limits and what we can do in order to improve our results. The element that convinced me to continue reading the book was the honesty: in comparison with other similar experiences I'd read long ago, you are periodically warned that Mussar isn't easy and not something that you do by closing the eyes and forcing yourself to have a colorful dream. Mussar, we are told, is about efforts, self-control and discipline that you are practising every single moment of your day. This is a realistic description applied to everything we do as Jews. And, the author quotes the words of Rav Salanter, the father of Mussar, according to which if something looks as perfect and easy for sure we are missing something. Daily challenges are about putting yourself on trial, evaluating your actions and more often, taking decisions and acting accordingly with the Torah learning. We are stumbling, or hesitating or doing mistakes but this is how we are improving and developing your inner strength.

Step-by-step and page by page, this book brought me back to my world of learning!

Shavua tov!

On Mafia

I am familiar with Misha Glenny's writings on the recent history of the Balkans and hence, when I found in the bookstore his book on Mafia I was curious to buy and discover new connections between South-Eastern Europe and the dangerous underground of drugs, diamonds and corruption.

One full chapter titled "Aliyah" is dedicated to the various cases of "most wanted" Israeli, some of them new Israeli citizens, originary from Soviet Union or Russia. Among others, the author is quoting a 2003 report of the US State Department according to which Israel "drug-trafficking organisations are the main source of distribution of the drug (ecstasy) to groups in the US, using express mail services, commercial airlines, and recently also using air cargo services" (p.140). Hmmm, I always thought that it's easier to do this dirty job from South America or Europe...Maybe my logical skills are not as good as before.

At the end of the chapter, he made the following conclusion: "And lest we fall into the error of thinking that Israelis or Jews had a particular penchant and ability for engaging in organised crime, it is worth remembering that the centre for the global money-laundernig industry was a few hundreds miles away in a very different country: the United Arab Emirates" (p. 141). Maybe he was out of inspiration as I am convinced that there were 100+ writing options available to analyse and conclude on this issue.

My sad conclusion was that, in fact, we are extremely bad in supporting and talking about ourselves, including about the strict Jewish business ethics code. Extremely bad.

Strange times

I didn't read too many news lately, but as usual, when it happens I am overwhelmed by various kind of information. This time there were bad and worrying news, but not surprising in many ways. And at the end, it may be an optimistic conclusion as well.

I started my journey reading about the hate crimes in Brooklyn. Brooklyn, one of my favorite place on earth, where I will ever think with affection. How it is possible to be the scenery of such unthinkable actions? Couple of month ago, when we welcomed my American friends from Brooklyn in Europe, I envied their easiness to wear a kippah in Europe, and reminded how natural is there to freely express your identity. But, it doesn't mean is risk-free...

Maybe we'd forgot - or never knew about - the anti-Semitism of the earlier 20th century America, when Jews were running the pogroms and the Nazis - and weren't allowed to enter the country - and the other outbursts of extreme behavior in the 60s - the red left never was Jewish-friendly, by the way (maybe you ask yourself what about Occupy WS movement? I fully recommend to get rid of any hopes). For many of my friends, Brooklyn is safe, welcoming and more Jewish than any other places in the world. You can buy kosher, go to shuls and speak in Yiddish or Hebrew. But, overall, it's nothing but another artificial paradise of the galut where we aren't protected at all against violence and anti-Semitic aggression.

I continued my media wondering reading a lot about Hungary and Central Europe and realizing how far the far right went in one of the countries whose intellectuals I will always appreciate. Europe never been a safe and welcoming place for Jews and the latest official welcome of far right parties into the European Parliament and the daily political life of Europe didn't surprise me (Italy included). As an observation, many of those far-right parties are extremely worried about the fate of poor Palestinians, as their friends from Occupy WS.

9 November 2011 was the day celebrating the 73rd anniversary of Kristallnacht and the German media dedicated several media coverage, including a report regarding the anti-Semitic support within the population. But shortly after, more worrisome were the news that neo-Nazi cells operated and murdered for years across the country, including with the support of some representatives of the police. There were some arrests and some "calls" for creating a database on extremists, but it's never enough for considering the danger is gone.

And, if you listen to me, the danger was never gone. Anywhere. But since 1948, we have our place to go and live!

Rabbi Ovadia Yosef Shlita legitimizes IDF conversions

Not surprinsingly, the most respected Halachic authority announced its decision (in fact re-assessed a previous point of view) in the case of the controversial situation of the IDF conversions. I will avoid to address the issue of the conversions that is becoming more and more delicate and keen to disunity. What I am curious about is the reaction of the Askenazim establishment and the next steps covering exclusively these conversions and the obvious tensions between various Haredi mainstreams.

