Weather It Is (Small Update)

Good Afternoon:

The other day I wrote about wrapping up my work for the "winter" season, and that I was about to hang up my barometer -- which I did.  For those of you unfamiliar with the phrase, please see here: (https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Hang%20up%20the%20guns).  Basically, it means that I stopped looking out the window, as there isn't really any place to put ones barometer but on the wall.

Oh, what complaints did I get!  First, we had a family Brit to attend to, which took place outside (because of Coronavirus protection regulations).  The wind blew so strongly and fiercely that chairs blew away, and those fortunate to survive the gale had to be treated for hypothermia. Might have "you at least issued a warning and suggested a different venue?"

Then, a few days later, we lay sweltering under high heat and humidity.  I can understand the heat, but humidity in Jerusalem?  "Why wasn't the air conditioning turned on," I was asked?

The upshot is that I am back working -- back out off of summer vacation -- like an old butler called back to set the Queen's palace back on track.

The weather turned a tad on the chilly side, but we didn't see any of the rain that the global forecasts indicated for last week -- at least until last week arrived and we realized that it would justt be unseasonably cool.  We're looking again for a chance of showers as Shabbat and early this coming week rolls around, as unseasonably cold weather arrives in the form of low pressure in the lower and upper atmosphere.  The storm won't have a lot of mid-level moisture, so it is hard to see how there will be anything more than a passing shower.

After the passage of our upcoming "storm," there will a brief mid-week warm up. Beyond that, the calendar shows that I may truly be able to return to a well-deserved vacation. Basically, no weather is expected the last week of June.

We're all also keeping an eye on the calendar for other reasons:  July 1st is the day our Prime Minister says he will bring a motion to declare sovereignty over parts of the West Bank, and oh what an uproar there is against this (e.g., https://www.timesofisrael.com/eu-says-it-wont-recognize-unilateral-israeli-annexation-in-west-bank/).  In fact, there has been such an uproar that the date will likely be pushed back.  But, why is there such an uproar about recognizing Israeli sovereignty over land that was previously owned by Jews, and won back in a defensive war?

In "Remember the Rogers Plan and Israel''s forgotten war" -- the war of attrition -- the writer quotes our previous Prime Minister, Golda Meir, who once wrote: "One cannot and must not try to erase the past, simply because it does not fit the present." For a meteorologist, the present (weather) always fits the past, even if we fail to forecast it.

But, what about the rest of the world that simply closes its eyes to the past? Or decides that the present ended at the inception of the State of Israel in 1948?

For us, the past is pretty straightforward.  After most were exiled from our land by the Romans in 70 CE, we (the Jewish People) spent the years dispersed among the nations.  The land (renamed Palestine) remained fairly desolate, was conquered by the Islamic Caliphate in 637, conquered by the Christians in 1099, conquered by the Khwarezmi Turks in 1244, the Ottomans in 1517, and the British in 1917.  Through this time, there was a Jewish presence in the land, but it waxed and waned depending on the circumstances of who ruled the land.

And there history ends, or so we're supposed to believe. Oh, there is a bit more, but it is apparently meant very little when it came to the Jewish people.  True, the British set aside a comparatively large parcel of land for Jewish settlement (i.e., the Balfour Declaration), and were given the mandate for Palestine by The League of Nations, which was transferred to the United Nations in 1946.  Supposedly, the mandate included the provisional recognition of communities as individual nations until they could stand alone (https://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/leagcov.asp#:~:text=ARTICLE%2022.&text=Certain%20communities%20formerly%20belonging%20to,are%20able%20to%20stand%20alone.).

Yet, not wanting to waste any time, Britain quickly created an independent state east of the Jordan River in 1921 -- except it is called Jordan and wasn't for the Jewish people.

