Tel Aviv Residential Group Homes

Israel has many of the same cultural and social issues that existed in my native United States. Sadly, one challenge facing this new country is the problem of children at risk. Thousands of young people in this nation live in homes where abuse is prevalent. Drug addiction is a problem in our homeland, physical abuse and neglect are common, and incidents of sexual harassment occur. Many parents work two jobs as is too often the case in America. Children, therefore, may have their educations neglected and their social supports are often inadequate. Programs exist to give youth from very challenging homes an alternative lifestyle and brighter future. I visited the Tel Aviv Residential Group Homes recently to obtain information for the readers about their wonderful efforts to provide support for 150 youngsters. The children come from Jewish, Christian, and Muslim backgrounds. Some are from immigrant backgrounds including Eritrea.

My career in The United States was to publicize programs for people with disabilities from age sixteen to sixty and youth from challenged families. Some of these individuals lived in supervised settings. Many lived in private homes. This was my first experience learning about programs for youth (ages ranged from six to eighteen) in Israel.  Is there a greater Mitzvah than offering youngsters, who are so young of age, a chance to build decent lives? The goal of the program is to empower the children and integrate them in to society through a normative and supportive home life.

To quote director Orit, “The residential group facility places the young individual in the center of the educational and emotional care. We believe that every child can advance and realize his/her potential. We give these kids the opportunity to do just that!” 

The home is located in a quiet and pleasant residential part of Tel Aviv. The children live two to three in a room and receive around-the-clock care from thirty dedicated professionals. There are several buildings which are divided by age groups. The residents attend thirty to forty schools throughout the city. “We have our youngsters attend the same schools that they attended prior to coming to live with us,” explains administrator Dafna. "The program strongly promotes continuity. Family home visits take place twice a month".

"The residential center provides all the child’s basic needs plus assistance with school work, 'Chugim' or extra curricular, social programs and sports groups, as well as counseling on social and familial issues. There are also supplementary activities for those who excel in sports, computers, and the arts which are financed by private contributions. Special efforts are made for people with disabilities".

Most of the youngsters leave the residential home at the age of eighteen to serve in the Israeli Defense Forces. Contact is still maintained and a special apartment is available for some of the graduates with no homes outside of the military.

The program is more than sixty years old and was founded by Israel Rokach - the first mayor of Tel Aviv. Funding for is provided by both the City of Tel Aviv Ministry of Welfare and private donations. Staff are both paid and volunteer. To learn more please respond to this post.

The Torah, Talmud and other Jewish Writings

The greatest mistake that I have made in my life was to wait until the age of sixty to study the holy teachings of my faith Judaism, passionately. I am blessed to live in Haifa, Israel, in the land where our ancestors gave us the greatest gift possible, that of our spirituality. The purpose of this post is to educate, not promote debates or controversy. I am writing this from my own personal perspective as a fervent believer in the Jewish religion.

The concept of one G-d has its roots in the land of Canaan. The three major monotheistic faiths: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam trace their roots back to this wonderful nation. Haifa, "The City of Peaceful Co-existence" is a incredible place in which to study Judaism and the faiths of others. Jews, Christians, Muslims and others live together fairly well in the final resting place of Elijah The Prophet and world center of The Baha'i.

I have studied the Talmud at a Kollel or adult Orthodox study program. My Masorti or conservative congregation offers classes in the Kaballah, The Talmud, and the Old Testament. You will see me once or twice a week at our local Chabad center where I learn the Torah. I have studied the New Testament with Christian friends to better understand and respect my neighbors. I believe that my love for my own faith is strengthened by learning about the beliefs of others. Judaism calls for us to respect and reach out to our neighbors. Hillel, when asked by a prospective convert to Judaism to teach him the whole Torah while he stood on one leg, replied: 'That which is hateful unto you do not do to your neighbor. This is the whole of the Torah, the rest is commentary. Go forth and study.'

I and my family before me are lifelong followers of the Masorti or conservative stream of Judaism. It represents a “third” way; not secular Judaism; not ultra-Orthodoxy; but a Jewish life that integrates secular beliefs - Halakhah with inclusion and egalitarianism. Masorti (tradition) followers recognize the realities of today’s world. There are more than two million of us most of whom are found in The United States.

The Torah is the first part of the most holy scripture of Judaism - the Tanach or Old Testament, where (in Judaism) the law of God as revealed to Moses is recorded in the first five books of the Hebrew scriptures (the Pentateuch). The five books of the Torah start with the world's beginnings and end as the Jewish people prepare to enter the land of Israel.

The Tanach or Old Testament consists of three divisions--the Torah and the Prophets and the Writings.The name Tanakh is an acronym of the first Hebrew letter of each of the Masoretic Text's three traditional subdivisions: Torah ("Teaching", also known as the Five Books of Moses), Nevi'im ("Prophets") and Ketuvim ("Writings")—hence TaNaKh.

The Oral Torah consists of the traditional interpretations and amplifications handed down by word of mouth from generation to generation and now embodied in the Talmud and Midrash. They are written compilations of Jewish teachings, laws, and legal case studies. The Torah contains narratives, statements of law, and statements of ethics. Collectively these laws, usually called biblical law or commandments, are sometimes referred to as the Law of Moses. These laws were the first part of the Torah. I am amazed at the complexity of depth of knowledge in the Talmud. It is possible to review and discuss one paragraph of the great body of knowledge for hours or yes, even days! For the sages of the Mishnah and Talmud, and for their successors today, the study of Torah was not merely a means to learn the contents of God's revelation, but an end in itself. 'We study to learn' is a common phrase used to describe this concept in Judaism. Traditional Judaism is a knowledge based faith.

The concept of One G-D was given to Moses and the Jewish people. Followers of Judaism were chosen to promote and protect the teachings and values of our faith. Humble servants of the universal creator are expected to follow the values of the Torah in all aspects of our lives. Moses was known for his humility. Jews believe that he was the most humble of all people. He was blessed to receive the holy laws due to his kind and gentle spirit. Moses is referred to by the Hebrew word Anav or meek. The word signifies complete gentleness and devotion to the One G-d, which is the heart of Judaism. My greatest challenge in life is learning to accept the fact that my actions are guided from above.

