Israel

On the day following Simchat Torah, the most joyous celebration in the Jewish calendar, the world heard the devastating news that one of Jewry’s greatest 20th-century talmidei chachamim, who combined his exceptional Torah scholarship with a stellar career in microbiology, had passed from this world.

Flemington, New Jersey, was stop number one on my three-week August concert tour some years back. Half of the buildings in this Delaware River town are on the Register of Historic Places. Masterfully restored nineteenth-century Victorians resplendent with sumptuous flower boxes line each side of the main boulevard. This is not just another exit on the turnpike— its claim to fame is the immense Greek Revival courthouse built in 1828, the site of the Lindbergh “Trial of the Century.” I was staying in a quaint bed and breakfast just a block away. All these niceties have little to do with what made this event so special. Here’s the story:

Soroka shines for the world as a beacon of peaceful coexistence, hope, healing, and innovation. As the sole major medical center for the entire south of Israel, Soroka fulfills its humanitarian role in emergency response of all kinds. Soroka Medical Center is Israel’s leading healthcare institution and the sole major medical center for the Negev region, caring for over 1.2 million people and 400,000 children residing in the Negev.

The 14^th of Adar, Purim, is one of my favorite holidays. I love dressing in costumes, getting together with my community, and partying with friends. Hopefully, we do this more than once a year! But on Purim, the joy and communal harmony is mandated. What fun it is to see normally straight-laced folks in the ‘hood letting their hair down! Purim is a time when everyone is on the same goofy page, rejoicing in the miracle of our survival from yet another archenemy while basking in the light of eternity.

My wife is one of the sharpest people I know. Many years ago, when we were engaged, I was a bit surprised when I overheard her talking on the phone. “Look,” she told her friend, “I know it can’t be. I know no one’s perfect. Everyone has flaws. But I’m telling you, he’s perfect!”

United Hatzalah volunteers treated numerous people for injuries as a result of multiple shootings that took place on Bialik Street, Herzl Street, and HaShnaim Street in Bnei Brak.