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1. Sharansky: No Clash in Identity, Human Rights Values
by Hana Levi Julian
The world's Jews are being asked to make a choice between universalism and personal identity, and increasingly are turning away from Israel in the process, says Natan Sharansky, Chairman of the Executive of the Jewish Agency for Israel. But Sharansky told the plenary at the 2009 General Assembly of the Jewish Federations of North America in Washington on Monday that the struggle is an unnecessary one, because the two are really the same.
[weJe Email readers, please click here to view the video of Natan Sharansky's speech!
Sharansky, who described himself as the "unofficial spokesman of two movements -- a human rights movement pressing for democratic reforms in the Soviet bloc and a Soviet Jewry movement seeking the right of Jews to become free," said that the battle for freedom and the battle for identity was the same battle for him. "I personally never felt that I needed to choose... I felt that they are deeply connected."
In his speech, he drew a parallel between the Soviet Jews' fight for spiritual survival and that of assimilated Jews in the Diaspora today. "We had no strength to fight," he recalled. "After all, the only value left for us was our physical survival and there was no reason to risk it." But then, in 1967, the Six Day War in Israel "reconnected us with our people, with our country and history, and gave us pride in being Jewish. We discovered our identity and this empowered us to fight for our freedom." Even that, however, would not have been enough, he noted, without all the extra support Soviet Jews received from their Jewish brethren around the world. The battle, he said, eventually led to the fall of the Berlin Wall, the anniversary of which fell on the day of his speech.
Today, Sharansky said, "we are living in a global, post-national, post-modern, post-identity, world where people are again asked to make a choice between universalism and nationalism, between freedom and identity." The choice is particularly difficult for young Jews, he said, who often choose universalism, which then translates into assimilation, "which erodes our communities. And then it becomes more and more difficult for the people of Israel to defend their Jewish State. And our detractors sense our hesitation and our weakness and multiply their efforts to delegitimize the State of Israel.
Then the most awful thing happens," said the former Soviet refusenik. "A young Jew after months and sometimes years of standing in the face of extreme and false slanderous attacks on Israel, finally says enough -- I want to live in a world without Israel."
Just as 20 years ago, when the choice between freedom and identity was false, Sharansky said, it is important to remember that the Berlin Wall was felled, the Iron Curtain was brought down, millions found their freedom and the State of Israel was born due to the Jews' return to their identity, "empowered by thousands of years of dreams and prayers of 'Next year in Jerusalem'."
Strengthening Jewish identity is the best way to wage the struggle for Israel, he said. "Strengthening our Jewish identity is the best guarantee to continue kibbutz galuyot, gathering of the exiles.... rebuilding our Jewish identity can empower us to fight for tikun olam (perfection of the world at large - ed.), with more justice and more freedom for everyone."
2. New York Mets Stand Up to Anti-Israel Pressure
by Nissan Ratzlav-Katz
In the face of far-left, Arab and Muslim opposition, the New York Mets organization has decided to honor its commitment to rent its Caesar's Club for a fundraiser benefiting the Jewish community of Hevron.
Shortly after the venue for the Hebron Fund dinner in support of the Jews of Hevron was publicized, eleven organizations sent a letter to the Mets management calling upon them to disallow the event at Citi Field. Signatories included organizations from Israel, the US and the Palestinian Authority, some of which oppose Israeli sovereignty altogether and others which oppose any Jewish presence in Judea and Samaria.
Despite their own opposition to a minority of Jews living among the Arabs of Hevron, in their November 3 letter the organizations attempted to present the planned fundraiser as "actively promot[in racial discrimination". They further presented the argument that the "New York Mets will be facilitating activities that directly violate international law and the Obama administration's call for a freeze in settlement construction...." The warning that the fundraiser would run counter to the US president's stated policy position was repeated throughout the letter.
Nonetheless, the Mets organization stood firm in the face of the call to boycott the event supporting a Jewish presence in the Biblical city of Hevron. The annual Hebron Fund event is slated to take place as planned on Saturday night, November 21.
