本集介紹

2021.03.26 國際新聞導讀-美國處理伊朗北韓阿富汗國事、斯洛伐克買以色列17台空雷達-宗教政黨宗教復國主義政黨要幹甚麼？

阿富汗，北朝鮮如何在伊朗核僵局中起決定性作用？
華盛頓與北朝鮮的相貌強弱有時可以反映出它將對德黑蘭採取何種行動。
伊朗，朝鮮和阿富汗是拜登政府面臨的三大相互關聯的重大挑戰。
美國已經在與德黑蘭進行外交鬥爭。隨著以色列的退縮，這是一個問題，誰將首先承認對方的要求，以此作為重返2015年核協議的條件。

週四，北朝鮮進行了拜登任期內的第二次武器測試和第一次彈道導彈測試，迫使華盛頓作出回應。
這種新的彈道導彈測試確實違反了決議。
美國將如何應對？這將如何影響以色列和伊朗的核問題？

5月1日，拜登政府將需要決定是否履行川普政府自阿富汗撤軍的承諾，以作為與塔利班實施停火的努力的一部分，還是無視這一承諾，因為許多人說塔利班違反了他們的承諾。

儘管從技術上講每個問題都是獨立存在的，並且它們在世界的不同地區都在發揮作用，但長期以來，伊朗和朝鮮一直被視為當今世界面臨的最大核挑戰。
以色列和伊斯蘭共和國一直密切關注與平壤的事態發展，以弄清楚美國在核問題上的立場有多強硬。
華盛頓與北朝鮮的相貌強弱有時可以反映出它將對德黑蘭採取何種行動。
到目前為止，拜登政府已竭盡所能，將朝鮮問題放在首位。
平壤高層官員發表威脅性聲明時，華盛頓要麼不予回應，要麼試圖降低交流的聲音水平。
這與川普政府形成鮮明對比，川普政府經常以更大的威脅來應對北朝鮮的威脅，企圖消滅領導人金正恩及其政權。
實際上，在最初的朝鮮武器試驗之後，拜登政府與韓國進行了協調，以保持低調。
朝鮮最新的彈道導彈試驗可能不僅是對華盛頓決心的一般性試驗，而且是對美國與韓國進行聯合演習的回應。
但是，這些聯合練習本身卻非常低調。這可能會延續特朗普時代的一項不成文的協議，即不進行任何引人注目的聯合演習，以換取沒有引人注目的導彈行動。
甚至最新的彈道導彈測試都與朝鮮過去的洲際彈道導彈測試（可能能夠襲擊美國）和實際的核彈地下測試相距甚遠。

阿富汗沒有核武器。但是它提供了最直接的考驗，即拜登團隊在承受壓力時會選擇更多的軍事手段還是更多的外交手段。在面對違反國際法和西方利益的行為時，一些人會敦促美國行使權力。
其他人則將試圖在更大程度上探索外交手段，認為在川普時代風起雲湧之後，拜登團隊必須努力證明美國可以在談判桌上解決衝突。如果儘管塔利班與基地組織進行了持續的合作，並且儘管對美國盟軍的襲擊不斷，但美國仍完全撤軍，那麼向德黑蘭和平壤發出的信息將是，拜登政府可能會隨著時間的推移而萎縮。
通過這種解讀，即使華盛頓可能表現出一些最初的抗拒挽救面子的態度，但最終現任政府仍可能被迫避免發生低級衝突。
從這個角度來看，對阿富汗不感興趣的以色列可能更希望美國留在那裡，以表示當要求從敵手轉移政策時，美國願意冒險。
當然，在2001年的戰爭中，美國有可能陷入阿富汗無休止的泥潭中，在這場戰爭中，美國可能最終陷入失敗的一面。
但是從以色列的角度來看，這將向伊朗人傳達一個信息，即美國不會因為流血的鼻子而逃亡，並且仍然將自己視為世界的主要強國。
在中間還有其他選擇，例如繼續削減部分部隊，條件是塔利班實際上切斷與基地組織的聯繫。
有趣的是，在朝鮮和伊朗的案例中，拜登都曾嘗試通過正式或非正式的外交舉措來開始談判，而在這兩種情況下，他都感到冷漠。
拜登會為金正恩做出更大的讓步嗎？如果是這樣，這會對伊朗產生什麼影響？
還是拜登願意像平壤目前在德黑蘭所做的那樣，在長期的遺囑測試中陪同平壤？
拜登針對侵略性對手的外交政策形象仍然沒有得到關注和發展。
耶路撒冷是其中一些問題的旁觀者，但寧願美國加強其項目實力。
歸根結底，毫無疑問，拜登解決北韓目前爆發局勢的方式以及塔利班對阿富汗的壓力，將在核對峙方面加強或削弱他與伊斯蘭共和國打交道的能力。
How can Afghanistan, North Korea be decisive in the Iran nuclear standoff?
How strong or weak Washington looks versus North Korea can sometimes reflect how it will act toward Tehran.
By YONAH JEREMY BOB
Members of the Iranian Army take part in the annual military drill, dubbed “Zolphaghar 99”, in the Gulf of Oman, Iran on September 7, 2020

