Jewish Weekly Purim Edition Issue 180

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TRAGEDY STRIKES MUM OF FOUR WITH COVID

BY DAVID SAFFER

Tragedy has struck the family of a pregnant mum of four who passed away from Covid-19 at Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem last weekend.

Osnat Ben-Shitrit, 31, had no underlying illnesses but passed away despite extensive efforts to save her and a 30-week-old baby son who sadly did not survive following an emergency birth.

Yehuda Ben-Shitrit, has been left distraught at the loss of his wife and is comforting their children Dvir, 11, Uri, 9, Shalev, 6 and Adel Shira 1. Osnat’s sheitel business was the main source of family income. A Chesed fund has raised over $60,000 towards a target of $100,000.

Since Osnat’s death, rumours

A tragic loss

PHOTO: YWN

that the orthodox mum was against the Covid vaccine began but her husband has quashed them on Israeli television. In an emotional interview on Channel 13 News, Yehuda confirmed

that his late wife was not against the vaccine and had made an appointment for a first dose but caught the deadly virus before the due date.

“At the beginning, she was a little nervous due to all the talk in the media about pregnant women but later she decided to be vaccinated and she made appointments for both of us,” Yehudah reportedly said. “I got vaccinated with the first dose but then contracted the virus and then she caught it and it was too late for her to be vaccinated. We were in favour of vaccination, I recommend to everyone to be vaccinated, to protect your lives so you won’t come to our situation.”

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Purim Pearls

In the spirit of Purim, we present some pearls of wisdom for you to enjoy.

The legendary Holocaust-era activist Rabbi Michoel Ber Weissmandel made a fascinating discovery. Arriving at his astonishing calculation before the days of computers, he discovered that there are 12,111 letters in Megillat Esher. He said that one can find the first spelling of “Esther” (although not its pronunciation) in Bereishis Chapter 4 Verse 14. If one takes the first regular mem that appears in that verse, and counts at intervals of 12,111 letters, one will find the phrase “Megillas Esther.” This method of finding hints in the Torah is known as Equidistant Letter Sequences and is subject to much (sometime passionate) debate, but one can hardly argue with the genius of this particular discovery.

THERE ARE OTHER FASCINATING ALLUSIONS TO BE FOUND IN THE TORAH IN CONNECTION TO PURIM.

Here is one: Take the name Mordechai (which is questionable if it is an inherently Jewish name – see Torah Temima on this).

We know that Mordechai was descended from Yaakov (as most Jews are) and Haman was descended was Esav. After the epic struggle between Yaakov and angel of Esav, the angel tells Yaakov – your name will henceforth be not (only) Yaakov; it will be Yisrael. The Hebrew words read: ‫ל‬-‫ל‘א יעק‘ב יאמ‘ר עו‘ד שמ‘כ כ‘י א‘ם ישרא‬... ... and at the end of the Hebrew words “Ye’omer od Shimcha Ki im Yisrael” you can spot the name Mordechai. How was the angel of Esav able to injure Yaakov in the thigh? The Arizal taught, due to Mordechai bowing in front of Esav! How do we correct this? With a descendant of Yaakov – Mordechai refusing to bow down to Esav’s descendant, Haman. (Nifla’ot Mi’Toratecha) Now, much of the Megillah refers to “haste”. In fact, Haman arrived at the fateful meal hosted by Queen Esther and, when his evil intentions were revealed, he was given his just desert… However, consider the fact that he had been “rushed to the feast” immediately after having his daughter deposit the contents of his bathroom

The Kabbalists teach that due to the spiritual poverty of the Jewish people at the time of Purim (and indeed Pesach) it was necessary to hasten the redemption onto his head. This meant that he was in a far weaker position that he might otherwise have been, which may have given him the possibility of defending himself and his evil schemes. So, the “haste” was not only part of the salvation, it actually played a key role in Haman’s downfall. (based on a talk by Rabbi Y.L. Wittler). Similarly, we find regarding Pesach, that G-d hastened our redemption. The Kabbalists teach that due to the spiritual poverty of the Jewish people at the time of Purim (and indeed Pesach) it was necessary to hasten the redemption so as not to allow the “heavenly prosecutors” to present their case against

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If you look at the words we recite daily, “‫ מהר יקדמנו רחמיך כי דלונו מאד‬- may Your mercy quickly proceed for we have become extremely impoverished” – the first letters spell the name “Mordechai”.

(Nifla’ot MiToratecha) We now present something you have almost certainly never heard (or read before). The sages taught, “One must not talk during a meal” (i.e. when eating) – the Hebrew words being “‫אין משיחין בשעת‬ ‫ ”סעודה‬. One can also read these words at “There is no “Moshiach” during a meal”.

What does this mean? We are taught

that Moshiach will not arrive on a Erev Shabbat or Erev Yom Tov, because Jewish people are then preparing for the meals of those days. Furthermore, the Torah says (in relation to Shemitta year when one cannot work their field), “If you shall say what shall we eat (when we cannot work)?” Hinted here is this law – If you shall say – i.e. if you are in the middle of talking, then “Mah Nochal” – what shall we eat – meaning, do not eat at that point.

In jest, one can add that we are taught that “The Pesach (Paschal offering) can only be eaten until Chatzot (literally: Half way through the night, also known as Midnight)”. One can explain as follows: The Hebrew word “Pesach” is comprised of two smaller words, “Peh” – a mouth, “Sach” which talks. So we learn from here that one can only eat so long as one is busy with the mouth, but once one starts talking, they must stop eating. (Sod Ha’Chashmal).

Pfeizer has been in the news recently as has snow in many parts of the world. The Passuk says, ‫[ – כפו‘ר כאפ‘ר יפז‘ר‬G-d] scatters frost like ash. The Hebrew spelling of “Yefazer” is very similar to the word “Pziezer”. The reference to the cold is particularly appropriate as the vaccine is known to be stored in extremely frigid conditions. Similarly, the word “‫ ”כאפר‬also spells ‫ רפאך‬as G-d Who is our ultimate Doctor, has brought about a possible cure to the Coronavirus through the “Pfeizer” (and others). The word “‫”כפר‬ is an allusion to “Heresy” “‫ ”כפירה‬which is what Amalek represents. The connection between Amalek and “cooling off” is also hinted at in the Torah, for the Torah tells us to recall what Amalek sought to accomplish to “cool us off” from the heated inspiration we received at Mattan Torah.

In fact, Rabbi Efraim Shapiro said this week that what helps us survive the indifference of those cynical towards religion is to be passionate to be filled with the fire of enthusiasm for Torah and Mitzvah observance. If you take the numerical value of “Yisrael” 541 and remove the numerical value of “Esh” (fire) 301 you get the same

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Richard’s ‘kippah’ episode on CBeebies

Osnat Ben-Shitrit z”l

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Regarding Osnat’s death, Yehudah said it was “impossible to come to terms with”.

“She was everything in the house,” he added. “She left such a deep vacuum.”

The aftermath of Osnat’s death has also seen a brother-in-law suspended from a popular anti-vaxxer Facebook group. His sisters have called on Israelis to be vaccinated.

Speaking to Israeli media outlet, Kan, he said. “When it happens in your backyard, you understand you need to think differently. We understand now the price of the coronavirus. I am against forced vaccinations, and I am not saying that people should run to get vaccinated. But we know that this disease is deadly and the vaccine saves lives.”

Osnat lived in the Har Shmuel neighbourhood of Jerusalem and had been in hospital since a week last Tuesday with coronavirus symptoms that deteriorated resulting in multi organ failure.

“Unfortunately, the mother and the foetus were in critical condition, and despite the mother being connected to an ECMO (heart and lung bypass) machine, and despite great efforts to save the foetus’ life in the preemie intensive care unit, they died,” a hospital statement noted.

“The staff of the coronavirus intensive care unit and the specialists who were called to treat the woman and baby are in emotional turmoil,” the statement added.

“The rescue efforts involved many specialists throughout the hospital who fought for the lives of the mother and baby. All of Hadassah shares in the deep grief of the family. The social services staff at the hospital is supporting the family in at this time of distress.”

“When my wife Osnat contracted COVID a week ago we didn’t think much of it,” noted Yehuda. “Even though she was expecting our fifth child, it didn’t cross our minds that this would end in tragedy. On Wednesday, Osnat began having trouble breathing and she was hospitalised in the corona ward. It happened so fast. This past Shabbat, Osnat’s situation became critical.

PHOTO: YWN

The doctors and nurses did everything they could to save her, but I watched helplessly as my wife slipped away. They did a C-section to try and save our unborn child, but he didn’t survive.”

Yehuda added, “To say we are in shock is an understatement. How can I comfort four little kids whose entire lives were just shattered when mine was shattered as well? We never thought we would be the next “corona tragedy.” Please, help me to take care of my children on my own. I don’t know how I can do this on my own.

Hashem should bless you.”

According to reports this is the second death in the neighbourhood of a young mother this month.

In related news, the mother of a stillborn child at Assuta Hospital in Ashdod is the first person to test positive for coronavirus after not reporting any symptoms. The hospital noted that had the mother been vaccinated, she would probably not have caught the deadly virus.

Health Ministry data released last Sunday has revealed there were 50 pregnant women not vaccinated in hospital. Ten were in a serious condition, eight critically ill with seven on ventilators and one on an ECMO machine.

Prof. Galia Rahav, Sheba Medical Center Infectious Disease Unit, Tel Aviv, confirmed patients were in late stages of pregnancy.

Most were from Charedi communities with a number of children.

She reportedly said, “Treating pregnant coronavirus patients is not like regular treatment and that is why we definitely recommend vaccination, especially in the third trimester of pregnancy.”

Dr Ortal Ne’eman, Ashdod’s Assuta Hospital, Maternity and Fetal Medicine Unit, has called on pregnant women to be vaccinated. “The dilemma of whether to get vaccinated is understandable, but not justified,” she reportedly said. “So far, no women have been diagnosed with coronavirus in Israel after receiving the second jab. I plead with you, go get vaccinated to keep yourself and your foetus safe. Any hesitation means a possibility of unnecessary infection.”

To donate: https://thechesedfund.com/kindnesstoday/benshitrit

Richard Verber on CBeebies

BY DAVID SAFFER United Synagogue’s Communications Director, Richard Verber, is taking part in a new CBeebies entertainment series.

The 10-part ‘WHAT’S ON YOUR HEAD?’ programme explores different things people wear on their face or head for religious, cultural, professional or safety reasons.

Producers Gold Wala were inspired by wearing face masks during the pandemic.

From kippot to hijabs, lawyer’s wigs, scuba masks and firefighter helmets the series is a new way for young children to understand the world around them using live action and animation celebrating diversity. Youngsters will learn reasons why people put something on to cover their head or face.

Aside from Richard, ‘WHAT’S ON YOUR HEAD?’ the programme features a racing driver Jamie Chadwick, Sikh model Rajvatan Singh Rathour and the first black woman to become a Church of England bishop, Rose Hudson-Wilkin. Nadiya Hussain voices the series, dance music duo Basement Jaxx have composed the theme music.

Richard was invited to front the ‘kippah’ episode where children are invited to guess what a kippah is.

“I hope children across the country come away with an insight into Judaism’s beautiful festivals and traditions,” he said. “It was a fascinating challenge putting the episode together, both filming under strict government Coronavirus guidelines and also distilling the basics of Judaism into just a few minutes for young learners.”

Richard got involved when a friend

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recommended him to producers. “I had to do a screen test so the producers could see what I looked and sounded like,” he recalled.

“They wanted someone who could explain Jewish terminology simply for children and would be engaging on screen. Apparently, I fitted the bill!”

He added, “It took one afternoon to do. My parts were filmed in a Covid-secure studio in London in December just a few days before the national lockdown.”

Richard feels that this type of programme is really important. “It’s easy for us to forget that many people in the UK won’t have met a Jewish person, let alone had a conversation with one,” he said. “For that reason, I think it’s easy to stereotype how Jews look or speak, and of course we’re all different.

While I don’t pretend that this short children’s programme provides a full Jewish education, if non-Jewish children come away knowing one or two things about Judaism that they didn’t know before, then it will have been worth doing.”

Cheryl Taylor, BBC Children’s Head Of Content, commented. “We’re delighted to welcome Gold Wala’s fresh format “What’s on Your Head” to CBeebies and anticipate a very enthusiastic response from our dedicated audience of little learners. They love to discover new things and have fun along the way and What’s On Your Head fits the brief perfectly.”

Faraz Osman, Founder, Gold Wala, added that the series will celebrate “difference and reward curiosity”. He added, “We can’t wait for families to enjoy the bright, modern and joyful world that we have created.”

WHAT’S INSIDE THIS WEEK 02 News 13 Opinion 16 Letters Games 19 Supplement 35 Feature

36 Community 41 Features 43 Judaism 46 Kids 48 Youth 50 Sport

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Lockdown to end by Pesach?

PaJeS, the United Synagogue and Jewish organisations have welcomed Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s road map to ease lockdown restrictions by Pesach.

BY DAVID SAFFER Schools can reopen from March 8th but most importantly community members in limited numbers, and safely, will be able to see loved ones over the festival period in outdoor settings.

More shuls are likely to open, and from no earlier than May 17th, bar and batmitzvahs can take place.

It is hoped all limits can be removed on weddings and other ‘life events’ from 21 June.

Johnson launched his highly-anticipated roadmap in a statement to parliament

to ease lockdown restrictions in England on Monday afternoon before an address to the nation in the evening.

Johnson paid tribute to the success of the UK’s vaccination programme and resolve of the British public in following lockdown restrictions whilst setting out the latest vaccine efficacy data.

The roadmap has four steps. Before the next step is taken, the Government will examine data to assess the impact of previous steps. The assessment is based on four tests; the vaccine deployment programme, a reduction in hospitalisations and deaths, infection rates and new Variants of Concern.

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simmon Chutney r e P d n cot a AprbyiDenise Phillips 1 small onion – peeled and finely chopped 2cm fresh ginger root – grated 1 Granny Smith apple peeled and roughly chopped 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1 cinnamon stick 150g dried apricots - roughly chopped 250ml cider vinegar or white wine vinegar 200g brown sugar 1 lemon – juice and zest 1 orange – juice and zest 3 persimmons peeled and roughly chopped (600g) Serve with: 1 packet Chevington Artisan Brie

In a large saucepan combine all the ingredients except the persimmons. Bring to the boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until mixture thickens, stirring frequently, about 25 minutes. Add the persimmons and simmer until the persimmons are tender about 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool completely. Cover and refrigerate chutney. May be made a day or two ahead.

Transfer to sterilized jars, store in the fridge and use within 1 month.

Serve with the Artisan Brie cheese and crackers at room temperature. Best to remove Brie from fridge for one hour before serving.

Boris Johnson giving the briefing this week

There will be a minimum of five weeks between each step, four weeks for data to reflect changes in restrictions followed by seven days notice of restrictions to be eased.

Getting children back into school is the top priority in Step 1. From March 8th, all children and students will return to face to face education in schools and colleges as everyone in the top four vaccine priority cohorts will have received a first vaccine dose and developed necessary protection.

The first step also covers wraparound childcare, one ‘regular’ visitor seeing Care home residents, recreation outdoors and university students on practical courses.

Limited changes take place on March 29th regarding Stay at Home orders, outdoor gatherings, sports facilities and outdoor sports.

Funerals can continue with up to 30 people, and weddings, receptions and commemorative events will rise to 15 people in Step 2 no earlier than April 12th.

This step also covers non-essential retail, personal care premises, such as hairdressers, public buildings including community centres, outdoor attractions including zoos and theme parks, drive-in cinemas, indoor leisure facilities including gyms and swimming pools, hospitality venues and self-contained accommodation such as holiday lets.

‘Life events’ in Step 3 no earlier than May 17th includes bar/bat mitzvahs.

Other areas covered include outdoor cinemas and theatres, adult group sports and exercise classes, sporting events at indoor (1,000 people) and outdoor venues (4000 people). In the largest outdoor seated venues, 10,000 people is allowed.

Up to 30 people may attend weddings and funerals.

Lastly, it is hoped legal limits on social contact can be removed in Step 4 no earlier than 21 June.

This covers weddings and other ‘life events’.

The vaccination programme continues with a new target to offer a first dose to every adult by the end of July. MPs will vote on regulations in Parliament in the coming weeks.

Rabbi David Meyer, Executive Director of PaJeS, commented, “We are sure that parents, students and teachers will be delighted that schools have been prioritised

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for reopening. It is also pleasing that school leaders have been given a proper lead time to prepare for their return. However, the scheduling of tests for secondary schools before the Pesach break is a complication.

PaJeS is liaising with the government and continues to support schools as they work towards reopening on the 8th.”

The US is working with community leaders on fully re-opening synagogues and reintroducing in-person programming.

Since the beginning of the pandemic there have been over 850 Jewish funerals where the deceased contracted Covid-19.

Steven Wilson, US Chief Executive, is delighted that from March 29th shul members that have not seen children, grandchildren, parents and grandparents can finally see loved ones safely over Pesach in outdoor settings. They will be “special” reunions,” he noted.

The US is working with community leaders on fully re-opening synagogues and re-introducing in-person programming.

US’s chief noted, “It has been a very challenging year for the Jewish community and the country as a whole. Too many of our members have lost loved ones. Despite the easing of lockdown, the situation remains very serious and so all United Synagogue social distancing measures will remain in place. We will continue to assess and be led by the data and will provide guidance for our communities in due course as we have done for the past 12 months.”

Regarding Purim, he added, “We must not let the optimism provided by the vaccines and news about the easing of lockdown lead to unsafe changes in our behaviour. For our members able to attend a megillah reading in person, they must follow full social distancing guidelines. We also have a wonderful online programme to complement the digital events being put on by our communities so that everyone is able to celebrate safely.”

Full details of the roadmap is available on www.gov.uk

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CAA and AAD slate Chelsea fan anti-Semitic abuse

WJC welcomes Pope visit to Holocaust survivor

BY DAVID SAFFER

BY SIMCHA ABIR

Campaign Against Antisemitism has slated an “appalling blunder” by police where a Chelsea football fan who admitted abusing freelance Jewish journalist Dan Levene online walked free from court.

CAA has called on Chelsea FC to exclude Sam Mole, from Kettering, at future games after he was issued with a restraining order from Leicester Magistrates Court last week. The club has confirmed it is investigating after District Judge Nick Watson declared the law stopped him punishing the 20-year-old due to a police blunder.

Action Against Discrimination advocate eradicating anti-Semitism at all levels of UK football and have also been highly critical about the case. For an- Dan Levene, suffered online abuse ti-Semitism in Association Football to be taken seriously, AAD, said police, prosecuting authorities and courts must “up failure with the police forces in question their game”. and have contacted Chelsea to ask that the Mole sent anti-Semitic and homopho- perpetrator be excluded from matches.” bic messages online to Levene. One post CAA added, “It is no surprise three in five wished Levene would die, another be- British Jews believe the authorities are not moaned Levene had not perished in the doing enough to address and punish antiHolocaust. Further abusive messages were semitism, when the justice system can fail sent by Mole from another Twitter account so spectacularly as it has here. In addition subsequently suspended. to highlighting this outrageous instance of Mole took issue with Levene’s stance in police inaction, it also shows how Britain’s opposition to racist chanting by some Chel- antiquated laws are unfit for dealing with sea fans. online crime. The Online Harms Bill must If the offence by Mole had been charged be expedited through Parliament.” as harassment, the outcome would have “The law can sometimes be an ass,” noted been different but police took too long to Jonathan Metliss, AAD chairman. “We are interview the suspect. upset and disappointed to see anti-SemitIt is understood two police forces, the vic- ic online abuse directed towards a Jewish tim’s home force and defendant’s, took four journalist and disappointed at the outcome months to decide who should log the crime. of the prosecution following a blunder by Mole was interviewed after six months so the investigating police force. the Crown Prosecution Service could only “Coincidentally, this is not the first time charge Mole with a lesser offence. this has happened and anti-Semitic abuse “This was an appalling blunder by the by Chelsea supporters went unpunished, police,” commented a CAA spokesperson. an example was Watford vs Chelsea in “The result is that a defendant who broke February 2018, when local police failed to the law and should have been punished take evidence in time, notwithstanding has escaped justice. We will be raising this that clear photographs were taken of the

offenders.

“Quite simply, if anti-Semitism in the world of Association Football is to be taken seriously, the police, the prosecuting authorities and the courts must “up their game”.

Levene reportedly noted, “Mole’s actions were criminal but for a technicality and this shows how victims of online hate crimes are not best served by the laws supposed to protect them.

This man targeted me because I shone a light on the appalling racist behaviour of some Chelsea fans and I look forward to seeing the results of the club’s investigation into his behaviour.”

Mole admitted to police he sent abusive tweets in October 2019, but was found not guilty on a technicality as he was on holiday in Australia so outside jurisdiction of the law.

Judge Watson reportedly said the messages undoubtedly “caused deep offence” and was clear the sender’s intention was for the person receiving them to be distressed. He added that most people would think that sending them in this country or abroad should be an offence.

The judge also observed there may be public policy grounds for cases to be classed as a criminal offence subject to English law, but it was not up to the court to dictate public policy.

He concluded that it was “unpalatable” Mole had “escaped the consequences of his actions”.

Judge Watson reportedly told the defendant, “You can regard yourself as fortunate the law prohibits me from punishing you for an offence most people would say for which you should be punished.”

Mole, a trainee teacher, expressed remorse for his actions.

The District Judge issued a three-year restraining order prohibiting Mole from directly or indirectly contacting Levene and posting messages about him on social media or encouraging others to do so.

Should Mole break the order, he could go to prison.

Yeshiva students’ Pesach quandary Mir Rosh Yeshiva, Hagaon HaRav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel has called on Yeshiva students from abroad to remain in Israel for Pesach as a return to studies cannot be guaranteed.

Writing to parents, HaRav Finkel noted authorities had been advised about the possibility due to the current situation in Israel.

The Mir will take care of monetary and spiritual matters regarding Pesach at the yeshivah.

The Rosh Yeshivah wrote, “We are in a period when we don’t know what the next day will bring. And according to the experts,

apparently, at this point there is no chance at all that foreigners will be able to return to Israel in the near future.”

He added, “I request that students remain in yeshivah during this period at this difficult time. And who knows if new students will come if the veteran ones leave. What will be with the Torah? He who is wise anticipates the future and bears the responsibility for the continuation of the yoke of Torah.”

