The front pages of Israel’s national newspapers were mostly stark on Monday, October 7, in a departure from Jewish tradition, in which anniversaries of Jewish tragedies are commemorated in accordance with the Jewish calendar.
Of the two major Tishrei tragedies, the Yom Kippur War is commemorated as close to Yom Kippur as possible, and not necessarily on October 6, which was in later years the date of the assassination of Egyptian president Anwar Sadat, who changed from foe to friend and arrived in Jerusalem on November 19, 1977.
In an address to the Knesset on November 20 of that year, Sadat declared: “We must all rise against any form of fanaticism, above self-deception, and above obsolete theories of superiority. It is of paramount importance that we should never forget that infallibility is the prerogative of God alone.”
He went on to say that “any life lost in war is a human life, irrespective of whether it is an Israeli or an Arab life. A wife who becomes a widow is a human being entitled to a happy family life whether she be an Arab or an Israeli. Innocent children who are deprived of the care and compassion of their parents are ours, be they living on Israeli or Arab land.”
Unfortunately, so much blood has been shed between Israel and its enemies since then, and so many innocent people, including many children, have been killed or murdered. Sadat was assassinated because of his belief that peace is a preferable option to war.
The war in which Israel is currently embroiled has cost many lives. Many women have been widowed. Many children have been deprived of fathers. Many babies have been born after their fathers fell in battle. Yet so many of these lives would not have been lost, had the failures in Israel’s intelligence system been avoided. A year later, the nation is still waiting for a commission of inquiry to get under way. There is no excuse for the delay.
The front page of Haaretz on Monday carried a full-page advertisement signed by 86 former members of Knesset, well over a dozen of whom also served as ministers. The signatories represented different parties, although the majority were from Labor and Meretz, and included people who had once been household names, such as Avraham Burg, Eitan Cabel, Danny Yatom, Zehava Gal-On, Yair Golan, Yossi Beilin, Yaakov Peri, Mossi Raz, Manuel Trajtenberg, Nachman Shai, Nissim Zvili, Naomi Chazan, Stav Shaffir, Einat Wilf, Tzali Reshef, Colette Avital, Roni Bar-On, and Moshe Shahal, who at 90 remains involved; as well as several former Arab legislators, and even a few former MKs who were members of right-wing parties.
The full-page advertisement with white type on a black background and a red line that translates as “State Investigating Committee” was repeated on page 2. It bore a logo with the words “Emergency Order” and a brief explanation stating that the signatories had appealed to the High Court of Justice for a state commission of inquiry to probe the blunders of October 7, 2023, and that such a committee be appointed by the president of the court. It also stated that the discussions of the committee should be transparent, and that the work of the committee should conclude as quickly as possible.
Happy Birthday, Avner Netanyahu!
■ A MILESTONE will be marked in the Netanyahu family this week. October 10 will be the date on which the family will celebrate the 30th birthday of the prime minister’s younger son, Avner, who as a little boy used to cause the prime minister and his wife a lot of anguish because he was forever running away and hiding from the security guards.
Avner has kept himself aloof from politics. While he loves his father dearly and enjoys studying the Bible with him, politics are not his scene.
Happy Birthday, Carmela Menashe!
■ ON THE subject of birthdays, Carmela Menashe, who was Israel’s first female broadcast journalist to serve as a military correspondent, on October 1, celebrated her 75th birthday, and is still going strong. During her own army service, she served in the Paratroopers Brigade. This year, she also celebrated the 50th anniversary of her employment at Israel Radio.
Aside from reporting from battlefronts, Menashe is the IDF’s unofficial ombudswoman, to whom soldiers or their parents turn when the soldiers are being harassed by their comrades in arms, or when their health issues are being ignored. She has an admirable track record for solving such problems.
Aryeh Golan, a veteran Israel Radio anchor and former reporter, who started there a year after Menashe, will celebrate his 77th birthday on a very propitious date – November 29. Golan was born in Poland on November 29, 1947, the date on which the United Nations General Assembly voted on the partition of Palestine.
Fundraising in Bnei Brak
■ A SIGNIFICANT fundraising event took place in Bnei Brak, where major donors to yeshivot whose state budget has been cut following a recent ruling by the Supreme Court. During the event, participants donated sufficient sums to cover the shortfall, adding to tens of millions of dollars that have already been raised.
Among the donors was Los Angeles businessman and philanthropist David Hager, a generous supporter of the Nahal Haredi organization dedicated to the support of ultra-Orthodox soldiers in the IDF.
