Israeli passport? Saudi Arabia welcomes you and Tel Gezer and Khirbet Kayafa 060122 and Ancient Bronze Age city reemerges from Iraq river after extreme drought and DON'T BE SO HUMBLE by Rabbi Kahane and President of Israel Presents the 2022 'Jewish Nobel Prize' to Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla in Jerusalem

View in browser 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. Love Yehuda Lave Join my blog by sending me an email to YehudaLave@gmail.com The Three Musketeers at the Kotel The Three are Rabbi Yehuda Glick, famous temple mount activist, and former Israel Mk, and then Robert Weinger, the world's greatest shofar blower and seller of Shofars, and myself after we had gone to the 12 gates of the Temple Mount in 2020 to blow the shofar to ask G-d to heal the world from the Pandemic. It was a highlight to my experience in living in Israel and I put it on my blog each day to remember. The articles that I include each day are those that I find interesting, so I feel you will find them interesting as well. I don't always agree with all the points of each article but found them interesting or important to share with you, my readers, and friends. It is cathartic for me to share my thoughts and frustrations with you about life in general and in Israel. As a Rabbi, I try to teach and share the Torah of the G-d of Israel as a modern Orthodox Rabbi. I never intend to offend anyone but sometimes people are offended and I apologize in advance for any mistakes. The most important psychological principle I have learned is that once someone's mind is made up, they don't want to be bothered with the facts, so, like Rabbi Akiva, I drip water (Torah is compared to water) on their made-up minds and hope that some of what I have share sinks in. Love Rabbi Yehuda Lave. K A H A N E" The magazine of the authentic Jewish Idea Shavuot Dvar Torah – May 1977 DON'T BE SO HUMBLE We are told that when the L-rd desired to give the Torah to the Jewish people, instead of choosing a lofty and majestic mountain, He selected Sinai, a small, humble little mount barely more than a hill. His purpose in this symbolic act was to teach us that man must turn his back on overbearing pride and reject a false ego. The Gerer Rebbe asked: If G-d intended to teach us that man must turn down false pride, why was the Torah not given in a valley? The Rebbe answered: It is not enough, he said, to reject overbearing pride. Too much humility is also wrong. Man should- man must- possess some pride in his being; otherwise he is not a man. I never cease to be amazed that we continue to be valleys. I never cease wondering at our choosing the way of the meek. One would imagine that after all the "help" we have failed to receive, we would remember the lesson of the mountain. The fact is that we are living in sad times when we must- just for the moment- still the voice of Jacob and, for the sake of Jewish honor, of Jewish protection, don the hand of Esav. Vandals attack a yeshiva- let that yeshiva attack the vandals. Should a gang bloody a Jew, let a Jewish group go looking for the gang. This is the way of pride- not evil pride, but the pride of nation, of kinship- the pride of the mountain. There are those who will protest: This is not the Jewish way. And yet, since when has it been a mitzvah to be punished and beaten? Since when is it a Kiddush Hashem to be spat upon? It is not a Kiddush Hashem, it is quite THE OPPOSITE. It is a disgrace to the pride of our people, our G-d. More important, there is a rule in the hoodlum jungle: The more the victim backs away, the more the hoodlum moves forward. So up from the valley and up to the Mount. Jewish rights are not cheap and Jewish defense is not wrong. This is the lesson of the Mount Shabbat Shalom Shavuot Tov President of Israel Presents the 2022 'Jewish Nobel Prize' to Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla in Jerusalem Bourla donates $1 million award towards construction of Holocaust Museum of Greece in Thessaloniki to commemorate Greek-Jewish communities wiped out by the Nazis. By JERUSALEM POST STAFF President of Israel Isaac Herzog presented the Genesis Prizeto Dr. Albert Bourla at a ceremony in Jerusalem on Wednesday evening. The gala event brought together hundreds of dignitaries from Israel, including government ministers, heads of business and philanthropic organizations, prominent representatives of the Jewish Diaspora and leading members of the global medical community. The annual $1 million Genesis Prize, dubbed the "Jewish Nobel" by TIME magazine, honors extraordinary individuals for their outstanding professional achievement, contribution to humanity, commitment to Jewish values and the State of Israel. To save a human life is a fundamental Jewish value. Today we honor Dr. Bourla – a living embodiment of this ancient Jewish principle. Founder and Chairman of The Genesis Prize Foundation, Stan