tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57708382024-03-18T20:07:56.946-07:00Reb DavidFrom Rabbi David Mivasair in Vancouver, BC.Rabbi David Mivasairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13258602213633196703noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5770838.post-32397581995985090222014-02-15T16:51:00.002-08:002014-02-15T16:51:27.693-08:00Why debate disparity in access to water between Israelis and Palestinians -- everyone should be assured equal rights.<!--[if !mso]>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span>[I think this article by former speaker of the Knesset Avraham Burg is so valuable, I've taken it out from behind the paywall of Haaretz where it was published and posted it here so everyone can read it. Haaretz, I hope you don't mind. Hopefully, if enough people see and value this kind of writing, they'll pay the premium to get onto your site for everything you publish (as I do) and get access to all your articles. -- David]</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Say a big 'thank you' to Martin Schulz</span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Why
are we debating the exact disparity in access to water between Israelis and
Palestinians, if Netanyahu admitted his belief that Jews deserve more of it?</span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">By <a href="http://www.haaretz.com/misc/writers/avraham-burg-1.322"><span style="color: blue;">Avraham Burg</span></a> | Feb. 14, 2014 </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><span>A bit of disclosure: First, to me, Economy Minister
<a href="http://www.haaretz.com/misc/tags/Naftali%20Bennett-1.494120" target="_blank">Naftali
Bennett</a> (Habayit Hayehudi) is one of the shallowest people I’ve ever
encountered here in recent years. Give me Moshe Feiglin, give me Uri Elitzur,
give me Shlomo Ben-Zvi, but spare me this hollow charisma. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><span>Second, in my view, Habayit Hayehudi is a party of
people who hate Arabs and non-Jews, of people who are eternally frightened,
driven by the Holocaust and are, above all, horribly simplistic. If my father,
one of the founders of the party that later became Habayit Hayehudi, were alive
to see <a href="http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/.premium-1.573877" target="_blank">his
political descendents in the Knesset on Wednesday</a> (and not only on
Wednesday), I have no doubt (to borrow the analogy so beloved by some of the
Internet commenters so dear to my heart) that he would have died on the spot,
if only to be able to turn over in his grave. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><span>Third, I was the first Knesset speaker to allow a
German president (the late Johannes Rau) to deliver a speech there in the German
language. That speech was full of the love and humanity which are so rare in
the Knesset plenum. It turns out that every language can be either beautiful or
ugly, depending on the speaker and his worldview. On Wednesday, for instance,
we saw Hebrew in all its ugliness. So what? Because of them, we should forbid
speaking Hebrew in the Knesset? </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><span>And fourth, Martin Schulz, the president of the
European Parliament, is a close friend of mine. On most issues connected to the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict we disagree. He is closer to the Israeli
mainstream, and his positions resemble those of Labor Party chairman Isaac
Herzog. He once told me, during a frank and stern conversation, “For me, the
new Germany exists only in order to ensure the existence of the State of Israel
and the Jewish people.” He’s a brilliant intellectual and a thoughtful
politician, and we don’t need to worry – he won’t give up his existential
friendship so easily. And certainly not because of Bennett or his colleague
Orit Strock, the party whip. </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">
</span></span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><span>But if he sometimes needs to think a bit before he
accepts the messages delivered by Israeli cabinet ministers, I’ll understand
him, for Martin Schulz doesn’t come from that branch of the Bnei Akiva youth
group I’ll call “the occupiers.” Nor was he a soldier in an elite unit. He’s a
European public figure who learned in his parents’ home to stand up against all
tyranny, evil and discrimination. He and his family were social democrats
before Naftali Bennett knew anything about high-tech or how to shoot a gun, and
even before Bennett’s parents moved to Israel. For him, equality is something
he imbibed at home. The same as how Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu imbibed
discrimination and victimhood at home. </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">
</span></span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><span>But beyond these personal disclosures, we ought to
be grateful to President Schulz. Perhaps the disparity in access to natural
resources isn’t precisely what he was told in Ramallah. Perhaps it’s even
greater or perhaps it’s smaller. But that is completely unimportant. What
matters is that he did to Netanyahu what Netanyahu loves doing to others: He
removed a few masks from the prime minister's arrogant, hysterical face. </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">
</span></span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><span>“Those figures aren’t accurate,” the prime minister
charged. “So what are the correct figures,” opposition members shouted back.
What difference does it make?! What matters is that the prime minister admitted
there are disparities between Jews and Arabs, between Israelis and
Palestinians. So we’ve agreed on the principle; now we’re just arguing over the
numbers?! Big deal. </span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">
</span></span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><span>I have no doubt that not many hours will pass
before this newspaper's major talents, like Uri Misgav and others, <a href="http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/.premium-1.573976" target="_blank">make us much wiser </a>about
exactly how large this disparity is. But let’s get back to the principle. The
current Israeli government, headed by that man of “moral confusion,” accepts
the premise that the Jews deserve more. And this is the fundamental moral
premise that is ticking like a bomb at the gateway to any present or future
peace agreement. For only an agreement based on full equality has even the
faintest chance of proving durable. </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">
</span></span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><span>Now that the mask has been stripped from the face
of the current Israeli government, a rare opportunity has arisen, if only for a
moment, to think of an alternative to the built-in Israeli discrimination. For
several years now, we – a joint group of Israelis and Palestinians with similar
views – have been trying to formulate principles utterly different from the
premises of separation, discrimination, exploitation and arrogance. And this is
what we have agreed on so far: </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">
</span></span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><span>Twenty years after the signing of the Oslo Accords,
47 years after the occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip by the
Israelis and 66 years after the establishment of the State of Israel and the
Palestinian Nakba, we have reached a stalemate in which there is no freedom for
the Palestinian people or security for Israelis. We have not even come close to
a just and sustainable solution of two states for two peoples. For all
practical purposes, we all live under a single regime of discriminatory Israeli
rule. In addition, many of us have given up in despair and are no longer
capable of imagining any such just solution in the foreseeable future. </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">
</span></span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><span>In an effort to pave a new path toward historic
reconciliation and true political commitment between both nations, we must give
up the view of the current solution that is based on many layers of separation,
isolation and acts of built-in discrimination. We need to replace that solution
with a completely different method and set of principles. Many of our members,
Israelis and Palestinians, both here and in the diaspora, have reached this
conclusion and, as a result, share a commitment and an understanding that it is
both possible and vitally important. The purpose of these principles is not to
propose practical, detailed solutions, but rather to lay out a completely
different groundwork for a just and sustainable Jewish-Israeli and Palestinian
partnership. Our starting point is founded in the belief that the fate of both
nations is bound up in an unbreakable link; that the Jewish Israelis and
Palestinians are part of the Middle East, and neither of them has a surplus of
rights or exclusive sovereignty over any part of the land between the Jordan
River and the Mediterranean Sea. </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">
</span></span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><span>Therefore: </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">
</span></span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><span>* Every person who lives (or has the status of a
resident) between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea shall be assured
equal personal, political, economic and social rights. These rights include:
the right to protection and security; equal treatment without regard to sex,
race, ethnic origin or religion; freedom of movement; ownership and possession
of property; the right to bring a lawsuit to court; and the right to vote and
hold elected office. </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">
</span></span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><span>* The collective rights of Jewish Israelis and
Palestinians - linguistic, cultural, religious and political - shall be ensured
in every political setting. It is understood that neither side shall have
exclusive sovereignty over any part of the land between the Jordan River and
the Mediterranean Sea (including exclusive ownership of land, exclusive access
to natural resources, and so on). </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">
</span></span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><span>* All remaining exclusive rights possessed solely
by Jewish Israelis, including ownership of land and access to natural
resources, shall be abolished. All resources - material and political - shall
be redistributed on the basis of principles of affirmative justice. </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">
</span></span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><span>* The right of return of the Palestinians is an
integral part of UN Resolution 194. The implementation of this resolution shall
take into account the existing reality. The moral and political injustice of
dispossessing the Palestinians in the past shall not be remedied by creating
new injustices. </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">
</span></span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><span>* The new political institutions shall make
democratic immigration and citizenship laws. However, Jews and Palestinians who
live in the diaspora will be able to receive immunity in situations of danger
(according to UN resolutions) and will have special status in the process of
obtaining citizenship in comparison with any other ethnic or national group. </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">
</span></span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><span>Like many people, both among my colleagues and
others, I believe with all my heart that mutual recognition based on these
principles could advance a different political reality, in which memories of
exile and being refugees would give way to a comprehensive realization of
rights, citizenship and belonging. They would turn bereavement into life, and
despair into hope. And so, I want to say a big “thank you” to Martin Schulz,
one of Israel’s last and best real friends in the world. </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><span>This article was originally published at </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/.premium-1.574332" target="_blank">http://www.haaretz.com/<wbr></wbr>opinion/.premium-1.574332</a></span> </span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
Rabbi David Mivasairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13258602213633196703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5770838.post-83291199052635937062013-05-30T20:27:00.000-07:002013-05-30T20:29:21.193-07:00US Senator Pat Toomey naive about Jerusalem realities<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0hh9BZaV_JE0UHU9onVdA90Q43MhP-SXeE9dPOgLqhtpSB_MZPCBid_twjcx0er7v6aO2pA3U34Soh7NqifwLBOLVmKQz0rNMN8DKYACZbV7AZ_oaBAlTUUFSRQzIa6o357Ib/s1600/Toomey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0hh9BZaV_JE0UHU9onVdA90Q43MhP-SXeE9dPOgLqhtpSB_MZPCBid_twjcx0er7v6aO2pA3U34Soh7NqifwLBOLVmKQz0rNMN8DKYACZbV7AZ_oaBAlTUUFSRQzIa6o357Ib/s320/Toomey.jpg" width="313" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">I am a
US citizen. I vote in Pennsylvania for Federal offices and I stay in touch with my U.S.
Senators from there. </span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">Senator Pat Toomey just sent out a newsletter saying he
proudly cosponsored the Jerusalem Embassy and Recognition Act to
force moving the US embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv -- where all embassies
of all countries are located. </span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">I just had to respond and wrote the
following: <br /> <br /> <span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Dear Senator Toomey,<br /> <br /> I am a <span class="text_exposed_show">rabbi
and have lived in Jerusalem for four years. In contrast to what is
said in your newsletter, Jerusalem is a tragically divided city. Many Muslims and Christians cannot access the holy sites of their religion. </span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="text_exposed_show">Jerusalem is sharply divided between its Jewish areas and Palestinian
areas, many of which are entirely neglected and bereft of any municipal
services whatsoever. Most people who live in Jerusalem very fearful to
cross from their sector to the others' and never do so. </span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="text_exposed_show">Regarding
access to holy places, many Christians and Muslims who are Palestinian
cannot access their holy places and cannot even enter Jerusalem at all.