At the event, Hager had a 40-minute private conversation with Rabbi Moshe Hillel Hirsch, one of the most eminent haredi rabbinic leaders. The two discussed haredi service in the IDF, and Hager informed Hirsch of the existing haredi tracks in the IDF.
Their conversation included the issue of enlisting haredim who are not studying in yeshiva and who lack the standard justification for avoiding army service. Hirsch eventually agreed that those who are working or studying in academia rather than studying Torah full-time should be drafted. He emphasized, however, that yeshiva students should not be drafted, even those who are not able to study for the entire day.
This represents a dramatic shift on the part of haredi rabbinic leaders of Hirsch’s status, who have been unwilling to compromise, especially in the absence of a law exempting yeshiva students from army service. The rabbi’s change of attitude was received with great surprise among his close associates and others who attended the evening.
Rabbi Hirsch’s dramatic statement inspired Hager to donate NIS 5 million to the yeshiva fund – the largest donation of the night. He explained that he sees great importance in publicly sharing the rabbi’s words in order to change the discourse regarding military service for haredim who are not studying. This could potentially lead to many thousands of them serving in the army, which is essential both for augmenting regular service ranks and for healing Israel’s frayed social fabric.
Israel-Diaspora relationships
■ ANYONE CONCERNED that Israel-Diaspora relationships would deteriorate due to certain Israeli policies with which large sectors of Diaspora Jewry disagree should not worry. Jewish communities, large and small, all over the world held commemorative events on October 6, 7, and 8. The events of October 7 deeply affected Diaspora Jewish communities because they realized that an existential threat against Israel is also an existential threat against Jewish communities everywhere.
In Poland, it is difficult to estimate the size of the Jewish community, because so many hidden Jews grew up as Catholics, and even those who openly identify as Jews are not all Jewish in accordance with Halacha, and there are Jews in small towns and villages who are not part of larger Jewish communities. Estimates are anywhere between 10,000 to 30,000 Jews in Poland. Taking the size of Poland into account, and the fact that Jews are scattered all over the country, and not just in Warsaw, Krakow, and Lodz, reaching anywhere near a correct number is difficult. Nonetheless, there are Orthodox, Chabad, Conservative, and Reform congregations led by rabbis from these movements, and there are various Jewish organizations.
Jewish communities became more active after the fall of Communism, and more people openly identify as Jews despite renewed antisemitism around the world.
In Krakow, October 7 was commemorated through a series of ceremonies beginning at 6:29 a.m. in the Square of Chairs, which contains 33 empty chairs fashioned from iron and bronze in memory of the Jewish inhabitants of Krakow who lost their lives during the German occupation. The area is that of the former Krakow Ghetto.Later in the day, the Jewish Community Center of Krakow hosted a memorial event led by Hillel students. Participants read out the names of the murdered and the fallen from that fateful morning and beyond. This event concluded with a candle-lighting ceremony in the JCC’s entrance plaza, bringing together Krakow’s Israeli community and the wider Jewish population.
Among the key organizers was Sara-Tal Rehovi, who was called up to reserve duty on the morning of October 7, and served for 11 months as a commander in the Home Front Command, responsible for coordinating the safety and integration of Israel’s minority communities, including the Arab, haredi and immigrant populations.
She and her family are on a mission in Krakow as part of Ohr Torah Stone’s Straus-Amiel and Beren-Amiel Emissary Institute. Her husband, Tomer, serves as the community rabbi at the JCC, while she supports efforts to build up the Jewish community through a variety of Jewish and Israeli-style activities.
Two Jews, three opinions
■ IT’S THE old story of two Jews, three opinions. Editorial teams in Israel and the Diaspora that were responsible for selecting the most influential Jews for listing in Rosh Hashanah supplements of their respective publications had a tough time, regardless of whether the list included 25, 50, or 100 influential Jews. Admittedly, there was a little more leeway in lists of 100 names, but there was still disagreement about who should stay in and who should go out, to make room for other candidates. The final choices were not easy.
While finished products were generally well received, some readers questioned the inclusion of certain personalities and the exclusion of others. Even within The Jerusalem Post itself, there were murmurs on the subject. I’m not going to insult anyone by querying the reason for their inclusion, but there are a few people whom I would have chosen.
One is the medical autodidact Rabbi Avraham Elimelech Firer, the founder of Ezra LeMarpe. Firer is in contact with a wide range of medical experts around the globe, and when anyone comes to him with a serious medical problem, he knows exactly what to ask and whom to call for a solution. For his efforts to heal the sick he was awarded the Israel Prize.
