Latest / REALLY JEWISH with Oliver Joseph / REALLY JEWISH S1:E8 - Israel Memorial Day & Independence
Transcript
- Oliver Spike Joseph: Hi everyone, welcome back to Really Jewish. Welcome to our conversation about what it is to be really Jewish. We are delighted to be back for another week. If you are coming for the first time, Bruchim Ha'Ba'im welcome. If you're coming back for another listen, welcome back. This is another week, Yair Eldan and Oliver Joseph talking about what it is to be really Jewish, a project where we talk about big topics that shape the Jewish world. But it's also a project where we personally reflect Okay, this is very exciting to welcome Rabbi Tamar Elad Applebaum. We are welcoming you from Jerusalem. You are a founder and leader of Kehilat Tzion, the Zion community, and also Beit Hamidrash L'Rabanut HaYisraelit, Tamar Elad Appelbaum: Shalom Oliver Spike Joseph: and examine our own behaviour, who we are, our life's journey. I'm excited to share a little bit of my story today, but in particular I'm excited to share and welcome a guest, Tamar Elad Applebaum, a rabbi in Jerusalem, teacher of mine over the years, somebody I'm excited to welcome to Really Jewish. We are often presenting a secular and religious view. Rabbi Tamar, when I first heard you, were talking, I think in the Hartman Institute or somewhere nearby, maybe even in a restaurant in Jerusalem, ⁓ spoke about Jerusalem. And I've thought about that drasha, those words you offered simply since. ⁓ I want to be too fan indulgent here, but you're a profound teacher of Torah and it's wonderful to welcome you today. Thanks so much for being with us. Yair is off this week and we're trying out a new format where I interview somebody for the podcast. Let us know what you think about this format. This week is we are cruising slowly from the days of Yom HaShoah, the days of Holocaust Memorial, which come after the Passover festival. These are Israel's national memorial days. And we go straight into this week. Tamar Elad Appelbaum: Thank you, Rabbi Oliver. Thank you for enabling so many people to a voice from Jerusalem. Oliver Spike Joseph: ⁓ so it's an appropriate day to hear a voice from Jerusalem we're entering into as this podcast launches and as we speak on Sunday of this week, we're at the week of Yom HaZikaron and Yom Ha'Atzmaut days which are meaningful for us both in different ways. But just kick off by telling us a little bit about your current work, what you do, and maybe little bit how you shape your approach to these days, these special days. up on Tuesday and Wednesday Yom HaZikaron and Yom Ha'Atzmaut Yom Ha'Zikaron is a day for fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism inside Israel and Yom Ha'Atzmaut is the day of Israeli independence. Now at no point in my lifetime can think of a more controversial time to be putting out this podcast on these two days, but these are Tamar Elad Appelbaum: Thank you. So these really are special, holy and very fragile days. of us enter these days when we think so many people around us. And I think it's really all about care. The reason for which do what I do is because I feel that care is at the center of my Jewish life. Oliver Spike Joseph: national holidays and these are very cool parts of what it is to live in the Jewish world and in spite of the fire the extreme about Israel and Zionism at this at this moment in our lives these days persist ⁓ I'm excited welcome Tamar Elad Applebaum Tamar Elad Appelbaum: and Kehilat Tzion as you said, as you mentioned, the community of Zion, of Zion here in Jerusalem is all about care. an ⁓ group of ⁓ from denominations, beyond denominations and all denominations. have ⁓ Orthodox, have reforms, secular, ⁓ Mizrahi, ⁓ who from Morocco, Yemen, Libya, Iran, ⁓ Jews who from Poland, Oliver Spike Joseph: who is the founder and leader of Kehilat Tzion and also teaches rabbis at Beita Midrash le'Rabbanut Yisraelit a joint project between Midrasha and the Hartman Institute. I studied at the Institute when I lived in Jerusalem for five years, just a over 10 years And I heard Rabbi Elad Applebaum talk about Jerusalem and way that she talks with passion and with fire. Tamar Elad Appelbaum: and those Jews come together they all think differently but have caring heart with which we for each other Jews ⁓ who ⁓ in ways Shabbat in different ways a different Jewish you know ⁓ lifestyle And we do this work not only amongst us as Jews, but we also do it with the citizens of our