January 29, 2009: Roberta in Israel
Roberta heard the same lecture by Dr. Aviva Gottlieb Zornberg Wednesday morning instead of going to the Drama and Poetry class. (As Grandma Annie said, “With one Tuchas you can only dance at one wedding.”)
From the part of Exodus (Parashat Bo) where Moses and Aaron go before Pharoah to request that the Children of Israel leave to the enactment of the 10 plagues, she went into the intellectual/knowing that telling a story brings--that the telling of a story is transformative for the storyteller and for the listener—telling the story brings change to both. Why 10 plagues? Surely 3 would have sufficed—She thinks it makes for more drama and a better story. Another interpretation is that Pharoah has an ideological surrender—shows God’s power; written in future tense so as to provide suspense, provoke anxiety.
This is the section where God hardens Pharoah’s heart. There are lots of interpretation. One I heard is Pharoah was such a bad man that he hardened his own heart. Her explanation was that this is an expression equivalent to someone saying today that something is so stupid it’s inexplainable ie may use expression said in an exasperated manner, “God knows why he did THAT.” IE one could say that about some of our former president’s actions.
This may be more than you want to know about the study of the Hebrew Bible and remember it comes from someone who is really not a believer in God. However I find the method of study very interesting. Nothing is taken literally and everything is interpreted—and this has been going on for 2500 years or so –since the Bible was written down—and maybe before that. Nothing is true just because it is written—it has to be interpreted ie what does it really mean? What does the phrase mean? You could even ask, “what is the word?” as only consonants are written and the vowels are left out so one cluster of letters forming a word may be two to four different words depending on the context and vowels (if they were there, which they are not).
I find these methods of study in all the classes we are taking. Often I am less interested in the topic than in what people do with the topic. For example one class was about celebrating the 2nd day of each festival (I don’t). The teacher raises the question is this one 48 hour day or two 24 hour days. Then he brought up the subject of eating an egg. If it is laid on the day before the festival, you could cook it then and eat it after the festival starts; but if it was laid on the first day of the festival you could neither prepare it or eat it that day; but if the 2nd day is a separate day you could eat it on the 2nd day. But if the 2nd day is contiguous with and the same day as the first day, you could not eat it on the 2nd day. So from a little egg you can derive an entire big picture of the subject of the first and second days of festivals.
I think that this method of thinking and interpreting lends itself very well to modern secular intellectual and even artistic endeavors. Perhaps this background is why Jews are more numerus than their percentage in the general population as Nobel Prize winners, university faculty and students, doctors and lawyers. The lack of this kind of thinking ie looking at challenges from all angles made for many of Bush’s failures as president.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Sorry to Jump around in time, but I will put all in correct order soon.
January 19, 2009:
Our First day of classes, first at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies on General Pierre Koenig and Rivka, a delightful 20 minute walk down Emik Refa’im street. Rabbi Reuven Grodner teaches both classes, first is Custom and Law, which uses the Talmud to explore the nature of customs and how they can even supercede the Law. Second course is on Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik, one the greatest rabbinic leaders of the 20th Century. We read his very difficult essays. He was a child genius in Lithuania, then sent to U. of Berlin where he got a Ph.D. in Philosophy and came to the US in the early 30’s. As teacher at Yeshiva University's Rabbinical school for 40 years he influenced 2 generations of rabbis, reformed Modern Orthodoxy, and wrote many books among them, “The Lonely Man of Faith.”
After class we went grocery shopping next door to Pardes and is it fun to shop when you can’t read the labels. We bought so much we had it delivered which was an experience telling the delivery guys our address in English when they only knew Hebrew. Since I mispronounced the name they couldn’t find us but luckily they had my cell phone number. After two ineffective attempts to say the street name again, luckily a neighbor was just coming home and I ran over and asked him to say the street name, which he did and that worked finally. Nothing is easy!