Access to the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aksa Mosque is regularly
restricted; young men not allowed to enter the area at all. </span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="text_exposed_show">People born
in Jerusalem of families resident there for centuries are not permitted
by the Israelis to return if they leave for longer than brief period
Israeli regulations stipulate. Thousands of Christian and Muslim
Jerusalemites have been deprived of their legal right to reside in the
very city in which they were born and their families still live.<br /> <br />
I hope you will take the trouble to develop a more honest understanding
of the reality on the ground in Jerusalem and not be manipulated any
longer by those who perpetrate and wish to cover up these very unjust
realities. If you would like suggestions for sources of information, I
will be very happy to help.<br /> <br /> Sincerely,<br /> <br /> Rabbi David Mivasair<br /> State College, PA</span></span></span></span></span></span>Rabbi David Mivasairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13258602213633196703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5770838.post-540903766666610952013-05-05T23:31:00.001-07:002013-05-05T23:33:32.623-07:00Brief report on: Independent Jewish Voices -- Vancouver protest at CIJA conference, May 5<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB8KATh_JQWh2gkLwfNtB7qvuac8a0W1j5G3BAcQ7WrtygVjcfpfxozdJEh052BEZYF50Epyqb3gfKqjS2ceA0kzpDprEpkJR-YukQrNX2AsgoPw6wzOudoBxE1NthoedjY36L/s1600/IJV+Vancouver+protests+CIJA.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB8KATh_JQWh2gkLwfNtB7qvuac8a0W1j5G3BAcQ7WrtygVjcfpfxozdJEh052BEZYF50Epyqb3gfKqjS2ceA0kzpDprEpkJR-YukQrNX2AsgoPw6wzOudoBxE1NthoedjY36L/s200/IJV+Vancouver+protests+CIJA.JPG" width="195" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white;">
<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: large;">Objectively,
the demo was very small – half a minyan of our IJV chevra. A far greater number
specifically expressed interest and support but were unable to come. Rick Marcuse
was the fifth and last to arrive, giving us immediate and undisputed hegemonic
numerical superiority over the four police officers who were sent in to keep
the peace. In addition, our ally Rev. Don Grayston of Building Bridges Vancouver
and a young fellow I don’t know named Tim also came. Together we seven created a presence for about an hour outside
the building where the CIJA conference was and engaged about a dozen or so
people in conversation including several who were at the conference. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white;">
<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: large;">Subjectively, my sense is
that it was well worthwhile to simply protest visibly and publically against CIJA doing
business as usual. The simple fact that we were there – despite our small
numbers – meant that the assumptions implicit in CIJA’s intentionally distorted perspective were being
challenged. In addition, through our various social media connections we
had impact far beyond what we accomplished on the Granville Street sidewalk
this afternoon. People learned through Facebook, Twitter and other media about this Jewish protest against CIJA and its
militant support for Israel’s violence, injustice and repression. Even though
we had a very small numerical presence, the fact that we did this action at all
reached hundreds of people and builds toward the future.</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: large;">I hope in the future we will collaborate more effectively and
make a bigger impact. We need brief, crisply-worded, well-designed
and well-produced literature pieces to hand out -- like what Jewish Voice for Peace has in the US. And, I think we need more creativity about actions that
communicate effectively with the public – more catchy than standing on the sidewalk holding signs
with slogans on them. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white;">
<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: large;">I thank everyone in the IJV-Vancouver chapter who contributed to this today. All members who join and support the chapter were effectively part of our presence there today. A special thanks goes to Sheila who supported this idea from beginning to end and who made the signs for the demo and brought them today.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white;">
<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: large;">David</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><a href="http://ijvcanada.org/">Independent Jewish Voices website</a> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Independent-Jewish-Voices-Canada/215012328518131">Independent Jewish Voices on Facebook</a> </span></span><span style="color: black;"></span></div>
Rabbi David Mivasairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13258602213633196703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5770838.post-19387129493207850002013-05-02T23:59:00.001-07:002013-05-03T00:00:38.957-07:00Independent Jewish Voices protest at CIJA conference, Sunday, May 5<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwVoRpDthpUfkBamxsgcy-Xg5Zm-MQt60RibOfyVm0zJm8fDHKtMu0XLDmpPy-NzJ9K541mjUEN_gyHfB2B8QGEtspyLtM8c7J8OEfoYbbNIas5vlvzgLdzpIskdBNC5Ps42Au/s1600/IJV+logo+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="66" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwVoRpDthpUfkBamxsgcy-Xg5Zm-MQt60RibOfyVm0zJm8fDHKtMu0XLDmpPy-NzJ9K541mjUEN_gyHfB2B8QGEtspyLtM8c7J8OEfoYbbNIas5vlvzgLdzpIskdBNC5Ps42Au/s400/IJV+logo+.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #002060;">Independent
Jewish Voices Vancouver chapter will hold a protest at the conference of the Centre for Israel and
Jewish Affairs </span><span style="color: #002060;"><span style="color: #002060;">on
Sunday, May 5, 4 pm, outside</span> 500 Granville Street.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #002060;">Speakers at the CIJA conference include Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs John Baird, Israel's ambassador to Canada Miriam Ziv and former US ambassador to the Middle East Dennis Ross.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #002060;">IJV</span><span style="color: #002060;"> will point</span><span style="color: #002060;"> out that
CIJA<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>should not be believed when it postures as if it speaks for Canadian Jewry and that specific CIJA-supported
policies promote ongoing large-scale violence and injustice.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #002060;">Please
come and join us. If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to contact
me by e-mail or at <a href="tel:%28604%29%20781-7839" target="_blank" value="+16047817839">(604) 781-7839</a>.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #002060;">To learn more about the CIJA conference, see <a href="http://www.regonline.com/builder/site/?eventid=1198114">here</a>.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #002060;">The
IJV demonstration will take place at the same time as another
demonstration against CIJA by the
Conference of the Palestinian Shatat in North America. Learn more about
that <a href="http://www.palestinianconference.org/conference-palestinian-shatat/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #002060;">here</span></a>. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #002060; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">"CIJA does not represent the majority of Canadian Jews. Rather it is a
highly partisan political lobby organization which uncritically supports
policies of the Israeli government which have been ruled illegal by the
World Court and which are contrary to Canadian Foreign policy such as the continuing Israeli occupation of Palestine, expanding settlements on
that land, the separation barrier, and its refusal to negotiate about
the rights of Palestinian refugees. It is clear to us, as Jews, that
Israel holds and abuses its overwhelming power in a way deeply
inconsistent with Jewish values and human rights." -- from <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://unjppi.org/ijv-letter-to-senator-ruth.html">IJV letter to Canadian senators</a></span></span></span></span></span> Rabbi David Mivasairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13258602213633196703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5770838.post-36171081111552561992013-04-04T14:52:00.002-07:002013-04-04T14:56:58.043-07:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">HELP </span></span><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">DTES</span></span><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> RESIDENTS VOTE on MAY 14</span></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Friends, here's an initiative to help people in British Columbia vote in the coming May 14 election even if they don't have the usual ID or housing stability. It's a great effort by the Union Gospel Mission in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. I've posted it here with permission because they hadn't gotten it set up for social media yet. </span></span><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR-yWZGbqtgJvDzXg5gVxXdfkctXN0OtdU_v5f1AASugff4ssmYNFdS-llEuvlRnxQPH6QKb-0Q6YvJjn2bKiFKfm2rdgqyIggZA3RNaz55wVyMHT1-wdN261Es_27DwrGdSwD/s1600/logo-christmas.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR-yWZGbqtgJvDzXg5gVxXdfkctXN0OtdU_v5f1AASugff4ssmYNFdS-llEuvlRnxQPH6QKb-0Q6YvJjn2bKiFKfm2rdgqyIggZA3RNaz55wVyMHT1-wdN261Es_27DwrGdSwD/s1600/logo-christmas.png" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">Anyone familiar with the DTES knows that proper identification is one
consistent barrier for many in our community. We also know that this is a
significant barrier to acquisition of housing, establishing bank accounts,
cashing cheques, <b><i>even the most basic right to vote</i></b>.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">The majority of our community live in the margins, with very little
‘voice’ in society. What a privilege it is then as Service Providers in the
DTES of Vancouver, to help aide and facilitate opportunities that empower our
community. <b>The upcoming election is one significant opportunity.</b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">With the cooperation of a broad collective of DTES Service Providers and
Elections BC<b>, we have developed <u><span style="color: #1f497d;">DTES
Get Out the Vote OUTLINE docx.</span></u> and <u>editable</u> deliverables that
will assist YOU and others in the DTES community encourage, empower and
facilitate our community vote.</b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">Please share this communication and all deliverables as broadly as
possible - this is for our DTES community.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">Please reply with any feedback, questions or concerns you may have.</span></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">I am greatly encouraged by the support I have received from the
community on this project. Thank you for all of your cooperation.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">Sincerely,</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">J<span style="font-size: small;">eff </span></span></span></div>
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<td style="padding: .75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: #017db3; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Jeffrey Baergen</span></b><span style="color: #262626; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> Community
Engagement Coordinator</span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">601 East Hastings Street. Vancouver, BC V6A 1J7</span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">t</span></b><b><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">:</span></b><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> 604.215.5445 xt 487</span> <b><span style="color: #404040; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">m</span></b><b><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">:</span></b><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> 604.768.9394</span>
<b><span style="color: #404040; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">f</span></b><b><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">:</span></b><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> 604.253.3496</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";"></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #017db3; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><a href="http://ugm.ca/"><span style="color: #017db3;">UGM.ca</span></a></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkVz_0otZgX4jxYRW66HILwIFfbVu-89s4TaQuzMDIG9YkIJqpJdBjj94hsC1c-lxb-vp_PWnCJL7SLI45x8sXbEy9Jfo97xDedRgptkzRzGjCa1CDSylX1gVQ2250IP_5b37O/s1600/Yuor+Vote+Counts.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkVz_0otZgX4jxYRW66HILwIFfbVu-89s4TaQuzMDIG9YkIJqpJdBjj94hsC1c-lxb-vp_PWnCJL7SLI45x8sXbEy9Jfo97xDedRgptkzRzGjCa1CDSylX1gVQ2250IP_5b37O/s640/Yuor+Vote+Counts.png" width="496" /></a></b></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhffbUYKNSvZmY5BIau3t5MllGw4yI33i_euOt_UIkjfPyyXDduGzgmW8zKFpHNJH_VlMB0H_9cgOjOBQt7zjFXxyhFJbCBEYuty93uNw9omFM6qAAhF4tA8dBQpTfdIePG4Gct/s1600/Get+Out+the+Vote.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhffbUYKNSvZmY5BIau3t5MllGw4yI33i_euOt_UIkjfPyyXDduGzgmW8zKFpHNJH_VlMB0H_9cgOjOBQt7zjFXxyhFJbCBEYuty93uNw9omFM6qAAhF4tA8dBQpTfdIePG4Gct/s640/Get+Out+the+Vote.png" width="499" /></a></b></div>
<span style="color: #017db3; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"></span><br /></td>
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Rabbi David Mivasairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13258602213633196703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5770838.post-60599764186267008142013-01-28T02:31:00.000-08:002013-01-30T12:57:15.180-08:00Jews in solidarity with IDLE NO MORE<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-2qRhQ5wCxXiBbGmexUkaXerpLVMfIKyerhFntMoSrmLGv3lUr3oHNYebbmfVPrv7UM-pVvbtszqbolBUO03sgmALN74QODT3dYrrtklGFc7MyR6ZcNCKH2oOMCEJjVhNOwyu/s1600/Jews+in+Solidarity+with+IDLE+NO+MORE+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-2qRhQ5wCxXiBbGmexUkaXerpLVMfIKyerhFntMoSrmLGv3lUr3oHNYebbmfVPrv7UM-pVvbtszqbolBUO03sgmALN74QODT3dYrrtklGFc7MyR6ZcNCKH2oOMCEJjVhNOwyu/s640/Jews+in+Solidarity+with+IDLE+NO+MORE+1.jpg" width="450" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTcBhIZcALlozZ_z5eYqijB8anH0Yx_MV8Q27Bp9gHaIoa7hKaq32_NpMNuOfzIo9XOEM-u5S-6AktxvnjVneaUCGcPJb4HrPdqB9KaEMSonYTzNCI_0DaY6RuDEypXPOng8Cd/s1600/Jews+in+Solidarity+signers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTcBhIZcALlozZ_z5eYqijB8anH0Yx_MV8Q27Bp9gHaIoa7hKaq32_NpMNuOfzIo9XOEM-u5S-6AktxvnjVneaUCGcPJb4HrPdqB9KaEMSonYTzNCI_0DaY6RuDEypXPOng8Cd/s640/Jews+in+Solidarity+signers.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Additional signers:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Rebecca Tobias, United Religions Initiative; Vancouver, BC</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Judy Goldschmidt, Black Creek, BC</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Richard Marcuse, West Vancouver, BC</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Michael Gabriel Rosen, Mas Movement, Vancouver, Coast Salish Territories</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sid Shnia<span style="color: #333333;">d, National Steering Ctee, Independent Jewish Voices - Canada</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: x-small;">Marty and Martha Roth, Vancouver</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: x-small;">Ada Glustein, Vancouver</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Helen Mintz, Vancouver</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Marion P<span style="font-size: x-small;">ollack</span> </span></span></div>
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<br />Rabbi David Mivasairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13258602213633196703noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5770838.post-1992154635272492952013-01-17T00:01:00.000-08:002013-01-17T00:05:23.873-08:00Impressions: Enbridge pipeline hearing tonight in Vancouver<!--[if !mso]>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.vancouversun.com/news/7819378.bin?size=620x400s" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="http://www.vancouversun.com/news/7819378.bin?size=620x400s" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Approaching
the huge, towering Wall Centre complex where the hearings are being held (at what
huge<span style="font-size: small;">, towering </span>cost to us taxpayers?), I was first amazed at the dozen or more very
well-protected police patrolling outside . . . and even more amazed at the
dozen or so inside the lobby and then even more amazed at the police posted in the halls outside the hearing
rooms.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Each of us speakers was allowed to bring exactly one other
person who would be allowed to sit in a separate room and watch on a video
monitor. No one else was allowed in. And, to speak, we had to sign
up months and months ago . . . The public viewing of the hearing
was only through a video monitor located about a mile away in another
enormously expensive glitzy hotel.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Second, in addition to the large security presence, I was amazed
at the very many people employed to run the hearing. It was all very
tightly organized with several dozen people to sign us in, take an affidavit
under oath, give us name tags, check our coats and bags, watch over us, keep us seated in the waiting
room, watch over the people watching over us, escort us at the right time from the waiting room to the hearing room,
watch the people <span style="font-size: small;">escorting us, </span>place an absolutely clean water glass on the table before us, record what we
said, transcribe overnight the oral recording into a <span style="font-size: small;">written record, </span>escort us back out again, be sure we left and who knows what else . . .</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">All this is going on for hours and hours a day, day after day,
as hundreds and hundreds of us come to give our testimony. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">If only half as
much attention and resources were devoted to taking care of the environment and to needy people among us as to making sure that the hearings ran smoothly . . . </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">After working at the First United Church’s homeless shelter and seeing staff laid off and desperately needed programs shut down
because of government funding cuts and knowing about so many other human needs going
unaddressed, I am shocked at how we allow so much money to be poured into the finery
of running these hearing in one of the most expensive venues in Vancouver
instead of a regular government office building’s hearing room or even a school
auditorium or possibly even renting space at one of the many organizations
which could use the income from the rental. The priorities are all so
crazy. Who is this government serving?</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The people speaking tonight were very, very impressive.