Eventually, despite the Briish, the area west of the Jordan River was provisionally divided in 1947 after World War II among the local Arab and Jewish populations (Resolution 181), but it was rejected by the local Arab populations and the surrounding Arab countries, who sent their armies to snuff out the newly declared Jewish State of Israel -- with British help.  Having failed, they tried again in 1967 and 1973 (although Hizbullah, Hamas, and Iran are still actively trying today).  In the meantime, Israel came into position of the Old City and Judea and Samaria (or the "West Bank") during the 1967 war, and close to 600,000 Israelis now live in both areas.

Except they shouldn't. You see in the minds of the International Community, Israelis living in these areas are doing so in contradiction to "International Law." (https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/30/opinion/sunday/west-bank-israel-annex.html).  Besides being illegal, The New York Times says that it would be bad policy, as it would they say encourage radicalism among the Palestinians and create a number of unstable "Bantustans."  The editors do admit, though, that the current US Administration does not view the "settlements" as illegal and that there are legitimate arguments for accepting Jewish residency in the "West Bank", contrary to the headline of their editorial.

Moreover, they fail to mention (and the international community ignores) a letter sent to their editorial board by Eugene Rostow (https://www.nytimes.com/1983/09/19/opinion/l-israel-s-settlement-right-is-unassailable-170524.html) who authored UN Resolution 242, which noted that Israel should withdraw from territories captured in the 1967 war, but not THE territories.  Hence,  Israeli retention of some of the territory in the West Bank would be consistent with UN Resolution 242, and acceptance of the Trump Plan would still leave at least 70% (or more) of the land mass for the creation of a Palestinian state.

Recently, The New York Times fired their editor for allowing the publication of an opinion piece by Senator Tom Cotton: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/03/opinion/tom-cotton-protests-military.html.

The remaining editors published a note stating:

1) "Given the life-and-death importance of the topic, the senator’s influential position and the gravity of the steps he advocates, the essay should have undergone the highest level of scrutiny. Instead, the editing process was rushed and flawed, and senior editors were not sufficiently involved. 

2) "For example, the published piece presents as facts assertions about the role of “cadres of left-wing radicals like antifa”; in fact, those allegations have not been substantiated and have been widely questioned. 

3) "The assertion that police officers “bore the brunt” of the violence is an overstatement that should have been challenged."

These are strong reasons for firing the editor, right?  Yet, how many times has The Times published articles and opinion pieces about Israel that substitute opinion (or are those wishes?) falsely declaring that Israel is an Apartheid state, that it illegally occupies the West Bank, and has no "right" to exist.  When it comes to the State of Israel, the rules that govern day to day life and judgement do not apply.  And, it is not just The Times, but the EU  has even warned Israel about the possibility of imposing sanctions (https://www.timesofisrael.com/eu-says-will-work-to-discourage-any-israeli-annexation-initiative/). The King of Jordan warns of massive unrest and that his government will consider all options (https://www.timesofisrael.com/jordans-king-warns-of-major-clash-if-israel-annexes-land-in-west-bank/)  --  if Israel annexes (actually declares civil law) over any part of the Judea and Samaria.

In refusing the accept any changes to the armistice line, it's not just that Jews shouldn't have settled over it, or shouldn't live there, but in the minds of the naysayers it's as if there are no Jewish towns and villages, and even if they flew over them and looked down, they wouldn't see us as people -- in the present we simply don't exist.

Recently, I had a conversation with a friend who said the problem is that we shouldn't make any unilateral decisions -- that it all has to be done by negotiation. This seems to be the position of the German Foreign Minister (https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-israel-german-fm-calls-annexation-illegal-but-doesnt-threaten-sanctions/).  Yossi Klein Halevi writes that any annexation will "undermine the core commitment Israel has made for decades: our willingness to negotiate over disputed territory" (https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/a-plea-to-gantz-ashkenazi-israel-and-its-friends-need-you-to-block-annexation/). He concludes that we (Israel) will be viewed as the rejectionists (regardless of how many potential peace agreements the Palestinians have already rejected, including the Trump Plan).