At 8pm we went to the Hartman Institute, a short 10 minute walk, for a 6 lecture course by Rabbi Hartman who founded this Institute for Jewish Studies for Rabbis, Lay Leaders, teachers along with a school for kids thru high school. Incredibly this semester the course is on 3 of the 5 greatest Jewish influential persons of the 20th Century and would you believe one is Rabbi Soloveitichik along with Rabbis Mordecai Kaplan and Berkovits. The genealogy in Rabbis is most interesting as Rabbi Hartman was also a prodigy, studied under Rabbi Soloveitichik, was told by him to get a Ph.D. in philosophy since he was free spirit which of course he did. After 30 years Hartman left the Synagogue and Professor of Philosophy life in Montreal and came to Israel for a new role of Jewish learning and renewal. He is getting old but still gives an interesting lecture half on the subject and half on his ideas.
Jan. 20 Tuesday:
Our first day of Classes at Project ODED Continuing Education of the Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center for Conservative Judaism. First course is Jewish Writing Between the Bible and the Mishnah with Rabbi Gail Diamond, a wonderful teacher whom I had last year. We are reading The Wisdom of Solomon written from about the 1st to the 3rd century in Alexandria or 500 years after the cannon was closed. Alexandria had a 25% Jewish population at that time and was a great center of learning in the Greek and Jewish world. Second course is The Torah portion of the week with Rabbi Romm.
After class we crossed the street to the Wolfson Building which houses the Sir Isaac and Lady Wolfson Jewish Museum with many ritual pieces from all over the world, many Torahs desecrated by the Nazis, the office and library of the First Chief Rabbi of the state of Israel, and other art pieces. Only 10 Shekels each.
At 8pm we each went to a different class with Roberta starting chorus practice at the Reform Seminary with their religious choir. After a short tryout, Roberta was invited to join. The choir director speaks mostly in Hebrew but Roberta understands most and especially the Italian directions. In fact, the next week she was invited to join a select group to sing which starts 30 minutes earlier.
Stan went to hear Avivah Zornberg give her weekly lecture on the Torah portion of that week. She has written many books and gives an amazing penetrating analysis of the events then and how it applies to life today. She has a Ph.D. in Literature from Cambridge University and has more than equivalent knowledge of a Rabbi. She brings in ancient sages, current literary and psychiatric sources to expand the knowledge base. It is a wonder to listen to her but exhausting too.
Jan. 21 Wednesday: Classes at ODED again. First class The Drama and Poetry of the Tanach (Bible) with Rabbi Sid Slivko a young interesting guy. We study the poetry sections of the Bible. Second class is Pagan Culture in Ancient Israel with Dr. Stephan Rosenberg a historian/archaeologist who in his second career has written several books on ancient Israel. We actually studied in the first class all the references to the city Shechem that is mentioned from Jacob to Joshua to much later. It was in a valley between the mountains running north to south and was one of only two passes from the East to the Mediterranean. He tried to interpret all that was said in the Bible to the history and geography of the region that was so important to all the people that lived in this area. Joshua and the people of the Exodus came here after crossing the Jordan and made Shechem the capitol until David made Jerusalem, the other mountain pass from the east westward(!) the new capitol of all Israel.
After class we walked to the Old City and went top the Wohl Museum of Archeology which shows the uncovered remains of 6 houses destroyed by the Romans in 70CE as the Second temple was being razed. Only the first floor and basement level were not ruined but buried for construction of the next home. After 1900 years after the 1967 War and reunification of the Old City new construction started and soon found the remains buried under 20 feet and many layers. These 6 homes were of the Priestly class since they were large and had many mikvas for ritual baths required before entering the Temple, some even 3 or 4 per home. Burn marks are still visible on some floors and walls. We then went the Kottel ( western hall of the Second temple-actually a retaining wall constructed by Herod) where Stan prayed in the Men’s Section and Roberta stewed. We then excited the Old City and its walls from the Dung Gate and walked to where King David is alleged to be buried by only some Orthodox as well as Christians and Moslim's. Orthodox Jews pray there 24/7. Archaeologists believe a King of Israel from a much later period could be buried there. On the next floor above is the site of the Last Supper, a Seder of Jesus and his followers. It is a combination of Crusader church/meeting hall plus Muslim prayer hall all mixed together. We saw a large group of Nigeria in native cloths leaving as we entered and we exchanged Shalom greetings with them.