The news of the Mets' decision was greeted by both Jewish organizations and individuals with expressions of great admiration. The National Council of the Young Israel Movement, representing organized Jewish communities and synagogues in the United States, wrote to the New York Mets management:
"Your refusal to be intimidated by abhorrent acts of coercion by the groups calling for the cancellation of the Hebron Fund event is extremely noteworthy. By rejecting the hate-filled calls to inhibit the Hebron Fund’s freedom of expression and standing firm in its beliefs of what is right, the New York Mets organization displayed a degree of intestinal fortitude that is genuinely appreciated not just by our organization, but by the greater Jewish community."
In his official letter, National Council of Young Israel President Shlomo Z. Mostofsky, Esq., noted, "In essence, the Hebron Fund dinner is a celebration of the human spirit. The New York Mets organization is not facilitating a political event; rather it is enabling a salute to a group of men, women, and children whose determination and inner strength have allowed them to remain in their communities, despite desperate attempts by Israel's adversaries to drive them from their homes."
The new Jewish advocacy organization, Z Street, called upon supporters of Israel "to thank the New York Mets... for standing up against intimidation by defamers of Israel, posing as 'civil and human rights' activists. ...Thank you for stepping up to the plate and hitting a home run for truth and the Jewish people!"
Last year's Hebron Fund dinner was held at the Marriott Marquis in New York. Eight far-left and Arab organizations called for a boycott at the time and gathered a handful of people to protest outside the venue. The Hebron Fund claims that last year's anti-Hebron Fund pressure was "organized by a few anti-Israel Jews affiliated with the Arab Adalah organization, whose main work is fighting against consensus organizations such as Friends of the IDF and pushing their Campaign for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel." Hebron Fund Director Yossi Baumol claimed that last year one of the far-left activists smashed the headlights of his vehicle.
3. Netanyahu Leaves White House with No Comment
by Hana Levi Julian
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu left the White House after a one-hour and 40-minute meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama Monday night without speaking to reporters -- a rare occurrence.
The meeting had been grudgingly scheduled early Sunday morning by the White House just a few hours before Netanyahu was to leave for the U.S. to speak at the 2009 General Assembly of the Jewish Federations of North America. The ninth-hour appointment was a clear sign that relations between Washington and Jerusalem remain strained; Netanyahu had requested the meeting weeks ago.
Also in attendance for part of the meeting was Defense Minister Ehud Barak, National Security Council head Uzi Arad, Ambassador Michael Oren and Netanyahu adviser Yitzchak Molcho. U.S. officials included National Security Adviser General (ret.) Jim Jones, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, Special Middle East Envoy George Mitchell and National Security Council Director for Near Eastern Affairs Dan Shapiro.
On the agenda was the issue of Iran's galloping nuclear technology development, as well as the current paralysis in talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, and the claim by PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas that he is resigning in January. All three matters are being taken "very seriously" by the Prime Minister's Office, said a spokesman.
Netanyahu had reportedly been planning to tell the president that Israel was willing to be "generous" in scaling back Jewish construction in Judea and Samaria, and "means business" about rejuvenating talks with the PA.
But the brief statement issued by the White House following the talks said simply that the two leaders discussed "how to move forward on Middle East peace." The White House spokesman added, "The president reaffirmed our strong commitment to Israel's security, and discussed security cooperation on a range of issues."
Netanyahu declined to comment on his conversation with the president, and cancelled a briefing with the media he had scheduled for the next day. The prime minister departed for Paris on Tuesday morning without speaking to reporters.
According to State Department spokesman Ian Kelly, special Middle East envoy George Mitchell is not planning to return to the region anytime soon to pressure either of the parties toward further talks. It is possible that Mitchell has decided to wait until after the PA elections on January 24, when the question of who is actually leading the Palestinian Authority may be clarified.
4. Prime Minister Urges Abbas to Restart Talks
by Maayana Miskin
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu issued a call to Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas on Monday night while addressing American Jews at the General Assembly of Jewish Federations. Netanyahu called on Abbas to resume negotiations immediately, and to drop his condition for a complete construction freeze in Judea, Samaria and eastern Jerusalem.
"We should not place preconditions for holding talks; such preconditions have never been set,” Netanyahu said. Israel and the PA must “seize the moment” in order to bring peace and prosperity, he said. “Let's get on with it. Let's move.”
