Singing through the generations

Jerusalem’s Dorot Choir has become a cultural fixture in the Holy City. Led and inspired by Hadassah ('Dassie') Jacobs, it is truly inter-generational and boasts an impressive collection of grandmothers and great-grandmothers among its members. The choir’s concert performances are much appreciated by their women-only audiences and tickets are rapidly snapped up when they go on sale.

Being a member of Dorot is not all fun and games. Each concert performance is the product of persistence in practice and of patience in rehearsals when striving for perfection. Week after week, whatever the weather, sopranos, mezzos and contraltos gather together to run through a large repertoire with Jewish themes--mostly penned by Dassie herself 

Listen to the Dorot Choir and you will hear the combined efforts of some 40 women, of whom eight—that’s a full one-fifth of the choir—are members of Beit Knesset Hanassi. Come and support them at their next concert at the Begin Heritage Center on Monday 20 January 2025 (see poster on the right for details).

Not just for Chanukah: donuts, scones and a bit of apocrypha

The Festival of Lights—and incidentally the only one of our ancient festivals to commemorate an event that took place in Israel—is a time for celebration and this inevitably involves finding something to eat. For most Ashkenazim the word “Chanukah” brings to mind an immediate thought of donuts/doughnuts (sufganiyot) and latkes (levavot), though the Shulchan Aruch (670:2, per the Rema) recommends cheese—it being a milky product that Judith deployed for killing Holofernes by making him sleepy so that she could cut off his head [see note at end of this post for more information].

Our member Gita Freud has shared with us two recipes which, she points out, don’t have to be eaten only on Chanukah because they work just as well throughout the year. The first, for all the year with the exception of Pesach, is for scones:

Ingredients

1 lb (454 gm) flour (Gita prefers the pre-sifted)
4 tsp baking powder  
2 oz (57 gm) sugar
3 oz (85 gm) butter
2 eggs
Approximately half a cup milk
Approximately 2-3 oz (57-85 gm) raisins or sultanas—or even chocolate chips

Method

Pre-heat oven to 175 Celsius.
Mix the dry ingredients with the butter to a crumbly mixture.
Add the eggs and the milk.
Mix till all the ingredients come together into a smooth ball.
Roll out to about 1 cm (0.4 in.) thick.
Cut into small rounds.
Bake at 175 degrees for 12 minutes.

Serving recommendation

Cut in half and spread with strawberry jam and a dollop of whipped cream.

So much for scones—which are apparently the talk of the town after they made a dramatic impact earlier this month at the Women’s League Membership Tea. Now for the doughnuts or, as some folk prefer, donuts. 

First, a word about words and spellings. The first use of the English spelling 'doughnut' dates back to 1809 in relation to small nut-shaped balls of fried dough; the currently popular toroidal shape was not known till the 20th century. The spelling 'donut', now almost universal in the USA, was rarely used before 1950 but became prevalent following the establishment and rapid growth of the Dunkin' Donuts franchise. The Hebrew word sufganiyah is however of nobler pedigree: it can be traced back to Mishnaic times when the word sufganin was used to describe cakes made with a spongy dough (Challah 1:4. Curiously the word is only found in the plural, proof that you can't get away with eating just one of them). 

Here’s a recipe for doughnuts with אשל (which translates in my dictionary into “tamarisk” but turns out to be another term for leben, a food or drink made from fermented milk: see Wikipedia here). 

Ingredients

2 cups flour
2 eggs
2 containers of אשל
1 cup sugar
Drop of vanilla essence

Method

Mix all ingredients together.
Use an oily spoon to drop teaspoons into hot oil to fry.
Serve sprinkled with sugar.

Note: This comes from the Book of Judith, which is not part of Tanach but is included in the apocrypha, a collection of non-canonical writings that also features the Books of the Maccabees. The Book of Judith is the story of a Jewish widow who murders the Assyrian general Holofernes to save her town from invasion. When Holofernes sieges the city of Bethulia (sometimes identified with Shechem), Judith seduces the general and murders him in his sleep. The assassination, which gives the Israelites the advantage they need to defeat the Assyrian, inspired a famous painting by the Italian master Caravaggio which we show here.

