The Sydney Jewish Report - February 2021 Edition

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Fostering a closer Jewish community

VOL. 74 Wedesday, 16 February 2021 / 4 Adar 5781

UIAX GALA

2021 EVENT KOSHER

WILL THE TRUMP SUCCESSES IN THE MIDDLE EAST

SURVIVE?

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KAPERS

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The importance of sleep for growing babies and toddlers

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the sydney jewish report | february 2021 LETTER FROM THE

EDITOR

DEAR ALL The Jewish Report launched over 6 years ago with the express purpose of fulfilling a goal of increased community interaction and cohesion. I have always felt that our Sydney Jewish community, given the diversity in cultural heritage, geographic origin, and religious observance, lacks a clear understanding of who the “community” represents.

The intention of the paper was to stimulate discussion amongst the various segments that make up the whole of the community - an open bulletin board in which Jewish organisations could promote their respective goals contributing to community welfare; a platform for individuals to promote projects in need of benefactors; a mouthpiece for community members to share their stories and for professionals to share advice. It is through this discourse, it was felt, that a fostering of greater community cohesion could be achieved.

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The paper circulation temporarily ceased during most of COVID stricken 2020, which provided the opportunity for us to reflect on the original mission and assess our product against our original intentions. It was felt that both the content and the reach of the paper needed to be better aligned to our purpose. As a result, the following two strategic actions have been undertaken: • In partnership with the KA, constructive steps have been taken to achieve an increased circulation of over 6000 papers though 9 Coles and Woolworths outlets, combined with over 30 community venues. This has ensured that a significantly greater portion of our community is reached.

• To improve the content of the paper, steps have been taken to ensure articles are engaging and relevant – whether it is information on what community organisations offer, the sharing of Jewish learning, or

MELBOURNE 17 February – 16 March Classic Cinemas, Elsternwick 18 February – 16 March Lido Cinemas, Hawthorn SYDNEY 18 February – 17 March Ritz Cinemas, Randwick 6 – 24 March Roseville Cinemas PERTH 18 February – 3 March Luna Cinemas, Leederville BRISBANE 18 February – 28 February New Farm Cinemas CANBERRA 17 – 28 February Dendy Cinemas, Canberra

Best regards, Dion

The Jewish International Film Festival returns to the big screen

ERIN ROSENBERG

2021 Jewish International Film Festival Screening Dates

the fostering of Zionistic ideals.

To further facilitate the second strategic objective, I would like to appeal to the community – both organisations and individuals - to participate. We enthusiastically invite one and all to come forward to share your stories, your advice, your creative projects and your connectedness to the community. These are powerful tools in forging cohesion between us all.

Please get in touch by emailing editor@thejewishreport. com.au if you would like to contribute content for our paper – and thereby contribute to our vision of a cohesive, interconnected and well-informed Sydney Jewish Community.

From star-studded features, gripping historical dramas, and stories of iconic Jewish trailblazers and innovators, the Jewish International Film Festival (February 17 – March 24) returns for another year of spectacular Jewish cinema from around the world.

Featuring 51 films from 19 countries, the Festival builds on over 30 years of bringing the best of Jewish cinema to Australia, presenting 29 features, 19 documentaries, and episodes from 3 TV series to audiences in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, and Canberra.

“I am delighted to present our vibrant 2021 program, now back in cinemas. This year’s program celebrates the richness and diversity of Jewish culture around the world. The line-up includes Australian premieres of fifty films and three series; as usual split equally between Israeli and diaspora productions, with nineteen countries represented on screen. From deeply personal documentaries on the trailblazers who changed the world, to touching true stories illuminating the untold stories from our history, as well as some truly impressive star-studded films, JIFF 2021 will reach all ages across the full spectrum of politics and religion,” said Jewish International Film Festival Artistic Director, Eddie Tamir.

OPENING AND CLOSING NIGHTS Kicking off the Festival is winner of Best Film at the Ophir Awards (Israeli Oscars), Incitement – a timely film mirroring the radicalised final days of the Trump-era, revealing the forces which incited a young Orthodox law student to assassinate the Israeli Prime Minister in 1995 and effectively doom the peace process that would have changed the Middle East.

The Festival will close by premiering the first two episodes of the global phenomenon, Shtisel, season three. Starring Shira Haas (Orthodox), the series, follows a Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) family in Jerusalem as they reckon with love, loss, and the daily doldrums of life.

STAR POWER Hollywood legends unite to pay tribute to

multi-Academy Award winning director, Alan Pakula (To Kill a Mockingbird, Sophie’s Choice, All the President’s Men), whose films launched many of their careers. Featuring interviews with Meryl Streep (Sophie’s Choice), Jane Fonda (Klute), Harrison Ford (Presumed Innocent), Robert Redford (All the President’s Men), and Dustin Hoffman (All the President’s Men), to name a few – Alan Pakula: Going for Truth tells the rich and deeply personal story of one of Hollywood’s greatest directors, before his tragic death in 1998.

Starring Golden Globe nominee and Australian film star, Guy Pearce (Momento), and Danish actor, Claes Bang (Dracula), The Last Vermeer is a post-World War II feature following an Army officer (Bang) tasked with investigating paintings that fell into Nazi possession during the war. A notorious Dutch art dealer (Pearce) is tried for selling the Nazis a valuable masterpiece

by Johannes Vermeer, but pleads his innocence by claiming it was a forgery.

WOMEN Distinctly female stories are explored in this year’s program. From multi-Academy Award winning director, Freida Lee Mock (Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision), comes Ruth – Justice Ginsburg In Her Own Words. It tells the story of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who despite having “three strikes” against her – being Jewish, a woman, and a mother – went from a top-of-the-class law graduate struggling to find work to a Supreme Court Justice who changed the world.

Multi-award winner at Tribeca Film Festival, as well as Israel’s submission to the Best International Feature Film category at the upcoming Academy Awards – Asia stars Primetime Emmy Award nominee Shira Haas (Orthodox) as a girl determined to spend her final days as a rebellious, free-spirited teenager despite her degenerative disease, all with the help of her mother (Alena Yiv).

And from the Official Selection of Toronto International Film Festival and South by South West comes Shiva Baby, a playful and sexpositive coming-of-age story following a directionless college student forced to juggle her pushy relatives, a successful ex-girlfriend, and a surprise appearance from her sugar daddy, his accomplished wife, and their baby at a family shiva.

TRUE STORIES Films taking an unflinching look at some of the world’s most controversial figures include: They Call Me Dr. Miami, a nuanced portrait of Dr. Michael Salzhauer – an American plastic surgeon who rose to social media fame with viral Snapchat videos and by livestreaming tummy tucks and breast augmentations online. And from Jesse Dylan (son of musician Bob Dylan) comes Soros, the life and career of Hungarianborn, American billionaire investor and philanthropist, George Soros, whose progressive politics have made him a target for America’s far-right.

Stories revisiting World War II include: When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit, based on a best-selling trilogy for children, following a Jewish family

fleeing Berlin in the 1930s, as seen through the innocent eyes of their nine-year-old daughter; Love, It Was Not, which examines whether the relationship between an Auschwitz prisoner and an SS guard was genuine; and Adventures of a Mathematician, the story of Polish-born mathematician, Stan Ulam, who moved to the United States and joined the Manhattan Project to build the hydrogen bomb.

Cultural divides are explored in Breaking Bread, a documentary about the A-sham Food Festival, a yearly event in the mixed city of Haifa that invites Arab and Jewish chefs to set aside politics and collaborate on new dishes. With unprecedented access to highranking government officials, the story of the United States’ thirty-year effort to secure peace in the Middle East is revealed in The Human Factor, through the perspective of six American negotiators. Til Kingdom Comes takes a deepdive into the phenomenon in which American Evangelical Christians offer support to Israel, only because they believe Israel will play a part in the return of the Messiah and bring upon their version of the apocalypse to the world.

Based on the true immigration story of Ophir Award-nominated writer and director, Evgeny Ruman, Golden Voices is an absurd tragicomedy about a veteran Soviet voice-dubbing duo struggling to make a new life in Israel with their new jobs at an erotic phone line and an illegal dubbing operation.

DRAMAS Other cinematic dramas in the festival line-up include: Persian Lessons, following a Jewish man who, by falsely claiming he’s Persian instead of Jewish, narrowly escapes execution and becomes tasked with teaching a camp officer how to speak Persian, despite not knowing a single word of it himself. Official Selection of both Cannes Film Festival and Toronto International Film Festival, as well as having won and been nominated for several awards at the Ophir Awards, is Here We Are, a touching coming-ofage story following a father struggling to let go of his autistic, young adult son about to enter a specialised care home.

Thou Shalt Not Hate, which swept up multiple awards at Venice International Film Festival, is a powerful reflection of the Nazi legacy in contemporary Italy. It follows a Jewish surgeon and son of a Holocaust survivor who, because of his guilt, hires a young woman as his housekeeper after letting her father die in a car accident because he had a swastika tattoo on his chest.

SPECIAL EVENTS Audiences in Sydney and Melbourne can enjoy a range of special events associated with their screenings – from an exclusively prerecorded Q&A with Yaron Zilberman, director of Opening Night film Incitement; a digital Q&A with Shiva Baby director Emma Seligman; a historical tour of the Ritz Cinema in Sydney and Classic Cinemas, Elsternwick in Melbourne, respectively; a back-to-back binge session of all six Nisman: The Prosecutor, the President and the Spy episodes, and much more.

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the sydney jewish report | february 2021

UIAX 2021 Gala event UIA UIA NSW is excited to share with the community what is planned for its 2021 Gala event, a concept that is novel, intriguing and aimed to accommodate every member of our community.

Introducing UIA’s version of TEDx - UIAx 2021 on Tuesday 23 February, where you can join us in person at a top Sydney venue or stream online to experience an evening of live panel discussions with renowned Israelis from a variety of fields.

You choose which session/s you'd like to attend, with something for everyone.

Topics range from Israeli politics, security and innovation; to the Israeli food scene, futurism and Abraham Accords and anti semitism in the Arab world.

Guest speakers include Dan Ariely author, Chief Behavioural Economist and professor; Tzipi Livni - former Foreign

Minister of Israel; Dan Meridor - former Deputy Prime Minister of Israel, Moshe 'Bogie' Ya'Alon - Israeli politician, former Chief of Staff of IDF and Former Defence Minister of Israel; Marcus Sheff CEO of non-profit IMPACT-se and former political reporter; and Meir Adoni celebrity chef and restaurateur.

All speakers will be streamed in live and the in person event will include complimentary food, live music and more. Attendees at the venue will also have the opportunity to join two panel discussions for the rate of a single session.

“We understand that everybody has different comfort levels at this turbulent time and feel strongly about the importance of providing these two options, to enable everyone the opportunity to support the People of Israel and feel a part of our global UIA Family,” UIA CEO Yair Miller OAM said.

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“We look forward to seeing you at our 2021 Gala, whether it's physically or virtually. We hope you will take up our offer and ensure our community comes together, to show our solidarity and unwavering partnership for our brothers and sisters in Israel.”

The in person event option will be held in accordance with the current COVID guidelines as outlined by the NSW Government.

Attendees can choose to book one session per time slot.

Tickets are strictly limited for each session and bookings are encouraged as soon as possible.

Book now at uiaaustralia.org.au For more information contact UIA NSW: (02) 9361 4273, info@uiansw.org.au Follow UIA on Facebook and Instagram (@uiaaus) for updates on our 2021 Campaign

For more information contact UIA NSW: (02) 9361 4273, info@ uiansw.org.au Follow UIA on Facebook and Instagram (@uiaaus) for updates on our 2021 Campaign

BE A VOICE

for respect for empathy for their memory to live forever.

76 years after the liberation of Auschwitz, we continue to remember the Holocaust.

Honouring a loved one with a plaque in the Sanctum of Remembrance ensures their memory lives on forever alongside the names of other Holocaust victims, survivors and Righteous Among the Nations.

To visit the Sanctum or for details on dedicating a plaque, please contact Rita Prager on plaques@sjm.com.au or 02 9360 7999.

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Remembering Eva MURRAY OLDS

Sydney’s Jewish Museum makes a compelling and important contribution to the story of Australia. Every story told by the Museum is unique, but each contains a thread that binds it to a whole.

Eva Engelman died in May last year on her 93rd birthday, in Bathurst New South Wales. Eva, half a world away from her native Prague, was lively and wellread, with a wide group of friends and a wonderful smile and twinkling eyes that her past could not erase.

Eva was barely in her teens when she and her parents were rounded up by the Nazis and taken to Terezin in northern Czechoslovakia. It was a transit camp for Jews who were to be transported to Auschwitz and other extermination camps.

Eva was left behind when her parents were taken, deemed too valuable as a field worker. She knew she’d never see them again. Later, when it was her turn to go, she was again denied: she had chicken pox, and the German doctor refused to allow her onto the train in case she infected others. She told me she always felt guilty to have survived, when so many others did not.

Russian troops liberated Terezin and Eva returned to Prague, but she was turned away from her childhood home by a caretaker who told her she wasn’t welcome. So she joined the Jewish exodus from Europe, making a new life on the other side of the world. She married Peter, another young Jew from Prague, and their daughter Judy duly arrived. They made themselves a new and happy life in Australia, first in Sydney and then later in Bathurst.

My wife and I met Judy almost 40

years ago, but we only met her mother in recent years. When Eva died, Judy had a plaque made in her honour and invited us to join her at the Sydney Jewish Museum to help place it in the Sanctum of Remembrance next to Peter’s.

It was my first visit to the Museum, and staffer Rita Prager kindly agreed to show us through. It is an astonishing place.

The Jewish story in Australia begins with the First Fleet in 1788, criminals transported for stealing bread or a strip of lace. The showcasing of Holocaust stories is harrowing: shoes, clothing, ration cards and photographs. I was overcome by the enormity of it, but Rita made an important point: it’s critical

that the stories of the Holocaust and Australian Jewry continue to be told in the 21st century. That’s why visits by school children are encouraged, and why Museum educators like Doctor Breann Fallon have such a key role to play in keeping the past alive for new audiences.

Sydney’s Jewish Museum makes a compelling and important contribution to the story of Australia. Every story told by the Museum is unique, but each contains a thread that binds it to a whole. Our country is richer for the presence of its Jewish citizens, and their contribution is superbly showcased at this must-visit Sydney institution.

The International Community Must Pressure Hamas to Free Israeli Hostages DORON SHLOM BS’’D No family should ever again experience the grief that the Mengistu family of Ashkelon, Israel have known. In 2011, Golani Brigade veteran, Michael Mengistu, passed away from anorexia.

Michael’s death marked the beginning of a dark spiral for his younger brother, Avraham. In the subsequent years, Avraham suffered from severe mental illness, losing his finger to self-harm, and being hospitalised multiple times. During this period, he would frequently go missing for long stretches, only to turn up in far-flung corners of the country. It was during one such trip that tragedy would strike the Mengistu family again; on September 7 2014, Avraham was taken captive by Hamas terrorists, and has been held hostage in Gaza ever since.

History came to repeat itself twice on the Gaza border, with the capture of Hisham al-Sayed on April 20 2015 and the disappearance of his fellow Bedouin Israeli Jumaa Abu Ghanima on July 12 2016. Hisham suffers from schizophrenia and like Avraham, had previously been psychiatrically-hospitalised multiple times, and had a tendency to go missing. Jumaa also has a history of mental health problems according to his family.

