Jewish Weekly 18 December Issue 396

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Defiant Chanukah celebrations after Bondi massacre

BY DAVID SAFFER

SHABBAT CHANUKA - PARASHAT MIKEITZ SHABBAT: London Manchester Leeds Liverpool Birmingham Antwerp Bournemouth Gateshead Jerusalem

BEGINS 15:38 15:35 15:27 15:35 15:36 16:17 15:45 15:21 16:02

ENDS 16:47 16:50 16:50 16:57 16:51 17:35 17:02 16:46 17:19

Jews around the world have been celebrating Chanukah as a defiant message to terrorists following the ‘Chanukah by the Sea’ massacre at Bondi Beach, Sydney on the first night of the festival.

Over 2,000 people fled the ChabadLubavitch event as Sajid Akram, neutralised at the scene, and his son Naveed Akram, murdered 15 people aged 10 to 87 years of age in cold blood.

Twenty-nine people were hospitalised, a number remain in critical condition.

Chabad rabbis have vowed to kindle the menorah on the final night of Chanukah on Bondi Beach on Sunday.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has blamed a lack of Solidarity vigils have taken place globally Israeli action against antisemitism in Australia for the attack in Bondi. for the victims and people injured.

Funerals of the victims have begun to take Rabbi Eli Schlanger of Chabad Sydney, place.

Rabbi Yaakov Levitan of Sydney Beth Din Ahmed al Ahmed heroically disarmed and Holocaust survivor Alexander Kleytman Naveed Akram, who was arrested with were among the first named victims. Reuven critical injuries.

Morrison, Tibor Weitzen, Peter Meagher, New South Wales Police have charged him Dan Elkayam, Marika Pogany Boris and Soby his hospital bed with 15 counts of murder fia Gurman, Edith Brutman, and 10-year-old among 59 offences, including a count of Matilda have also been named as fatalities.

committing a terrorist act.

Over A$1m (£500,000) has been raised for Ahmed, labelled a “national hero” by politicians. He has undergone surgery for gunshot wounds.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump praised Ahmed for his actions.

Australian Jewry has seen a swathe of antisemitic attacks including calls for Israel’s destruction since the 7 October 2023 terror attack in Israel.

Netanyahu described the atrocity as “cold blooded murder” and accused Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of spreading antisemitism after he announced his government would recognise a Palestinian state at September’s UN General Assembly.

“Your call for a Palestinian state pours fuel on the antisemitic fire,” Netanyahu raged. “It rewards Hamas terrorists. It emboldens those who menace Australian Jews and encourages the Jew hatred now stalking your streets… Antisemitism is a cancer. It spreads when leaders stay silent, it retreats when leaders act.

Continued on page 4

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4 NEWS Continued from page 1 You replaced weakness with weakness and appeasement with more appeasement. Your government did nothing to stop the spread of antisemitism in Australia. You took no action. You let the disease spread and the result is the horrific attacks on Jews we saw today.”

“History will not forgive hesitation and weakness,” he added. “It will honour action and strength.”

Albanese told reporters the terrorist attack was an “act of evil” and antisemitism had struck the heart of the Australian nation. He added that the gunman were motivated by “extremist ideology” and vowed the violence would be met with “national unity”.

New South Wales Premier Chris Minns promised to introduce the “toughest gun legislation in the country”.

Israel’s National Security Council has issued warnings over copy-cat attacks.

President Isaac Herzog addressed the Jewish community of Australia.

He said: “Our message is clear, Chanukah lights will be lit all over the world, especially in Bondi Beach in Sydney and all over Australia. The Jewish people will continue to bring light into the world and overcome this terrible darkness.”

World Jewish Congress president Ronald Lauder commented: “No community should ever fear coming together to celebrate its faith, traditions or identity. We must heighten vigilance and work in close coordination with law enforcement and security authorities to ensure that Jewish life can continue openly, safely and

TO ADVERTISE CALL 020 3906 8488 without intimidation. Make no mistake, this will not break us. We will continue to stand proudly, united against all forms of violence and hate, and in unwavering solidarity with Jewish communities.”

Conference of European Rabbis President Chief Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt added: “This brutal hatred, unchecked in the West, must be confronted and stopped.”

European Jewish Congress President Dr Moshe Kantor noted: “It is unconscionable that Jewish families gathering to celebrate a joyous event in one of the most multicultural cities in the world should be slaughtered in cold blood by terrorists. Sadly, this is becoming an all too common experience for Jews around the world, and one that we too feel here in Europe.”

Kantor called on governments to be “more proactive in eliminating threats to daily Jewish life”.

Jewish community organisations across Australia criticised its government over its inaction regarding antisemitism.

Alex Ryvchin of Australian Jewry told the Australian Jewish News: “If Jews get slaughtered on Bondi Beach and body bags are piling up at this place, we’re not safe.”

Ryvchin blasted Albanese’ government for ignoring a 15-point plan to tackle antisemitism presented by his organisation after the Adass attack.

“There is evil among us, if we don’t rip it out by the root we’re going to go down a darker and darker path,” he said. Antisemitism, he added, had reached “a new

magnitude.”

David Ossip, New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies President, noted: “What we’ve seen has been the logical progression, demonising Jews with rhetoric, which slowly builds up to acts of violence.”

Jewish Community Council of Victoria president Philip Zajac added: “This is the tragic manifestation of a climate that calls to ‘globalise the intifada’. Similar rhetoric has been tolerated, normalised and left insufficiently challenged.” He added: “This moment demands more than sympathy. It requires immediate, visible action from the government to protect Jewish Australians.”

In the UK, King Charles said he and Queen Camilla were “appalled and saddened “by a dreadful antisemitic terrorist

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18 DECEMBER 2025 attack.

With Jewish communities on high alert, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the government was working with the Community Security Trust on policing Chanukah events. He went on to tell the Liaison Committee in Parliament the Bondi attack was not an “isolated incident” on Jewish holidays.

Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis said victims were killed for being Jewish and not enough was being done to tackle “extreme radical Islamism” with weekly chants of ‘globalise the intifada’ and ‘from the river to the sea.’

Mirvis added that the Jewish community was worried, but tenacious. “You’ll see us during the eight days of Chanukah, we’ll be out there,” he noted.

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Rabbi Eli’s legacy will spread Chanukah light forever

BY DAVID SAFFER

Thousands of mourners attended the funeral of Chabad of Bondi Rabbi Eli Schlanger who was among 15 people massacred at the Bondi Beach ‘Chanukah by the Sea’ event on Sunday night.

Rabbi Schlanger, born in London and affectionately known as ‘Bondi Rabbi’, helped organise the Chabad-Lubavitch annual celebration.

Rabbi Levi Wolff, who led the service, the first for victims in the coming days, said Rabbi Schlanger’s death was an unspeakable loss to the community, Chabad Bondi and the Jewish nation.

“Eli was ripped away from us, doing what he loved best, spreading love and joy and caring for his people with endless self-sacrifice in his life and in his death”, he said. “Eli towered above as one of the highest and holiest souls.”

Rabbi Schlanger’s father-in-law Rabbi Yehoram Ulman called on Jewish people not to hide their heritage and vowed that all rabbis under the banner of our Chabad house of Bondi will ensure the final night of Chanukah will take place on Bondi Beach.

Former Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Israeli Ambassador Amir Maimon were among mourners.

Rabbi Menachem Kotlarsky of Chabad’s global headquarters in Crown Heights, New York led tributes to British-born Rabbi Eli Schlanger when his death was announced.

Rabbi Kotlarsky confirmed public candle-lighting events around the world would proceed with heightened security.

As assistant rabbi at Chabad Bondi, Rabbi Schlanger, worked with “complete dedication for his community”, he noted.

“His loss, and the loss of the other Jews murdered, is shocking and unbearable.

Rabbi Eli’s legacy is to continue spreading the light of Chanukah, to expand joy and not to be deterred by any terrorist. No bullet fired by a terrorist can extinguish that light.”

Rabbi Schlanger, 41, was charismatic and humble who avoided Rabbi Eli Schlanger Z”L the spotlight, according to tributes.

After the Meron disaster in 2021, he helped donate 45 pairs of tefillin through his community and was instrumental in a $30 million community center in a large synagogue.

Rabbi Dovid Lewis of South Manchester Synagogue told Sky News that his cousin dedicated his life to spreading Torah and Judaism, and will continue his legacy.

“We have got to say darkness can only be combatted with light,” he said. “It’s what he did, it’s what I will do, it’s what

we ask everyone else to do as well.”

Brighton-based Rabbi Zalman Lewis described his cousin to Sky News as an “incredibly vivacious, energetic, positive guy” who had dedicated his life to helping people and would respond with a “positive message of hope and light”.

Rabbi Yaakov Lider, a Chabad emissary in Sydney and uncle of Rabbi Schlanger said: “We will not let these terrorists tell Jews where they can go, how they should live, or what they are allowed to do.”

Alex Ryvchin, co-CEO of the executive council of Australian Jewry, recalled how Rabbi Schlanger worked with prisoners in jails and the elderly at public housing societies.

“He would listen to their stories, feed them and make sure they had meals and kosher products,” he said in tribute. “He was the sort of person who illuminated our lives with kindness, his grace and generosity.”

In an interview with Chabad.org earlier this year about antisemitism, Rabbi Schlanger spoke about increased security and the annual Chanukah at the Beach event.

His message was simple: “Be more Jewish, act more Jewish and appear more Jewish.”

Rabbi Schlanger wrote to Australian

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese after his government recognised a Palestinian state a few months ago.

‘As a rabbi in Sydney, I ask you not to betray the Jewish people and not to betray G-d,’ Rabbi Schlanger explained.

‘The land of Israel was given by G-d to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as the eternal homeland of the Jewish people and warned history judges leaders who turn their backs on Jews with contempt… You have an opportunity to stand with truth and justice. By reversing this act of betrayal, you will honour the Jewish people and our heritage and stand with the word of G-d.’

After marrying Chayale Ulman, daughter of Rabbi Yehoram and Shternie Ulman, directors of Chabad Bondi and F.R.E.E. (Friends of Refugees of Eastern Europe) in Sydney, Rabbi Schlanger, who hailed from London, joined Chabad Bondi as assistant rabbi, becoming an irreplaceable communal leader.

For 18 years, the Schlangers, who had five children, their youngest child, a boy, was born two months ago, served the Jewish community.

Rabbi Schlanger also served as chaplain to NSW Corrective Services and NSW Prisoners of War and was chaplain at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Darlinghurst. And he led Project Noah, an initiative teaching the seven Noahide Laws, co-developed a website for Jewish status certification and created an outreach activities app for the Jewish community.