There were environmental scientists, biologists, journalists, folks who love
the outdoors, teachers, professors, activists . . . and even a rabbi. </span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRQJB9E4BcW54HAHLClcNnwxypz2TxuveRVLL3_Q9m7722d1KrrOA" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRQJB9E4BcW54HAHLClcNnwxypz2TxuveRVLL3_Q9m7722d1KrrOA" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The speaker after me was Nicholas Read, one of my
hero-journalists whose stuff I was grateful to read in the <i>Vancouver Sun</i>
for years. (He’s now teaching journalism and appearing in the <i>Sun </i>only
in letters to the editor.) Nicholas gave an impassioned and well-informed
plea to stop the destruction the pipeline would inevitably bring. </span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The speaker after him was a very impressive biologist named Stan
Proboszcz who was a researcher for Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans and
quit because the environmental <span style="font-size: small;">impact assessment pro<span style="font-size: small;">cess is so corr<span style="font-size: small;">upt he couldn't stand being part of it. He </span></span></span>now works for an environmental NGO. He gave an exceptionally
well-documented testimony about how the entire process of environmental
assessments done by contract for the companies wanting to do the development is
skewed, flawed, prejudiced and corrupt. You should hear or read his comments.
Just listening to him, I learned a lot and shifted my understanding, sadly, to
be even more cynical about the entire process of corporations engaging the
public around environmental issues. </span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I think the panel liked what I said – the midrash about God
saying to Adam that ‘if you ruin it, there is no one after you to repair
it’. They smiled when I said it. I briefly made points about the
inevitability of catastrophic oil spills and the pollution and global warming
impacts of the entire tar sands project. I was very brief, just two or
three minutes. I’m sure they liked that too.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The two brilliant speakers after me, Nicholas and Stan, were
only two of hundreds and hundreds of passionate, caring, knowledgeable people
to address this panel in a hugely elaborate, well-designed public hearing
process that is taking months and costing God-only-knows how many millions of
taxpayer dollars.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.green-blog.org/media/images/uploads/2012/06/stephen-harper-thumbs-up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="162" src="http://www.green-blog.org/media/images/uploads/2012/06/stephen-harper-thumbs-up.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And the result? </span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In the end, the panel will write a report and submit it to the
Harper government whose base and home territory is the Alberta oil patch and
who on many, many occasions has totally bulldozed right over public opinion to
do whatever it wants to do. Is the outcome anything but a foregone
conclusion?</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Is this effort futile? No way! I have very strong
faith that this hugely dest<span style="font-size: small;">r<span style="font-size: small;">uctive </span></span>project is not going to go ahead in the end despite the hugely
powerful forces behind it.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">To quote Rebbe Nahman: All of th<span style="font-size: small;">is world is a very narrow bridge and the main thing to recall is not to fear at all.</span> </span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">To read the transcripts of the hearings, see http://gatewaypanel.review-examen.gc.ca/clf-nsi/prtcptngprcss/hrng-eng.html#s2<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5770838">.</a></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">David</span></span></span><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"></span></div>
Rabbi David Mivasairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13258602213633196703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5770838.post-16870342769775075352013-01-16T18:53:00.002-08:002013-01-16T18:56:44.341-08:00Enbridge pipeline hearings tonight -- "no one to repair it after you"<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">I'm g<span style="font-size: large;">oing in just a short w<span style="font-size: large;">hile this evening to testify at the ver<span style="font-size: large;">y formal, legal </span>hearings on the Enbri<span style="font-size: large;">dge Northern Gateway pipeline project in British <span style="font-size: large;">Columbia. Hundreds of others have testified, well over 1,<span style="font-size: large;">000. I <span style="font-size: large;">am sure they've put into the record<span style="font-size: large;"> everything practical that I might think of. I am going to add from a rabbi's p<span style="font-size: large;">oint of v<span style="font-size: large;">iew the following passage from ancient Jewish earth wisdo<span style="font-size: large;">m, written nearly 2,000 years ago<span style="font-size: large;">, long before the industrial society<span style="font-size: large;">, in a time when <span style="font-size: large;">I can hardly imagine how people could imagine what we can do today to the ear<span style="font-size: large;">th</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>: <br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Adam and Eve were caretakers and their job was to <i>protect</i>
the land, not to harm. The Midrash (Ecclesiastes Rabbah 7:13) makes this quite
clear: <b>“When God created Adam, He took him and led him round all the trees of
the Garden of Eden, and said to him, “See My works, how beautiful and
praiseworthy they are! Now all that I have created, I created for your
benefit. Be careful that you do not ruin and destroy My world; for if you
destroy it there is no one to repair it after you.”</b></span>Rabbi David Mivasairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13258602213633196703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5770838.post-48389700398633787332013-01-06T22:43:00.001-08:002013-01-06T22:48:32.767-08:00Israel, Palestine and the United Church of Canada -- Winds of Change?<!--[if !mso]>
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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">ב"ה</span></div>
<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">On Monday
evening, Jan 7, Rev. Dr. Bruce Gregersen, senior program officer of the United
Church of Canada will discuss the UCC’s landmark decision concerning Israel and
Palestine adopted last August after years of study and reflection and despite vociferous
opposition from extremely well-funded and well-connected Canadian Jewish Israel
defense organizations.*</span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLDxHxsM8fQ6lCDl-YVvoUyhM4zKGd3LSeeRbveW84aGUzDczhVCBFarZsgtywo96YeEgWPBwuctgW6STjcVGuZ2CZ1QqxTotEWqd7qTwW-KwG_hU1dCBGfbwwycgEVFjZmOF5/s1600/Israel,+Palestine+and+the+United+Church+of+Canada.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLDxHxsM8fQ6lCDl-YVvoUyhM4zKGd3LSeeRbveW84aGUzDczhVCBFarZsgtywo96YeEgWPBwuctgW6STjcVGuZ2CZ1QqxTotEWqd7qTwW-KwG_hU1dCBGfbwwycgEVFjZmOF5/s640/Israel,+Palestine+and+the+United+Church+of+Canada.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The UCC is Canada’s largest Protestant denomination. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Among other points, the UCC called for the
dismantling of Israeli settlements within the occupied territories, the end of
all settlement construction, and the dismantling of the </span><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">separation
wall in all places where it crosses over the Green Line. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most controversially, it directed that United
Church members be encouraged to boycott settlement products and that an
information campaign on this issue be developed.</span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The UCC’s decision aligns with recent decisions in nearly all
mainstream national Protestant denominational bodies in the US.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last year fifteen expressed concern openly
and clearly about Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians and about Israeli
policies and actions being obstacles to peace and justice.**<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Decades of church acquiescence to pressure from Jewish groups using
accusations of anti-Semitism and liberal Christian guilt about the Holocaust may
be coming to an end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite enormously
loud and public efforts, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) and B’nai
B’rith Canada proved unable to stop the UCC from adopting this change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I hope that this change in the churches’ relationship with
Israel and Palestine will ultimately help bring about desperately needed moves
toward peace and justice that Israelis have been unable to accomplish
themselves.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I look forward to the discussion on Monday evening and encourage
you to consider coming as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It will
be an opportunity to learn from the inside about this significant move within
the United Church of Canada and possibly to share reflections and perspectives
with others who are present.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Rev.
Kathryn Ransdell, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #002060; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Acting Lead Minister of St. Andrew's-Wesley, has specifically
told me that everyone is welcomed to join in this discussion as well as another
Israel-Palestine related program scheduled for next Sunday just after noon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you’re there Monday evening, I’ll be happy
to talk with you afterward to share impressions.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #002060; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Le-shalom,</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #002060; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">David</span><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://www.united-church.ca/general-council/gc41/israel-palestine-report">http://www.united-church.ca/general-council/gc41/israel-palestine-report</a>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1242391--united-church-affirms-israeli-settlements-boycott">http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1242391--united-church-affirms-israeli-settlements-boycott</a>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://www.united-church.ca/files/general-council/gc41/israel-palestine-faq.pdf">http://www.united-church.ca/files/general-council/gc41/israel-palestine-faq.pdf</a>
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**<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://rabbibrant.com/2012/10/23/american-christians-dare-to-speak-their-conscience-on-israelpalestine/#more-12722">http://rabbibrant.com/2012/10/23/american-christians-dare-to-speak-their-conscience-on-israelpalestine/#more-12722</a>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://rabbibrant.com/2012/10/31/rabbi-brian-walt-christian-leaders-cannot-be-cowed-into-silence/">http://rabbibrant.com/2012/10/31/rabbi-brian-walt-christian-leaders-cannot-be-cowed-into-silence/</a>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://rabbibrant.com/2012/10/15/rabbinical-support-for-the-end-of-unconditional-military-aid-to-israel/">http://rabbibrant.com/2012/10/15/rabbinical-support-for-the-end-of-unconditional-military-aid-to-israel/</a>
</div>
Rabbi David Mivasairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13258602213633196703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5770838.post-13755204092364016752012-02-08T14:42:00.000-08:002012-02-08T14:51:02.456-08:00Some of my thinking re moving beyond the State of Israel<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Friends, readers, I wrote this today in response to a long thoughtful post by a valued Reconstructionist rabbinic colleague on the internal discussion list of our rabbinic association which focused at length on the BDS movement prompted by the recent BDS conference at the University of Pennsylvania. I want to share it with you as a way to share some of my thinking. I invite your response. I'd love to hear from you. One way to share your response with others beside myself is to post it to my Facebook page. -- David</div><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Andrew, I appreciate your willingness to hang in here and keep discussing. You probably have more willingness to do that than I do at this point. I apologize for not responding more fully. I do want to respond to one point you wrote: </div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color: black;">". . . the ultimate goal of BDS, a goal explained by Abunimah, Mermelstein and Shapira, is to dismantle the Jewish State of Israel and replace it with a new, “democratic”, pluralistic society – a society that is not a Jewish homeland. This would be the death of Zionism and a horrific loss for the Jewish people."</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I think you're right that their goal is to replace the JEWISH State of Israel with a more democratic, non-ethnic state. However, that's not the goal of the BDS movement, which is all about ending the Israeli occupation and the suffering it causes. More fundamentally, I think you make two major, important mistakes. First, you are also wrong to equate a "state" with a "homeland". Second, you are wrong in believing that would be the "death" of Zionism and a horrific loss for the Jewish people. </div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The homeland of the Jewish people is that land, that place, that we call the Land of Israel, or (as it was widely known among Jews as well) Palestine or even the Land of Canaan. That is our homeland regardless of which government rules it or what state is organized on it. There are plenty of people with homelands which are not states. There are states which are not congruent with anyone's particular homeland. Homeland does not equal state.</div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Second, Zionism is not dependent on a Jewish state. Zionism is about Jews living freely in the Land of Israel in a thriving Jewish culture. It does not necessarily require the mechanisms of a state. Until well into the Holocaust years, even the World Zionist Congress never had a majority of delegates supporting the establishment of a Jewish state as a goal. (See "Biltmore Conference".) A state became necessary because of historical circumstances. It is not a <i>sine qua non</i> of Zionism.</div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I believe we all would be better off if we hold out as our goal getting past the ethnic state which has been and will continue to be the cause of so very much conflict and suffering -- as well as the distortion and debasement of Judaism. I used to love the State of Israel and thought that it needed to exist. I no long think that. In fact, I want our shared vision and goal to be enabling Jews to live in the Jewish homeland in a way that enables everyone there to be fulfilled as equal citizens of whatever state is organized by those people there to meet their common needs, i.e. not a "Jewish" state. I think there clearly was an historical need for a Jewish state in 1948. Regretfully, that need continues into this present time. However, as we envision a future and strive toward it, I think we need to set our vision higher than that. "<i>אם תרצו אין זו אגדה</i>." I also think that the more we Jews are clear about that, the more our Palestinian (and other) neighbours and partners in that land will be able to sincerely embrace that goal as well.