Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on October 11, 2021

MADRID (JTA) In an unprecedented effort to find their relatives and raise awareness about their stories, Spanish authorities are releasing a list of the Hungarian Jews protected from the Nazis by a diplomat nicknamed the Spanish Schindler.

ngel Sanz Briz was recognized as a Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem, the Israeli Holocaust memorial and museum, in 1966 for using an ingenious legal maneuver to save more than 5,200 Jews from being deported to Auschwitz in 1944.

But even though his efforts saved five times as many Jews as those of Oskar Schindler, his story is far less well known in part because the staunchly anti-Israel Franco regime, which ruled Spain from 1939 to 1975, barred him from accepting Yad Vashems honor.

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Now, the Centro Sefarad-Israel a Sephardic cultural institution that is part of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working to change that. With the support of the Spanish governments archives, the group is publishing the names of the people he protected, along with details about them, with the goal of tracing their descendants and making their stories known.

Between June and December 1944, Sanz Briz, then a 32-year-old Spanish diplomat stationed in Hungary, took the law into his own hands by creating fake Spanish passports for thousands of Jews. Despite the fact that Hungarys Jewish community was predominately Ashkenazi, Sanz Briz and his assistants granted Spanish citizenship to Hungarian Jews based on a long-expired 1924 Spanish law that extended citizenship to the descendants of Sephardic Jews expelled from Spain in 1492.

Sanz Briz went to extreme lengths to ensure hundreds of Hungarian families were put under Spains protection. As the Nazis closed in on the citys Jews, the Spanish diplomat rented 11 apartment buildings to house approximately 5,000 people. He placed the Spanish flag on the buildings, passing them off as official properties of the Spanish Legation, ensuring that the authorities would not seize them. He also hid some families in the Spanish embassy in Buda.

For him, the principle of humanity prevailed over the principle of legality, Miguel de Lucas, director of Centro Sefarad-Israel, told the Spanish daily El Pas in a recent interview.

The release of the documents represents a historical milestone for Spain, as it is the first time the General Archive of the Administration has made all of its diplomatic files as well as official reports about the situation of concentration camp prisoners during World War II available to the public.

In addition to the list of the Jews rescued, the General Administration Archive has made available a report written by Slovak Jews Alfred Wetzler and Rudolf Vrba, two fugitives from Auschwitz who escaped on April 7, 1944, after spending almost two years in imprisonment. The report, which was delivered to Sanz Briz and later sent to Madrid, includes a sketch of the concentration camp. It became one of the most significant pieces of evidence presented at the 1945 Nuremberg Trials.

When World War II ended, Sanz Briz resumed his diplomatic career. After leaving his post in Hungary in 1960, he was appointed ambassador to Guatemala. In 1962, he was appointed Consul General in New York. He later became Spains Ambassador to the Holy See and died on June 11, 1980, while on diplomatic duty in Rome.

Hungary, whose Jews Sanz Briz helped, has honored him before. He was awarded the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary in 1994, and in 2015, a Budapest street was renamed after him.

The Centro Sefarad-Israel has set up an email address for anyone who recognizes their name or that of a family member on Sanz Brizs lists to get in touch. PJC

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Spain seeking descendants of those saved by the 'Spanish Schindler' - thejewishchronicle.net

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Posted By admin on October 11, 2021

Even before the two of us set off on our latest trip to Poland, we discussed how we would portray our visit in our Travel Edition of The Jerusalem Post Podcast. Our biweekly show is usually fun-filled, so the thought of portraying Jewish history both glorious and tragic in our broadcast was somewhat daunting.

Our destination: southeastern Poland, close to the borders with Slovakia and Ukraine.

Most visitors to Krakw dont travel beyond the citys limits but for us it was merely the gateway to the region. Its an hour from Krakws airport to the 14th century town square of Tarnw. The town hall located at the center of the square dominates, with its bell sometimes chiming on time, if the official winder has remembered to do his job. A climb to the top rewards you with a great view of the town and particularly where its Jews once resided.

With just one exception, the houses on all four sides of the square were once inhabited by Jews. The only remaining testimony is the carved-out space in one stone doorway, where a mezuzah once sat. The town museum tells the story of Tarnw, including that of its once-large Jewish population. The main museum buildings exhibits primarily aim at schoolchildren with the message: we learn the lessons of yesterday and go forward as equals, all of us.

There are other striking remnants of Tarnws Jewish past a Jewish-style restaurant in the former mikveh building; the Bimah, a towering four-arched square that is all that remains of the main synagogue and, perhaps most poignantly, the restored Jewish cemetery, still used today. You can pick up a key to the cemetery at the tourist information center in the town square. Close to the Bimah are the offices of the Committee for Preservation of Jewish Heritage in Tarnw where you can arrange tours given by the only known Jew in the town, Magda Michal Bartosz.

