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VOL. 60 Tuesday, 7 September, 2021 / 1 Tishrei 5782

Fostering a closer Jewish community

Wishing all our readers a happy, healthy and safe New Year.

COLLAPSE OF AFGHANISTAN

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JNF ANNIVERSARY GALA p11

GIFTS DURING LOCKDOWN p14

A JEW STARTED THE PARALYMPICS p18

the melbourne jewish report | September 2021

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COMMUNITY ANNE-MARIE ELIAS You may have heard about RU OK? day. A suicide prevention initiative, RU OK? day this year is on 9th September. The intent is to inspire and empower all of us to meaningfully connect with people around us and to start a conversation with those who may be struggling. The RU OK? question needs to be in our consciousness all the time and we should willingly ask this of our family, friends, colleagues and, even, strangers regularly, not just on one day of the year. It comes back to a readiness to reach out to others. Recently, I was in a shop and noticed that the salesperson didn’t look well. I asked her whether she was OK and she gratefully acknowledged that I had done so. She said that she was struggling to wear a mask all day. She said that it was good just to be able to say that to someone. Adverse Events During our lifetime we will experience adverse events. Adverse events are defined as those where a person has experienced either physical or mental harm. For people who have experienced a number of adverse events, especially when some, or all of these, may have

R U OK?

The effect of adverse events occurred in childhood it is believed they will be subject to toxic stress. Stress vs Toxic Stress We all experience stress. Stress is the feeling of being overwhelmed or unable to cope with mental or emotional pressure. Some other words to describe stress are pressure, strain and tension.

There are four types of stress: 1. Distress: a prolonged period of stress, during which someone feels distressed, sad and, possibly, depressed. 2. Hyper-stress: a prolonged period, during which someone is overstimulated. Exposure to

During our lifetime we will experience adverse events. Adverse events are defined as those where a person has experienced either physical or mental harm. When a person is stressed the experience is a mind-body phenomenon. Thoughts are unhelpful, people may ruminate and worry excessively. The physiology changes so that people may experience headaches, muscles tightness and become ill (mentally and/ or physically). Do a quick check-in with yourself and consider the level of stress you may be currently experiencing. Have you and/ or your loved ones experienced higher levels of stress since COVID-19 hit?

stress when adrenaline is high. Frontline workers (e.g. military, emergency services and accident and emergency staff) often report hyper-stress. 3. Hypo-stress: a prolonged period of under stimulation. Where someone has insufficient challenges. This can happen to people in retirement. 4. Eu-stress: Short-term pressure (e.g. planning for a wedding, birthday party or holiday). Toxic stress results in prolonged

activation of the stress response, namely a failure of the body to fully recover. It differs from a normal stress response in that there is a lack of caregiver support, reassurance or emotional attachments. Engaging in addictive behaviours, such as substance use or gambling, experiencing burn out, anxiety attacks or panic attacks are some of the ways we react when stressed. Toxic stress can cause people to become angry and aggressive. Helpful strategies are to engage in eating well, exercise, meditation and relaxation. In addition, it is imperative to have a support system in place from those around you. This includes the need to ask the question: RU OK? And finally: • Rather than ask someone what is wrong, ask them what has happened: • Take a moment for yourself; and • Be willing to open the conversation. From the RU OK? website, follow these four steps to having that conversation 1. Ask RU OK? 2. Listen 3. Encourage Action 4. Check back in Anne-Marie Elias is a psychologist in clinical practice for more than 25 years.

Scholarship opportunities JOFA AUSTRALIA JOFA Australia, the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance, seeks to expand the spiritual, ritual, intellectual and political opportunities for women within the framework of halakha (Jewish law). It does so by advocating meaningful participation and equality for women in family life, synagogues, houses of learning and Jewish communal organisations. “JOFA Australia aims to foster local community leadership and talent to ensure that Orthodox women in Australia have access to quality teachers in the all-important time leading up to their weddings,” said JOFA Australia President Nomi Kaltmann. “In partnership with the Eden Centre in Jerusalem, JOFA Australia is excited to establish the first all-Australian cohort that will undergo Kallah teacher training via their exceptional training program.” The Eden Centre, located in Jerusalem (https://theedencenter.com/), offers a rigorous training course that focuses on enabling all women to have a personally meaningful and welcoming experience in the mikveh.

The launch of JOFA Australia. Topics covered include Halacha, women’s health and intimacy issues, communication between partners and infertility. JOFA Australia has funding to support 12 women from across Australia (any State or Territory) to undertake the 20week Kallah training course. The workshop will take place live on Zoom for three hours one night a week (the exact times and dates will be decided by the cohort), with the course set to start after High Holidays in October 2021.

While the course usually costs 2,200 shekels (approximately $1,100AUD), due to generous donors, JOFA Australia is able to offer $1,000 scholarships to successful applicants. That leaves a remaining nominal contribution from all accepted Australians of $100. Upon completion of the teacher training course, women will be qualified Kallah teachers and will be able to offer Australian students a consistent framework for teaching the laws of Taharat HaMishpacha.

“Following our successful launch in May 2021, JOFA received extensive feedback indicating that many women felt that the teaching in this area needed improvement. Further, that there was no designated qualification or framework that was consistent for Australian teachers,” said JOFA Australia vice president Sharona Jotkowitz. “At the launch of JOFA Australia, the view was that there was a significant lack of young, modern Orthodox Kallah teachers and the few that did exist were completely overbooked and burnt out,” Jotkotwitz said. “Thanks to our generous donors, we are thrilled to be able to offer an important opportunity to train women in an area that we are certain will benefit all men and women getting married in this country,” she said. If you would like to get in touch with JOFA Australia please contact: nomi@ jofa.org If you would like to apply to submit an expression of interest form to receive a scholarship and undertake training to become a Kallah teacher, please fill this in: https://docs. google.com/for ms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe c0aFD4VNQOWkiJyqaDmez_OErFLVUIzE8gipQjnEFKoOpA/viewform

the melbourne jewish report | September 2021

PRIME MINISTER

MESSAGE FROM THE PRIME MINISTER

The Hon. Anthony Albanese MP

ROSH HASHANAH 2021

Leader of the Opposition

I extend my warmest greetings to all who are marking Rosh Hashanah – the start of the Jewish New Year and the anniversary of the beginning of life.

ROSH HASHANAH 2021

In keeping with this ancient festival – one of the high holy days of your faith – you honour the past and prepare for the future through reflection and repentance. By your actions and prayer, each of you keep alive a sacred tradition that holds both memory and hope for Jewish people across the world. The COVID-19 pandemic has cast its shadow over all our lives and kept us from the rites and gatherings we yearn to celebrate. I know this year your celebrations will once again be subdued, but I have faith that you will find inspiration and sweetness in these days of awe, as the sound of the shofar echoes in your hearts. The late Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks said that Rosh Hashanah allows us ‘to begin anew, forgiven, cleansed, undaunted, ready for the next challenge, the next year.’ Though some challenges still lie ahead, I hope you can begin this New Year in a renewed spirit of hope and faith.

On behalf of the Australian Labor Party, I wish readers of the Jewish Reports and all members of the Australian Jewish community a Shana Tova U’Metukah – a sweet and happy new year. As I said this time last year, it is a wish that is even more powerfully heartfelt during this time of pandemic; I have every hope that is a sentence I never have to repeat again. However, no matter what circumstances we find ourselves in, Rosh Hashanah and the High Holy Days resolutely remain what they have always been: a time for family and community. Even as physical distance comes between you and your loved ones, nothing will ever stretch your emotional bonds. With the quiet of lockdown having fallen across many parts of the country, the sound of the Shofar is even more welcome as it announces a new year and a fresh start for our Jewish community and across the world. It is also a time of reflection and repentance, and a renewal of our dedication to making Australia better for all Australians. I am deeply grateful to the Australian Jewish community for your long and remarkable history of contribution. Quite simply, this country is unimaginable without you. Just as you have helped make Australia the nation it is today, you will help shape Australia as we emerge from this crisis.

May you draw deeply on the same wells of solace and resilience in these difficult times that have sustained the Jewish people through generations.

May this new year of 5782 bring you and your family naches and simchas, and may the Shofar be granted extra decibels as it ushers in what we all will be a year of joy and success, recovery and renewal.

L’shanah tovah tikatev v’taihatem.