Understanding the chazzan

Image via Wikipedia//Praying at the Kotel, cca. 1900

In Judaism, a cantor - also known as a "chazzan" or "hazzan" - is the person who leads the congregation in prayer along with the rabbi.

In the Jewish prayer services, music is playing an important role hence the need for a cantorial school education for those holding this position. But in special situations – such as small communities - the cantors could be simply people from the community with in depth knowledge of the prayer services and melodies, good moral character. At other times, the rabbi might fill the roles of both rabbi and cantor. Volunteer cantors and rabbi/cantor prayer leaders are especially common in small synagogues.

In general, the rabbi and the chazzan are working together to inspire and educate.

In Orthodox Judaism a cantor must be only a male, but in Conservative and Reform Judaism a cantor can be either male or female.

In addition to leading prayer services cantors have a variety of responsibilities which vary from synagogue to synagogue. Often their duties will include teaching bar/bat mitzvah students to read from the Torah, teaching members of the congregation how to participate in prayer services and working with the choir, conducting weddings or funeral services or visiting the sick.

Sources:

http://judaism.about.com/od/glossary/g/What-Is-A-Cantor.htm

Halachic Time

In Halachah, time is based on Sha'ot Zmaniyot (Zmanim means times in Hebrew), “proportional hours” that depend on the season. Halachic hours are not necessarily sixty minutes; instead we take the day, from sunrise until sunset, and divide it into twelve equal parts.

Each part constitutes one Halachic hour. In the summer this can be up to 75 minutes and in the winter it can be as little as 45 minutes. Many observances in Jewish law are performed at specific times during the day, as the hour has special meaning. The calculation of the halachic times depends on the various astronomical phenomena of the day for the specific locale. Sunrise, sunset, the amount of time between them, and the sun's angular position before rising are all factors that determine the halachic times and "hours" of the day.

When we say that a certainmitzvah may be performed three hours into the day, this doesn’t mean at three in the morning, or three clock-hours after sunrise. Rather, an hour in Halacha means 1/12th of the day. Thus, if the sun rises at 5 am and sets at 7:30 pm, one sha'ah zemanit, or proportional hour, will be 72.5 minutes, and all calculations will use that number.

Below you will find the times, their meaning and some of their associated mitzvot:

Alot Hashachar:

Dawn. Fasts begin at this time. According to Torah law, dawn marks the beginning of the day, and all mitzvot associated with daytime hours -- such as hearing the shofar, taking the Four Species, the recitation of the Shema, or hearing the Megillah -- can now be done. For various reasons, however, the Sages instituted that the observance of many of these mitzvot should be delayed until Netz Hachamah, or the moment when "one can recognize a familiar acquaintance." According to the Magen Avraham, the calculation of shaot zmaniot begins now.

Earliest time for Tallit and Tefillin:

The halachic description of this time is "when one can recognize a familiar acquaintance" from a distance of approximately six feet. As this is a subjective experience, the time given is approximated to an 11 degree depression of the sun. This is also the earliest time one can say the Morning Shema.

Netz Hachamah:

Sunrise. According to many opinions, now begins he calculation of shaot zmaniot. At this time, those who wish to prayvatikin start the recitation of the Amidah.

Latest Shema:

Three shaot zmaniot into the day. Latest time of the day to fulfill the biblical requirement to recite the Morning Shema. B'dieved (if one missed this time), one should still recite Shema with its blessings until chatzot.

Latest Tefillah:

Four shaot zmaniot into the day, ideally the latest time for Shacharit, the morning prayer. However, if this time was missed, Shacharit may be recited until chatzot.

Chatzot:

Midday; the halfway point between sunrise and sunset. Half-day fasts end at this time.

Minchah Gedolah:

Half a shaah zmanit after chatzot. This is the earliest time one may recite Minchah, the afternoon prayer.

Minchah Ketanah:

Nine and a half shaot zmaniot hours after sunrise. According to certain halachic authorities, it is preferable to wait until this time before praying Minchah.

Plag Haminchah:

One and a quarter shaot zmaniyot before sunset. According to RabbiJudah this is when halachic nighttime begins. Therefore, if one chooses to follow his opinion, one recites minchah before plag haminchah and then Maariv (the evening prayer) may be recited anytime after the "Plag". This is also the earliest one may bring in the Shabbat on Friday afternoon.

Candle Lighting time:

The accepted custom is to light Shabbat and Yom Tov candles 18 minutes before shkiah (sunset). Some communities have adopted earlier times as their unique custom for candle lighting time.

Shkiah:

Sunset. The latest time for minchah, the afternoon prayer, and all mitzvot associated with daytime hours. B'dieved (if one missed this time) one may still recite minchah, and do all "daytime mitzvot" until Tzeit Hakochavim (although the blessing on the mitzvah would be omitted if done after Shkiah).