"My goal is not negotiations for the sake of negotiations,” the prime minister said. “My goal is to achieve a permanent peace treaty... I cannot be more emphatic on this point.”
Bringing peace would benefit Israel, its Arab neighbors, and the entire Middle East, Netanyahu said. “Peace could usher in a new era of tremendous economic progress,” he argued.
While expressing eagerness to return to the negotiating table, Netanyahu was firm on his principles. Israel will not freeze construction in contested areas prior to opening negotiations and will not grant citizenship to millions of people claiming descent from Arabs who fled Israel during the War of Independence, he said.
"The Palestinians must recognize that the fantasy of flooding Israel with refugees is gone,” he emphasized.
Israel will also continue to insist that a PA state in Judea and Samaria be demilitarized, he said. “We cannot permit another Gaza in the heart of our country.”
The prime minister also addressed issues relating to Jewish life outside of Israel. He told his listeners that Israel would take responsibility for strengthening Jewish identity in communities worldwide, and assured them that Jews “of any denomination” will always be welcome in Israel.
5. Israel-Jordan Joint Earthquake Drill Held Despite Friction
by Hana Levi Julian
Israel and Jordan conducted a joint earthquake drill on Monday in the Beit She'an Valley, practicing techniques in evacuation and treatment procedures, according to IDF Army Radio. The maneuvers were held despite continued friction over Arab riots on the Temple Mount and the status of Jerusalem.
The joint Israeli-Jordanian emergency maneuvers were intended to create commonality between the two forces in order to ensure smooth cooperation in the event of an actual natural disaster.
Soldiers from the Home Front Commands of Israel and Jordan operated in a simulated environment set up at Kibbutz Mesilot, where a number of buildings were demolished to provide the proper atmosphere. IDF Major-General Anwar Sa'ab, commander of the northern district of Home Front Command, supervised the Israeli forces.
The two groups worked in full cooperation with each other on all operations.
Drill Held Despite Friction Over Israel-PA Relations
The drill was not publicized until its conclusion in order to allow the Jordanian forces to operate without its government having to contend with negative sentiment at home, which might have forced a last-minute cancellation.
On Monday, the day the drill was held, King Abdullah II warned that Israel must be careful in dealing with the issue of the status of Jerusalem in talks with the Palestinian Authority. "Jerusalem is a red line and Israel must internalize the importance the city holds for Arabs, Christian and Muslim, and stop playing with fire," he said. The king also insisted the Israeli-PA negotiations must ultimately lead to establishment of a PA state on the land of Judea and Samaria, with Jerusalem as its new capital.
Despite the anniversary last month of 15 years since the signing of the Israel-Jordan peace treaty, the Hashemite monarch has been increasingly critical of the Jewish State.
Abdullah has particularly slammed Israel's management of affairs at the Temple Mount -- specifically the clashes between Muslim worshippers hurling rocks and bottles near the Al-Aksa mosque, and Israel Police officers repeatedly forced to quell the violence with riot control techniques. The Jordanian king warned last month that the government's interventions on the Temple Mount would "derail all opportunities for peace and stability in the region."
6. Rabbis to Debate Releasing Terrorists to Free Captives
by Nissan Ratzlav-Katz
Leading rabbinic scholars are set to gather Tuesday evening to discuss the Jewish law and ethics of freeing jailed terrorists in exchange for the release of hostages. The gathering, which will be open to the public, is part of an evening to be held in memory of the highly respected former Israeli Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi Shlomo Goren.
Two years after Rabbi Goren stepped down from his post in 1983, the Israeli government, led by then-Prime Minister Shimon Peres, concluded what became known as "the Jibril Deal". In 1985, Israel agreed to release 1,150 terrorist prisoners from its jails in exchange for Hezi Shai, Yosef Grof and Nissim Salem, Israeli soldiers held by Ahmed Jibril's PFLP-GC terror group since the 1982 Peace for Galilee War in Lebanon. The government allowed many of the ex-prisoners to return to territories controlled by Israel. Among those released was Japanese terrorist Kozo Okamoto, who perpetrated the Ben-Gurion Airport Massacre in May 1972.
