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Politics – August 2018 – Shana Tova
There can be no peace without justice and respect for human rights.
~Irene Khan
The Hamas Charter plagiarizes the Protocols of the Elderly of Zion. It copies ideas from the
Protocols and integrate them into an ideological-religious Muslim manifesto
~ Charles Small
The trust between the Jewish community and Labour is broken. Very few Jews will vote for
Labour under its extreme left, anti-Semite leadership.
~Jonathan Arkush
The triumph of humanity is to recognise diversity and difference yet having the ability to bring
people together and to create bridges between them.
~Raphael Cohen-Almagor
British Labour allowed a marginal person, with terrorist
sympathies, unsophisticated black-and-white view of the world, and deep-seated prejudices,
to take over the party. This shameful stain will be remembered as its low point for many
years to come, and will continue to hunt Labour. Corrective mechanisms are urgently
needed.
~Raphael Cohen-Almagor
Old anti-Semitism, based on racist and religious pernicious sentiments, cannot be
redeemed. New anti-Semitism, based on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, can be redeemed if
and when the conflict is resolved.
~Raphael Cohen-Almagor
I sense winds of war.
I hope and pray that I am mistaken. I hope Egypt will come to the rescue. More below.
Reflections on Last Newsletter
Israel’s Motto
MESG Recent Achievements
The Middle East Study Group (MESG) Annual Appeal - 2018
Israel-Egypt-Hamas
Decline in Palestinian Support for Violence
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Ronald S. Lauder’s NYT Article
Congratulations and Mazal Tov to Lonah Chemtai Salpeter
Congratulations and Mazal Tov Artem Dolgopyat
British Labour’s antisemitism
Benny Morris on the De-Christianization of Turkey
Public Support for Two-State Solution is Eroding
Haaretz
Poland – Two Court Cases
Poor prospective memory, researchers report, may be an early indicator of
Alzheimer’s disease
My New Article - “Cyberterrorism”, in Barney Warf (ed.), SAGE Encyclopedia of the
Internet (Thousand Oaks, CA.: SAGE Publications Inc., 2018), pp. 169-171.
New Books - SAGE Encyclopedia of the Internet
Switzerland
Seeking London Accommodation
The Medieval Oxford Synagogue
Gem of the Month - Oxford
Gem of the Month – St Catz
Gem of the Month – St John’s College
Gem of the Month - John Locke's Writings
Gem of the Month - JS Mill's Writings
Gem of the Month – Bodleian Hebrew Collection
Monthly Poems – Blessing for the New Year
Did You Know? The First Coffee House in England
Light Side - Dreams
Reflections on Last Newsletter
Hi Rafi - As I’m sure you know, the hot weather is unusual and this is a consequence of
global warming. The ten hottest years since record keeping began in 1881 are: 2016
(hottest), 2015, 2017, 2014, 2010, 2005, 2013, 2009, 2007. 2018 is on track to also be one
of the hottest years. So far this year: Unusually high temperatures in the Arctic; heat waves
in Australia, Argentina, Japan; drought continues in Kenya and Somalia; many devastating
wildfires in the western USA. I’m reading yet another good book about global warming:
“Unprecedented Crime” by Peter Carter and Elizabeth Woodworth. It argues that the fossil
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fuel industry’s global warming disinformation campaign harms all life on the planet and
should be prosecuted as a crime against humanity. –
Professor Art Hobson, USA
Israel’s Motto
In my last Newsletter I made a proposal: Israel has no official national motto and here is an
opportunity to introduce something new that reflects Israel of today, a motto that celebrates
the mosaic of Israeli cultures, that celebrates diversity and pluralism, and that would unite all
citizens around one unifying slogan with which all could identify. The motto should preferably
be selected from pertinent Arab proverbs, along the lines marked above regarding the
beauty of pluralism and the need to create bridges and emphasize unity. United we stand.
United is our strength. Any of the following values -- peace, tolerance, power, freedom, truth,
justice, charity and righteousness -- may also be accentuated.
