Yom Shani, Monday

Well, it truly is a sad day for Israel: Read on, caffeine addicts of America (I'm off for one more quick hit before the end of the week!):

Reuters
Starbucks to Close Cafes in Israel
Monday March 31, 10:51 am ET

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Starbucks Coffee International and Israel's Delek Group (Tel Aviv:DELKG.TA - News) said on Monday they had mutually ended a brief partnership and would shut down all six Starbucks cafes in the country at the end of the week.


In a statement, Seattle-based Starbucks Corp (NasdaqNM:SBUX - News), the parent of Starbucks Coffee International, said its decision to dissolve the joint venture was driven by "market challenges," an allusion to Israel's severe recession and security problems.

"It was a very difficult decision," said Mark McKeon, president of Starbucks Coffee International for Europe, Middle East and Africa.

"Following months of serious discussions and market reviews with the Delek Group, we came to this amicable and mutual decision. Our commitment in the market continues to be strong and long-term and we will return at an appropriate time."

McKeon added that Starbucks, which operates more than 6,200 cafes globally including more than 1,400 outside the United States, remained committed to expansion plans in the region.

Delek and Starbucks, through their joint venture called Shalom Coffee Co -- held 80.5 percent by Delek -- opened their first Israeli coffee shop in late 2001 amid plans for a significant expansion in Israel.

They had planned to open 20 shops nationwide by the end of 2002 but wound up opening only six in Tel Aviv, Israel's largest city.

But the relationship between Delek and Starbucks grew uneasy as Israel's economy slid deeper into recession and as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict intensified with more suicide bombings that deterred Israelis from eating and drinking out.

Israeli media last month reported that Starbucks, the world's largest specialty retailer, had cut ties with Delek. But Starbucks officials told Reuters then that while it was reevaluating its partnership, it had no plans to scale back in Israel.

Delek, which owns fuel, real estate and investment companies, said in a statement to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange that from April 4 Starbucks would return to Delek its assets in Shalom Coffee as part of the agreement.

Yom Shishi, Friday

Finally a stunningly sunny morning--I cann't remember a stretch of rainy weather (and cold and windy) since I lived in Seattle! No wonder the pre-moderns were scared to death in this place. A couple of days ago we had one day with snow, rain, sleet, hail, wind, sun. . .even *I* was beginning to think someone hated me....

Today Daylight Time started in Israel. Which means for a couple of days it's an 11 hour difference from LA, 8 hour difference from East Coast. I'm looking forward to a quiet sunny Shabbat in Jerusalem.

I'm still working hard on all of my subjects. There's definitely a sense in the air that the school year is coming to an end soon. April begins next week; there's two weeks off at the end of the month for Pesach and before that we have a trip to the Negev. Then four weeks of class in May and finals...

I booked my return flight to LA for June 19th...the open ticket expires on June 20th. So what does that tell you? Where did this year go?

The mood in the country seems to be fairly normal, that is, as normal as things ever feel here in Israel. Many people are not taking their masks with them anymore because they feel there is little risk; I dunno--I'm not the most trusting guy in the world when it comes to Saadam. I'll keep carrying it until they tell me not to do so, but b'emet (in truth), I don't think I need it. There's been speculation that the Israeli government and the Rear Command may have moved too fast in having us open the gas mask kits and doing the sealed room...I don't know. There would have been second-guessing the other way if they told us not to prepare. That's the way things work here.

In other Israeli news that you may have missed, our new Finance Minister, the one and only Bibi Netanyahu has proposed a fairly draconian new budget plan that cuts $2.5 billion from this year's budget, along with pay cuts for almost everyone in the public sector. The trade union is already threatening a strike (I can't count how many labor actions there have been this year), but truth be told, the economic situation here is pretty awful, and the government spending is way outta whack in terms of Gross Domestic Product.

Have you noticed much news about Israel in the media lately? I haven't. The war has knocked Israel, for the most part off of the media's radar screen (a nice break, if you ask me...). The one big story that you may be following is the reemergence of the so-called Road Map that was designed by the Quartet (US, EU, Russians and I think the UN. . .) They've been meeting to figure out a way to impose some sort of solution on the region that includes a Palestinian state of some kind. Israel has something like 100 "corrections" it wants to make to the Road Map, but the Brits are pushing hard to get this thing rolling...Brit FM Jack Straw was making noises to that effect this week (thinking, I think, that it will keep the Moslem world from being mad at Britain for bombing the shit outta Saadam.) From what I've read, even though the Road Map exists, Bush might be taking a harder line approach than what it says (e.g. the conditions for the new state to emerge.)

