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WORLD LEADERS MARK THREE YEARS SINCE OCTOBER 7 EDITORIAL BY YOSSI SAUNDERS

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On the third anniversary of the worst atrocity against Jews since the Holocaust, world marked the anniversary with memorial ceremonies, visits to the sites of the killings and statements of remembrance. In Israel, the day also brought renewed arguments over who should answer for the security failures. At 6:29 a.m, on October 7, 2023, Hamas-led gunmen broke through the border from Gaza and attacked Israeli communities, military positions and the Nova music festival. About 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage. At 6.29 yesterday, President Isaac Herzog and First Lady Michal Herzog lit a memorial candle at the President’s Residence

in Jerusalem. Herzog’s programme included a visit to an exhibition in Netiv HaAsara, a meeting with residents and an address at a memorial at the Nova festival site near

Re’im. At Nova, he remembered the young people who were slaughtered, described Israel as a nation in pain but resilient, and said it wanted peace as well as the right to defend itself. At Mount Herzl, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke of the grief of bereaved families and praised the civilians, soldiers and security personnel who had acted to rescue others. He said all the hostages had been brought home, promised to continue pursuing those responsible for the massacre, and described the war as part of a wider struggle against Iran and its allies. He also pointed to the rebuilding of communities in southern Israel. Continued on page 2

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2 NEWS Continued from page 1 Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu lit a memorial candle and said that the nation was united in longing for those it had lost. He vowed to continue pursuing the perpetrators. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir used a commemoration near Nitzanei Oz to warn that an October 7-style attack must not happen in central Israel. He called for the Palestinian Authority to be disarmed and dismantled, bringing a forceful political message to a day of mourning.

TO ADVERTISE CALL 020 3906 8488 Opposition figures visited the communities and sites at the heart of the tragedy. Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party, went to a roadside shelter near Re’im with the family of Aner Shapira, who was killed defending people sheltering there. Eisenkot said he did not regret joining Netanyahu’s emergency government in 2023, but argued that the current government’s policies now threatened Israel’s future. Former prime minister Naftali Bennett visited the Nova site and Kibbutz Alumim, saying Israel must build a country worthy of the victims’ sacrifice. The commemorations were not confined to state events. Families returned to communities and memorial sites; Kfar Aza held a vigil, and ceremonies honoured the female surveillance soldiers killed at Nahal Oz. A nationwide minute of silence was held at noon. At the same time, activists demonstrated against the government, including outside ministers’ homes, and some briefly blocked the Ayalon Highway at 6:29 a.m. Bereaved families and survivors continued to demand an independent inquiry into the failures that preceded the attack. With a general election approaching, the anniversary was both a day of mourning and a focus for political accountability. In Britain, Prime Minister Andy Burnham remembered those killed and recognised the impact on Jewish communities

8 OCTOBER 2026

worldwide. He called the rise in antisemitism in Britain “disturbing”, pledged funding to protect synagogues, schools and community buildings, and said abuse would not be tolerated in public, online, in schools or on campuses. He also referred to the deadly Yom Kippur attack at Manchester’s Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation the previous year and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to a two-state solution. A London vigil was held at Richmond Terrace, opposite Downing Street. Communities Secretary Angela Rayner and Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis were among those pictured at the gathering. A proPalestinian demonstration was also held on the anniversary. Its timing and slogans were widely condemned as terrible and deeply insensitive on a day of mourning for the victims of the Hamas attack. Defence Secretary Wes Streeting called the march “shameful”. Police made arrests at demonstrations in London, Edinburgh and Glasgow, including five people arrested on suspicion of inciting racial hatred after slogans calling for “intifada” were reportedly chanted outside the Board of Deputies’ office. European leaders also issued messages of remembrance. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Germany stood firmly by Israel and pledged to fight antisemitism, while reiterating support for a

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two-state solution. French President Emmanuel Macron expressed solidarity with Israel and bereaved families, naming victims and pledging to combat antisemitism and terrorism. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU stood with those whose lives had been changed by the attack and called for the fragile ceasefire to become a lasting peace based on two states. From the United States, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said America would not forget the attack, describing Hamas’s killing of civilians—including dozens of Americans—as an act of barbarism. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani also marked the anniversary, grieving with people affected by the killings and abductions. His statement went on to condemn the suffering and deaths in Gaza, and again accused Israel of Genocide, reflecting the sharply different emphases in American political responses to the anniversary. Across Israel, Britain, Europe and the United States, leaders remembered the victims, while their statements also showed how differently governments and politicians frame the events and the conflict that followed, both in Israel and the antisemitism around the world that has increased significantly since the darkest day in modern Israel’s history. As a nation stood to reflect, many Jews around the world wondered if it is just beginning.

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8 OCTOBER 2026

FIVE ARRESTED AFTER PROTESTERS TARGET BOARD OF DEPUTIES BY MARTIN KENT

Five people were arrested on suspicion of inciting racial hatred after masked proPalestinian protesters demonstrated outside the offices of the Board of Deputies of British Jews on the third anniversary of the October 7 massacre. The protest took place as Jewish communities in Britain and Israel remembered the approximately 1,200 people murdered by Hamas-led terrorists on October 7, 2023. A further 251 people were taken hostage and dragged into Gaza. The Metropolitan Police said the arrests followed reports that slogans calling for “intifada” were being shouted outside the Board’s headquarters in Camden. Officers

attended the scene and the demonstration was subsequently brought to an end. The targeting of the Board, which serves as a representative organisation for British Jews, caused particular concern because it occurred on the anniversary of the deadliest attack against Jewish people since the Holocaust. October 7 saw terrorists invade Israeli communities near Gaza, murdering families inside their homes and attacking civilians travelling along roads in southern Israel. Hundreds were also killed at the Nova music festival near Re’im, while people ranging from babies to elderly residents were among those abducted. Responding to the demonstration, Board president Phil Rosenberg said: “On the anniversary of the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, masked protesters demonstrated outside our office today, chanting about ‘intifada’ and harassing our neighbours.” He thanked the Metropolitan Police for what he described as their swift response and for

making arrests at the scene. “We will not be threatened or intimidated by this small and extremist minority of British society,” Rosenberg said. He added that the Board would continue “undeterred” to advocate for Jewish people in Britain and around the world. The protest was one of several proPalestinian demonstrations held in Britain on the anniversary. A student march also took place in central London despite widespread criticism of the decision to demonstrate on October 7. Defence Secretary Wes Streeting described the student protest as “shameful”. Police imposed conditions on those taking part and made several further arrests relating to alleged breaches of the restrictions. Jewish communal representatives said the timing of the demonstrations had caused additional distress to families and communities already mourning those murdered three years ago. The reference to “intifada” was particularly alarming because the word is associated by many Israelis and Jews with waves of terrorist attacks in which civilians were killed.

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Rosenberg concluded his statement by saying the Board would continue to stand up for “peace and security for Israelis, Palestinians and the wider Middle East”. Community members called into question the timing of inserting a call for Palestinian security into a response to protesters targeting a British Jewish organisation on the anniversary of the murder of 1,200 people by Palestinian terrorists. At best, it appeared an unnecessary attempt at balance during a moment that called for an unambiguous focus on the victims and on the intimidation faced by British Jews. At worst, it risked looking like an effort to placate the political Left—even on a day that should have been devoted to Jewish mourning.

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8 OCTOBER 2026

ISRAEL HEADS TOWARDS CRUCIAL OCTOBER ELECTION BY MARTIN KENT

Israel will vote on October 27 in its first general election since the Hamas massacre of October 7, 2023. With neither political bloc currently assured of the 61 Knesset seats required to govern, the country could face weeks of coalition negotiations—or another deadlock. The election is increasingly a referendum on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. His supporters argue that Israel emerged stronger after confronting Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran. His opponents focus on the failure to prevent October 7 and Netanyahu’s refusal to establish a full independent state commission of inquiry. The latest polling average places Likud narrowly ahead on approximately 22 seats, although Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party is close behind on around 21–22. Most individual polls, however, place Yashar first. Likud’s projected result is considerably below the 32 seats it won in 2022. Yashar presents itself as a centrist, security-focused alternative. Eisenkot, a former IDF chief of staff who lost his son and nephew during the war, is promising an October 7 inquiry, wider national service and the restoration of professional government. Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid are

running together under the B’Yachad—or Together—list. Polling at approximately 11–13 seats, it combines Bennett’s centreright security and economic positions with Lapid’s liberal, secular base. Yair Golan’s Democrats, formed through the merger of Labour and Meretz, are polling at around nine seats. They represent the Zionist Left, strongly oppose Netanyahu’s judicial programme and favour renewed diplomatic efforts towards Palestinian statehood. Avigdor Liberman’s secular, rightwing Yisrael Beiteinu is averaging eight seats. Liberman is firmly anti-Netanyahu and wants compulsory military or national service, including for Charedim. Within Netanyahu’s traditional bloc, Shas and United Torah Judaism are each polling at approximately seven or eight seats. Both Charedi parties will prioritise protecting Torah study, communal budgets and exemptions from military service. Itamar Ben-Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit is

polling around seven or eight seats, while Bezalel Smotrich’s Religious Zionism–Zehut alliance is on approximately six. Both favour a harder military and territorial approach and would almost certainly support another Netanyahu government. The Arab Joint List is polling at around eight seats, while Mansour Abbas’s more pragmatic Ra’am is expected to win approximately five. The Supreme Court overturned attempts to disqualify both lists, meaning Arab representation could decide who becomes prime minister. However, Eisenkot and several other opposition leaders remain reluctant to depend upon Arab parties to form a government. Ofer Winter’s Amcha Yisrael and the Reservists–New Economic Party are hovering dangerously close to the 3.25 per cent electoral threshold. Benny Gantz’s Blue and White is below the threshold in every current poll. Small parties failing to enter

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the Knesset could dramatically alter the final result by wasting thousands of votes. Polling averages give Netanyahu’s outgoing coalition approximately 52–55 seats—short of a majority. Most mainstream polls place it between 47 and 56, although Channel 14 gives the bloc as many as 64 seats. The Zionist opposition parties are also short of 61 without some form of Arab support. Therefore, the central question is not simply whether Likud or Yashar finishes first. It is whether either leader can assemble a workable coalition. Netanyahu retains a disciplined natural bloc, while Eisenkot has more potential partners but greater ideological differences between them. With three weeks remaining, the race is extremely close. A small movement towards Netanyahu, a party falling below the threshold or a change in Arab turnout could determine whether Israel gets a new government—or returns once again to political paralysis. One British commentator mentioned that ironically the British Government’s hard stance on sanctions could hand Bibi the keys to power once more as he will be looked at as the saviour against the world’s antisemitism particularly in government and in world media.

