The Shofar and The British - Rabbi Moshe Segal

This evening marks the beginning of Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year. It is the culmination of the 10 days comprising Rosh Hashanah, during which time Jews the world over have finished reading the Torah and ask forgiveness of those whom they may have wronged in the past year. On Yom Kippur the Shofar, a ram's horn, is sounded to signify the beginning of the New Year. This is a narrative about the blowing of the Shofar at the Western Wall in Jerusalem during the years before the Creation of a Jewish State in 1948. What follows is an excerpt (translated from the Hebrew) from the memoir of Rabbi Moshe Segal (1904-1985), a Lubavitcher Chassid who was active in the struggle to free the Holy Land from British rule. It was taken from the website http://www.chabad.org/

The Holy Temple in Jerusalem was twice destroyed -- by the Romans in the year 69 CE, and by the Babylonians on the same date in 423 BCE. One wall remains standing as a living symbol of the Jewish people's ownership over the land of Israel and the city of Jerusalem -- the Kotel HaMaaravi or "Western Wall."

In those years, the area in front of the Kotel did not look as it does today. Only a narrow alley separated the Kotel and the Arab houses on its other side. The British Government forbade us to place an Ark, tables or benches in the alley; even a small stool could not be brought to the Kotel. The British also instituted the following ordinances, designed to humble the Jews at the holiest place of their faith: it is forbidden to pray out loud, lest one upset the Arab residents; it is forbidden to read from the Torah (those praying at the Kotel had to go to one of the synagogues in the Jewish quarter to conduct the Torah reading); it is forbidden to sound the shofar on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The British Government placed policemen at the Kotel to enforce these rules.

On Yom Kippur of that year [1930] I was praying at the Kotel. During the brief intermission between the musaf and minchah prayers, I overheard people whispering to each other: "Where will we go to hear the shofar? It'll be impossible to blow here. There are as many policemen as people praying..." The Police Commander himself was there, to make sure that the Jews will not, G-d forbid, sound the single blast that closes the fast.

I listened to these whisperings, and thought to myself: Can we possibly forgo the sounding of the shofar that accompanies our proclamation of the sovereignty of G-d? Can we possibly forgo the sounding of the shofar, which symbolizes the redemption of Israel? True, the sounding of the shofar at the close of Yom Kippur is only a custom, but "A Jewish custom is Torah"! I approached Rabbi Yitzchak Horenstein, who served as the Rabbi of our "congregation," and said to him: "Give me a shofar."

"What for?"

"I'll blow."

"What are you talking about? Don't you see the police?"

"I'll blow."

The Rabbi abruptly turned away from me, but not before he cast a glance at the prayer stand at the left end of the alley. I understood: the shofar was in the stand. When the hour of the blowing approached, I walked over to the stand and leaned against it.

I opened the drawer and slipped the shofar into my shirt. I had the shofar, but what if they saw me before I had a chance to blow it? I was still unmarried at the time, and following the Ashkenazic custom, did not wear a tallit. I turned to person praying at my side, and asked him for his tallit. My request must have seemed strange to him, but the Jews are a kind people, especially at the holiest moments of the holiest day, and he handed me his tallit without a word.

I wrapped myself in the tallit. At that moment, I felt that I had created my own private domain. All around me, a foreign government prevails, ruling over the people of Israel even on their holiest day and at their holiest place, and we are not free to serve our G-d; but under this tallit is another domain. Here I am under no dominion save that of my Father in Heaven; here I shall do as He commands me, and no force on earth will stop me.

When the closing verses of the neillah prayer -- "Hear O Israel," "Blessed be the name" and "The L-rd is G-d" -- were proclaimed, I took the shofar and blew a long, resounding blast. Everything happened very quickly. Many hands grabbed me. I removed the tallit from over my head, and before me stood the Police Commander, who ordered my arrest.

I was taken to the kishla, the prison in the Old City, and an Arab policeman was appointed to watch over me. Many hours passed; I was given no food or water to break my fast. At midnight, the policeman received an order to release me, and he let me out without a word.

I then learned that when the chief rabbi of the Holy Land, Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kook, heard of my arrest, he immediately contacted the secretary of High Commissioner of Palestine, and asked that I be released. When his request was refused, he stated that he would not break his fast until I was freed. The High Commissioner resisted for many hours, but finally, out of respect for the Rabbi, he had no choice but to set me free.

