Sunday, May 31, 2020

Breaking news-Grounded--no Arrivals and no departures--Airline and flight info and DC Accidentally Makes Batman Jewish and Jerusalem, The Center of the World and new race riots in America

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Yehuda Lave, Spiritual Advisor and Counselor

Yehuda Lave is an author, journalist, psychologist, rabbi, spiritual teacher, and coach, with degrees in business, psychology and Jewish Law. He works with people from all walks of life and helps them in their search for greater happiness, meaning, business advice on saving money,  and spiritual engagement. Now also a Blogger on the Times of Israel. Look for my column

Love Yehuda Lave

Jerusalem, The Center of the World

Jerusalem, The Center of the World

For the sake of Zion, I will not be silent, and for the sake of Jerusalem I will not rest until her righteousness comes out like brilliance, and her salvation burns like a torch. (Isaiah 62)

On Friday (May 22, 2020 - 28 Iyar, 5780) we celebrated Yom Yerushalayim - Jerusalem Day.

On this day we marked Israel's greatest victory in modern history.

Who would have believed our report, and to who was the arm of the Lord revealed? (Isaiah 53)

We are praising Hashem. It will be 53 years since God miraculously enabled Israel - with a population of a mere 2.5 million at the time - to survive what seemed to be close to another holocaust, as 200 million Arabs from the 6 countries surrounding us threatened to wipe us off the face of the Earth.

With the help of Hashem, in just six days we overcame all our enemies, liberated the Biblical heartland of Israel including Judea, Samaria, Golan Heights, redeemed and reunited ancient Jerusalem and the Temple Mount once again after 2,000 years of exile.

Since the Temple Mount is the place God chose as the closest place on earth to his presence - Israel's liberating the Temple Mount is a victory for all believers around the world - regardless of their nationality or religion.

Jerusalem is the foundation of faith!

We still remember with tears the recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel by the President of the USA just two years ago.

And nations shall see your righteousness, and all kings your glory, and you shall be called a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall pronounce. (Isaiah 62)

God ordained Jerusalem to be the world capital of prayer, His Word, Bible-study, and holiness.

As such - this is just as much a joyous occasion for all of humanity.

And you shall be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord and a kingly diadem in the hand of your God. (Isaiah 62)

On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen; all day and all night, they shall never be silent; those who remind the Lord, be not silent. And give Him no rest, until He establishes and until He makes Jerusalem a praise in the land. (Isaiah 62)

A world center of spiritualism, shining its light to the rest of the world, with the Mount at its center becoming a House of Prayer for ALL Nations.

 

The special holiness of Jerusalem stems from its being "the site that God will choose" (Deuteronomy 12:5), the city where God decided to establish His House, the Temple, so that His Presence should dwell there. This connection between God and the city of Jerusalem is found not just in Heavenly Jerusalem, in the spiritual part of the city, but also in earthly Jerusalem, the city as we know it.

The Holy of Holies is the center of this world. In the Holy of Holies lies the foundation stone, from which the universe was founded.

The contact between heaven and earth is expressed in its most radical form in the Temple's holiest place – the Holy of Holies. The Holy of Holies, as described by our Sages, is unlike any other space known to man. "The place of the ark and the cherubim is not included in the measured space." – the ark and cherubim occupy no space in the chamber (Bava Batra 99a). On every side, space remains as though nothing were placed in the center.

The Holy of Holies is the center of this world. In the Holy of Holies lies the foundation stone, from which the universe was founded (Yoma 54b). According to the Midrash, this site is the source of the dust from which Adam was formed (The Midrash on Psalms 92). This site may be likened to the world's "umbilical cord" – the point of connection to the Creator, the foundation and basis for all that was created in the wake of this single point. The Holy of Holies marks the central point of contact, which is ringed by the Temple Mount, the entire city, and finally all of the Land of Israel – all concentrated around the single point, around the place where the heavenly world and the earthly world touch.

There are various central places throughout the world. There is a place that is the earth's magnetic pole, and another place that is the earth's geographic pole. These places are extraordinary and are marked by unusual phenomena: The compass goes haywire, and day and night are confused. They are exceptions to geography. Jerusalem, too, is such an extraordinary place, as it is a place where this world and the supernal world intermingle.