SHINING A L GHT

This Chanukah, your light helps theirs shine brighter.

Across Israel, young people are stepping forward as leaders, volunteers, and changemakers.

JNF UK is proud to support the youth programmes that give them purpose, direction, and the confidence to lead — even in the most challenging times.

One such initiative is BeMa’ale HaDerech, a transformative gap-year programme bringing young Israelis to Kibbutz Nir Oz, where they are playing an active role in the community’s recovery following October 7th.

BeMa’ale HaDerech is just one of the youth and leadership programmes JNF UK is shining a light on this Chanukah.

ON ISRAEL’S NEXT GENERATION “The youth here aren’t just the future — they’re already leading real change. And that’s the light that keeps me believing every single day.”

Nimrod Palmach, Founder and CEO, BeMa’ale HaDerech

Find out more and donate: www.jnf.co.uk/chanukah Registered Charity Number 225910

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18 DECEMBER 2025

Where the View Meets the Vision: Inside VIDA Hadera

A conversation with Yuval Schultz, ASDEN’s Director of International Sales, about the vision behind VIDA Hadera

Q: After years of turbulence, where does the Israeli real estate market stand today?

A: It’s complex. Over the past five years, we’ve experienced two major disruptions—the global pandemic and, more recently of course, the two plus years of war. Yet through it all, Israel’s economy has shown surprising resilience. While there’s surely a slow-down in parts of the market, areas with limited supply, especially coastal ones, are seeing steady interest. With interest rates beginning to drop, we expect a strong rebound. The key is to look at the micro level: not just the city, but the neighborhood, even the block. That’s where you will see anomalies that are based on a unique product with limited supply and a high demand.

Q: What makes the timing and location of VIDA Hadera significant?

A: We’re very excited to be nearing completion of the foundation as we

prepare to build upward. The project’s location is extraordinary: just steps from one of Israel’s most stunning beaches, near the Gador Nature Reserve. It’s also the final project in this cluster of beachfront lots, meaning nothing else will be this close to the shoreline. It’s one of the last chances to buy this close to the sea.

Q: Why Hadera? And why now?

A: Hadera is in the midst of transformation. While other coastal cities like Netanya and Ashkelon have already risen, Hadera is just starting to tap into its extraordinary potential. The new bullet train line from Haifa to Tel Aviv, which is set to open by 2030, will include a single stop, in Hadera, bringing the city closer to the Tel Aviv metropolitan area. That infrastructure alone will drive demand and value.

Q: What sets VIDA apart from the other new projects in the area?

A: We’re not just building apartments, we’re creating a community. Most of our buyers are English-speaking families who plan to use the apartments seasonally or eventually make Aliyah. We’re

deliberately building something that feels familiar, warm, and connected. That’s reflected in our design, which features Shabbat elevators, a private shul, communal sukkah, and premium amenities like the business lounge, infinity pool and high-end gym.

Q: What kinds of buyers are gravitating toward VIDA? A: It’s a mix. We have young families, retirees, siblings buying side by side, and others looking for a second home in a special project. About 75% of our buyers are Anglos from the U.S., UK, Canada Australia and South Africa, while the rest are Israelis who want a more upscale, beachside lifestyle.

Q: With prices softening nationally, how do you view the long-term investment value of VIDA? A: VIDA isn’t designed, built or priced like a commodity. It’s a beautiful project that is tastefully upscale. True beachfront property in Israel is scarce.

A beachfront property with world-class design, extreme attention to detail, open panoramic views, and an Anglo-friendly,

Orthodox-aware community? That’s even rarer to come by. As the area develops further, I believe VIDA will become the go-to coastal destination for this audience—and demand and value will rise accordingly.

Uniquely, VIDA offers a wide range of sizes. We have small apartments, all with direct sea views, at a relatively affordable entry price starting at 670K USD as well as large 6-bedroom units on various floors.

Q: Any parting words?

A: In times like these, so many Jewish families abroad are feeling a deeper pull toward Israel. At Asden, we understand that this isn’t just about real estate, but having a place to call your own in the Land of Israel. A place to return to. A place to belong. We built VIDA to give buyers something lasting, secure, and full of meaning. Our properties give them the confidence that they are buying a secure, long-lasting investment that they can rely on.

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Jewish communities mourn Bondi victims

BY ADAM MOSES

Jewish communities globally came together on Monday night in memory of the 15 victims of the Bondi Beach terror attack in Sydney.

In Australia hundreds gathered at the beach bedecked with flowers and mourned those murdered by two terrorists.

In the UK, Campaign Against Antisemitism and Chabad UK organised a Light Up London event at Westminster just 24 hours after the atrocity.

Joining CAA chief executive Gideon Falter were keynote speakers Under-Secretary of State for Public Health and Prevention Ashley Dalton, Shadow Attorney General Baron Wolfson of Tredegar and Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice.

“What happened in Sydney will happen again and again until the West wakes up,” Falter said. “The enemy is at the gate. Our politicians are out of time. There is not a moment to lose.”

Falter was unable to stop Dalton being heckled with shouts of “stop the marches and “we want action, not words” as she said Labour would stand with the Jewish people.

“We are here to stand together against the hatred and vitriol from wherever it comes,” she said. “The Government does not and will not tolerate antisemitism.”

A CAA spokesperson said: “This evening, we sought to bring light to the

18 DECEMBER 2025

darkness, to mourn the dead and celethe highest levels of anti-Jewish racism in celebrating this ancient festival of Jewish brate the endurance of Jewish life in the living memory. defiance in the face of evil.” face of those who mean us harm, in the “Incitement runs rampant. Criminality Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnspirit of Chanukah. goes unpunished. Would-be perpetrators ham spoke at Heaton Park Synagogue, “Chanukah recalls the Jewish fight are undeterred. The threats that British which suffered a terror attack on Yom against antisemitic oppression in another Jews, like Jews across the world, are facKippur and condemned “abhorrent acts era, and calls on us to redouble our efing are graver than any Western governof antisemitism”. forts in that same fight today. We will not ment seems prepared to acknowledge.

“We think today of people affected by be cowed by terrorists, nor will we allow The West has still not woken up to the what happened in Sydney and I know it the names of the fallen to be forgotten.” menace, much less roused itself to fight it. has reverberations here,” he said.

They added: “The threats that British Until it does, Jews will continue to pay the Burnham vowed to work with partners Jews, like Jews across the world, are facultimate price, and then, so will everyin the Jewish community to protect the ing are graver than any Western governone else. But tonight is Chanukah, and community. ment seems prepared to acknowledge. we have gathered at Parliament Square Events also took place in Edinburgh, The West has still not woken up to the to remember the Australian dead and Leeds and Birmingham. menace, much less roused itself to fight to do what they gave their lives doing: it. Until it does, Jews will continue to pay the ultimate price, and then, so will everyone else.”

When CAA arrived at Parliament Square there were shouts of “Free Palestine” by some protesters.

“This is sadly what we have come to expect in Sadiq Khan’s and Mark Rowley’s London,” noted CAA. “The Islamist terrorist atrocities in Manchester and Bondi Beach have not arisen in a vacuum. They are borne of a climate of antisemitism, glorification of terrorism and genocidal rhetoric that we have seen on our streets and social media, on our campuses and in cultural institutions. They are fuelled by media bias against the Jewish state and the ineptitude of our authorities, which have Andy Burnham at Heaton Park Synagogue vowing to protect the community failed for two years to clamp down on

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Norwood Launches Its New-Look Annual Appeal, Raising £2 Million at Launch Events The new-look Norwood Annual Appeal was launched to key supporters at dedicated dinner and lunch events, as part of the first of a series of fundraising and awareness-raising events planned over the course of the year. The two streamlined events, which were generously sponsored by The Lord Leonard and Lady Estelle Wolfson Foundation and designed to engage supporters in a more bespoke way, raised £2 million with support from Norwood’s generous donors. The occasions brought supporters together in a more focused and engaging format, setting a strong foundation for the year ahead.

At the first event – a dinner for 400 of Norwood’s most loyal supporters at the Chancery Rosewood Hotel in November, Norwood Chair Miles Webber referenced “a Norwood that is prepared to do things differently, a different venue, with a smaller, carefully selected guest list”. Webber went on to call on “each and every one of you to stand with us, like never before”, and increase their contribution to help fund the wealth of Norwood provision that receives no government funding and is not readily

available elsewhere.

Among that unfunded provision lies much of Norwood’s children and family services, which includes coaching, advocacy, therapy, peer support groups and short breaks provision to support the needs of the whole family, enabling them to live meaningful and fulfilling lives.

Introducing the evening’s charity appeal film in which she featured alongside her husband Neil and three young children Zack, Ari and Max, was mum Abbi Taylor, a beneficiary of many of those services.

Invoking the appeal’s theme of See Beyond, an invitation to look past labels and discover new ways of understanding learning disabilities, autism, and neurodivergence, Abbi acknowledged that “to some people who might witness one of our kids’ meltdowns, they might just see our children’s challenges as

‘bad behaviour’”. Despite the prevailing stigma to seeking help, thanks to the 1:1 parenting, autism and sibling support groups they had received from Norwood, she added, “we’re in a much better place than we were - or would have been without Norwood. Although parenting three neurodivergent children is hard and unpredictable, we’re calmer and better equipped with tools to cope, which has improved things for the whole family.”

Fresh from the Strictly dancefloor, surprise guest and Norwood alumni Ellie Goldstein took the stage alongside current Unity attendees and devoted fans Hannah and Rafi to introduce a film showcasing how integrated music and movement sessions help improve communication skills and confidence for children and young people with often profound learning disabilities and audience.

The second event, an intimate lunch held at Tony Page Marylebone in

December, provided an opportunity to explore the appeal theme in more depth.

“We all know the five basic senses – sound, smell, taste, touch, and sight – but for many autistic and neurodiverse people, those senses don’t feel “basic” at all,” said Norwood’s Chief Executive Naomi Dickson. “Imagine walking into a room where every sound feels like a shout, every flicker of light a spotlight, and every texture feels abrasive,” she added, alluding to the common neurodivergent experience of sensory overload.

Elsewhere, speaking of her lifelong connection to Norwood, which had seen her volunteer to support afterschool clubs at the Kennedy Leigh Family Centre as a teenager, and co-founder of a Young Norwood professional committee at the start of her career, Luciana, Baroness Berger, paid tribute to Norwood’s whole family support, which recognises the vital role that grandparents play in childcare for so many families. Norwood’s new model of needs-based early intervention support, she stressed, was essential for ensuring families got the support they needed to help improve their lives and dynamics, independent of diagnosis.

