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Jewish Journal

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October 12, 2009

Was Christopher Columbus a Jew?

Leave a Comment / Opinion, Rob Eshman /

From the Blog Rogue Jew comes this perenial question: Was Christopher Columbus Jewish?

Was explorer Christopher Columbus Jewish?  There is extraordinary evidence pointing to that conclusion.

On March 31, 1492 the Edict of Expulsion (also called the Alhambra Decree) Every Jew in Spain was forced to shoose between conversion to Christianity or leaving the country forever leaving their possessions behind.  150,000 Jews left Spain, many went to Portugal where they received a short welcome before being asked to convert, die or leave as in Spain.

On July 31, 1492 (7th of Av), the last Jew left Spain.  Columbus sailed on August 3, 1492.  He did insist that all of his crew be onboard August 2nd.

His historic voyage was financed by wealthy and influential Jews-many themselves converts-rather than a magnanimous King and Queen of Spain.

Columbus’s voyage was not financed by Isabella selling her jewels as is often stated. The major financiers were two court officials – both Jewish conversos – Louis de Santangel, chancellor of the royal household, and Gabriel Sanchez, treasurer of Aragon.

The Jews in Spain became the target of pogroms and religious per-secution. Many were forced to renounce Judaism and embrace Catholicism. These were known as Conversos, or converts.

In response to a petition to Rome to introduce the Inquisition and find a final solution to their Jewish Problem, in 1487 Spain obtained a Papal Bull. The introduction of the Inquisition was motivated by the greed of King Ferdinand attempting to seize all the power and wealth in Spain. It was an instrument of avarice and political absolutism. Four years later tens of thousands of Jews, Marranos, and even Conversos were suffering under the Spanish Inquisition.  According to the Christians of the day, Jews were considered “Infidels” (Sound familiar?)

As Spain and Portugal was killing and expelling the Jewish people, Turkey had accepted the Chosen people of G-d and was rewarded.  Spain and Portugal’s economies declined, while the Ottoman Empire became one of the greatest powers in the world. The next two sultans, Selim I and Suleiman I, expanded the empire as far as Vienna, Austria.

God had given Abraham and his descendants a special blessing:

“I will bless those who bless you, and curse those who curse you, and through you, will be blessed all the families of the earth.” (Genesis 12:3)

Christopher Columbus may or may not have been a Jew, but he paved the way for a country that would be accepting of the Jewish people, and keeping with G-d’s blessing, has been a nation abundant in liberty, wealth, and opportunity for all people.

Several sites explain the evidence and possibilites.  Check them out!  Just do a google search

Happy Columbus day all!

Meanwhile, over at Beliefnet.org, Rabbi Brad Hirschfield asks, “Why does it matter?”:

Beyond the pride which many Jews feel at being able to claim Columbus as a Member of the Tribe, there are real lessons to be learned from his story – spiritual lessons which can help all of us on our own journeys, even if they are not as historic.

First, if any of the stories of Columbus’ Jewishness are accurate, they remind us that we can be many things at the same time, and that having those multiple, even conflicting, identities can be a real advantage under certain circumstances. Columbus, according to the Jewish versions of his biography was a Catholic-Jewish-Spanish-Italian, and in all likelihood it was being all of those things at the same time which positioned him to be who he was. His boundary crossing identity was certainly pivotal historically, and probably psychologically, in propelling him toward a life of boundary-crossing.

Second, if there really was a connection between his decision to set sail in August 1492 and that day being on or about Tisha B’Av, the ninth day of the Hebrew month of Av (a day classically associated with destruction and bad fortune for Jews), he figured out how to turn a tragedy into a triumph. That’s no small spiritual lesson for any of us.

Third, while the implications of his “discovering” the New World would takes generations to unfold, the shores upon which Columbus landed would turn out to be the healthiest, safest and most vibrant Jewish Diaspora communities in the history of the Jewish people. Columbus’ journey, like most of ours’ could not be fully appreciated within the context of his own time. He planted seeds which would take years to bear fruit. I hope that among the things people celebrate today is the fact that our own lives are like that as well.