According to traditional Judaism, all of the laws found in the Torah, both written and oral, were given by G-d to Moses, some of them at Mount Sinai and most of them at the Tabernacle. All the teachings were later compiled and written down by Moses, which resulted in the Torah that we have today. It is believed that the Torah was created prior to the creation of the world, and was used as the blueprint for Creation. Most Modern biblical scholars believe that the written books were a product of the Babylonian exiled period (c.600 BCE) and that it was completed by the Persian period (c.400 BCE). The written compilations were in great part a response to the destruction of the Second Jewish Temple and subsequent exile of the Jewish people from ancient Israel. In the days of the first and second Temples, Judaism was an oral faith centered in ancient Jerusalem. Two thousand years ago Jews were expected to pray in The Temple. According to classical Jewish belief, the Temple acted as the figurative "footstool" of G-D's presence and a Third Temple will be built there in the future. Many of us believe that Israel is the Third Temple.

For thousands of years Jews have been studying texts in pairs or in groups, respectfully debating each other, and learning the stories and legal texts of Judaism. The study of the Torah and other texts in groups is believed to enhance the ability to learn and promote unity. Some people condense what they have learned about a certain subject into a d'var Torah, or a brief sermon, to help share knowledge with others. The 613 mitzvot (laws) direct the Jewish people in their actions of daily life and their beliefs including moral and ethical behavior. The Torah's importance can be seen in its use throughout daily life. Traditional Jews pray three times daily.

Another demonstration the importance of the Torah is seen in the display of the mezuzah.

 

The mezuzah is a small container displayed on the front door of many Jewish homes. It contains a prayer called the Shema which is taken directly from scriptures in the Torah... Shema Yisrael (or Sh'ma Yisrael). "Hear, [O] Israel") are the first two words of a section of the Torah, and are the title (sometimes shortened to simply "Shema") of a prayer that serves as a centerpiece of the morning and evening Jewish prayer services. The first verse encapsulates the monotheistic essence of Judaism: "Hear, O Israel: the Lord is our God, the Lord is one," found in Deuteronomy 6:4 . The Shema is the most important prayer in Judaism. It should be said at least three times daily.

My Talmud classes are particularly interesting to me. I study in an Orthodox Kollel with three English speaking partners and mentors. A Kollel is an institute for Talmud study and the study of other Jewish literature for male adults. None of us is dressed in black or has beards. Yet, the other "students" at the Kollel accept us and warmly assist us at all times. The Rabbi even offered to plan a "Shiduch" or arranged marriage for me!

I also learn Talmud at my Masorti congregation. Our teacher is a women professor at The University of Haifa. Women are in positions of leadership in our movement and some are Rabbis. We study the same Talmud but one could argue that interpretations are more liberal in the Masorti movement than in Orthodox Judaism. We study to learn and I enjoy the classes immensely. Judaism, as in other faiths has different streams and of course different views and thoughts within each. Yes, there can be differences, even tension, between them, but the belief in one universal creator is shared between us. We may study the holy writings from different perspectives but perpetuating study, in my opinion, is far more important than varying interpretations. The Jewish people have returned to our ancient homeland where we can study and celebrate our faith in our ancestral and spiritual center.





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Exercise, Dining and Fitness in Haifa Israel.

Inbal is the name of my favorite server at The Kapiot Cafe in Haifa. I enjoy the oogiot riba or jelly cookies at our local pub. I am a sixty five year old man with just a bit of a pot belly. Inbal is a twenty one year old resident of Haifa who is a student in dance and fitness buff. She works at the Kapiot once a week. She admonishes me often to eat better and exercise daily. "You must take care of yourself at your age, sir" she lectures me in a well meaning way. "There are several health clubs in our neighborhood, Earl". My definition of exercise is an Activity requiring physical effort, carried out especially to sustain or improve health and fitness.




Israelis like much of the world seem obsessed with health and fitness issues. Good for them. However, like much of the world, a lot of it is just talk. I am wrote this story while watching a smoking area filled with customers, more than an ample number of customers eating oogiot, and a very busy bartender serving lots of beer and peanuts. Statistics claim that only twenty five percent of Israelis are overweight, a figure far lower than Americans. Yet, I still see lots of pot bellies wherever I go in Haifa.

Haifa has the same health services as in The United States. We have several health clubs, several massage clubs, Pilate's studios, and a community park with an outdoor walking trail. Massage, whirlpool, and steam rooms. There are public swimming pools, hiking clubs, the beautiful sea, and organized sports activities for all ages. Football (soccer), basketball, swimming, tennis, and judo are the most popular sports. Inbal explained to me that our skin is the largest organ in our body and needs to be treated properly. I have learned to drink lots of water. I am a big believer in massage, whirlpool treatments, steam rooms, and pedicures.

I have been pleasantly surprised as an immigrant to Israel that most of the services that I enjoyed in America are available here in Israel. We can get a massage, enjoy a whirlpool, steam a bit, walk along a beautiful trail and then enjoy a Big Mac or visit Pizza Hut. Attitudes toward exercise are not all that different as in America. It is easier to say that you will do something than to actually do it.

The Baha'i World Centre in Haifa Israel

The Bab's Tomb

Haifa has a multicultural and multi religious population of 260,000, with a Jewish prevalence (91%). The well-integrated Arab minority is Christian (4.5%), Muslim (3.5%) and Druze (1%). Road signs in Cyrillic, alongside Hebrew, Arabic and English, are signs of the extensive Russian community here (25%). It is known as the city of peaceful coextensive and the third largest city in Israel. I am blessed to live in the Mercaz (central) community in Haifa. The community includes some middle class and upscale housing, several swank hotels, the city zoo, and of course the world famous Baha'i Gardens.


There is a popular expression in Israel: “In JERUSALEM people pray, in HAIFA they work, in TEL AVIV they have fun”. Haifa gives the impression of a world light-years away from the religiosity of Jerusalem and the skyscrapers of Tel Aviv. Here everything is different; the city is positioned on top of a magnificent bay, and although the typical white stone that is characteristic of the whole country prevails, the buildings and skyscrapers have a variety of styles, and the port is busy with bustling commerce. The many industries in the area are mainly concentrated in the so called Krayot, surrounding villages. The city is dotted with gardens. The most prominent is at the world center of the Baha'i religion, with the tombs of the Bab (Mirza Muhammad Ali) and Abbas Efendi, son and successor of the founder of the faith, Baha'ullah. The presence of the Baha'i for so long persecuted in various Middle East countries, is evidence of the tolerant social fabric of this city.