Here's what the President said in March from the Rose Garden:

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. We have reached a hopeful moment for progress toward the vision of Middle Eastern peace that I outlined last June. I spoke of a day when two states, Israel and Palestine, will live side by side in peace and security. I called upon all parties in the Middle East to abandon old hatreds and to meet their responsibilities for peace. The Palestinian state must be a reformed and peaceful and democratic state that abandons forever the use of terror. The government of Israel, as the terror threat is removed and security improves, must take concrete steps to support the emergence of a viable and credible Palestinian state, and to work as quickly as possible toward a final status agreement. As progress is made toward peace, settlement activity in the occupied territories must end. And the Arab states must oppose terrorism, support the emergence of a peaceful and democratic Palestine, and state clearly that they will live in peace with Israel.

This moment offers a new opportunity to meet these objectives. After its recent elections, the nation of Israel has a new government. And the Palestinian Authority has created the new position of Prime Minister. Israeli and Palestinian leaders and other governments in the region now have a chance to move forward with determination and with good faith.

To be a credible and responsible partner, the new Palestinian Prime Minister must hold a position of real authority. We expect that such a Palestinian Prime Minister will be confirmed soon. Immediately upon confirmation, the road map for peace will be given to the Palestinians and the Israelis. This road map will set forth a sequence of steps toward the goals I set out on June 24th, 2002, goals shared by all the parties. The United States has developed this plan over the last several months in close cooperation with Russia, the European Union, and the United Nations. Once this road map is delivered, we will expect and welcome contributions from Israel and the Palestinians to this document that will advance true peace. We will urge them to discuss the road map with one another. The time has come to move beyond entrenched positions and to take concrete actions to achieve peace.

America is committed, and I am personally committed, to implementing our road map toward peace. Our efforts are guided by clear principles: We believe that all people in the Middle East ? Arab and Israeli alike ? deserve to live in dignity, under free and honest governments. We believe that people who live in freedom are more likely to reject bitterness, blind hatred and terror; and are far more likely to turn their energy toward reconciliation, reform and development.

There can be no peace for either side in the Middle East unless there is freedom for both. Reaching that destination will not be easy, but we can see the way forward. Now the parties must take that way, step by step, and America will be the active partner of every party that seeks true peace.

SO....that's Bush, and that's the Road map. There's now a PM in the Pal Authority and we'll see what happens. Enough for now. Shabbat Shalom from Jerusalem.

Yom Rishon, Sunday

I'm midway through my day today: Hebrew, Bible, Liturgy. I'm leading Mincha in twenty minutes, then we have midrash; then I have my shiuur at the Shalom Hartman Institute with rabbinic students from other seminaries that are studying for the year here in Israel.

If you've been following the news, it seems that the Americans have secured some of the main places in Western Iraq that are the greatest threat to Israel. Which means, we hope, that Israel is out of the woods. From what I've read in the newspapers, this was a priority of the United States which sent its most elite to the area to secure it...they definitely want to keep Israel OUT of the war. I don't disagree.

We're still carrying around our masks, but I've noticed on the street this morning that there are less of them out and about. It has a nice carrying strap, so it's not too inconvenient. As a fashion accessory, well, I *could* do better. Anyone out there have friends at NIcole Fahri (fashion designer that I like from UK).

Most of the students seem to be on a fairly normal keel...or at least are giving the appearance of being calmer. After such a huge build-up, it's nice to see folks just getting back to work. We have a trip to the Negev in April, and then two weeks off for Pesach, then our classes in May, and then it's done for the school year here. I can feel the time slipping away. . .

I've loved hearing from folks at laman100@yahoo.com Please write if you get a chance.

Motzei Shabbat, Saturday

Shalom...a very relaxing Shabbat...I lead the davening at a conservative synagogue here in French Hill last night, Ramot Zion...I was asked when I walked in and knowing that I was still rusty I figured why not? Then dinner with Justus and his family who are in from Houston. This morning more synagogue, then home for lunch, a long nap, reading a novel and most importantly a news blackout.

That, my friends, is the gift of Shabbat. The tension and fear and energy of the week is replaced with hearing quiet, slowing down, breaking away from the computer and the television and the news to regenerate. The ironic side affect is that Saturday night I'm usually still tired...it's like coming back from a 24 hour vacation.

