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August 13, 2012

A Day of Hope and Healing–Shabad Remembrance of the Wisconsin Shooting

Leave a Comment / Culture, Is Featured?, Mobile, Mobile Sections, News /

On Sunday, August 12, I was honored to represent the Board of Rabbis/Jewish Federation and the Los Angeles Council of Religious Leaders at “A Day of Hope and Healing: Shabad Remembrance of the Wisconsin Shooting.”  The commemoration was held on the steps of LA City Hall and featured music, prayers and remarks from Sikh leaders, elected officials, law enforcement representatives, and faith leaders.  I share these reflections with the hope and prayer that we will redouble our efforts to make our community a true City of Angels.

Reflections: A Day of Hope and Healing
Los Angeles City Hall – August 12, 2012

Rabbi Mark S. Diamond
President
Los Angeles Council of Religious Leaders
Executive Vice President
The Board of Rabbis of Southern California
The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles

ראה אנכי נותן לפניכם היום ברכה וקללה
“See, this day I set before you blessing and curse.”

This verse from Deuteronomy opens the weekly Torah portion that will be recited in synagogues throughout the world this coming Shabbat. We come together today to confront curses, and to celebrate blessings.  Today we mark a horrific, senseless act of terrorism that struck at the very heart of our community and our nation.

We join together this afternoon to express our heartfelt concern and sympathy on last week’s tragic act of terror in Wisconsin.  We are shocked and horrified by the brutal attack on the Sikh temple in suburban Milwaukee.  Our thoughts and prayers are with the members of the Sikh community.  We stand in solidarity with our Sikh brothers and sisters during this difficult time, as we pray for strength, comfort and healing for the victims, their families and friends.
 

Today we deplore the curse of gun violence that plagues our nation.  We cry out against the curse of causeless hatred that divides our community. We abhor the curses of prejudice and intolerance that set neighbor against neighbor.
We say with a loud and clear voice:  An attack on one house of worship is an attack upon all of us.  An assault on one faith community is an assault upon all of us. 

Even as we denounce curses, we honor blessings in our midst.  We are thankful for the blessings of worshippers at the Sikh temple who sacrificed their lives so that others might live.  We are grateful for the blessings of emergency personnel and other first responders who ended the carnage and rescued victims at the scene.  We give thanks for the blessings of the worldwide Sikh community and our own Sikh community here in Los Angeles, and celebrate the bonds that unite us.

There is another verse in the weekly Scriptural portion that helps me to cope with the tragedy in Oak Creek. 
בנים אתם לאדני אלוהיכם , we are taught in Deut. 14:2.  “You are children of the Lord your God.”  Two rabbinic sages debate the meaning and import of these words in a passage in the Talmud.  Rabbi Yehudah said: You are called God’s children only if your behavior makes you worthy of the title. Rabbi Meir replied: You are called God’s children no matter how you behave. 

Rabbi Yehuda argues that there are times when our conduct is so abhorrent, so inhumane, that we obliterate the Divine image within us.  Rabbi Meir disagrees, and suggests that even at our worst, even when we act more like animals than human beings, we remain children of God.

I don’t know what these sages would say in response to the tragedy in Wisconsin.  I do know this. Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Meir argue about hundreds of issues great and small in the annals of rabbinic literature.  And, in every case, the law follows Rabbi Yehuda—with one exception, this dispute.  In this matter, Jewish law sides with Rabbi Meir.  We are called God’s children; we remain God’s children, at all times and in all places.

The Torah teaches that human beings are created in the Divine image. And it warns us of the consequences of our failure to live by this creed.  Darkness envelops us when we refuse to see God’s image in our fellowmen and women. Tragedy and misery ensue when God’s children stop caring for and about one another. 

Each of us is a precious, irreplaceable gift.  Each of us can help to repair our fractured world.
בנים אנחנו לאדני אלוהינו.  We are all children of God.  May we work together to polish our tarnished image.  Amen.

A Day of Hope and Healing–Shabad Remembrance of the Wisconsin Shooting Read More »

Israel and the world Pt. 16 – weekly news from Israel

Leave a Comment / Blogs /

*Apparently, even the other side of the globe has heard of our achievements, and wants some of that Israeli magic. University of International Business Economics, one of the largest universities in Beijing, China, will open a department for Israeli economics studies. There, the Chinese students will be able to learn about the history of Israeli economy, about our coveted High-Tech developments, our business culture, and more.  To add to that, the first class of Israeli Culture and Language graduated the University of Foreign Studies in Beijing. Seems to me like the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

*Turns out Israel has a part in the latest space extravaganza: The Mars rover- Curiosity. Believe it or not, but NASA itself used a small refrigerator, which was developed and created at a factory in the Kibbutz Ein Harod. The small refrigerator has the very important role of protecting a radar on Curiosity, that must be kept in a temperature of -279.4 degrees.

