Jewish Current Issues

"Bethlehem" Opens Today -- An Important Film

The Israeli film “Bethlehem,” which won the Ophir (the Israeli equivalent of the Oscar) for Best Picture, opens in the United States today. Here is the synopsis from the film’s distributor:

"Bethlehem tells the story of the complex relationship between an Israeli Secret Service officer and his teenage Palestinian informant. Shuttling back and forth between conflicting points of view, the film is a raw portrayal of characters torn apart by competing loyalties and impossible moral dilemmas, giving an unparalleled glimpse into the dark and fascinating world of human intelligence."

Rotten Tomatoes gives the movie a ripe red tomato, with a 72% rating among the critics (including The New York Times). In yesterday New York Daily News, Jordan Hoffman wrote that “By its conclusion, this fascinating film has informed its viewers more than a hundred political essays could.” I think that is correct.

This is an important film, raising significant issues that I have addressed in an article in the current issue of The Tower Magazine (“Ideology at the Oscars”) and a post at Commentary (“Cinematic Intifada”).

  

Through Water and Fire

Stephen Harper, now in his third term and eighth year as Canada’s prime minister, addressed the Israeli Knesset, and gave a speech for the ages.

It is worth reading in its entirety, but here is the portion that provoked a walkout by Arab MKs and a standing ovation from Prime Minister Netanyahu and other MKs. It was at the point where Harper stated that in much of the western world anti-Semitism has been “translated into more sophisticated language for use in polite society”:

People who would never say they hate and blame the Jews for their own failings or the problems of the world, instead declare their hatred of Israel and blame the only Jewish state for the problems of the Middle East. As once Jewish businesses were boycotted, some civil-society leaders today call for a boycott of Israel. On some campuses, intellectualized arguments against Israeli policies thinly mask the underlying realities, such as the shunning of Israeli academics and the harassment of Jewish students.

Most disgracefully of all, some openly call Israel an apartheid state. Think about that. Think about the twisted logic and outright malice behind that: A state, based on freedom, democracy and the rule of law, that was founded so Jews can flourish, as Jews, and seek shelter from the shadow of the worst racist experiment in history, that is condemned, and that condemnation is masked in the language of anti-racism. It is nothing short of sickening.

The Arab MKs who left thus missed the following:

In the sixty-five years that modern Israel has been a nation, Israelis have endured attacks and slanders beyond counting and have never known a day of true peace. And we understand that Israelis live with this impossible calculus: If you act to defend yourselves, you will suffer widespread condemnation, over and over again. But should you fail to act you alone will suffer the consequence of your inaction, and that consequence will be final, your destruction.

Harper’s concluding thought was that the story of Israel is a “great example to the world”:

It is a story, essentially, of a people whose response to suffering has been to move beyond resentment and build a most extraordinary society, a vibrant democracy, a freedom-loving country with an independent and rights-affirming judiciary. An innovative, world-leading “start-up” nation. You have taken the collective memory of death and persecution to build an optimistic, forward-looking land, one that so values life, you will sometimes release a thousand criminals and terrorists, to save one of your own … Israel represents values which our Government takes as articles of faith, and principles to drive our national life. And therefore, through fire and water, Canada will stand with you.

If You are in LA on thursday ...

   This should be an excellent program, by a dynamic young rabbi, on an important topic: Rabbi Daniel Greyer, on The Role of the Forgotten Mourner.

Sinai Temple, 10400 Wilshire Blvd., LA 90049, Thursday, May 9, at 7:30 p.m.

Jewish law has clearly defined rolls for family members to grieve a loss, but it does not define a role for a friend in the grieving process. Faith Unravels is Rabbi Greyber's story of his experience as a "forgotten mourner," a story of faith lost and regained. Look inside his book here.

 

The Real "Core Issue" of the Peace Process

From my post today at Commentary, “The Jewish State and the Story the Palestinians Hold Dear”:

In her “Memo from Jerusalem” in the New York Times, Jodi Rudoren asserts that “in recent weeks,” Benjamin Netanyahu has “catapulted to the fore” an issue “even more intractable than old ones like security and settlements: a demand that the Palestinians recognize Israel as a Jewish state.” She reported it is now a “core issue” in the current negotiations and that “critics” say Netanyahu raised it as a poison pill:

The Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, has repeatedly said that the Palestinians will never agree to it, most recently in a letter to President Obama last month. The Palestinians … contend that recognizing Israel as a Jewish state would disenfranchise its 1.6 million Arab citizens, undercut the right of return for millions of Palestinian refugees and, most important, require a psychological rewriting of the story they hold dear about their longtime presence in the land.