Then there are Jay and Shira Ruderman, who through the Ruderman Family Foundation work assiduously to enable people with disabilities to enter mainstream society at all levels.
In the field of information, communication and debate, Eylon Levy, with his sharp retorts, his polished British accent, and his flair for drama, has rapidly become an international celebrity in general as well as in Jewish terms.Bracha Zisser initiated Israel’s first and largest bone marrow registry, through which the lives of numerous cancer patients have been saved.
Shas Party leader Arye Deri has sometimes been described as “the only adult in the room.” Although he does tackle some situations from an emotional and religious standpoint, there are instances when he displays logic and humanity. The important thing is that he has the ear of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and is not only permitted but invited to sit in on security cabinet meetings.
Educator and bereaved mother Miriam Peretz, who lost two sons on active duty during previous hostilities, has devoted herself to the well-being of soldiers and is considered to be their second mother. An Israel Prize laureate, she is a brilliant and passionate orator, in high demand by radio and television stations when there is an acute need to boost the mood of the nation.
Human rights activist Nitsana Darshan-Leitner is a lawyer and the founder of Shurat Hadin – Israel Law Center, through which she seeks to combat terrorism by filing legal claims against terrorists in courts of law. She wins most of these cases, but it is uncertain whether the mega sums awarded by the courts are actually paid.
Sergei Brin, who together with fellow computer scientist Larry Page (who is the son of a Jewish mother) invented Google, the world’s best-known search engine, should be listed by everyone. It’s hard to be more influential than that, especially on a global level.
French philosopher Bernard Henri Lévy is a staunch defender of Israel, in a country rife with antisemitism, although President Emmanuel Macron is doing his best to quell it. In his most recent book, Israel Alone, which has been favorably reviewed in major publications around the world, Levy contends that in parts of the Middle East, people are rooting for Israel because a victory by Israel will lead to their own independence.
In Russia, Rabbi Berel Lazar has a close relationship with President Vladimir Putin, despite Russia’s support of Iran and its proxies Hamas and Hezbollah.
As if the tensions of the region, particularly hostilities against Israel, were not bad enough, Justice Minister Yariv Levin caused a national rift by introducing his ideas for judicial reform and reducing the power of the courts. After October 7, it seemed that the judicial reform issue was history, but then, in recent weeks, Levin revived it. His influence is immeasurable.
Whatever anyone may think of the political leanings and the philanthropic causes to which American Hungarian businessman George Soros gives his money, his influence through his business and philanthropy is undeniable. Forbes magazine called him the most generous philanthropist in the world. He has given away $32 billion of his personal fortune to fund the work of the Open Society Foundations around the world in their support of freedom of expression, justice and equality, and government accountability.
By the way, according to the Forbes 2020 list of 267 Jewish billionaires, Soros was far from the wealthiest. He ranked 62nd. Leading the pack was Larry Ellison with a net worth of $102.9b. The countries in which the billionaires live or in which they were born include the United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia, Israel, Australia, Switzerland, Brazil, Greece, Hong Kong, Canada, Swaziland, Colombia, Cyprus, Spain, Monaco, and Ukraine.
The overwhelming majority are in America, but around 30 of them are Israelis. A surname surprisingly missing from the total list is Rothschild, although the Rothschild Foundation continues to support numerous Israeli and other causes. But for a long time, references to Jewish wealth, whether in jocular or serious fashion, used the Rothschilds as a yardstick.
The Great Paramedic Rivalry
■ IN THE competition that exists between United Hatzalah and Magen David Adom, each scores a minor victory when visited by a foreign or resident dignitary. Recently, the score was in favor of United Hatzalah when US Ambassador Jack Lew visited the organization’s national headquarters in Jerusalem last week on the morning after the Iranian missile attack on Israel.
Lew received an extensive briefing on United Hatzalah’s emergency and routine activities. The briefing focused on the diversity of over 7,000 volunteer EMTs, paramedics, and doctors, who provide rapid and free-of-charge emergency medical care throughout Israel.
Eli Beer, the founder and president of United Hatzalah, together with CEO Prof. Ehud Davidson, led the tour throughout the building, enabling Lew to receive an in-depth overview of the organization’s lifesaving initiatives.Beer emphasized the unique interfaith cooperation that underpins United Hatzalah’s mission, underscoring how this collaboration between Jewish, Muslim, Druze, and Christian volunteers strengthens community bonds while saving lives.
Beer also commented on the exceptional and heroic acts of the UH volunteers on October 7, recounting how more than 1,700 volunteers rushed to the South on that day of carnage and, while risking their own safety, saved numerous lives.
