December 2009 Archives
Islamists Erase Jewish Identity from Ezekiel's Tomb in Iraq
By Shelomo Alfassa
The Iraqi news agency Ur news has revived fears that under
pressure from Islamic political parties, the original Hebrew inscriptions and
ornamentation on the walls around the tomb of Ezekiel are being (or have been)
removed, this under the pretext of restoring the site. According to sources,
the Antiquities and Heritage Authority in Iraq has been pressured by Islamists
to historically cleanse all evidence of a Jewish connection to Iraq--a land
where Jews had lived for over a thousand years before the advent of Islam.
Four months ago a German-based
Iraqi journalist tipped off the Association
of Jewish Academics from Iraq in Israel that plans were afoot to build a
mosque on the site of the shrine of the Jewish prophet Ezekiel at al-Kifl, this
was first reported on the "Point of No Return" news blog. The rumours were
investigated by a philo-Semitic Iraqi Shi'a, Dr. Jabbar Jamal al-Din, a
lecturer in Jewish Thought at the Kufa University. They were denied by the
shrine's director. Now a report by Ur News
revives fears that in the absence of Jews on the ground, nothing, not even
UNESCO (United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization), stands in the way of
politically-motivated plans to erase all Jewish traces of this ancient holy
site.
Drastic changes taking place
currently at the tomb of Ezekiel will change its character and prompt UNESCO to
delete it as a protected site on the World Heritage List, similar to what
happened to the historic city of Babylon, where old buildings were demolished
and new layers of construction added.
Prof. Shmuel Moreh, the Chairman of the Association of Jewish Academics from Iraqi, Israel Prize Laureate in Arabic Literature and emeritus Professor at Hebrew University of Jerusalem, has indicted that the Arabic news stories have tipped him that the Archeological Authority in Iraq has started a campaign to erase the Jewish aspects of the tomb of the prophet Ezekiel and the original inlay Hebrew inscriptions have been destroyed and covered by new Arabic inscriptions and Islamic symbols.
Here is an extract, paraphrased from an Arabic translation of the Ur News agency report:
The officials of the Department of Antiquities and Heritage say that their restoration programme will continue until 2011 and is designed to carry out essential maintenance and prevent the dome and roof from collapsing. But their hidden purpose, sources say, is the removal of features that emphasize a historical connection with the Jews who built the shrine and lived in the city for hundreds of years after the Babylonian exile.
Hebrew writings will or already has been erased from the site and from the room that houses the shrine. Restoration work includes skimming the walls, 3 metres high in the yard, 2 metres high inside the shrine. Sources say that the media are not allowed to take pictures and visits to the shrine are limited to pilgrims.
The city of Kifl contains tens of thousands
of acres of land belonging to the Jewish community before their displacement
from Iraq in the last century. The majority of tenants' shops around the shrine
still pay rent to their original Jewish owners through accredited mediators.
Iraq - the Biblical Mesopotamia -is almost as rich in Jewish
history as the Land of Israel. The tomb of the prophet Ezekiel dates back to
the Babylonian exile in the sixth century BCE. It was there in Iraq that Abraham
discovered monotheism, and it is where the prophets Ezra, Nehemiah, Nahum, Jonah
and Daniel are all buried.
THIS ARTICLE IS AVAILABLE FOR SYNDICATION - CONTACT SHELOMO (AT) ALFASSA.COM
PHOTO COURTESY OF IRAQIJEWS.COM
By Shelomo Alfassa / December 24, 2009
One of the origins of what modern society knows as a 'Christmas tree' dates back to the Middle Ages in Germany where trees dressed with hanging apples were used during December as props in theatrical plays which were put on to educate the illiterate masses on Biblical history. The tradition of an adorned tree then moved to England and later elsewhere. This period, when the trees were being celebrated, corresponded to a period when the Jews of Europe, the early Ashkenazi Jews, were facing massive persecutions and some of the most brutal experiences Jews ever faced.