“Our only protection is the Torah, there is no safer place than the Palace of the Torah in the Holy Land. There is no Torah like Torah of the Land of Israel – everything

ascends from Eretz Yisrael. The Gra warned several times that whoever will preempt and come to Holy Land out of their own volition will be saved from a great amount of the tribulations of the time of Moshiach,” the Rosh Yeshivah concluded.

It has been reported some seminaries have told girls they cannot go home for Pesach, others have told girls they should go home for Pesach.

HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky has recommended the action is appropriate but students must receive permission from parents.

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World Jewish Congress has welcomed Pope Francis meeting Holocaust survivor Edith Bruck in Rome.

The Hungarian author Edith Bruck, 89, was interviewed by L’Osservatore Romano for Holocaust Memorial Day. When Pope Francis heard about the story of Edith surviving concentration camps including Bergen-Belsen where two people asked her to bear witness to what happened if she survived, the Pope decided to make a visit to her home.

“I have come here to thank you for your testimony and to pay homage to the people martyred by the insanity of Nazi populism,” Pope Francis reportedly told her. “And with sincerity I repeat to you the words that I spoke from my heart at Yad Vashem and that I repeat before every person who, like you, has suffered so much because of this.

(I ask) forgiveness, O Lord, in the name of humanity.”

WJC President Ronald S. Lauder was “deeply appreciative” of Pope Francis’ compassion in visiting Edith, whose family came from a rural village in Hungary.

“The Pope has demonstrated a sincere commitment to both personal kindness for the experiences of others and to the urgency of continuing to draw attention to the inhuman atrocities of genocides including the Holocaust,” Lauder noted. “At a time when neo-Nazism, anti-Semitism and other bigotries are resurgent in many parts of the world, Pope Francis’ moral integrity and sense of history set the standard for other faith, political and community leaders to follow.”

Lauder praised Edith for her courage in telling the world about her trauma and dedicating her life to educating people about the Holocaust.

“As survivors age, their testimonies become increasingly priceless, and we owe our understanding of the very worst of humankind to the individuals who have taken it upon themselves to bear witness to all they have endured,” he said. “Through such comprehension, we pray that such evil shall never happen again.”

She was born Edith Steinschreiber in Tiszabercel, Hungary. In 1944, she was deported with her parents, two brothers and a sister to Auschwitz. Her parents and a brother died in the camps, her mother at Auschwitz and father at Dachau. Edith and a sister Eliz survived Dachau, Christianstadt and Bergen-Belsen before liberation in 1945.

Reunited with sisters, Marta and Leila, and a brother Peter, Edith was married and divorced three times by the age of 20, but kept her last husband’s name to postpone military service.

Immigrating to Rome in 1954, she married Italian poet and director Nelo Risi and went to publish poetry, novels and articles. Her book, Lettera alla madre, won the Rapallo-Carige prize of 1989. He also has film credits as a director and screenwriter.

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Maccabi virtual tour of Florence Maccabi GB hosted a virtual Jewish walking tour of Florence.

Both sessions hosted over 200 people from around the world including Israel, Italy, Tenerife and UK. Licensed tour guide Giovanna Bossi Rosenfeld led the tour.

Due to the success of the event more will follow in the coming months.

The ‘walk’ took the audience through the significant places in the city including the Renaissance to present times, where Jews shared community, religious life and worked.

Periods covered included the Renaissance, Ghetto and Lorraine government, beginning of the ‘emancipation’ of the Jews in Tuscany, unification of Italy to Fascist government, World War Two to modern times.

Israel’s cabinet has backed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Environmental Protection Minister Gila Gamliel’s plan to allocate NIS 45 million to treat beach pollution.

The cash injection from the maritime pollution prevention fund follows an ecological disaster after tons of petroleum and tar washed ashore 160km of coastline last weekend.

Experts described it as Israel’s “worst environmental disaster in a decade” affecting the local environment and wildlife. It is estimated 40 per cent of the 106-mile coastline is damaged.

Thousands of volunteers, environmental organisations and local authorities came out in force to remove by hand affected areas to temporary sites.

Gamliel will submit within 30 days draft legislation in response to the maritime oil pollution.

“This was a major ecological disaster in which a thousand tons of petroleum and tar were piled up on our beaches,” noted Netanyahu. “We must act quickly, before it sinks into the ground, especially in rocky areas and this would be damage that would be with us for many years.” He added, “This

budgetary assistance will help in saving our beaches. We will maintain our beaches and our environment.”

Gamliel noted, “We organised very quickly in order to enable the allocation of significant funds for local authorities along the coast and the Nature and Parks Authority.

We will do everything so that we will be able to repair the ecological damage and go back to enjoying Israel’s beautiful beaches, and open the coming bathing season on schedule. We are continuing a complex international investigation to apprehend and severely punish those responsible.”

Following the pollution, to rehabilitate damaged beaches, minimise environmental and ecological damage the Environmental Protection Ministry announced wide ranging plans.

Funds will assist local authorities and the Nature and Parks Authority responsible for Mediterranean Sea polluted beaches including fauna damaged.

A NIS 62,500 advance has been transferred to begin work. Initial tasks include transporting, treating and removing waste tar from temporary storage sites to designated areas. It is essential to carry out surveys and estimates of the economic and environmental magnitude of the damage. Innovative materials will also be required for full

rehabilitation of the coastal and maritime environment including biodiversity.

A new committee, chaired by Environmental Protection Ministry Director General David Yahalomi will recommend within six months ways to prevent maritime disaster scenarios.

The Interior and Finance ministries are now agreeing budgets within 14 days to open the bathing season on March 20th.

Beaches need to be accessible alongside required lifeguards and safety measures.

Netanyahu, Gamliel and Yahalomi toured beaches in Ashdod after the ecological damage last Sunday.

Ashdod Mayor, Dr. Yechiel Lasri, Bat Yam Mayor, Tvika Brot, Ashkelon Mayor, Tomer Glam and Environmental Ministry Director General David Yahalomi joined Netanyahu’s Director General Tzachi Braverman and environmental affairs adviser Tal Gilboa on the tour.

Israel is working with the European Maritime Safety Agency, using satellite tracking systems to track down the polluter. If proved, Israel may take legal action for compensation.

“I was very impressed by the exemplary voluntarism of the citizens who came to clean up the beaches,” Netanyahu noted.

“We must maintain our beaches, our country and the environment.”

Netanyahu added that he had spoken with Egyptian Petroleum and Mineral Resources Minister Tarek El Molla about the matter.

Israeli’s leader proposed that every ship should be powered by natural gas instead of polluting fuel.

“I think that if several countries band together, within a few years we can bring about a great change, so that the sea, country and beaches will be clean,” he noted.

Gamliel added, “We have the possibility of suing the insurance company of the ship that is responsible for the pollution and we will do everything to locate it. Our moral obligation to the public is to locate those responsible for the event. Our goal is to open the bathing season on time. We need to look toward the future. This event and others like it in the world show us how urgent it is to wean ourselves from polluting fuels and move toward renewable energy.”

CAA welcomes Tonge stepping down

BY SIMCHA ABIR Campaign Against Antisemitism has welcomed the news that Baroness Tonge has stepped down from the House of Lords.

The disgraced peer has a history of promoting anti-Semitic tropes and announced her intentions to retire earlier this month as she was turning 80 years of age but would still back the Palestinians.

“Good riddance,” noted a CAA spokesperson. “The Jewish community welcomes the departure of this hateful figure who should never have been elevated to the upper chamber of our nation. It is a stain on the Liberal Democrats that she was never expelled (she resigned) and on the House of Lords that she was never removed.”

The announcement came days after Tonge spoke at a debate on anti-Semitism in university campuses and reportedly blamed a rise in anti-Semitism on the Israeli government.

CAA noted Tonge’s past interventions included suggesting the anti-Semitic attack on a Pittsburgh synagogue may be Israel’s Baroness Tonge fault, blaming Israel for a rise in anti-Semitism and sharing a cartoon comparing Israel’s policies to those of the Nazis.

CAA joined 88 House of Lords members condemning remarks on Facebook by Tonge following the 2019 general election

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when she claimed the “pro-Israel lobby won our General Election by lying about Jeremy Corbyn”.

Lord Pickles called for reform last year in the Lords after Tonge called Israel America’s “puppet master” and received no sanction.

A CAA spokesperson said at the time that it was PHOTO: WIKIMEDIA shameful Tonge had been permitted to remain in the legislature for so long.

“She should have been stripped of her position and honours long ago,” they noted. “Every day she sat in the House of Lords was a stain on our democracy.”

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NBC called on to retract satirical anti-Israel joke

BY DAVID SAFFER The American Jewish Committee has launched a petition demanding NBC apologises for a joke on US comedy show “Saturday Night Live” suggesting Israel is only vaccinating Jewish citizens.

The riposte follows “Weekend Update” co-host Michael Che cracking a one-line gag about Israel which has led the world in its vaccination campaign in a satirical news report.

“Israel is reporting that they’ve vaccinated half of their population, and I’m gonna guess it’s the Jewish half,” Che reportedly told the audience.

Jewish groups and political figures have slated Che over the comment as anti-Semitic and an age-old trope that Jews are responsible for plagues.

AJC are leading the response to Che’s inappropriate pun on NBC. “Che accused Israel of vaccinating only its Jewish citizens,” they noted in its petition. “The claim is categorically false. Every Israeli, regardless of religion or ethnicity, is eligible for the COVID vaccine, and more than two thirds of Israel’s Arab citizens over 60 have already been vaccinated.

“Saturday Night Live’s “joke” isn’t just untrue, it’s dangerous, a modern twist on a classic anti-Semitic trope that has inspired the mass murder of countless Jews throughout the centuries. In the Middle

Michael Che

PHOTO: FACEBOOK

Ages, thousands of Jews were burnt at the stake after being blamed for the Black Death and accused of protecting only themselves. In the 20th century, the Nazis accused Jews of spreading disease and seized on that falsehood to justify imprisoning Jews in ghettos and carrying out the mass murder of European Jewry.

“Words have consequences, and Jews are at risk when a major American TV company joins with those who claim Israel is favouring only a portion of its citizens in its admirable efforts, praised by Dr. Anthony Fauci and others, to vaccinate all of its residents.

“Sign AJC’s petition calling on NBC to retract it’s outrageous claim and apologise immediately.”

AJC’s Avi Meyer is a former Jewish Agency international spokesman. He tweeted, “It’s all fun and games until you start promoting anti-Semitic myths. Every Israeli citizen, Jewish and Arab, Muslim, Christian, of any or no faith, is eligible to be vaccinated. 2/3 of Israel’s Arab citizens over 60 already have been.”

Human rights lawyer and political analyst, Arsen Ostrovsky, added, “That ‘joke’ about #Israel Palestinians and COVID vaccines was not funny. It was

blatantly Antisemitic, just perpetuating racist stereotypes & spreading COVID misinformation.”

Former New York State Assemblyman Dov Hikind noted on Twitter, “Che or whoever wrote that “joke” is obviously also ignorant of fact that Israel has Arab citizens who’ve received the vaccine according to the same qualifications as Jews!”

Israel’s Consul General in New York, Israel Nitzan, tweeted, “Spreading anti-Semitic lies & misinformation is already a problem. Fanning the flames just to get a laugh is not only wrong, it’s irresponsible.

Israel has made the vaccine available for its entire population equitably, regardless of gender, race or religion.”

Ellie Cohanim, who served as US deputy special envoy in the Trump administration, added her voice on Twitter. “Under the Oslo Accords the Palestinian Authority is responsible for all health & social welfare needs. Contact SNL & NBC and demand they apologise for their modern-day blood libel against Jews,” she noted.

Che has reportedly made offensive remarks about various topics.

Approaching 4.5 million Israelis have received a first vaccine dose, over 3 million have received the second according to latest data.

NBC reportedly told Fox News on Monday they had “no comment at this time.”

Petition: https://actnow.ajc.org/vsnl3xs

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ADVERTORIAL

Have you used your ISA allowances for this tax year?

Is a cash ISA really the best option?

The writer is the Owner and Managing Director of Alpha Wealth Management Ltd – a boutique independent financial advisory practice. As a Chartered Financial Planner and drawing on over twenty years’ experience in financial services, Marc helps private clients, businesses, charities, and trusts optimize their finances. Prior to acting as a financial adviser, Marc was a Director at several global investment banks, providing investment advice to Europe’s leading institutional investment and pension fund managers.

Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) aim to encourage UK residents to prepare for their financial future by saving and investing in a tax-efficient way, thereby keeping more of any returns they earn. Income and growth on your ISAs savings and investments are tax free. For people who prefer to retain access to their money (rather than invest for their retirement in the most tax efficient product (a pension)), ISAs offer an excellent means of saving.

THERE ARE 4 MAIN TYPES OF ADULT ISAS AVAILABLE Cash • Investment (stocks & shares) Innovative Finance • Lifetime and they’re all subject to strict rules. Each tax year, you can open one each of these and use your annual allowance to potentially enjoy tax-efficient earnings and gains. The ISA allowance 2020/21 is £20,000 and you can put it all in the ISA of your choice or split it between a number of ISA accounts (please note that you can only put £4,000 in a Lifetime ISA). One thing is clear. If you don’t use them, you’ll lose them, and that would be a missed opportunity!

If you have a child living in the UK and aged under 18, you can open a Junior ISA to give them a head-start in life. Any money deposited in a Junior ISA belongs to your child and can’t be accessed until they turn 18. For 2020/2021, the JISA annual allowance went up to £9,000. These can be cash or investment ISAs.

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However, when you hold a Cash ISA, you don’t pay any tax on interest you earn. With a bank or building society’s savings account, you pay Income Tax on earnings exceeding £1,000.

A Cash ISA is often seen as the safest option.

However when inflation outpaces the interest rate your Cash ISA earns, the value of your savings will actually go down a little in real terms. Whilst a cash ISA might be sensible for a short holding period, it is not an attractive option for longer term saving. Currently the highest instant cash ISA is paying you 0.6% interest p.a.. Fix it for 2 years and the rate only increases to 0.75%*. Should you be seeking a better return?

Here’s a guide to help you get familiar with each adult ISA type.

2. STOCKS AND SHARES ISA (A.K.A. INVESTMENT ISA) Here your money is invested in assets like shares, bonds, property, and commodities.

Its advisable to take financial advice so that you can select an attitude to risk and obtain a suitable portfolio that reflects your risk appetite. To give you a sense though a medium risk portfolio ought to be able to deliver a c. 5% average annual net return after fees or better.

Holding a Stocks and Shares ISA does present some risk since there’s no guaranteed return and the value of your investments could go down as well as up. However, it also gives you the chance to earn higher returns than you can from your cash savings. Market risk is mitigated by remaining invested over the long-term as this typically helps you smooth out the ups and downs of the market and give your money time to benefit from the power of compounding.

1. CASH ISA A Cash ISA mainly works like a traditional savings account. You can open a Cash ISA if you’re a UK resident aged 16 or over, and it lets you save money and pays you interest.

3. LIFETIME ISA Paying into a Lifetime ISA allows you to save for your first-home and/or retirement. Opting for a Lifetime ISA means you can hold cash or investments, or a combination of both, and

the choice is up to you. With this type of ISA, you’ll receive a 25% bonus on anything you’re putting in - this is £1 for every £4 you put in, up to a maximum of £1,000 per year. This bonus is given every month, and you’ll then get interest or potential investment growth on it.

Lifetime ISAs come with many rules, for example: • You must be at least 18 but under 40 to start a Lifetime ISA. • The maximum amount you can put in each tax year is £4,000.

• You can contribute to your Lifetime ISA until your 50th birthday.

• If you intend to purchase a house, you must be a first-time buyer, meaning you’ve never owned a property in the UK. • The home you want to buy must cost £450,000 or less.

• The funds in your Lifetime ISA can only be withdrawn to purchase your first home or once you turn 60 (or in in certain circumstances where you are terminally ill)– if you withdraw funds before or for any other reason, you’ll be charged 25% of the amount you withdraw.

4. INNOVATIVE FINANCE ISA An Innovative Finance ISA enables you to become a lender– providing loans to approved individuals and businesses via an online peer-to-peer lending platform in return for a fixed amount of interest over a set period and paying no tax on the interest you earn.

Without a bank acting as the ‘middle man’, there’s a more direct lender-borrower relationship, which can mean greater opportunities for all participants but also greater risks, since borrowers can default and fail to pay you back. And in such situations, your money isn’t protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. So, it’s important not to be led by return alone and consider your capacity for loss as well as your risk appetite.

Seeking professional financial advice can help ensure you select the right ISA for your circumstances and objectives, invested in a portfolio that matches your appetite for risk. *Moneyfacts portal 23/2/21

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Kisharon welcomes Covid vaccine news

BY DAVID SAFFER Kisharon has welcomed news that people with learning disabilities on a GP register will be prioritised for a coronavirus vaccine in England.

Minister for Care, Helen Whately, backed the advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.

“This news can’t come soon enough,” commented Hadassa Kessler yesterday.

“Anyone with a learning disability should contact their GP to ensure they are on the Learning Disability Register.

“We have been advocating for people

Kisharon support to receive the vaccine from the start, but haven’t always been successful and have been told to wait our turn. There has been a lot of anxiety given the statistics around Covid deaths for people with learning disabilities, and the high profile hospitalisation of (DJ) Jo Whiley’s sister at the weekend.” She added, “I am so relieved to hear that all people with learning disabilities will now be offered vaccine at priority level 6. So many people and their families have long awaited this day, and will now be so reassured.”

Only last week, Ms Kessler said it was unthinkable” that blanket ‘do not resuscitate’

(DNR) decisions were being applied to vulnerable groups. A Guardian article highlighted Mencap findings that individuals with learning difficulties with Covid-19 were given ‘DNR orders’ in the second pandemic wave. The practice was condemned last year and led to a Mencap investigation.

The Care Quality Commission confirmed last month that Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (DNACPR) notices had resulted in potentially avoidable deaths last year. The CQC are to publish a report on the practice.

The government announced last week that 1.7 million people would be added to

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the shielding list, prioritised for the vaccine and asked to shield until 31st March. This is an extension from 22nd February in a previous shielding decision.

According to Public Health England, younger people with learning disabilities were dying at six times the rate of the general population. And those aged 18 to 34 are 30 times more likely to die of Covid-19 than people the same age in the wider population.

Kisharon raises awareness about the valuable contribution people with Down’s Syndrome and other learning disabilities make to the wider society.

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Israel imposes Purim night curfew

BY DAVID SAFFER Israel’s coronavirus cabinet has backed a night-time Purim curfew from Thursday until Sunday to prevent a spike in Covid cases.

The nightly clampdown (8.30 to 5am) will limit mass celebrations. Public transportation is limited during the festival.

Businesses have reopened across the country under strict social distancing measures.

Places of worship can only accommodate half the number of worshippers.

Health Minister Yuli Edelstein called for the festive measure during a National Security Council meeting earlier this week with education, trade and cultural venues reopening.

Pre-planned sporting and cultural events are excluded in accordance with Green Pass restrictions.

Reports of a hike in alcohol purchases and social media Purim party invites convinced Edelstein action was required.

It was also reported in the media that Purim parties were being planned across the country, especially in ultra-Orthodox communities despite restrictions on gatherings.

“Everyone remembers the national trauma of Purim a year ago and all the consequences it had,” he reportedly said. “In recent days we are receiving reports of a 35% increase in the sale of alcoholic beverages.

Social media is also full of invitations to all sorts of happy and cheerful parties. We are forced to table a proposal for a nighttime curfew for three nights, I hope it helps.”

Edelstein also called for a significant reduction in public transportation on Purim, including passenger limits for a bus or train. His comments came after Deputy Health Minister Yoav Kisch commented that there was no other choice but to implement a curfew.

“I suggest a nighttime curfew during Purim due to the current reality and a threat of parties,” Kisch reportedly said. “Purim cannot be celebrated as usual and we will have no other choice but to implement a curfew, those parties could become an enormous source of renewed infections.”

He added, “We still have thousands of new infections a day and among young people the percentage of vaccinated is low. We won’t see parties until 2am full of 70-year-olds, so young people’s parties should be avoided.”

Coronavirus czar Prof. Nachman Ash reportedly added in a press conference last Sunday, “Small prayer sessions and holiday dinners with close relatives can take place, but mass festivities and parties are

Purim in Meron, Israel in 2018

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

Israel has continued to exit lockdown in everyday life although mass gatherings are banned strictly forbidden. These gatherings endanger everybody’s health. The result of such parties will be a renewed closure of the education system and an infection wave that might lead to the shutting of parts of the economy, to the point of a lockdown.”

Israel has continued to exit lockdown in everyday life although mass gatherings are banned.

There were reports of long lines of shoppers at shopping centres with customers buying Purim outfits.

Caution remains among politicians with Israel’s Covid-19 reproduction rate marginally rising to 0.86 according to the Coronavirus National Information and Knowledge Center on Tuesday.

Health Ministry latest data illustrates there are 797 patients hospitalised in serious condition with 248 on ventilators. There have been 5,604 fatalities to date in Israel.

Around 4.5 million citizens have received a first vaccine, over 3 million are fully inoculated.

In related news, the Knesset passed yesterday the second and third readings of legislation enabling the Health Ministry to

supply certain official bodies with personal information of citizens who refuse the Covid-19 vaccine. The Ministry will also pass on details of anyone with a first dose missing a second dose appointment.

Details will enable local authorities, the Education Ministry director-general and Welfare Ministry officials to ask those not vaccinated to reconsider. Information can only be used for immunisation. All other uses of data is banned. Officials receiving the information must sign a confidentiality agreement. Data is deleted no later than 60 days after receipt.

The law states, “Information will be passed on to the authorities subject to an active request and the presentation of a plan to encourage immunisation among the population included in the database.

An official who is authorised by the Health Ministry director-general will receive the names, ID numbers, addresses and telephone numbers of citizens who are eligible to be vaccinated but have not done so.”

A Knesset statement after the bill was passed reportedly noted, “In order to reduce the invasion of privacy and prevent misuse of the information, the law stipulates that the information transmitted will be used solely to encourage immunisation and any other use of the data is banned.”

Israel is reducing the number of daily arrivals to 200 aside from humanitarian cases to eliminate new coronavirus variants through Ben Gurion Airport.

The decision followed a request by Knesset’s Constitution, Law and Justice Committee.

Tens of thousands of Israelis are stranded abroad. A rescue flight requires a permit from an exceptions committee but officials

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have thousands of applications daily to process.

The Transportation Ministry confirmed that current measures remain until a technological solution is found or isolation in hotels reinstated to ensure arrivals self-isolate. The ministry has also called on Israelis leaving the country in the coming days to reconsider.