Yours sincerely,

The Hon. Anthony Albanese MP Leader of the Australian Labor Party

The Hon Scott Morrison MP Prime Minister of Australia September 2021

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the melbourne jewish report | September 2021

I N T E R N AT I O N A L

NEWS

RABBI NECHEMIA COOPERSMITH COURTESY AISH.COM After 20 years of US military engagement and over a trillion dollars in training and equipping the Afghan army, the Taliban forces conquered the country in less than a week after America pulled out. It's a shocking, appalling mess and there is plenty of blame to go around, but that's above my pay grade. It's not my place to discuss politics and foreign policy. I want to focus on an important insight about liberty and freedom, and how it connects to Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. One of the glaring lessons in the collapse of Afghanistan is that no matter how much money, power and resources were poured in, freedom and peace cannot be imposed by outside forces. You can't force someone to will something. It must come from within. Without the internal will to fight for independence and freedom, it’s no wonder the army folded and the president fled in the face of Taliban's advance into Kabul. For 20 years, the enterprise in nation-building was being propped up by external forces. Once this ended, reality kicked in and it all came crashing down. The same is true for our individual, personal freedom. Who is the essential you? Strip away all the external forces and elements that impact us, for good and bad, and what is left? You are not your upbringing, your circle of friends, your title or position. You are not your wealth (or lack thereof), your looks, your hair, your intelligence,

The Collapse of Afghanistan:

What Does It Mean to be Truly Free?

No matter how much money, power and resources are poured in, freedom and peace cannot be imposed by outside forces. It must come from within. your fantasies, the colour of your skin. All of that forms the endless, complex strands that comprise the playing field of your life, but it's not you. You are the chooser who determines how to respond to the moral challenge which

Some 640 passengers crammed into a US Air Force C-17 that flew from Kabul Airport to Qatar on August 15.

is being presented to you at this instant. That choice is yours, and yours alone. You are personally responsible for your decision, whether it was wise or immoral, or not a decision at all. Because that's you. You are that internal will. Instead of blaming your parents, your spouse, the government, God or any other external force, switch gears and look inward. Focus on the only thing over which you do have control: your choice. Everything else that exists outside of you is not you. You are not responsible for so much of the formative circumstances of your life. You are responsible for how you choose to respond to it. So instead of blaming your parents, your spouse, the government, God or any other external force, switch gears and look inward. Focus on the only thing over which you do have control: your choice. You are not the baggage that was bequeathed to you by your upbringing, nor are you the brilliant IQ you happened to be born with. Those are some of the cards that the Almighty dealt you. Now it's up to you to determine how you are going to play your hand. You are the sum total of your choices. Abraham, the first forefather of the Jewish people, wasn't blamed for worshipping idols as a child. He didn't choose to be born at a time the entire world was seeped in idolatry. Nor was

there any attempt to cover up his lessthan-stellar upbringing. Submerged in darkness, he used his unique circumstances to find truth and chose greatness. Rosh Hashanah Reality Check Rosh Hashanah celebrates the birthday of humanity; it's a celebration of free will. The Talmud teaches that in the moment of judgment, we stand before God utterly alone and come face to face with the reality of who we really are. All externals are stripped away. There are no friends to hide behind, no society to get lost in, no excuses to rely on, nor others to blame. It’s only the real you, all your heroic and selfish decisions, the dreams that were in reach but you left unfulfilled and the accomplishments you chose to attain. The external forces we use to prop ourselves up or hide behind are pulled out and we are left with our true inner self that we are fully responsible for. That is who God is examining on Rosh Hashanah. That reality check can be terrifying. It allows us to see what we are really made of. But it's also liberating and deeply meaningful. Recognising that I am the only person responsible for attaining my personal greatness is like a blast of the shofar that pierces our soul, beckoning us to wake up and choose life.

the melbourne jewish report | September 2021

A hopeful New Year THE KING DAVID SCHOOL Filled with hope for a promising and meaningful Jewish New Year ahead, The King David School students engaged in activities during the month of Elul. Elul is a time of repentance in preparation for the High Holy Days. Principal Marc Light visited the Early Learning Centre regularly to perform the mitzvah of blowing the shofar for the children, who were taught the Shofar Blast song as well as the three different shofar blasts. They also participated virtually in a shofar making (and blowing) workshop. In the lead up to Rosh Hashanah, Early Learning Centre children enjoyed Hebrew classes that incorporated New Year themes. In one of the classes, each child’s height was measured by apples and they counted in Hebrew the number of apples that it took from top to toe. Throughout the month, Junior school students had virtual Jewish Studies lessons centred on the many rituals passed down through generations relating to the festival of Rosh Hashanah. They also participated in weekly reflective challenge lessons on

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the following themes: Myself, Friendship, KDS Community and Jewish Australians. A Rosh Hashanah Festival – which included crafts, activity sessions and a school assembly led by the Year 5s –was held on Erev Rosh Hashanah for Prep to Year 5 students.

In one of the classes, each child’s height was measured by apples and they counted in Hebrew the number of apples that it took from top to toe.

The entire Junior school then joined together virtually for a challah baking session. Families pre-prepared their dough and were instructed on how to plait the challah, in preparation for their Rosh Hashanah seder. Senior school students had access during lockdown (via the Jewish Life area on myKDS) to hear the sound of the shofar (courtesy of Simon NathanValentine in Year 12) as well as to resources and activities about the Festival.

Mount Scopus MOUNT SCOPUS During the month of Elul, approaching the High Holy Days, Mount Scopus students have been learning about and preparing for Rosh Hashanah. Primary students have been demonstrating their shofar blowing skills during t’fillah on Zoom and have made Rosh Hashanah cards for family and friends. Senior students took part in a number of online shiurim, exploring Teshuva. The Shofar Factory also visited, with a wonderful interactive online session with Reuvi from Chabad Malvern.

Shana Tova Artwork by Milo, Year 8

Sholem Aleichem College

‫שלומ עליכמ שול‬ ‫ַא גוט יאר‬

08..21

the melbourne jewish report | September 2021

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J-AIR: all about community

COMMUNITY

J-AIR

JIFF 2021 Delayed JIFF As a result of the current COVID-19 environment, the 2021 Jewish International Film Festival (JIFF) will move to February/March 2022. Among the films that will have their

Australian premiere screenings at JIFF are Here Today, a romcom starring Billy Crystal, The Auschwitz Report, a drama based upon a true story and the entertaining documentary Dirty Tricks. JIFF is also a global partner on the new Jewish-themed streaming platform ChaiFlicks.

From humble beginnings in unfurnished rooms in an old factory in 2014, community radio station J-AIR 88FM (j-air.com.au) has just moved into purpose-built, modern premises in St Kilda. The station is about to start broadcasting from this facility via three new, professional studios. J-AIR, or Jewish Australia Internet Radio, was originally created as a streaming service for the Melbourne Jewish community by Robert Bontschek. It has since been embraced around the nation (and internationally). The station started with a handful of presenters and has seen those numbers grow considerably. It operates 24/7, playing 35 live, broad-based programs weekly – mostly in English, but some in Hebrew, Russian and Yiddish, catering to a linguistically diverse community. The shows, for all ages (with more on the horizon), are sourced locally, interstate and overseas, and are also available as podcasts. Subjects dealt with include general

community news, Israeli and Jewish affairs (supplied by sister station Israel New Talk Radio, based in Jerusalem), sport, health, music and leisure. J-AIR is governed by a forwardthinking Board, complemented by the executive (committee of management), members of whom are keen to see the station grow and prosper for the benefit of Jews and non-Jews alike. So, check out J-AIR 88FM or log onto j-air.com.au and spread the word. Listen and support the station through sponsorship and advertising. Website: j-air.com.au Email: info@j-air.com.au

By the time this ad is published, J-AIR 88FM (www.j-air.com.au) will have completed its rebuild. J-AIR is Australia’s ONLY Jewish community radio station, broadcasting on 88FM in Melbourne and on the world wide web.

the melbourne jewish report | September 2021

Supporting the children of Israel this Kol Nidre UIA VICTORIA UIA Victoria is proud to support an important project of national priority in Israel for its 2021 Kol Nidre appeal. The 11-day barrage of more than 4,300 rockets and mortars fired into Israel from Gaza earlier this year has left the children of Israel severely traumatised. From Tel Aviv and Jerusalem to the southern cities of Ashdod, Ashkelon, Be’er Sheva and Gaza border-area communities, more than one million children were subjected to emergency sirens and incoming rockets. Their sense of security has been shattered. Many remain frightened and continue to suffer. Their trauma manifests itself in nightmares, bed wetting, severe anxiety and regressive behaviour. This affects their ability to function normally, which, in turn, impacts their schooling and social behaviour. With your dedicated support, Keren Hayesod-UIA has addressed these needs on a daily basis for decades. The recent escalation in the attacks has exacerbated the situation dramatically. This year’s Kol Nidre appeal therefore supports rehabilitation for children

suffering from PTSD and gives our community the opportunity to change their lives for the better. Treatment includes art and animal therapy, and activities to aid recovery and strengthen resilience. UIA Victoria President Hayley Southwick said: “the uniqueness of UIA is our ability to answer the immediate needs of the People of Israel. This project has been identified as a national priority of significant importance and scope.

