Former US ambassador to Israel Dan Kurtzer was among the speakers at the weekly Saturday night rally in Jerusalem’s Paris Square on behalf of the hostages and their families.
Kurtzer was the ambassador from 2001-2005 and was in Israel when the September 11 tragedy took place in the US. At the time, he had an appointment to speak at the Museum on the Seam. He didn’t cancel, though, knowing that a lot of people who had come there specially were unaware of what had happened to the Twin Towers in New York, and at that time it was impossible to assess the death toll. So he continued with his commitment while remaining updated on what was happening back home.
Last Saturday night, Kurtzer told the hundreds of demonstrators in Paris Square that as a Jew, he was proud of the resilience of the Israeli people and of Israel’s dedication and determination to live, to build, and to continue to function even when disappointed by their leaders. Kurtzer also saluted the exceptional successes of the IDF against Hezbollah.
No other state, no other people could cope with such a barrage of threats as Israel has done, he said.
Jewish Historical Society of England's first regular meeting of 2025
■ HISTORY BUFFS who have been regulars at meetings of the Israel branch of The Jewish Historical Society of England are advised that the venue has changed to Beit Natan, Shir Hadash, 1 Yaakov Rubin Street, Talbiyeh.
The first meeting for 2025 will take place on Wednesday, January 15. The speaker will be Eli Friedwald, author of The Rabbis’ Suitcase, a study of the fascinating archive of correspondence between dayanim (judges) Reinowitz and Sussman-Cohen of the London Beis Din (Rabbinical Court) and the great rabbis of Europe in the period 1875-1900. Friedwald will initiate a discussion about two Lovers of Zion (Hovevei Zion) – Rabbi Abraham Eber Hirschowitz and Laurence Oliphant.
There is ample parking. For those taking public transport, the venue is close to the 91 bus route.
Beatie Deutsch movie to be screened at Jerusalem Cinematheque
■ IN SPORTS, Beatie Deutsch, an American-born haredi mother of five young children, is the Israeli national marathon and half-marathon champion. She has been in Israel since 2008, got married in 2009, lives in Har Nof, and speaks Hebrew without a trace of an American accent.
Journalists who interview her marvel that she started running at age 26 and instantly became a long-distance runner. They also find it difficult to come to terms with the fact that she is ultra-Orthodox and has to balance her running with looking after a household.
She never actually set out to be a champion. She had learned that running was a good way to restore energy, and that’s what got her started. Growing up, she had no sports experience whatsoever.
Nonetheless, she proved to be a natural athlete and was chosen for the Israeli Olympic team that competed in Tokyo in 2021. However, upon arrival, she discovered that all the events in which she was scheduled to compete were on a Saturday, and she was not prepared to compromise her religious values. Wondering whether she should continue running in competitive sport,s she consulted her rabbi, who is also a marathon runner, and he told her to keep going.
The documentary film about Deutsch, titled Marathon Mom, will be screened on Saturday evening, December 28, at the opening of the Jerusalem Jewish Film Festival at the Jerusalem Cinematheque. The film was made by Holyland Productions, a company which has won prestigious international awards.
The directors are Rivka Shore and Oren Rosenfeld, with co-producer and director Danny Hakim, who is a member of the Azrieli Foundation board and founder of Sport for Social Impact. The interview segments of the film are moderated by Shmuel Hedges, and there will be a panel discussion in English after the screening.
Shore is also something of a wonder woman. Likewise an Orthodox mother, she has nine children and manages to work as an artist, educator, writer, and filmmaker.
Shabbat Hanukkah services
■ MOST SYNAGOGUES will have special services on the Shabbat of Hanukkah. Services at Hazvi Yisrael Synagogue (Hovevei Zion) will be conducted by Aharon Razel, and it would not surprise anyone if he was joined by Mayor Moshe Lion, who has previously proven his cantorial abilities in this and other congregations. Lion has indicated that he will attend.
At Ohel Yitzchak on Washington Street, the service will be led by David Weinberger, and the kiddush (post-service refreshments) will be a super feast lovingly prepared by retired restaurateur Marcel Hess, who won prizes in blind tasting competitions against non-Jewish contestants. Hess is religiously observant, and his catering is strictly kosher. By winning in blind tastings, he proved that all the stories about meat that is kosher losing its taste are nothing more than myths.
Some of what congregants can expect at the kiddush includes chopped liver, chopped eggs, gefilte fish, homemade piquant horseradish, pickled tongue and brisket, cholent with kishka served separately, Alsace sausages and other Alsace specialties, and the best Israeli alcoholic beverages.
The high-end dessert is sponsored by Prof. Zev Goldberg and his wife, Terry, in celebration of the births of their great-grandchildren in the US – Mina Izbersky and Benjamin Watson. The Goldbergs, who love sponsoring a kiddush, are doing so prior to their departure to the US to meet the new additions to their family.
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