Synchronicity in the Chaos of Life

Synchronicity is a wondrous thing. In the last couple of weeks, the following have entered my path through various routes. In my Twitter feed, someone posted, after Israel had sent one of its crack search-and-rescue teams to Turkey, that it looks like “corrupt Israel” was trying to generate some positive PR in the world. In Pakistan, a man was dragged from his jail cell by a mob and lynched for desecrating the Quran. I picked up a copy of JLiving that featured, in its “Dear Maven” (Jewish “Dear Abby”) section, two “favorite rabbi jokes” submitted by two LA rabbis (both very funny). I began reading a profile on Salman Rushdie that centered on the near-lethal attack on his life in service to a decades-old fatwa by the late Ayatollah Khomeini after publication of “The Satanic Verses.” Two Jews were shot and wounded—the perpetrator, an admitted antisemite, was arrested—in LA’s Pico-Robertson neighborhood. I was forwarded a short speech by Dennis Praeger, speaking at the Israeli-American Council (IAC), which had a three-pronged message: In every age someone will rise up to destroy the Jews (Iran is cited for this age); Jews living outside Israel have no right to criticize Israel and Israeli-Americans should be speaking and doing more on Israel’s behalf; and the Israeli Knesset moved legislation to gain political control over the Judiciary (at a moment when the Prime Minister is in legal proceedings, accused of corruption) and passed legislation allowing the State to strip residency from Palestinians convicted of terrorism (it doesn’t take much to imagine a new, more elastic definition of “terrorism” under a politically controlled judiciary).

I swiftly rebutted the Tweet, noting that Israel has lent its post-disaster expertise around the world and questioned whether the characterization of Israel was “as opposed to regimes in Turkey and Syria.” There was no response. Israel, of course, is notorious for its poor international PR, mostly because it doesn’t care. It walks the edge of doing what it feels is right for Israel—depending on the administration—and pretty much lets the chips fall where they may. However, the current regime is pushing that edge, and the result is both a foreign and domestic response. There have already been two massive demonstrations in Israel against the direction the Netanyahu administration is headed. How this plays out will eventually affect groups like the IAC. Though Praeger received several moments of applause and a standing ovation after his talk, one wonders to what extent Israeli-Americans enjoy being lectured by Praeger, who regardless of the topic, always seems to know best. One also wonders, if Netanyahu is able to make his new laws stick, to what extent the IAC will be growing exponentially, leaving the field to the enablers of Bibi’s more autocratic designs.

Since 1948, nearly three-quarters of a million Israelis have emigrated, the overwhelming majority to the U.S., and never returned. More than a million Israelis have established dual- citizenship in the past 20 years. The current administration is birthing organizations like “Leaving the country—together.” In the end, “corruption” my not be as important as politics in Israel’s worldwide image. The tolerance that is associated with Western Democracies allows for demonstrations opposing the government, but leaving indicates that civic opposition has proved underwhelming. The IAC may find itself populated more and more in the coming years by those more disinclined to rise and clap for being criticized for not supporting Israel enough.

Which brings us to the “tolerance” of Judaism as a whole. While some on the far right may tend to look at Reform Jews as a branch of Unitarianism, the many splinters of contemporary Jews have found ways to coexist without fatwas and lynchings. Yes, we’ve had a Prime Minister assassinated. We are not immune. While antisemitism is again on the rise, and the world often seems to look at Jews and Israel through the most negatively hued prism, we are renowned for both our self-deprecating humor and drop-everything desire to help others. These are among “the gifts of the Jews” that those with more objective perspectives have continually showcased. Steadfastness, criticism, and flexibility have been our hallmark and served us well as we evolve in a constantly evolving world. Above all, we revere life. We have been the objects of murderous intent infinitely more than perpetrators.

Still, and again, we are not immune to the pitfalls of human nature. In every age it’s not just about who may rise up to annihilate us; it’s about the choices we, ourselves, make and demons that may rise up to overwhelm our better judgement. We cannot control a crazy man who wants to attack Jews or the prejudices of other faiths, but we can work to “not put a stumbling block before the blind.” We can heed the sage words of Hillel: “Whatever is abhorrent to you, do not do to others.” And for God’s sake, let’s never lose our sense of humor.

Mitch Paradise is a writer/producer and teacher living in Los Angeles.