Hamas has refused to allow Avraham and Hisham’s families any contact with

them, and has denied them proof of life. Despite Hamas’ false claims that Avraham and Hisham are soldiers, Avraham was determined to be “unfit” for mandatory service by the IDF, and when Hisham tried to volunteer he was found “incompatible for service”. They are both civilians, and their enforced disappearances violate international law. Furthermore, due to the hostages illnesses, the captivity violates the UN’s ‘Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities’. Unlike Avraham and Hisham, Hamas denies holding Jumaa, though acknowledges “reports that [Jumaa] was wandering near the Gaza border”.

Sadly, waiting for the return of missing

children is not an unprecedented situation for Israeli parents. During ‘Operation Protective Edge’, Israeli soldiers Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul, were both declared Missing-in-Action.

Hadar having gone missing during a Hamas attack that was carried out in violation of a humanitarian ceasefire.

After investigating, the IDF declared both soldiers to have been killed.

Despite this, Oron’s family maintains that he is alive, and have called for him to be labeled Missing-in-Action once more. No bodies have been returned to Israel. In 2019, the remains of Zachary Baumel, missing since the 1982 Lebanon War, were brought home; the locations of Tzvi Feldman and Yehuda Katz, who

both went missing during the same battle remain unknown. As do those of Ron Arad, an IDF navigator who went missing over Lebanon in 1986 and soldier Guy Hever who disappeared from the Golan Heights in 1997 (there have been multiple unsubstantiated claims that Guy is being held in Syria). Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit returned home in 2011, after being held hostage by Hamas for over 5 years.

When Gilad was captive, the Zionist Federation urged people to write to their local MPs and newspapers. It’s past time we pressured Hamas to release today’s Israeli hostages.

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On our way out of lockdown, we should remember our pre-COVID habits RABBI DR. BENJI LEVY

While we often feel that our habits define us, at the start of this strange-now-normal period, we must choose to define our habits.

Sometimes forming habits requires no conscious effort at all. We can see how the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic have caused us to adopt ways of life without question, based on necessity.

At the onset of the pandemic, many of our now normal behaviors, such as wearing masks and social distancing, seemed strange. But we have adjusted in remarkable and awe-inspiring ways, more quickly than we would have imagined possible.

According to a study published in the European Journal of Social Psychology, adopting a new way of conduct takes an average of 66 days, a time period we have well surpassed. As time passes and these strange new behaviors become a normal part of our routine, it is crucial for us to pause and consider which are important to us as individuals and communities, consciously adopting those we would like to keep. But sometimes it is even more important for

us to consider habits from our former selves that we don’t want to lose.

From the ancient Temple in Jerusalem to the synagogue, from the Diaspora to Israel, while evolving, Jewish ritual throughout the ages has always required a physical community. With the adaptability learned through the pandemic, so many Jews around the world have managed to retain this sense of community even from afar. I have been inspired by wonderful initiatives, like singing the Four Questions with our neighborhood on Passover, or pausing in unison to remember those who have departed for the Yizkor memorial service wherever we are on Yom Kippur. At the same time, many have faced terrible realities of not being able to attend the funerals of loved ones, or countless Shabbat meals spent alone. This is far from the face-to-face interactions upon which our tradition thrives.

If the physical community of Jewish ritual is important, we must consider how crucial this aspect is to our people when COVID-19 finally passes. Are there any areas in which we should, in the words

of Lamentations, “renew our days as of old?”

While we often feel that our habits define us, at the start of this strangenow-normal period, we must choose to define our habits. Usually, maintaining old habits is easier than creating new ones, but in this case perhaps the roles are reversed. It may not be a challenge to hold onto some new habits that have been developed over the course of the pandemic, but making sure we leave room for the right longstanding ones that have shaped us as individuals and societies will.

So as we transition out of the lockdowns, it is important that we take the time to focus on developing an exit strategy out of this pandemic era.

For once in our lives, our focus does not need to be on forming new habits alone, but rather rediscovering and reclaiming the right old ones.

Rabbi Dr. Benji Levy is the co-founder of Israel Impact Partners, former CEO of Mosaic United and Dean of Moriah College.

MDA is the first in the world to successfully vaccinate Israel's elderly TAMARA LOWBEER Magen David Adom, Israel’s national emergency medical and blood services organisation, completed the first round of vaccinations, in all elderly care facilities and sheltered accommodation, on January 7, 2021 making the Jewish state the first country in the world to vaccinate all elderly care facilities in the first vaccination phase.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, February 24, 2020, Magen David Adom has been at the forefront of the fight against the spread of the coronavirus in Israel, and recently, began leading the nation’s vaccination efforts, both in old age homes as well as helping Israel’s HMOs and local municipalities.

MDA plans to pass on its knowledge so that others may learn from its experience.

Israel’s Ministry of Health tasked Magen David Adom with vaccinating at the nursing homes and assisted living residents first, as they are at the highest risk of serious complications and mortality from the coronavirus. Many Holocaust survivors live in these homes and MDA sees the vaccination of the Survivors as a moral obligation to provide them with a vaccine that will allow them to continue their lives in optimum health.

The first challenge that MDA had to tackle when planning to vaccinate on such a large scale, was the fragility of

the vaccine which needs very specific conditions that pose significant logistical challenges, particularly in transporting the vials.

The Pfizer vaccines are stored in a deep freezer and then thawed to 2-8 degrees celsius at which point they need to be used within five days. Once thawed to room temperature, the vials had to be used within six hours, prohibiting their

transport after thawing as the material becomes very sensitive to movement.

The first round of vaccinations took approximately 10 days and included about 150,000 residents and employees of aged care facilities and sheltered accommodation in Israel. The second and final round of vaccines were given about 21 days later.

As in other countries around the world,

Israel has prioritized the vaccination of healthcare workers to allow them to safely care for patients and continue to do their jobs while reducing the risks of contracting the illness and needing to quarantine.

However, Magen David Adom, whose teams have been working around the clock, taking more than 3.5 million samples since the start of the pandemic, has decided not to vaccinate its 3,000 employees and 24,000 volunteers separately.

Instead, to prevent wasting the thawed vaccines, MDA teams are being vaccinated in residential care facilities where there are fewer residents than thawed vaccines. The employees and volunteers are invited to the facilities based on the number of surplus available vaccines. This method allows MDA to vaccinate its teams while carrying out the national mission.

As healthcare systems worldwide have faced unprecedented challenges, Israel has become the leader, largely thanks to Magen David Adom. The next step for MDA is to vaccinate the wider population in an effort to crush the coronavirus allowing its citizens to return to their daily routines as soon as possible.

For further information on MDA www. magendavidadom.org.au or phone the office 02 9358 2521.

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UNITY: Australia’s Landmark Exhibition Commemorating The Life And Legacy Of Yitzhak Rabin At B’nai B’rith Sydney B'NAI B'RITH NSW

For the first time in Australia an exhibition titled UNITY, commemorating the life and legacy of the late Israeli Prime Minister and Nobel Prize peacemaker Yitzhak Rabin has been launched in Sydney at the B’nai B’rith centre in Sydney.

Rabin’s accomplished career as an innate leader took him from a military soldier to a Noble Peace Prize recipient.

After decades defending his country with military force, Rabin later devoted his political life to pursuing peace negotiations to benefit the people of Israel. He was a proclaimed ‘solider in the army of peace’. US President Bill Clinton says that if Rabin lived, the world would be a different place and Rabin’s belief in negotiation over force delivered a golden era of Israeli/Arab relations during his second tenure as Prime Minister.

This important educational landmark exhibition, curated by Alexandra Hillman, features an exclusive collection of photography and recordings from the Rabin Centre Tel Aviv and opened

on the anniversary of Yitzhak Rabin’s tragic assassination on 4th November for a duration of six months.

Unity features rare photography from the Rabin centre in Tel Aviv, exclusive video content featuring Henry Kissinger and excerpts of eulogies from world leaders including Bill Clinton, King Hussein and Hosni Mubarak. The exhibition takes visitors through the extraordinary life of Yitzhak Rabin and his profound legacy of democracy, leadership and monumental global peace efforts.

“Unity aims to educate visitors about the history of Israel’s former prime minister and his influence on the nation as he evolved from war veteran to leading peace negotiator.

As visitors explore the exhibition, they will be encouraged to connect to the values that Rabin stood for such as democracy, leadership, unity and above all, peace,’ explained critically acclaimed curator Alexandra Hillman.

“The opening of Unity on the anniversary of Yitzhak Rabin’s tragic assassination is a rare opportunity for visitors to learn of his courageous leadership and pursuit of democracy

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that will continue to influence the generations of today,” said philanthropist Eitan Neishlos, a sponsor of the exhibition.

“The exhibition will symbolize the special bond between Australia and Israel, two countries, even though far away from each other both pursuing peace, supporting human rights and emphasizing the sanctity of life, the important legacies of Rabin,” said Ron Gerstenfeld, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Israel, Canberra.

The exhibition is hosted by B’nai B’rith NSW, sponsored by the Embassy of Israel, Eitan Neishlos and Lee Levi in cooperation with the Rabin Centre, Tel Aviv and the following organisations: ZFA ECAJ JNF UIA ZCNSW UNITY Exhibiting to May 2021 B’nai B’rith Centre, UNSW, Barker Street, Kensington, NSW, 2033 Open by Appointment Only Student and Adult Groups Welcome Contact Jenny Mandel at B’nai B’rith to arrange your visit (02) 9321 6300 council@bbnsw.org.au www.bbnsw.org.au

“The exhibition will symbolize the special bond between Australia and Israel, two countries, even though far away from each other both pursuing peace, supporting human rights and emphasizing the sanctity of life, the important legacies of Rabin,

‫בס׳׳ד‬ Mazel Tov Class of 2020 on your outstanding HSC results

Achieved an ATAR of over 90

Distinguished Achievers (students who achieved a Band 6 in one or more courses)

Individual Excellence

(students achieving all Bands 5 and 6) 57%

First in State

Rivka Schapiro - Classical Hebrew Extension Yehuda Eisenberg - Classical Hebrew Continuers

All Rounder

(achieving all Band 6 in at least 10 units) Esther Israel Mazel Tov to our Dux Esther Israel - ATAR 98 and Yehuda Eisenberg (ATAR withheld)

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Will the Trump Successes in the Middle East Survive?

GUY MILLIÈRE December 22, 2020. 9:30 am. A plane takes off from Ben Gurion Airport in Israel for Morocco's capitol, Rabat. Economic, political, cultural and strategic agreements between Morocco and Israel are signed for a full normalization of relations between the two countries. Morocco is the fourth Arab Muslim country in 2020 to sign such an agreement with Israel.

The Abraham Accords, solemnly signed on September 15, 2020 at the White House by Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and the United States, set in motion a new peace process that many observers would have considered unimaginable just a few years ago. This new peace process has continued well beyond the 2020 U.S. elections and are at the heart of a broader revolution that has changed the Middle East and the Arab world. It is a revolution that is one of the major achievements of the Trump presidency.

With the new administration in Washington, DC showing an eagerness to drag everything that bears Trump's name through the mud, it may be important to analyze this revolution and the strategy that made it possible – starting from the situation in the region when President Donald J. Trump arrived at the White House.

Syria was ravaged by a catastrophic civil war that left more than 400,000 people dead and millions of refugees. A jihadist terrorist organization had occupied a vast territory in eastern Syria and northwestern Iraq, called it the" Islamic State", and was using it as a base for preparing bloodthirsty worldwide jihadist attacks.

In Iran, the mullahs' regime was destabilizing the entire region and advancing toward regional hegemony. Iran ruled Lebanon through Hezbollah; areas of Syria that are still in the hands of Bashar AlAssad through thousands of Revolutionary Guards and militiamen dispatched by Tehran, and half of Yemen's territory through the Houthi militias it was financing and arming. It was also financing and arming Hamas in the Gaza Strip and continuing to move towards possessing nuclear weapons,

despite the July 2015 nuclear agreement (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, JCPOA), which had served no purpose other than allowing the regime to dispose of billions of dollars, become the main financier of global Islamic terrorism, and continue its uranium enrichment toward a legitimized nuclear breakout.

The countries of the Sunni Arab world were weak and shaken. Egypt was just beginning to find calm after years marked by the fall of Hosni Mubarak; the rise to power in 2012 of the Muslim Brotherhood; its overthrow a year later by large demonstrations; the rise to power of Abdel Fattah al Sisi, and ongoing Islamist uprisings that the army has severely repressed.

Libya, since the destruction of the Gaddafi regime, has been in ruins, and abandoned to Islamic terrorist groups. Yemen has been largely destroyed. Saudi Arabia was threatened both by Iran and Islamic State, which had launched attacks in the east of the country. Sudan was in the hands of Omar al-Bashir, a bloodthirsty ruler who accepted the use of his country for Iran to transfer arms to the Sinai Peninsula and Gaza Strip.

The Palestinian Authority, after abandoning all negotiations, proceeded to organize bloody anti-Israeli attacks without receiving the slightest reprimand from the Western world, and carry out with impunity a campaign committed to delegitimizing Israel in international organizations.

Israel had been under constant pressure from the Obama administration, as well as from President Barack Obama himself, who constantly stressed the "imperative" of creating a Palestinian state within the "1967 borders". Obama, apparently hoping to create a Palestinian state on his way out the door, had decided not to veto a UN Security Council resolution on December 23, 2016, which described Israeli settlements as "territories occupied by force", including the Old City of Jerusalem, and Israel as "acting in violation of international humanitarian law".

In addition, the Obama administration and Obama had explicitly supported the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak and the ascent of the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. The Obama administration had also distanced itself from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf monarchies; contributed to the destruction of Libya's Gaddafi regime; signed the

JCPOA enabling Iran to enrich uranium and possess nuclear weapons -- a deal Iran never signed -- and had poured more than $150 billion into Iran's coffers.

President Trump, from the moment he took office, acted quickly and decisively. He destroyed the Islamic State. By December 2017, the group controlled only 5% of the territory it had controlled ten months earlier. By March 2019, it had lost its last stronghold.

On May 21, 2018, Trump moved to incapacitate the regime of Iran's mullahs by announcing that the United States was abandoning the "nuclear deal".

He then implemented sanctions aimed at curtailing Iran's adventurism.

Trump also distanced himself from the "twostate solution," stillborn in diplomatic circles by a Palestinian veto of any suggestion, as well as other untenable Palestinian demands.

Trump improved U.S. ties with much of the Muslim Arab world, and in May 2017, made a crucial trip to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. There, he told the 54 leaders from Sunni Muslim countries gathered for the occasion that the United States would be on their side in facing Iranian threats, and that the US was ready to help them overcome instability on the strict conditions that they lead a fight against terrorism and radical Islam, and that they modernize.

Trump, clearly aware that discreet meetings had been held between Israeli leaders and leaders of several Sunni Muslim countries, suggested that regional economic and strategic rapprochement would help move towards peace. He referred to "citizens of the Middle East" in general and added that if "the three Abrahamic Faiths can join together in cooperation, then peace in this world is possible".

Trump saw that the intransigence of the Palestinian leadership, which the leaders of the Arab world had long supported, was now seen by them as an obstacle. While in Riyadh, Trump did not say a single word about the Palestinian Authority.

He traveled on the first flight from Riyadh to Israel; visited the Western Wall -- the first President of the United States in office to do so -- and affirmed his Originally published: Gatestone institute CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

Is Palestine a State?