*With all the attention to the Olympic games, an Israeli achievement in sports almost went unnoticed. But even if it’s been outside of London, it is still worth mentioning: Nadav and Aviv Ativ, brother and sister from Rehovot, are now the new champions of Water Skiing. Last week, Nadav won the gold medal at the world championship in Australia, and Aviv took first place in the European championship to the age of 19. 

*The American real estate Tycoon, Stan Hoffman, donated dozens of televisions, air-conditioners, fans and other electric appliances to lone soldiers in the IDF. Hoffman, a lone soldier himself, left his family and friends at the age of 19, and joined the IDF. He then continued living in Israel for 21 years, and then returned to the States and made his big fortune. Now, Hoffman’s son serves also in the IDF, and his daughter is also about to join. Hoffman himself decided to use his fortune for a good cause, and with his donations, helped lone soldiers, who are mostly Jews who made Aliyah by themselves.

*Jay and Lina Pedgog, tied the knot at the age of 80 after meeting in Florida. After getting remarried, something both widows never thought they’d do, the newlyweds decided to take another leap. Tomorrow, they will arrive in Israel with a special flight of the “Nefesh BeNefesh” organization, alongside 400 Americans who wish to make Aliyah.  Now, they are ready to start a new life here, as they plan to study Hebrew and tour their new home- Israel.

*Florence Waren, who danced for Nazis in Paris, while keeping her Judaism a secret, passed away at 95. In the 1940’s, while France was occupied by the Nazis, Waren helped the French resistance by hiding Jews in her apartment, and transporting guns, according to the New York Times. It was also said that she risked her life many times when helping Jews while trying to maintain her secret, safe identity.  After the war, Waren moved to New York, married producer and director Stanley Waren and started an acting career. Last month, she died at her Manhattan apartment at 95.

*Gadi Sahalo, 37, is an Israeli who made Aliyah from Ethiopia. Now, after completing a two month long course, he will become the first Ethiopian Israeli instructor for the high schools Journeys to Poland. In most places in Israel, 11th graders fly with their schools to Poland, for a trip back in time to world war 2 and the Holocaust. Sahalo, who lived in a concentration camp in Sudan for a year before arriving in Israel, will now guide them through the former concentration camps and death camps in Poland. 

Israel and the world Pt. 16 – weekly news from Israel Read More »

August 13, 2012

Leave a Comment / Israel, Must Reads /

‎In-depth‎

Obama Must Act on New Iran Intelligence

A new report puts US estimates on Iran in line with those of Israel, and the president must respond accordingly, writes Jonathan S. Tobin in Commentary Magazine.

The failure of the P5+1 negotiations have exposed the foolishness of the administration’s reliance on a diplomatic process that only serves to buy Tehran more time to work on a bomb. Similarly, the president’s claim that the sanctions he belatedly and only under great pressure adopted on Iran will convince the ayatollahs to give in is undermined by the waivers granted to the restrictions that have enabled the Iranian economy to keep functioning.

Has Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood Staged a Coup Against the Military?

Abigail Hauslohner of TIME examines the significance of the new Egyptian president’s decision to fire the entire leadership of the country’s powerful military.

‎

Sunday’s shift marks Morsy’s boldest move yet to reclaim power from the country’s powerful military council. But it follows a similar reshuffle last week in Egypt’s security sector, which included the ousting of an old regime ally, Mourad Mwafi, from the head of the country’s General Intelligence Service. The replacements in the security sector, and indeed in the military, all serve a purpose in the broader scheme of things, analysts say. “The Muslim Brotherhood doesn’t do anything off the cuff. Everything is according to plan and may be known for a few months before,” [prominent businessman and pro-democracy advocate Mamdouh] Hamza says.

Daily Digest‎

‎

  • Times of Israel:‎ ‘US would actively support Israel if it attacks Iran’

    ‎

  • Haaretz:‎ NATO official: Israel won’t have unanimous support for Iran strike any time soon

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  • Jerusalem Post:‎ Talk of military strike ‘makes Tehran nervous’

    ‎

  • Ynet:‎ Olmert: No reason to attack Iran now

    ‎

  • New York Times:‎ Syrian Jets Pound Rebel Positions as Opposition Presses for No-Fly Zone

    ‎

  • Washington Post:‎ U.S. officials warily endorse new Egyptian defense minister

    ‎

  • Wall Street Journal:‎ Lebanon Charges Politician With Syria-Linked Plot

    • August 13, 2012 Read More »

    The Israel Factor 08.2012, Full Statistics

    Leave a Comment / Israel, Stats /

    ‎1. Thinking about Mitt Romney’s visit to Israel, please rank the following statements from 1 (totally ‎disagree) to 10 (totally agree):

    ‎

    ‎

    Issue

    Score

    Romney proved to Israelis that he will be a better friend than ‎Obama

    5.11

    Romney ‎was practically endorsed by PM Netanyahu

    6.89

    Romney made a mistake when he spoke about ‎Palestinian “culture”

