DOCSLIB.ORG

Eli Cohen (1924-65) Haftarah by Rabbi Michael Laitner Artscroll P1176 Hertz P528 Sefer Shofetim

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Eli Cohen (1924-65) Haftarah by Rabbi Michael Laitner Artscroll P1176 Hertz P528 Sefer Shofetim בס״ד אֱ מֹ ר EMOR In loving memory of Frida Mirel bat Chaim Simcha z"l Volume 34 | #28 “These are the appointed festivals of God, the holy seasons 1 May 2021 which you shall fix in their appropriate time.” 19 Iyar 5781 (Vayikra 23:4) Shabbat ends: London 9.17pm Sheffield 9.38pm Glasgow 10.00pm Edinburgh 9.54pm Birmingham 9.28pm Southport 9.46pm Hull 9.36pm Jerusalem 7.59pm Please look regularly at the social media and websites of the US, Tribe and your community for ongoing updates relating to Coronavirus as well as educational programming and community support. You do not need to sign into Facebook to access the US Facebook page. The US Coronavirus Helpline is on 020 8343 5696. May God bless us and the whole world. INSIDE: Bless You by Rabbi Nick Kett Emor Napoleon Bonaparte Artscroll p672 by Simon Goulden Hertz p513 Soncino p740 Eli Cohen (1924-65) Haftarah by Rabbi Michael Laitner Artscroll p1176 Hertz p528 Sefer Shofetim Soncino p761 Daf Hashavua by Pnina Savery Sidra breakdown אֱ מֹר Emor 8h Sidra in: Bless ַו ִ ּי קְ רָ א Vayikra By Numbers: 124 verses 1,614 words YouBy Rabbi Nick Kett, Community Rabbi, Bushey & District 6,106 letters United Synagogue Headlines: A few years ago, I about the Kohanim and their service Laws of Cohanim, shared an idea with in the Mishkan, and latterly the sanctifying God’s my ‘Lunch and Learn’ Temple. The Kohanim have the group in Bushey, which unique opportunity to bless the Name and Yom Tov was so breathtakingly Jewish People with Birkat Kohanim, simple, but which captivated the the Priestly Blessing (Bemidbar group’s attention in such a way 6:22-27). In Israel, even today, that they still remind me of it the Kohanim bless the community occasionally after all this time. during the daily morning service, Perhaps it will resonate with you and for many, they feel proud and too… privileged to have this powerful In this week’s parasha we read blessing at their fingertips. United Synagogue Daf Hashavua Produced by US Living & Learning Sidra Summary together with the Rabbinical Council of the United Synagogue 1st Aliya (Kohen) – Vayikra 21:1-15 Editor-in-Chief: Rabbi Baruch Davis God instructs Moshe to tell the Kohanim not to come into contact with a corpse, Editorial and Production Team: with the exception of when burying specific close relatives. They are not allowed Rabbi Daniel Sturgess, Rabbi Michael Laitner, to shave their heads or wound themselves during a mourning period (Rashi). There Rebbetzen Nechama Davis, are restrictions on whom Kohanim can marry. There is a mitzvah to show Kohanim Joanna Rose specific forms of respect (Rashi). A Kohen Gadol is not allowed to bury a close Available also via email US website relative, nor marry a widow. www.theus.org.uk ©United Synagogue To sponsor Daf Hashavua please 2nd Aliya (Levi) – 21:16-22:16 contact Danielle Fox on 020 8343 6261, Specific types of physical blemishes on a Kohen disqualify him from bringing or [email protected] offerings in the Temple; however, he may still eat from the offerings. A Kohen If you have any comments or questions regarding Daf Hashavua please email who is ritually impure (tamei) can neither bring nor eat an offering until he is pure [email protected] However, it seems a little unfair and that only the non-Priests receive waiting these words of blessing. Who is to infuse blessing the Kohanim! Do they not our lives with deserve to be blessed too? more blessing. Who The answer to this lies all the would not want to take way back in Parashat Lech Lecha, advantage of this! when God was speaking to Avraham When we are walking (then called Avram) for the very first down the street and we pass time, instructing him to leave his a home, we could pause for a town and birthplace, and journey moment and confer blessing to a place yet to be revealed. God on the people living there, seeks to reassure him by saying and voila! More blessing from “I will bless those who bless you, God! and he who curses you I will curse” We do not fully appreciate (Bereishit 12:3). the power that lies within Embedded in this early message each and every one of us. is the promise that any time a It is not just Kohanim who have person