Kuwaiti-Finnish Orthodox Jewish Wedding in Israel

One of the more remarkable stories I heard on our recent trip to Israel was of an Orthodox Jew who was born a Muslim in Kuwait and married a Finnish woman whose father was a Lutheran minister.

It sounds like a joke, but it's not.

My pal, Gil, wrote the story for the Jerusalem Post. Re-printed below with his permission.

And, obviously, given our family's unique relationship with Finland, this was icing on the cake ;-)

Wedding season underway as Kuwait- and Finland-born Jews tie the knot

 

by Gil Zohar

With Tisha b’Av over, the summer’s wedding season began this week. And one of the most festive weddings this writer has ever attended was the nuptials of Kuwait-born Mark (Mordechai) Halawa and Finland-born Linda Brunell that took place Wednesday at Nes Harim in the Judean Hills.

 

Officiating was Rabbi Israel Weisel of Bnai Brak. Among the hundreds of guests were streimel-wearing Belzer Hassidim, sun-burned Swedish Lutherans who had flown in from Scandinavia in a demonstration of Zionist support and family ties, and friends from Abu Dhabi.

 

Halawa, in his mid-30s, spoke about the divinely-ordained path that brought him back to Judaism.

 

His grandmother, Ruwaida née Mizrachi, was born in Jerusalem during the British Mandate of Palestine. She married Muhammad al-Masri. a Jordanian soldier from Nablus, and the couple ended up stationed at Zarqa, Jordan. Following the 1970 Black September uprising, al-Masri – who was a high-ranking officer in Jordan’s Arab Legion - was cashiered when King Hussein purged his army of Palestinians. The family relocated to Kuwait.

 

Thus Halawa’s mother, whose name Mark prefers not to cite, moved as a teenager to Kuwait. There she met and married her husband, whose name Halawa similarly declines to mention. Opening an engineering and contracting business, the family grew wealthy on government contracts from Kuwait’s ruling as-Sabah clan. But the good times came crashing down in 1990 when Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein occupied the tiny Gulf emirate,

 

Halawa’s family, which was on vacation in Spain when the invasion of Kuwait took place, became exiles. They ended up in London, Canada, where Mark studied psychology and business at the University of Western Ontario. There in a fateful meeting at the school’s library he fell into a conversation with a long-bearded professor of philosophy named Yitzchok Block. After considerable probing, the Chabad rabbi pronounced Halawa halachically Jewish by virtue of his being the descendant of a Jewish woman. Halawa protested that his is a Muslim.

 

But the truth won out. After much soul-searching, including years at Jerusalem’s Aish ha-Torah Yeshiva, he returned to the fold of Jewish life.

 

Linda Brunell’s family story is equally extraordinary. Her father Ole Brunell was born in a Swedish-speaking village on the west coast of Finland. Growing up in an insular community, he attended seminary and university in Turku, Finland, and was ordained as a Lutheran minister. After leading several congregations across Finland, he and his family relocated to sunny Australia to minister to a Finnish-speaking church in Brisbane,

 

But Brunell and his wife Runa began to question the theological underpinnings of Christianity. Finally in 1991 he renounced Christianity and left his job as a minister, along with its car, vicarage and status. After a long and difficult path, the family converted to Judaism and made aliya in 1996. Ole and Runa became Shlomo and Ruth. All four of the Brunell daughters have married Israelis.

 

Linda Brunell works as a patent paralegal with a major Tel Aviv law firm. Mark Halawa is a businessman with extensive contacts and dealings across the Middle East. He also is a speaker on the Chabad circuit in North America and Europe.

 

“This is the happiest day of my whole life,” Brunell said. “Mark and I share the same goals, despite our different backgrounds, of building a family in Israel. I’m very grateful to my parents for bring my sisters and I on this path. And I’m sure they’re happy to have their last daughter married off.”

 

“Many people asked Linda and me, ‘Where are you going to get married?’ Is there a better place than the land of my ancestors? I’m only sorry that my immediate family isn’t here, but I’ve gained a whole new family – the whole Jewish people is now my family,” said Halawa. “My dream of marrying a Jew and establishing a Jewish home has become a reality. Baruch ha-Shem.”

Gil Zohar is a Jerusalem-based journalist and tour guide and can be reached at gilzohar@rogers.com

A 2000+ Year Tradition of Nicknames

Longtime readers know of my penchant and love for nicknames.