Tomorrow is school as normal and tonight I'll be working on my homework after dinner. I have much to do and I have no intention of falling behind. Hopefully the news will continue to be good in terms of securing Western Iraq so that Israel will be able to stay out of this entire encounter. (So we can just continue to worry about our home-grown security situation. . . )

I know I write this as it's still Shabbat in the US...I hope that you have had a peaceful Shabbat and that you will be able to carry the spirit of the day into the week ahead--and that blessings will be spread over the United States and British troops and their families in the days to come.

Shavua tov.

Yom Hamishi, Thursday afternoon

Well it's still rainy and cold here and windy. If you go to www.haaretzdaily.com you'll see a picture of kids going to school today with their book bags and their gas masks slung over their shoulders. I had one Israeli tell me that the mask was only good for Purim--why was I carrying it? Typical Israeli bravado.

Had regular school this morning. Davening (prayer) at 7:30 followed by Hebrew for 90 minutes then we had another briefing which ended by breaking up into small groups. I decided against the small group thing--my anxiety level is where it needs to be and I don't feel the need to process in public with my peers, but I'm glad they had this opportunity to do so and that the school realized that it was an important thing to do.

Interesting today in Hebrew: our teacher had us listen to the news in Hebrew from the radio and then translate part of the front page of two leading Israeli newspapers. When we began doing this a few months back I thought, ok, kinda interesting. But believe it or not, now when I listen to the news I have a much better time of picking-up the context. It's nice to learn from real-world conditions.

So it's nearly 2 p.m. and I'm in for the afternoon...I'm going to have some lunch (I worked out at the gym like ususal), do homework, sleep, watch TV (but not just Sky News or CNN).

So what's different here? Not too much...there's more news on the radio, some folks are carrying their gas masks as requested by the government, some students are sleeping over at the college because it makes them more comfortable, and I STILL have to straighten up the house!

I feel badly that the College for the second year in a row is having to put so much energy into crisis management instead of just running a great educational institution. Michael Marmur, our dean, is incredibly calming in these situations, but truth be told, I'd love to tap into his mind for his teaching...I keep thinking that will all of the briefings we've had it would have been nice to have a few shiurim (lessons). I'm sure it's difficult for all of them and they do everything they can for us.

More soon. Tune in again...and remember no one seems to be panicking here, so I hope that wherever you are you are staying calm.

Special Request for readers in Manchester, NH (that means you, Sheldon!)

Please print out the latest updates and share them with my family.

Todah rabah!

David

Yom Re-vee-ee, Wednesday, Shushan Purim In Jerusalem

Purim Sameach! It's Purim today in Jerusalem because we are a walled city, thus, as it says in Megilat Ester, we have our celebration one day later than the rest of the Purim-celebrating world that is not in a walled city. Of course, right now, my celebrating is the idea of finishing my homework...writing a paper, etc. Life must go on.

Actually, to be honest, I find that keeping myself busy with my studies is simply the best thing to do right now. Seriously. I know that there are lots of worried people out there---but there's nothing we can do about it right now except sit and wait and see what happens.

Yesterday we had another security briefing at school and we received our gas masks (mine's Prada, natch.) We're not to open them unless the Home Command orders it, nor are we to walk around with them. . .although that might change soon.

It's hard not to feel anxious, but then again, this is the world we live in. It dawned on me that our world today is just as complicated as it was thousands of years ago; the problems may have changed, but humans seem to respond the same way.

In any event, if you want to talk to me about what's going on, email me at laman100@yahoo.com and if you want to talk talk, send me your phone number. I'll give you a call. In the meantime, keep checking back to this space for periodic updates.

Back to writing my paper on prayer....Purim Sameach!

Yom Shilishi, Tuesday

Tuesday, Tuesday...as my Hebrew teacher Chaya Gavish is fond of saying when she says one of the days of the week in English...always twice for emphasis. Especially "Sunday Sunday..."

Not much happening in this part of the world to report on. We watch the same news that you do, read the same papers online that you do, etc. Oh yeah, one little difference, we are getting ready. For what I have no idea, but we're getting ready. There is so much talk and double talk in the media about whether or not Israel will or will not be impacted that it's hard to know what to think.