A side tour to Zalipie, a 40-minute drive away takes you to a village that was once grey and in need of loving care. Around 100 years ago, the residents decided they would spruce up their hamlet. Whitewashing was followed by a splash of color and eventually vivid flowers painted on every available space. A small technicolor museum tells the story of the project.

With a much larger town square, Rzeszw also has a rich Jewish story to tell. You can see remnants of the ghetto wall and two standing synagogues. Poignant memorials dot the old town.

An important stop is the Ulma-Family Museum of Poles Who Saved Jews in World War II in Markowa, a village southeast of acut. It takes a no-holds-barred look at the Holocaust through the lens of the village: It tells of those Poles who either did nothing to save Jews or those who actively helped the Germans but its centerpiece is the story of those who paid with their lives for trying to save their Jewish neighbors.

Closer to the Ukranian border, a walk around Przemyl takes you to a castle, churches of many stripes, through a beautiful town center and to a standing but now disused synagogue. The whimsical Museum of Bells and Pipes is definitely a good way to spend an hour but be prepared for lots of steps. The view at the top is sublime.

Back in the Communist era, the Party enjoyed its stays at the Hotel Aramw. Polish Solidarity leader Lech Walesa less so. He was imprisoned there for six months. Today it is a luxury sports hotel with pretty much every amenity you could wish for in stunning scenery. Its easily accessed from Przemyl.

The Sanok Museum of Folk Architecture gives you an idea of what life was once like in this corner of the world. The team moved buildings from abandoned villages around the region and lovingly restored them in Sanok. From October, the museum will include a synagogue. Sadly, none were left intact so the team built this one based on photos. It will house a large collection of Judaica.

As we passed through town after town, we came to the understanding that their populations often included a 40%-50% Jewish minority. Sanoks was no exception.

One thing you see aplenty in this region is wooden churches. If you had time to visit just one, it should be the Assumption of Holy Mary Church in Haczw. Its the UNESCO-recognized largest wooden Gothic church in Europe and one of the oldest wooden framework churches in Poland.

This region is also known for its glass a reminder is housed at the working Glass Heritage Center in Krosno, just off yet another beautiful town square. Visitors watch the entire process with excellent guides and the ubiquitous store at the end of the tour. Kids will have fun with the magic mirrors, hands-on exhibits and an extremely clever 3-D painting they can walk on.

A great way to end a busy day is a visit to the excellent Carpathian Wine Salon in the Dwr Kombornia hotel and spa. While Polish wines are still finding their way, the cellar gives a great insight on wines of the broader region that takes in several countries. The owner and wine instructor is knowledgeable and funny with impeccable English.

Its a long drive from there to Kazimierz Dolny but worth the trip. Situated on the Vistula River, the villages hills offer panoramic views, with the castle perhaps the best vantage point. Down in the villages second square, the synagogue and kosher butchers store have been recreated. The synagogue holds a small but fascinating exhibition of pre-war life in the area. A couple of minutes away is the goldsmiths museum, which includes displays of Jewish and other religious work alongside exquisite jewelry.

If, from there, you are headed to Lublin, do stop off at Kozwka Palace, the home of the Zamoyski family (more on them in a minute). Its a large rococo and neoclassical palace complex replete with hundreds of paintings, period furniture and lovely gardens.

OUR FINAL destination was Lublin. Its castle is a good starting point for understanding the city and its environs. Its a church, castle-keep, museum, gallery combo. Allow plenty of time for a visit. The nearby old town makes for a pleasant stroll. Even if you keep kosher, its worth popping your head into the non-kosher Restaurante Judeu Mandrgora, with its traditional Ashkenazi menu. The walls are filled with images of rabbis and Jewish sayings. The piped music is distinctly hassidic and the staff costumes will take you back to shtetl days. There is one Jewish member of the family, which is committed to keeping alive Jewish culinary culture.

While in Lublin, a visit to the Yeshivat Chachmei Lublin is highly recommended. The synagogue is still operational for visiting groups and the explanatory exhibit about the former Talmudical college is small but of great interest. The yeshiva is housed in the same building as the Hotel Ilan, which has a kosher kitchen for visiting groups. The regular restaurant serves up excellent gourmet food.

On the fringes of the city and a must-see is the Open Air Village Museum. If you are Ashkenazi, it is worth the journey to see one exhibit. Based on photos and interviews with neighbors, the village has recreated the homestead of a Jewish family just like the one where your great-grandparents lived. With wonderful guides who tell the stories of this and other exhibits, you are taken back 100 years to a very different world.

After a haunting, emotional visit to Majdanek, on the edge of Lublin, our final stop was in the UNESCO World Heritage town Zamosc, built by the patriarch of the Zamoyski family, Jan. Its square was probably the most magnificent of those visited, with its Armenian influences. The walled town is easily walkable and is filled with the types of stores tourists like to browse. Zamosc boasts the only Sephardic synagogue in Poland and is a highlight in this beautifully-preserved town.

