Tel Aviv: The "Great Synagogue" by Night

B”H 

A surprise visitor from Jerusalem came to see me in Tel Aviv today. And when friends meet, they go out to eat and have a good cup of coffee. This is what we did.:-)

I received some comments and will publish them after Shabbat is over. Have a great Shabbat everyone - Gut Schabbes - and enjoy the following photos from Tel Aviv's "Great Synagogue" !

Photos: Miriam Woelke

Chabad in Jerusalem's Ben Yehudah Street

Chabad Meshichisten offering Tefillin to every male Jew. Until a few years ago, the Meshichistim had a center located in Ben Yehudah Street but then moved to a different place nearby. What I didn't know but one of the Meshichistim told me: The Ben Yehudah group was sent out to Kfar Chabad once in a while in order to collect donations. Example: Each Meshichist had to walk around separately in Kfar Chabad, ring on doorbells and ask for Zedakah. Apparently some Kfar Chabad inhabitants got mad when, every other minute, a different guy was standing in front of their door asking for money.

Photo: Miriam Woelke

Chassidishe Parashat BO

B"H

Various commentaries on this week's Parashat BO:

Kovetz Beit Aharon Israel from Karlin - Stolin (Hebrew)

Ohr Sameach (English)

From THE ZOHAR (Hebrew)

Chassidut Komarna  (Hebrew)

Chassidut Belz / Antwerpen (Yiddish)

MK Israel Eichler expelled from Knesset

B"H

Knesset member, Rabbi Israel Eichler (Chassidut Belz), was expelled from the Knesset this afternoon, when he called leftist Zipi Livni (head of the Kadima party) an ENEMY (to Haredim). As a matter of fact, Zipi Livni has been trying to make propaganda against haredi society. Her party is in danger to disappear after the next Knesset elections, as her competitor, Haredim hater and journalist Ya'ir Lapid, is founding his own party and is said to take away most Kadima voters. Zipi Livni learnt from Lapid how to attract secular voters of Israel's population and thus trying to save herself from unemployment.

Jerusalem - Opposition leader Tzipi Livni blasted Housing and Construction Minister Ariel Atias for refusing to give priority affordable housing to households where both partners work. "The housing minister's decision is an insult to those who went out to the streets (to protest)," she said, adding that the measure makes the benefit only accessible to the haredi sector. MK Yisrael Eichler (United Torah Judaism) responded by calling Livni "our enemy," prompting Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin to expel him from the session.

Picture of the Day: "At the Kotel"

Source: HNN

Comments on Chabad

B"H

For some time now, another blogger has been flooding me with comments on Chassidut Chabad. I am not willing to publish long comments from Chabad books or endless comments by Chabad members.

I have nothing against Chabad but if someone is such an excited Chassid, he should rather publish all his ideas on his blog and not using mine as a platform.

After the Burnout

Cartoon: Google Images

B”H 

Exactly one year ago, I was suffering from a severe burnout attack. Besides work, I couldn't do anything else anymore. Depression, work, depression, work. Although many people claim that they are unable to sleep while suffering from a burnout, I was always able to sleep. However, I stopped eating because I had lost any appetite.

I am a worker and when I work, it is hard for me to stop. Especially when I like what I am doing. Then I just turn into a hopeless workaholic. First, you don't notice the signs your body gives you. I knew that something was wrong but kept on telling myself that I must have caught some kind of a virus. Probably the flu. 

One day, your body is just falling apart and you are hardly able to move let alone to think. The only thought in your mind is how you could get out of this situation. The problem is that, at first, you are not even aware of a situation. 

Eventually I took two steps: Talking to a friend and joining a support group. In my opinion, people don't just suffer from a burnout but there sticks something deeper in their personality. This is why one should definitely analyze why a burnout is happening to him and why he got himself into this kind of situation. Furthermore, one has to learn how to live. Take breaks, go out and take time off. At least an hour or two hours per day and just be with yourself. 

I won't forget this kind of experience I had a year ago. Especially because I learnt a lot about myself. 

Haredi Street Sign

Gender Separation on Israeli Buses ? Problem Solved !

Ladies upstairs, men downstairs.

Source: Manishmah.Com

Rosh Chodesh SHEVAT (שבט)

Photo: Miriam Woelke

B"H

Starting tonight, we are going to celebrate "Rosh Chodesh", meaning the beginning of the new Jewish month of SHEVAT. 

The month of Shevat already hints to the upcoming spring although, many times, it doesn't look so at first sight. The weather forecast for the upcoming days of the week will be anything but spring time. On the contrary, temperature is going to drop again and we are expecting heavy rain showers.

To me, Shevat stands for a month making me older on an annual basis, as I celebrate my birthday in this month. As a matter of fact, I am getting to an age where a birthday may be not always be seen as such a happy event.:-))) 

Judaism doesn't necessarily define the role of our birthday. I think the only time a birthday is mentioned in the Torah is the birthday of Pharao. Nevertheless, I learnt that one should be happy on his birthday and pray to G - d, as we have a special power on this particular day.