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COMMUNITY 15

Pull Yourself Together: What You Need To Know Before Starting Your Passover Program Search Pesach programs are a lot of things.

They are a vacation, they are a holiday, they are an experience and they are- let’s be frank, an investment. When you and your family go on a Pesach program, you’re paying a premium for a long list of different types of experiences— exciting, mouth-watering, relaxing, exhilarating, spiritual, family bonding etc. It’s a package that includes entertainment, childcare, travel, cuisine, intellectual stimulation and so forth. That being said, the best way to make sure your research yields the most beneficial results is to be prepared when you begin.

WHO’S GOING? Think about air travel. When searching for the best pricing for flights online, you need to have certain known parameters before starting. Even if you have flexibility, you need to know the number and ages of the passengers, as well as the specific dates and times that work for your trip. Without these it’s almost impossible to research effectively. On passoverlistings.com, a site that provides users with Passover program details, reviews, pricing, contact information and a concierge service to assist in find the best program for them, users can click on the “Pricing Tool” and enter the number of rooms and number of guests per room. The site then populates a list of

programs in price order. While prices can vary to some degree based on a number of factors, this tool helps guide program seekers to standardized pricing so that they can compare apples to apples and support them making the most informed decision possible. Two currently popular and highly talked about programs on the site are Olam Barcelona and Olam Croatia. Offering extremely reasonably priced rates, paired with high end cuisine and beautiful resorts and destinations, previous attendees can’t say enough good things about their experiences at both of these programs. Regardless of which program you choose or how you sign up, knowing the number of guests, as well as their ages and how many rooms/ beds/suites you will be needing is critical information necessary to any kind of research for Passover program pricing.

HOW FAR YOU’LL GO Every year, opportunities for how and where people want to spend their Pesach vacations grow and change. You can choose from country retreats with actual organic farm to table dining or five star resorts. You can stay within the tri-state area or venture to Europe, Thailand, Morocco or Australia. In terms of location, the options are endless. That being said, everyone’s circumstances are different. Maybe you want to spend part

of the holiday with family and part at a program. Maybe your group includes an older or pregnant family member and so are limited to relatively local travel.

In the United States, with programs on the east coast, west coast and sprinkled in between, no matter where you are, a Passover program is no more than a short plane or even car ride away. In Palm Springs, California, you’ve got Upscale Legacy just a two hour ride from Los Angeles. In Stamford, Connecticut, you’ve got Al Kanfei Nisharim’s The Pesach Experience at the Armon Hotel and Conference Center. In Long Branch, New Jersey, Leisure Time Tours is hosting one of their six programs this season. Agudas Achim in Aurora, Ohio offers those in the Midwest a local and affordable option to enjoy the holiday without having to travel too far. Add all of the Florida programs and Pesach rentals, as well as other programs in Texas, Arizona and Colorado. There are programs all over the US, making it easy for Americans to access wonderful options closeby.

Those options are great for those who want to stay local. But what about those hungry for adventure and to experience something new and different? Kosherica Atlantis in the Bahamas offers guests once in a lifetime opportunities like touring through The Dig, a maze of

underwater corridors and passageways, journeying through ancient Atlantis.

At Safari Pesach Retreat in Rustenberg, South Africa, guests can tour Safari game reserves, animal sanctuaries, gold mines and go hot air ballooning. Zip lining through the jungles of Costa Rica. Swimming with Dolphins in Cancun. For those seeking adventure and experiencing something. Re and incredible- there are just so many options to choose from.

The bottom line is that whether you want to stay in your time zone or are willing to journey across the world, knowing just that will make choosing a program much simpler a task.

HOW MUCH ARE WE TALKING? On to everyone’s favorite topic- a budget. A dirty word to some and comforting to others, budgets help people determine what will work for their financial situations. Working in the business, I frequently get asked about Passover programs, but more specifically, I get asked about pricing. “I want to go on a Pesach program with my siblings and our kids.

How much is it going to cost?” While this question may seem simple, it’s actually not. It’s just too open ended of a question to be able to offer a helpful response. I now know that properly answering their question requires them answering the follow up question, “What is your budget or price range?” This is the point at which people tend to retreat, uncomfortable providing one. In most cases though, people do have a ceiling; a price point they will not exceed. This is key to finding the right Pesach program, or even kosher travel option. Knowing your budget, or your highest possible number, will give you tangible answers.

Maybe that number will give you a list of options. Maybe you’ll find two to three. Maybe you’ll find that it’s not a realistic number and while it won’t work for this year, you now know how to plan for the future.

Having your basic information clear and together before beginning your search is really the best way save you time and energy while navigating the ever-growing world of Passover programs. By gathering and having ready your parameters for the number of people in your group and the number of rooms you’ll need, the distance you’re willing to travel, and the amount you’re willing to spend, you will exponentially simplify your research process and make communicating with programs a much more clear and efficient experience. Happy searching and have a great time!

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Letters to the Editor 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.

THIS IS NOT ISOLATED ATTACK Dear Editor, Action Against Discrimination ( “AAD”) condemns and deplores this latest unprovoked and callous attack on innocent Jewish victims , this time in Sydney , Australia The perpetrators in this case are known but anyone involved in such incidents , both directly and indirectly, must immediately be arrested and brought to justice This world wide “ Jew hatred “ must now stop once and for all.

The reality is that Governments and western leaders have created and fostered a climate and environment which has allowed ( and therefore arguably encouraged ) these atrocities , and have stood by silently whilst an atmosphere of hate and anti - semitism towards Jewish

people has grown significantly.

In the UK, Labour under Starmer are a good example and no exception and their lack of real preventative action is clear to see . Their tolerance ( and that of the police) of the pro Palestinian , anti - semitic marches is contemptible and a good example of their inadequacy. The Heaton Park shul attack was coming , and there will be another, inevitably.

What measures have been adopted since the heinous , anti - semitic banning of Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters from the recent Aston Villa football match ? The answer is none .The local police should all be dismissed without further delay . It is all talk and no action.

It is acknowledged that anti - Israel rhetoric and behaviour is a cloak for

anti semitism but western leaders do not seem to get it.

This current Labour Government has supported the creation of a Palestinian State ( thus rewarding Hamas terrorism ), restricted arms supplies to Israel and supported the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu for war crimes The BBC ( Bowen et al ) continue to play their part too We must not forget Starmer’s unstinting support of more than four years for the acknowledged anti - semite Jeremy Corbyn.

Our Community leaders have come across as weak and timid in the face of this rampant antisemitism.The rise of , and support for , so many new community organisations such as Campaign Against Antisemitism

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18 DECEMBER 2025 , UK Lawyers for Israel , the National Jewish Assembly , Stop the Hate, and AAD is evidence of their failure.

In the UK , we have no choice but to battle on , against the Labour Government , the Police , the Mayor of London and the BBC all of whom are contributing to the demise of the UK Jewish Community.

Let us see if our leaders , both worldwide and local , have the steel and stomach to “ fight the fight” .and “ put their heads above the parapet”.

We wait with bated breath !!

Yours faithfully, Jonathan Metliss Chairman , Action Against Discrimination and Jewish Weekly

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EDITORIAL

Is it Time to make Aliyah?

joining you. We’re done extremists, to a Jewish home shot 22 with this country. I don’t times this week with antisemitic slogans The horrific antisewant my children growing captured on CCTV, to a man verbally mitic attack in Sydney up here.” assaulted on a subway in a petrifying this week must serve In Manchester over incident. as a wake-up call to Succot, I spoke to heroes Tell it to the father in Canada beaten in Jews everywhere. For from Heaton Park Shul who front of his young daughter. decades, Australia was told me how the terrorist The lesson of Jewish history is painfully viewed as one of the safscreamed: “You’re killing consistent: denial comes before disaster. est havens in the Jewish our kids in Gaza—I’m here Opening an Aliyah file is not panic. It is world—stable, tolerant, to kill your kids.” responsibility. It does not mean you are distant from Europe’s We visited an old-age leaving tomorrow—but it means you are traumas. Many of home where an elderly lady ready if tomorrow comes.

Sydney’s Jewish victims sobbed uncontrollably. She Learn the lessons German, Spanish, were themselves survinever imagined this could and European Jewry learned too late. vors or children of surhappen in Manchester—on Live in reality, not denial. vivors who had fled the Yom Kippur of all days. She Open an Aliyah file today. Because it ashes of the Holocaust told me how, as a child in can happen again—and history shows us to what they believed Germany, she witnessed that it always does.

Mourners gather by floral tributes at the Bondi Pavilion on Monday in memory of the victims of were safe shores. This Nazis shoot twenty baPHOTO: SAEED KHAN/AFP/GETTY IMAGES Sunday’s terror attack. week, that illusion was bies in front of her. “We system to navigate. But history has taught shattered. Once again, came here to be safe,” Jews learned the hard way that geography us, again and again, that what is easy is she said. “Now it isn’t.” often not what is right. does not protect us from hatred.

They said the same thing once Over Yom Kippur and Succot, I was in What happened in Sydney was not an about Germany. Berlin was called England. On Yom Kippur morning, walkanomaly. It is part of a global pattern the “Jerusalem of Europe.” Jews were ing to shul in London where I was serving that has accelerated since October 7—an integrated, successful, respected. It as chazan, I struck up a conversation with could never happen there—not in a unmasking of something that was always a congregant. I asked whether the surge there, waiting for the right moment to civilised country. in antisemitism over the last two years surface. The slogans, the violence, the At Yad Vashem, I watched a surhad made him consider Aliyah. targeting of Jews simply for being Jews: vivor recall how, after Kristallnacht, “Absolutely not,” he said. “I have a nice we have seen this movie before, and we his mother was stunned when her house, a great job, my wife and children know how it ends when warnings are non-Jewish friends stopped answerare settled, my parents are here. Yes, it’s ignored. ing her calls. Her brother, already uncomfortable sometimes—but as long British Jewry must urgently begin in the Holy Land, offered to pay for as we avoid town during Palestinian opening Aliyah files. Not tomorrow. Not visas and tickets for the entire famrallies, we’re fine.” “one day.” Now. ily. She refused. She didn’t like the A few hours later, during the break in I made Aliyah with my wife and chilMiddle Eastern weather. She died in shul, after the terrible news from Mandren just weeks before October 7. Let’s Auschwitz. chester began circulating, I saw the same be honest: Aliyah is not easy. Not with Americans once said it could never Rabbi Walker of the Heaton Park Shul that was subject to the man again. He was pale, shaken. children, not with parnassah to rebuild, happen in the USA—the land of the Terror Attack on Yom Kippur PHOTO: PAUL CURRIE / AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES “Chazan,” he said quietly, “we’re not with a new language, culture, and free. Tell that to families targeted by

BY YOSSI SAUNDERS

Lighting the Darkness, Wherever It Appears

BY ELAN GORJI, CEO, JNF UK

In recent days, the Jewish world has been shaken again by a devastating antisemitic attack in Australia. Jews were targeted simply for being Jewish. It was another shocking act of violence, yet one that felt disturbingly familiar. Moments

Derech Eretz Leadership Programme Participants

like this demand more than condemnation; they force us to ask how we respond - not only with security and solidarity, but with purpose.