In these small towns and museums the people are remarkably friendly and open to discuss pretty-much anything. Take the time to listen to the guides and ask lots of questions and you will learn lots about Poland and its Jewish past.

The authors were guests of the Polish Tourism Organization, Maopolska Organizacja Turystyczna, Podkarpacka Regionalna Organizacja Turystyczna and the Lubelska Regionalna Organizacja Turystyczna.

You can hear their three-part Poland podcast series at:

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A travel experience to Poland is what you make of it - The Jerusalem Post

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Posted By admin on October 11, 2021

JERUSALEM, Oct 10 (Reuters) - Outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel stood on Sunday in Jerusalem with her head bowed over the buried ashes of Jews killed in Nazi death camps, and pledged Germany would preserve a post-Holocaust commitment to Israel's security.

Merkel, on her eighth and final visit to Israel as she concludes her 16-year term, earlier held talks with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, whose opposition to Palestinian statehood is at odds with Western powers including Germany.

Commenting on what Israel sees as an issue crucial to its security, Merkel said the coming weeks would be decisive for the future of a nuclear deal with Iran. read more

Germany has been a leading postwar European ally of Israel and Merkel has sought to cultivate security and economic ties, though she has differed with Israel on policies concerning the Palestinians and Iran.

"I want to use this opportunity to emphasise that the topic of Israel's security will always be of central importance and a central topic of every German government," she told Bennett at a private meeting, according to a transcript issued by his office.

Attending a later session of Bennett's cabinet, Merkel said "the history of the Shoah (Holocaust) is a singular event for which we continue to bear responsibility in every phase of history, including in the future".

At Yad Vashem, Israel's memorial to the six million Jews killed by the Nazis during World War Two, Merkel rekindled an eternal flame in its Hall of Remembrance.

She then placed a wreath on a slab under which ashes from extermination camps, death camps and other killing fields are buried, and stood in silence, her head bowed.

Speaking outside the chamber, Merkel pointed to a resurgence of Jewish life in Germany, calling it "an expression of trust (that) compels us to stand up with determination against anti-Semitism, hatred and violence every day anew".

Bennett, a nationalist who leads a cross-partisan coalition, said Merkel has served as a "moral compass" for Europeans at times divided over Middle East conflicts.

"We sometimes disagree on questions such as whether there should be a two-state solution with the Palestinians," Merkel told Bennett's cabinet. "But we agree, I think, that there must always be a vision of a lasting democratic Jewish State of Israel."

Following an inconclusive Sept. 26 election, Germany's Social Democrats are courting smaller parties to form a coalition that would replace a conservative grouping led by Merkel's Christian Democrats.

Merkel, 67, plans to step down once a new government is formed.

Additional reporting by Thomas Escritt, Dan Williams and Jeffrey Heller; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky, David Goodman and Jan Harvey

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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Posted By admin on October 11, 2021

i24 News Aliyah (Jewish immigration to Israel) increased by 31% so far this year compared to last year, with 20,360 olim (new immigrants) landing at Ben Gurion Airport to make a new life in the Jewish state, data shows.

The Ministry of Aliyah and Integration and the Jewish Agency for Israel released the report on Sunday ahead of Yom HaAliyah, or Aliyah Day, on October 13 a national holiday celebrating the contribution of Jewish immigration to Israeli society.

Israel has continued seeing a dramatic rise in Aliyah despite the Covid-19 pandemic, with the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration and the Jewish Agency ensuring that immigration continues despite the difficulty and limitations on international travel, the statement on the report said.

However, compared to the pre-Covid numbers of 2019, this year is on track for lower numbers. In 2019, there were some 33,500 olim who arrived in Israel.

According to the data, the largest source of Aliyah so far this year is from Russia (5,075), despite a 5% decrease from 2020. The second largest source is the United States (3,104), up 41% compared to the first nine months of 2020.

Immigration from France increased by 55%, with 2,819 French olim; 2,123 from Ukraine (4% increase); 780 from Belarus (69% increase); 633 from Argentina (46% increase); 490 from the United Kingdom (20% increase); 438 from Brazil (4% increase); and 373 from South Africa (56% increase).

A total of 1,589 immigrants arrived from Ethiopia compared to 285 olim the previous year, thanks to Operation Zur Israel a government initiative that facilitates Ethiopian Aliyah.

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Aliyah to Israel Up by 31% So Far in 2021 Compared to Last Year - Algemeiner

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Posted By admin on October 11, 2021

Secretary of State Antony Blinken will hold a trilateral meeting at the State Department on Wednesday with the foreign ministers of Israel and the United Arab Emirates.

Why it matters: This is the first such meeting since the signing in 2020 of the Abraham Accords, normalization agreements Israel struck with Bahrain and the UAE. It is a substantial step by the Biden administration to strengthen the treaty between the countries.