Fifteen cities, meantime, have contentiously resumed classes for grades 7-10 against government orders before March 9th.

Forum 15 (The Israeli Forum of Self-Government Cities) members includes Ashdod, Beer Sheva, Giv’atayim, Herzliya, Hadera, Holon, Haifa, Kfar Saba, Netanya, Petah Tikva, Rishon LeZion, Rehovot, Ramat Gan, Ra’anana and Tel Aviv-Jaffa.

Ramat Hasharon also announced it is reopening schools.

Students will reportedly attend twice a week for four hours or three times a week for three hours.

“In light of the continued absence of these students from schools, and the severe pedagogical, social and psychological damages they must endure because of it, we the mayors of Forum 15 convened an emergency meeting on the issue, where we decided that starting Wednesday, the forum’s municipalities will permit principals to allow grades 7-10 to return to class,” a statement reportedly said.

“It is not necessary to teach all subjects while in school. Some subjects will continue to be taught remotely,” the Forum reportedly added. “The manner of resuming schooling will be done at the discretion of the principal and in consultation with the municipality, and according to the number of vaccinated teaching staff, the general number of vaccinations in the neighbourhoods from which the students come, the size of the school and the number of students. It will be possible to combine learning in the classroom and outdoors.”

Mayors will not force teaching staff to follow the outline.

“Forum 15 and its leadership are aware, recognise and cherish the concern and pain of principals and teaching staff for the education system, and that in the eyes of many, prioritization it deserves,” a statement reportedly said. “We hope that other localities will join this outline and are sure that the government and ministers will join as well,” they added.

The Teachers’ Union criticised the municipalities’ decision stating only the Education Ministry could make the ruling.

Modi’in-Maccabim-Re’ut Mayor Haim Bibas is due to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday.

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Airport closure causes frustration in Israel

BY JAMES MARLOW Hundreds of Israelis are struggling to get back to Ben Gurion Tel Aviv, after the government closed the airport to all commercial airlines on 25 January.

Since that time, special flights have been dispatched from Israel to pick up Israeli citizens from Dubai, Frankfurt and New York. But each passenger has to make their own way to one of those three hubs, at their own expense. There are now no more flights to Dubai.

In addition, passengers must have the necessary entry documents which are applied for online, along with a negative Covid test certificate within 72 hours of

departure, in order to enter the country.

But some Israelis complained their applications were being refused and they couldn’t understand why.

In response, government officials told passengers to re-apply for the permit and keep re-applying, until you receive a confirmation.

Several passengers reported on a WhatsApp group, that they applied with the exact same application, up to 4 times, before it was finally approved. But by that time, their Covid PCR test had expired and they had to pay up to another £150 to obtain another.

Meanwhile huge efforts have been underway to charter flights from Ben Gurion

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A deserted Ben Gurion Airport

to London and pick up Israeli passengers who wish to return to Israel, with the necessary paperwork.

Ben Adler at Travel Desk has worked tirelessly to locate passengers and sell tickets, to recuperate the cost of chartering an aircraft, and earlier this month, an Israir flight returned from London to Tel Aviv.

However another flight, earlier this week was in the end, refused permission to travel by the Ministry of Transportation and government instructed passengers to make their way to Frankfurt.

Travel agent, Ben Adler announced on the WhatsApp group on Tuesday that he could charter a flight from London to Frankfurt for Thursday morning, if there were 30 people willing to pay £595 for the cost of chartering.

But by late Tuesday night, the number of bookings were low, because passengers said they still had not received a permit to enter Israel, or they did not have enough time to get a PCR test, or they simply

25 FEBRUARY 2021

PHOTO: FACEBOOK

couldn’t afford more expense.

Some Israelis left Israel for pleasure before the airport shut down, but others departed to visit sick family members and in some cases, bury them, believing they could return without problems. Others found themselves outside the country on business, when the airport shut down last month.

As Israel begins a slow process of re-opening the country including shops, gymnasiums and maybe schools in the coming days, Corona virus commissioner, Professor Nachman Ash, warned that the transmission value is once again, on the rise, although still below one.

Speaking on Kan News, Professor Ash added that the Health Ministry confirmed, the infection rate has increased and is 2 to 3 times higher than official numbers are reporting. However many of those infected are not suffering from any symptoms and some are not reporting the positive tests.

See Opinion opposite

Israeli detained in Syria returns after diplomatic talks

BY SIMCHA ABIR Israel and Russian leaders have held diplomatic talks to bring a 25-year-old woman from Modiin Illit detained after crossing into Syria home via Moscow.

Two shepherds who crossed into the Golan Heights recently were released to Syria.

A sentence was also commuted by three months for a Druze woman, Nihal al-Maqt from Majdal Sham, sentenced to three years for monitoring IDF troop movements.

Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Defence Ministers Benny Gantz and Sergei Shoigu held talks as did Foreign Ministers Gabi Ashkenazi Sergei Lavrov.

Israel’s National Security Advisor Meir Ben-Shabbat spoke with President Putin’s diplomatic adviser.

Netanyahu reportedly spoke twice with Putin to request assistance in finding a deal.

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“Israel has always, and will always, do everything it can to bring its citizens back home,” he noted.

The 25-year-old woman returned with an Israeli delegation led by Yaron Blum and Chief of Staff Asher Hayun.

Bicom noted cabinet ministers held a meeting on a classified “humanitarian issue” related to Syria. Details were barred by military censor.

The shepherds were released after a deal for Dhiyab Qahmuz fell through. Qahmuz was arrested in 2017 and sentenced to 14 years for planning terror attacks for Hezbollah. Qahumz refused to go to Syria, preferring a return to his Golan village. He remains in prison.

According to IDF officials, the Israeli citizen studied Arabic and had previously attempted to cross into Gaza. She is believed to have entered Syria through an unfenced location.

Following questioning, the IDF is to investigate how observation and radar posts didn’t detect the border crossing.

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OPINION

The opinions on this page do not reflect the opinions of this Newspaper

Airport closure causes frustration OPINION PIECE

BY JAMES J MARLOW There is an inherent fundamental principle with some, that if we are told NOT to do something, we have to do it.

Governments across the world have told their citizens not to travel overseas, unless it is for essential travel. Therefore many of us cannot understand, why there are thousands of Israelis across the world, trying desperately, to get back to Israel.

That is, until you listen to some of the cases.

It is true that some Israelis left the country for pleasure, before Tel Aviv airport shut down. But others departed to visit sick family members and in some cases, bury them. They believed they could return to Israel without complications and problems, but in a fluid Covid world, anything can happen.

Using Facebook, Israelis in London and other parts of England, vented their frustration online, until a journalist decided to set up a WhatsApp group.

Former MK Dov Lipman, published the link on his Facebook page, as did others and within a day, almost 250 people had joined.

Soon after, a travel agent named Ben Adler, in the group tried, with the help of Dov Lipman and others, to charter flights from Israel to London and back again.

Meanwhile frustration began to take

control, with some members losing their focus and objective of what the group was all above, which was of course, a one way flight back to Israel.

First came the political hatred against the Prime Minister that he was purposely keeping Israelis out of Israel, to prevent them from voting on 23 March. As if anyone knows who in the group would vote for Bibi and who would not.

Then came verbal attacks on the Israeli Embassy in London and calls for Ambassador Tzipi Hotovely to resign, as if she is responsible for Covid and the closure of Ben Gurion airport.

Members of the group claimed they were going to present a petition to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem, to have her removed from her post because she never liaised with the Minister of Transport Miri Regev, to request an emergency flight from Israel to collect the stranded Israelis.

The Embassy made it very clear to me over the telephone that although they were taking calls and trying to advise on an individual basis, there was nothing they could collectively do, because all flights were departing from Frankfurt, not London.

Soon after, members in the group blamed the “Chareidim” and Bibi again, for “allowing the Chareidim to be given special treatment to enter the country”. This was probably referring to a report that a flight departed New York and

several Chareidim were heard boasting, how they received fake negative Covid tests. When they arrived in Israel, several of them tested positive, but as far as they were concerned, they were back in Israel.

There were calls of “Let my people go”, references to the “plague” and how Netanyahu is really “Pharaoh”. (Don’t ask me how they came to that conclusion).

Next came the threats of taking the government to court, “because it is illegal to prevent citizens to return to their country”. It’s a free democratic country, so you can sue the government if you wish, I thought. But the Attorney and court costs are likely to be huge and your chances of winning are close to zero.

I have no doubt that many in the group were embarrassed and ashamed of some of the comments, because Travel Agent Ben Adler, and others are just trying to count heads, discover who has the permits to enter Israel and which person wishes to charter a flight to Frankfurt, to meet the connecting flight to Tel Aviv.

I know some in the group genuinely thought, they could travel to England to see sick family members or attend a funeral and thought they could return with no problem, as the airport was open. But others in similar situations, made the tough heart-breaking decisions not to travel, in case there would be another major rise of Covid cases and in particular, variant strains of the virus mutating

in many places. We are in the midst of the world’s worse pandemic since 1918 with almost 3 million people worldwide, dead from Covid. More people have died from Covid in America, then they did in the Vietnam, Korea and WWII altogether. Close to 6000 people have now passed away in Israel.

Governments all over the world have had to make tough decisions to save lives. Whether they get it right or wrong is something else, but action needed to be taken and on 25 January, the Israeli government closed the airport to all commercial airlines, until further notice.

Unless you can get to Frankfurt or New York at your own expense and catch the connecting flights to Tel Aviv, you may have to sit tight before the airport re-opens.

The government is aware of genuine cases of Israelis stuck outside the country, but its job is to manage the Covid crisis, especially as the contract for isolation in hotels has now expired. In addition, many had planned their Aliyah for this time and are in major stress mode because they have either sold, or rented out their properties and are stuck.

It’s a tough time for all of us and with the holidays approaching, Covid cases in Israel are going to continue to rise. The war with Covid is not over yet, but there are genuine, honest, good people in Israel working tirelessly, to get you back to Israel.

James Marlow is a broadcast commentator and communications trainer Facebook: James Jeremy Marlow Twitter: @James_J_Marlow

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Election 2021 News Exclusively covering the election for The Jewish Weekly is our weekly columnist JAMES MARLOW with his Report, his News Briefs and latest Poll Numbers according to the Israeli surveys.

James has been covering Israeli Elections since the eighties and has extensive knowledge of the many Parties, Candidates, Proportional Representation system and analysing coalition agreements. In addition James gives intriguing insights into Israel’s

fourth election in 2 years on Sky News, LBC Radio and many online events, including for the Zionist Federation, Ner Yisrael, Glasgow Friends of Israel and on 3 March from 8pm for Edgware United Synagogue through Zoom.

The Marlow Report

There will be 3 elections in Israel. The first will be on 23 March when the Israeli registered voters will have an opportunity to choose a party of their choice. The second election is when the President meets with the leaders of each party and asks, “Who do you wish to nominate as Prime Minister?”

The third election is the political parties who pass the minimum threshold of 3.25%, (equivalent to 4 Knesset seats), vote either for a government which has to reach 61 seats or more, or vote to oppose a newly formed government.

The left will receive a handful seats. The Arab vote will go down and the centre left Yesh Atid party, cannot crack that 20 seat mark.

According to all polls, Likud are on 2930 seats and that’s a strong 10 seats ahead of its nearest rival, Yesh Atid. So the closest path to a workable government is Likud, Shas and UTJ with around 45 seats. Bibi will then need to convince Naftali Bennett and Yamina with around 12-13 seats to join him.

Now Bennett is going to put a very high price on his party joining the coalition, with a demand of several senior ministries, Knesset committee chairmanships and a commitment to reduce the power of the Supreme Court. With the Religious Zionists led by Betzalel Smotrich likely to pass the threshold, Netanyahu will have his magic number of 61 seats.

Any other coalition is much more complicated because they involve issues of “ego”. Yair Lapid, Gideon Sa’ar and Naftali

Bennett all wish to become Prime Minister and are unlikely to come to an agreement between themselves. In addition, in order to reach at least 61 seats, the anti-Bibi bloc would have to include right and left wing parties along with the Arabs, which is non-workable at any level.

The crazy thing is the Right bloc will win 80 seats or more, if you add Likud, New Hope, Yamina, UTJ, Shas and Yisrael Beitenu. But several of these parties refuse to work with each other, which is why we keep having elections. In other words, almost everyone is ruling out sitting with almost anyone.

You have to go back to 1992 when the Right bloc fell out with each other, and not only did they bring down the Yitzhak Shamir government, they brought Yitzhak Rabin to power and the dreaded Oslo Accords.

The split in the Right camp today is not about ideology. It’s about personality and

now he is still winning.

Gideon Sa’ar says under no circumstances will he work with Bibi. Bennett’s people are not convinced. We have all heard this before. So many leaders over the years have said, “Anyone, but Bibi”, but they end up cracking and sitting with him.

Benny Gantz was not unique when he broke away from Yesh Atid and Telem and proclaimed, “The country cannot afford to keep having elections with a Covid crisis, and so we have to join the government”.

Ehud Barak insisted he would not sit with Netanyahu but he did. Tzipi Livni said the same thing, but she ended up sitting with Bibi. Avigdor Lieberman refused to join the Bibi government, but he succumbed. Moshe Kahlon broke away from Likud with his Kulanu party, but he ended up joining a Bibi government. Amir Peretz said, he would never sit with Netanyahu, but he did - twice. Yitzhak Herzog said he would never join a Bibi government and

Some voters have such short memories and are quite naïve when they claim, “I really believed the candidate when he said it”. the inability of party leaders to accept Likud, under Netanyahu, winning more seats than any other party.

But Naftali Bennett is currently playing the best strategy. By not committing to refuse to sit with Netanyahu, like Lapid and Sa’ar have done, Bennett is playing both sides of the political spectrum. This makes Bennett a major player in the game, even though he is only polling around 12 seats.

Yamina rightly wants to see the final results of the election before it makes its moves and begins negotiating deals. Bennett has said on numerous occasions, “We thank you Bibi for what you have done for the country, but its time now to resign”.

This rhetoric gives Netanyahu more energy to want to continue fighting, and right

he almost did. Avi Gabbay said he would never join, and he almost did.

Benny Gantz was ridiculed and condemned for joining Likud last summer.

But with the Covid crisis out of control, Gantz did the right thing, at the time. Now his Blue and White party may not even cross the minimum threshold. In fact, out of all the names mentioned above, the only player still in the political show, is Lieberman, and he is only polling 6 to 7 seats.

Some voters have such short memories and are quite naïve when they claim, “I really believed the candidate when he said it”.

Bennett will do everything he can to unseat Netanyahu. But if it is not possible,

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(and at this stage, it doesn’t look very likely), Bennett will have two choices. To either get the best deal he can for him and his party, or face a fifth election and the possibility of economic collapse, at a time of immense danger on Israel’s borders. It takes leadership to make the tough decisions.

IMPORTANT DATES: March 9 Election television and radio commercials begin March 11 Diplomats and soldiers begin voting March 19 Final polls released March 23 Election Day March 30 Final results presented to President April 06 Deadline for President to choose candidate to form government May 18 Deadline for first candidate to build coalition June 15 Deadline for second candidate to form coalition July 6 Failing the above, deadline for any MK to form government October 5 Date of next election if no government is formed

25 FEBRUARY 2021

ELECTION NEWS BRIEFS: • Rabbi Chaim Druckman together with several other leading right wing religious Zionist Rabbis have formally endorsed the Religious Zionist party, which is comprised of National Union, Otzma Yehudit and the Noam parties. Druckman has in the past been tightly allied with the Jewish Home, (the successor of the National Religious party, Mafdal, in which he served as an MK). Jewish Home, headed

by Hagit Moshe, is not running after signing an agreement with Naftali Bennett’s Yamina party where she would quit the race, but backs Yamina in the election.

• Tel Aviv mayor Ron Huldai who set up the Israelis party and vowed to run against PM Netanyahu, but ended up dropping out of the race because he had little support, has endorsed Labor leader Merav Michaeli. Huldai wrote on his twitter account, “As someone who has been a Labor

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party member most of my life, I am happy to see its renewal and awakening”.

• In a “town hall” meeting, (but really on zoom) Naftali Bennett said Yair Lapid is not worthy of becoming Prime Minister, but was careful not to rule Lapid out.

Yamina’s number 16 on the party list, Jeremy Saltan, who is an Anglo, said Gideon Sa’ar is just right wing but doesn’t have any policies on how to deal with the economy or Covid. He is just anti-Bibi.

• Religious Zionists head, Betzalel Smotrich distanced himself from a campaign video on social media, of far-right wing Otzma candidate, Itamar Ben Gvir. The advert falsely put Holocaust and Hitler jokes in the mouth of Arab Labor party candidate Ibtisam Mara’ana Menuhin. Religious Zionists are running with Otzma in order to pass the minimum threshold.

• The Central Elections Committee voted 16-15 with 2 abstentions to ban Labor’s number 7 candidate, Ibtisam Mara’ana Menuhin from running for Knesset. In the past, she has made many insensitive comments about the Holocaust.

• Benny Gantz claimed on Channel 12 News, if his Blue and White party fails to make it back into the Knesset and there is a transitional government headed by Netanyahu, he will immediately fire the remaining Blue and White Ministers, which will “remove all remaining checks on Netanyahu’s power and turn Israel into a monarchy”.

• 130 IDF commanders and former senior security officials issued a personal letter to Blue and White leader Benny Gantz.

The letter which was published in newspapers called on him and his party to drop out of the race. The letter said “There is a great danger that a radical government will be formed, so we are calling to him as friends. “We think he should

drop out so as not to put the entire (Left) camp in jeopardy.” The letter ended with the words, “We expect Gantz to act responsibly”. Blue and White replied, “Only a strong Blue and White will prevent Bibi from appointing Amir Ohana as justice minister, ousting Avichai Mandelblit and appointing his own Attorney General.

• Writing an opinion in the Jerusalem Post, former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert (formerly Likud and Kadima) claimed the Labor leader, Merav Michaeli (who is polling 5-6 seats) is the true opposition to Netanyahu. “She’s still the most honest, consistent and determined person who stands against Netanyahu”. Olmert referred to Bibi as the leader of the “fascist right-wing bloc”, calling him a crook, criminal, greedy, racist and a fascist.

(Please tell us what you really think Mr Olmert) • Olmert also called Naftali Bennet and Gideon Sa’ar very similar.

“They’re in favour of a greater

ISRAEL VOTES 2021

Land of Israel, of settlements, and the continued occupation of millions of Palestinians who live in the territories, with no chance for self-determination or national, civil and equal rights”. The former PM then dug into Yair Lapid saying, he was not centre. “But neither does he belong to the Left or to the Right. “He’s somewhere out there in the middle of nowhere.

“He winks to the Left, smirks to the Right and beams at the centre”.

• Yisrael Beteinu head, Avigdor Lieberman called upon Gideon Sa’ar, Naftali Bennett and all anti-Netanyahu parties, to nominate the leader of the second largest party for Prime Minister, after the Likud. Approximately one week after final results are confirmed, the President meets with all heads of parties and asks them, who should be the candidate given the task of forming the next government. Lieberman was speaking on Kan News, but did not mention Yair Lapid, by name.

JAMES MARLOW compiles this week’s poll numbers based on leading Israeli pollsters including Panels Politics, Direct Polls, Midgam Panel, Statnet Institutes, TNS Teleseker, Camille Fuchs, Dr Mina Tzemach and Mano Gever.

In total, 39 parties have registered to run but only the parties expected to cross the 3.25% minimum threshold are listed below. If a party receives less than the minimum 4 seats, the votes are discarded.

The election for the twenty-fourth Knesset is Tuesday 23 March.

NAME OF PARTY

HEADED BY

SEATS IN MARCH 2020

CURRENT POLLING

LIKUD

Binyamin Netanyahu

36

28 – 29

YESH ATID

Yair Lapid

Broke from Blue & White (33)

17 – 18

NEW HOPE

Gideon Sa’ar

NEW PARTY

13 – 14

YAMINA

Naftali Bennett

5

11 – 12

JOINT LIST (Arab Parties) Hadash, Balad, Ta’al

Ayman Odeh

15

8–9

SHAS

Aryeh Deri

8

8–9

UNITED TORAH JUDAISM

Moshe Gafni

7

7–8

YISRAEL BETEINU

Avigdor Lieberman

7

6–7

LABOR

Merav Michaeli

1

5–6

RELIGIOUS ZIONISTS – OTZMA YEHUDIT – NOAM

Betzalel Smotrich (3 Parties)

RZ broke away from Jewish Home

4–5

MERETZ

Nitzan Horowitz

5

3–5

BLUE AND WHITE

Benny Gantz

33

3–4

RA’AM (Arab)

Mansour Abbas

Break away from Joint List

2–3

NEW ECONOMY PARTY

Yarom Zelekha

NEW PARTY

1–2

TOTAL NUMBER OF KNESSET SEATS

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Letters to the Editor

Games

Bridge

Send in your comments to letters@thejewishweekly.com

With Harold Schogger

Please note: The views of the letters do not necessarily reflect the views of this newspaper. Letters may be edited and publication is at the discretion of the editor.

Dealer: South Both Vul

PURIM FOR EVERYONE IN 5781

s h d c

Dear Editor Further to the front-page headline, “PURIM SAFETY GUIDELINES ISSUED IN THE UK AND ISRAEL,” and the article’s contents, and comments, “From the editor’s desk,” in last week’s edition (THE JEWISH WEEKLY, 18 February), please see below my Purim offering for this year.

My Purim Poem “Observance with common sense,” should be the maxim For all of us, with Coronavirus still with us, this Purim Keeping the mitzvot while keeping safe So preserving life for everyone’s sake For now, and the foreseeable future, for all of our Chagim

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Q J 10 9 8 96 Q 10 5 J54

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AK6 754 98 K 10 7 6 3

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So, to all of JEWISH WEEKLY’S staff and readers on this Chag I wish you, and the whole Jewish community, a Purim Sameach J D Milaric

s 7 4 2 h A K Q J 10 2 d K J 3 c A

HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL AND THE BOARD OF DEPUTIES Dear Editor Oh how I agree with Brian Gedalla (Feb 18th) on all of his points. The Holocaust design is and will be an eyesore and there is no eye-catching visual connection to what the memorial is intended to represent.

I too was a Deputy for 6 years from 2009 and I was further elected to serve on the International Division. My experience was that the Honorary Officers and the Executive Division ruled and governed without any real inclination to consult meaningfully with the plenary deputies. Yes, the plenary deputies were given opportunities to speak but these were only if you got to the mike in time and they were strictly time limited. I do not recall any of the points uttered ever finding their way into serious debate or being acted upon. The fault lays with the way the Board is structured. I did offer my suggestions but they all appear to have been ignored.