For the next eighteen years, until the Arab conquest of the Old City in 1948, the shofar was sounded at the Kotel every Yom Kippur. The British well understood the significance of this blast; they knew that it would ultimately demolish their reign over our land, as the walls of Jericho crumbled before the shofar of Joshua, and they did everything in their power to prevent it. But every Yom Kippur, the shofar was sounded by men who knew they would be arrested for their part in staking our claim on the holiest of our possessions.

"Long Tall Sally" by The Beatles (Live - 1963)

I'm in between books right now, and the movie I watched last night put me to sleep, so I'm waking myself up with a bit of "Long Tall Sally", Beatles style. This was recorded for the Swedish TV show "Drop In" on October 30th, 1963 and aired on November 3rd. The show was similar in format to "Shindig" here in the United States. The group performed 4 songs in all, with "Long Tall Sally" being the final number. I love the reaction of the two hosts seated in front of the group. It's as if they have never seen the likes of this band before. And I guess they hadn't!

China and The Yuan - Unfair Trade

Well, it's official now. The United States of America has been warned, by China, that any bill passed by the United States requiring fair valuation of foreign currencies would have "repercussions." I'm shaking.

With the U.S. in it's worst financial shape since the Great Depression, and the Yuan, the official currency of China, being deliberately set at a low rate of exchange, thus giving the Chinese a sharp financial edge in world trade, the stage is set for the United States to experience a continued fall in the value of the dollar against the Euro. This comes at the same time that the Chinese Yuan remains somewhat "static", that is, a bit more immune to the world wide economic crisis now facing us all.

On Monday, the Senate voted to debate a bill that would permit the government to impose new duties, or tariffs, on imported goods manufactured in countries which undervalue their currencies. China is the leader in this type of behavoir, and so has the most at stake should the bill actually come to pass. Undervaluing currencies is akin to providing a government subsidy to the private market place in those countries, which effectively gives them an artificial edge in foreign trade. It's one of the main reasons Americans have been buying Chinese goods for over 25 years now. It is also one of the chief reasons so many of our jobs have gone overseas, further fueling a recession brought on by our own internal financial maneuvering.

If you think that this proposed bill, which hasn't even got a name yet, doesn't scare China, think again. By Tuesday the Chinese Foreign Ministry, the Commerce Ministry and Central Bank had all issued statements denouncing the proposed debate concerning the bill. So, we must be on the right track.

But don't get your hopes up just yet, as this may be mere saber rattling on the part of the Obama administration as we ramp up to Election Year 2012. The Chinese currency issue has been the "elephant in the living room" for sometime now, with this proposed debate being the first action undertaken by any administration, Republican or Democrat, in over 20 years, to tackle this issue.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu states that this move toward "protectionism" on the part of the United States violates World Trade Organization rules and may seriously disturb trade relations between our two nations. He also underscored the fact that China has increased the value of the Yuan by about 7% in comparison to the dollar since June of 2010. In addition, he stated that the undervaluing of the Yuan is not the cause of the United States current trade deficit with China. Well, if it's not, I'd like him to tell me what is?

Ma further stated that China is the fastest growing export market for the United States, and that trade is important to both sides. And that is exactly the point of the Senate debates to which he is so strongly opposed. His statement read, in part, "The Chinese side appeals to the U.S. side to abandon protectionism and not to politicize trade and economic issues, so as to create a favorable environment for the development of China-U.S. economic and trade ties."

Please explain to me how China's current under valuation of the Yuan, with it's attendant domination of imports into the United States, while severely restricting U.S. imports to China is supposed to create a "favorable environment" for anyone else but the Chinese.

This legislation, if it ever gets past the debate stage, would have the effect of creating more jobs here in the United States as the Chinese imports become less of a bargain. Without government subsidies the Chinese corporations will face the same obstacles as American companies do, thus leveling the playing field. This is the real fear evoked by the protests of the Chinese government.

The Chinese Central Bank warned, ominously, that the proposed law could cause more serious problems. If the bill passes, they state that it "cannot resolve insufficient saving, the high trade deficit and the high unemployment rate in the U.S., and it may seriously affect the progress of China's exchange rate reform and may lead to a trade war, which we do not want to see."