Behind the scenes: Israel's Yair Lapid and the UAE's Abdullah Bin Zayed initiated the gathering, telling Blinken they would be coming to Washington at the same time and proposing the meeting, Israeli officials told Axios.

Flashback: A similar meeting took place in secret in 2009 when the UAE's ambassador to Washington, Yousef al-Otaiba, and his Israeli counterpart, Salay Meridor, reached out together to the Obama administration to raise their concerns about Iran.

Ross was surprised by the unprecedented proposal and agreed immediately. The meeting was held in secret in al-Otaibas suite at the Four Seasons in Georgetown. This weeks trilateral meeting will be held in public and on foreign minister level.

What they are saying: Israeli officials say the meeting will focus on boosting U.S.-Israeli-Emirati cooperation on a set of issues as part of the strengthening of the Abraham Accords.

Go deeper: Israeli foreign minister heads to D.C. to coordinate on Iran

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Posted By admin on October 11, 2021

Last Tuesday, tech giant Microsoft announced massive expansion plans for its operations in Israel, doubling the number of employees over the next four years and opening new development centers in Beer Sheva and Jerusalem.

The company has set a goal of hiring 2,500 new workers over this time frame, adding to the 2,000 workers already employed by Microsoft in Israel. In fact, the plan is part of ongoing expansion efforts with the company having doubled its Israeli payroll in the past three years.

How Netanyahus Polish pandering paved the way for the restitution crisis

Microsofts plan is highly ambitious in light of the severe shortage in employees currently operating in the field. In the past decade alone, the tech giants have grown their Israeli workforces tenfold they currently employ over 6,000 employees. Microsofts plan may further harm Israeli companies ability to grow locally, since they wont be able to compete with the deep pockets of Microsoft and other behemoths. Over this period, the general rate of workers in high-tech (not limited to tech positions) grew by only 25 percent.

The multinationals take over

The past decade was not just one in which Israeli high-tech matured and managed to produce relatively large Israeli firms, but also the decade in which foreign research and development centers began to occupy a more central place on the map. In this time, the number of R&D centers grew from 150 to almost 400. True, some of these are small, but some are centers owned by major companies such as Microsoft, Intel, Apple and Amazon.

Accordingly, the rate of workers employed at foreign R&D centers, out of all workers in the field, has risen: According to Central Bureau of Statistics data processed by the Israel Innovation Authority, from 2005 to 2018 the percentage of workers employed by multinational companies rose from 7 to 19 percent.

The expansion of the tech giants should come as no surprise. In recent years, they have grown richer and more powerful, and to maintain that lead they invest even more in research and development. This process has a wide impact on the local high-tech sector as well.

For instance, when Amazon expanded its activities in Israel several years ago, voices were heard from other employers in the field that they were finding it difficult to match the e-commerce giants generous offers. This problem is present today as well and even applies to other major companies.

They also compete with each other, by the way. This can be observed in the field of microchip manufacturing, among others. At the same time, Israeli companies that held large funding rounds last year still have the ability to attract workers as well.

In fact, the major question is whether Microsoft and other giants can help enlarge the employment pie or whether they simply plan on drawing workers from other companies. Its a free market, so theres potential for positive competition over talent that will lead to rising salaries. But on the employers side, Microsofts announcement may reflect a broad trend and is therefore not necessarily an encouraging sign.

For Israeli companies to be able to develop, they need access to workers. True, they can recruit them from overseas. But for Israeli high-tech to be at its best, it is better that there be a balanced mixture of workers in foreign R&D centers and at Israeli companies, and of companies large and small. The reason for this is that foreign R&D centers are based mostly on tech workers, while Israeli companies also have marketing and sales activity, customer support, etc. A good balance between the two will allow for an increase in non-tech workers in high-tech.

I think theres a proper mix of startups and multinational companies; they receive value from working with us and with other companies, said Microsoft R&D General Manager Michal Braverman-Blumenstyk.

The mixture in Israel is very unique and everyone benefits from it. Im all for competition, she added. Its not a bad thing, and I think it keeps all of us much sharper. I agree that we have an obligation to get as many people into high-tech as possible, and were doing a lot of work to make that happen for instance, working with youth.

She said her company holds professional retraining for workers to allow them to enter the high-tech industry, though Microsoft declined to provide relevant data.

Generally speaking, large companies especially multinationals employ more inexperienced workers and workers from underrepresented communities compared to other companies. The reason is that their budgets are sufficiently large to train workers over time. At startups, money is tighter and every employee counts, so they seek more experienced workers.

It is probable that Microsoft wont be able to recruit 2,500 new workers without contributing to an expansion of the employment pie in the field, but with rapid expansion its easier to whip out the wallet and compete for seasoned workers rather than invest in training. According to the company, it will also expand through acquisitions, as has happened in the past.