Yours faithfully, Melvyn Abrahams

From the editor’s desk I read with tears in my eyes about the tragic death of Osnat Ben-Shitrit, a 31 year old mother of four who died from coronavirus whilst heavily pregnant with her 5th child. The baby also sadly passed away. Top specialists from across Hadassah hospital fought valiantly to save their lives, but despite their heroic efforts, the family are now grief stricken. A young mother in the prime of her life, who only a week before had been absolutely fine.

This is on top of the tragic death of a 13 year old Jewish girl in Manchester last week and others of different ages who lost their lives to the dreaded virus in the last few days.

People across all communities must strive mightily to protect others this Purim, and not G-d forbid to further add to the type of horrors we saw emerge after last Purim, just for the sake of a drink with their friends or in a naive attempt to ignore the reality on the ground and carry on this year with huge Purim Seudahs as if everything is normal.

Learn extra Torah and give more charity to make up for the lack of other things, but let’s all remember to be responsible for one another. Knowing we are protecting each other will enable us to appreciate the festival of Jewish unity in a different way. Wishing all our readers a frelichen Purim.

W Pass End

N 1NT

E Pass

S 1h 4h

Plan your play in 4h West led the an obvious queen of spades and East overtook with the king and returned a trump. As there was no hope of a spade ruff, the original declarer drew trumps and took the diamond finesse, losing three spades and a diamond.

As this was only a 50% chance, declarer would have done better to rely on a 3-2 diamond break, which is a 68% chance. After winning the trump switch, he should have ducked

Chess Checkmate in four moves

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a diamond. As the cards lie, the defence would have been powerless. The best they could have done was to cash a spade and play a second trump. Declarer then draws the outstanding trumps and plays the king and ace of diamonds to discard his remaining spade loser on a good diamond.

All declarer needed to recall to make this contract was that a 3-2 break is significantly more likely to succeed than a finesse.

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Purim Pearls

In the spirit of Purim, we present some pearls of wisdom for you to enjoy.

The legendary Holocaust-era activist Rabbi Michoel Ber Weissmandel made a fascinating discovery. Arriving at his astonishing calculation before the days of computers, he discovered that there are 12,111 letters in Megillat Esher. He said that one can find the first spelling of “Esther” (although not its pronunciation) in Bereishis Chapter 4 Verse 14. If one takes the first regular mem that appears in that verse, and counts at intervals of 12,111 letters, one will find the phrase “Megillas Esther.” This method of finding hints in the Torah is known as Equidistant Letter Sequences and is subject to much (sometime passionate) debate, but one can hardly argue with the genius of this particular discovery.

THERE ARE OTHER FASCINATING ALLUSIONS TO BE FOUND IN THE TORAH IN CONNECTION TO PURIM.

Here is one: Take the name Mordechai (which is questionable if it is an inherently Jewish name – see Torah Temima on this).

We know that Mordechai was descended from Yaakov (as most Jews are) and Haman was descended from Esav. After the epic struggle between Yaakov and the angel of Esav, the angel tells Yaakov – your name will henceforth be not (only) Yaakov; it will be Yisrael. The Hebrew words read: … ‫ל‬-‫ל’א יעק’ב יאמ’ר עו’ד שמ’כ כ’י א’ם ישרא‬ and at the end of the Hebrew words “Ye’omer od Shimcha Ki im” you can spot the name Mordechai. How was the angel of Esav able to injure Yaakov in the thigh? The Arizal taught, due to Mordechai bowing in front of Esav! How do we correct this?

With a descendant of Yaakov – Mordechai refusing to bow down to Esav’s descendant, Haman. (Nifla’ot Mi’Toratecha) Now, much of the Megillah refers to “haste”. In fact, Haman arrived at the fateful meal hosted by Queen Esther and, when his evil intentions were revealed, he was given his just desert… However, consider the fact that he had been “rushed to the feast” immediately after having his daughter deposit the contents of his bathroom onto his head. This meant that he was in a

The Kabbalists teach that due to the spiritual poverty of the Jewish people at the time of Purim (and indeed Pesach) it was necessary to hasten the redemption far weaker position that he might otherwise have been, which may have given him the possibility of defending himself and his evil schemes. So, the “haste” was not only part of the salvation, it actually played a key role in Haman’s downfall. (based on a talk by Rabbi Y.L. Wittler). Similarly, we find regarding Pesach, that G-d hastened our redemption. The Kabbalists teach that due to the spiritual poverty of the Jewish people at the time of Purim (and indeed Pesach) it was necessary to hasten the redemption so as not to allow the “heavenly prosecutors” to present their case against the Jewish people being saved.

If you look at the words we recite daily, “‫ מהר יקדמנו רחמיך כי דלונו מאד‬- may Your mercy quickly proceed for we have become extremely impoverished” – the first letters spell the name “Mordechai”.

(Nifla’ot MiToratecha) We now present something you have almost certainly never heard (or read) before. The sages taught, “One must not talk during a meal” (i.e. when eating) – the Hebrew words being “‫אין משיחין בשעת‬ ‫ “סעודה‬. One can also read these words at “There is no “Moshiach” during a meal”.

What does this mean? We are taught that Moshiach will not arrive on a Erev

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Shabbat or Erev Yom Tov, because Jewish people are then preparing for the meals of those days. Furthermore, the Torah says (in relation to Shemitta year when one cannot work their field), “If you shall say what shall we eat (when we cannot work)?” Hinted here is this law – If you shall say – i.e. if you are in the middle of talking, then “Mah Nochal” – what shall we eat – meaning, do not eat at that point.

In jest, one can add that we are taught that “The Pesach (Paschal offering) can only be eaten until Chatzot (literally: Half way through the night, also known as Midnight)”. One can explain as follows: The Hebrew word “Pesach” is comprised of two smaller words, “Peh” – a mouth, “Sach” which talks. So we learn from here that one can only eat so long as one is busy with the mouth, but once one starts talking, they must stop eating. (Sod Ha’Chashmal).

Pfizer has been in the news recently as has snow in many parts of the world. The Passuk says, ‫[ – כפו’ר כאפ’ר יפז’ר‬G-d] scatters frost like ash. The Hebrew spelling of “Yefazer” is very similar to the word “Pziezer”. The reference to the cold is particularly appropriate as the vaccine is known to be stored in extremely frigid conditions. Similarly, the word “‫ ”כאפר‬also spells ‫ רפאך‬as G-d Who is our ultimate Doctor, has brought about a possible cure to the Coronavirus through the “Pfizer” (and others). The word “‫”כפר‬ is an allusion to “Heresy” “‫ ”כפירה‬which is what Amalek represents. The connection between Amalek and “cooling off” is also hinted at in the Torah, for the Torah tells us to recall what Amalek sought to accomplish to “cool us off” from the heated inspiration we received at Mattan Torah.

In fact, Rabbi Efraim Shapiro said this week that what helps us survive the indifference of those cynical towards religion is to be passionate to be filled with the fire of enthusiasm for Torah and Mitzvah observance. If you take the numerical value of “Yisrael” 541 and remove the numerical value of “Esh” (fire) 301 you get the same numerical value as Amalek (240)!

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CST launches £2m ‘Together We Protect’ campaign CST chief executive Mark Gardner discusses the organisation’s landmark £2m ‘Together We Protect’ fundraising campaign to continue providing security, research and support for anti-Semitism victims in the UK Jewish community.

BY DAVID SAFFER Community Security Trust is about to launch a £2m fundraising campaign.

In the past 12 months the world has changed forever due to the global coronavirus pandemic. Funds raised from the ‘Together We Protect’ campaign, which starts this motsei Shabbat until Monday, will be doubled by a match funder and enable CST to keep providing the levels of security, research and support for victims of anti-Semitism that the community needs, expects and deserves.

Jewish communities around the country will hear, read and see the campaign as it is being communicated by telephone, WhatsApp, emails, newspaper articles and adverts, leaflets and even advertising billboards on the North Circular and the A1.

All major Jewish organisations fundraise, CST frequently run recruitment and

anti-Semitism reporting drives, but this is the first time they have prioritised the donation aspect. CST chief executive, Mark Gardner, took time out of his busy schedule to explain what is behind the landmark initiative.

“Right now, we need to raise money,” he explained. “We will absolutely welcome every donation and we will be match funding, which means that your donation will be doubled by a match funder who has agreed to do this. It’s a great way of increasing the value of each donation.”

So why is CST so important to the UK Jewish community?

“CST protects all Jewish communities, throughout the country,” explained Gardner. “We do this with over 2,000 volunteers who come from those communities and we work together with all of the shuls and communal organisations in as close and genuine a partnership as possible. We think that every Jew should be able to play a part in this, if they want to. We always have three things that people can do to play a part.

They can physically join CST and be trained as a security volunteer, they can donate to CST and they can report anti-Semitism to CST.”

He added, “Our long-standing chairman, Gerald Ronson, says that “if you don’t have security, then before long you won’t have a community either”. We look at the situation that the French Jewish community reached because of anti-Semitism and terrorism and that drives our actions. Insecurity means people hide their Jewishness and are afraid to lead their Jewish lives. People come to places like Golders Green and Stamford Hill and are amazed at how vibrant and confident our Jewish life is. We want to keep it that way. We also want to empower every Jew to play their part in this. We are so lucky to live in a place and time in Jewish history when we are able to organise in this way and to work with the Police and Government.

We should make the most of that.”

The world is living in unique times due to the pandemic. Every charity organisation has been affected, how has CST been hit regarding fundraising?

“Covid has prevented our traditional fundraising methods of meetings, charity events, lunches and dinners, but we have seen the success of other charities using online crowdfunding techniques and it looks ideal for CST,” noted Gardner. “I think it may well impact on our future fundraising, even if the

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other methods do return.”

In terms of personnel, has the pandemic impacted CST? “Anti-Semitism does not stop because of a pandemic, so there is no change to the work that needs be done,” commented Gardner.

“We have tried very hard not to lose any of our frontline operational capability, so whilst we do have less staff than before, its mainly been a case of not renewing contracts and not filling vacant positions. There was also a lot of furlough last spring and summer.”

Many shuls have been closed for much of the year, was terror still a threat even though buildings were closed?

“CST manages a £14m Government Grant that helps pay for communal guarding costs at schools, shuls and other buildings, but only when they are open,” Gardener explained.

“We know from past experience that terror attacks can occur against closed buildings and this does happen more often than you might expect, but nevertheless, our primary goal is of course the protection of life.”

Regarding anti-Semitism incidents, has terror/anti-Semitism concerns changed over lockdown?

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really surprised at how well this worked. We did, however, need to keep some staff in the office, manning our national security control centre with hundreds of locations’ CCTV feeds coming in from all over the country. Security rapid response staff also needed to work from the offices.”

Is the CST set up for future temporary lockdowns that could well come following Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s address to the nation on Monday?

“As a security organisation, we obviously have a lot of contingency planning and disaster recovery plans, but a global pandemic was not one of them,” noted Gardner.

“Within a month of the first lockdown most of the staff were working from home, using laptops and video conferencing. We were

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CST’s ‘Together We Protect’ campaign runs from February 27 to March 1. Donations can be made by telephone, post, the CST website www.cst.org.uk and a special Charity Extra website.

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life to get back to some kind of normality so that our volunteers and staff can get back out there, doing our work,” he said.

Are you worried about the future?

“I have concerns about what Covid-19 will do to the longer term state of British society, politics and economics,” Gardner said. “I also fear that whenever the next war arises in the Middle East, we will see a dramatic return of the sort of anti-Semitism that dominated for most of the last 20 years, but has been relatively quiet of late. For those reasons, CST and its communal partners cannot undermine the security net that has taken so many years and decades to build up, but obviously the pressure of fundraising income could cause that to happen.”

As for a final message to the community, Gardener was respectfully to the point.

“CST has always welcomed donations, but we have never undertaken a nationwide campaign of this type, so in all honesty I am unsure what to expect,” he

noted. “I certainly hope that it will result in our community showing that they appreciate the commitment of CST’s volunteers and staff, to providing highly professional and absolutely dedicated protection from anti-Semitism and terrorism.

“Compared to how much work we do every day, every week, every year, we really don’t shout about what we do. Our attitude has always been to get our heads down and focus on our work, rather than be distracted by chasing publicity. Our job is to protect the community, not to make headlines. Every year we turn down media requests to film us for documentaries and I probably only agree to about 20% of the interview requests that we get, so, I actually value this as an opportunity for us to tell the community what we do and to remind everyone that this is a real partnership, because CST can only ever be as strong as the support that we receive from our Jewish communities all across the UK. “CST has always been there for our community, come rain or shine. Now, for one motzei Shabbat, Sunday and Monday, we need our community to be there for us.”

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“Online incidents showed a small decline last year, but the months when society was open (January, February, June and July) showed very high levels of anti-Semitism, as bad as any years and a very worrying sign of what could happen with the energy and anger that has been stored up during this last year or so of lockdown,” Gardner said.

He added, “The Government has slightly lowered the national threat level, but unfortunately this does not make much difference to the threat faced by British Jews. There is a very real growing danger of Nazi terrorism, with online incitement far worse than it was just a few years ago. Then, there is Jihadi terrorism, which can never be discounted. Also, our Jewish community needs to always be aware of things that may fall slightly below what is formally called terrorism, but is nevertheless political inspired violence and hatred, which is a constant reality of Jewish life and especially when Jewish or Israel related issues hit the news.”

The UK’s lockdown is about to ease, communities will be entering new territory and Gardener cannot wait to see how it may affect CST. “We are all desperate to work together again, but most of all we want communal

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Purim Corona Diary #22

We Are Not Living Through a Lottery?

BY RABBI MOSHE TARAGIN Each name of a Jewish holiday is iconic.

The name Pesach evokes the transformative sacrifice which launched our national liberation. The name Chanukah captures the re-dedication of the newly purified Mikdash, after it was defiled by Greek invaders. By contrast, the name Purim seems quite arbitrary. The word purim refers to the raffle which Haman conducted to select a suitable date for his planned genocide. This trivial detail – the method of selecting a date for his attack- seems irrelevant to the overall saga. There are so many better options to name this holiday and yet the lottery of Haman forms the name of this chag. What is so symbolic about the lottery?

The significance of the lottery is best appreciated within the broader context of Shushan and the drama of megillat Esther.

Everything about Shushan felt enormous and massive. The parties were grand and raged on for months at a time. The food was copious, the wine abundant, and the opulence was limitless. Dining amidst an enormous gang of revellers, it must have been difficult to sense your individuality; individuality became lost in the swarm of humanity. People descended to Shushan from across a sprawling empire of 127 provinces. This international metropolis was a melting pot of many different cultures, languages and customs. The size of the Persian empire, its boundless wealth and its dazzling variety was ‘disempowering’- it was difficult to imagine that individuals actually ‘mattered’ when everything was so large and outsized.

If the setting of Shushan felt large and impersonal, the story of Purim itself, unfolded along a timeline of seemingly random and unrelated events. Vashti is deposed and only years later does Esther replace her. Mordechai inserts himself into palace life and uncovers a plot to dethrone the King. Haman – a mid-level advisor- is suddenly promoted to viceroy and vested with unchecked authority. Finally, and horrifically, Haman launches his homicidal plans. It was almost impossible to trace any logical connection between these eventsspread over many years.

This is the world in which Haman conducts his lottery. Large and impersonal, random and accidental, the world seemed rudderless, or at least driven by large and uncontrollable forces. Individual influence didn’t matter and in no way shaped the future. For the Jews, still reeling from

their exile from Yerushalayim less than 70 years earlier, the world felt even more haphazard. A nation accustomed to inhabiting a supernatural ‘promised land’ was now badly bruised, scattered across a vast empire and facing an ominous death sentence. If human experience felt large and uncontrollable, the Jewish experience felt condemned and cursed.

The lottery of Haman signalled this sense of randomness and for this reason it gives the holiday its name. The scheduling of genocide was arbitrary because the world seemed haphazard and ‘deaf’ to individual influence. Major decisions such as the annihilation of an entire nation would be left to the cold hands of fate, expressed through Haman’s lottery- his “pur”. This random and “too-large” world was hurtling toward disaster. Until…. …Until the dramatic confrontation between Mordechai and Esther. A sullen and grieving Mordechai pleads with Esther to intercede with King Achashverosh and avert the tragedy. Surprisingly, Esther wavers, contending that palace protocol prevents her intercession. Mordechai’s response provides a glimpse into Esther’s hesitation: Mordechai berates Esther, assuring her that, indeed, there are larger historical forces at work and that the Jewish people will be rescued- one way or another. However, the inevitability of those larger forces doesn’t exempt her from personal responsibility. Despite these larger forces which assure Jewish survival, evidently, she has been chosen as a potential hero to carry the burden of Jewish history upon her young but stout shoulders. Her appointment as Queen wasn’t random but has positioned her for heroism. Her individual choices will matter and will shape the outcome of this crisis. Shushan is a big place and society is driven by large forces. However, events aren’t random and individual choices are impactful. The world isn’t determined by random lotteries but by purposeful behaviour and, of course, by Divine authorship.

Esther’s heroism debunks the notion of life being as accidental as a lottery; Esther transforms Purim from randomness to purpose and design.

The past year we have all lived in a surreal Shushan. The Covid-19 pandemic has been a larger-than-life experience.

Who would have believed that the entire world would battle a common threat?

The past century witnessed two world wars which engulfed much of humanity.

However, even these wars only engulfed

In truth, nothing in life is random and it is crucial to personalise and individualize this unimaginable experience. around thirty nations, while the pandemic has infiltrated the entire human race. The experience feels larger than individuals, communities and even continents.

The global feel of the pandemic has eroded our sense of individualism.

Additionally, our employment of statistics has convinced us we are just numbers of a larger equation. Statistics has allowed us to trace infection rates, morbidity scales, and vaccination effectiveness. However, statistics further depersonalizes our experience and renders it difficult to believe in the potential of each individual. Sadly, death has been pervasive and indiscriminate and the sheer volume of death makes it difficult to personalize this past year’s experience. This entire experience has felt large, collective and random.

In truth, nothing in life is random and it is crucial to personalize and individualise this unimaginable experience. What specific messages does G-d intend for each individual? Indeed, millions are suffering, but G-d is challenging each person to process this event and draw personal conclusions. Everyone senses that our life will radically change on many public levels- socially, communally, economically and educationally. Our broader institutions will be significantly reshaped by this experience. However, it is

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insufficient to only re-imagine the broader societal changes without also inspecting how this pandemic should change our own personal lives and our own religious identity and commitment.

Furthermore, the pandemic makes us feel far less potent and far more inadequate. Large scale death tends to cheapen the value of human life and certainly the belief we have in ourselves and our ability to affect our world. The post pandemic world will bring many challenges to family life, to religion, and to our communal activity. The decisions that individuals take will have major impact upon the shape of the future world we inhabit.

Esther’s courage challenges us to look beyond the crushing Covid experience and envision the manner in which we can rebuild a broken world. Haman’s lottery implied a random and impersonal world.

Esther’s courage defeated that notion and empowers us to design our world and fill it with personal responsibility.

The Power of one.

Rabbi Moshe Taragin is a rabbi at Yeshivat Har Etzion/Gush, a hesder yeshiva. He has smicha and a BA in computer science from Yeshiva University as well as a masters degree in English literature from the City University of New York.

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Purim

RABBI DR RAYMOND APPLE

WHAT A YEAR SINCE LAST PURIM

We had a lively Purim table last year. Nobody had any inkling of what was to come.

The virus knew precisely when to attack, in the midst of lively spirits and party hats.

We would like to phone around and invite everybody again but we still aren’t sure. We could have a table of lively guests, but would it be a good idea? Nobody knows.

We might have to trade Purim for Pesach.

If we want a family Seder on Pesach we might have to limit our Purim. Whatever we end up doing we will wish each other (presumably virtually) all the blessings that God can give us. May they be blessings of health.

Neither this year nor ever should there be too much inebriation or extremes. Never should anyone go in for binge drinking, which is neither required by halachah nor good for anyone’s health.

BOOK OF THE EXILE

Rav Adin Steinsaltz says that Megillat Esther is the Book of the Exile.

Unlike other parts of the Bible the story takes place outside Israel, though Haman and Mordechai were previously involved in a controversy in the Holy Land itself. The Diaspora Jew is especially challenged if their

inner and outer worlds are at loggerheads.

The question in such a situation (e.g. German Jewry in the 1920s and 1930s) is, “Can I regard this as a safe, long-term home? Can I handle my tug-of-war?”

In lands where the Jewish and general dimensions are comfortable with each other there is a question: “What can my Jewishness contribute to my civic identity – and vice-versa – without compromising part of my being?”

ESTHER IN THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS

There is no text of Esther in the Dead Sea Scrolls. Maybe this reflects the debates amongst the sages as to whether Esther deserved to be in the Bible.

Possibly the Dead Sea sect were amongst the opponents of Esther. Or maybe they were amongst those Jewish groups that had not accepted the festival of Purim into their calendar.

Cecil Roth says Esther is one of the few places in the Bible that speaks favourably of foreign rule, but this fails to recognise the Biblical approval of Cyrus and Nebuchadnezzar.

FANCY DRESS ON PURIM

Nobody is certain where the idea of fancy dress on Purim began.

There is a 15th century responsum from Rav Yehudah Mintz of Italy who says there is no prohibition on men wearing women’s attire on Purim because everyone knows it

is for fun and has no sexual overtones. Rav Moshe Isserles quotes this responsum in his glosses to the Shulchan Aruch.

Some historians suggest that Purim fancy dress was an imitation of the Roman carnival which was held just before Lent. People took part in street parades wearing fancy dress and masks.

But this doesn’t necessarily explain our Purim custom. The Apter Rebbe, known as the Ohev Yisrael, acknowledges that the fancy dress minhag existed amongst Jews and was a form of mockery of the European norms that caused Jews such grief.

The Si’ach Yitzchak (Rav Yitzchak Weiss) thought that disguising oneself echoes the wicked Haman, who pretended to the king that he was genuinely concerned for the stability of the regime. The Talmud (Megillah 12a) points out that things often have hidden motives. However, many centuries elapsed between the time of the Talmud and the medieval adoption of the fancy dress custom.

There may be an explanation in a medieval Tosafot in Rosh HaShanah 3a which says that Haman’s ancestors the Amalekites tried to defeat Israel by changing their voices and their clothing. A piyyut (poem) for the Shabbat before Purim actually says “Kesut velashon shinah” – “he (Amalek) changed his voice and his clothing”.