seizes the opportunity the ability to bestow blessings to bless another Jew, they are on others; we all have that gift. guaranteed to be blessed by God! It comes with a divine guarantee This means that any time the that any time we take the time to Kohanim bless the community, they wish others well, we will also be too will be blessed. blessed. The ramifications of this are far For my ‘Lunch and Learn’ group, greater and more empowering than this was a life-changing idea. There we could ever imagine. Any time we are some things in life that come take an opportunity to bless another naturally and easily to us. For many person, we are divinely guaranteed people, greeting someone politely to receive blessing from God. When and consciously wishing others well we greet someone with a ‘Shalom are on that list. It is empowering to Aleichem’ or a ‘Shabbat Shalom’ – know that Heavenly blessings await also types of blessing – God is ready us for these simple gestures. In loving memory of Devorah Bat Avraham z"l (tahor). The laws of terumah, the first crop tithe given to the which lasts seven days, we eat matzot. The first and Kohanim, are stated. Whilst this tithe should not be eaten last days are Yom Tov, on which we refrain from specific by a non-Kohen, a Kohen’s wife and his Cana’anite servant prohibited activity (melacha). On the second day of Pesach, are permitted to eat it. the barley Omer offering is brought. There is a mitzvah to count 49 days from 16 Nissan (the second night of Pesach) 3rd Aliya (Shlishi) – 22:17-33 until the night before Shavuot. On Shavuot itself, the double Offerings brought to the Temple must be free of certain bread wheat offering (shtei ha’lechem) is brought and blemishes which disqualify them. An animal cannot be melacha is forbidden. brought as an offering until it is at least eight days old. Offerings have to be eaten within a certain time. There is a 5th Aliya (Chamishi) – 23:23-32 mitzvah to sanctify God’s Name. Rosh Hashanah is called ‘a day of shofar blasts’. Yom Kippur is a day of fasting. On these days, melacha is also forbidden, 4th Aliya (Revi’i) – 23:1-23:22 but the punishment for doing melacha on Yom Kippur is Laws of Shabbat and the festivals are listed. On Pesach, more severe. Napoleon Bonaparte by Simon Goulden, Education Consultant to the United Synagogue This week we mark the to use them to reinforce the French 200th anniversary of nation. the death of Napoleon Napoleon actually had more Bonaparte: Corsican by influence on the Jews in Europe birth, self-declared – and crowned than his decrees might indicate, - Emperor, conqueror of most of as he broke up the feudal system mainland Europe and possible friend to of mid-Europe and introduced the the Jews. Quite what that qualification Revolutionary ideas of equality. means we can learn from his comments Recognising the Jewish community and actions. as an entity, he established a In the French Revolution, with national Consistoire Israelite in its promise of liberty, equality, and to the British and he never carried France, intended to serve as a central fraternity, the rights of citizenship out his alleged plan. Some historians authority for Jewish religious and were extended to Jews. Still, respect believe that Napoleon intended the community life, a system which he and rights were conditioned on the proclamation only for propaganda repeated in many other lands which willingness of Jews to abandon their and to build support for his campaign fell under his power. age-old customs and their communal among the Jews in the Holy Land. On closer inspection, things may not identity. This was the meaning of the Others think that the newspaper have been quite as wonderful for the slogan “To the Jews as individuals, was reporting a rumour, as there is Jewish community. The Consistoire everything, to the Jews as a people, no documentation that Napoleon Israelite in France consisted of three nothing.” contemplated such a policy. rabbis and two lay individuals. In During Napoleon's siege of Akko Nevertheless, Rabbi Aharon Ben- charge of the Consistoire Israelite (and (Acre), Israel in 1799, Le Moniteur Levi of Jerusalem seems to have added the consistory system in general) was a Universel, the main French newspaper his voice to the proclamation, calling 25-member board, all Jews, who were during the French Revolution, published on the Jews to enlist in Napoleon's appointed by the (state-appointed) on 