Polovets Dr. Albert Bourla was announced as the 9th Genesis Prize Laureate in January 2022 for his leadership in delivering a vaccine against COVID-19, which saved millions of lives during the pandemic. In addition to honoring the vast humanitarian impact of Dr. Bourla's leadership, the award also celebrates his pride in his Jewish identity and heritage, and his strong support for the State of Israel. President Isaac Herzog said: "Albert Bourla was not deterred by high stakes, by naysayers, by conspiracy or by politics. He believed in the vaccine, and invested every ounce of himself in realizing what seemed at the time a far-fetched fantasy. The vaccine was developed in record speed, utilizing the technology of tomorrow to successfully hold back a devastating pandemic. A study published by The Lancet just days ago, points to nearly 20 million lives saved by COVID vaccines. Indeed, the vaccine gave us freedom we thought we lost. Albert, I congratulate you and your colleagues and counterparts, who are making such a critical impact on humanity, while embracing your Jewish heritage and values, and inspiring Jewish pride." Founder and Chairman of The Genesis Prize Foundation Stan Polovets added: "To save a human life is a fundamental Jewish value. Today we honor Dr. Bourla – a living embodiment of this ancient Jewish principle. We also celebrate the immense contribution of Jewish doctors who were on the frontline of the COVID pandemic for two years and who continue to save lives of people suffering in Ukraine today." The ceremony opened with a moving tribute to the people of Ukraine and appreciation to the many Israeli and international Jewish organizations who are providing humanitarian aid. The Genesis Prize Foundation premiered a video, "Jews in Medicine," exploring the roots and impact of Jews on the medical field from biblical times to the modern-day fight against the COVID pandemic. 2022 Genesis Prize Laureate Dr. Albert Bourla said: "I am honored and deeply humbled to receive the Genesis Prize. Honored because I never set out to be famous, and I never imagined that I would one day be up here with the illustrious nominees and past awardees—artists, philanthropists, and statesmen and stateswomen who show the world the best that the Jewish people have to offer. And humbled because this is not my award—it belongs to all Pfizer colleagues who worked tirelessly in the middle of a global pandemic to make the 'impossible possible' and give the world a chance to return to normalcy. Every life is precious, and we must confront our challenges with courage, humility and perseverance. My Pfizer colleagues lived these values, and I am proud to be here in Israel to celebrate them and their extraordinary achievement." Following the tradition established by the inaugural Genesis Prize Laureate Michael Bloomberg, Dr. Bourla announced that he will forgo the $1 million prize award and has asked the Foundation to donate the funds toward establishing the Holocaust Museum of Greece to be built in Thessaloniki. Albert Bourla was born in Thessaloniki, home to an ancient Jewish community that traced its roots to antiquity. The vibrant Jewish community of 55,000 was almost completely wiped out during the Nazi occupation. Dr. Bourla's young parents narrowly escaped death and were among only 2,000 survivors. The Greek Holocaust Museum will immortalize the history of the Greek Jewish community from antiquity to the modern age. The ceremony's guests of honor were famed French activists and Nazi hunters Serge and Beata Klarsfeld. Dr. Bourla paid tribute to their life-long work to honor the memory of victims of the Holocaust and bring to justice Nazi war criminals, including the infamous "Butcher of Lyon" Klaus Barbie. Dr. Bourla and the Genesis Prize Foundation announced a joint $100,000 grant to Sons and Daughters of Jewish Deportees from France -- the organization established by the Klarsfelds to document and preserve the names of Jewish victims of the Nazi occupation of France. The annual ceremony honoring Dr. Bourla took place after a two-year break caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Two previous recipients of the award, Natan Sharansky and Steven Spielberg, who became Laureates in 2020 and 2021, could not be honored at the traditional Jerusalem ceremony due to pandemic restrictions that prevented international travel. (Sharansky was honored at a small ceremony at President Rivlin's residence). 