For instance: "Do not turn away a poor man…even if all you can give is half a date. If you
love the poor and bring them near you". Al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 1376
MESG Recent Achievements
The Middle East Study Group (MESG) published its latest report that compiles the major
achievements of its members.
The MESG is a hub of scholarship of people from diverse disciplines who are all interested
in the Middle East and in human rights. This report is a testimony.
This and previous reports are at http://mesg.wordpress.hull.ac.uk/activity-reports/
The Middle East Study Group (MESG) Annual Appeal - 2018
The Middle East Study Group (MESG)
Current events in the Middle East are in turmoil; the refugee crisis, the Israeli-Palestine
conflict, ISIS, to name a few. It is crucial that we are educated in an unbiased way on the
current state of affairs to offer a better understanding and possible solutions for use by
NGOs, world-leaders and the media. The Middle East Study Group (MESG) brings together
scholarly leaders in this area, to share their expertise on Middle East affairs in a safe and
collaborative environment. It is a ground-breaking project which we are passionately proud
to host at The University of Hull.
We would be able to increase our level of activities and to provide valuable information to
interested parties in England and beyond. We are also interested to construct relationships
between our organizations and Israeli and American institutions.
Further information is available on our website at http://mesg.wordpress.hull.ac.uk/about-us/
Project summary
The MESG is a think-tank that brings together people from different disciplines, academic
and non-academic, to discuss ME affairs. Believing that universities should be an integral
part of the community, the MESG is open to all people who are interested in and engaged
with ME politics and history. The Study Group conducts research in ME affairs, delivers high
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quality, relevant academic insights through public presentations, provides forums to
consolidate and promote understanding of current affairs, serves as a meeting point for
people of different nationalities to converse and debate, and supports social justice, freedom
of expression, academic freedom and accountable leadership. The Group meets once a
month to discuss pertinent topics. The topics converge with the faculty research themes of
ethics and applied ethics, leadership and strategy, and socio-economic development and
policy. It is impossible to understand power politics without exploring the economics of the
region, primarily oil.
The group is interdisciplinary. Presently it has some eighty members from different
departments (Law, Politics, Business, Philosophy, Psychology, Drama, Biology, Theology
and History). It includes lecturers, students, administrators and members of the public who
frequent our activities. They come from Hull, Beverley, Scarborough and East Riding at
large.
Members of the MESG published many important books. They also published dozens of
articles in very prestigious forums. Only in 2014-2018, MESG members published dozens of
articles and 23 books.
The MESG has helped in making people more aware of ME conflicts, of the idea and theory
of conflict resolution, of power politics, and of the different compelling interests of the main
actors.
Further information at
http://mesg.wordpress.hull.ac.uk/speakers/
Future outcomes
We would like to continue the excellent work of the Group, expanding the activities to
develop relationships with similar centers in the UK and abroad, to establish channels of
communication and collaborative research with other organisations, to raise a voice for
peace, and to host an exchange of scholars and students.
Cost of the project
To expand the Group and ensure its work continues we need to secure:
Inviting 5-6 guest lecturers per year from the United Kingdom (£2,000 per annum)
Inviting one or two lecturers from abroad (£3,000 per annum)
The Annual Lecture in Middle East Studies (£2,000 per annum)
The Ambassador Forum (£3,000)
Members’ New Book Celebration (£2,000)
Enabling MESG members to attend pertinent conferences in the UK and abroad
(£7,000 per annum)
Supporting Members’ research activities (interviews, questionnaires, computing
needs, publications) (£20,000 per annum)
MA Scholarships in Middle East Studies (£20,000 each)
One Post-Doc (£30,000 per annum)
Two Visiting Scholars (£10,000 each per annum)
Thank you
Professor Raphael Cohen-Almagor
Chair in Politics and Director, MESG
School of Law and Politics
The University of Hull
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Israel-Egypt-Hamas
Away from the public eye, in secrecy favoured by all concerned, Egypt is mediating a deal
between Israel and Hamas. Both sides understand that they reach a crucial point. Winds of
war are in the air. Both sides are reluctant to reach a point of no return. Egypt and Israel are
in one of the closest highs of their relationships. They have much in common, in terms of
their geopolitical interests. Egypt can influence Hamas due to its geographical proximity and
importance in the region. Soon we will know whether Israel and Hamas will enjoy hudnah or
clash in yet another futile war.