22nd May 1799 a short statement army "to return to Zion as in the days Prefect, which allowed the French that, translated into English, said: of Ezra and Nechemia" and rebuild the government to manage and regulate "Bonaparte has published a Temple. Perhaps Napoleon had the idea the system of consistories and, in turn, proclamation in which he invites all to establish a national home for the various aspects of Jewish life. When the Jews of Asia and Africa to gather Jews in the Land of Israel and that the Napoleon was finally defeated, most of under his flag in order to re-establish Jews would repay the favour by serving Europe slid back into its old, antisemitic the ancient Jerusalem.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Annual Report (PDF)
    1 TABLE OF Pulling Together CONTENTS Nowhere did we see a greater display of unity coalescence than in the way AMIT pulled together President’s Message 03 during the pandemic in the early months of 2020. While this annual report will share our proud UNITY in Caring for Our accomplishments in 2019, when the health crisis Most Vulnerable Kids 04 hit, many opportunities arose for unity, which was UNITY in Educational expressed in new and unexpected ways within AMIT. Excellence 05 Since its inception 95 years ago, AMIT has faced its Academy of challenges. Through thick and thin, wars and strife, Entrepreneurship & Innovation 06 and the big hurdles of this small nation, AMIT has been steadfast in its vision and commitment to educate AMIT’s Unique children and create the next generation of strong, Evaluation & Assessment Platform 07 proud, and contributing Israeli citizens. UNITY in Leveling the That Vision Playing Field 08 Has Real Results UNITY in Zionism 09 In 2019, AMIT was voted Israel’s #1 Educational Network for the third year in a row. Our bagrut diploma UNITY in rate climbed to 86 percent, outpacing the national rate Jewish Values 10 of 70 percent. Our students brought home awards Your Impact 11 and accolades in academics, athletics, STEM-centered competitions, and more. Financials 13 And then in the early months of 2020 with the onset Dedications 15 of the pandemic, instead of constricting in fear and uncertainty, AMIT expanded in a wellspring of giving, Board of Directors 16 creativity, and optimism. Students jumped to do chesed Giving Societies 17 to help Israel’s most vulnerable citizens and pivoted to an online distance learning platform during the two months schools were closed.
    [Show full text]
  • The Spy: the Real Story of Eli Cohen - ‘Our Man in Damscus’:(Episodes 5 & 6)
    THE SPY: THE REAL STORY OF ELI COHEN - ‘OUR MAN IN DAMSCUS’:(EPISODES 5 & 6): THE TIMES OF ISRAEL: The Real Story Behind ‘The Spy, Sacha Baron Cohen’s New Netflix Series: https://www.timesofisrael.com/the-real-story-behind-the-spy-sacha- baron-cohens-new-netflix-series/ TIME: The True Story Behind The Netflix Series The Spy: https:// time.com/5669302/the-spy-netflix-true-story/ BUSTLE: 'The Spy' Cast Portrays An Exciting Mix Of Fictional & Real Life Characters: https://www.bustle.com/p/the-spy-cast-portrays-exciting- mix-of-fictional-real-life-characters-18726103 JEWISH VIRTUAL LIBRARY: Eli Cohen (1924 - 1965): https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/eli-cohen THE LIBRARIANS: How Eli Cohen, Israel’s Man In Damascus, Was Captured: https://blog.nli.org.il/en/eli-cohen/ STILL THE NEED TO SAVE FACE: FANACK.COM: Ten Factual Errors In Netflix Series On Israeli Spy Eli Cohen: https://fanack.com/factual-errors-in-netflix-series-on-israeli-spy -eli-cohen/ REDDIT.COM: Fan Blog: https://www.reddit.com/r/TheSpy/comments/ d4qkz3/loved_the_acting_and_the_cinematography_but_man/ MODERN NEWS: A WIDOW STILL MOURNS: THE TIMES OF ISRAEL: Israel Silent Amid Claims Body Of Legendary Spy Eli Cohen Exhumed In Syria: https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel- silent-amid-reports-body-of-legendary-spy-eli-cohen-exhumed-in-syria/ NEWSHUB NEW ZEALAND: Revealed: New Zealand's Link To The Mystery Of Executed Israeli Spy Eli Cohen: https://www.newshub.co.nz/ home/new-zealand/2019/11/revealed-new-zealand-s-link-to-the-mystery-of -executed-israeli-spy-eli-cohen.html i24NEWS: Report: Mossad Refused To Pay $1 Million Fee For Info On Eli Cohen's Remains: https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/ international/1574607163-report-mossad-refused-to-pay-1-million-fee-for- info-on-eli-cohen-s-remains .