beloved city of Jerusalem. We do it with Arabs, we do it with Christians, we ⁓ ⁓ as a religious commandment our life. So this in our community of Zion, ⁓ and this the way of life that we have ⁓ chosen, ⁓ the of our grandparents who did the same. And we ⁓ this to ⁓ also to a project Oliver Spike Joseph: about the Jewish center of the universe, It's something that I've sat with for lots of time. It's a real great honor to welcome her to this podcast. Tamar Elad Appelbaum: a rabbinic seminary and in this rabbinic seminary we train rabbis from all denominations to care for each other and care for all Jews and all Israelis who live in our beautiful country ⁓ it's my honor ⁓ serve both the community ⁓ the rabbinic seminary to be a founder ⁓ especially to be a student ⁓ see how people are able in the most beautiful and the most difficult moments to care Oliver Spike Joseph: you're listening along for the first time, I really just encourage you to to her interview from front to back because what presents are different levels of complexity of how these days are marked. These are not just flag waving. days of both mourning and celebration. These are days that have profound meaning inside the Jewish community. And it's an opportunity for all of us, secular, religious, Israel not, Zionist to at understand different takes ⁓ on what days So standby and welcome. Tamar Elad Appelbaum: deeply for each other, no matter what they think and how they live. Oliver Spike Joseph: It's wonderful to welcome you ⁓ you for your work. Listen, these difficult times. The interesting about Really Jewish, we're constantly asking this question about what is Really Jewish? It's the name of the podcast. It's, I think, part who I am in essence. My colleague Yair is secular and I think also part of his essence about what is Really Jewish. These are fraught days, partly because Rabbi Tamar Elad Applebaum. For some in the world, and maybe some people, God willing, who are listening today, it's like, why would anybody celebrate Zionism today? Why would anybody celebrate those national holidays with a bent towards nationalism or national identity? But before we get there, tell me a little bit just how your family arrived in Israel and a little bit of your own personal story. We are digging deep into what it means for us. Wow, what a fantastic interview. just don't even know where to begin. The Torah that she teaches, I think is spot on. think on one level. Rabbi Tamar leads by example in a way that I also feel as somebody who's been bereaved in my lifetime, this is not a medal that you particularly want to wear, but she spoke about her brother, Nadav, who was killed in the holy city of Hebron as a soldier with honor and with dignity. individuals. ⁓ represent many people coming here, but you also are Rabbi Tamar Elad Appelbaum: Hmm. Thank you. First I want to say that looking for the really is the deepest quest that we came for in our life. What is really? world is so full, you ⁓ Do exist only when people know of us? ⁓ Or we exist when we know of us? ⁓ How really work? And our say ⁓ God is really. is 'EMET' And we too, our souls are really. They're truth. Thank you. First I want to say that looking for the really is the deepest quest that we came for in our life. What is really? world is so full, you ⁓ Do exist only when people know of us? ⁓ Or we exist when we know of us? ⁓ How really work? And our say ⁓ God is really. is 'EMET' He is truth. He is really. And we too, our are really. They're truth. Oliver Spike Joseph: Mmm. Mmm. and a real vision for the kind of example that he set and the kind of passions that he had that ultimately for peace and connection and community that somewhere other he represented. Powerful stories. And I also think there's something of ⁓ the way Rabbi Tamari is also able to talk about ⁓ Tamar Elad Appelbaum: emet and we try to follow the path. emet and we try to follow the path. that takes us deep into the best version of ourselves. And if you ask me what's really Jewish, be really Jewish is to be the best version of yourself. ⁓ you have to be truthful and ⁓ Zionism and the word Zion, that's why our community is called means it means excellence, ⁓ to be the best version of yourself, the moral version of yourself. ⁓ when you ask me about myself, that takes us deep into the best version of ourselves. And if you ask me what's really Jewish, be really Jewish is to be the best version of yourself. ⁓ you have to be truthful and ⁓ and committed to be