For JNF UK, that purpose is clear. It is about spreading light where darkness threatens to take hold. It means investing in people, particularly young people, who are rebuilding communities, restoring confidence and shaping Israel’s future.

That belief sits at the heart of our Shining a Light on Israel’s Next Generation campaign.

Chanukah offers an enduring, practical lesson.

We often focus on the miracle of the oil, but

the story begins earlier, at a far more human moment. The Maccabees entered a desecrated Temple surrounded by destruction and uncertainty. They did not know whether anything pure remained, but they searched anyway, believing that even amongst the destruction, there was hope.

That first act was not supernatural. It was a decision: to look for what was still good, and to protect it. Only then did the miracle begin.

That same choice confronts us today: whether to turn away from the damage, or to commit to rebuilding what remains.

Since 7th October 2023, communities across Israel, especially in the north and south, have been living with disruption that does not end when headlines fade.

Families are still rebuilding routines.

Children are still processing fear, and parents are carrying grief while trying to begin again.

At JNF UK, we have learned that real recovery is rarely defined by dramatic gestures. It is shaped by consistency: by

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being present after the initial crisis, by supporting local leadership, and by helping people believe in their own ability to rebuild.

This Chanukah, our Shining a Light on Israel’s Next Generation campaign focuses on young people in Israel’s periphery, and on the adults they will become.

Because if Israel is to heal well, it will be shaped by a generation that is grounded, capable, and committed to service.

In dozens of under-served neighbourhoods, our partner Osim Shchuna (Building Neighbourhoods), works with residents and teenagers who want to take responsibility for the streets they live on.

Rather than seeing their community as a place to escape, participants are encouraged to see it as a place they can shape, organising local activities, improving shared spaces and checking in on isolated neighbours. The result is a quiet but profound shift in how a neighbourhood looks and feels from the inside.

Continued on page 19

18 DECEMBER 2025

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Continued from page 18

and encouragement. Homework clubs, additional tutoring and enrichment sit During the war, Osim Shchuna’s teams alongside a hot meal and a listening helped ear. For a clear and child who renovate has fallen thousands behind, acaof disused demically or bomb shelemotionally, ters when that consistmunicipal ency can be serviclife-changes were ing. stretched Further beyond south, capacity. leadership Today, they programmes continue such as their core, Derech Eretz long-term (The Way of work: supthe Land), porting atwork with risk youth, young adults organising at critical local activcrossroads JNF UK Fellowship Students Volunteering in Israel with Osim Shchuna ities and in their rebuilding lives. Many trust street by street. One repaired encome from Israel’s periphery, from small trance, one weekly gathering, one trusted towns or difficult family circumstances. adult can make the difference between What they find is a framework of mentora street that feels neglected and one that ing, responsibility and belonging. They feels safe again. learn to live together, to serve something In Akko and Kiryat Malachi, JNF UK’s larger than themselves, and to imagine a Houses of Excellence offer another different path forward. Leadership, in this form of light. Each afternoon, children context, becomes an act of hope. who need more than school alone can Nowhere is that more evident than provide, arrive to find structure, care in Kibbutz Nir Oz. A place that came to

symbolise the horrors of 7th October is we also picture these less visible lights: also a place where the future must be a teenager choosing to volunteer rather rebuilt carefully and humanely. Through than withdraw; a child finding stability BeMaale HaDerech (The Road Ahead), after months of uncertainty; a community a new leadership academy based on beginning to believe in its future again. the kibbutz, young Israelis from across Those are the lights JNF UK is committhe country will spend a year living and ted to spreading — long after the candles volunteering there, working the fields, in our windows have gone out. supporting elderly residents and running To learn more about how JNF UK is activities for children. Their presence will supporting Israel’s growth and recovery help restore daily rhythms to a traumaby empowering the next generation of tised community, while shaping leaders young leaders, please visit www.jnf.co.uk/ grounded in service, resilience and chanukah. responsibility.

And the work is not only “over there”. Here in the UK, the JNF UK Fellowship Programme works with sixthform students over the course of a year, helping to nurture confident, thoughtful Jewish leaders with a strong connection to Israel and a clear sense of responsibility within our own community.

For more than a century, JNF has been a bridge between Jewish homes in Britain and the towns and villages of Israel’s periphery. A bridge is not only for emergencies; it is for everything that comes after. Recovery takes years, not weeks, and our task, as it has always been, is to stay.

As we light Chanukah canJNF UK House of Excellence dles this year, my hope is that

When Darkness Strikes, We Choose Light

BY RABBI SANDOR MILUN

The terror attacks in Manchester and Bondi were shocking, brutal reminders that hatred is not theoretical. It is real, it is violent, and it targets ordinary people going about ordinary lives. As Jews, these moments land heavily. We know what it means to live with the knowledge that evil exists and that it sometimes wears the face of ideology, sometimes madness, and sometimes both.

In the aftermath of such attacks, the conversation often turns, understandably, to security. More guards. More barriers. More cameras. And yes, security is essential. Jewish history has taught us, painfully, that we cannot afford complacency. Protecting lives is a sacred obligation.

But I want to suggest that security alone is not the full response. It is necessary, but it is not sufficient.

There is another Jewish response, one that has sustained us for millennia: to increase light in the face of darkness.

The Torah teaches, “‫ַאל־ִיְִתְַיֵַּצּב ָ​ָרָׁשׁ ע‬

‫ַצִּדּיק‬ ַ ‫”ִלְִפְֵנֵי‬. “Evil cannot ultimately stand in the presence of righteousness.” Our sages go further. The Talmud (Sotah 14a) teaches that just as God clothed the naked, visited the sick, and comforted the mourners, so too must we. In other words, the Jewish response to a broken world is not withdrawal, but engagement, acts of kindness, that heal what hatred tries to destroy.

At GIFT, we see this daily. When people give, not out of guilt or fear, but out of responsibility and compassion, something shifts. Kindness restores dignity. Giving creates connection. And connection undermines the very fuel that extremism feeds on: isolation, dehumanisation, and despair.

Last year, a friend told me that he saw three young ladies standing at the edge of his driveway, looking at his Chanukah candles. He opened the door and asked, “Can I help you?” He was hoping it wasn’t going to be a negative interaction. In a thick Israeli voice, with broken English, one of them said, “We didn’t know it’s Chanukah tonight. We’re on holiday.

We want to light candles.” He welcomed them in, they used an extra Chanukiah that they have and after enjoying dinner

and doughnuts, they exchanged numbers, and they went back to their holiday.

The prophet Isaiah speaks of this in language that feels painfully relevant: “‫”ָהָ​ָעָם ַהַֹהְֹלְִכִים ַּבֹּחֶֹׁשׁ ְך ָ​ָראּו אֹור ָּגּדֹול‬.

“The people who walk in darkness have seen a great light.” Judaism does not deny the darkness. It insists that light is stronger.

This is not idealism. It is realism of the deepest kind. Security protects the body; kindness protects the soul of society.

When millions are poured into fences and fortifications and let me be clear, often rightly, we must also ask: What are we investing in the moral fabric of our communities? Are we teaching young people empathy? Are we modelling responsibility for one another? Are we building societies where people feel seen, valued, and connected?

Hatred grows where kindness is absent.

The Jewish people have survived not only because we guarded ourselves, but because we chose to build, to give, and to care, even when the world gave us reasons not to. The Midrash teaches that when we bring kindness into the world, we become partners with God in creation itself.

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That is the quiet power of being part of the Jewish people. Not that we are immune to evil, we are not, but that we refuse to let evil define us.

We will continue to invest in security.

We must.

But let us also invest in something far older and far stronger: chessed, acts of outward focused kindness that bring light into dark places.

Because history has shown, again and again: Darkness does not defeat light.

Evil does not have the final word.

And kindness, when practised collectively, is the most powerful force the world has ever known.

Sandor joined the GIFT team in March 2019. His life’s vision - developing opportunities and engaging our youth in the community, ensuring positive change through social action and education - fits perfectly with GIFT’s mission to inspire and enable giving. His energy, enthusiasm and enterprising nature coupled with his determined mindset are a natural fit to spearhead the GIFT team.

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Shivat Zion Launches Fundraiser as UK Aliyah Jumps 70% Shivat Zion has launched a crucial fundraising campaign to raise £65,000 to meet the growing demand for Aliyah support across the United Kingdom and Europe. Since the outbreak of the war in 2023, Aliyah from the UK has risen sharply. The Jewish Agency recorded a 76 percent rise between 2023 and 2024, followed by a further 20 percent increase in 2025. The number of British Olim has climbed from 391 in 2023 to 577 by October 2025, which represents growth of more than 70 percent, with 2026 Aliyah rates set to go beyond that.

Shivat Zion is the only charity offering free support and officially authorised by the Jewish Agency that supports British Jews throughout the Aliyah process and more importantly helps prepare life in Israel (klita). This unique role has placed the organisation at the centre of a rapidly expanding movement of families and individuals seeking to build their future in Israel.

Demand for assistance has grown at an unprecedented rate. In the first eleven months of 2025, Shivat Zion received 25 percent more requests for help and guidance than it did in all of 2024. Online support use, including its information portal and Aliyah GPT service, increased by 30 percent in the same period.

Compared with 2023, Shivat Zion is now providing 150 percent more support across all channels.

The rise in Aliyah reflects broader trends across Europe. Since 7 October, European Jewish communities have faced escalating antisemitism, both violent and institutional. More families are turning to Aliyah as a source of safety, a place of stability and purpose to raise their children. Shivat Zion remains the only free, dedicated and officially recognised Aliyah charity serving Europe, handling record volumes of casework and personal guidance. In 2025 alone, up to November, the organisation supported over 500 complex Aliyah cases, 5000 help requests and set up hundreds of one to one meetings preparing people for their Aliyah.