Jerusalem lies at the margin of the material and the physical, on the edge of the nonphysical world.

Jerusalem lies at the margin of the material and the physical, on the edge of the nonphysical world. In Pirkei Avot we are told of the miracles that occurred in the Temple – the sacred flesh never spoiled; no-fly was ever seen in the slaughterhouse, and though the people stood pressed together, they bowed with ample space. We also learn of miracles that occurred in the city itself – neither serpent nor scorpion caused harm in Jerusalem, and so forth (Avot 5:5). The contact with the holy brings about a change in the laws of nature even in the outer circle of the entire city.

Our Sages call Jerusalem "the pupil of the eye" (Kings I, 9:3). In fact, the eye is the only part of the body in which the nerve is connected directly to the brain. Outside impressions perceived by other parts of the body are filtered and processed, from the outside reach inside. In other parts of the body, the impressions are filtered and processed, but in the case of the eye, they enter directly, as they are. Jerusalem is an opening of this kind, a direct passage between the earthly world and the heavenly world. It is a gateway to heaven, a passageway from the physical to the spiritual. For this reason, we pray in the direction of Jerusalem, as it says in Solomon's prayer: "And they pray to You in the direction of their land which You gave to their forefathers, the city which You have chosen, and the House which I have built to Your Name"( Kings I, 8:48). Prayers are directed toward Jerusalem, via which they ascend heavenward.

Jerusalem is an opening...a direct passage between the earthly world and the heavenly world. It is a gateway to heaven, a passageway from the physical to the spiritual.

Because the pupil forms the link between the brain and the external world; hence, it must be guarded to the utmost. Likewise, Jerusalem is the most sensitive place in the world. When someone smites Jerusalem, the eye of the universe, it is as painful and dangerous as any blow to the physical eye. More than what happens anywhere else, things that happen in Jerusalem are liable to have implications for the whole world.

The connection to the supernal worlds produces a flow of holiness through the Holy of Holies, Temple, and Temple Mount to the entire city – not just to the exalted things in the city but to all its physical parts: its houses, its stones, even its thorns, and all who dwell in it, great and small. The stones of Jerusalem are different; its thorns are all of gold.

Jerusalem is "the city perfect in beauty" – more beautiful than many cities in the world. But the city's beauty does not stem from handsome buildings or lovely external design. As a rule, the opposite is true. Jerusalem's beauty, its sun and light and other beautiful things with which it is endowed, stem from its inwardness, from its holiness. The surplus of Jerusalem's inwardness, the drops that overflow from its holiness, are what make it beautiful and give it grace.

When something is truly beautiful; its flaws do not detract from its great beauty; on the contrary, they give it added grace.

It does not matter whether the architecture of Jerusalem is extraordinarily beautiful or not. When one looks at the city as a whole, there is nothing more beautiful than it. When something is truly beautiful; its flaws do not detract from its great beauty; on the contrary, they give it added grace. Thus, even the things that are not beautiful about it join in forming Jerusalem; every part, every corner, and every crumb are there in order to add beauty.

The importance of Jerusalem Day far exceeds the commemoration of the day on which the city was liberated from foreign rule. This day's eminence is found in that it is celebrated in honor of this unique city, "a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys" (Song of Songs 2:1). It is a day that does not relate specifically to the destruction or rebuilding of Jerusalem, to its distress, or to its beauty. Rather, it is a day of thanksgiving and joy over the city's very existence, joy over the fact we have merited to have in our

The Prophet Isaiah prophesied: "Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her, all you who love her! Join in her jubilation, all you who mourned over her" (Isaiah 66:10). One should mourn over Jerusalem, but one should also be among those who love her. One should love not only her holy places but also the city in its own right, One must love Jerusalem not just because it is home, but because there is no other place like it. For all these reasons, we hold a celebration, in honor of Jerusalem – earthly Jerusalem and Heavenly Jerusalem. 