All this may be true, but it is a position contrary to common sense based on the means by which Israel came into possession of the land, its past ownership of the land and its historical rights, the recognition of its need for secure borders, and the length of time Israeli towns have existed over the old Armistice line.

If you miss my point, keep in mind the following recent announcement of the approval of the "Open Skies Agreement" (https://www.timesofisrael.com/eu-okays-landmark-israel-open-skies-aviation-deal-despite-annexation-tensions/) includes the following: "“the application of this Agreement is understood to be without prejudice to the status of the territories that came under Israeli administration after June 1967,” and that such territories are not part of the State of Israel. The Foreign Minister of Jordan: "“If annexation occurs, it will kill the two-state solution and destroy all the foundations on which the peace process was based. It will deprive the residents of the region of their right to live in peace and stability,” he said (https://www.timesofisrael.com/jordanian-fm-warns-of-long-and-violent-conflict-if-israel-pursues-annexation/), and finally today, Luxembourg FM Jean Asselborn: https://www.timesofisrael.com/eus-elder-statesman-annexation-flouts-biblical-tenet-thou-shalt-not-steal/)  there is a well-established norm against theft. This is one of the basic norms of human coexistence and a fundamental principle of international law. The acquisition of territory by force is inadmissible."

There you have it: i) Don't you forget it: Airplanes may fly over it, but it isn't part of the State of Israel, ii) Annexation (ANY!) will kill the two state solution, iii) Israelis, of all people, should know not to steal. 

I think the explanation for this hypocrisy is simple: for the vast majority of the world's peoples, but especially European and Arab nations, it was bad enough that the State of Israel survived its war of Independence long enough to reach an Armistice agreement (which explicitly stated that the "Green Line" was not an international border). Hence, for the government to extend Jewish sovereignty over even more territory is simply an a-front that cannot go unchallenged. Basically, the ingrained (and sometimes spoken) belief is that we the Europeans allowed you to survive as a people in your own sliver of land until now -- don't make us regret it even more than we do.

Still, there is room for optimism.  If we go ahead and declare sovereignty, the same Luxembourg FM says that his country will recognize the State of Palestine, and so will others.  Why is this good?  Because once they do, in the minds of the EU statesmen, the argument will be one over borders, and they might, just might, forget that they don't want us to exist at all.

Barry Lynn

Weather It Is (Saying Thanks)

Good Evening:

Looking ahead at the weather maps for the next two weeks suggests that the weatherman should take a long awaited rest. True, there will be some ups and downs in the temperatures, but these should be more like the gentle undulation of the summer sea than winter tempest.

A while back I wrote a blog about last week's weather -- only I wrote it the week before last week's weather.  I pointed out that we'd already had one unusual May (winter) rain, and that our unusually intense and unusually long lasting heatwave would likely be followed by another winter like storm.  At one point the global forecasts suggested that this would be a late spring storm more reminiscent of our most severe winter storms.  In the end, though nighttime and morning rains fell fast and furious in many locations, it was over before the afternoon, and some places saw only sprinkles.

I had hoped that this last storm would "bring the house down," before moving into our summer months, and that I would finally get the recognition I've felt I deserved all along.  Alas I did not...

Until, I did.  It happened just the other day that my wife came downstairs and said: "this weather is really amazing." I told her that I agreed with her and then I waited.  And then it came: "thank you."
I may make a mess in the kitchen, but where it counts there is appreciation!

One strange thing about being in relative seclusion is that I find I miss people that I never thought I would ever miss.  I find myself actually happy to see my neighbor or catch a word with someone who just used to just pass me by on the street.

Of course, this is a far different kind of missing than the missing that unfortunately happens to all of us if we spend enough time here on earth. We're either missing someone or eventually being missed ourselves.  Such is a time for sad words, occasionally with perhaps a moment of happier recollection. But, its also the time when you wish you could have said something or wish you could say something that the other person would have appreciated hearing, if only (perhaps they are) could hear just then.