This already represents a 30 percent rise with the year

not yet over.

Shraga Evers, CEO of Shivat Zion, said: “Over the past two years we have witnessed a remarkable wave of commitment from British Jews who feel that this is their moment to come home. Every day we speak with families who are looking for a better future and a partner to guide them. Our team is working around the clock, yet the need continues to grow.

This campaign is essential if we are to support every person who reaches out to us. I am asking our community to stand with us so that no one is left without help at a time when Aliyah has become both a

lifeline and a calling.”

As the campaign coincides with Chanukah and the final weeks of the year, Shivat Zion is calling on supporters to help light the way for future Olim. Funds raised will ensure that the organisation can continue providing free, high quality and personal guidance to all who seek to make Israel their home in 2026 and beyond.

Every contribution, whether pound, euro, shekel or dollar, directly strengthens the services offered to Olim and enables Shivat Zion to meet the rising demand.

Gift Aid can be applied to donations from the UK.

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The JLE is becoming Olami UK Since 1985, JLE (Jewish Learning Exchange) has been London’s premier home for university students and young professionals seeking Jewish learning, community, and profound wisdom.

Together with likeminded organizations around the world, JLE has participated for many years in outstanding global programs as part of Olami, a network of educators and organizations in 25 countries around the world.

Today, Olami is proud to introduce Olami UK, JLE’s new identity beginning in 2026. In becoming Olami UK, JLE joins dozens of Jewish education programs in marquee cities around the world including New York, Tel Aviv, Paris, Berlin, Buenos Aires, and Sydney, helping create an international network for Jewish connection.

Olami UK, under the continuing strong leadership of CEO Rabbi Benjy Morgan and the trustees, links itself to the worldwide programming of Olami and the over 1,000 educational professionals with whom the Olami UK staff will work cooperatively around the world. This is the next step in an evolution that began long ago as Rabbi Morgan and his team worked closely with other organizations

around the world and with the leadership of Olami, who’ve played a major role in the strategic shifts that have powered JLE in recent years.

Rabbi Avi Cassel, Executive Vice President of Olami and Managing Director for North America and English-speaking countries said, “The entire world benefits from the strong and familiar name that Olami has developed for high quality learning, trips, and programming.

Rabbi Morgan and JLE have been among our most prestigious partners for years, and we are excited that they will now carry the Olami UK name, connecting their students even more deeply to inspiring programming and to other students, young professionals, and communities around the world.”

As Olami UK, the veteran organization will provide: • New Travel and Program Opportunities – As part of the international “Young Professionals Network”, Olami UK’s participants will experience new educational getaways with likeminded peers from around the US, South Africa, Australia, Europe, and beyond.

Borough Commander and Chief Inspector visit Rabbi Leivi Sudak On Monday evening, Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams, and Chief Inspector Paul Condren of the Barnet Borough Police visited Rabbi Leivi Sudak

of Lubavitch of Edgware to express their concern for the Jewish Community of Barnet following the recent Terror Attack on the Jewish Community in Bondi, Australia.

Amongst the matters discussed was to hold an open forum for the Jewish Community at an appropriate venue in the Borough where the Police would give a small presentation and then take questions from the audience.

It is hoped that this can take place at Edgware United Synagogue in the near future. Details will be announced as and when they become available.

• Educational Resources and Social Media Content – With dozens of other centers around the world and with the support of Olami’s professionals, UKbased students will see new content in the classroom and at home, all the while connecting them to a global movement of growth-minded young people.

• Shared Expertise – The interconnection with other centers around the world offers opportunities for collaboration, training, and resource-sharing across Olami’s worldwide network.

18 DECEMBER 2025

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“Becoming part of Olami enables every young Jewish adult in London to belong to a truly global Jewish family, one that already spans from Manhattan to Paris and countless other cities around the world. Through this partnership, our London hub and our programmes in schools and universities will expand to meet the evolving needs of the next generation.

“Our deepened partnership with Olami means greater efficiency and higher quality for our organisation, but most importantly, it means richer and more meaningful experiences for students and young professionals. Whether they relocate, travel, or simply seek a place to belong in any major city, Olami provides a trusted network and a home wherever they go.”

The evolution of JLE to Olami UK begins now and will be fully in place by April 2026.

• Stronger Infrastructure – A project already in motion, the close bond between Olami UK and Olami’s central teams expand our expertise in areas such as strategic development, content creation, and operational capacity.

Rabbi Benjy Morgan, CEO of Olami UK, shared, “Since October 7, we have witnessed first- hand the TOWING & RECOVERY SERVICES & BUYING SCRAP VECHILES power of Jewish FULL LICENSED AND INSURED peoplehood.

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New Chabad Centre in JTeen Goes to Gateshead Mill Hill East Opens Held on the first night of Chanuka, more than 300 people gathered for the launch of a new Chabad Centre in Mill Hill East, marking a powerful statement of Jewish unity, pride and resilience.

Speaking at the event, Rabbi Dovie Schochet described the launch as deeply moving. “We are not just opening a building, we are lighting a flame,” he said. “This Centre will be a home for every Jew in Mill Hill East, a place of warmth, learning and proud Jewish life.”

The Chabad Centre will host Shabbat and Yom Tov services, children’s programmes, adult learning, community events and pastoral support, creating a welcoming space for Jews of all backgrounds. Rabbi Schochet explained that a Chabad House stands openly and shines

PHOTO: MICHAEL LEE

outward, much like a menorah.

The launch took on added significance in light of the recent antisemitic terrorist attack at a Chanuka celebration in Australia. Referencing the challenges facing Jewish communities worldwide, the message of the evening was clear that the Jewish response to hatred is unity, faith and strengthening Jewish life.

Rabbi Leivi Sudak of Chabad of Edgware, affixed the mezuzah, formally marking the opening of the Centre. Children were all smiles throughout the event, enjoying circus toys and balloons provided by BBZ, adding to the joyful Chanuka atmosphere.

As the doors of the new Centre opened, the evening concluded with a sense of optimism and purpose, as the Chabad Centre looks set to become a lasting source of light for the Mill Hill PHOTO: MICHAEL LEE East community.

JTeen recently brought its Nafsheinu preventative educator programme to Gateshead for the first time, delivering two training sessions for mechanchim from secondary schools and yeshivos across the city. The programme forms part of JTeen’s wider preventative work for yeshivas and seminaries and is designed to give those working with young people the awareness and practical know how to recognise emotional struggles early and respond effectively. Local coordination was supported by Mr Zvi Salomon of Neetsotz.

The sessions attracted strong

participation from across the kehilla.

ADHD specialist Avremi Rosenberg spoke about understanding ADHD and effective classroom strategies. The second session was delivered by psychotherapist and CEO of JTeen, Yaakov Barr, who addressed perfectionism, OCD and the growing challenge of teenagers who struggle with motivation and engagement, offering practical tools to help build resilience and emotional strength.

Yaakov Barr also delivered a public evening talk titled How to Raise Children Without Losing Your Mind, which was introduced by Rabbi A. Hammond and attended by a large audience.

Following the strong response, JTeen is already planning further sessions in Gateshead, including an upcoming programme on addiction led by psychotherapist Mr Dovy Greenman. JTeen continues to expand its preventative work, supporting schools, yeshivas, Sems and communities in helping young people thrive emotionally.

Community comes together to celebrate Chanukah at Jami’s Head Room café More than 100 members of the community came together at Head Room, Jami’s social enterprise café, supported

by The Maurice Wohl Charitable Foundation, to celebrate the second night of Chanukah and honour the life of Elliot Simmons, who generously supported the café and Jami’s community hub in Finchley.

Members of Head Room’s community programme, which runs free daily groups and activities for anyone in the community looking for mental health support, were among the guests who enjoyed Chanukah candle lighting, a cosy corner, doughnuts and latkes, an arts and crafts table, and live music from Head Room’s own community members, Shira and Jonathan.

Daniel Carmel-Brown, Chief Executive of Jewish Care, which Jami is a part of, welcomed Jami service users and thanked long-standing friends, volunteers and supporters of Jami and Jewish Care for all their support. During his welcome speech, the CEO also asked that guests take a moment to reflect on the lives of those Jewish people who were

sadly lost in Sydney. He said, “I came across one quote that sums up, I think, how many of us are feeling today. It says, ‘We are threads in the same tapestry.

When one thread pulls, we all feel it.’ For me, what that represents is the fact that as a Jewish community, we are all interdependent on one another. And so, when we watch the events unfold, as we have seen in various places around the world – in Manchester on Yom Kippur and very sadly yesterday in Australia – it feels like the thread is being pulled for all of us.”

Daniel also acknowledged the volunteers and staff who make what happens at Head Room possible, saying, “I know that this place has transformed many people’s lives.”

Jonathan Prevezer, a trustee of the Elliott Simmons Charitable Trust, spoke before PHOTO: MICHAEL LEE helping to light the Chanukah candles.

“Elliot himself had health issues and was a really lovely man,” he said. “Head Room is the sort of place he would have loved to have come to and spend time at. The trustees are so pleased that we could help with the refurbishment of Head Room. It’s a fantastic place.”

Head Room community member Jonathan, who played keyboard throughout the evening, regularly attends the café’s Community Conversations session, Sunday Games Group and Community

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Walking Group, as well as its monthly Music Group and Open Mic Night. He explained, “When I had nothing to do, Jami gave me somewhere to go. Head Room has given me a chance to play again and revived my passion for music.

Attending the café’s Open Mic Night has also given me a lot of encouragement.”

Meanwhile, Sam, who was busy at the arts and crafts table, and is a regular visitor to Head Room, said, “I come to Coffee & Connect every week, the Sunday Games Group, and have also been to Community Conversations. Head Room is very welcoming and relaxing. It’s lovely to be able to talk to people and mix with others. I also enjoy chatting with the café’s volunteer community befrienders.

Coming here today has been a nice way to celebrate Chanukah as I wouldn’t have done it on my own.”

During his lifetime, Elliott Simmons expressed his desire to contribute to charities supporting people impacted by mental illness, having endured significant mental health difficulties throughout his life.

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18 DECEMBER 2025

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Annual UK Israel Guide Dog Centre Reception It was a packed room at South Hampstead Synagogue on Wednesday 26 November as supporters showed their love and support for the Israel Guide Dog Centre.