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8 OCTOBER 2026

Greens declare Zionism racist and reject two-state solution BY MARTIN KENT

The Green Party of England and Wales has adopted a motion defining Zionism as “racism” and rejecting a two-state solution, making the position official party policy. Delegates at the party’s annual conference in Brighton voted 1,022 to 813 in favour, despite four of the party’s five MPs publicly opposing the motion. It defines Zionism as “a political ideology which called for the creation – and, now it exists, the continuity – of an ethnonationalist Jewish State in historic Palestine to the exclusion and/or domination of the non-Jewish population.” The motion goes further, claiming that Zionism’s “real, material manifestation” has been the “dehumanisation, displacement, dispossession, disenfranchisement and destruction of Palestinians,” which it links to “European settler-colonial systems of domination and oppression.” It also commits the party to a single Palestinian state across all of historic Palestine, with Jerusalem as its capital, equal rights for all and a right of return for Palestinians and their descendants. That position rules out support for a two-state

solution. The motion backs Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) and calls for a full arms embargo on Israel. Delegates rejected two amendments that sought to soften the motion. One would have removed the call for a single state, leaving open the possibility of a two-state agreem e n t reached by Israelis and Palestinians. It was reportedly supported by party leader Zack Polanski, who was not present for the vote, but was defeated. A second amendment sought to protect Jewish party members from being

pressured or disciplined over membership in communal organisations or synagogues. It did not alter the motion’s language on Israel, but was also rejected. Before the vote, leaders of major Jewish communal organisations warned that the motion c o u l d “fuel hatred of J e w s .” After its adoption, they condemned what they called a “s t a g g e ring indifference to the welfare of British Jews.” A progressive Jewish organisation described the motion as “antisemitic in its formulation and intention,” saying the Greens had made antisemitism party policy.

The Jewish Agency for Israel and IMAP Invite You To ↘

Former Green Party leader Caroline Lucas said she had “serious concerns” that the motion could leave Jewish people feeling unwelcome, while also sharing a statement that repeated some of its arguments in less inflammatory language. Former Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron condemned what he called “antisemitic entryists” and invited “real Greens” to join the Lib Dems. Bridget Phillipson, the Equalities Minister and Labour Party chair, criticised the motion. The Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary and other Labour MPs had not publicly commented in the 24 hours after the vote. Conservative MPs, including Chris Philp condemned it. Israel’s Foreign Ministry called the vote a “stain on history of UK.” President Isaac Herzog recalled his father Chaim Herzog’s 1975 speech at the United Nations, when he tore up its resolution declaring Zionism a form of racism. The Greens’ decision echoes that historic UN resolution and places the party alongside groups that have adopted similar language, including the British Union of Fascists, the National Front and the Communist Party of Britain.

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WHEN EDUCATION IS DISRUPTED, ISRAELI CHILDREN FALL BEHIND.

Newly released OECD data reveals a stark national picture:

of Israeli teenagers are below baseline proficiency in maths

Rocket alerts, cross-border strikes and emergency school closures have severely affected children in northern Israel. Already fighting to catch up with the rest of the country, they are now navigating trauma, shattered school routines and profound learning loss.

out of 38 OECD countries for reading

out of 38 OECD countries for maths and science

Source: OECD, PISA 2025 Results. Figures refer to Israel nationally.

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8 OCTOBER 2026

On 7th October, we didn’t just remember: we acted BY ELIE KRAFT, CREATIVE COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER AT CAMPAIGN AGAINST ANTISEMITISM

On Wednesday, CAA – along with the rest of the Jewish world – commemorated the third anniversary of the 7th October 2023 Hamas massacre, when genocidal, antisemitic terrorists invaded Israel and committed barbaric, twisted acts of terror. They murdered some 1,200 innocent people in cold blood, raping and torturing along the way, and took more than 250 hostage, ranging in age from babies to the elderly. Our thoughts are with the families of the murdered and with the survivors who are still living with the trauma. The best way to teach people about the impact of the day is to spotlight how it affected specific people. I was privileged to interview Michael and Lisa Marlowe for CAA’s Podcast Against Antisemitism. Michael and Lisa are the parents of Jake Marlowe z”l, a British-Israeli citizen murdered on 7th October by Hamas terrorists. Jake was working as unarmed security at the Nova Music Festival that day when Hamas terrorists invaded Israel. During an incredibly moving and powerful conversation with Jake’s parents, they described how at first they were informed that Jake had been taken hostage, only to discover that he had in fact been murdered. Their story is harrowing and incredibly poignant, and it wasn’t easy keeping my composure while listening

to them. Jake was in the year below me at school, so their story particularly resonated with me. His parents’ account of the weeks and months that followed his death showed tremendous resilience in the face of insurmountable tragedy, and should be required listening for all the haters who dare try to minimise the devastation of that horrific day and the ordeal that people like the Marlowes have suffered. You can listen to the whole interview wherever you get your podcasts, or visit antisemitism. org/Jake to watch it. At CAA, we also wanted to do more to honour the victims of that dark day – by ensuring that the world couldn’t look away. With the support of a generous donor, we took over a page of The Guardian to remember the victims of the attacks and to warn of rising antisemitism in Britain. That newspaper has firmly stayed in its comfort zone in the aftermath of the Hamas atrocity: quietly, subtly and despicably encouraging anti-Israel and antisemitic sentiment among its readers. For years, the paper has excused anti-Jewish racism and distorted Jewish concerns to fit an ideological narrative. Indeed, our polling shows that 69% of British Jews view The Guardian unfavourably when it comes to Jewish issues. Unlike readers of other newspapers, therefore, Guardian readers may not

know what really happened on 7th October 2023. Now they do. But that too was not enough for us. Radicalised students announced a plan to hold a hate march in central London on 7th October, in yet another act of sheer tastelessness and indecency. CAA called out the police for inaction, but the Met spent more time publicly trying to justify their inaction to us than doing anything. So we took matters into our own hands. If these marchers wanted to talk about baby-killers, we would remind them who the real baby killers are. So I took our digital van and displayed images of Kfir, Ariel and Shiri Bibas with the text: “Kidnapped on 7th October. Murdered by terrorists”. And we followed the march. I don’t know who was more frustrated: the marching antisemites who insulted us or the feckless police who tried to scare us into driving away. You can watch the video at antisemitism.org/7Oct. When faced with such a violent response to a seemingly universal, human message – that we are against the killing of babies by terrorists – I chose to remain calm and collected. If those marching are simply ‘pro-Palestine’, as they claim to be, then what’s the problem? Unless, of course, the truth goes further than that, because surely you can only take issue with the message on our van if you are a supporter of terrorism against Jews? There were also displays of support

for us, though. I got a lot of thumbs up from passersby and multiple people approached the van to thank me for what we were doing (naturally, those people weren’t marching). That was incredibly heartwarming and should remind us all that there are still many people in this country who are on the side of truth and decency. 7th October was a busy day for me, but my colleagues at CAA were also hard at work. Our legal team spent the day making final preparations for our referral of the Green Party to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) in the wake of its passage of a motion declaring that “Zionism is racism”. We believe that the Party is now potentially discriminating against Jewish members in contravention of the Equality Act 2010. Years ago, we were the ones who referred Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party to the EHRC. We will not stand idly by as extremists hijack a political party and make antisemitism its openly stated policy. Three years on from 7th October, the Jewish world continues to grieve and experience an unprecedented global rise in antisemitism. At CAA we will continue to fight tirelessly against the explosion of Jew-hatred, never shying away from the extremists on our streets, in the media, in our politics or wherever they rear their ugly heads.

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ON 7TH OCTOBER WE DIDN'T JUST REMEMBER WE ACTED

We took out a full-page ad in The Guardian to remind its readers who the real victims of 7th October were and how antisemitism has surged.