Grounded--no Arrivals and no departures--watch the demo

https://www.haaretz.com/st/c/static/eng/2020/flights-project/?utm_source=smartfocus&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter-haaretz&utm_content=https://www.haaretz.com/st/c/static/eng/2020/flights-project/

 

G r o u n d e d
N o A r r i v a l s
N o D e p a r t u r e sBy Moshe Gilad | 25.5.2020 |

Some things you have to see to believe. The flight timetable at Israel's Ben-Gurion International Airport is one of them. Air traffic in Israel and abroad has almost completely halted in the past two months. To some, the deep rumbling of a jet engine passing above the roofs of the city may suddenly sound like Leonard Cohen singing "Hallelujah."

Israel has extended their ban on foreigners and mandatory quarantine for returning citizens through at least 6/15

Updated With Extended Foreigners Ban And Cancellations] Roundup Of Airlines Cancelling Service To/From Israel Due To Coronavirus, And When Service Is Scheduled To Restart By Dan - May 20, 2020

Update, 5/20: Israel has extended their ban on foreigners and mandatory quarantine for returning citizens through at least 6/15. Returning residents can apply for permission to enter through their local consulate/embassy and returning students can apply for permission to enter trough their schools. Updated airline cancellations can be found below and expect more airlines to update their cancellations shortly. El Al has stopped selling flights through 6/30.

Update, 5/5: El Al has stopped selling flights through 6/27.

Update, 5/3: United has cancelled their afternoon flight UA84/85 between Newark and Tel Aviv through October 23. They also cancelled all flights between San Francisco and Tel Aviv through July 5 and cancelled all flights between Washington DC and Tel Aviv through October 25. 

Update, 4/28: El Al has stopped selling flights through 5/30.

Originally posted on 3/11:

With Israel closing their borders to foreign nationals, many airlines are reducing or cancelling service.

This situation is highly fluid and this post will be updated as more information is released. If you are booked on a flight that is cancelled, be sure to call your booking airline or agent for reaccommodation or refund. Click here for the master post on Coronavirus fee waivers.

Israeli law requires that airlines issue refunds for cancelled flights, but airlines now have 90 days to provide a refund.

Cancelled or significantly delayed flights to or from the US must be refunded in a timely manner.

Here is a roundup of apparent cancellations from many of the airlines serving Tel Aviv, based on which flights they are currently selling:

  • Aegean: All flights to/from Israel are cancelled through Jnue 10
  • Aeroflot: All flights to/from Israel are cancelled through July 31
  • Air Canada: All flights to Israel are cancelled through June 1. Reduced service through June 22.
  • Air France: All flights to/from Israel are cancelled through June 30
  • Air Serbia: All flights to Israel are cancelled through June 16
  • Alitalia: All flights to/from Israel are cancelled through June 30
  • Arkia: All international flights to/from Israel are cancelled through June 30
  • Austrian: All flights to/from Israel are cancelled through June 7
  • British Airways: All flights to/from Israel are cancelled through May 31.  Reduced service through June 30.
  • Brussels: All flights to/from Israel are cancelled through June 17. Reduced service through September 1.
  • Cathay Pacific: All flights to/from Israel are cancelled through June 30
  • Delta: All flights to Israel are cancelled through June 2. Reduced service through June 30.
  • El Al:
    • Flights between JFK and Tel Aviv are cancelled through June 30
    • Flights between Newark and Tel Aviv are cancelled through June 30
    • Flights between Paris and Tel Aviv are cancelled through June 30
    • Flights between London/LHR and Tel Aviv are cancelled through June 30
    • Flights between Johannesburg and Tel Aviv are cancelled through June 30
    • Flights between Toronto and Tel Aviv are cancelled through June 30
    • Flights between Boston and Tel Aviv are cancelled through June 30
    • Flights between Las Vegas and Tel Aviv are cancelled through June 30
    • Flights between Los Angeles and Tel Aviv are cancelled through June 30
    • Flights between Miami and Tel Aviv are cancelled through June 30
    • Flights between San Francisco and Tel Aviv are cancelled through June 30
    • Flights between Amsterdam and Tel Aviv are cancelled through June 30
    • Flights between Athens and Tel Aviv are cancelled through June 30
    • Flights between Barcelona and Tel Aviv are cancelled through June 30
    • Flights between Brussels and Tel Aviv are cancelled through June 30
    • Flights between Frankfurt and Tel Aviv are cancelled through June 30
    • Flights between Geneva and Tel Aviv are cancelled through June 30
    • Flights between Madrid and Tel Aviv are cancelled through June 30
    • Flights between Milan and Tel Aviv are cancelled through June 30
    • Flights between Moscow and Tel Aviv are cancelled through June 30
    • Flights between Munich and Tel Aviv are cancelled through June 30
    • Flights between Rome and Tel Aviv are cancelled through June 30
    • Flights between Prague and Tel Aviv are cancelled through June 30
    • Flights between Vienna and Tel Aviv are cancelled through June 30
    • Flights between Zurich and Tel Aviv are cancelled through June 30
    • Flights between Beijing and Tel Aviv are cancelled through June 30
    • Flights between Bangkok and Tel Aviv are cancelled through June 30
    • Flights between Hong Kong and Tel Aviv are cancelled through June 30
    • Service launch between Chicago and Tel Aviv will be delayed until 7/2
    • Service launch between Tokyo and Tel Aviv will be delayed until 8/29
  • Easyjet: All flights are cancelled through June 30.
  • Ethiopian: Twice daily flights between Addis Ababa and Tel Aviv are being reduced to 3 weekly flights through May 31.
  • Finnair: All flights to/from Israel are cancelled through June 30.
  • Iberia: All flights to/from Israel are cancelled through June 30.
  • KLM: All flights to/from Israel are cancelled through July 3.
  • Korean: All flights to/from Israel are cancelled through August 31
  • LATAM: All flights to/from Israel are cancelled through July 31
  • LOT: All flights to/from Israel are cancelled through June 15
  • Lufthansa: All flights to/from Israel are cancelled through June 1. Reduced service through June 30.
  • Norwegian: All flights cancelled through June 30
  • Royal Jordanian: All flights cancelled through June 30
  • Swiss: All flights to/from Israel are cancelled through June 30
  • TAP Portugal: All flights to/from Israel are cancelled through July 31
  • Turkish: All flights to/from cancelled through May 31
  • Ukraine: All flights cancelled through June 30
  • United: 
    • United will continue to operate evening Flight UA90/UA91 daily between Newark and Tel Aviv, with schedule modifications.
    • United is cancelling flights between Washington Dulles and Tel Aviv through October 24.
    • United is cancelling flights between San Francisco and Tel Aviv through July 5.
    • United is cancelling afternoon flight UA84/UA85 between Newark and Tel Aviv through October 23.
  • Virgin Atlantic: All flights to/from Israel are cancelled through June 30.
  • Wizz Air: As of 5/3, fights are operating on a reduced scheduled between London/LTN and Tel Aviv. Daily flights resume June 7.

 

Israel's tourist industry hopes for border relaxation in July

  25 May, 2020 18:26 Michal Raz-Chaimovich In the first stage, international travel will likely be permitted through bilateral agreements with countries like Cyprus, where Covid-19 morbidity was low.

 

 

Israel's aviation and tourism sector is ready to go as the coronavirus fades but is plagued by uncertainty. There is little to discuss regarding international tourism (Israelis traveling abroad and foreigners coming into Israel) while the Ministry of Health sticks to its ban on non-Israeli passport holders coming into the country and insisting on Israelis returning from abroad going into 14-days self-isolations.

The regulations are in force until June 15 and sources believe they will be extended at least into early July with in the first stage international travel being permitted between Israel and a list of selected countries where Covid-19 morbidity was low.

This 'green list' is likely to include Israel's neighbors Greece and Cyprus as well as Slovenia, Montenegro, Serbia and the Seychelles among others. Countries on the 'green' list will only include places that still bar tourists from 'red' countries like the US, to reduce the danger of Israeli tourists being infected while abroad.

Bilateral agreements with these countries may not do much in terms of bringing foreign tourists to Israel but it will offer Israelis an opportunity to vacation abroad, likely from about July 9, when the extended school year is expected to end.

Cyprus already announced unilaterally last week that it was opening its borders to Israelis.

Whatever happens Ben Gurion airport is already getting ready with stricter safety and security measures. Travelers will be required to reach the airport four hours before their flights and will not even be admitted to the airport terminal, where temperatures will be taken, let alone board a flight, if they have a fever. Lines for security checks will be well spaced out and passengers must wear masks at all times. Services on aircraft will be minimal.