Decline in Palestinian Support for Violence
A new survey by the Palestinian institute Arab World for Research and Development reports
a 12% decline of those who support armed struggles against Israel, from 57% in April to
45%. 58% of Gaza residents said they supported armed struggle, compared to 37% in the
West Bank. The survey shows that 70% of Palestinians see US President Donald Trump’s
“deal of the century” as the end of the “dream of the establishment of a Palestinian state,”
with 78% of Gazans versus 65% of West Bank residents having these sentiments. About
half of the surveyed Palestinians support PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and the Fatah
movement, 18% support Ismail Haniyeh and Hamas, and 27% believe another path should
be taken.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Ronald S. Lauder’s NYT Article
On August 13, 2018, the President of the World Jewish Congress published in the New York
Times an incisive article titled “Israel, This Is Not Who We Are” in which he wrote that this
has been a challenging year. In the summer of 2017, Israel’s government withdrew from an
agreement that would have created an egalitarian prayer area at the Western Wall and
proposed a strict conversion law that impinges on the rights of non-Orthodox Jews. The
Knesset also passed a law that denies equal rights to same-sex couples. A day later came
the nation-state law, which damages the sense of equality and belonging of Israel’s Druze,
Christian and Muslim citizens. Last month, a Conservative rabbi was detained for the alleged
crime of performing a non-Orthodox wedding ceremony in Israel. In several municipalities,
attempts were made to disrupt secular life by closing convenience stores on the Sabbath.
These events are creating the impression that the democratic and egalitarian dimensions of
the Jewish democratic state are being tested.
Lauder notes that Theodor Herzl, Chaim Weizmann, Zeev Jabotinsky, David Ben Gurion and
Golda Meir always emphasized the need to combine Jewish nationalism with universal
humanism. So now, when Israel’s government appears to be tarnishing the sacred value of
equality, many supporters feel it is turning its back on Jewish heritage, the Zionist ethos and
the Israeli spirit. For over 200 years, modern Judaism has aligned itself with enlightenment.
The Jews of the new era have fused our national pride and religious affiliation with a
dedication to human progress, worldly culture and morality. Conservatives and liberals, we
all believe in a just Zionism and a pluralistic Judaism that respects every human being. So
when members of Israel’s current government unintentionally undermine the covenant
between Judaism and enlightenment, they crush the core of contemporary Jewish existence.
If present trends persist, young Jews might not acquiesce to an affiliation with a nation that
discriminates against non-Orthodox Jews, non-Jewish minorities and the L.G.B.T.
community. They may not fight the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement, they may not
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support Israel in Washington and they may not provide it with the strategic rear guard that
Israel so needs.
Lauder, as a loving brother, asks Israel’s government to listen to the voices of protest and
outrage being heard in Israel and throughout the Jewish world. As president of the World
Jewish Congress, he calls upon Israeli leaders to rethink their destructive actions during this
summer of disharmony. Lauder summarized by saying: “This is not who we are, and this is
not who we wish to be. This is not the face we want to show our children, grandchildren and
the family of nations. Let us work together to change course and ensure that Israel will
continue to be the Jewish democratic state it is meant to be.”
Congratulations and Mazal Tov to Lonah Chemtai Salpeter
Lonah Chemtai Salpeter became the first Israeli woman ever to win a gold medal in any
discipline at a European Athletics Championships when she won the 10,000m in dominant
fashion on a hot and sticky evening at the Berlin Olympic Stadiu. Salpeter, 29, who
switched her allegiance from Kenya to Israel in March 2016, controlled the pace from gun to
tape and clocked 31:43.28, a comfortable nine seconds ahead of the Netherlands’s Susan
Krumins (31:52.55). Sweden’s Meraf Bahta was a distant third in 32:19.34.
Congratulations and Mazal Tov Artem Dolgopyat
Israeli gymnast Artem Dolgopyat won the silver medal
at the 2018 European
Championships men's floor finals in the Men's Artistic Gymnastics Championships taking
place in Glasgow.