UIA Victoria is proud to be raising vital funds for rehabilitation for the children of Israel who are traumatised as a result of the rocket attacks from Gaza earlier this year. The children are Israel’s future and each and every one of us has the ability to shape that future today. Our Kol Nidre appeal has a long and established history and we hope that our community will once again embrace it and support it wholeheartedly.” We thank our Rabbis and shul

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COMMUNITY presidents for their support in endorsing this appeal. UIA Victoria CEO Jeff Feldman said: “We are exceptionally pleased at the continuing cooperation with the Union of Progressive Judaism and Progressive Judaism Victoria, which are supporting our Kol Nidre appeal. I am so pleased that we can present a united community for this important cause. It speaks volumes for the role that UIA plays in our community and to work collaboratively with the entire Jewish community is very exciting. This is a major milestone in presenting Victorian Jewry as one community.” Unlike previous years, our Kol Nidre appeal will not be the traditional pledge card on shul seats, due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions. Instead, this appeal will be run across multiple platforms over a longer period (from before Rosh Hashanah until Simchat Torah), giving the community more time to support it. All donations can be made online and 100 per cent of the proceeds will be remitted to this important project. Please consider your commitment to Israel’s future – the children of Israel. For more information or to make a donation, please call 9272 5533 or visit kn.uiavic.org/21

the melbourne jewish report | September 2021

CO NS I D E R E D

OPINION

RABBI MARK WILDES COURTESY AISH.COM One of the most important Jewish principles in interpersonal relations is the obligation to judge people favourably and to give others the benefit of the doubt (Ethics of the Fathers 1:6). This principle is relevant as we get closer to the High Holidays – to the “Days of Judgment” – because if we judge others favourably, God will judge us favourably (Shabbat 127b). Normally, the principle of judging favourably applies when there is incomplete information. We don’t know if the person is acting appropriately or not, and the situation can be interpreted favourably or unfavourably. We don’t know the underlying facts of the situation, only the surface-level appearance, and we don’t have a full picture. In such cases, we are taught to fill in the missing pieces with a positive assumption. If God knows everything – if He knows why the person went into McDonald’s – what does it mean that He will judge us favourably? For example, if we know someone keeps kosher, but we observe them entering a McDonald’s. In that situation, giving the person the benefit of the doubt would mean making the assumption that the person entered the restaurant for some reason other than to eat – perhaps to use the restrooms. But how does this work with God? We are taught that if we give others the benefit of the doubt, God will do the same for us. But how can this be? After all, God is omniscient! He knows everything, so there’s no data missing. If God knows everything – if He knows why the person went into McDonald’s – what does it mean that He will judge us favourably? Doesn’t God know if we acted properly or not? Rabbi Chaim Shmuelevitz answers that in every human activity there is some good and bad. Even when we do the right thing, there’s usually some aspect that is done for personal gain. No action is a hundred percent motivated by pure altruism. Conversely, when we do something wrong, there is inevitably some good to those actions as well. The question is where we put our focus – on the positive or the negative? Since both good and bad exist within every action, we have a choice as to where we will direct our attention. Do we choose to see the good in people or the bad in people? Do we focus on the positive aspects of their character or areas where they fall short? Rabbi Shmuelevitz answers that whatever we choose to focus on in other people’s lives is what God will focus on in ours. If we choose to direct our attention towards the good in others, even when we don’t have the

Why It's So Important for You to Judge Others Favourably

If we judge others favourably, God will judge us favourably. whole picture, God will focus on the good in us – even though He knows the whole situation. If we choose to direct our attention towards the good in others, even when we don’t have the whole picture, God will focus on the good in us – even though He knows the whole situation. Conversely, if we focus on the bad in

child for not being careful, but they could instead choose to focus on how eager the child was to help out around the house. Both the child’s desire to help and his carelessness are true. It becomes the parent’s choice whether to focus on the positive or the negative, and it’s a choice we all have to make as to where we should direct

If we get into the habit of routinely trying to find the good in others, over time we will train ourselves to always choose the good. others, God will focus on that part of us as well. After all, how can we expect God to judge us more favourably than we judge others? When we choose to actively overlook the negative aspects of other people’s behaviour, we’re not being naive. It’s making a choice to focus on the positive that also exists within our friend’s conduct and character. Suppose a child wants to be helpful to his parents and starts cleaning the dishes, but because he is careless, a plate slips and shatters on the floor. The parent may be upset with the

our attention. If we get into the habit of routinely trying to find the good in others, over time we will train ourselves to always choose the good. By focusing on the best in others we become more positive people. Judging others favourably can be challenging, especially when we feel wronged or offended in some way. One suggestion I have found helpful in judging others when feeling mistreated, is found in the very words of the Sages of the Mishnah: havei dan et kol ha’adam l’kaf zechut, “judge

all people favourably” (Ethics of the Fathers 1:6). The Hebrew word kol or “all” would seem to suggest that we should judge “all” people favourably, and not just some people. However, there is another way to understand this phrase. The Hebrew term kol ha’adam can also be translated as “all of the person.” We don’t have to focus on the one wrong thing that person did and let that person be defined by that one action. We should not simply look at what the person did that offended us. Rather we can choose to look at kol ha’adam, at the whole person. Looking at the total person will not erase the wrong, but it will allow us to see the person’s misdeed within the context of the entire person, including all their positive character traits and the good deeds they have performed. It helps us refrain from hyperfocusing on the one offense, and instead allows us to zoom the lens out and look at the entire person – a powerful technique to judge others favourably. The more we choose to see the best in others, the more we will become the positive people we want to be. Imagine what a different world it would be if we could latch on to whatever good we see in other people. And as our Sages teach, the more we do this for other people, the more God will do this for us.

the melbourne jewish report | September 2021

AJA Hosts UAE Ambassador on Abraham Accords ROBERT GREGORY AUSTRALIAN JEWISH ASSOCIATION “The Abraham Accords are achieving their purpose and flourishing,” His Excellency, Abdulla Al Subousi, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ambassador to Australia told an Australian Jewish Association (AJA) audience of hundreds late last month. The conversation was the latest with a high-profile speaker to have headlined the weekly Zoom series for the AJA. Al Subousi, who has held many senior diplomatic positions with the UAE, including in the United States, described the Accords as “one of the biggest milestones for the Middle East in recent history.” He went on to discuss some of the tangible benefits, including the warm cultural and thriving economic ties that have been developed. He described the accords as “a new era of economic cooperation.” Al Subousi said: “One year on, we have reached the stage where it is difficult to list all the agreements signed.” The Ambassador revealed that 200,000 Israeli tourists have already visited the UAE, despite the global pandemic, and that bilateral trade is predicted to reach US$4 billion over the next five years. He acknowledged the “terrific Israeli breakfast” available at one of the UAE’s first Kosher

they survived their first major test with the recent war in Gaza. AJA President Dr David Adler and Vice President Alan Freedman facilitated the discussion, with Dr Adler telling the Ambassador that “the UAE will forever have the distinction of being the first Arab nation to have an embassy on Israeli soil. There had to be a first and the UAE deserves enormous credit internationally for having taken the first step. It took vision and courage, and it will never be forgotten that the UAE was first.” The Ambassador Al Sabousi said “the Abraham Accords have fundamentally changed the reality of our region by bringing us together to face our common issues. The Abraham Accords have demonstrated that building bridges of communication and cooperation are essential in order to solve unresolved issues and achieve a more secure and prosperous future for coming generations. We have to recognise that the Abraham Accords not only offer the UAE and Israel these opportunities, but also our mutual allies, like Australia.” There were many questions submitted by the audience, and viewers were curious to hear how the average Emirati felt about the relationship. Al Subousi said that the welcoming warm reaction did not come as a shock to the people of the UAE, who he described as tolerant and open minded. The Ambassador spoke about the Abrahamic Family House in Dubai,

The Ambassador highlighted "the people to people connections that will cement the place of the Abraham Accords in our society.”

restaurants and spoke about recent deals between universities, and between the Israeli and UAE diamond exchanges. He went on to describe how Israeli fruits and vegetables are proudly showcased, with Israeli flags, in UAE shops. The Abraham Accords are one of the crowning foreign policy achievements of the Trump and Netanyahu administrations. The UAE, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan established diplomatic ties with Israel in a few months. The Biden administration has expressed support, referring to them as normalisation agreements. While some were sceptical at first, particularly as the Accords overturned long-held beliefs that concessions from Israel were required for Middle East peace,

which will house a mosque, church and synagogue and is due for completion in 2022. The Ambassador highlighted "the people to people connections that will cement the place of the Abraham Accords in our society.” The Ambassador promised to assist with a future AJA delegation to Israel via the UAE, which is being planned for when international travel resumes and accepted an invitation to a Shabbat meal when restrictions are eased. A recording of the Zoom conversation is available on the Australian Jewish Association YouTube channel. For upcoming events, go to the AJA Facebook page. Robert Gregory, Research and Advocacy Officer, Australian Jewish Association.