Attendees were entertained and inspired by a conversation facilitated by Ronit Knoble featuring special guests Neil Blair, JK Rowling’s literary agent, Erez Barkai, guide dog user and Director of Community Relations at the Centre in Israel and, possibly most important of all, Erez’s guide dog Venus!

Erez spoke very movingly about Venus’ impact on his life and he also described the impact that the Israel Guide Dog Centre is having more generally on the lives of Israelis with disabilities “We have set a new standard for how a society sees and receives people who are assisted by guide dogs and service dogs…….After October 7th, we discovered Israel had no national plan to support people with disabilities in emergencies. … We now work with government offices, municipalities, professional bodies and emergency services to plan for people with disabilities, keep shelters and transport accessible, and communicate clearly during crises.”

Another special guest was Noach

Braun, the Centre’s co-founder and co-CEO. Noach shared the Centre’s ambitious plans to increase the number of Guide and PTSD Service dogs provided for those in desperate need, a need which has never been greater across Israeli society. He also explained how critical support from UK donors is to enable them to meet these plans which require more dogs, more trainers, more equipment and more land in order to come to fruition.

Noach also expressed his deep gratitude to all those at the event: “You are a very important pillar of our organisation, and you should all be so proud of what we have been able to achieve together.

From the UK, you have created a huge impact in Israel.” He went on to outline the scale of the challenge now facing the Centre “We have so many people who need us - people with blindness, people with PTSD and trauma - especially now, after October 7th. Everything we needed before, we now need more of - more puppies, more dogs, more trainers, more land, more vehicles and more support.”

Noach also invited all those there, and everyone else who has an interest in knowing more about the work of this

very special place, to visit the Centre in Beit Oved, Israel.

If you are looking for a meaningful gift this Chanukah then visit israelguidedog. org.uk where you can sign up for as little as £10 per month to the Sponsor a Puppy programme and receive: a personalised certificate, cuddly dog teddy, cute fridge magnet, exclusive updates on the life of our dogs - from birth to retirement, as

well as the knowledge that your gift is helping provide more superhero dogs for Israelis in need. The website is also selling packs of cards featuring gorgeous puppy images which make great Chanukah cards.

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ASK THE RABBI Looking for answers? Send your question to Rabbi@RabbiSchochet.com WHY IS IT CHABAD

Dear Rabbi What happened in Sydney was tragic and I hope my question doesn’t come across insensitive. But why does it always seem to happen to Chabad? First there was Mumbai. More recently there was Dubai last year. And now Sydney. Why is it Chabad that is so often targeted?

Paul Dear Paul It’s an understandable question, and

one others may be quietly asking. But the premise itself needs gentle reframing. It isn’t that Chabad is uniquely targeted. It’s that Chabad is uniquely visible.

Chabad does not operate behind closed doors. It does not limit Judaism to private spaces or insiders. It sets up menorahs in public squares, welcomes anyone who walks in off the street, opens its doors to tourists, students, businesspeople, the curious and the lost alike. Its mission, as articulated by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, was radical in its simplicity: take Judaism out to where Jews actually are. And visibility, sadly, attracts attention - both positive and negative.

In Mumbai, the Chabad House was not a fortified compound. It was a home. A

place where travellers ate Shabbat meals, slept on couches, and felt safe. That openness was precisely its strength - and tragically, what made it vulnerable.

The same is true in Sydney. A public menorah lighting is not a political statement. It is an act of joy, of identity, of light. But in a world where antisemitism has resurged, Jewish visibility itself becomes a provocation to those who hate.

It is important to say clearly: this is not a failure of Chabad’s approach. It is an indictment of the hatred that still exists, and a failure of governments to protect

Jewish communities.

And yet, there is something deeper here. Chabad’s philosophy has never been that Judaism survives by hiding.

Jewish history has taught us the opposite.

Retreat does not protect us; erasure does not bring safety. What has sustained the Jewish people is presence stubborn, joyful,

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unapologetic presence.

The Rebbe sent shluchim to places not because they were safe, but because they were needed. He believed - and history has borne this out - that light changes environments. That one candle can ignite another without losing its own flame.

That does not mean being reckless. Security today is taken seriously, professionally, and responsibly. Jewish life must be protected. Governments must act decisively. Communities must invest in safety. But it does mean refusing to allow fear to dictate identity.

So, when people ask, “Why Chabad?” the answer is: because Chabad insists that Judaism belongs everywhere.

In airports. On campuses. On beaches.

In town squares. In places where Jews might otherwise feel alone.

And that, ultimately, is not a weakness.

It is courage. Those who attack Jewish gatherings are trying to send a message: be quieter, be smaller, be less visible. The

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message for all of us is that we must not respond to terror by becoming smaller Jews. We must not lower our profile, dim our identity, or retreat from public Jewish life. The Jewish response for thousands of years, and which Chabad exemplifies above all else, has been consistent: We gather. We light. We sing. We show up.

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Chanukah is about memories not presents

BY DAVID SAFFER

In a few days Chanukah will officially be over for another year and believe it or not the festival is NOT all about gifts!

Every generation of children however think they have received the best presents.

In my day back in the swingin’ 60s after lighting the menorah and singing Ma’oz Tzur it was present time. Getting a prized Thunderbird 2 is my oldest memory although I was devastated when Thunderbird 4 disappeared down the bath plug!

Annuals were also a regular theme with Beezer or Beano, then as a teen, Shoot annual was the norm.

As a student in the early ‘80s, I worked at Fenwick’s in the Toy Department and was part of the Cabbage Patch dolls craze that was globally all the rage with parents

desperately calling from around the world for the ‘must-have’ gift.

When my children were growing up a decade on Polly pockets, Tamagotchi, Nintendo, Pokeman cards, Game Boys, Furby and Beanie Babies took centre stage.

I even recall almost getting into a fight over a coveted Thunderbirds Tracy Island in Brent Cross!

Now my grandchildren love Lego, transformers and books galore to name a few examples.

So, what are the Top 10 best-selling toys of all time? There are many resources for a notable list so I can’t claim to be offering the definitive list, but here goes.

Hot Wheels was brought to market by Mattel in 1968 as Apollo 8 circled the Moon and was an instant hit with its stylish vehicles, trucks and motorcycles.

The Rubik’s Cube was invented in 1974, the year my team Leeds United won the old Division 1 title!

Initially a teaching tool to understand 3D geometry it has become the best-selling must solve puzzle.

I’m delighted to say that Cabbage Patch Kids, initially handmade and created by Xavier Roberts in 1978, have made the list with their colourful plump cheeks and large eyes.

Barbie has been around for decades and continues to be at the helm for girls.

Meantime, Lego is a standard that never fails to deliver. It’s astonishing the technical sets now available.

Beanie Babies in the 1990s was a huge hit and continues to be the case.

Back in 2021 a reputable website indicated the most valuable. The top five saw a Claude the Crab sell for $7,200, a first generation Iggy the Iguana reached $10,000, Brownie the Bear was valued at $14,000 and a Valentino the Bear with numerous errors sold for $42,000 in 2019. But top of the tree was Princess the Bear to commemorate the passing of Princess Diana in 1997. One was listed on eBay at an eye-watering $500,000!

Meantime, a Barbie super-fan in 2023 had 12,000 Barbie dolls is his house, two storage units and four bedrooms of his parents’ home.

The collection was valued at $500,000 but this is a far cry from Star Wars memorabilia.

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collector cards have always been popular.

From the original 1977 Topps series a PSA 10 copy of The Villainous Darth Vader sold for $48,000 and a Luke Skywalker #1 card went for $78,000 before a 2021 Superfractor 1/1 graded PSA 10 Jedi à la Kurosawa sold for $100,000.

I’m delighted the old-fashioned Teddy Bear has made the list and Tamagotchi toys introduced in Japan in 1996 went global. The digital pet allowed a young owner to technically feed, clean and care for the pet, which if ignored, got ill and died.

Lastly, the yo-yo dates back thousands of years and remains ever popular for children.

Chanukah, however, is not all about buying a present that might prove to be a wise investment.

Going back to ‘normal’ gifts, the consensus in my family for arguably the best year came in the mid-‘90s when money was tight so we put away all the free gifts from cereal boxes.

By Chanukah there was a huge box full of items worth next to nothing, but super fun, and each of the eight nights after lighting the menorah and singing songs there was free for all lucky dip!

Maybe that is the secret of Chanukah, it’s not the value of presents but the memories they create.

Every year I’m reminded of yesteryear Chanukahs gone by. So as another festive period comes to an end all that remains is to wish a final ‘Happy Chanukah’ to all Jewish Weekly readers.

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Am Yisrael Chai in the Heart of Poland They’ll Be

BY RABBI RAFI STEMMER

Last week, a staggering 250 students from JFS travelled to Poland with JRoots & Aish UK on a journey that was never only about remembering Jewish death, but about rediscovering Jewish life. There were five coaches in total: three led by Aish, one by Tribe, and one by Chazak – the largest Poland school trip undertaken this year.

Poland is a land heavy with silence. Its forests, camps and crumbling synagogues whisper stories of a once-vibrant Jewish civilisation that was almost erased. And yet, that silence became the backdrop for something unexpectedly powerful: Jewish pride, connection and renewed purpose. As expected, the students confronted the reality of what was lost and what was nearly destroyed. But what made this trip exceptional was the soul we breathed into each place we encountered.

In towns and shtetls where synagogues stand abandoned, our students filled the walls with life once more. They sang where voices had been silenced. They davened where tefillot had not been heard in generations. Across Poland, the sound of 250 Jewish teenagers singing and dancing to the tune of Am Yisrael Chai was deeply impactful.

One of the most beautiful moments of the trip was Shabbat. We welcomed

Shabbat altogether - singing, dancing and celebrating our Jewish identity with joy and confidence. For many, it was the first time they had experienced Shabbat in such a meaningful way. Students from across the spectrum of affiliations and denominations, held hands and danced together, with a true sense of unity, family and shared purpose.

One of the most harrowing moments came while standing by the gas chambers in Auschwitz. As the students confronted the darkest depths of human cruelty, news reached us of the terror attack in Australia. The timing was chilling. The realisation that Jewish lives are still being targeted today - even as we stood at the epicentre of the Holocaust - was surreal, and shattered any sense that this hatred belongs safely to the past.

Yet from that pain emerged clarity. The moment reinforced a powerful message of the trip: that remembering our history must lead to responsibility. Standing in a place built to extinguish Jewish existence, the students felt more determined than ever to live proudly, visibly and with purpose - to spread light, Jewish values and humanity in a world that still so desperately needs it.