Whoever Christopher Columbus was, and however he is remembered, this much we know: he was a boundary crossing explorer who drew on multiple identities and traditions in ways that empowered him to take incredible chances when others would not, see remarkable opportunities where others could not, and accomplish things big enough that their full implications were beyond anyone’s understanding. That is the stuff of spiritual greatness

.

Was Christopher Columbus a Jew? Read More »

No breakthroughs in Netanyahu, Mitchell meetings

Leave a Comment / Israel /

George Mitchell and Benjamin Netanyahu met for the second time over the weekend, but did not announce any breakthroughs.

The U.S. envoy to the Middle East met with Israel’s prime minister Sunday after a weekend of shuttle diplomacy that included meetings with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Israel’s envoys for Palestinian affairs Mike Herzog and Yitzhak Molcho, Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman and Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit.

Prior to Sunday’s meeting, Netanyahu convened his seven-member inner Cabinet to discuss the directon of his talks with Mitchell.

A statement from the Prime MInister’s Office issued Sunday said that “The Prime Minister and Senator Mitchell met again today and continued their discussions on moving the peace process forward. Defense Minister Ehud Barak joined the meeting, which lasted for over an hour. Later this week, Yitzhak Molcho and Michael Herzog will travel to Washington to continue those discussions.”

Mitchell and Netanyahu had a “useful and productive” meeting last Friday, according to the Prime Minister’s Office.

Mitchell unexpectedly flew to Cairo late Saturday. During his discussions with Suleiman and Gheit, Mitchell had been expected to ask the Egyptians to press Abbas to start direct peace negotiations with Israel, according to reports.

Mitchell called Friday evening’s meeting with Abbas productive, and told reporters that he had invited both sides to a meeting in Washington to discuss the renewal of negotiations—something that likely will take place in about two weeks, according to chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat.

The meetings took place under the backdrop of the announcement that President Obama had received the Nobel Peace Prize, in part for his efforts on behalf of Middle East peace and his outreach to the Muslim world.

On Oct. 8, Mitchell met with Israeli President Shimon Peres, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman and Defense Minister Ehud Barak.

No breakthroughs in Netanyahu, Mitchell meetings Read More »

“Family Goy’s” Jewish secret

Leave a Comment / Uncategorized /

I don’t watch “Family Guy,” for reasons that Cartman and “South Park” so brilliantly illustrated, but after seeing the chatter last Monday, I knew I was going to have to watch the “Family Goy” episode.

I finally did yesterday. And though I couldn’t overcome my dislike for the show, the episode gave me a few good laughs:

The Jewish plotline begins when a breast cancer scare leads Lois (voiced by Jewish actress Alex Borstein) to discover that her mother, Barbara Pewterschmidt, is a Holocaust survivor who gave up her Judaism to help her husband get into country clubs (“It was the right thing to do, dear,” Mrs. Pewterschmidt says).

“So Grandma Hebrewberg is actually Jewish?!” Lois asks.

“Yes, when she moved to America, her family changed their name. It was originally Hebrewbergmoneygrabber,” her mother says.

That’s from the GeekHeeb. Much more there on the storyline (or lack thereof) and the jokes that work and those that don’t.

“Family Goy’s” Jewish secret Read More »

Details of Porsche’s Nazi ties spoil centennial bash

Leave a Comment / United States, Worldwide /

September was supposed to be a particularly festive month for the German car manufacturer Porsche. Company headquarters in Stuttgart celebrated the 100th birthday of Ferdinand Anton Ernst (Ferry) Porsche (1909-1998), the son of the dynasty’s founder and the man who designed the first model of the sports car to bear the family name: the Porsche 356. The shop in the city’s Porsche Museum, dedicated earlier this year, offered discounts on a variety of “birthday presents.” These included “100 Years of Porsche, Mirrored in Contemporary History,” an elegant book with photos from the life of the man who made the company one of the world’s leading sports cars manufacturers.

Everything seemed perfect, until local newspapers began publishing passages from a new book that reveals that Porsche’s Nazi connections were closer than it had previously allowed, and that it had employed hundreds of forced laborers in its German factories during World War II. The company claimed to be surprised by the new findings, but immediately decided to fund a comprehensive and independent study of its past.