El Al Israel Airlines Ltd. (TASE: ELAL) has no plans to fly before the end of June and the only airline to have resumed flights to Israel is Wizz Air. The low cost Hungarian airline is currently operating scheduled flights between Tel Aviv and London, Sofia and Budapest.

ISSTA Lines (TASE: ISTA) and Fattal Holdings (1998) Ltd. (TASE:FTAL) are already offering packages for the hotels they own in Paphos, Cyprus starting July 1 dependent on the Ministry of Health relaxing compulsory self-isolation on return and with cancellation options until a few days before the vacation.

Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on May 25, 2020

DC Accidentally Makes Batman Jewish

Since Batman's introduction in Detective Comics #27 in May 1939, his alter ego Bruce Wayne has been depicted as ethnically and culturally white. As public perception of the character has changed over the years, his privilege as a white male in the 1 percent has become a point of criticism. Bruce Wayne is rich enough to dress up as a bat and run around Gotham beating up criminals and get away with it. However, although Bruc is definitely the poster boy for privilege, he's not conventionally white: He's Jewish.

This wasn't always a part of his background, but rather was an unintended retcon that came with the introduction of the new Batwoman in 2006. This iteration is Kate Kane, socialite, soldier, and also Bruce's cousin. They are related through her father, Jacob Kane, the brother of Martha Wayne. Before marrying Thomas Wayne, her maiden name was established as Kane as a nod to Batman co-creator Bob Kane.

                 Full Story (Israellycool)

6-year-old discovers 3,500-year-old Canaanite tablet on a hike

6-year-old discovers 3,500-year-old Canaanite tablet on a hike

A family outing near the Gaza border became a treasure hunt when a priceless tiny Canaanite clay impression caught the eye of Imri Elya, depicting a victor holding his foe as a prisoner; he has since received a certificate of good citizenshipi24NEWS | Published: 05.26.20 , 08:28 A six-year-old boy made the discovery of a lifetime after unearthing a rare artifact thought to be more than 3,500 years old, in southern Israel. 

  •  

Last March, while touring the northern Negev archaeological site of Kibbutz Re'im in Tel Jemmeh, Imri Elya stumbled upon a small, square clay object with two figures engraved on it.The tablet (Photo: Israel Antiquities Authority )Curious about the small discovery, Elya's parents decided to send it to the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) and the National Treasures Department to get more answers. AdvertisementAfter examining the artifact, archaeologists were surprised to find out it was a unique and rare find that had not been uncovered until today in any other archaeological excavations in Israel.Elya received a certificate of good citizenship as a result of his discovery. Imri Elya with his good citizenship certificate and the tablet (Photo: Israel Antiquities Authority )According to the IAA, the object is a clay tablet depicting a captor leading a naked and humiliated prisoner, dated to the Late Bronze Age between the 12th and 15th centuries BCE.Archaeologists note that during this period, the Egyptian Empire ruled Canaan. The latter was divided into "city-states" ruled by local kings. From letters sent by Canaanite kings of that period to Egypt (known as the El Amarna letters), it is known that internal struggles and control conflicts existed between Canaanite cities.Tel Jemmeh (Photo: Vladik Lipshitz )Advertisement"The scene depicted on the tablet is taken from descriptions of victory parades; hence the tablet should be identified as a story depicting the ruler's power over his enemies," said the researches. "This opens a visual window to understanding the struggle for dominance in the south of the country during the Canaanite period," the IAA added in a statement. "Antiquities are our cultural heritage, and each find adds to the entire puzzle of the story of the Land," said Pablo Betzer, an archaeologist from the Southern District of the Israel Antiquities Authority."There is great importance in turning archaeological findings over to the National Treasures Department to be researched and displayed for the entire public to enjoy. The delivery of the tablet to the Antiquities Authority indicates value education and good citizenship on the part of Imri and his parents."

 

See you tomorrow bli neder We need Mosiach now!