So, I took a  (very, very, very) small amount of joy at the top of Masada when we visited the section of the "lots." 

This was where the last few standing people (who had to do the terrible job of killing everyone else before the Romans arrived) drew straws ("lots") to determine who would be the final person--and thus have to commit suicide-which is forbidden in Judaism.

The sign said that the pottery shards were inscribed with both names and "nicknames."

Knowing that I am upholding a 2,000+ year old tradition gives additional meaning to my nicknaming and my efforts to instill it in the next generation.

Israel 2016- Reflections On A Spiritual Friday

Anyone who has visited the Western Wall (aka the Kotel) which is regarded as Judaism's holiest place knows that it is almost always a bustling sea of humanity full of all kinds of noise.

The sounds of the muezzin from the Dome of the Rock/Al-Aqsa complex will, on occasion, also punctuate the air.

So, when my friend Jeremy (no, not talking about myself) Lustman suggested that we get up at 5am to go to the early morning service on Friday for a different type of spiritual experience, I was up for it (literally and figuratively).

The purpose of this service is to say the morning prayer at the exact first possible moment.  The particular prayer is a silent meditation and can be said roughly at the morning's first light.

As we arrived, there were probably 150+ men praying in groups of 10-15. There was a din of noise as each group moved through the introductory prayers at their own pace.

However, when the moment arrived, the entire place fell silent. All we heard was chirping of the birds.

Utter and complete silence otherwise.

It was surreal and powerful. To be in the holiest place and have total quiet.

If you ever get the chance, you should go.

On our way out of Jerusalem, we stopped at the Mahane Yehuda (central market). Another place that is usually chock full of people, noise, and smells.

Since it was so early, we were able to experience the market coming to life. Vendors setting up their stalls and being able to walk unimpeded, appreciating the world of commerce coming to life, much as we had so appreciated the spiritual world awakening only moments before.

That afternoon, we experienced another side of humankind's spiritual existence.

We learned on Thursday night that the uncle of a close friend of ours was to be buried in Israel (after flying from the US) on Friday afternoon at 2pm.

Due to flight delays, the funeral didn't begin until close to 4 and with the arrival of the Sabbath imminent, there wasn't much time for a long ceremony.

In fact, it was short. Very short. And informal. Some were wearing jeans and t-shirts.

But, as opposed to some American funerals, there was an authenticity to it due to its fast pace and, more interestingly, the fact that people aren't buried in coffins. They are buried wrapped in a simple white shroud, an act which I think makes the process even more real due to its rawness.

Obviously, when you attend a funeral, you can't help but think about mortality and ask yourself questions about how to make the time you have on earth as rich as possible.

Thanks to Jeremy Lustman, I had a day I won't soon forget and may never experience again.

Israel 2016 - Day 5: Working the Land for a Good Cause

The history of Zionism is full of many different philosophies.  Political, Social, and Labor.

Labor's idea was that the working of the land in agriculture was critical to Jewish self-sufficiency. When I lived in Israel for 4 months as an 18 year old, I spent 2 months working on a Moshav and much of that time was in the fields, doing all kinds of work.

It was tiring and hot, but it connects you to the land in a unique way.

Now, many years later, we volunteered to spend about an hour working for an organization called Leket Israel.  [Check them out and donate!]

It was started when Joseph Gitler attended a wedding in Israel and noticed how much food was going to waste after the event was over.

He resolved to connect the leftover food with those who were needy.

From that simple act, it has grown to a nationwide organization that not only takes food that would otherwise be wasted to the poor, but also takes crops from specified fields or where the value is too low and donates it to people in need.

After only 1 hour in the sun, I couldn't help but think about the people who do this type of work all day every day, whether Arabs in Israel or Mexicans in California and I found a new sense of appreciation for their efforts.

I was also reconnected with the land of Israel, which has a special meaning for me.

But the most powerful moment of the day was when we were done and our host for the day told us, "you just picked enough peppers to feed 300 families."

That made us feel like our work had meaning.

If you go to Israel, please take some time to donate your labor. It will inspire you in ways that writing a check alone (though you should do that as well) never could.

Israel 2016: "Raining Cats and Dogs"

Travelers to Israel know of the omni-presence of cats.

What's relatively new is the increase in the number of dogs. Tel Aviv is apparently the world's most dog-friendly city.

