Grapevine June 16, 2021: Where English rules the roost

To veteran Anglophiles and immigrants from English-speaking countries, the name Sara Manobla touches a nostalgic nerve.

Prior to her retirement in 1999, Manobla was head of the English programs department at Israel Radio, or Kol Yisrael – the Voice of Israel – as it was known in Hebrew. That was in the days when radio programs in English were given much more airtime than they are today, and therefore were able to include much more diversity in program lineups.

Because of her warm, outgoing personality, her upbeat enthusiasm for a variety of subjects, and her additional talents as a musician who plays several instruments, Manobla has maintained friendships with former colleagues, and has made many new friends along the way.

One of the friends she made was freelance journalist, London-born Neville Teller, who, until making aliyah around 10 years ago, visited Israel at least once a year. Teller, whose byline frequently appears in The Jerusalem Post and its sister publication The Jerusalem Report, has written for numerous publications in Israel and abroad. An Oxford graduate, he combined a career in Civil Service with writing for BBC radio as a dramatist and abridger, in addition to which he has been commenting on the Middle East political scene for approximately half his lifetime, and has written several books on the Middle East. In 2006, he was awarded the MBE for services to broadcasting and drama.

Anyone who doubted this could have seen photographic evidence of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth presenting him with the award, in a specially mounted mini exhibit in Manobla’s delightful home in Upper Motza.

The occasion was a party she hosted in honor of Teller’s 90th birthday which was attended by four generations of the Teller family.

The way Manobla tells it, as only she can, on one of his visits to Israel, Teller was walking along the road leading to Jerusalem’s Musrara neighborhood when, on one of the buildings, he saw a plaque with the words “Kol Yisrael.” He knocked on the door and asked the switchboard operator if there was anyone around to whom he could speak in English. The switchboard operator called Manobla, whose response was to send him to her office.

Before coming to Israel in 1960, on what was initially intended as a vacation, Manobla had worked for the BBC, so she and Teller had plenty to talk about. He wanted to be an Israel Radio correspondent in England. Manobla wasn’t sure. As it was, the department was operating under severe financial constraints.

Nonetheless, before he left, Teller invited Manobla to join him and his wife for dinner. She accepted, and thus began an enduring friendship. Whenever Teller was in Israel, he met up with Manobla, and whenever she was in London, she visited Teller and his wife.

The Tellers made aliyah 10 years ago, but unfortunately Teller’s wife died soon after. However, he has three sons, 10 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren, most of them born in London, who are now living in Israel, though one Sabra granddaughter, Osnat, is currently living in London.

Among Manobla’s friends from her Israel Radio days is Steve Linde, who headed the news division in the English department before transferring to the Post. Manobla, seven years ago, invited both Linde and Teller, who had not met previously, to her 80th birthday party. She introduced the two to each other – and the rest is history. They took an instant liking to each other. Linde, who was then the Post’s editor-in-chief, was happy to receive Teller’s contributions, and later, when Linde became editor-in-chief of the Report, he included Teller in his stable of writers.

Teller was extremely touched that several people from the Post had come to his 90th birthday party, and said that when he looked around and saw how many people of his generation suffered physical or mental disabilities, he was thankful to have been spared in this respect. He is healthy both physically and mentally, and moves with the speed of a much younger man. Since the brain controls nearly everything in our bodies, part of the reason for his remaining hale and hearty is that he is constantly exercising his brain, and intends to do so for at least another decade.

Although much of his creativity these days goes to digital and print media, his true love is radio. He has been madly enamored with radio since he was five years old, he said.

■ CONSIDERED BY his Israeli colleagues to be one of the best ambassadors that Poland has ever sent to Israel, Marek Magierowski will not be around for much longer. His next posting is to Washington, which is considered to be one of the most important postings in the world, competing primarily with Israel as a coup in any ambassador’s diplomatic career.

The interesting thing about Magierowski, who spent most of his working life in journalism, is that Israel was his first-ever diplomatic posting, and he outdid veteran professionals, doing such a good job that it was only natural that Washington should be the next stop.

With a gift for languages, Magierowski became fluent in Hebrew within a matter of months after his arrival in the country. It won’t necessarily go to waste. He can always converse in Hebrew with Gilad Erdan, Israel’s ambassador to the US and the UN, and there are plenty of other Israelis in high-level positions in Washington who would gladly enter into a Hebrew conversation with him.