Haifa is the international headquarters for the Baha'i Faith, which began midst persecution in Persia in the mid-19th century. Baha'i s believe in the unity of all religions and believe that messengers of God like Moses, Jesus and Muhammad have been sent at different times in history with doctrines varying to fit changing social needs, but bringing substantially the same message.

The most recent of these heavenly teachers, according to the Baha'i s, was Baha'ullah (1817-92), whose arrival was heralded by the Bab. Baha'ullah was exiled by the Turkish authorities to Acre (Akko), where he wrote his doctrines and died in peace at the Bahji House.

The Bab's remains were hidden for years after he died a martyr's death in front of a firing squad in 1850. Eventually, the Bab's remains were secretly carried to the Holy Land. During one of his visits to Haifa in 1890, Baha'ullah pointed out to his son the spot on Mount Carmel where the remains of the Bab should be laid to rest in a befitting tomb.

At first, the Bab's tomb was housed in a simple six-room stone building, constructed in 1899-1909. In 1921, the Baha'i leader Abdu'l-Bahá (eldest son of Baha'ullah) was also buried in the shrine.

In 1948-53, Shoghi Effendi oversaw a major enlargement to the shrine designed in the Neo-Classical style by architect William Sutherland Maxwell. The Seat of the Universal House of Justice, where the governing body of the Baha'i Faith meets, was added in 1975-83. Also Neo-Classical in style, it was designed by architect Husayn Amanat.

The famous Baha'i Gardens (a.k.a. Terraced Gardens) were designed by architect Fariborz Sahba and constructed between 1990 and 2001.   In 2008, UNESCO named the Baha'i Shrine a World Heritage Site along with the shrine and tomb of Baha'u'llah in Acre.

I enjoy wandering around my community, visiting the zoo, taking the daily tour of the gardens in English, visiting the Cinameteque theater and several museums which are in the mercaz, and of course eating. The Mercaz houses several high quality restaurants as well as your expected McDonald’s and lots of pizza and falafel shops.

My favorite gift shop in the area is Ahuva Art & Craft owned by Ahuva Kahana. The word Ahuva means beloved in English. She has been creating, designing and marketing jewelry and gifts since 1976. The store distributes art and jewelry items of her original design and of other Israeli artists. She originated the idea of opening a gift shop in Haifa to meet the needs of the believers of the Baha’i faith, Jews, Christians and other groups. The gift shop is located  just a short walk from the Baha’i Shrine and Gardens.  It is just one example of the dual-cultural nature of Haifa. This wonderful metropolis has indeed earned its reputation as The City of Peaceful Coexistence. 

The Importance of Hanukkah.

Hanukkah is one of the most and misunderstood holidays of Judaism. I am looking forward to celebrating the festive occasion with my Chabad friends in my home of Haifa Israel. We have just started a Jewish study group for English speakers in our community. This will be our first Hanukkah together in the land where it all started.

The eight-day Jewish celebration known as Hanukkah or Chanukah commemorates the re -dedication during the second century BCE of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, where according to legend Jews had risen up against their Greek-Syrian oppressors in the Maccabees Revolt. Hanukkah, which means "dedication" in Hebrew, begins on the 25th of Kislev on the Hebrew calendar and usually falls in November or December. The timing is based on the ancient lunar calendar. The celebration is based on events that occurred on about the year 200 BCE. However, there are no written records of any holiday observance of Hanukkah until about 500 years later, in the Talmud. Christmas, was not officially celebrated on December 25th until the third century. I have learned from studying both the old and new testament in Haifa that there is no certainty that the date of either is exact. The spiritual significance of the holidays is what is important and should be celebrated and coveted.

The Festival of Lights holiday is celebrated with the lighting of the menorah, traditional foods, games and gifts. Many Jews and non- Jews consider the holiday to have special significance with the return of the Jewish people to the land of our roots. Many of us in Israel and elsewhere consider Israel to be the third "Bayit" (home) or Temple.

According to the Tanakh, Solomon's Temple was built atop the Temple Mount in the 10th century BCE and destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE. The Second Temple was completed and dedicated in 516 BCE. Two thousand years ago Jews were expected to pray in The Temple. According to classical Jewish belief, the Temple acted as the figurative "footstool" of God's presence and a Third Temple will be built there in the future. Traditionally, Jerusalem has been the focus of longing for Diaspora Jews who were forced from their land and the Temple of their God. Psalm 137 is the well-known lament of the Babylonian Jews who wept "by the rivers of Babylon" and declared, "If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand wither."

The History of Hanukkah

The events that inspired the Hanukkah holiday took place during a particularly turbulent phase of Jewish history. Around 200 BCE, Judea region —also known as the Land of Israel—came under the control of Antiochus III, the Seleucid king of Syria, who allowed the Jews who lived there to continue practicing their religion. His son, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, proved less benevolent: Ancient sources recount that he outlawed the Jewish religion and ordered the Jews to worship Greek gods. In 168 BCE, his soldiers descended upon Jerusalem, massacring thousands of people and desecrating the city’s holy Second Temple by erecting an altar to Zeus and sacrificing pigs within its sacred walls.

Led by the Jewish priest Mattathias and his five sons, a large-scale rebellion broke out against Antiochus and the Seleucid monarchy. When Matthathias died in 166 BCE, his son Judah, known as Judah Maccabee (“the Hammer”), took the helm; within two years the Jews had successfully driven the Syrians out of Jerusalem, relying largely on guerrilla warfare tactics.

For an entire generation, the ancient Judeans waged a struggle for freedom, which, in terms of intensity, has almost no parallel in human history. It was among the first recorded wars of liberation and it laid a model for nearly every revolution that followed. With an unbreakable faith and willingness to sacrifice, a handful of valiant Hebrew fighters forged the eternal covenant that resistance to tyranny is the highest and truest service to the universal creator and the highest moral value. Judah called on his followers to cleanse the Second Temple, rebuild its altar and light its menorah—the gold candelabrum of which seven branches represented knowledge and creation and were meant to be kept burning every night.