Iran, North Korea and Afghanistan are three major and interlinked challenges confronting the Biden administration.
The US is already in a diplomatic battle with Tehran. With Israel pushing from the sidelines, it is a question of who will blink first and concede to demands of the other side as a condition for returning to the 2015 nuclear deal.
On Thursday, North Korea carried out its second weapons test, and the first ballistic missile test, of Biden’s term, forcing Washington to respond.
Many analysts who downplayed an earlier weapons test, saying it did not violate UN resolutions, pointed out that this new ballistic missile test does violate those resolutions.
How will the US respond and how will this impact Israel and the Iran nuclear issue?
On May 1, the Biden administration will need to decide whether to fulfill a Trump administration commitment to withdraw American troops as part of an effort to enforce a ceasefire with the Taliban, or to ignore that commitment, since many say the Taliban have violated their key commitments in recent weeks.
Although technically each issue stands on its own and they are playing out in different parts of the world, Iran and North Korea have long been seen as running in parallel as the top nuclear challenges facing the world today.
Israel and the Islamic Republic have both kept a very close watch on developments with Pyongyang to tease out how tough a stand the US will take on nuclear issues.
How strong or weak Washington looks versus North Korea can sometimes reflect how it will act toward Tehran.
So far, the Biden administration has done all it can to keep the North Korean issue on the back burner.
When top Pyongyang officials have issued threatening statements, Washington has either refrained from responding or tried to reduce the decibel level of public exchanges.
This is in stark contrast to the Trump administration, which often responded to North Korean threats with larger threats to wipe out leader Kim Jong Un and his regime.
In fact, after the initial North Korean weapons test, the Biden administration coordinated with South Korea to keep a low profile.
The latest North Korean ballistic missile test may have been not only a general test of Washington’s resolve but also a response to US joint exercises with South Korea.
Yet, those joint exercises themselves have been very low-key. This may continue a Trump-era unwritten deal of no high-profile joint exercises in exchange for no high-profile missile actions.
Even the latest ballistic missile tests are a far cry from past North Korean tests of intercontinental ballistic missiles, which might be able to hit the US, and actual nuclear bomb underground tests.
Afghanistan has no nuclear weapons. But it provides the most immediate test of whether the Biden team will choose more military or more diplomatic means when under pressure.
Some will push for the US to project power when faced with violations of international law and Western interests.
Others will try to explore diplomatic means to a much greater extent, arguing that after the bluster of the Trump era, the Biden team must strive to prove the US can resolve conflicts at the negotiating table.
If the US fully withdraws its troops despite ongoing Taliban cooperation with al-Qaeda and despite ongoing attacks on US-allied forces, the message to Tehran and Pyongyang will be that the Biden administration may wilt under pressure over time.
By this reading, even if Washington may show some initial resistance to save face, ultimately the current administration could be seen as being anxious to avoid much low-grade conflict.
From this perspective, Israel, which has little interest in Afghanistan, may prefer that the US remain there to signal its readiness to take risks when demanding policy shifts from adversaries.
Of course, the US could risk being stuck in an unending quagmire in Afghanistan, in a war dating back to 2001, in which it may end up on the losing side.
But from an Israeli perspective, it would be a message to the Iranians that the US will not run because of a bloody nose and still views itself as the world’s leading power.
There are also in-between options, such as a continued partial drawdown of troops, conditional on the Taliban actually cutting itself off from al-Qaeda.
Interestingly, in both the North Korean and Iranian cases, Biden has attempted either formal or informal diplomatic moves to get negotiations started, and in both cases, he has gotten the cold shoulder.
Will Biden make greater concessions to Kim Jong Un to get him to the negotiating table? If so how might this impact Iran?
Or will Biden bide his time with Pyongyang as he is currently doing with Tehran in a longer-term test of wills?
The image of Biden’s foreign policy toward aggressive adversaries is still unfocused and developing.
Jerusalem is a bystander on some of these issues, but would much rather the US project strength.
Ultimately, there is no question that the way Biden addresses the current North Korean flareup, as well as the Taliban pressure in Afghanistan, will either strengthen or weaken his hand in dealing with the Islamic Republic over the nuclear standoff.


以色列和斯洛伐克國防部簽署出口協議
該部表示，它將向斯洛伐克提供IAI生產的17套雷達系統，價值約1.48億歐元。

國防部已與斯洛伐克國防部簽署協議，採購以色列航空航天工業公司 （IAI）生產的17種雷達系統 。
國防部周四在一份新聞稿中說，該協議包括從以色列向斯洛伐克的技術和知識轉讓 以及產業合作。

雷達部件將在IAI和國防部的專業指導下與斯洛伐克的國防工業合作製造。
聲明說，由IAI子公司ELTA系統製造的旗艦MMR雷達系統將為斯洛伐克國防部門提供完整的空中情況評估。
雷達可以檢測空中威脅，對其進行分類，計算威脅等級並提供必要的數據，使系統能夠同時消除多種威脅。此外，雷達系統將可與北約防禦機制進行互操作。
新聞稿援引國防部長本尼·甘茨（Benny Gantz）的話說：“今天，以色列和斯洛伐克國防工業之間不斷發展的合作已達到重要的里程碑。” “新協議首先為斯洛伐克提供了高質量，先進的系統，以維護其國家安全，同時也加強了國防工業，並在以色列和斯洛伐克創造了許多新的就業機會。”

“我要感謝我的朋友，斯洛伐克國防部長雅羅斯拉夫·納德（Jaroslav Nad'）促進了這項協議，並表達了對'藍色和白色'（以色列）行業的信心。” 納烏說：“首先，我要感謝以色列代表採取真正務實的態度為我們的斯洛伐克空軍採購新的3D雷達系統的談判。這些專家的討論一直以來都是非常高質量的，從而使雙方都滿意地達成了最終協議。 “與此同時，我高度重視這項合作對我們兩國在國防與安全領域的雙邊關係所產生的積極影響，我相信我們現在為我們的下一次合作奠定了堅實的基礎。”準將 （res。）國防部國際防衛合作局（SIBAT）負責人Yair Kulas說：“以色列和斯洛伐克之間的國防關係今天已發展到另一個層次，這項雷達協議的簽署將為我們兩個國家做出巨大貢獻。國家。已銷往各個國家。