the highest form of yourself. Zionism is, the Zion, that's why our community is called Zion, means 'Mitzu'yanut' it means ⁓ to be the best of yourself, the best moral version of yourself. ⁓ So when you ask about myself, Oliver Spike Joseph: as a Jewish center, Jerusalem as a holy center and also without kind of dipping too much into the political she really presents both importance of that Jewish center for Jewish community for who we are and what it represents and the that she describes Mitsuyan or Mitsyunut the aspect of Jerusalem Tamar Elad Appelbaum: first thing I can tell you is I'm the granddaughter of ⁓ grandparents who the best version of themselves ⁓ and a very high standard. They were They were that thing. Zion is not only a place, ⁓ it's a It's a way life of people who constantly devote themselves. ⁓ So I'll tell just a bit about the families I came from. ⁓ I come from mixed ⁓ family, a mixed you can say, ⁓ a Moroccan side Oliver Spike Joseph: which represents excellence and the possibility of our best selves. We might not be there today, ⁓ but some level, the call that ⁓ Rabbi presents is the that Jerusalem can be a place of exchange, of interaction, of cultural, religious, communal, linguistic possibility and exchange. that's powerful. Tamar Elad Appelbaum: Casablanca and from the Atlas Mountains, the family Buskila, that's her family name. It's a family of rabbis, of generations of rabbis and mystics, Jewish mystics, and people of kindness, of charity, and of goodwill. And when my grandparents came to Israel from Morocco just after Israel was founded, they left everything they had. They were very wealthy. They left everything they had. And the first thing they decided is to find Oliver Spike Joseph: She also presented the possibility that we are to be people who really strive the Psalm and the Malbim that she taught, the drush of the Malbim that she taught Shalom al Israel, that we should be people who bring peace ⁓ family, to community, to society. And that call is still out there. That will mean different things for different people, but the call is out there. Tamar Elad Appelbaum: job and to give half of it to charity and to create a from which that charity and kindness will reach to other people and indeed they did in a beautiful town called Bat Yam ⁓ My grandfather a righteous person and he owned a small tiny Oliver Spike Joseph: to strive for peace and solidarity and connection into relationship, both in the Yerushalayim of Ma'ala the Yerushalayim, the Jerusalem up there on the hills inside Israel, but also in our own little Jerusalem, our own little places of worship and community and the places that we call home, that we can be people who lift others up and build community, connection and peace. Tamar Elad Appelbaum: in which he fixed tires of people. had holes in their ⁓ ⁓ he would fix them. He had these very ⁓ strong, very black hands from all the difficult work he did, ⁓ but had a soft, soft heart and good, kind eyes. ⁓ And people came into his tiny shop, ⁓ he care who they were. ⁓ He who he was ⁓ and he see. Oliver Spike Joseph: So our episode this week. Listen, we're looking forward, I to say now through ⁓ those blue eyes of Nadav that ⁓ Rabbi presented, we're looking forward with kindness and with hope to the continuation of this project and to new guests and new people forward. So if you want to appear on this podcast, let us know. If you want to support us, Tamar Elad Appelbaum: if they need any kind of help, if not only the tire has a hole but the heart has a hole. And he taught me to do exactly that, both in his shop. and both in his synagogue. And on the other side, my Ashkenazi family was a family of Holocaust survivors. My grandfather, Saba Eliezer, and my grandfather Eliezer Alfons, was a Holocaust survivor. Most of his family, of our family, was murdered in Auschwitz. And we know exactly the names and the dates. And it's very heartbreaking. My grandfather, Saba Eliezer, and my grandfather Eliezer Alfons, was a Holocaust survivor. Most of his family, of our family, was murdered in Auschwitz. Oliver Spike Joseph: be in touch. Thank you for listening to Really Jewish. are happy that you are here. Thank you to Oi Va'Voy for our musical intro and outro. Listen to their single Back to My Roots available on streaming platforms. We are looking at this moment for a content assistant. Send us your CV and or people who might be interested in supporting the growth and development and editing of this