</div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">David Mivasair</div>Rabbi David Mivasairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13258602213633196703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5770838.post-86445215709191928312012-02-06T15:28:00.000-08:002012-02-06T15:31:00.693-08:00Wednesday night Spirit Circle at First United Church, a large "homeless" shelter in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside -- come join us<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Ux2IF4L_z0xRInaWxG5pD0V3ZriwjVNB3kYKzUtyzLPTT8nmgvBxjKQpr_ddqelUJtZo4FQnD7tTlOW4JM_VC1FwiCgn2gHgxvYER4wuAmjlmt0EAhx3iVDZSsMbl9Lchuao/s1600/Spirit+Circle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Ux2IF4L_z0xRInaWxG5pD0V3ZriwjVNB3kYKzUtyzLPTT8nmgvBxjKQpr_ddqelUJtZo4FQnD7tTlOW4JM_VC1FwiCgn2gHgxvYER4wuAmjlmt0EAhx3iVDZSsMbl9Lchuao/s400/Spirit+Circle.jpg" width="355" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-right: 208.35pt;">Dear friends,</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-right: 208.35pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-right: 208.35pt;"> Wednesday evenings at the First United Church – Vancouver’s largest “homeless” shelter -- have been lovely – sharing sacred space together, opening our hearts, raising our spirits, singing, talking, listening. We’re planning to gather again this week.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-right: 208.35pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-right: 208.35pt;"> We’ll gather at 7 at the First United Church, 320 East Hastings, in the Downtown Eastside. We’ll settle into seats in a circle in the dining hall near the totem pole.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-right: 208.35pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-right: 208.35pt;"> We’ll light a candle. I’ll lead a simple wordless chant. It’ll settle us down, bring us together and make a wide open space for Spirit to fill. Rev. Sally McShane, the minister of First United, will offer a scriptural reading and some words of reflection and prayer. And then, we plan to sing a very beautiful hymn familiar to many of us, Sally’s absolute favourite, to the melody of “Ode to Joy”. (That says a lot about Sally.)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-right: 208.35pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-right: 208.35pt;"> After more singing, we’ll turn our attention to each other in a talking circle, sharing our own thinking and feeling about ourselves as the possible core of a newly living, vital congregation at First United. This week’s question is going to be why some people say they are “spiritual” but not “religious” – and how we see ourselves in that regard.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-right: 208.35pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-right: 208.35pt;"> We’ll close with a song of blessing and farewell at 8:30 – and stay to informally mingle, talk, hang out and get to know each other a bit until about 9 when we need to free up the room for the folks who will be sleeping there.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-right: 208.35pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-right: 208.35pt;"> I hope this is helpful. If you have questions, suggestions or comments, please feel free to call or write to me.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-right: 208.35pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-right: 208.35pt;">David</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 208.35pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 208.35pt;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-right: 208.35pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Rabbi David Mivasair, MSW<br />
Chaplain, First United Church</span><span style="color: navy;"> <br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">(604) 681-8365</span><span style="color: navy;"> <br />
<a href="http://www.firstunited.ca/"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">www.firstunited.ca</span></a><br />
</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/RabFirstUnited">@RabFirstUnited</a></span><span style="color: navy;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 108.0pt; margin-right: 208.35pt; margin-top: 0cm;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">Share info, ideas, inspiration: First United’s e-mail group.<br />
</span></b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">Now </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">36</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";"> people – staff, community members, all kinds of folks.<br />
To join us, press CTRL and click on <a href="http://is.gd/uevuaH">this here</a>.<br />
Questions? Write <a href="mailto:rabbi-david@firstunited.ca">rabbi-david@firstunited.ca</a>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 208.35pt;"><br />
</div>Rabbi David Mivasairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13258602213633196703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5770838.post-4286239603182306252012-01-22T15:17:00.000-08:002012-01-22T15:20:49.818-08:00Well-funded, staffed "Israel advocacy" org re-starting in Vancouver<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Friends, after a blessed absence for the past year or two, the right-wing, money-dominated, doomed-to-fail Israel-firsters are starting up a new operation here in Vancouver. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I’d love for us to join this organization’s (non-existent) membership and have some real discussion with the folks running it about what is truly good for the Jews. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">In reality, tho, this is a totally top-down, anti-democratic organization that arrogates to itself the posture of speaking for the “Jewish community”. It will never allow any open discussion whatsoever. In fact, its entire raison d’être is to counter free, open and honest discussion. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I’d love to know the budget for the two professionals in the local operation and where that $$ is coming from. But, they’ll never reveal that either. Keep this in mind next time the Jewish Federation comes knocking asking for donations to support Jewish community needs</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> -- David</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</style> <![endif]--><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="subheads1"><span>New Local Advocacy Council Forming</span></span></span></b><b><span style="color: #002260; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />
</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.elabs10.com/c.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbd9,vdve,4d7r,35om,ma06,6vq,avqy" target="_blank">The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs</a> and Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver are pleased to announce several developments related to the formation of a new local advocacy council. This follows the national reorganization of Jewish communal advocacy organizations this past summer. These developments include the appointment of co-chairs for the new council, as well as the hiring of key staff.<br />
<br />
A key part of the reorganization that led to the formation of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs is the development of local partnership structures – advocacy councils developed collaboratively between the national centre and local Jewish Federations. The Pacific Region council is now moving forward with the appointment of two local leaders, Paul Goldman and Stephen Schachter, as co-chairs, each of whom brings expertise in Israel and domestic advocacy. <br />
<br />
The local council will act on behalf of both Jewish Federation and the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs on all local and national advocacy issues, fulfilling a mandate to improve the quality of Jewish life in Canada and abroad, while strengthening the Canada-Israel relationship. The council will also ensure that local perspectives are reflected in the national decision making process. <br />
<br />
Following a rigorous search process, Darren Mackoff has been hired as the new Pacific Region director. Born and raised in Vancouver, Darren brings with him a wealth of both academic and professional experience. A graduate of UBC, Ryerson and Tel Aviv University, Darren has spent more than three years in a senior communications role at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Prior to that, he worked for some of North America’s largest news broadcasters including NBC, FOX News and Global TV. <br />
<br />
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs will also be filling an additional professional position for a manager of community relations and outreach. For more information, <a href="http://www.elabs10.com/c.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbd9,vdve,4d7r,3mxw,a0zk,6vq,avqy" target="_blank">click here</a>.</span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">From:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"> Mark Gurvis [mailto:info@jewishvancouver.com] <br />
<b>Sent:</b> January-20-12 2:30 PM<br />
<b>Subject:</b> From the Desk of Mark Gurvis - January 20, 2012</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div align="center"><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border: 1pt outset rgb(0, 51, 102); width: 613px;"><tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;"> <td style="border: inset white 1.0pt; padding: 1.2pt 1.2pt 1.2pt 1.2pt;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="width: 605px;"><tbody>
<tr style="height: 58.2pt; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;"> <td style="height: 58.2pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; width: 363.0pt;" width="605"><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;"><a href="http://www.elabs10.com/c.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbd9,vdve,4d7r,3hz6,e1w7,6vq,avqy" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="93" id="_x0000_i1025" src="http://www.jfgv.org/newsletters/MarkMessage2007/graphics/Masthead.jpg" width="550" /></span></a><br />
</span></b></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;"> <td style="background: #002260; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm;"><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="style351"><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 6pt;">Shabbat Candlelighting 4:31 p.m. Friday, January 20, 2011/25 Tivet </span></b></span><span class="style261"><span style="color: white; font-size: 6pt;">5772</span></span><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;"> </span></b></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 10.8pt; mso-yfti-irow: 2; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"> <td style="height: 10.8pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;"> </span></b></div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 237.6pt; mso-yfti-irow: 1;"> <td style="border: inset white 1.0pt; height: 237.6pt; padding: 1.2pt 1.2pt 1.2pt 1.2pt;" valign="top"><span class="subheads1">New Local Advocacy Council Forming</span><b><span style="color: #002260; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br />
</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><a href="http://www.elabs10.com/c.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbd9,vdve,4d7r,35om,ma06,6vq,avqy" target="_blank">The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs</a> and Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver are pleased to announce several developments related to the formation of a new local advocacy council. This follows the national reorganization of Jewish communal advocacy organizations this past summer. These developments include the appointment of co-chairs for the new council, as well as the hiring of key staff.<br />
<br />
A key part of the reorganization that led to the formation of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs is the development of local partnership structures – advocacy councils developed collaboratively between the national centre and local Jewish Federations. The Pacific Region council is now moving forward with the appointment of two local leaders, Paul Goldman and Stephen Schachter, as co-chairs, each of whom brings expertise in Israel and domestic advocacy. <br />
<br />
The local council will act on behalf of both Jewish Federation and the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs on all local and national advocacy issues, fulfilling a mandate to improve the quality of Jewish life in Canada and abroad, while strengthening the Canada-Israel relationship. The council will also ensure that local perspectives are reflected in the national decision making process. <br />
<br />
Following a rigorous search process, Darren Mackoff has been hired as the new Pacific Region director. Born and raised in Vancouver, Darren brings with him a wealth of both academic and professional experience. A graduate of UBC, Ryerson and Tel Aviv University, Darren has spent more than three years in a senior communications role at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Prior to that, he worked for some of North America’s largest news broadcasters including NBC, FOX News and Global TV. <br />
<br />
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs will also be filling an additional professional position for a manager of community relations and outreach. For more information, <a href="http://www.elabs10.com/c.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbd9,vdve,4d7r,3mxw,a0zk,6vq,avqy" target="_blank">click here</a>.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;"></span></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 13.2pt; mso-yfti-irow: 2;"> <td style="border: inset white 1.0pt; height: 13.2pt; padding: 1.2pt 1.2pt 1.2pt 1.2pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;"> </span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 6.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 3;"> <td style="background: #002260; border: inset #003366 1.0pt; height: 6.0pt; padding: 1.2pt 1.2pt 1.2pt 1.2pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;"> </span></b></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4;"> <td style="background: white; border: inset white 1.0pt; padding: 1.2pt 1.2pt 1.2pt 1.2pt; width: 363.0pt;" width="605"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;"><br />