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the melbourne jewish report | September 2021

M AK I NG

MEMORIES SARA RAYVYCH It’s a busy time of year for all of us – even busier if kids are home with nowhere else to go. It’s a challenge to make the holidays special at the best of times. It’s an even greater challenge to give our children an incredible holiday experience when so much of what we’re used to has changed. I’m going to share an underappreciated secret that, in reality, is not so secretive: parents set the tone and create the reality. It’s the adults in your child’s life that will make each holiday special. This can be seen as a burden, but it’s also a position of strength to know what an impact you can have. With a little creativity and praying for an extra dose of sanity, you can give your child the best holiday yet. By involving your children in your holiday preparations and giving them that extra connection to you, you give them what they truly need to feel the holidays are special. I would like to suggest just one of the many ways you can bond with your child as you make this a year they remember positively. Between the many holidays we go through various emotions. We also go through lots of food. For those with kids it’s tempting to try to find means to get the kids out of the way so you can get everything done, as you know they’ll slow you down, distract you and make a mess. To be honest, there are times when that’ll be the best method. But, often, you can include children in your holiday chores. Not only does it keep the little ones occupied, it also gets them excited for the holidays and involved, while teaching them skills they’ll need for life. My children have become quite

New Year preparations proficient from a young age at various kitchen tasks. Naturally, baking desserts is their favorite. While there are times to creatively find ways to get kids out of the kitchen, I’d like to suggest a few of the ways you can bring kids into the kitchen. Bonding through the chaos It is my experience that so much incredible bonding can happen in the kitchen. It’s one way to work together, talk as you go and maybe even sing or dance together (but not while holding knives).

be enough to let them know they’re special to you. Food is a surprising way to bring families together. Perhaps there is someone special in your child’s life you’d like to include in your holiday preparations. Whether it’s a grandparent, relative or neighbour, you can arrange in advance to cook with them over the phone or via video chat. As they measure and pour along with your child, they can bring that extra love into the room. As a bonus, your youngster may add some refreshing childish noise to a lonely person’s day.

It’s this time together that helps create their special childhood memories and makes the holidays that much more meaningful.

I’ve given so much to my children during those conversations. They’re excited and eager and they soak in whatever you want to say. As you work together (somewhat) calmly, it allows children to open up to you. It’s this time together that helps create their special childhood memories and makes the holidays that much more meaningful. Years from now, when they remember the holiday preparations, you want them to think of baking and laughing, instead of screaming and stress. That time you create together now can be the highlight of their recollections in years to come. It’s not easy and I won’t deny it’s a lot to ask. Often, even just one session together with you in the kitchen can

If you recognise that you’re already stressed or in a big rush, then it may not be the best time to incorporate children into the preparations. Gauge your mood and be honest with yourself. To state the obvious, inviting your kids to help when you’re bound to scream isn’t conducive to family bonding. Practical pointers Kids can complicate the kitchen, but even the youngest of future chefs can be involved in some way. Of course, safety comes first and an adult needs to be present whenever sharps, heat or anything dangerous is involved. Truthfully, the youngest of assistants will often best be occupied in the kitchen by having their own (empty) bowl and spoon and mixing their pretend

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concoctions. Toddlers can enjoy and feel included with even this minor involvement. Once they’re a little older, I’ve found that children can start to assist with real preparations. Always demonstrate what you expect. Even better is if you can have the child perform the task while you gently guide and correct. Know they won’t do it the same way you do but that’s okay. Younger kids can easily pour premeasured ingredients into the bowl or cut easily sliced vegetables with a dull knife. I’ve found that placing the measured ingredient into a larger receptacle before handing it to the child avoids spillage. Also, some ingredients, such as flour, cause a bigger mess when spilled, as opposed to chocolate chips. As they become more experienced, they can begin to move to more complicated vegetables and peel and slice what you need for the recipe, keeping them involved while saving you time. Once a child reads, they can start to try basic recipes on their own, with you assisting the first few times. Kids will make messes and spill things. They're only human and even adults can have an occasional mishap. Expect that kids will learn as they go and mistakes are inevitable. When you anticipate this in advance and see this as an inevitable part of the learning process, then it can be a little less painful. Prepare the work area first by covering it with a plastic table cover or another easy to clean surface. Remember, they spread the predicted mess further than adults do. By keeping the clean-up simple you’re more likely to be willing to allow them to assist. This year might be different, but it can still be special. The holidays are busy, exciting and stressful, but bringing your kids into the kitchen is one way to add meaning to the celebrations and memories to their childhood.

the melbourne jewish report | September 2021

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International Line-up at Virtual COMMUNITY Gala for JNF’s 120th Anniversary explosion of anti-Israel propaganda

JNF

and her media interviews went viral

In 1901, at the Fifth World Zionist Congress in Basel, Theodor Herzl founded the Jewish National Fund (JNF) in order to create and build a future Jewish State. This year, JNF will mark the 120th anniversary of its founding at a special Virtual Gala, featuring an international array of speakers, to be held at 8pm on October 5th. Special guests will include Ron Dermer, Israel’s 18th Ambassador to the US, Noa Tishby, actress and activist, Elon Gold, comedian and actor, and Eden Alene, leading Israeli and Eurovision singer. Dermer, one of the Jewish State’s longest serving representatives in Washington, was a key player in the US-Israel relationship from 2013 until this year. Tishby’s book “Israel: A simple guide to the most misunderstood country on Earth” was published a month before the May Gaza Conflict, amid an

Gala, JNF CEO Dan Springer said that

globally. Speaking about the Virtual “our audience will be enlightened by Dermers back stories of key foreign policy developments and inspired by Tishby’s account of how she became a leading global campaigner in defence of Israel. We

were

overwhelmed

the

national response to last year’s event and hope that the 2021 Virtual Gala will again serve to uplift and unite our community in support of our shared Zionist mission and Jewish values.” The theme of the evening will be “Building Israel since 1901”, celebrating all that has been achieved in fulfillment of

Herzl’s

vision,

while

turning

JNF’s future vision for the Negev and support of the pioneering new border community of Ramat Herzl. To

for

the

JNF

Virtual

Gala, please go to www.jnf.org.au/ virtualgala or call 1300 563 563.

Ron Dermer, Israel’s 18th Ambassador to the US. Photo: Shmulik Almany.

The JNF family wishes you a Shana Tova Wishing all our customers Chag Sameach!

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the melbourne jewish report | September 2021

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OVERSEAS RABBI DAVID ELIEZRIE COURTESY JERUSALEM POST The ideas that stand at the center of Judaism have the staying power because they transcend the limitation of time. Menachem Forester is a student at the Chabad Yeshiva nestled in the ancient Venice Ghetto, established in 1516. The Ghetto, no longer designed to lock up Jews, is the vibrant center of Jewish life in the ancient Italian city. Every night, Forester makes the twenty-minute walk from the Jewish Ghetto to the pillars in the central town square, Piazza San Marco. Imported from Turkey in the 12th Century, the pillars rise high as a symbol of the political power of a trading center that linked the east and west. But Forester sits at the pillars of another part of their symbolism. In 1533, it was the site of the mass burning of the Talmud. Venice was an early center of Jewish printing, home of the Bomberg Talmud, whose iconic layout became the standard to this day. Besides copies of the Talmud, other priceless manuscripts and Jewish books were burned on a quest to destroy Jewish knowledge, sparked by the hatred of the Spanish Inquisition. When Forester arrives at the square, he opens his Talmud and spends an hour in Torah study. “This is my way of responding to the tragedy of almost 500 years ago,” he says. “What better way than to study Torah and our Jewish tradition in the very place which our enemies sought to destroy it.” Forester represents the remarkable era that we live in as Jews. Beyond the doom and gloom that Jews love to focus on – and there are serious challenges – we live in a remarkable time. As the late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks would say: “almost all Jews live in free countries where they can openly practice.” We have a country where Jews have sovereignty. We are equipped with modern weaponry – just over a month ago, while on a rabbinical solidarity mission in the wake of the most recent Gaza conflict, I got a glimpse of Israel’s newest weapon: the state of the art F-35 combat aircraft. Today Jews can defend themselves against our enemies and are free to study Torah where its books were burned some five centuries ago. Lying at the core of what drives us as Jews is a sense of personal empowerment, the guts to stand up for ourselves, the guts to learn Torah in the very place that symbolizes its destruction. Some years ago, I visited the British Museum. I wandered through the exhibits of ancient peoples like the Hittite and Babylonians. I saw the massive stone reliefs of Sennacherib exiling the Ten Tribes, the

Despite predictions of doom and gloom, Judaism is thriving

CHABAD EMISSARIES gather in front of the Chabad-Lubavitch world headquarters in Brooklyn in 2015 (Reuters).