Long before there ever were Jews in Poland or other more eastwardly European countries, the Jews had a growing and vibrant population in France and Germany. During this period, preaching by the Roman Catholic Pope brought about the first 'Crusade,' which subsequently brought about an inspired outbreak of anti-Jewish hatred by the populations of most non-Jews in Europe. In parts of France and Germany, Jews were perceived as just as the enemy for it was told that they were responsible for crucifying the leader of the Christian religion many centuries earlier.
and every leaf is red with the blood and wet
with the tears of our martyrs, due to its hostility...."
Jews in Europe were killed outright by the Christian Crusaders as well as their local supporters. Thousands of Jews in France and Germany were tortured, their possessions taken, and their goods were sold for ridiculously small sums. Sometimes the Christians burned the dead bodies to obtain the coins which they believed these people had swallowed or hid about their bodies. An account of 1096 discusses one example of the tragedy the Jews of Ashkenaz suffered:
Through the cities of the Rhine and the Main and also the Danube, they either utterly destroyed the execrable race of the Jews wherever they found them or forced them into the bosom of the Church...They rose in a spirit of cruelty against the Jewish people scattered throughout these cities and slaughtered them without mercy, especially in the Kingdom of Lorraine, asserting it to be the beginning of their expedition and their duty against the enemies of the Christian faith. This slaughter of Jews was done first by citizens of Cologne; they destroyed the houses and synagogues of the Jews and divided among themselves a very large amount of money... Breaking the bolts and doors, they killed the Jews, about seven hundred in number, who in vain resisted the force and attack of so many thousands. They killed the women, also, and with their swords pierced tender children of whatever age and sex. The Jews, seeing that their Christian enemies were attacking them and their children, and that they were sparing no age, likewise fell upon one another, brother, children, wives, and sisters, and thus they perished at each other's hands. Horrible to say, mothers cut the throats of nursing children with knives and stabbed others, preferring them to perish thus by their own hands rather than to be killed by the weapons of the uncircumcised. From this cruel slaughter of the Jews a few escaped; and a few because of fear, rather than because of love of the Christian faith, were baptized.Another account of the period recalls further horrors:
Not a congregation within their reach did the inflexible Crusaders spare...In one short day it was wiped out of history, and the few crowded streets in which generation after generation of men had lived, hoped, pined and died, was a wreck of masonry piled with mangled corpses. 'The Rhine,'[river]...was thick with the corpses of murdered Jews. All the cities of the Danube, of Austria and Hungary resounded with the cries and swam with the blood of Jews, the vast number of them scornfully rejecting all terms fairly spitting and cursing the images and crucifixes held up to them for idolatrous adoration. "The Lord is our God" [the Shema] was in one their answer and their dying utterance for they were immediately hacked to pieces or severed piece-meal. Sad indeed is the story of the Jews, breathing in one the most frightful horrors and the most unflinching heroism...Town after town was visited and the same scenes of blood repeated. Jews were ripped open, disemboweled alive, torn asunder by wild horses driven in opposite directions, their flesh scraped off their bones, sawn in halves.Hanukah often falls during the period of the Christian holiday of Christmas. And while many people view the Christmas tree as the most glorious and best-loved symbol of the Christmas season, many Jews see the tree and are reminded of the period of early Jewish destruction in Europe. To the educated and knowledgeable Jew, the tree is interpreted as a symbol of two thousand years of virulent persecution by Christians against his people.
Dr. Henry Pereira Mendes was rabbi and rabbi emeritus from 1877-1937 of Congregation Shearith Israel (the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue of New York) at a period when Christmas was becoming a national holiday in America. He was one of the most influential and respected religious leaders of his time. It was during his lifetime that that many of the rich and socially prominent Jews were flocking to the newly formed 'Reform' movement as did many synagogues that had been in existence for some time. These congregations and people surrendered the traditions of their Torah in order to better proclaim their American character. During this period Dr. Mendes was vehemently outspoken about Jewish assimilation, and in response to Jews starting to keep Christmas trees in their home, the rabbi wrote, "To have that tree in a Jewish home stamps the father a traitor and the mother a traitoress to our religion, to duty and to God." Dr. Mendes was the founder of the Orthodox Union (OU) and was president of it during the first 16 years of its existence. He was also a co-founder of the Jewish Theological Seminary (which was originally Orthodox) with a fellow Sephardic Jew. Dr. Mendes wrote in his book Ruach Hayim, "Allow no Christmas tree in the home. From the viewpoint of history, that tree is symbolical of a religion hostile to ours, and every leaf is red with the blood and wet with the tears of our martyrs, due to its hostility."