ALAN M. DERSHOWITZ The highly politicized International Criminal Court just declared statehood for Palestinians. They did it without any negotiation with Israel, without any compromise, and without any recognized boundaries. They also did it without any legal authority, because the Rome Statute, which established the International Criminal Court, makes no provision for this criminal court to recognize new states.

Moreover, neither Israel nor the United States ratified that treaty, so the decisions of the International Criminal Court are not binding on them. Nor is this divided decision binding on signatories, since it exceeds the authority of the so-called court.

I say "so-called" court, because the International Criminal Court is not a real court in any meaningful sense of that word.

Unlike real courts, which have statutes and common law to interpret, the International Criminal Court just makes it up. As the dissenting judge so aptly pointed out, the Palestine decision is not based on existing law. It is based on pure politics. And the politics of the majority decision is based in turn on applying a double standard to Israel — as the United Nations, the International Court of Justice and other international bodies have long done.

There are numerous other groups — the Kurds, the Chechens and the Tibetans among them — who claim some degree of independence.

Yet neither the International Criminal Court nor other international organizations has ever given them the time of day. But the Palestinians — both in the West Bank and Gaza — who have refused to negotiate in good faith and have used terrorism as their primary claim to recognition, have been rewarded for their violence by this

decision.

Israel, which has offered the Palestinians statehood in exchange for peace on several occasions, has been punished for its willingness to negotiate and its determination to protect its citizens from Palestinian terrorism.

There are so many serious war crimes and other violations of humanitarian laws occurring around the world that the International Criminal Court deliberately ignores.

The chief prosecutor sees as one of her roles to focus attention away from third world countries, where many of these crimes occur, and toward Western democracies.

What could be a better target for this perverse form of "prosecutorial affirmative action" than Israel. I say perverse because the real victims of such selective

prosecution are the citizens of these third world countries whose leaders are killing and maiming them.

Israel, on the other hand, has the best record on human rights, the rule of law, and concern for enemy civilians than any nation faced with comparable threats.

According to British military expert Richard Kemp, "No country in the history of warfare has done more to avoid civilian casualties than Israel did in Operation Cast Lead." Israel's Supreme Court has imposed daunting restrictions on its military and has provided meaningful remedies for criminal acts committed by individual Israeli soldiers.

The role of the International Criminal Court, according to the treaty, is to intrude on the sovereignty of nations only if those nations are not capable of administering justice.

The principle of "complementarity" is designed to allow courts in democratic nations, like Israel, to address their own problems within the rule of law. Only if the judiciary totally fails to address these problems does the court have jurisdiction — even in cases involving parties to the treaty, which Israel is not.

The United States should reject the International Criminal Court decision not only because it is unfair to its ally Israel, but because it sets a dangerous precedent that could be applied against the United States and other nations that operate under the rule of law.

Israel should challenge the decision but should cooperate in any investigation, because the truth is its best defense.

Whether an investigation conducted by the International Criminal Court can produce the truth is questionable, but the evidence — including real time video and audio — will make it more difficult for ICC investigators to distort reality.

All in all, the International Criminal Court decision on Palestine is a setback for a single standard of human rights. It is a victory for terrorism and an unwillingness to negotiate peace.

And it is a strong argument against the United States and Israel joining this biased "court," and giving it any legitimacy.

Alan M. Dershowitz is the Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law, Emeritus at Harvard Law School and author of the book, Guilt by Accusation: The Challenge of Proving Innocence in the Age of #MeToo, Skyhorse Publishing, 2019. His new podcast, "The Dershow," can be seen on Spotify, Apple and YouTube. He is the Jack Roth Charitable Foundation Fellow at Gatestone Institute.

Originally published: Gatestone institute

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the sydney jewish report | february 2021

JCA launches Frank Wolf executive leadership development program JCA Last week JCA together with the Wolf family launched the JCA Frank Wolf Executive Leadership Development Program.

Our community will remember Frank, who passed away in April 2018, as a community man dedicated to and passionate about our local Jewish Community in NSW. From his work over many years with JCA, and his leadership involvement with North Shore Temple Emanuel, he had a clear vision of how to shape a vibrant and successful community. Frank was always about making things happen and that, in turn, depended on the people around him. The development of people was a purpose he held close to his heart. It was his belief that that good leaders also mentor and develop others – paying it forward, so to speak. Frank was a prime example of that.

As part of Frank’s legacy, his family, colleagues at Abacus, property industry colleagues and JCA have established the “JCA Frank Wolf Executive Leadership

Development Fund” that will initially fund the program for the next eight to ten years.

The bespoke program, being curated

by Dr Alexandra Walker, a not-for-profit leadership expert at the Centre for Social Impact in the UNSW Business School, will cultivate and nurture individuals on the path to senior leadership positions in the local Jewish community.

Program content will include advance leadership and Jewish knowledge as well as sessions designed for particular needs with topics including: • Leading for purpose: what’s ‘Jewish’ about being a ‘Jewish Leader’?

• The evolving Jewish landscape and the changing nature of our community • My Jewish Organisation: A Great Place to Work • Engaging the dis-engaged • Super Team vs super leader • Strategy: development and implementation • NFP governance and culture • Measuring outcomes and impact • Building leadership resilience for me and my team

AR OUND

T HE

COMMUNITY

• Story telling as a leadership tool The eight inaugural participants were nominated by their Presidents or CEOs of JCA members organisations and will be inducted into the program later in the month.

They include Garron Forman (Mount Sinai College), Tany Milner (Emanuel School), Lynda Fisher (Moriah College), Rachel Swartz (Y2i), Shari Lowe (JCA), Lynda Dave (Montefiore), Rachel Tanny (COA) and Rabbi Alon Meltzer (Shalom).

Garron Forman deputy principal of Mount Sinai College is looking forward to starting the program - “The opportunity to develop my leadership skills is something I am passionate about. Not only for me, but in my role I also need to mentor and assist teachers - some of whom are in their initial years of employment.

Helping to develop them will be a real opportunity to give back, not only to this program but to the man whose legacy made it possible”.

“As a family we are humbled to honour our father in this way. It is a true testament to the man he was,” Jonathan Wolf concluded.

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9440 0853 admin@ganeinu.com.au www.ganeinu.com.au

ENROLLING NOW

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the sydney jewish report | february 2021

Will the Trump Successes ...

IS R AE L

NEWS

FROM PAGE 8

With the new administration in Washington, DC showing an

eagerness

everything

that

to

drag bears

Trump's name through the mud, it may be important to analyze this revolution and the strategy that made it possible

unwavering support for the US ally. He then went to Ramallah, where he accused Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of being a supporter of terrorism and a liar.

In November 2017, Trump asked a team led by his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, to draw up a peace plan that respected Israel's security imperatives and that took into account not the demands of the Palestinian Authority, but benefits for the Palestinian people.

During the following months, he asked the Palestinian Authority to stop its terrorist activities.

When the Palestinian Authority refused, Trump reduced the financing granted to it by the United States, and ceased to treat its leaders as constructive and legitimate interlocutors.

On December 6, 2017, Trump officially recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and decided to locate the U.S. Embassy in Israel there. It was a way of saying that Israel's presence in Jerusalem was fully legitimate and that no one would be permitted to push Israel around. The US embassy was inaugurated less than a year later, on May 14, 2018.

On September 7, 2018, Trump asked the US Department of State to issue a statement saying that from now on, the US would recognize as refugees only the Arabs who had personally left Israel in 1948-49 and added that the US would no longer fund the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), an organization that claims there are more than five million Palestinian refugees, almost all of whom have never set foot in Israel and who therefore cannot claim to "return" to lands where they have never been. (UNRWA includes all the descendants of actual refugees through the generations, in a method of accounting not done by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.)

Trump said that the idea of a "return" to Israel of millions of people who are not actually refugees was no longer on the negotiating table.

Trump's peace plan, at least its economic component, was presented in Manama, Bahrain, on June 25 and 26, 2019. Representatives from 39 countries, including Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and Gulf countries were present, as well as businessmen from all over the Arab world.

The plan, presented at the White House on January 28, 2020, talks about a Palestinian state, but stipulates that Israel's security would be guaranteed.

If a Palestinian state were to come into being, it would be demilitarized, have borders controlled

by Israel and no border with an Arab state. The plan offered the prospect of sovereignty, within this security framework, to the Palestinian Arabs. The proposal allows Israel to retain a necessary control of the Jordan Valley, and pledges that Israel would be sovereign over 30% of Judea and Samaria -- a percentage that many Israelis considered woefully insufficient, considering that historically, Judea and Samaria have been part of Israel.

Above all, the plan says that a Palestinian state can only come into being if the leaders and the Palestinians fully renounce and end terrorism.

Palestinian leaders immediately rejected the offer. A few days later, at the insistence of the Palestinian Authority, the Arab League condemned the plan, however Arab representatives present in Manama continued to prepare the next step.

The Abraham Accords soon followed. They were in line with the prospects for peace mentioned by President Trump in May 2017. They had not been condemned by the Arab League.

As anticipated by Trump in May 2017, the Abraham Accords have both an economic and a strategic dimension. They not only offer economic opportunities to all the signatories but also reinforce their military strength. As the plan includes the Palestinian Arabs, the Arab signatories can say that

by signing the agreement, they did not forget the Palestinian population.

The Abraham Accords -- between Israel, the UAE and Bahrain -- will lead to billions of dollars of investment and trade between Israel and its partners in peace. The Accords will also allow the Emirates and Bahrain to benefit from Israeli technology, and see their defense strengthened against Iran.

The Abraham Accords have also led, more broadly, to a cultural and religious opening of the Emirates and Bahrain to Judaism: the Crossroads of Civilization Museum in Dubai is now the first museum accessible in the Hebrew language in the Arab world. The museum displays old maps of Jerusalem, a sword from the Yemenite Jewish community, a pre-Holocaust Jewish marriage contract and original letters by Theodor Herzl. Restaurants in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Manama are increasingly serving kosher food. A giant Hanukkah candelabra, a menorah, was lit up in front of Dubai's Burj alKhalifa, the word tallest skyscraper, to celebrate the Jewish holiday. Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has been working for years to spread a non-political vision of Islam and has entrusted the management of the country's religious issues to a Sufi scholar, Sheikh Abdullah bin Bayyah, now in charge of disseminating this vision.

The Trump administration's agreement with Sudan has an even more striking dimension. Sudan was on the list of terrorist states and, until its dictator, Omar al Bashir, fell in April 2019, it had contributed to the war against Israel. The current Prime Minister, Abdalla Hamdok, shares a similar vision of Islam to that of Sheikh Abdallah bin Bayyah, and has appointed a Christian Coptic woman to the Sovereign Council, a body that will rule the country until late 2022 when free elections are planned. Israel now has peaceful relations with a country that had long been an enemy. Sudan, freshly removed from the list of terrorist states, now has help from Israel, one of the world-leaders in agricultural technologies, and will be able to improve its food production.

As for the Trump administration's agreement with Morocco, the kingdom already had low-key ties with Israel. Around a million Jews of Moroccan origin are part of Israel's population, and Jews in Morocco are considered by the kingdom -- and its visionary monarch, HRH King Mohammed VI -- as citizens equal to Muslim Moroccans. Diplomatic links are in the process of being fully reestablished. Israel has normal relations with one more Sunni Arab country, and Morocco has ties with Israel that will lead to investment and economic development. President Trump added to the agreement the recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, a territory claimed by a guerrilla group supported by Algeria and more recently by the Islamic Republic of Iran and Hezbollah. President Trump's decision strengthened Morocco, an ally of the United States, rather than rewarding enemies of the United States.

Saudi Arabia has not yet reached a normalization agreement with Israel. King Salman seems committed to the idea that a Palestinian state must be created before Saudi Arabia normalizes ties with Israel. However, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, known familiarly as MBS, apparently sees that cooperation with Israel in the field of security can only strengthen the defense of the kingdom and that Israeli technologies would be most useful for the economic transformation he envisions for his development project, Vision 2030.

MBS is evidently aware that need to be profound changes in a country subject to the strict application of the Wahhabi version of Islamic Sharia law, and changes are underway. Saudi Arabia's educational curricula are being modified in a direction of tolerance, apparently with a goal of removing anti-Semitic content. The religious discourse in the country is also changing. Sheikh Abdulaziz al-Sheikh, Saudi Arabia's Grand Mufti, now says that religion should be spread through words, not through the sword.

On September 6, the Imam of Mecca's Grand Mosque, Abdulrahman al-Sudais, delivered a sermon preaching dialogue and kindness to nonMuslims, and made specific reference to Jews. He was criticized, but could not have delivered the sermon without the agreement of the royal family.

Um Haroun (Mother of Aaron), a Saudi television drama series was broadcast last year on a Saudi Arabia's state-sponsored channel, MBC, and in other Arab countries. It shows Jews, Christians and Muslims living together in peace. True, the Saudi kingdom may still have a way to go to become an open and tolerant country, and the path is fraught with opposition. People eager to keep their perch and hostile to the evolution of the country may step forward; the response could well be brutal.

The murder in Istanbul of the Muslim Brotherhood associate Jamal Kashoggi is still fresh in everyone's memory. Saudi Arabia is nevertheless moving in an extremely promising direction. Let us hope that outside forces do not thwart it.

The outline of a more stable Middle East, less marked by war, appears to be taking shape -- if other countries will just let it. Islamic terrorism has reached its lowest level in decades, although countries remain in ruins and hotbeds of war persist.

Iran's regime seems on the road to asphyxiation. Let us hope that process is not thwarted, either.

Other countries apparently would like to follow the path that was beginning to take shape. In October 2020, Mossad Chief Yossi Cohen spoke of Oman,

Indonesia, and five or six other countries that he did not name; Mauritania has also been mentioned.

The more countries that are encouraged to sign the Abraham Accords, the warmer all the peace agreements in the region could become. The idea of a regional peace is not out of reach. In a mere four years, the Trump Revolution in the Middle East provided an invaluable foundation for a profound and fruitful transformation of the region.

The new Biden administration is already threatening to undermine these and other victories.

It had indicated, despite worried messages from Israel and the Sunni Arab world, that it would like to return to the catastrophic nuclear "Iran deal". The new administration claims to want to impose strict conditions on Iran's regime, but these conditions seem to boil down to a demand that Iran respect the terms of the JCPOA, which Iran has, in fact, never respected. Evidently perceiving an America wishing to appease Iran, the mullahs announced on January 4 that they had decided to resume enriching uranium to the 20% level, close to the purity used for nuclear weapons. The same day, the mullahs seized a South Korean-flagged chemical tanker in the Strait of Hormuz.

The Biden administration also seems eager to restore U.S. aid to the Palestinian Authority and reconnect with its leaders -- without doing anything about their support for terrorism, treating them again, as "partners for peace", no matter how much evidence there is to the contrary, and attempting to move toward renewed support yet again for a potentially lethal "two-state solution".

American pressure on Israel may intensify and go hand-in-hand with other pressures. On January 11, the French and German foreign ministers, meeting in Cairo with their Jordanian and Egyptian counterparts, issued a statement affirming their "commitment to a two-state solution that ensures the emergence of an independent and viable Palestinian state on the basis of June 4, 1967 lines" – a mere armistice line that has been called "Auschwitz borders" for its clear unsustainability.

If the sanctions against Iran are lifted, it is positioned to acquire nuclear weapons within weeks, according to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Other countries in the region would probably do everything possible to acquire nuclear weapons too, and regional nuclear proliferation, probably impossible to stop, would likely be set in motion.