Menachem Forester studying Talmud at the Piazza San Marco in Venice. statues of the Greeks, Romans, Persians and others. Each empire rose and fell, and today their cultures exist in museums and archaeological sites. I stood there as a Jew, not very different from the ancient Jews who challenged these empires with the ideas of monotheism, justice, compassion and the mission to infuse the world with Divine purpose. These superpowers had might that dominated the world for a few centuries, but each had its sunset. Yet the ideas that stand at the center of Judaism have the staying power

because they transcend the limitation of time. Given by God at Sinai, they have meaning and are relevant every time and every place. The lesson is clear. The ideas of the Torah are the core of our identity. If we care about a Jewish future, we don’t need to change Judaism to fit a popular agenda of political-social action, even though Judaism does teach compassion. Nor is the answer to a Jewish tomorrow a secular nationalism devoid of the spiritual bond to the Jewish homeland.

What we need is to teach the next generation authentic Torah. We need to instill in them wonder for Jewish knowledge, so they can find modern relevance to the ideas of this era. If they deeply appreciate it, they will pass it on to the next generation. If you’re looking for a place to start studying, drop by the Piazza San Marco at 10:00 PM every night. Menachem would be delighted to have a study partner. Rabbi David Eliezrie is president of the Rabbinical Council of Orange County, California. His email is rabbi@ocjewish.com

the melbourne jewish report | September 2021

“Mann Tracht, Un Gott Lacht”

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COMMUNITY

“Man plans and God laughs” (Old Yiddish Idiom) ARK CENTRE As humans we often think that we have control over our lives. An entire genre of merchandise – planners, diaries, calendars and organisational charts – exists with the sole purpose of helping people plan their days. These organisational aides are great and have improved our time management and quality of life. Yet, the uncertainty that 2020 and 2021 has brought into our lives has taught us that as much as we plan and focus on the things we want to do and

created every tiny detail. Nothing is random, everything that occurs is intentional and according to the will of G-d. This is known as “Hasgacha Pratit” – Divine Providence. Judaism stresses the importance of each person fulfilling their mission. As a child there was a song that we used to sing that went like this: “for 70 or 80 years a neshama [soul] wears and tears, just to do a favour for another person.” This sums up a beautiful approach to our lives on earth. While it cannot always be known why people suffer, why bad things happen to good people and why the world has had to endure one of the most difficult

The pandemic has taught us that what happens to each person affects the other. It reminds us that we do not live in silos. If anything, the pandemic has reminded us that each person is responsible for each other.

achieve, we are not in control. While we can plan all we want, we must not take anything for granted. We mainly remember the past 12 months for the things we planned but could not occur due to the pandemic. Despite our best intentions, the past year was not what we expected. “Mann Tracht, Un Gott Lacht” eschews the concept of karma and instead affirms the Jewish belief that everything in the world is purposeful, whether or not humans are ready to accept the outcomes. It presumes the existence of a constant and comprehensive rebirth of a person’s identity and soul in everything they do. In Judaism, we know that G-d not only created the world, but also

periods in recent history with the global pandemic, this does not negate individual responsibility to undertake acts of goodness and kindness. The pandemic has taught us that what happens to each person affects the other. It reminds us that we do not live in silos. If anything, the pandemic has reminded us that each person is responsible for each other. The measures put in place – from lockdowns to social distancing – therefore become acts of compassion and care, as we try to protect those around us from illness. The virus has taught us that no one is immune. Our focus is on ensuring that our loved ones are safe and protected. It has taught us that we each have

individual responsibility to do our bit for the collective good. So, as we wind down on 5781 and begin planning for the year 5782 there is much at stake by way of considering what we can do with the insights we have gained. While we had good lives before, we did not realise just how blessed we were to be able to gather, visit loved ones, sit in our houses with friends, have access to childcare and spend time doing normal things like chatting in a café. We only learnt about how extraordinary our ordinary lives were once it was all taken away from us. Judaism teaches us that there is never room for despair. Because, wherever

you land, G-d is with you and once all the dust is settled, you are in exactly the place where you are meant to be. Eventually, the world will return to normal and along with normalcy it is possible that we may return to a sense of complacency, forgetting the lessons we have learnt over this period. My wish for you over the year ahead is that we do not lose sight of what is important, nor lose hope and remain optimistic about the goodness of people. So, as much as we can, we should plan for the year ahead to be one of gratitude, generosity, happiness and safety. Rabbi Gabi

the melbourne jewish report | September 2021

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COMMUNITY KADIMAH Online Yiddish culture has been an unexpected matone, or gift, that the Kadimah Jewish Cultural Centre has been delighted to offer Yiddish lovers during successive lockdowns. While our beloved theatre is dark and our concerts and festivals are on hold, online classes and programs have taken centre stage and kept audiences stuck at home, enthralled with contemporary Yiddish culture. Interest in online Yiddish language, literature and conversation classes at the Kadimah has surged since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, with attendees tuning in on Zoom from around Australia and the rest of the world. And enthusiasm for online Yiddish culture such as talks, discussion panels, interviews, parlour gigs and, even, open mic poetry events has also grown, with new audiences discovering a curiosity for culture mit a Yiddishn tam. Coming up next, on Sunday September 12th, the Kadimah will co-present Yiddish Poetica 2, an online open mic poetry event, in partnership with Dunera online Jewish cultural platform and Poetica, a poetry hub run by Sydney poet Miriam Hechtman. Kadimah now offers more than 15 different Yiddish classes and groups each week, with our teachers using the latest methods to make language learning accessible and approachable for everyone. “Language classes are something fun and social that you can do while stuck at home,” said Kadimah Yiddish coordinator Esther Singer. “And it turns out that it feels good to learn a new skill or to get to use the Yiddish you might know.” With geography no longer a barrier in the online era, Kadimah can now share Yiddishkeyt around the world. One

Kadimah offers Yiddish gifts during lockdown

recent beginners’ class had students from Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne, who were able to connect through this class and their shared interest in Yiddish. Over the past 18 months, the profile of who was studying Yiddish through the Kadimah also altered. Retired Jews living close to the bagel belt were still attending classes, but also enrolling were people living in West Footscray, Reservoir, Montmorency and further afield in NSW, the ACT and Queensland. And much further still … from Indonesia, Canada and the USA. Many students would simply not have been able to physically attend classes held in Elsternwick or Carlton. "I just wanted to thank you so much

for the Yiddish classes this year. It has been great. The best language class I have taken and truly the only Zoom meeting I ever looked forward to," said student Marc. "I want to especially thank you because you have been undoubtedly THE BEST LANGUAGE TEACHER I have ever encountered! This being after having studied three other languages with many different teachers. Your mix of fun, engagement and empowerment of students is absolutely exceptional," said another student, Katrina. While the stage lights are currently switched off, Kadimah Yiddish Theatre has been busily continuing to work on upcoming productions. Cast and crew

are already rehearsing online for KYT’s innovative production of Isaac Bashevis Singer’s Yentl, due to open at the Arts Centre Melbourne in November. And hopes are high to reschedule our stunning show Durkh A Modne Gloz/ Through A Strange Lens, which opened briefly to rapturous acclaim in early August before the latest lockdown. This daring electro-opera, created by renowned composer Josh Abrahams and writer-performer Galit Klas, sets an electronic score to lyrics based on Yiddish poetry written by women over the past 100 years. For more information visit www. kadimah.org.au or contact reception@ kadimah.org.au

the melbourne jewish report | September 2021

Shirl’s Journey

Why A Shofar?

