Update from Israel

In recent days we have met with Dore Gold, Israel's former ambassador to the United Nations, as well as Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon. Both expressed concern that the window to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons is closing.

We also enjoyed an evening at the exquisite and fascinating newly renovated Israel Museum with a private dinner there. We are in the Negev now, with stops at Masada as well as Qumran, the site of the Dead Sea Scrolls. While in the Negev we also are seeing the work of the IDF and its brave soldiers. You cannot but be impressed by the message we hear consistently from the young men and women of how they work so carefully in such precarious conditions to save lives, even of those who seek to take theirs.

Our visit to the south included a stop at Sderot to see the indoor playground built by the JNF so that children would be able to have a place to play – They have 15 seconds when an alarm is sounded to run and take cover in a bomb shelter. We will also visit the Rabin Center and Independence Hall, the place where Israel declared its independence.

Yesterday we met Steph Wertheimer at the Itscar factory who spoke to us about Israel's technological achievements and who impressed us with his humility and gentle manner. He is the founder of the company bought by Warren Buffet several years ago, Buffet's first purchase outside of the U.S. Click on the following link for more detailed information about Itscar and its purchase by Warren Buffet: http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/mar2008/sb20080314_011498.htm.)

We continued with the theme of Israel's remarkable hi-tech innovations with a visit to Better Place where we test drove electric cars. This company, which was founded by Shai Agassi, is prominently featured in the book "Start-up Nation.” Here is a link to more detailed information about Shai Agassi and Better Place: https://betterplace.com/the-company-leadership-detail/index/id/shai-agassi.

We are now getting ready for shabbat which we will celebrate at the Western Wall, the Kotel. Earlier today we heard from Nitsana Dirshan Leitner of Shurat HaDin, Israel Law Center, about the amazing work she is doing to stop the terrorists in their tracks by unrelentingly pursuing in courtrooms the banks and financial institutions that transfer money and make it possible for them to act. Here is a link to Shurat HaDin’s website: http://www.israellawcenter.org/.

A moving visit to Mt Herzl with Ariel Kotler of the Jewish National Fund (JNF) and the Herzl Museum was followed by a stroll through the open air market of Mahaneh Yehudah where we enjoyed falafel and other delicacies. Here is the link to JNF’s website: http://www.jnf.org/about-jnf/.

Shabbat shalom.

Some Interesting Washington Receptions

October 3, 1990, is the date that Germany celebrates the unification of East and West Germany. On October 3, 2011 the German embassy sponsored a celebration at the residence of the German ambassador. It was a somewhat surrealistic experience to be a guest at the residence of the German ambassador in Washington for such a celebration, but such is the extent of the reconciliation between Germany and the Jewish people, some 66 years after the end of World War II and the end of the Holocaust.

The following week I was invited to a small reception at the home of the Vice President to celebrate the Jewish new year. We gathered outside on the patio near the pool on a beautiful evening. Vice President Biden spoke extemporaneously about his strong affinity for the Jewish people. He said the thing that he, “an Irish Catholic boy,” admires so much about the Jewish community is that “it always thinks about others and how to improve the world.” Using the Hebrew term, “Tikkun olam,” he acknowledged that the Jews have a right to be bitter, but instead are always hopeful and thinking about how to help the rest of the world. He also spoke of his concern about the attempts to isolate and delegitimize the State of Israel.

Needless to say, it is always still a thrill to receive an invitation to go to the White House. However, since I have been to the White House a few times and had never been to the residence of the Vice President, I was especially excited and looking forward to attending a small reception in September at his home for American Jewish community leaders.

When we came through the receiving line to have our picture taken with him, I told the Vice President how much we appreciated his heartfelt words and that I would even incorporate some of what he said into one of my High Holiday sermons. I asked him if he was misquoted in the New York Times article the previous week which said that he was strongly opposed to the granting of a pardon for Jonathan Pollard. He told me that he was not misquoted and that he felt strongly about this issue. As he continued the conversation I was uncomfortable since there were a number of other people waiting in line to have to their picture taken with him, and I had not studied the issue well enough to be able to have an in-depth conversation about the matter. I told him that I would welcome the opportunity to speak about it in further detail with him at a later time, and he said he would welcome it. I gave him my card – we will see what happens.

