Celebrating Rosh Hashanah with Israeli Ambassador Ilan Fluss

On Sunday, Sept. 25, Jewish people worldwide will welcome year 5781 in the Jewish calendar. Their New Year holiday, called Rosh Hashanah, is one of their bigger yearly celebrations, a time of deep introspection and prayers. It’s also a time for families to get together and celebrate without being too extravagant. Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss and his wife Mme. Gila invited the media to their home to celebrate in advance and share the meaning behind some of their traditions during this time of the year.

“There’s a lot of symbolism in our customs,” Amb. Fluss said in his living room as everyone gathered around him to listen. “For Rosh Hashanah, they are customs that symbolize the desire for a better year ahead.”

Just as Filipinos have this tradition of having 12 round fruits on the table on New Year’s Eve for wealth and prosperity, Jews often serve apples dipped in honey in hopes of a sweeter and more fruitful year ahead. Pomegranates, when available, are also highly desired as the numerous, sweet seeds inside the fruit are a reminder of how one person can carry many good deeds in them.

Blowing the shofar, a traditional musical instrument made out of a ram’s horn, the Ambassador also described service at the synagogue on this holiday. Mme. Gila later opened dinner, which featured traditional Israeli fare. “Our food has mixed origins because we also come from many different countries ourselves,” she said.

Amb. Fluss arrived in the Philippines in October 2021. He has since become one of the most active and visible envoys in the country. This, however, isn’t his first diplomatic posting in Manila. From 1995 to 1998, he served as deputy chief of mission at embassy here. Years later, he was given the chance to come back as ambassador, a post he gladly accepted. The embassy has grown so much since the ambassador’s first posting here. They now have attachés focusing on defense and commercial pursuits, which he hopes could help improve the lives of Filipinos.  He said that one of the reasons he took on the position is because of how the work they do here directly impacts the lives of people. “For example, we’re in Europe for political and other issues,” he explained. “But here, it’s directly touching and changing people’s lives.”

‘Israel has dry lands but has a lot of water. Here, a tropical country with a lot of rain, there are challenges in the water sector. I believe it's all about water management and we would like to share our practices.’

Such statements are quite unsurprising coming from the ambassador who served as the director for policy planning and external relations and later on as the deputy head of MASHAV between 2009 and 2016. MASHAV is Israel's official international development cooperation program operated by the Israeli Foreign Ministry. “We are touching people’s lives and I want to be part of that,” he added.

The ambassador is also eager to connect with the country and its people, making personal efforts to achieve this goal. He learned how to dive and got his certification for it here in the Philippines. A skill he later used to help out on International Coastal Clean-up Day in Batangas. “There’s a lot to be done and it’s a collective effort. It’s also my responsibility as a foreigner, as a guest here to really connect and this is one of the ways to connect to the country,” he said in a TV interview after his dive where they collected plastic and face masks underwater.

And there’s more to be done. It’s going to be a busy start to the Jewish New Year for the ambassador and his team. They are currently working on mounting an exhibition that will showcase Israel’s technology and innovation. At the end of the month, a business delegation from Israel is also set to come to the Philippines to participate in agricultural events. This will be followed by water companies in November, eager to share ways in water management.

“Israel has dry lands but has a lot of water. Here, a tropical country with a lot of rain, there are challenges in the water sector,” Amb. Fluss said. “I believe it's all about water management and we would like to share our practices.”

The embassy is also participating in tour expos, promoting and facilitating travel between the two countries. Israel is one of the countries Filipinos can visit without a visa. This has been in place since 1969.

Shanah Tova to our Jewish friends and a toast to the future. L’chaim!