Of course they don't want to see a trade war with the United States. With the Chinese buying almost nothing from us, and us threatening to stop the allure of the undervalued imports from China, they would be hard pressed to collect on all of the money we owe them. Or, worse yet, we could stop all Chinese imports, jump start our own economy with the new jobs created by that action, and use the tax revenue to pay down our debt to the Chinese. After that, their largest import market would be a thing of the past.

While China's Commerce Ministry spokesman Shen Danyang has said that China has begun taking steps that would increase U.S. imports to China, it may be a case of too little, too late.

Searching For Cider

It all started when Sue wanted to get some apple cider, you know, the real fresh, down home, locally grown, environmentally friendly type of apple cider. So, we decided to head about 10 miles north of us towards Mooresville, in Iredell County, where we figured it would be easy to score some cider. Instead, we got pumpkins, fields and fields of them! Brooklyn, New York used to have many such farms when my Dad was a kid. He often told me about them, but I never saw one growing up, so it is still a bit of magic for me to behold one. All that's missing is Linus and Charlie Brown!

In our continued journey to find the elusive elixir, we entered Rowan County, a bit East of Mooresville. It was there that we ran into this dazzling field of cotton, ready for picking, on a glorious fall day. Of course, we had to stop and get a few bolls for souvenirs, they are a beautiful piece of work in their natural state. We played in the fields a bit before heading forth, once again, in our quest to quench our thirst for the bubbly beverage. This time we headed toward Kannapolis.

When we first saw the dome of this building, I knew we were around the corner from the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame, which adjoins the Kannapolis Research Center, the main building of which houses this beautiful mural in the dome of the main building. Somehow, the doors were unlocked, and the security guard was friendly, so we snapped a few pictures, chatted a bit, and then left, still searching for the tantilizing taste of the fermented fruit. But, time was growing short, so we decided to go eat instead.

Which led us to our usual table, by the fire, at one of our favorite local restaurants, Firebird's, where we shared our traditional combination of a huge Spinach Salad and an equally large, double portion of Pecan Encrusted Trout. Our plans for next weekend are to actually find some cider.

"La Cabeza" - Public Art

Sue and I went to see this unusual piece of public art in downtown Charlotte on Saturday. It's colorful, and slightly weird visage helps to brighten up the corporate world of glass and steel buildings which seem to house all the banks in the world.

"La Cabeza" is the creation of artist Niki De Saint Phalle, who is married to fellow artist Jean Tinguely, a close friend of Andreas Bechtler, of the Bechtler family. They are the force behind the Bechtler Museum of Art, which is located here in Charlotte. This sculpture, which is currently on tour, sits diagonally across from their famed glass sculptered "The Firebird", which sits at the entrance to the museum.

Inspired by the imagery of Mexico’s Day of the Dead, it was created in 2000, and stands 14 feet high , embedded with a colorful array of abalone shells, glass pebbles, mirrors, and stained glass. You can walk through it, marveling at the mirror encrusted interior, which includes a bench molded into the wall. You can look out from the eyes, or dangle parts of yourself out of La Cabeza's mouth. It's a friendly ogre, which is inspired by the artists interest in other cultures. The style is Mesoamerican and would be right at home in San Antonio, near the Riverwalk.

La Cabeza is only one of several pieces exhibited by Ms.Phalle and her husband. There is another walk through piece of the Cat, as well as a larger than life Golf Player and the majestic depiction of Miles Davis, all done in the same style with pebbles and glass fitted together in mosaic patterns.

It's a fun exhibit, one in which the art is clearly identifiable for what it is, and accessible to all the children who wish to climb on the figures. Public art should be fun, offering a counterpoint to the daily travails of the world around us. When placed in business districts, as is this exhibit, a downtown area can be transformed into a playground on weekends, with families strolling about while tourists take photos and children climb in and out, as well as all over the sculptures. At one point I even saw "La Cabeza" flash a smile at Miles Davis, but it happened so quickly that I don't think anyone else noticed.

The best part of viewing any type of art is the chance to indulge in some self reflection, that is, a chance to find out what any particular piece of art says to you as an individual. And what better place to do that than while seated inside the bright, and naturally lit, mirror lined head of "La Cabeza"? With the brilliance of a fall day all around her, Sue seems to like what she sees. I know I do..