    [Show full text]
  • The Spy Free
    FREE THE SPY PDF Paulo Coelho | 208 pages | 22 Nov 2016 | Cornerstone | 9781786330543 | English | London, United Kingdom The Spy (TV Mini-Series ) - IMDb The series has received "generally favorable reviews" according to Metacriticwith Baron Cohen's performance being praised. However, the series has been criticized for lapses in historical accuracy. There is no independent verification about whom Cohen met with in the Syrian elite while working undercover The Spy Buenos Aires or Damascus. The miniseries follows the exploits of Eli Cohena The Spy spy. After having befriended people who would eventually take over Syria, [9] Cohen is appointed as the country's Deputy Defense Minister and becomes a close confidant to the future president Amin al-Hafiz. The Spy show was filmed in Morocco, Hungary, and the UK. Filming was said to not be possible in Syria due to the Syrian Civil War. The site's critics consensus reads, "Though The Spy times stodgy, The Spy 's exploration of a real-life hero remains engaging thanks to a moving performance from Sacha Baron Cohen. Nick Allen of rogerebert. Allen writes, " Sacha Baron The Spy performance has been well received. Analysts have noted questions of historical accuracy of some of the events presented, as is the case with most historical dramas. According to former Syrian President Amin al-Hafizhe never met Cohen in The Spy, much less befriended him, and the office The Spy "Deputy Defense Minister" did not even exist in Syria at the time. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The Spy Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 2, March 1, Retrieved March 1, Deadline Hollywood.
    [Show full text]
  • Securing Israel – the Mossad
    Strategic Thinking in a Complex World Web: https://www.nimmonsconsulting.com Securing Israel – The Mossad Eur Ing Steve Nimmons FBCS CITP FIET CEng FRSA Nimmons Consulting, London, January 2018 Mossad is one of the world’s most famous, some may say feared intelligence agencies. As part of Israel’s intelligence community, it works alongside sister organisations such as Aman (military intelligence) and Shin Bet (Israel’s domestic security service). In the aftermath of the holocaust and World War II, the formation of the modern state of Israel in 1948 was met with immediate Arab resistance. In the War of Independence, the armies of Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq attacked the fledgling state. Israel, facing existential threat from inception had need of extensive military, security and intelligence capabilities. Protection of the homeland from volatile and hostile neighbours, hunting Nazi war criminals, protecting and gathering in the diaspora were immediate challenges. Mossad therefore had to establish itself quickly, form strategic alliances with other intelligence agencies and work to protect Israeli interests on the global stage. In so doing, it established a reputation for ingenuity, fearless commitment and ruthless execution of executive Page 1 of 19 Securing Israel – The Mossad Nimmons Consulting, London, January 2018 Eur Ing Steve Nimmons FBCS CITP FIET CEng FRSA Strategic Thinking in a Complex World Web: https://www.nimmonsconsulting.com actions. As threats to Israeli interests evolved, the Six Day War of 1967 (Oren, 2003), Yom Kippur War of 1973, Lebanese civil war, the end of the Cold War, risks of nuclear proliferation in Iraq and now Iran (Gold, 2009, pp.