podcast. Tamar Elad Appelbaum: And within all this, something miraculous happened. My grandfather was 16 years old he, ⁓ with friends, created ⁓ network of resistance in Jews, together with non-Jews, ⁓ resisted against the Nazis. One of commanders was a priest and he became close to my grandfather. ⁓ And so my was an ultra-orthodox Haredi Jew, And within all this, something miraculous happened. My grandfather was 16 years old he, ⁓ with friends, created ⁓ network of resistance in Jews, together with non-Jews, ⁓ resisted against the Nazis. One of commanders was a priest and he became close to my grandfather. ⁓ And so my was an ultra-orthodox Haredi Jew, Oliver Spike Joseph: Like us on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, wherever you see clips of this podcast and on your streaming platform for this podcast. We are building this project from the wheels up ⁓ to have your support also on our Patreon account. We're looking for our first supporters to make a small monthly donation. Each dollar, pound and euro will help us at this stage. Tamar Elad Appelbaum: came from a very, very, very religious family, became very close to that priest. They saved together Jewish children many others. And became friends for life. ⁓ And after Holocaust, my grandfather ⁓ came to ⁓ And he arrived here, ⁓ his life mission ⁓ was to make that people knew ⁓ that all about who choose to be. came from a very, very, very religious family, became very close to that priest. They saved together Jewish children many others. And became friends for life. ⁓ And after Holocaust, my grandfather ⁓ came to Israel. It many years, but eventually he arrived to Israel. ⁓ And when arrived here, ⁓ his life ⁓ was to sure that people knew ⁓ that it's about who you choose to Oliver Spike Joseph: and most importantly, join us next week for more Really Jewish with Yair Eldan and Oliver Joseph. Tamar Elad Appelbaum: Will you be your best version even in the most difficult times, cruel times? Will you be your best version even in the most difficult times, cruel times? In the most difficult of times, you can still be a person of light, of life, of sanctity, and save others. the family I come from, and that's shaped me ⁓ made me believe in Zion, ⁓ Zionism as a behavior. It's place within us ⁓ and place within the world that needs to be an exemplar and model everything we in, in the care ⁓ within our ⁓ and in care for all people. ⁓ Oliver Spike Joseph: could stop there. ⁓ us about Jerusalem because what me to bring you in advance of ⁓ Yom HaZikaron, Yom Ha'Atzmaut was some of the Torah that you've taught in the past in Jerusalem. It's a fascinating of year. We have Pesach, celebration of Herrut of our freedom. We move to Yom HaShoah. in our kind of national calendar and you bring a part of the story of emerging from here, the bravery, the Gvura of your show our story and the memory of ⁓ the that passed on Ashkenazi side. But tell about Jerusalem. ⁓ story is and I relate to it because you... have in Jerusalem left and returned again. And that's an interesting kind of very Jewish or really Jewish part of the story. So why Jerusalem and how did you get to Jerusalem? Tamar Elad Appelbaum: Thank you. you're talking my family, people and city are the loves of my life and God. ⁓ So Allowing me to speak about what I love most and I want to thank you for that. I was born in Jerusalem our whole family mine Myself my we were Jerusalemites. We were born here I actually have a great grandfather who was a Av Bet Din (head of a rabbinic council) who was a leader in ⁓ but as I said, my father was born in Morocco and his parents arrived to Israel after the State of Israel was created and he chose ⁓ together my mother after they met to create their family here in Jerusalem. ⁓ And I that my love of Jerusalem has always enabled me ⁓ to see through the ⁓ of my and my grandparents. ⁓ Jerusalem is a city ⁓ only. the shore. know it doesn't have a sea but a way it's like the shore of faith. So many people of faith came to Jerusalem because they were seeking for something is deep ⁓ what we to do in this world. ⁓ It's city that has Jews of all sorts. It's a that has citizens of all nations, of all ⁓ religions. And in city, live a beautiful life. ⁓ And I needed to Jerusalem, as you said, ⁓ to be a rabbi in the Negev in the South ⁓ and to be a Tel Aviv and to be a rabbi in New York because I felt I needed to understand the secret of Jerusalem not only from within it. needed to ask myself what is that