The force of the stories

Regardless of our level of intellectual sophistication or of our high spiritual needs, we will always need good and simple stories. It is part of our human background to wait and listen to beautiful stories.

If you are looking for a good collection of stories, that will equally make you smile and cry, you should try to find out this beautiful book by Hanoch Teller, Once Upon a Soul. Either he writes about spectacular rescues of the Jewish soul or of strong personalities, he will always bring a new beam of light into the life of the reader. Without being judgemental and with the help of the art of a good writer you will always have great stories. No one is looking to be lectures, but to feel the human touch of the story and the force of the example. Our soul is thirsty for it and Hanoch Teller's stories are waiting for us.

Lena Gorelik's box of memories

Long time ago, what I knew about Russian Jews in Germany what the result of some articles published in various publications, whose main treat was the sadness of being poor, often refused - as it was not enough to be a refusenik once - and marginalized by both the Germans and the local Jewish organizations. My big question - not yet fully answered - was why to decide going to Germany instead of using your free ticket to Israel.

Little by little, I learned not only to appreciate them - especially after reading many interesting books about the hard resistance to keep Yiddishkeit alive - but to simply understand their specificities and their specific cases. I met many BT in their early 40s, with secular background but a desire to grow permanently and to learn more and more about Judaism. And last but not least, who are very proud that their children are the first generation of frum Russian Jews, with ahavat Yisroel and desire to learn in yeshiva and create Jewish homes. Somehow, their generation made the transition to a new generation a better Jews. 

There are not too many young Russian Jewish authors in Germany more active than Lena Gorelik. She writes book after book, in German, with a lot of humour and creative inspiration. I've read at least four of her books and even though some of the subjects may repeat and the main topic is always the same, I never got bored. She can be funny, serious, engaged and informtive at the same time. Her books are not only good documentaries about the life of Jews in Germany in the last decades, but also about the identity of Russian Jews and their interesting background and the normality of their struggle to recognition and acception of what they are. Understanding is the first step towards tolerance, and Lena Gorelik is doing a good job of using her talent of creative writing in this direction. She has the simplicity of her personal stories and a strong voice that brings to light children stories and more recent memories. 

I am not sure if she is much known outside Germany or if her books were translated, but she represents a new wave of strong voices of the Russian Jews in Germany. And, of the Jewish literary life.

Women mashgiach?

I recognize that I do not like the tone of the article and the passion of some declarations quoted, but on the other hand, I do not see many any difficulties in allowing women being mashgiach. And I am thinking only at the following aspect: most part of the time, the women are in charge 98% with the preparation of meals and the kashrut standards in the kitchen. Following a course for preparing as professional mashgiach and eventually extending their supervision outside the home will not be an impossible mission and in full line with the daily tasks of any devoted yiddische mother. 

An interesting issue to be followed in the near future.

19 Kislev

Chabad celebrates today the liberation from the Tzarist prison of the founder of their Hasidic group, Rav Schneur Zalman of Liadi (1745-1812). He was arrested following accusation of teaching dangerous concepts for the stability of the Russian Empire. This day it is also called the 'Rosh Hashanah of Hasidism' and it marks the beginning of the cycle of study of Tanya, Chabad's major work. 

The Long Hand of the Mossad: The Revival of Russian Jewry

An interesting lecture on YUTorah Online - an investigation into the turmoil of the Russian Jews during communism.

We have so much to learn from them. While listening the lecture I was thinking a couple of times, how in our history every tragic moment can be turned into an opportunity to increase and develop. And this is part of our miracle. 

The Gates of Repentance

This is a fragment from Rabbeinu Yonah's Gates of Repentance, that reminds me a lot of some literary motives in the work of F. Kafka. I do not have any information though that Kafka was familiar with those writings.

'In the Midrash (Kohelles Rabbah 7:`15), our Sages, of blessed memory, compared his situation to that of a band of thieves. Having been captured and imprisoned by the king, together they dug a tunnel through which to escape the dungeon. All escaped but one gang member, who was afraid of the unknown path which lay before him. When the jail warden discovered the breach and saw the man who saw the man who stayed behindm he began strike him with his rod, exclaiming: 'Miserable soul! Don't you see the breach opened wide before you - why did you not seize the opportunity to save yourself as well?' (Shaarei Teshuvah I:2)

Light vs. rockets

You don't need to know one of the miluim drafted in the last days to realize how close the danger are. You may only wonder why everything is going so slowly and why in the last 7 years, everything went worse. We were supposed to have peace, isn't it? Or I did not grasp correctly the message in 2005?

Israel is one of the most developed country in the world, producing bright minds and Nobel Prize Winners, a country in the forefront of science and technology. Isn't it ridiculous to risk the life of our citizens because of some underdeveloped morons that don't have anything to offer to their people than bombs and the bright professional choice of qualified suicide bombers? Isn't it a shame for the Western civilization to accept the reign of terror imposed by Hamas and their cronies?

And what we are doing in time of crisis? We unite, join our prayers, learn, do charity, sing and hope that this will also come to pass. In the month of Kislev, when we are about to celebrate Hanukka, we give another example of humanity. We turn into our books or to our military basis and fight for light. 

'Behold, the Guardian of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps!'