“此外，我們將通過聯合開發雷達，與斯洛伐克工業界合作，發展並融入斯洛伐克當地經濟。IAI為向斯洛伐克提供這項先進技術感到自豪，並成為歐洲防空解決方案的重要組成部分，包括支持和融入北約活動。”
Israeli and Slovak Defense ministries sign export agreement
The ministry said it will deliver 17 radar systems produced by IAI to Slovakia worth about €148 million.
By UDI SHAHAM
The Defense Ministry has signed an agreement with the Slovakian Defense Ministry for the procurement of 17 radar systems made by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).
The agreement includes the transfer of technology and knowledge from Israel to Slovakia, as well as industrial cooperation, the Defense Ministry said Thursday in a press release.

The radar components will be manufactured in collaboration with defense industries in Slovakia under the professional guidance of IAI and the Defense Ministry.
The flagship MMR radar system, manufactured by IAI subsidiary ELTA systems, will provide the Slovak defense establishment with a complete aerial situational assessment, the statement said.
The radar detects airborne threats, classifies them, calculates their threat level and provides essential data that enables systems to neutralize multiple threats simultaneously. In addition, the radar systems will be interoperable with NATO defense mechanisms.
“Today we have reached a significant milestone in the growing cooperation between Israeli and Slovak defense industries,” the press release quoted Defense Minister Benny Gantz as saying. “The new agreement first and foremost provides Slovakia with high-quality, advanced systems to maintain their national security, while also strengthening defense industries and creating many new jobs in Israel and Slovakia.

“I would like to thank my friend, the Slovak minister of defense, Jaroslav Nad’, for promoting this agreement and for expressing confidence in the ‘Blue and White’ [Israeli] industry.”

Naď said: “First and foremost, I would like to express my appreciation to Israeli representatives for taking a truly pragmatic approach to the negotiations on the procurement of the new 3D radar systems for our Slovak Air Force. These expert discussions have always been of very high quality, resulting in the final agreement with satisfaction on both sides.

“At the same time, I highly value the positive impact of this cooperation on the bilateral ties between our countries in the field of defense and security, and I do believe we now have a solid basis for our next cooperation.”
Brig.-Gen. (res.) Yair Kulas, director of the Defense Ministry’s International Defense Cooperation Directorate (SIBAT), said: “Defense relations between Israel and Slovakia have risen to another level today, and the signing of this radar agreement will contribute greatly to both of our countries.

“We thank the Slovak Government for its confidence in the Ministry of Defense and our excellent defense industries and look forward to further cooperation in both the defense and civilian arenas.”

IAI VP and ELTA CEO Yoav Tourgeman said: “The signing today with Slovakia signifies significant cooperation between our two countries. IAI will provide Slovakia with radar systems and advanced air-defense technology, about 150 of which have been sold to various nations.

“In addition, we will cooperate with Slovakian industries to develop and integrate into the local Slovakian economy, through joint-development of the radars. IAI is proud to provide Slovakia with this advanced technology and be an important part of Europe’s air-defense solutions, including supporting and integrating into NATO activities.”
盎格魯olim幫助印度Bnei Menashe社區的olim
“感到很高興我們喜歡他們到以色列以及猶太人民。聽到他們的故事真是太神奇了。”
通過里弗卡蘭伯特阿德勒
2021年3月25日17:42

本月初，數百個全新的結婚禮物被捐贈，包裝並交付給在Netanya附近的Moshav Nordia舉行的最不尋常的婚禮。節日活動是代表Bnei Menashe舉行的一系列婚禮之一，後者在2700年後逐漸返回以色列。
的Bnei梅納什被理解為從聖經門納什，約瑟夫的兒子的後代。根據專門致力於“幫助猶太人和以色列失落的部落的後裔恢復根源”的組織Shavei Israel的說法，梅納什支派是“以色列十個失落部落之一，被亞述帝國放逐到國外”超過27個世紀以前。他們的祖先在中亞和遠東徘徊了幾個世紀，然後沿著緬甸和孟加拉國的邊界定居在如今的印度東北部。
e像他們的祖先一樣繼續練習猶太教，包括遵守安息日，遵守猶太潔食，慶祝節日以及遵循家庭純淨律。耶路撒冷郵報專欄作家Shavei Israel主席Michael Freund說：“他們繼續養育有一天回到祖先的土地-以色列之國的夢想。” “到目前為止，以色列的Shavei以色列已經從印度帶來了4000多名Bnei Menashe到aliyah，還有6500名正在等待他們返回猶太家園。”
根據弗洛因德的說法，在以色列Shavei將Bnei Menashe帶到以色列之後，他們“在Nordia的Shavei以色列吸收中心居住了三個月，在那裡他們完成了正式的conversion依過程，然後繼續獲得以色列公民身份和新移民身份。”
每當一組Bnei Menashe完成正式group依時，該組中的所有已婚夫婦都需要根據猶太法律重新結婚。Moshav Nordia的居民協助Shavei Israel安排了集體再婚儀式。
莎娜娜·萊文·赫菲茲（Shayna Levine-Hefetz）從巴爾的摩（Baltimore）結識了阿麗雅（aliyah），現在住在古什埃奇翁（Gush Etzion）。她是勞拉·本·戴維（Laura Ben-David）的朋友，勞拉·本·戴維（Laura Ben-David）是Shavei Israel的營銷和新媒體總監。
有天賦的攝影師本·戴維（Ben-David）參加所有的再婚儀式，並在Facebook上發布快樂活動的照片。在查看了之前的集體儀式的一些照片之後，Levine-Hefetz聯繫了Ben-David，並提出幫助在下一次婚禮上進行設置。Ben-David向她解釋說，Bnei Menashe移民一直居住的Moshav Nordia居民會照顧他們的住所。
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熱門tz並沒有因此而受阻。她得知Bnei Menashe移民來到以色列時幾乎把所有財產都留在了後面，每個人只帶著一個皮箱到達，她引起了軒然大波。