We followed the hate march to remind everyone who really kills babies. Watch now at antisemitism.org/7Oct

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8 OCTOBER 2026

OPINION

We are on our own BY ROBERT FESTENSTEIN

There comes a time in most relationships when it becomes clear that things are not what they once were. Between individuals this could be when one party wants to move house and the other doesn’t, resulting in resentment which can last for ever. Sometimes that resentment can eat into the relationship bringing it to an end. It is not only with people that this happens. On a business level, it happens all the time. A company might have sold products to one of their customers for years, only then to lose them because of a change of personnel. The same happens with politics. Alliances can be forged only to break down because of external factors, and sometimes despite what is blindingly obvious, one half of the broken relationship refuses to recognise this either because they cannot see it or they simply don’t want to. Enter centre stage the Jewish communal leaders and the new Prime Minister Andy Burnham. The leaders met with the new PM and asked politely that any

announcement on sanctions against Israel should be postponed until after Rosh Hashona. It was a simple and reasonable request. It is clear now that every time the Government criticise Israel, the level of Jew-hatred increases. Sometimes only a small amount, but when it involves sanctions then it wouldn’t take a genius to conclude that this could only be bad for us. And so it was. Three days before Rosh Hashona the UK government announced sanctions against Israel and social media exploded into action cheering on the decision. The intensity of hostility against us increased as we knew it would thereby adding to our anxiety in attending Shul later in the week. Some of us I believe simply refused to go, believing it was not worth the risk. At the heart of all this is the impact of 7 October 2023. Although the conservative government was supportive of Israel, by the time they were replaced by Labour the following year, the hate marches were well established, the BBC had nailed their colours to the Hamas mast and our community became more and more isolated. We now look at our lives in two parts, before and after 7 October. As the pressure upon us increases, and it

certainly has done so after the Milliband speech, the reality of our vulnerability has become more stark. What I can see is that there is considerable support for us amongst a good number of the wider community. There are non-Jewish organisations working hard to assist us, and that help is very greatly appreciated. The sense of isolation though is greater than it has ever been. I am going to Israel in December and have no problem in telling my friends, Jewish and non-Jewish alike of my visit. The reason I have no problem is that I am very careful who I mix with. For some time now I have been cautious about discussing anything about my proIsrael activities with people I don’t know very well. I volunteer my Judaism with new acquaintances with care and for those people I do know well who I believe are hostile to Israel, I steer away from the subject. I am not alone. More and more my friends tell me they take similar steps. I remember well the increased hostility towards us back in 2014, during operation protective edge, which was the last major conflict in Gaza. As bad as that was, it was nothing like it is now. The freedom to hate as demonstrated by the marches in London claiming to

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be pro-Palestinian when of course this is an excuse to intimidate Jews, has been a significant factor in the massive growth of anti-Semitism. The failure by successive governments to do anything meaningful to stop the marches or at least reduce their frequency has given impetus to the Jew haters who have – justifiably – formed the view that anything goes when it comes to attacking us, through social media, the workplace, the NHS and as we have seen to our horror – physically. There are lessons to be learned from the impact of October 7 one of which is that we are on our own. Can we change this at all? Well, I believe so. The time for being nice to everyone has long gone. Andy Burnham’s recent claim of support concerning anti-Semitism is in my view the purest of hypocrisy. He has correctly identified that our community is under siege though cheerfully and predictably missed out the part where he is personally partly responsible. If we are going to fight this hatred largely on our own, then another lesson of October 7 is that we have to rely on ourselves to undertake this task and those leading us will need to up to the job.

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8 OCTOBER 2026

Death-row prisoner survives lethal injection BY SHELLEY GROVE

A Tennessee death-row prisoner is conscious and speaking after surviving an attempted execution by lethal injection— an outcome described by her lawyers as medically unprecedented. Christa Pike, 50, received two doses of pentobarbital at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville on September 30. However, she remained alive and was eventually taken by ambulance to hospital for emergency treatment. Witnesses said Pike complained that her arm felt as though it was “about to burst open” and could later be heard breathing and snoring after officials closed the execution chamber’s curtains. Her lawyers said her arms were swollen, burned and blistered when she reached hospital. Although she has regained consciousness and can speak, she remains

critically ill and her long-term prognosis is uncertain. Pike had been sentenced to death for the brutal 1995 torture and murder of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer. Pike, then 18, and others lured Slemmer to an isolated area, where she was beaten and killed. Pike later showed other people a piece of the victim’s skull which she had kept. Her lawyers had warned before the execution that Pike’s small veins and bloodclotting condition could make lethal injection particularly dangerous. Medical experts have suggested the intravenous lines may have been positioned incorrectly, causing the execution drug to collect in her tissue instead of entering her bloodstream properly. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee described the failed execution as “deeply disturbing” and ordered an independent investigation. All remaining executions in the state this year have been suspended. Pike’s lawyers are seeking to preserve the drugs, needles and execution records as evidence. They argue that attempting to execute her again would constitute cruel and unusual punishment, and have asked for her sentence to be commuted to life imprisonment without parole.

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8 OCTOBER 2026

From Evacuation to Homecoming: JNF UK Supporters See Northern Israel’s Recovery First-Hand JNF UK supporters travelled to Israel’s northern border this Sukkot for a solidarity day trip to meet residents rebuilding their lives after months of evacuation and see first-hand how the charity is helping communities recover. The JNF UK Day Trip to Northern Israel, held on Wednesday 30 September, took supporters beyond the usual visitor routes to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by communities along the Lebanese border following almost three years of upheaval. At the heart of the visit was Kibbutz Hanita, a community established in 1938 just

metres from the Lebanese border. Following the attacks of 7 October 2023, the entire community was evacuated, with residents spending a prolonged period away from their homes while the kibbutz suffered damage to houses, communal facilities and agricultural land. For residents, returning home has been only the beginning. Families have had to rebuild routines, businesses and community life following an extended period of displacement, while further attacks and daily sirens during the conflict with Iran brought renewed disruption to communities already trying to recover. JNF UK supported Hanita during the evacuation and has continued that support as residents have returned. Emergency equipment including communication devices, torches, firefighting equipment and medical kits has helped strengthen preparedness in Hanita

and neighbouring communities. JNF UK is also investing in the longer-term future of the kibbutz, including construction of a new fitness centre, helping restore shared community spaces and encourage young families to return. During the visit, supporters met Hanita residents and heard directly about the impact of evacuation, the experience of returning home and the challenges that remain. In the spirit of Sukkot, the group was also warmly welcomed into a sukkah, where they shared lunch together. Elan Gorji, CEO of JNF UK, said: “This visit gave our supporters the opportunity to hear directly from Hanita’s residents and understand why continued support matters. Returning home after prolonged evacuation does not mean life immediately returns to normal. Our work in Hanita began with emergency assistance and continues through practical projects that help families rebuild their community. This is central to JNF UK’s

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mission: supporting communities as they rebuild and strengthening Israel’s peripheries for the future of the country.” The group also visited the Alma Research and Education Centre, where participants gained expert insight into the challenges facing northern Israel, before learning more about Hanita’s remarkable history at the Wall and Tower Museum. The visit came as JNF UK marks its 125th year supporting communities across Israel. The trip brought supporters closer to the people behind JNF UK’s work, demonstrating how its longstanding mission continues to meet the needs of communities today.

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Norwood leaders demand for neurodiversity support and funding pressures during Barnet Council visit The leader of Barnet Council met with Norwood staff and families at the charity’s Kennedy Leigh Family Centre in North London on Tuesday to hear how the charity is responding to growing demand for neurodiversity support at a time when families face long waits for statutory services and charities face increasing financial pressures. During the visit, Norwood leaders highlighted how the charity is helping families access support sooner, without waiting years for a formal diagnosis. Speaking to Councillor Barry Rawlings, Norwood’s Director of Children and Family Services, Emma Gray explained how Norwood’s early intervention approach supports neurodivergent children and young people while equipping parents and carers with the tools they need to thrive. Gray said increasing numbers of families are turning to Norwood after struggling to access timely support through overstretched services. “Many families are waiting to be able to say, ‘my child is autistic’, but a diagnosis alone does not provide the support they need,” said Gray. “For many, it simply means joining another waiting list.” By focusing on needs rather than

diagnosis, Norwood helps families build resilience, strengthen relationships and prevent challenges escalating into crisis. Much of this work receives little or no statutory funding and relies on charitable donations. Highlighting Norwood’s commitment to partnership working, Gray described the charity’s role in leading We Connect Families, a community-wide initiative delivered with ten other organisations. “We don’t need to do everything, because there are other people out there running great services. We don’t need to provide it all.” Created in response to growing demand and increasingly complex family needs, We Connect Families provides a single route into support, helping families quickly access advice, guidance and signposting from trusted community organisations. Visiting one of Norwood’s Talking Teens courses, Councillor Rawlings met parents of neurodivergent teenagers

who described the challenges their families face, including anxiety and school avoidance. One parent, referred to Norwood following her son’s autism diagnosis, described the impact of the programme: “I find week by week I’m getting this more complete understanding of how to deal with my son. It’s really, really helpful. It’s like bricks, each one is coming together and it’s really good stuff.” She said the course had been one of the first practical sources of support available to her family following diagnosis and helped her feel less isolated. Parents also described difficulties securing appropriate support within education settings. Gray highlighted the importance of ensuring teachers and support staff are equipped to better understand and respond to complex needs as SEND reforms develop. Councillor Rawlings also heard how Norwood supports people throughout their lives, helping individuals and families navigate key transitions from childhood to adulthood.