The Jewish 24 hour day begins at nightfall. However, the technical definition of nightfall is unclear. It can be as early as Shkiah, or as late as Tzeit Hakochavim. Therefore, the time following shkiah and before tzeit hakochavim is called bein hashmashot. Many laws relate to this period and it can be categorized as either the previous or the next day.

Tzeit Hakochovim:

The time when three stars are visible in the sky and nightfall is complete. Earliest time for maariv (evening service) according to Rabbi Judah's rabbinic counterparts. Earliest time for reciting the evening Shema and Counting the Omer. A woman who has completed her cycle of seven pure days goes to the mikvah after this time.

Fast End:

There are differing opinions when Tzeit Hakochavim takes place. Out of consideration for people's comfort, and considering that the fast days are rabbinic decree, not Torah law, we rely on a slightly earlier opinion concerning the end of day fasts (aside for Yom Kippur).

Shabbat End time:

Shabbat and festivals end, and "weekday" work may resume, at this time. A stricter calculation of Tzeit Hakochavim is used. Known as the appearance of "three small stars," it coincides with the sun’s descent to 8.5 degrees below the horizon. This stringency also ensures that we do not accidentally violate the sanctity of the day, and that we fulfill the obligation to add time from weekday onto the Shabbat or holiday.

Sha'ah Zemanit:

Proportional hour, i.e. an hour according to halachah. Total daylight hours divided by 12.

Source: Chabad.org

The Great Orthodox Comeback

The Great Orthodox Comeback - Explaining the great revival of Judaism.

Who's the first?

Today, I am in the mood for contradictions. For the moment, with the daily stereotypical reports about the situation in Israel. This is the reason I highly appreciate the sharp and smart analysis of Honest Reporting.

Cost of living

I saw recently on the Internet various blog posts and further discussions regarding the (high) costs of becoming a Jew or of turning to an observant life. I don't want at all to address the persons who started such conversations and their more or less obvious reasons. The beauty of life is that all we are different, thinking differently and having different reactions.

But, honestly, from the very beginning I was surprised by the interest dedicated to such topics, as I never had the idea to evaluate the costs of the observant life (I don't know nothing about converstion). The above mentioned posts are mentioning a long list of investments: the costs of taking classes with a rabbi, the books, plates, clothes and many many other aspects. The writers are American so maybe from an US perspective everything should look as a business plan and even though the writing pieces were not articles in the proper sense of the word (who cares about doing journalism when we can say and write anything we want - including lashon hara - on our personal blogs), I would have been very happy to read experiences from people who didn't think the whole spiritual adventure as an investment counting every single $$ spent.

It doesn't mean I deny or diminish the importance of money in almost everything we do. But, generally, when you turn to the observant life, you do it not because you have a surplus of money, but because you are convinced that something is missing in your life. And you decide to do it, whatever the costs (that, I repeat, I never took into consideration). It is an investment, indeed, but for ever, in a life worth living.

I will not address the costs for conversions because I don't know too much about this, but will think a bit about the return to faith (recently, I saw also some discussions about how problematic is to be baal teshuva and how many people avoid to call themselves under this term fearing discrimination and suspicion within their communities; as long as you do it with modesty and you avoid by any means gossips and irrelevant thoughts, nobody should be afraid of what it is and what used to be; and if you have a tensed relationship with your current community, go to find another one) in practical terms (I avoid to count the $).

Indeed, we need a lot of objects - candles, mezuzot, cups, spices box, plates. And adequate clothes - unless you was used to go almost nacked, for sure you will find in your wardrobe many adaptable items. And books - if you have a Jewish library at the community center and free Internet access, performing that task would be easier. And kosher food - expensive and hard to find in galut; but also try to think about the money you save after you stop eating out too often (or at all, as in galut, kosher restaurants are very rare) or you decline the invitations to go clubbing on Friday or Saturday night. And for classes too - but, again, the free Internet access can save a lot - and many Orthodox shuls are offering periodically free lessons and Rosh Chodesh gatherings. You don't have to do it overnight - at least, we didn't. The process of return is progressive and you will discover what do you need while you advance in your journey. When we started to observe a strict Shabbat, we went to buy everything we needed for this and in one month time we realized what are the other practical necessities - for instance, a battery-powered alarm clock. Openly speaking, the most challenging part was to adjust our working schedule to the cycle of the hagim or to the Shabbat time and the hard task was for our employers to understand that we are not available at all on Saturdays. But it didn't produce any financial consequence; in exchange, we won respect for becoming committed persons, with a healthy family life.

In many hasidic stories, you read about people working hard and in very hostile conditions, enjoying a piece of challah and a fish and the blessing of prayers during Shabbos. In my humble understanding, everything you do is getting a sense up to the aim, which is not to show off and impress other fellow Jews.