The Hanukkah "Miracle"

According to the Talmud, one of Judaism’s most central texts, Judah Maccabee and the other Jews who took part in the re-dedication of the Second Temple witnessed what they believed to be a miracle. Even though there was only enough untainted olive oil to keep the menorah’s candles burning for a single day, the flames continued flickering for eight nights, leaving them time to find a fresh supply. This wondrous event inspired the Jewish sages to proclaim a yearly eight-day festival. .

Jewish families across the world are celebrating this Inspiring holiday. Our children enjoy spinning dreidels, lighting menorahs and opening presents on the first night of Hanukkah. I enjoyed eating "Sufganiot" or donuts at the Dan Panorama Mall in Haifa. This is holiday tradition that our of us enjoy. Jewish and non Jewish children sing holiday ballads for mall visitors - many of them visitors from all over the world!

On the first night of Hanukkah, Jewish families began by lighting the menorah, the nine-branched candelabra. Two candles are lit on the first night: the shamash (the helper candle, which is usually the tallest) and one other. On the second night, the shamash and two other candles are lit, on the third, the shamash and three others are lit, etc. This continues for eight nights. To pay homage to the miracle which kept the oil burning, it is typical to eat fried foods such as latkes (potato pancakes) and jelly doughnuts. Children play dreidels (spinning tops), open gifts, eat gelt (chocolate coins) and families say prayers together. It is also customary to increase the amount given to charity during the holiday.

Nearly two thousand years after Judah led his successful revolt, the Jewish people are again free to practice our faith in "The Third Temple". This year marked the sixty fifth of our return to the place where it all started. Hopefully, we will all understand that the greatest message and truest message of Hanukkah is that freedom is worth any price that needs to be paid. Next year in Jerusalem is now!

Tour of Jerusalem.

I just completed a wonderful visit to Jerusalem for the Hanukkah holiday. It is still a thrill each time that I tour the holiest and most fascinating city on earth. My home is in Haifa, but the City of Gold is just a two hour bus ride from my front door.

My favorite trip in this glorious nation is to Israel's capital. I always visit the Tower of David, where King David composed the 23rd psalm. The Tower of David (Hebrew: מגדל דוד‎, Migdal David, Arabic: برج داود‎, Burj Daud) is an ancient citadel located near the Jaffa Gate entrance to the Old City of Jerusalem.

Built to strengthen a strategically weak point in the Old City's defenses, the citadel that stands today has ancient foundations and was constructed during the 2nd century BC and subsequently destroyed and rebuilt by, in succession, the Christian, Muslim, Mamluk, and Ottoman conquerors of Jerusalem. It contains important archaeological finds dating back 2,700 years, and is a popular venue for benefit events, craft shows, concerts, and sound-and-light performances. The name "Tower of David" is due to Byzantine Christians who believed the site to be the palace of King David.[1] They borrowed the name "Tower of David" from the Song of Songs, attributed to Solomon, King David's son, who wrote: "Thy neck is like the Tower of David built with turrets, whereon there hang a thousand shields, all the armor of the mighty men." (Song of Songs, 4:4)

 

This week's visit was joyous. The museum was filled with visitors from all over the world. Christians from Belgium, Muslims from Haifa, and Jews from Israel and abroad shared the almost mystic spirit of the shrine and the holiday atmosphere of Hanukkah. The area of the holy sites has upscale shopping, cafes, educational campuses and spiritual centers. It was Hanukkah and therefore Sufganiot or donuts were everywhere. Fried foods are a holiday tradition, a reference to the oil that miraculously burned for eight days.

I dined at a beloved Arab restaurant, and enjoyed the cuisine of traditional Arab cooking accompanied by a Miller Light. Then, I crossed the street towards The Tomb of Jesus, where I am always inspired by the visit. It still amazes me that the distance between The Tower of David, my favorite restaurant and the Tomb of Jesus is just a few minutes walk. The Western Wall,or Kotel was the highlight of the tour. It is a remnant of the ancient wall that surrounded the Jewish Temple's courtyard, and is one of the most sacred sites in Judaism outside of the Temple Mount itself. According to the Tanakh, Solomon's Temple was built atop the Temple Mount in the 10th century BCE and destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE. The Second Temple was completed and dedicated in 516 BCE. Two thousand years ago Jews were expected to pray in The Temple. According to classical Jewish belief, the Temple acted as the figurative "footstool" of God's presence and a Third Temple will be built there in the future.

My first trip to Jerusalem was seven years ago. I was accompanied by my cousin Chaya, which is the Hebrew female name for life. Life has very special meaning to the people of Israel. We must never forget the Holocaust. Six million lost souls who died for the "crime" of praying in a Synagogue. Twenty thousand souls have perished defending this small and brave nation. Israel is a nation of only seven million citizens.

Chaya is Jewish Orthodox and by the age of thirty had six wonderful children. She is also an American Olah or immigrant to Israel. Her family immigrated to Israel two decades ago. Their intention was to be in the holiest city in the holiest nation on earth. My pride and joy is her now eight year old son, Elchanan. He is a handsome, brilliant, and very precocious young man with dark hair, brown eyes, and a very enchanting but somewhat sly smile. His mom refers to him as a walking Chamsin (turbulent storm), and his proud grandma jokes that he is Israel’s greatest threat to stability!

Chaya, like most residents of the holy city takes great pride in giving guided tours of her beloved metropolis.

During my visit, we enjoyed touring the city on Israel’s double decker bus 99. El Chanon managed to get into everything and talk to everyone to the merriment of all, including our bus driver Haim. He has been a resident of the city for forty years. Chaim told us in great detail about his recently born and first grandson. We were enthralled to hear a Druze visitor from the North tell us about his families support of the Jewish Yishuv during Israel's War of Independence in 1948. We chatted with a group of Christian pilgrims from Belgium. They were seeing Jerusalem and neighboring Bethlehem for the first time.