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Head of Adult Services Hannah Barnett explained how Norwood’s transition, accommodation and supported living services “put in place (structure) that holds the family and the individual through that pathway” of life development. This support helps people with learning disabilities lead independent and fulfilling lives, while providing reassurance and support to families. Elsewhere on the visit, Councillor Rawlings met staff and tenants at a local supported living service, where resident Rachelle described how Norwood had supported her to pursue her passion for travel and work towards her ambition of seeing more of the world. Emma Gray added: “Families should not have to wait until they reach crisis point to access support. Every day we see the difference early intervention can make, but demand continues to grow. Sustaining these services requires continued support from commissioners, donors and the wider community.” For further information on this or any other event, please contact Shari Ryness, PR & Internal Communications Manager Email: shari.ryness@norwood.org.uk. Phone 07512 616 417

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Three Years On - JNF UK’s Enduring Support for Israel’s Border Communities

BY ELAN GORJI, CEO, JNF UK

On 7th October 2023, Israel’s border communities were thrust into an unprecedented ordeal. While the devastation first engulfed the Negev and Gaza envelope, ripple effects quickly spread across the northern border, forcing mass evacuations under sustained missile barrages. For us at JNF UK, the response across both regions was never that of an outsider arriving at an unfamiliar scene. We were already there. Deep Presence and Enduring Ties Decades of investing in regional equal-

ity, education, and physical infrastructure meant that JNF UK had deep, pre-existing roots in both the South and the North. At Kibbutz Magen, in the South, our connection included nurturing the Bikurim Music School, co-founded by Tamar Kedem Siman Tov, who was tragically murdered on 7th October alongside her husband and their three children. For our own team, the impact was also deeply personal: Our cherished colleague Sagui Dekel-Chen, a resident of Nir Oz, was abducted and endured 498 days of captivity in Gaza. The suffering of Sagui, his family and community brought the horrors of that day directly into the life of our organisation. When disaster struck, our trusted grassroots partnerships enabled immediate mobilisation. Today, through comprehensive multi-million-pound initiatives, we remain resolutely committed to supporting border communities as they move from emergency relief to recovery and renewal, helping strengthen the regions for the future. Pre-existing partnerships with young leadership academies and Chesed groups, meant that an organic volunteer network was ready to mobilise at a moment’s notice, helping those most in need. In the North, years of collaboration with regional leaders, gave us a direct understanding of the socioeconomic vulnerabilities facing northern border towns like Kiryat Shmona, Shlomi, and surrounding

villages. When border tensions escalated into direct conflict, we were already embedded on the ground, equipped with the knowledge and trust required to respond instantly. A Safe Place to Begin Again Following the attacks, JNF UK allocated almost £9 million to southern recovery, providing temporary homes, relief grants, and practical support to over 5,000 evacuees from over 20 Kibbutzim and cities including Sderot, Ofakim, and Netivot. For the shattered survivors of Kibbutz Nir Oz, JNF UK refurbished and furnished empty apartments in Karmei Gat within days, keeping the displaced community united. As one Nir Oz mother of two recalled: “When we arrived in Karmei Gat, we didn’t know what the next day would bring. But walking into a clean, welcoming flat with beds made, food in the fridge, and neighbours from home next door we finally felt safe enough to breathe.” Recognising that emotional healing requires sustained care, we directed 65% of our southern funding towards psychological resilience. Through partners SafeHeart and the Tribe of Nova Foundation, we sponsored thousands of hours of therapy helping festivalgoers, and their families rebuild their lives. Among them is Mia Schem, whom we had the privilege of hosting at the Nova Festival Exhibition earlier this year. Through Sunflowers, new resilience centres opened in Sderot and Ashkelon to support war orphans like 11th-grader Amor, who lost her father at Re’im. Meanwhile our funding to Maslan, the Negev’s Rape Crisis Centre, enabled them to rapidly expand their crisis teams to provide trauma and abuse counselling across 60% of the country. Protecting and Revitalising the Northern Frontier As conflict escalated along the northern border, we committed over £1 million to emergency operations across more than 25 communities. The priority was immediate physical security: under Operation Ir Miklat, JNF UK and partner Osim Shchuna inspected 4,515 neglected bomb shelters and cleared and repaired 815, turning cluttered basements into fully functional, well lit, safe havens. To combat relentless fires ignited by missile strikes in rugged terrain, JNF UK funded six 4x4 agile firefighting vehicles and equipped

38 frontline fire rangers. Guy Cohen, a Nature and Parks Authority firefighter, emphasised the impact: “Every minute felt like losing a part of our land. Thanks to JNF UK, we now have the working trucks, pumps, and gear we so desperately needed. Their help didn’t just strengthen our response - it saved entire communities, farms, forests, and precious nature reserves.” For displaced families, another urgent concern was how to remain connected while living far from home. Around 21,000 residents of Kiryat Shmona were dispersed across hundreds of hotels nationwide. We funded over 100 community and youth co-ordinators to help maintain those connections and support children through the disruption. For teenagers like Yoel, who grew withdrawn after losing his school and friends, JNF UK-funded sports programmes and resilience workshops proved transformative. His mother Chana explained: “The group became his anchor... We’re not just back, we’re healing. And that’s thanks to the people who showed up, again and again, when it mattered most.” Further west along the border, essential household items were distributed to families returning to Shlomi. We funded an emergency response trailer for Kibbutz Hanita, and initiated major renovations for communal hubs in Dalton, Hurfeish, and Dishon. As Meital, Head of the Dishon Community, noted: “The community centre is the heart of our village where young and old reconnect, heal, and rebuild. Thanks to JNF UK’s support, we have the strength to turn hope into reality.” Rebuilding Infrastructure for Long-Term Renewal Three years on, across the South and North, our work has evolved from meeting immediate needs to restoring the facilities on which everyday life depends. In Be’er Sheva, we funded the urgent reconstruction of the missile-damaged Internal Medicine Building at Soroka Medical Centre. We are also supporting kindergarten upgrades, providing housing subsidies for teachers in Eshkol and Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak, expanding Dekalim High School for special educational needs and upgrading emergency children’s facilities at Neradim Village in Arad. As CEO of JNF UK, I am

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immensely proud of the way our organisation, our supporters and our partners have responded over these past three years. Our longstanding commitment to the people and communities of Israel has not diminished; it has only deepened. At the same time, we cannot ignore the environment in which we are carrying out this work. Since 7th October, we have witnessed a deeply troubling rise in antisemitism and anti-Israel hostility here in Britain, directed both at the Jewish community and at organisations such as JNF UK. Yet we remain undeterred and unwavering. We will not allow hostility or intimidation to distract us from our purpose or weaken our connection to Israel. Three years on, recovery remains unfinished and our responsibility remains clear. Guided by our Israel team and the local partners and communities we have worked alongside for so many years, and made possible by the extraordinary generosity of our supporters, JNF UK will continue to stand with the people of Israel’s South and North - helping families rebuild their lives, strengthening their communities and investing in their future. That has been our commitment for generations. It remains our commitment today, and it will remain so for the generations to come.

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Israel and UK reach compromise over Jerusalem consulate as US prepares for possible return to war BY MARTIN KENT

Britain and Israel have reached a compromise over the UK’s East Jerusalem Consulate, ending the immediate crisis over its future while leaving relations between the two countries badly strained. The building will remain open as a British diplomatic mission, but will no longer operate as a consulate. It will be known as the “UK Mission, Jerusalem”. Seven British diplomats will remain, while 20 will leave the country. Britain will not expel Israeli diplomats from London, despite previously warning it might do so if Israel forced the consulate to close.

The dispute began on September 8, when UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced sanctions against Israel over settlement construction and settler violence. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar responded with several measures, including suspending British participation in the mechanism overseeing humanitarian aid to Gaza, ending a British programme training Palestinian Authority police officers, barring 12 UK politicians from entering Israel and ordering the closure of the consulate. The two governments presented the compromise in sharply different terms. Sa’ar’s statement portrayed Israel as having carried out its decision to end the consulate’s operations. Miliband said the building would remain open and continue its work with the Palestinian people. He also reiterated Britain’s position that East Jerusalem is occupied territory and said the

UK would rebuild its presence there in the coming months. The agreement averts an immediate diplomatic escalation, but does not resolve the deeper disagreements. Israel objects to Britain’s sanctions and its criticism of Israeli policy; Britain says it stands by the measures. The consulate’s status also reflects the two countries’ opposing positions on East Jerusalem. The diplomatic dispute comes as Washington weighs its next move in the confrontation with Iran. The Trump administration has reportedly ordered CENTCOM to prepare for a possible resumption of major combat operations. That preparation does not mean President Trump has decided to launch strikes, or that a date has been set, but it would give him the option of restarting military action if negotiations fail. A secret meeting at Camp David last Friday reportedly brought together senior US officials to discuss strategy. Meanwhile, Vice-President JD Vance suggested that a deal might require Iran to accept a “meaningful” reduction in its enrichment capabilities—a formulation that appeared softer than Washington’s previous public

demand that Iran have no enrichment capability. The military build-up in the Gulf is continuing, with additional US forces and a third carrier group expected to join two already in the region. An oil tanker was also attacked off Qatar, as claims that the Strait of Hormuz had reopened were complicated by fresh security concerns. Fighting is escalating in Yemen, where Saudi-backed forces are seeking to retake territory near the Bab al-Mandab Strait from the Houthis. Houthi missile and drone attacks have hit airports in Saudi Arabia and Yemen, while Saudi forces say they have struck Houthi targets. The competing crises around Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab threaten key routes for global energy supplies. US forces may be in position by late October, around the time of Israel’s election. Israeli officials are preparing for the possibility that renewed US-Iran fighting could draw Israel into the conflict. No decision to strike has been announced, but the regional military build-up and the unresolved negotiations have raised fears that the confrontation could intensify in the weeks ahead.