Whatever I try, I still can't find any relevance in all the financial evaluations of the observant life. Any relevance at all. When I am convinced of what I have to do and I have the proper guidance for being sure that what I'm doing is correct, the whole life is adjusting and I will find the ways to practice what I am talking about. Period.

Energizing books

The holidays are also a good occasion to spend time with good books, related to the festivals or simply dealing with Judaism and Jewish questions. Some of them we are studying together, or we use it as good and trustful company for the hours between meals and our long walks to the shul.

The last week was as usual very busy discovering and discussing new interesting thoughts. While waiting for the meals to get ready I had an extensive look at the Jewish Teenagers. Guide to Life, offering the Jewish perspectives on the various issues faced by teenagers nowadays. The ways in which we should address the "free will", the relationships, "real happiness", definition of the role in life are few of the chapters of the book. By offering to our children a strong Jewish education and adequate resources we help them to use the correct compass in a difficult world.

Shortly before the yom tov, I was busy reading about Halacha, a very strict book about what and how to do correctly our daily mitzvot. Not extremely exciting and wonderfully written, but very correct and useful for the general guidance.

The same guidance role is played by the information from this collection of articles dedicated to Rosh Chodesh, that we are ready to celebrate at the end of this week. You will find here several information regarding the history and the practice, the halachic observation and some interpretation given in various mainstreams of Judaism.

For a long time I was looking to read something by Anita Diamant but I found this book about Living a Jewish Life completely by accident. I spent the yom tov thinking and pondering the perspectives offered in this almost a handbook, written from the liberal perspective but very honest in what concerns the basis of our choices and some modern interpretations of the practical faith. When you want to change your status from a non-observant to daily practicant status it is sometimes useful - at least for those around you, to proceed gradually, tempering the radical temptation of declaring immediately your new identity. It might be a feeling of guilt behind this hurry, but in practice, sudden changes aren't healthy and the step-by-step options - for the kosher and Shabbat practice, for example - are advisable. With a good guidance and a supportive community we can make big steps, but if we don't have it, we should follow our rhythm and proceed in the (only) right direction.

At the end of the festival, I experienced an enormous happiness through the wonderful stories of faith, love and kidness by Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis. A Shoah survivor and founder of Hineni International, she is sharing a precious experience of translating Judaism for the modern world and supporting the Jewish tradition through direct support for specific problematic situations. The main aim is to support the Jewish values reflected in the individual behavior and the family life. Each story is a precious drop of Torah thinking and Halacha. The simplicity of wisdom made me wonder why I wasn't able to realize some things before, but this is how things are and the lessons learned are important insights for a change. In a wonderful way, this books ended my list of lectures during the holidays. More specific study and books are waiting for me in less than 6 hours.

Post-chagim traumatic simcha

How do you expect to feel after 10 days of holidays - although not fully, at least 6 full completely free days - following other holidays and warm preparations of the mind and soul?...This month was amazing and after being at one of the highest levels of happiness in my life, landing in the raw world of realities when you should work and work and work and take care of the daily chores won't be easy. All I have is to hope for the coming Shabbos and Rosh Chodesh but I am sure that till then I will change a lot and I have an impressive amount of priorities on my to-do-list. As usual, I am trying to do my best in looking for compensations and a balance.

When I woke up early this morning I felt the deep sea of unhappiness of not having any occasion to celebrating, shul going and spending quality time with my family and my close friends. In the last two weeks, more than ever I felt the shadow of a completely different and special new beginning of the year, a long process that ended up yesterday with the beginning of a new cycle of Torah reading. In less than a month we succeeded to do many changes into our lifes, and to start anew many chapters. My soul is longing for the quiet perfect time of Shabbos, but my mind is aware that it's enough for now and all we have to do is to enter into the rhtythm of the daily actions and put into practice all our learning and insights. Otherwise, how we can evaluate the degree of change? In a way, I was feeling that enough is enough but are we ever having enough of Paradise? I'd read yesterday about how hard is to start davening after years of staying away of the siddur (an experience I know very well) but once you re-enter the path, how difficult is to stop.

Fighting the sadness of going back to reality, I already started a new writing project and set up some new professional and personal objectives. The progress I made in the last hours is good and I am looking forward to new achievements and reading. It will not be an easy period of time, but I am ready to do my schedule and to welcome Chanukkah with a completely new perspective in a new place. Of course, nobody stops me to fully enjoy the time with my family and to celebrate life, after early mornings started with Modeh Ani.

b''h

Shavua tov!

Different versions of Zionism

Image via Wikipedia//David ben Gurion, the "founding father"

An interesting article, by Dr. Offer Shiff, on the different interpretations of Zionism- and frictions - between David ben Gurion and Abba Hillel Silver, before but mostly after the creation of the state of Israel. A good lecture outlining the identity discussions and eventual controversies that set the terms of the dialogue between the state of Israel and its diaspora, mainly the American one.