The issue, however, was not recently “catapulted to the fore” by Netanyahu; it is an issue that long pre-dates him; and it goes to the heart of whether the “peace process” is about peace. Let’s take a stroll down memory lane, picking up the story with the internal 2007 Palestinian memorandum entitled “Strategy and Talking Points for Responding to the Precondition of Recognizing Israel as a ‘Jewish State’,” leaked in the “Palestine Papers.” The memo contained the following instruction for Palestinian negotiators:

We recommend that the Palestinian negotiators maintain their position not to recognize or otherwise characterize the state of Israel as “Jewish”. Any recognition of Israel within a treaty or agreement should be limited to recognizing it as a sovereign state. It should not recognize Israel as a “Jewish state”, “state for the Jewish people”, “homeland for the Jewish people” or any similar characterization.

The reasons in the memo did not include “the story [the Palestinians] hold dear about their longtime presence in the land.” Rather, the memo warned that “[r]ecognizing the Jewish state implies recognition of a Jewish people and recognition of its right to self-determination.” The Palestinians did not want to recognize a Jewish people, a Jewish state, a Jewish homeland, Jewish self-determination, or any Jewish demographic considerations.

Continue reading here.

Ode to Grandparents and Grandchildren

At Sinai Temple in Los Angeles last Shabbat, it was Grandparents Shabbat. Golda Mendelsohn delivered the following wonderful words:

Have you ever heard the expression "If I knew grandchildren were such fun, I would have had them first"?  Indeed, fun they are, warm, cuddly and adorable. They are the treasures given to us by our children.

We have been transformed by a new presence in our lives and as a result have acquired a "magical" name for just such an occasion.

We become Grandma, Bubbie, Safta, Nana, Maman. No matter which name we prefer, we all have one thing in common -- a passionate love for our Grandchildren!

My Grandchildren are probably just like yours -- the best, the most brilliant, the best looking, and oh so clever! Who amongst us have not appeared at their Grandchildren's programs -- no matter what time of day or evening, driving across the city or into the Valley to attend Pre-school, Hebrew School, or Public School performances, listening proudly as they sing or speak their three minute part -- applauding wildly, seeing only them, for they are the best!!!

Athletics -- What's there to say???? Soccer, Football, Track, and Volleyball played with such energy and competitive spirit. You know every scout in America will be looking to sign them up!!!

A new phenomenon occurred when some of my Grandchildren reached the "mature" age of 16.  I call it "Emancipation/Liberation on Wheels".  With the blessings of the DMV and their grandparents, they took to the road and often appeared at our door -- Shabbat dinner or lunch, conversations in our Succah, or just a drop-in. Now we can make plans without including their folks. We began to learn more about their hopes and dreams and we shared ours with them.

Do I ever give advice? Absolutely!!!

Do they ever ask for advice? Absolutely Not!!!

Do they ever listen to my advice? Absolutely Maybe!!!

The advice I give is what any Bubbie or Grandmother might give --

 1-- When you go to college, look for a Hillel on campus.

 2-- Check and see if there are classes in Hebrew or Judaica.

 3-- Make Jewish friends.

 4-- Think about applying for a passport, so you can travel to Israel on a Birthright program.

As Grandparents, we become the repository of family history -- storytellers of family legends and adventures.  We are out to help build and re-enforce their Jewish memories and solidify their Jewish identities.

Seeing these young people grow has been awesome!!!! 

Our Grandchildren range in age from 12-28. I can begin to see the influences of their Parents and Grandparents -- the values of Jewish living and  identity are being formed.

They bring food to the needy, give Tzedakah, locally and in Israel, celebrate Shabbat with friends at school, seek study opportunities in Israel AND study Hebrew.

The older among them now have passports and have travelled to Israel. Three have already been on the Birthright program, and a fourth will be leaving later this month, while another will be working as a staff person on the program.  We have family in Israel -- Aunts, Uncle, and Cousins who wait with open arms to welcome them. One of our Grandsons now serves in the IDF.

When we get together for Shabbat, both the American side and the Israeli contingent, I look at them and see happy faces, loving to be with one another!!

When we place our arms around each other and sing "Shalom Aleichem", I hear their strong, young voices blending together and I close my eyes and whisper "Thank you G-d for this amazing blessing of being a Grandparent."

כן יהי רצון.                             May It Always Be So 

See Also Ten Attitudes of HIghly Effective Jewish Grandparents... 

A New Book on Maimonides

IN THE MAIL: Moshe Halbertal, Maimonides: Life and Thought (Princeton University Press).

Maimonides was the greatest Jewish philosopher and legal scholar of the medieval period, a towering figure who has had a profound and lasting influence on Jewish law, philosophy, and religious consciousness. This book provides a comprehensive and accessible introduction to his life and work, revealing how his philosophical sensibility and outlook informed his interpretation of Jewish tradition.

Moshe Halbertal vividly describes Maimonides's childhood in Muslim Spain, his family's flight to North Africa to escape persecution, and their eventual resettling in Egypt. He draws on Maimonides's letters and the testimonies of his contemporaries, both Muslims and Jews, to offer new insights into his personality and the circumstances that shaped his thinking.