    [Show full text]
  • Eli Cohen Remembered As the Spy Whose
    8 THE JEWISH LEADER, DECEMBER 30, 2016 Eli Cohen remembered as the spy whose Text and photography by Edgar Asher, Ashernet feigned himself as being somewhat in- - toxicated and at the same time provided newed interest being shown in the exploits plenty of female hostesses for his Syrian few months ago, in Israel there was re ‘friends’. All the time he was listening who had been publicly hanged by the Syr- for military information to pass on to of Eli Cohen. Eli Cohen was an Israeli spy his handlers in the Mossad. Eli Cohen A even managed to make clandestine ian regime in 1965, in Marjeh Square in the center of Damascus,A few months after he ago, had a been short caught video spyingwas seen for ofIsrael the in the period covering the previous five years. visitsDuring back one home of toEli Israel Cohen’s between visits ‘back1961 andhome’ 1965. to Syria he was invited to go on momentsseen in public following before, the showed execution the body the Israeli of Eli Cohen,spy Eli tour in the Golan Heights, which at the Cohen in Damascus. The video, never having been time was completely in control of the the place of his execution, draped with a placard Syrian regime. During these tours he stilllisting being his displayedcrimes. Around in Marjeh the Square, public hangingexecution from lo- - cation were seen on the video hundreds of Syrians The remains of the ‘Mount Nebo Terrace’ a Syrian Army officers club cations. By now Eli Cohen had become witnessing Eli Cohen’s last moments.
    [Show full text]
  • Israel Matters!Matters!
    ISRAELISRAEL MATTERS!MATTERS! Publication of the Israel Affairs Committee of Temple Beth Sholom 1809 Whitney Avenue, Hamden, CT 06517-1401 Issue Number 137 October 2019 Netflix series, “The Spy” – The Story of Eli Cohen The Streets and Avenues of Israel Sophie Ben-Dor, the daughter of Israeli spy Eli Cohen (photo), said In Hebrew, R’chov means street and Shdera means ave- “it hurt” to watch the new Netflix nue, C’vesh means road; so there is R’chov this and series about her father’s life and Shdera that, and C’vesh so and so. execution in Syria, noting some I have observed that many of the streets and avenues historical inaccuracies in the ad- and roads in Israel are often named for Biblical figures aptation but praising Sacha Baron such as King David Street, King Saul Street, Joshua Ben Cohen’s performance. Ben-Dor Nun Street and Judah Hamacabi Street. laments ‘the distance from the truth’ about her legendary agent Then of course many of the streets bear the names of father, but understands and respects the show. modern personalities from the history of Zionism and the modern State of Israel; Ben Gurion Avenue, Menachem “The Spy,” which was recently released, tells the story of Begin Road, and Jabotinsky Street. Cohen, who spied for Israel in Syria during the 1960s, pro- viding valuable intelligence that was said to have greatly It seems that every town and city has a Hertzl Street or assisted the Israeli military in the 1967 Six Day War. Weitzman Street. These heavy hitters do better than street names.
    [Show full text]
  • Suárez & Sánchez / the Levantine Review Volume 2 Number 2
    Suárez & Sánchez / The Levantine Review Volume 2 Number 2 (Winter 2013) THE CURRENT SYRIAN POPULAR VIEW OF THE JEWS Alejandra Álvarez Suárez* Francisco del Río Sánchez** Abstract The remaining small Jewish communities of Syria run the risk of disappearing completely due to the marginalization suffered as a consequence of the political situation since 1948. The Eli Cohen affair (1965,) the Six-Day War (1967,) and the Yom Kippur War (1973) made the Baathist authorities of the country consider definitively the Syrian Jews as suspected Zionists or Zionist sympathizers. Nevertheless, in Syrian popular perceptions, the view of the Jews and Judaism did not always coincide with the ideology and propaganda emanating from the regime. In fact it is very interesting to note how good memories of times past, about an erstwhile coexistence with members of the Jewish community, still survive among many Syrians, both Muslims and Christians, belonging to the so-called “urban middle class.” This paper evaluates some examples, in the forms of anecdotes, popular sayings and proverbs, dealing with the Jews, and popularized in Syrian colloquialisms, in order to reveal some of the popular views of Judaism and Jews within Syrian society. The different religious communities of Syria (Arabic tawa'if) form a mosaic so heterogeneous and diverse that, in a predominantly Muslim context, this situation can easily pass unnoticed for the Western observer. This diversity tends to get confused in the middle of a cultural context common to all members of that society, which, with some exceptions, speak the same language and share common folk, culinary and artistic traditions.