How can we allow ourselves to mimic our enemies, the Amalekites and the wicked Haman? Simply because we see the funny

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side in our enemies being brought low despite all their pretensions.

(This article is based on an essay written

by Rabbi Yair Hoffman in 2010).

Rabbi Apple served for 32 years as the chief minister of the Great Synagogue, Sydney, Australia’s oldest congregation. He is now retired and lives in Jerusalem. Rabbi Apple blogs at http://www.oztorah.com

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Poppy Seed Torte

Two delicious recipes for Purim from Denise Phillips For more recipes and inspiration visit my website: www.jewishcookery.com

Poppy seeds play a symbolic part on Purim recipes and this cake is ideal as a dessert for your Purim Seudah. The word ‘mohn’ in Germany means poppy seeds and tash means pockets which is one explanation to Hamantaschen filled with poppy seeds.

On a health note, poppy seeds are known to have anti-oxidants, disease preventing and health promoting properties as well as being a good source of dietary fibre, vitamin B complex and good levels of iron, copper, calcium, zinc, potassium and magnesium.

Preparation Time: 25 minutes Cooking Time: 1 hour Serves: 8-10 Ingredients 200g butter, softened, plus more for greasing 60g icing sugar 6 eggs - separated Juice and grated zest of 1 lemon 2 tablespoons Kiddush wine/ Pesach liquor ½ tsp vanilla extract 280g poppy seeds 120g hazelnuts, ground 125g caster sugar For the filling and topping 200g apricot jam 125g icing sugar 2 tablespoons lemon juice Method 1. Cream the butter and icing sugar together. Separate the eggs and add the yolks to the bowl, mixing until very light and creamy.

2. Add the lemon juice, zest, Kiddush wine, vanilla extract, poppy seeds and ground hazelnuts and mix well.

3. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.

4. Grease and line with baking paper a 24cm-wide spring form cake tin.

5. Beat the egg whites into peaks, then add the caster sugar slowly, beating until the mixture is smooth and shiny. Gently fold into the poppy seed mixture with a metal spoon.

6. Pour the mixture into a tin and smooth the surface. Bake for an hour.

When the torte starts to darken, cover with foil.

7. Allow to cool in the tin. When the torte is cool enough to handle, remove from the tin and leave to cool on a cake rack.

8. Slice the torte in half horizontally and spread the lower half with apricot jam, then reassemble.

9. Cover the top of the torte with a thin layer of the apricot jam and set aside to dry.

10. Mix the icing sugar with the 2 tablespoons Kiddush wine and spread over the glaze with a palette knife, letting it drip down the sides.

11. Allow the glaze to dry before serving.

Orange and Poppy Seed Biscuits One of the great mitzvahs on Purim is the giving of Mishloach Manot, little food gifts to friends and family.

As the megillah story of Esther tells us that the Queen was a prisoner in the palace obtaining kosher food was problematic and eating seeds, nuts and legumes was the easiest way to overcome this difficulty. I thought that a recipe suitable to be carried in baskets using poppy seeds would be the ideal gift.

The flavour combination of orange and poppy seed is highlighted in these almond based biscuits. If you fancy a change, lemon can easily be substituted.

Poppy Seeds are the tiny nutty tasting, blue grey seeds of a yellowish brown opium plant indigenous to the Mediterranean. Poppy Seeds are used to flavour breads, cakes and rolls in European and Middle Eastern cooking. In Turkey, they are often ground and used in desserts. In India, the seeds are ground and used to thicken sauces.

NB: Keep this recipe for Pesach as it is perfect for then too!

Preparation Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 25 minutes Makes: 20-25 Ingredients 300g ground almonds 150g castor sugar 50g cake meal or fine matzah meal finely grated zest of 1 orange 2 tablespoons poppy seeds 2 eggs, separated

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Method 1) Preheat the oven to 140˚C/ 275 F/ Gas Mark 1.

2) Line two large baking trays with non-stick baking parchment paper.

3) Place the ground almonds, castor sugar, cake meal, orange zest and poppy seeds in a medium bowl and mix until well combined.

4) In a clean medium bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, then fold gently into the almond mixture. Fold the egg yolks into the mixture.

5) Place rounded teaspoons of the mixture on the baking trays about 2cm apart.

6) Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

7) Cool on the trays for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

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Poppy Seed and Dried Fruit Bread Crown Queen Esther is one of the most popular characters for fancy dress at Purim, so here I have created a ‘bread crown’ to symbolise her special character to be enjoyed a the seudah. It can be frozen, so make in advance.

Preparation Time: 50 minutes plus 2 hours 45 minutes for proving Ingredients For the bread dough 250ml milk 50g butter, cubed 450g strong plain flour 7g dried yeast 50g golden caster sugar ½ teaspoon salt 1 egg – beaten to glaze

For the Filling 250g dried mixed fruit 2 teaspoons cinnamon 2 teaspoons mixed spice Zest and juice 1 lemon Zest and juice 1 orange 50g pistachio nuts –roughly chopped 100g butter – softened 2 tablespoons poppy seeds 2 tablespoons golden caster sugar

Cooking Time: 30 minutes Makes: 1 round loaf enough for 10 Method 1) Make the bread dough by first warming the milk in a saucepan but do not let it boil.

2) Add the butter and set aside.

3) Tip the flour, yeast, sugar, salt into a large mixing bowl.

4) When the milk has cooled to room temperature pour the liquid on to the flour mix.

5) Using an electric mixer combine the dough until it is soft. Transfer it to a lightly oiled clean bowl and cover with cling film. Leave to rise for 2 hours or until double in size.

6) Place the mixed fruit, cinnamon, mixed spice, zest and juice in a saucepan. Boil for 5 minutes so the fruit absorbs the liquid and become soft ( or place in a glass bowl, covered and put in the microwave for 1 minute).

7) Chill until cold, then mix in in the pistachio nuts, butter, poppy seeds and sugar.

8) When the dough is ready, knock back the air. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface.

9) Roll out to a 45 cm x 28cm rectangle.

10) Spread the buttery spiced fruit mixture over the surface of the dough.

11) From one of the long edges, roll the dough up into a tight cylinder, then bring the two ends to meet, creating a ring.

12) Transfer to a tray lined with baking parchment paper.

13) Using a sharp knife, cut incisions around the outside of the dough, about 3 cm apart, in a sunburst pattern, going quite close to the centre but not all the way through. Work your way around the outside, pull each piece of dough out a little, then push it down on one side so that the cut edge is exposed and to create a fan shape around the edge. ( See picture) 14) Brush the ‘crown’ with egg and leave for 45 minutes to prove or until double in size.

15) Preheat the oven to 200 C/ 180 Fan/ Gas mark 6.

16) Bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until golden and hollow sounding when tapped on the base.

17) Leave to cool on a rack before eating warm or cold.

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Chigwell Therapy Centre Katie points out that friends and family may not always offer an impartial point of view, whereas a therapist may be more objective in their outlook.

BY MICAELA BLITZ Katie Rose spent 20 years working in media sales and marketing before being called up for jury duty gave her a rare chance to pause and reflect on her career choices. Suddenly, she found that the people she was mixing with sparked a ‘natural curiosity’ in her to consider how different their backgrounds and cultures were, as well as the things they were dealing with in their own lives. As she explains: “I have always liked talking and listening to other people and as I spoke to them the more I was intrigued by this random group of people that had been brought together.”

She started thinking about how she could use this interest in a more practical way and she felt that training to become a therapist would be a great way to do this. Katie began training in 2015, whilst holding down her full-time job and looking after her family. After qualifying she set up a small practice in Buckhurst Hill in Essex, where she was able to see clients for a few hours each week. When

Katie Rose

she was made redundant from her day job last year, due to the pandemic, she took this as an opportunity to move into full-time practice and since then she has developed her client list.

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lockdown and Covid-19 has had a significant effect on people’s mental health and wellbeing and Katie feels that more people will be dealing with issues of anxiety, depression and isolation than ever before.

Through her work specialising in family relationships, she has seen how families have been tested either through not being to be together or by the new challenge of spending too much time together and the ramifications of this. She has also been helping clients who have issues with addiction and recovery and seen how the current situation has affected them as well.

Katie’s approach as a therapist is ‘pluralistic’ meaning that she focuses on the person, putting them at the centre of the therapy, and chooses the approach most relevant for their needs. Throughout lockdown, she has been conducting her sessions with clients via Zoom or telephone as well as face-to-face. Though this has meant that Katie can continue to help her clients and work with people who are geographically more diverse, she has found that the lack of non-verbal cues has been made more difficult without face-toface interaction.

Many people often feel that they do not need a counsellor to deal with problems in their everyday lives choosing to rely on friends or family to share their problems with instead. Whilst, this can be useful in some cases, Katie points out that friends and family may not always offer an impartial point of view, whereas a therapist may be more objective in their outlook.

As she explains: “Family members can sometimes add more pressure to the situation, no matter how well meaning, by telling them what they think they should do, or what they think they want to hear instead of helping them find an answer to their problem, and this can make it more difficult to resolve an issue.”

For anyone seeking therapy, Katie would always encourage an initial consultation, in order to assess what is required for the individual client and then tailor the sessions to fit. She would usually suggest 12 sessions to begin with as this is long enough to establish a relationship

and trust with the client, but not too long that it could lead to dependency. Progress is reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that both Katie and the client are happy with the direction it is taking. Many people may not always be sure when is the right time to seek therapy, but Katie feels that if a person reaches a level of ‘discomfort’ where their inner resilience is tested so much that it is difficult to cope, then therapy may help. Seeking therapy and admitting the need for help from a professional, is for Katie, in no way different to visiting a doctor or dentist when you have an issue and encourages people to get the ‘medicine’ they need to help.

Around 50% of Katie’s clients are male, which can be considered unusual as it is often thought that men are less likely to seek professional help, but she feels that it is important for them to be able to share their feelings in a non-judgemental space where they feel free to say out loud what is going on for them. A key part of therapy for everyone is being able to ‘hold a light up to yourself’ and to explore things that might feel difficult or uncomfortable.

To change things this sometimes has to come from within which can be particularly tricky at times. She adds: “We can often think that in order for a situation to be different, it is someone else that needs to change, but it is important to be open to make changes too in order to improve things and recognising that point can really help.”

Working as a therapist has meant that she is able to use many of her skills and abilities from her previous career, such as listening to others and being able to talk to people honestly and openly, in a more positive way. She feels that helping people to break down barriers is a rewarding thing to do, and it enables them to learn to cope with situations, improve their wellbeing, and offers her clients some sort of relief, enhancing their life, and the lives of those around them.

If you would like to know more about seeking therapy, please contact Katie via her website - www.chigwelltherapycentre. com

If you are a businesswoman and would like to tell us more about your business, please contact Micaela micaela@thejewishweekly.com THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM

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Travel

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Plan your summer holiday world-class contemporary art, restaurants and museums at the city’s vibrant waterfront.

marvel at the full-size sculpture of the 27-metre long burial ship and explore the burial grounds and a new exhibition.

Who says you need to go inside a gallery or a museum to get your culture fix, when you can take in public art outside in the fresh coastal air? On 22 May, artist Katrina Palmer’s Hello and Retreat installation in partnership with Metal will be launched in Southend-on Sea. On Aldeburgh Beach, Suffolk, local artist Maggi Hambling created the iconic Scallop sculpture in 2003, and the Aldeburgh Beach Lookout is a tiny art temple by the sea which has become an international art destination, with regular new artists in residence. Structures on the Edge, Lincolnshire, is a series of coastal art installations along a 10-mile stretch from Chapel St Leonards to Mablethorpe.

THE NORTH EAST COAST

Travel News Roundup is brought to you by Malcolm Ginsberg, Editor in Chief of Business Travel News (www.btnews.co.uk). He is a member of the International Travel Writers Alliance, a noted analyst on aviation matters and is seen from time to time on TV and heard on the radio. He is always pleased to hear from tour operators and travel agents who have packages that might interest Jewish Weekly readers. malcolm@ginsberg.co.uk With the future still uncertain regarding overseas air travel Malcolm Ginsberg, Jewish Weekly Travel Editor, looks Britain’s regional coastlines with the help of the National Coastal Tourism Academy.

There are some extraordinary outdoors places to see and explore. www.englandscoast.com

THE NORTH WEST COAST

A new 40-mile trail called “Cumbria’s Hidden Coast” hopefully opens this year and link Millom to Whitehaven (part of the England Coast Path) via the Duddon Estuary, Silecroft, and Ravenglass, featuring a new arts trail, Deep Time.

The coastal Lake District doesn’t get as much attention as its better-known inland areas, but is one of the most scenic coastal areas in Britain. Choose your base in the Park’s only coastal village, medieval Ravenglass, and explore the famous Eskdale narrow gauge railway, 13th century Muncaster Castle, and stunning St Bees beach, all nearby.

Blackpool was one hundred years ago the mill workers paradise where they took their two week’s holiday and watched the music hall stars of the times. The town, with its Tower and wonderful beach still attracts the personalities as they perform at The Grand, the national theatre of variety. In Morecambe, the iconic Midland Hotel is a wonderfully-restored 4-star Art Deco hotel with gorgeous bay views – once the haunt of Coco Chanel and Noel Coward.

Liverpool is heart of the North West and in history was the gateway to North America. Plenty of heritage to see and also journey back to the origins of a local band made good taking in the award-winning Beatles Story permanent exhibition, and

The Lumière Light Festival returns to Durham, 18-21 November 2021. The festival invites local and international artists to design illuminations which will transform the city’s urban spaces and familiar public buildings. Newcastle is vibrant and Whitby is a very busy fishing port with connections to Dracula! Plenty of B&B’s and camping opportunities Enjoy the wide sandy beach and scenic views towards Hartlepool and the Cleveland Hills, along with the colony of breeding little terns migrating from West Africa each summer.

There is so much to explore at Castle Eden Dene, one of the most important areas of woodland in the North of England and an example of the ‘wildwood’ that once covered most of Britain. This ancient deep gorge is home to an extraordinary variety of birds, more than 450 species of plants, and mammals such as roe deer and fox.

THE SOUTH COAST

THE EAST COAST

At Sutton Hoo visit site of the new Netflix period drama, The Dig. This new drama – starring Carey Mulligan and Ralph Fiennes – tells the story of Sutton Hoo, the 245-acre estate near Woodbridge, Suffolk, that was home to one of England’s most

Blackpool Tower

important archaeological discoveries, where 18 burial sites dating from the 7th century AD were found. Visitors can

Whitby Bay

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Recently the sixth region in the UK to be named a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, nature thrives on the idyllic Isle of Wight.

Look to the wildlife of the past as you comb beaches for signs of prehistoric life – it has more dinosaur remains than anywhere in northern Europe. In August 2020, dinosaur remains found on Compton Bay by the University of Southampton were discovered to belong to a new species of dinosaur – the Vectaerovenator inopinatus – from the same family as the infamous T Rex. Join Felicity the Fossil Guide on Brook Beach on a two-hour

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expert-guided fossil hunt.

2021 is expected to see the launch of the Creative Coast, a new cultural experience fusing art and landscape, and the world’s first art Geo-tour, from May-November.

Margate celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Turner Gallery with new exhibitions from Steve McQueen and Barbara Walker, the bicentennial of Keats’ death, 10-year extension of Antony Gormley’s “Another Time” sculpture, and the opening of a new Crab Museum. Broadstairs, meanwhile, sees the launch of a Dickens-themed holiday cottage, Fagin’s Cottage.

A warm welcome to walkers in White Cliffs Country: Taking its name from Dover’s iconic chalk coastline, a walkthrough White Cliffs Country will be a tonic to enjoy post-lockdown, with its huge variety of coastal and countryside routes with stunning panoramic views.

From 26-31 August 2021, it hosts the White Cliffs Walking Festival.

THE SOUTH WEST

Recently named Britain’s Happiest Place

to Live, the beautiful Cornish town of St Ives is famous for its Blue Flag beaches, surfing scene and artistic community. In June, world leaders – including new US President Joe Biden – will gather nearby at Carbis Bay for the G7 Summit, with Visit Cornwall estimating it could provide Cornwall with a £50m economic boost.

You can fly from Glasgow, Heathrow and Manchester airports and hire a car for a tour. But don’t go in August. Cornwall is one big traffic jam.

The longest National Trail in the UK, the 630-mile-long South West Coast Path begins at Minehead in Somerset and runs along the coastline of Exmoor, North Devon, Cornwall, South Devon and Dorset, ending at Poole Harbour. On average, it takes 7-8 weeks to complete, although some have done it much faster – the current record is just over 10 days.

Find peace and tranquillity on Exmoor National Park, with its 26 sq miles of moorland, woodland, valleys, high sea cliffs and farmland, features an amazing array of open landscapes and coastal views, with the chance to spot wild red

Ravenglass Eskdale Railway

deer, be amazed by Dark Skies, and explore villages full of character.

This short review of English coastal holiday places must finish with Bournemouth, just over 100 miles from north west London, and through trains from the north. It has wonderful beaches, quality

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PURIM SUPPLEMENT

PHOTO: DAVID MART

entertainment and plenty of places to visit in the New Forest. Sad to say that the Normandie and Water Garden are now the only fully kosher hotels left.

Read through the travel planner. There is plenty of choice. www.englandscoast.com

Staycation for 2021 - Winchester Jewish Medieval route

BY JEREMY SEGEL In these current times, one only needs to consider Eurostar’s sorry figures to see the demise of travel. Eurostar, having previously run up over 30 trains a day from St Pancras International to France & Belgium carrying up to 900 passengers per train, has been reduced to one service a day with barely 200 passenger travelling.

So despite my gladly received Pfizer vaccination at the end of January, it appears to me based on current Covid advise that the Staycation will persist until at least mid-2021. This has encouraged me to research and consider offering UK trips, thus avoiding all the restrictions and risks that apply to foreign travel at the moment. I described in my last article in the Jewish Weekly about the conference I attended some year back in Venice on Jewish Heritage.

The other person there from the UK was a representative of the University of Winchester whose subject was ‘Remembering Winchester’s medieval Jews – Compromises in Hidden Histories.

I found the talk fascinating and it can be watched in its entirety on you-tube on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cObrxaT-A0Aat - The running time is 14 minutes.

At the time I was thinking that my only knowledge of Winchester was the name of

a city we drove past on the way to Bournemouth, clearly signposted just before the New Forest and around 45 minutes outside of Bournemouth . Invariably when travelling that route I would normally like to visit the New Forest and would often make a detour to Burley just 2.5 miles off the main road with its village atmosphere, delightful walk’s and a fair share of wild horses to boot.

This led me to think how many people, including myself, had ignored Winchester en route to Bournemouth or the The New Forest.

So whilst in Venice, I collected a leaflet from the speaker headed MEDIEVAL JEWISH TRAIL. This is the story of Medieval Jews in Winchester, produced in 2015 by the Tourist office of the city in memory of Jack and Greta Habel, refugees from the Holocaust, who found a home in the city and together with others from the community in the city & the University research team have put together a leaflet, freely available in the tourist office or downloaded from the city’s “visit Winchester” website.

There are 18 sites highlighted on the city map 13, which are within yards of each other in and around Jewry Street in the city centre. You will of course need the leaflet as today there is nothing distinguishing Winchester as a Jewish Heritage site & visitors need to know where to look. The city has a delightful atmosphere and when I visited

Jewry Street sign, WInchester

the city having been blessed with sunny weather, I followed the route shown on the leaflet and map. I made a short detour and after circling the Cathedral I headed for the Winchester College’s, and Jane Austen’s House before walking on Weirs Walk by the River Itchen, which was truly spectacular.

Winchester dates back from 150 BC and was the first capital of Wessex and then England. King Alfred lived there and, understandably his statue dominates the entrance to the main street. The cathedral holds the famous round table associated with the legend of the knights of King Arthur. Jews first arrived from Rouen, France until they were expelled in 1290. Between this time, Winchester contained an important and wealthy Jewish community. Within Winchester Castle, founded in 1067, there is a Jews tower where in 1265 Jews escaped the pogroms. This was followed in 1287 by collective imprisonment due to a large tax imposed on the country’s Jew’s by King Edward 1. The drip of persecution continued until total expulsion 3 years later in 1290.

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Famously, the plucky rich and powerful woman Licoricia operated loans from 1230 and thus acting as banker became the most notable Jewish woman of that time. After the death of her first husband Abraham, she continued to live in Winchester and married wealthy David of Oxford giving birth to Baruch a much needed heir. She was courageous & beautiful ,kept strictly kosher and although imprisoned in the Tower of London , she was frequently received in the Court of King Henry 111 . She was stabbed to death along with her maid in 1277 in her house in Jewry Street and her murderer was never brought to justice. Her son Baruch became one of the most powerful and influential businessmen of the time and was believed to be the only Jew elected to a guild in Medieval England. However his fortunes began to ebb when his main protector King Henry died in 1272. This culminated in a 1275 “Statute of Jewry “which implemented punishing restrictions and tax liabilities that brought a rising tide of civil intolerance leading to attacks on Jewish Communities.

Baruch was accused finally by borrowers of the offence of coin clipping and hanged, worsening the situation for the Jewish community until the eventual expulsion of all the country’s Jews in 1290.

Subsequently and most recently the city of Winchester has been voted the best place to live in the UK. Please join us on West End Travel/Jewish Heritage Tours planned spring / summer walk ( subject to Covid19 rules) and if you are interested to participate please call marcel on 07712290520 or e-mail marcel. manson@westendtravel.co.uk

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Overcoming Anger Part 2

FEATURE 35

This article is part of a serialisation of the book ‘Go to Yourself’ transformation through Jewish wisdom and Psychology’. The author Aryeh Sampson is a psychotherapist based in North London and counsel’s online. It combines approaches from psychotherapy and Jewish wisdom to address many psychological issues that modern man is faced with.

This includes overcoming anxiety, low self esteem, improving relationships and creating a greater sense of meaning and spirituality.

BY ARYEH SAMPSON 2(b): Speech Good communication is another important tool used to control anger. By expressing pent-up frustrations and building understanding, we begin to reduce anger and resolve difficult issues. Unfortunately, when we are angry, we often enter into either fight (external explosion) or flight (escape) modes. Judaism teaches the importance of expressing feelings of resentment directly, in a non-confrontational manner — “Do not hate your friend in your heart; you shall give tochachah, constructive criticism, to your neighbour.

