I am re-posting last years blog I wrote about of my dear friend and co-host of IsraelSeen: Yoram Getzler z”l. I have also included new material about Yoram. He lived on Moshav Aminadav near Jerusalem.
Yoram Getzler z”l
First a little history: Aminadav (Hebrew: עַמִּינָדָב) is a moshav in central Israel. Located southwest of Jerusalem near Yad Kennedy. In 2011 it had a population of 981. The village was established in 1950 by immigrants from Yemen. Between 1952 and 1953 it absorbed more immigrants from North Africa as well as some native Israelis. The Aminadav Forest, spread over 7 km² (700 ha), is a combination of natural woodland and trees planted by the Jewish National Fund along the Salmon-Sorek contour. The forest overlooks the Sorek and Refa`im riverbeds and the Jerusalem hills. In the forest are several natural springs, ancient agricultural terraces, orchards, ancient wine presses and chalk pits.[2] The Lord Sacks forest is a forest of 25,000 trees being planted within the Aminadav forest by the JNF, UK. It is named for Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth, Lord Jonathan Sacks.(wikipedia)
Nahshon (Hebrew: נַחְשׁוֹן) or Naḥshon ben ʿAmminadabh (נחשון בן עמינדב; “Nahshon son of Aminadav”) was a prominent leader of the ancient Israelites during the The Exodus. He was, according to the Book of Exodus, the son of Amminadab; descendant in the fifth generation of Judah, brother-in-law of Aaron[1] and an important figure in the Hebrew‘s Passage of the Red Sea which according to the Jewish Midrash he initiated by walking in head deep until the sea split. The popular Yiddish saying “to be a Nachshon” means to be an “initiator.” (Wikipedia)
Yoram’s life reflected the courageousness of Aminadav as he plunged into the sea of Reeds in order to initiate action that led to the parting of the sea for the Hebrews. Yoram was always searching for ways to make change for the better. Questioning and determined to see all sides of any issue and never giving up hope for clarity and action. Our respect for each other allowed for the free flow of ideas and opinions. Many of these ideas and opinions expressed in our podcasts we did through the years and can be found in the archives at IsraelSeen.
Since the forest near the Moshav is named in honor of Rabbi Lord Sacks and with Purim almost here with Passover/Pesach just over the horizon, I thought it would be nice to quote Rav Sacks regarding Jerusalem. A place that Yoram loved and knew very well. Often when I brought friends and relatives from overseas he would join us and be the guide to the nooks and crannies found through out Jerusalem: old and new.
Rabbi Sacks Writes:
“Jerusalem is a place, but it is more than a place. It became a metaphor for the collective destination of the Jewish people. A city is what we build together, individually through our homes, collectively through our public spaces. So Jerusalrm became a symbol of what Jews were summoned to build by creating a city of righteousness worthy of being a home for the Divine Presence. It stones would be good deeds, and its mortar, relationaships of generosity and trust. It houses would be families; its defensive walls, schools and houses of study. Shabbat and the festivals would be its public parks and gardens. For Jews believed that, even in a violent and destructive world, heaven could be built on earth. It was their most daring vision. The architect of the city would be God. The builders would be ordinary men and women. It would be a Jewish city, but it would be open to all, and people from all faiths would come and be moved by its beauty.
So Jerusalem, the “faithful city” (Is. 1:21) became the destination of the Jewish journey, which began with Abraham and Sarah and will be completed only at the end of days. This is how the prophet Isaiah envisioned it, in words that for millennia have captured the human imagination:
In the last days
The mountain of the Lord’s Temple will be established
As chief among the mountains;
It will be raised above the hills,
And all the nations will stream to it.
Many peoples qwll come and say,
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
To the house of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us His ways,
So that we may walk in His path.”
For the Torah shall come forth from Zion,
And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He will judge between the nations
And settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
And their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
Nor will they train for war anymore. (Is. 2:2-4)
These words, among the most influential ever written, sum up much of Jewish faith. They epitomize what it might be like to “perfect the world under the sovereignty of God” (Aleinu) And as the journeyed through the centuries and continents, Jews carried this vision with them, believing that their task was to be true to their faith, to be loyal to God, to exemplify His ways to mankind, and to build a world at peace with itself by learning and teaching how to respect the freedom and dignity of other.”
By Rabbi Jonathan Sacks from his new book “Pesach Haggada: with essays and Commentary.
I am waiting for the train on my way to my daughter’s house in Kfar Sava so we can travel together with Ido and lia to Yoram’s funeral. Somehow the burial of my dear friend and co host of israelseen seems so weird. Yoram dies on Shabbat is being buried on Purim. I can see him laughing hysterically at the thought. How do I describe In Words the intimacy that we shared as friends.
YORAM GETZLER
Yoram Getzler 1938-2013 My Dear Friend and Co-host of Israelseen
A brief history is in order. We met in the 80′s when I was director of the Israel Bible Museum in Safed . I secured an interview for American international artist Phillip Ratner on Kol Israel radio, English news. Yoram was the interviewer. It took place at the King David hotel in Jerusalem. We connected immediately and became friends from that day forward. We had many of the same friends and often enjoyed getting together and discussing a range of topics from politics to personal issues we had in common.
