Courtesy. Professionalism. Respect. | Photo by Flickr user Giacomo Barbaro (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
NYPD tracked Muslim students, organizations [Columbia]
Recent news that the New York Police Department willfully performed surveillance on Muslim student organizations in the name of anti-terrorism measures has been met with harsh criticism by many. In light of the fears this news may provoke, the Spectator, newspaper for Columbia College, unpacks the threat to free speech that these “investigations” may have instigated, and their implications for the future.
“There, in Low Library, one of the students representing the ISO heralded terrorist actions like targeting civilians with missiles or suicide bombs as a legitimate form of resistance to the Israeli government. I was appalled that a fellow student would hold such views, but I would have been more appalled if that student had left her ideas unexpressed for fear of being filed away as a potential threat by the NYPD. The chilling effect that the surveillance program might have on campus speech would mean that such views would go unsaid, and thus certain ideologies left unexposed for the truly deleterious modes of thinking that they pose—something more harmful in the long run than a few dilettantes sitting around and speaking reverently of Sayyid Qutb.”
Here at New Voices, we recently shared a story about the controversy surrounding the recent posthumous baptism of the parents of Simon Weisenthal. The Mormon Church had issued an apology for its actions, there was an understandable amount of criticism (an agreement between the Church and the Jewish world a couple years ago was to put a stop to this sort of thing). Apparently, not everyone got the memo, as the Huffington Post reports Anne Frank has been baptized again– her ninth baptism at the hands of the Mormon Church, if anyone’s counting. A church whistleblower provided Huffington Post with all the allegations.
“Radkey said she discovered that Annelies Marie “Anne” Frank, who died at Bergen Belsen death camp in 1945 at age 15, was baptized by proxy on Saturday. Mormons have submitted versions of her name at least a dozen times for proxy rites and carried out the ritual at least nine times from 1989 to 1999, according to Radkey. But Radkey says this is the first time in more than a decade that Frank’s name has been discovered in a database that can be used both for genealogy and also to submit a deceased person’s name to be considered for proxy baptism — a separate process, according to a spokesman for the church. The database is only open to Mormons.
A screen shot of the database sent by Radkey shows a page for Frank stating “completed” next to categories labeled ‘Baptism” and “Confirmation,’ with the date Feb. 18, 2012, and the name of the Santo Domingo Dominican Republic Temple.”
Tel Aviv makes move toward public transportation on Shabbat [Jerusalem Post]
While tension between traditionally observant Jews and modern communities doesn’t look to be resolved anytime soon, the city of Tel Aviv has ruled that it will offer public buses at various points around the city on the Sabbath. But the battle is far from over. The Jerusalem Post reports:
“A Transportation Ministry spokesman indicated Tuesday that the ministry would not approve Tel Aviv’s request. The Transportation Ministry will ‘not infringe [upon] the status quo which has been in place for decades regarding all aspects of public transport on Shabbat,’ the spokesman said.
Nevertheless, Huldai on Wednesday vowed to continue the mission to bring buses to Tel Aviv on Shabbat. ‘We must determine if we want to live in a democratic, Jewish state or a solely Jewish state – which will be similar to Iran,’ Huldai told Army Radio. ‘The citizens have the right to visit their relatives on Shabbat or go out for a trip,’ he added.”
Russia warns of the fallout of Israel – Iran conflict [Haaretz]
It looks like the string of international leaders urging Israel to avoid an all-out attack on Israel can add yet another name to its list: the Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia, who urged Israel to consider the nuclear fallout, and impact on international peace-keeping efforts, such a strike would have. Haaretz is there:
“‘Therefore I hope Israel understands all these consequences … and they should also consider the consequences of such action for themselves,’ Gatilov said at a news conference..
A top UN nuclear official said on Wednesday his team could ‘could not find a way forward’ in attempts to persuade Iran to talk about suspected secret work on atomic arms.”