</span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="height: 25.2pt; mso-yfti-irow: 5; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"> <td style="background: #0083C9; border: inset white 1.0pt; height: 25.2pt; padding: 1.2pt 1.2pt 1.2pt 1.2pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="style771"><span style="font-size: 5.5pt;">This is an official email sent to you from the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver. Federation respects and upholds an individual’s right to privacy and to protection of his or her personal information. We use personal data for providing up-to-date information on our objectives, services, to process donations.</span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;"></span></div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;"><img border="0" id="_x0000_i1026" src="http://www.elabs10.com/images/mlopen_post.html?rtr=on&siteid=2010001869&mid=1464314&mlid=203751&uid=022d67bf3a" /></span></div>Rabbi David Mivasairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13258602213633196703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5770838.post-29348686431176765082011-04-24T13:04:00.000-07:002011-04-24T13:04:00.070-07:00Egyptian Chronicles: The best Way to Celebrate Sinai liberation Day<a href="http://egyptianchronicles.blogspot.com/2011/04/best-way-to-celebrate-sinai-liberation.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+EgyptianChronicles+%28Egyptian+chronicles%29">Egyptian Chronicles: The best Way to Celebrate Sinai liberation Day</a>Rabbi David Mivasairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13258602213633196703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5770838.post-23058167473041254942011-01-24T15:29:00.000-08:002011-01-24T15:39:16.085-08:00Plant an olive tree in Palestine to replace one of thousands upon thousands destroyed by Israeli settlers, military and civil authorities<div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSxfXoSY4YdIFz5V3mMxWYUoJWzhrLpQHa6N8CcKsXq1aJ_VXCAs-o07fxkw68O40VP6OKKKYGni78iudWl-A9YwB1-cvlF_2qK0aJbrwXWcl37Jmysk355fGI_f4PBqaEYbew/s1600/Plant+a+Prayer+revised.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">Please make a donation in any amount. Click here to open the poster and then click on it one more time to make it really large and read details.</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSxfXoSY4YdIFz5V3mMxWYUoJWzhrLpQHa6N8CcKsXq1aJ_VXCAs-o07fxkw68O40VP6OKKKYGni78iudWl-A9YwB1-cvlF_2qK0aJbrwXWcl37Jmysk355fGI_f4PBqaEYbew/s640/Plant+a+Prayer+revised.jpg" width="494" /></div>Rabbi David Mivasairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13258602213633196703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5770838.post-70090088482863181142010-09-29T02:40:00.000-07:002010-09-29T03:37:53.599-07:00"Sermon by an Atlanta rabbi" misses the markI rarely argue against anything posted on our Ahavat Olam Synagogue discussion list, but I have to counter something posted today purporting to be a Rosh ha-Shanah sermon delivered by an Atlanta rabbi.*<br />
<br />
The sermon identifies radical Islam as “the enemy” of our time just as Nazism was so disastrously the enemy three-quarters of a century ago. Further, it says that for Jews not to recognize this today is parallel to Jews in Europe in the 1930's not accepting the reality of the threat posed by the Nazis in their time – which only makes the threat of radical Islam more threatening and largely the fault of those Jews who don't think so.<br />
<br />
The writer avoids any mention that both the US and Israel might have done something to elicit such enmity. It is as if it arose spontaneously, a completely irrational aberration in human thinking, with no relationship whatsoever to anything that the USA and Israel have ever done.<br />
<br />
On Rosh ha-Shanah, of all days, we need to look at our own failures and misdeeds. This sermon offers not a shred of awareness of any responsibility on the part of either the USA or Israel. No human reality is so thoroughly one-sided as this piece presents. Until we look at our own actions, we will not understand what is going on. Until we see the larger context for the situation – as we try to do especially on Rosh ha-Shanah – we remain trapped in it. The moral reasoning of Rosh ha-Shanah is to engage deeply in critical self-evaluation that leads to change in our own behaviour to mitigate our own role in causing the difficulties that affect our lives and those of others. Jewish teachings further emphasize that precisely those traits in others which most disturb us are those which we most need to look for in ourselves to rectify. <br />
<br />
The lachrymose emotional appeal of the piece is an attempt to lead its readers to ignore Israel’s near total dispossession of the entire population of Palestinian Arabs, 43 years of brutal occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, decades of occupation of southern Lebanon, massively disproportionate lethal attack on Gaza only two years ago and other continuing acts of aggression. It is not Israel’s mere existence which has led to growing enmity but rather Israel's actions. Similarly, the reader is expected to forget current US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and decades of history, for instance, that the dictatorial regime in Saudi Arabia which produces Wahabi extremists and exports “radical Islam” is itself a direct creation British imperialism at the end of World War I and would not have survived without United States support.<br />
<br />
Finally, the piece deserves attention not for what it purports to be but rather for what it is: an attempt to manipulate those Jews who feel increasingly insecure as they become more painfully aware of Israel’s own deepening insecurity in a world with less and less tolerance for its excesses and excuses.<br />
<br />
It is always easier and more comforting to <i>shrai gevalt</i> about others than it is to look at ourselves.<br />
<br />
David<br />
<br />
___<br />
* I thought it was strange that writer is identified only as "an Atlanta rabbi" -- no affiliation, identification or credentials. Rabbis who give sermons are associated with synagogues. Usually, when a sermon is reported, the synagogue where it was delivered is also reported. So, from the outset I was a sceptical. I Googled “Schlomo Lewis”, the supposed author of the sermon, and found absolutely no reference to this name before September 24, 2010, and no reference at all in any context whatsoever other than this one specific sermon which has been published now on dozens of highly ideological blogs and nowhere else. There is no indication of who the writer is or anything at all pertaining to his existence prior to the first appearance of this item in a blog about four days ago. So, now I'm wondering, “Schlomo Lewis” is either a hidden holy <i>lamed-vavnik</i> in Atlanta who just decided to reveal himself two weeks after he supposedly delivered this sermon or simply a fabrication. – DMRabbi David Mivasairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13258602213633196703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5770838.post-30023826743897958552010-06-17T16:00:00.000-07:002010-06-17T16:14:31.371-07:00Jack Layton wrong to censure Libby Davies<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"></meta><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Generator"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Originator"></meta><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CUser%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CUser%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_preview.wmf" rel="Preview"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CUser%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx" rel="themeData"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CUser%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml" rel="colorSchemeMapping"></link><style>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 7.3pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">Dear Jack,<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 7.3pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 7.3pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">Shalom to you. I am a card-carrying New Democrat active in Vancouver and a modest financial donor to the party. We met a few years ago as you and Libby Davies were walking out of Vancouver City Hall and I was walking in. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 7.3pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 7.3pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">I also am a rabbi with a Vancouver synagogue. I lived in Israel four different years since 1971. I am very deeply tied to that land and its people. My son is there now and my daughter is going in less than a month for a year. I am involved with Israel daily and know its realities well. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 7.3pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 7.3pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">Unfortunately, you make a real mistake in criticizing Libby Davies for her comments about the Israeli occupation beginning in 1948. (</span><span style="font-size: small;"><a class="smarterwiki-linkify" href="http://tinyurl.com/369ggcm" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">http://tinyurl.com/369ggcm</a>)<b> </b></span><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">You fell into a trap, Jack. A blatantly manipulative political ploy was set up to capitalize on a volatile and emotional issue. You played right along. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 7.3pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 7.3pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">Libby said that she thinks the Israeli occupation began in 1948. Well, it did. I can introduce you to Palestinians living here in Vancouver who were forced out of their homes at gunpoint by Jews in 1948 and their villages destroyed. That’s occupation. It happened. Denying it doesn’t change a thing.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 7.3pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 7.3pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.mideastweb.org/map_unpartition.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.mideastweb.org/map_unpartition.gif" width="247" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.mideastweb.org/1949ArmisticeLines.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.mideastweb.org/1949ArmisticeLines.gif" width="165" /></a></span><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">Just look at this map on the left here of the 1947 UN partition plan. The UN assigned the orange parts to the Jews' control and the pink parts to the Arabs. Now, look at a 1948 map of the ceasefire lines. The purple is what Israel held and eventually became its more-or-less acknowledged boundaries until 1967.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 7.3pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 7.3pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">Even well before 1948, Jewish organizations launched a well-planned and well-executed campaign to establish “facts on the ground” by planting 57 settlements literally in the middle of the night all over the country. This was especially true in the southern Negev desert region so that the UN would grant that area to the Jewish state-to-be. Even though there was negligible and recently imported Jewish population amidst a far larger and very well-established Arab population (in that large orange area in the south), the UN partition granted it to the Jews and not the Arabs. This is a source of great pride in Israel, well-known to every school child and celebrated in museums. To know more, see <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower_and_stockade">"Tower and Stockade"</a>, <a href="http://www.israelyoudidntknow.com/north/pioneer-stockades/">tourist attraction</a> and <a href="http://www.israelmint.com/?section=167&product=2580&lineItem=0">commemorative coin</a>. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 7.3pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.israelmint.com/?section=167&product=2580&lineItem=0"></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 7.3pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">To imply that Libby doesn’t support the existence of the State of Israel is nothing but disingenuous manipulation. You know that’s not true; Libby does support the existence of the State of Israel. It is Israel’s behaviour that Libby condemns – and rightfully so.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 7.3pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 7.3pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">I am surprised and deeply disappointed that you didn’t defend Libby, certainly one of the NDP’s most courageous, clear-thinking and popular MP’s. You should have turned the criticism back on Bob Rae and Thomas Mulcair for suggesting that, because Libby spoke the truth about 1948, her support for Israel’s right to exist is suspect. That is a ridiculous accusation. One thing has nothing to do with the other. I don’t understand why you succumbed to such simplistic trickery and didn’t have the guts to say what was really going on.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 7.3pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 7.3pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">As an active member of the NDP, I would appreciate hearing your reasons for going along with this attack on Libby and this intentional distortion of very significant historical facts regarding Israel and Palestine. If you honestly didn’t know better, I can excuse it. You can’t know everything about every issue. (But you certainly need to check with someone who does.) On the other hand, if you felt you simply had to bow to political pressure, you and the NDP have lost some of the respect I always have had for you. I would appreciate a reply.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 7.3pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 7.3pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">Thank you so very much,<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 7.3pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 7.3pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: small;">David</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>Rabbi David Mivasairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13258602213633196703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5770838.post-7775093490447478452010-06-02T14:40:00.000-07:002010-06-02T15:27:26.313-07:00<div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">On Monday morning, May 31, the Ahavat Olam Synagogue board decided unanimously to join a demonstration in downtown Vancouver protesting the Israeli attack on the unarmed Gaza humanitarian aid flotilla the previous night.</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpDuC52GP_PAxjuuof6La2DEuPf5oc8IlpNdAsMo83nYW_b1iXUQyyXR7-CIszJXyQ2wsSvQ6xBBejIjR35yQx7zVH1znO-yV-SWSgV4CLXXW-1noavZo5gCGVOVlnBjdpy1PQ/s1600/Signs+cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpDuC52GP_PAxjuuof6La2DEuPf5oc8IlpNdAsMo83nYW_b1iXUQyyXR7-CIszJXyQ2wsSvQ6xBBejIjR35yQx7zVH1znO-yV-SWSgV4CLXXW-1noavZo5gCGVOVlnBjdpy1PQ/s320/Signs+cropped.jpg" /></a>Five of us came at noon with the Ahavat Olam banner and three placards. Several other members were present on their own or with a different group, Jews for a Just Peace. In the crowd of ~100, I guess about 20% were Jews.</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Sharing my experience and reflections is difficult, painful and only very cautiously hopeful. We must each search for understanding and wisdom in our own personal responses. I invite you to share thoughtfully as well, either to me privately or on the Ahavat Olam discussion list at <a href="mailto:AOdiscussion@yahoogroups.com">AOdiscussion@yahoogroups.com</a>.</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>Why go?</b> – News of the attack reached me by e-mail Sunday before midnight. I watched Israeli TV news and analysis for hours as the story unfolded. I was clear that the Israeli commandos had over-reacted with deadly violence against people who were trying to defend themselves with nothing but found objects – yes, iron pipes, kitchen knives, perhaps even firefighting axes. True, they did not remain non-violent. I wish they had. But there was no reason to kill (as was reported at the time by Israeli government spokespeople) 15+ unarmed activists. All of which is a microcosm of the bigger issue: the years-long siege of Gaza that traps 1.5 million people in a huge open air prison with inadequate food, medicine and other necessities and the continued theft of land and oppression in the West Bank where another 2 million live.