Rosh Chodesh (the beginning of a new Jewish month) is the first Mitzvah (commandment) the Jewish people received as a nation.  A new Jewish month always stands for a new beginning in life. Not that we always have to wait until a new month shows up but changes can be made on a daily basis. However, a new month seems to give us new strength and adds motivation. 

Shevat is the eleventh month of the Jewish calendar and has 30 days. On the first of Shevat, Moshe began reading the Book of Deutoronomy (Sefer Devarim) to the Jews. His inheritance before he passed away in the month of Adar (following Shevat).

According to the kabbalistic book "Sefer Yetzirah - The Book of Creation", every Jewish month symbolizes a Hebrew letter, a colour, a Jewish tribe, a human organ and a horoscope: 

The colour of  Shevat is blue - green, the letter is Zaddik (צ), the tribe is Asher, the organ is the stomach and the horoscope is Aquarius - Dli (Bucket) in Hebrew. Moreover, Shevat symbolizes the two human senses "eating" and "taste". It says that a Zaddik (righteous person) eats in order to satisfy his soul. He only eats as much as he needs to live.

The Aquarius symbolizes water which is a metaphor for Torah. Jews cannot exist without Torah and water. Aquarius is an "air sign" and those of you who were also born in this month stand for rebellion, changes and spontaneous decisions. People born in Shevat are always searching for their own identity, are open to new ideas and usually don't fit in anywhere. At least not too easily. Furthermore, they hate monotonya and are extremely communicative.

Many famous Rabbis died in Shevat and we are going to commemorate plenty of Yahrzeits:

4 Shevat: Rabbi Israel Abuchatzeira, the Baba Sali, 1890 - 1984

5 Shevat: Rabbi Aryeh Yehudah Leib of Ger, 1847 - 1905, the Sefat Emet and the founder of Chassidut Gur (Ger)

10 Shevat: Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe. 

14 Shevat: Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, 1935 - 1983

22 Shevat: Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk, 1787 - 1859

25 Shevat: Rabbi Israel Salanter

29: Rabbi Nosson Zvi Finkel, the Alter of Slobodka, 1849 - 1927

Halacha: We add the prayer Yaale ve Yavo - Gebetes in the Amidah and the Birkat HaMazon. It is customary that women refrain from housework.

Chodesh Tov - A great, healthy and successful new month to all of you !

Fish have to be kosher

 Fish baked in coconut milk

Photo + Recipes: Mimi's Israeli Kitchen

B”H 

In Sefer Vayikra (Leviticus), G - d is giving the Kashrut (kosher) laws to the Jewish people because He wants His people to eat kosher food. For instance, the Jewish Kabbalah explains that kosher food influences our souls in a positive way. 

Sefer Vayikra (Leviticus) 11:9 teaches that kosher fish need to have fins and scales. Vayikra 11:10 teaches that everything that does not have fins and scales in the water, seas and streams, may not be eaten. 

What if a fish only has scales or fins ? Is the fish still kosher ?

The Mishna in Talmud Chullin 66 defines that kosher fish must have fins AND scales. Furthermore, variousTalmudic commentators discuss the meaning of scales. Example: Scales should be removed with a knife and in case the knife cannot remove those scales, there may be a doubt whether such scales can be considered scales. Some scales may be attached or even part of the skin and then there could be a doubt if such a fish is kosher. However, most fish we buy on markets have scales which can be easily removed by a knife.  

Fish or creatures from the sea which are not kosher: Shrimps, shells, crabs, eel or crayfish. 

Links:

Jonah and the Fish - A Kabbalistic Insight

Where are the skeletons of Noach's Generation dying in the Flood ?

Tel Aviv "Diaspora Museum" is opening an exhibition on Eichmann kidnapping and trial

B”H

At the beginning of February 2012, the “Diaspora Museum – Beit HaTefuzot” located in Tel Aviv, is going to open an exhibition on the SS - murderer Adolf Eichmann. Furthermore, the Mossad is releasing secret documents to the wider public. Those documents will also be shown at the exhibition. 

Adolf Eichmann was arrested by Mossad agents in May 1960. He was flown from Buenos Aires to Israel where, later on, his trial took place. He was found guilty and was executed on 31 May 1962. 

For those who have never been to the Tel Aviv “Diaspora Museum”: It is definitely worth a visit. It is not only a religious museum but it shows the Jewish history of the Diaspora. How Jews used to live in different countries and the most extraordinary exhibition: Various small models of former Eastern European Synagogues. Most of those Synagogues were destroyed by the Nazis during the Second World War. It was very impressive seing the Synagogue of the Vilna Gaon which was also destroyed by the Germans. 

The "Diaspora Museum" is located in Ramat Aviv and the best way to get there is by taking bus no. 25 from King George Street in Tel Aviv. 

Photos from today's newspaper edition MA'ARIV

The Eichmann - Trial on Youtube