Matt lost his temper and physically attacked someone. His inability to control his temper also threatened to harm a number of his other relationships. In therapy, he recalled that he had been a very sensitive child, and had learned from a young age to become aggressive in order to protect his feelings from being hurt. This may have helped him when he was young, but this tendency followed him into adult life, and whenever he felt threatened, he would automatically become aggressive and abusive. He gradually learned how to express his angry feelings in a more open,non-confrontational way, which helped him to alleviate his aggressive and violent tendencies.

Communicating effectively takes skill and sensitivity.

There are times when the release of emotional hurt alone is enough to alleviate anger without requiring a direct conversation with other parties. This can be achieved by sharing angry feelings with an empathetic and confidential third party; for those more comfortable with written communication, you can express your feelings in a letter, written to the person with whom you are angry, but without sending the letter.

The Rebbe of Piaseczna recommended the practice of writing a letter and then reading it aloud in a private place. A person should then read it daily for two more days. He explained that this is effective because by expressing these negative feelings, a person’s anger dissipates.

This method was used successfully by

Abraham Lincoln. When he felt angry with someone, he would compose what he called a “hot letter.” He would pile all of his anger into a letter, but he would never sign or send it; he would put the letter aside until his emotions cooled down.

There is a further step that I have personally found to be very helpful. Once you have written the letter and left it for a while, write an imagined reply from the person who it is written to and then write your response to that letter. This adds the dimension of understanding the viewpoint of the other person, with your response to it, which can further help to calm your anger.

2(c): Action Sometimes, asking a person who is making you angry to act in a different way can be very effective. In the case of Rachel and Adam, Rachel realized Adam had a tendency to be thoughtless about telling her when he would arrive home.

To prevent herself from becoming angry, Rachel asked Adam if he would call her daily during his lunch break and let her know if he would be home on time.

However, there are also situations when waiting for others to change their actions (even if they are willing to do so) demands a lot of patience and can be very frustrating. It may be more effective for the person himself to take action to change the situation.

Imagine you are traveling through Europe with a friend. Your friend turns up thirty minutes late for everything, causing you to be late numerous times and to almost miss connecting flights. You could either become very angry with your friend for being so irresponsible, or take action to change the situation by planning the day’s schedule more carefully and setting out thirty minutes early to avoid frustration.

There is, in addition, a tendency to blame others for making us angry and to ignore our own role in creating anger. When we are tired, hungry, and under stress, we are more prone to anger. By taking

more responsibility in these areas we can reduce the likelihood of becoming angry.

Here are a few examples of what we can do.

• Get enough sleep • Eat properly • Be more organized • Use relaxation and breathing exercises On a deeper level, we may need to take responsibility for the underlying insecurities or self-defeating character traits which play a role in creating anger.

STAGE 3: TRANSFORMATION

Transformation brings us to a different level; it goes beyond simply controlling one’s anger, to being able to remain calm in the face of anger-provoking situations.

To illustrate this level, there is a story in the Talmud about Hillel the Elder, who was known for his great patience.

A person made a bet that he could make Hillel angry.

The man arrived at Hillel’s house on Friday afternoon, when Hillel was washing his hair in preparation for the Sabbath. He knocked on Hillel’s door to ask him an irrelevant question. Hillel came out to answer the question and after answering it, he returned to wash his hair. He then knocked again with another irrelevant question. Hillel came out and answered him patiently and returned to washing himself. The man did this several more times and spoke to Hillel in a disrespectful manner. Each time, Hillel came out, answered him patiently and then returned to his Sabbath preparations.

When he saw that he was not making Hillel angry, the man insulted Hillel saying, “If you are Hillel, the leader of Israel, there should be no more like you.” Hillel replied, “Why, my son?” The man said, “Because you have caused me to lose 400 zuz.” Hillel responded, “It is better for you to lose twice that amount than I should become angry with you.”

Hillel’s ability to stay calm lay in his humility. As a result, he did not become personally offended and was able to remain calm. This ability to stay calm develops as

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a result of continuously working on one’s character traits, such as low self-esteem, a tendency to be over-controlling, and arrogance. For example, the anger of a mother who reacts to her children not listening to her by losing her temper may be triggered by feelings that she is an inadequate parent. It upsets her because she realizes that there is a certain amount of truth in the things she was telling herself about the situation. For example, she may be too soft with her children and lack a firm approach. In this case, she needs to bring out in her personality a greater sense of strength and firmness. This needs to be practiced many, many times until it becomes a habit, her second nature. Then she will remain calm when her children refuse to listen to her, as the thought that she is an inadequate parent will no longer cause her to become angry because she will know it is simply not true.

In the case of Rachel and Adam, Rachel’s lack of self-esteem caused her to be oversensitive and to anger easily. She overcame this by creating positive habits that helped her to express herself. This led her to appreciate herself independently of how others viewed her. She was subsequently able to handle Adam’s thoughtlessness without becoming upset, as she realized that Adam’s behaviour was a result of his own issues —not a reflection of a deficiency in her. As with changing any character trait, it takes positive repetition to form new habits, and this requires time and patience, especially when dealing with a weakness in one’s personality. But with perseverance, a person can train himself to remain calm and at peace with situations that would have previously infuriated him.

To receive a free download copy and newsletter, email aryeh.sampson@gmail. com. To purchase a hard copy go to www aryeh.sampson.com Jewish bookshops or amazon He also has a YouTube channel,’ Aryeh Sampson’ where he shares insights on a range of psychological issues. Aryeh can be contacted at aryeh.sampson@ gmail.com. For more information about counseling view www.ascounsellinginnorthlondon.co.uk

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Hermi and Shirley celebrate 70 happy years together Hermi and Shirley were very active in their community as members of Beehive Lane Shul and became founding members of Clayhall Synagogue where they remained closely involved until recently.

They helped others and also gave their time delivering Jewish Care’s Meals on Wheels to older people in Essex for many years.

Janice says, “They always felt that the community should be there to support one another. My mother taught me lessons about justice and equality that have stayed with me my entire life and my father is a lifelong socialist, caring about those who need our support in society. He believes that one of the lessons we should learn from the Holocaust, is how we should behave and carry ourselves with dignity – never taking justice into Hermi and Shirley who live at Jewish Care Retirement Living celebrate 70 happy years together our own hands in a vengeful way but encouraging democracy, fairHerman and Shirley Rothman celebrated when they married two years ness and equality for all.

70 happy years of marriage together on later. Hermi, who is now 96, “They also have a great love of Thursday 11 February. Their family and arrived in England as a refugee the arts which they have shared friends sent cards and gifts to them at their on the Kindertransport from with us and passed down to their home at Jewish Care’s Selig Court Retire- Germany in August 1939. He grandchildren. Previously, their ment Living in Golders Green and they went to live at the now famous feet hardly touched the ground received virtual video calls throughout, Gwyrch Castle in North Wales, with visits to the theatre and wishing them Mazel Tov (congratulations) where the TV programme ‘I’m operas. on their special day.

A Celebrity’ was filmed last “My parents moved to Jewish Granddaughter, Yael, was able to vis- year.

Care’s Retirement Living at Selig Hermi and Shirley at their wedding it them on the day, to play them some of As soon as Hermi was old Court last year just as lockdown their favourite songs. The couple share a enough he joined the British army. Janice, They turned out to started. It’s a great love of music and dancing. Hermi, Herman’s daughter says, “As a refugee, my be the originals of wonderful place now 96 used to play the violin and Shirley, father was incredibly grateful for what the Hitler’s personal and though the 88, played piano and they always enjoyed British did for him, they saved his life.” and political wills, pandemic has singing and dancing together. They always In his book, ‘Hitler’s Will’, published in and Goebbels’ made life difficult, enjoyed going to galleries, theatre and the 2009, Hermie shares that he spoke perfect addendum. being there has opera together.

German and was posted to Westertimke Later on, as his been a lifesaver When asked what the secret to a happy and Fallingbostel Prisoner of War camps book revealed, in for them. There marriage is, Hermi replied, “There’s no se- in 1945 to interrogate high-ranking Nazi Rottenberg hosare hot meals cret. It’s an open knowledge that two peo- war criminals. When papers were discov- pital, Rothman readily available ple love each other and want to spend all ered sewn into the shoulders of a jacket interrogated Herand people who their lives, together, please G-d.” belonging to Heinz Lorenz, who had been mann Karnau, care on hand at It was on New Year’s Eve in 1948 that Goebbels’ press secretary, he and a team of who had been all times. To know Hermi and Shirley met at a dance and fell four others were responsible for translat- Hitler’s valet, to that they’re well in love. Shirley was 18 and Hermie was 27 ing the documents under extreme secrecy. establish inforlooked after is mation about Hitwonderful. You ler’s death in the never think you’ll bunker. be that old where When Hermi we’ll need that and Shirley met, help and it’s wonhe had no famiderful that Jewish ly in the UK and Care is there to Shirley’s mum do that for them took Hermi under The office in Fallingbostel where Hermi today.”

Join hundreds of British Olim making their Aliyah dream a reality. her wing. They translated Goebbels’ Addendum to Hitler’s will Jewish Care married in 1951 Chief Executive, and took a trip to Israel together not long Daniel Carmel-Brown, says, ““I’m delightafter the wedding, to meet his parents and ed to wish Hermi and Shirley Mazel Tov on FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT younger brother who Herman hadn’t seen their 70th wedding anniversary.

1939. They had escaped Berlin and arrived “They are inspirational members of our DOV NEWMARK: in Israel, having survived concentration community and like many refugees who dov@nbn.org.il camps, shipwrecks and more on their came to the UK and older people who journey. now live at our Retirement Living apartwww.nbn.org.il Together, Hermi and Shirley have two ments, Hermi showed great courage dur0800-075-7200 children, Jonathan and Janice, six grand- ing World War II, so that we can all live in children five great-grandchildren. Her- freedom today. It’s truly a privilege for us man was Director of KKL, executor and to support them and we wish Hermi and Trustee Company for most of his career Shirley many more happy years of marand Shirley worked as an antiques dealer. riage together.”

CONSIDERING ALIYAH?

WORKING IN COOPERATION TO BUILD A STRONGER ISRAEL THROUGH ALIYAH

Every one of us, together

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Over 300 children celebrate Bnei Akiva Shabbat Ha’Irgun From the 19th-21st February over 300 children across the country celebrated Bnei Akiva’s annual Shabbat Ha’irgun.

Normally consisting of a number of Shabbatonim in local communities, this year Shabbat Ha’Irgun season went online!

There was a jam packed schedule of virtual activities throughout the weekend including a live concert, tochniot, games and a ruach-filled Kabbalat Shabbat and Havdalah service.

Activity packs were put together by teams of Bnei Akiva volunteers and delivered to familie’s doorsteps throughout the country. The children enjoyed a variety of crafts, sweets and Purim themed gifts, as well as a 36 page activity booklet made up of Divrei Torah, games, puzzles, jokes and more, put together by Bnei Akiva’s amazing volunteer Madrichim.

Bnei Akiva’s Svivot & Hadracha Worker, Daniella Wieder, said “we are so proud of what our fantastic Madrichim, Sganim and Roshim were able to put on this weekend. As a youth movement, Bnei Akiva relies on our exceptional young volunteers to inspire the next generation. Despite all the challenges over the last year we have been blown away with the effort, pride and creativity of our Tnua. Aloh Na’aleh!”

Yedidya Kaplan (Year 6, Shevet Nitzanim) said “I really enjoyed Shabbat Ha’Irgun. I loved the Tochnit and the Madrichim made sure we had so much fun.”

Manchester mourns loss of Rabbi Moshe Kupetz Manchester’s Jewish community is mourning the loss of one of its most influential and beloved Torah personalities, Hagaon HaRav Moshe Kupetz who passed away last Sunday.

Born in Brooklyn, New York in 1939 to Polish immigrant parents, Rav Kupetz sojourned from Manhattan’s Lower East Side to Manchester’s suburbs.

From Manchester’s Kollel, headed by Dayan Yitzchok Yaakov Weiss, Reb Moshe was recruited to serve as a maggid shiur in Manchester’s Yeshiva, alongside his father-in-law, the revered Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Yehuda Zev Segal and was one of the founding speakers of the now-famous Torah Way programme.

Best known for his informative Torah Shiurim, in addition to establishing the ReSheT (Reshet Shiurey Torah) network of Torah Shiurim in Manchester and beyond, Rabbi Kupetz touched the hearts and souls of thousands over his 50 years of teaching in Manchester. His Talmudic wisdom extended across the UK and the Jewish world.

Stenecourt Synagogue issued a notification stating that Rabbi Kupetz was a “towering figure here and beyond and an inspiring orator”. They added. “He was a true friend of Stenecourt, where for

Ruby and Asher Weissbart

Daniella Wieder (Svivot and Hadracha Worker) with Nathan Daniels (Mazkir) help pack over 300 activity packs

Best friends since they were young are Ben Pinkus and Nadav Whelan who have just raised funds for the Manchester FED. Ben by Cycling 4 miles every day raising an amazing £2,000, whilst Nadav walks 5K everyday.

Together they raised £3,500.

Friends Ben Pinkus and Nadav Whelan both raised funds for the FED

COMMUNITY 37

PHOTO: LAWRENCE PURCELL.

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Hagaon HaRav Moshe Kupetz z”l

PHOTO: LAWRENCE PURCELL.

many decades he was a regular and much looked forward to speaker on Shabbat Shuvah and Shabbat Hagadol (and quite often in between).

Rabbi Kupetz is survived by Rebbetzin Feigi, who he married in 1962, sons, daughters, grandchildren and great grandchildren. DS

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The Edgware-based Beit Shvidler Primary School succeeded in an ambitious 36-hour fund matching campaign on Sunday and Monday, which saw the school raise an unprecedented £300,000 from donor-pledged funds and community contributions made during the timed online event.

The school exceeded its initial target of £250,000, following a bonus fund-raising round, which it will use to go towards capital projects as well as meet a funding shortfall caused by the current coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking at the end of the two-day initiative, Beit Shvidler Headtecher Rabbi Jonny Spector paid tribute to the “dedicated” community that had “gone above and beyond to help this much-loved small school on its way Adam Katz, Chair of Governors (left) and Headteacher Rabbi Jonny Spector (right) to achieving its big dreams”. “The entire senior leadership team has been so gratified, but not at all surprised to see such passion, dedication and enthusiasm for our school from both within the student and parent body and beyond in the wider community.

“This incredible campaign succeeded of our generous donors, and in particu- school’s usual fundraising activities, which beyond our expectations and will help lar Mr Eugene Shvidler for his continued couldn’t be held under the current lockus to realise our vision for the school and support and assistance throughout this down conditions. It launched shortly after continue to help us nurture and support campaign”. a survey of the parent body found that 94% the children who are the centre of all we The campaign, Beit Shvidler’s first re- of respondents thought the school had do,” he added. “We would like to thank all mote fundraising initiative, replaced the managed the coronavirus pandemic well.

Fund matching success helps Beit Shvidler realise its big dreams

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mail@nlscaffolding.co.uk NO JOB TOO BIG OR TOO SMALL www.nlscaffolding.co.uk

25 FEBRUARY 2021 Like other schools nationwide, the school reverted to online learning at the start of the current school term.

The survey’s findings endorsed the school’s success in helping children adjust to the loss of in-person learning and physical isolation from their peers and teachers, as well as helping the teachers to adapt their lessons and teaching to online platforms and technologies.

Beit Shvidler depends heavily on voluntary contributions being made by the parent body, which have been hit by the wider economic landscape.

The school has also lost income from renting out its facilities for functions and launched the campaign in order to ensure the school’s financial sustainability and continued progress (which saw its rating upgraded to ‘Good’ by Ofsted at the last inspection).

Beit Shvidler now plans to use the money raised for a range of capital projects, including funding the renewal of the school playground, upgrading Special Educational Needs (SEN) equipment to further support the children with a range of SEN needs for whom the school caters and climate control for the school hall, as well as to address the shortfall in funding brought about by rising costs and the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Salford Sofer, Ben Tsion Dansky pictured at his Salford workshop with some of his most interesting Megillahs. He is pictured holding a 100-year-old Megillah, from North Africa.

Ben Tsion Dansky

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Jewish Care celebrates Purim across the community and homes this year and schools join Purim Zoom-ba Purim is a wonderful time and is fantastic for our wellbeing and Purim festivities are happening virtually and at a social distance this year across Jewish Care homes and in the community.

In care homes, residents will be enjoying celebrations with fancy dress, Purim-themed activities and plenty of hamantaschen. There are Megillah readings for residents on Zooms, recordings and live readings of an abridged version of the Purim story.

Care home residents and members of the community are also uniting online at Purim parties run by Jewish Care Presents… with live entertainment and fancy dress Megillah-readings. School children have sent care Pollak at Jewish Care Selig Court and Nicolas Kaschik home residents cards and bunting to Beattie Jewish Care volunteer decorate the homes from Cards for Care. schoolchildren can dance and have fun at Meanwhile, dedicated Jewish Care vol- the Purim Zoom-bas whilst raising funds unteers will have delivered 660 Mishloach to support older people.

Yavneh Primary School, Nancy Reuben Manot to members in the community to brighten their day this Purim, with the Primary School, Sacks Morasha Jewish support of Clifford Chance and the Ca- Primary School and Kerem School are nary Wharf Group. Jewish Care’s Meals on participating in the sponsored sessions, Wheels clients in the community will also led by Dancing with Louise, who brought energy and excitement to the school chilreceive hamantaschen this week.

Jewish Care’s Purim Zumba, now in its dren at home at the event which is now in sixth year, has also moved online so that its sixth year.

Northwood United Syngagogue raises almost £3,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support

It was not Hollywood! Not Bollywood! But Northwood United Synagogue.

Whodunnit? A charity murder mystery evening set on RMS Whodunit in the 1920s raised almost £3,00 for Macmillan Cancer Support. The event was full of surprises to a packed online audience of over 200 people including members of Northwood United Synagogue, their family and friends from as far afield as Israel, America and Australia!

The show was directed by John and Aviva Wilford, produced by Ingrid Segal and acted by eight cast, all members of Northwood

United Synagogue, making their magnificent debuts, Patricia Bloomfield, Debbie Morris, Chef Denise Phillips, Candice Mendes Da Costa, Simon Krieger, Anthony Robinson, Jack Solomon and Garth Allardice.

Since the first lock-down Northwood Synagogue have continuously thought of creative ways to stay in touch online with their community, from weekly ‘mootle’ chats, Kabbalat Shabbats, Havdalahs and interesting secular and Rabbinical lectures with renowned guest speakers.

Adam Overlander-Kaye, Jewish Care’s Director of Fundraising & Community Engagement said, “It’s important this year more than ever, for us to make the most of having fun on Purim. We are delighted to have four schools joining us to dress up, dance and have a good time at our Purim Zoom-ba, whilst also fulfilling the mitzvah of giving to those in need, and learning about what it means to be an active member of our community.

“We are very grateful to Clifford Chance and the Canary Wharf Group for enabling us to send individually packaged Mishloach Manot to our community centre members at home this year. These have been delivered by our fantastic volunteers to bring cheer to older people at home on Purim this year and to enjoy when they join our Purim Zoom parties and Megillah reading, so we can celebrate together in our communities and in our care homes.”

If you’d like to find out more about volunteering at Jewish Care please contact volunteering@jewishcare.org

COMMUNITY 39

Purim fun at Kisharon Tuffkid Nursery

Tuffkid Nursery pupil making hamantashen for Purim

Kisharon Tuffkid Nursery have been having a super time learning about the joy of Purim. The children enjoyed making groggers and in baking, making hamantashen learning they are just like the shape of Haman’s hat. The whole of Tuffkid was filled with the beautiful smell of​baking.

Outside the Bury Greater Manchester Mobile Police Station, handing out notices about ‘Celebrate Purim Safely’.

Covid Purim safety notice from a mobile Police Station

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PHOTO: LAWRENCE PURCELL.

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A sweet gesture from GIFT Hundreds enjoy GIFT’s half term virtual camp

Eli and Benjy Tabor from Manchester enjoying GIFT’s half term virtual camp

Family Maierovits with the sweet mishloach Manot packages they made up during half term week for GIFT families.

Thousands of individual mishloach manot packages were made up this week by GIFT volunteers across London & Manchester

and distributed to families GIFT support as well as to Jewish Care homes and Norwood service users.

Ayala Newman and Mia Frankel, two Broughton Jewish Cassel Fox Kindergarten children pictured at an early Purim party.

Ayala Newman and Mia Frankel

‘GIFT’s half term week was so phenomenal!’, reports mum of 5 Stacey Vecht. ‘My kids absolutely loved all the activities; every single one from Rabbi Zeidman to Captain Calamity! All of it was superb, the juggling, balloon modeling, baking demonstrations, story telling. It was fantastic and we’re so grateful.

During lockdown it was very challenging keeping the children busy, educated and stimulated. So thank you so much GIFT! Over 300 children signed up to the GIFT half term virtual camp lead by GIFT’s R. Avrohom Zeidman.

PHOTO: LAWRENCE PURCELL.

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Each day started with ‘Start the Day the Giving Way’ - half an hour learning being a more giving person, followed each day by learning a giving skill like baking, sign language and juggling. Each day had GIFT volunteers entertainining the children and the day ended with GIFT designed game shows ‘The Price is Right’ and ‘Family Fortunes’.

This half term camp showed how a combination of education and volunteering is not only meaningful but can also be extremely enjoyable.

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FEATURE 41

UK property market on rise but beware rental pitfalls

BY WILLIAM SUSMAN MRICS Its been a while since I have had the pleasure of pondering my thoughts on the property market with you all…..and wow what a year or so it has been.

We in the property market and you as owners or renters have all been affected in one way or another. It is amazing how the world of property touches everyone’s lives. Whilst the high street was undergoing some changes prior to the pandemic it has recently been devastated by the explosion of online shopping which has seen the collapse of some huge names like Debenhams and Arcadia. These companies rented massive amounts of retail space from large property companies whose shares were owned by big pension funds; the huge drop in their revenue as a result of these high profile collapses have left a big dent in the pension funds and thus having a detrimental effect on the value of millions of peoples pension income.

Ignoring the obvious trials and tribulations of the last year, 2019 and 2020 have also provided landlords with more challenges by way of the 150+ regulations that a Landlord has now to adhere to in order to rent out a property. These include EICRs, EPCs, Right to Rent Checks, HMOs, Gas Safety Certificates, Deposit Schemes, Referencing, Alarms, Inventories, Section 21s and the Tenant Fees Act 2019.