Dolgopyat reached the finals of the European championship after finishing first in the
qualifying rounds, with a score of 14.666. In the 2017 European championship Dolgopyat
finished fourth, thereby missing out on the medal due to a penalty that cost him half a
point. The bronze medal went to his teammate, Alex Shatilov.
This is the first time that three Israelis make it to the finals of the European championship.
Other than Dolgopyat, Shatilov reached the finals as well, as did Andrey Medvedev in vault.
Congrats! #EC2018 @UEGymnastics
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israeli-gymnast-wins-silver-medal-at-europeanchampionship-1.6366300
British Labour’s antisemitism
Second Labour MP faces disciplinary action amid row over antisemitism.
The British Jewry is active to expose antisemitism in the Labour Party.
On July 25, Britain's leading Jewish newspapers, @JewishNewsUK, @JewishChron and
@JewishTelegraph, all carry the same front page on the community’s anger and anxiety
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over @LabourUK rejection of international anti-Semitism definition. Jews united against
antisemitism.
Google trends shows what people are searching. You open it, write code word, say Jeremy
Corbyn, and Google shows you what words are associated with the term.
Among the nine searched topics associated with Corbyn is antisemitism.
Israeli leaders disserve the fight against antisemitism by promoting the perception that any
critique of Israeli policies is a form of antisemitism. Blurring the lines between racism and
hatred, on the one hand, and legitimate criticism of the Israeli government, on the other, help
our enemies because then the legitimate and justified claims about the danger of
antisemitism are dismissed as exaggerated and are not taking seriously.
Benny Morris on the De-Christianization of Turkey
I greatly appreciate Benny Morris’s scholarship, considering him as a very serious historian.
When I teach the Arab-Israeli conflict, his books are obligatory in my courses. Thus I was
happy to meet him and to learn about his activities, and his views about the questions that
trouble me regarding the conflict.
Benny Morris is writing a book on the De-Christianization of Turkey. In a recent lecture,
Morris said that it is unclear how many Christians were killed by the Turks in Turkey. The
Turkish Christian population used to be twenty percent of Turkey. 1.0 to 1.5 million
Armenians died in a period of thirty years in the hands of Turks. Hundreds of thousands
Greeks were killed between 1914 and 1924. One million Greeks were expelled. Hundreds of
thousands of Christian Syrians were also killed. Churches were destroyed. Their property
was taken.
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Morris’ thesis is that what happened in Turkey was direct de-Christianization. During 19191924, under Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the Turkish regime murdered and deported hundreds of
thousands of Christians.
Atatürk is the George Washington, or the David Ben-Gurion of modern Turkey. He is known
for launching a programme of revolutionary social and political reform to modernise Turkey.
These reforms included the emancipation of women, the abolition of all Islamic institutions
and the introduction of Western legal codes, dress, calendar and alphabet, replacing the
Arabic script with a Latin one. Abroad Atatürk pursued a policy of neutrality, establishing
friendly relations with Turkey's neighbours. In his new book, Morris is attacking a “sacred
and revered cow”. His claims will provoke much attention and debate.
I asked Morris why the Armenian were subject to such horrific treatment by the Turks. Morris
explained that they were perceived as a threat because they demanded reforms. There were
hundreds of thousands of rape cases of Armenian women. The result of those pregnancies
were Muslim babies. They were all raised as Muslims.
The killing of Greeks was followed by a population exchange. 150,000 Greek Christians
moved to Greece, and some 300,000 Muslims moved to Turkey. To describe what
happened as population exchange is wrong because hundreds of thousands of Greeks were
also killed as part of the de-Christianization of Turkey.
The Greek and the Turks stopped fighting each other after the populations were separated.
The only place where there were fights between Muslims and Christians is Cyprus where the
population is mixed. But once separated, no more wars and clashes.
The Jews were not harmed.
