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This past Monday night (the night after 13 Teves), thousands
participated in a large, nonpolitical rally organized
nonetheless by the Right, opposite the walls of the Old City
of Jerusalem, mainly near the Jaffa Gate. At the rally, a
call was issued not to make political concessions regarding
Jerusalem. A very large police force guarded the rally. A lawsuit was filed in Israel's High Court asking that
criminal charges be brought against Prime Minister Ehud
Barak and Los Angeles television producer Chaim Saban. The
paper indicate are the first "smoking gun," indicating
direct involvement of the prime minister in illegal
fundraising activities. Shekel Drops 2 Percent in First Week of Calendar Year During the first six days of trading in 2001, the dollar
gained 2 percent against the shekel. On Monday it closed at
4.123 NIS for a gain that day of 0.76 percent. At this
point, it is back to where it was in December. The Pound
Sterling also rose on Monday to 6.183 NIS, a gain of 0.52
percent. The EURO traded at 3.913 NIS, up 0.29 for the day.
Currency traders reported a turnover of about $1 billion. As of Sunday January 7, the rate for a regular letter within
the United States (first-class mail) rose to 34 cents. This
increase was in the works for a year. Other rates that went
up include Express Mail ($12.25), Priority Mail ($3.50),
parcel post, periodicals, advertising, international mail
($0.80) and aerogrammes ($0.70).
Annual Swiss Melave Malka Devoted to Keren
Hashevi'is A large audience participated in the annual Melave Malka
held by Agudas Yisroel of Switzerland. This year the Melave
Malka was dedicated to Keren Hashevi'is, the fund supporting
thousands of tillers of the soil who observe shmittah
kehilchoso. Bnei Brak Woman-to-Woman Project The volunteer unit of the Bnei Brak Municipal Department for
Social Services has recently launched the Isha
Lerei'usoh (Woman to Woman) project to provide young
women with support in the areas of home management and child
raising. Hatzoloh Hatzlocho HaRav Shmuel Wosner gave his blessings to more than 200
Hatzoloh EMT volunteers at a nationwide training conference
last week. In solving a unique identification mystery,
Hatzoloh once again showed its mesirus nefesh for the
Jewish people.
How to Avoid the Path of Bloodshed
In this week's parsha Yaakov, the father of us all,
gave us, on his deathbed, guideposts for all history. In his
remarks to Yehudah, in the middle of several pesukim
that most commentaries take as referring to Moshiach, Yaakov
says (11): "He washes his garments in wine, and his clothing
(susoh) in the blood of grapes." NOSTALGIA Some weeks after Pesach 1929, I came home from school to
find my parents in the dining room with exciting news. In
the summer vacation, Mutti (`Mother' in German), my brother
Sholom and I were to travel to Kolbuszowa, Poland, to meet
and visit Mutti's mother, the Babdje Chave, and Papa's
mother, the Bobbe Chaya, and all of our family there whom we
had never seen. My youngest brother, Osher Yeshaya, would
stay home, as he was a baby and it was a long trip. The Day the Lion's Roar Terrified the Land
The earliest time of Kiddush Levonoh -- Shevat
The time of Kiddush Levonoh everywhere in the world
begins on Shabbos parshas Voeiro, (Jan. 27, 2001), at
4:05 P.M., in Eretz Yisroel. In most of the world the
beginning time is on Motzei Shabbos from the
beginning of the night. In eastern countries Kiddush
Levonoh can be made on Motzei Shabbos according
to the difference in time zones in comparison to Eretz
Yisroel. In the extreme eastern countries it is altogether
impossible to make a berochoh on Motzei
Shabbos since its beginning time is after the moon sets.
Their beginning time is therefore actually on Sunday
night.
The astronomical new moon precedes the molad this
month and is at 3:08 P.M. However, since during the three
days after the molad the moon approaches its apogee
(its highest point) and advances slowly not only the
influence of the astronomical new moon's early appearance is
canceled, but a distinct regression takes place. On
Motzei Shabbos the moon will not appear large
although it will be high in the sky (since it is near
tekufas Nissan). We must weigh well whether we are
allowed to disregard the merit of making Kiddush
Levonoh on Motzei Shabbos because of the merit of
the moon's needing to be "big and high" according to the
Chazon Ish.
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