Seminary refuses to admit Sephardi girls

This is the kind of news I don't like to read at all. As somebody used with both traditions and happy with this rewarding situation, selecting the best from each - and I am not talking only about the gorgeous Sephardi meals, even though meals also are sending an important identity message, but also about music, literature and talmudic traditions - I can't stand the narrowmindness of rejecting another person, especially children, because of the color of their skin of the place of birth of their parents.

I dare to say that the problems are faced not only by the Sephardi girls, but also by Sephardi boys looking to enrol in some yeshivas. And the examples could continue.

However, I consider that it is also a good message in this story: the Separdis should mobilize more resources - including of financial nature - and more energies to create their own elites, to outline their traditions and, of course, to learn more in order of being able to create their own institutions and educational systems. I wish the final result will not be the exclusion of Askenazim.

Seeing the high number of young Sephardi eager to learn more Torah in the yeshivas from Jerusalem or elsewhere, I am optimistic and I trust their open mind and humour. Mistakes are human.

Shmini Azeret and Simchat Torah

Shmini Azeret and Simchat Torah - The meanings of the celebrations.

Gilad Shalit is heading home!

He will be back soon and alive!

Watch the live blog from Haaretz for more news. Let's hope that everything will be fine, at least for today, and he will be soon with his family. Soon, it will be time again for reconsideration and evaluation and time to pay the price. Let's hope that after 1940 days in captivity, Gilad Shalit will enjoy the freedom! Let's hope and pray as we did a lot in the last five years!

PS

1. I can't stop my appreciation for the way in which Israeli media prepared to address the report on the release of Gilad Shalit.

2. My big misunderstanding regarding the swap is the following: where in this world, when you made something wrong or terribly wrong (as killing for instance), instead of spending the much deserved time in prison (perhaps for the rest of their life) you are called prisoner, freed and exchanged for a young innocent man? Where?

Related articles

• Gilad Shalit release: Timetable (telegraph.co.uk)
• Shalit Captors to Enter Limelight (israelnationalnews.com)
• Noam Shalit: It's not over until Gilad is home - Ha'aretz (news.google.com)
• Court Names Shalit Family as Respondents (israelnationalnews.com)

Portrait of the Palestinian at a young age

Every time I hear or read stories about the issue of the "Palestinian" statehood I am trying to imagine how a Palestinian (competent) government will look like. Or at least I am making various imagination efforts to understand what elites would represent the image of this state abroad: the writers, scientists, artists, historians, journalists.

As I didn't have too much direct contact with educated people belonging to the Palestinian community, I was curious yesterday to take part to an event where an intellectual young lady in whose CV was mention that she is from "Palestine" was invited. Dressed very creatively, in a way that will make her a lot of troubles in the Hamas-controlled territories (democratically elected) she recited a long poem, with many 4-letter words, about..."Palestine". I will not enter into too many poetical details, but I will mention only that the 10 minutes work was written in the Third World rhetoric with the compulsory lines of hate against the IDF and Israel and (poetic) stories about children killed in the street (wait, wasn't it about the Israelis killed by the Palestinian terrorists??? Maybe I was too bored and tired to graps the message). The young lady, whose Palestinian identity is part of her personal and professional brand, is speaking a very good English (better than her Arabic) that she acquired in the American schools in the Middle East. She belongs to a Christian family, with a high political profile, but assumes an non-religious identity and dreams on (and on and on) a secular "Palestine".

In her glamorous interventions she wanted to mention how the political regimes in the Middle East (including the Arab League!) were set up by the regimes that recognized the state of Israel. And I realized again how idiotic such claims could be and how thinking about this is an excuse for underdevelopment that apparently they love to enjoy as an excuse to accuse the others (mainly Israel as an image of the West they deeply hate although they fully benefited of its advantages).

In many respects, I was sorry for her, for her denial and enthusiasm wasted for showing off and literary exhibitionisms. Beyond the ridiculous and colourful aspect, it is a sad reality that all those pathetic supporters that were nodding in a Pavlovian way every time they were hearing the word "Palestine" don't understand an inch. Probably, to be continued...

1 to 1,000

Image via Wikipedia

I'd spent last evening watching the news about the imminent release of Gilad Shalit. 1 Israeli soldier was held in captivity for 5 years by Hamas without allowing the family to have any contact with him. In exchange for his freedom, a total of 1,000 Palestinian inmates (including women) will be soon free and probably back in the business of terror, the biggest prisoner exchange since 1956.

Watching the faces of Gilad's parents and knowing their fight to bring their son back I couldn't stop thinking it is a good news and thanks G-d (important rabbinical figures were involved in the negotiations as well) we hope to see him back home safe and alive. Beyond the human success it is an important political momentum as well.