One answer I heard is that there's a perception that Arabs fear dogs and that during the most recent spate of "lone wolf" attacks about a year ago, there was an increase in dog ownership (as well as gun permits).

Another theory I heard was that the increased dog ownership is actually a proxy for increased wealth.

As my friend Gil said, "when you have food and housing security, you feel like you can get a dog."

Israel 2016 - Day 4 Observations

The major activity for today was the Machon Ayalon also known as the "Bullet Factory," which produced 2.1 million bullets in pre-state Israel (aka Mandate Palestine) in the time period between 1945-1948.

Following the mantra of "hiding in plain sight," the plant operated only a few hundred meters from a British army camp.

They utilized a sophisticated web of deception, misniformation, and organizational alignment to keep it clandestine and make it work for 3 years.

It was an inspiring look at a key part of early Israeli history.

As I watched the movie, I was struck by a feeling that I suspect was there but was dormant. One of true admiration at people's abilities to live (and be willing to die) for a cause truly greater than themselves.

The people of Tzophim Aleph who were 18-20 years of age were idealists and were willing to put that belief on the line in the most serious of ways.

In some respects, I think this is the seed of the modern Israeli mentality of being able to cope with the challenges of life...and maintaining that going forward, as the founder generation (see Shimon Peres) dies out and the country continues to grow and prosper.

The tour was intensified in its value by a world-class guide, Sagi, who deserves a major shout-out (will cross post this to their FB page).

A number of people recommended this activity to us very highly and I can see why.

Not only is it exciting and interesting, but it gives you an authentic glimpse into the essence of modern Zionism and the can-do spirit of the pioneers.

I think seeing that...no matter what your purpose is...is inspirational.

I did feel a twinge of pain as I thought about the recent IDF raids on Palestinian gun manufacturing plants, as I am confident there are many who would draw parallels and moral equivalency.

Ah...the complexity of today's Middle East.

Still, a nice additional puzzle piece to our journey through Jewish history.

And a final note....Dinner at the vegetarian paradise in Jerusalem...the Village Green. Pricey, but recommended.

Israel 2016 Day 3 Observations

I don' t know if I'm alone in this feeling or not, but I kind of feel like the drive to the Dead Sea through the Judaean hills and desert is the "real" Israel.

That of the Bible. Where, to this day, you still see shepherd boys riding donkeys tending flocks.

There is a rawness to the land, a peacefulness that comes of the desolation of the environment. Bordered by the Dead Sea and 400 meters below sea level, you are whisked away from the hustle/bustle of Jerusalem through a time warp to another era.

Stop 1 was Herod's fortress of Masada, the site of the last stand against the Romans which ended in a mass suicide and which has become a symbol to the State of Israel: "Masada shall not fall again."

It's an engineering marvel on top of a mountain (and a mini-series that my brothers and I used to love) and, in an ironic twist for me, represents both the old and new Israel at the same time.

The last time I was there, was 1991 and the parking lot was dirt and there may have been a ticket booth and the cable cars.

Now, there is a world class visitor center with indoor parking and much more.

That's the new Israel.  I felt the same way when I first landed at the new airport in 2002 (I think) and I said, "ok, the country has arrived."

The Masada team knows that the tourist industry makes or breaks them.

It's about an hour or so drive from Jerusalem and very pleasant.

We elected to take the cable car up (smart), walk around for an hour with the map and read the signs while educating the kids and then walk down (possibly smart). It's very doable, but with kids, it definitely takes longer than the advertised 30 minutes.

It was hot.

As I said to them many times, the "key to Israel is water, hat, backpack, and sunscreen."  If you have those, you're off to the races.

The way to experience Israel (or any country for that matter) best is by foot and hiking in Israel is a special component.

Figuring we hadn't walked far enough, we then went to Ein Gedi, which also has Biblical significance, most notably as the hiding place of the future King David by his father-in-law Saul. 

The best part is jumping into the cool spring water stemming from the oasis that forms the basis of the nature preserve.

The 2nd best part is meeting other travelers...including a group of 10 pastors from around the world on a trip to the Holy Land.

When I lived in Japan, I remember visiting Kyoto and thinking "this is eternal Japan." When you see the desert surrounding Masada and Ein Gedi, the hills leading to Jerusalem, you can't help but think that this is a part of "eternal Israel." 

Israel 2016 - Day 2- Jerusalem

You can walk through the Old City of Jerusalem 100 times and each time, see something new.