After three years of a diplomatic and economic boycott of Qatar, the recent rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Qatar, negotiated by Jared Kushner and Avi Berkowitz, may seem like good news, and a step in the right direction. Qatar's close ties with Iran, however, make it likely that Qatar accepted the agreement with the consent of Iran -- undoubtedly seeking to strengthen its credibility with Biden's new team, as well as its own geostrategic position. Presumably Iran can only want to weaken the agreements between Israel, Bahrain, the UAE, Morocco and Sudan. On January 18, Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said that the time had come for the leaders of the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council to "broker negotiations with Iran to patch up their differences".

China reached agreements with Iran in July 2020 and, on its self-declared quest for world domination (for instance, here, here, and here), presumably intends to expand its role as a major regional player in the service of the enemies of the United States and peace.

A Biden administration might not directly touch the Abraham Accords, but could be tempted, by a passion to re-engage Iran, seriously to weaken them.

Some members of the US Congress are questioning the planned sales of F-35 aircraft to the United Arab Emirates, even though the Israeli government does not oppose it. Some members of Congress have also expressed their interest in suing the struggling new democratic government of Sudan -- in a cynical attempt to undermine it -- for its past links to terrorism, which occurred under the previous regime. The incoming Biden administration said they are also considering challenging Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, which, again, would empower Iran, cited by the US as the "world's worst state sponsor of terrorism," and Hezbollah, but raise tensions with stable, peace-seeking American allies such as Israel and Morocco.

The transformations that have taken place in the Middle East since 2017 are remarkable, but, as was seen in the Second Word War, even the strongest countries can conceivably be destroyed.

"The Middle East," wrote the Middle East expert Mordechai Kedar, "is built on sand dunes that change their shape according to the prevailing winds". It is to be hoped that the prevailing winds will not change to the point of sweeping away what is the greatest transformation that has taken place in more than seven decades in a region so often ravaged by war, and that a return to past mistakes will not lead once again to sand dunes covered in blood.x

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the sydney jewish report | february 2021

Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twerski, z”l, Hasidic Psychiatrist And Trailblazer For Fighting Addiction YEHUDAH SINGER Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twerski z”l was a Hasidic rabbi, psychiatrist and mental health and substance abuse expert who authored over sixty books and made a lasting impact on the wider world. He died January 31, 2021, at age 90. He was one of the first born-and-bred Hasidic Jews to attend medical school, at a time when it was unheard of to do so.

He headed psychiatric departments at major hospitals and became known as an expert in addiction. Rabbi Dr. Twerski came from a distinguished Hasidic lineage. His mother was the daughter of the second Bobover Rebbe and was descended from the Chernobyl Hasidic dynasty on his father’s side. His brother, Rav Michel Twerski of Milwaukee is the Hornsteipler Rebbe. Rabbi Dr. Twerski’s books were widely published, not just

by Torah publishers but by Harper & Row and Hazelden Press. He famously collaborated with Charles Schultz, using the Peanuts characters to illustrate human interaction and behavior to memorable effect.

My mother was born and raised in Milwaukee. My parents consider themselves Chassidim of Rabbi Dr

Twerski’s younger brother Rav Michel.

Needing to distinguish between the two, in our family Rav Michel was always referred to as just ‘The Rabbi’ and Rav Shia was always referred to as just ‘Rabbi Dr.’ While I was an undergraduate student, Rabbi Dr. began teaching a weekly class in Mesilas Yesharim (The Path of the Just) at Ohr Sameach in Monsey. The class was an hour long and was divided in two half-hour segments. A half-hour of teaching and a half-hour of Q&A on either the text or any other topic. It was at that time that I needed to decide what to major in.

I had started out as an education major but was strongly considering changing my major to psychology and pursuing a career in mental health. One night after the class, I walked Rabbi Dr. back to his car and asked him why he decided to become a psychiatrist.

“After all,” I said, “you were your father’s assistant Rabbi and an accomplished Torah scholar (Rabbi Dr. had gotten rabbinical ordination when he was just seventeen-years-old).” Rabbi Dr. turned to me and with his famous smile and wit said to me, “My whole life I wanted to become a Rav so that I could help people.

Then, I became a Rav and found myself attending one function after another and spending very little time actually helping people. So I decided to become a psychiatrist so I can do the part of the Rabbinate that I actually wanted to do without the disturbances of the Rabbinate.”

The Chovos HaLevavos writes that in business if someone wants to maximize their output, the best way to go about that is to hire workers to work for you.

When it comes to matters of spirituality, if someone wants to maximize their spiritual output, the best way to do so is to inspire others. Rabbi Dr. was the trailblazer to the countless Torah observant professionals that work in the mental health field today.

Rabbi Dr. was a source of inspiration and an example to all that one can be an educated professional while simultaneously staunchly holding on to Torah values and tradition both internally and externally. Rabbi Dr. was a source of inspiration and an example of how one can practice as a professional and incorporate Torah values and teachings into their practice.

May his memory be a blessing to all.

I SR AE L

NEWS

My whole life I wanted to become a Rav so that I could help people.

Originally published: Aish.com

Israel's risky rhetoric on Iran AARON DAVID MILLER AND RICHARD SOKOLSKY Is Israel beating the war drums again for a military strike against Iran as the Biden administration tries to reengage Tehran on its nuclear program?

It might seem that way after listening to last week's warnings by Aviv Kochavi, the chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces -- and earlier comments delivered

by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a speech in southern Israel: bury the 2015 multinational nuclear deal with Iran ... or else.

The warnings were directed at Washington, not Tehran: Do not reenter any accord with Iran that doesn't meet with Israel's approval. For now, a traditionally risk-averse Netanyahu, burdened with his own domestic headaches and said to be eager to avoid a blowup with President Joe Biden over Iran, isn't likely to attack in the near future. But if the Biden administration can't figure out a way to constrain Iran's nuclear program, an Israeli strike against Iran's nuclear sites, which could easily draw America in, may only be a matter of time.

Last week, Kochavi made Israel's position clear, saying that Israel's military would be prepared to attack Iran on its own and that he had ordered the army to prepare operational plans for possible action against Iran in the coming year.

"Those who decide on carrying them out, of course, are the political leaders.

But these plans have to be on the table," he said.

These remarks came after Netanyahu's

tough-minded warning to Biden in November not to re-enter the nuclear agreement -- negotiated between China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the US and known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) -- and against the backdrop of the Israeli army indicating that it will request a substantial increase in funding for weapons needed to attack Iran's nuclear facilities. The Trump administration withdrew from the JCPOA. The tough rhetoric has been part of an Israeli pattern that's been much more bark than bite. Between 2009 and 2013 Netanyahu perennially warned of military action -- a bit of bluster that may well have energized the Obama administration to negotiate a nuclear accord with Iran that, paradoxically, Netanyahu came to despise and oppose.

In fact, despite the tough guy image he likes to project, Netanyahu has proven throughout his long career to be consistently risk-averse when it comes to making war (and peace). Unlike his predecessors Ariel Sharon and Ehud Olmert, whose military campaigns in Lebanon cost Israel and their own political fortunes dearly, Netanyahu has avoided getting bogged down in unwise campaigns in Lebanon and against Hamas in Gaza, where he's resisted calls for a major ground incursion to destroy Hamas, let alone to reoccupy Gaza.

There are also a few cruel realities about striking Iran that have given Netanyahu and his security establishment great pause. In what Israelis like to call "mowing the grass," the IDF could set back Iran's

nuclear program by perhaps a couple of years, but not destroy it. Indeed, an attack that lacked a compelling rationale might isolate Israel rather than Iran -- and only accelerate Tehran's quest to build a nuclear weapon at less vulnerable sites. An attack might also prompt Hezbollah to lob thousands of highly capable missiles and rockets across Israeli territory, which would cause hundreds of civilian casualties.

Iran could also seek to mobilize its Shia allies in Syria and Iraq to attack targets in Israel.

The Americans are perhaps Netanyahu's greatest worry. It is conventional wisdom that the consequences of an Israeli strike would be so destabilizing that Israel would never conduct one without American approval or at least acquiescence.

Netanyahu's inherent caution almost certainly means he'd never surprise Washington and would, in fact, want the administration's support if not ideally its participation.

That's not likely to happen. President Biden is more interested in engaging Iran than attacking it. Why? Because if left unresolved, the nuclear issue might draw the United States into a regional war that could include Iranian sponsored terrorism, attacks on oil facilities and shipping, and operations by Iranian proxies in Iraq and Syria that could jeopardize US goals there. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said that Iran could have enough fissile material to build a nuclear weapon in months or, if it continued to lift restraints put in place by the JCPOA, in "a matter of weeks."

The resulting fallout would disrupt

Biden's key priority -- domestic recovery -- would ratchet up energy prices, and suck the administration back into the Middle East at a time when it wants to pivot to Asia to confront an aggressive China.

Biden isn't Donald Trump. Biden will go the extra mile to coordinate with Israel on nuclear diplomacy, but he's unlikely to give Netanyahu a blank check to sabotage his efforts to engage Tehran.

Moreover, Biden -- a strong supporter of Israel for decades -- is not Obama, whom Netanyahu had a far easier time portraying among Israelis as unfriendly to Israel.

But Netanyahu and his hawkish supporters in this country should be under no illusions. The new Biden administration is unlikely to deliver on what they want: an extension of the sunset provisions that allow key nuclear restrictions to expire after a specific number of years in the JCPOA, real limits on Iran's ballistic missile development, and a rollback of Iran's regional influence.

Israel's options for military action will be constrained if the administration successfully restores the JCPOA -- or even if it gets less from Iran on nuclear compliance in return for less American relief from sanctions. But if there is no nuclear deal, and especially if hardliners capture the Iranian presidency in June's election and ramp up Iran's nuclear program, all bets are off against Israel taking matters into its own hands.

The clock is ticking ...

Originally published carnegieendowment.org

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the sydney jewish report | february 2021

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NEWS

The International Criminal Court Threatens Middle East Peace RICHARD KEMP The International Criminal Court (ICC) waited until after US President Joe Biden took the oath of office before unilaterally handing itself territorial jurisdiction over Israel — more than a full year since the pre-trial chamber was asked to rule on the matter. Mindful of President Donald J. Trump's sanctions against ICC staff, including revoking Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda's US entry visa, and his warnings against efforts to brand Israel and other allies as war criminals, court officials lacked the steel to make an announcement while he remained in the Oval Office.

The ICC has long had its sights on what it no doubt considers an unholy trinity: Israel, the US and Britain. Its reasons are twofold. First, these are the three Western

democracies most active in using legitimate military force to defend their interests. This is anathema to the left-liberal doctrine of ICC officials and their soul-mates in such morally dissipated places as the UN Human Rights Council. Second, they wish to virtue signal, deflecting criticism that the court is biased against African states, which led to South Africa, Burundi and The Gambia threatening withdrawal in 2016. Yet by its charter, dealing with countries that lack the will or capability to bring their own to justice is the sole purpose of the ICC. This does apply to some states in Africa and elsewhere but demonstrably does not apply to Israel, the US or Britain, each of which have long-established and globally respected legal systems.

Bensouda failed to get her way with the US and UK. Despite having submitted more than 20,000 pages of documentation in support of her demand for a formal investigation into alleged crimes by US forces in Afghanistan over a 15-year period, the pre-trial chamber turned her down, in part due to a rightful US refusal to cooperate with a body that it considers likely to abuse its power. Having first closed a preliminary examination into allegations against UK forces in Iraq in 2006, Bensouda then re-opened her investigation in 2014 but was forced to shut it down again in 2020 with an admission that "none of the potential cases arising from the situation would be admissible before the ICC".

So for the time being, Israel remains the prize, despite the dissenting opinion of Hungarian Judge Peter Kovacs, one of the three justices who determined the ICC's jurisdiction: "I find neither the Majority's approach nor

its reasoning appropriate in answering the question before this Chamber, and in my view, they have no legal basis in the Rome Statute, and even less so, in public international law."

Israel was always highest on Bensouda's list, urged on by a Palestinian Authority intent on undermining the Jewish state through a dual strategy of brainwashing its own people to precipitate violence, and manipulating international entities such as the ICC to delegitimise lawful defensive efforts. Bensouda has also been encouraged by a vengeful UN Human Rights Council, which has for years made untold efforts to force Israelis into the dock, obsessing on this malevolent mission at the expense of genuine human rights abuses. The ICC's design against Israel is the latest in a long history of endeavours to subjugate and scourge unwilling Jewish people deemed incapable of regulating themselves. When you examine the unexampled contortions the court has gone through just to get to this point, you have no choice but to question whether antisemitism is the motive.

The effects of the ICC's decision will be profound. This is only the end of the beginning. Unless halted, investigations into spurious allegations of war crimes will go on for years, perhaps decades, creating a global bonanza for all who hate Israel, including at the UN, the European Union, various governments and in universities and so-called human rights groups.

Originally published: Gatestone institute CONTINUED ON PAGE 15

Israeli behind ‘game-changing’ Covid nasal spray says it’s 99.9% effective ELLIE JACOBS The Israeli co-founder of a nasal spray that kills 99.9% of the coronavirus that causes Covid-19, has told The UK Jewish News that she believes the spray will be a game changer in the fight against Covid-19.

Dr Gilly Regev, who co-founded SaNOtize Research and Development Corp. based in Vancouver, Canada explained via telephone that “If you use it daily, I really believe you won’t be affected by Covid-19. We have shown in the clinical trials that the people who used it did not get infected.”

The first UK clinical trials for The SaNOtize Nitric Oxide Nasal Spray (NONS) begins this week. The treatment, developed by SaNOtize Research and Development Corp. based in Vancouver, Canada, cofounded by Israeli Gilly Regev, proved 99.9% effective in killing the coronavirus in independent lab tests at Utah State University’s Antiviral Research Institute.

NONS is designed to kill the virus in the upper airways, preventing it from incubating and spreading to the lungs.

Additional studies in rodents with COVID-19 infection showed over 95% reduction within the first day after infection.

It is currently undergoing Phase II clinical trials throughout Canada

approved by Health Canada, and in other countries.

“We have shown in animals that we can reduce the virus in the nose so I think we have all the science and the data to support this in humans,” says Regev.

Though this is the first trial they have done for early treatment, she is confident that it will prove its efficacy on humans.

Lab tests on the SaNOtize treatment at Utah State University’s Antiviral Research Institute confirmed that the company’s Nitric Oxide Releasing Solution inactivated more than 99.9% of SARsCoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, within two minutes.

The SaNOtize treatment is based on nitric oxide, a natural nanomolecule produced by the human body with proven anti-microbial properties shown to have a direct effect on SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19. The treatment can be delivered by nasal spray, throat gargle or nasal lavage.

NONS which Regev describes as “a super simple nasal spray” is unique in that it not only creates a preventative barrier but also kills the virus too.

“We call it ‘the hand sanitiser for the nose’ because the idea is everyone will carry it in their pocket like they carry a hand sanitizer today and so prevent people getting infected so we can get out of this!” she explains.

Another reason Regev is so “confident

of its efficacy” is because pre-Covid, it was being used to treat other diseases such as acne, athlete’s foot and even the flu.

“I have always used the spray before and after getting on the plane to prevent getting the flu.” she adds.

Born and raised in Israel, Dr Gilly Regev completed a PhD in Biochemistry at the Hebrew University before moving to Canada 16 years ago.

While in Canada, she met her business partner, Dr Chris Miller, who introduced her to “the crazy world of nitric oxide.”

