Teller From Jerusalem

From the time Rabbi Kelemer assumed his post as Rabbi of the Young Israel of West Hempstead, NY the congregants (and soon many, many others) understood that their Rabbi was totally devoted to assisting them, with never a consideration for his own personal comfort or prestige. His expertise in halacha was marshaled to assist those who grappled with dilemmas but wished to remain allegiant to Jewish...

As Israel valiantly fights an existential battle against Hamas in Gaza, it is painfully aware that Hamas is but one of Iran's Shia proxies looking to spread the Islamic revolution. Rabbi Steven Weil, CEO of Friends of the IDF and former pulpit rabbi and the director of the Orthodox Union, joins Teller From Jerusalem to share his wisdom and insight regarding the frightening threats Israel must cope...

Israel had a cadre of talented leaders. Israel also enjoyed the support of world Jewry resulting in sorely needed funds and volunteers that formed the beginning of the Israeli Air Force. The least likely of allies was the Soviet Union, which was and would return to being fiercely anti-Zionist, but at this critical period backed Israel and allowed its satellite Czechoslovakia to supply Israel with...

Despite the embargo on armaments to Israel, the Israelis figured out daring ways to smuggle in weapons. The arrival of these munitions enabled the Hagana to attempt to break the stranglehold on Jerusalem. The all important site overlooking the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway was Kastel and the Arabs under the command of their most dynamic leader, Abdel Kader al-Husseini, drove the Jews out. But not bef...

The Young Israel of West Hempstead burgeoned to a community of 750 families under the dynamic leadership of Rabbi Yehuda Kelemer of blessed memory. R eferred to as the " Rabbi's Rabbi, " this title does no justice to the overwhelming impact that he had upon anyone he encountered. It wasn't charisma, and it certainly wasn't hip coolness; it was the rarest blend of mastery of every facet of Torah, e...

As we noted in our previous episode, a spirit of volunteerism and unity has swept Israel. Everyone seems to be joining the war effort in their own modest way, and the result is enterprising ingenuity marshalled in a scope that is hard to comprehend and beautiful to behold. The murderous and barbaric Hamas attack exacted a very heavy price, but in its aftermath the people of Israel have united and...

Consequential to the Hammas barbaric attack on October 7, 2023, the residents of Israel have locked arms in a sincere display of unity and determination to support each fellow countryman. The amazing acts of generosity, altruism, volunteerism and philanthropy are unprecedented on the world stage. Differences that had ripped the country apart prior to the Hammas attack, are nearly forgotten, as Isr...

Teller From Jerusalem has culled the trenchant interviews and clips to provide a perspective and understanding of what has transpired since the outbreak of the Hamas terrorist incursion. The news is appalling, but the reaction of Israel and of Israel's friends is heartening and emboldening. Listen to the acts of kindness, unity, and generosity that have enveloped a country on the brink of a seriou...

Our second installment on how to avoid shaming others takes note that the desire to humiliate adversaries is particularly common in politics. Just because someone is competing with you for the same seat, gives no right to violate privacy and humiliate. Many other key rules are discussed and the children's ditty, "Sticks and Stones may Break my Bones, but Words will Never Hurt me" is dismissed as i...

Israel's Law of Return was designed to solve the problem of persecuted Jews who had nowhere to flee, for no country would allow them entry. They would all be welcomed in Israel. Israel did not just open her doors, but actively took part in dangerous rescue missions to bring entire populations to Israel where they could be resettled in safety. One of the most famous missions was Operation Magic Car...

The British Mandatory government enforced a ban not only on Jews entering the country, but also on Jews acquiring weapons or manufacturing arms under the penalty of death.  Where was Israel to acquire weapons to defend herself? There were risky efforts to smuggle in weaponry and clandestine production in Israel. But the production that was done locally was neither the volume nor the dimension that...

The Partition Plan of November 1947 has a glaring error insofar as that it never occurred; and there never was a partition between a Jewish and an Arab country. The significance of the Partition Plan was that it delineated a point from which both sides could begin their struggle. For the Zionists it was never more than a starting point as no one believed that it was the ending point for the map ac...

