Yehuda Lave, Spiritual Advisor and Counselor | | | Courage Builds Self-Respect Courage builds self-respect. When you sacrifice for principles and ideas, you increase your self-respect. When you face a painful situation and react with dignity, you increase your self-respect. When you say, "No," to temptation even though others will try to persuade you to say, "Yes," you increase your self-respect. When you don't allow opposition to stop you from doing what you know must be done, you increase your self-respect. In short, every act of courage makes you feel better about yourself. Speaking about feeling good about yourself, I will be speaking about Spirituality and Torah for a friend This Shabbat afternoon at 3:00 PM and Sunday at 12:00 Pm in Baka in Jerusalem. The problem is at this time when I am sending out the email, I don't know where the location is yet. If you want to come on Shabbat afternoon, please call me today Friday after 12:00 PM when I should know where (058-5043210). By Sunday I will have been there on Shabbat and I can let you know for the Sunday talk on Sunday morning. Love Yehuda Lave | | | Because God is in Heaven and you are on the earth, therefore let your words be few (Ecclesiastes 5:1). I remember reading that every person is born with an allotted number of words that one may speak during one's lifetime. When this allotment is exhausted, one's life comes to an end. This idea would explain the above verse: God is infinite, but people live in a finite world where everything has its limitations. Some things may be greater, other things may be less, but nothing on earth is infinite. Since the number of words a person may speak must also be finite, we should speak as little as possible simply to extend our lives. Even if one does not accept this concept as factual, it is an excellent guideline. People on a fixed income will budget themselves carefully, since any unwise expenditures may deprive them of the means to obtain necessities. If we think of our words as being limited, then those squandered in non-essential conversation have become unavailable to us for more important things. When we discover that we have wasted money, we are likely to become very upset with ourselves. We usually then resolve to be more cautious and discriminating in our future purchases. Let us now think back on how many words we have wasted, and even if they were not outright lies or slander, nevertheless, they were simply useless. We would be wise to make a reckoning of our words as well as our money and similarly resolve not to be wasteful of them in the future.
Today I shall ...
consider my words as valuable assets which, while in sufficient supply, are nonetheless limited; I will therefore try to act accordingly.
| | Jerusalem Launches New Car-Sharing Service - It's Convenient, But It's Not Cheap We were pleased to see Jerusalem's launch of its partnership yesterday with Car2Go, offering convenient short-term car rentals from strategic street locations around the city. As we reported last week , the idea renting a car by the hour from a nearby location, without having to deal with rental car agencies, promises to be revolutionary for Jerusalemites and our overcrowded streets. Before we explain how it works, a note and a personal experience. Jerusalem already has a similar service, CityCar, that has operated here for several years. CityCar caters primarily to the Haredi community, but has car spots all around the center of the city as well. CityCar is a bit cheaper than Car2Go, at NIS 10 per month and NIS 19 per hour, although my family found that it was still more expensive than we could justify for most purposes. After my wife used it once to go to Gush Etzion for more than NIS 300 round-trip, she declared that she couldn't imagine a scenario in which it would make sense to use it again. We still have our membership though. Now, here's how it works You can book a car in advance or on the spot 24/7 on the company website or hotline *8225. Once you get to the car, just hold your smart membership card up to the windshield and the car will open with the keys inside. When you are done using the car, just bring it back to the spot you got it from, and leave the keys inside. To use the service, you have to register at https://www.car2go.co.il/registration/ Registration is a one-time NIS 145 charge, plus a monthly fee of NIS 40 for Jerusalem residents and NIS 50 for non-Jerusalemites. You'll also pay NIS 15-20 per hour of use (price includes gas and insurance), PLUS NIS 2 per kilometer (NIS 1/km after the first 50km) depending on the kind of car you are using. On the occasion of the launch, Jerusalemites are given a two-month membership free. The service is starting with some 30 vehicles with reserved car spaces around the city, with the goal of reaching 70 spots. Parking locations, which are painted green, include: - 30 Hezekiah HaMelech
- 44 HaPalmach
- 61 Herzog
- 21 Tchernichovsky
- Across from 1 Mohilever
- Across from 20 HaG'dud HaIvri
- 7 Arlozoroff
- Across from 9 Diskin
- 37B Meir Shaham
- 9B Ussishkin
- 1 Koresh
- 2 Nissim Behar
- 1 Azariah
- 37 Hillel
- 16 Chaim Yaski--Mount Scopus
- Churchill Boulevard near Cafe "Aroma" - Mount Scopus
You can learn more about the service on the Car2Go website. | | Jerusalem Opens New Community Center on HaPalmach Street Ginot Ha'Ir Community Council is pleased to announce that a new community center will soon be opened on 53 HaPalmach St., corner of Hamshuryanim Street. The center will be a significant branch of community activity in the Katamon area of Kiryat Shmuel. In recent months, the building has undergone extensive renovation and accessibility, and is expected to open for activities in 2009. Jerusalem invites residents of the neighborhood to take part in shaping the center's character and vision. Join the group for community activity in the neighborhood. To join, please contact Efrat Givati, efrat@ginothair.org.il | | 'Israel Bible' Finds A New Way To Connect The Torah To The Land By Maayan Hoffman On Yom Ha'atzmaut, Israel365 and Menorah Books published "The Israel Bible," the world's first Tanakh centered around the land of Israel, the people of Israel, and the dynamic relationship