On other news channels I was also watching the "victory" proclaimed by Hamas following this deal and the warnings that I am sure we should take it seriously: the door for the precedent is open and the Israeli soldiers are in danger more than ever. Anyway, it is what the Hamas terrorists wanted to do when they attacked in Eilat. There will be more high alerts and more specific trainings for the military.

I still hope - although given the lack of reliability of the Hamas representatives, isn't easy to be optimistic - that Gilad will be soon with his family. After observing the last 5 years world reaction to the situation of the young Israeli soldier, I continue to be worried for what it and who will be next. Instead of solidarity and unanimous condamnation of the Hamas terrorists most part of the international organizations and actors refused a consistent support. And, at least, if we are alone, we should realize that we should be united, more united than ever.

The joyous festival of Sukkot is about to start and we should enjoy doing our mitzvot. Time for reflection and more hopes.

Related articles

• Israel and Hamas agree deal to release Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit (telegraph.co.uk)
• Mid-East prisoner swap welcomed (bbc.co.uk)

First meeting with Barbara Honigmann

My first meeting with this German writer wasn't spectacular at all. The book that I read in the German version made me optimistically thinking about how easy is to write books about almost everything, without paying attention to the possible reaction of the public. It was written on the occasion of a 10-week scholarship for writers, in New York and Honigmann, a German Jew, is writing about her daily schedule, the meetings with the friend Sanda (Weigl), the interactions with the Jewish life in the city. A couple of descriptions of New York corners, the busy life and the busy and strange people, the kosher offer and other episodic experiences in the stereotypically described Big Apple.

Overall, it is not a travel book or a literary book/diary, but mostly a book that an author enjoying a relative success could write because doesn't care about fame and the bad reviews couldn't change anything from the general perception.

Preparing Sukkot

The joyous festival of Sukkot is almost two days away and, as usual, a lot of preparations in sight. I must recognize that the menu isn't ready yet, but as a whole bunch of people are expecting something good and tasty for me I should hurry up (at first, with the shopping list). The pitch that my wonderful people gave me was: many fruits (salad included), interesting cooked vegetables and "you will include some 2-3 dishes with meat, isn't it?" (his desperate smile told me that some people need to live more than 2-3 leaves of vegetables).

But, before the proper practical preparations, I had some books to finish preparing the spiritual ambiance of the holiday. First, I started with a very comprehensive book, from the ArtScroll Mesorah Series, about the significance, laws and prayers. After, I followed a more specific lecture about the Halachos of the Four Species, an English and Hebrew versions, when I realized how complicate is the identification process of the kosher species. Some of the information was completely new for me. The little ones were delighted to fine out more about the coming holidays from Yaffa Ganz book on the adventures of Bina, Benny and Chaggai Hayonah.

For the whole family, the Ha-Ushpizin movie offered a lot of food for thought about faith, trust and the trials of being baal teshuva. And I randomly reminded a Rambam saying according to which a real baal teshuva is the one who when reaching the old level is not doing any sin.

Difficult Freedom

From Emmanuel Levinas, Difficult Freedom. Essays on Judaism:

"Belonging to Judaism presupposes a ritual and a science. Justice is impossible to the ignorant man. Judaism is an extreme consciousness". (p. 6)

"For Judaism, the goal of education consists in instituting a link between man and the saintliness of G-d and in maintaining man in this relationship". (p. 14)

"(...) education for the Jew merges with instruction and (...) the ignorant man can never really be pious". (p.15)

"The knowledge of G-d comes to us like a commandment, like a Mitzvah. To know G-d is to know what must be done". (p.17)

"Judaims believes in this regeneration of man without the intervention of extrahuman factors other than the consciousness of G-d, and the Law: 'Everything lies in the hands of G-d, except for the very fear of G-d'. Human effort has unlimited possibilities. There is finally the help given by a just society from which the unjust person may benefit". (p.20)

"Jewish wisdom is inseparable from a knowledge of the biblical and rabbinical texts; the Hebrew language directs the reader's attention towards the true level of these texts, which is the most profound level of being. In an increasingly homogenous world, nothing can oppose the pressure on us to be brought outside, out of our knowledge; knowledge as an unique power of reversion. Judaism can survive only if it is recognized and propagated by lay people who, outside all Judaism, are the promoters of the common life of men". (p.250)

Post-Yom Kippur

Image via Wikipedia//Blowing the shofar marks the end of the Yom Kippur

The last 26 hours were extremely inspiring and interesting, a clear delimitation between the time dedicated to spiritual development to the time dedicated to the daily mundane activities. By definition, I designate all my daily activities as spiritual but, inevitably this is always some small connection to the body - the food or the unknown number of coffee I am drinking daily. This time, the Shabbat on Yom Kippur, it was completely different. I spent a lot of time at the shul fighting a confusing headache - I always thought about finding a remedy to my dependence on coffeine - sleeping one-two hours in between and thinking a lot about the next year and our personal and family resolutions.