SHIIRL'S PEARLS

YERACHMIEL ISACOWITZ

Shirley Sherry was born in Singapore to Jewish parents, after her grandparents migrated there from Iraq in the early 1900s. Food – a rich, spicy array of Sephardic and Asian treats, always “cooled” with sweet local fruit and dessert – was a major part of Shirley’s youth. Unfortunately, this combination caused her digestive problems, including gastritis, from an early age and with it a growing dependence on antacids. Shirley also saw older people around her struggling with mobility. Their hands shook, they had difficulty getting up from chairs, some couldn’t even walk short distances and others were obese. She wondered whether this was a normal part of old age, while resolving never to follow that path. That was when she sought a way to face age differently. In 1981, at age 32, Shirley was given the book Diet and Salad, first published in 1949 by British/American businessman and pioneer in vegetable juicing and nutritional health, Dr Norman Walker. Walker passed away in 1985 at the age of 99. Shirley took Walker’s advice to avoid fruit after a meal and to eat or juice raw citrus half an hour before breakfast. Her

One difference between the end of the financial year and the beginning of the spiritual year is that by the former, if you’ve done your books correctly, you can relax, but not so with Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Imagine the computing power required to audit every person’s past, present and future, with ancestors dating back to Adam, along with the generational context in which they live. In order to plug into this audit, we would need a mitzvah that transcends time, marks the crowning of God as the King, is a testament to the deeds of our forefathers and stirs the emotions. Let’s see how the shofar takes us down that route. The sound of creation was the sound of God’s voice. That of Mount Sinai is described as a shofar blast and the final redemption will be represented with the blast of the “big” shofar. The blast of a horn is the hallmark of a coronation and the ram’s horn is the symbol of the binding of Isaac.

gastritis was gone within a week. This positive result prompted her to learn more about the digestive system, especially the colon. Taking small, simple steps, she gradually modified her diet and lifestyle. She took up exercise, which included walking an hour each day. She also began fitness and strength work and first joined a gym at 68. Now in her early ‘70s,Shirley’s straightforward message, based on her 40-year journey, is “Grow old, but don’t become old. Feed your colon with vital food and you’ll age feeling younger!” www.shirlspearls.com.au

The Torah calls Rosh Hashanah “the day of trua.” Trua is translated by the great Aramaic commentator, Unkelos, as yevava. That word, in turn, is found in the Book of Shoftim (Judges) by the story of Yael, who killed the Kaananite general Sisera. In describing the wait of Sisera’s mother for her son, not sure if it would be great victory or ultimate defeat, the prophet alludes to her crying. So, we thus know that the shofar has to make a crying sound (truah and shevarim). It is this very sound, combined with the straight sound (tekia) that is designed to stir the hearts of listeners to feeling and understanding the fear, glory, awe and beguiling power of the day. Thus, the potent mitzvah of shofar plugs us into the spiritual energy of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Yerachmiel Isacowitz is an Australian-based Jewish education specialist. Email: risacowitz@optusnet.com.au World Wide Web: torahconcepts.com Facebook: The Mem Channel

CANDLE LIGHTING TIMES Friday, Sep 3, 2021

5:43 pm

Shabbat ends, Sep 4, 2021

6:40 pm

Friday, Sep 10, 2021

5:48 pm

Shabbat ends, Sep 11, 2021

6:46 pm

Friday, Sep 17, 2021

5:54 pm

Shabbat ends, Sep 18, 2021

6:52 pm

Friday, Sep 24, 2021

6:00 pm

Shabbat ends, Sep 25, 2021

6:58 pm

Friday, Oct 1, 2021

6:06 pm

Shabbat ends, Oct 2, 2021

7:05 pm

Friday, Oct 8, 2021

7:13 pm

Shabbat ends, Oct 9, 2021

8:11 pm

A Gift for you – My Guide to a Good Life! Did you know that just by timing when you eat, you can lose weight and reduce gastric problems? I am living proof that following a simple regime can give you great rewards.

torahconcepts.com The Mem Channel

Read my free posts at www.shirlspearls.com.au

the melbourne jewish report | September 2021

Birth, Renewal and Optimism at Shaare Zedek SHAARE ZEDEK During these turbulent times, with Israel facing increased COVID-19 cases, despite the challenges Shaare Zedek Medical Center Jerusalem represents renewal and rebirth. The hospital’s activities are now focused on the response to the pandemic. However, as one of the busiest maternity hospitals in the Western World, Shaare Zedek has a profound responsibility to the next generation of Israel’s diverse population. Each birth is emotional and meaningful in its own way, however one recent birth was especially poignant. More than two years ago, Shira Ish-Ran was seriously injured in a terror attack at Ofra Junction, outside Jerusalem. Seven months pregnant, she arrived at Shaare Zedek fighting for her life and that of her unborn child. The child was delivered in an emergency caesarean section before being transferred to the hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Tragically, the extent of the injury to the baby was too severe, and he passed away three days later. Before burial, the boy was named Amiad Yisrael. Shira and her husband Amichai were treated for their injuries and left the hospital. Several weeks ago, Shira returned to Shaare Zedek to deliver a healthy baby boy. Some of the same medical staff

JUD AIC A

QUIZ

RABBI DAVID FREEDMAN Welcome to the High Holy Days edition of the Judaica Quiz! Rabbi David Freedman has a wealth of knowledge that he generously shares with Sydney Jewish Report readers via these cleverly designed questions. Your mission should you choose to accept it, is to read out these questions at your Yom Tov table (yes, at home) and see just what your family truly knows. If their Jewish knowledge is lacking in any way, you can fill in the blanks with the answers. It’s a win-win! From the shofar to Temple times to the arts to Israel you’ll be challenged. We’re talking past, present, cultural, religious and more. See what you know about unique minhagim, or customs across these Days of Awe and so much more. It is truly inspiring, and we thank you for your positive feedback thus far. If you would like to contact Rabbi Freedman directly: email rabdaf@yahoo.com anytime. Wishing all a Shana Tova U’Metuka. 1. During production, why is a shofar put in an oven? a) To sterilise it to ensure there are no insects still living inside the ram’s horn b) So that it plays better and louder notes c) So that it can be bent into a curved shape 2. Rosh Hashanah takes place in the month of Tishrei. What is the Biblical name given to this seventh month of the Jewish Year?

who treated Shira following the attack were alongside her during this very emotional birth. With about 22,000 births per year and a strong commitment to innovation and research, Shaare Zedek is committed to the health and wellbeing of mothers and babies. It is especially committed to responding to the challenges posed by COVID-19. A recent study carried out at the hospital demonstrated the effects of the vaccine for pregnant women and their babies. The study surveyed about 3,000 women who gave birth at the hospital between January and March this year, at the height of the third wave

of morbidity. It then examined about 730 women who were not infected with the virus, of which about 280 were vaccinated with two doses. The researchers found that there was no difference between vaccinated and unvaccinated women in terms of various pregnancy complications. However, unvaccinated pregnant women who fell ill had a higher rate of premature births compared to women who were vaccinated. There was also a higher number of hospitalisations in the intensive care unit among the unvaccinated. Importantly, it also found that babies born to vaccinated mothers suffered

less respiratory problems than infants born to unvaccinated mothers. “The vaccine is safe and effective for pregnant women and it seems that the antibodies that developed in the mother's body were beneficial to their babies,” said Professor Sorina GriseroGarnowski, director of the Women and Maternity Division of Shaare Zedek Medical Center. With the coming of the Jewish New Year, the Australian Friends of Shaare Zedek would like to thank the Australian community for its support during these challenging times. May the New Year bring renewal, health and peace for our Australian community and for Israel.

High Holy Days' Special Edition 3. In which book of the Bible do we read about the religious reforms initiated by Ezra at a ceremony taking place on Rosh Hashanah? 4. During Temple days, before there was a fixed Jewish calendar, how did the sages determine on which day the new Jewish year would begin?

Test your knowledge ... Good luck. Enjoy. Hopefully, learn something new about your Jewish heritage and tradition.

5. Maimonides says of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur that they are “Days of Awe rather than days of joy”. As a consequence, a joyous part of one service included on other festivals is omitted on these High Holy Days. Identify this service. 6. According to the Talmud (Rosh Hashanah 16b) three ledgers are opened on Rosh Hashanah. What is their purpose? 7. Appointed Israel's minister plenipotentiary to the Soviet Union in September 1948, who went to Moscow’s Choral Synagogue on the first day of Rosh Hashanah and found herself surrounded by almost 50,000 excited Soviet Jews in the streets outside? 8. Rembrandt’s painting The Sacrifice of Isaac is displayed in which European Museum:

a) The Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg b) The National Gallery, London c) The Louvre, Paris 9. During the ceremony of Tashlich (Casting) some have the custom to throw real crumbs into a body of water to represent the casting off of one’s sins. During the Middle Ages, why were the Jews advised by some Jewish community leaders to stop throwing crumbs into the city’s wells? 10. At this time of year, we are encouraged to ask for forgiveness from those we have wronged during the previous year. How, according to Maimonides, can one fulfil that obligation if the person to receive the apology has died? 11. What was the name of the Israeli who managed football teams in England, such as Chelsea and West Ham United, and missed matches on occasions due to the fact that it was Yom Kippur? 12. The pre-Yom Kippur atonement ceremony is called in Yiddish, Shlogn Kapores. In what way, in more modern times, has this ritual changed? 13. Who sang Kol Nidre in the 1927 film, The Jazz Singer? 14. The Yom Kippur War began on Tishrei 10, 5734 – give the corresponding civil date 15 .Direct negotiations, towards the end of the Yom Kippur War took place where exactly on the Suez-Cairo Road? 16. True or false, Jonah, whose book is read on Yom Kippur, was swallowed by a whale? 17. The Neilah service, the final service of Yom Kippur ends with the statement “The Lord He is God.” This is a quotation from which famous Biblical story from the Book of Kings? 18. The late Rabbi Lord Sacks described Yom Kippur in the following way: “It was