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Letters to the Editor Please note: The views of the letters do not necessarily reflect the views of this newspaper. Letters may be edited and publication is at the discretion of the editor.

OF ALL DAYS, WHY TODAY! Dear Editor, I run Sabeny.com, the UK’s leading Online Kosher Supermarket, and I wanted to bring to your attention something that happened to us today, 7 October. This morning, on the third anniversary of the Hamas attacks in Israel, Amazon removed one of our Israeli wine listings ( Yikvei Zion Muscat Hamburg) under a policy concerning products from the “Occupied Palestinian Territories.” Amazon’s notification stated: “Products from Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) must be labelled in accordance with Country of Origin Regulations. We leveraged a combination of automated means to identify this issue and to make this decision.” I contacted Amazon Seller Support because the product is presented and labelled as Israeli. Amazon’s representative then confirmed to me in writing that: - the listing had been removed

following an automated review; - Amazon’s own records list the product’s country of origin as Israel; and - based on the information provided, the product may have been incorrectly identified. I have now submitted a formal appeal, and Amazon says the matter will be reviewed by a specialist team within 5–7 days. On another day, I might simply have treated this as a compliance error that needed correcting. But today is 7 October. Across Israel and Jewish communities around the world, we are marking three years since the attacks and remembering those who were murdered, those who were taken hostage, and the families whose lives

were changed forever. My phone this morning was already full of WhatsApps, messages and news coverage about the anniversary. It also comes at a particularly difficult moment for many British Jews, with intense public debate around antisemitism, Israel and Zionism, and fresh controversy in recent days over the Green Party’s decision to adopt a motion describing Zionism as a form of racism. As a Jewish retailer, we are seeing that anxiety first-hand. We have unfortunately had a number of customers tell us they would prefer kosher orders to arrive in plain packaging, without Hebrew or Jewish markings, because they do not want neighbours, delivery workers or others to know that they are Jewish. That is the backdrop against which this Amazon notification landed. To open Amazon on the morning of 7 October and find an Israeli product placed under a policy headed “Products from Occupied Palestinian Territories” was deeply

8 OCTOBER 2026 upsetting and, in my view, extraordinarily insensitive. I am not claiming to know why Amazon’s automated system made this decision. That is precisely what I have asked Amazon to explain. But I believe there are serious questions here. How did Amazon’s automated system place this product under an Occupied Palestinian Territories policy when Amazon’s own records apparently identify its country of origin as Israel? How many other Israeli products may have been affected by the same automated process? And what safeguards exist when automated systems make politically and culturally sensitive classifications of this kind? There is also a wider human question. At a time when some Jewish customers are already asking us to hide Hebrew and Jewish markings from their parcels because they are frightened of being identified as Jewish, does a company of Amazon’s size understand how a notification like this can land when it is sent to a Jewish business on 7 October? On another day this might have been an Amazon compliance dispute. On 7 October, it felt very different. Shlomo

rabbi.burman@bwkollel.org

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8 OCTOBER 2026

A Life of Friendship BY RABBI DANIEL FINE

We all want good friends. We all want to be a good friend to others. But do we know what friendship is and how deep it reaches? Humans have needs. Humans have

wants. The line between needs and wants is ever-blurred. When children insistently yet cutely nag their parents that I need those latest fashion, what they actually mean is that they ‘want’ the latest fashion. In a world of increasing confusion of priorities, it’s crucial to work out what a real need is. Firstly because taking care of needs is always more important than

taking care of wants. And secondly because in a Divine world that is purposefully designed, our basic needs teach us a lot about who we are. An engineer opening up a new device to understand what makes it work, will learn more from the core parts than the ‘cute but unnecessary’ bits. If you want to understand who you are, look at what you need to function wholesomely; not just physically but emotionally too. Bearing this in mind, is friendship a need or a want?

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Social psychology emphatically places friendship as a human need. The third tier of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs reads: ‘Love and Belonging Needs:’ social connections, intimacy, trust, acceptance, receiving and giving affection and being part of a group; in short, friendship! Fascinatingly, the top level of Maslow’s hierarchy is ‘selfactualisation,’ the need for

self-growth; implying that friendship is distinct from self-growth. As we shall see, the Jewish view is that in many ways friendship and self-growth are intertwined. The more constant a need is in our lives, the more it sheds a light on who we are. This is true of both physical and spiritual needs. Is the need for friendship an occasional need or a constant need? Whilst we may not be around friends or communicating with them the entire time, the need for companionship is a key consistent part of the human psyche. That does not mean that we mask our true selves by surrounding ourselves with others [there are times in which the true measure of a person can only be in isolation (assessments are done as individuals ], nevertheless friendship done right is such a powerful need and tool. This is especially emphasised in Jewish thought, as we shall see next week. Rabbi Daniel Fine is Seed’s Director of Education and author of Building Blocks on practical Jewish philosophy, Journey through Nach and The Interactive Family Parshah Book

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JEWISH SELF-DEFENCE: TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY Dear Rabbi The Green Party has finally recognised that Zionism is racism. I agree. Israel has killed Palestinians in enormous numbers, yet you keep invoking October 7 as though it excuses everything. Why should Britain tolerate support for such a state? And please spare me the predictable accusation of antisemitism. I have nothing against Jews - provided they stop defending Israel. Madeline Dear Madeline Your final sentence rather gives the game away. You have nothing against Jews, provided they surrender a particular conviction before you will tolerate them. How generous. Presumably you will shortly publish the approved list of beliefs Jews may hold in order to qualify for your acceptance. Let me begin with the Green Party. Its conference has adopted a motion treating Zionism as racism and supporting a single Palestinian state across all of historic Palestine. Zack Polanski didn’t attend the vote (how convenient), but the decision was taken by the party he leads. This goes considerably beyond condemning an Israeli government or opposing a military operation; it proposes replacing the Jewish state itself. That is the distinction you would prefer to blur. You can oppose an Israeli prime minister, condemn particular military decisions and demand accountability without being an antisemite. Israelis do those things themselves. But when your objection moves from what Israel does to whether the Jewish people should have a country at all, you owe us a rather better explanation than, “Some of my best

friends are Jews.” Zionism, as I understand and defend it, means that the Jewish people have a right to national self-determination in their ancestral homeland. It does not require approval of every government, every policy or every soldier’s conduct, any more than believing in Britain’s right to exist requires uncritical enthusiasm for whoever happens to occupy Downing Street. Nor does Jewish self-determination cancel the rights and dignity of Palestinians. But you’re not prepared to extend the same consideration to Jews. Now, let’s bring your argument home. Imagine terrorists crossing the Channel, descending on Kent, slaughtering families in their homes, attacking young people at a music festival and dragging children, pensioners and university students back across the water as hostages. Imagine those hostages concealed in tunnels while the perpetrators promise to repeat the massacre. Would you tell the British government to negotiate a timetable for the next attack? Would you demand that our armed forces stop while the killers retained their weapons, their tunnels and their captives? Or would you expect Britain to recover its people and dismantle the organisation responsible? Britain would still have obligations towards civilians. So does Israel. The right to defend yourself does not make every means of doing so acceptable. But obligations governing a war cannot become an instruction that one particular country must leave its attackers capable of doing it again. Would your proposed settlement protect the families in Kent? If it would not, why should Israeli families accept it? The more revealing question is what you demand of the country you condemn. You may despise a British government without demanding Britain’s abolition. You may condemn another nation’s military

8 OCTOBER 2026

without declaring its people’s national existence a racist enterprise. Yet for the Jewish state, abolition is presented as enlightened politics. Why? If you advocate the same political arrangement for every nation, defend that principle consistently. If you support national selfdetermination for Palestinians while treating Jewish selfdetermination as inherently illegitimate, then explain why Jews alone must surrender the right you celebrate for their neighbours. And spare us the suggestion that Jewish safety can depend indefinitely on somebody else’s goodwill. Jewish history supplies more than enough evidence of how that arrangement can end. I don’t know how much you really care about Palestinians. But what I can say with certainty is that when your acceptance of

Jews depends on their willingness to surrender rights you readily grant to others, you have made your prejudice perfectly clear. You are not anti-Zionist. You are an antisemite!

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32 JUDAISM

BERESHIT

BY RABBI SHAUL YONATAN TAWIL

‫ִי־ֹ֖ב �ֶקֶר ֥יֹ֥ום ֵׁשׁ �ִֽנ ֽי‬ � ֥ ‫ָֽרִָ֖קיַעַ ָׁשׁ ֑�ָ֑מִיִם ַֽו�ְֽיְִה‬ � ֖ �‫ים ָֽל‬-‫ַוִַּי ְּק ֧ �ְָ֧רא ֱאֱֹל‬ ֖ ‫ִי־ֶ֥עֶרֶ ב ַֽו�ְֽיְִה‬ Pasuk: (1:8 ) "G-d called to the firmament: 'Heaven.' And there was evening and there was morning, a second day". The Heavens had been created on the first day, but they were still in a state of flux. On the second day, Hashem said, "Let there be a firmament", they then solidified, creating a division between the upper and lower waters. This is the only day of creation where the Torah does not say "Ki Tov" (and it was good). Rashi explains that since the waters were not completed till the third day, there is no mention of "Ki Tov" until the creation of that day was finished. This is also the reason why we see that "Ki Tov" was said twice on the third day. For on that day there were two completions. Rabbeinu Bechaye explains that the Torah does not state that the achievements of the second day were good, because on this day the angels and the firmament were created, and they were not the prime purpose of creation. Rather the prime reason of creation, is the "lower world", where man serves G-d and brings His plan into fruition. Only when man's interests are served, do the heavens and heavenly beings justify their existence. The Midrash gives us a different reason, which I would like to base the rest of this Dvar Torah on. Rav Chanina explains that on the second day, the waters were divided. This is a sign of strife, which occurs when the bonds which unite, are broken. Dispute can not be called good. However, we have an obvious question that comes to mind. What happened on the first day? Doesn't the Torah tell us that "G-d divided between the light and the darkness" and yet we are told that "G-d saw that it was good"? What then is the difference between the division of the first day and the division of the second day? Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld Z"TL explains that Light & Darkness represent two opposing forces. Similar to the opposing forces of Good & Evil. Such forces cannot operate together, either you have light, or darkness. In such a case, the division is appropriate, and is thus called good. However, the division between the upper and lower waters, was a separation between two similar things. When two things that could have worked together are separated, it is unfortunate and there is therefor no mention of good. We must learn from this idea. At times we may see fellow Jewish people who have different goals in life.