Halbertal then turns to Maimonides's legal and philosophical work, analyzing his three great books--Commentary on the Mishnah, the Mishneh Torah, and the Guide of the Perplexed. He discusses Maimonides's battle against all attempts to personify God, his conviction that God's presence in the world is mediated through the natural order rather than through miracles, and his locating of philosophy and science at the summit of the religious life of Torah.

Halbertal examines Maimonides's philosophical positions on fundamental questions such as the nature and limits of religious language, creation and nature, prophecy, providence, the problem of evil, and the meaning of the commandments.

A stunning achievement, Maimonides offers an unparalleled look at the life and thought of this important Jewish philosopher, scholar, and theologian.

Moshe Halbertal is the Gruss professor of Law at New York University, professor of Jewish thought and philosophy at the Hebrew University, and professor of law at IDC Herzliya in Israel. How is this for an endorsement of this book:

"In the gorgeous and rugged terrain of Jewish thought, there is no higher mountain to climb than Maimonides, and no more slippery or exhilarating ascent. Halbertal has made it all the way to the top, and his survey of the whole of the Maimonidean landscape is trustworthy and masterful. This is the richest and most intellectually sophisticated book on Maimonides I have ever read."--Leon Wieseltier

Video of the Panel on Iran's March to Nukes

Below is the video of the November 18, 2003 panel sponsored by Children of Jewish Holocaust Survivors on "Closing in on Iran's Nuclear Capability."

The introduction is by Doris Wise Montrose, followed by J.E. Dyer, Elan Journo, and me, with a Question and Answer session following that. (Email subscribers can find the video by clicking here).

 

Iran Panel -- November 18

Orit Arfa's Compelling New Novel, "The Settler"

Orit Arfa has written an extraordinary novel, The Settler, a work of modern historical fiction with fictitious characters placed among historical figures, actual places, and recent events. 

The novel opens with Sarah in Gush Katif in Gaza in 2005, as the IDF arrives to expel her family from the place the Israeli government once sent them to live:  

I laugh when the soldiers knock on our front door. The knocks are as gentle as those of the soldiers who came to announce my brother’s death three years ago. I look at his portrait hanging in the dining room, the one with him kneeling on the beach in his beat-up army T-shirt. Aaron’s eyes, hazel like mine, tell me to hold on.  

This will be over soon. We’ll get the ending we’re praying for: a thanksgiving celebration to God for overturning the decree of the Expulsion. My father, mother, brother, sister, and I quickly form a line in our foyer. I imagine Aaron standing with us. I won’t let you down, I tell him silently. I laugh not because I’m optimistic but because this can’t be real.  

The whole operation feels like a cosmic movie, a drama meant to re-create Jewish suffering in real time so that we can relive our tragic history, only this time with a deus ex machina. Our mantra would appear at the end: “Jews Don’t Expel Jews.”  

The foreign press is on hand to capture this Oscar-worthy conflict for all time: soldiers of Tzahal, the Israel Defense Forces, knocking on the doors of Jewish families to expel them from their homes. God couldn’t have chosen a better director, the Prime Minister who once promised never to take us out of here. And what more dramatic timing for our siege days ago than Tisha B’av, the saddest Jewish holiday, when we fast to commemorate the destruction of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.  

Only I didn’t feel sad. I sensed the redemption.

The redemption doesn’t happen.  

After she is dragged from her home, completely disillusioned by the Jewish army her brother died serving, disappointed by both God and country, she heads to Tel Aviv, and into an intense romance with Ziv Harel, the charismatic, liberal owner of a nightclub, where she will immerse herself in dance –- and a relationship that will result in both of them confronting their respective values and identities, in a setting as charged as today’s news. 

The novel is beautifully written, worth reading for the story (and the larger story) still playing out eight years after the disengagement from Gaza that was supposed, in the words of Ehud Olmert, to be redemptive. 

Here is a two-minute video of Orit Arfa discussing her novel:

Elisabeth Maxwell, 1921-2013, B"H

Here is the obituary in the New York Times, under the headline "Elisabeth Maxwell, Expert on Holocaust, Dies at 92." This is an amazing story:

Elisabeth Maxwell helped her husband run a multibillion-dollar business and a 53-room manor. Each year she made a scrapbook of press clippings about him; some years it tipped the scales at 60 pounds.       

But when her husband, Robert Maxwell, the British media tycoon whose holdings included The New York Daily News and book publishers, fell or jumped from his yacht off the Canary Islands in 1991, her life was turned upside down.       

She discovered that she was suddenly so poor that she had to live in a borrowed apartment. And she found a larger purpose in life, bringing renewed attention to the Holocaust, which cost her husband so many relatives.       

