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→ 13 November 2020
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NZFOI full speech from Farewell Reception for Israeli Ambassador

H.E. Ambassador Gerberg

NZFOI held a farewell reception for the H.E. Ambassador of Israel, Dr Itzhak Gerberg last night.

The event was well attended but guests needed to listen carefully as we also attracted a gathering of protesters, who attempted to disrupt proceedings with loud megaphones.

Guest speakers included Grant Close, of the Canterbury Hebrew Congregation; the Anglican Bishop of Christchurch, the Rt Rev Peter Carrell; Willy Fraser, Willy Tau and Tiraroa Reuben of Ngai Tahu; and Michael and Teresa Thomas of Prayer for Israel.

Thanks to everyone who supported the event. Many who attended reported that it was “moving,” “pleasurable,” and “a delight.”

The full text of our address may be downloaded from here.

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→ 12 November 2020
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Maori-Israeli Ties Strengthened | Times of Israel

During the recent Covid 19 lockdown, a small hui (meeting) was held in Northland between members of the Ngāpuhi iwi (tribe) and outgoing Israeli Ambassador, HE Dr Itzhak Gerberg and his wife Shifra. This was the culmination of a number of engagements with Ngāpuhi, in the time that Ambassador Gerberg has been in New Zealand.

The beginning of Gerberg’s appointment in New Zealand was marred by New Zealand’s role in co-sponsoring UNSC Resolution 2334. He was recalled to Israel in a diplomatic spat that lasted several months.

Upon the ambassador’s return, Ngāpuhi kaumatua (elder), Pat Ruka felt compelled to organise a special powhiri (welcome ceremony) for him. Joined by many Māori from around the nation, a moving ceremony of apology, called a whakapāha was held at Hoani Waititi Marae (meeting house) in West Auckland. Its purpose was to express regret for New Zealand’s actions in standing against Israel at the UN and to seek forgiveness.

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→ 11 November 2020
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Activist group calls out Neo-Nazi symbols at Auckland art exhibition | NZ Herald

Opponents of an Auckland art exhibition which featured neo-Nazi flags and symbols of white nationalism have received an apology from one of the exhibition’s co-facilitators, but say it doesn’t go far enough.

The exhibition by Mercy Pictures gallery closed last week, but has come under intense scrutiny by locals and activist group Tāmaki Anti-Fascist Action which believes the display, which did not include context or justification, was deeply hurtful.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the group said many of the images used were clearly symbols of oppression, disguised as art.

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→ 10 November 2020
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Distorted picture of complex Palestine conflict | Stuff

Dr Sheree Trotter

John Minto has wasted no time in attempting to lecture the incoming Minister of Foreign Affairs, MP Nanaia Mahuta, on what he thinks she should be doing in the Middle East and in urging his followers to bombard her with emails.

He has no compunction in spouting a distorted picture of what is a complex conflict.

Minto fails to mention that the so-called ‘Great March of Return’ consisted of a series of violent riots, organised, coordinated and directed by Hamas, an internationally designated terrorist organisation that is in an armed conflict with Israel.

A case study undertaken by the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights found that:

The mass violent events that took place in the area of the security barrier were “unusual in their scope and in the intensity of the threat that they posed”. Tens of thousands of people participated. Under the cover of the riots, grenade and explosive devices were hurled towards the Israel Defence Forces troops, live ammunition was fired at the soldiers and explosive devices were hurled towards Israeli territory, in addition to the flying of incendiary kites intended to harm towns and residents of Israel near the Gaza periphery.

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→ 10 November 2020
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The first plane with Israeli tourists lands in UAE after deal | Stuff

First flight of Israeli tourists arrives in UAE after normalisation

The first flight carrying Israeli tourists to the United Arab Emirates landed Sunday in the city-state of Dubai, the latest sign of the normalisation deal reached between the two nations.