Love Yehuda Lave

Rabbi Yehuda Lave

PO Box 7335, Rehavia Jerusalem 9107202

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Thursday, May 28, 2020

Shavuot, the holiday celebrating the receiving of the Torah starts tonight, and One-Quarter of American Restaurants Won’t Reopen, Open Table Magazine Says, and Katherine Hepburn quotes and puns and Jerusalem Smart3D System by Simplex Mapping Solutions

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Yehuda Lave, Spiritual Advisor and Counselor

Yehuda Lave is an author, journalist, psychologist, rabbi, spiritual teacher, and coach, with degrees in business, psychology and Jewish Law. He works with people from all walks of life and helps them in their search for greater happiness, meaning, business advice on saving money,  and spiritual engagement. Now also a Blogger on the Times of Israel. Look for my column

Love Yehuda Lave

Shavuot the Receiving of the Torah

  Shavuot the Receiving of the Torah                             

Shavuot is a one-day holiday (two in the Diaspora) with many names, dozens of traditions, and recipes galore. It celebrates the Giving of the Torah in the Desert in 1312 BCE.

The hype surrounding the holiday in Israel — agricultural festivals at kibbutz and moshav communities, special lectures at synagogues and community centers, sales on everything white at shopping malls, cheaper dairy products at the supermarket, school plays, and child-oriented festivals — make it seem as though Shavuot is a much longer holiday.

On Rosh Chodesh Sivan, the first day of the third month after the exodus from Egypt, the children of Israel reached the desert of Sinai and camped near the mountain. During the few weeks of traveling in the desert under Divine protection, with daily miracles, such as the manna and the birds, the miraculous sweetening of the water, the defeat of Amalek, and the crossing of the Red Sea, the Jewish people had become more and more conscious of G‑d. Their faith grew more intense daily, until they attained a standard of holiness, solidarity, and unity, never achieved before or after by any other nation.

Moses returned from Sinai and called for the elders of the people and put all these words of G‑d before them. Unanimously, with one voice and one mind, the people answered: Naaseh Venishma - "Everything G‑d has said, we will do." Thus they accepted the Torah outright, with all its precepts, not even asking for a detailed enumeration of the obligations and duties it involved. When Israel had voiced its eagerness to receive the Torah, G‑d spoke to Moses again (Exodus: 20:17): "Go to the people and prepare them today and tomorrow, and they shall wash their garments. And they shall be prepared for the third day, for on the third day, the L-rd will descend before the eyes of all the people upon Mount Sinai. And you shall set boundaries for the people around, saying, Beware of ascending the mountain or touching its edge; whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death.' No hand shall touch it, for he shall be stoned or cast down; whether man or beast, he shall not live. When the ram's horn sounds a long, drawn-out blast, they may ascend the mountain."

Here are facts you may not have known about the holiday:

  1. Shavuot, which means "Festival of Weeks,"  There are four names for the holiday. It also goes by Harvest Festival (Chag HaKatzir), Day of the First Fruits (Yom Habikurim), The Stoppage/Restrain (Atzeret – a reference the sages use to highlight the prohibition against work on this day), and Time of the Giving of the Torah (Z'man Matan Torah).
  2. Shavuot commemorates the day when the Israelites received the Torah during their desert wanderings  3,332 years ago and is the only Jewish holiday mentioned in the Torah without a specific calendar date. Rather, it is to be celebrated 50 days after the second day of Passover. The rabbis say that Passover and Shavuot are really one holiday – the Exodus from Egypt was only complete with the giving of the Torah. This is why we count 50 days of the Omer from Passover to Shavuot.
  3. Shavuot is the only Jewish holiday with a dairy menu. The Bible refers to Israel as "the land of milk and honey," and Shavuot puts Israel's world-famous dairies in the spotlight.

The Torah that Moses brought to the Israelites included the commandment to keep kosher. It was much easier to celebrate the receiving of the law with a dairy smorgasbord than to immediately set into motion kosher slaughtering techniques. Moreover, the gematria (numerical value) of the word chalav (milk) is 40, the number of days Moses spent on Mount Sinai receiving the Torah.

Israel boasts more than 1,000 locally made dairy products.            

  1. In Israel, you know Shavuot is coming when you pick up your newspaper, and recipe booklets drop out. About three weeks prior to the actual date, Israeli newspapers come replete with brand-sponsored recipe booklets and pamphlets promising the "easiest cheesecake" and "fastest blintzes" 
  2. Shavuot is "the" holiday for the farming communities of Israel to show off their agricultural prowess. The symbols of the holiday are the seven species with which the Land of Israel is blessed — wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates.

