This Wednesday was a very special evening at Mill Hill Shul. We had the reunion for the first JWRP group that Mizrachi UK took to Israel in December. JWRP is the Jewish Women’s Renaissance Programme and it seeks to inspire women, with an eight-day journey through Israel. For Mizrachi it was a chance for the women to visit the headquarters of Mizrachi Olami and strengthen their connection to the land of Israel, the people of Israel and the Torah of Israel. The secret of the success of the trip was that you go with your community and your Rebbitzen and you come back with them. Therefore, on Wednesday night Barnet and HGS came along with their inspirational Rebbitzens to relive their magical week.
Later on in the evening, we were joining by Mill Hill and Borehamwood who are hoping to join us for this year’s trip in November along with Woodside Park and Hampstead Garden Suburb. Eventually we hope to spread the programme to all communities across the country. Strengthening our community’s spiritual connection to Israel is our goal.
The message here clearly is the power of Israel to inspire us. This is in stark contrast to the disgraceful Israel Apartheid Week held on most campuses which seeks to demonise Israel as a pariah state. This along with BDS is slowly being seen for what it is – anti Semitism and is the opposite of a solution in the middle east. (Please see this phenomenal clip from Rabbi Sacks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_pQfsi437A&t=3s )
One of the issues in the ongoing debates, is a failure to realise the connection of the Jewish people to Israel is not just since 1917 or 1948. The connection goes back thousands of years. In this weeks Parsha we receive the instructions for the Mishkan which eventually was housed in the Bet Hamikdash built by Shlomo Ha Melech in Jerusalem nearly 3000 years ago.
This May, we will be returning to that site, to the Kotel, for the celebrations of 50 years since the reunification of Jerusalem and the first time in 2000 years that it was under Jewish sovereignty. Please watch this clip and then go on to the website www.mizrachi.org/yy50 to book your place on this historic mission celebrating the greatest miracle in modern times. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElJ81J8TPcI
A week of contrasts – the inspiration of Jewish women coming back from Israel transformed versus the State of Israel vilified and hated. However I know the greatest way to fight the latter is more commitment, more passion and more dedication to the former.
Join me this year in Jerusalem
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Shaw