■ FORMER ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION minister Gila Gamliel was the last hurrah in the previous government’s representation at foreign national receptions hosted by heads of foreign missions. On Wednesday of last week she was the minister representing the government at the residence of Swedish Ambassador Erik Ullenhag, and on Thursday she joined Russian Ambassador Anatoly Viktorov and his wife, Olga, at the massive reception they hosted at the Dan Accadia Hotel in Herzliya, in honor of the national day of the Russian Federation.

The event, though crowded by literally hundreds of guests, many of whom had terrible trouble trying to find a place to park their cars, was less colorful than in bygone years, even though there was a full-scale orchestra playing background music for most of the evening.

Many of the heroes of the Red Army who used to come with their suit jackets weighed down by medals and ribbons are no longer alive, or are barely able to walk. One veteran who still wears his old army uniform and who in the past was a prominent figure, standing ramrod straight at all Russian events, was this year in a wheelchair, but nonetheless resplendent in his bemedaled and beribboned uniform.

The ambassador opted to deliver his address in Russian, stopping at every paragraph so that a member of his staff could translate into English. A Hebrew translation was featured on a large video screen.

Referring to the one million plus Israelis for whom Russian is their first language, Viktorov noted that despite the geographic distance between Russia and Israel, these Israelis of Russian heritage remain historically and culturally linked to the motherland.

He spoke of the important changes in the development of Russia since 1990 and the hardships that were overcome in creating the cultural and social foundations for modern Russia.

He also mentioned Russia’s proactive foreign policy based on its national interests; as well as its efforts to maintain peaceful policies in addressing challenges and solving disputes, regional conflicts and the spread of terrorism.

For a long time, he said, the Middle East has been high on Russia’s political agenda, with Israel as an important partner. The large number of former Soviet citizens living in Israel is a major factor in Israel-Russia relations, he said.

At the same Russia, which has friendly relations with the Arab world, welcomes Israel’s normalization of relations with Arab countries.

Nonetheless, Viktorov insisted, “it is impossible to achieve peace in the Middle East without solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.” Advocating the two state-solution, Viktorov said that any such agreement should focus on the mutual interests of people in the region. Russia is always ready to contribute to a settlement of the conflict so that both sides could enjoy stability and security, he said.

Both Viktorov and Gamliel referred to the fact that in October this year, Russia and Israel will celebrate 30 years of renewed diplomatic relations, which according to Viktorov ushered in “a new chapter in our shared history.” Relations today are excellent and built on a constructive political dialogue, he said.

This was confirmed by Gamliel who said that cooperation between the two countries is deep and far-reaching, and that there is a common understanding between Moscow and Jerusalem on many political levels and on combating terrorism.

She also referred to the fact that June 22 marks the 80th anniversary of Operation Barbarossa, which was the code name for the Nazi invasion of Russia; and of the Red Army’s subsequent defeat of the Nazis and liberation of the death camps. This is something that Israel will never forget, she said.

■ MANY OF the haredi who’s who could be seen at the Ramada Hotel, Hadera, last week for the wedding of Arye and Shiri Moshe. The groom is the son of Avrum Moshe Margalit, one of the partners in the Osher Ad chain of supermarkets in which all the products are kosher. Osher Ad was established in 2009.

The Ramada Hotel, Hadera, is part of the Jacob Hotel chain, a privately owned Israeli enterprise named for the owner’s late father. The chain currently includes five uniquely appointed hotels in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Tiberias, Nahariya and Hadera.

■ IMPROVATE CEO Ronit Hasin Hochman, a former CEO of The Jerusalem Post Group, is always ready to take on a new challenge, and has accepted the chairmanship of Friends of Elwyn Israel, which works toward the integration of people with disabilities into mainstream society, community involvement and employment in accordance with their talents, skills and abilities. The people who come within the sphere of Elwyn’s activities are also helped toward independent living and are encouraged to live life to the full.

Among the well-known figures who are joining Hasin Hochman in this endeavor are Ronen Nissenbaum, CEO of the Dan Hotel chain, Dr. Liraz Margalit, a psychologist and expert in treating people with special needs, Rabbi Shai Piron, a former education minister, and several prominent figures from the realms of journalism and public relations.