Not only was this an area of science Regev found “fascinating” but it also meant that she “could do some good in the world and help people.”

For Regev, that is the ultimate goal.

She hopes that after the trial, the spray will be available to purchase over the counter by anyone “as there is no risk”.

“It will be pretty inexpensive”, Regev adds, “because our goal is that everyone can use it and so eventually, we can get it to some of the third world countries and be able to help with the spread of the disease there.”

She says they are already doing work in countries like Malaysia, “to help those that cannot afford vaccines or some of the more expensive treatment.”

Regev notes that Israel is already looking to approve the spray as a medical device, where “we already have a lot of interest,” she adds.

She says that so far, none of the 200 people that have trialled the spray, have shown any side effects. “It’s amazing how much a small molecule can do!”

Rob Wilson, a former British government minister who represents SaNOtize in the UK and EU, is overseeing the trial.

“If, as we expect, the current Phase II results in Canada confirm the very encouraging results received from the Antiviral Research Institute and ongoing studies at Colorado State University SaNOtize will be seeking emergency approval in Canada to proceed directly to Phase IV introduction of the product to the market as part of the continuing global fight against this deadly pandemic,” said Wilson.

“Any intervention for treating coronavirus – the virus responsible for Covid-19 – is to be welcomed. The fact that a relatively easy and simple nasal spray could be an effective treatment is welcome news and offers a significant advance in our therapeutic armoury against this devastating disease. Ashford and St Peters Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is proud to be at the forefront of trialling this intervention,” said Pankaj Sharma MD PhD FRCP, Professor of Neurology and Director of the Institute of Cardiovascular Research at Royal Holloway, University of London.

Originally published in The UK Jewish News,

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Bouncing Back from COVID

AR OU ND

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COMMUNITY

SANDRA MATRAI The last 12 months have been very hard on everyone, not least our seniors.

Social isolation was the first defense recommended against the disease and was also the worst possible strategy for COA members who come to Club COA and other COA group activities to stimulate their minds and socialise with their peers.

COA never stopped delivering our Kosher meals-on-Wheels service, in fact it expanded greatly during the lockdown as people were trying to isolate at home.

We kept in contact with members through the Shalom Connect phone service, with our wonderful volunteers calling people at home daily or weekly.

We also started the award winning COA Fresh service, sponsored by Peter and Jenny Wohl and family and delivered by our volunteers, providing a free bag of fresh fruit, vegetables and occasionally other household items like toothpaste, hand sanitiser, even jumpers and beanies in winter.

Over 1000 people in our community have benefited from COA Fresh which helped keep them out of high traffic shopping centers and supermarkets.

But when the word came down in

August that we could offer programming again with reduced numbers and COVID safety precautions in place we immediately resumed our COA Centre based social support services.

So, while some organisations are only now opening their doors again, COA has been working with groups of up to 30 people since August, using masks when mandated, providing hand sanitiser at all entrances and reception desks, and COVID check ins on walls and doors, ensuring we are can provide our unique family style connection for seniors in safety and joy.

Club COA is presenting live music Mondays and Wednesdays, Mystery Bus Outings on Tuesday and Thursday are running once more, and all our small groups are bringing members into COA again, in short we are back to business as usual, and the staff, volunteers and members couldn’t be happier.

We are all waiting to welcome you and your friends and family back to the COA Centre, so why wait! Check our website for the latest newsletter so you can start planning your come back to much needed social connection with your COA Family of Friends

COA never stopped delivering our Kosher meals-on-Wheels service, in fact it expanded greatly during the lockdown as people were trying to isolate at home.

Celebrating Purim at Emanuel Synagogue EMANUEL SYNAGOGUGE This year, the festival of Purim begins on the evening of Thursday 25 February, and to celebrate, Emanuel Synagogue in Woollahra is offering a variety of both in-person and online events for all ages.

Emanuel’s Senior Rabbi Jeffrey B. Kamins said the event was a welcome opportunity for members of the

community to reconnect and celebrate together.

“This past year has been testing for many of us,” Rabbi Kamins said, “so Emanuel’s Purim celebrations will provide many opportunities for our community to come together and celebrate one of the more joyous events on the Jewish calendar.”

Emanuel will be hosting a series of events to celebrate Purim this year.

Due to COVID restrictions, numbers for all in-person events below are strictly

limited, so will be on a first-come, firstserved basis. Don’t miss out!

• Online hamantaschen baking Tuesday 23 February, 6pm-7pm Register here for this online event and to receive recipes • Service and Megillah reading followed by Purim Spiel!

Thursday 25 February, from 6.15pm Register here to attend in person (or to receive details for attending online)

• Renewal Beach Purim Shabbat Friday 26 February, from 6pm RSVP direct to Rabbi Orna Triguboff • Purim Carnival Sunday 28 February, from 10am11.30am Register here to attend in person For details of all events as well as activities, games, songs, recipes, and more, visit https://emanuel.org.au/ purim-2021/ today.

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Emanuel School’s HSC success EMMANUEL SCHOOL

“This year’s impressive HSC results are testament to our students’ academic strength, resilience and tenacity as well as their teachers’ commitment to their success and personal development.

Despite a tumultuous and challenging year, Emanuel School’s Year 12 students’ focus and determination have converged to deliver outstanding results.

We congratulate and celebrate those students who achieved a State ranking for the following subjects: Jessica Beutum Business Studies – 8th in the State Adam Winter Business Studies – 19th in the State Ethan De Melo Modern History – 20th in the State Other notable highlights include: • Ariel Berger was selected and Asha Friedman was nominated for ARTEXPRESS • Amber Langman was nominated for ENCORE The School ranked 38th in the State, based on the percentage of Band 6 and E4 results across all subjects.

Amongst non-selective coeducational schools, Emanuel ranked an impressive 4th in the State.

Andrew Watt, Principal commented:

“This year’s impressive HSC results are testament to our students’ academic strength, resilience and tenacity as well as their teachers’ commitment to their success and personal development.

“Whilst we can get carried away with individual and collective performances, we must always keep in mind that our students are much more than their ATAR. They depart our School equipped with the mindset and skills required to thrive in the workplace – and, importantly, as

ethical, caring and responsible global citizens.”

Nine percent of students received an ATAR of 99.00 or more, 21% received an ATAR of 95.00 or more and 39% of students achieved 90.00 or more. Beau Glass, Dux of the School, scored an ATAR of 99.80. He said: “Emanuel has given me an opportunity to embrace and explore each and every passion; the School is the physical embodiment of ruach.” He highlights the four musical productions he acted in as highlights which gave him the opportunity to connect with students in other Year groups and embrace his creativity and passion for performance.

Beau is regarded by his peers as loyal, tenacious and passionate about academics and sport.

He was described as creative, kind and always up for a good laugh. He is planning to study Medicine and become a Doctor.

Repeating the success of 2019, there were four All-Round Achievers while all students in Drama, Modern Hebrew Continuers (Year 11 accelerants) and Music 1 received a Band 6.

Masada College Appoints New College Principal JACQUI WONG Masada College wishes to announce the following changes in senior leadership.

Mrs Mira (Miriam) Hasofer has been appointed as College Principal to take over from current College Principal Mr Martin Tait at the start of Term 3, 2021. Mr Tait has chosen to transition to another role within the College at the end of Term 2.

While Mira will replace Martin as College Principal, Martin will remain with the College to support leadership transition and will continue to play a significant role across a range of strategic and operational initiatives.

During his tenure, he has garnered the respect of the Board, teachers, parents and students alike and led the College in an accomplished and exceptional manner. He has helped the College navigate through the challenges of the past few years, including the COVID-19 pandemic, in his gentle, considered, yet firm manner.

Mr Darryl Dorfan, President of the Masada College Board, said, “Mira’s appointment is a key step for the College as it embarks on a promising new chapter in its history. Mira is an inspirational educator and leader who has driven change in a diverse international setting, successfully prioritising Jewish values within an inclusive environment.

“Mira shares our commitment to providing engaging Jewish education, attracting and retaining the most outstanding teachers, ensuring the strongest academic offerings and fostering within students a passion for, and commitment to chesed, tzedek and derech eretz.

“Martin has made and continues to make a difference in the lives of our students. We thank him for his contribution as College Principal and look forward to continuing to work with

him.”

Mira served as Head of Carmel Elementary School in Hong Kong for the past decade, taking the school on a transformative journey of growth and development. As a Jewish International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, Carmel has consistently placed in the top five schools in Hong Kong for academic achievement, in a truly challenging and competitive environment.

Mira received a Bachelor of Education with Honours in Jewish Education from the University of Sydney, and taught at Mount Sinai College, Moriah College and Academy BJE, before relocating to Hong Kong where she taught both secular and Jewish Studies at Carmel School, while completing her Master of Education at the University of Hong Kong.

Incoming

College

Principal,

Mira

Hasofer, shared, “I have been privileged to call Hong Kong home for almost two decades, and proud of what Carmel School has achieved. I look forward to returning to Australia and working closely with Martin and the Masada College team.

“Together, our goal will be for students to dedicate their minds to inquiry and their hearts to compassion with a global mindset, grounded in Jewish and general educational excellence.”

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Fatal Distraction RABBI LEVI WOLFF THE CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE

Would you believe that something exists that can save your life that weighs nothing and costs nothing?

Let’s contextualise this: there is a pivotal moment immediately after G-d gave the Ten Commandments when Moses was invited to ascend Mt. Sinai once more. God had said to Moses, “Aley aylai ha-harah - come up to Me on the mountain.”

You see, before Moses could even respond, G-d added two more Hebrew words (technically three in English, the life-saving message, the key to it all): “v’heyei sham – and be there.” From that lofty vantage point, G-d was effectively his private tutor explaining the intricacies of the holy, timeless treasure recently bestowed. Moses knew well the location. So why did G-d add these two extra Hebrew words?

Many commentators have reflected upon this and offered explanations. In the 11th century, Rashi postulated, “and be there” to mean that Moses should stay up on the mountain for forty days.

Of course, a millennium would pass before the 21st century arrived when we now re-interpret these words, soberly comprehending the global obsession with technology.

Through this modern (destructive) prism, these words can also be analysed to mean: come up to the mountain and leave your smart phone behind.

G-d requested Moses’ undivided attention, his conscious presence, no distractions! Today, over three-quarters of the Australian population owns a smartphone, with each spending almost 1500 hours glued to their phones

each year. So much time disappearing without a trace down this worrying well.

Gene Weingarten won the Pulitzer Prize for a feature article in the Washington Post entitled, “Fatal Distraction.” It tells the haunting story about parents, from varying walks of life, who accidentally kill their children by forgetting them in cars, typically as they are distracted by mobile phone usage. It is more common than you think – here in Australia over 5000 children are annually rescued after being left unattended in vehicles.

Given the frenetic pace within which we all consume technology in our dayto-day world, we are more often than not, almost never truly focussed on the here and now, practically incapable individually or as a collective of V’heyei sham, being intrinsically present.The Talmud recounts a story about the death of King David. He had a premonition that he would die on a Shabbat and did not want this to eventuate.

His preference was to be buried immediately and he devised a plan to thwart the Angel of Death. King David opted to spend every minute of Shabbat immersed in Torah learning, a pursuit which can’t be interrupted.

It was clever, but not clever enough.

One Shabbat, the Angel of Death caused a tree to rustle outside David’s window. Distracted, he lifted his gaze to determine the source of the noise.

In that moment, the Angel completed his mission. Today, the Angel would not have had to devise any trickery, a simple mobile phone call would do. Perhaps King David would not have answered his phone on Shabbat, yet many around the world are now discussing the grim reality of teenagers who are so dependent, they can’t resist using their mobile phones, even on Shabbat.

ASK

T HE

RABBI

It would be naïve to think this can be pigeon-holed as an adolescent issue.

This is disturbingly multi-generational to the core. In fact, it is kids who are frequently more upset with their parents for being distracted by their phones too much. They are not wrong.

Articles abound which suggest how to remedy this: track your time; ensure you complete your most valuable tasks; steer clear of social media; say no to all notifications. A Forbes magazine article went further and advised, “Take a phone sabbatical every Saturday! You cannot use your phone on Saturday for anything – you’re not allowed to touch it! Read books, have family time. If you’re meeting up with friends, tell them you don’t have your phone so they will need to be there on time. It’s possible … people have been doing this for millennia. You are in control.”

This is such a powerful and dangerous issue it can now be found in the mainstream media in a plethora of forms. It can be done. I do it and not only survive but thrive because of it. The warning signs are flashing dangerously fast. If we don’t take heed, the ‘noise’ will ultimately reach a dangerous crescendo and will spill over the proverbial edge. The advice to Moses is as applicable then as now if we want to give ourselves half a chance to navigate this busy and crazy world with our sanity somewhat intact.

V’heyei sham is the only way. I personally thank G-d for this sage piece of wisdom each week as I welcome our Day of Rest, our peaceful Shabbat.

It is the antithesis of a potentially fatal distraction – on the contrary, it is blessedly life-affirming.

Given the frenetic pace within which we all consume technology in our day-to-day world, we are more often than not, almost never truly focussed on the here and now, practically incapable individually or as a collective of V’heyei sham, being intrinsically present.

The International Criminal Court ...

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12 Although determining jurisdiction does not imply guilt, it will be widely portrayed as just that and utilised to stir up hatred and violence against Israelis and Jews everywhere.

But the most detrimental effect of the ICC's decision will be felt by Palestinian Arab people who, for decades, have been abused as political pawns by their leaders and who would be the greatest beneficiaries of any peace agreement with Israel. The ICC's ruling makes such a deal even more remote today.

After years of counterproductive peace processing by the US, the EU and others, the Abraham Accords of 2020 for the first time brought an actual possibility — however slight — of peace between Israel and the Palestinian Arabs. Contrary to former US Secretary of State John Kerry's categorical assurance in 2016 that "there will be no separate peace between Israel and the Arab world without the Palestinian process" — his infamous four "no"s — that is exactly what happened last year.

It came as a severe blow to Palestinian leaders who have consistently rejected all efforts at peace, most recently by Presidents Obama and Trump. Instead of trying to arrive at an understanding with Israel, they have remained intent on squandering vast sums of overseas aid for their personal benefit and

on their malign anti-Israel programme, while using the hapless peace processors to gain concession after concession from the Jewish state but themselves making none.

The Palestinian leadership have also counted heavily on backing from other countries in the Middle East. But the steady dissipation of support from Arab leaders, exasperated by their intransigence, became increasingly worrisome for the Palestinians. The fears of the Palestinian leaders exploded into a catastrophe — another "nakba" — when the UAE, Bahrain and Morocco, backed by Saudi Arabia, signed up to the Abraham Accords. As the Abraham process powered on at the end of last year, some among the Palestinian leadership apparently realised the game might be up. Angry denunciation of their Arab neighbours seemed to dwindle into sullen resignation as they floundered around for an answer.

Now could have been the time when the likes of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas concluded there may be no other course than to find some way of treating with the Israelis. It was impossible for him to conceal what was going on in the Middle East beyond the West Bank, with the growing realisation among his benighted people that it may after all be conceivable to work with, rather than against, Israel, as their brothers in Dubai were doing.

Here was an opportunity for creative

diplomacy by the Biden administration. On the one hand encouraging further progress in the Abraham project while on the other restoring ties with the Palestinians after their refusal of any relationship with the hated Trump. A dexterous approach, rather than a return to the washed-out Kerry peace processing, could have taken advantage of the Palestinian leadership's new nakba in the interests of peace and prosperity for their people.