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People who put emphasis on certain Mitzvos that we put less emphasis on and we on the other hand put more emphasis on other Mitzvos. As long as both of our goals are positive and we are both seeking to help bring G-ds plan to fruition, we must remember not to separate ourselves from such people. Such divisiveness must always be avoided. It is only when we see people who are trying to lessen Torah in the world, like Light & Darkness, that should we separate from such people. There is still a question that needs an answer. I began this whole Dvar Torah due to the fact that the Torah did not say "Ki Tov" on the second day. And as we said above Rashi explained the reason why it was pushed off till the third day was because the creation on the second day was only completed on the third day. Why wasn't it completed on the second day? Why was there a need to extend it to an additional day? We said that the special aspect of the third day is the doubling of the word "Ki Tov". The great "Sar Shalom" from Belz explains that the Jewish people were blessed with "7 shepherds". These are the "Ushpizin" whom we invite into our Succah each of the seven days of Succos. Each one is relative to a day in creation. Since Yakov Avinuh is the third shepherd, he is represented by the third day. This is what Yakov was hinting to when he said a prayer to Hashem before meeting his brother Eisav who wanted to kill him. "VeAtah Amarta, Heiteiv Eitiv Emach". We see the use of the double "Tov" - good. What can we learn from this incident between Yakov and Eisav? Yakov was about to meet his brother. He split up his camp and prepared for the worst. At the end he met Eisav and not one person from his camp was harmed. Hashem wants to teach us that at times we are in a difficult situation where the good seems no where to be found. At times even, G-d forbid, things seem to be really bad. Yet when the next day comes, we see how good that "bad" was. We missed the flight, and we were saved from a tragedy...the deal fell through and the next day the apartment was sold for 10% more than its value... Hashem placed this aspect of life, that "black can become a rainbow", into creation. Not only do we know in our hearts that everything that Hashem does in this world is only for the good, but at times Hashem even gives us the ability to see this with our own eyes. Even though on the second day, we couldn't understand "why me", on Tuesday we understood, and praised G-d

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for it with double thanks. The Maggid from Dubna explains that this is why when we do acts of kindness for the deceased it is called "Chesed Shel Emes" (truthful kindness). When we do acts of kindness towards the living, even if we have the greatest intention to help the other person, it is possible that it will turn out that we actually caused the other person damage, because one never knows what the next day brings. The same is when we did something that caused damage for another person, it may actually turn out for their benefit. However towards the deceased, when one does acts of kindness, the acts will always be that of kindness, and they can't change for the worst, therefore such acts are called "Chesed Shel Emes". (Adapted from - Artscroll Chumash, Rabbi Chaim Sonnenfeld on the Parsha, Shemen Ha Tov)

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THE RIDDLES OF ATHENS BECHOROT 8B BY RABBI SCHONBERG

YAKOV

DEFENDING THE DISTINCTIVENESS OF THE JEWISH NATION Bechoros 8b records the remarkable encounter between Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananyah and the Sabei d’Vei Atuna, the Elders of Athens. Summoned to demonstrate the wisdom of the Jews before a Roman ruler, Rabbi Yehoshua succeeds in entering the closely guarded Athenian academy and engages its scholars in a rapid exchange of riddles, paradoxes and apparently absurd challenges. On the surface, the discussion resembles a contest of wit. The Elders ask Rabbi Yehoshua to build a house in the air, identify the centre of the world, move a well from the countryside into the city and sew together a broken millstone. His answers are equally enigmatic: he asks for bricks to be sent into the air, demands ropes with which to measure the earth and requests that thread be extracted from the millstone itself. Rav Aharon Feldman, in his book The Juggler and the King, drawing principally upon the commentary of the Vilna Gaon, with assistance from the Maharal’s treatment of related passages, explains that these exchanges are not intellectual entertainment. They constitute a sustained philosophical debate between two civilizations. The Elders speak on behalf of Rome and its ancestor, Eisav; Rabbi Yehoshua represents the Jews and Ya’akov. Their argument concerns the purpose of human existence, the chosenness of the Jews, the meaning of exile and the possibility of eventual redemption.

THE ARGUMENT BENEATH THE RIDDLES Rome viewed its military supremacy, its conquest of Jerusalem and its destruction of the Beis HaMikdash as proof that its culture had defeated that of the Jews. The Roman ideal celebrated human power, material accomplishment and personal advancement. Roads, armies, wealth and dominion appeared to demonstrate what mankind could achieve through its own strength. The Jewish conception was fundamentally different. Man was created not to glorify himself but to recognize and serve his Creator. Material life is not an end in itself but the setting within which man must introduce holiness into the physical world. Rome therefore interpreted the Jews’ exile as evidence that this ideal had failed. If the Jews were truly

HaShem’s chosen nation, why had they been defeated and dispersed? The riddles repeatedly press this challenge. Rabbi Yehoshua responds that exile is not proof of the Jews’ rejection. On the contrary, it forms part of the process through which the Jews—and ultimately mankind— will be brought to its intended spiritual destination. Rome’s apparent triumph is temporary and will itself become an instrument of redemption.

THE MATCH AND THE PEG The Elders first ask: If a man sought to marry a woman and was refused, why would he then seek a woman of even higher lineage? They allude to the teaching that, before giving the Torah to the Jews, HaShem offered it to the other nations. If Eisav was approached before the Jews, they argued, Eisav must have been considered the more distinguished prospective “bride.” The Jews received the Torah only after worthier nations had refused it. Rabbi Yehoshua answers by attempting to drive a peg into the lower part of a wall. When it will not penetrate, he tries higher up and succeeds: “It too has found its match.” A recipient's worthiness for Torah is not determined by social rank or intellectual brilliance. Torah can be given only to those prepared to accept it permanently and unconditionally. Like a peg driven firmly into a wall, it must become fixed within the nation’s existence. The other nations first asked what the Torah contained and rejected commandments that conflicted with their established ways of life. Israel declared na’aseh v’nishma—“We shall do and we shall hear.” This was not impetuousness but recognition that Divine wisdom cannot be made conditional upon human approval. Israel was the appropriate “match” because it alone was prepared to make Torah the permanent foundation of its national life.

THE REED-CUTTER The Elders next compare the Torah to a loan. If a lender had already seized the borrower’s property following a default, why would he advance another loan? Israel had failed to observe the Torah and consequently lost its Land and Temple. Why, then, would HaShem endorse additional Rabbinic enactments? Rabbi Yehoshua describes a man who cuts a bundle of reeds but finds it too heavy to lift. Instead of reducing the load, he adds further bundles until someone arrives and helps him carry everything. The additional reeds represent Rabbinic enactments. Following national failure and exile, the Sages surrounded the Torah

with protective safeguards. These were not additional burdens imposed upon people already unable to carry the original load. By demonstrating the Jews’ determination never to repeat its failures, they elicited Divine assistance. What was impossible through unaided human strength became possible when Heaven helped lift the burden.

SALT AND THE MULE The Elders ask: “When salt spoils, with what can it be salted?” Rabbi Yehoshua answers: “With the afterbirth of a mule.” They object that a mule cannot give birth; he responds that salt cannot spoil either. Salt symbolizes permanence. The covenant between HaShem and the Jews is called a “covenant of salt” because it cannot be annulled. The Elders nevertheless contend that the Jews’ sins have caused even this preservative to decay. Having broken its obligations, the Jews can no longer expect HaShem to fulfil His promise of redemption. Rabbi Yehoshua rejects the premise. The Jews may fail to implement the covenant, but the underlying relationship cannot cease to exist. Indeed, exile itself demonstrates that HaShem has not abandoned His people: rather than allowing them to disappear like other ancient nations, He continues to direct their history towards repentance and return. The “afterbirth of the mule” represents Jewish children learning Torah. The Jews may outwardly resemble a sterile mule, seemingly incapable of producing a future, but every new generation educated in Torah proves that the nation remains alive. So long as the voice of Torah continues among its children, the covenant retains the means of being fully revived.

THE HOUSE IN THE AIR The Elders challenge Rabbi Yehoshua to build a house in the air. He suspends himself between heaven and earth and tells them to send up bricks and mortar. When they protest that this is impossible, he replies: How, then, can the house be built? In this exchange, the “house” represents the complete human being. Man contains a physical life-force, an intellectual and emotional spirit, and a higher soul that connects him with HaShem. The Elders demand proof that these opposing elements can be combined. Can a spiritual dwelling really be constructed from earthly materials? Rabbi Yehoshua answers that the body cannot raise

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8 OCTOBER 2026 itself. Left to its own instincts, physical man remains earthbound. However, when HaShem provides Torah and mitzvos, even “bricks and mortar”—the ordinary human body—can be lifted and made into a dwelling for the soul. Rome cannot supply the materials for such a building because its culture directs the physical towards self-gratification rather than spiritual service.