The power of the experience lay in its honesty. Students were encouraged to ask difficult questions, to grapple with what it means to be Jewish in a world

that does not always welcome us, and to reflect on their own identities and unique purpose.

One student captured his experience beautifully: “Before this trip, to be honest, being Jewish wasn’t so important to me.

But now I know it’s so essential to who I am.”

That sentiment was echoed again and again. Many students spoke about a newfound sense of pride - not only in surviving as a people, but in choosing to live Jewishly today. Poland did not make them feel small; it made them feel part of a miraculous nation that has a crucial mission for humanity as a whole.

Arriving home from the airport to light the Chanuka candles was just so apt.

Remembering how the Maccabees fought so valiantly to ensure the continuity of Judaism, filled us with responsibility to light up the world with what we know is true, even if the odds are against us.

In a place where Jewish life was once systematically destroyed, at a time where Jews have been shaken worldwide, in the midst of a festival celebrating the miracle of who we are, we stood together and declared, through song, prayer and pride: Am Yisrael Chai.

Rabbi Rafi Stemmer - Head of Aish UK Schools Department

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Coming For Me

BY MARVIN SHAW

They’ll be coming for me Whatever the year They’ll be coming for me That’s what I most fear Manchester, they came Now attack Bondi Beach Who, this time, to blame?

I feel them within reach BBC spout their lies Doctors we can’t trust Police are bad guys Don’t protect as they must Islamists attack Government has gone woke ‘Thirties have come back’ Is no longer a joke They’ll be coming for me Because I am a Jew But soon you will see That after the Jews They’ll embark on new spree They’ll be coming for you Chanukah sameach Marvin Shaw, Edgware

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Chanukah – Potatoes, eggs and coffee!?

BY RABBI JONATHAN TAWIL

Yosef at a young age faced many challenges. Sold down to Egypt as a slave at the age of 17, he was able to work his way through the prisons to eventually become viceroy of Egypt. He is the first man to be known as wise, to be recognized as a fountain of wisdom and it is the Pharaoh of Egypt who calls him wise.

What was his secret and what’s the connection to this Shabbat Chanukah?

Every day we live on this earth we make choices. Things happen, we make decisions, and that shapes our life. It’s that simple, but do we put enough thought into how we react to things that happen to us?

A story is told of a young girl who complained to her father that her life was miserable and that she didn’t know how she was going to make it. She was tired of fighting and struggling all the time.

It seemed that just as one problem was solved, another soon followed.

Her father, a chef, took her to the kitchen. He filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Once the three pots began to boil, he placed the potatoes in one pot, eggs in the second and ground coffee beans in the third. He then let them sit and boil without saying a word to his daughter. The daughter waited impatiently, wondering what he was doing. After twenty minutes he turned off the burners.

He took the potatoes out of the pot and placed them in a bowl. He took the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. He then ladled the coffee out and placed it in a cup.

Turning to her, he asked. “What do you see?” “Potatoes, eggs and coffee,” she hastily replied.

“Look closer”, he said, “and touch the potatoes.” She did and noted that they were soft.

He then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg.

Finally, he asked her to sip the coffee.

Its rich aroma brought a smile to her face.

“Father, what does this mean?” she asked.

He explained that the potatoes, the eggs and coffee beans had each faced the same adversity – the boiling water. However,

each one reacted differently.

The potato went in strong, hard and unrelenting, but in boiling water, it became soft and weak. The egg was fragile, with the thin outer shell protecting its liquid interior until it was put in the boiling water. Then the inside of the egg became hard. However, the ground coffee beans were unique. After they were exposed to the boiling water, they changed the water and created something new.

“Which one are you?” he asked his daughter. “When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a potato, an egg, or a coffee bean?”

In life, things happen around us, and things happen to us. The only thing that truly matters is our choice of how we react to and what we make of circumstances.

We must learn, adapt and choose to make the best of each experience.

Our reaction has the power of turning boiling hot water in to tasty coffee.

This week is Shabbat Chanukah, and the weekly portion is Miketz, which we supplement with verses from the book of Numbers that relate to the Chanukah, or inauguration, of the Tabernacle as well as a special Haftarah taken from Zechariah relating to the Menorah.

Zechariah was a man who saw many mysterious visions. He would typically ask an angel or the Almighty Himself, to explain the meaning of his visions. And so we find, near the end of the passage we read this week, the following vision: “I see a lamp stand full of gold, with a bowl above it. The lamps are seven in number; each has seven pipes above it, and by it are two olive trees…”

Characteristically, Zechariah asks the angel, “What do these things mean, my lord?” The angel, like a good psychotherapist, asks him what he thinks the dream means. But the prophet confesses he has no clue.

The angel finally responds, “This is the word of the Lord: ‘Not by might, and not by power, but by My spirit, says the Lord of Hosts.’”

Rashi explains that in his vision Zechariah saw seven tubes going to each lamp.

There were two olive trees next to the menorah, one on either side.

The menorah ran on “automatic.” The trees would beat themselves into the vats and the oil would flow into the lamps by itself. The message was that Zerubavel was destined to put the cornerstone of the Temple and that no nation would be able to stop it’s rebuilding. The motion had begun and through the efforts of the righteous the second Temple would be built.

This is the lesson of Chanukah. When there is a G-dly spark, the mighty are subdued by the weak, and the many by the few.

In our own little homes, we wish to make the point, to ourselves if not for the rest of the world, that “a little light can drive away much darkness.”

The lesson of the power of the single little candle is especially important in this day and age. We are bombarded by the images and sounds of cyberspace, and their message is often pernicious and malicious. The negative effects of most of what we hear and see on the internet and via other media outlets are typically devastating to our hearts and souls, if not our minds.

Yosef too found himself in a foreign land surrounded by negativity. He was far from his father’s influence and the righteous surrounding he grew up in. What was he to do? How would he cope? Many

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of us would have given up in the face of adversity. Yet he persevered and was able to transform the boiling water into a place that would eventually host his father and family. He shone his light in the dark and changed Egypt for the better.

In our day and age, how do we counteract the immense influence of such overwhelming forces? We can only do so if each of us is committed to use the power of modern technology to assert tolerance, kindness, morality, and ethical behaviour. In essence we are to be wise like Yosef and use the challenges of this generation to turn the boiling water into delicious coffee. Through our little light, we are able to shine through a lot of darkness. When we use and light that spark of G-d, then no one can stop the rebuilding of our nation.

Our voices may be soft, but they will be heard. The positive images that we present may be dim, but they will be seen.

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Weekly Dvar Torah

18 DECEMBER 2025

F R O M E R E TZ Y I S R A E L

Focus on the Future

BY RABBANIT SALLY MAYER

In Parashat Mikeitz, Ya’akov’s ten sons travel down to Egypt to buy food and suddenly find themselves facing a harsh Egyptian viceroy. This man – whom they do not yet recognize as Yosef – accuses them of being spies, imprisons Shimon, and demands that they return with their youngest brother. Back home, Ya’akov refuses to send Binyamin, unwilling to risk his last connection to his late wife Rachel. Time passes, the food runs low, and desperation sets in. Ya’akov suggests they return to Egypt to buy more provisions, as if hoping that somehow, the whole messy condition will have been forgotten. But his sons protest: they cannot go back without Binyamin.

Ya’akov cries out in pain, “Why did you bring this trouble upon me by telling the man you had another brother?” And the brothers defend themselves – they had no choice, they were questioned directly.

And then Yehuda steps forward. He stops the circular argument and, with calm

determination, convinces his father to let Binyamin go.

How does Yehuda succeed where the others failed?

To answer that, we need to trace Yehuda’s journey. Yehuda has always been a leader – his brothers instinctively follow his lead.

It was he who suggested selling Yosef rather than leaving him to die in the pit.

But that early leadership came without responsibility: Yehuda acted decisively, without considering the consequences – his father’s anguish, his brother’s fate.

When he sees Ya’akov’s pain, Yehuda withdraws. He distances himself, marrying a Canaanite woman – a striking contrast to his family’s careful avoidance of local marriages. When tragedy strikes again and his daughter-in-law Tamar is left waiting endlessly for a husband who will never come, Yehuda avoids that responsibility too. His decline continues until his encounter with the “prostitute,” who turns out to be Tamar herself. When he realizes what has happened, Yehuda utters the transformative words: “Tzadka

mimeni, She is more righteous than I.” In that moment of humility and truth, Yehuda reclaims not only his signet and staff that he had left with the prostitute, but also his integrity. He saves Tamar, acknowledges his own failings, and takes full responsibility.

The next time we see Yehuda, he has changed.

In Mikeitz, Yehuda’s tone is different – steady, direct, and forward-looking.

He cuts through the noise of regret and blame: Why did you tell him? We had no choice! Yehuda doesn’t waste time on the past. He simply says, “Father, if we want to live, we must act. I will take responsibility for Binyamin – anochi e’ervenu, miyadi tevakshenu, I myself will be his guarantor; you can hold me accountable.”

His words echo Ya’akov’s own declaration to Lavan years earlier – anochi achatenah, miyadi tevakshenah – Ya’akov took full responsibility for the sheep under his care. With these words, Yehuda steps into his father’s shoes, showing that he has become the next link in the chain of

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leadership: responsible, reliable, and focused on the future. From that moment, Yehuda earns not only his father’s trust but also his future role as the ancestor of David HaMelech – and ultimately, the enduring symbol of Jewish leadership.

Each of us, too, faces moments that test our leadership and character. We can stay mired in what went wrong, replaying the past – or we can lift our eyes to what must happen next.

Yehuda teaches us that true strength lies in responsibility, in choosing action over blame, and in focusing not on where we stumbled, but on how to move forward.

May we, like Yehuda, meet our challenges with courage, humility, and a steadfast focus on the future.

Rabbanit Sally Mayer serves as Rosh Midrasha at Ohr Torah Stone’s Midreshet Lindenbaum in Jerusalem. She is a member of the Mizrachi Speakers Bureau (www.mizrachi.org/speakers).

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WHAT3WORDS/// HELLO! Anyone Home?

BY RABBI NAFTALI SCHIFF

As we lit the first candle of Chanukah this year, our joy was pierced by grief.

In Sydney, Jews were attacked simply for being Jews. Families suffered loss and injury. A community was shaken. Across ten thousand miles, hearts in London, Jerusalem and beyond ached in unison. To the families who have suffered, and to the Australian Jewish community at this painful time: we stand with you, we mourn with you, and we hold you close.

Chanukah never pretends darkness doesn’t exist. It insists that light matters most precisely when darkness presses in.