Last week, New Voices pointed out a report by +972 Magazine on Norman Finkelstein, Palestinian rights activist and controversial thinker. In a move that has surprised many, Finkelstein came out in opposition to the BDS movement (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions), which seeks to protest the conflict between Israel and Palestine through a variety of boycotts of Israel. Because of Finkelstein’s frequent criticism of Israeli policy, many were shocked to see him liken the movement to “Maoists.”
Political voice Noam Chomsky has had similar criticisms of the BDS movement, citing the “hypocrisy [that] rises to heaven,” and questioning why similar boycotts haven’t been leveled at the United States or parts of Europe due to human rights concerns. Chomsky went so far as to suggest the movement was calling for the “destruction of Israel.” Is Chomsky, or Finkelstein for that matter, right?
While no one can gauge individual motivations for persons in the BDS movement, the movement as a whole is going about its activism all wrong. Urging the self-determination of Palestine isn’t innately anti-Semitic. But cutting off, and in essence damning, the whole of the Israeli people because of the policies of the current (or past) administration(s), ignores and inflames an issue of great complexity. A crisis of this magnitude will never find itself bettered without an approach that is sensitive, subtle, and mindful.
Lumping the entire Israeli people together through calls for a wide-sweeping boycott is not the answer anymore than assuming every Palestinian is a terrorist who calls for the disbanding of the Israeli government; such categories are feeble in their ignorance.
We’re big people. We have to put on our big people pants and get our hands dirty, stop thinking in black and white and prepare to have our assumptions challenged. Punishing all for a situation many have been born into (whether Palestinian or Israeli) won’t solve anything. It will only compound social tensions a hundredfold.
Ultra-Orthodox men in Jerusalem. | Photo by Flickr username asafantman (CC BY 2.0)
The responsibility of Jewish federations [Forward]
With the economic recession hitting many organizations, religious or otherwise, with hard times, leaders must make choices to ensure survival. But are some federations unfairly compromising the well-being of their employees in the process? The Jewish Daily Forward takes a look:
“In this flip exchange lies a serious issue. As our Nathan Guttman has reported, Jewish social service groups, along with other nonprofits seeking to cut pension costs, are using a controversial tax loophole to skirt federal rules that protect workers from being left with little or nothing if their retirement plans collapse. Among the Jewish non-profits availing themselves of what is known as the “church plan” are federations in Cleveland, Baltimore, Philadelphia and Detroit, along with nursing homes and health care facilities.”
Jewish groups around the country have responded to the Occupy movement with a certain degree of enthusiasm, incorporating religious projects within the framework of these social protests. Rabbi Arthur Waskow of Jewish Renewal now suggests that there’s no better time to explore the pressing social, economic, environmental, and spiritual crises of our age than at Passover. He’s putting out a call to religious leaders and active laypersons to participate in an Occupy Passover event:
“We hope that the immediate impact of this specific action will be to empower and strengthen the disempowered 99% of our society, and to help dissolve the overweening power of the 1% and their giant corporations — the Pharaohs and Caesars of our day. We hope to do this by evoking the soul-force (satyagraha, often mislabeled “nonviolence”) that is implicit in our religious traditions, and bringing them into active public reality again.”
Since the Israeli Defense Forces have suffered a decline in numbers in recent years, new measures are being taken to concentrate draft efforts on members of Israel’s ultra-Orthodox community, many of whom have not served in the IDF before. But is the decrease a combination of ultra-Orthodox Jews avoiding the draft and the lack of new aliyah (immigration) candidates willing to serve? Haaretz reports:
“Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, ‘we enjoyed huge waves of aliyah that increased the number of new recruits,’ a personnel directorate official said. ‘This year saw a decline in the number of new immigrants, and that is the one factor that immediately influences the number of conscripts. Today’s situation − no aliyah and many ultra-Orthodox youths − can be directly felt.’”