THE MIDPOINT OF THE WORLD Asked to identify the centre of the world, Rabbi Yehoshua points to the spot where he stands. When challenged to prove it, he tells the Elders to bring ropes and measure. The riddle concerns more than geography. The Elders question the Jews’ conviction that its history stands at the centre of HaShem’s plan. The Jews had been conquered and scattered, while Rome dominated the civilized world. How could the Jews still claim that their destiny determined the direction of history? Rabbi Yehoshua answers that history cannot be judged from its present appearance. Just as the Elders cannot measure the entire globe to disprove his assertion, human beings cannot survey the whole Divine plan. Events that appear to place Rome at the centre may be preparing its decline, while the Jews’ apparent marginalization may be preparing its return. The true centre of history is determined by its destination: the recognition of HaShem for which the world was created.

THE WELL IN THE FIELDS The Elders ask Rabbi Yehoshua to bring a well from the fields into the city. He scatters bran and tells them to make a rope from it. When they say that bran cannot be twisted into a rope, he replies that a well cannot be moved either. Water symbolizes Torah and spiritual life; the city represents Yerushalayim, while the fields signify the nations among whom Israel has been dispersed. Rome claims that, once Yerushalayim has been destroyed and its people exiled, its spiritual centre can never be restored. Rabbi Yehoshua’s rope represents the qualities needed to reconnect the people with their source. A rope becomes strong when separate

8 OCTOBER 2026 strands are intertwined. The Jews must unite service of G-d, proper use of the material world and concern for others. When selfishness causes these strands to disintegrate like loose bran, the rope cannot draw water. Yerushalayim will be restored when the nation again becomes bound together in service of a purpose greater than itself.

EGGS AND CHEESE The Elders present two eggs and ask Rabbi Yehoshua to identify which will produce a white hen and which a black one. He counters by displaying two cheeses and asking which came from a white goat and which from a black goat. Their challenge concerns Jewish chosenness. How can the Jews claim an inherent spiritual character that is present even in an unborn child? An egg gives no visible indication of the colour of the hen that will emerge from it. Rabbi Yehoshua answers that invisible distinctions can nevertheless be real. Cheese does not outwardly disclose the colour of the goat from which its milk came, but it still possesses a definite origin. Similarly, the Jews’ chosenness does not rest upon physical or intellectual superiority, nor is it merely a reward for observance. It is a spiritual inheritance transmitted by Avraham, Yitzchak and Ya’akov: an innate inclination towards holiness, expressed through mercy,

TO ADVERTISE CALL 020 3906 8488 modesty and kindness. The distinction may not be externally visible, but it remains embedded within the nation’s character and calling.

THE MESSAGE Rabbi Feldman’s interpretation transforms the strange riddles of Bechoros 8b into a unified defence of Jewish destiny. The Elders repeatedly argue from appearances: Rome is powerful, the Jews are exiled, the Temple is destroyed and the covenant seems broken. Rabbi Yehoshua repeatedly exposes the limitation of that perspective. Torah belongs to the Jews because they accepted it unconditionally. Rabbinic safeguards reveal renewed commitment rather than failure. The covenant cannot spoil like ordinary salt; Jewish children ensure its continuity. The human body can become a house for the soul, and an exiled nation can return to its wellspring. Rome’s victory therefore does not mark the conclusion of the ancient struggle between Eisav and Yaakov. It is one stage within it. The very pressures of exile compel the Jews to reject self-worship, rebuild its connection with Torah and open a new path towards HaShem. What appears to be defeat may thus become the means of return, and what appears to be the triumph of human power may ultimately reveal the enduring sovereignty of the Creator.

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JUDAISM 35

36 JUDAISM

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8 OCTOBER 2026

Starting Again: Now all the Yom Tovim are over By Rabbi Yonasan Roodyn

On Simchas Torah we read the last words of the Torah and move straight on to the first. We now hear Parshas Bereishis in full. The sukkah is down, the lulav is on the shelf, and Cheshvan stretches ahead with no festivals in it at all. It’s a natural moment to ask what we’re taking with us. The sukkah and the shofar belong to their season, and we won’t see them again until next autumn. But the weeks from Elul to Simchas Torah were meant to leave something behind in us, and this week’s parsha has a good deal to say about what that might be. Start with a puzzle Rashi raises. On the third day of creation, Hashem commands the earth to bring forth grass and trees. Yet in the next chapter describing the sixth day, the Torah says that no plant had yet sprung up, “for Hashem had not brought rain upon the earth, and there was no man to work the ground.” Rashi explains that the plants had come up as far as the surface of the ground and stopped there. The rain was held back because nobody yet existed who would recognise how much the world needed it. When Adam was created and understood, he prayed for rain. It fell, and everything began to grow. The timing of that reading is worth noticing. On Shemini Atzeres, a week ago, we began saying *mashiv haruach umorid hageshem* in every Shemoneh Esrei, praising Hashem who brings the wind and the rain. On Shabbos Bereishis, we read that the first rain in history fell in answer to the first person who asked for it. Most of us came out of the Yamim Noraim with some kind of resolution, whether to daven with more care, to be more patient at home, or to give a bit more time to Torah. Like the plants in Rashi’s account, those resolutions are real, but many of them haven’t broken through yet. Whether they do depends largely on what happens in the quiet weeks, without a shofar to wake us up or a Yom Tov to lift us. The parsha adds a second idea. Adam

is formed from the dust of the ground, and Hashem then breathes into him the breath of life. A human being is made of earth and spirit together. The phrase we just started saying reflects the same pairing. *Ruach*, wind, shares its root with *ruchnius*, spirituality. *Geshem*, rain, shares its root with *gashmius*, the physical world. The inspiration of Tishrei has to come down to earth if it’s going to last. It needs to show up in how we speak to our families, how we behave at work, and what we do with a free evening. Then there is the Torah itself, which we danced with on Simchas Torah and opened again from the beginning. Rashi’s very first comment on the parsha quotes the Midrash that the world was created for the sake of the Torah, which is called *reishis*, “the first.” Of everything we carry out of Yom Tov, this is the one thing that comes with us unchanged, and the long winter nights give us more time for it than any other part of the year. A regular shiur, a chavrusa, or simply reading the parsha properly each week will keep the momentum of Tishrei going well into the winter. And finally, we can hold on to the simcha. The joy of Sukkos came from looking at what had grown during the weeks before it. That same feeling, small as it may be on an ordinary Tuesday in Cheshvan, is what gives us the push to keep growing. The festivals are over. What they planted is still there however, just below the surface, waiting for us to tend it.

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38 HEALTH

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Forbidden Fruit...or is it?

BY HEATHER DANIELS BSC RD

It is hard to imagine Bereishit without the apple. We picture Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, surrounded by trees and fruit, with one particular apple becoming the most famous piece of fruit in history. The Torah itself never tells us that the fruit was an apple, but somewhere along the way, the apple became part of the story and perhaps it is fitting that one of the Torah’s first stories mentioning food should

still make us think about what we eat today. Fruit holds a special place in Jewish life. We bless it, celebrate it, and use it to mark the seasons as well as the rhythms of the natural world. Tu B’Shvat invites us to think about trees, the land, growth and harvest, and the abundance of the Land of Israel. Through fruit, Judaism encourages us to pause and appreciate the world around us. And yet, when it comes to modern health, fruit has acquired a slightly more complicated reputation. It is sweet yet many have become frightened of sweetness. Anyone who has tried to lose weight will be familiar with the endless calculations: calories, carbohydrates, sugar, portion size etc. Someone with Diabetes may consider eating a banana or an apple and immediately worry about the potential effect on blood glucose. Whilst it is true that fruit contains naturally occurring sugar and carbohydrate, it is not somehow exempt from the laws of metabolism simply because it grew on a tree. However, fruit is not just sugar. An apple contains fibre, water, vitamins and plant compounds. So does a pear. An orange brings vitamin C and Potassium; berries provide fibre and a range of polyphenols; kiwifruit, plums, peaches and many other fruits bring their own combination of nutrients.

Whole fruit also takes time to eat and can be surprisingly satisfying for the number of calories it contains. This matters for weight management because one of the hardest aspects about eating less, is still wanting to feel that we have actually eaten something. Fruit can therefore provide sweetness without turning into a dessert. However, this is where the story becomes particularly interesting. We live in a food environment in which sweetness is everywhere. It can be added to drinks, cereals, sauces, snacks and foods that we don’t necessarily think of as sweet. Fruit, by contrast, offers sweetness in its original packaging - with fibre, water and the structure of the whole food intact. That does not make fruit a ‘superfood’. It also does not give the green light to someone with diabetes to eat unlimited quantities. And it certainly does not mean that fruit juice is nutritionally identical to eating the whole fruit. But it does mean that we should be careful about putting fruit in the same mental

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category as sweets and confectionary, simply because both contain sugar. That is one reason I like the fact that we begin the Sefer Bereishit with a garden. Before supermarkets, before nutrition labels, before anyone had an app to count calories, there were trees - and there was fruit. And this Shabbat, as we start the Torah again, it is worth remembering just how far back our relationship with fruit goes. Right back to the beginning. From the garden of Eden in Bereishit to our own kitchens, fruit has provided us continued sweetness, nourishment and pleasure. The challenge is not to fear that sweetness, but to understand it and to appreciate the remarkable foods that Hashem has given us.