萊文-赫夫茨說：“從字面上看，他們必須重新開始。” “也許我可以安排人們捐贈結婚禮物。我感覺這將是更多的模擬茶，而其餘的Amcha（以色列人民）歡迎他們來到以色列。到這裡來改變他們的整個世界和生活的大量誤會（犧牲和奉獻）令人難以置信。”

幾天之內，她就在Gush Etzion和Efrat安排了結婚禮物促銷活動。她首先給幾個朋友發消息，詢問他們是否將充當Gush Etzion和Efrat周圍的下車地點。

萊文-赫菲茲（Levine-Hefetz）有很多幫手。Efrat的收集點由Diana Rosenfelder協調，包括Weglein，Farkas，Mark-Kapon和Newman家族。萊文-赫菲茲（Levine-Hefetz）收集了涅夫丹尼爾（Neve Daniel）捐贈者的禮物，以及Elazar的Morowitz家族和Alon Shvut的Spiezer家族。
這個項目很快就完成了。該驅動器是在普im節之後宣布的。除了捐贈的150多種禮物外，還有一些人捐贈了現金。有了這些資金，Levine-Hefetz和她的女兒就能夠購買多個查拉板，一套銀器，杯子和其他家居用品。
萊文·赫菲茲（Levine-Hefetz）還能夠從耶路撒冷塔爾皮特（Talpiot）附近的伊曼紐爾商店（Emanuel Store）上獲得60杯kiddush杯子的折扣。折扣是由藝術家Yair Emanuel親自授權的。
一周後，在周日的早晨，另一組志願者將所有禮物包裝在玻璃紙中。“我們檢查了所有東西，以確保它是b'kavod（可敬）。我們將較小的物品與其他相關物品配對，並放在一起120個禮品包和一個kiddush杯子，” Levine-Hefetz報告。
志願者包裝人員包括Levine-Hefetz，Kiki Newman和她的丈夫，後者指導Efrat的Chabad為講英語的人，Diana Rosenfelder，Eti Karasek Magen和Aviva Sherman。萊文·赫費茲（Levine-Hefetz）特別喊道：“戴安娜（Diana）的丈夫西蒙（Simon）做了很多事情，將禮物從不同的地方送給了包裝派對並裝了汽車。”
大規模的包裝會議之後，她和本·戴維（Ben-David）將禮物送給舉行婚禮的莫沙夫·諾迪亞（Moshav Nordia）。兩輛滿載的汽車在婚禮上佔據了八張桌子，每輛汽車都充斥著結婚禮物以及古什·埃齊翁（Gush Etzion）和埃夫拉特（Efrat）的同伴的祝福。

SHAYNA LEVINE-HEFETZ在短短幾天內就將她精美的禮物桌放在一起（照片來源：Laura Ben-David）
萊文·赫菲茨（Levine-Hefetz）在評論禮物活動的成功時說：“人們倒空了禮物櫃，因為他們一年四季都沒有參加婚禮。如果我們有幾天以上的通知，請想像可以做些什麼！這是一個非常有趣的機會，可以使我們的社區團結在一起。
“我覺得我（實際上）做得很少。響應是驚人的。感覺很高興，就像我們歡迎他們來到以色列，也歡迎猶太人民一樣。聽到他們的故事真是太神奇了。
“我們都是寡頭，來自歐洲，加拿大和美國。因此，實際上這是一個olim幫助olim項目，”她評論道。
本·戴維（Ben-David）評論說：“我們真的全心全意地與Bnei Menashe一起工作，看到以色列社區中有如此之多的人做同樣的事，真是令人難以置信，令人振奮和欣喜。莎娜（Shayna）的決心真的讓我震驚。我希望她的興奮是富有感染力的，我們可以與未來的Bnei Menashe團體在其他社區中進行類似的項目。”
數十年來，以色列的Shavei以色列一直倡導Bnei Menashe。他們在印度有使節，與社區和教育工作者合作，在以色列Shavei以色列的協助下在猶太人中心工作。當Bnei Menashe來到以色列時，他們已經紮根並在實踐猶太人的生活。他們已經與以色列緊密聯繫。由於以色列已經有4,000名貝尼·梅納什（Beni Menashe），因此大多數人已經在這裡與他們保持聯繫。
弗洛伊德進一步解釋說：“到2020年12月，我們在aliyah帶來了250多名Bnei Menashe團體。3月中旬，該小組搬到Nof HaGalil，市長Ronen Plott和市政當局竭盡全力擁抱Bnei Menashe，並張開雙臂歡迎他們。
移民有權在烏爾潘學習希伯來語10個月，並且可以選擇接受專業培訓。以色列“沙威”將繼續積極促進其吸收和融入以色列社會。
“有將它們帶到以色列的政治意願，但是有許多官僚障礙需要克服。我決心竭盡所能，以確保印度每一個希望成為aliyah的Bnei Menashe都能做到這一點。他們是我們失散已久的兄弟姐妹，應該在其祖先的土地以色列之地來到這裡。”
弗萊恩德（Freund）在評論結婚禮物的驅動器時說：“我們非常感謝莎娜娜·萊文·赫菲茨（Shayna Levine-Hefetz）和古什·埃齊翁（Gush Etzion）的婦女們主動為在尼古拉（Bnei Menashe）夫婦和在世俗之下再婚的夫婦組織了一場新娘洗禮為家庭購買各種禮物。
“ Bnei Menashe移民非常讚賞這一舉動，這體現了猶太人民的團結以及我們彼此之間的愛心和關懷。
“我希望以色列和整個猶太世界的其他社區將受到古什·埃齊翁（Gush Etzion）所樹立的榜樣的啟發，並在流亡2700年後重返我們的土地和我們的人民中，協助貝尼·梅納什（Bnei Menashe）。”
在確定“十大失落部落”的後裔與以色列其他人民並使他們團聚的工作中，“沙威”以色列目前在十幾個國家中活躍。除了與印度的Bnei Menashe合作外，他們還為西班牙，葡萄牙和南美的Bnei Anousim（有時被貶義為“ Marranos”一詞的強迫convert依者的後裔），俄羅斯的Subbotnik猶太人提供援助，中國開封的猶太人社區，居住在波蘭的猶太人後裔等。
有關更多信息，請訪問shavei.org。