"Code Talker" by Chester Nez with Judith Schiess Avila

In the 1920's and 1930's, as the country struggled through the Great Depression, the government waged an all out war to abolish Native American traditions, including their languaugue. This misguided effort would later prove to be a case of true irony as the government sought to find a code that would be unbreakable to the Japanese. Navajo, which had never been written down, became that code.

In this all encompassing memoir, Chester Nez, born "Betoli", which means "light complexion" in Navajo, takes the reader on his journey through both the pre-war years, first as a youngster in the government schools designed to erase his culture, and then through the war years, when that very culture, which the government worked so hard to destroy, was used to defeat the Japanese in the Pacific.

Mr. Nez begins his remarkeable journey on the reservation during the 1920's. He also includes a brief history of the Navajo tribe, and some of their belief systems and traditions in a very reader friendly manner, which serves to heighten the experiences the author would later endure while serving in the Pacific. Drawing on the folklore, and wisdom, of his own people, helped him to survive the war mentally, in much the same way that his military basic training enabled him to survive the war physically.

It is hard to believe, but this is the first, and only, book to have been written by one of the original "Codetalkers". As I said, theirs is an oral culture. Much has been written about them, and films have grossed tremendous amounts of money from their story, but this is the first, authentic account of how the code came to be, and how it was used, to defeat a common enemy.

Brooklyn's Wall Of Remembrance

It figures - I just got back from a quick visit to New York, including my old neighborhood of Kings Highway, and had no idea that there was a monument in Brooklyn honoring the heroes of 9/11. And it was only about a mile away in Coney Island!

It's a 30 x 12 foot granite wall at MCU Stadium, which is located on the site of the old Steeplechase Park, which closed in 1964, when I was almost 10 years old. The old Cyclone roller coaster, Wonder Wheel and Parachute Jump are all still standing and visable from the stadium's left and right fields. It is the current home of the Brooklyn Cyclones baseball team, an affiliate of the New York Mets and a member of the New York - Penn League. The stadium holds 7,500 people at capacity.

The monument, located on the outside wall to the stadium, depicts the faces of the 416 First Responders who gave their all on that day. I hadn't even heard of the Wall of Remembrance until I spoke with my favorite Aunt Gloria today. She hasn't seen it yet either, so I don't feel too left out. The following information is from the website Memorials in Brooklyn for Families. Their URL is as follows;

http://www.achildgrows.com/2011/09/07/911-memorials-in-nyc-for-families/

And here is the paragraph from the site which describes the memorial, which is located on Surf Avenue;

Brooklyn Wall of Remembrance

The Brooklyn Wall of Remembrance, located in Coney Island, pays tribute to the firefighters, port authority officers, New York City and New York State police officers, fire patrol, first responders and a K-9 rescue dog from Brooklyn who perished on 9/11. Created by Brooklyn-born and raised Sol Moglen, images are laser-engraved on a granite wall that also includes bronze carvings of the heroes. On September 8th, The Brooklyn Wall of Remembrance is also sponsoring the Witness to Tragedy and Recovery with Pace University, which will include a panel of photographers, videographers, psychologists and other scholars who will analyze the effects and lessons of news images on the public. Details: MCU Park-, 1904 Surf Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11224-2410.

Apparently there are several memorials in Brooklyn, one is located at the old Staten Island Ferry pier on 69th Street. Many Brooklynites gathered there on the morning of September 11th, 2001, watching the tragedy unfold. Even some of the street signs have been changed to reflect the names of some of the victims who lived in the various neighborhoods. There are several more memorials in Brooklyn, all overshadowed by the National memorial at Ground Zero, but these local remembrances are somehow more personal, and emblematic, of the events of that day. It wasn't just a building that went down, it was a piece of everyone in all 5 boroughs, and the entire nation as well. Here is a list of the other monuments in Brooklyn;

Memorial in Coney Island
Memorial in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn
Firehouse Memorial in Park Slope, Brooklyn
Liberty Oaks 9/11 Memorial at Brooklyn Botanic Garden
FDNY Memorial in Downtown Brooklyn

These memorials are open 7 days a week, and unlike the one at Ground Zero, require no advance tickets or reservations. The only thing you need to bring is your heart.