So a lot of people question my reason for naming my blog as I did. The truth is, these are my spare-time passions, and this is the place where it all comes together for me. Wednesday was a perfect example.
At 8:30 am Arnie and I met with Yael Rosen from Atzum. Yael, who for about 6 years has been our contact for helping Righteous Among the Nations (those who saved Jews during the Shoah) living here in Israel. Yael started a new project for Atzum this year, to recognize and educate about Ethiopian Prisoners of Zion (Asirei Tzion). Those of you in my age group will remember the Soviet Jewry movement of the 70's and 80's and the term Prisoners of Zion given to Soviet Refuseniks imprisoned for wanting to leave the USSR.
It is an official term, determined by the Office of Immigration, and also has been applied to approximately 500 Ethiopians living in Israel. These people were imprisoned in Ethiopia and Sudan, many of them tortured, but finally made their way to Israel. While they get a small stipend from the Israel government, many are reticent to tell their stories, and relive their ordeals. Also, there is a huge generation gap within the Ethiopian community, not unlike other immigrant populations. The parents don't learn Hebrew as fast or as well as the children, become dependent on children for negotiating with the bureaurocy or the electric company or school officials, and so the kids respect their elders less as illiterate or not worthy. Many of thes people risked their lives to get themselves and others out of Ethiopia.
Atzum's new project takes Ethiopian and other students (the pilot was last year in Be'er Sheva) in small teams to interview and film the stories of these silent heroes of the Jewish people. It has a cathartic effect on the Prisoner of Zion, gives them respect, educates the students and the wider population, and raises their esteem among the youth in their community. Not a bad project, I hope you agree. For $10,000, we can make it happen again.
After the meeting, it was play time. Yossi picked me up and we headed east, to Gush Etzion. We visited Shraga Rosenberg at the Gush Etzion Winery (who is no longer making my favorite Sour Cherry Liqueur), and then headed to Bat Ayin to meet organic Vintner and winemaker Gershon Ferency. We tasted several of his wines, a crisp Sauvignon Blanc, a Sauvignon Blanc/Viognier combination, a merlot and a red blend. All were very good and very reasonably priced. I didn't buy a lot, but I will definitely go back.
Then we headed north to Psagot. Winemaker Yaacov Berg was on vacation in the US, but we were attended to by Ruchama, a terrific, knowledgable and friendly member of the staff. We tasted 5 wines. Their viognier never disappoints, the Edom blend is excellent, the merlot and cab were great, the Shiraz was ok, but not as good as the others. All are worthwhile and importantly available in the US. Psagot was affected recently by a boycott on West Bank businesses (Yaakov was quoted in the Washington Post in July - I brought a copy of the article to the winery) and it is important to help support this terrific winery.
We had a very late lunch (turned into and early dinner) in Abu Ghosh. Excellent food. So you see, it's possible to bring one's passions for Israel, Mitzvah work and wine into one 12 hour period. Nizkeh l'mitzvot v'yayin tov! - We should be worthy together to do mitzvot and drink great wine.
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