Such was the case on Sunday as we took a walking tour with a guide (something that is worth doing no matter how many times you've been there).

One of the unique moments for me was going onto the rooftops above the Arab Souk (market) and looking into it from above. From the same vantage point, you could see all 4 quarters...the Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and Armenian.

I had always wondered why the Armenians had their own quarter (as the other ones certainly made sense), but our guide explained it as the fact that the Armenians were (apparently) the first country to fully adopt Christianity and thus received a quarter of their own.

Another was discovering small synagogues tucked away into corners and back alleyways, inlaid with fantastic and inspired designs.

The guide had a nice graphical illustration (looked like the South Park characters) that showed who ruled Jerusalem all the way from the time of the First Jewish Temple until the modern day.

Again, one of those things you kind of know, but seeing it all laid out on a timeline helps you internalize just how deep, rich, and complicated this place has always been.

Being there, walking the ancient streets, passing through the walls...you just know that the people in foreign capitals who are trying to impose a solution...well, I think there's a lot of wishful thinking there.

Of course, the highlight of the day was, as usual, the visit to the Kotel-the Western Wall, where we were able to put in notes (as is the custom) expressing the prayers which we hope God will answer, and say additional prayers.  My girls were there with some of their cousins, which made the visit all the more meaningful.

What's so inspiring to me about Jerusalem is how it can be experienced over and over again while being both new and old.

It's almost like pulling a layer back on history and your soul at the same time whenever you go there and explore.

BONUS: Thanks to reader Billy for sending in this video in response to yesterday's post.

Israel 2016- Day 1 Thoughts

The experience of Arabs in Israel and vis a vis Israel is obviously complex and multi-faceted, but sometimes I feel like it is oversimplified.

I was thinking about this as we arrived at Ben Gurion airport and I was struck by the number of Arabs at the baggage claim and passport control, mostly because of how perfectly normal it was for everyone there.

I had the same thought when, on our first full day in country, we took a 2 hour raft trip down the Jordan River at a place called HaGoshrim. It was really fun for kids of all ages, anyone above the age of 5.  In adjacent rafts on the river were a number of Arab teenagers, having fun, splashing us and others (as we were to them).

It was just a moment where I kind of thought..."you know, I think most Israelis and Arabs just want to get along in 2 states side by side and it's only a few percent of haters that keep the animosity going."  It was both sad and uplifting at the same time.

Then, I contemplated the inverse...how would Hassidic-garbed people or people in yarmulkes get treated arriving in Riyadh or Beirut or engaging in a recreational activity in Egypt or Algeria.  That just made me sad.

But I'm burying the lead.

The primary reason for our trip is to celebrate my nephew's Bar Mitzvah next week. In the lead up to that, however, 33 (yes you read that number correctly-- THIRTY THREE) people (all related to each other) spent shabbat together at the Kfar Giladi Hotel on Kibbutz Kfar Giladi.

It is rife with history (in fact, tomorrow is their 100 year anniversary celebration).

It wasn't cheap (full disclosure), but it was SO worth it.

The food spread was...RIDICULOUS, but again, I'm burying the lead. The surroundings were magical.

We were right on the border of Lebanon and had beautiful vistas of the Hula Valley, the Golan, and Mt. Hermon.

The weather was perfect. Balmy, a nice breeze, and secluded.  I took a few long walks around and it was a perfect space for reflection and meditation and family bonding.

I also took advantage of the sauna, workout room, and the kids utilized the pool.

The rooms were great as well.

I can't recommend it highly enough (well, I didn't love the cats, but as any visitor to Israel knows, that's not unique to this one place.)

This is visit #11 or #12 (I think) for me to Israel and it's always fascinating to see how the country stays the same and how it changes from trip to trip.

One thing that has stayed the same, for me, at least is the genuineness of Israelis.  I noticed this in many encounters. I think it comes from a deeper appreciation of how tenuous life is and recognizing that it's not always worth it to sweat the small stuff (though, of course, they have their moments).

I particularly enjoyed a chat I had with 2 ten year old twins (and their dad) who were born in Ukraine and came to Israel 8 years ago in the sauna.  They were so cute, saying "everything we learned about America, we learned on the computer and everything in America is just SO MUCH BIGGER!"

I'm on a bus with 16 kids now so it's a bit hard to concentrate, but we're headed to Jerusalem now and I'm sure that it will be (as always) stimulating.