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Women of the Wall-N'shot haKotel
This past Monday was Rosh Hodesh Av, and the WOW organization, was at the Kotel to hold their monthly service. Besides the prayer service (beautiful tunes, by the way), there are two distinct things that you can hear in the background: one is a repeated comment about how WOW is treated, especially at the time of year when the rabbis concluded that the Second Temple was destroyed because of Sinat Chinam - baseless hatred amongst ourselves. The second thing that you will hear is the persistent noise of what might be sirens. Nope. It's Orthodox men and women blowing shrill whistles in an attempt to drown out those participating in the Women of the Wall service or to cause them discomfort, if not hearing damage.
Separately, our member, Dr. Matt Fermaglich, who was in Israel with his family until today, sent me this email: I want to report my informal "survey" of a cross section of secular Israelis re The Wall. They all support the status quo & are unhappy with American & outside meddling. Their position is that if you want to change that system you need to come here, become a citizen & vote.
That is very much the sentiment that was expressed by Yitzhak Rabin, when he spoke to several thousand University students in Manhattan about 40 years ago, when he encouraged us to make Aliyah. My own secular Israeli relatives and friends don't seem to care very much about the Kotel, and rarely, if ever, visit it.
One way or the other, it seems to me that if successive Israeli governments are so reliant on American Jews-- largely, Conservative and Reform Jews, and not Orthodox Jews - to lobby Congress and the President for everything from opposing the sale of AWACS to Saudi Arabia (a few decades ago), to renewed sanctions on Iran and pending national BDS legislation, they might show greater respect and consideration for matters that are important to us.
Click here for video.
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External Security Issues
This does not portend well:
On Tuesday afternoon the House of Representatives passed bipartisan legislation that strengthens sanctions targeting Iran's ballistic program, human rights abuses, illicit conventional weapons trade and destabilizing actions in the Middle East. The Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act passed in an overwhelming 419-3 vote. The Senate overwhelmingly passed similar bi-partisan legislation on June 15, but it will need to vote on this House version before it goes to the President's desk for his signature.
And here is some other good news...hopefully:
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BDS
Radiohead Concert in Tel Aviv Draws 47,000
To say the least, Mondoweiss is anti-Israel, if not anti-Semitic. It may be upsetting for you to read this, but you need to know that it's out there. (And if, indeed, AIPAC was so influential, how come those AWACS that's all to Saudi Arabia, and how come the JCPOA - the Iran nuclear deal - was approved by Congress?).
Crossing AIPAC Leaves Writers Smeared, Politicians' Careers 'Suddenly Stalled'
The "grip" of AIPAC is so complete that writers who challenge it are smeared as "anti-Semites" and politicians who buck it "see their careers suddenly stalled," Andrew Sullivan says in denouncing Schumer for leading the charge on the "creeping authoritarianism" of the Israel Anti-Boycott Act before Congress
Fake Ruckus About a Phony Israel Anti-Boycott Law
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Odds and Ends
While this is not about art being restored to a Jewish family, it does bear a strong resemblance to Woman in Gold:
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$4,999 per person* - flights to Krakow and from Israel are not included - land only ($1,108 - Single Supplement)
A deposit of $500 will guarantee you a place on the trip. Space is limited.
Cost covers two nights in Krakow, two nights in Warsaw, two nights in Jerusalem, two nights in Tel Aviv, most meals, all programming expenses, tips, flight from Krakow to Tel Aviv. $1,000 minimum gift per household to the 2018 Annual Campaign of Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey. Travel extensions available for an additional cost.
*based on double occupancy and number of participants For more information or to register, contact
Jane A. Sherwood | JaneS@jfnnj.org | 201-820-3962
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TORAH Page 981 HAFTARAH Page 998
D'VARIM
In a series of three lengthy and final discourses that comprise the book of Deuteronomy, Moses reviews Israelite history from the time of the Exodus, repeats and expands upon many of the commandments, and admonishes the people to remain faithful to God and His Torah.
The Israelites left the area around Mount Sinai with the objective of conquering Canaan shortly thereafter. To assist Moses in his manifold duties, judges and other administrators were appointed. Following the disheartening report of ten of twelve spies sent into Canaan the people refuse to embark on the conquest. In view of this, God decrees that the generation of the Exodus (with the exception of Joshua and Caleb) will wander in the wilderness for thirty-eight years until they die out; their children will inhabit the Promised Land.
The Israelites were enjoined from attacking the Edomites (descendants of Esau), and the Moabites and Canaanites (descendants of Lot). They did, however, defeat Sihon, the Amorite king, and Og, the King of Bashan. Their lands were divided between Reuben, Gad and half the tribe of Menasseh, who settled on the eastern side of the Jordan River.
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