2020 Genesis Prize Laureate Natan Sharansky said: "Tonight we have witnessed an inspiring event. As a non-political platform, the Genesis Prize provides a unique space where we can put our differences aside and unite in celebration, gratitude and appreciation of Jewish talent and the miracle of the Jewish State." Hundreds of prominent Israelis and international guests gathered at the heart of the Jewish world to honor the Laureate and pay tribute to Jewish doctors, scientists, and first aid responders. Among the attendees were heads of hospitals, universities, and leaders of philanthropic and business organizations. A delegation of 40 Spanish-speaking Jewish leaders from around the world flew to Israel to attend the event. Genesis Prize Laureates Robert Kraft (2019) and Natan Sharansky (2020) joined the ceremony to honor Dr. Bourla. American actress Sarah Rafferty flew to Israel to emcee the event. The ceremony featured a performance by Israeli singer and songwriter Yehuda Poliker, whose parents – like Dr. Bourla's – were Holocaust survivors, deported from Thessaloniki to Auschwitz. Ancient Bronze Age city reemerges from Iraq river after extreme drought By Patrick Pester  The ancient city was part of the Mittani Empire. The ancient Bronze Age city at Kemune in Iraq. (Image credit: Universities of Freiburg and Tübingen, KAO) When an extreme drought caused a 3,400-year-old city to reemerge from a reservoir on the Tigris River in northern Iraq, archaeologists raced to excavate it before the water returned. The Bronze Age city, at an archaeological site called Kemune, is a relic of the Mittani Empire (also spelled Mitanni Empire), an ancient kingdom that ruled parts of northern Mesopotamia from around 1500 B.C. to 1350 B.C. Researchers have long known of the remains of the city, but they can only investigate them during droughts. Archaeologists partly excavated Kemune in 2018 and discovered a lost palace with 22-foot-high (7 meters) walls and chambers decorated in painted murals, Live Science previously reported. This time, researchers mapped most of the city, including an industrial complex and a multistory storage facility that likely held goods from all over the region, according to a statement (opens in new tab) released by the University of Tübingen in Germany. "The excavation results show that the site was an important center in the Mittani Empire," Hasan Qasim, an archaeologist who worked on the site and chairman of the Kurdistan Archaeology Organization, said in the statement. Kemune is the only known urban center from the Mittani Empire located directly on the Tigris River, suggesting the city controlled crossings at this part of the waterway and may have also been an important connecting point for the empire, Ivana Puljiz, a junior professor of ancient Near Eastern archaeology at the University of Freiburg in Germany who also worked on the excavation, told Live Science in an email. An earthquake likely destroyed much of the city in around 1350 B.C., but some of its ruins are preserved underneath collapsed walls. Humans flooded the site with water during the construction of the Mosul Dam in the 1980s — archaeologists knew about Kemune by then, but they hadn't investigated the site, according to Puljiz. Researchers rediscovered Kemune in 2010, but they weren't able to excavate until the reservoir's water level was low enough during a major drought in 2018. They had a second opportunity to analyze the city in 2022, because Iraq needed to use the reservoir's water to prevent crops from drying out and failing during another severe drought — Iraq is heavily impacted by climate change — so the water level was low enough again, according to the statement Kurdish and German archaeologists put together a team within days of deciding to investigate Kemune and worked quickly at the site in January and February, unsure of when the water would return. Among the Mittani ruins, the team uncovered more than 100 clay tablets from the middle Assyrian period (from around 1365 B.C.). After the Mittani Empire came to an end, the Assyrians built a new settlement at Kemune and their tablets may contain writings about this change of empires. "We do not yet know what is written in the texts," Puljiz said. "But we hope that they provide information about the beginning of Assyrian rule in the region." Some of the archaeologists' trenches filled with water as the reservoir rose in February. They placed plastic sheets on the buildings and covered the sheets in gravel to protect the city from further deterioration. Kemune is now once again completely underwater and researchers don't know when they'll be able to return. "It is completely unpredictable when the site will reappear," Puljiz said. "It could emerge as early as this summer or as late as a few years from now." Israeli passport? Saudi Arabia welcomes you Danny Zaken Saudi Arabia has relaxed its entry rules for Israeli businesspeople, and trade is burgeoning. After lifting the ban on Israelis in its territory, dozens of businesspersons with Israeli passports have landed in Saudi Arabia. Their goal: take advantage of warming relations between the countries to advance bilateral economic agreements. These visits have resulted in two multimillion-dollar desert agriculture deals, in addition to a medical equipment contract. Danny Zaken The United States is mediating between