A challenge and an opportunity

Microsoft Israel is voicing confidence in its ability to meet that 2,500 target. To this end, the company said it will build five new development centers. Two will be in cities where the company is already active, Herzliya and Tel Aviv. Each of those will house 1,000 new employees, which means 80 percent of the new hires will be situated in central Israel. Centers will also be established in Beer Sheva and Jerusalem. The location of the fifth center is yet to be determined.

The decision to open new R&D centers at such a rate is surprising in light of the recent switch to a hybrid work model (i.e., working both onsite and offsite), which could enable the company to employ workers in outlying areas without building large research facilities there. Microsoft has examined the effects of the hybrid work model on its workers, and the findings show that the companys employees wish to split their time between working remotely and working from the office, a company press release stated. Further, the findings show that workers ability to choose between the various options and combine them leads to greater satisfaction and organizational flexibility.

The company rightly stressed that opening centers in outlying areas increases exposure to the high-tech industry as a whole. Microsoft also noted that its presence in the these more remote areas doesnt end with employing workers, but also includes encouraging youngsters to enter the technological fields.

This is an important statement by Microsoft, especially at a time when there is widespread discussion regarding the need to open the gates of high-tech to more communities. Increasing awareness and creating role models will aid this goal.

And yet, Microsofts activity also shows the daunting challenge of expanding to outlying areas: Jerusalem, Beer Sheva and the fifth center will employ a combined total of only 500 workers. The same challenge can be seen in the companys operations in the predominantly Arab city of Nazareth, in the Galilee. The Nazareth center was established five years ago and today employs several dozen workers. Microsoft says the center has led to the employment of Arab employees in some of its other centers as well, but their numbers are modest.

The company refused to provide that data, but according to industry estimates, Microsoft employs about 100 Arab workers in Israel, or some 5 percent of its workforce in the country. This is a significant increase and a positive figure compared to the industry average, but lower than the average at multinational corporations. According to a 2018 report by the Innovation Authority and Startup Nation Central, the major companies including multinationals draw only 8 percent of their workers from the Arab community.

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Posted By admin on October 11, 2021

A good Jew doesnt pronounce Gods sacred name, the tetragrammaton, out of fear and awe. And similarly, there is a word that due to a taboo, a good Zionist refrains from uttering. He believes that Israel is a democratic country with moral legitimacy to defend itself, and that security needs are a kosher correcting fluid that whites out any injustice.

The average reader is horrified and stops reading when he encounters this word if it is referring to Israel, and believes that its attribution expresses a lie, heresy and antisemitism, and that whoever uses it is a radical leftist, an Israel-basher who hates his people and his country. The average writer, it should be admitted, also refrains from mentioning the specific word for fear that he will lose the last of his readers. And those petitioning the High Court of Justice prefer caution, arguing that wrongful discrimination exists, and for their own reasons choose not to call the facts by their hard-to-pronounce name.

How Netanyahus Polish pandering paved the way for the restitution crisis

This name was given by the international community in two international conventions, to a situation that is defined as a crime, in which in order to maintain control by a group of people of one ethnic/national origin over another ethnic/national group, the government maintains a dual system of laws in a single geographic area.

In such a system the human rights of the citizens of the reigning country are preserved, and an institutionalized regime is maintained, which includes inhumane treatment and systemic oppression of the other ethnic/national group, in a manner that undermines the basic human rights of its members. The international community called this situation apartheid.

And this is a story about a petition submitted to the High Court of Justice by six Palestinians who are residents of the area controlled by Israel, together with Yesh Din Volunteers for Human Rights, and Physicians for Human Rights, against an order regarding security directives, which according to the petition allows for entering and searching Palestinian homes without a judicial order or any external monitoring, and without clear limitations, thereby leaving an opening for arbitrary use of authority.

The petition was based on long-term documentation of entry and search methods used by the Israel Defense Forces, and of the serious collateral damage to human dignity, to peoples bodies and property, the right to privacy, individual freedom, the individuals sense of security and as a result, to the emotional health of adults and children who are present during the search, due to shock, humiliation and fear. This damage is part and parcel of the methods of searching, which is regularly done late at night by armed soldiers who wake up the entire family and threaten them.

The petitioners complained about the illegality of the order from the point of view of international and Israeli law, and the illegal discrimination that undermines basic rights, from which the population of the Palestinian area suffers compared to the Jewish residents. The High Court rejected the petition, with the explanation that this is not discrimination among equals, but rather a permitted distinction between populations that differ for reasons of state security, and because it believes that the basic rights of the Palestinians are preserved insofar as possible in the context of security needs.

I have no intention here of arguing with the courts reasons, although I am shocked by the harsh implications of the decision on the lives of human beings who have the misfortune of being Palestinians living in the territories, who are under occupation. But I do intend in this article to illuminate two statements the court made on its way to rejecting the petition.