Enter the ICC pre-trial chamber, throwing a lifeline to Abbas and his henchmen's malevolence. Hussein al-Sheikh, PA civil affairs minister, declared the ruling "a victory for rights, justice, freedom and moral values in the world". Although al-Sheikh's description is the diametric opposite of reality, for the PA it is certainly a major diplomatic triumph. In any conflict, even a symbolic morale boost can turn the tide, reviving flagging spirits and restoring the will to fight on.

Thus the ill-judged insertion of the ICC into the conflict, especially in such legally untenable and contested circumstances, makes even more difficult the potential for genuine dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians, which is the only realistic path for bringing about peace between them. Effectively, the ICC's determination to criminalize the longstanding political dispute can lead only to further polarisation as mutual recriminations are incentivised. In other words,

it will exacerbate the conflict, not contribute to its resolution, at the very moment when resolution may have been closer than ever.

In an unprecedented move early last year, Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Australia, Canada, Uganda and Brazil petitioned the ICC, of which all are members, arguing that a formal investigation could not be launched as the Palestinian Authority does not meet the definition of a state under the Rome Statute that established and governs the court. These countries, whose objections to the legitimacy of the legal process were overruled, should now vehemently protest the ICC's decision on jurisdiction, also legally unjustifiable.

The ICC's imperious judgement on its own authority over Israel is not only detrimental to peace, it also undermines the credibility of the court itself.

Both are consequences so serious that responsible member states should consider at least temporarily defunding the ICC pending fundamental reform. As a non-member, the US should renew and reinforce its actions against court officials rather than the Biden administration's likely inclination to end the sanctions.

Colonel Richard Kemp is a former British Army Commander. He was also head of the international terrorism team in the U.K. Cabinet Office and is now a writer and speaker on international and military affairs.

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A S K

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RABBI

To drink or not to drink ...

L-R Richie Harkham, Rabbi Moshe Gutnick, Terry Harkham

RABBI MOSHE D. GUTNICK THE KASHRUT AUTHORITY

Many people postulate that if this prohibition goes back to the times when idol worship was common, what relevance does it have today?

“The drinking was in accordance with the Law – no one was forced.”

Sounds like this could easily apply to a general appraisal of a modern-day event.

Not so. These specific words refer to the famous Purim feast of King Achashverosh, and they have been explored, discussed, and analysed ever since. Our sages explain that no guests attending were forced to consume non-kosher wine.

What is non-kosher wine exactly if all fruit including varieties of grapes are kosher?

In fact, kosher wine making is the most

labour intensive of all endeavours that require a mashgiach, or kosher supervisor.

Wine is only deemed kosher if a nonJew does not touch it or participate in its production in any way.

The Torah instructs that wine used for idol worship or even designated for use for worship is forbidden. Appreciating that one often cannot ascertain the practices of another, the rabbis decreed that any wine which a non-Jew contacts, even minimally, is forbidden to drink or derive benefit from. The abhorrence toward idol worship is so great that even in places where this practice is uncommon, such as in Muslim and Christian cultures, the wine produced is still forbidden.

Earlier this month I was present to oversee the commencement of the first crush of the season at Harkham Winery with Shiraz grapes; all involved were observant members of our faith. To produce red wine, the juice is first fermented with the red grape skins, thereby releasing the skin colour so it can be absorbed into the juice. At a determined time, this mixture is processed through a special wine press where the juice is then separated from the skins. It is then placed into storage containers to ferment and age, carefully monitored by the vintner who orders the necessary adjustments, then carried out by the mashgiach.

White wine follows a similar path except the juice is not fermented with the skins.

The kosher yeast turns the fructose, or fruit sugar, in the juice into ethanol (alcohol) and results in wine. The more fructose that turns into ethanol, the drier the wine (less sweet) and the higher the alcohol level.

Moscato at 5% alcohol, means that more of the natural sugar remains in the wine and that is why it is so sweet to the palate.

In contrast, wine at 14% alcohol means that all the sugar has been turned into alcohol and that is why that wine is dry.

From go to woe, only observant Jews handle the wine until it is bottled, or the wine is mevushal – this literally means cooked, and in a modern context, pasteurised. Cooked wine was not used in the Temple, nor was it used in idol worship; hence the prohibition does not apply.

Many people postulate that if this prohibition goes back to the times when idol worship was common, what relevance does it have today? Even in the here and now, idol worship is prevalent and practiced by those of the Hindu and Buddhist faiths and throughout many parts of India, China and Asia. Effectively, there are billions of people today who do not recognise that there is only One G-d, the G-d of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Our sages wanted us to be acutely aware of our responsibility to our G-d and to our people. In this spirit, we are forbidden to consume wine with anyone outside of our faith as a reminder against fraternising in a manner that could lead to intermarriage. Many commandments mandated by our sages are designed so that we retain our Jewish faith and identity and do not blend into the society around us.

Our priority is to maintain our unique faith identity, in part facilitated by the laws surrounding wine. This adherence has sustained us throughout all the generations. So, this Purim, revel and drink with pleasure, make sure the wine is kosher … you might want to try those KA-certified Harkham wines from the Hunter Valley region – L’Chaim!

Isi Leibler: A man with many missions GREER FAY CASHMAN Australian Jews who knew Isi Leibler before he relocated to Jerusalem a little over 20 years ago, are often asked whether he really was such a big shot Down Under.

Actually, he was a bigger shot than most people realized – and not just in the Jewish community or the wider Australian community, but also in the international community as an ideological and idealistic activist with undisputed leadership abilities, a social entrepreneur, an astute multinational businessman in different fields of endeavor and a generous philanthropist.

For all that, he wasn’t popular with everyone. Although he has mellowed over the years, he used to be the kind of person that one either loved or hated. He was well known for having a short fuse, and when he exploded, heaven help anyone in his path.

He could be ruthlessly nasty to opponents, especially if they had Communist or fascist connections, and his anger was occasionally expressed in explicit, vulgar language, despite his first-class education and exemplary university results.

He did not suffer fools gladly, and had no patience for them. He was too much aware of his own intellectual prowess, which was sometimes problematic in that this awareness manifested itself in his attitude to people he didn’t like.

On the other hand, he and his wife Naomi were extremely hospitable, and continue to be so in Israel. To be a guest at their Shabbat table, where there almost always are people of note and great intelligence among the guests, is a delight for both the soul and the mind.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT and leadership is part of the Leibler DNA, as indicated through three generations of

the Leibler family in Melbourne. A fourth generation is still too young to be assessed as having inherited this legacy. In Isi Leibler’s case, it started in his teens when he headed Bnei Akiva, and it kept going for decades even after he stepped down from Australia’s top Jewish leadership role as president of the Executive Council for Australian Jewry, to which he had been elected four times.

In addition, fighting for the underdog is an Australian characteristic. Leibler is arguably best known in Australia for championing the cause of Soviet Jewry, while his younger brother Mark, a prominent lawyer and a former president of the Zionist Federation of Australia among several other top executive positions, champions the rights of Australian Aborigines.

Admittedly, the Soviet Jewry issue was not Leibler’s own idea, but as was the case with every mission he took on, Leibler put his heart and soul into the project – with the result that Australia was the first country to raise the Soviet Jewry issue in federal parliament thanks to Leibler’s lobbying.

Better still, it was raised by a non-Jew. The matter was subsequently launched again

by Australia in the United Nations.

It would be easy to say “and all the rest is history.” But it wasn’t that simple. There was opposition from Communist factions within the Jewish community that were reluctant to voice any criticism of Soviet Russia. There were also people who didn’t want to rock the boat and draw unwelcome attention to Australian Jewry. Jewish politicians were slow to act.

In the long run, however, Leibler had nearly everyone on board, including the Communists, who conceded that Jews were suffering discrimination in Russia and were unable to freely practice their faith.

They read the essays, pamphlets and books

that Leibler wrote, and enthusiastically joined in protest rallies that also included flying to Canberra to demonstrate outside the Soviet Embassy.

When his travel company Jetset Tours won the concession for transporting the Australian Olympic team to the Moscow Olympics, Leibler came in for a lot of criticism. Australian Jews misinterpreted his intentions and thought that he was putting profit ahead of the Soviet Jewry campaign.

But the real purpose, from Leibler’s perspective, was to have carte-blanche entry into Russia, where he was not exactly persona grata, despite the fact that he had made numerous previous visits there, where he developed a network of contacts among refuseniks. During his visits to Russia, the Australian Embassy was always made aware of his presence, and always ready to rush to his rescue if need be.

After Mikhail Gorbachev instituted perestroika and glasnost in the 1980s, Leibler was the first international Jewish leader invited to see for himself how Russia had changed. He subsequently established the Solomon Mikhoels Center in Moscow and the first Hebrew song festivals in Moscow and Leningrad.

Apropos Jetset Tours, Leibler was an Antwerp-trained diamond dealer who had an unlikely close friendship with SymchaBinem – better known as Bono – Wiener.

Although they had similar temperaments, they were as different as chalk and cheese.

Leibler, though born in Belgium, had to come to Australia as a young child and had grown up in the freedom of “the lucky country.” Wiener, born in Lodz, was a Holocaust survivor who had gone from the Lodz Ghetto to several Nazi camps, including Auschwitz.

While Leibler was a passionate Zionist and

Orthodox, Wiener was a passionate Bundist and secular. While Leibler took care to be apolitical, Wiener was a political activist.

What they had in common was social activism and a deep-seated belief in Jewish continuity – which each believed, in his own way, could be guaranteed only through Jewish education.

Wiener was the proprietor of Astronaut Travel, which wasn’t doing too well. He thought that if he expanded it, it might become a more profitable enterprise. He spoke to Leibler about this in the early 1960s, when both were serving on the Victorian Jewish Board of Deputies. Leibler and one other person agreed to be his partners.

Thanks to Leibler’s business acumen, Astronaut – renamed Jetset Tours – became the largest travel agency in Asia and the Pacific, with branches worldwide. Only recently, in response to a question, did Leibler concede that initially the venture on his part had been an act of charity. But business-wise, it put Wiener in the black for the rest of his life.

After Russia opened the gates to permit the emigration of its Jewish population, Leibler turned his attention to the Asia and Pacific region, where in addition to helping the Jewish communities of Asia to become a more cohesive force, he did some quasidiplomatic work for Israel during meetings with Indian prime minister P.V. Narasimha Rao and Chinese foreign minister Qian Qichen prior to the formal establishment of diplomatic relations between the Jewish state and India, and with China.

If someone were to make a film based on Leibler’s life, few people would believe that one person could have packed so much into a single lifetime.

Originally published: The Jerusalem Report

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(EASTGARDENS)

(DOUBLE BAY)

(ST IVES)

(BONDI BEACH)

COLES

(ST IVES)

Also available at: JCA, COA, Montefiore, JEMS, Burger Center, Wolper Hospital, Our Big Kitchen, Bagel Company, Jesses, Kadimah Synagogue, Kesser Torah College, Sydney Jewish Museum, North Shore Lindfield Shul, North Shore Synagogue (Lindfield), JLC, Jewish Care.

Please contact us at editor@thejewishreport.com.au if you would like to distribute.

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the sydney jewish report | february 2021

Image: Carriageworks

FOO D I E S

CORNER

Top 10 Organic Farmers Markets In Sydney ESTELLE FALLON Lucky for us in Sydney, we have a great number of organic food markets available and not all of them are held on a weekend. As more people become tired of overseas imports and farmers getting a raw deal from the major supermarket chains, hopefully more markets will pop up to continue to meet demand.

Here we’ve put together a list of some of Sydney’s more popular spots.

Listed in alphabetical order so there’s no favouritism, we’re sure you’ll find somewhere nearby to stock up and meal prep for the week.

Carriageworks Farmers Market Open every Saturday from 8am – 1pm, there are big plans to put Carriageworks on the world map after making it the leading produce market in Australia.

With a great range of seasonal produce, including organic and bio-dynamic foods, this progressive hub in a vintage setting has something for everyone – including a celebrity chef or two. Open all year round, the market is close to public transport, wheelchair accessible and a must visit for anyone who loves great food, amazing coffee and a chat with the people behind the produce.

Castle Hill Farmers & Fine Food Market The Hawkesbury Harvest Farmers and Fine Food Markets are held at the Castle Hill Showgrounds, on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of each month, from 8am – 12 noon. The markets are a firm favourite with locals who will tell you to get there early so you don’t miss out. Must visits include Paddock to Plate for free range and grassfed beef, pork, lamb and goat and Warrah Biodynamic Farm and Farm Shop for their freshly picked seasonal produce.

Double Bay Market Located at Guilfoyle Park on Knox Street, this weekly market specialises in

Certified Organic and fresh produce, eco and fair-trade products.

The markets are held every Thursday from 9am to 2pm and include a great array of fresh fruit and vegetables, wild caught and sustainable seafood and a host of food stalls to curb those cravings.

Frenchs Forest Market Held each Sunday from 9am – 1pm, this market at the Parkway Hotel runs rain, hail or shine. A lively, organic market with everything you need for the week.

Fresh organic fruit and vegetables, olives, cakes and treats, soaps, clothing and jewellery. A great place to catch up, have a browse and stock up.

Marrickville Market Rise and shine early on a Sunday morning and head to this Inner West indoor/outdoor market.

Plenty of seasonal produce, vegan treats, flowers, and food to satisfy the senses.

Pick up some home-grown herbs for the balcony garden, real honey (from real bees!) and a great selection of organic nuts, fruits, herbs and spices. Markets are open from 8am – 3pm.

Hornsby Market Another mid-week market, Thursday is the day to mosey to Hornsby Mall, near the fountain, and check out the week’s offerings. Open from 8am to 3pm, the market boasts a great range of certified fruit and vegetables, chutneys, nuts, grass fed beef, plants, eco- and fairtrade products. Make sure you try a well-deserved Pho or fabulous gozleme, or bag some authentic New York style bagels for breakfast.

Kings Cross Market If you’re needing inspiration to head out to a market this weekend, check out the socials for Kings Cross Market. With an abundance of colour and creativity, the photos will have you heading to the iconic fountain on Saturday before

you can say “Where’s my string bag?”.

Man’s best friend is definitely welcome here as you can pick up a dog-friendly beer from the McPets stall. You’ll have to contend yourself with the freshest of fish, meat and eggs as well as flowers, fruits and vegetables for your weekly shopping needs.

Don’t forget the coffee!

Orange Grove Market Reviews for this market continue to sing the praises of this popular weekend destination. Be prepared to start early if you’re coming by car to get a parking spot. Plenty of fresh organic produce, delicious pastries, potted plants and other gift ideas including kids clothes, jewellery and artisan crafts. A kids play area means you can enjoy your breakfast in peace before strolling the stalls. Held in the grounds of Orange Grove Public School, get there before 9 as it does get busy.

Manly Fresh Produce Markets Stroll down Manly Plaza on a Wednesday or Sunday and you’ll find this market in full swing from 8am – 2pm.

North Shore locals like to head out for a walk along the beach, swing by for some breakfast and then shop for their organic fruit and vegetables for the week.

Ramsgate Organic Foodies Market You’ll find this family and pet friendly treasure in the grounds of Ramsgate Public School on Florence Street. With a great range of products for celiacs or those with a gluten intolerance (including donuts!), it has a great array of raw and paleo treats as well. With face painting and a jumping castle for the kids, there’s music and merriment to be had. Mark off a Saturday in your diary and head down from 8am to 2pm and see what all the locals are talking about.