As usual, there are many books to be read, classes to be attended and trips, lots to learn about Judaism and interesting people to find. For each member of my family, including myself, the last year was extremely challenging and complicated. I wish the new year to be a continuation of some good path that we, as a family, are following for a couple of months already. We are not sure where we'll be in the next months, but we are sure that all of us we'll be together, united and helping and reconforting each other. This positive energy was the main achievements of the Yom Kippur and we are grateful for the last 26 hours of joy and happiness.

Time now for a good sleep a day of break - and a nice family breakfast tomorrow. Sukkot is next - and we should start a lot of preparations!

Jewish life on High Holy Days all over the world

I found today early in the morning a couple of articles about Jewish life in far away places, I would be happy to share. It is an important lesson about fighting to keep the tradition and the identity and doing mitzvot:

Almost incredible: Jewish Celebrations in Afghanistan

Jewish life in Iceland (again incredible, isn't it?)

Recovering Jewish life in Libya will not be an easy task

At the end of the e-tour, I found also a news that worried me, given also the high interest of many Jewish and Israeli tourists in visiting Thailand. As usual, we should be always careful. We never have to forget the heavy burden of persecution and massacres, as it was the case of Babi Yar.

Preparing for Yom Kippur

A Few Fasting Fixes By Shira Isenberg - Jewish Action - OU.ORG

Browsing my bookshelf (again and again)

The last two weeks were extremely rich in terms of reading and although the time was extremely busy given various home and spiritual activities - equally important - and various preparations, there were an impressive amount of books I enjoyed and will fully recommend for further consideration and lecture(s).

I refreshed and add more information to my historical background through the lecture of this "Concise History of the Rabbinate". Among others, it was interesting to find more about French and Germany's official positions from the 19th century on, regarding the Jewish communities.

In preparation for Rosh Hashanah, I've found several inspiring books:

Judaism as a Religion, by Rabbi Leon Stitskin, published in 1937 in America, consisting of a series of holiday sermons delivered between 1932 and 1936. In a time of terrible tragedy for the Jewish people - a situation mentioned in several interventions - R' Leon Stitskin was explaining to the American Jews about the symbols of the holidays, the importance of resisting assimilation and the importance of good deeds.

An older book, from 1915, The Orthodox Position, by HMJ Loewe, clarifies main points of Orthodox Judaism and the justification for the belief in Orhodoxy.

I've read many stories about people imprisoned in Russia, but rarely I had the occasion to see so much beauty and forgiveness as in A Prince in Prison. The Previous Lubavither Rebbe's Account of His Incarceration in Stalinist Russia in 1927. Humanly speaking you can't stop being angry against those who accepted to be the instruments of the enemy against fellow Jews, but after reading these accounts I started to understand more about teshuva and the power of inner change.

I prepared my spiritual journey though the New Year with the help of R' Dovid D. Meisels' book The Radiance of Rosh Hashanah, where I found this quote: "How does a person know that the gates of Heaven have opened to allow his prayers to enter? When he feels his heart opening up and a fountain of faith surging up from below, it is a sign that, in the same way, the gates of Heaven above have opened up".

This year, I dedicated a fair amount of time at the book of Yonah and Rabbi Ilan Ginian's book, The Navi Journey. Sefer Yonah opened my eyes to a better and halachic understanding of this story that we traditionally read on Yom Kippur.

For all those interested in Talmudic studies and lecture, two basic books opening the gates to understanding the various interpretations and explanations: Tools for Tosafos, by Haim Perlmutter, and Understanding the Talmud. A Systematic Guide to Talmudic Structure and Methodology. It is how I realized how much I should learn and learn to improve my time management, including by avoiding to waste my time procrastinating. More learning is part of my resolution package for the New Year.

One of the books I longed for from the first moment I found out about the publication was Jerusalem, by Simon Sebag Montefiore, whose historical writings I was familiar with for a long time. For one day and a half I stayed glued reading this wonderful biography, an impressive and extermely diplomatic account of the history of a city with a terrible and overwhelming history.

History is addressed again in another difficult book: Judenrat, by Isaiah Trunk, dissecting the Jewish Councils in Eastern Europe under Nazi Occupation. A painful episode shedding a different light on the history of Jews from Poland, the Baltic countries (Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia) and the occupied areas of USSR (Byelorussia and Ukraine) when "for the first time in Jewish history, a Jewish organ was forced to help a foreign, criminal regime to destroy coreligionists".

Last on the latest list, a book I read together with kids, simple and offering food for thought for the little ones: Yom Kippur with Bina, Benny and Chaggai Hayonah.