And moments like this strip away illusions. They knock loudly on the door of our conscience and ask a simple, unsettling question: Hello! Anyone home?

When all is said and done, one truth becomes unavoidable. As Jews, we have only each other. Separated by oceans, accents and time zones, yet bound together by history, destiny and responsibility. An attack on Jews in Sydney is felt everywhere because “Kol Yisrael areivim zeh lazeh” all Jews are responsible for one another.

Hello… anyone home?

The prophet Yeshayahu warned of a time when moral clarity would be deliberately inverted: “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil; who turn darkness into light and light into darkness.”

(Isaiah 5:20) We live in such a moment. Terror is contextualised. Hatred is explained away.

Jews are asked to justify their existence while violence against them is reframed as “understandable”.

And yet Jewish history stubbornly refuses to obey the rules of normal history.

Great empires have come and gone.

Mighty civilisations have vanished without trace. We remain. Exiled, scattered, persecuted yet proudly, unapologetically and obstinately still here.

Mark Twain famously marvelled at this phenomenon, noting that while all other nations “have sprung up and played their part and passed away,” the Jew “is what he always was.”

Hello! Anyone home?

Jewish survival defies natural explanation. It always has. It is nothing short of miraculous. Which leads to an unavoidable conclusion: we are not here by accident. A people that refuses to disappear despite every prediction to the contrary is

a people with purpose.

But destiny is not merely a guarantee. It is a responsibility.

And that brings us to the most obvious question of all: what actually secures our Jewish future?

Not museums or statues.

Not statements or pronouncements.

Not fighting antisemitism alone, essential though that is.

The greatest guarantor of Jewish continuity has always been and shall always remain- education, education, education!

Intentionally, unapologetically, and seriously transmitting identity, values, story and a proud and resolute sense of responsibility.

And yet, sitting around communal tables in this country, one hears the same lament again and again: Where is the idealism among young people?

Why the lack of Jewish confidence?

Where are tomorrow’s leaders?

I listen and struggle to understand.

Because if we follow the money, the answer is staring us in the face. The vast majority of ongoing communal investment goes into caring for the elderly and vulnerable, and of course now increased security and combatting anti semitism.

All virtuous and vital. But investment in the Jewish future itself our young people, remains comparatively meagre.

Hello! Anyone home?

If we do not instil in young Jews a deep, authentic and informed understanding of Judaism; if we do not give them profound dignity and fulfilment in who they are and a sense of responsibility for the Jewish future, then no amount of external defence will secure our tomorrow.

In truth, the greatest bulwark against antisemitism is not legal or political, important as these avenues may be, it is proud, articulate, connected young Jews.

Jews who know who they are. Jews who care. Jews who can stand, speak and lead.

At a recent round table discussion about the future of philanthropy in support Jewish causes in the UK someone challenged me with: “ What do you do to encourage young people to become givers?”

I answered that in fact 20 years ago we identified this challenge and created a AUTHENTICITY ‫יושר‬

RESPONSIBILITY ‫אחריות‬

new organisation dedicated precisely to focus upon this issue! GIFT – Give It Forward Today was created to “Inspire and enable lifelong giving” - to share with young people that generosity, responsibility and tzedakah are not optional extras, but core Jewish values.

Another concern raised was that young people can no longer meet Holocaust survivors and that the harsh reality of the Holocaust shall necessarily fade for our younger generation. We recognised that reality was years ago, which is why JRoots invested huge resource and effort in order that survivor testimonies were recorded, meaningful journeys created, and documentaries produced, ensuring that memory is not frozen in archives or sterile museums but encountered, lived and internalised by young people today. One such JRoots documentary entitled UNDENIABLE, will be released this coming International Holocaust Memorial Day. Leadership pipelines? They exist. Programmes such as the Forum for Jewish Leadership were created specifically to ensure that talent does not dissipate but matures into responsibility. The newly elected UJS President is one of many examples of leaders whose journeys were shaped by such frameworks. He is not an anomaly.

There are dozens, indeed hundreds, of leaders under 50 whose paths were forged through Jewish Futures initiatives- FJL, Aish and others.

And inspiring proud Jewish identity more broadly? That is the daily work of Aish and has been our staple for over 30 years- across campuses, schools and communities nationwide- meeting young Jews where they are, challenging them intellectually, inspiring them spiritually, and giving them the confidence to live Jewish lives with pride.

These are not theories. They are proven pathways. Neither is this a party political broadcast! My 3 words today is much more vital and urgent than politics, fundraising or grandstanding.

This very week, nearly 300 JFS sixthformers travelled to Poland with JRoots.

Five buses filled with young Jews encountering history, responsibility and belonging. The week before, it was Immanuel. In

HUMILITY

BALANCE

‫ענוה‬

‫בטחון‬

To support the work of Jewish Futures visit donate.jfutures.org

The knock is getting louder.

Hello! Anyone home?.

Shabbat Shalom

///What3Words is a geocoding system.

In this column, Rabbi Schiff reflects upon 3 key words each week, relating to issues of the day.

All feedback is welcome. Nschiff@ jfutures.org Rabbi Schiff is the Founder and CEO of the Family of Jewish Futures educational organisations

ASPIRATION

‫מאוזן‬

TRUST

two months time - Yavne, King David and Hasmonean! These experiences carry enduring Jewish impact, resonance and inspiration because they are grounded in over 30 years of proven educational research, professionalism and care. They are positive, intellectually serious, emotionally resonant, proudly Jewish, relevant and relatable for our younger generation.

Chanukah teaches the same lesson. It was never about dilution or accommodation. It was about refusal. A small band of Jews who said: we will not disappear; we will not be embarrassed by who we are.

Shabbat. Rosh Chodesh. Brit Milah- Jewish Identity- threatened and reaffirmed!

The Hellenists disappeared. The Maccabees endured.

And when we stand by the candles, feeling the warmth of Jewish family and tradition we intuitively know the truth: deep down, every Jew cares about Jewish continuity. That is why Jews give tzedakah to Jewish causes. That is why they worry.

That is why we care. That is why we invest.

The work of Jewish Futures exists to meet that deep and profound instinct with strategy, experience and scale.

Ensuring vibrant Jewish futures is not a slogan. Today, when it is threatened, it is not a luxury but an urgent necessity. And it is measurable. In numbers reached. In leaders produced. In pride ignited.

After events and feelings roused over the past two years, I would suggest It is no longer enough to tut-tut and say how worrisome things are. The moment demands bolder action, wiser investment, and the courage to back what we know actually works.

UNITY

‫שאיפות‬

CARE

‫אכפתיות‬

‫אחדות‬

RELEVANCE ‫תורת חיים‬

PASSION ‫אהבה‬

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Miketz

In this week’s captivating parasha, the recurring theme of dreams takes centre stage as Pharaoh experiences two enigmatic visions—one involving cows and the other featuring ears of corn. Perplexed by the symbolism, Pharaoh’s butler recalls there is a young Jewish man, Yosef, languishing in jail, known for his dream interpretation skills. Hastily summoned, Yosef emerges from

the pit to stand before Pharaoh, unraveling the dreams’ meaning: seven years of abundance will precede seven years of devastating famine. Recognizing Yosef’s brilliance, Pharaoh elevates him to the esteemed position of second in command.

As the prophesied years unfold, famine tightens its grip on both Egypt and the Holy Land, prompting Yosef’s brothers to journey to Egypt in search

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COWS • DREAMS • FAMINE • GOBLET • NILE • PLENTY • SPIES • YEARS

Last weeks Question: You are one of the judges in a Jewish court in a capital case. It is your turn to state your opinion. If you say, “I find the defendant innocent,” then the defendant receives the death penalty. But if you say, “I find the defendant guilty,” he goes ‘scot-free.’ What is the case?

Last weeks Answer You are the last judge to vote, where all the other judges have already said ‘guilty.’

According to Torah law, convicting someone of a capital crime requires a Sanhedrin of 23 judges. After hearing testimony from eye-witnesses, the judges vote. If at least thirteen of the judges vote ‘guilty’ the defendant is executed.

There is a surprising exception to this, however: If ALL the judges vote guilty, then the defendant is acquitted.

Here’s why: There are two ways to look at everything. There’s no situation in this world without some merit or positive side. If not one judge was able to see the good side and declare the defendant innocent, something’s wrong. The positive side of the case must have been missing during the presentation of the evidence. Therefore, he is acquitted.

Speaking of looking at the good side of criminals: I know of a theft that occurred in a Jerusalem yeshiva. The thief broke into the office safe which was full of cash, valuables and expensive silver ornaments used to adorn the Torah scroll. The thief stole everything in the safe except for these ornaments!

Sources: Maimonides, Laws of Sanhedrin 9:1

Dingbats 2

keep Binyomin as a slave, Yosef observes his brothers’ reactions, leaving them profoundly shaken.

The narrative builds anticipation for the upcoming revelation, as Yehuda is poised to articulate precisely why it is inconceivable for them to return home without Binyomin. The unfolding drama continues to weave a rich tapestry of familial dynamics and Divine intervention in this compelling biblical saga.

Jewish Riddle

Word Search

1

of sustenance. Unaware of Yosef’s true identity, they bow before him. Keen to assess their changed character, Yosef feigns ignorance about their identities, testing whether they have overcome their past harsh treatment of a brother.

Adding an element of intrigue, Yosef instructs his son to conceal a goblet in Binyomin’s sack, leading to a dramatic confrontation. Threatening to

This weeks Question: Aside from Channuka and Chol HaMoed, when is the Torah read 5 days in a row?

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5

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18 DECEMBER 2025

Tangram Challenge!

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Using all the shapes, can you make the shape on the right?

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.

O D T S N

Here are some words you may have found from last week – you may have found more!

cost cote cots iota oats sots

I

I

Last week’s words

cos cot oat sot toe coat

Use the area below to write the words you have found.

R E

taco toes toss coast coats coses

costs cotes iotas oases oasis stoic

tacos coasts cosset stoics cosiest associate

Jokes

Riddles

Q: Where do cows watch films?

A: The mooooovies!

1. What goes up and down the stairs without

Q: What day of the week are twins born?

A: Twos days!

2. The more there is, the less you will see.

Q: Why did the golfer have two pairs of trousers?

A: In case he got a hole in one!

3. I know a word of letters three, add two and

moving?

What is it?

less there will be.

Answers

1. Carpet. | 2. Darkness | 3. Few(er)

Dingbat Answers

1. A lucky break 2. Split level

3. Marmite 4. The after effects

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