And these are the words of Justice Yael Wilner: I didnt see fit to accept the petitioners claim regarding the disparity between the authority to search Palestinian homes in the region and the authority relating to a search based on criminal law, in the homes of Israelis living in Israel and in the region, which they claim constitutes prohibited discrimination One of the reasons for the above-mentioned disparities is the overall difference between the criminal law systems applying to those under prosecution in Israel, and to those under prosecution in the region, and this difference exceeds the bounds of the above-mentioned petition.

And Justice Uzi Vogelman added: Referring to the implications of the disparity between the authority to search the homes of Palestinian residents of the region and the authority to search the homes of Israeli citizens living in the region, we will note that as a rule the judicial regime applying to the latter differs from that applying to a resident of the region.

Regarding Israeli citizens, there is a separate stratum of legislation that includes internal Israeli legislation that was applied individually and in an exterritorial manner In light of the above-mentioned difference as a rule, and the difference between the criminal law systems that apply to those being prosecuted in Israel and those prosecuted in the region in particular, there is nothing in the existence of a different law applying to an Israeli citizen, even in the context of the search laws, that affects the legality of the law applying to a resident of the region.

Therefore, in practice the High Court of Justice in Israel provided a legal seal of approval for the existence of two separate legal systems in the same geographic area under a single government. One is privileged for the Jewish citizens of the ruling authority who live in the region (as opposed to international law), and whose human rights are protected, and the other discriminatory, oppressive and Draconian for those being ruled, residents of the region, who are identified based on a different national or ethnic affiliation.

The discriminatory disparity exists not only in the area of criminal law; it applies to all the aspects of the lives of the Palestinians living in the occupied territories, whose basic and natural human rights are denied by the occupying power in the name of the security of the State of Israel. And as could be understood from the words of Justice Vogelman if there is discrimination in one judicial sphere due to different laws that apply in the same territory to two distinct populations there is nothing to prevent discrimination in other spheres as well.

However, this discrimination, whose existence is admitted by the court, is forbidden according to humanitarian international law, which includes the laws of occupation. And therefore it cannot be classified as the legal authority of an occupier under the laws of occupation, which may have been applied, perhaps, in a disproportionate way.

That is the elephant that is in the room under the aegis of the High Court. And with the granting of a specific seal of approval by the Israeli court, the time has come to call a spade a spade: An apartheid regime is the name given in international law by the international community to a regime of the type that Israel is maintaining in the occupied territories.

The writer is the former deputy attorney general, and is a member of the public council of the New Israel Fund and of Yesh Din, and Friends of Breaking the Silence.

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Time to call a spade a spade: Israel is an apartheid regime - Haaretz

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Posted By admin on October 11, 2021

The three-week-long shortage of milk at retail points in Israel is expected to continue in the coming weeks.

When the shortage first became noticeable, the Israel Dairy Board claimed it would be over in a matter of days. When that didnt happen, dairy farms estimated that the shortage would end in early October.

How Netanyahus Polish pandering paved the way for the restitution crisis

Now it turns out that even the most pessimistic forecasts were too optimistic, and production ofprice-controlled milk in bags and cardboard boxes will only catch up with demand at the end of next week at the earliest.

Israel experiences a milk shortage every during in the late summer, around the Jewish High Holy Days, which ended about two weeks ago.

This year, the Dairy Board and milk producers claim, the shortage has been particularly severe because many sabbatical days for the holidays were on weekdays, rather than at least partially overlapping with Shabbat, when production has to stop regardless due to kosher requirements.

"Were working 24 hours a day, six days a week, producing only price-controlled products," said a senior executive at dairy giantTnuva.

As for dairy products that are not price-controlled, like low lactose or lactose-free milk, the shortage isn't expected to end before the last week of October.

Dairy producers say that another reason for the shortage is the fact that unlike previous years, many Israelis did not leave the country during the holiday season due to coronavirus restrictions on international travel, leading to greater demand in Israel.

In addition, the shortage itself also generates an increase in demand, with consumers rushing to buy more milk than usual fearing they would be left without.

According to a major wholesaler, the dairy plants "could have prepared better," arguing the reasons that led to the shortage were foreseeable.

Retailers argue the shortage supports the need to open the dairy market in Israel to imports. Who ever heard of a civilized country running short on a basic staple like milk for weeks on end? We must open the market to imports if we want to prevent the next fiasco, said Rami Levy, owner of the eponymous supermarket chain.

We need to solve this problem once and for all," said Levy. "After all, in a week there will be enough milk in the stores, and everyone will have forgotten about this, and then next August it will be hot again and the cows production will start to drop, and then the holidays will come and therell be a shortage, and theyll talk about it again rinse and repeat. Its been like this for decades."