I asked Morris about his sources. The Turkish archives regarding the Armenians in 19191924 is closed. Morris thinks that incriminating documents about murder were purged. There
is a cover up with softer documents. The Turkish state archives regarding other, related
issues are open and Morris is writing the book with a Turkish colleague. Both are also using
books and writings of foreign councils and diplomats who served in Turkey during this period
and sent regular reports back home. The French, British, German and American reports are
most useful. There is a question who was feeding information to the councils. Morris
responded that the Germans were on the Turkish side, so if they said that there was a
massacre, this is a most reliable information. Another very useful source were the
missionaries’ reports. They must have had sympathies to the Christians but these were
reports to their superiors, not for mass production to the media. Thus Morris thinks these are
also reliable sources.
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Morris was asked about similarities and dissimilarities between the Nazi Holocaust and the
Armenian genocide. He responded by saying that much of the murders was done in Turkey
by civilians. In Nazi Germany, mainly soldiers did the genocide.
War brutalise. War leads to increased brutality and to willingness, even eagerness of people
to involve in murder.
Fog of war was used by Turkey and by the Nazis to hide the genocide. Both were state
planned.
Both were denied by the governments of the time. Turkey denies genocide until today.
Use of deception. Both Turkey and Nazi Germany spoke of resettlement in the east.
There were death marches of Armenians. The intention was to kill the Armenians in those
marches, and at the same time the Turks claimed: we just relocate them as we wish to save
them from war zones. “We do this for their own good”.
Public Support for Two-State Solution is Eroding
A new poll says support for a two-state solution among Israeli Jews and Palestinians is at a
two-decade low. The joint poll conducted by Tel Aviv University and The Palestinian Center
for Policy and Survey Research determined that just 43 percent of both sides support a
vision of peace that would create a Palestinian state alongside Israel. The survey says the
reasons for this are doubts over the possibility of implementing the plan and a lack of trust in
the other side.
I remain convinced that two-state solution is the least violent of all possible solutions, and
that it is an Israeli interest to pursue this option. Public support for this sensible and just
solution is eroding due to peace-minded leadership on both the Israeli and the Palestinian
peoples. Both think that they may gain more by pursuing other solutions. The Palestinians
continues to speak about the right of return for Palestinian refugees to Palestine (Israel)
while Israeli leaders are intent to populate the West Bank with settlements and thereby
leaving very little territory to the Palestinians. Both sides are unwilling to give up on their
dreams for greater Palestine/Greater Israel. The result: Continuation of bloodshed. Sad
indeed.
Haaretz
I criticised the Israeli government. An Israeli professor immediately challenged me in a
deriding and dismissing voice: what is your source, Haaretz newspaper? Once upon a time,
Haaretz was the credible darling of Israeli academia. Times are changing. Now the free
newspaper, Israel Today, is THE source.
Poland – Two Court Cases
From Aleksandra Gliszczynska-Grabias I learnt that there are two civil law procedures in
Poland, representing two Holocaust survivors for violation of their personal rights, human
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dignity, right to historical truth regarding one's past, and their right to ethnic and national
identity. The legal grounds are Polish prohibitions of Holocaust denial and propagation of
Nazi propaganda. The plaintiffs demand printed apology, ban on further publications, and
financial compensation.
I eagerly awaiting the court’s decision. Aleksandra estimates that this may take 1-2 years.
Poor prospective memory, researchers report, may be an early indicator of
Alzheimer’s disease
Have you ever been shopping and returned home to find that you have forgotten to buy the
very item you went shopping for? Have you known it was going to rain yet left your umbrella
at home? Have you gone out and left the television on?
All these instances are examples where prospective memory has failed – you have not
remembered to take the action you had planned. While these examples are comparatively
trivial, poor prospective memory can have serious consequences – forgetting to take
medication, or leaving the stove on, for example.
A failing prospective memory can be an early sign of Alzheimer’s disease, according to
University of Chichester psychologists, and new therapeutic methods are being used to
utilise levels of prospective memory as a means to accurately diagnose diseases of
cognitive impairment. Such methods can be effective non-invasive alternatives to traditional
clinical methods such as the extraction of cerebral spinal fluid.