以色列SHAVEI董事長邁克爾·弗羅因德（Michael Freund）在謙卑下背誦sheva brachot。
ople. It was amazing to hear their stories."
By Rivkah Lambert Adler
MARCH 25, 2021 17:42
ings conducted on behalf of the Bnei Menashe, who are slowly returning to Israel after 2,700 years.

The Bei Me by the Assyrian Empire more than 27 centuries ago. Their ancestors wandered through Central Asand the Far East for centuries, before settling in what is now northeastern India, along the borders of Burma and Bangladesh.
“Throughout their sojourn in exile, the Bnei Menashe continued to practice Judaism just as their ancestors did, including observing the Sabbath, keeping kosher, celebrating the festivals and following the laws of family purity. They continued to nourish the dream of one day returning to the land of their ancestors, the Land of Israel,” Shavei Israel’s chairman Michael Freund, a Jerusalem Post columnist, said. “Thus far, Shavei Israel has brought over 4,000 Bnei Menashe on aliyah from India and there are still another 6,500 awaiting their return to the Jewish homeland.”
According to Freund, after Shavei Israel brings the Bnei Menashe to Israel, they spend “three months living in the Shavei Israel Absorption Center at Nordia, where they complete the formal conversion process and then proceed to obtain Israeli citizenship and new immigrant status.”
Each time a group of Bnei Menashe completes their formal conversion, all married couples in the group need to get remarried according to Jewish law. The residents of Moshav Nordia assist Shavei Israel with arranging the group remarriage ceremonies.

BNEI MENASHE brides and grooms. (Photo Credit: Laura Ben-David)
Enter the Anglo olim
Shayna Levine-Hefetz made aliyah from Baltimore and lives in Gush Etzion. She is friends with Laura Ben-David, who serves as the director of Marketing and New Media for Shavei Israel.
Ben-David, a gifted photographer, attends all the remarriage ceremonies and posts pictures of the happy events on Facebook. After viewing some photos of a previous group ceremony, Levine-Hefetz contacted Ben-David and offered to help set up at the next wedding event. Ben-David explained to her that the residents of Moshav Nordia, where the Bnei Menashe immigrants have been living, take care of the set up.
Levine-Hefetz was not deterred. Learning that the Bnei Menashe immigrants leave almost all their possessions behind when they come to Israel, arriving with only one suitcase each, she had a brainstorm.
“They literally have to start over,” Levine-Hefetz said. “Maybe I can arrange for people to donate wedding gifts. I felt it would be more of a simcha with the rest of Amcha (the people of Israel) welcoming them to Israel. The amount of misirut nefesh (sacrifice and devotion) to come here and change their entire world and life is unbelievable.”
In a matter of days, she arranged a wedding gift drive in Gush Etzion and Efrat. She began by messaging a few friends to ask if they would serve as drop-off points all around Gush Etzion and Efrat.
Levine-Hefetz had lots of helpers. The Efrat collection points were coordinated by Diana Rosenfelder and included the Weglein, Farkas, Mark-Kapon and Newman families. Levine-Hefetz collected gifts from donors in Neve Daniel along with the Morowitz family in Elazar and the Spiezer family in Alon Shvut.
The project came together very quickly. The drive was announced just after Purim. In addition to the 150 or so gifts that were donated, some people donated cash. With those funds, Levine-Hefetz and her daughter were able to purchase multiple challa boards, sets of silverware, mugs and other household goods.
Levine-Hefetz was also able to secure a discount on 60 kiddush cups from the Emanuel Store in Jerusalem’s Talpiot neighborhood. The discount was authorized by the artist Yair Emanuel himself.
A week later, on a Sunday morning, another team of volunteers wrapped all the gifts in cellophane. “We inspected everything to make sure it was b’kavod (respectable). We matched smaller items with other related items and put together 120 gift packages plus a kiddush cup,” Levine-Hefetz reported.
Volunteer wrappers included Levine-Hefetz, Kiki Newman who, along with her husband, directs Chabad of Efrat for English speakers, Diana Rosenfelder, Eti Karasek Magen and Aviva Sherman. Levine-Hefetz gave a special shout out to, “Diana’s husband, Simon, [who] did a lot of shlepping the gifts from the different locations to the wrapping party and loading the cars.”
After the massive wrapping session, she and Ben-David drove the gifts to Moshav Nordia where the weddings were being held. Two cars full, each overflowing with wedding gifts and the good wishes of fellow olim from Gush Etzion and Efrat, took up eight tables at the wedding.