Full of perils before, and now a minefield with plenty of booby traps, never has it been more important to use a reputable qualified agent to assist. It is imperative to take time to select a tenant at leisure following stringent referencing and not act in haste in order to get the rent rolling in. One wrong move here and you will be paying for a long time especially as new

regulations do not permit even entertaining evictions before six months. If you have ever had any doubts about taking out Rent Protection Insurance – now is not the time to ponder, but to look at this as an investment (which you can offset against the properties income at Tax Return time) and make it a priority to secure. If anything goes wrong and your tenant struggles to pay the rent, you can rest assured knowing that this will be covered. Even worse, the right policy will also cover all eviction costs and until you have the property back in your possession you will still receive your rental income.

Though tempting to handle and manage your rental property, the demands on a Landlord are ongoing and one wrong move could cost you. Simply not serving the deposit certificate at the right time could cost you having to not only return the deposit (and therefore have a tenancy without the security of a deposit) but also could cost you up to three times the amount of the deposit being awarded to your tenant. Penalties for not having the EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) done in accordance with the new regulations currently being phased in could see you with a fine imposed by your local authority of up to £30,000.

This really is not a horror story – but the harsh truth of being a Landlord today.

With many people falling into becoming Landlords, take all the help you can get – pay someone to do this and manage it.

Even this morning (Valentine’s day) with a call at 10am for a burst outdoor pipe gushing gallons of water every minute – as a managing agent I managed to get someone there within 45 minutes and a disaster was averted. Needless to say, I have one very happy Landlord and two very relieved tenants.

I think the prime question is – can you afford to fall into one of the many pitfalls awaiting? Would you be able to have someone on site within the hour to avert a possible catastrophe? Unless you can answer yes to both of these questions – and there are many more to ask of Landlords, then I implore you to use a fully qualified and accredited agent – we are RICS, NAEA and ARLA, and rest assured that you will be in safe and secure hands.

Following the first lockdown last year the UK property market has been on the rise, this was largely due to the pent-up demand that was not satisfied during the

The introduction of the stamp duty holiday shows us how important the government views the property market as one of the key factors in stimulating the economy at large. first lock down and of course the introduction in July by the government of the temporary cut in the stamp duty giving buyers up to a £15,000 stamp duty saving if they bought a property by the end of March 2021. According to the HMRC Land Registry the December 2020 transactions were up by over 30% compared to December the previous year. We are currently racing through agreed sales with conveyancing solicitors working night and day to try and ensure that their deals can be completed by the end of March.

So far, the Government have resisted extending the deadline… but watch this space. The introduction of the stamp duty holiday shows us how important the government views the property market as one of the key factors in stimulating the economy at large.

It is a little difficult to get a clear picture of the effect of coronavirus on property prices as the stamp duty holiday is skewing the real figures but figures to the end of November suggest that the price of a property in the UK rose by 7.6% to the end of that 12 month period. The conclusion is therefore that the coronavirus has actually had little effect on the housing market.

The key question that is on all of our lips is whether this rise will continue. I think inevitably when the stamp duty holiday comes to an end there will be a lull as the “holiday” has forced people to bring

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forward moving decisions. In addition, the ending of various coronavirus support schemes will definitely have an impact with redundancies coming through and affecting peoples ability to borrow. I think we will see a slowdown in the second quarter of this year with only nominal rises of between 1% & 2% for the full year.

Bizarrely though despite coronavirus, lockdowns and Brexit more money was spent on £10m plus properties in 2020 than in 2019. The top prize goes to Cheung Chung-Kiu, the Hong Kong-based Chinese property magnate who paid £210m for a 45 bedroom mansion close to Hyde Park, it is 62,000 sqft which is 75 times the size of the average UK house, and for £210m he paid, it still needs to be refurbished! More modestly though, a British buyer has bought for £147m three apartments in the former US embassy in Grosvenor square to convert into one mega penthouse.

I hope you have enjoyed reading my thoughts on the property market and look forward to sharing them with you again in the future. If you want to talk with me further or have any property related questions then please feel free to email me on william@shenleyestates.com.

William Susman MRICS is a Chartered Surveyor and Director of Aitchisons Radlett & Shenley Estates.

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From the front line…

BY JACQUELINE CURZON I read that normal annual numbers of UK flu deaths would be 10 - 30,000 people, but in the past year flu deaths have been nominal, which experts say could make for a violent rebound of it next winter. However, for the panel of WHO experts who meet twice a year to tweak the flu jab, this makes predicting the next flu strain more difficult.

Extensive social distancing has also contributed to low levels of circulating viruses such as RSV [respiratory syncytial virus], adenoviruses and noroviruses, says Professor Edmonds of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

How many of us develop a cold but might label it the flu, without appreciating the difference? I recall a few years ago signing up for Flu Camp, where they checked you for antibodies and if eligible, would pay you a generous amount of money to seclude yourself in a dedicated facility, and be given the flu in order to monitor its pathogenic progress. I ultimately was deemed ineligible, which was a huge shame as I was so looking forward to a few weeks break from the kids…

There is however a forthcoming trial for young people, to be exposed to coronavirus under similar controlled conditions and to receive a payment of £4,500 compensation for your time and trouble. Open to teenagers and young adults aged between 18 and 30, the Human Challenge Study is being run jointly by Imperial College, London Royal Free Hospital and the industry leading clinical company hVIVO, and has been approved by the UK’s clinical trial ethics body. The trials, starting shortly, will help doctors better understand the efficiency of covid vaccines, how the immune system reacts to the virus, and it’s transmission. 90 volunteers will be isolated for 17 days of quarantine and exposed to the virus in secure facilities at the Royal Free Hospital, London. It won't be a 4* hotel, so perhaps consider it like Slade, but without the Fletcher humour, or need for a prison uniform.

The possibility of medics misdiagnosing seasonal flu symptoms for coronavirus may also have contributed to the hysteria we feel across the country. Covid deaths might not be 120,000 but maybe 90,000 (not that that’s good either). However, if the stats are correct, where has flu gone?? At the turn of the century 50 million people succumbed to the Spanish Flu, but yet until coronavirus, most of us hadn’t heard of it, unless we were of a particular age group, like my 93-year-old mother-in-law, Lily.

We have in communities talked about coronavirus ultimately becoming ‘like the flu,’ but I think this is now impossible with the gamut of extreme measures we’ve lived with for the last year, and it’s more likely we will now treat flu like coronavirus. Prepare yourself then for people in the street, or in shops, to back away from you, as you stand nonchalantly in a queue, wearing a face mask. They may likely treat you - as now - like a contagious life-limiting leper,

Jacqueline Curzon PHOTO: LARA MINSKY PHOTOGRAPHY

‘Freedom’ finally delivered on 21st June especially if you happen to clear your throat.

Those countries which have not overreacted as we have done here in the UK will likely find their journey back to normality swifter and easier.

Covid infection rates in Israel remain high, which is blamed on incoming mutations such as the UK strain. Professor Dror Mevorach, head of the coronavirus department at Hadassah Medical Centre, said the new drug Allocetra - administered through an IV - works to calm down a patient’s overactive immune system, adding that it’s possible to reduce severe covid symptoms within a few hours, and reduce the average time spent in hospital ICU from three weeks to just seven days.

Israel has also taken a major step towards normality with the introduction of digital vaccination passes which allow holders to visit gyms, swimming pools, hotels, leisure centres and go on holiday. Known as green passports they will be available to download on an app, but can also be printed off on paper which will enable those less familiar with technology to benefit. Those who have caught and recovered from Covid will also be allowed to use the passports. Yuli Edelstein, the health minister, said “getting vaccinated is a moral duty.” I personally agree with this: to repeat my question of last week, ‘is it acceptable in a society blighted by this disease, to refuse to take a vaccine which should not just save you from serious illness, but in doing so prevent you from transmitting it too? If other countries require us to have these passports (for travel), then is it so unreasonable for us to have one - at least those of us over a certain age - which will ease our transition back into normal social settings?

With nearly 2.5 million deaths globally from this virus, it’s impossible to ignore.

The virus is here to stay, and we will hopefully learn to live with it, perhaps through acquired (herd) immunity, or in the passage of time, to eradicate it through total vaccination programmes. For now, I celebrate that I am still here, surviving the virus and my cancer. With continued hishtadlus, determination, gratitude to the community and the Almighty, I march forwards.

How wonderful to see Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank showing off their new baby, August Philip Hawk Brooksbank. Even more delightful to see his little face, instead of the unsatisfactory and rather selfish ‘foot’ photographs which the press were permitted after the birth of Archie Windsor-Markle. The new parents Eugénie and Jack chose the names: August, from the Latin Augustus - also the middle name of Prince Albert (Queen Victoria’s consort), Philip - a tribute to Prince Phillip, the baby’s great grandfather and Hawk - a Brooksbank family name. I’m sure August will become a Firm favourite in the Royal Family.

And so Prince Harry and his wife Meghan are not to return to the working family. Well, no surprise there. I think it was very telling that following the Queen’s issuance of a statement previously agreed with her grandson, his subsequent response showed an entitlement to have the last word, saying ‘we can all live a life of service. service is universal.’ And what service has his wife invested in the Firm, or indeed to the nation? None I can really put my finger on. We only need to look at his Auntie Anne to see another magnificent example of public ‘service.’ For a young chap like Harry to then try and ‘teach an old dog new tricks’ with such a grandiose remark, was bang out of order. Our monarch (okay, his grandmother) who has served her nation faultlessly for over 70 years, knows all about service. The letters could be rearranged C - I Serve. I don’t see much of that from the couple who guard their right to privacy whilst simultaneously courting chat-show hosts and cultivating Hollywood celebrities as their new network. I’ll be very surprised if 10 years from now, Harry hasn’t made a decision to return to the fold, with or without aforesaid American wife. Blood after all, is thicker than water. Blue, perhaps more so…

From blue blood now to blue flags. Nicola Sturgeon has ordered that the EU flag is to be flown daily from the Scottish government buildings, despite Britain no longer being a member of the bloc. The Scottish government guidance does include the EU flag, but only to be flown on 9 May, which is Europe Day. Hmmm. For anyone who feels a need to object to this or to the fact that Scotland will only fly the Union flag on Armistice day, the flag flying contact (I’m serious) is Darren Jefferey, on protocolandhonours@gov. scot. Does Ms Sturgeon think she can curry favour with the Europeans with her gesture?

I often ponder the facial similarities between Sturgeon and Merkel, which is disconcerting. If you were ever in doubt of her ultimate roadmap for Scotland, look no further…

Jim Ashworth-Beaumont (54), was run over by a 40-ton lorry in Catford, London last year, whilst training for a triathlon.

The former Royal Marine lost his right arm and spent two months in critical care.

He now hopes to be one of the first in the UK to be fitted with a revolutionary bionic limb, which is perhaps a little too close to home, with him having spent 20 years as a prosthetics expert, building artificial limbs at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore, London. Jim needs to raise £300,000 as this is effectively a functional bionic prosthesis not available on the NHS. We wish him success in all his endeavors.

We have an expression about 'not throwing stones in glass houses,' nor perhaps ‘biting the hand that feeds you.’ Well, Keith Hann (66), Director of Corporate Affairs with frozen food chain Iceland, evidently forgot himself when he tweeted that the Welsh language sounded like “gibberish and people clearing their throats.” Hann said he was joking, when activists threatened to boycott the store, but despite his apology, Iceland said yesterday it had dismissed the top executive from his £102,000 a year job, saying “these comments in No(r)Way reflect the values of our business. [Iceland] is a proud Welsh company and we apologise for any upset or offence caused.” I do love the lilting incantations of the Welsh language, even though it’s a foreign language to me, but be warned if you’re partial to mimicry or mockery, especially if addicted to social media… Unless you are a stand-up comedian, you might find yourself standing down - like Mr Hann - without a chair when the music stops. Your chicken [cywiar in Welsh] will always come home to roost.

Happy Birthday to Sister Andre (Lucile Randon), an elderly French nun. Never mind probably having Climbed Every Mountain on her spiritual journey, she lived through the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918, two world wars, many devastating world events and a recent horrific outbreak of Covid-19 in her own nursing home, which affected 81 of the 88 residents. The home had been covid-free until this January, when the virus emerged and became rampant.

Sister Andre survived, although 11 others died. As Europe's oldest person, and the second oldest person in the world, she must have had many good habits to reach the grand old age of 117.

Congratulations to Jasmine Harrison (21), a swimming teacher from Thirsk, Yorkshire, on becoming the youngest woman to row across the Atlantic. She followed a strict regime of 2 hours rowing / 2 hours sleeping, completing the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge in 70 days. 3,000 miles after leaving the Canary Islands she arrived in Antigua, raising £10,000 for charity in the process. What a star!

Love Jacqueline x

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ASK THE RABBI Looking for answers? Send your question to Rabbi@RabbiSchochet.com WILL THE DEFENDANT PLEASE RISE Dear Rabbi I am an Orthodox Jew training to be a criminal lawyer. I am soon finished and started wondering to myself if I would be obligated to refuse certain cases where I am certain of a defendant’s guilt, and certainly when it comes to horrendous crimes?

Matthew Dear Matthew The Talmud relates a story: It was rumoured certain Galileans had killed a person. They came to Rabbi Tarfon to hide them. Rabbi Tarfon replied, “What shall I do?

If I do not hide you, you will be seen. Should I hide you? The Sages have said that rumours, even though they may not be accepted, nevertheless, should not be dismissed. Go and hide yourselves. (Nidah 61a) The rationale behind Rabbi Tarfon’s reluctance to help is a matter of dispute. Rashi suggests Rabbi Tarfon’s reluctance was because if they were guilty, helping them would be prohibited.

This would suggest that Jewish law prohibits helping defendants who might be guilty.

Tosafos argues that the reason for Rabbi Tarfon’s reluctance was because he was afraid that he would be punished by the government were he to aid criminals, but in essence, helping them is halachically permitted.

One classic commentator (Chochmas Shlomo) maintains that the ruling of Tosafos only applies when there is doubt in the aider’s mind as to the guilt of the defendant as in the very story itself. When there is certainty as

to the defendant’s guilt, then he may not help.

Some contemporary Halachists uphold this view that when there is no doubt as to the guilt of a defendant then it is forbidden for a lawyer to help the client escape the consequences, in keeping with the Torah mandate of “you shall eradicate the evil from your midst.”

Generally speaking, unless openly confessing the crime to their lawyer, most defendants would typically fall into the “in doubt” category. Moreover, the lawyer can advance true arguments that might mitigate against “beyond reasonable doubt.” A lawyer would also be able to argue that the facts, as stated by the government, do not constitute a crime under the relevant statute. A further point to consider is that insofar as the rule, “the law of the land prevails” applies then any form of defence permitted by society would be halachically permitted as well. Bearing in mind how innocent people have been found guilty owing to a poor defence, or indeed how those whose guilt was never doubted at the start of a trial, have, through able defences, been found to be factually innocent of the charges brought, it remains paramount that defence lawyers are essential in keeping with the words of the Prophet: “Execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates” (Zechariah 8:16).

WHO’S THE REAL HERO? Dear Rabbi I’ve got to write a five-hundred word essay on ‘the Hero & the

Pirkei Avot We carry on with the same long Mishnah as the last two weeks. Rabbi Eliezer says ‘your friend’s honour should be as dear to you as your own.’ This will stop a person from ‘becoming angry easily.’

He further advises that we should ‘do teshuvah one day before death,’ as we don’t know when we will die so we should always be in a spirit of repentance. Most people breeze through life without a care for where we will end up. We always think we will repent tomorrow. But as the old ‘Destiny’ song teaches, tomorrow never

Villain of the Purim story. The villain is easy – Haman, but who would you describe as the real hero, Mordechai or Esther? I’ve got two weeks.

Richard Dear Richard Haman as the villain? I’d rather go with the king, Ahasuerus. He had the final say, gets swayed to and fro and there’s nothing worse than leadership without backbone. As for the hero I would go with Charbona – that’s the guy who told the king about the gallows and suggested Haman be hanged there. True Mordechai and Esther were great and contributed each in their own way, but as we maintain in Judaism, it’s the one who puts the finishing touch that gets ultimate credit. They exposed Haman and evoked the king’s wrath, but, as stated, he was flippant. It was only Charbona who ensured the menace was appropriately terminated. The lesson is simple: ‘Don’t start something unless you’re going to finish it!’ That’s 123 words, now you go finish it – only 377 words to go, and one week left.

PURIM IN LOCKDOWN

Dear Rabbi Purim is supposed to be a particularly joyous festival.

How does G-d expect us to enjoy ourselves in these circumstances?

Purim in lockdown? Come on!

Valerie Dear Valerie Sometimes we have to dig deep and discover the joy within in awareness of the fact that we are never really alone. As per the

Please daven for Shmuel Eliezer ben Perel who is in an induced coma with Covid in Antwerp. comes! We always want just one more day.

However, there will come a time as is the way of the world when there won’t be one more day. Let’s ensure that we don’t leave it too late and face eternal regret when we come face to face with our Creator in Olam Habah.

He ends by telling us to warm ourselves from the fire of our sages but not to get burned by them, as they can destroy us like a snake, a scorpion or a fox. As important as it is to get close to Gedolim and learn from them, we must always remem-

verse, “I am with him in his sorrow,” which means, whatever we are enduring, G-d shares in our struggle, as it were. Case in point, Moishele was sitting on a beach in Tel Aviv when all of a sudden G-d appeared by his side. When finally regaining his composure, Moishele looked to the Almighty: “Er what are you doing here?”

Follow Rabbi Schochet at: RabbiSchochet.com Twitter: @RabbiYYS Facebook: facebook.com/Rabbiyys.

Perek 2: Mishna 10 part 2

ber that we are not on their level, and we need to treat them with utmost respect at all times.

To truly internalise the precious words of our sages, we need to learn about them and try to understand who they were.

Moshe Rabbenu whilst on Har Sinai saw Hashem teaching a Halacha in the name of Rabbi Eliezer Ben Aruch, and asked Hashem to ensure he was one of Moses’s descendants. Powerful stuff!

Wishing all our readers a Freilichen Purim.

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To which G-d replied, “Like you Moishele, I’m here, working from home.”

Ultimately, if all else fails, I know there are restrictions during lockdown but you are legally allowed to invite some friends into your home: Johnny Walker, Jack Daniels and Glen Livet. And it is in fact a mitzvah!

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Weekly Dvar Torah FR O M ER ETZ Y I S RA E L

Building the Spiritual Land

BY RABBI BEN-TZION SPITZ “By the work one knows the workmen.”

Jean De La Fontaine It is not coincidental that the Menorah (the Candelabrum) mentioned in this week’s parasha of Tetzave becomes the symbol for the reborn State of Israel.

The image is drawn directly from the prophecy of Zechariah, mentioned in the 4th chapter of his eponymous book, one of the books of Trei Asar, the 12 minor prophets: “I see a lampstand all of gold …. The lamps on it are seven in number … and by it are two olives (trees), one on the right … and one on its left.”

Zechariah 4:2-3 Zechariah shares with us the vision of the Menorah together with the source of the fuel for the Menorah, oil-producing olive trees, placed on either side of the Menorah.

I would like to suggest that this vision hints at two distinct yet highly complementary attributes that need to underline the actions of the people of Israel, as we rebuild the land of Israel. Those attributes are purity and intent, and together, purity of intent.

In analyzing this week’s parasha, the Sfat Emet in 5635 (1875) discusses the Torah’s ongoing mention of olive oil. He explains that the very first drop of oil to be squeezed out of the olive is pristine, the purest oil. This mirrors the very first act of the Jewish people at the foot of Mount Sinai when they accepted the Torah with the declaration of “we will do and we will obey.” That first drop of Jewish self-determination revealed a level of faith and loyalty that would serve the Jewish people well for the rest of history.

Our ancestors, however, did not retain that strong faith for very long. They sinned quickly, seriously, and repeatedly: The Golden Calf, the sin of the spies, Korach’s rebellion, and even more instances once

we entered the Land of Israel.

The Sfat Emet compares the subsequent sins to oil mixed with olive dregs. It’s dirty.

It’s unpleasant. It’s second rate. However, even that type of oil can be separated from the dregs. In the merit of the first pure drop, all of Israel, all of us, have the possibility of separating ourselves from our errors of the past and raising ourselves to levels that can illuminate the world around us.

In short, our efforts should be as pure as possible, but even if they are not pure, we always have the opportunity to purify them. In fact, it’s a constant process of refining our actions, our speech, and our thoughts.

Regarding intent, the Netziv on this parasha (Exodus 28:3) says that there was a certain spiritual energy and a vivifying effect that occurred during the construction of the Tabernacle as well as with the formation of all of the priestly vessels and garments. The artisans who fabricated each component did so with great intent.

They placed a part of their soul into their work. Aaron, the High Priest, was able to sense their spirit and purity of purpose which in turn fortified him in his work as the spiritual representative of the Nation of Israel. Our intent needs to be proper, focused, meaningful.

When we bring the aspect of purity together with driving intent and develop purity of intent, then we can truly and successfully build a healthy, strong, spiritually vibrant land. We can light the Menorah that will be a beacon of light and hope not just for the Jewish people, but for the entire world.

May we merit to achieve purity of intent in all of our noble pursuits.

Rabbi Ben-Tzion Spitz is the former Chief Rabbi of Uruguay. He is also the author of many books on a range of Torah themes, and is a member of the Mizrachi Speakers Bureau (www.mizrachi.org/speakers).

EE FR

A Torah bite for the Shabbat table

Harnessing Our Sense of Smell RABBI GOODMAN Noses can never win. They are either too big or too small, too long or too wide, too shiny or too dull. They are blown, they are punched, and they are even reshaped.

Nevertheless, despite their constant battering, our lives would “stink” without them.

As well as protecting us from harm and affording us great pleasure- imagine not being able to smell (which unfortunately in today’s Covid era does not take too much imagination) the fresh spring flowers, the aroma of a freshly opened tin of Turkish coffee, and the state of your socks- this week’s Parsha teaches us how our sense of smell directly impacts our spiritual growth.

The Torah commands the Kohanim to burn incense twice each day. The incense consisted of eleven types of spices, each one carefully measured and finely ground.

The Kohen gently poured the incense onto the coals of the golden altar, prostrated himself and then left the sanctuary. The smell of the incense was the finest manmade smell ever produced and at the time of burning, its aroma travelled as far as Jericho.

The Sefer HaChinuch explains that the smell of the burning incense was not

merely a bonus feature of fulfilling the Mitzvah, rather its chief function. As all perfume manufacturers will testify, good smells attract, while bad smells repel. The smell of the incense drew the Jewish People closer to the Bais HaMikdash, instilling within their hearts a deep-seated respect and awe for the focal point of their spiritual lives- the dwelling place of Hashem.