So I'm sitting at home this morning....no school because we get TWO days off for Purim...see there are many wonderful compensations for living here. And there are signs around town that say "Purim Sameach" with a clown's face on them. . . even the Toys r' Us ad on the bus wishes us a happy Purim (as it works to sell costumes. . . ) Last night there were people milling around town in costumes...kids and adults. Now what does that say about how people go on with their lives in this country?????

Tonight I'm going to the megilla reading at the Pardes Institute where some of my friends are studying. Why tonight? Because we're a walled city, so we celebrate Shushan Purim, one day after regular Purim. Why? Don't ask. It's one of those quirks in the system, but I'm going with the flow.

So we are commanded to be happy...and that's what I'm going to do...be happy. Even though on the inside it is difficult to feel happy right now about our world and the difficult circumstances that impact this country, it is a mitzva to be happy tonight and tomorrow.

In the meantime, I'm doing my homework. . .and all of the students are going in for a security briefing today at 1:00....

Motzei Shabbat, Saturday evening

Well made it through the week. The end of the week was spent cleaning the apt. and getting ready for Shabbat; we had several guests over for the first time since I've moved to French Hill...and the weather today was great! We made plenty of food...it kept rolling out, coupled with some good scotch, wine and other liquor...made it a wonderful Shabbat.

The news remains difficult to take. Last week, almost every day, there was the story of another Israeli being buried--mostly young soldiers. There were also stories, every day, of Palestinians, often times in double digits, who were killed. And in a most unfortunate case, the IDF actually mistakenly killed two Israelis who were guarding a civilian settlement in the Hebron area.

This week it is Purim. So hopefully there will be a few days of happiness...no school!

In the meantime, Shavua tov...I'm off to study...

Yom Shilishi, Tuesday

I'm still trying to shake this crazy virus that's been going around...many students have it, so it must be incredibly contagious. I was home from Thursday through Monday; today I went to school for three classes and came home.

We must be in some sort of a transition period as I'm perceiving that the general mood at school is changing. Is it the war? The matzav? The fact that we're receiving messages from the school about the transition back to the states? Summer jobs? The calendar? All of the above?

Next week is Purim...the kids are getting their costumes like Halloween in the states. Again, another wonderful sign of living on the Jewish calendar. I'm looking forward to feeling better and imbibing in the customs of Purim! (Getting so drunk you can't distinguish Haman from Mordechai!) We also have two days off from school, and here in Jerusalem they actually celebrate for three, so it's a great chance to tie one on. This is Adar Bet, the month of Purim this year. Tradition holds that with Adar our joy increases. We are actually COMMANDED to be joyful. In times like these, that can be a tall order. Still, it's important to be joyful and to live fully. There are plenty of times to be worried and concerned. For a couple of days we'll celebrate one time when things went right for the Jews! (And the Hebrew test that I thought I blew last week...actually received a 90! Quite a change from my struggles last summer! Could it actually be the influence of living with a real-live Israeli?)

Yom Shani, Monday

You need to keep up with the news. Here's from today's Haaretz:

Iraqi aid to terrorists' families continues
Even the continuing U.S. pressure on Iraq is not stopping Saddam Hussein from sending financial aid to the families of Palestinian suicide bombers in the territories. It appears now that the massive Iraqi support has started to arouse the concern of Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat, who fears that outside assistance reduces his influence on what happens in the territories.

After a long hiatus, Arafat has renewed sending checks to the families of dead and injured terrorists (though he has not transferred monies to the families of suicide bombers).

Israeli security sources told Haaretz that at the end of January, representatives of the Arab Liberation Front, the Palestinian organization supported by Iraq, distributed financial aid to the families of 52 people killed in the refugee camps in central Gaza.

The Iraqis, the sources said, adhered to a tariff set by Saddam Hussein at the beginning of the current intifada, with a suicide attack proving more "profitable" to the family of the perpetrator than a "martyr" operation in which the terrorist is killed by Israel Defense Forces fire, but does not blow himself up with an explosive belt. The suicide bomber's family receives $25,000, while the family of a martyr receives "only" $10,000.

Because of the difficulty in sending suicide bombers into Israel, the number of families receiving the "bonus" for these missions is relatively small.

As on previous occasions, the ceremony in January at which the funds were distributed was attended by official representatives of the Palestinian Authority. They expressed no reservations about the praise heaped on suicide bombers by the emissaries from Iraq.

Defense sources report that Arafat recently did express qualms about the Iraqi support, as well as the aid coming from other countries, such as Iran and Saudi Arabia, and Islamic charity organizations.