SHAYNA LEVINE-HEFETZ with the amazing gift table she put together in mere days (Photo Credit: Laura Ben-David)
COMMENTING ON the success of the gift drive, Levine-Hefetz said, “People emptied their gift closets because they haven’t been to weddings all year. If we had had more than a few days’ notice, imagine what could be done! It was a really fun opportunity to bring together our communities.
“I feel like I [actually] did very little. The response was amazing. It was nice to feel like we’re welcoming them to Israel and also to the Jewish people. It was amazing to hear their stories.
“We are all olim – from Europe, Canada and the US. So really it was an olim helping olim project,” she commented.
Ben-David commented, “We really put our heart and soul into our work with the Bnei Menashe and it was so incredibly heartwarming and gratifying to see so many people in the community here in Israel do the same. Shayna really blew me away with her determination to help. I hope her excitement is contagious and we can do similar projects in other communities with future Bnei Menashe groups.”
Shavei Israel has been advocating for the Bnei Menashe for decades. They have emissaries in India working with the community and educators in a Jewish center facilitated by Shavei Israel. By the time the Bnei Menashe come to Israel, they are already rooted and practicing Jewish life. They are already deeply connected to Israel. Since there are already 4,000 Beni Menashe in Israel, most have families already here with whom they have been in touch.
Freund explained further, “In December 2020, we brought a group of more than 250 Bnei Menashe on aliyah. In mid-March, the group moved to Nof HaGalil, where Mayor Ronen Plott and the municipality have gone out of their way to embrace the Bnei Menashe and welcome them with open arms.
“The immigrants are entitled to study Hebrew in ulpan for 10 months, as well as undergo professional training if they so choose. Shavei Israel will continue to actively facilitate their absorption and integration into Israeli society.
“The political will to bring them [to Israel] exists, but there are many bureaucratic obstacles that need to be overcome. I am determined to do everything I can to ensure that every single Bnei Menashe in India who wishes to make aliyah will be able to do so. They are our long-lost brothers and sisters and they deserve to be here in the land of their ancestors, the Land of Israel.”
Commenting on the wedding gift drive, Freund said, “We are very grateful to Shayna Levine-Hefetz and the women of Gush Etzion for taking the initiative to organize a bridal shower for the Bnei Menashe couples who were remarried under the huppah, as well as for purchasing various gifts for the families.
“The Bnei Menashe immigrants greatly appreciated this moving gesture, which embodies the unity of the Jewish people as well as our sense of love and concern for one another.
“I hope that other communities in Israel and throughout the Jewish world will be inspired by the example set by Gush Etzion and step up to assist the Bnei Menashe as they return to our land and our people after 2,700 years of exile.”
In their work identifying and reuniting descendants of the Ten Lost Tribes with the rest of the people of Israel, Shavei Israel is currently active in more than a dozen countries. In addition to working with the Bnei Menashe from India, they provide assistance to the Bnei Anousim (descendants of the forced converts who are sometimes referred to by the derogatory term “Marranos”) in Spain, Portugal and South America, the Subbotnik Jews of Russia, the Jewish community of Kaifeng in China, descendants of Jews living in Poland and others.
For more information visit shavei.org.

SHAVEI ISRAEL chairman Michael Freund recites sheva brachot under the huppah.
SHAVEI ISRAEL chairman Michael Freund recites sheva brachot under the huppah. (Photo Credit: Laura Ben-David)

Tags aliyahindian jewsmaking aliyaholim
以色列大選：猶太復國主義者的議程是什麼？
宗教猶太復國主義黨在選舉中獲得了6個席位和225,000票，這給了它很小但很重要的代表和巨大的影響力。
通過JEREMY SHARON
2021年3月25日19:45



在2021年3月23日選舉之夜，莫扎因的宗教猶太復國主義黨總部與貝扎里爾·斯莫特里奇（Bezalel Smotrich）的支持者和黨員見面。

（照片來源：SRAYA DIAMANT / FLASH90）

包括極右翼的Kahanist Otzma Yehudit政黨和反LGBT Noam政黨在內的超民族主義宗教猶太復國主義政黨（RZP）進入以色列議會，在該黨的左派和自由派方面造成了不小的影響。選舉鴻溝。
RZP在選舉中獲得了6個席位和225,000票，這給了它很小但很重要的代表權，並且在可以組合某種形式的右翼宗教政府的情況下發揮了巨大作用。
該黨的議程非常明確，並公佈了一份詳盡的黨宣言，闡述了其在一系列事務上的政策目標，包括降低高等法院的權力，定居點以及宗教和國家事務。
然而，與選舉前的許多其他政黨一樣，該黨也不願詳細說明其尋求的部長級職位。
鑑於右翼宗教團體在以色列議會中獲得59個席位的最終選舉結果，比多數派所需要的席位少兩個席位，RZP領導人和官員甚至更不願討論這個問題。
但是，黨的領導人貝扎萊爾·斯莫特里希（Bezalel Smotrich）早在2月在103電台的一次採訪中就明確表示，他最令人垂涎​​的職位實際上是以色列議會憲法，法律和司法委員會主席。
他說，在政府成立的頭一百天裡，他將利用委員會主席的身份，幫助議會通過議會指導立法，以通過一項法律，使議會能夠在罷工後推翻高等法院。立法。
私人土地上的定居點建設問題，拘留非洲尋求庇護者和移民的法律以及其他問題上，都受到了打擊。認為法院無權進行干預，