It wasn’t until I returned to Israel 8 years ago that we spoke to each other almost daily. When israelseen was born we became co hosts of a weekly podcast about Israel. It was a wonderful experience that we both enjoyed immensely . We shared our opinions on all kinds of subjects and interviewed a variety of interesting Israelis. Yoram also loved and had a passion for music. His podcasts on music in Israel and his interviews were very well received.
As our intimacy as friends grew we often spoke about our aging and the pleasures and difficulties of the process. He was fascinated with my being a meditator and Tfillin wearer but it wasn’t his thing. We did enjoy smoking from time to time and got into all kinds of personal issues that was heart felt and was always expressed with deep love and respect.
We had quietly planned to take a vacation together to Thailand in the fall of 2013.
At this moment I have only feelings of joy for the wonderfully enriching friendship we shared.
Yoram and Simcha took our three children in as if they were their own while we lived in the States. David was dancing with Bat Dor at the time, Rachel was working while she finished her MBA and Ori was in the army spending much of his time in Lebanon. Yoram and Simcha made them feel as if they had two sets of parents. What a blessing it has been for our family to be a part of Yoram and Simcha’s life.
Our time together working on israelseen was so much fun and gave both of us an excuse to see each other more often since we lived in different cities. He enjoyed coming to Tel Aviv and eating in restaurants that served a good piece of meat. We would often laugh about this since he ate vegetarian at home. It was like two kids secretly rebelling against our parents.
Yoram was a deep thinker and had no tolerance for the extremes, left or right. He was very concerned about the failures of our system to take care of the poor and those left behind.
It still hasn’t sunk in that he is not here and with the passing of our dear friend Moshe Dror about two years ago there are now two empty seats at the table.
While Yoram passes into another realm I am left with yet another friend I am no longer able to hug, love and and kiss on that sweet hippy beard he so loved.
The service for Yoram was special for me. Although it was of course a time for mourning of the passing of my dear friend I felt a deep warm sense of well being for a great human being that lived his life HIS WAY!
I love you brother and you will always be a part of my life.
I have put up links to some of our podcasts and his blogs. For the rest of them just go to Yoram Getzler and Yorams Blog in our directory.
This was our first podcast in 2006
https://israelseen.com/2006/02/
Moshe Dror: Futurist, Educator and Committed Optimist
https://israelseen.com/2006/06/01/moshe-dror-futurist-educator-and-committed-optimist/
Part II: Moshe Dror: Futurist, Educator and Committed Optimist
https://israelseen.com/2006/06/07/part-ii-moshe-dror-futurist-educator-and-committed-optimist/
Interview with Rabbi Andrew Davids.
https://israelseen.com/2006/07/29/interview-with-rabbi-andrew-davids/
David Bedein interview
https://israelseen.com/2006/04/
https://israelseen.com/2006/04/
Dissent by American Jews regarding Israeli Policy?
https://israelseen.com/2006/05/29/dissent-by-american-jews-regarding-israeli-policy/
The People Speak: Two Protests demanding government accountability.
https://israelseen.com/2006/05/24/the-people-speak-two-protests-demanding-government-accountability/
A Post Israeli Election Commentary
https://israelseen.com/2006/05/21/a-post-israeli-election-commentary/
2006 Lebanon War update.
https://israelseen.com/2006/07/31/2006-lebanon-war-update/
Music podcast
You haven’t heard anything yet
https://israelseen.com/2006/04/
https://israelseen.com/2006/04/15/you-havent-heard-anything-yet-part-ii-2/
Persian Jewish Music – Authentic Renditions – Janet Rotstein-YeHudayan
Ronit Shefi and the Voice of the Goddess
https://israelseen.com/2010/08/03/ronit-shefi-and-the-voice-of-the-goddess/
Varieties of Music from Israel:Persian
https://israelseen.com/2006/06/13/varieties-of-music-from-israelpersian/
Other Podcasts
A Surprise in the Heart of Jerusalem – Yoram Takes Us on a Journey
https://israelseen.com/2010/10/30/a-surprise-in-the-heart-of-jerusalem-yoram-takes-us-on-a-journey/
Interview – Daniella Ashkenazy – Chelm on the Med – Snippets of Daily Life in Israel
1947 to 2010 Personal Experience of Journalist Eliezer Whartman in Israel
A Visit to the Herodium and Herod’s Tomb
https://israelseen.com/2011/05/31/a-visit-to-the-herodium-and-herods-tomb/
Oslo Accords Died with Arafat
December 25, 2012
https://israelseen.com/2012/12/
THE WINDMILL SHOULD TURN TO OUR ADVANTAGE
December 03, 2012
https://israelseen.com/2012/12/
Eight Days On
December 01, 2012
https://israelseen.com/2012/12/
ITS THE DEMOGRAPHY, STUPID
November 28, 2012
https://israelseen.com/2012/11/
Yoram Getzler on Avrum and the Binding of Issac – Akaida
October 23, 2012
https://israelseen.com/2012/10/
Preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon – Prepare
https://israelseen.com/2012/09/19/preventing-iran-from-developing-a-nuclear-weapon-prepare/
The Potential is a Challenge – Israeli-Arabs
https://israelseen.com/2012/08/31/the-potential-is-a-challenge-israeli-arabs/