Israel, Saudi Arabia and Egypt towards normalization of relations. On the agenda is also the issue of completing the transfer of Red Sea islands Tiran and Sanafir to Saudi sovereignty. But normalization with Saudi Arabia, even if not officially announced, is already almost here. This is reflected in large recently signed deals, visits by businesspeople with Israeli passports on special visas to Saudi Arabia, and advanced contacts for investment in Israel by Saudi businesspeople and investment funds. "For over twenty years we've had an indirect connection with Saudi Arabia, but I don't recall ever seeing a boom like the one we've had in recent months," a source familiar with the matter told "Globes". Those commercial ties were behind the scenes, mostly through companies registered in Europe or other countries, and the deals - in sectors ranging from civilian to security - were signed in those countries. "Globes" has learned that, for months, Saudi Arabia has been permitting Israeli businesspeople - mainly representatives and managers of Israeli technology companies invited by the Saudis - to enter its territory on Israeli passports with special entry visas. The change that has taken place in recent months is the lifting of the blanket ban that had been in place, and easing of the special visa issue process. Dozens of businesspeople have taken advantage of this opportunity and visited Riyadh, the economic center of Saudi Arabia, and also other places like Neom - the city of the future being built not far from the Red Sea coast. Former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu also visited this city, and according to reports, met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in November 2020, a meeting also attended by then-US secretary of state Mike Pompeo. These visits have spawned quite a few deals, including two desert agriculture deals worth millions of dollars. According to an informed source, these projects make use of Israeli water technology, essential for the Saudi Arabian desert climate, in combination with other Israeli agricultural technologies. These two technologies are being monitored closely by the monarchy, with the goal of expanding them as part of Saudi Arabi's efforts to achieve food security and self-sufficiency. These projects have significance for the entire Middle East, as they also demonstrate to other countries in the region Israel's ability to assist in areas especially important to countries suffering from food shortages. Israeli businesspeople and agritech specialists insiders are not surprised by the Saudi investment. "Other than a direct diplomatic connection - and direct bank transfers - we have everything we need between the countries to sustain a business connection, sign deals, and transfer goods and know-how," one Israeli businessman tells "Globes". An unstoppable interest in startups "Globes" has learned that, as part of this recent activity, other deals have been signed in agriculture and civilian technology sectors like medical devices (medtech). In addition, there is a growing interest in investing not only in startups but also in proven Israeli products. Those same sources estimate that these transactions are close to being signed, and will precede the institutional investments to be made through the Saudi Public Investment Fund (the sovereign wealth fund). Dr. Nirit Ofir, CEO Chamber of Commerce and Industry Israel-GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council), says that "the interesting thing is that it's the private sector, on both sides, pulling things forward rapidly." She adds, "Businesspeople are not limited by diplomatic issues, and when personal interests and business interests come together - they move ahead." She emphasizes that, unlike with the UAE, the transactions are between businesspeople in the private commercial sector, and not between the two states. Israel recruited to Saudi Arabia oil talks Another confirmation of Israeli activity in Saudi Arabia comes from Riyadh. An informed source, a senior Saudi official, told "Globes" that the number of entry visas applications for Israelis filed by Saudi businesspeople was growing, as was the rapid rise in interest and thirst for information about Israeli technologies. The source adds that meetings between businesspeople from the two sides are also taking place in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the UAE, as well as in Manama, the capital of Bahrain. "The government here sees the possibilities inherent in this activity, which suits the plans and major reforms promoted by the Crown Prince." Security and intelligence ties are important to the two countries, mainly because of the common enemy: Iran. A number of reports have indicated sales taking place of Israeli security systems to Saudi Arabia. This shared concern has created the common ground needed in other areas, and has also given Israel