Another voice calls for Israel to refrain from attacking Iran [Jerusalem Post]
With tensions between Israel and Iran the highest in years, governmental officials from the world over are asking Israel to avoid military conflict for the time being, until other efforts to quell the violence are attempted and seen through. The Jerusalem Post shares:
“British Foreign Secretary William Hague advised Israel on Sunday not to attack Iran, saying that the international sanctions against Iran should be given a chance to work.
His comments in a BBC interview came as US National Security Adviser Tom Donilon met with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem for talks focused on Iran.
Neither the Prime Minister’s Office nor the US put out a statement after that two-hour meeting, and Netanyahu said nothing about it – or the Iranian nuclear program – at a speech immediately after the meeting at the opening of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations in Jerusalem.”
An elderly lesbian couple get married in New York. | Photo by flickr username asterix611 (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Avi Shafran’s recent article in the Forward discussing gay “reparative” therapy has made me reflect on my philosophy of life. It’s always difficult for me to know the balance between halacha and happiness. I grew up in a world where Judaism came before all else. I still believe strongly in the importance of keeping the laws of the Torah. But the experiences of the past few years of my life have taught me something else: happiness– and I don’t mean that fleeting feeling we experience at a party of good friends, or when watching a particularly good movie; I mean the deep-seated satisfaction of a life being lived in the right way, and in a way that represents what you believe in, loving others and loving yourself, and being loved by others– is key.
Now, I’m not gay and I’ve personally never been through any therapy of the sort, but I have friends who are and who have been. I’ve also read enough accounts of traumatic experience, if not downright abuse, at the hands of those who claim to offer the ability to ‘fix’ their clients, and turn them straight. In fact, in recent posts on the Facebook group Orthodox Jews Against Homophobia, Chaim Levin posted asking whether his vocal protests to therapy are harmful. Every single person who responded told him, in one way or another, how important it was for him to continue speaking out against the way this therapy is being conducted.
Shafran fairly presents both sides of the argument of reparative therapy– those who believe it will harm its patients, versus those who have faith in its ability to make its patients functioning heterosexuals– but concludes, essentially, that in spite of the many arguments against reparative therapy, those who wish to truly devote their lives to Torah would (and, possibly, should) go through this therapy in order to be able to marry and have children with a member of the opposite gender.
Putting aside the rather weighty– and growing– pile of evidence against the effectiveness of reparative therapy, there’s a problem I have with the claim Shafran is making overall: that one who wishes to remain a Torah-observant Jew should either enter into heterosexual marriages, or remain celibate.
First of all, let’s just address celibacy: um, what? Celibacy is just about the worst option. Ever. Have we not seen that with the practice of Catholic priests? It’s unfulfilling, unsatisfying, and lonely. And I don’t just mean being sexually celibate, I mean any form of living without a life-long partner.
Shafran acknowledges this, and offers, instead, marrying a person of the opposite gender in order to leave to fulfillment. This, to me, sounds just as absurd, for every reason that arranged marriages wouldn’t work in a modern society, plus a few thousand other reasons. The pressure to marry someone to whom one is not attracted, and never can be, will only lead to pain for both partners, and possibly even their children, should they be able to procreate.
These arguments aside, there are a small number of reparative therapy patients who claim to have gone through treatment and come out a happy, healthy heterosexual. I don’t want to question the validity of their claims, and I’d like to believe it can actually work. But the percentage of those who go through the treatment and come out unchanged or worse, hurt in some way, far outstrips that of those who feel benefited. Thus, any pressure from rabbis and the community to attend such sessions can be nothing but negative.
But. If it can help people, there is a responsibility of the community to refrain from publicly shaming those who do attempt reparative therapy. Presumably these individuals are aware of the risks of reparative therapy and are choosing to try it anyway. These people should be able to do so without feeling like an outcast. It might end up being a mistake but sometimes you have to make the mistake yourself.