Serenity -- a reality or just an aspiration? Vayeshev 5785

Yaakov settles in the Land of Israel, the Land of Canaan, the land of his forefathers. In that first sentence of this week’s parsha lies the hope of Yaakov and of all his descendants. Rashi, quoting the Midrash, states that Yaakov wanted to rest from his earlier troubles and remain serene and at peace for the balance of his life. This is a natural human wish and desire. But the troubles of Yaakov are not over by any means. 

The incident of the dispute and resultant tragedy of Yosef and his brothers will erase any hope of Yaakov being able to remain serene and at peace with himself. The truth of Jewish history indicates that the years of serenity of the Jewish people in the Land of Israel were relatively few and far between. We always thought that the creation of our national home in the Land of Israel would be the ultimate panacea for Jewish life. 

Herzl promised that anti-Semitism would disappear with the creation of an independent Jewish state. Tragically, history has shown the case certainly to be otherwise. In fact, the Jewish state has in many respects exacerbated the campaign of anti-Semitism in today’s world. The longing for serenity oftentimes blinds people to unpleasant realities and forthcoming dangers. 

Yaakov is aware of the problem between Yosef and his brothers, but he is not proactive in preventing the violence that lies below the surface of this dispute. His desire to rest and settle in peace in the Land of Israel – simply to be left alone by all of his neighbors and potential enemies – essentially prevents him from attempting to prevent the civil war brewing in his house. 

The Lord is critical, so to speak, of Yaakov’s desire for serenity at all costs. Serenity is in the World to Come and not in this world of problems and challenges. 

The Jewish community here in Israel desires peace and serenity at almost all cost. The desire is so strong that it has led to a great dispute between different sections of Israeli society. The desire for peace overwhelms all other issues and creates great rivers of division and even violence amongst us. 

The desire for peace and serenity has sucked all the oxygen out of the other issues of Israeli life. In pursuing a goal that may currently be beyond our abilities, we abandon the opportunity to truly achieve success with the more mundane challenges that face us. 

Ben Gurion, not noted for his great piety, said that there are certain issues that will have to be left to messianic times for permanent solution. Undoubtedly, he meant that certain problems do not lend themselves to resolve currently. We are entitled to aspire for serenity and peace, but not at the expense of the realities and dangers that face us. Yaakov’s example remain an important lesson for us as well in our present challenges and difficulties. 

Shabbat shalom, Rabbi Berel Wein 

When the lion roars, we question our values

 Here, thanks to our member Max Stern, is a cantata which he composed for his students at Ariel University and which is based on the haftarah that accompanies this week's parashah, Vayeshev. 

This haftarah, explains Max, features extracts from a prophecy by Amos that condemns the value system that led to our exile -- the same scale of values that led to Joseph's brothers selling him to the Ishamelites for "a pair of shoes". 

Below you will find a link to a performance of this cantata by Max and his students. The first four minutes make for tough listening, before it transitions to a more lyrical theme with a subtly hypnotic effect. 

The text is based on Amos 3:1-2 and 3:6-8.

For the link to the cantata click here.

For an explanation of this haftarah on My Jewish Learning click here.

The Ottomans decline, while Jewish opportunities grow: Rabbi Wein

In the sixth of his eight-part lecture series, Rabbi Wein tackled the gradual disintegration of the Turkish-based Ottoman Empire and its impact on the many Jews who lived within its sprawling borders. This empire spread all the way from Balkans and the Mediterranean to the Middle East, Egypt, Libya and much of North Africa. Starting from the 15^th and 16^th centuries, this militantly Moslem even reached the gates of Vienna.

