Tel Aviv

The Diaghilev, LIVE ART Boutique Hotel 

This is where I stayed in Tel Aviv. On Mazeh street. Great name, right? Mazeh means "what's this" in Hebrew! 

The hotel was lovely - artsy, spacious, clean, the people working there were friendly and helpful. 

A few more pics of Tel Aviv before I leave for Jerusalem:

Modern and tropical.  Beautiful. Also went to the beach and saw a lovely sunset and had dinner by the water. 

Tel Aviv coast

But there is a grittier side to Tel Aviv too, filled with the reality of urban living. 

 These pictures are two views of the Tent City that remains in Tel Aviv, leftover from the 2011 Israeli social justice protest which, according to Wikipedia, "are a series of ongoing demonstrations in Israel beginning in July 2011 involving hundreds of thousands of protesters from a variety of socio-economic and religious backgrounds opposing the continuing rise in the cost of living (particularly housing) and the deterioration of public services such as health and education. A common rallying cry at the demonstrations was the chant; "The people demand social justice!"."

There were still people in those tents as I passed. 

Beit Hatfutsot - Diaspora Museum (Wednesday last)

Spent an afternoon at Beit Hatfusot - the Diaspora Museum.  It had been nearly 30 years since I had last been there; as one can imagine, many changes had taken place.

My favorite area was still there, The Gate of Faith section with 18 miniature synagogue reproductions from around the world. Included were two synagogues I was familiar with - Beth Shalom Synagogue in PA designed by Franklin Lloyd Wright and Touro Synagogue in Newport, RI. 

I have fond memories of visiting Touro Synagogue back in 8th grade with Mrs. Twersky z"l Hebrew Day School. We were on a day long field trip to Newport and were only allowed to speak hebrew while we were there. What fun that was! She was an amazing teacher.

Also saw interesting films about the role of Jews in paintings and religious art as well as a general timeline of the cultural history of the Jews. 

Beit Hatfutsot - Diaspora Museum on the Campus of Tel Aviv University

The "enduring understanding" of the museum

MMK!!!

  

On my way to the Promised Land... with a stopover at Heathrow

So the day has finally arrived. My good friend Kate and I packed our bags (me with 3 times as many bags as she, as usual) and my dear husband drove us to the airport. Flying on British Airways - so far so good. 

Watched two movies. Frozen, in order to see what all the fuss was about. I fast forwarded through most of it but did enjoy the ice and snow graphics and the happy ending. 

I also watched Saving Mr. Banks. It's the  movies about Walt Disney and Mrs. Travers, the woman who created Mary Poppins and their interesting relationship or negotiation over 20 years to turn the books into a movie. It was an interesting and touching movie, particularly at the end. Lots of "psychology" about childhoods - good and bad - and life, and making do and remaking oneself.

Saving Mr. Banks reminded me of the two different stories of the spys - the three actually - one in Shlach Lecha, another in Deuteronomy Chapter 1 (a retelling with a twist of the of the original story) and a final story in Joshua  Chapter 2 that takes place 40 years later, Joshua send spies to scout out Jericho but learns from his predecessor Moshe's mistakes and sends out only 2 spies and does so in secret. 

(to learn more about the spies, read my last post: A Question of Faith) 

Why do I bring up the spies in relation to a Hollywood movie? Both the stories of the spies and Saving Mr. Banks reminded me of the prayer in birchot hashachar - pokeach ivrim, where we thank God for opening the eyes of the blind.  

For those who are not blind, the prayer is a means of thanking God for allowing us to see what is not readily apparent. What is present right in front of our eyes yet we are unable or unwilling to see it. The spies were greatly in need of that prayer during their expedition that day. 

Back to Saving Mr. Banks.  How was she saved? Pokeach Ivrim. Her eyes were opened. Her memories were examined, her past revisited and reanalyzed and her present was remade as a consequence. Amazing where tefilla references will pop up! 

Shlach Lecha: A Question of Faith

Shlach Lecha: A Question of Faith

Appeared in June 12, 2014 Washington Jewish Week

This week’s Torah portion is Shelach Lecha, Numbers 13:1-15:41.

What causes some people to have faith and others to doubt? This age old question is played out between this week’s parsha, Shelach Lecha, and its haftarah, Joshua, Chapter 2.