The 99 bus navigates a route of both scenic and cultural interest. Mount Scopes boasts a visage encompassing the Old City, the Temple Mount and Bethlehem. As the Old City passes into the remote distance, the New City boasts iconographic sites. The Knesset houses Israel’s parliament. The Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial remembers all those that were the victims of history’s most insidious crime. The Israel Museum is a testimony to Jewish endurance and continuity of their presence in the Land of Canaan (between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea). It is also the home to one of the most impressive and famous discoveries dating back more than two thousand years. The Dead Sea Scrolls written by a group called “The Esseim” describes life in this region in the era of The Second Jewish Temple.

Jerusalem has been the holiest city in Judaism and the ancestral and spiritual homeland of the Jewish people since the 10th century BCE. It has long been embedded into Jewish religious consciousness. Jews have studied and personalized the struggle by King David to capture Jerusalem and his desire to build the Jewish Temple there, as described in the Book of Samuel and the Book of Psalms. Many of King David's yearnings about Jerusalem have been adapted into popular prayers and songs. The 23rd Psalm is my most revered. Traditionally, Jerusalem has been the focus of longing for Diaspora Jews who were forced from their land and the Temple of their God. Psalm 137 is the well-known lament of the Babylonian Jews who wept "by the rivers of Babylon" and declared, "If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand wither."

For Christians, Jerusalem's place in the life of Jesus gives it great importance. Jerusalem is considered a sacred site. The city is holy in both Sunni and Sunnite Islamic tradition, along with Mecca and Medina. Islamic tradition holds that previous prophets were associated with Jerusalem, and that the Islamic prophet Muhammad visited the city on a nocturnal journey.

The Holy City is one of the most studied and most controversial in the world. Jerusalem has great spiritual value to both Jews, Christians, and Muslims. It is a political arena as well. Should Jerusalem be the capital of the Jewish homeland, Palestinian homeland, or both? The Jewish people was denied the right to pray at our spiritual center openly and freely for two thousand years. The 1947 United Nations Mandate for Palestine made East Jerusalem an international city with guaranteed access for all. We were denied that access by Jordan until 1967. Israel is both the homeland of The Jewish people but also of Judaism. The City of Gold is its heart.We must never be denied our heritage again.

Invitation for Hanukkah Celebration! Chabad Spiritual Home for Anglos in Haifa -

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Zecharia Gonsher, his wife Liat and twins

I am sitting at The Dan Panorama Mall writing this post at my favorite café. The upscale mall houses high end clothing and jewelry stores. There are several restaurants, a beauty salon, and a pharmacy. The community Chabad center is located here as well. It is my spiritual home and favorite place to buy religious artifacts and handmade paintings and home décor. The Rabbi is named Levi Yitzchak. He is about thirty, razor thin, dark hair, and smiles consistently. He has six children ranging from eleven months to eleven years in age. My favorite is his eleven month old daughter named Devorah or bee. She already beams her father’s smile. I visit the store almost daily in the hope that the kids will be there.

In the course of two years Levi and I have discussed the need to promote English language courses in our community in various topics of Judaism. Chabad is recognized throughout the world for the superb quality of its spiritual teachings. I chose to study at a Chabad center for a year before immigrating to Israel. My classes included Talmud, Tanach or Bible, and tutoring in Hebrew. They have my deepest appreciation for their support.

What is Chabad-Lubavitch?

Chabad-Lubavitch is a major movement within mainstream Jewish tradition with its roots in the Chassidic movement of the 18th century. In Czarist and Communist Russia, the leaders of Chabad led the struggle for the survival of Torah Judaism, often facing imprisonment and relentless persecution for their activities. After the Holocaust, under the direction of Rabbi Yosef Yitzchaak Schneerson and his successor, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory, Chabad became a worldwide movement, caring for the spiritual and material needs of all Jews, wherever they could be found.

Today, over 3,000 Chabad centers are located in more than 65 countries, with a new center opening on the average every ten days. In South Africa, South America, Russia, Australia, the UK, and many parts of the USA, and of course Israel. Chabad has become a dynamic and dominant force within the Jewish community.

This week Rabbi Levi Yitzchak and I decided to act on our dream of establishing a study center for English speaking immigrants and visitors in Haifa.

We visited the Habad center in Safed to meet their leader there Eyal Riess. www.tzfat-kabbalah.org). He has decades of experience in planning and administering programs for English speaking individuals. He speaks the tongue of Shakespeare wonderfully but sounds a bit British. He actually was born and raised in Israel.


He is housed at The International Center for Tzfat Kabbalah was founded in the Old City of Safed in 2007 by the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach, Florida, in cooperation with the Israeli Ministry of Tourism and the Jewish Agency for Israel to promote Safed as a kabbalah center.

The center has a "Visitors center on the history of the Kabbalah of Safed", a lecture and study room, and a library. The center holds seminars and workshops in receipt of Safed rabbis, visitors, and local residents.


Eyal Riess (on the right), yes, with Paula Abdul!

Eyal Riess and Rabbi Levy Yitzchak have a list of English speakers from Haifa and the surrounding communities who have inquired about starting classes in our city. We added a team leader Zecharya Gonsher, who was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska. He made aliyah at the age of 28 where he met his Israeli wife through the help of a Chabad shadchanit (matchmaker). Zach earned his MSW in family clinical therapy in St Louis, MO, where he connected to Chabad. He lives in adjacent Kiryat Ata with his wife, Liat, who works as a doula, pregnancy and birthing coach, and newborn twins.

The Reform Jewish Movement has some classes in our community. My very close friend Rabbi Edgar Nof hosts a Pirke Avot group one day a week, for example. However, there are those Jews who are more oriented to other streams of Judaism. We are planning to have an open house in the fall to build a garin or seed of those interested in supporting this program. It will be sponsored at our Dan Panorama center.

On August 20th, we held our first activity. Rabbi Riess hosted and spoke at a “meet and greet”. He presented a spiritually uplifting lecture about Jewish values. We had more than two dozen participants. Most committed to attend and support further activities in our program. They did and our group has grown.

We added a crash course on Yom Kippur, our most holy day of observance on September 10th. Two days later we celebrated the holy day together. We converted the upstairs café in the mall to a bet Knesset or synagogue. Dozens of people attended prayer and thanked us for the convenience of a prayer site in our community. “Several of us are senior citizens or have medical limitations and came to pray by local homes” noted one of those attended our make shift sanctuary. Israel does not generally permit transportation on Yom Kippur. I loved the fact that my home is directly across the street from the new place of prayer.