Because of its vast geographical spread, this empire began to decline. At the root of its failure was endemic internal corruption which was the consequence of its Caliph, based in the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul (right), farming out governorships to different tribes, clans and families. Local autonomy was the norm, which meant that no two areas were governed in the same way. Eastern Sephardim were the main Jewish culture, and they lived within the Ottoman Empire as a self-contained society. Local rulers were less harsh on the Jews than were Western rulers, but in many communities they had no rights. Notably, however, there were no pogroms before 1948.

Israel, Rabbi Wein explained, was a sparsely populated wasteland with a tiny Jewish and mainly Sephardic population. The country had no effective economy. During the early 1800s, there was a small trickle of Eastern European Jewish immigration; these migrants came for purely religious reasons and had no expressed intention of founding a state. Safed, Tiveria, Yerushalayim and Chevron were the main centres of Jewish life. When Mark Twain visited the land in the late 1890s, he recorded that he had never seen a more desolate place. Incidentally, there was no real connection between the Sephardi and Ashkenazi communities, especially since the former had had no real exposure to mussar or chassidut.

The Turks had a large Christian population within their borders, particularly in Armenia and Syria. Moslems viewed them, rather than the Jews, as their enemy. This, said Rabbi Wein, had the paradoxical effect of making the local Christian churches more antisemitic than their Western counterparts. During the 1800s, as the West started eroding portions of the Ottoman Empire, Jerusalem grew in significance: it was no longer just a place but had become an ideal, a vindication. Colonies were founded there by the Germans, Russians, French and others—and the Ottomans were helpless to stop this.  Many consulates based in Jerusalem claimed they were justified in being there to protect claims of locals living in these colonies. Curiously, at this time there was also a nascent movement among evangelical Christians who believed that Jewish settlement was needed as a precursor of the Christian Messiah.

Rabbi Wein then focused on the activities of Sir Moses Montefiore (left), who devoted his life to the cause of the Jewish people and intervened in the notorious1840 blood libel in Damascus. Montefiore visited Israel a total of seven times and generously donated money—but within the Jewish community there was no organisational infrastructure that could put it to good use. In short the Jews as a community were not ready for monetary support, but even private donations such as those of Montefiore would have the effect of weakening the Ottoman Empire first and, when the First Aliyah came, the Turks proved to be incapable of resisting it.

Within the crumbling Caliphate, the force of inertia was becoming impossible to overcome. Theodore Herzl had originally tried to buy Israel for the princely sum of 15 million British pounds, hoping to get this sum from the Rothschild family. The Turks however did not want to sell. In the 1890s, Greece broke away from Turkish rule (this assertion of freedom was romanticised by Lord Byron). Next, Serbia broke free from both Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian control. Cracks also appeared at the very core of the Empire, as hostilities increased between the Sunni Moslem majority and Shi’ite minority. Happily, the Jews were not caught in the crosshairs of their disputes.

Returning to Herzl and Zionism, Rabbi Wein showed that the Ottomans saw Jewish nationalism as a direct threat: it was not only European in origin, and therefore alien, but also featured secular Jews—something that the Ottomans regarded as a direct threat to an empire was founded on religion. Following Herzl’s unsuccessful bid to purchase the land of Israel, the JNF set out to buy land on a piecemeal basis and had far more success. In this way the Zionist movement succeeded in implanting itself in the Galilee during the First Aliyah through the establishment of kibbutzim and moshavim. How odd, commented Rabbi Wein, that the land of Israel should be built by the non-religious.

With Jewish settlement came Jewish disputes, largely between Sephardim and Ashkenazim. The Turks gave kashrut rights to the Sephardim, which the Ashkenazim said they couldn’t accept. Disputes amongst Jews were always referred to the Turkish authorities and, since those authorities were corrupt, the arguments put before them were corrupt too. Also, the 0od Yishuv refused to recognise the new Yishuv, finding the newcomers to be so rebellious and condescending towards traditional Jews that there was no dialogue.