For everyone else, though, we are left with a halachic knot. According to halacha, homosexuals can’t be in a same-sex sexual relationship, yet being in such a relationship may be the only path to personal happiness, which is a goal I feel Judaism promotes. How can we feel comfortable telling others that their happiness in life is secondary?
Holocaust Memorial in California. | Photo by flickr username Dubgael (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Mormons apologize for baptizing deceased Jewish family [Forward]
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has issued a public apology after accidentally allowing the posthumous baptism of the parents of the late Simon Wiesenthal, an Austrian Holocaust survivor who pursued fugitive Nazis during his lifetime. The baptismal practice, which involves church members acting in place of the individual who is being baptized, has been a source of controversy between Jews and church members for a number of years. The Mormon Church had previously agreed not to allow the practice to be used on behalf of Jewish Holocaust victims. The Jewish Daily Forward writes:
“Rabbi Abraham Cooper, the associate dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, participated in many of the high-level meetings between Jewish leaders and Mormon officials.
‘We are outraged that such insensitive actions continue in the Mormon Temples,’ he said in a statement on the organization’s website. ‘Such actions make a mockery of the many meetings with the top leadership of the Mormon Church dating back to 1995 that focused on the unwanted and unwarranted posthumous baptisms of Jewish victims of the Nazi Holocaust.’”
Israeli supermodel in new swimsuit edition of Sports Illustrated [6 Degrees No Bacon]
Israeli model Bar Refaeli is set to make an appearance in this year’s swimsuit edition of the popular sports magazine. While Refaeli once faced controversy for avoiding a draft into the Israeli Defense Forces, the model’s career has never been better, having since appeared in GQ.
Co-authored book explores history of Jewish conversion [Jerusalem Post]
A new book by Rabbi David Ellenson, president of Hebrew Union College, and Rabbi Daniel Gordis, president of the Shalem Foundation, seeks to unpack centuries of halachic interpretations on conversion to Judaism. The book, recently published, makes its debut at a time when the recognition of converts in Israel has reached a sort of critical mass, with conversions being retroactively revoked, Jewish status called into question, and an Israeli rabbinate that is increasingly stringent. The Jerusalem Post reports:
“Many Orthodox Jews will instinctively dismiss as tainted any work produced by non-Orthodox scholars. Yet the joint authors of this fascinating work avoid expressing their opinions or promoting their personal attitudes toward halacha. They merely quote responsa, dating from the 18th century until today, by universally respected giants of the Orthodox rabbinical world from all corners of the world, including Israel.”
In a society that has become increasingly defined by its high levels of consumption and waste production, can Jews carve a path toward a more moderate lifestyle? Particularly when it comes to food, are we at the mercy of our impulses, or are there lessons to be learned about the value of temperance and restraint? Sh’ma, the Journal of Jewish Ideas, offers this food for thought:
“Ethical consumption is not only about being mindful of where we shop and what we ingest. It’s also about reforming government policies that perpetuate a cycle of poverty and widen the gap between ‘too much’ and ‘not enough,’ making ethical consumption nearly impossible for even the most conscientious among us.”
Israel blames Iran for assassination attempts against Israeli diplomats. [Washington Post]
The Israel government responded yesterday to bombings targeting diplomats in both Georgia and India, pinning the blame for the attacks on Hezbollah and Iran. Though Iran is denying responsibility for the incidents, the bombings have propounded concerns over its nuclear program, and led to heightened tension in the region.
“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cited places where he said attacks on Israelis and Jews had recently been foiled, including Thailand and Azerbaijan, and he accused Tehran of orchestrating Monday’s plots, calling Iran ‘the greatest exporter of terrorism in the world.’”
David Bernstein on how supporting Israel on campus shouldn’t be a reactionary pursuit. [JTA]
Bernstein cites the ineffectiveness of the BDS movement on college campuses, as an indication that it is now time to diversify efforts and focus on supporting Israel rather than defending it.