The tour culminated with a visit to the UH state-of-the-art Dispatch Center, which handles more than 2,200 emergency calls daily and coordinates lifesaving operations nationwide. Lew saw firsthand how UH’s groundbreaking technology is implemented to ensure as quick a response time as possible.
Beer also told Lew about United Hatzalah’s efforts to expand its lifesaving model internationally, and instanced the recent collaboration with the state of Iowa, where a pilot program has been launched to implement UH’s rapid-response system.
“My visit today has highlighted the best of the human spirit: people working together to save lives, demanding nothing in return,” said Lew, adding that he is happy that UH is also partnering with organizations in the United States to expand this model.
Beer thanked Lew for the United States’ unwavering support for the State of Israel, especially during moments of crisis.
Meet and greet
■ REGULAR READERS of the Post who are admirers of the in-depth writing and analysis of intrepid investigative reporter Seth J. Frantzman can meet him in person on Wednesday night, October 9, at the Begin Heritage Center in Jerusalem, where he will be having one of the launch events for his new book, which is among the first chronicles of the lead-up to October 7 and beyond to appear in English.
Frantzman has been covering hostilities in Gaza and the region for the past 15 years, so nothing surprises him. In addition to his familiarity with different battlefields throughout the Middle East, he is also well versed in defense technology and Iranian-backed terrorism.
Launch events for his book The October 7 War: Israel’s Battle for Security in Gaza began last month. This time he will be joined by Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, a former deputy mayor of Jerusalem and a reporter and panel discussant with Jewish News Syndicate, who is also involved in international economic relations.
Banking and social support
■ BANKS ARE not as hard-hearted as they seem. Most banks in Israel fund social welfare projects which they themselves have initiated, or which others have started, but which the banks support.
Bank Hapoalim has several social projects in which it is involved. One is the pre-military agricultural boarding school in Sde Nitzan, where future soldiers are prepared for service in the Israel Defense Forces, and also study agriculture so that they can be farmers in the western Negev, following their stint in the IDF.
Key officials in the bank take a personal interest in this project, as demonstrated last week. The bank’s chairman, Ruben Krupik, accompanied by former Haifa mayor, former Labor Party chairman and retired IDF general Amram Mitzna, who heads the public committee for the Poalim for Revival fund, visited the boarding school together with a group of other public figures to see how it was progressing.
The school is run by the Adam V’Adama network, in which the bank has already invested NIS 9m. The visitors also toured nearby kibbutzim which are part of the pre-military network in the Negev, and were briefed by Avishai Berman, CEO of the Council of Pre-Military Academies.
Leap to the Future project
■ BANK DISCOUNT is also investing in young people, and awarded 230 scholarships in its Leap to the Future project. Of these, 70 were awarded to students from the Gaza border communities, and 60 in memory of Sapir Bilmas, an employee of the bank who was murdered at the Supernova music festival. The scholarships in her name were awarded to students who were part of the Discount First to Leap project, the Discount Rishon Lezion Fund, and the Leap to the Future project. Bilmas grew up in Rishon Lezion.
The scholarships were awarded in an effort to reduce social gaps by giving the students the opportunity to study subjects that will be useful to them when job-hunting at a later stage.
The award ceremony was attended by Danny Yamin, chairman of the Discount board of directors, Avi Levi, CEO of the Discount Group, Gidi Federmann, chairman of the Leap to the Future, Sharon Hezekiah, CEO of Leap to the Future, the Bilmas family, and some 350 others.
The bank also has a cooperation agreement with Keren Or, which was established by the Discount Group with seed money of NIS 50m. for the benefit of children and youth of the Gaza border communities, with the aim of restoring their sense of personal security and their ability to give of themselves to the community.
French timing
■ TIMING IS supposedly everything, which may explain why the visit to Israel by French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot went ahead as scheduled, despite the call by Macron for a stoppage of arms supplies to Israel. Macron wants to change the focus from ongoing military confrontations in Gaza to a political solution to the conflict.
In keeping with tradition, Barrot, as is customary with foreign dignitaries, visited Yad Vashem on Monday, on what was the first anniversary of the Hamas massacre. Given the date, it was impossible not to draw a parallel between Hamas atrocities and those of the Nazis and their cohorts. Escorted by Yad Vashem Chairman Dani Dayan, Barrot toured Yad Vashem’s Holocaust History Museum, which offers a chronological narrative of the Holocaust from the unique perspective of the victims.
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