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This past month has truly been a roller coaster ride. The headline that stole the show was Israel’s normalization of relations with the United Arab Emirates, which somehow diverted the attention of the thousands of unemployed protesters and the real possibility of yet another election. Suddenly, our prime minister’s secret agreement – secret even from Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi – made him a hero overnight. Sentiment increased when it was suggested that Sudan could be next on the list to make peace with Israel. For 24 hours, the front pages no longer showed images of demonstrations against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or statistics on the more than 800,000 unemployed. Nor were we, the public, constantly reminded (as if we needed a reminder) of the surge in COVID-19 cases swarming hospitals to the breaking point. Was an imminent peace with the UAE good news? Absolutely. How could anyone not be happy to learn that a vibrant and prosperous Arab state was about to make peace with us? That was until we learned, two days later, of a possible “secret” part of the deal that allows the United States to sell its super F-35 fighter jets to the United Arab Emirates. Israel has consistently based its security calculations on having a qualitative military advantage over its neighbors. All of a sudden, our prime minister was saying that Israel would pressure the United States Congress against selling F-35s to the UAE. However, according to Yediot Aharonot, an Emirati official confirmed that Netanyahu gave his approval to the arms deal between the United States and the United Arab Emirates as part of the agreement to form diplomatic relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. The Jerusalem press conference with Netanyahu and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo produced mixed messages. While Netanyahu maintained his story that the F-35s were not going to the UAE, Pompeo said: “The United States has a legal requirement regarding Israel’s qualitative military advantage, which we will continue to honor. But we also have a 20+ year security relationship with the UAE … The US will review that process to see that we are providing them with the equipment they need to protect and defend their own people from this very threat. [Iran]. I am sure that both objectives can be achieved ”. One can expect the UAE, once in possession of this cutting-edge weaponry, to retain its current leadership, unlike what happened with our long-time ally Iran in the post-Shah era. the imminent peace agreement between Israel and Sudan? That “good news” did not materialize, emphatically rejected by Sudan. WHEN IS the good news really good news? The good news is when we learn of the positive contributions made by ordinary citizens of Israel. The reaction to the blockade produced an unlimited number of volunteers willing to help the elderly and infirm. The Ra’anana municipality, like several other municipalities, asked for volunteers to collect prescriptions at the pharmacy, buy food, and deliver these necessities to those who cannot leave home. There was no shortage of volunteers willing to help. These wonderful volunteers became a lifeline for many people living alone, who arrived with the necessary medications, food and a smiling face, ready to chat while asking what more help they could provide; This are good news. Neighbors in the apartment blocks became “nuclear families,” ensuring that those who lived alone weren’t alone on Friday nights, something I personally appreciated as my husband died months before closing. I felt the warmth and affection of my neighbors who became “my family”. This is good news. The good news is when families discover they have the time and space to speak to each other personally, not just on their cell phones. It turned out to be a moment of imaginative creativity. Parents with young children produced novel ways to occupy their children. A young family went on a “vacation” to the “Kinneret”. (They pitched tents in their garden, where they slept through the night, set around a pond that became the Kinneret.) Numerous volunteer organizations did their best to ensure that life continued despite the pandemic. August 12 marked the United Nations International Youth Day, which this year focused on COVID-19. The UN produced a video featuring seven young women from various parts of the world who made a difference in their communities during the pandemic. How proud we are to learn that one of the seven was Rivka Shatta from Israel. The magazine, thanks to ESRA project president Nina Zuck, met and spoke with Rivka, the oldest of seven siblings, all born here. Her parents came from Ethiopia in 1991 through Operation Solomon when, in 36 hours, 14,325 Ethiopian Jews were flown home. She is currently studying for her second degree in art therapy (the first was in informal education) Rivka is part of ESRA’s flagship program “Students Build Community” (SBC). This company allows carefully chosen students to live rent-free in underserved communities in exchange for mentoring children on the block. Rivka lives in Hefzibah, an economically disadvantaged area of Netanya where most of the residents are Ethiopian-Israelis. As a SBC student, she mentors four 12-year-old girls helping them with their education while being an excellent role model. What did Rivka tell the world on International Youth Day? She spoke of the challenge of mentoring her girls during COVID-19. Prevented from participating in their face-to-face meetings, Zoom and WhatsApp became the vehicles for the continuity of the program. The tablets, donated by ESRA (many do not have computers), along with regular telephone contact, resulted in successfully engaging and stimulating the children while allowing the parents to continue working. Aside from her commitment to her children, Rivka also delivers food packages to those in need. Rivka is a special person who in 2018 brought together six young women, today the number is 40, to ask the local council to change unacceptable situations. In addition to sorting out local garbage collections, the group succeeded in transforming a local wooded area, previously a dark and dirty place that attracted young people with drug problems, into a beautiful, well-lit park. Success was achieved by these volunteers knocking on the doors of the municipal department heads, refusing to rest until they achieved their goal. What drives Rivka? She says: “What motivates me is to recognize that small changes can lead to big changes, both for the individual and for the community; to see the positive side of the neighborhood in which we live. My hope is to be a role model for young people, to show them by example that volunteering is a desirable and positive attribute. “Back to the beginning. While the November elections have been avoided, there is still a good chance that we will Let’s slide into a fourth election early next year. With the end of the pandemic in sight and increasing numbers of people out of work, what will we face in the next 120 days without a national budget? Unfortunately, our healthcare systems And education will continue to deteriorate. Netanyahu broke the deal he made with his coalition partners to produce a two-year budget, even though a two-year budget was the preferred choice of most economists. Sadly, it appears that he has. , in the middle of the judicial process, is more concerned with saving his skin than saving the country. He would do well to follow the example of those citizens whose main concern Action is how they can create good news by helping others during this fateful period in Israel’s history. The writer is the president of public relations for ESRA, which promotes integration into Israeli society. The opinions expressed are yours alone.
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