“The real work that must be done in supporting Israel is not reactive at all. It’s not as fun as responding to the Israel bashers or engaging in dueling narratives on the campus quad. The real work targets the influencers, from student government presidents to Indian-American leaders, with a positive, pro-Israel message. It seeks to build long-term allies and sometimes ignores detractors. It’s proactive, not reactive.”
A senior at NYU’s Tisch School of The Arts Film and Television Program’s senior thesis project is a film about the holocaust…from a new angle. [JTA]
Emily Harrold’s thesis examines the way in which American media chose to cover the holocaust, focusing specifically on the New York Times, funded by the NYU Bronfman Center. Harrold, who is not Jewish, says the project was an eye opening glimpse into the way in which media attention was focused during the era.
“When you think about history, it’s always from the perspective of people who win the war, because those are the people who write the history books, usually. So we see history from the perspective of the great country of America in which they’re projecting themselves in the best way that they can. I guess learning that we weren’t the great liberators as much as we like to think of ourselves is sort of what got me interested in the topic.”
Valentine’s Day in Israel carries the weight of cross-cultural communications. [Forward]
Nathan Jeffay examines the ways in which pursuing relationships in Israel differs from that in the United States, and the pitfalls that may arise from taking this American holiday overseas.
“Aliyah among single American Jews was up 9% last year, which can create an echo boom in romantic encounters between sabras and American singles.”
What’s been most troubling about this whole debacle (and there’s a lot to be troubled by) is how the authors of the original piece have been harassed by some of Rav Bina’s supporters, most notably, by another rabbi. Those who don’t wish for the dialogue to continue may be tempted to invoke “lashon hara” (literally, the evil tongue, or slander) in an effort to curb the effects the article has had. But lashon hara only occurs when nothing can be gained by the speech. And if abuses have in fact taken place, and nothing has effectively halted them as of yet, then speech is exactly what the doctor ordered. In point of fact, speaking out may be the only thing that can help at this stage.
Make no mistake, accusations are tricky things. There’s truth, perspective, and bias to contend with. But as I see it, leaders in religious communities have to expect that their methods, means, and pasts will at some point come under scrutiny by others. The very role of a religious leader is such that some form of higher standard and transparency are expected. That isn’t to say leaders can’t make mistakes; sure they can, and it is in their mistakes that progress is made. But when mistakes turn into willful acts, then to habits, then to life choices, their charges– the laypeople, the students, the communities– have a right and a responsibility to speak up. To accuse another individual of lashon hara for that very act, or to go so far as to say, “I truly believe you are an evil person [for] trying to murder Rav Bina with your pen” runs a risk of lashon hara itself.
In all this violence of language and will, may any who have been unjustly hurt be defended and restored, may no one be unfairly found guilty, and may all involved be reminded of the dignity of human life: an idea which should remain at the core of all such debates.
Can Jews better appreciate the New Testament? | Photo taken by flickr username Wonderlane (CC BY 2.0)
Whitney Houston visited Israel, called it “home” [Jerusalem Post]
Upon the recent announcement of the passing of world-famous vocalist Whitney Houston, whose rocky past and relationships were once the focus of much media attention, the Jewish press took the opportunity to explore Houston’s trip to Israel in 2003. Specifically, Houston visited Dimona, spending some time with members of the Black Hebrew community. Of the trip, the Jerusalem Post reports:
“Accompanied by her husband, Bobby Brown, and a large group of family and friends, Houston traveled from Eilat in the south to Galilee in the north.
She was hosted by Sharon at his official residence in Jerusalem but pointedly avoided shaking his hand, letting Brown do so instead.
Asked by Sharon how she felt in Israel, she said: ‘It’s home! It’s home!’
Wearing bright red African clothing, Brown and Houston – who was then 39 – told Sharon they had come to visit friends and family in the Black Hebrew community. Houston said that while it was her first trip to Israel, she planned to come back and record a Christmas television special here – a promise she never fulfilled.”