</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Torah teaches that God demands we “do not stand idly by the blood of your neighbour” (Lev. 19:16 לֹא תַעֲמֹד עַל דַּם רֵעֶךָ). Further, our sages in the Talmud taught that if we are able to prevent our community from sinning and we do not do so, we bear the guilt even if we do not commit the sin ourselves. As religious Jews we are obliged to speak out against Israel’s actions in this case.</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>What we did</b> – As soon as we arrived, we were welcomed by others and approached by reporters. Many were surprised to see a synagogue join in. Some even misunderstood our purpose and assumed that we were there to oppose them and support the Israeli action. That is not an unreasonable expectation considering the response of the most of the organized Jewish community. Far more, though, we were thanked for being there. Reports of our presence were carried by CKWX, the Canadian Press, the Georgia Straight (http://tinyurl.com/3alx92b) and possibly elsewhere.</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">One of our signs read; “Israel – YES!; Murder of Innocents – NO!”. Another quoted Genesis 4:10 as God spoke to Cain after he killed Abel, “The blood of your brother(s and sisters) is calling to me . . . “. The third, made by a member whose grandmother was murdered by Nazis in Poland and whose Holocaust survivor father was there with us, said, “My grandmother did not die so that peacekeepers would be killed in her name.”</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">At one point, I put on my tallit and sounded the shofar as a wordless cry to wake up the conscience of our Jewish community. Many in the crowd understood that cry very well and thanked us.</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>No hint of antisemitism, no blanket condemnation of Israel</b> – I was most surprised by the tone and the content of the demonstration. People were very angry and upset. Many were Palestinians, some with family in Gaza. And yet, there was no sign, no speech, no expression of any antisemitism or condemnation of Jews or even of the State of Israel as a whole. Absolutely none. There were repeated chants of “Free Palestine”, “End the Siege of Gaza” and “Shame on Israel” – but never once did I hear anything like, God forbid, “Death to Israel”, “Destroy Israel”, “Down with the Zionist Entity” or any of the many expressions of hate against Israel and Jews that I can easily imagine could have easily been said. There were no signs with a Jewish star equalling a swastika. Nothing like that at all. And, no one at all was controlling the signs or what speakers said. That was quite different from what I expected. I was impressed.</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>Brief reflection</b> – I believe we did the right thing. I am grateful that a synagogue representing a segment of the Jewish religious community spoke up and was there. </div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Israel’s actions this week, sadly, will drive an even greater wedge between it and the nations of the world. Even sadder, it will drive many Jews to further dissociate themselves from Israel and from Judaism and even from their own Jewishness. </div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Along with many Israelis, I hope and pray that, sooner rather than later, more and more Israelis will begin to look at what their country is becoming and commit to finding a better way.</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">-- David</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">A few links for further understanding:</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">• <a href="http://tinyurl.com/3x7zrhg%20">An American-Israeli for 50 years re-evaluates her country: </a></div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">• <a href="http://tinyurl.com/23rnqat">Real goal of the flotilla was break the siege, not deliver aid</a></div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">• <a href="http://tinyurl.com/3yvqctz">Aid delivered to Ashdod not likely to reach Gaza -- Amira Hass in Haaretz</a></div><div style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo courtesy of Lawrence Boxall ©</span></div>Rabbi David Mivasairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13258602213633196703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5770838.post-78543394710948474702010-04-28T02:23:00.000-07:002010-04-28T02:33:38.263-07:00Joining a Sufi gathering in California إن شاء الله<div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ruhaniat.org/Federation2010/fed10flyer%28f%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="http://ruhaniat.org/Federation2010/fed10flyer%28f%29.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> On Wednesday morning, April 28, I plan to leave, <meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"></meta><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Generator"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Originator"></meta><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CUser%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CUser%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_preview.wmf" rel="Preview"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CUser%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx" rel="themeData"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CUser%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml" rel="colorSchemeMapping"></link><style>
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</style><span style="font-size: small;">إن شاء الله<span dir="LTR"></span><span dir="LTR"></span><span dir="LTR"></span><span dir="LTR"></span>, </span>God willing, for a Sufi gathering in California through the weekend. I’d like to tell you about it.</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> My rebbe, Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, is a tremendous pioneer, thinker and doer. Born in Poland 86 years ago, he came from eastern Europe as a war refugee, studied and was ordained as a rabbi in the Lubavitcher yeshivah in Brooklyn. He was sent out into the world by the previous Lubavitcher rebbe, Reb Yosef Yitzchok Schneerson, as his emissary to bring Jews closer to God. Ever since, he’s been doing that and so much more. </div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> Always a seeker, decades ago Reb Zalman widened his horizons considerably. Among many other sources of learning, he became an initiate of the Sufi order of Hazrat Inayat Khan and a sheikh in that order.</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> This year marks the 100th anniversary of the arrival of Hazrat Inayat Khan in the West. Each year, leaders and members of six of the Inayati Sufi orders gather to share their learning, their spirits and hearts. This year, on the 100th anniversary, they invited Reb Zalman to join this gathering. See http://tinyurl.com/382n4g8. Reb Zalman asked a minyan of rabbis to go in his place. I was honoured to be asked to be one of them. </div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> I hope to be able to continue learning from Sufi teachers, sisters and brothers, and to be able to share with them from my own learning. I hope as well, of course, to be able to serve as a channel between our communities, our “rivers of guidance” and “streams of the message”.</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> I am looking forward to new experiences and learning during the coming days. I ask your blessings and prayers for this journey. If you would like to help my journey with a tax-deductible donation of any size, please let me know and I will tell you how.</div>Rabbi David Mivasairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13258602213633196703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5770838.post-32479504705027791312010-03-23T22:45:00.000-07:002010-03-24T11:14:36.910-07:00Matzah, soft like pita, from a house locked tight 364 days a year<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigMZJPYuj9udc5f8uJfI9dXK3nKJUjGzsqbxVSGetOy4Q7Mu1GfMwgSRtvPF0bile3Q4juaaqa6ntFYho_wpxGuYK8gkTtCctEc4YcU6a5hcDdYvNfCpFUQd8Zmbc7_Gw025VO/s1600/Y,+S,+watermelon+on+the+rocks.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigMZJPYuj9udc5f8uJfI9dXK3nKJUjGzsqbxVSGetOy4Q7Mu1GfMwgSRtvPF0bile3Q4juaaqa6ntFYho_wpxGuYK8gkTtCctEc4YcU6a5hcDdYvNfCpFUQd8Zmbc7_Gw025VO/s200/Y,+S,+watermelon+on+the+rocks.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We were living in Yerushalayim in the spring of '01. Pesa</span><u style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">h</u><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> was my chance to take Michal and the kids to see the flurry of activity in a hand-made matzah bakery in action. </span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When I was at the Hebrew U back in '72, wandering through </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">the back alleys of Me'ah She'arim</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> a few days before Pesa<u>h</u>, I found an amazing old stone matzah bakery. </span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">With flawless timing and precise choreography, sweating black-clad men with beards covered in flour moved in a well-practiced assembly line. </span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In the dim and dusty light, one scooped flour and another mixed in water. Another took the dough, pulled off just the right-sized bits and passed them onto a long table with guys on both sides. Two guys hand-rolled the bits into balls and passed them on. A whole line of guys on each side of the table with wooden rolling pins pressed the dough and passed it down the line until it was flat. In a flash, other guys ran a prickly roller over them to poke little perforations in them so they wouldn't even think of rising and then hung them in a row over long, long wooden poles. Still other guys then swung the poles around and, reaching deep into stone ovens, laid down the soon-to-be matzahs on its smooth stone floor so they could bake and be snatched back out again on a long-handled paddle like a pizza baker's -- להבדיל. </span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSI8moS3xuGdkS2DfNsaWW0djMefOZLbR7PZpOzNLo5n5OPK_fhn_pcqcWLxy6BTj_RHZPfS-xXXOuCI5BPpuDjd7_7AM8nRB5PA6EUb9cFDh0Qr_Dc1bb36HjBjYgeBJeRsfT/s1600/Matza+00+--+outside+Ussishkin+60.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSI8moS3xuGdkS2DfNsaWW0djMefOZLbR7PZpOzNLo5n5OPK_fhn_pcqcWLxy6BTj_RHZPfS-xXXOuCI5BPpuDjd7_7AM8nRB5PA6EUb9cFDh0Qr_Dc1bb36HjBjYgeBJeRsfT/s320/Matza+00+--+outside+Ussishkin+60.JPG" width="180" /></a><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">All in less than eighteen minutes from the moment the water touches the flour until the dough is baked -- or else it's not kosher for Pesa<u>h</u>. That's the rule.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I remembered exactly where it was 28 years earlier. A few days before Pesa</span><u style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">h</u><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">, I followed my memories and went back there to find out the best time to bring my family to watch -- and it was gone! Closed. <i>Gornish!</i> Not happening. They don't do it like that any more!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">מה לעשות -- What to do?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">One old guy </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">in Ma</span><u style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">h</u><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">aneh Yehudah </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">told me to go the night before Pesa</span><u style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">h</u><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> to an old stone house on the corner </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">just a few blocks away </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">at Ussishkin Street #60. Iraqi Kurdish Jews in the neighbourhood keep that house locked up 364 days a year. No one goes in; no one comes out. Only on the day before Pesa</span><u style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">h</u><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> do they turn the lock and open the door. They come in, bake their matzah and lock it up until the next year. </span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The night before Pesa<u>h</u>, we went. </span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Come through the door with us and see what we found.</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1vUeG-Z-QskvwmHR3OZVVRoVZbgK8NroIt5R-qPTv0q2I6SyxQJKHnmIFBc62IxWb4hJIVAzoYRBbeLUHeAPN2UpuyZMOiTGyDZPvdS1JfjaNMjO7Zgoz6SXtxn4XR8fry9PX/s1600/Matza+01+--+scooping+the+flour.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1vUeG-Z-QskvwmHR3OZVVRoVZbgK8NroIt5R-qPTv0q2I6SyxQJKHnmIFBc62IxWb4hJIVAzoYRBbeLUHeAPN2UpuyZMOiTGyDZPvdS1JfjaNMjO7Zgoz6SXtxn4XR8fry9PX/s320/Matza+01+--+scooping+the+flour.JPG" /></a></div><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In the hub-bub of activity, a young boy scoops up flour and passes it to his grand-dad sitting in a chair behind him, a big basin between his knees. The flour is <i>shmurah</i> -- שמורה -- carefully watched and guarded from the moment the wheat was harvested in the field, as it was milled and bagged, right up to this moment. No water or other moisture whatsoever had come in contact with it -- until just now. That's the defining characteristic of <i>shmurah matzah</i>.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWOC9HoZferxxuDZht5iOqSw_pCEtr9UVYDkVN3-LQ_6BOUnW7-D6xn96UFmbSMYD51V25ga70EFU0g5Q-NgiJxXf69kyTmBkUjgeTUKN-5wSte3fa2fQ9OEBiv8Hjazc75F5x/s1600/Matza+03+--+adding+the+water.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWOC9HoZferxxuDZht5iOqSw_pCEtr9UVYDkVN3-LQ_6BOUnW7-D6xn96UFmbSMYD51V25ga70EFU0g5Q-NgiJxXf69kyTmBkUjgeTUKN-5wSte3fa2fQ9OEBiv8Hjazc75F5x/s320/Matza+03+--+adding+the+water.JPG" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnsioLZMxwhNp-mZd7J_8MoZinZVF4Ao7q8sPRUumuXNKBItgUvSB9DnjAjteS4gAGDl-t7DjBvExTfFhQiwf1dwxxhHk-rZnmVr9Gy22MUHKFL8a6wf0spIKghNX9ezGuoNU-/s1600/Matza+04+--+mixing+the+dough.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnsioLZMxwhNp-mZd7J_8MoZinZVF4Ao7q8sPRUumuXNKBItgUvSB9DnjAjteS4gAGDl-t7DjBvExTfFhQiwf1dwxxhHk-rZnmVr9Gy22MUHKFL8a6wf0spIKghNX9ezGuoNU-/s320/Matza+04+--+mixing+the+dough.JPG" /></a><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Then, an older brother pours in the water </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">drawn from a well and kept still overnight. S</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">omeone starts to keep time. In eighteen minutes the matzah must be baked. The the older man massages flour and water into a dough.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A younger man takes the whole dough and begins to flatten it out. The hand-written sign on the wall declares:</span><br />