    [Show full text]
  • MIKVEH ISRAEL SHABBAT NEWS 16 Adar 5772 Shabbat Kitessa March 9-10, 2012
    MIKVEH ISRAEL SHABBAT NEWS 16 Adar 5772 Shabbat KiTessa March 9-10, 2012 Parashah: In this week's Parasha, G-d instructs Moses to take a Shabbat Services census of the people; each person 20 years old or older, should give a half-shekel offering-the proceeds to go to the service of the Tent of Candlelighting: 5:44 P.M. Friday Night Service: 5:45 P.M. Meeting. G-d appoints Betzalel and Ahaliab in charge of the Shabbat Morning Service: 9:00 A.M. Tabernacle's construction and all the implements. G-d commands once again to keep the Sabbath. G-d then gives Moses two stone tablets Shabbat Afternoon Service: 5:15 P.M. inscribed by the finger of G-d. Shabbat Ends: 6:44 P.M. When Moses does not return when expected from Mount Sinai, the FROM THE RABBI people demand of Aaron to make a god. Aaron tells them to bring golden earrings from their wives and families, which he uses to fashion By Rabbi Albert E. Gabbai a golden calf, and tells the people that the next day will be a festival In the Parashah this week, the fateful event of the Golden Calf for G-d. takes place. When Moses asked for forgiveness for the Israelites, G-d tells Moses to descend because the people have acted corruptly. he mentions the Thirteen Attributes of G-d: He threatens to destroy them and make a new nation from Moses. Moses pleads with G-d to save the people. When Moses comes down "The Lord! the Lord! a G-d compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in kindness and faithfulness, extending kindness the mountain he sees the people worshipping the golden calf.
    [Show full text]
  • 49.P R Kumaraswamy.Pdf
    OTHER A TO Z GUIDES FROM THE SCARECROW PRESS, INC. 1. The A to Z of Buddhism by Charles S. Prebish, 2001. 2. The A to Z of Catholicism by William J. Collinge, 2001. 3. The A to Z of Hinduism by Bruce M. Sullivan, 2001. 4. The A to Z of Islam by Ludwig W. Adamec, 2002. 5. The A to Z of Slavery and Abolition by Martin A. Klein, 2002. 6. Terrorism: Assassins to Zealots by Sean Kendall Anderson and Stephen Sloan, 2003. 7. The A to Z of the Korean War by Paul M. Edwards, 2005. 8. The A to Z of the Cold War by Joseph Smith and Simon Davis, 2005. 9. The A to Z of the Vietnam War by Edwin E. Moise, 2005. 10. The A to Z of Science Fiction Literature by Brian Stableford, 2005. 11. The A to Z of the Holocaust by Jack R. Fischel, 2005. 12. The A to Z of Washington, D.C. by Robert Benedetto, Jane Dono- van, and Kathleen DuVall, 2005. 13. The A to Z of Taoism by Julian F. Pas, 2006. 14. The A to Z of the Renaissance by Charles G. Nauert, 2006. 15. The A to Z of Shinto by Stuart D. B. Picken, 2006. 16. The A to Z of Byzantium by John H. Rosser, 2006. 17. The A to Z of the Civil War by Terry L. Jones, 2006. 18. The A to Z of the Friends (Quakers) by Margery Post Abbott, Mary Ellen Chijioke, Pink Dandelion, and John William Oliver Jr., 2006.