January 19, 2009:
Our First day of classes, first at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies on General Pierre Koenig and Rivka, a delightful 20 minute walk down Emik Refa’im street. Rabbi Reuven Grodner teaches both classes, first is Custom and Law, which uses the Talmud to explore the nature of customs and how they can even supercede the Law. Second course is on Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik, one the greatest rabbinic leaders of the 20th Century. We read his very difficult essays. He was a child genius in Lithuania, then sent to U. of Berlin where he got a Ph.D. in Philosophy and came to the US in the early 30’s. As teacher at Yeshiva University's Rabbinical school for 40 years he influenced 2 generations of rabbis, reformed Modern Orthodoxy, and wrote many books among them, “The Lonely Man of Faith.”
After class we went grocery shopping next door to Pardes and is it fun to shop when you can’t read the labels. We bought so much we had it delivered which was an experience telling the delivery guys our address in English when they only knew Hebrew. Since I mispronounced the name they couldn’t find us but luckily they had my cell phone number. After two ineffective attempts to say the street name again, luckily a neighbor was just coming home and I ran over and asked him to say the street name, which he did and that worked finally. Nothing is easy!
At 8pm we went to the Hartman Institute, a short 10 minute walk, for a 6 lecture course by Rabbi Hartman who founded this Institute for Jewish Studies for Rabbis, Lay Leaders, teachers along with a school for kids thru high school. Incredibly this semester the course is on 3 of the 5 greatest Jewish influential persons of the 20th Century and would you believe one is Rabbi Soloveitichik along with Rabbis Mordecai Kaplan and Berkovits. The genealogy in Rabbis is most interesting as Rabbi Hartman was also a prodigy, studied under Rabbi Soloveitichik, was told by him to get a Ph.D. in philosophy since he was free spirit which of course he did. After 30 years Hartman left the Synagogue and Professor of Philosophy life in Montreal and came to Israel for a new role of Jewish learning and renewal. He is getting old but still gives an interesting lecture half on the subject and half on his ideas.
Jan. 20 Tuesday:
Our first day of Classes at Project ODED Continuing Education of the Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center for Conservative Judaism. First course is Jewish Writing Between the Bible and the Mishnah with Rabbi Gail Diamond, a wonderful teacher whom I had last year. We are reading The Wisdom of Solomon written from about the 1st to the 3rd century in Alexandria or 500 years after the cannon was closed. Alexandria had a 25% Jewish population at that time and was a great center of learning in the Greek and Jewish world. Second course is The Torah portion of the week with Rabbi Romm.
After class we crossed the street to the Wolfson Building which houses the Sir Isaac and Lady Wolfson Jewish Museum with many ritual pieces from all over the world, many Torahs desecrated by the Nazis, the office and library of the First Chief Rabbi of the state of Israel, and other art pieces. Only 10 Shekels each.
At 8pm we each went to a different class with Roberta starting chorus practice at the Reform Seminary with their religious choir. After a short tryout, Roberta was invited to join. The choir director speaks mostly in Hebrew but Roberta understands most and especially the Italian directions. In fact, the next week she was invited to join a select group to sing which starts 30 minutes earlier.
Stan went to hear Avivah Zornberg give her weekly lecture on the Torah portion of that week. She has written many books and gives an amazing penetrating analysis of the events then and how it applies to life today. She has a Ph.D. in Literature from Cambridge University and has more than equivalent knowledge of a Rabbi. She brings in ancient sages, current literary and psychiatric sources to expand the knowledge base. It is a wonder to listen to her but exhausting too.
Jan. 21 Wednesday: Classes at ODED again. First class The Drama and Poetry of the Tanach (Bible) with Rabbi Sid Slivko a young interesting guy. We study the poetry sections of the Bible. Second class is Pagan Culture in Ancient Israel with Dr. Stephan Rosenberg a historian/archaeologist who in his second career has written several books on ancient Israel. We actually studied in the first class all the references to the city Shechem that is mentioned from Jacob to Joshua to much later. It was in a valley between the mountains running north to south and was one of only two passes from the East to the Mediterranean. He tried to interpret all that was said in the Bible to the history and geography of the region that was so important to all the people that lived in this area. Joshua and the people of the Exodus came here after crossing the Jordan and made Shechem the capitol until David made Jerusalem, the other mountain pass from the east westward(!) the new capitol of all Israel.