If you have a nutrition question you would like answered in this column, you can contact Heather at heather@theukdiabetesdietitian.com or on 07886 419 497.

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KKL KKL Executor and Trustee Co Ltd is the legacy arm of JNF UK, with over 75 years of experience in estate admin. The company provides help with Will drafting, Estate Planning, Lasting Powers of Attorney, and related legal services. Contact: 020 8732 6121/6126 | https://kkl.org.uk

TRAVEL BESPOKE KOSHER TRAVEL: Bespoke Kosher Travel creates tailor-made holidays worldwide, combining exceptional experiences with fresh kosher food and every detail taken care of. Contact: 020 3151 1660 | bespokekoshertravel.com

HEALTH INSURANCE LIFEPOINT: We are London’s highest-rated, multi-awardwinning independent health insurance broker, helping thousands of individuals, families and businesses find the right private medical cover. Contact: 020 3348 9868 | www.lifepointhealthcare.co.uk | info@lifepointhealthcare.co.uk

ESTATE AGENT ROUNDTREE REAL ESTATE We are your local experienced Estate Agent and are here to offer you expert advice in Property Sales, Lettings, Commercial and Full Management Services. Contact 020 8203 2111 | mail@theroundtree.com | www.theroundtree.com

FINANCE SPECIALIST UK FINANCE GROUP: Maxim Cohen is an award-winning finance specialist and accountant with extensive experience helping businesses access the right capital. He is an Official Member and Thought Leader of the Forbes Finance Council. Contact: 0161 773 3106 | maxim@ukfinance.co.uk

THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM

If you’d like to explore your options or ask a question for a future article, you’re welcome to contact me on 0208 458 9137, 07956 234 524, or stephen@ ifsmortgages.co.uk.

KIM BASH - KIM BASH REAL ESTATE, ISRAEL Not only do we help buy homes, but we also help finding the community which is what transforms a house into a home. Contact: 020 8203 2111 | mail@theroundtree.com | www.theroundtree.com

LEGACY

BUTCHERS KOSHER DELI Kosher Deli makes kosher meat and poultry affordable without compromising on kashrus or quality. Locations in: GG, Hendon, Temple Fortune, Edgware, Borehamwood & Manchester Contact: 020 8381 4450 | info@kosherdeliuk.co.uk

8 OCTOBER 2026

LASTING POWERS OF ATTORNEY THE LPA COMPANY At The LPA Company, we provide a structured, professional service to ensure your LPA is properly prepared, correctly executed and validly registered. Contact: www.thelpacompany.com | 0330 133 4433 | Info@thelpacompany.com

ESTATE AGENT - SPECIALIST IN JERUSALEM CAPITIL, JERUSALEM We help English-speaking buyers find their perfect home in Jerusalem. From finding the right property to guiding you through every step of the process, we are your one-stop shop. Contact: ben@capitil.com | 00972 58 779 8224

PROPERTY INVESTMENT - ISRAEL GROUPBUY INVESTMENTS GroupBuy Investments helps people buy new homes in Israel through exclusive buyers’ groups. We have strong expertise in Carmei Gat and know the area, projects, prices, and opportunities inside and out Contact: 00972 5028 38683

FULL OF FLAVOUR. A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

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REDUCED FOR QUICK SALE 4 Bed Semi Woodlands, NW11

Asking ITRO £1,250,000 4 Bedrooms

2 Bathrooms

2 Reception

Off Street Parking Chain Free Sale Generally good decorative order En-suite to the principal bedroom Large garden Plenty potential STPP Family orientated road Eat in morning room Through Dining room lounge Spacious Hallway Guest WC Kosher Kitchen

Contact Eli-G to arrange a viewing 07980-802938

020-3633-8567

93a Bell Lane London NW4 2AR eli@eli-gestates.com

FOR SALE on Bell Lane

Offers in the region of £930,000 5 Bedrooms

2 Bathrooms

2 Reception

Large South facing Garden, Sun all day 5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 receptions Close to newsagent, dry cleaners & Kosher grocery shop Space for two full size cars No overlooking from the rear Air conditioned, 6 Mtr Planning permission from the original wall - APPROVED Astro Turfed - low maintenance garden Viewings by appointment 07980-802938 The property belongs to the owner of Eli-G Estates

93a Bell Lane London NW4 2AR eli@eli-gestates.com

020-3633-8567

‫בס”ד‬

THE

KEY

TO SELLING

YOUR HOME

eli@eli-gestates.com | www.eli-gestates.com

VALUATIONS

Bulk of instructions coming from RECOMMENDATIONS

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Local. Trusted. Reliable.

Family Fun

44 FAMILY FUN

TO ADVERTISE CALL 020 3906 8488

8 OCTOBER 2026

BERESHIT

Welcome back to a fresh start! We begin the Torah once again with Bereshit! The Torah gives a description of the very beginning of time. All religious or not - agree today that the world had a beginning, and we can see from the complex design of the creation that the world had a Creator. The Torah describes creation as taking 6 days and to remember that, for six days a week we engage in activity and on Shabbat, we rest as did G-d in His Own way, rest on Shabbat. On the first day, Hashem created light and darkness and uttered the famous words, “Let there be light”! This light, we are told, was hidden away until the Moshiach comes. On the second day, the heavens were separated from the earth. On the third day the vegetation was created, with

land masses forming. On the fourth day it was time for the sun, moon and stars to be set and on the fifth day, the fish, bird and reptiles. On the sixth day of creation, Hashem created animals and man. Formed from the dust of the ground the first man was named “Adam”. Hashem saw that it was no good for man to live alone and therefore created a wife for him. She was named Chavah. Hashem places Adam and Chavah into the Garden and Eden and informs them that they may eat the fruit from any tree they wished...besides for one. The Tree of Knowledge was off limits. The famous snake, which could then walk and talk and do a host of other things, was jealous of the marriage which was enjoyed by Adam and Chavah, approached Chavah and

convinced her that it would be ok for her to eat from the forbidden fruit. When she did so, she approached Adam and convinced him to do the same. Now that both had eaten, they feared Hashem. Their fate was sealed though. Man had committed his first sin, disregarding boundaries and disobeying the word of Hashem and was therefore subject to punishment. Adam and Chavah were both banished from the Garden of Eden and Adam was cursed with having to “sweat” in order to feed himself (and his family) and Chavah with physical suffering and difficult childrearing. Adam and Chavah had two children at first – Kayin and Hevel. Both of the children wanted to bring an offering to Hashem, but when Hevel brought a more choice offering and Kayin a

stingy one, it was obvious to them that Hashem had accepted Hevel’s over Kayin. Kayin was very angry (anger which stemmed from jealousy) and did the unthinkable – he killed his brother. He too was punished, but his ultimate punishment was postponed for seven generations, when his descendant accidentally killed him. Finally, the Sidra lists the ten generations between Adam and Noach. They were in decline throughout and their warnings to repent fell on deaf ears. This leads to next week’s Sidra where we learn all about the epic flood

Word Wheel LOL The goal of a word wheel puzzle is to create as many words possible with the letters in the word wheel. Each word must contain at least three letters. You can only use each letter once and every word must have the letter in the centre of the wheel.

E T L

E H O

Last Weeks Big Word was EDUCATION

N P

A Rabbi told his congregation, “Next week I plan to speak about the sin of lying. To help you understand the shiur, I want you all to prepare Devorim, chapter 35”. The following Shabbos as he prepared to deliver his shiur, the Rabbi asked for a show of hands. He wanted to know how many had read Devorim 35. Several went up. The Rabbi smiled and said, “Devorim has only 34 chapters. I will now proceed with my shiur on the sin of lying.”

ATLADROPNTIC

GEGS ESGG

YYY MEN

SK3.14Y

TRAVEL CCCCCCCCCCC

DR.

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8 OCTOBER 2026

TO ADVERTISE CALL 020 3906 8488

FAMILY FUN 45

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT CAMP SIMCHA’S SUPPORT BE IN TOUCH: 020 8202 9297 OR CAMPSIMCHA.ORG.UK

‫ — בהצלחה‬and enjoy the puzzle!

10 6

10 3

22 9 6

23 9

18 6 8

18 3

Riddles

Jokes

Q: What do you call a boomerang that won’t come back? A: A stick!

Which weekly Parasha is never read (outside of Israel) on Shabbat afternoon? same afternoon.

Q: What did one toilet say to the other? A: You look a bit flushed!

chat Torah falls on Shabbat, we read Parshat Bereshit that very following Shabbat in the morning. In Israel, however, when Sim-

Q: Why can’t Elsa from Frozen have a balloon? A: Because she will “let it go, let it go.”!

weekday. So the only Shabbat when Parshat Bereshit is read is the Parshat Bereshit. Outside Israel, Simchat Torah always falls on a 1. A drop in the ocean 2. Scrambled Eggs

Circle specific digits in the grid so they sum up exactly to the target provided on the sides

24 19 5 13 16 24

Dingbat Answers

Sum UP

3. Three wise men 4. Pie in the Sky

5. Travel over seas 6. Doctor Dolittle

Book your free valuation. Call today: 020 8203 2111 Martin Frydenson martin@theroundtree.com

Saul Fagelson saul@theroundtree.com

Matthew Lachs matthew@theroundtree.com

Mason Cohen mason@theroundtree.com

THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM

Sales | Lettings | Investments | Management

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