In response to a question regarding the position of Jewish law on the exchange, Rabbi Goren wrote a sharp response to then-Defense Minister Yitzchak Rabin criticizing the pending decision.
At this evening's rabbinical gathering, Rabbi Chaim Druckman, head of the yeshiva network of Bnei Akiva, will present Rabbi Goren's position on the issue. Rabbi Yaakov Shapira, head of the flagship Merkaz HaRav Yeshiva, will analyze the Halachic (Jewish law) aspects of ransoming captives, while Major-General (res.) Yaakov Amidror will discuss the security angle.
Rabbi She'ar-Yashuv Cohen, Chief Rabbi of Haifa, will add a personal perspective. The rabbi, who fought with the Irgun Tzvai Leumi (Etzel) in Jerusalem during Israel's War of Independence, was severely wounded and taken captive by the Arab Legion. He was held in a prison in Amman, Jordan, until the official end of the war.
The gathering in memory of Rabbi Goren, slated for 7:30 p.m. in Jerusalem's Great Synagogue, will be attended by students of the rabbi, bereaved families of terror victims and activists involved in the issue of redemption of captives, as well as many students and youth movement members. The event is sponsored by Merkaz HaRav Yeshiva, Bnei Akiva yeshivas, the National Organization of Hesder Yeshivas and the Great Synagogue's management association.
On Wednesday at 3:00 p.m., the public is invited to pay their respects at Rabbi Goren's grave on the Mount of Olives overlooking Jerusalem's Old City.
7. Israelis Win Top Awards at Hollywood Student Film Festival
by Nissan Ratzlav-Katz
Students from three Israeli high schools garnered top honors at the seventh annual International Student Film Festival Hollywood (ISFFH), which concluded on Sunday. The Israeli entries won four out of six awards given to non-English-language films at the event.
The ISFFH is dedicated to generating "worldwide attention [fo student filmmaking talent and artistic vision," in the words of the organization's promotional literature, by way of the annual film festival. Participating students range from elementary to graduate school. The ISFFH also assists student filmmakers and their schools with managing distribution rights for any film presented at the event. Submitted films are judged by directors, writers, editors and filmmakers from the fields of animation, documentary, live action and music video production.
This year's ISFFH event, which took place November 7-8 in the NoHo Arts District of North Hollywood, included 65 films from nine countries - Vietnam, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Romania, Israel, Canada, Australia and the U.S.A.
Second only to the U.S., Israel was tied with Canada in the number of films selected for viewing at the festival. Four Israeli high schools presented eight films, six of which were produced by students at two schools in Haifa. All the Israeli festival entries selected were produced by high school seniors as part of their final project in their communications technology studies.
And the Winners Are...
Awarded the prize for Best Foreign Language High School Drama was the film A Long Way Down, written by Inbar Arman and directed by Lior Levi and Shay Eyal of Ironi-Hey High School, Haifa. The film focuses on three strangers who find themselves on the roof of a building, all intent on committing suicide. As the characters develop their relationship, a surprising change of plans ensues. Students from Ironi-Hey won the Best Foreign Language High School Drama award last year, as well.
The Best Foreign Language High School Documentary award was given to Between Two Worlds, which follows the young filmmaker Nina Kardashov as she returns to the scene of a jihad terrorist attack that claimed the lives of her grandmother and six other victims during her Bat Mitzvah celebration. Nina, from Hadera's Beit Eliezer High School, relives the drama of that terrible day before the camera.
A film titled Shay-El won a second award handed out for Best Foreign Language High School Documentary. Directed by Tomer Buskila, also from Ironi-Hey in Haifa, and written by Eliran Yaakov, the film tells the story of a handicapped IDF veteran, his recovery and two-year struggle with military bureaucracy.
The award for Best Foreign Language High School Dark Comedy went to You and I are About to Die, written by Idan Shamay and Mor Lifshits. Idan Shamay from the Hebrew Reali School in Haifa directed the film, a comic drama which takes place in the confines of a stuck elevator. Two childhood friends who have not seen each other for years find themselves thrown together again, but one of them is carrying a ticking time bomb. The Hebrew Reali School is a regular presence in the winners circle, with three previous ISFFH awards in various categories.