    [Show full text]
  • A CUFI Primer: Eli Cohen: Israel’S Greatest Spy
    CHRISTIANS UNITED FOR ISRAEL A CUFI Primer: Eli Cohen: Israel’s Greatest Spy Introduction From Israel’s rebirth as a modern state to the present day, enemies pledged to its destruction have surrounded the Jewish State. In the decades after Israel gained independence, Syria wreaked havoc on the lives, property and security of Israeli civilians. From their vantage point atop the Golan Heights from 1948 to 1967, Syrian troops terrorized Israelis in the upper Galilee by raining mortar shells down upon homes, farms and communities. For 19 long years, those in Israel’s northern region lived in the shadow of Syrian mortars. When the IDF captured the Golan Heights in 1967, the threat to Israeli communities was removed. Much credit for Israel’s defeat of Syria and capture of the Golan Heights must go to Eli Cohen, Israel’s greatest spy. Early Life Eliyahu Ben-Shaul Cohen, or Eli Cohen, was born in Alexandria, Egypt to a devout Jewish family in 1924. His father had emigrated to Egypt from Aleppo, Syria in 1914. From a young age, Cohen’s parents had instilled in their son the traditions of the Jewish people, Zionism, and the culture of Syria’s Jewish community from where his father originated. In 1949 when his parents and three brothers left for Israel, Cohen chose to remain in Syria to complete his degree in electronics and to play a part in Operation Goshen. As hostility increased toward Jewish communities all over the Arab world, Israel launched an operation to secretly smuggle Jews out of Egypt to be resettled in Israel.
    [Show full text]
  • Eli Cohen: Israel’S Greatest Spy
    CHRISTIANS UNITED FOR ISRAEL A CUFI PRIMER: Eli Cohen: Israel’s Greatest Spy Introduc)on Israel’s rebirth as a modern state to the present day, enemies pledged to its destruc7on have surrounded the Jewish State. In the decades a=er Israel gained independence, Syria wreaked havoc on the lives, property and security of Israeli civilians. From their vantage point atop the Golan Heights from 1948 to 1967, Syrian troops terrorized Israelis in the upper Galilee by raining mortar shells down upon homes, farms and communi7es. For 19 long years, those in Israel’s northern region lived in the shadow of Syrian mortars. When the IDF captured the Golan Heights in 1967, the threat to Israeli communi7es was removed. Much credit for Israel’s defeat of Syria and capture of the Golan Heights must go to Eli Cohen, Israel’s greatest spy. O Early Life Eliyahu Ben-Shaul Cohen, or Eli Cohen, was born in Alexandria, Egypt to a devout Jewish family in 1924. His father had emigrated to Egypt from Aleppo, Syria in 1914. From a young age, Cohen’s parents had ins7lled in their son the tradi7ons of the Jewish people, Zionism, and the culture of Syria’s Jewish community from where his father originated. In 1949 when his parents and three brothers le= for Israel, Cohen chose to remain in Syria to complete his degree in electronics and to play a part in Opera7on Goshen. As hos7lity increased toward Jewish communi7es all over the Arab world, Israel launched an opera7on to secretly smuggle Jews out of Egypt to be reseWled in Israel.
    [Show full text]
  • Sephardic Film Festival
    From The Parnas: By Mark I. Wolfson Next week begins the Congregation Mikveh Israel Sephardic Film Festival. This is our third annual event. Last year's even was much better attended than the first year, and this year we are expecting an even bigger turnout. Many thanks to Board Member and Officer Carol Marchand and Executive Director Lea Alvo-Sadiky for putting this together and working so hard to make it a success. The last film is March 20th, and at the meeting of the Board of Managers on the 21st, we will begin to plan for next year's event! I encourage everyone to come and support our film festival. There will be lots of guests from around the area, and for many of them it will be their first time at KKMI, so be sure to reach out and welcome them warmly. The last film, on March 20th, is the Impossible Spy. This is a fascinating film based on the true story of Israel's most famous and most important spy: Eli Cohen. The story is really about Israel's struggles with Syria, which up until 1967 used the Golan Heights to fire mortar shells into the Jewish settlements of the Upper Galilee below. Additionally, and just as important, the Golan, where melting snow produces a huge run-off which flows into the Sea of Galilee, provides 30% of the water used in Israel. Finally, towards the end of the Six-Day War, the Israelis captured the Golan Heights, largely because of the amazing work of Eli Cohen.
    [Show full text]