The host also hosted a Party in the Sukkah on the 23rd at the largest Synagogue in our community. Thirty to forty of us sang, told stories about Sukkoth, eat lots of food and drank a bit of Jack Daniels. Kids danced and laughed to the joy of us all.

We now have a Parashat Ha Shavuah twice a month led by Zacharia. Women study together in a group hosted by Zach’s wife Liat. Our group continues to grow and share the joys of studying our faith, Judaism together. We host people from all streams of the Jewish world joining together to learn and enjoy friendships new and old.

Come and join us this week for our first Hanukkah celebration together and share the joyous occasion together. Come all and bring a friend!! Special Mazal Tov to our friend and mentor Rabbi Eyal Riess and his Bat Mitzvah “student” Paula Abdul.

Zecharya for details – 058-545 4770 from Haifa! 

 

עתיד היחסים בין ירושלים והותיקן

כולנו נרגשים מהאפשרות שהאפיפיור פרנציסקוס יבוא לביקור בישראל בשנה הקרובה. במשך שישים וחמש השנים בהם ישראל קיימת כמדינה עצמאית ידעה המדינה תהפוכות גדולות ביחסים בין ירושלים לותיקן. אני משתתף בפעילויות גם כעיתונאי וגם כשליח המספר לעולם על המאמצים לשיפור היחסים בין הצדדים. אני מעוניין לשתף אתכם במאמר שרשמתי ואשמח לשמוע את דעתכם עליו. המאמר כתוב בשפה האנגלית אך בקרוב תפורסם גרסה תואמת בעברית.

http://earlsdiary.blogspot.co.il/2013/11/the-holy-see-and-israel-building-bonds.html

The Holy See and Israel: Building Bonds and Promoting Peace.

I just finished dining at the exquisite Hotel Dan Panorama buffet in my home of Haifa. One of the managers is a Catholic born resident of this wonderful city. His family came to Haifa nearly one hundred and fifty years ago from Italy. We talked about the recent headlines which referred to a proposed visit by Pope Francis in March of 2014. The purpose of this post is to inform the readers about the history of relations between The Holy See and Israel and some of the efforts to strengthen bonds between Rome and Jerusalem.




Relations between Judaism and Catholicism have experienced centuries of tension, strife, misunderstandings, and, sadly often, hatred and violence. The nature of communications between Israel and The Vatican has been no exception.

The state of Israel was reborn in 1948 after a prolonged and, at times, agonizing wait. Two thousand years in exile and often great suffering had taught us that Judaism cannot exist, let along flourish, until we have returned to our eternal homeland. “Next Year in Jerusalem” has been on the lips and in the hearts of my people for centuries.

The Vatican resisted the establishment of both a Palestinian and Jewish homeland in the years of The British Mandate for a variety of reasons:

The Vatican wanted control of the holy places to be in the hands of neither group. The strains between Islam and Christianity already existed and some followers of Jesus still saw Judaism as contradicting their faith. I have come to understand the passions associated with these sites during my six years in Israel. I am still thrilled each time that I visit Jerusalem which has been the bastion of my faith for three thousand years.

Jerusalem was a primary focus of those in Rome.

At the time of the proposals that culminated in the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine of 1947, the Vatican, the Italian and the French governments, continued to press their own legal claims on the basis of the former Protectorate of the Holy See and the French Protectorate of Jerusalem. The world body made the city an international entity.

Formal diplomatic relations between the Holy See and the State of Israel were only established in 1993 after the adoption of the Fundamental Accord by the two States. This was more than forty years after the rebirth of the Jewish homeland. The years between 1948 and 1993 saw the interests of the Catholic Church in Israel were looked after by the Apostolic Delegate to Jerusalem and Palestine, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem and the Custodian of the Holy Land, all of which continue to function.


Papal Meetings, Visits, and Historic Changes

Pope John Paul II: Diplomacy for a New Millennium

In 1964, Pope Paul VI traveled to Jerusalem on an unofficial visit. His visit was the first of a Holy See to the Jewish State. The event lasted just eleven hours and was for the purpose of supporting followers of Catholicism in the region. The trip was applauded by the international community. Though the Vatican did not yet officially recognize the State of Israel at that time, the Pope did agree to meet with the Israeli president.
The visit was hailed by media throughout the world as a groundbreaking step in international diplomacy. Unlike the previous visit of Paul VI, this one had official status. In addition to visiting Christian holy sites, John Paul II visited the Western Wall and the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum. The Holocaust is always in the hearts and souls of Jews throughout the world. We must never forget the loss of six million of our brethren. Their only crime was to pray in a Synagogue or come from such a background.

The visit of John Paul II in 2000 cast the relationships between the Holy See and Israel in a new light.

Pope John Paul II arrived in Israel March 21, 2000, for a historic five-day visit. During his trip he visited the holy sites of the three major religions and met with Israel’s political leaders and Chief Rabbis. The trip focused on religion, but the Pope also touched on political issues. He blessed Israel, expressed support for a Palestinian homeland and apologized for sins committed by Christians against Jews. Sadly, many Jews still judge our Christian friends on the basis of acts that occurred long ago and by a minority of the followers of Jesus of Nazareth. Israelis view our nation as primarily a political entity. The Vatican of course is the spiritual center of Catholicism. The difference in perspectives in this respect can often create tension between the Vatican and Israel.

The Pope’s confrontation with anti-Semitism and the Holocaust excited the gratitude and admiration of Jews worldwide.

It the first time that any Pope had visited these sites that is central to Judaism. He left a prayer note at the Western Wall in accordance with Jewish custom, and this note was later enshrined at Yad Vashem.

The Papal visit of 2009
Without doubt, a positive highlight of Ratzinger's Papacy was the May 2009 visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

Gestures that could mean upgrading relations with Israel were taken into account prior to his trip. Before entering Israel, the Pope made an unexpected gesture in his speech on Arab-Muslim soil on Mt. Nebo invoking Moses, the Promised Land and its link to the chosen people. Moreover, on the same occasion he stressed the inseparable link of Christianity to the Jewish people while invoking their common heritage of the Tanach (OT) and their common tradition of pilgrimage.

