friday 25 january 2013 / 14 Shevat 5773 volume 17 - number 2 news opinion letters tapestry community columns youth sports Aviva Pelham south african sings her mother’s story. (page 10) jewish report www.sajewishreport.co.za Likud leads, but bumpy road ahead for Netanyahu BEN SALES rupled its representation from TEL AVIV three to 12 seats. Together with the Sephardic His party shrunk, his opponents Orthodox Shas party and the grew and his challengers multi- haredi Orthodox United Torah plied. Judaism, the rightwing Knesset But with the results in, it bloc will hold 62 of the Knesset’s seems Benjamin Netanyahu sur- 120 seats - a slim majority. vived the Knesset elections on That’s anything but a mandate Tuesday to serve another term for Netanyahu, who campaigned as prime minister. on the slogan: “A strong prime Netanyahu faces a bumpy road minister, a strong Israel”. ahead. His Likud party, together Instead of being able to lead a with the nationalist Yisrael new coalition with a large party Beiteinu, fell to 31 seats in the behind him, Netanyahu will voting from its current represen- have to negotiate with rivals and tation of 42. forge compromises with oppos- The biggest surprise of the ing camps. election was the ascendance Judging from the successes of of former TV personality Yair Yesh Atid, Labour and Jewish Lapid’s centrist Yesh Atid party. Home, Israelis cast a resounding Founded just a year ago, Yesh vote for progressive economic Atid won 18 seats on a platform reform and new leaders in their of national service and pro- parliament. middle class economic reform. The biggest thorn in the prime Likud’s traditional rival, the minister’s side looks to be Lapid. centre-left Labour, grew to 17 Unlike the fiscally conservative from eight seats, promoting Netanyahu, Lapid won support progressive economic policy. by calling for housing reform, And another political new- opposing tax increases for comer, Naftali Bennett, is likely the middle class and includ- to push Netanyahu to the right ing haredi yeshiva students on security issues. His Jewish in Israel’s mandatory military Home party, a successor to the conscription. Likud-Beitenu supporters cheering after hearing the results of exit polls on the Israeli elections on Tuesday. National Religious Party, quad- To page 3 (Miriam Alster/FLASH90/JTA) Abe Krok - philanthropist, busi- Brixton Jewish Cemetery finally ‘Faith and Protection’ – UNHCR SAKS: Rabbi Hertz, King James MILNER: Armstrong has fallen nessman of note, passes away being spruced up Dialogue on Challenges Bible, stilted to modern ears on his own lance “Abe was an example to businessmen Ultimately, all religious communities The phenomenon of “Bible Criticism’s”, Something about Lance Armstrong in SA regarding the sharing of his wealth and organisations must stand up and assumption that the entire canon of indicates that not being in the limelight with the less fortunate and his involve- take the lead in initiating and supporting Tanach was a human cultural construc- is a death sentence to him. 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Hashem was about to 18:15 19:32 Durban a rock and a hard place; or, to be That is, after all, the encourage- perform one of the greatest vouring”, wherein you think back 18:20 19:50 Bloemfontein 18:05 20:04 Port Elizabeth more precise, between Pharoah’s ment that they need to hear. miracles of all time, but for the over positive or significant events 18:15 19:52 East London army and the sea. They cry out to Some years ago, I did a course on Jewish people at that moment, in your life, and consider their Moshe saying: “Is it because there “defensive driving” – the essence of the fact that they were about to be significance - it’s a powerful way are no graves in Egypt that you which is to become aware of the ac- saved was a more immediate real- to integrate something into your Saturday it’s have taken us to die in the desert? tions of everyone else on the road ity than the way in which Hashem emotional reality. Moments and What is this that you have done and take precautionary measures. saved them – there was a very experiences are fleeting, and it’s ‘new year of to us to take us out of Egypt?” As an exercise, we were asked the real possibility that they would only through consciously paying (Shmot 14:11) make of our watches – and to take have missed the significance of attention and applying mindful- And Moshe’s response to them a look to confirm. Immediately the event, and remained only with ness that we will gain long-term the trees’ is: “Don’t be afraid! Stand up and after that, we were asked the time a vague impression of what had impact from them. see Hashem’s salvation that He – and none of us knew it! Although actually occurred. Just like the Jewish people at will make for you today” (Shmot every one of us had seen the time “Stand up and see!” Moshe tells the sea, we are in danger of miss- 14:13). when we looked at our watch face, them. Be aware of what is happen- ing the special moments. When This is certainly an encouraging none of us had paid it any mind, ing! Absorb the significance and you feel inspired, when you wit- response for the Jewish people, and it made no impression on us meaning of this event; it is some- ness something great, when you but seems to contain an unnec- at all. thing that you will relive through- feel Hashem’s involvement in your essary element: Why must the The Maggid of Dubno, Rabbi out your lives, and throughout life - stand up and see! Take in it, Jewish people “stand up and see”? Yaakov Kranz of 18th century Jewish history. and that moment can last forever. The crown of the eucalyptus trees, one Why doesn’t Moshe simply assure Lithuania, explained our incident There is an exercise called “sa- Have a wonderful Shabbos. of the tree types that have embraced JNF and Tu B’Shvat values for over a century. OWN CORRESPONDENT Brixton Jewish Cemetery spruced up STAFF REPORTER in controversy because it was a This Saturday is Tu B’Shvat, corre- PHOTOGRAPHS: ILAN heritage building; it did so with- sponding with 15 Shevat, celebrating OSSENDRYVER out permits from the City of Jo- the new year of the trees. In contem- hannesburg, or City Parks or the porary Israel, the day is observed by The Jewish section of the Brix- provincial heritage bodies. over a million Israelis as an ecological ton Cemetery is finally in the Grauman said fencing had awareness day and trees are planted in process of being restored and se- been erected around the Jew- celebration; for many, it has become cured. ish section of the cemetery and known as Arbour Day. Following controversy over security guards were already in A Pesach-like ceremony dating to the cemetery being allowed to place 24 hours a day. the Middle Ages, which has in kabba- fall into rack and ruin, the Chev- “A major clean-up of the area listic traditions been revived, sees the rah Kadisha says work is now is in progress and lighting will celebration of Tu B’Shvat in a feast of well underway to restore the soon be connected. In a final 10 specific fruits and four cups of wine cemetery, maintain it and in- phase, we intend to repair all in an order, with the aim of bringing crease security and lighting. broken tombstones and lay them human beings and the world, closer to This was made possible flat – a popular practice in Is- spiritual perfection. through the generosity of a ben- rael and other countries - which The name of the festival, like sev- efactor, said Tzivia Grauman, preserves ageing stones and pre- eral in the Jewish calendar, is derived head of group communications vents their disintegration,” she from its Hebrew date.