Shelach Lecha begins with the tale of the 12 spies that were sent to scout out the Canaanite territory. B’nei Israel had finally reached their destination; it was time to enter and conquer the land that God had promised them. This had been their destination since leaving slavery in Egypt. But something stopped them. Fear? Second thoughts? A lack of faith in God? Perhaps it was the same condition that had plagued them since they left Egypt - the inability to rid themselves of their slave mentality and transition to the mindset of a free people.

There are two versions of the spy story. In Numbers 13 God says “Shelach Lecha: “Send forth [men] if you please…” to spy out the land. Although God is not keen on the idea of sending in spies, permission is granted, albeit in language that indicates the decision is in fact in Moshe’s hands. Moshe recounts a different version of the story in Deuteronomy 1:22. Here Moshe removes the decision from himself and puts the onus on B’nei Israel. Both cases deal with a crisis of faith.

The God of the Israelites is omniscient and omnipotent and the guardian of the Israelite people. Why would the Almighty have invested such time and energy saving and shepherding His chosen people just to see them slaughtered? The rabbis comment that God had already “scouted out” the land and found it to be suitable.  Moshe and the people should have known this.

This week’s haftarah, Joshua, chapter 2, tells the other spy story. Joshua is now leader and sends two spies out into Jericho with the same mission as the original 12 – survey the area for conquest and make a military assessment. There they meet Rahab, a prostitute who shelters them in her home instead of turning them over to the king. When asked why she risked her life to save them she replied "I know that the Lord has given the country to you, because dread of you has fallen upon us, and all the inhabitants of the land are quaking before you. For we have heard how the Lord dried up the waters of the Sea of Reeds for you when you left Egypt, and what you did to Sichon and Og, the two Amorite kings across the Jordan, whom you doomed. When we heard about it, we lost heart, and no man had any more spirit left because of you; for the Lord your God is the only God in heaven above and on earth below.” (2:9-11)

How interesting. Rahab does the extraordinary and stands up to her king because of her faith in the God of Israel. She and “all the inhabitants of the land” have this faith not because they themselves witnessed God’s miraculous events but because they heard and believed.  The Israelite spies and B’nei Israel all witnessed  miraculous deeds yet were unable to maintain their faith.  As soon as they were challenged, their faith was challenged.

We know the endings of both stories. In Shelach Lecha, the spies return and except for Joshua and Caleb ben Jephunneh, the remaining 10 spin a hyperbolic tale claiming they will never be able to defeat those living in the land. In contrast, the two spies in Joshua return and report:  "The Lord has delivered the whole land into our power; in fact, all the inhabitants of the land are quaking before us." (Joshua 2:24). 

It boils down to a question of faith.

Questions to consider:

1. How do you define faith in your life?

2. Are you the kind of person who needs to “see it to believe it” or do you “take things on faith”? Are these positions mutually exclusive?

3. How do you think you would have behaved had you been one of the original spies? Do you think you might have been able to fight the prevailing mindset? Have you ever been in a situation that the fear or anxiety you felt overruled your common sense?

           

My Grandfather's Yarzheit

Tonight begins the 25th of the Hebrew month of Iyyar. It is my Papa Frank's z''l  yarzheit.

It's been 23 years since Papa Frank died. He died about half a year after my first child, Jennie, now 23, was born. When Jennie was born she had 6 great-grand parents. Within 2 months she had 4, within 6 months she had 2.

A time for laughter, a time for tears. A time for love - so much love.

And so many memories.

The past couple of years have been full of transitions for our family. Mostly good ones. The most recent and most difficult was the loss of my Aunt Barbara, my Dad's sister, my Grandfather's and Grandmother's daughter. With Aunt's passing, there is no one left from that side of my family. All are gone.  I am the "eldest" on my paternal side.

Years ago, 23.5 to be exact, I took on the chiuv (obligation) to say Kaddish for Nana Marion, then 23 years ago for Papa Frank, then 10 or so years ago for my father, then this year for my Aunt.

Every time a transition occurs I think of them and wonder what they'd say, what advice would they give me, what jokes would they tell, what love would they offer. I'd give anything to hear the voices again, to feel the hugs.

When I was in doubt, Papa would do his own version of tough love with me - lovingly and jokingly insult me until I'd gotten out of whatever doldrums I'd gotten myself into. He would remind me that I was stronger than I knew/believed/remembered that I was because I was Arlene, I was his granddaughter, I was me. And he loved me, no matter what. But more than that, he believed in me and respected me.