Read the full story at HAARETZ.com.

Details of Porsche’s Nazi ties spoil centennial bash Read More »

Sukkot with Ambassador Michael Oren

Leave a Comment / Holidays /

Last week, I came very close to witnessing the Prophet Zechariah’s vision of many nations gathering together in Jerusalem to worship God on Sukkot. I was actually not in Jerusalem, but if the Israeli Ambassador’s residence in Washington, DC, is considered Israeli soil, then I came awfully close.

During the holidays, my dear friend, the recently appointed Ambassador to the United States, the Honorable Michael Oren, called and invited me to officiate at a special Sukkot dinner he and his wife Sally were hosting in the Ambassador’s residence. I accepted, and in addition to touring the great sites of Washington, D.C. for two days with our kids, my wife Peni and I were privileged to attend what was truly a special evening.

So, who was there? A total of thirty two guests enjoyed Sukkot dinner together. Prominent amongst them were Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, Egyptian Ambassador Sameh Shoukry, Imam Yahya Hendi of Georgetown, two representatives from the Palestinian Authority, Senator Diane Feinstein, Congressman Howard Berman and Congressman Robert Wexler, Ambassador Dennis Ross, and George Stephanopoulos. The gracious hosts for the evening were Ambassador Michael and Mrs. Sally Oren, Israel’s “first couple” in the United States.

Who are Michael and Sally Oren? Born and raised in the United States, they are the best of what North American aliyah has brought to Israel. Passionate Zionists, dedicated parents of three wonderful children, highly educated and deeply committed to Israel’s continued advancement as a society, Michael and Sally – perhaps because they are both Olim – bring to this position a special pride as Americans who have fulfilled the “Zionist Dream.”

Michael is a world class scholar with degrees in Middle East history from Columbia and Princeton.  He served as a paratrooper in the first Lebanon War in 1982, and in between his research work as a Senior Fellow at the Shalem Center, he managed to serve as an IDF spokesman on television during both the Second Lebanon War in 2006, and Operation Cast Lead in Gaza in 2009. The author of three books, including his recent and most unique study – “Power, Faith and Fantasy: America in the Middle East, 1776-Present,” Oren is an outstanding scholar and brilliant orator.

Around the Sukkot table, Oren held the entire gathering in awe, as he told us the story of how the Statue of Liberty was originally designed to guard the waterways of the Suez Canal, not the shores of New York. With eloquence, surefire knowledge, and a good sense of humor, Oren told the story of how “Lady Liberty” went from being Egyptian to American. He did this with the Egyptian Ambassador seated immediately to his right.

He is also a skilled diplomat, and with US Senators and foreign ambassadors flanking you, you better be! Senator Diane Feinstein, seated opposite Mr. Oren, raised with grave concern the issue of the Palestinian Authority and Hamas potentially joining forces. When challenged by the Egyptian Ambassador, sparking a bit of a heated exchange, Oren raised his glass of wine to Feinstein, asking her – as a Senator from “Wine Country” (California) – how she thought Israeli wines compared to those from her home state. She tasted the Israeli wine and commented “It’s a good starter wine.” Oren deftly changed the subject, and avoided an international showdown across a Sukkot table!

The touch of class for the evening was provided by Sally Oren, Michael’s charming wife. In addition to being a gracious host, she also put serious thought into the evening’s menu. Following my remarks on the symbolism of the Sukkah and the “Arba Minim,” Sally explained to the distinguished gathering that tonight’s dinner would include all of the “Shiva Minim” – the seven fruits and grains of the Land of Israel described in the Bible. From the soup through the desert, we were treated to a delicious dinner whose ingredients included wheat, barley, pomegranates, dates, olives, figs, and – of course – grapes, in the form of some very fine wine. Our dinner was a taste of the Land of Israel, conceived by a woman who represents Israel with taste and class.

The Ambassador and his wife took great care to make sure that everything was done in accordance with respect for Jewish tradition. They had kippot for everybody, beautiful birkonim (miniature books with blessings and the grace after meals)  with the emblem of Israel on the cover, a beautiful Sukkah decorated by local Jewish Day Schools kids (including one of Rahm Emmanuel’s daughters), and a Lulav and Etrog. In addition to my remarks about Sukkot, Michael also spoke about Sukkot, and his presentation could have been a sermon in any synagogue. 