Treasures of the Knesset -- and a trip round the President's house

Since our Women's League has unveiled the date for our next visit to the Knesset -- Thursday 16 January -- we thought you might like to have a sneak preview, courtesy of our very own Heshy Engelsberg. This is "Treasures of the Knesset" (length: just under eight minutes), which you can watch on his YouTube channel here. 

While we are in the mood for visiting popular local attractions, it's a couple of years since we ran two very popular visits to the President's House. If there is sufficient interest, we may offer this trip again. If you are undecided, maybe Heshy's The House of the President (a fraction over 4 minutes) here will persuade you that it's worth the effort!

Why Yeshivat HaKotel?

This coming Shabbat we host a group of talmidim from Yeshivat HaKotel for an inspiring Kabbalat Shabbat service, dinner in our homes, followed by an Oneg Shabbat. But why, you may be wondering, in a city that is so full of yeshivot, have we chosen Yeshivat HaKotel? Did we just happen to like the name? Did we pick it out at random? Did we consult the city’s sages?

The true answer lies in the yeshiva’s place in our country’s recent history and in our nation’s ancient commitment to Torah.

Yeshivat HaKotel was founded in the summer of 1967, just weeks after the miraculous victory of the Six day War let us return to the Old City of Jerusalem. The Old City means so much to so many of us: for some it is a place of emotional outpouring, for others a focus for national pride—and for others it is the ideal place to learn Torah and perpetuate its values. This is why it is not by accident that the yeshiva is firmly embedded in the heart of the Old City.

So what are the yeshiva’s core values? They can be summed up easily. First, there is the Torah:

Developing love for and ability to learn is the Yeshiva’s primary objective. Although concentrated on Gemara, Yeshivat Hakotel’s multi-faceted learning program includes significant opportunities to study Tanach, Halacha, Emunah, Machshava, and Mussar in a meaningful way.

Of course, the Torah can be learned anywhere, at any time. So why is learning in Israel special?

Hakotel sees learning in Israel as a means of connecting to Am Yisrael’s return to Eretz Yisrael. Being at Hakotel is not just learning about our history, but experiencing and becoming part of it. Talmidim connect to the history of Eretz Yisrael as well as the modern miracle of the State of Israel.

Is the yeshiva concerned only with book learning, or does it address also the social and cultural side of Jewish life in today’s highly mobile world?

Yeshivat Hakotel fosters achdut amongst its students by breaking down cultural barriers that often divide Jews of different countries of origin. This feeling of brotherhood permeates all aspects of Yeshiva life including classes, dormitory residence, and leisure time. It also very much identifies with the dictum of the Mishneh in Avot (4:1) that the wise man is the one who learns from all people. 

These are big claims. But are they realistic? Yes!

We broaden talmidim’s horizons and help them respect different types of Jews by teaching different types of Jewish philosophies and hashkafot (Litvish, Chassidish, rationalist, Kabbalistic …).   

So, with all of this going on, why does the yeshiva bother dealing with us?

We educate towards being part of the larger Jewish community, which includes the Jews of Yerushalayim, the State of Israel, and around the globe. 

Pretty impressive stuff! For further details you can browse the yeshiva’s website in Hebrew or in English

As a footnote, we should mention that our own Rabbi Kenigsberg studied at Yeshivat HaKotel, and we are all enriched by the learning and the perspectives that he acquired there.

The strength to overcome angels: Vayishlach 5785

Our father Yaakov sends emissaries to meet his brother Eisav, seeking to mollify him and to head off a possibly violent, even fatal, confrontation. Opinions in Midrash and the commentaries differ as to whether these emissaries were angels or humans. Either way it appears from the parsha that they failed in their mission and were unable to deflect Eisav and his four hundred armed men from confronting Yaakov. 

If we agree that the emissaries were mere humans, it is understandable that they might fail in their mission of dissuading Eisav and of convincing him to leave Yaakov and his family alone. However, if we believe that Yaakov’s emissaries were truly angels, then how could they have failed in their mission?