<div style="color: black; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">כל פרורי חמץ שיפלו אחר זמן</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">הכיעור</span> <span style="color: red;">הרי הם כעפרא דארעא!</span><span style="color: white;">א</span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">All bits of <u>h</u>ametz that fall after the time of the</span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"> basin</span> <span style="color: red;">are as the dust of the earth!</span></span></b></div><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Any bits of dried dough that stick to a table or cling to someone's hands are hereby declared to be ownerless just like the dust of the earth. They belong to no one. Consequently, they are not the property of any Jews and do not violate the religious prohibition against any Jews owning <u>h</u>ametz.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGjrGRhKuwGtgScyI5NWnOs9c6NE3jg4APdpy82Wqrsvxoc-sY3N4qq8MgVHEGFqQNC5i1uqs_lVp7HOFfdSvuH6EQYTqPx_XtOOf3qtsoEKlaToFcHuXqRGczvfwGVo36sOfI/s1600/Matza+07a--+weighing+the+dough.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGjrGRhKuwGtgScyI5NWnOs9c6NE3jg4APdpy82Wqrsvxoc-sY3N4qq8MgVHEGFqQNC5i1uqs_lVp7HOFfdSvuH6EQYTqPx_XtOOf3qtsoEKlaToFcHuXqRGczvfwGVo36sOfI/s320/Matza+07a--+weighing+the+dough.JPG" /></a><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Another man cuts the dough into right-sized pieces, weighs them on a scale and then puts them on a long table for other guys to roll into balls. </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqZ6GxGaZN5Faxacv_PRsWf9MkIDaR250utYHkkToQLRCQpW9q0n3hKrvdxiWiVq3BZVkK2Z_oVxt_8ghHPbEUlMexxOE_sgnuIsz8nADSH0jQU-2ivSq67Sg0pS296_nQyqJk/s1600/Matza+07+--+putting+dough+onto+scale.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqZ6GxGaZN5Faxacv_PRsWf9MkIDaR250utYHkkToQLRCQpW9q0n3hKrvdxiWiVq3BZVkK2Z_oVxt_8ghHPbEUlMexxOE_sgnuIsz8nADSH0jQU-2ivSq67Sg0pS296_nQyqJk/s320/Matza+07+--+putting+dough+onto+scale.JPG" /></a><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">"לשם מצת מצוה </span></span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTSODnUmk7EfAThiQj_JJ2M2_djVYw7KJ29Q5SFUGQAg_nnCUzbU3xc6pA25ZvuCgHfVvB6E12T29MPjQHus530cRvOmTkzrHk25RoJXIYTNj9VTiK5D4wdGemQeJGaSsFn_Oq/s1600/Matza+08+--+rolling+the+dough.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTSODnUmk7EfAThiQj_JJ2M2_djVYw7KJ29Q5SFUGQAg_nnCUzbU3xc6pA25ZvuCgHfVvB6E12T29MPjQHus530cRvOmTkzrHk25RoJXIYTNj9VTiK5D4wdGemQeJGaSsFn_Oq/s320/Matza+08+--+rolling+the+dough.JPG" /></a><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_J_csg7pkAs1C_CeCo5ZZRG_37d9DFO4VmPUlzGc4B6wT41l8MePJeJKUCGSavYFC94q2Org1ctmr1Lc0bXV8WOSWfyTnp4exhWb4McfICBTc8QRDehb7ege6gdtiOnqH_ZF-/s1600/Matza+09+--+marking+the+simanim.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_J_csg7pkAs1C_CeCo5ZZRG_37d9DFO4VmPUlzGc4B6wT41l8MePJeJKUCGSavYFC94q2Org1ctmr1Lc0bXV8WOSWfyTnp4exhWb4McfICBTc8QRDehb7ege6gdtiOnqH_ZF-/s320/Matza+09+--+marking+the+simanim.JPG" /></a></div><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">After the balls of dough were rolled flat, this woman marked each one with "סימנים" -- <i>simanim </i>or signs. She made straight lines on the matzah, either one line, two or three. I asked her why, what were the <i>simanim</i> for? She said she had no idea but that's what they always do and they have to do it. Never heard of "signs" on the matzah? Ask the rabbi, she said.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">He's right here, with the white shirt and black pants. </span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The rabbi was only too happy to explain. One line is "Yisrael", two is "Levi" and three is "Kohen". That is still a custom that I haven't heard of anywhere else. But then, what do I know?</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt-HDOTGEHSH00XZxsMJOsIbR-Gk09hOr3DAQpBfrrZVCnQEoO6cv9OnTGGtibWZPq76wDinJp-TcalYz9enz05fW7SXb-TFPhpWwkOJ1TCzVKavSZNtdsV8_-009qR1F2oUi8/s1600/Matza+11+--+poking+the+holes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt-HDOTGEHSH00XZxsMJOsIbR-Gk09hOr3DAQpBfrrZVCnQEoO6cv9OnTGGtibWZPq76wDinJp-TcalYz9enz05fW7SXb-TFPhpWwkOJ1TCzVKavSZNtdsV8_-009qR1F2oUi8/s200/Matza+11+--+poking+the+holes.JPG" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYPh13ReABUamQK4f4Z94EcscQsAbzjR30wLEfOqezBKSfBjD7k6kDyHrIxa-g_T7Cgt8hnm6XPZpEYvns4MyAvvzhZY-iThb-ZDlVOd1lprLEApWP8ygbeN5Bou4y7e78Wj0Z/s1600/Matza+10+--+making+the+holes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYPh13ReABUamQK4f4Z94EcscQsAbzjR30wLEfOqezBKSfBjD7k6kDyHrIxa-g_T7Cgt8hnm6XPZpEYvns4MyAvvzhZY-iThb-ZDlVOd1lprLEApWP8ygbeN5Bou4y7e78Wj0Z/s320/Matza+10+--+making+the+holes.JPG" /></a><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">After the matzahs got their <i>simanim</i>, it was time to roll them with prickly rollers to make the little perforations that prevent rising.</span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihtxnpI3lKRxEFDV4QUQmGvY3uSSQj7frD5HsxJE2sxwroytrc-0y0IHWj3AkZleqtKfiKGrPsWEIidFQV1pGd-CzHTh-fu4RaKCkMdZkGFCazxnhmxmx3XDvP0-fJzUGulXs7/s1600/Matza+13+--+the+oven,+the+rabbi.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihtxnpI3lKRxEFDV4QUQmGvY3uSSQj7frD5HsxJE2sxwroytrc-0y0IHWj3AkZleqtKfiKGrPsWEIidFQV1pGd-CzHTh-fu4RaKCkMdZkGFCazxnhmxmx3XDvP0-fJzUGulXs7/s320/Matza+13+--+the+oven,+the+rabbi.JPG" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPtAgGaXj_umi1HVK_9ncddRpwc-2z-oXd7YevuTSY-RO3td2LngUBijoWhNmblxe51jmDRo_l6XNz_58CjBrHk2N3zsyaii-v0PysEmnxyOoJas7CGmNTBNJLad1FwjaqPydl/s1600/Matza+12+--+into+the+oven.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPtAgGaXj_umi1HVK_9ncddRpwc-2z-oXd7YevuTSY-RO3td2LngUBijoWhNmblxe51jmDRo_l6XNz_58CjBrHk2N3zsyaii-v0PysEmnxyOoJas7CGmNTBNJLad1FwjaqPydl/s320/Matza+12+--+into+the+oven.JPG" /></a><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And, quick, into the oven! The ovens are large vertical clay pots set into an earthen counter and heated from the bottom -- just like a tandoori oven or a <i>tabun</i>. The baker wears gloves and has a round pad. The rabbi takes a soon-to-be matzah and briskly inspects it. <i>Simanim? </i>Check! Perforations? Check! And then the rabbi puts it on the baker's pad. The baker, in one swift sweep, slaps the still-sticky disk of dough onto the inside wall of the oven. In moments, it bakes and, as it dries, begins to slowly peel off the wall of the oven. The baker has to reach in at exactly the right instant to snatch it off the wall before it peels off completely and falls down into the bottom of the oven.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Vw13OOoWk_DxNz6Ge_UnY3lvPbUElZGag3Ue-4dG-9zjKA9J1qpPBHeU4qSInCdSS8svqcBO-O9dYhdnG60AZv_mQtJMonsLYYG37wbEAxeN9Ti0FSSLBrVDzKb9cC6XvQ5Y/s1600/Matza+14+--+finished+product.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Vw13OOoWk_DxNz6Ge_UnY3lvPbUElZGag3Ue-4dG-9zjKA9J1qpPBHeU4qSInCdSS8svqcBO-O9dYhdnG60AZv_mQtJMonsLYYG37wbEAxeN9Ti0FSSLBrVDzKb9cC6XvQ5Y/s320/Matza+14+--+finished+product.JPG" /></a></div><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Out of the oven less than eighteen minutes from the water hitting the flour, the finished product is soft and floppy, just like a pita without a pocket. It smells delicious. </span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> "<span style="font-size: large;">הא לחמא עניא . . . <i> </i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Ha la<u>h</u>ma 'anya -- </i> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is the bread of affliction which our ancestors ate in the Land of Mitzrayim . . . </span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">all who are hungry, come and eat."</span></div><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></div>Rabbi David Mivasairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13258602213633196703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5770838.post-29733257136558897132010-03-23T15:25:00.000-07:002010-03-23T16:03:00.728-07:00Intermarriage and babies . . . my decision thirteen years ago bears very sweet fruit<div style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A little more than thirteen years ago, I got a call from a Jewish dad with a non-Jewish wife and brand new baby twins. Would I help arrange a bris and mikvah to “convert” their baby boys? No other rabbi in town would do it and the mohel wouldn’t do a bris for these boys either. </div><div style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I get calls often from parents – Jewish dad, gentile mom – wanting to bring their children into the full embrace of the Jewish people and securely under the wings of the Shechinah. It’s common nowadays. </div><div style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So, why would no other rabbi agree to this? What’s the problem?</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Bob explained. Lisa is actively Christian – not just non-Jewish as many Jewish men’s wives are these days, but actually involved in her church and really, truly a Christian. No rabbi would “convert” the babies if their mom was actively Christian. Everyone said it would confuse the children and you could not raise Jewish kids in a home where one parent – <i>davka</i> the mother – is committed to another religion – <i>davka</i> Christianity. It won’t work; they’ll have no part of it. </div><div style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Bob added that Lisa deeply wants her boys to be Jews and has no wish for them to be Christian -- but wouldn’t give up her own religion in order to accomplish that.</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">He waited for my reply.</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I thought about it. </div><div style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I had never been asked this before. </div><div style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We talked. Deep in my <i>kishkas</i>, I knew that Bob was sincere. I couldn’t guarantee that these babies would grow up to live an integral Jewish life – I didn’t even know these people and I can’t guarantee that about my own children -- but I certainly wanted to give this family a chance to see how it would work. So many people with Jewish heritage and identity don’t pursue any Jewish life. At least, I could help them give it a try. </div><div style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I remembered receiving a teaching from Rabbi Gershon Winkler that the great medieval commentator Rashi said any rabbi can say no but it takes creativity and courage to find a legitimate and honest way to say yes. I knew that there is no technical problem with a bris and a mikvah when both parents are committed to raising Jewish children. It’s the follow through that other rabbis don’t trust. Something told me I could trust -- or at least give the benefit of a doubt. "דן על כף זכות" So, I said, “Let’s do it. I’m honoured you’ve asked and I’ll do whatever I can to help you.”</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I called the only non-Orthodox mohel in the Vancouver area, Dr. Neil Pollock, who deferred to my judgment. </div><div style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A few days later, we celebrated the bris in Bob and Lisa’s home with great joy and a little crying by both the babies and their parents. Later, we took the babies to the mikvah. Bob immersed their little baby bodies in the living waters of the mikvah, we said the brachas and the Shema and they came out as kosher Jewish baby boys with their whole futures wide open ahead of them. It remained to be seen how Bob and Lisa would raise them. </div><div style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And, that was that. </div><div style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I never heard from them again . . . </div><div style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">. . . until six and half years later, now six and half years ago.</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Bob called. Did I remember him? </div><div style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Well, the boys are both in grade 2 at the Richmond Jewish Day School. One of them, David, loves to wear tsitsis and payes. They’d like to visit. They came to Kabbalat Shabbat. I was amazed. David sang Lecha Dodi with all his heart and soul. Bob and David came again and again to Kabbalat Shabbat, always bringing the most delicious kosher knishes! In addition, they went to Chabad as well as Beth Tikvah, the Conservative synagogue in Richmond. As the years went by, Bob and Lisa planned their Bar Mitzvah ceremonies on Masada in Israel. And now, they’ll come and celebrate with us at Ahavat Olam this coming Shabbat by leyning from the Torah and Haftarah.</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I am very gratified that my initial willingness to trust Bob and Lisa has proven to be so very correct. Andrew is proud and happy to be a Jew, perhaps more than most young Jews his age. David’s neshamah soars with his Jewishness. He says he wants to be a rabbi. I won’t be surprised if that’s what he does.</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I am thankful to my own guides and teachers – Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, the theorists of the Reconstructionist movement and others – for preparing me for my own integrity and clarity thirteen years ago. And, I hope that more and more of us rabbis will become more open and trusting in similar situations in the future.</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Come and join us on Shabbat this week. Hear David and Andrew leyn. And, leave the potluck at home! Lunch is Bob and Lisa's treat.</div><div style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">David</div>Rabbi David Mivasairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13258602213633196703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5770838.post-67606169045409118262010-02-24T16:47:00.000-08:002010-02-24T21:32:42.612-08:00Purim teaching: If I perish, I perish<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"></meta><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Generator"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Originator"></meta><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CUser%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CUser%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_editdata.mso" rel="Edit-Time-Data"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CUser%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx" rel="themeData"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CUser%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml" rel="colorSchemeMapping"></link><style>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://blog.simplehuman.com/images/uncategorized/2008/07/22/starry_night.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="http://blog.simplehuman.com/images/uncategorized/2008/07/22/starry_night.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> Behind the fun of Purim are serious messages, teachings for life. Stuart Crown, Ahavat Olam’s treasurer, reminded me of one this morning.<o></o></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> Esther has to face herself. She is the queen, elevated to a position of great ease and comfort in the palace, far from want or worry. To get along, all she needs is to go along. Keep her head down. Not rock the boat. But suddenly, she is called upon to put everything at risk to take a chance – and only a chance -- at saving her people. <o></o></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> We each are called to face ourselves, possibly every single day. Not as dramatically as risking our own lives to stop a genocide, but we are confronted with moral choices every day. What are we willing to risk? How much of our comfort? Our position?<o></o></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> Esther and Mordechai’s dynamics are instructive.<o></o></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> At first, Esther objects that the risk is too great. Insecure, afraid to jeopardize her privilege, “Not me,” she implies.<o></o></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> Mordechai assures her that if not through her, the salvation will come another way. What must happen will happen. He is sure. But, if she does not step up and do what she must, then she will indeed perish. Perhaps it is precisely for this purpose that Esther has been elevated to such a position. Esther gets it and takes on the task. Knowing she needs support, she calls on her people to fast with her for three days of deep spiritual preparation and then she goes and does what she must.<o></o></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> Here's what resonates for me: How am I willing to use my position and my privilege to be an ally and advocate for those who are not so advantaged. How much will I protect my apparent position by staying compliant, not using the opportunity my position affords me? May I learn from Esther . . . </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><o></o></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #002060;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">David</span><o></o></span></div>Rabbi David Mivasairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13258602213633196703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5770838.post-1461879066380575952010-02-16T15:00:00.000-08:002010-02-16T22:32:41.250-08:00<div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC8d2CEzNG7ZlrIccyWGzfFyPDOXDlBQBT-E-8x3WZq1j1dQS6WcWYGdcanbwekUQ4lGanR7nqmnPMpeb7yIld-AvKQ1rSE25a2VUus79RS5GJrxFccGyRPsLbwaZR5_J7Ova1/s1600-h/Bnei+Yiss,+Adar,+nes+nistar.jpg" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">A Purim teaching: hidden miracles in everyday life . . .</a><span style="color: #000099; font-family: ";"><o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="color: #000099; font-family: ";"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">There is no mention of God in the Megillah, the story of Purim in the Bible. Some of us take that as a clue that Purim and the month of Adar are about finding the נס נסתר </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">(</span><i style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">nes nistar</i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">)</span><i style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">– the “hidden” miracles -- in everyday life.</span><o:p><br />
