Jewish Post, Indianapolis, Marion County, 22 May 2002 — Page 11

Israel: As I See It

\?,n NAT 7

Happy Shavuot!

By SAMSON KRUPNICK Of the three major holidays — Pesach, Shavuot and

Succot — Shavuot seems neglected somewhat. In Israel it is a one-day holiday, albeit this year it was attached to Shabbat, to the joy of many Israelis and tourists who took advantage of the long weekend and filled Israeli hotels. Pesach and Succot have many symbolisms, but not Shavuot. Our sages and many commentaries emphasized the thought of matan Torah, the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai on the sixth (or seventh) of Sivan, where on this occasion all Jewish souls were present, the first of such a vital presentation. Actually, one should consider and be properly prepared to receive the Torah daily and to conduct oneself in accordance therewith. Hence, no symbols are associated with this holiday, in recognition of the greatest event in world history, which took place in a desert, on either date and for the entire

world. The Talmud reports that the Almighty offered the Torah to all the nations of the world, with no takers after a cursory examination of a portion of its context. He then presented the Torah to His nation Israel, who promptly responded as with one voice, "Na'aseh Venismah." ("We shall perform and we shall observe.") The saintly Rabbi Levi Yitzhak of Berdichev, ever an optimist, observed that by the act of the offering of the Torah by the Almighty to the nations of the world, they acquired some sparks of holiness which, on occasion, are expressed in acts of kindness and justice. The special services in all synagogues included the reading of the Book of Ruth, great-grandmother of King David, and yizkor (memorial prayers) for deceased relatives, for Holocaust victims, for those who fell in the wars of Israel against its enemies, and for those who were killed in terror attacks, particularly in the past 20 months, of the Palestinian intifada, still continuing. The tradition of Torah study and chanting of the tikun throughout the night, followed by a massive march to the Kotel for early morning services, was observed by many thousands, as syna-

Boob by Rabbi SanurfSilwr (Prim huJuJt PtiUgi) HowTo Enjoy Thi* Moment A titumy of practical phikMophy * t9.50 "It krinpjtjjvrtb* moment *aJ enritbmntfir Hfi. u — RnUi MmtrictN. Euendrmtb. Explaining JudaiamtoJewa and Christians The baric tenets of Judaism and its relevance to our times * 18.50 V tnfiytd entry moment of RmM Silver's boot It) not a bow-to book hnt neon tfo bow not tbvmte the frecious moments afltfi. •—Artbnr Levitt Mixed Marriage Between Jews and Christiana The complexities and responsibilities of intermarriage * $6.50 Whet Happiness Is... Hundreds of definitions of happiness with definitions written expressly for this book by Bob Dole, Bob Hope, Art Bucbwald, Sen. William Cohen, Rev. Robert Drinsn, Isaac Stent, and Norman Cousins • $10.50 Ssnd anises and checks ts Mis-Brins Sttw, 15436 Stnuhaan Dr., Deksjrl-eh, FL3M44 Tsfc 161-499-3610

gogues and the Israel UO Center provided lecture series and refreshments through the night. Regretfully, the day services lost many of the all-night learners, a fact that the Shulchan Aruch discourages. However, the two-day combination contributed considerably to the full enjoyment of the holiday weekend. The traditional custom of eating dairy products and honey was observed religiously as the symbol of Torah learning — "honey and milk beneath your tongue." A dampening of some of the holiday spirits was the reminder of lurking terror. Guards were present in synagogues, hotels, halls and in centers of learning. The Operation Defense Shield continues as the Israel Defense Forces pursue prospective terror operators, successfully arresting or killing terrorists in various Palestinian cities, including Tulkarm, Jenin and Hebron. These incursions by the IDF have yielded hundreds of terrorists, huge quantities of arms, and the destruction of arms factories widely spread. Gaza has been tightly surrounded, but on a recent occasion, several terrorists made a night raid on a nearby kibbutz, killing four civilians. Two terrorists were killed and a third captured. The IDF arranged to make a major sweep into Gaza as in Jenin previously, but President Bush asked Prime Minister Sharon to postpone this action, as pressure is being applied upon the Palestinians and as talks between Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia may lead to a radical revision of Palestine Authority leadership, excluding its present head. Meanwhile, terror is in the winds despite the pressures. Hence, the IDF is on constant alert, a situation we cannot endure without adequate response. The Saudi Arabia Prince Abdallah calls for immediate withdrawal by Israel to the June 4,1967, borders and for a return of "refugees," two conditions we cannot possibly accept. Prime Minister Sharon proposes, as does the United States, a gradual Tennet cease-fire plan, followed by gradual negotiations with

lengthy periods of adjustment reflecting a cessation of violence, a halt to the constant hate messages in the media and in the schools, a political reform to democratic procedures, and a united effort for economic development. An about face on the part of an Authority dedicated to the PLO program of the destruction of Israel is almost

impossibility, but otherwise a true peace with security for Israel cannot develop into a reality. Meanwhile, may we enjoy holidays and joyous occasions. Happy Shavuot! Samson Krupnick may be reached at 22 Pinsker, Jerusalem 92228, Israel. E-mail [email protected] or www.jewishpostopinion.com.

Digest of the Yiddish Press Some divide our house

By RABBI SAMUEL SILVER If Israel doesn't have enough trouble from its Arab enemies, it also is the target of criticism by some ultra-Ortho-dox Jews.

With horror, the editor of the Algemeiner Journal has observed that joining pro-PLO demonstrations in Washington and New York were Jews with yarmulkes and beards. The motives of these selfhaters are mixed. Some of them say that only the Almighty can bring about a Jewish State. The Union of Orthodox Rabbis of the United States and Canada (Agudat Ha-Rabbanin) has denounced such people. So does the editor of the Algemeiner Journal. Chasiah Hoffman of Montreal, in a letter to the Journal, warns extremists that Israel's enemies would as readily put an end to them as they would the Zionists, if they had the power. In a long editorial, the Journal's Gerson Jacobson asserts that though many have turned against Israel, she will be victorious, if only the Jews cling to the Almighty. Keep up the faith, he admonishes. Readers praise Forward The Forward's celebration of its 105th birthday evoked

many letters to the editor. Most of its fan mail, according to Boris Bickovsky, of Israel, wrote that the paper beats all others in its coverage of world wide Jewish news. And he salutes the paper with a poem in which he says, "I'm in love with you." Moshe Wolf, of Portland Ore., praises the paper not only for its news coverage, but also for the intellectual enrichment it provides. From Florida the paper received a photo of 16 women who say that they meet every week when the paper arrives and read it together to discuss its contents. The photo is printed in the paper along with the greetings from "sixteen young, clever and pretty bubbes." Hebrew letters readable Sam Silberman, from an unidentified town in Texas, offers something curious. He writes that he has had a heart operation, a new pacemaker, a touch of prostate cancer, but "otherwise I've been okay." Unfortunately, he writes, that now he is suffering from glaucoma and has trouble seeing. He tried large type papers in English but he still found it hard to read them. But, unbelievably, he can make out the Yiddish in the Forward quite well. He told this to a non-Jew-ish friend of his who also suffers from poor vision. The friend said that perhaps he should get the Yiddish paper. He told his friend that he didn't know Yiddish so what good would it do.