Every facet of creation, no matter how insignificant, serves a crucial spiritual purpose. Even our seemingly mundane sense of smell possesses a profound ability to connect us with Hashem. It is our job then to discover the inherent spiritual component within each aspect of our lives and to utilize it in our service of Hashem.

A project of My Dvar Torah, Torah Bite is your resource for a short, dynamic, and meaningful Dvar Torah to share at the Shabbos table. Originally from London, Rabbi Ben Goodman has spent 20 years in Jerusalem, teaching and inspiring students from all backgrounds and from all over the world. He is the director of My Dvar Torah, providing tailor-made Divrei Torah for all occasions. www.mydvartorah.com.

He encourages feedback & ideas: ben@mydvartorah.com

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Chovat Halevavot Hilchot Shabbat

Last week we raised the $64,000 (£1,000,000 depending on your salary) question: If we are to trust G-d why do we bother working?

Chovot Halevavot explains that there are two reasons: G-d has created us in order to place us through the great test of life and the question is how we face that challenge. So, Hashem created us to be in need of clothing, in need of food, in need of shelter and in need of companionship.

To the extent that Hashem wants a person to attain the above through their efforts, they will succeed at doing so, no more and no less.

The manner in which a person conducts themselves in pursuit of the above necessities is either praiseworthy and therefore considered “passing the test” earning eternal reward, and likewise to the contrary.

Working on Shabbat, for example, is contrary to how G-d wants a Jewish person to conduct themselves and that

would therefore not be considered passing the test of life – even if it appears that they have had financial gain from doing so. A person is constantly tested whilst at work or in business – are they honest? Do they disregard prayer in pursuit of fiscal gain?

Do they gossip? Chatter excessively? Engage in social media whilst being paid by the hour by their boss etc?

The second reason a person is required to work for their living is because remember what the holy Kotzker taught: “I want followers who have no time to sin!” Boredom leads to sin! Leading a life of a nobleman can often lead to less than noble conduct. Our Sages set the path: Study of Torah accompanied by earning a living is good because the effort one puts into them makes sin be forgotten.

So (for the average Jew at least) one needs to work simply to not have too much spare time on their hands, for boredom can lead to sin.

As Purim falls on Friday this year, it would be prudent to review the laws of having a meal on Friday.

Generally speaking, on a Friday, one should not have a larger than usual meal from what one is used to having during the week. Not only is hosting such a meal forbidden, but it is also likewise prohibited to join in meals like that. This only applies to meals which involve drinking to the point of intoxication. Some are strict about eating an exceptionally significant meal even without drinking.

The reason for this is according to the Rambam because it undermines the speciality of the Shabbat meal on Friday evening but according the Shulchan Aruch it is because one would compromise their appetite by “filling up” at a daytime meal.

If it is a “Seudat Mitzvah” for example, a wedding meal, strictly speaking it is permitted to have a meal. An engagement party, which is buffet style and not a “meal” is permitted. A Seudat Brit Mila or

Pidyon Haben should preferably be held in the morning.

When it comes to Yom Tov which is Friday or one of the aforementioned celebrations, or indeed a Seudat Purim such as this year, it is preferable to have those before the tenth hour of the day (so if the day starts at 6am and ends at 6pm, the end of the “9th Hour” is 2:59pm. Ideally one should hold the Purim Seuda before Chatzot (Halachic midday; in the above example 11:59am). The reason for this is even though one cannot say that having a large meal on Friday in honour of Purim shows disrespect for Shabbat, nonetheless, one must be mindful of the fact that they will need an appetite for the Friday evening Shabbat meal. Another reason for not eating the Purim meal in the afternoon is due to the custom to get intoxicated, it would potentially ruin the Shabbat meal on Friday evening.

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Tetzaveh

Tetzaveh Word Search

Parshat Tetzaveh continues on the topic of the Mishkan. It opens with the special olive oil that was used for the lighting of the Menorah. It then lists the clothes that the Kohen Gadol wore. These were the Choshen (Breastplate) Ephod (apron) Meil (cloak) Shirt, Belt, Hat and trousers.

On his forehead he wore the special gold plate called the Tzitz. It also lists what the general kohanim wore. These were the hat, shirt belt and trousers. All of this reminded them how special thet were. The parsha also tells us about the inside gold mizbeach on which spices were offered each day.

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ALTAR • BREASTPLATE • EPHOD • MENORAH • MISHKAN • OFFERINGS • OLIVE • SHOHAM

Tangram Challenge!

Using all the shapes on the left can you make the Chair shape on the right?

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Tetzaveh In a nutshell Parshat Tetzaveh is well connected to the Megilla of Esther, not least because as we are keenly aware, the downfall of the Jewish people began at the party of King Achashverosh. At that party, Achashverosh chose an interesting outfit – The clothes of the Kohen Gadol, all about which we learn in Parshat Tetzaveh.

The entire month of Adar is supposed to be accompanied by joy, from when it comes in through Purim and beyond. One of the reasons for this is the strong association that these weeks have with the Mishkan and the Beit Hamikdash! In the weeks of Adar, we lein four sidrot all which talk about the Mishkan – Terumah, Tetzaveh, Ki Tisa, Vayakhel and Pekudei!

The Purim story took place during the exile following the destruction of the first Beit Hamikdash, and by wearing the clothes of the Kohen Gadol, Achashverosh was trying to tell the Jews – forget about a rebuild of your Temple! Thankfully, the Jewish people were given permission to rebuild the Beit Hamikdash not long after the Purim Story.

This is why our Sages taught us that in the same

way that when the month of Av arrives, we lessen our joy, when Adar comes in, we increase our joy, the comparison being that Av mourns the lack of a Beit Hamikdash, whereas Adar gives us hope in the long winter of exile coming to an end. (Based on a lecture by Rabbi Eli Cohen, Manchester).

In the Sidra, we are taught of the eight garments worn by the Kohen Gadol and the four worn by the ordinary Kohanim. The eight garments were: (1) The Choshen (the breastplate with the stones which had the names of the tribes engraved in them) (2) The Ephod – apron type garment (3) The Me’il – the cloak with bells and pomegranate shapes at their tail (3) (4) Shirt (5) Hat (6) Belt (7) Trousers (8) The Tzitz – this was worn on the forehead of the Kohen Gadol and he was to be conscious of the fact that he was wearing something with the name of Hashem on

Word Wheel The goal of a word wheel puzzle is to create as many words possible with the letters in the word wheel.

Each word must contain at least three letters. You can only use each letter once and every word must have the letter in the centre of the wheel.

it, for it had the words, “Kodesh L’Hashem” on it.

The ordinary Kohanim wore only the shirt, trousers, belt and hat.

All of these clothes gave the Kohanim a special sense of honour and beauty, reminding them that they were special emissaries of G-d and emissaries of the Jewish people. Moshe is also taught how the Kohanim will be introduced to their job, the special sacrifices to be offered up on the day and the anointing to take place.

We are also taught about one more of the inside vessels of the Mishkan – the Golden Mizbeach. On the Mizbeach special spices were offered every day. Mostly, these were sweet smelling, but one of them was of a rather odd smell. This was to teach us that not only are “beautifully perfect” people welcome in to serve Hashem – we must sometimes also include those who are far less than perfect, draw them in and help them see the light. A good thing to remember on Purim – to increase love and friendship for all the Jewish people and to ask Hashem to bring us a year of no more masks!

Use this area to write the words you have found.

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Last week’s words: Here are some words you may have found from last week - you may have found more! lap pal pay ply

yap yup flap pall

paly play pull pally THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM

lapful playful playfully

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Q: Are any monsters good at maths?

A: No…unless you Count Dracula!

Q: Why is Peter Pan flying all the time?

A: He Neverlands!

Q: Where do polar bears keep their money?

A: In a snow bank!

(Answers at the bottom of page upside down)

cats can you put in an empty box?

2) She fell off the bottom step!

1. Flip flop 2. Anyone for tennis 3. A score to settle

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1. Add the letter G and then presto… it’s Gone!

3. How many

2. A girl fell off of a 30foot ladder, but she didn’t get hurt at all.

How is this possible?

Q: Why did Mickey Mouse become an astronaut?

A: So he could visit Pluto!

3) One. After that, the box isn’t empty anymore.

1. How do you make the number one disappear?

4. A splitting headache 5. Be seeing you 6. Too little too late

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Hammers & Toffees Sixteen-goal Lions in Champions League chase rout Scrabble in Cup

BY DAVID SAFFER

West Ham United and Everton are in the Champions League shake up after stunBY DAVID SAFFER ning wins in the latest round of fixtures.

The Hammers feisty London derby Reiss Mogilneredged scoreda six goals as Maccabi against Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 whilst London Lions thumped Scrabble A in the the Toffees round enjoyed a historic 2-0 win against second of the Cyril Anekstein Cup. Liverpool at Anfield.

The Premier League side racked up a 16-0 Manchester extended a record winwin with DanielCity Green and Michael Kenley ning run to 18amatches ArsenalDato both bagging hat-trick.against Ed Brafman, maintain a 10-point cushion as they march vid Dinkin, and Adam Hassanali complettowards theintitle with 13 games remaining. ed the rout a mismatch of a tie.

The major battles now are for coveted Lions could have scored in thea opening top-four spot and Premiership survival. minute of the clash but soon opened the Regarding the9-0 drop, Fulham scoring and led by half time.edged past Sheffield United One to close the gap on clubs The Division team, though outfighting battled relegation.

Palace eased classed, awayCrystal to the end. any nerves a dramatic win at Lions boss with was lost for words2-1 at full time Brighton on Monday night, realistically the such was the display from his team who battleevery nowrespect is between Burnley, gave to theBrighton, opposition.

Newcastle United and Fulham.

But South“I’m not really sure there’s anything to ampton, who losttoatmake Leedsit United on say, we are happy through3-0 to the Tuesday, endured horrendous run next roundhave of the cup,” heacommented. ofHendon form and could slip into relegation United Sports ran the out 3-1 victors scrap.

One team will join the Baggies and against League One outfit North London Blades who appear doomed.

Raiders.

West Ham’s side Michail Antonio and loan Th e Premier led early in the second signing Jessie Lingard scored all-imporhalf only for Raiders to equalise but struck tant late first goals half goals against Jose in Mourintwo to book a place round ho’s inconsistent side for a big win. three of the competition.

Lingard’snow thirdturn goaltheir since arriving to at the Hendon attentions the club was initially disallowed but league as they travel to Oakwood A ruled for a okay bytop VAR. star crucial ofThe the Manchester table clash United on Sunday is certainly enjoying his new surroundings (10am). and finding form. team Gareth Bale entered the Daniel Kristall’s stunned the league fray with Tottenham behind at the break leaders last month when they won 2-0, a and setwould up Lucas Moura a goal abefore victory move them for to within point striking the crossbar with a thunderous of Hendon with a match in hand. effort.

Son Heung-Min hit the in Elsewhere in the latestalso round of fipost xtures, stoppage time but the Hammers survived 10-man North London Galaxy made it a to move into twoDivision points clear three-way titlefourth race inspot the only One of Chelsea. clash of the day after defeating Oakwood B. Hammers manager told Jamie Murray saw red David early onMoyes but Galaxy BBC MOTD, “It is a great result for us. rallied with goals from Josh Cohen andToJaday we feltto it was a big, task. Tottenham cob Leigh record an big important 2-1 away are one of the top sides and have fantastic win. players. us Redbridge to get a result andCare keepAour GalaxyFor head Jewish in momentum going is really good. the table by just one point after 10 matches, Regarding Lingard’s the club, third place Fairlop FC impact are fiveonpoints beMoyes noted, “Players want to play.

They hind with two games in hand. want showscored what they can do. Jesse has Rafito Bloom for Oakwood. done great for us and has contributed “It was a fantastic performance in a

16-goal Maccabi London Lions

must-win game,” commented Galaxy player-manager Luke Lewis.

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK West Ham’s Antonio opened the scoringthe against Tottenham Hotspur “We sat Michail back and allowed Oakwood ball, given the one-man advantage and looked to hit them on the counter attack with pace.

“Both goals came down the right-hand side. Leigh crossed the first one into Cohen to finish, before slotting home himself. Up to first we go.”

The Division Two title race also took a twist with league leaders Herstwood circumstances,” said delighted Fortune Vale going down to a 2-1 defeat at Temple boss Simon Linden.

Fortune.

“We had a number of players out, Requickly.

It wasn’t ago aJesse an buck improving side. This result was a nightFaithfold B havelong played gamewas more got injured, so I couldn’t have asked England international so I knew if we mare for Liverpool, forget about long-a than Vale but moved level with a 5-3 win at any more from the players. We wish Ben could get that level of player, it would imterm injuries, this was a defeat they must North London Raiders Masters. speedy recovery. prove us.” react to quickly or they will have to win Jacob Kalms struck twice for Fortune who “It was a proper old school performance, Everton’s win was a first at Anfield since the Champions League to play in next seascored through leading scorer James Mil- we battled and defended for the 90 minutes 1999 whilst Liverpool hadseason. to go back to and son’stook competition. letwith his 17th goal of the our chances. Experience proved 1923, the year of the ‘White horse’ FA Cup After The result was all the more remarkable to be theRicharlison winner. It’s aopened big win,the one scoring we will final, when they last recorded four succeson three minutes from a James Rodrias Temple were down to 11 players with enjoy and we hope to build on it in 2019. ” sive home defeats in top flight football. guez pass, Everton keeper Jordan Pickford ‘keeper Ben Rebuck dislocating a shoulder He added, “This win marks 50 years as a Merseyside looked back hiswill best superbinThe the warm up. clubs are level on points football club to and besupported one Nigel Kyte and three points adrift of Thomas Tuchel’s fast ly by Michael Keane in defence.

“This was a fantastic win given the everyone associated with the club from day

Liverpool went close through Sadio Mane and Mo Salah but the visitors picked up a first derby win in 24 games when substitute Gylfi Sigurdsson slotted home an 83rd minute penalty after Dominic Calvert-Lewin collided with Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti told BBC Sport, “We are really happy, really pleased.

After a long time, Everton are able to win at Anfield, it is a good gift for our supporters.

The performance was good. We were focused, worked hard and when we had the opportunities we were clinical. We have three points. The derby is a special game as we said before but we have to catch three points at home too. It (our form) is not good enough at home.”

Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp was philosophical in defeat. He told BBC Sport, “It is (tough to take) but we conceded this early goal which was completely unnecessary and have to defend it better. We had to chase the game and did it well creative-wise. We created some chances in the first half and even more in the second half but we did not finish our situations off.SAFFER We PHOTO: DAVID made one mistake in the first half and they used it.” He added, “I don’t like to talk today about the good stuff because we lose the game and we feel that deeply. I have to use it tomorrow and it is our lifeline to keep going. We have to improve on the finishing stuff and then we will win football games.”

Whilst West Ham, Everton and Chelsea have Champions League aspirations, and Liverpool are far from out if it, Manchester United and Leicester City are in pole position will jointly in ”second place. one enjoy.

Marcus Rashford opened was the quick scoring Vale boss Jacob Emanuel to for the Redswell against Newcastle on the wish Rebuck following his injury. half hour Old importantly, Trafford only for Allan “First andatmost everyone at Saint-Maximin to strike a deserved equalVale would like to wish the Fortune ‘keeper afterrecovery, Harry Maguire indecisive in aiser quick we hopewas to see him back defence.

Saint-Maximin went close in the on the football pitch as soon as possible,” he second half for the Geordies but Daniel said.

James edged the hosts in front just before As for the defeat, Emanuel commented, the hour prior to Rashford winning a pen“It doesn’t matter how big a squad you alty that Bruno Fernandes slotted home 15 have, you can never account for unavailminutes from time. ability or injury. Only five of today’s team Ole Gunnar Solksjaer told FC BTTeam, Sport,a played in our recent win over “Even though we dominated possession lack of togetherness and poor individual

“It was a proper old school performance, we battled and defended for the 90 minutes “It is a great result for us. Today we felt it was a andone took ourtop chances. big, big task. Tottenham are of the sides Experience proved toFor be the ” and have fantastic players. us towinner. get a result and keep our momentum going is really good.”

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25 FEBRUARY 2021 and had a lot of the ball we couldn’t create many opportunities. I felt in the second half we found our positions better.”

Newcastle’s Steve Bruce noted to BBC Sport, “The second goal has had a bit of luck on it with the deflection, the first goal was against the run of play and Rashford didn’t have to do much to score.

“I was very, very pleased for large parts of it but getting results is all that matters” Bruce added, “Everyone near the bottom will be looking nervously over their shoulder. I’ve been saying for many years it is about the accumulation of points. We’ve been stuck on 25 points for a little while, we have to win a few games to get to that magic figure, whatever it is.”

Brendon Rodgers’ Leicester are showing resilience this season after falling away last time around. James Maddison and Harvey Barnes struck early blows inside 23 minutes at Aston Villa.

The hosts were without inspirational skipper Jack Grealish but battled away and hit back after the break through Bertrand Traore. Tyrone Mings went close late on but the Foxes deservedly took the points.

Rogers told Sky Sports, “There’s a greater calmness. We’re playing some great football, but at times you have to dig in and have spirit, and we are able to do that.” He added: “I thought some of our football and the speed of our game was really, really good.

We didn’t have too many concerns defensively. I was so pleased and very proud of the team.”

Chelsea shared the spoils at struggling Southampton to remain in fifth place.

Saints on-loan Liverpool striker Takumi Minamino opened the scoring in the first half only for Mason Mount to level from a penalty nine minutes after the break. Jannik Vestergaard hit the crossbar for the hosts but they had to settle for a point. Tuchal’s Blues were also disappointed to draw but enjoyed a stunning Champions League last 16 first leg away win against La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid courtesy of an Olivier Giroud overhead kick on Tuesday night.

Away from Champions League battles, Manchester City accounted for Arsenal with a Raheem Sterling header after two minutes from a Riyad Mahrez cross.

City piled forward but the Gunners dug deep determined not to be overrun. Kieran Tierney had the hosts best effort whilst Kevin de Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan went close for the runaway league leaders. Arsenal pushed Pep Guardiola’s side all the way but City had too much guile to slip up.

Guardiola told BBC MOTD, “We knew today would be one of the toughest ones (games) but we scored early and we could control it. The first 10-15 minutes were so good then the next half an hour they were much better than us. The feeling is that they are close. In the second half, we needed something to be more effective in our pressing and we were much better.” City’s boss added, “Every game you are not going to win games 2-0, 3-0, 4-0, sometimes when you win 1-0 it is so good. We have to realise what we are doing is so difficult. It is a struggle, a fight, (get) behind the ball and that is why we like this result. It is one more (game), one more. We think all the time the next one.”

Leeds bounced back to winning ways with an impressive home win against

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Harvey Barnes scored Leicester City’s winner against Aston Villa

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

Richarlison fired home in Everton’s historic win at Liverpool

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

Southampton at Elland Road on Tuesday.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side were unlucky at the weekend at Wolves when Adama Traore’s long-range winning strike ricocheted off the crossbar and rebounded off Illan Meslier’s head into the Leeds goal. But after an 11th league win they are back in the top 10 and will cause opponents problems with their free-flowing style of play.

Saints edged the first half when Jan Vestegaard and Nathan Tella went close. The visitors also had a penalty shout correctly ruled out by VAR before bemoaning referee Andre Marriner disallowing a quickly taken free kick on the stroke of half time. Patrick Bamford opened the scoring for Leeds two minutes after the resumption. The hosts missed a clutch of chances before Stuart

Dallas fired home on 77 minutes. Man of the match Raphinha sealed the points with a free kick late on.

Bielsa told BBC Sport, “The difference of the three goals is different to how it was between the two teams, even if I think the victory was deserved. Throughout the game it was difficult to establish differences between the two teams. Even if we had a good offensive game, we created double the chances they did, the dominance alternated. When the games are so close, the team that scores first gets the advantage. It is not definitive but has weight.” He added, “Raphinha is a player very necessary because he can unbalance teams by himself.

Our game is based on combinations and to have a player who can combine and create

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in individual actions, that is very important.”

Down at the bottom, things are getting exciting with every passing game. Christian Benteke fired home the winner for Palace against a distraught Brighton side deep into stoppage time.

Jean-Philippe Mateta had opened the scoring for the visitors with a backheel only for Joel Veltman to level. The Seagulls had 25 shots on goal compared to two for the Eagles but the result is what counts and Brighton are four points clear of the bottom three after this result.

Seagulls boss Graham Potter told to BBC MOTD, “It’s sore, I’m bitterly disappointed with the result because I thought we were the team pushing all the way, trying to get the winner ourselves. We have to respond, accept it and as painful as it is we have to move forward.” He added, “I don’t think we played badly, but results-wise we have to be disappointed and respond.”

Palace boss Roy Hodgson was delighted, telling BBC Sport, “It’s always great to score in the last minute, especially when we had to soak up a lot of pressure. The defending was very good, they threw their bodies on the line. We worked hard to make certain they didn’t get many sights at goal. We didn’t create as many chances we would like. The two we created from crosses were goals.”

He added, “Tonight, from the very start we showed we’d make it hard for them to score. The bodies were there, headers were there, blocks were there. We took maximum advantage from the counter-attack. We get so hung up on statistics these days. The game is decided by goals. Goals are a question of how well you take your chances and defend theirs.”

How true Hodgson’s comments are and that was exemplified as Sam Allardyce’s West Brom had to settle for a draw at Burnley after Semi Ajayi’s dismissal in the first half.

The Baggies enjoyed the best chances of the game at Turf Moor against a lacklustre Burnley and were exceedingly unfortunate not to a win after their best performance of the season. Matheus Pereira missed from point blank range and had another effort saved by Clarets keeper Nick Pope. Mbaye Diagne also missed a guilt-edged chance aside from other chances.

“We are showing how much we are improving,” Allardyce told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“That was one of the best 10-man performances I have ever seen in my time. I have actually won a lot of games with 10 men, and this one well deserved a win with 10 men, but unfortunately we have to kick ourselves for missing golden opportunities.”

Of all the results last weekend, Fulham’s 1-0 win against Sheffield United was a ‘must-win’ for Scott Parker side and you could tell by his full time reaction at Craven Cottage.

Fulham bossed the game and claimed the victory with a Ademola Lookman strike. In the space of a week, Parker’s team picked up seven points to move three points behind Newcastle in 17th place having been 10 points behind seven days earlier.

The battle is truly on for survival and there will be twists and turns all the way until the end of an extraordinary campaign. Key ‘six-pointers’ this weekend includes Palace vs Fulham, West Brom vs Brighton and Newcastle vs Wolves.

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