Michael and Sally Oren are not only proud Israelis, they are also proud Jews. In an era when Israel is now including in its political dialogue that the Arab world must recognize Israel as “A Jewish State,” Israel could not have asked for a better “first couple” representing them in Washington, D.C.

  Daniel Bouskila is senior rabbi at Sephardic Temple Tiffereth Israel.

Sukkot with Ambassador Michael Oren Read More »

Schwarzenegger signs bill honoring gay-rights activist Harvey Milk

Leave a Comment / Community, United States /

From CNN.com:

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed a bill commemorating Harvey Milk, the first openly gay politician elected to public office in the state, a spokesman for the governor said Monday.
Stuart Milk, nephew of Harvey Milk, sits next to a photo of the gay rights activist in March.

Milk was assassinated in 1978.

Under the measure, the governor each year would proclaim May 22—Milk’s birthday—as a day of significance across the state.

Read the full story at CNN.com.

Schwarzenegger signs bill honoring gay-rights activist Harvey Milk Read More »

Dan Glickman: Hollywood’s man in D.C.

Leave a Comment / Hollywood Jew /

After six years as agriculture secretary and five years as chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association of America, Dan Glickman knows something that might surprise some people: You can find plenty of Jews in both industries.

“Historically there were not a lot of Jewish farmers in this country,” primarily because so many Jews in Europe were not permitted to own land, Glickman said during a recent interview with JTA. But, he points out, many Jewish Americans are involved in other aspects of the agriculture ndustry, from meatpacking to processed foods.

Meanwhile, in Hollywood, the original movie moguls indeed were mostly Jewish, and Jews continue to fill the ranks of the creative side of the business. But these days, Glickman says, most “movie companies are subsidiaries” of larger corporations and “tend to be not Jewish-controlled at all.”

He adds that the the bulk of the movie industry—from the truck drivers to the caterers to the camera operators—is really no more Jewish than any other business.

Still, as Glickman likes to joke, where else but America would you find a Jewish secretary of agriculture promoting the pork industry?

Glickman, also a U.S. Congress member from Kansas for 18 years, made the quip earlier this month at a dinner in Washington, where he accepted the Hubert H. Humphrey Award from the National Jewish Democratic Council.

Being Jewish wasn’t a problem in any of his jobs, he says, but his Democratic Party background didn’t help when he took over in 2004 at the Motion Picture Association of America, which among other things runs the movie ratings system.

“When I came into the job, Republicans controlled both houses of Congress and the presidency,” he recalled. “It was an uphill battle.”

But his experience as agriculture secretary, which Glickman calls “the most nonpartisan department,” and his willingness to do some things he’d never done—like attend fund-raisers for Republican candidates—enabled him to build relationships with the GOP, he said.

Glickman says he occasionally sees attacks on Hollywood that meld “liberal” and “Jewish” together, and that though Hollywood is often attacked as liberal, it’s really a misnomer except for the most visible actors and filmmakers.

There are “more and more conservative Jewish people in the business,” he said.

“Ninety-nine percent of Hollywood is not out defending Roman Polanski,” said Glickman, who works in Washington. “They’re normal people who do their job, work hard and want to help their families as best they can.”

Much of Glickman’s job has nothing to do with the creative side of the movie business. He deals with economic and business matters, particularly intellectual property issues such as “protecting our content from being stolen.”

Glickman gained experience on the issue and others during his tenure in Congress, where he was one of three Jewish representatives or senators who were born in Wichita, Kan.

According to Glickman, his grandfather and the father of Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.)  were in the oil-field supply business together, and their families were close friends. Meanwhile, Glickman and Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) were born in the same Wichita hospital.

The 64-year-old Glickman, 64, recalls that the 1,000-member Jewish community in Wichita during his childhood provided him with “a good Jewish education” and says his Jewish heritage “goes long and deep.”

His Judaism, he says, gives him “a value system of treating people well” and leads him to try to “follow the golden rule.”