After class we walked to the Old City and went top the Wohl Museum of Archeology which shows the uncovered remains of 6 houses destroyed by the Romans in 70CE as the Second temple was being razed. Only the first floor and basement level were not ruined but buried for construction of the next home. After 1900 years after the 1967 War and reunification of the Old City new construction started and soon found the remains buried under 20 feet and many layers. These 6 homes were of the Priestly class since they were large and had many mikvas for ritual baths required before entering the Temple, some even 3 or 4 per home. Burn marks are still visible on some floors and walls. We then went the Kottel ( western hall of the Second temple-actually a retaining wall constructed by Herod) where Stan prayed in the Men’s Section and Roberta stewed. We then excited the Old City and its walls from the Dung Gate and walked to where King David is alleged to be buried by only some Orthodox as well as Christians and Moslim's. Orthodox Jews pray there 24/7. Archaeologists believe a King of Israel from a much later period could be buried there. On the next floor above is the site of the Last Supper, a Seder of Jesus and his followers. It is a combination of Crusader church/meeting hall plus Muslim prayer hall all mixed together. We saw a large group of Nigeria in native cloths leaving as we entered and we exchanged Shalom greetings with them.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Some items
We have an apartment in an area called the German Colony because it was settled in the 1870-1890s by German Protestants from Bavaria. They were an industrious and knowledgeable people and brought some technical and business modernizations to the area ie set up first tourism system by writing the first tour of Palestine in German, of course, used steam engines to run flour mill; valued family and education and didn't proselytize. During the 30s the young people became Nazis so the British expelled the entire group in 1943. The area is known for the beautiful stone architecture of the houses. Cremieux was an early (1800s) French zionist.
New address: Rechov Izhak A. Cremieux 6A, Apt 2
Jerusalem 93108
cell phone while in Israel: 972-050-843=0735
January 26, 2006
A few days ago , we did our tourist thing—visits and tours in English of the Supreme Court (Bet Hamispot) and the Parliament (Knesset). Took but #9 from Ramban street but should have taken #28 just down the street on Emik Refaim)
The Supreme Court building is a beautifully designed and realized building in modern architecture. It is located near the Knesset building. The building was designed by brother and sister architects, Ram Karmi and Ada Karmi-Melamede of Tel Aviv. (www.court.gov.il) I’ll just go into a few highlights. The Rochschilds wanted the Country to have a nice building so they paid for it.
There was a large foyer from which you enter each of the five courtrooms. On one side of the foyer are white walls and pyramidal skylights. The walls where you enter the courtrooms are very high and made of golden Jerusalem stone. At the floor level are narrow strips of mirrors which makes the stone wall look as if it is very deep ie many stories below the floor level—symbolizes the depth of justice.
The courtroom we visited (Bet) included architectural elements of the three main influences on the Israel justice system. Above the dais where three judges sit is the menorah which is the emblem of the state of Israel. The ceiling is gothic in shape representing the Christian influence. The back wall is a wooden lattice recalling the Turkish influence. On the right were dockets for defendents. On the left were seats for the press. Attorneys sit at a curved table facing the judges. There is a law clerk and reporter at a small desk in front of the judges.
The legal system of Israel owes most to the British system imposed during the mandate (1920-1948 approx). It also draws empirically on American, Turkish, and Jewish law. There are no juries—the guidelines for the “peer” part of a jury of peers in a country as diverse as Israel would boggle the best legal minds. Instead, each case is heard by three professional judges. Only one appeal is allowed. The lowest courts are the magisterial; they hear cases involving no sentence longer than 7 years or money over 2 ½ million sheckels. The district courts hear cases over that limit. Appeals are usually to the next court level; occasional cases go through two levels of appeals. A person who appeals to the Supreme Court is not required to have an attorney and may write his own appeal in his own handwriting.
One of the most famous cases was a direct hand-written one page appeal by a woman who wanted to be a pilot in the Israel Defense Force—she had been turned down because of gender. The Court upheld her case and she became a pilot.
There are fifteen justices of the Supreme Court. They are appointed by a committee which is part politicians and part professional (i.e., attorneys without political office). They retire at age 70 but usually stay on at the Court in a different capacity. The Chief Justice position comes with seniority. There are three female justices and one Arab Christian. Because Israel does not have a written constitution (like Great Britain), the Supreme Court does not have the right of judicial review; however Israel does have some guidelines which the Court adheres to and which provide guidance to the Knesset when it enacts laws. There have been two laws annulled by the Court.