</o:p></span> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #000099; font-family: trebuchet ms;">The next month, Nisan, is the month of Passover and points to the <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">נס גלוי</span> (<i>nes galui</i>) – the obvious, “visible”, i.e. supernatural miracles -- such as the Ten Plagues<i> </i>and the splitting of the Red Sea that are in the Passover story.<o:p><br />
</o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #000099; font-family: trebuchet ms;">Adar is the last month of our year and Nisan is the first.<br />
The template seems to be that in the beginning of our journey perhaps most of us need something out of the ordinary to get us going, to open our eyes, to give us an inkling that there is more to this world than appears at first on the surface. In the book of Exodus, God is said to have said that the purpose of those supernatural Passover-connected miracles is to make us believe.<o:p><br />
</o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #000099; font-family: trebuchet ms;">However, by the month of Adar, twelve months later, at end of the journey, by the time we have traveled far enough and have reached some kind of maturity and wisdom, we no longer need the supernatural and can find God in the normal, everyday experience of life.<o:p><br />
</o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #000099; font-family: trebuchet ms;">I think that is a very good teaching and so am sharing it with you. It came to me from the brief teaching below from <span style="font-style: italic;">Bnei Yissachar</span> as well as other traditional <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">teachers.</span><o:p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"></o:p></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: #000099;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: #000099;">David</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq-aqfIxG5HkVIUEah4e4tsM973L7hafOR4eyllRzq1F5ZIc1HqGxpc_hzYZm9fhTd62GJQkXbY3VT3QGX78K4javbl_3OU_TdpwMGrJdNmHgR0jau6Ix4cLG-0SJsHzSwAkie/s1600-h/Bnei+Yiss+banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="21" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq-aqfIxG5HkVIUEah4e4tsM973L7hafOR4eyllRzq1F5ZIc1HqGxpc_hzYZm9fhTd62GJQkXbY3VT3QGX78K4javbl_3OU_TdpwMGrJdNmHgR0jau6Ix4cLG-0SJsHzSwAkie/s400/Bnei+Yiss+banner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 42.8pt 6pt 1cm; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqNrOGRaJr6XkYGjwJ2QmIgC5IP31MMlql87WUpi-D5u1xvSqC6rydT4dqRAz0IN1ea1rKartV_OrVn2UzIYI1bdI6UTTzRObtXdx6WaPzWOLLdDjQVOK86bGRu7FlnOsSfnGs/s1600-h/Bnei+Yiss,+Adar,+nes+nistar.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438986827864929778" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqNrOGRaJr6XkYGjwJ2QmIgC5IP31MMlql87WUpi-D5u1xvSqC6rydT4dqRAz0IN1ea1rKartV_OrVn2UzIYI1bdI6UTTzRObtXdx6WaPzWOLLdDjQVOK86bGRu7FlnOsSfnGs/s400/Bnei+Yiss,+Adar,+nes+nistar.jpg" style="display: block; height: 251px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; margin: 0cm 42.8pt 6pt 1cm;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">Among the mystical secrets (in the book <i>Megaleh Amukos</i>) is:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">“The angel of the month of Adar is named Avrachiel and there are twenty-five angels below him, all of them with names that indicate benevolence.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; margin: 0cm 42.8pt 6pt 1cm;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">It appears to me that this angel’s name in <i>gematria</i> is numerically equivalent to the word <i>seder </i>[“order” in Hebrew]. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; margin: 0cm 42.8pt 6pt 1cm;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">In Adar, there began the “hidden” miracles, those which are garbed in the natural order of the world, that is as it has been set in order since the six days of creation.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">This is not the case for the "visible" miracles, those which upset the natural order, which are only temporay and occur only by the decree of the One Who is Blessed to change the natural order out of love for "His" children.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 42.8pt 6pt 1cm;"><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 100%; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 42.75pt 0.0001pt 1cm; text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 100%; font-size: small; line-height: 115%;">-- my translation</span></div><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 42.75pt 0.0001pt 1cm; text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 100%; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 1cm;"><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 100%; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">______________<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt 1cm;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: "; line-height: 115%;">Bnei Yissachar</span></i></span><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 100%; font-size: small; line-height: 115%;"> is a two volume exposition in on the spiritual qualities of each month in the sacred cycle of the Jewish year written by Rabbi Tsvi Elimelech Shapiro of Dinov (1783-1841) and first published in 1846. This excerpt is from page 130a.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt 1cm;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><i>Megaleh Amukos </i></span><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 100%; font-size: small; line-height: 115%;">is a foundational east European work of Kabbalah by Rabbi Nosson Nota Shapira of Krakow (1585-1633) first published in Krakow in 1637.</span><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>Rabbi David Mivasairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13258602213633196703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5770838.post-1073974966505146382004-01-12T22:22:00.000-08:002004-01-12T22:24:05.140-08:00Out through my frosty windows and across the snow-covered lawns, I can look around the corner to the coming thaw and beyond even to the first stirrings of springtime. Tu b'Shvat is coming -- the breakup of winter and the first nudge of new growth that emerges with the renewal of warmth and longer days. The Mishnah calls Tu b'Shvat the "new year of the trees -- rosh ha-shanah le-illanot". With the full moon of the month of Shvat, deep in the earth, where we never go and cannot see, the tips of the roots begin to surge with a new energy that rised through the trunks and out the branches. Tiny new buds swell to become blossoms and soon bring fruit with all their succulent colours, fragrances and flavours. And then, fruit yields new seeds which fall back to the earth, dormant and waiting through the next winter to sprout forth once again.
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<br />When we were agricultural people in our own land in ancient times, Tu b'Shvat began the annual cycle of reckoning tithes from the orchards. In medieval kabbalistic circles, it began to be celebrated with a kabbalistic seder of fruits of four different types, each embodying an energy and a characteristic of our own lives. A century ago, Tu b'Shvat became the "Jewish Arbor Day" when Jews made a point of planting trees in Eretz Yisrael and then in our own times the "Jewish Earth Day" when we deepen our awareness of our connectedness to the earth, the trees and all the magnificent interdependent systems of this natural world.
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<br />Ahavat Olam will celebrate our first Tu b'Shvat seder together this year. We have such a bountifully rich tradition to draw on, to adopt and to adapt -- I can't wait to see what our planning group comes up with!Rabbi David Mivasairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13258602213633196703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5770838.post-1063948002357896942003-09-18T22:04:00.000-07:002003-09-18T22:08:08.786-07:00Here's a letter that I am grateful to have gotten published in today's Vancouver Sun (Sept 17) in response to someone else's letter.
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<br />Re: Same-sex marriage poses a constitutional conundrum (Sept 16)
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<br />In his letter, Sam Wharton argues that the Canadian constitution's reference to the "supremacy of God" conflicts with legally recognizing marriage between same-sex couples. Unfortuately, he's confusing God with religion -- a common human error. It is historically true that religions have opposed homosexuality. We really can't be confident, though, that we know God's position on the issue. I suggest that all religious traditions -- even the great Biblically-based world religions to whom Mr. Wharton assigns the God of the Canadian constitution -- are human institutions doing their best at discerning and transmitting what they believe about God. As a student of religion, I counsel caution and humility in our sense that we have absolute knowledge of God. As a religious person, I see the divine presence in the love between same-sex couples just as fully as I see it between a woman and a man. And, as a religious person, I see no contradiction between the Constitution's principle of the "supremacy of God" and legally recognizing marriage between couples of the same sex.
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<br />Rabbi David MivasairRabbi David Mivasairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13258602213633196703noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5770838.post-1063780724519501102003-09-16T23:38:00.000-07:002003-09-16T23:48:00.380-07:00Q: I have discovered that the term "Rosh Hashana" is not in the Torah, neither in the references to the celebration of Tishri 1 in Va'yikra nor in the one in Ba'midbar, other names being used for the Chag in both instances.
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<br />Could you enlighten us on the origin of the phrase <em>Hayom ha'rat Olam</em> (other than that it is quoted in the song by Chana Tiferet Siegel!)?
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<br />A: You are right that the Torah never refers to "Rosh Hashana". We are commanded to make a holy day on the first day of the seventh month and to blow the shofar, but it's not called Rosh Hashana.
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<br />However in the Mishna -- written about 200 CE -- we read that there are four rashei shanim, i.e. four new years for four different purposes. You certainly know one of them -- the 15th of the month of Shvat, called Tu b'Shvat, the <em>rosh ha-shana le-illanot</em>, New Year of the Trees.
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<br />In that Mishna, Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Shim'on teach that the first of Tishrei is the <em>rosh ha-shana la-shanim, ve-la-shmitin ve-la-yovlot, la-nti'ot ve-la-yrakot </em>-- new year for years, sabbaticals, jubilees, plantings and greens. That's the first reference to the first of <em>Tishrei</em> as the new year for years.
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<br />It's interesting that Rosh Hashana is not the first day of the first month but the first day of the seventh month. You'd expect the first day of the year to be the first day of the first month, wouldn't you. Hmmm . . .
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<br />Our first month is Nissan, the month of Pesah. As a matter of fact, according to Rashi, the first mitzvah given to all the Jewish people is in Exodus 12:2 when we are still in Egypt in slavery and are commanded "This month shall be the first of months for you . . ."
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<br />There is a significance to this apparent enigma in our calendar, Rosh Hashana coming at the beginning of the seventh month instead of the first. Nissan in the spring is the time of birth of our nation so it is our first month. It is the first month of our particular Jewish years. It is based on our particular Jewish national experience.
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<br />The first day of the seventh month (Tishrei) is Rosh Hashana, the new year for years, because it is the day on which the world was created. This idea is first recorded in the Talmud Bavli in tractate Rosh Hashana 10b. Rabbi Eliezer teaches <em>be-Tishrei nivra ha-olam </em>-- in Tishrei the world was created. This is expressed as <em>ha-yom harat olam </em>-- today the world was conceived -- in our Rosh Hashana Musaf davvening after each of the three shofar calls. (And this is our reference point for the title of your workshop on Rosh Hashana for our community.)
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<br />So, from all this you can see that Rosh Hashana is the particular Jewish way of celebrating the universal New Year.
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<br />Anyone reading this would wonder exactly how Rabbi Eliezer knew that the world was created in Tishrei, right? I mean, it's not exactly obvious, is it. And he's not allowed to just make things up and say that they are so. So, the Talmud (on 11a) goes on and discusses how he knew it. He figured that since at Creation God commanded there to be grasses and trees with their own kind of seed, the fruit must have been mature and therefore it must have been the season of Tishrei. Nu? Simple logic.
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<br />So that is the origin of Ha-Yom Harat Olam, a particularly fitting title for your Rosh Hashana workshop on Judaism's environmental teachings.
<br />Rabbi David Mivasairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13258602213633196703noreply@blogger.com0