In research published in the journal “Neuropsychology”, a team led by the University of
Chichester has studied prospective memory performance of 96 participants including
patients with mild cognitive impairment aged 64 to 87 years, healthy older adults aged 62 to
84 years and younger adults aged 18 to 22 years.
The study, which also included members from Radboud University Nijmegen, Sussex
Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Lisbon, looked at prospective
memory performance before the introduction of an enhancement technique and compared it
with performance after the enhancement technique. The technique used was encoded
enactment, where subjects were encouraged to act through the activity they must remember
to do.
All age groups reported improvement in prospective memory, but it was particularly marked
in those older subjects with mild cognitive impairment, that is, potentially in the early stages
of Alzheimer’s disease. The study suggests that encouraging people in this category to
adopt enactment as a means to enhance prospective memory could result in them leading
independent, autonomous lives for longer.
For further information, see https://neurosciencenews.com/action-task-memory-9651/
My New Article - “Cyberterrorism”, in Barney Warf (ed.), SAGE Encyclopedia of the
Internet (Thousand Oaks, CA.: SAGE Publications Inc., 2018), pp. 169-171.
The digital revolution has affected all spheres of life. Society’s infrastructure relies heavily on
technology and computers. Extensive and vast communication networks enable the
production, distribution, and use of digitized information in all formats. In 2011, Science
magazine advised its readers that some 95 percent of all information existing in the planet is
digitized and most of it is accessible via computer networks.
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Thus our society is called “a network society”: a society constructed around personal
and organizational networks powered by digital networks and communicated by the Internet.
Because communication networks are global and know no boundaries, the network society
is a global network society. The design of the communication networks and their raison
d'être are open architecture, freedom of expression, and neutral network of networks. But
technology is open to use and abuse. It can be utilized to promote good and it can be
exploited to enhance harmful and anti-social interests. Freedom is both an asset and
vulnerability. The digital world makes vast amounts of information available to all, including
sensitive matters of personal knowledge. Certain information that is publicly available or
loosely controlled can become a weapon by terrorists. Llewellyn Kriel, CEO and editor in
chief of TopEditor International Media Services, predicted that in 2025 digital criminal
networks will become realities. Terrorism will be daily reality. Cyberterrorism will become
commonplace. Kriel says: “The world will become less and less safe, and only personal skills
and insights will protect individuals.”
Cyberterrorism is a growing global concern. Since computers control the majority of
the developed world’s infrastructure, it is easily penetrated by dedicated hackers. Cyberattacks can create enormous damage at very little cost to terrorists. Cyberterrorism concerns
activity that utilizes electronic communication networks to further unlawful and violent ends.
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=293806
New Books - SAGE Encyclopedia of the Internet Thousand Oaks, CA.: SAGE
Publications Inc., 2018).
The SAGE Encyclopedia of the Internet addresses cyberspace, email, the World Wide Web,
and social media. Entries range from popular topics such as Alibaba and YouTube
to important current controversies such as Net neutrality and cyberterrorism. The goal of the
encyclopedia is to provide the most comprehensive collection of authoritative entries on the
Internet available, written in a style accessible to academic and non-academic audiences
alike.
Switzerland
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I am about to leave for Switzerland to conduct research. My visiting position is with the
University of Zurich but I intend to travel around during my three-week fieldwork. I will be
happy to meet colleagues and friends.
Seeking London Accommodation
I received The Distinguished Visiting Professor to the Faculty of Laws at University College
London (2019). I am looking for an accommodation for the period of my UCL Visiting
Professorship. I plan to arrive in London on 4 February 2019 for a period of five months until
3 July 2019 and appreciate any advice you may have.
The Medieval Oxford Synagogue
I have passed Christ Church hundreds of times without being aware of its Jewish history.
The ground under the northern most corner tower of Christ Church Tom Quad was the site
of the medieval synagogue. The synagogue was one of only nine Oxford properties still in
Jewish ownership at the time of the expulsion from England of all Jews in 1290. Soon after,
it belonged to Balliol College until Wolsey demolished the whole site in 1525 to build
Cardinal College, the predecessor of Christ Church.
