It was really good to see you last week at the Seder night and Dolly's told me to thank you for the kind present. The 'Wailing Wall' savings box was a nice thought, although the slot's too narrow for pound coins and too short for 50p pieces. But never mind, they've made a few adjustments. Of course, they now miss out on its stirring rendition of 'Jerusalem the Golden', but I'm sure they can live with that.

Now you're probably wondering why I'm writing to you so soon. I suppose the truth is that I've got something on my mind and you're not the only one I'm writing to. In fact I'm writing to all the people who came along to that Seder night, even Morry. Crazy or what? Do you know, when, at the end of the service, we lifted our glasses and said, 'next year in Jerusalem', I thought about you and how it would be more like 'next week in Jerusalem' for you.

You're so lucky, Jon, living in the land and, more importantly, the city. I'm glad you've settled in your flat in West Jerusalem and are already successful in your new Felafel bar at the bus station. I'm sure your reputation has preceded you and I look forwards to one day coming over and sampling one of your Tikka Shawarmas.

I do believe that I will, one day, come back to Israel. Actually it's my belief that, one day, all Jews will make aliyah, whether they intended to or not. So I see you as part of the first wave, although, of course, this wave started as long ago as the last century. But I don't need to tell you all of this, you've been brought up with zionist ideals and I don't need to give you a history lesson.

Jon, I've got a question for you. When did you become a zionist? Was it a gradual thing that you sort of absorbed from your parents, or was there a conversion experience when, suddenly, it all made sense and you knew that you had to go home, to the land of your forefathers? Was it an intellectual thing or a spiritual thing, or even an emotional thing? I'm interested because, if it's a spiritual thing then I can identify with it, it's something (or someone) from the outside breaking in. Mind you, as far as I can remember, back to our days at Bancrupt's, you'd always had a political bent, so I suppose you got it from your parents. You were always a bit of an activist, even in those days. While the rest of us were struggling with our Maths and Latin homework, you were out at rallies, perhaps anti-apartheid or anti-racism, no doubt sustained by auntie Annie's famous borscht. But did you go freely or were you pushed, that's my question?

But I can hear you asking me, 'why do you want to know, anyway? We've known each other for donkey's years, so why the sudden interest?' A good question and a natural one. The truth is, Jon, that, since I've become a messianic Jew, I've grown to question everything. Things that passed me by before are now of interest and your zionism intrigues me. I'm not trying to be awkward here. After all, some of my best friends are zionists, though, curiously most of them are gentiles! Now I bet that's confused you. It's just that many Christians these days, gentiles as well as Jews, can really see a lot of significance in the return of Jewish people to Israel.

Pick up your Hebrew Bible (have you got one?) and read Jeremiah, chapter 31, verses 7 to 14, if you don't believe me. So I agree with your zionism to an extent that I believe it's God's will to return his people to their land. But it's zionism as a political thing that I'm not so sure about. Does politics work? I'm not sure. I bet that's stirred you up, now. I suppose, at least in our countries, our democratic countries, it works to a point. People are fed, clothed and housed, to a degree.

But what about the politicians themselves? What are their motives? It's not just the Stalins or the Ceaucescus or the Hitlers who were corrupt. Think about it. They say that you only get the politicians you deserve, but surely as a whole we deserve better. Look at America. Do you honestly believe that the people who contest the highest office in the land are the best the country can offer in terms of honesty, integrity, ability and moral fortitude. What do you think? Of course not. The people with those qualities rarely become politicians, these days. I'm sure the same is true in all democracies, let alone the dictatorships.

Winston Churchill was truly the man for the hour and was a superb wartime leader. But, come peace-time and the country turned its back on him. And why was that? It was because the common man felt that he was totally out of touch with them, he was seen, with some justification, as cold, aloof and arrogant. And what about JFK? Sure, he kept the Russians at bay during the Cuban crisis. But hardly an upholder of family values and honesty, was he? Even the early zionists weren't exactly saints were they, though at least they had a common ideal. What I'm driving at, Jon, is that politics is flawed inasmuch as we human beings are flawed. We're never going to produce a perfect politician because that person could never exist.

I'm not saying that all politicians are corrupt and evil. Far from it. Some of my best friends are politicians, if they only knew it! We're all natural politicians, if you think about it. We are all juggling our public face with our private needs. We all have a different face for different situations. And, in the absence of a true motivation, we all look after Number One. It's been an unwritten law in the Jewish community for donkey's years now, since Abraham was let loose with the sharpened flints - 'family first!' or 'looking after one's own'.

Jews are good at that, probably the best in the world, yet Jewish philanthropy doesn't end at the ghetto wall, so to speak. Of course I don't need to be telling you this, you're the one in the know on such things. But, returning to the subject of 'politicians', Could you really imagine finding someone willing to work long impossible hours, away from their family for long periods and constantly in the public eye and seen to be honest and upstanding - and to do this with perfectly selfless motives?

Anyway, I've ranted and raved for long enough and probably managed to anger and insult you (inadvertantly, though) in numerous ways. I would just like to know what makes you tick, Jon and I'll just leave you with a question. Do you honestly believe that Israeli politicians will be able to negotiate a lasting peace agreement with their Arab neighbours? And, if the answer is 'no', what does the future hold? I look forwards to your reply. Give my love to your family, especially to your sister, Rachel. We're glad that she's found herself a nice husband, it's just a pity that, out of the vast selection offered by the Israeli melting pot, she couldn't have found herself someone more exotic that an accountant from Finchley. Never mind, at least there won't be any cultural misunderstandings in their relationship.

All the best,

Moishe