"Arafat is not overly-enthusiastic about the brazen outside involvement in Palestinian affairs", a defense source claimed. "It weakens his status. Now he has to try to regain some of the public support through renewing the process of transferring money."

Last month, Arafat started to redistribute aid to the families of injured Palestinians. Following the IDF operation in Zeitoun in Gaza about a month ago, the PA leader transferred payments to the tune of $300,000 to families whose homes and property had been destroyed, as well as to families that had suffered injuries or fatalities.

The money was distributed at official ceremonies organized by the PA and sent to families by governors on behalf of the authority in Khan Yunis, Gaza and the refugee camps in the center of the Strip. The money was also paid to families of killed Hamas activists.

There has been a decline recently in the influence and scope of the contributions to the Holy Land Fund from the prominent Islamic charity organizations that transfer donations to the territories. It appears that the decline is connected to steps taken by the U.S. administration, which recently outlawed the fund.

By Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondent
www.haaretzdaily.com

As you can see from this article, this war is not as ambiguous as it may appear from the subterfuge and what not in the Security Council. I'm reading and hearing what you're hearing, but it looks like it may just be around the corner. I continue to conjugate verbs, write papers, and learn, and try not to think about the crazy world out there.

Yom Shishi

It's hard watching the news to not think sometimes that the world is spinning out of control. A few years back, with the collapse of the Soviet Union, I had the naive thought that maybe the world was finally reordering itself for a more stable course in terms of geopolitics. None of us could have imagined the rise in Moslem fundamentalism and its destablizing affect on the world. So, watching the news and hearing about what's probably going to happen in Iraq, combined with what's going on here in the country, and in other places around the globe. . .sigh. . .

What does it mean to be a religious person in a world like this? That's an excellent question and one that I continue to grapple with as I explore Torah and the various Jewish philosophers who have spent thousands of years grappling with these questions.

Shabbat Shalom.

Yom Hamishi, evening

Friends, here is an article by the president of our college, Rabbi David Ellenson. He spoke eloquently about this last Shabbat and in a lecture on Monday that I've mentioned here. This is from the Forward....www.forward.com. I encourage you to add the Foward to your regular Jewish reading!


In a Jerusalem Praying for Unity, Sectarianism Widens the Divide

By DAVID ELLENSON

The acting mayor of Jerusalem, Uri Lupolianski, was "busy" last Friday. That morning a delegation from the Board of Governors of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion ? headed by Chairman Burton Lehman, and including former chairmen Richard Scheuer and Stanley Gold ? was scheduled to meet with Mayor Lupolianski at his office in City Hall. On Thursday night, however, while the American ambassador to Israel, Daniel Kurtzer, hosted our delegation at the American ambassadorial residence in Herzliya, we received a phone call stating that the mayor was unavailable and that no alternative time for a meeting could be arranged.



The meeting itself was meant to be a ceremonial occasion. The purpose was to greet the new mayor and express the solidarity that HUC feels with the people of Israel at this moment in history. Such meetings with the mayor are routine parts of Board of Governors trips to Jerusalem. As president of HUC, I met several times with former mayor Ehud Olmert during the last two years. He himself came twice during this period to the Jerusalem campus of HUC to offer greetings and support to our more than 100 North American Reform rabbinical, cantorial and education students who have come to study in Jerusalem during these days of tribulation for the Jewish people.



As a historian of Orthodox Judaism in the modern world, I was and am well aware that the attitudes of ultra-Orthodox Jews toward non-Orthodox expressions of religious Judaism have been unfailingly hostile. On the other hand, I have long been familiar with the legendary charitable deeds that Mayor Lupolianski has performed through his Yad Sarah Foundation, and a number of my Jerusalem friends who are acquainted with the mayor have assured me that he is a man of extraordinary kindness and concern.



Mayor Lupolianski had also rightly pledged from his first moment in office to be the mayor of all the people. I regarded his decision to set aside his own undoubted personal antipathy toward Reform Judaism and meet with our delegation as an appropriate act for the leader of the eternal capital of the Jewish people.



Such willingness on his part displayed a sensitive understanding of the symbolic role his office plays and demonstrated his recognition that the importance of Jewish unity at this moment of trial for the State of Israel should properly be given priority over any religious differences that divide our people. Such an expression of love for the totality of the Jewish people was exemplary.



