Don't trust a BBC Guide

I am not naive enough to believe that BBC is very sympathetic to Jews and especially to Orthodox Jews, but not cynical enough to believe fully the logic of 'they' vs. 'us'. Of course that we belong to different world and one of the most obvious example has to do with the 'laws' of marriage, but my conclusion after watching so-called 'documentaries' is that many producers and journalists simply do not do their job correctly. Another topic that you will find often featured in the media is related to nidah laws.

Take, for instance, the BBC Two documentary A Hasidic Guide to Love, Marriage and Finding a Bride. The topic is very interesting and there are a lot of things to be said about, especially when you address the London Jewish community. The author is featuring some marginal Jews or people situated somehow in a countercultural paradigm - who else would accept being called 'Orthodox' and answer about intimate life choices ? - and thus, the meaning is diminished. True is that it is not easy to marry your children, especially in London - when you went into prison, but I suppose that it is not available in the case of London Haredi, but it operates similarly in the case of any high-end family. To take an extreme example, the Queen Mother will not jump of happiness to find out that one of her nephews is entering a family with a splitted family with a bad reputation. Plus, I suppose that people are getting more or less drunk to any wedding, not necessarily at a Hasidic one. 

What did you expect, some may say? I think it is a huge potential to try to explain a lot of things about Judaism that the mainstream media fails to do it. Obviously, there are enough talented people around that are able to do it, including among the Jewish Brits.

Shabbos reading

When you have a full week of 6 full working days, Shabbat is the only day when I really can focus on serious reading on Judaism-related topics. I can also read more than 3-4 pages in a row in Hebrew and clean my mind from everything that during the week do not let me clearly consider more serious topics.

Thus, no business planning, no thoughts about the next trip to the other end of the town and any ideas about what I will do in the next hours after Shabbat will end. Just leaving the moment and let the future be on hold for a while, as being too busy with the present spiritual building.

As the Internet is offline for 25 hours, it is the only day of the week when I can read 1 book the day without interruption. No need to check my e-mails or to immediately look for some news on the web that will keep me busy online for couple of good hours. 

My choice of books was the following:

Shabbat and electricity, by Rabbi L.Y. Halperin, an authority in this very sophisticated halakhic domain. It addresses a couple of interesting aspects related to electrical and electronic devices on Shabbat: closing and opening circuits on Shabbat, the Shabbat telephone, why, when and how to use an elevator, dishwashers on Shabbat, air conditioning and automatic doors or alarm systems. The book is a translation from a Hebrew version published by the prestigious Institute for Science and Halacha and this is perhaps the reason why there are some shortages in terms of fluency of the English version. However, it is a must have and most read kind of book for anyone interested in getting more practical insights about various chellenges of the modern life to the old rules of Shabbat. 

Following the same line, my next book was Halachah and Medicine Today an interesting translation of excerpts of articles published on this topic in Halacha U'Refuah. The translations are good and you can have a full picture of all the opinions on a certain topic. There are articles signes by respectable rabbis, such as R. Ovadia Yosef shlita, R. Moshe Feinstein, R. Halperin from the previous collection of articles, R. Yehoshua Neuwirth, or the Lubavitcher Rebbe. The titles of some of the articles: blood tests on Shabbat for neonatal jaundice, taking blookd and giving injections on Shabbat, accompanying a patient to hospital on Shabbat, the observant physician and Shabbat. 

Just in order to be encouraged to continue my diversified menu of books, I ended up with One thing I ask, by Rabbi Hillel Fendel. Most probably, any well trained bochur know the answers to most of the questions - for instance, 'Where do we find complete passages from the Torah in the tefilah?', 'Which verse from Psalms do we recite the most often in our prayers?' or 'Which passages must be repeated if not said with the proper intention and devotion?'. However, it was not my case in over 98% of the cases. The book is organized with a section of questions, followed by the detailed answers, written in a very simple and concise way. The main topics are: hallel and rosh chodesh, Torah reading, blessings, morning prayers, Shmoneh Esrei, Halakhah, numbers. 

A good start for a week of light!

'The silent Jews who lived double lives'

When I saw first the news about the decision of the Spanish Government to allow automatically Spanish citizenship to the descendants of the Spanish Jews I was impressed, thinking that maybe other countries that did the same to their Jewish citizens will follow the example.

However, the law does not include the hidden Jews and all those who were forced to convert or that used to have a double life. Those may need to prove somehow their affiliation or to go through the classical conversion process. For the descendants of those who suffered the expulsions and the frustrations of the double life, it is a sad reality. On the other hand, this is what happens in general with anyone with a hidden identity. True is that once born a Jew always a Jew, but the conversions and the alienation from Judaism left traces in the identity of many of those 'anusim'. Probably there should be a case-by-case basis decision, but still, the precautions are in line with some of the previsions of the Law of return. 

The spark is always there, it is up to us to bring it back to light.

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.