Tradition holds that in ancient times, Shavuot was the day to bring offerings to the Holy Temple from the first fruits of the harvest and the first animals born to the flocks.

  1. Staying awake all night is not just for teenagers. For centuries, it has been customary to study through the night as payback for the Israelites' error in oversleeping in the morning they were supposed to receive the Torah. This year nearly all of the learning marathons were canceled as the synagogues were closed. There will be zoom sessions on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights before Shavout instead.

Tikkun Leil Shavuot, or the "Repair of Shavuot Night," draws people from all denominations to synagogues, community centers, theaters, and schools for white-night group learning sessions. Most people come decked out in white (the color of purity). And while top rabbis and Torah scholars may have started the custom, today you can find speakers from all walks of life – singers, actors, professors, writers, spiritual guides, entrepreneurs – presenting lectures on this night.

Whether it is because of this custom or just because Israelis love to celebrate festivals, the days around Shavuot offer a dazzling array of child-oriented events, happenings, and fairs.

 

Ideas, that help explain how the world works

I changed my iPod's name to Titanic. It's syncing now.
 
England has no kidney bank, but it does have a Liverpool.
 
Haunted French pancakes give me the crepes.
 
This girl today said she recognized me from the Vegetarians Club, but I'd swear I've never met herbivore.

You can tune a piano, but you can't tuna fish
 
I know a guy who's addicted to drinking brake fluid, but he says he can stop any time.
 
I got some batteries that were given out free of charge.

To write with a broken pencil is pointless
 
A dentist and a manicurist married. They fought tooth and nail.
 
A will is a dead giveaway.
 
Police were summoned to a daycare center where a three-year-old was resisting a rest.
 
Did you hear about the fellow whose entire left side was cut off? He's all right now.
 
A bicycle can't stand alone; it's just two tired.
 
A thief who stole a calendar got twelve months.
 
The guy who fell onto an upholstery machine last week is now fully recovered.
 
He had a photographic memory, but it was never fully developed.
 
When she saw her first strands of gray hair, she thought she'd dye.
 
Acupuncture is a jab well done. That is the point of it.
 
I did not like my beard at first. Then it grew on me.
 
Did you hear about the crossed-eyed teacher who lost her job because she couldn't control her pupils?
 
When you get a bladder infection, urine trouble.
 
I stayed up all night to see where the sun went, and then it dawned on me.
 
I'm reading a book about anti-gravity. I just cannot put it down.

Surgeon General Doubles Down: Masks Increase Virus Risk

Surgeon General Doubles Down: Masks Increase Virus Risk U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams speaks to members of the press on the White House ground March 20, 2020 in Washington, D.C. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

By Sandy Fitzgerald    |   Tuesday, 31 March 2020 08:48 AM

Masks also can give the wearer a "false sense of security" and can encourage people to be too close to each other, said Adams, and further, there are still mask shortages nationwide.

People who are sick should wear masks, said Adams, but acknowledged that if healthy people feel better by wearing a mask, "by all means, wear it" but they should not touch their faces.

He also insisted the general public should not wear medical-style N95 masks, because they must be fitted properly to avoid infection.

"There may be a day where we change our recommendation, particularly for areas that have large spread going on, about wearing cotton masks but again the data is not there yet," said Adams.

Surgeon General Jerome Adams Tuesday doubled down on his advice against healthy people wearing face masks to protect themselves from coronavirus, saying that wearing one improperly can "actually increase your risk" of getting the disease. 

"What the World Health Organization and the CDC have reaffirmed in the last few days is that they do not recommend the general public wear masks," Adams told Fox News' "Fox and Friends." "There was a study in 2015 looking at medical students. And medical students wearing surgical masks touch their faces on average 23 times. We know a major way that you can get respiratory diseases like coronavirus is by touching a surface and then touching your face."

One-Quarter of American Restaurants Won't Reopen, OpenTable Says

By Edward Ludlow May 14, 2020, 9:17 PM GMT+3

  • Nationwide reservations still down 95% from a year ago
  • Arizona, Texas cities gain most after coronavirus shutdowns

    One in every four U.S. restaurants will go out of business due to the coronavirus quarantines that have battered the food-service industry, according to a forecast by OpenTable.