The subsequent failure of Mayor Lupolianski to meet with our Board of Governors was therefore extremely disappointing, and I could not help but reflect upon other events in modern Jewish history when the fruits of an uncalled-for sectarianism led to needless damage and hurt for the Jewish people.



In 1872, a delegation of German Jews headed by the prominent historian Heinrich Grätz came to the land of Israel. Grätz taught at the Positive-Historical (Conservative) Jewish Theological Seminary in Breslau, and was routinely condemned as a heretic by the Orthodox rabbis of his day because of his historical research work. Grätz and his party discovered that there was no Jewish orphanage then extant in Jerusalem, and they observed that Christian missionaries routinely gathered up Jewish orphans on the streets of Jerusalem and raised them in Christian orphanages.



Grätz and his delegation decided to remedy this situation by establishing a Jewish orphanage in Jerusalem that would provide for the care and education of these youngsters. A secular course of study was proposed for this orphanage, and vocational training was to be offered so that these Jewish children would one day be self-sufficient.



The rabbis of Jerusalem were completely opposed to the establishment of such an orphanage, claiming that the proposed curriculum would pollute the holy city. They further asserted that a "heretic" like Grätz was not to be trusted.



When Grätz and his party returned to Germany and sought funds for the creation of this institution, the Orthodox opposition continued. The famed rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch ? the great champion of a form of Orthodox Judaism, so-called Torah 'im Derekh Eretz, that combined adherence to rabbinic law with the promotion of secular studies ? opposed the creation of this orphanage on the grounds "that it was the idea of Grätz." In the end, the funds for the creation of this Jewish orphanage were not raised and the children remained open prey for Christian missionaries.



Similarly, during the 1930s there was a proposal to move the Modern Orthodox Hildesheimer Seminary from Berlin to British Mandate Palestine. In this German Orthodox Rabbinerseminar, rabbis were required to receive a doctoral degree from a recognized German university, in addition to their traditional rabbinic studies. The rabbis of the land of Israel were hostile to this new type of Orthodox rabbi, and they therefore opposed the establishment of an institution that would educate such rabbis in the Holy Land.



In tones reminiscent of the earlier incident, one great ultra-Orthodox authority labeled the Hildesheimer Seminary "a rabbi-factory." Other charedi spokesmen contended that Modern Orthodox rabbis possessed of secular education would desecrate the Holy Land. These rabbis succeeded in preventing the Hildesheimer Seminary from being relocated to Palestine, and with the outbreak of World War II this bastion of Modern Orthodox Judaism was completely destroyed by the Nazis. The destruction of the Rabbinerseminar ? in light of the opportunity that was presented for its transfer ? stands as one of the saddest and most shameful moments in modern Jewish history.



I hardly believe that the inability of Mayor Lupolianski to meet with our delegation will rise to the level of the incidents involving Grätz and the Hildesheimer Seminary. But there is a common thread of misplaced sectarian sensibility that runs through all these occurrences and his failure is ? at the very least ? most regrettable. In saying this, I am not commenting on the personal beliefs of the mayor. He has every right as an individual to feel that Reform Judaism is wrong. However, the mayor sadly squandered a wonderful opportunity to display genuine leadership. He should have employed this moment to demonstrate his recognition that all Jews share, in the words of the late Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik, in a "brit hagoral," a covenant of common destiny that marks us as one people who share a common fate as well as mutual responsibility for one another.



The members of the HUC Board of Governors delegation grasped these truths, and that is why they chose to stand with and in Israel at this hour. It is heart-rending that the mayor could not set sectarian politics aside and find 15 minutes to meet with such men and women. Had he done so, he could have demonstrated to the world that the reality of Jewish kinship takes precedence over whatever religious differences separate us. For this act of refusal, Mayor Lupolianski must take responsibility. This "non-meeting" radiates an aura of exclusion that ill serves our people.



The Talmud tells us in Tractate Gittin that Jerusalem was once destroyed on account of the sin of sinat chinam, or groundless enmity. Our people should not fall victim to this transgression today.


















Rabbi David Ellenson is president of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion and author of the newly reissued "Rabbi Esriel Hildesheimer and the Creation of a Modern Jewish Orthodoxy."






















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Yom Hamishi, Morning in Jerusalem

Yesterday when I was walking around and looking at all of the wildflowers and greenery and marveling I was also noting that the birds seemed particularly happy after all of the rain. I thought "these birds live here and have no idea what we humans are doing!" I find the birds comforting...they show that nature proceeds even as humans do what we do.