Pope Benedict XVI was the first chief pontiff to make a sweeping exoneration of the Jewish people for the death of Jesus Christ, tackling one of the most controversial issues in Christianity. I have rarely suffered this injustice but friends and family have endured this type of attack. Hopefully, people of all backgrounds will learn from this great leader and practice “The Golden Rule”. I was in Haifa during this historic event and was thrilled as were many Israelis by this wonderful act by a great leader.

Pope Francis
Pope Francis began his papacy with an expression of friendship towards the people of Israel when he met with Israeli president Shimon Peres at the Vatican on April 30, 2013. During a meeting with Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Ze'ev Elkin on June 6, 2013, the Pope announced it was his intention to visit Israel, but did not specify a date. His has promised the world to continue efforts to promote friendship and justice between our faiths.

“I would like to underline that the problem of intolerance must be faced in its entirety,”… “When any minority is persecuted and marginalized on account of its religious beliefs or ethnic origin, the good of society as a whole is placed in danger, and we must all consider ourselves affected.” Quote by Pope Francis on topic of religious intolerance.

Religious intolerance and lack of unity has been a primary source of conflict and war since the beginning of time. The Golden Rule should be a guide to followers of the major faiths and is an integral part of their teachings. In my opinion, Catholicism is making sincere efforts to promote peace and brotherhood throughout the world.

I urge everyone to learn about the efforts of The Focolare, to promote interfaith dialogue in the Middle East and throughout the world. During the past six years, I have been blessed to participate in many interfaith events with The Focolare in Israel. They have included a monthly study session in both the Old and New Testaments. We enjoyed interfaith youth sports events in both Haifa and Caesarea. There was a concert at The Technion in Haifa in the spring of this year. Youth from Israel, Palestine, and several nations shared these wonderful and inspiring activities. Below are some examples of their efforts to promote unity. I feel so blessed to consider these people to be my friends.

For further information, please view these websites:
www.waysofpeace.com
http://www.unitedworldproject.org/en/
United World Project – home
www.unitedworldproject.org
Kampala, August 2011From the 10th to 13th May 2013, the little town of ¨Piero” in Nairobi (Kenya) will host the “Enculturation School”, a wo
http://www.run4unity.net/2012/en/terra-santacesarea2/ run4nity Caesaria
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jhF6oRrbRU run4unity Haifa
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DaJoxj63Es Interfaith retreat in 2010 in Northern Israel
http://www.focolare.org/area-press-focus/en/news/2013/10/25/premio-mount-zion-2013-a-margaret-karram-delegata-dei-focolari-in-terra-santa/

שנה אחרי המלחמה בעזה

לפני שנה בערך שוב פרצו מהומות ברצועת עזה ואני רוצה להמליץ לכולם על שני פוסטים שכתבתי בנושא.http://earlsdiary.blogspot.co.il/2013/08/the-horrors-of-war-longing-for-peace.html
http://haifawriters.blogspot.co.il/2013/11/red-alert-by-zelda-dvoretzky.html

לאלו מביניכם שמעדיפים לקרוא בעברית אני מצרף קישור לאתר הבא:http://www.articles.co.il/author/37314

Generations of Students in Israel

I am sitting at my favorite dining place in Haifa, The Ego Food & Coffee eating Maafe Cinnamon or a Danish and drinking my beloved Absolute brand of Vodka. It is located in the world famous Dan Panorama Mall, adjacent to the fabulous hotel.  

Needless to say, I am searching for story ideas to put in my next post. My favorite servers, Danit, Shoshana, and Sher suggest that I write about the challenges facing Israeli youth. Sher attends Bet Sefer Tichon (High School) in Haifa. Shoshana just completed her BA in graphic design. Danit recently started her Master's program in media studies at the University of Haifa.

“I lived in America for a while and discovered that many of the challenges facing youth in both places are similar but the ways to success are different,” Danit declared enthusiastically.

Primary, Secondary, High School, Trade School, University - Education in Israel

My definition of Education in Israel refers to the comprehensive system of Israel. Expenditures on education account for approximately 10% of the national GDP. Most schools are subsidized by the state. The education system consists of three tiers: primary education (grades 1-6, approx. ages 6–12), middle school (grades 7-9, approx. ages 12–15) and high school (grades 10-12, approx. ages 15–18). Compulsory education takes place from kindergarten through to 12th grade.

A recent report found that 78% of the money invested in education is from public funds, and that 45% of the population has a university or college diploma.

Main article: Bagrut





Bagrut certificate from 1983

My friend Sher jokes with me that I provide free tutoring in English to help her prepare for her Israeli matriculation exams (bagrut). These are exams covering various academic disciplines, which are studied in units (yehidot limud) of one to five on an ascending scale of difficulty. Students can only move forward with a passing mark on the mandatory matriculation subjects (Hebrew language, English language, mathematics, scripture, history, state studies and literature). Sher surprised me by telling me that she attends an open or external school. It reminds me of home schooling in America without the parents.

After completing secondary education, young people are generally conscripted into the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Young men serve for three years and women for two. National service is an option; our bartender Shoshana chose this route. " I am not the military type but wanted to do my share." Shosh volunteered to work at a program for children at risk.

Universities generally require a certain amount of bagrut matriculation units (as well as a certain grade average) and a good grade in the Psychometric Entrance Test, which is similar in many respects to the American SAT. All of Israel's nine public universities, and some of its colleges, are subsidized by the state, and students pay only a small part of the actual cost of tuition.

The Psychometric Entrance Test (colloquially known in Hebrew simply as "psychometry", פסיכומטרי) is a standardized test used as a higher education admission exam. The PET covers three areas: quantitative reasoning, verbal reasoning and the English language. It is administered by the Israeli National Institute for Testing and Evaluation (NITE) and is heavily weighed for university admissions. The test may be taken in Hebrew, Arabic, Russian, French, Spanish, or combined Hebrew/English. I served as a tutor of English in this program during my first two years in Haifa.

Israeli teachers have to contend with large classes, low wages and low morale.

Classrooms in Israel are some of the largest in the world; teachers are some of the lowest paid.