when the holiest man, entered the holiest place on the holiest day”. Who was this holy man, and where was the holy place? 19. Sukkot begins on Tishrei 15. How many days does it last for: a) In Israel b) Outside Israel? 20. The Four Species include a Lulav (Palm branch), Etrog (Fruit of the Citron tree), Hadassim (Myrtle twigs) and Aravot (Willow branches). According to a popular interpretation, each of these four species represents a different part of the human body: the eyes, the mouth, the spine and the heart. Match up each one of the four species with the part of the body it is said to represent. 21. Which of the “Four Species” according to Jewish tradition is extremely valuable to women in pregnancy, or women seeking to have a child? 22. Which climatic feature is associated with Shemini Atzeret? 23. Simchat Torah means Rejoicing over the Torah – what precisely is being celebrated? 24. Which food is shaped differently during Tishrei to remind Jews of the Heavenly crown that adorns the Divine, or perhaps the wheel of the seasons or the spiral of upward progress? 25. On Wednesday 14 October 1663 (Simchat Torah 5424) which famous English diarist visited a synagogue for the first time and reported: “But, Lord! To see the disorder, laughing, sporting, and no attention, but confusion in all their service, more like brutes than people knowing the true God”?

ANSWERS PAGE 19

the melbourne jewish report | September 2021

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COMMUNITY PANKIND PanKind, The Australian Pancreatic Cancer Foundation, has launched the national Remember September campaign, aiming to raise awareness and funds for pancreatic cancer, a disease that is now the third biggest cancer killer of Australians. Remember September encourages people to stand with those lost to the disease and those fighting to survive, by giving up a vice of your choosing, such as caffeine, sugar or alcohol, or choosing to walk 63km over the month of September to honour the 63 Australians that pancreatic cancer claims each week. The campaign was originally started by brothers David and Ben Wilheim who set up the challenge after losing their father to pancreatic cancer in 2014, a year after the disease also claimed their cousin, Danielle, at age 33, surviving just six weeks post diagnosis. Michelle Stewart, PanKind CEO, said: “Remember September provides a unique opportunity for Australians to help solve one of our country’s

Remember September campaign fastest growing health concerns, pancreatic cancer. Survival rates are unacceptably low and it is a devastating disease with dire statistics. Investment in research is critical to increasing the very low survival rate, yet funding remains desperately sparse.” Pancreatic cancer has the lowest survival rates of all main cancer types. It has a five-year survival rate of only 10.7 per cent. Last year the disease claimed almost as many lives as breast cancer. Almost 4,000 people will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer this year and 80 per cent of patients will pass away within 12 months. For registration and further information, please go to www. rememberseptember.org.au About PanKind PanKind, The Australian Pancreatic Cancer Foundation has a mission to triple the survival rate by 2030 and dramatically increase the quality of life for patients and their families. It aims to achieve this by focusing on raising awareness and investing in groundbreaking medical research.

Keep the Main Thing, the Main Thing RABBI EFREM GOLDBERG COURTESY AISH.COM What are the most important relationships, people and activities in your life? Would you say you allocate time to them? Do you think you make them a priority? Now take out your calendar and review your typical day, week or month. Does your schedule in fact reflect your priorities? Your calendar never lies. Where you spend your discretionary time is where your values are. What you make time for shows what matters to you. In his 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey writes, “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” We talk about our family being the main thing in our lives, or our Judaism, or some other value. But do we keep the main thing, the main thing or does what was supposedly the main thing become just another thing? If you want the answer, look at your calendar and see how much time you allocate to the “main thing,” or if the “main thing” even appears on your calendar at all. Covey suggests, “The key is not to prioritize your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” There are many things that legitimately take us away from the “main things” of our lives. We can’t spend time with our children or

The key is not to prioritise your schedule, but to schedule your priorities. Photo: Frank McKenna, Unsplash expanding our minds or nourishing our souls because we are working, or shopping or cooking. But what about when we aren’t, how do we use that time? Is it filled with meaning, or meaningless activities? Do we fill out our schedule with a purpose or is time taken up with purposelessness? Are we in control of our schedules, or are our schedules controlling us? The Torah describes how the farmer would bring his first fruit to Jerusalem. When presenting it, he would recite a declaration which included a short

history of our people. In that context he would tell of when we were slaves in Egypt: "We cried to Hashem, the God of our fathers, and Hashem heard our anyeinu (affliction), amaleinu (travail) and lachatzeinu (oppression)" (Deut. 26:7). What are those three things? If you don't prioritize your life, someone else will. Anyeinu is personal, internal anguish. The Egyptians purposely separated husbands and wives to create loneliness and pain. Amaleinu is hard work. The Egyptians

had a strategy to literally break our backs with endless toil. What is lachatzeinu? Lachatz, still today in modern Hebrew, means pressure. The Egyptians applied enormous pressure in an effort to break us. What was that pressure? Our sages say they filled our time, occupied and preoccupied us, denied us the ability to even catch our breath. The greatest pressure is a packed schedule with no margin, no down time, no room to think, to experience, or to focus on the main thing. We may not have Egyptian oppressors, but we too are captives to busyness, to our crazy schedules, to noble and ignoble tasks and activities that pulling us in so many directions and denying us the chance to even breath, to live, or to dream. As Greg McKeown, the author of Essentialism says, “If you don’t prioritize your life, someone else will.” As we count down to Rosh Hashanah, review your schedule regularly and make a conscious effort to have it reflect your values. Make time to keep the main thing, the main thing, be it your spiritual, mental or physical health, quality time with family, Torah learning or doing acts of kindness for others. Schedule your priorities and push back on the pressure trying to hold you back.

the melbourne jewish report | September 2021

The German Jew who Started the Paralympic Games

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Dr. Ludwig Guttmann’s belief in the value of every human being changed the future of disabled people.

ELIANA CLINE COURTESY AISH.COM In recent history there are many famous and influential disabled people. People like the late Christopher Reeves and Stephen Hawking have been inspirational figures symbolizing courage, heroism and resilience. Yet less than a century ago, things were radically different. Disabled people were shunned and excluded, shut away in institutions and assumed to have little value to contribute to the world. Dr. Ludwig Guttmann, a Jewish German neurosurgeon, deeply believed in the Jewish value of the infinite worth of every human being, regardless of their physical limitations. And with this far-reaching and indefatigable commitment to his vision, he altered the future of all disabled people. Guttmann was born on the cusp of the 19th century in a small town in Germany to an orthodox Jewish family. His passion to help spinal injury patients was ignited when he volunteered at a local hospital for mining injuries as a teenager. One experience made a profound impact on his life. Guttmann met a strapping young miner who had broken his back in a mining accident and was paralysed from the waist down, but was otherwise healthy and vibrant. The then-accepted method of treatment for patients with spinal cord injuries was to encase them in plaster, isolate them and wait for them to die. When asking the doctors about this

young miner he was told, “Don't bother, he'll be dead in a few weeks." In just five weeks this young miner died. This young man’s tragic, unnecessary demise was forever imprinted on Guttmann who said, “Although I saw many more victims suffering the same fate, it was the picture of that young man which remained indelibly fixed in my memory.” After completing medical school and specializing as a neurosurgeon, Guttmann soon became known as a leading specialist in Germany. His growing reputation led to many offers to work abroad but he turned them all down. Then Kristallnacht in 1938 occurred. After watching the Nazis torch synagogues, vandalize Jewish property and kill dozens of Jews, he fled Germany and arrived in Britain in March 1939 with his wife, two children and no money. Guttmann settled in Oxford and continued his spinal injury research at the Nuffield Department of Neurosurgery in the Radcliffe Infirmary. At the time most people who sustained spinal injuries would die within three months. The few who did survive carried on living as useless cripples, unemployable and unwanted, condemned to living and dying institutions for incurable patients. Guttmann saw a meaningful future for these patients beyond their injuries. He believed that injured people were still valuable and worthwhile and had a vibrant, albeit different, future postinjury. Guttmann was convinced that with proper treatment, paraplegics

could live full and rewarding lives. His refugee status did not deter him; he advocated the rehabilitation and care of spinal cord patients whenever he could. When the British government decided to open a spinal unit clinic due to the war injuries, Guttmann was the obvious choice to head it. As a pioneering individualist, Guttmann agreed on condition that he could treat patients in his own way, with no interference. The Centre opened at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, in Aylesbury with just two patients and a new era started for spinal injury patients. At the centre, Guttmann treated the patient holistically – medically, physically and psychologically – and within a few years, his revolutionary approach had transformed an 80:20 death rate into 20:80. But Guttmann had far greater ambitions. His goal was the (then believed impossible) complete integration of these patients into society as respectable and useful members despite their disability. Guttmann had a profound understanding of the emotional challenges a disabled person faced. He witnessed their extreme loss of selfconfidence and self-respect and the ensuing self-pity. All previous definitions of worth were stripped and they saw no future for themselves. But Guttmann saw past the injuries, the misery and the despondency and looked instead at the potential of every human being to adapt to circumstances and live meaningful,