a far greater geopolitical influence than in the past. This is evidenced by the US's recent attempts to recruit Israel to help persuade Saudi Arabia to increase oil production, in the face of the global shortage of energy resources created by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The Saudis, who have been disappointed by the US several times in recent years, did not readily agree. This week, two of US President Joe Biden's advisers arrived in Saudi Arabia to advance the matter. These talks - according to US sources - will also raise the matter of promoting economic and trade relations with Israel. A first: Saudis lay blame on Palestinians Officially, Saudi Arabia is wary of public ties with Israel. The Saudis make clear at every opportunity that progress with Israel will come only after progress with the Palestinians. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan reiterated this week, "The integration of Israel in the region will be a huge benefit not only for Israel but for the entire region. But without addressing the core problems of the Palestinian people and granting respect and sovereignty to the Palestinian people through the establishment of a Palestinian state, the instability and threats to Israel's security and the entire region's security, will continue." Unofficially, however, the Saudis, as expressed on social media, blame the Palestinians as well. Pictures of stones, Molotov cocktails and other improvised weapons brought by young Palestinians into the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem sparked massive outrage in Saudi Arabia. The diplomatic shift vis-à-vis Israel will probably take place only after the official transfer of power from King Salman to his son Mohammed. But economic change is already here, and the pace is picking up. Awaiting Kushner's private equity fund Saudi Arabia's ongoing confrontation with Iran, both over the nuclear issue (especially in the period of the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement) and the civil war in Yemen, has led to further understandings between Saudi Arabia and Israel, this time in security and intelligence. The gathering momentum in civil relations came in the wake of the Abraham Accords, signed by former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu with Saudi Arabia's neighbors: the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. The largely positive way in which this agreement was received by Saudi public opinion, plus its economic and other benefits, paved the way for these ties to be expanded. For example, the Saudi's tacit agreement was expressed through the allowing planes flying to and from Israel to fly over Saudi territory, on routes between Israel and the Emirates and Bahrain, and also to the Far East. A significant step, taken in recent weeks, towards normalizing the relationship and allowing it to emerge from the shadows was report in the "Wall Street Journal" about a $2 billion Saudi investment in the private equity fund set up by Jared Kushner, son-in-law of former US president Donald Trump. The $3 billion fund targets investment in Israeli advanced technology companies. This is not the first time that Saudi Arabia has invested in Israeli companies: via the investment fund of another former Trump administration official, Steven Mnuchin, the kingdom is investing in Israeli start-ups operating in the US that have agreements with the US defense establishment, including cyber companies Zimperium and Cybereason. But the investment in Kushner's fund comes from the Saudi Public Investment Fund, with the direct approval of Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom's regent and strong man. Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on May 30, 2022. Tel Gezer and Khirbet Kayafa 060122 With Ezra Rosenfeld, we tour two eye-opening sites in the Judean lowlands We visit the monumental city of Gezer, one of the least publicized but most important cities in Israel in Biblical times. We will be amazed by the massive walls of the Canaanite city, the unusual gate built by Shlomo HaMelech, the ancient water system, and the early written texts which were found in this city, one of the most important cities in ancient Israel. We continued to Khirbet Kayafa (Qeiyafa) arguably the most important archeological site discovered in the past few decades. Discovered in 2006 by Professor Yossi Garfinkle of Hebrew University, it has provoked great controversy and provided scientific and archeological evidence to prove the existence of a strong, central monarchy in the center of the country in the 10th century BCE, the time of David HaMalech See you tomorrow bli neder We need Mashiach now! Love Yehuda Lave Yehuda Lave, Spirtual Advisor and Counselor Jerusalem, Jerusalem  Israel 972-585043210 YehudaLave@gmail.com You received this email because you signed up on our website or made a purchase from us. Unsubscribe