Christmas trees are a time-honored symbol of the Christian religion and insomuch should be appreciated and cherished by Christians, not Jews. There is nothing Jewish about bringing a tree into a Jewish home. The tree has no happy memories for Kelal Yisrael (the Jewish people) and should in reality be a reminder that we are different, we are people of the Torah and the Torah exhorts us to remember our past-even the sad parts. The people of Israel have given their soul over the years in order to maintain the values of the Torah of Israel and the Jewish identity. Jews should continue to follow this path of the Jewish people's tradition and not give in to place non-Jewish symbols in their homes.
Childhood in Old Jerusalem on Hannukah
Edited by Shelomo Alfassa and Rabbi Nissim Elnecave
The narrative below took place in the years prior to WWI. Note that while this was a time when food was scarce and funds were hard to come by, the people took it in stride and persevered through those times of great difficulty with tremendous dignity and pride. Here are the words of Jacob Yehoshua, son of Hakham Gabriel Yehoshua.
From the beginning of the month of Kislev (December), the children of the Sephardic Talmud Torá would go out into the narrow streets of the old city of Jerusalem while singing a special song. This was a tune all those that grew up with still remember with much endearment. Hakham Davichon Pizante, their beloved teacher, accompanied the children. Every Shabat, he, together with Hakham Hayim Kasuto, would distribute fruits and sweets to the students who would read Tehillim (Psalms). During the days of Kislev, the children would carry on their shoulders cloth sacks, and in their hands they would hold empty bottles and utensils for oil. The following are the words of the song they sang:
CLICK TO LISTEN "Aki mos vinimos, un ijiko mos trushimos, meldador i eskrivano, kon la pendola en la mano. Damos un ajiko, el Di-o ke vos de un ijiko, damos una seboyika, el Di-o ke vos de una ijika. Damos karbon, ke el Di-o vos de un ijo varon, damos arina, ke el Di-o vos de la vida. Damos azete, ke el Di-o vos de prezente, damos ke mos keremos ir, biva el Haham kon los talmidim. Ya mos dan, ya mos dan, el Di-o vos de la beraha."
"We came here, we brought you a small child, a studious one and a scribe, he has a pen in his hand, give us a small garlic, G-d should give you a small boy; give us a small onion, G-d should give a small girl; give us coals, G-d should give you a strong and courageous boy; give us flour, G-d should give you life; give us oil, G-d should give you a gift; give us, we must go, long live the Hakham together with the students. Behold, they are giving us; behold, they are giving us; G-d should give you the blessing."
This lengthy song, full of praises, supplications and blessings, was sung in order to receive a small onion, a few coals, a bit of salt and a little oil. This sweet song touched the hearts of all the women, especially those who were childless. Every evening, through the cold and rain, the children donned their worn clothing and torn shoes while gathering the foods for the celebration of the merienda, the Holiday celebrated on the last day of Hanuka. This is the day that the portion of Hanukat ha-mizveah (Numbers 7:84) is read from the Torá. But, it was not enough to only sing this song, they also added the verses of the Perasha of the week that they had learned in the Talmud Torá, "And our father said: Go again, buy us a little food." (Genesis 44:25). There was a mixture of the holy with the secular. Their intent was to ask the ladies of the house to aid them, by doing so, they would be fulfilling the words of the Torá, just as Yaakov Avinu had also sent his children to Egypt to bring food.
In the new neighborhoods outside of the walled city, the children would not sing this song. The children of the Montefiore neighborhood would visit the homes with their teacher Hakham Shemuel Zamro in order to gather food for the merienda, which was celebrated at the house of the Hakham. Their songs did not have any relation to the one sang in the Old City of Jerusalem, the poverty in the Old City was much greater.