Democracy and Jewish law: irreconcilable tensions? [Forward]
In a recent study by the Israel Democracy Institute’s Guttman Center for Surveys, some surprising findings about the Israeli perception of the compatibility of Western values and halakhah (or Jewish law) were uncovered. When asked where to side in a conflict between democracy and halakhah, only 44% of Israeli Jews said they’d choose democracy. Harvey Hames explores the implications:
“This disturbing state of affairs comes from a misunderstanding of what Rabbinic Judaism is all about, and it reflects the incredible success of the rabbis over 2,000 years of linking belief with religious observance. Rabbinic Judaism emerged in the period after the destruction of the Second Temple (along with Christianity) in order to provide a solution for a people bereft of worldly power, political independence and a central place of worship. The rabbis further developed ideas that had been circulating for a couple hundred years, one of which portrayed the divine being as the supreme judge before whom comes each and every individual to answer for his or her deeds. Instead of going to the temple and having the priest, the chosen mediator, offer a sacrifice in order to placate the divine entity, every act of the individual was now under the scrutiny of an all-powerful God who offered blessed eternity to those who did his will (that is, kept the commandments) and severe punishment for those that did not.”
Moving toward a renewed Jewish understanding of the New Testament [Forward]
While Jewish sentiment toward the New Testament has been host to a variety of reactions, author Jay Michaelson highlights a new book that encourages a deeper reading of a text undeniably influenced by Jewish thinkers. Can this analysis offer guideposts to a renewed appreciation of a book that has been the core of conflict between Jews and Christians for centuries? Using a critical Amazon.com review as a jumping off point, Michaelson responds:
“But you can understand the anonymous reviewer’s fear: As the joke goes, ‘Two thousand years of Christian love have worn down the Jews’ nerves.’ Despite being the younger religion, for many American Jews, Christianity is the bullying elder brother: stronger, bigger, dumber. As a people, we’re appallingly ignorant of the New Testament, in part, as that Amazon comment suggests, due to having the Good News shoved down our collective throats for hundreds of years.”
With tensions between Israel and Iran reaching a boiling point, what hope does the peace process have of quelling a conflict that could change the face of both nations forever? Reporter Larry Derfner weighs in on the future, what might be done, and what war could mean for Israel.
“I imagine the day after the smoke clears, for however long it clears, when Israelis count their dead and realize they’re going to have to do it again in another year or two or three, and I wonder what it’s going to be like in the interim. I try to imagine a future in which Israel, believing it has no choice, starts one war after another after another whenever some Middle Eastern country decides it wants a fraction of one percent of the weaponry Israel has had for decades.”
Visiting Hasidic communities in Brooklyn for an upcoming episode in her latest program, Oprah sat down for a special interview with Chabad Rabbi Motti Seligson. Oprah discussed misconceptions about the role of women in Orthodox Judaism, the importance of family, and living a life of meaning. When asked by Seligson what she would tell a “non-observant, or a non-traditional Jew who would be curious about exploring their traditions or heritage,” Oprah replied simply:
“Well, I think what I felt today is a closer connection to my own heritage and traditions. I said to the women at the end of the interview, ‘Everybody needs to examine for themselves.’ What I’m hoping will come out of this interview, this experience is that everybody watching will examine for themselves what that is in their own life.”
Whether in an attempt to convert the Jews on his mailing list, or– well, something else– Rick Santorum made a bit more news for his odd choice of Hanukkah cards this past holiday. The cards, which contain Jewish-themed images on them and an uncredited quote from Jesus, have left a few scratching their heads. Well-meaning mistake, or evangelical ploy?
What’s next for the Boycott Israel movement? [Forward]
As tensions rise over the effectiveness and ethics of endorsing a protest boycott of Israel, the Jewish Daily Forward analyzes the potential direction of the movement, including taking inspiration from historic protest strategies of American liberals.