In 1999 in an attempt to close the gap between Arab and Jewish education sectors, the Israeli education minister Yossi Sarid announced an affirmative action policy, promising that Arabs would be granted 25% of the education budget, more than their proportional share in the population (18%). He also added that the ministry would support the creations of an Arab academic college. The University of Haifa campus bustles with students from Jewish, Christian, Muslim, and Druze backgrounds from all over the world.

The department of Education announced in April 2010 that our Christian Arabs tend to have had the highest rates of success in the matriculation examinations, both in comparison to the Muslims and the Druze but also to students in the Jewish education system. Please watch my documentary that describes more about life in Haifa.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws6kaH0EDUw  This is life in Haifa!

חיפה - הסרט

בשעה טובה התפרסם הסרט הדוקומנטרי שלי על חיי כעולה חדש בעיר חיפה.
הסרט חושף את מה שלא מראים בחדשות - דו קיום במלוא הדרו. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws6kaH0EDUw

My documentary: the side of life in Israel/Palestine that will amaze you!

Earl Shugerman

Please view my documentary about my life in Haifa, since I immigrated to this wonderful city in 2007. It has earned its title of "The City of Peaceful Coexistence".
Leaders throughout the world support these efforts. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws6kaH0EDUw

Good And Evil: Israeli and Palestinian Claims to Statehood.

Golda Meir once said: “I prefer to stay alive and be criticized than be sympathized”.

In his recent speech at Bar-Ilan, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeated his passionate claim – the occupation is not the root cause of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He stated that the process by which the conflict started in actual fact in 1921 on the day on which the Palestinian Arabs attacked the immigration hostel in Jaffa. “Clearly, this attack was not about territory or settlements; it was against Jewish immigration to the Land of Israel,” he said.

Netanyahu also mentioned the Arab rejection of the 1947 United Nations Partition plan, which predated the occupation as well as the Arab hostility toward the State of Israel prior to 1967. The Palestinians have yet to formally recognize Israel. Just two of our neighbors Egypt and Jordan our right to exist.

Indeed, the conflict between the Jewish settlement in the Land of Israel and the Arabs did not begin in 1967. Arabs long ago viewed the Jewish settlement and state as foreign bodies. They began to fight them as soon as it became clear that the Zionist movement’s political goals included the establishment of a political entity in areas they considered to be theirs.

The roots of the conflict lie in the fact that the Arabs are not a mob, stated Bibi, but are part of a national movement. These two national movements have demanded sovereignty over the same territory. So if Netanyahu was trying to make a historic point, he was right in my opinion. The roots of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are not in the occupation of 1967 but date back many centuries. The struggle for control of the holy land can be traced to Biblical as well as historic roots.

The historic and legal rights of the Jewish people to claim the State of Israel, including its eternal capital Jerusalem as its national homeland, date back more than three thousand years.

G-d promised this land to the patriarch of Judaism, Abraham. In my opinion, this is the most important and binding of the claims. History has shown that Judaism cannot flourish spiritually or physically without its home in the Promised Land.

The early history of the Jewish people’s connection to Israel begins in the Book of Genesis, Chapter 12. God first speaks to Abraham, and continues through to the end with the death of Jacob and Joseph. This segment can best be described as the development of the “family” of Israel, which, in the Book of Exodus, will become a “nation.”

God said to Abram: “Go from your land … to the land that I will show you.” (Genesis 12:1)There has been a continual presence of the Jewish people in the land of Cnaann for nearly three thousand years. Even after the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 70 AD, and the beginning of the exile, Jewish life in the Land of Israel continued and often flourished. Large communities were reestablished in Jerusalem and Tiberius by the ninth century. The Crusaders massacred many Jews during the 12th century, but the community rebounded in the next two centuries as large numbers of Rabbis and Jewish pilgrims immigrated to Jerusalem and the Galilee. Prominent Rabbis established communities in Safed, Jerusalem and elsewhere during the next 300 years. The Talmud and other Jewish teachings were compiled in the Galilee and other parts of the area.

The city of Jerusalem is, was, and will remain the spiritual center of Judaism. The Western Wall or Kotel is a remnant of the ancient edifice that surrounded the Jewish Temple’s courtyard, and is one of the most sacred sites in Judaism. According to the Tanakh or Bible, Solomon’s Temple was built atop the Temple Mount in the 10th century BCE and destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE. The Second Temple was completed and dedicated in 516 BCE. Two thousand years ago Jews were expected to pray in The Temple. According to classical Jewish belief, the Temple acted as the figurative “footstool” of God’s presence and a Third Temple will be built there in the future. Many of the religious practices and customs in modern Judaism trace their origin back to the ancient Temples in Jerusalem.

By the early 19th century which was years before the birth of the modern Zionist movement there were more than 10,000 Jews living throughout what is today Israel. The 78 years of nation-building, beginning in 1870, culminated in the legal reestablishment of the Jewish State and homeland in 1948.

Israel’s international and legal claim to be the Jewish homeland validated the promise of the Bible. The Balfour Declaration of 1917, the League of Nations Mandate, which incorporated the Balfour Declaration, the United Nations partition resolution of 1947, Israel’s admission to the UN in 1949; the recognition of Israel by most other states support Israel’s legal, moral, and political right to be an independent and recognized nation.

The 1947 United Nations Mandate for Palestine did indeed divide the British colony into a Jewish and Arab nation. Every Israeli leader since Ben Gurion accepted this resolution. Those who reject this resolution negate the right of both nations to their homelands.

Do the Palestinians not have the right to a homeland? Many are not terrorists or a threat to the State of Israel. The Palestinians now control much of the territory granted to them by The United Nations Partition Plan.

The law states that the residents of Israel and Palestine have the legal right to their national homelands! The majority of citizens on both sides of the border want their own and independent nations. Why should this right be denied to them? Israel has been the spiritual, religious, and national homeland of the followers of Judaism for thousands of years. Many Palestinians trace their roots in the region back for centuries as well. Why should these historical rights be denied?

I sincerely hope and pray that the leaders in this region will learn to respect these historical, spiritual, and legal realities and reach compromises that lead to peace and justice for both nations! Both the Jewish and Palestinian people have the right to live in peace, safely, justice and with dignity. Neither side is entirely good or evil or right or wrong but nations claiming their rights to independence.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws6kaH0EDUw  This is life in Haifa where Jews, Christians, Muslims and others work together to promote.unity and peace.