A planned market

The reason that Levy, like other retailers, cant import milk, and on the other hand not everyone can produce milk, is because milk in Israel is a planned market, which means it operates on a quota system, with tariffs on imports left purposely high.

The Dairy Board decides the quantity of milk to be produced each year, and the agriculture minister signs a decree each December determining the amount of milk to be produced the following year. Each dairy farmer has a set quota, and the price theyll get from the dairy plants for the raw milk the target price is also preset.

The system of quotas and high tariffs has caused shortages in other dairy products as well. In 2019 butter disappeared from the shelves due to increased demand, coupled with the fact that the dairy plants didnt want to produce too much butter, because it is a price controlled product with low profit margins. At the same time, due to the high tariffs on butter, it wasnt worth anyones while to import it.

The situation changed gradually when then-Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon set a certain quota for duty-free butter imports. His successor, Yisrael Katz, decreed that the tariff on butter be removed completely, but this was done by a temporary order that will expire at the end of 2022.

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Israel's milk shortage expected to last at least another week - Haaretz

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Posted By admin on October 11, 2021

Sunday marks the first day of the academic school year, ushering in thousands of university students across Israel. It is the second year in a row operating under the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic.

Here is how Israeli universities opened the momentous day:

"The necessity of adapting quickly to the realities and challenges created by the virus required us to think creatively and respond swiftly, both at the technological and pedagogical levels," said Dr. Ayelet Ben-Ezer, the university's CEO and vice president. "This year the students will have an even richer, better, and more innovative learning experience.

Reichman is adopting a hybrid model for lecture attendance, in which, for every undergraduate program, one day a week, lectures will be held remotely, while the rest of the lectures are planned to be in person.

Hebrew University of Jerusalem drew the same conclusion, and many of its courses are implementing a joint method of some live and some remote lessons. The faculties made an effort to record the in-person lectures as well, so that they may be available to students unable to enter the campus due to COVID, isolation or lack of a Green Pass.

"The Hebrew University community is sending a warm welcome to all new and returning students, who are beginning a new academic year today!" wished the Hebrew University Facebook page.

The University of Haifa posted a joint blessing by the heads of Tel Aviv University, Hebrew University, Weizmann Institute, Technion, Bar Ilan and the Open University.

"How many presidents does it take to wish a happy new academic year?" read the tweet.

Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz visited the nursing school in Tel Aviv University (TAU) alongside Ariel Porat, TAU President, to give his blessing to the new students.

Prof. Ariel Porat joined Horowitz in welcoming the students. "The steep rise of 50% (in two years) in students in the nursing faculty of Tel Aviv University in general and in the academic track, in particular, is a badge of appreciation to the dedication of academic nurses in hospitals and clinics," said Prof. Porat.

President Isaac Herzog joined a virtual conference with Education Minister Yifat Shasha-Biton and the university and college presidents. "A very exciting day," said Herzog. "Education is the most fundamental root of a society's ability to function.

"I wish for a healthy, fruitful, continuous year," blessed the president in a tweet. "Education and employment are the two legs on which any youth can build himself a worthy, good life in the State of Israel," signed Herzog, including a picture of himself on graduation.

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First day of academic school: Israel's universities open their gates - The Jerusalem Post

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Posted By admin on October 11, 2021

In Europe, the price of natural gas and electricity has soared, and the Continent faces the threat of blackouts this winter. China is already suffering blackouts amid surging energy use and a coal shortage. The government has told factories to pay whatever it takes to buy imported liquefied natural gas and keep their production lines running. In the United States, the price of natural gas this week rose to its highest in 13 years.

In Israel, meanwhile, energy is someone elses crisis: Natural gas supplies far exceed demand, and more gas is due to come on stream next year. Prices for gas and electric power are falling. Theres no prospect of blackouts anytime soon or for prices to rise in the next two years, analysts say.

Israeli natural gas prices, which for a long time have been higher than much of the world, today stand at $4-$5 per million British thermal units a fraction of European spot prices.

The Israeli price for gas compares with the New York Mercantile Exchange price of $6.32 per MMBTU on Tuesday. In Europe, comparable prices have risen threefold over the last year, with most of the rise occurring in the last few weeks, currently standing at more than $30. For liquefied natural gas in Asia, prices are about $35.

Two months ago, the Israel Electric Corporation won a 25 percent price cut from its suppliers the companies that own and operate Israels Tamar natural gas field. Israeli consumers havent felt the direct impact of the lower natural gas prices, but they will, starting next year, after regulators set new and lower rates for electric power.

Chinas energy shortage is due to a severe demand-supply imbalance: surging industrial output as the world economy recovers from the impact of the COVID pandemic, at a time when output of the coal it needs to fire electric-power plants is failing to keep up with needs and arid weather in the south has crimped hydropower.

In turn, rising demand from Asia for imported liquefied natural gas from the U.S. has caused supplies in America to grow and prices to rise.