Response to NY Times Editorial

October 27, 2011

Mr. Arthur O. Sulzberger, Jr.

Publisher

The New York Times

620 Eight Avenue

New York, NY 10018

Dear Mr. Sulzberger,

I am writing to let you know how appalled I was by the insensitivity of The New York Times editorial following the release of Gilad Shalit (October 18, 2011). This was a difficult gut-wrenching decision which touched raw nerves and raised difficult issues which required grappling with difficult sensitive matters for Israeli society. The nation and its leaders were forced to weigh the difficult decision of whether or not to release unrepentant terrorists convicted of acts of murder for one Israeli soldier. Interestingly, despite the fact that polls indicated over 50% of the country felt that the release of over 1,000 convicted terrorists would pose a security risk for Israel, nevertheless, 79% of the public supported the action.

Rather than focus on the decency, humanity and difficulty of the decision or the moral issues it raised, you chose to view it exclusively from a political perspective. Rather than highlight the contrast between barbaric actions of the freed prisoners and their reception and the mood in Israel, you chose to focus on how this action would affect Prime Minister Netanyahu’s political standing and posturing.

While Israel wanted to make a deal due to concern over the uncertainty of the future nature of the Egyptian government, the truth is, it was Hamas, who weighed political concerns and agreed to terms they had previously rejected in order to boost their position and to weaken the Palestinian Authority.

Instead of mentioning any of this, you cynically contend that Prime Minister Netanyahu would prefer to deal with Hamas. You also write with certainty what his future intentions are. I thought you only report (or misreport) current affairs and offer editorial comments. I did not know that The New York Times is also capable of reading minds.

All I can say from the bottom of my heart and with true sincerity is – shame on you for such an insensitive and truly obnoxious editorial, the most offensive I can ever recall reading in your paper.

Sincerely,

Rabbi Stuart Weinblatt

Director, Israel Policy and Advocacy

Rabbinical Assembly

Chairman, Rabbinic Cabinet

Jewish Federations of North America

My Recurring Dream

I had my recurring dream the other night, the one which comes especially this time of year. There are variations of the dream, but the scenario is always the same. This time, I dreamt that I suddenly realized at 1:30 p.m. in the afternoon that it was first day of Rosh Hashana and that I had forgotten to let the cantor and members of the congregation know that I would not be there for the first day of the holiday. Variations of this dream are that it is the High Holidays and I am standing in front of the congregation and left my sermon either on my desk at home or in my office, or that I have not yet written or completed writing it. I always wake up in a panic and am relieved to discover it was merely a bad dream and not reality.

I will leave it to the disciples of Freud to interpret this dream. I interpret it as meaning that the holidays will soon be upon us and that I must begin preparing for them, or I won’t be ready.

For me, getting ready for the holidays entails deciding which of the themes that I have thought about all year long I am going to address in my sermons. It means reviewing the liturgy and prayer book. I meet with the staff to be sure that the logistical arrangements are taken care of so that all will go smoothly. I also make a point of studying and reading either new materials or reviewing texts and books which I have previously learned in order to help to put me in the mood and proper frame of mind.

But it is not only rabbis who need to prepare for the holidays. Each and every one of us can benefit from preparing. Just as athletes stretch and warm up prior to taking the field and musicians have their routine to warm up before they begin their work, similarly, we can learn from them the importance of advance preparation as we approach the holidays. In fact, a story in the Talmud and attributed to the Hasidic Masters as well, tells us of sages who pointedly would prepare for prayer by spending an hour or so meditating before they would begin their worship.

There are any of a numbers of ways to begin to prepare for the holidays. One way is to think and reflect on the themes of the season – return, repentance, Teshuvah, new beginnings and reconnecting with family and tradition are a few of them. Another way to explore the meaning of the season is by reading about it.

And hopefully if you do all this, you will be ready and won’t wake up in a cold sweat worrying that you missed the High Holidays.