斯莫特里奇（Smotrich）和本·格維爾（Ben Gvir）經常譴責高等法院的許多決定，最近的裁決是禁止政府阻止公民返回以色列，以及承認以色列的改革和保守派信徒有權根據《憲法》獲得公民身份的決定。回報法則。

斯莫特里奇還表示，他還將利用委員會來改變法官的選拔程序，並將總檢察長的職位分為兩個：首席法律顧問和首席檢察官。

耶路撒冷郵報了解到，儘管很難獲得只有六個席位的如此強大的部委，但最終斯莫特里希還是想被任命為司法部長。

過去，本·格維爾（Ben Gvir）表示有興趣在Select選法官委員會中任職，這是他希望改變他和他的政黨認為是左翼，自由的司法制度控制權的一部分。

在周三晚上接受第12頻道採訪時，本·格維爾被問到他想擔任政府一職要擔任什麼職務時，本·格維爾說，他希望擔任內蓋夫和加利利的安全部長，儘管目前尚無這樣的部門。
內蓋夫和加利利有大量的阿拉伯人口，而本·格維爾和奧茲瑪·葉胡迪特對以色列的阿拉伯公民充滿敵意。
奧茲馬·耶胡迪特自己的政黨宣言中的一個條款規定，該黨“將努力將以色列的敵人從我們國家中清除出去”，而另一項則是奧茲瑪關於“鼓勵”以色列從以色列，西岸和加沙地帶移民的言論。
奧茲瑪成員巴魯克·馬澤爾（Baruch Marzel）在2019年的一次採訪中表示，他相信以色列的大多數阿拉伯公民是敵人，``但不是所有的人，我是不包括100％。”
本·格維爾（Ben Gvir）在12頻道的採訪中說：“（內蓋夫和加利利的）那裡的猶太人正在吟，”“婦女受到騷擾並報警，沒有警察，這太可怕了。”
在 與斯莫特里奇（Smotrich）達成統一協議之前與諾茲馬（Otzma）團結的諾姆黨（Noam party）主要集中於反對LGBT社區的議程和賦予他們更多權利的政策。
該黨的精神領袖拉比·茲維·陶（Rabbi Tzvi Tau），是宗教猶太復國主義運動強硬派中最保守的領導人之一，他本人呼籲與LGBT社區的平等政策進行堅決的鬥爭。
在星期三晚間第12頻 道公開發表的評論中，聽取了Tau的話說：“這些同性戀者（這些性變態者是可憐的人）。”
他還聲稱，LGBT激進分子已經“將教育部滲透到了孩子們根本不了解的最年輕的班級中，並插入了後現代價值觀-價值觀，後現代毒藥。”
目前尚不清楚諾姆的代表阿維·毛茲（Avi Maoz）會尋求什麼樣的職位，儘管考慮到Tau和其他人對性傾向和家庭教育的強烈關注，以色列議會教育委員會的席位不足為奇。
Israel Elections: What is the Religious Zionist Party's agenda?
The Religious Zionist Party secured six seats and 225,000 votes in the election, giving it small but significant representation, and huge leverage.
By JEREMY SHARON
MARCH 25, 2021 19:45

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The entrance into the Knesset of the ultra-nationalist Religious Zionist Party (RZP), which includes the far-right Kahanist Otzma Yehudit party and the anti-LGBT Noam party, has caused no small amount on the left-wing and liberal side of the electoral divide.
RZP secured six seats and 225,000 votes in the election, giving it small but significant representation, and huge leverage in the event that some form of right-wing, religious government could be put together.

The party’s agenda is very clear and it publicized a detailed party manifesto laying out its policy goals on a range of matters, including reducing the power of the High Court, settlements, and religion and state matters.
The party has been reluctant however, like many of the other parties ahead of the elections, to detail what ministerial portfolios it would seek.
Given the final election results in which the right-wing religious bloc secured 59 seats in the Knesset, two less than needed for a majority, RZP leaders and officials have been even more reluctant to discuss the issue.
However, party leader Bezalel Smotrich said clearly back in February in an interview on 103 Radio that his most coveted position is in fact chairman of the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee.
He said that for the first hundred days of a government he was part of he would use the chairmanship of the committee to help steer legislation through the Knesset to pass a law giving the Knesset the ability to override the High Court in the event it strikes down legislation.
** t**


RZP in particular and much of the Israeli right-wing more broadly has fulminated for many years against the intervention of the High Court on the issue of settlement construction on private Palestinian land, laws to detain African asylum seekers and migrants, and other issues where it believes the court does not have a mandate to intervene,

Both Smotrich and Ben Gvir have frequently denounced the High Court for it many of its decisions, most recently the ruling banning the government from preventing citizens to return to Israel and the decision recognizing the right of Reform and Conservative converts in Israel to be granted citizenship under the Law of Return.