That's all by now, but new books are already waiting for me. Happy reading!

Untangling the Web: Newsaholics anonymous

Untangling the Web: Newsaholics a... JPost - Opinion - Columnists

At least once during the last holidays I asked myself: what if...something happened with somebody from my family, or an attack took place somewhere, or somebody is looking for me, including for offering me a wonderful job offer or a holiday deal? I finally resisted the temptation(s) after realizing that procrastinating in the front of the computer only because something might happen, something I can't stop or prevent, it's pure insanity. At the end of the break, it took me maximum 30 minutes to check my inbox, social media accounts and cell phone. Nothing worth to bother the quiet time of Rosh Hashanah and Shabbat!

Understading Genizah

A genizah (or geniza; Hebrew: גניזה "storage"; plural: genizot or genizoth or genizahs) is the store-room or depository in a Jewish synagogue (or cemetery), usually specifically for worn-out Hebrew-language books and papers on religious topics that were stored there before they could receive a proper cemetery burial, as being forbidden to throw away writings containing the name of G-d (even personal letters and legal contracts could open with an invocation of G-d). The word genizah come from the Hebrew root g-n-z, which means hiding, and originally meant "to hide" or "to put away". Later, it became a noun for a place where one put things, and is perhaps best translated as "archive" or "repository".

In practice, genizot also contained writings of a secular nature, with or without the customary opening invocation, and also contained writings in other Jewish languages that use the Hebrew alphabet (Judeo-Arabic, Judeo-Persian, Judeo-Spanish, Yiddish).

This custom also included the periodic solemn gathering of the contents of the geniza, which were then buried in the cemetery or "bet ḥayyim." Synagogues in Jerusalem buried the contents of their genizot every seventh year, as well as during a year of drought, believing that this would bring rain. This custom is associated with the far older practice of burying a great or good man with a "sefer" which has become "pasul" (unfit for use through illegibility or old age). In Morocco, in Algiers, in Turkey, and even in Egypt, such paper-interments had been practiced.

Talmudic references

The Talmud (Tractate Shabbat 115a) directs that holy writings in other than the Hebrew language require "genizah," that is, preservation. In Pesachim 118b, "bet genizah" is equivalated to "treasury." In Pesachim 56a Hezekiah hides ("ganaz") a medical work; in Shabbat 115a R. Gamaliel orders that the Targum to the Book of Job should be hidden ("yigganez") under the "nidbak" (layer of stones). In Shabbat 30b, there is a reference to those rabbis who sought to categorize the books of Ecclesiastes and Proverbs as heretical; this occurred before the canonization of the Hebrew Bible, when disputes flared over which books should be considered Biblical. The same thing occurs in Shabbat 13b in regard to the Book of Ezekiel, and in Pesachim 62 in regard to the Book of Genealogies.

Historical use

In medieval times, Hebrew scraps and papers that were relegated to the genizah were known as shemot or "names," because their sanctity and consequent claim to preservation were held to depend on their containing the "names" of G-d. In addition to papers, objects connected with the ritual, such as tzitzit, lulavim, and sprigs of myrtle, are similarly stored.

According to folklore, these scraps were used to hide the famed Golem of Prague, whose body is claimed to lie in the genizah of the Altneushul in Prague

The Cairo Geniza, which was discovered in 1864 in old Cairo, had an accumulation of almost 280,000 Jewish manuscript fragments, which were written from about 870 to the 19th century. These materials were important for reconstructing the religious, social and economic history of Jews, especially in the middle ages.

Sources:

Princeton University Geniza Project http://www.princeton.edu/~geniza/

http://jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=139&letter=G&search=Genizah

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/History/Genizah.html

Lessons of fasting

The fast is almost done and given the short time till Yom Kippur I think it was a good experience, including from the point of view of what should be corrected for being able to resist for 25 hours (this time).

Here are a couple of considerations of my lessons learned:

- Be sure that one night/day before you drink enough liquids. Deshidratation could create serious and annoying problems, including nasty migraines.

- Fresh juices and vegetables are a good preparation as rich in vitamins.

- Try to avoid as much as possible going out and sleep as much as possible. (Something I didn't hence my feeling of a lonely zombie.)

- Spend as much time as possible with people fasting. Staying alone could push you to find 1000+ reasons to give up.

The experience in itself could be very bad: beyond the feeling of physical weakness, your whole body is against the shortages. You feel sad, at the limit of depression, in the impossibility to think coherently and with sense. Is not easy and sometimes you feel that the whole world is against you. From the deep ends of your desperation, you need to swim back to the real life and to survive your new beginnings. You are disoriented by the perfect silence to your questions and you almost lost the sense of the right direction. But if you look correctly, you will see the light and you are saved. Five more days for teshuva and reflection.