Part of the effort to achieve justice is inherent in the design of the building. Lawyers enter on one floor where their library is. Justices enter on the floor above where their library is located. This is an attempt to prevent fraterization and good old boy interactions.
This may be more than you wanted to know about Israel’s legal system? U want to know about the Building. But Stan says no, you want to know about the water sculpture in the garden in the shape of a long line reflecting limited water in the desert and the Biblical verse, “ Truth shall spring up from the earth and justice will be reflected from the Heaven.”
On to the Knesset. Israel has a multi-party parliamentary system. The presidency is largely ceremonial. Most of the executive political power resides with the Prime Minister. Elections will be held February 10. People vote for a party not for a person. The party has a stratified list of potential Knesset members. The number of Knesset members from each party is determined by the percentage of votes for that party. A coalition of parties will work out who becomes Prime Minister. Elections are not geographical.
The Knesset building has a Reception Hall with three gigantic tapestries designed by Marc Chagall as well as some mosaics designed by him. The very beautiful and moving tapestries were made at the Globlin (sp?) factory in France. Security is tight—had to leave my purse in a guarded cloak room.
Jan. 24 Friday: We went to Friday night services at Kol Han Shama which is a Reform Synagogue near where we live( at end of Emek Refaim and around the corner). Very big congregation. The entire 1 1/2 hour service was sung using Appalachian sounding tunes. It was difficult to follow the service as it was entirely in Hebrew. How different from the US.
Jan 25. We want to the Conservative Congregation, Beit Knesset Moreshet Yisrael where Stan had an aliya. The Cantor Ahuva Batz was terrific and I liked the music. Stan says she is incredible with voice like an angel and a smile to match. Rabbi Adam Frank gave an interesting Devar Torah on Gaza.
New address: Rechov Izhak A. Cremieux 6A, Apt 2
Jerusalem 93108
cell phone while in Israel: 972-050-843=0735
January 26, 2006
A few days ago , we did our tourist thing—visits and tours in English of the Supreme Court (Bet Hamispot) and the Parliament (Knesset). Took but #9 from Ramban street but should have taken #28 just down the street on Emik Refaim)
The Supreme Court building is a beautifully designed and realized building in modern architecture. It is located near the Knesset building. The building was designed by brother and sister architects, Ram Karmi and Ada Karmi-Melamede of Tel Aviv. (www.court.gov.il) I’ll just go into a few highlights. The Rochschilds wanted the Country to have a nice building so they paid for it.
There was a large foyer from which you enter each of the five courtrooms. On one side of the foyer are white walls and pyramidal skylights. The walls where you enter the courtrooms are very high and made of golden Jerusalem stone. At the floor level are narrow strips of mirrors which makes the stone wall look as if it is very deep ie many stories below the floor level—symbolizes the depth of justice.
The courtroom we visited (Bet) included architectural elements of the three main influences on the Israel justice system. Above the dais where three judges sit is the menorah which is the emblem of the state of Israel. The ceiling is gothic in shape representing the Christian influence. The back wall is a wooden lattice recalling the Turkish influence. On the right were dockets for defendents. On the left were seats for the press. Attorneys sit at a curved table facing the judges. There is a law clerk and reporter at a small desk in front of the judges.
The legal system of Israel owes most to the British system imposed during the mandate (1920-1948 approx). It also draws empirically on American, Turkish, and Jewish law. There are no juries—the guidelines for the “peer” part of a jury of peers in a country as diverse as Israel would boggle the best legal minds. Instead, each case is heard by three professional judges. Only one appeal is allowed. The lowest courts are the magisterial; they hear cases involving no sentence longer than 7 years or money over 2 ½ million sheckels. The district courts hear cases over that limit. Appeals are usually to the next court level; occasional cases go through two levels of appeals. A person who appeals to the Supreme Court is not required to have an attorney and may write his own appeal in his own handwriting.
One of the most famous cases was a direct hand-written one page appeal by a woman who wanted to be a pilot in the Israel Defense Force—she had been turned down because of gender. The Court upheld her case and she became a pilot.