Originally published: www. greengoodnessco.com.au

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the sydney jewish report | february 2021

Even 1 dose of Covid vaccine lowers viral load and spread ABIGAIL KLEIN LEICHMAN Even after one dose of the PfizerBioNTech vaccine, people who become infected with Covid-19 present a much lower transmission risk, new Israeli research reveals.

This is because the vaccine appears to lower the viral load four-fold for infections occurring 12 to 28 days after the first of two doses, according to a paper published online by a group supported by the Israel Science Foundation’s KillCoronaCurbing Coronavirus Research Program.

The paper, which is not yet peer reviewed, was written by scientists from Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and Maccabi Research Institute.

Conclusions were based on positive post-vaccination data from Maccabi Healthcare Services, the second largest of Israel’s four national health maintenance organizations.

This follows another Israeli study indicating that people over 60 who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 are less likely to transmit the coronavirus to others.

Data from two testing labs showed

that vaccination reduces the viral load by 1.6 to 20 times in individuals who are positive for SARS-CoV-2.

Taken together, the two studies raise hopes that people who are vaccinated protect not only themselves but also those around them from developing serious symptoms of Covid-19.

This may hasten Israel’s reaching herd immunity, which happens when a

sufficient percentage of a population has immunity and gives indirect protection to those who aren’t immunized.

Herd immunity is an important question in Israel. Although the country has vaccinated more people per capita than any other country – 65.83 as of February 8 — some 30 percent of the population is under 16 and therefore cannot be vaccinated for Covid-19.

New Israeli study bolsters emerging evidence that Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine protects those who are immunized and those around them from Covid-19.

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Share your news, advice, updates, opinions, ideas. go to www.thejewishreport.com.au

COLES

(BONDI JUNCTION)

WOOLWORTHS (BONDI JUNCTION)

COLES

(MAROUBRA JUNCTION)

WOOLWORTHS (EASTGARDENS)

COLES (ST IVES)

WOOLWORTHS WOOLWORTHS (ST IVES)

(DOUBLE BAY)

KRINSKYS

(BONDI BEACH)

20

the sydney jewish report | february 2021

K O SH E R

KApers

Kosher KApers RAMONA FREEDMAN THE KASHRUT AUTHORITY

UPDATES Here is a quick snapshot of new kosher products: The Nut Shop - Chocolate Buttons (Pareve – Dairy Vessels) Oh Boo Rocky Road (Dairy, not Chalav Yisrael) Fry’s Turkish Delight bar & block (Only when Made in Australia) Green & Black’s Organic Milk Chocolate 37% Cocoa (Dairy, not Chalav Yisrael) Green & Black’s Smooth Crisps Raisin & Hazelnut (Pareve) DJ&A Mixed Mushroom Crisps (Pareve) DJ&A Taro & Sweet Potato Sweet Chilli wedges (Pareve) Nutella B-Ready – Dairy (not Chalav Yisrael) – kosher when Made in Italy Ben & Jerrys Cookie Dough Chunks – frozen - (Dairy, not Chalav Yisrael) Coles Bakery Westfield Bondi Junction – 4-pack of Cheese Scrolls (Chalav Yisrael) Bakers Life breads: * Extra Soft! The Best White Sandwich 700gm * Extra Soft! The Best Wholemeal 700gm * Viva White High Fibre Vitamins & Minerals Sandwich New & Improved recipe 700gm * Viva Wholemeal high Fibre Vitamins & Minerals Sandwich 700gm New & Improved Recipe Bakers Life Bakehouse breads: * Multigrain Extra Soft Bread Rolls – 6 pack 450gm * Wholemeal Extra Soft Bread Rolls – 6 pack 450gm * White Rolls – 6 pack (Note: Available at ALDI Stores in ACT, Greater Sydney and NSW regional areas between Port Macquarie, Tamworth, Gunnedah in the North and Bateman's Bay in the South and Dubbo in the West of NSW. Pat Yisrael. Similarly named products available from other ALDI Stores are not acceptable) Product Changes: H2coco Iced Coffee has changed from Pareve to Dairy Equipment status (This means it cannot be consumed with meat but can be consumed before or after.

Vessels do not become dairy if cooked in them. Those who are strict with utensils when keeping Chalav Yisrael should not consume the product.)

Kellogg’s Crispix – No longer acceptable W free from gluten Bake At Home 6 White dinner rolls and Pizza bases (190gms) have been deleted (from Woolworths) Mission Salsa Chunky Mild 300gm jar - No longer acceptable Market Choice Foods Crushed Garlic – No longer produced Holsten Alcohol free beer 0.0% - KA approved

It is now the month of Adar and in a few days, we will be celebrating the holiday of Purim.

This is a joyous time of year when, amongst other festivities, we have full permission to eat kosher hamantaschen. Sweet Chick’s Purim collection is an elegant assortment.

For the first time in Sydney, Lotus-flavoured hamantaschen will be on offer (Dairy or Pareve) in addition to raspberry jam, apricot jam and Nutella.

Kosher mini bakers are excited to get their hands messy in the loveliest way with Sweet Chick hamantaschen dough – now sold for the first time, replete with instructions.

Sweet Chick’s Mishloach manot options all feature luxurious goods such as Italian amaretti, chocolate truffles, dehydrated fruit, handmade jam and more.

All kosher bakeries will be offering these well-loved triangular-filled pocket cookies that are only available annually.

Grandma Moses will have jam, poppyseed and chocolate; The Bagel Co. is offering shortbread hamantaschen in four flavours: jam, poppyseed, chocolate and date, and Patisserie Le Marais offers apricot, raspberry, chocolate and poppyseed too. Jesse’s will be offering several wonderful flavours as well as many Kashrut Authority-certified caterers.

Kosher Sydney will be well and truly covered in the hamantaschen department – ensuring we will all be b’simchah – with joy!

Throughout the summer, in fact, all year round, our community enjoys KA-certified iced treats. From the large selection of flavours offered by Alpino Gelato to Serendipity to Oakberry Acai to Weis’ ice cream, frozen yoghurt and sorbet, there is refreshingly so much on offer. There is currently a global trend to source more foods that are plant-based, and our community reflects this desire. In response, The KA is pleased to announce a new COYO Prebiotic + Probiotic Coconut Milk Pareve range of ice creams in seven flavours. These include: Mint Choc Chip and Chocolate Cherry, in addition to five flavours that are also certified organic: Vanilla Bean; Coffee & Cream; Chocolate Ripple; Salted Caramel and Coconut. These ice creams expand the KA range of certified COYO coconut milk products which already includes Kefir, yoghurts and the three delicious

and popular Dream Treats introduced late last year: Lemon Cream, Salted Caramel and Sticky Date.

Speaking of plant-based fare, as an example of what is available around town, kosher consumers can purchase three popular refrigerated products by Beyond Meat: Beyond Burger; Beyond Mince & Beyond Sausage. These products are designed to cook, look, and satisfy in the same way meat does. All are pareve, kosher certified (by OK Kosher) and acceptable if Made in USA, even if a kosher symbol is not on the packaging.

The KA has also introduced twenty products that are now KA-certified by Foda International and can be found in retail outlets under both the Foda Organic and Haoma Foods brands. If you consider yourself an olive aficionado, you will love the eight organic Foda olive varieties: green olives stuffed with almonds, garlic, peppers and garlic/pepper duo, as well as whole and pitted Kalamata and green olives too. Haoma also offers bestquality organic dried fruits such as pitted sour cherries, dried mulberries, figs and more - you can also purchase roasted and raw hazelnuts.

The following three organic products within this range are also Kosher le Pesach: Raw hazelnuts; figs and apricots (no Passover symbol is required on the packaging).

In the Purim spirit, for the first time The KA features two varieties of Foda International Hamentaschen, both KA-certified: Handcrafted Black Hamentaschen with Halva filling and Handcrafted Hamentaschen with Belgian Chocolate. These are exciting additions to the kosher landscape; the Foda team is looking forward to sharing these with the community just in time for Purim.

This festive juncture, which after all, Esther and Mordechai proclaimed was a time of merrymaking and feasting, is the perfect moment to introduce the new platter of Pareve Petit Fours by KA-certified bakery, Patisserie le Marais. Classically trained owner and chef Joel Barda has created several stunning sweet treats that will wow guests including: Éclair chocolate praline; raspberry mousse; lemon tarts; pistachio financier; opera cake; mango/blueberry financier and Paris Brest profiteroles. These are available in two sizes – the small contains twenty-four pieces ($55) and the large forty-two pieces ($85).

Still thinking of sweet additions, The Kashrut Authority certifies dozens of premium syrups

by Monin, produced in Malaysia. Each has a rich, true flavour and this is a trusted brand of choice among bartenders and baristas worldwide. Here’s a snapshot of some Pareve flavours on offer: Lychee; caramel; coconut; bubble-gum; Matcha green tea; French vanilla; rose; mojito mint, apple and so many more. You can use these within cocktails, mocktails, ice teas, hot chocolates, coffees, smoothies – they are just so versatile.

From the sweet to the savoury, The KA has just certified Westmont Pickles offering the "Biggest Crunch Down Under". This is a kosher ‘Buy Local’ opportunity and this vegan Pareve range is made by Aussies, for Aussies and comprises of Aussie-only ingredients.

There are eight kosher varieties including: Dill Sour; Chilli; Bread & Butter; Jalapeño; Beer and Mixed pickles. You can also find Aussie and Spicy Aussie gherkins.

It is no secret that the menu at The Bagel

Co. Surry Hills is enormously popular – there is good news for all visiting The Bagel Co. Rose Bay – you can now enjoy all offerings on the Surry Hills menu including the New York bagel – Pastrami-cured salmon, roasted garlic, cream cheese, mustard, pickles, rocket and cucumber. You can also find Goldie Lox containing lox, spring onion, cream cheese, avocado and lettuce. All are made using wholesome ingredients artfully fused in the most … bagelicious way.

Harris Farm Rose Bay now offers an expanded range of Hadassa Kosher Butchery products such as Greek chicken drumsticks; chicken burgers and Scotch fillet.

In addition, every Monday and Thursday, kosher consumers can also find KA-certified sliced sashimi in three varieties: tuna, kingfish, and salmon.

Stay tuned for next month’s Kosher KApers within the Sydney Jewish Report to learn about a new range of fresh Kosher le Pesach juices and a whole line of readily available KA-certified yoghurts too. And keep an eye out for the growing number of products bearing The KA logo in addition to shelf tags at Coles, Woolworths and Harris Farm stores highlighting kosher certified and approved products.

For further information about kosher products and initiatives: *To order from the Sweet Chick Purim selection, visit www.thesweetchick.com.au, call Rebecca Balkin on 0410 105 018, located at 45 Hutchinson Street, Surry Hills. * For COYO Prebiotic + Probiotic coconut milk ice creams visit www.coyo.com. * The three Beyond Meat products can be found at Coles supermarkets, The Fruitologist (Bondi), The Cruelty Free Shop, Glebe & other health stores. * For all Foda International kosher products, no symbol is required on packaging.

Foda olive varieties and Haoma dried fruits and nuts can be found at Krinskys.

The whole Foda olive range can be found at Harris Farm online. The following four products are available in store at Harris Farm Rose Bay; St. Ives; Bondi Junction; Bondi Beach & Albury: Pitted & Whole Green Olives, Pitted & Whole Kalamata Olives.

Six Woolworths stores will have: Organic Pitted Kalamata Olives; Organic Mixed Olives; Organic Green Olives stuffed with Almond; Organic Dried Figs; Organic Roasted Blanched Hazelnuts; Hamantashen with Belgian Chocolate Filling & Black Hamantashen with Halva Filling. (Double Bay; Bondi Junction; St. Ives; Neutral Bay; Northbridge & Eastgardens). * To order a Patisserie Le Marais Petit Four platter, call Joel Barda on 0406 027 194. * To see the full range of KA-certified Monin syrups, visit www.ka.org.au. * Westmont Pickles can be found at Coles, Woolworths, Harris Farm, Parisi’s Rose Bay & on-line too at www.westmontpickles.com * Visit The Bagel Co. Rose Bay at Shop 3-4 475 Old South Head Road, Rose Bay. * Visit Harris Farm Rose Bay at 520-536 Old South Head Road, Rose Bay.

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the sydney jewish report | february 2021

HE ALT H

The importance of sleep for growing babies and toddlers

&

FITNESS

CHERYL FINGLESON By the age of two, most children will have spent more time asleep than awake, and sleep is proven to be as important as nutrition and stimulation for young people, and it is vital for their healthy development.

Babies and toddlers sleep a lot, but not necessarily in an unbroken block between 7pm and 6am.

Why is sleep so important?

Most of the growing in babies and children happen while they are asleep.

Sleep impacts mental and physical development, fosters comprehension, memory, alertness, and wellbeing.

Rested children are both healthier and happier, they can concentrate better and have more patient than a sleep deprived child. Children who are well rested also have stronger immune systems.

Growing brains produce vital growth hormones in the pituitary gland during the sleep process, that stimulate the development in muscles, organs, blood and bones. Research shows that if a child doesn’t get the right amount, and the right quality of sleep, it can lead to a range of developmental and growth issues, and in extreme cases it can also have an impact on the child’s heart and lung strength as well as their immune system.

Childhood obesity has also been linked to a lack of sleep. Both adults and children produce a hormone called ghrelin, which regulates appetite and tells us when to stop eating, but when we are sleep deprived, this hormone becomes ineffective and we are more likely to overeat or crave higher calorie nutrition.

What can you do to help?

When you’re looking to develop

healthy sleep habits for your children, you need to start at the very beginning, with a consistent and predicable bedtime routine. A good routine prepares little people for what’s coming next, creating a security around the knowledge that sleep time is near and it helps their small bodies to wind down a notch and prepare for sleep.

Avoiding screens and over stimulating activities right before bed are crucial.

Invest in blackout blinds if needed, in both children and adult bedrooms. If your little one is losing out on as little as one hour of sleep per night due to early morning waking or by going to bed a little too late, that will accumulate to seven hours of sleep by the end of the week, which can make a big difference to the growing mind and body.

Don’t fall into the common traps.

You might think that keeping your toddler up later will lead to them waking up later in the morning, but this is often not the case. In fact, the opposite is more common. It may seem counter-

www.cherylthesleepcoach.com.au

intuitive but once a child becomes overtired from late bedtimes or poor daytime naps, the whole sleep cycle can be disrupted with earlier wakeups and later bedtimes instead.

You see how important it is that toddlers get the right amount of sleep? Sleep is vital for growth and development both mentally and physically, as well as for health and happiness. Without sleep, a child cannot function properly, and is being deprived of the ultimate circumstances for their development.

My advice if you are struggling with your baby or toddler, take control of their sleep routine straight away. Start today.

There are many resources available to improve sleep and settling. If you can’t do it alone, don’t be afraid to ask for professional help.

For more sleep tips and advice, please visit www.cherylthesleepcoach.com.au Or why not like our facebook page? www.facebook.com/ cherylthesleepcoach

Cheryl Fingleson is a paediatric sleep consultant. As a mother of two, she very well knows the feelings of agony and desperation when you have a child that struggles to settle and sleep. She doesn’t believe in leaving babies or children to cry it out, nor in the practices of controlled crying. Her approach is to empower parents with the right tools and techniques to teach their babies and children to go to sleep calmly, happily and independently.