happy lives. In order to empower his patients, he used sports as an integral part of the treatment, showing patients that they were still competent and successful, helping them regain selfconfidence and self-discipline. He introduced an athletic competition in the grounds of the hospital to coincide with the opening day of the 1948 Olympics at London’s Wembley Stadium. The Games comprised of 16 competitors (including two women) competing in archery on the grass outside the hospital ward. Though tiny in size, the notion of paraplegics becoming athletes was completely unheard of. The games at the clinic soon developed into sports activities in which men, women and children could participate upon their discharge and began attracting international competitors. Just over a decade after that its humble beginnings on the hospital lawn, 400 athletes from 23 countries competed in the first Paralympic Games in Rome in 1960. Though once inconceivable that disabled people could be athletes, the Paralympic Games have become one of the most watched world-wide sporting events. Ludwig Guttmann’s belief in the human spirit lives on not only in the magnificent Paralympic games, but most importantly in each and every disabled person who is able to live as a valuable and productive member of society.

the melbourne jewish report | September 2021

Online connection THE SOCIAL BLUEPRINT The Social Blueprint is a comprehensive, online one-stop-shop for all Victorian Jewish community needs. It is a new hub that connects people to Jewish-focused organisations, services, businesses and events. The Social Blueprint embraces all without judgment. Its orgins are an internal project at CCare. While CCare’s core mission is to support those experiencing food insecurity and social isolation, it became apparent to the volunteers that founded The Social Blueprint that there was no

single searchable directory. The Social Blueprint has been set up as a not-for-profit and is a true collaboration of approximately 20 organisations and individuals. The website started as a resource aid, but following requests different sections such as an events’ calendar and a business section were added to the site. Our mission is to connect through community, business and social channels. By supporting each other’s businesses, we can help each other develop with dignity and purpose. So far there have been more than 800 listings on the site and we are inviting all community organisations and businesses to list their offerings for free.

Two good reasons to advertise with us:

Competitive rates guaranteed Friendly and helpful sales team Phone Alex on 0418 660 660 or Email advertising@thejewishreport.com.au

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COMMUNITY Judaica Quiz Answers 1. a) To sterilise it to make sure that there are no insects still living inside the ram’s horn 2. Ethanim 3. Nehemiah 4. By observation of the moon 5. Hallel 6. To write within them the names of the righteous, the wicked and those in between 7. Golda Meir 8. a) The Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg 9. In order to stop the malicious charge by non-Jews that Jews were throwing poison into the local water supplies 10. Maimonides in Hilchot Teshuva 2:11 says that one should assemble 10 men at this person’s grave and then in their presence confess the sin and make repentance 11. Avram Grant 12. Instead of a live bird, people take money and wave it around their head before giving it to charity. 13. Al Jolson 14. Saturday 6 October 1973 15. Kilometer 101 16. False – he was swallowed by a

large fish 17. Elijah and the Prophets of Baal at Mt Carmel 18. He was the Kohen Gadol (The High Priest) in the Holy of Holies in the Beit Hamikdash – The Holy Temple 19. The same in both – 7 days. 20. Lulav-the spine Etrog-the heart Hadassim (Myrtle) – the eyes Aravot (Willow) the mouth 21. The Etrog. A childless woman who wanted to bear a son was advised to bite the pitom (tip) of an etrog. A pregnant woman who ate the etrog after Sukkot, according to the Talmud, would give birth to a “fragrant” child—the equivalent of a “good” child. And it was said that a woman in labour could ease the pain of childbirth by placing the etrog’s pitom under her pillow 22. Rain 23. Celebrating the annual completion of the fifth and final book of the Torah 24. Challot 25. Samuel Pepys

the melbourne jewish report | September 2021

MOV IE

REVIEWS

One wrong move and you're hooked

ALEX FIRST CANDYMAN (M) If you combine the fictional pirate Captain Hook from Peter Pan with a swarm of bees, you have an idea of the antagonists in the horror thriller Candyman. It is based upon a 1992 film of the same name written by Bernard Rose and the short story The Forbidden by Clive Barker. Candyman (2021) has been written by Jordan Peele (Get Out), Win Rosenfeld and Nia DaCosta, the latter of whom also directs. It concerns the shabby treatment of African Americans, which has resulted in the legend of the Candyman (Tony Todd), who has a hook for one of his hands. The movie starts in 1977, where a youngster doing his laundry in the housing projects of Chicago’s CabriniGreen is frightened by the sudden appearance of this man from a wall cavity. Although the Candyman is innocent of any wrongdoing, the child’s cries attract a cadre of police, who beat the Candyman (so called because he dispenses sweets) to death.

Next, we hear the corollary to that episode in 2019 from Troy Cartwright (Nathan Stewart-Jarrett), the brother of art gallery director Brianna (Teyonah Parris), who recites a scary story, which involves a baby being snatched. It triggers a response from Brianna’s boyfriend, Anthony McCoy (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), an artist who until that point appeared to have a case of writer’s block and was accused of living off her.

His investigation into the Candyman leads him back to the projects and sees him meet the lad (now an ageing man) who was confronted by the Candyman five decades earlier, William Burke (Colman Domingo). Sustaining a bee sting, which grows and spreads, McCoy immerses himself in a mission to relate the story of the projects through his Candyman imagery. In the process, he becomes increasingly erratic.

Underpinning all of this is the claim that if someone says the word “Candyman” in front of a mirror five times they will be killed on the spot. Let me just say that blood is bound to flow freely before the final credits roll. First up, Candyman is a good-looking film. Visually, it is stylish in more ways than one. The filmmakers have skilfully employed silhouette puppetry to showcase the legend of the Candyman, which we learn dates back to the 19th century. The performances, led by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, are solid, even if I felt the storyline pushed the boundaries beyond the bounds of credibility the longer it went. While there is a level of complexity to the narrative, regardless of the fine detail, you can readily follow the gist. I also appreciated Teyonah Parris’ role as the responsible girlfriend who watches her partner unravel. The soundtrack, too, aids the cause of misgivings throughout Candyman. So, while not entirely satisfying, the film is far more polished than many of this genre typically are. Rated MA, Candyman scores a 6½ out of 10.

Creating a new reality ALEX FIRST FREE GUY (M) Try as I really wanted to like Free Guy, I simply couldn’t … because it is one very silly movie. Two game developers invent … you guessed it … a video game, the backbone of which is stolen by their boss, Antwain (Taika Waititi), who exploits it and makes some serious coin from it. The basis of the game is Groundhog Day, that is the same thing happening every day, with the same result. We are in a place called Free City, where there are lots of explosions, gunfire and flames. Hey, after all, it is a video game. Then, one of the background characters, known as Guy (Ryan Reynolds) – a nice, sweet, innocent who works as a bank teller next to his best mate, security guard Buddy (Lil Rel Howery) – changes all that through artificial intelligence. In short, Guy (who thinks that people who wear sunglasses are heroes) comes alive … in a fashion. The driver of this is a young woman, Millie – aka Molotov Girl – (Jodie Comer), to whom he is attracted. She is a manifestation of one of the two game designers. The male programmer Keys (Joe Keery) constructed Molotov Girl a certain way to reflect his true feelings for Millie. So, in the film, this is art imitating life on

the outside of the video game, the two threads of which formulate the plot. And … of course, Millie and Keys are out to prove that Antwain stole their intellectual property. For his part, Antwain has turned his attention to the next iteration of the game, which he expects will result in more riches. Visually and musically, Free Guy is appealing, but beyond that it is not much chop. We get video game elements liberally smattered throughout (tick) and an

ear-pleasing beat (second tick). Gamers playing and watching the game the world over we’ve seen many times before (I speak of these scenes in other movies) … and here it looked relatively clunky. The plotting by Matt Lieberman (The Addams Family) and Zak Penn (Ready Player One), though, was all over the shop. I felt the movie pulled in different directions and rarely, if ever, found solid footing. It went from violent to laying on the schmaltz.

Ryan Reynolds does all he can to capture the nerd and bravado in his game character. Jodie Comer readily straddles her dual roles as game heroine and designer wanting to right a wrong. And this isn’t the first time we have witnessed Taika Waititi taking the Mickey out of his character. Director Shawn Levy (Night at the Museum) had inferior material to work with … and it shows. Rated M, Free Guy scores a 5 out of 10.