There are fifteen justices of the Supreme Court. They are appointed by a committee which is part politicians and part professional (i.e., attorneys without political office). They retire at age 70 but usually stay on at the Court in a different capacity. The Chief Justice position comes with seniority. There are three female justices and one Arab Christian. Because Israel does not have a written constitution (like Great Britain), the Supreme Court does not have the right of judicial review; however Israel does have some guidelines which the Court adheres to and which provide guidance to the Knesset when it enacts laws. There have been two laws annulled by the Court.
Part of the effort to achieve justice is inherent in the design of the building. Lawyers enter on one floor where their library is. Justices enter on the floor above where their library is located. This is an attempt to prevent fraterization and good old boy interactions.
This may be more than you wanted to know about Israel’s legal system? U want to know about the Building. But Stan says no, you want to know about the water sculpture in the garden in the shape of a long line reflecting limited water in the desert and the Biblical verse, “ Truth shall spring up from the earth and justice will be reflected from the Heaven.”
On to the Knesset. Israel has a multi-party parliamentary system. The presidency is largely ceremonial. Most of the executive political power resides with the Prime Minister. Elections will be held February 10. People vote for a party not for a person. The party has a stratified list of potential Knesset members. The number of Knesset members from each party is determined by the percentage of votes for that party. A coalition of parties will work out who becomes Prime Minister. Elections are not geographical.
The Knesset building has a Reception Hall with three gigantic tapestries designed by Marc Chagall as well as some mosaics designed by him. The very beautiful and moving tapestries were made at the Globlin (sp?) factory in France. Security is tight—had to leave my purse in a guarded cloak room.
Jan. 24 Friday: We went to Friday night services at Kol Han Shama which is a Reform Synagogue near where we live( at end of Emek Refaim and around the corner). Very big congregation. The entire 1 1/2 hour service was sung using Appalachian sounding tunes. It was difficult to follow the service as it was entirely in Hebrew. How different from the US.
Jan 25. We want to the Conservative Congregation, Beit Knesset Moreshet Yisrael where Stan had an aliya. The Cantor Ahuva Batz was terrific and I liked the music. Stan says she is incredible with voice like an angel and a smile to match. Rabbi Adam Frank gave an interesting Devar Torah on Gaza.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Big trip to Israel:
Left Jan. 15 on United to London. We got lucky and were assigned to economy Plus seating with really more side and leg room but they kept track of what we –paid so we had regular economy food. In Heathrow airport we had a 5-hour layover --enough time to have a real English breakfast of sunny side up eggs, beans, a mushroom, broiled tomato. Umm yummy but easily avoided next time. British Midlines, BMI, flew to Israel on a nice flight. Passengers clapped as we set down on the runway—this usually happens whenever we land in Israel.
Jan 16 we arrived Friday night at Ben Gurion Airport and got “Nesher” van service to our place. Rule is you will be always the last to be dropped off but incredibly postponed for this trip. Landlords meet us and were very nice showing all the unusual features, heating, door deadbolt lock better than a bank vault, washing machine that uses a cup of water per load, and of course all the kosher necessities. We have separate dishes, and pots (we brought the meat utensils and, our one pan) separate sinks, sponges. stove burners. I (Roberta) look on this as a general adjustment to the customs of the host country—much like taking off shoes on entering a German household or not wearing short shorts in a Catholic cathedral or mens’ hats off in a Christian church, on in a synagogue..
The apartment on Rechov Cremieux 6A, #2 is one very quiet, narrow, shaded-- street where the current Prime Minister Omert bought a big house for 1.5M Shekels (NIS), but was worth 4M NIS. Difference was sweetheart deal with someone. And contributed to his legal trouble and early demise as Prime Minister. The area is called the German Colony (Ha Moshavah Germanit) because it was settled in the late 1800s by German evangelical Christians. During the 1930s they became Nazis and were expelled by the British who ruled the area as a League of Nations Mandate. When Germany paid reparations to Israel, it subtracted compensation for these Germans whose exit had nothing to do with the independent state of Israel. Such are the ironies of history.
Roberta’s sister Steffi’s friend here in Jerusalem, Jeff Finger, did a very nice thing for us. He dropped off some food for us before Shabbat in our apartment so we have something to eat Shabbat morning and lunch. This was so helpful as all commercial enterprises close for the Sabbath from Friday afternoon through Saturday evening.