Europe, meanwhile, is suffering a perfect storm: A cold 2020-21 winter caused inventories of natural gas to fall, just as new supplies delivered by pipeline from Russia and Norway were disrupted. Imported liquefied natural gas could have filled the gap, except that energy-hungry Asia is aggressively competing for supplies. The same goes for coal, whose global price has soared amid Chinese demand.

Even the weather hasnt been cooperating. Europe gets about a tenth of its energy from wind in Germany and Britain, twice that but winds have been unusually calm in recent months, and on some days generated just a tiny fraction of the installed capacity. Norwegian hydropower plants have suffered the same kind of water shortage as China.

Where European utilities have been allowed to raise prices, higher gas and coal prices have led to higher electricity rates. As winter approaches and energy demand rises for home heating, Europe could face blackouts due to fuel shortages.

How did Israel emerge as an island of energy serenity in the midst of a global crisis?

The answer in short is a combination of the big natural gas reserves off of Israels Mediterranean coast which have turned the country into an energy autarky and the much-loathed natural gas framework agreement the government reached with the energy industry in 2015, plus the countrys lagging transition to renewable energy sources.

Modest renewables target

Leviathan and Tamar, Israels two big natural gas fields, have enough reserves to meet domestic needs and export the rest. Even more natural gas will be coming online next summer when the Karish field begins production. As a result, gas producers have been forced to cut prices in order to win long-term contracts from their customers the electric utilities and big industrial users.

Amit Mor, CEO of the consulting firm Eco-Energy Financial & Strategic Consulting and a senior lecturer at Herzliyas Reichman University, credits much of this to the gas framework, which was widely regarded as a sellout to the industry when it was signed. Among other things, the framework brought the Greek company Energean to Israel to develop the Karish field and push prices lower, much like Golan Telecom did for cellular telephony a decade ago.

The low gas prices that have prevailed in Israel, and the price stability and increased supply, demonstrates the success of the natural gas framework reached in 2015, Mor says.

Israel is also less dependent on solar and wind energy than Europe. Only 7 percent of local energy production last year came from alternative sources, mainly solar, and Israels future targets are modest compared to Europes: The government is aiming for just 30 percent of all energy to come from renewables by the end of the decade. Europe is targeting 40 percent.

But as Europe has discovered, renewables arent reliable energy sources. Mor says that in reaching the targets, as much emphasis will have to be put on storage technology, such as lithium batteries, as on increasing generating capacity, in order to ensure sufficient backup power.

Nevertheless, despite its gas bonanza, Israel isnt entirely shielded from global developments.

Although natural gas currently provides the great majority of electric-power generation, coal still accounts for 20 percent and coal prices are rising. The result is that when Israels Public Utility Authority for Electricity meets in December to set new rates, it will have to balance the savings from lower gas prices with the higher price of coal, Mor notes.

More critically, from Israels point of view, higher energy costs in Europe and China are likely to reach Israel in the form of higher costs for imports and perhaps slower global economic growth, says Gal Luft, co-director of the Washington-based Institute for the Analysis of Global Security. It will almost certainly be felt in our pockets, though I dont know to what extent.

An ill wind

Meanwhile, though, Israel is benefiting in a small way from higher global energy prices. Prices for the natural gas Israel exports to Egypt and Jordan are also set by long-term contracts. But unlike domestic contracts whose prices are linked to U.S. inflation or local electricity rates, its export agreements are linked to the price of Brent crude oil, whose price has been rising sharply.

Mor estimates that Egypt and Jordan are today paying between $5.50 and $6 per MMBTU for Israeli natural gas.

The global energy crisis might also benefit Israel in another way: by clearing the way for the East Mediterranean Pipeline to be developed. Israel, Greece and Cyprus are all keen to move ahead with the project, which would deliver Israeli and Cypriot natural gas to Greece for shipment onward to Europe. But the pipelines $7-billion price tag, technical challenges and government policies discouraging fossil fuels have deterred European buyers from signing onto long-term commitments to buy the gas via the proposed pipeline. Without customers, financing construction of the pipeline has been a nonstarter.

But European officials and businesses may now give the pipeline a second look, Mor predicts.

Europes need to secure natural gas resources in the next decades increases the likelihood of the East Med. pipeline materializing, he says. If so, that would bring a huge increase in Israels natural gas export potential and the development of more gas reservoirs.

Luft, on the other hand, remains skeptical about the pipeline, saying that even if Europe wants to diversify its energy imports, it can get natural gas more cheaply from the Caspian Sea and the United States, or through liquefied natural gas, and that precludes the prospects of getting it financed.

Nobody will fund it, he states. Its a nice story, but it hasnt impressed the bankers. I dont think the situation in Europe will trigger a situation where they say Lets turn to Israel. At the end of the day, the bankers must push the button.

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How and why the global energy crisis skipped Israel - Haaretz

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