Teller From Jerusalem was horrified when a Google search for "public humiliation" rendered clips and even websites devoted to shaming others. The actual evil of public shaming has scant representation – even in an age where social media has made the humiliation of others instantaneous and ubiquitous. The first of our installments on this subject will focus upon how to avoid shaming others. In our...

The UN was about to vote on partition and surprisingly the Soviet Union supported it as did the US (The United States means President Truman, the State Department was opposed). The world was shocked by the sudden Soviet support of the partition plan affording a home for the Jews, for this contravened all of Stalin policy heretofore. Although Israel was not yet ready to defend itself militarily aga...

TFJ is very proud to welcome Ambassador Daniel Taub who served as Israel's ambassador to the UK from 2011 – 2015. An academic scholar (attending both Oxford and Harvard Universities) playwright extraordinaire, and blessed with an outstanding sense of humor which has made him beloved and adored in all of his postings. Ambassador Taub marshals his encyclopedic knowledge and treasure trove of anecdot...

Even after the conclusion of WWII Zionist fulfillment faced enormous hurdles. They British had every intention of maintaining the same blockade of Jews to Palestine which they enforced during the war denying the Jews haven that would have saved their lives. Jewish lives was simply not as important as antagonizing the Arab world and threatening the importation of oil to Britain.  And if illegal imm...

A considerate individual thinks about the needs of others and recognizes that they are greater than your own needs or conveniences. Primarily, it means not living with a "me-first" approach. On this episode we shall explore consideration regarding driving, being punctual and not wasting other people's time.   We will also discuss the rabbinic concept of "say a little, but do a lot" and not raising...

Israel's War of Independence resulted in three distinct refugee problems: 70,000 Israelis that were displaced from their homes and villages because of the war, 700,000 Arabs that fled Israel because of the war, and over 800,000 Jewish refugees from Arab lands that had to flee for their lives. Teller From Jerusalem filters between the truth and the propaganda concerning the misery and suffering of...

TFJ Season 2 Episode 21  Foreign Volunteers, The Battle for Lod and the Displacement of Non-Combatants Foreign volunteers were critical to Israel's victory in the War of Independence. Israel's fledgling air force was made up of Jewish English speaking pilots, veterans of WWII. It became clear that the only way that Israel could persevere through the difficult beginning of the War of Independence w...

TFJ Season 2 Episode 20  The Arab Revolt, The White Paper and the Évian Conference With the rise of Jewish immigration to Palestine in the 1930s the Arabs lodged their protest with violence, attacks, murder and mayhem that became known as the Arab Revolt (1936-1939). In response to the revolt, famous appeaser Neville Chamberlin, far more interested in Arab oil than the plight of millions of desper...

Gratitude should not be short-term. Ideally one should feel and express gratitude for favors done to family members and the community, yet minimize the favors that you have done for others. Otherwise, you may walk around in a constant state of annoyance for not being recognized for the good that you have performed. Gratitude is the most important component to achieve happiness, but even gratitude...

Close to 100,000 Jewish residents in Jerusalem were starving because of an Arab siege of the city. A garrison manned by Jordanian gunners in the high grounds of Latrun overlooking the sole road to Jerusalem saw to it that no trucks bringing relief to the city could pass.  Ben Gurion ordered that Latrun be taken, but Israel had neither the manpower nor the weaponry to launch a successful assault an...

  Newly declared prime minister David Ben Gurion said that if Israel can hold out for the first two weeks of battle (in the War for Independence) than "we will win." Those first two weeks proved to be the bloodiest of all, but with her back against the wall, Israel prevailed in repelling attacks, enlarging its borders and freeing all but the Old City of Jerusalem which had been under siege.

At the beginning of the War of Independence Israel was vastly outnumbered and did not had sufficient weapons to defend herself. In those initial weeks before weapons began to arrive, primarily form Czechoslovakia, it was only the daring and ingenuity of lone Israeli soldiers coupled with industrial helpings of Divine Providence that enabled Israel to hold on. Ron Feller is one such hero who single...

  In TFJ's first installment on gratitude, the correlation between gratitude and happiness is explored. Although goals are critically important, expectations are a recipe for misery. Furthermore, the less you expect the more grateful you will be, and the more you expect the less grateful you will be. Counting your blessings is not merely a phrase, but a mantra for a grateful person. It is the only...