Another incident in the life of Yaakov does however reveal that human will and strength can overcome even an angel. Yaakov wrestles the angel of Eisav to a standoff, whereupon his name is changed to Yisrael because he was able to wrestle with angels and men and emerge triumphant. Never underestimate the power of a human being for good or to wreak havoc. Eisav’s determination to harm Yaakov is so intense and fixed that even a horde of angels cannot deflect him from his evil purpose. Angels have no freedom of will and are inherently weaker than are human beings. They possess no hidden resources of will and strength: they are what they are. Humans in contrast, when taxed, can be righteous or evil in the extreme. 

Only when Eisav finally sees Yaakov and his family before him does his will waver and he becomes more conciliatory. He is naturally influenced by the vast amount of money that Yaakov showers upon him. That is also part of human nature—to be susceptible to matieral inducements and weakened by monetary corruption. It is not the sight of heavenly angels that softens Eisav’s heart towards his brother as much as it is the largesse that Yaakov bestows upon him. 

Over the long history of the Jewish people, many a decree conceived against Jews has been thwarted because money has been paid to the proposed enforcers. As distasteful as this may seem, this method was always employed to aid Jewish survival in difficult times and places. Angels are not however subject to such temptations. Though humans can overcome angels, rarely can they escape temptation and its resulting troubles.

The same necessary strength of will that is part of the human makeup to overcome angels is also present when humans face temptations and difficult choices in life. There was once a campaign against drug use by teenagers in the United States. The campaign’s slogan was “Just Say No.” I realize that this is a very simplistic way to deal with the problem of drug use but it has the ring of truth to it. The strength to say no to angels is the same strength to say no to harm and evil.

Shabbat shalom, Rabbi Berel Wein

"I will not let thee go, except thou bless me"

The Torah is written in Hebrew because it was given to us, the Jewish people, in Hebrew, and some of us have achieved so great a level of proficiency in Hebrew—lashon hakodesh—that we never need to turn the pages of an English translation in order to gain a better understanding.

For many of us, however, an English version is an indispensable support. We may sometimes also use it as an interpretational aid or a commentary, for what translation cannot claim to be a commentary when so many Hebrew words have no exact counterpart in another tongue?

If you follow the link to the YouTube video and sound recording of Jacob and the Angel, for piano and orchestra, you will find that composer and Hanassi member Max Stern introduces a classical Torah narrative with the following English text:

And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when the man saw that he prevailed not against Jacob, he touched the hollow of his thigh; …and he said: 'Let me go, for the day breaketh.' And Jacob answered: 'I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.' And the angel said: 'What is thy name?' And he said: 'Jacob.' And the angel said: 'Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel; for thou hast striven with God and with men, and hast prevailed' (Bereishit 32:24-30).

Over the centuries there have been many English language translations of the Torah. Some aim at simplicity, others at modernity or clarity. Others again reflect political or religious bias.  The King James version, published in 1611, probably aspired to all these things. Now, however, more than four centuries later, the text—archaic in the eyes of young readers—is replete with a degree of dignity that is absent in modern prose.

Does Max Stern’s music, performed by the Israel Sinfonietta with Bart Berman at the piano, reflect the solemnity of the King James prose, and the unfolding drama encapsulated in its weighty words? Click here to listen and you can decide for yourself: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6lbQOiXRmU&ab_channel=MaxStern

Parshat Vayishlach: The Meaning of the Name Israel

The Hanassi Blog is delighted to host another devar Torah by our member, Rabbi Paul Bloom. Paul explains: this piece is written in honor of the sixth yahrzeit of my mother, Gitel Bas Yisraell z’L HaKohen, who has all the traits described by the Kli Yakar.

This week’s parsha, Vayishlach, contains one of the most profound and transformative moments in the Torah. Yaakov wrestles all night with a mysterious figure, described as a malach—an angel. At the end of their struggle, the malach asks Yaakov his name.