While Glickman says he’s not much of a synagogue goer other than on the High Holidays, he has struck up a relationship with Rabbi Levi Shemtov, Washington director of the American Friends of Lubavitch.

Shemtov, who has connections on both sides of the aisle, recalls when Glickman was scheduled to light the national Chanukah menorah on the Ellipse on an afternoon of pouring rain. The rabbi worried that the then-agriculture secretary wouldn’t show, but his motorcade pulled up and Glickman battled the elements to do the job.

“Everyone likes Dan Glickman,” said Shemtov, “and that’s very rare in Washington.”

Glickman says he’s not a member of Lubavitch, but likes Shemtov’s “very modern view of problems people have.”

As to his future, Glickman doesn’t know how long he’ll be at the motion picture association, but says with confidence that it won’t approach the 38-year tenure of his legendary predecessor, Jack Valenti.

Glickman is active in the fight against hunger, serving as a board member of Mazon: A Jewish Response to Hunger.

“Ultimately at heart I’m a non-profit, public service guy,” he said.

“I don’t miss raising money,” Glickman said about being a congressman, but “I do miss the impact on lives.”

Dan Glickman: Hollywood’s man in D.C. Read More »

Jewish music to be focus of Moroccan festival

Leave a Comment / Entertainment, United States, Worldwide /

Jewish music will be the focus of an annual Moroccan music festival.

Matrouz, the Moroccan Jewish musical tradition, will be featured at the festival Oct. 29-Nov. 1 in the port city of Essaouira, the French news agency AFP reported.

The concerts will bring together “our poets, our musicians and our singers, Muslims and Jews, to sing and dance together,” Andre Azoulay, festival chairman and an adviser to King Mohammed VI, told AFP.

Jewish music to be focus of Moroccan festival Read More »

Mahmoud Abbas demanding special session on Goldstone report

Leave a Comment / Goldstone Report, Israel, United States, Worldwide /

Mahmoud Abbas said he was ordering his envoy to the U.N. Human Rights Council to demand a special session for a vote on the Goldstone Report.

The Palestinian Authority president in a televised address Sunday to the Palestinian people called on the council “to judge anyone who committed crimes against the Palestinian nation.”

The demand for a special session comes two weeks after Abbas agreed to defer a vote on the United Nations report on Israel’s winter military offensive in Gaza. The deferment caused dissent throughout the Arab world, and has led to harsh criticism of Abbas’ leadership.

The report, which accuses both Israel and Hamas of war crimes and possible crimes against humanity, has been tabled until the council’s spring session.

On Oct. 7, the U.N. Security Council decided it will not hold a special session to discuss the Goldstone report. However, the Security Council did agree to move up its next monthly meeting by a week, to Oct. 14, and said members may discuss the report.

Abbas’ decision to agree to postpone the vote on the report led Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, to put off a meeting scheduled for the end of this month in which Hamas and Abbas’ Fatah Party were to sign a reconciliation agreement.

Abbas said he agreed to the postponement because he feared there would not be enough support in the Human Rights Council to pass the report on for action in the Security Council.

Mahmoud Abbas demanding special session on Goldstone report Read More »

Bryan Singer discussing ‘X-Men’ return

Leave a Comment / Uncategorized /

“X-Men” and “X2” director Bryan Singer—who is already attached to an Excalibur remake and a Battlestar Galactica feature—is talking with Fox about a possible “X-Men” return, according to AP/Hollywood Reporter:

“I’m still looking to possibly returning to the ‘X-Men’ franchise. I’ve been talking to Fox about it,” Singer said at a talk at South Korea’s Pusan International Film Festival.

“I love Hugh Jackman. I love the cast,” he said, referring to the Australian actor who plays Wolverine.

Singer said he enjoyed making science fiction and fantasy movies because they allowed him to discuss serious issues through entertainment. He said the “X-Men” series, which follows a group of mutants with superpowers who struggle to fit in with humans, is about tolerance and social structures.

He said he likes to “trick audiences into thinking they’re seeing fireworks, but they’re learning about themselves and listening to what I have to say.”

“The excitement about working in science fiction and fantasy is—the stories, if they are good, are about the human condition,” Singer said.

Bryan Singer discussing ‘X-Men’ return Read More »