■ FOR THE seventh time in more than quarter of a century, Castro, one of Israel’s most veteran apparel companies, has gifted Israel’s Olympic team with a blue-and-white uniform, which is sufficiently casual to be sporty, and sufficiently shaped to be worn at ceremonial occasions.

It has been an interesting challenge for Castro designers to come up with new concepts in Israel’s natural colors. In a more formal era, nearly all the Olympic teams wore blazers in one or more of the colors on the flag of the nation they represented. But over the years, uniforms have tended to be casual, and Castro has followed the trend.

This time around, there are two shades of blue – one bright and one dark, framing what is essentially a white top worn with white shorts. The fitted blazer has been replaced by a loose but geometrically cut net jacket with cargo pockets.

Japanese Ambassador Koichi Mizushima got to see the uniforms at the recent unveiling ceremony, and wished the Israeli team well when it competes in Tokyo. On hand were father and son Gabi and Ron Rotter, who are, respectively, Castro’s chairman and CEO, and Gil Lustig, the CEO of the Israel Olympic Committee. The uniforms were modeled by bona fide athletes. The Israel Olympic team, including officials, will comprise 170 people.

Ron Rotter said that Castro is proud to continue the tradition that it started – namely, that one of Israel’s leading fashion houses gives its support to Israel’s Olympic team, and donates the official uniforms.

Noy Dror, the head of Castro’s design studio, said that the designs for the uniforms for the current Olympics were inspired by the national flag. Israel’s first Olympic medalist was judoka Yael Arad, who won a silver medal at the Barcelona Games in 1992.

■ PREVIOUSLY PROMINENT Likudniks who have not moved into the opposition have nonetheless retained their prestige. Press photographer Sharon Marks Altshul, who was among the many photographers who came to the President’s Residence this week to photograph the new government, commented that Tzipi Hotovely and Erdan had been wise to accept diplomatic postings in which they are likely to remain for the foreseeable future. Hotovely is currently ambassador to the UK. Each, as a member of the Likud, held a series of ministerial portfolios in recent years.

Career politicians in Israel who are interested in ministerial portfolios, but who from time to time lose ministerial status, eventually return. At least 10 ministers in the new government have been ministers in the past, and neither Defense Minister Benny Gantz nor Aliyah and Integration Minister Pnina Tamano-Shata had to go through the traditional transition process, as both have retained the positions they held in the previous government.

Outgoing President Reuven Rivlin is fond of quoting the late prime minister Ariel Sharon, who used to say that sometimes your position on the wheel is up, and sometimes it’s down, but what’s important is to stay on the wheel.

■ AMONG THE new legislators who are due to take their places in the Knesset this week is Shirley Pinto, a deaf political activist, whose parents are also deaf, in addition to which her mother is blind.

Because she spent much of her childhood with her mother’s parents, Pinto is fluent in both sign language and spoken Hebrew. Her mother is an actress in Na Laga’at, the blind-deaf theater restaurant where guests are served their meals in the dark so that they can temporarily experience the world of the blind.

Pinto, who excelled in her school and university studies, also did her military service in the Israel Air Force, after which she earned a law degree, and specializes in labor laws, especially those pertaining to people with disabilities. She is one of the founders of the Israeli Center for Deaf Studies, and lectures at Bar-Ilan University on sign language interpreting for the police and the courts. Pinto is married to telecommunications engineer Michael Kadosh, who is also deaf. He migrated to Israel from the United States. They have a three-year-old son.

Particularly pleased to see Pinto in the Knesset are the heads of the Ruderman Family Foundation, of which Pinto is a former staff member. The foundation is dedicated to the integration of people with disabilities in all walks of life, both in Israel and the US, and is particularly active in urging Hollywood filmmakers to utilize actors with disabilities, especially if the actor has the particular disability that is called for in the script.

“As a former staff member of the Ruderman Family Foundation, we’re delighted to see Shirley Pinto enter the halls of power and be a force of positive change,” said Jay Ruderman, president of the foundation. “I’m confident she will be a strong voice for inclusion and accessibility for those with disabilities. I applaud Yamina and the new government for warmly welcoming her.”

Pinto is entering the Knesset as a replacement for Religious Affairs Minister Matan Kahana, who, in accordance with the Norwegian Law, has resigned from the Knesset in order to allow another of his party to obtain a Knesset seat.