Smotrich also said he would also use the committee to change the process in which judges are selected and to split the position of attorney general into two: a chief legal adviser and a chief prosecutor.

The Jerusalem Post understands that ultimately Smotrich would like to be appointed justice minister, although it would be difficult to obtain such a powerful ministry with just six seats.

Ben Gvir for his part has in the past expressed interest in serving on the Committee for Selecting Judges, as part of his desire to change what he and his party perceive to be the left-wing, liberal control of the justice system.
Asked on Wednesday night in an interview with Channel 12 however what position he would like should he be part of a government, Ben Gvir said he would like to be minister for security in the Negev and Galilee, although no such ministry currently exists.
The Negev and Galilee have large Arab populations, and Ben Gvir and Otzmah Yehudit are notoriously hostile to Israel’s Arab citizens.
A clause in Otzmah Yehudit’s own party manifesto states that the party “will work to remove the enemies of Israel from our country,” while another clause Otzmah’s talks of “encouraging” Arab emigration from Israel, the West Bank and Gaza.
Otzma member Baruch Marzel, who was disqualified from running for the Knesset by the High Court for racism, said in a 2019 interview that he believed “the majority” of Arab citizens of Israel are enemies, “but not all of them, I’m not including 100 percent.”
In his Channel 12 interview, Ben Gvir said that “Jews there [in the Negev and Galilee] are groaning,” and that “women are being harassed and call the police and there is no police, it’s terrible.”
The Noam party, which united with Otzma before the unity deal with Smotrich, is mostly focused on its agenda against the LGBT community and policies granting them more rights.
The spiritual leader of the party Rabbi Tzvi Tau, one of the most conservative leaders of the hardline wing of the religious-Zionist movement, has himself called for a strong battle against equality policies for the LGBT community.
In comments exposed by Channel 12 on Wednesday night, Tau was heard stating that “these homosexuals, these sexual deviants, are wretched people.”
He also alleged that LGBT activists have “penetrated the Education Ministry into the youngest classes where the children have no idea at all, and insert post-modern values - values, post-modern poison.”
It is unclear what kind of position Noam representative Avi Maoz would seek, although a seat on the Knesset Education Committee would not be a surprise given the strong concerns of Tau and others regarding education on sexual inclination and the family unit.

Tags ElectionsKnessetright wingreligious zionistsBezalel Smotrich
El Al posts massive half-a-billion-dollar loss in 2020 amid pandemic
Israel’s flagship airline loses $531 million for year, vs loss of $59.6 million in 2019; revenues from operations plunge 71%; new management setting out multi-year strategy plan
By SHOSHANNA SOLOMON Today, 2:08 pm 0
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El Al planes parked at Ben Gurion Airport in Lod, Israel, on August 03, 2020 (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)
El Al Israel Airlines Ltd., the nation’s flagship carrier, said Thursday it posted a massive half-a-billion-dollar loss in 2020, as its passenger flights were grounded for most of the year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The company said it lost $531 million in 2020, compared to a loss of $59.6 million in 2019. Revenues from operations for the year plunged 71 percent to $623.1 million, compared to revenues of $2.2 billion in 2019, due to the cancellation of regular passenger flights from February 2020. Since the fourth quarter of 2020 some flights to some destinations have resumed.


Revenue from cargo flights surged 100% by some $132 million in 2020, compared to the previous year, the company said.
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The “dramatic drop in demand” for passenger air transport and freight, to a lesser extent, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other containment measures “is threatening the viability of many firms in both the air transport sector and the rest of the aviation industry, with many jobs at stake,” the OECD said in an October report.


El Al planes, parked at the Ben Gurion Airport in Lod, Israel, on August 03, 2020. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)
Troubled El Al, which put most of its workers on furlough as flights were halted, in September was acquired by Kanfei Nesharim, controlled by Eli Rozenberg, and has a new board of directors and chairman.
The company said in a statement on Thursday that it was setting out a new strategic plan that, along with efficiency measures it plans to implement this year, will bring the carrier to a new “starting point” for when air travel will resume more broadly.
To tide itself over, in September 2020 and February this year the firm raised some $222 million dollars in the capital markets. The company has also signed a bailout plan with the Finance Ministry that will see the government purchase $210 million worth of advance tickets for security personnel over the next 20 years. The plan replaces a loan-guarantees offer, and is contingent on El Al issuing capital of $105 million, meaning the company has to come up with that sum through a sale of shares that will supplement an injection of $43 million from the controlling shareholder.
“El Al suffered a severe blow this year, and was forced to take painful measures, including reducing the number of employees, to ensure its survival,” incoming CFO Itzik Eliav said in the statement.
El Al’s new CEO Avigal Soreq said the company was implementing an efficiency plan that will see it cutting some 2,000 workers. It is also planning to repay debt to customers for tickets that were not used, and to other lenders, suppliers and craft lessors, by refinancing its loans. The firm owns customers some $238 million for pre-paid and unused tickets.
Pre-pandemic, the firm employed some 6,300 workers. That number will drop to 4,300 after the layoffs are implemented.
The financing outline reached with the government, the implementation of the efficiency plan, and implementing new and innovative work processes will bring the firm to a cash flow balance during 2021, he said, and positive cash flow in 2022.
At the same time, the company is working on implementing a renewed multi-year strategic plan to emerge from the crisis, Soreq said. Along with the opening of the skies and of Ben Gurion Airport, and the expected gradual increase in activity, the company expects to return to activity in 2022,” which will enable it to implement a business plan “for long-term growth and profitability.”