“He replied, ‘Jacob.’ But he said, ‘Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with beings divine and human, and have prevailed.’” (Bereishit 32:28–29)

Some commentators, including Rashi, explain that this angel was the spiritual representative of Esav, Yaakov’s brother and adversary. The struggle was more than physical—it was deeply spiritual, symbolizing the challenges Yaakov would face throughout his life, and the struggles Klal Yisrael would encounter across generations.

What makes this episode so powerful is the bracha Yaakov receives. His name is changed to Yisrael—a word of immeasurable significance and transformative power. The name signifies a new identity and destiny, not only for Yaakov but for his descendants. Let’s delve into the meaning of Yisrael as explained by the Kli Yakar, who offers three profound interpretations of the word and its relevance to us.

1. The Vision of Yisrael: Seeing Beyond

The Kli Yakar suggests that the root of Yisrael is related to the verb shur, meaning to see clearly. This represents the ability to perceive beyond the physical—to see the presence of the Shechinah in the world, even in times of darkness and struggle.

This interpretation connects to Yaakov’s struggle with the malach. As they wrestled, they raised dust that reached the Kisei HaKavod, the heavenly throne. The dust was intended to blind Yaakov, obscuring his vision of holiness. Similarly, our enemies often try to "throw dust in our eyes"—to blind us to the presence of Hashem. But Yisrael symbolizes the ability to see through the dust and recognize Hashem’s hand even amidst adversity.

2. Yisrael as Yashar-El: The Straight Path

The second explanation connects Yisrael to the word yashar, meaning upright, honest, and moral. To be Yisrael means to live with integrity, guided by a divine moral compass.

This yashrut—moral clarity—stems from Torah, which provides a timeless and unshakable value system. Unlike societies that build morality on shifting human ideologies, Klal Yisrael’s values are grounded in the eternal truths of Torah.

3. Yisrael as Sar-El: Leadership and Authority

The third interpretation sees Yisrael as stemming from the word sar, meaning a prince or leader. As Yisrael, Klal Yisrael is destined to serve as a spiritual leader to the world, fulfilling Yeshayahu’s vision:

“Many peoples shall go and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of Hashem, to the house of the God of Jacob; that He may instruct us in His ways.’” (Yeshayahu 2:3)

This vision is Messianic, promising a future where the nations of the world recognize the truth of Torah and seek guidance from Klal Yisrael.

Yaakov and Yisrael: Two Dimensions of Spirituality

It’s important to note that Yaakov’s name change is not permanent, as was Avram’s transformation into Avraham. Throughout the Torah, Yaakov is sometimes called Yaakov and sometimes Yisrael. Why?

Yaakov represents one aspect of our identity: groundedness in this world. The name Yaakov is linked to eikev—the heel—symbolizing physicality and the challenges of navigating a material existence. In contrast, Yisrael contains the letters li rosh—"I have a head"—signifying transcendence and spiritual aspiration. Together, these names represent the duality of our mission: to remain firmly rooted in this world while striving to connect with the heavens.

The Nesivot Shalom expands on this duality, explaining that Yaakov reflects yirat Hashem—awe and discipline in serving Hashem. Yisrael reflects ahavat Hashem—passion and joy in our connection to Hashem. These two modes, reverence and love, form the foundation of our relationship with the Divine.

The Legacy of Yisrael Today

The name Yisrael carries profound relevance for us as individuals and as a nation. It reminds us that, like Yaakov, we may wrestle with challenges, adversaries, and spiritual struggles. Sometimes the dust clouds our vision, but we must strive to see the presence of Hashem, remain steadfast in our values, and lead with purpose and integrity.

Interestingly, when the modern State of Israel was founded, David Ben-Gurion chose the name Medinat Yisrael. Many other names were proposed—Ivriya or Yehuda—but Yisrael was selected. Perhaps, just as the malach whispered Yaakov’s new name, the same divine inspiration guided this decision, reminding us of our eternal mission and identity.