Gem of the Month - Oxford
It is always good to return to my alma mater. Whenever I enter the gates of Oxford, my heart
rejoices and enlarges. It always feels like home.
It was good to see Charles, Itzhak, Ruvi and David, and to make acquaintance with many
colleagues from a dozen countries.
Gem of the Month – St Catz
It was good to visit my beloved college. It changed a lot since the 1980s, when I was a
student. More buildings. More security. These are the times in which we live. The college
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looks and feels great. I receive its regular reports from the Master and the alumni office and
know it is in a wonderful shape. A superb supportive college.
I Love St Catz!
Gem of the Month – St John’s College
I spent two weeks at St. John’s, participating in a workshop on racism and antisemitism and
preparing a new course provisionally titled “Racism and Anti-Semitism”. Although I have
been researching these issues for more than forty years, I have never taught a course on
these issues. I never wanted to. Now I feel ready to do this.
St. Jon’s provided a very convivial atmosphere. It is a beautiful college, perfectly located in
Oxford, in proximity to the city centre. This experience reminded me of my Oxford days. I
became nostalgic, even emotional, recalling events from the 1980s. some of my life high
points, and the low points, occurred in Oxford.
Gem of the Month - John Locke's Writings
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I was happy to hold, and read, the original writings of John Locke whom I teach from time to
time when asked to deliver the Introductory Course on History of Ideas. Locke was a don in
Oxford and after his death he donated his personal writings to the Bodleian Library.
Gem of the Month - JS Mill's Writings
Mill is one of my heroes. Oxford Library keeps the diary Mill wrote when he toured the Lake
District. Like most people who have visited this corner of the U.K., Mill was impressed and
liked the region.
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Gem of the Month – Bodleian Hebrew Collection
The Bodleian has a large collection of Hebrew, Yiddish, Aramaic and Judeo-Arabic texts.
The most important are the Huntington Collection of 1692, the collection of Chief Rabbi
Oppenheimer of Prague, and over 5,000 Hebrew and Arabic manuscripts from the Cairo
Geniza.
Monthly Poems
Blessing for the New Year
May the sky be blue and clear
And your heart always filled with joyful tear
May peace and tranquillity prevail
Keys for resolving conflict unveil
May you create more than destroy
Making dreams a reality to savour and enjoy
May your mind be free of worry
No need to hear or say “I am sorry”
May you have time to delight in museums and parks
And mind to glee when adventure embarks
May you sleep like a log
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And captivate listeners like a funny cat or dog
May you wish to sing as you wake up with a laugh
Love what you have and your second half
May you visit only the maternity ward
And hear your doctor’s concerns when the other team scored
May you surround yourself with people you love
To enable growth and see all thrive
May you add one true friend to your life
Be with you at moments of strife
May you know what your loved ones wish and pray
Before a word is uttered, knowing what they want to say
May her lips be welcoming and red
Embrace and ready when you are sad.
Raphael Almagor
Did You Know? The First Coffee House in England
According to the Oxford Jewish Heritage, the first coffee house west of Venice was opened
in Oxford in 1650. Its proprietor was Jacob the Jew, a Lebanese, who brought his coffee
from today’s Turkey. Not only that, the second coffee house in England was also in Oxford,
opened opposite the first in 1654 by Cirques Jobson, a Syrian Jew. It is now called Queen’s
Lane coffee, one of my favourite places in Oxford, and the very first coffee house I visited
upon arrival to Oxford in 1987.
Light Side
Dreams
Upon waking, a woman said to her husband, "I just dreamt that you gave me a necklace of
pearls. What do you think it means?"
The man smiled and kissed his wife. "You'll know tonight," he softly whispered.
That evening, the man came home with a small package which he gave to his wife. She
jumped up and embraced him, and then settled on the couch to slowly and delicately unwrap
the package.
It contained a book entitled, 'The Meaning of Dreams'.
May I wish you all Shana Tova, Good Health, Peace and Love, always.
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Yours as ever,
Rafi
My last communications are available on http://almagor.blogspot.com/
People wishing to subscribe to this Monthly Newsletter are welcome to e-mail me at
[email protected]
Follow me on Twitter at @almagor35