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the sydney jewish report | february 2021

HE A LT H

&

FITNESS

The motivation struggle is real – it's time to shake up your work day CATHERINE LAMBERT If anything could beat back to work blues at this time of year it was the thought of seeing workmates again, sharing holiday highs and lows before discussing the next batch of holiday plans.

This January, not only do many of us not get to see our work buddies in the flesh but our holiday wish list is feeling, well, feeble and we may not even get to see our colleagues if working from home.

We underestimate how much conversation and routine can spark productivity.

We underestimate how much conversation and routine can spark productivity. Connect Psych Services co-founder Dr Natalie Flatt is advising her employer clients that a lot of workers are still suffering burnout.

"As well as the remnants of burnout from the end of last year, the three week break [many employees took] hasn’t been enough to recuperate this year," Dr Flatt says.

"New COVID outbreaks have us on edge and there’s a lot of de-motivation going around which is mainly based on fear of the unknown."

Even for those definitely returning to the office, the certainty of a routine can’t provide any comfort when it’s all askew and the work commute is a distant memory.

"We always see the finishing line at Christmas and start to wind down, knowing it’s far easier to wind down than it is to wind back up," Dr Flatt says.

"It’s much harder this year though because we have the mindset of 'what else is there to look forward to?' and the answer is a bit of a fizzer. In our minds, it was hoped that the end of 2020 was also the end to all the worries but it wasn’t. We can see now that it’s still going to be rocky."

FOO D I E S

CORNER

Dr Flatt says there are ways around the motivation struggle such as creating a buddy system for colleagues to look out for each other and for employers to give workers something to look forward to such as new challenges and opportunities for growth.

"Human beings are social creatures and some have missed their 'work spouses' terribly," she says.

"We can underestimate how much conversation can ignite energy, problem solving strategies and, ultimately, great innovation.

We can also miss that immediate feedback on work or a different perspective on a situation."

Ahead, Dr Flatt outlines eight steps for a more motivated and productive return to work.

PHOTO CREDIT: ISTOCK

1. Mindset Research supports the notion that positive self-talk leads to success and productivity, reduction in stress, higher confidence and a happier life. If you constantly say 'I cannot' you easily convince yourself this is true. Replace with a positive statement.

5. Declutter Create a folder for 2020 emails. Get rid of old phone apps, change the background picture, delete old caches.

Decluttering the computer helps declutter the psyche.

2. Reflect What do you need to change that will make a big difference? Where have your energies been wasted in 2020?

How can you alter some behaviours?

6. Connection Schedule face-to-face time with colleagues when you first get back. If you’re a manager, acknowledge all the hard work and accomplishments of last year.

3. Starting Could you start the day with a walk, swim, yoga or stretch? Doing this one activity can make you feel like you’ve already accomplished a task and will place you in a solid mindset for the day.

7. Self-care Book your next holiday to maintain your holiday self.

We often get post holiday blues because we feel we have to leave the person we are on holiday. Book a break soon, maybe the end of February?

4. Boundaries A 'start-finish' approach – where you stick to strict working hours, rather than working longer than is necessary – can not only help ease the transition but also set up more sustainable work behaviour and resist the urge to fall back into your old work routine.

8. Completion bias Create a checklist, even for the small tasks. It gives our brains a good dose of dopamine whenever we cross off items.

We can underestimate how much conversation can ignite energy, problem solving strategies and, ultimately, great innovation.

Originally published: Sydney Morning Herald

Rebbetzin Esty Gutnick’s eggplant dip REBBETZIN ESTY GUTNICK This is a Pareve Shabbat staple in the Gutnick home for good reason!

Recipe: 1 eggplant not peeled, diced 1 red capsicum diced 1 Spanish onion diced 1 clove garlic crushed Method: Place all vegetables in a baking dish.

Season liberally with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Bake on 200 degrees Celsius for approx. one hour, or until vegetables are crispy.

After removing from the oven, add one tub of tomato paste (140 gm) & mix well.

This recipe can be doubled or tripled as desired!

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the sydney jewish report | february 2021

Time Waits For No One

M O V I E

REVIEW

ALEX FIRST Long Story Short (M) – 94 minutes

You can hear more of Alex First’s film reviews each Sunday between 11am and midday on J-AIR (j-air.com. au) on a program titled “First on Film and Entertainment”. The show is also available as a podcast by clicking onto the Program Grid on the web site.

Time slips through our fingers far too fast.

And I dare say the older one gets the more one recognises that.

That is the concept explored by writer and director Josh Lawson in a story about a procrastinator.

The romantic comedy is centred around Teddy (Rafe Spall), who kisses the wrong woman on New Year’s Eve. By that I mean that rushing to get to his girl, Becka (Dena Kaplan), at the stroke of midnight, he spots a lady in the same red dress and assumes it is her.

Instead, he finds himself puckering up with Leanne (Zahra Newman), a wannabe writer.

Next thing you know, he and Leanne are standing by his father’s gravestone and he is telling his dear departed dad what a great catch she is.

The pair is engaged, but Teddy is anything but a decision maker.

Why do something today that you can put off until tomorrow or the day after or the day after that seems to be his adage.

So it is that no date for the wedding has been set.

Overhearing Teddy’s conversation is a friendly woman (Noni Hazlehurst) who tells him that in 10 years’ time he will regret his lack of action.

And through a strange turn of fate, she shows him why – that life lesson forming the lion’s share of the movie.

The next decade of Teddy’s life flashes past, from his hastily arranged wedding day to the highs and lows that follow.

That covers the outcome of his marriage, his relationship with his best friend Sam (Ronny Chieng) and the reappearance of his former girlfriend, Becka.

I shouldn’t forget remaining in a job he

doesn’t like instead of pursuing his passion for photography.

Each year is lived in mere minutes and, like magic, Teddy covers off on each anniversary day totally bewildered as to just what is happening to him.

Some of it is plain funny, while other components are downright sad.

At the heart of Long Story Short, not surprisingly then, is making the most of each moment.

Lawson was having somewhat of an existential crisis when the idea for Long Story Short started to creep into his mind.

He was struggling with feelings of time slipping by. He was drawn to the concept of being able to look at an entire life in snapshots and learning a lesson that way.

The piece is clearly influenced by fiction such as Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life and Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.

I enjoyed the film much more than I anticipated I would after having seen the trailer.

While lightweight material on one level,

there’s some crackling dialogue, which caused me to laugh aloud.

And the acting talent undoubtedly brings out the best in the screenplay.

Spall is a delight as a well-meaning guy with a lot to learn.

He delivers his lines with aplomb, playing clueless with distinction.

Newman is his perfect counterpoint as a good sport who needs her partner to knuckle down and commit.

She brings a warm open personality to her role.Chieng has fun as the best mate with no idea what has gotten into Teddy.

Hazlehurst dishes out wisdom with appropriate mystery as the stranger bearing gifts. In a cameo, Lawson nails the part of a rival suitor who sees Teddy’s pain firsthand.

Long Story Short is a most entertaining ride, which puts a smile on your dial and gives you food for thought about how to make the most of what you’ve got.

Rated M, it scores a 7 out of 10.

The Auschwitz Photographer LUCA CRIPPA & MAURIZIO ONNIS

Double Day | RRP $35.00 | Trade Paperback | 16 March 2021 | Available as an ebook

‘I looked death in the eyes. I did it fifty thousand times...’

- Wilhelm Brasse The extraordinary true story of Wilhelm Brasse, the Auschwitz prisoner whose photographs exposed the atrocities of the Holocaust and then helped to convict the Nazis at the Nuremberg Trials.

When Germany invaded Wilhelm Brasse’s native Poland in 1939, he was asked to swear allegiance to Hitler and join the Wehrmacht. He refused. He was deported to Auschwitz concentration camp as political prisoner number 3444. A trained portrait photographer, he was ordered by the SS to record the inner workings of the camp. He began by taking identification photographs of the prisoners as they entered the camp, went on to capture the criminal medical experiments of Josef Mengele, and also recorded executions. Between 1940 and 1945, Brasse took around 50,000 photographs of the horror around him. He took them because he had no choice.

‘Brasse has left us with a powerful legacy in images.

Because of them we can see the victims of the Holocaust as human and not statistics.’

Fergal Keane

Eventually, Brasse’s conscience wouldn’t allow him to hide behind his camera. First he risked his life by joining the camp’s Resistance movement, faking documents for prisoners, trying to smuggle images to the outside world to reveal what was happening. Then, when Soviet troops finally advanced on the camp to liberate it, Brasse refused SS orders to destroy his photographs. ‘Because the world must know,’ he said.

For readers of The Librarian of Auschwitz and The Boy Who Followed His Father into Auschwitz, this extraordinary true story of horror, hope and courage lies at the very heart of the Holocaust.

DISCLAIMER:

ABOUT Luca Crippa is an expert in theology and philosophy. He has worked as a research professor and editorial consultant for many years. He is the author of a number of history text books and essays, historical novels and documentaries.

Maurizio Onnis has travelled extensively in developing countries and has studied anthropology and history of religions and cultures. He was written historical novels and screenplays.

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24

the sydney jewish report | february 2021

The French Israeli fighter discusses his values, Jewish identity, and what representing his country means to him.

NATAN LEVY:

Israel’s Ultimate Fighting Champion ADAM ROSS Last month, 29-year-old Natan Levy broke into the lucrative world of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the biggest stage for mixed martial arts (MMA) where contenders fight until one either succumbs to a knockout or submission.

Born in France, Levy holds an Israeli flag before and after his fights and makes sure to show the cameras the huge Star of David emblazoned on his shorts.

“Many Israelis are proud of being from Israel,” he told Aish.com in an exclusive interview. “But I wasn’t born there and I don’t take it for granted that Israel is my home.”

France to Israel Born in Paris, the youngest of three brothers, Natan Levy’s involvement in martial arts goes back to his early childhood enrolling in a Taekwondo club in Paris when he was just four years old. “I don’t remember whose idea that was,” he gives a smile. “My father is also involved in martial arts, but I bet it was mine!”

His parents divorced the same year and Levy's mother gave her sons the choice of where they wanted to live: to stay in France or to move to Israel. “We all chose Israel. Even at that age, we loved Israel.

We grew up with a very strong Jewish and Zionistic education.”

Arriving in Israel, he moved to the coastal city of Herzliya and growing up was teased at school for his strong French accent. “I stood up to everyone and was fighting all the time.”

“Most Israelis don’t know anti-Semitism like the French do. When I would visit my cousins in France, they would tell me how other kids would bully them and push them around. I would say, ‘Where are these kids?

Let’s go teach them a lesson!’ It’s one of the reasons I love Israel so much, it’s home.

It’s not perfect. You can get bullied there, but no one bullies you for being Jewish!”

Martial Arts

“With age I cooled down a bit. Martial arts helped me challenge my aggression and focus it into something more productive.”

It was only at the age of 14 that Levy really began training seriously, learning kung fu and karate. “I would train three hours a day. My school work suffered, but every passion comes with a cost.” Three years later he had already gained a black belt in kung fu.

When he was 16 he flew to Japan for a few weeks to train in karate and began teaching and training younger kids in Israel, many from difficult social or economic backgrounds.

“I was earning a little money and really enjoyed giving other kids confidence and helping them boost their self-esteem.”

By 18, Levy entered the world of mixed martial arts, incorporating techniques from boxing, wrestling, judo, jujitsu, karate, Thai boxing, and other disciplines.

Levy made plans to return to Japan. His talent and drive to succeed caught the eye of his trainer in Herzliya who agreed to accompany him. He paid for their flights using his bar mitzvah money. “I think my parents would rather I would have used it for a degree, or even just a Playstation 2!”

Put up in the homes of martial arts coaches in Japan, Levy and his coach went in search of a jiu jitsu master who been profiled by National Geographic.

“We headed to his dojo where he trains and asked him to accept a few tourists. He turned us down but we went back a week later and begged him to take us.”

Their persistence paid off. Levy spent three months mastering jiu jitsu and earned a black belt in karate. “Japan is a different culture. Students are teachers; they all have black belts. When you approach a teacher, he tells you to learn from his student.”

Three years ago and with a third degree black belt in karate, Levy decided to move to Las Vegas to train and compete at the highest level.

Training nine hours a day, he is totally dedicated to perfecting his skills and

strength. Living in the suburbs of Las Vegas, he married his Israeli wife Dana in April 2019. Now ranked 30 in his featherweight division from close to 400 fighters, Levy is the only Israeli contender in the UFC. Jewish in Las Vegas Levy and his wife make efforts to keep themselves connected and have formed a community with some of the other Israelis in Las Vegas. “One is a boxer, one is a wrestler, and some MMA guys I’ve met through training.”

“I’m connected through Jewish traditions. We hang out together and see each other for Friday night and holiday meals, one of us makes kiddush.”

Proud to be Jewish. Lighting Hanukkah candles with Israeli friends in Las Vegas It’s not easy for Levy to be so far from home. “I miss Israel, my family, my mother, father, nephews, all of my good friends, and I miss hummus!”

“I would love to be back in Israel for Pesach this year,” he says. “It’s a big deal for us. All the family gets together.” He had to stay in Las Vegas last Passover due to Covid. “We spent Seder night here with a few friends; it’s not what I’m used to. For us Pesach is family time. No one’s missing!”

Despite living in Las Vegas, Levy is not tempted by the casinos and nightlife. “It’s very easy for me. It's just not something I want to do, it’s never been me. Sometimes I don’t feel like training, but I still get up and go to the gym. If I need to unwind or relax, I go hiking, or I go to the lake. What starts sweet becomes bitter and what starts bitter becomes sweet. Going to the casino, playing video games and eating ice cream starts sweet and ends bitter.

Going to the gym, putting in effort, starts bitter but ends sweet. In the end you have to keep a good healthy balance.”

Jewish Pride Levy’s success, spirit and pride for his country, have made him an address for many Jews battling anti-Semitism around the world.

“I get a lot of calls and messages. When someone tells me they are Jewish and that I have given them extra confidence or belief in themselves, it means a huge amount to me.

“Representing the Jewish people is a big driving force. Being Israeli and being Jewish gives me power, I’m not just one more American fighter. I am the only Israeli who is fighting on the biggest stage, and I connect with everything my people have been through.”

“I have never taken living in Israel for granted.”

“It’s a very humbling sport. Guys walk in thinking they can destroy their opponents and it doesn’t happen. Sometimes you are the hammer and sometimes you’re the nail. Every time you beat someone you are crushing their dreams, and that is not an easy thing to do. It comes down to respect. I train very hard and I respect every opponent and think he can beat me. I try to not to develop a delusion of invincibility; that helps keep me strong.”

“It’s also about self-control,” Levy explains, “Karate is partially about killing the ego or at least subduing it and keeping it on a tight leash. There are guys I see who get angry and frustrated and throw their gloves to the floor, cursing and shouting.

I tell them, ‘If you can’t control yourself in the gym, how are you going to control another person in the cage?’”

“I make mistakes and sometimes do the wrong thing, but my wife and I are best friends and we understand that we are always working on ourselves to improve. It is the same with everything in life, we are always making mistakes, but you can’t beat yourself up too much.

“As much as I always want to win, it’s important not to have an all-or-nothing approach in life. I tell myself, ‘If I lose this one, I’ll come back.’”

He adds with typical warmth, “Even if I do lose, there’ll be another opportunity and I’ll still get to come home to my wife.”

Originally published: Aish.com