city for so many generations, for so many Jews ⁓ also for Muslims and Christians and understood that it's the city of hope. It's the city of healing. you said, Rabbi Oliver, ⁓ days ⁓ ⁓ life and in Israel ⁓ days of trauma. know, ⁓ is about trauma. It's talking being in Egypt ⁓ and ⁓ that a life that's worth more ⁓ and a that's worth nothing. And the Holocaust trauma. ⁓ understanding that there a life that's needs to defend itself because so and many people ⁓ in time of the Holocaust were indifferent. Jerusalem... ⁓ in a way, the way our ancestors understood it, divided the world into two. And was not into religions, ⁓ and was not into south and north or east and west, ⁓ it to two ⁓ behaviors. behavior called Egypt ⁓ or Sodom place), and behavior is called Jerusalem, Yerushalun. The behavior of Egypt and Sodom says that people use each other. cruel to each other. They each other as instruments. They're instrumental in the way they react each They are indifferent to other. ⁓ They ⁓ take care themselves. the way we understand since the days of Abraham, and through the days of David, of David the King, through the days of so many others, ⁓ a city of care. It a city where you care for those who are the most, the weakest, ⁓ and most transparent, the ger, almana the orphan, the poor, the Jerusalem cares those transparent, people more than anyone. Not only does it not use but it serves you. and says, I give my life, my holiness, my thoughts, my care, my time, my money. give my attention to you. So Jerusalem is ⁓ behavior. And why I love it. And I met Jews of Jerusalem ⁓ in Aviv ⁓ and New York. And I people of Jerusalem, Muslims and Christians who did only kindness and defended each other. and never allowed to trample a human being because of anything. And they were always, always supportive, kind and holy. Because holiness and Jerusalem mean defending the other and defending the sanctity of all life. Oliver Spike Joseph: Thank you. The two days coming up Yom Hazikaron and Yom Haatzmaut. So ⁓ a recap if you're following along. Yom Hazikaron is a day of memorial for those who are killed in acts of terrorism in Israel and also soldiers who fell in Israel's wars. Yom is a day of celebration. of the Hakama the arrival and the independence of the state from 1948 on. That's a difficult bridge and particularly in your life. Nadav your brother was killed as soldier. And that must ⁓ be, I imagine, forefront of your and your family's mind as you approach Yom Ha'Zikaron Can you just guide us through? how you relate to both these days, perhaps a tiny bit of your practice in both these days. And then maybe we can ask you to refer to Psalm that you bought, ⁓ little bit of text that you wanted to teach and perhaps with your permission, we could do that in Nadav's memory and honor. Tamar Elad Appelbaum: Thank know these days are always very difficult for me. Every day is a difficult day because every day I remember my ⁓ and miss him. Every day. these days more difficult because it's a collective day. There's so, so many faces and names and smiles and hugs that we miss together. years ago when my brother, Nadav, was killed in Hebron as soldier, ⁓ like said, in... You know, I remember I was standing on the mountain of Herzl, Mount Herzl, which is the mountain where Herzl is buried, the visionary of the state of Israel and what it can be for itself and for the world. I remember that the ⁓ on mountain where my brother was buried ⁓ was very bare. And ⁓ was... It was a very, very, it was a beautiful, bare area. suddenly, more and more soldiers were buried next to him. And the years, we became good friends, ⁓ the of those soldiers who were buried next to each other. And today when I Yom Ha'Zikaron day, the memorial day, I of Nadav and I of all the soldiers that I learned of ⁓ who are next to him. These are the the best soldiers, ⁓ citizens, leaders ⁓ we had ⁓ on Har Herzl they were the ones to always volunteer. to always help, always try and envision what leadership can be for the world. Specifically, my brother was an incredible human being. He was beautiful. He was tall and handsome. had blue eyes just like my grandfather who was a partisan in the resistance. He was kind-hearted. And when looked with his beautiful blue eyes at people, always saw good. He always sweetness in them. You know, I one of my last conversations with him. It was about ⁓ his comrades ⁓ the army. They had a tough... training and they had to help each other and it wasn't always easy