Dr. Maxwell — as she was known after earning a Ph.D. from Oxford at 60 — died on Wednesday in Dordogne, France, at 92. Her death was confirmed by her daughter, Ghislaine Maxwell.       

After her husband’s death, Dr. Maxwell learned that he had diverted more than $1 billion from pension funds for his more than 400 corporate entities. Insurance companies refused to pay her because they believed he had committed suicide. Her $485,000 pension was gone, along with that of thousands of employees in Mr. Maxwell’s publishing empire, which included the Mirror Group Newspapers and the Macmillan publishing business.       

Dr. Maxwell got by with help from friends, and three years later wrote a tell-all autobiography, expressly to earn money.       

And she focused her energy on an enterprise she had begun with her husband: helping to remember and honor his many family members killed by the Nazis. (He was Jewish; she was Huguenot Protestant.) Her mission expanded to include the entire Holocaust, on which she became an expert, lecturing around the world.       

In 1987, she started the journal Holocaust and Genocide Studies. The first publisher was Pergamon Press, one of Mr. Maxwell’s companies. It is now published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.       

In 1988, she organized a conference called Remembering for the Future. It was the first of three such conferences, which drew scholars from around the world. Each yielded several books of essays. The English magazine New Statesman called the three volumes from the 2000 meeting “frankly awesome.”       

“The fact is, she gave her heart and soul to that project,” Elie Wiesel, the author and Holocaust survivor, said in an interview.       

In 1995, Dr. Maxwell was named grand marshal of the annual Salute to Israel Parade on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. She was the first female vice president of the International Council of Christians and Jews.       

Dr. Maxwell’s passion for Holocaust remembrance and understanding emerged after she earned a doctorate from the University of Oxford in 1981. She entered the university in 1970 to earn the undergraduate degree she abandoned during World War II, and over the next decade completed a Ph.D. Her thesis, “The Art of Letter Writing, 1789-1830,” used her aristocratic French Protestant family as source material.       

That inspired her to prepare her family’s genealogy for her children. She decided to do the same for her husband’s. “I put a little Star of David in front of all the people who had been murdered in the camps,” she said in an interview with the London newspaper The Guardian in 2000. “And when I unfolded it, it was like a shower of yellow stars.”       

“I couldn’t believe that so many people in one family could have been murdered,” she continued. “I just wanted to know why.”       

Mr. Maxwell, who had been so distraught by the loss of so many relatives that he avoided thinking about his Jewish roots, was profoundly glad to reconnect. He called his wife “the keeper of my Jewish soul.” He helped Soviet Jews emigrate to Israel and supported other Jewish causes. He became one of Israel’s biggest foreign investors. Israel gave him a state funeral that was attended by the country’s political elite, and he was buried on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem.       

Elisabeth Jenny Jeanne Meynard was born in La Grive, near Saint-Alban-de-Roche, France, on March 11, 1921, into a family whose lineage included kings of France. Her father was the village mayor. She studied law at the Sorbonne, then decided to teach primary school.       

She volunteered to welcome Allied officers to liberated Paris. One was a British intelligence agent who used the alias Ivan du Maurier but had been born Jan Ludwig Hoch in Czechoslovakia. He would later take the name Ian Robert Maxwell.       

“The minute I saw her, I wanted her for my wife,” Mr. Maxwell later wrote.       

She wrote that she was grateful Mr. Maxwell treated her respectfully: “He was the first member of the Allies I met who didn’t try to pounce on me.”       

Mr. Maxwell made three promises in his marriage proposal: He would win a Military Cross for heroism, he would make a fortune, and he would become prime minister of England. Within six weeks he won the Military Cross. He eventually made a fortune. His political career, on the other hand, got no further than six years in Parliament as a member of the Labour Party in the 1960s.       

They were married in 1945. She resolved to recreate the big family her husband lost during World War II, and succeeded.       

Her daughter Karine Maxwell died in 1957, and her son Michael died in 1967. Besides her daughter Ghislaine, she is survived by three other daughters, Anne Maxwell, Christine Malina-Maxwell and Isabel Maxwell; three sons, Philip, Ian and Kevin; and 13 grandchildren.       

Dr. Maxwell’s 1994 autobiography, “A Mind of My Own: My Life With Robert Maxwell,” described her husband as bullying, unfaithful and frequently absent as he amassed his empire — which evaporated in bankruptcy after his death. The book nonetheless insisted that he was “not the degenerate monster” many said he was.       

But Dr. Maxwell, in the book and in interviews, never flatly answered a basic question: did she still love Robert Maxwell?       

Sometimes she said yes; at other times she said she should have left him; and at still others she said the question was simplistic. Dr. Maxwell said her friends, who called her Betty, gave the old scalawag the benefit of the doubt. “He can’t be as dreadful as they say,” they said, according to Dr. Maxwell. “Look at how nice Betty is.”