“The movement to boycott, divest from and sanction Israel — long painted as a fringe group by the Israel advocacy community — is seeking to wrap itself in the mantle of the mainstream American left. At the movement’s first-ever national conference, presenters and attendees compared BDS to the Montgomery, Ala., bus boycott, the Cesar Chavez grape boycott and the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, from which it draws inspiration.”
After years of rhetoric casting a tenuous light on Bedouin communities, the expected uprising (Intifada) never came. Even now, as many Bedouin anticipate relocation from their homes, the reaction has failed to live up to its hype. In an analysis of the hostile language employed by authors and political leaders, as well as the years following, +972 Magazine seeks to explore what is happening to the Bedouin.
“Israel has also fomented poverty in the Bedouin community. In the 1970s, the state built seven townships for the Negev Bedouin that are home today to approximately 80,000 Bedouin. These ghettos have the country’s highest unemployment and school dropout rates as well as the social problems that accompany poverty and hopelessness, including rampant drug abuse.
Those who remained in the desert have not had it much easier. Despite the fact that many Bedouin live in villages that predate the state itself, Israel does not recognize most of these communities. Some 80,000 Bedouin live in the unrecognized villages that lack infrastructure and high schools.”
Holocaust music video resonates with online viewers. [YouTube]
In an effort to re-engage young Jews and others to the loss and legacy of the Shoah, an audiovisual collaboration between composer Cecelia Margules and director Daniel Finkelman is quickly making the rounds. Since January 25th, the YouTube video has received over 51,000 hits.
Hadassah organization investigating allegations of fraud [Forward]
Whistleblowing. Misuse of funds for buying favors. Two leading members of the Hadassah organization, an international collective for female Zionists, are under investigation following allegations of financial abuses. But that’s not all. The Jewish Daily Forward explains:
“The allegations came in a letter sent to the organization’s board members on January 12 by Larry Blum, Hadassah’s top staff member. Blum was placed on administrative leave in November amidst separate charges relating to his alleged misuse of his corporate credit card. He declined comment.
In his letter, Blum accused Hadassah national president Marcie Natan and former national president Nancy Falchuk of misusing Hadassah funds. Both declined to comment on the charges through a Hadassah spokesperson.”
In an exploration of the scientific implications of continued global climate change on Israel’s environmental progress, author Jay Michaelson makes an argument for elevated, international, interdenominational discourse when Jewish groups talk about the natural world.
“In the Jewish community, climate change is often seen as a pressing problem, but rarely is the intersection with Israel mentioned. But it should be. Food prices were the ‘invisible hand’ that brought down Arab dictators, and food security and water security are pressing 21st century issues for Israel. Imagine if the Israel’s friends in America understood climate change not as a peripheral political or spiritual issue, but as a serious economic and security threat to the Jewish state – and helped persuade the United States to finally catch up to the rest of the Western world, ratify the Kyoto Protocol, and commit to reducing our wasteful emissions. A major strategic vulnerability could become a serious economic asset.”
If the Israeli left will continue to make an impact on the face of the nation’s political and social climate, it must do so in conjunction with the Jewish religion, says a new analysis. In a piece by Liel Leibovitz of Tablet Magazine, the deteriorating comfort level between Israeli’s left and Jewish practice is explored.
“It’s easy for me to understand Misgav and Levy. Like them, I consider myself a proud member of the battered and decimated tribe known as the Israeli left. Like them, I look with horror as brutes of all stripes—from hill-dwelling Jewish terrorists to Avigdor Lieberman and his comrades in Knesset—trample democracy’s core values. But in their disdain for and fear of religion, Misgav, Levy, and the lion’s share of the Israeli left fail to understand not only their past but also, more troubling, their future. Unless the Israeli left learns how to stop fearing and start loving—or at least understanding—religion, its chances of advancing a popular agenda are slim.”