    The bleak projection underscores the widespread pain for American restaurants as lockdowns have forced people to cook at home or order takeout rather than eat out. Total reservations and walk-in customers from OpenTable's network were down 95% on May 13 from the same day a year ago, according to data from the service, which is owned by Booking Holdings Inc.

    This has been calamitous for the industry. Restaurants lost more than $30 billion in sales during March and $50 billion in April, according to National Restaurant Association estimates. In 2019, U.S. Bureau of Labor data showed 9.6 million Americans working in food service.

    OpenTable, which provides services for almost 60,000 restaurants, surveys about 20,000 of them for online and phone reservations as well as walk-in customers. Take-out and deliveries are excluded from the data.

    The company's data shows that there are growing signs that patrons are willing to dine out again in states like Arizona and Texas where it's allowed, though the numbers are still far below where they were last year.

    Scottsdale showed the greatest improvement. It had zero reservations almost every day since March 21, but on May 13 this eased to a down 72% from reservations on the same day in 2019. The next most significant recoveries were in Houston and Phoenix.

    Changes in reservations, by cities

    While it was Arizona and Texas cities that improved the most, Florida showed the most statewide gain, reporting restaurant foot traffic down 83% year-on-year. Florida began a phased reopening May 4, with restaurants allowed to operate at one-quarter capacity.

    Changes in reservations, by states

    Indiana started the second phase of reopening its economy on May 4, allowing restaurants to operate at 50% of capacity. It is targeting a full reopening by July 4. Tennessee also allows restaurants to operate at half their normal capacity.

    Even where they're allowed to reopen, some restaurants have not done so.

    "Restaurants are complicated beasts," Steve Hafner, chief executive officer of Booking Holdings' OpenTable and Kayak, said in an interview. "You have to order food and supplies. You have to make sure you've prepped the kitchen and service areas to be easily disinfected."

    Hafner also cited state unemployment benefits and federal supplements as to why it's been hard to hire help in an industry that relies on hourly workers making tips. "A lot of people are making $1,200 a week doing nothing. That's good pay," he said.

    To help, OpenTable has waived fees and subscription costs for restaurants that list on its platform. On Thursday, it also opened up use of the site to bars and wineries that need to comply with capacity controls and distancing rules.

A Mother's Approval

 

A young Jewish man excitedly tells his mother he's fallen in love and that he is going to get married. He says, "Just for fun, Ma, I'm going to bring over three women and you try and guess which one I'm going to marry."

The mother agrees.

The next day, he brings three beautiful women into the house and sits them down on the couch and they chat for a while. He then says, "Okay, Ma, guess which one I'm going to marry."

She immediately replies, "The one on the right."

"That's amazing, Ma. You're right. How did you know?

"I don't like her."

Katharine Hepburn

Katharine Houghton Hepburn was an American actress who was a leading lady in Hollywood for more than 60 years. She appeared in a range of genres, from screwball comedy to literary drama, and she received a record (for any gender) four Academy Awards for Lead Acting Performances, plus eight further nominations.

In 1999, Hepburn was named by the American Film Institute the greatest female star of Classic Hollywood Cinema. She was known for her fierce independence and spirited personality.

Katharine Hepburn/Quotes

If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun. If you always do what interests you, at least one person is pleased.

Life is hard. After all, it kills you.

Enemies are so stimulating.

Plain women know more about men than beautiful women do.

Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get - only with what you are expecting to give - which is everything.

Only the really plain people know about love - the very fascinating ones try so hard to create an impression that they soon exhaust their talents.

Acting is the most minor of gifts and not a very high-class way to earn a living. After all, Shirley Temple could do it at the age of four.

It's life isn't it? You plow ahead and make a hit. And you plow on and someone passes you. Then someone passes them. Time levels. What you see before you, my friend, is the result of a lifetime of chocolate.

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See you on Sunday bli neder. First is Shavout on Friday and then Shabbat

We need Moshiach now!!

 

Love Yehuda Lave

Rabbi Yehuda Lave

PO Box 7335, Rehavia Jerusalem 9107202

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