To most he was a bear. To me he was a bear on the outside and a marshmallow on the inside. I knew I was unconditionally loved and liked too. A true gift.

I miss you Papa.

This is what I was thinking tonight as I lit the yarzheit candle. May its glow reach up high and touch your spirit,  Papa.  I love you.

                               My Grandfather,  Dr. Frank Goldstein, z"l

Words and Silence

I shared this poem before, but it seemed fitting given the recent parshiot of Tazria and Metzora.  
(repost from 6.6.11)

Words and Silence

Baruch She’amer V’Haya Ha’Olam

Blessed is the One who Speaks and the World Becomes

We recognize the power of words

−Their ability to build up

                        And to tear down

−Their ability to create

                        And to destroy

−Their ability to give birth

                        And to kill

We recognize the nuances of silence

−What is said without words

−What is un-said

                        deliberately

                        hesitantly

                        mistakenly

Because we did not give

            the Words

a chance to be expressed

Because we were too busy

            Speaking

for someone else’s words to be heard

We recognize

            −the Power of Silence

            −the Strength of Silence

            −the Din of Silence

Baruch s’maksheevh v’mamsheech liv’roh et ha’olam

Blessed is the one who listens and

            Continues in the creation of the world

5 march 2011

Parashat Tazria: Words Can Hurt You

Parashat Tazria: Words Can Hurt You

http://digital.washingtonjewishweek.com/i/283974

March 27, 2014

    Imagine a world where one’s words have direct physical consequence - not on the person at whom they are aimed, but on you, the speaker.  

    Parshat Tazria provides an alternate universe scenario where words can hurt you. The proof text is the story in Numbers 12 where Miriam and Aaron are standing around gossiping:  “And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married; for he had married a Cushite woman.” The sentence is interesting for several reasons - Miriam is mentioned first instead of Aaron and the verb used is vatedabber, a feminine single verb indicating that Miriam is the primary speaker. They go on to complain that G-d is favoring Moses over the two of them. Sibling jealousy is not unusual. What was unusual was the result of the jealousy: tzara’at. Miriam was stricken all over with white scales as a result of her speech.

    In this week’s reading, we learn of the various types of tzara’at. We are given details of color, shape, size, location, frequency, duration, severity, and timing. We also learn that the kohen is the only person who can pronounce someone unclean and then clean again. One cannot and does not pronounce one’s own uncleanliness. 

    This seems fitting for a punishment that the rabbis feel is based on the “crime” of lashon hara (bad speech) and also rechilut (gossip). We often do not recognize our bad speech as such as it leaves our lips and even if we do, how often do we not care? In some ways this can be called an unseen crime because there is no tangible imprint left from words. One cannot measure a hurt feeling or a bruised heart. True, the results of a ruined reputation can be assessed, but rarely immediately nor in a way that is traceable back to the original source.

    We learn that G-d created the world with words. This teaches us that words have great power, both to create and to destroy.

    That’s an awesome responsibility of which parshat Tazria is a reminder. How do we balance our daily need to share information without talking badly about people? What do we do in our real world outside of parshat Tazria where instances of lashon hara are not greeted with visible punishment and affliction? Just as it takes 2 to tango it takes 2 to engage in lashon hara – a speaker and a listener. Ask the person to stop. Another option is called tokheha  (offering reproof). 

    Rabbi David Teutsch in his book A Guide to Jewish Practice: Ethics of Speech writes, “When there is a threat to a community’s moral life, each person has an obligation to address that threat. ... Doing tokheha, offering reproof, not only has a potential positive effect on the conduct of the person reproved; it also reminds the person offering the reproof not to emulate bad conduct." 

    To me, that’s what parshat Tazria is all about. The tzara’at is a physical manifestation of a behavior that threatens the ability of our people to live safely as a community. 

    A physical affliction would not “work” for us moderns – we understand that bad talk will not bring about sores on our bodies. Yet the parsha does provide interesting food for thought. 

Questions to discuss:

1. If it takes two to engage in Lashon Hara, why do you think only Miriam was afflicted with tzara’at?
2. Can you think of a situation where you would have to balance Lashon Hara with the need to speak the truth about someone?
3. How do you feel about the role of the kohen in this parsha?

Rabbah Arlene Berger is Education Director of the Chavurah at Sixth and I Historic Synagogue, Washington, DC.