FlyDubai flight No. FZ8194 landed at Dubai International Airport just after 5.40pm (local time), bringing the tourists to the skyscraper-studded city after a nearly three-hour trip. The low-cost carrier had sent one of its Boeing 737s to Ben-Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv earlier Sunday morning to pick up the passengers.

The flight flew across Saudi Arabia and then over the waters of the Persian Gulf to reach the UAE, a federation of seven sheikhdoms also home to Abu Dhabi.

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→ 9 November 2020
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Tribute: Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks

R Lord Jonathan Sacks and Tony Blair, former Prime Minister of the UK

Last weekend, Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks passed away, just a few weeks after announcing that he had been diagnosed with cancer and that he would be taking a break from his duties while he focused on his treatment and recovery.

The Rabbi has been a much-respected voice for the Jewish people, and the Torah, whose sage advice was sought by many including leaders of nations.

He was a prolific writer and through those writings he critiqued many of today’s societal trends through the lens of the Torah.

And because of this, his messaging was full of grace, kindness, compassion, mercy and justice.

His parashot commentaries have been a rich blessing and the subject of much (often constructive) discussion and debate for many families on Shabbat.

Rather than dwell on being sad that he is gone, we rejoice that he was given to us to be here at all.

Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Eileen and his children Joshua, Dina and Gila.

Baruch dayan ha’emet.

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→ 9 November 2020
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‘The good cop’: Joe Biden and Israel during the Obama years | JTA

President-elect Joe Biden

Talk to the folks who handled the Israel file and who were close to Joe Biden between 2009 and 2017, and his boss, Barack Obama, more often than not comes up, even if not by name.

Biden was the guy Israelis looked to for support, they say, implying that Obama was … less supportive. Biden was the guy who bridged differences created by the mutual distrust between Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Jewish Telegraphic Agency spoke with half a dozen people who saw the Biden-Israel relationship up close during the years that Biden served under President Obama as vice president. What emerges is a picture of a man who did little to innovate policy but who was a loyal lieutenant to Obama and remained a friend to Israel — and he was often left to use the negotiating skills he honed through decades in the Senate to bridge the divide.

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→ 8 November 2020
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Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks dies | Jerusalem Post

R Jonathan Sacks

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, the much respected former chief rabbi of the UK, has died aged 72.Sacks was highly esteemed around the Jewish world for his erudition, his wisdom, and his prolific  authorship of works on Jewish thought.
Baruch Dayan Ha’Emet. It [is] with the deepest sadness that we regret to inform you that Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks (HaRav Ya’akov Zvi ben David Arieh z’’l) passed away early this morning, Saturday 7th November 2020 (Shabbat Kodesh 20th MarCheshvan 5781).

— Rabbi Sacks (@rabbisacks) November 7, 2020
Sacks announced in the middle of October that he had been diagnosed with cancer and was undergoing treatment, but passed away on Saturday morning.

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→ 5 November 2020
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Racist physicist sneers at Einstein and Jews in a 1927 anti-Semitic letter up for auction | Live Science

Philipp Lenard, Nobel Laureate (1862-1947)

In 1927, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist named Philipp Lenard penned a letter to a colleague complaining about recent achievements by Albert Einstein and musing that academia and the sciences were becoming dominated by Jews. 

Lenard, an early supporter of Germany’s Nazi Party, remarked that a prestigious appointment for Einstein was undeserved; he then wondered if non-Jews would soon be wiped out entirely. 

The original letter, written in German, is up for auction at Nate D. Sanders Auctions in Los Angeles. Bidding for the item, which also includes an English translation, starts at $16,000 US, according to the auction listing.

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→ 5 November 2020
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Christchurch: New Hebrew Roots Bible Study

Hi Christchurch Folk, there is a new bible study that has started up which explores the Hebrew roots of the bible both Old and New Testaments.

Meeting on Wednesdays, well-researched and thought-provoking, this study program will give you access to many useful resources.

For more details, contact our secretary Rebecca Marchand: rebecca.marchand@nzfoi.org.

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