I awake to the names of the dead from yesterday's Haifa attack. As I thought, many of them are quite young (the bombing was at the middle of the day.) The bomber apparently had been on the bus for a period of time before the explosion--I speculate because he wanted to cause maximum damage.

And so now I look out my window and see the bright ball of the sun rising over the Middle East for another day. Will it be a day of quiet, only disturbed by the sound of the birds? No--it will be a day of sobbing as families continue to lay their children and loved ones to rest. I hope that God is listening.

Wednesday

It is 2:50 in the afternoon and I just heard about a suicide bombing attack on a bus in Haifa; early reports are there are many casualties. The bus was on the main street in Haifa and the attack was during a busy time in the afternoon.

Val and I have just finished a very nice lunch at one of Jerusalem's nicer restaurants and we were commenting on the perceived calm and how beautiful everything is...there is ample greenery because of the rain and spring is in the air. Of course, whenever I think that things are quiet, in reality, it's only because the IDF and the Border Police are successful in stopping the majority of the terror attacks. There are presently 50 active warnings according to officials.

We had spent the morning at a middle/high school here in Jerusalem...and once again I marveled at the vitality of the teenagers here even with all that is going on. I saw young eyes and young energy...and then came back to school and heard about the Haifa pigua.

May God comfort the mourners among Zion and bring speedy healing of body and soul to the injured of this and all other acts of terror in this country.

Yom Shilishi, Tuesday

Shalom. Busy, busy, busy. On Monday I arrived at school late for our regular minyan, so I joined my colleagues in the Israeli rabbinic program for their tefilla (morning prayer.) It was great to be so welcome by my friends there, including Tamar, one of the newly ordained rabbis.

In mid-morning we had a wonderful shiur by Rabbi Ellenson. . .I wil try to paraphrase it by saying that it was an overview of the relationship between the liberal (reform, conservative and reconstructionist) branches of Judaism and the Orthodox branch; he showed us historic thinkers that since the beginning of these modern movements in the 1800s have fostered separation in the name of Torah.

Yesterday afternoon my chevreuta, Val, and I, presented a chapter of the Mishna Torah of Maimonides in class...we both felt great about the amount of work we put into it...and our professor also was pleased (at least he seemed to be!)

Today was Hebrew, biblical grammar, Modern Middle East, and Rabbinic Forum (in the forum we talked about our function as rabbis in the process of burying the dead and helping our congregants grieve.)

In the evening I ran across Jonathan Livney and his colleagues in the Bet Midrash at HUC and joined them for a light repast. It was an unexpected pleasure...

After it was off to the SuperSol for some wine and then over to a classmate's home for a triple-surprise birthday party for three of our classmates.

It was great to blow off a little steam in the middle of the week. . .tomorrow a field trip to some elementary schools, followed by studying and then dinner with Rabbi Levy, the director of the rabbinic program in Los Angeles.

And it's Rosh Hodesh...Adar Bet (two). . .which means Purim is right around the corner! With Adar our joy increases! May your joy increase. . .

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Yom Rishon, Sunday

Last night was just magical as Rabbi Ellenson ordained two women who have finished the Israeli rabbinic program. The backdrop was the beautiful view of the Old City walls, lit at night. The room was filled to overflowing, which was a blessing that so many people found it a good reason to come out and celebrate. As usual, our president and our dean were both eloquent.

Today some oof my classmates and I, along with members of the Board of Governors, went riding through some of the backroads, including the famous "Burma Road" used during the blockade of Jerusalem during the War of Independence. It was definitely a different experience.

Tonight at Hartman it was our third session studying the Guide for the Perplexed by Maimonides. We had a world-class scholar, Moshe Harbital, as our teacher. An intellectually, as will as religiously, fulfilling evening.

Another week...and we're two weeks until Purim! It's Adar Bet...(almost)...be happy!!!!!

(And one other note: in the Shabbat morning service with delegates from the World Union for Progressive Judaism Rabbi Ellenson spoke about the refusal of Jerusalem's new haredi (ultra-orthodox) mayor to meet with our Board of Governors due to a "conflict". He reminded us that the original "sin" that lead to the destruction of the Temple was baseless hatred among Jews for each other; that the mayor is certainly entitled to his opinion of liberal Judaism, but also has professional responsibilities to meet with a delegation such as this that was spending time in Jerusalem and demonstrating tremendous commitment to Israel and to the Jewish People.)