between them. According to the Bible's editor, Rabbi Tuly Weisz, The Israel Bible is meant "to provide great encouragement and a constant reminder of why our own personal journey on Aliyah is a natural continuation of the journeys taken to the land of Israel by our ancestors, beginning with Abraham." Weisz started working on The Israel Bible nearly a decade ago, when he learned about the efforts of Chicago Pastor William Eugene Blackstone, who in 1897 heard that Zionist leader Theodor Herzl was considering an offer by the British government of an interim Jewish state in Uganda. Blackstone believed that based on the Bible, the only land for the Jewish people should be the State of Israel. So, he sent Herzl a personal Bible outlined with the specific biblical references to Jewish restoration to Israel only. That Bible was said to have been prominently displayed on Herzl's desk. Weisz conducted the same exercise with his own Tanakh, using highlighters and a rainbow of sticky tabs to mark what are hundreds of references to Israel on nearly every page of the Tanakh. That exercise led him to move his family to Israel. The Israel Bible offers a unique commentary that seeks to explain God's focus on the land of Israel alongside the original Hebrew text and a modified version of the New Jewish Publication Society translation. All 929 chapters highlight verses that relate to Israel, including relevant quotes and perspectives from prime ministers, as well as abundant maps, charts, and illustrations. Weisz said the linear design on the page – every single verse, 10s of thousands of psukim, are aligned with the English on the left and the Hebrew on the right – makes it easy for someone to follow along, learn the Hebrew and refer to the English. The commentary is meant to remind Jews of the centrality of the land of Israel in the Jewish faith and inspire those who made Aliyah – and those who are considering making Aliyah – of the beauty and uniqueness of the Holy Land. The Israel Bible is published by Menorah Books, an imprint of Koren Publishers Jerusalem. Weisz served as a rabbi in Columbus, Ohio before moving to Israel with his family. He is a graduate of Yeshiva University's Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary and the Benjamin Cardozo School of Law. Today, he runs Israel365, an organization which promotes the significance of the land of Israel through a variety of innovative platforms. "I hope that Jews around the world will use the Israel Bible to recognize the centrality if the land of Israel in the Torah," Weisz said. | | Israel's Super-Pharm Chain Begins Selling Medical Cannabis Medical cannabis supplier BOL's products at Super-Pharm will be priced at NIS 120-140 per 10 grams. Israeli pharmacy chain Super-Pharm today began selling medical cannabis at 25 branches. BOL Pharma will be Super-Pharm's main supplier and the pharmacy chain plans to expand its medical cannabis sales to 50 branches.. Up until now, medical cannabis was available only at the Abarbanel Mental Health Center and special stores belonging to the Tikun Olam supplier in Tel Aviv. Under new regulations, medical cannabis will be issued only by prescription in a medically prescribed dosage. In contrast to the situation up until now, however, in which products were sold at a uniform price per prescription, regardless of dosage, the price will now be determined according to dosage and the concentration of active ingredients THC and CBD in the product. BOL's products at Super-Pharm will be priced at NIS 120-140 per 10 grams, a higher price per gram than consumers have paid up until now. It is believed, however, that consumers will receive a lower dosage calculated more precisely according to their needs, and the total price will therefore not be significantly different. BOL CEO Dr. Tamir Gedo said, "Cannabis consumers will now benefit from a better product. Despite higher production costs resulting from improved quality and standards, the price will be more attractive than the pricing method before the reform. BOL Pharma has tried to lower the price to the consumer, so that 90% of its customers will pay NIS 240-360 per month, compared with NIS 370-470 under the current arrangement. We are talking about an average price cut of 30% for 90% of the patients. Because of the enhanced quality of the product, patients will now get a cleaner product with a better shelf life and reproducibility that facilitates more effective treatment." The share price of Amir Marketing and Investments, a marketer of agricultural products that plans to invest $27 million in BOL Pharma, rose 2.18% today, pushing its market cap up to NIS 437 million. The fact that BOL Pharma is Super-Pharm's main supplier, giving it prominence on the chain's shelves and increasing doctors' awareness of the product, provides the company with an advantage over other cannabis companies in the Israeli market. All of the cannabis products will be issued by special pharmacists trained in instructing the patients how to consume the product, which will come in the form of a raw flower, cigarettes, or oil. Super-Pharm CEO Nitzan Lavie said, "We are proud to cooperate with the Ministry of Health, and take part in this important reform, and make the service accessible to tens of thousands of patients in need of medical cannabis. Super-Pharm's pharmacies are deployed nationwide and open at flexible hours, and I am confident that this will come as a great relief to patients. Beyond the quality and advanced laboratory, it was also important for us in selecting a supplier to ensure that the average price to the consumer would be preserved, and I am glad that we succeeded in this." Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on April 22, 2018 | | 3 Main Things to Look for When Dating By Chava Green Too many romance novels have the exact same plot. Boy meets girl. Boy gets girl. Boy loses girl. Boy has to win girl back. It all starts with the "meet cute." They both reach for an apple on the same shelf of the grocery store or get stuck in an elevator. Love is an accident; staying together is a drama. This was the picture of dating I absorbed for years, so like any normal teenage girl, I dreamt of someone sweeping me off my feet. By the time I got to college, I realized that the It didn't take long for me to become disillusioned threshold for a guy to express his feelings was absurdly low. A text saying, "Hey, what's up?" was the equivalent of a bouquet of roses. It didn't take long for me to become disillusioned. Deep down, however, I still wanted a meaningful relationship. I had given up on the fairytale, but I wanted something substantial. When I began visiting people's homes for Shabbat, in these warm, welcoming families, I saw an approach to relationships that resonated with what I intuitively desired. The main thing that impressed me in the Jewish approach to relationships is that a person's marriage is the central sphere of his or her life; therefore, every care is taken to protect it. Under that protective shield fall the laws of modesty and refraining from touching (shomer negiah). These are ways of making boundaries around that which is most precious and most vulnerable. I was also struck by the level of accountability for both partners; both are held to Divine laws and equally responsible to be an active partner in building a relationship. In the traditional Jewish approach to dating, young people first focus on developing their own identity and values. Only once they decide that are they ready to commit to a marriage do they start dating. The contemporary world makes your profession the center of your life and a relationship something you hoped for along the way. People would casually let so many partners into their private lives without carefully assessing the impact it would have on their own growth and identity. As I deepened my appreciation for the importance of relationships and marriage, I was surprised at how haphazardly the secular approach treated this essential area of life. Jewish dating still has its drama and intrigue. But at the end of the day, it gets to the point, and that is to build your life and family with someone compatible, good and committed. If you can make this your goal in dating, you can sidestep a lot of frustration, ambiguity and heartbreak. As I began to solidify my religious identity, I started dating in this focused, goal-oriented way. Then it came to the question of how do I assess if the person I am dating is "the one"? I ended up getting engaged to my husband after 10 days. I got some very good dating advice from a wise older mentor who was channeling the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. She told me to look for three things—three main things—and if they are in place, then I can feel confident in moving forward. (Note: You can't really know someone in 10 days! I wasn't delusional. What
I knew is that I found out enough to want to get to know him for the rest of my life.) Here are the three essential things to look for in a partner: 1. A Commitment to Living a Jewish Life First and foremost, you have to assess your values. If one person refuses to live anywhere but Manhattan and the other person needs nature and fresh air, that could be a source of contention for years to come. More important, however, is that you share a vision for how you envision your home and family. The Lubavitcher Rebbe advised a young woman who asked what to look for in a potential partner: "First and foremost, the person should be trustworthy, so that he could fully be relied upon in all his promises relating to the establishment of a truly Jewish home." 2. Good Character Traits The Talmud says you can know a person through three things: his anger, his pocket and his cup. "His anger" refers to all the ways a person interacts and treats those around him, especially when something goes Can he maintain his composure and resolve the issue? wrong. Does he yell or can he maintain his composure and resolve the issue? "His pocket" refers to how he deals with money. Is he generous and giving, or stingy and manipulative? Dealing with finances together is an ongoing part of a marriage, so you want to have a similar approach. The final way is "his cup," meaning how does he act after a few drinks? The Talmud teaches that when wine enters, secrets come out; this is a way to see his true nature. These are just a few ways to assess some of a person's traits. 3. A Drawing Close of the Heart It's not all about fireworks or romantic gestures. This final aspect is simple: Do you feel an emotional connection? Do you want to spend more time together? Plenty of people can check off the first two requirements, but this third component cannot be written on a dating profile. It's that magic spark that makes a perfectly nice guy into your perfectly nice guy. The Rebbe stressed that the heart must be taken into account. Even if we take marriage very seriously and methodically, at the end of the day, a potential marriage partner has to resonate with your heart. Having these three things on my checklist helped me make a fast decision, but that isn't necessarily the goal. What I loved about the Jewish approach to relationships is that we want to make it work, and we will put in the effort to build a fantastic marriage. Part of me believes I met my soul mate and part of me believes I chose a good person to marry because I was ready to get married. I don't think that's a contradiction. If we can start off the dating process with a commitment (and an emotional connection), then love has a safe place to grow. Whether observant or not, this advice could work for your life; there is a way to apply the Jewish method of dating to any situation. It might take a bit of courage to go against the grain, but for a strong and lasting relationship, isn't it worth it?
By Chava Green More by this author
Chava Green is a writer, teacher and perpetual student. She graduated with her BA in Women's and Gender Studies from Rutgers University in 2014. She attended Mayanot Women's Program and Machon Alta in Tzfat. She worked for over a year as the program director at Chabad at Columbia University. Her writing often focuses on the interplay between Jewish/chassidic thought and feminism.
| | See you Sunday when I will know my speaking location Shabbat Shalom Love Yehuda Lave | | | |
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