Jan 17 Saturday. Got up early and went to Conservative Synagogue and heard a great sermon by Rabbi Frank. He was talking about criticism of Israel in Gaza—he supported the expression of criticism but felt it would be more valid coming from people with knowledge of the history and cultures in this area. Afterwards we went on a long walk to window-shop some art and Judaic a--shops all closed. Very quiet in Jerusalem on Shabbat—very few cars which cuts down ambient noise a lot. Buses don’t run.
Jan. 18 Sunday: In evening we went to a Conference at the Van Meer Center for Conflict Resolution on Jabonisky Street. After walking 20 minutes to get there we saw incredible security around the Prime Minister Official Residence with police, army and plainclothesmen everywhere blocking traffic in many locations. Later we found out it was for a dinner for the Prime Ministers of France Sarkosy, of Czech Republic, of Germany Merckel and others. There was so much excitement that we walked past the Center twice and thus failed to find it. This was a first for Stan and please don’t tell anyone about it.
More to follow soon
Left Jan. 15 on United to London. We got lucky and were assigned to economy Plus seating with really more side and leg room but they kept track of what we –paid so we had regular economy food. In Heathrow airport we had a 5-hour layover --enough time to have a real English breakfast of sunny side up eggs, beans, a mushroom, broiled tomato. Umm yummy but easily avoided next time. British Midlines, BMI, flew to Israel on a nice flight. Passengers clapped as we set down on the runway—this usually happens whenever we land in Israel.
Jan 16 we arrived Friday night at Ben Gurion Airport and got “Nesher” van service to our place. Rule is you will be always the last to be dropped off but incredibly postponed for this trip. Landlords meet us and were very nice showing all the unusual features, heating, door deadbolt lock better than a bank vault, washing machine that uses a cup of water per load, and of course all the kosher necessities. We have separate dishes, and pots (we brought the meat utensils and, our one pan) separate sinks, sponges. stove burners. I (Roberta) look on this as a general adjustment to the customs of the host country—much like taking off shoes on entering a German household or not wearing short shorts in a Catholic cathedral or mens’ hats off in a Christian church, on in a synagogue..
The apartment on Rechov Cremieux 6A, #2 is one very quiet, narrow, shaded-- street where the current Prime Minister Omert bought a big house for 1.5M Shekels (NIS), but was worth 4M NIS. Difference was sweetheart deal with someone. And contributed to his legal trouble and early demise as Prime Minister. The area is called the German Colony (Ha Moshavah Germanit) because it was settled in the late 1800s by German evangelical Christians. During the 1930s they became Nazis and were expelled by the British who ruled the area as a League of Nations Mandate. When Germany paid reparations to Israel, it subtracted compensation for these Germans whose exit had nothing to do with the independent state of Israel. Such are the ironies of history.
Roberta’s sister Steffi’s friend here in Jerusalem, Jeff Finger, did a very nice thing for us. He dropped off some food for us before Shabbat in our apartment so we have something to eat Shabbat morning and lunch. This was so helpful as all commercial enterprises close for the Sabbath from Friday afternoon through Saturday evening.
Jan 17 Saturday. Got up early and went to Conservative Synagogue and heard a great sermon by Rabbi Frank. He was talking about criticism of Israel in Gaza—he supported the expression of criticism but felt it would be more valid coming from people with knowledge of the history and cultures in this area. Afterwards we went on a long walk to window-shop some art and Judaic a--shops all closed. Very quiet in Jerusalem on Shabbat—very few cars which cuts down ambient noise a lot. Buses don’t run.
Jan. 18 Sunday: In evening we went to a Conference at the Van Meer Center for Conflict Resolution on Jabonisky Street. After walking 20 minutes to get there we saw incredible security around the Prime Minister Official Residence with police, army and plainclothesmen everywhere blocking traffic in many locations. Later we found out it was for a dinner for the Prime Ministers of France Sarkosy, of Czech Republic, of Germany Merckel and others. There was so much excitement that we walked past the Center twice and thus failed to find it. This was a first for Stan and please don’t tell anyone about it.
More to follow soon
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