But, what if you could actually be sure that the person or persons get the message?  Wouldn't it be better to pass the message on while you know you can?

I've been pondering this question for a while and decided that I would try to write a letter to my parents, saying simply "Thank you."  I really want them to know how much I appreciate them and how important they have been to me, my family, and how much I have enjoyed their spending time with us and their grandchildren.

When we're young, we have a feeling of endless time.  We get up, we go to school, the coming of summer brings an extra bit of joy, and we simply assume that our parents will make it all happen. They comfort when needed: like the time when I ignored their admonition not to ride my tricycle without shoes on. They put food on the table: we even had a dinner bell so we wouldn't be late for supper.  Nothing was tastier than Dad's chicken in a bag, or Mom's pies. I can't even count the number of salads my mother made -- that is dedication.  They had endless patience to help with homework, and were always there to drop us off or pick us up.

Yet, childhood was not easy, for them or us.  We all had challenges that needed attention. We had neighbors who I definitely do not miss for their teasing. At one point my mother went back to work, while my father studied for his Ph.D.  Those were hard years where Dad was home, but he wasn't home.

Ironically, I've done the same thing.  I worked many days at home, and even right out in the open of our living room.  Yet, I was too busy at times to relate like a father should.

But, how do I really know how a father or parent should relate?  Simply because of them.  Mom and Dad didn't just take care of us, but they also taught us their values.  It was these fundamental values that enabled me to find my "soulmate," who was raised in a family quite different from ours, but with the same values of honesty, kindness, and belief in responsibility. They also taught us to make up our own minds and respected our interests.   The wind vane my father placed on the apex of the house is still there. I received payment for growing strawberries in my garden, and now my garden is full of blueberries, raspberries, blackberries,  cherries... I still have the bicycle I received before and used on my first real cross-country trip

It seems like I lived at home forever.  Yet, most of my life has been spent beyond the years when I lived at home. But, inbetween leaving home and having a family of my own there was a transition.  One might think that children leave -- or at least children think this -- that parents stop being parents, but it isn't so.  I still remember my father giving me advice about what I should do after finishing my Ph.D: I wanted to go to Israel to learn Torah and he said I should work first, so I could be sure to have a job when I returned.  I was so angry (at him) because I wanted more than just learning, but a religious family too, and I wanted it then, not later. Still, I accepted his advice, went to learn 4 years afterwards, and parlayed my work experience into a job that I still have 20 years later.  Dad and I used to bicycle together and  I resented being told I was riding my bicycle too far off the shoulder. He agreed to tone it down.  Yet,  I am certain to give my children the same type of advice. In fact, I don't hesitate to give advice when I think safety matters are at hand.

Now, our relationship has evolved from parent-child to one of parent-grandchildren. This is something we  never had, as their parents or our grandparents passed away too soon.

It was and is as grandparents that my parents' kindness has made all the difference in our lives. There is nothing nicer than a new winter hat from Grandma or a fun game to play when it rains.  Both packed and carried duffel bags almost as large as elephants on their periodic visits.  One day Mom decided that our apartment was too small, and within a few months we we're looking to move.  The kids need a tutor, please let us help.

There is a joke about moving to Israel: how do you make a small fortune? Move to Israel with a large fortune.  To be honest, just have one of your kids live in Israel. It's not the way it should be, but they adapted their beliefs to fit the situation.

Of course, having the means to help and actually helping are not the same thing.  There are people who want to help, but can't.  There are people who could help, but won't.  Then, there are people who want to help, and do help.

Moreover, it's not just me -- they've always been there for my siblings, no matter how small or how large the problem.  To them, family is more than a word, it's a creed.

I suppose I could have written a different type of blog, and told a few stories about our lives together. Stories, though, are fleeting.  They overshadow the daily day to day interactions that life is really made of.  They overshadow life itself, but they are not what life is.

Barry Lynn