May we merit to fully embrace the name Yisrael, with its vision, integrity, and leadership, and may it guide us to the ultimate geulah, speedily in our days.

Strings and things: the ladies of Tzitzit for Tzahal come to Hanassi

Starting this week, Beit Knesset Hanassi is hosting a team of women from the Jerusalem branch of Tzitzit for Tzahal who have been making tzitziyot for members of the Israel Defence Force. Until last month the team operated out of OU’s building in Keren HaYesod but that building’s closure left the women without a base. They will be with us on Mondays and Wednesdays until further notice, and we wish them hatzlacha in their noble endeavors.

Demand for tzitziyot has remained high since the outbreak of the war, and Tzitzit for Tzahal has worked hard to fulfil that demand. As of the end of November, Tzitzit for Tzahal had supplied the IDF with a remarkable 96,000 tzitziyot, more than half the 180,000 supplied so far.  The tzitzit are tied to green begadim provided by the army so as to be uniform-compliant. Soldiers don’t have to wear them all the time: when they are on the base, they can wear white, but when in combat they are required to wear green begadim.  The army has said that it needs 60,000 more regular tzitziyot, plus 15,000 cotton begadim.  Tankists and combat engineers need cotton, rather than polyester, begadim because of the high temperatures they encounter in the course of their work.

The team that will be working from Hanassi is headed by Ruti Younker, who alone has tied about 2,000 pairs.  Ruti is the principal teacher for those who have not tied tzitzit before (and there are many who come without any prior experience).  She teaches both the Ashkenazi and Sephardi, depending on her pupils’ preferences.  She also checks each set of tzitzit before giving them to Tzitzit for Tzahal to make sure that they are kosher.  An interesting fact is that in general, Sephardim permit women to tie tzitziyot l’chatchila.  Ashkenazim don’t. However, because we are living through a sha’as hadechak, the Rabbis have said that women can tie Ashkenzi tzitziyot now as well—and even when it is not a sha’as hadechak, if a man ties the first double knot on each corner of a beged, it is permitted for women to tie the rest.

At present, each soldier gets only one pair of tzitzit and, as you can imagine, they get quite gross in even a short period of time.  The Tzitzit for Tzahal team pray that the need for green ones will speedily be reduced. But until then, after each soldier who wants has one pair, they hope to be able to supply another set—or at least to replace those that have become ruined.

To conclude, here’s a random fun-fact for you. Tzitziyot are one of the most popular items to be requested by serving members of the IDF – coming second only to barbecues!

And here's an article from the Jewish Press, "Women and Children Tying Tzitzit", by Rabbi Shimshon HaKohen Nadel.  Rabbi Nadel heads the Sinai Kolel, which learns three mornings a week at Beit Knesset Hanassi.

Halachic dilemmas in the State of Israel

Speaking last week on the Beit Midrash Rechavia program which Hanassi hosts in conjunction with OU Israel, Rabbi Kenigsberg delivered the first of two lectures on the topic of "Halachic dilemmas in the State of Israel". This lecture pointed to the emergence of a range of questions about the application of halacha that arose from the creation of a modern Jewish state. Some of these questions had never been considered before; others had been furnished with answers -- but only within the context of Jews living within a non-Jewish society. A third source of questions arose from the need to apply halacha to hitherto unknown technologies. 

The range of issues is vast. Israel, being a state, is required to maintain law, order, security and safety within its jurisdiction. The existence of the concept of pikuach nefesh, for example, is well established: we can violate even the laws of Shabbat in order to save a life. But how far does this go, in terms of maintaining an army, a police force, medical services and other essential services across the board? And is there a notion of State pikuach nefesh? 

If these topics intrigue you, why not enjoy this lecture in full (54 minutes) on YouTube by clicking here.

Rabbi Kenigsberg will be giving his second lecture in the series on Wednesday 11 December in Beit Knesset Hanassi. Come and hear him live!