The merienda in the Old City was organized at the synagogue of the Talmud Torá [K.K. Eliyahu ha-Navi], one of the four synagogues that were interconnected to each other. This also included the Istanbulis synagogue, the Del Medio synagogue [The Emtzai or K.K. Zion], meaning the middle synagogue; and the synagogue of Rabbi Yohanan ben Zakai that was also called El Kal Grande, which means the big synagogue; the synagogue of the Talmud Torá is where the cave of Eliyahu ha-Navi was located. Often, in these synagogues joyous parties and events were held during the holidays, as well as prayers for rain. These synagogues served as places of gathering for the congregation during times of joy as well as in times of stress.
On the day of Hanukat ha-Mizveah, the students of the Talmud Torá came as everyday, although they knew that they didn't come to learn on that special day. The children formed lines, marching with great noise towards the synagogue where the party was to take place. The special clothing that the students wore on this day included bluzas, long shirts that reached down to their legs, and a fez. Their dress raised the onlookers from the Jewish street to their feet. The storeowners stood in the doorways of their stores to inspect the strange line of children that walked with toy weapons and [lit] sparklers in their hands. During those days of war, one was only allowed to use sparklers twice a year, on Hanukat ha-Mizveah and Purim.
Sometimes the merienda was conducted in the courtyard of the Talmud Torá and in order to make the children happy, the young organization (Shbab) would perform dances. On their heads they carried platters filled with abas i aroz, chick peas and rice. These were foods we loved when we were children and even today we still love to eat them. The dancing went along the sounds of the trabukas [drums] and the panderos [tamborines].
Righteous women volunteered to prepare the foods; they cooked near the Mount of Olives, assisted by members of the community such as Hakham Hayim Kasuto, Rabbi Benveniste and Moshe Nehama. These sages, incredible personalities, sanctified their lives for the well being of their communities. They would never know rest and their participation in the festivity was always one of great joy. Sometimes the rice and chick peas were prepared the day before. When cooking, they used large spoons in the clay pots to sample the foods. Small pots would sit on the fire the entire night cooking, making the food taste like the hamin [stew] we eat on Shabat.
On this day, it was as if the walls between the rabbis and the students had fallen. The students had no fear that the leather strap the Hakham possesed would reach their faces or shoulders. Everyone received their small tasty piece of bread and their portion of food. As dessert, they were given a piece of lekekh, which was an ashkenazi cake that had become a part of the festive meal in every Sephardic gathering. The lekekh was made from flour that had sugar spread on it. The custom was to dip it into coffee or milk, and the blessing was made, bore mine mezonot. We had a special liking for the lekekh, when our parents would return from some festive occasion, we would search for the lekekh that they had saved for us in their pockets.
Students that were ill on Hanukat ha-Mizveah and were not able to participate on the festivity, would still receive their food. A piece of bread with rice, chick peas and the lekekh through the hands of a messenger that would bring it to the location where they were resting. Outside, the poor people would look with envy toward those that had received a portion of rice, chick peas, and a piece of bread. Sometimes the lekekh was snatched by some of their children; the poor people would try to appease their hunger this way.
Many times, the members of the Bet Din, the rabbinical court, participated in the merienda and this brought great joy to the children. It was a great honor to have the members of the respected court participate in the festivities.
Today in Israel, the descendents of these families, enjoy a much better situation, often they have no idea of how difficult things were for their parents and grandparents at one time.
-- The Muslim children of the old city of Jerusalem and of Hevron, also went around the Moslem houses and the courtyards of the neighborhood in order to gather goods and other foods. But their practice was VERY different then ours. The following is the song that the Arab children sang in the old city of Jerusalem:
"If it was not for the honor of _____ we would not have come. Open up your pocket books and give us something, give us the gift that we deserve. Two portions of the baked food called baklawa, be very careful, a stick is in our hands, we will strike with it, many serpents will come out. Add to that the two breads baked in the Damascus way, two nice pieces. Give us what you give; you are from Damascus where they have afarsimon [persimmons] and pomegranates."
The Arabs did not have enough with onions, oil and flour, they actually demanded bread from Damascus that was made from fine flour. They came with sticks and were demanding, even using harsh language.
In contrast to them, the Jewish children of the Talmud Torá
would come with blessings and supplications.
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The song can be heard here: http://www.alfassa.com/elnecave_aki.mp3