■ THE INTERNATIONAL conference on construction and infrastructure, which opens at the Royal Beach Hotel, Eilat, on June 16, may well be the swan song for Eilat Mayor Meir Yitzhak Halevi, who is entering the Knesset in place of Construction and Housing Minister Ze’ev Elkin, who is yet another minister who has resigned under the Norwegian Law to make room in the Knesset for another member of his party. Elkin will be a guest of honor at the conference, as will Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked.

Halevi has been mayor of Eilat since 2003. Born in Jerusalem to Yemenite parents, he moved to Eilat in 1978 and, prior to his election, served as opposition leader in the city council from 1998 to 2003. His grandfather was the chief rabbi of Yemen.

■ COMING HOME recently, President-elect Isaac Herzog and his wife, Michal, saw a notice at the gate leading to the house. It was from their neighbors in the nearby Shibolim Kindergarten in Tzahala, who were thrilled to know that Herzog would soon be the No. 1 citizen of the state, and offered their congratulations.

 

Herzog wanted to personally express his appreciation, and so, a few days later, he and his wife visited the kindergarten and answered the questions of the youngsters, who were particularly concerned about the future of the Herzog family cat, which will be accompanying them to their new abode in Jerusalem.

■ AMONG THE people featured in the new Thursday night comical cooking program on KAN 11 starring stand-up comedienne Tom Yaar is former prizewinning restaurateur Marcel Hess, who, though in retirement, still has a hand in cooking the Shabbat meals for his family, and in contributing to the kiddush in his synagogue. Hess and his wife, Susan, who hail from Switzerland, where everything is clean, hosted Yaar in their kitchen in their Jerusalem apartment, which is a far cry from her own messy kitchen, which is part of her comic persona.

The program Me’ever HaYaar, is a wordplay on her name, which in Hebrew means forest. So, the literal translation of the title of the program is Beyond the Forest. In other words, viewers will get a perspective of Tom Yaar somewhat different from the one they have seen on stage or in other television programs.

■ FOR THE first time in the history of the prestigious Sokolov Prize for excellence in journalism, one of the honorees is the editor-in-chief of a women’s magazine. Making ripples in history is Karina Shtotland, the editor-in-chief of LaIsha (For the Woman), who has turned the weekly publication into much more than the usual content of a publication geared to women.

For the most part, the content of such publications is focused on recipes, fashion, childcare, and how to make your husband happy. As important as all these subjects may be to harmony in the home, women today are increasingly taking their places in leadership roles in academia, science, medicine, law, banking, technology, journalism and more. The old adage that a woman’s place is in the home may ring true for those who have harnessed technology to the extent that they can run their business careers from home, but otherwise women are out there competing with men, and often doing better than men in the same professions.

Conscious of this and of the obstacles that are placed on the paths of women on the roads to success, Shtotland has opened LaIsha to many more subjects that may be of value as well as of interest to women engaged in professions that were once deemed suitable for men only.

Subjects that were taboo for decades, as far as women were concerned, were often published in LaIsha, before being taken up by other women’s publications in Israel and abroad.

Some months prior to the Bill Cosby case of sexual abuse that made international headlines, LaIsha launched a project against the silence of women who had been raped and/or sexually harassed. It started with four women interviewed by journalist Sharon Rofeh Ofir, after which, using social media and other platforms, she got more women to open up about the abuse they had endured. After years of silence, they were able to open up to other women who had undergone similar experiences. As far as women’s publications in Israel were concerned, these revelations were in the nature of a revolution, from which there was no turning back, because the effect of the project was women’s empowerment.

Shtotland has been no less courageous and revolutionary in other fields, dealing with husbands who have attempted or succeeded in murdering their wives, life in a wheelchair, and people on the spectrum of autism.

The Sokolov Prize, which was established in 1956, is the Israeli equivalent of the Pulitzer. The other two honorees this year are KAN 11 investigative reporter Ifat Glick, who gets excited over the issues that she investigates; Channel 12 reporter on Palestinians and the disputed territories Ohad Hamo; and controversial Haaretz journalist Gideon Levy, whose weekly column “The Twilight Zone” presents stories of Palestinians who are not terrorists but ordinary people who suffer under the status quo, and who grieve for dead or injured family members who were in the wrong place at the wrong time.