they were so tired but they never stopped caring for each other and I remember another conversation I had with him he had a conversation with a Palestinian they were talking about peace and think to myself how I love him how I pray that he would be able to guide me in this moment. in many ways, it's not only remembering their body and absence, it's remembering blue eyes ⁓ that saw kindness ⁓ and leadership told us after all this, better days will come all of us and the mountain will not filled with so many fallen ⁓ who are our best. But we will be able to live just live ⁓ by side in beautiful place ⁓ and and to able to live through these blue, beautiful eyes that wish only well ⁓ for all us. So these days difficult. ⁓ I always cry I always pray I always miss him, I always raise my ⁓ eyes ⁓ because I feel is he wanted me to do. ⁓ And I see other bereaved and I see the will we were ⁓ by these incredible ⁓ young who saved us ⁓ and to human spirit and humanity not only our people but to defend all in many ways ⁓ and always always always I hope okay to say this Rabbi Oliver with all my might ⁓ they always of peace these soldiers they knew that they buried on Mount ⁓ in Jerusalem. Jerusalem is symbol ⁓ of for peace. And for these days ⁓ are difficult but they're days ⁓ that remind They remind us we want to be. ⁓ So we go Memorial Day and everyone in Israel goes up to Har Herzl. It's an amazing day and it's a and terrible day. see ⁓ thousands of people going up to Herzl where their beloved buried but you also see thousands of people who don't know these people and they come They come to stand with us so we don't stand alone. And I just want to emphasize they don't only come to meet Tamar, a Jew. come to Druze families and Bedouin families. You a few years ago, ⁓ I a very, very dear friend who's like a brother to me, who's part his family is buried in the Druze cemetery for the for Israel. ⁓ So a few ago, I asked my parents permission not to stand next to them ⁓ on the Memorial in Mount Herzl, but to go to Druze brothers and to go up north and stand with them and I will never forget that day because as I entered cemetery for the fallen for defending of Israel and all humanity ⁓ they a beautiful sign ⁓ on grave of their family ⁓ and said: 'this is for Nadav ⁓ our which we not know but we always and we walk in your footsteps together until we achieve peace' So this is who we are and we walk towards not only Independence Day, we want to live in our independent home Jews need ⁓ deserve after so many years. and to defend our people and existence together with all the people with which we live in this beautiful country called Israel. in Hebrew means inspiration. ⁓ It's inspiration of Jews and Druze and Bedouins and Muslims and Christians living together. ⁓ But also walk in the footsteps until we arrive Yom Yerushalayim, the Day of Jerusalem. ⁓ That me is the peak of all. And the of Jerusalem ⁓ is where want to arrive. ⁓ We want make sure that all people have homes. want to make sure that all people care for each other ⁓ we want to make sure there's no Sodom ⁓ no Egypt ⁓ no evil and no cruelty in this world. But all ⁓ appreciate other, acknowledge each other and care each other. So that is exactly what Yerushalayim is. And my brother who is buried here in Yerushalayim is my commandment to walk in the footsteps until we arrive to the day of Jerusalem for us and for all. Oliver Spike Joseph: Amen Rabbi Tamar, it's moving to to the story and to remember Nadav and how he shapes an aspect of your approach to these days in such full way. Tell us of the Psalms, tell of the text that you chose just to teach a little bit of, a little bit deeper into the, to your Torah, to what's really Jewish about these days. Tamar Elad Appelbaum: Thank you. So this is a beautiful psalm. psalm 128. It's one of 15 psalms of Jerusalem that are all in the book of Psalms. And specific Psalms ⁓ of the love of Jerusalem, ⁓ also speak of what the duty of Jerusalem is, and Jerusalem is supposed to symbolize ⁓ in practice, in our life, ⁓ in aspiration ⁓ as and as Jewish human beings. And so says in Hebrew at the very end of the psalm, you the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life. May live to see your children's children ⁓ and on Israel. ⁓ These beautiful words. And it's question, what do they actually mean? What's the blessing? What is the blessing? ⁓ So there many, many rabbis throughout all generations, ⁓ wherever they and however difficult ⁓ their lives ⁓ as Jews, always kept that dream in their hearts and one of them ⁓ in the 19th century in East Europe. His name was the Malbim, Meir ben Yehiel Michel Wisser called the And this is he says about Zion. He says that it's actually ⁓ a blessing that the sort of the way of the Jewish people for themselves and for the world. And what does it mean? ⁓ May the Lord bless from Zion. May you continue to receive the blessing of Zion. And what is it? What's the unique blessing of Zion? a blessing ⁓ all Israel. The from which the blessing of all Israel flows. Where Hashem, God, ⁓ appointed goodness for the whole entire nation. ⁓ And receive this blessing as part of a people, as a whole. ⁓ So need to be devoted to the well-being of the whole collective. So the first thing is know ⁓ that blessing for Zion means that you're part of a collective. You're part of a people. Take care of all. It doesn't mean if they think this or they think that. If they come from here or they come from that. It doesn't matter. You're a family. Take care of your family. And not only of that, take care of the way you look at your family, not only your Jewish family, but also the world family that you're a part of. And that is said in the next part of the phrase, Re'eh b'tuv Yerushalayim, and may you see the good of Jerusalem, may your eyes behold Jerusalem in her goodness, and may you witness the goodness of the nation and the whole. Let this be the purpose that shapes your days, to live your life the sake of the whole community. And then he goes on, what does that mean? What are we striving for? you see ⁓ to your children and peace be upon Israel and all. May also see the children born to your children grow with the same sense of shared purpose, directed towards a collective purpose that there will be peace ⁓ upon until wholeness and peace spread to the entire nation and upon all. So I think that this is the blessing of Jerusalem. The blessing of Jerusalem to say that even from within trauma, from the most difficult moments of life and history, we are carriers of Jerusalem. The blessing of means that we care ⁓ for our people we care for people. ⁓ We have to make sure that our eyes see the goodness, those with which we can always be blessed and bless others. our hands ⁓ being ⁓ peace ⁓ our country, ⁓ and world. ⁓ this is what we try and strive to do. ⁓ Memorial Day is not in order ⁓ see more and more ⁓ Days. It's order to remind us of the eyes of our brothers ⁓ who carried ⁓ the of Jerusalem. ⁓ for our people and for all. So it's my honor this place sitting here in my room ⁓ Jerusalem, in my home in Jerusalem, surrounded, said amen, you blessed me with amen, I'm surrounded. We have special group called Amen here in Jerusalem of rabbis ⁓ and ⁓ leaders Muslim leaders who work together ⁓ and it's honor from within my home, our home, ⁓ within our community, ⁓ from within our seminary, from within our circle of leaders of amen to bless you. you and whoever ⁓ us, may always be the carriers of the blessing of Jerusalem. ⁓ And may care for our people and all people. May we kind eyes ⁓ that care all. ⁓ And may being ⁓ create after this trauma and within all this trauma, ⁓ days of God willing, Bezrat Hashem. Oliver Spike Joseph: B'ezrat Shem Amen Tamar, Rabbi Tamar, it's been to listen to you. This my kind of Torah. ⁓ But aspect of Really Jewish is like digging into the personal and trying to really speak from the heart. And what occurs to me as we close up here is that you don't need that much encouragement. you feel it feels like whenever you speak, you're speaking from some kind of heart central. And it's it's wonderful and moving to speak to hear you speak. I guess my last word in terms of listening to you is There's a lot of cynicism in our world at the moment around the question of Zionism around national identity religious identity, but if not if if if the listener takes nothing else from what you say I boil it down to is something of responsibility. We have personal responsibility, we have family, community responsibility, national responsibility. And as you speak, the aspects, perhaps both of Ha'Zikaron and Yom Ha'Atzmaut is about those aspects of really taking seriously our own responsibility for community, for our nation and for the world. And that's that's like a very powerful message. to try and spread it this time. And I am very grateful for coming on our podcast, Really Jewish, wish you and your family and community only good. ⁓ Tamar Elad Appelbaum: Amen. you.