    6.89

    Romney’s visit will help him win over Jewish voters

    4.56

    It’s a problem that Obama hasn’t yet visited ‎Israel as president

    7.22

    Romney’s policy on Jerusalem is much different to Obama’s

    4.89

    From an Israeli viewpoint this was a very good ‎visit

    6.56

    ‎

    ‎2. Thinking about Iran, please rank the following statements from 1 (totally disagree) to 10 (totally ‎agree):‎

    ‎

    The US ‎and Israel are pretty much on the same page – they agree on both the objective and the ‎policy

    5

    They agree on ‎the objective but not the policy

    7.67

    They don’t agree either on the objective or on the policy

    3.12

    Obama will use force against ‎Iran if diplomacy doesn’t work

    6.44

    If elected, Romney will use force against Iran if diplomacy doesn’t ‎work

    6.11

    Israel will not ‎dare act against Iran without American consent

    6.22

    ‎

    ‎3. Looking ahead for 2012, please rank the following presidential candidates on scale of 1 (bad ‎for Israel) to 10 (good for Israel):‎

    ‎

    Candidate

    Score

    Barack Obama

    7.4

    Mitt Romney

    7.2

    ‎

    The Israel Factor 08.2012, Full Statistics Read More »

    The Israel Factor, 08.2012, Questionnaire

    Leave a Comment / Israel, Questionnaires /

    ‎1. Thinking about Mitt Romney’s visit to Israel, please rank the following statements from 1 (totally ‎disagree) to 10 (totally agree):

    ‎

    ‎

    Issue

    Score

    Romney proved to Israelis that he will be a better friend than ‎Obama

     

    Romney ‎was practically endorsed by PM Netanyahu

     

    Romney made a mistake when he spoke about ‎Palestinian “culture”

     

    Romney’s visit will help him win over Jewish voters

     

    It’s a problem that Obama hasn’t yet visited ‎Israel as president

     

    Romney’s policy on Jerusalem is much different to Obama’s

     

    From an Israeli viewpoint this was a very good ‎visit

     

    ‎

    ‎2. Thinking about Iran, please rank the following statements from 1 (totally disagree) to 10 (totally ‎agree):‎

    ‎

    The US ‎and Israel are pretty much on the same page – they agree on both the objective and the ‎policy

     

    They agree on ‎the objective but not the policy

     

    They don’t agree either on the objective or on the policy

     

    Obama will use force against ‎Iran if diplomacy doesn’t work

     

    If elected, Romney will use force against Iran if diplomacy doesn’t ‎work

     

    Israel will not ‎dare act against Iran without American consent

     

    ‎

    ‎3. Looking ahead for 2012, please rank the following presidential candidates on scale of 1 (bad ‎for Israel) to 10 (good for Israel):‎

    ‎

    Candidate

    Score

    Barack Obama

     

    Mitt Romney

     

    ‎

    The Israel Factor, 08.2012, Questionnaire Read More »

    Christian publisher pulls Christian historian’s book presenting a “Christian” Jefferson

    Leave a Comment / Books, Entertainment, Is Featured?, Mobile, News /

    While the Jewish press was intimately involved in the events that led up to Jonah Lehrer’s latest book being pulled by its publisher, the people of the book have largely ignored other news on the retraction beat that broke last week – namely, that David Barton, a self-trained historian whose portrayal of America’s founding fathers as men motivated by Christian values has made him very popular among evangelicals, had his most recent book pulled by its publisher.

    But while Lehrer-gate unfolded quickly – it was only a matter of weeks between the discovery of “self-plagiarism” and the uncovering of fabricated Bob Dylan quotes – the pulling of Barton’s book over concerns that it misrepresents basic historical facts about its subject, Thomas Jefferson, was decades in the making.

    “The Jefferson Lies: Exposing the Myths You’ve Always Believed About Thomas Jefferson,” was published earlier this year by Christian publisher Thomas Nelson. Since then, many eminent historians have rejected some of Barton’s basic claims about Jefferson, including the claim that he was a “conventional Christian.”

    In a recent NPR report, Barton also was quoted as saying that the slave-owning founding father was actually a “civil rights visionary.”

    Company executives explained that they had lost confidence in the accuracy of Barton’s book. “There were historical details — matters of fact, not matters of opinion, that were not supported at all,” Thomas Nelson Senior Vice President and Publisher Brian Hampton told bloggers for NPR.

    Barton is a favorite among evangelical Christians; he’s also been on the Jewish world’s radar for a long time, at least since 1994, when the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reported that he had addressed two events in 1991 held by “Christian Identity” groups.

    According to the ADL, Christian Identity is “a racist and anti-Semitic religious sect whose adherents believe that white people of European descent are the descendants of the ‘Lost Tribes,’ of ancient Israel.”

    There’s no link between Barton and Christian Identity, according to Marilyn Mayo, the co-director of the ADL Center on Extremism, who said that Barton later told a reporter he did not know what kinds of groups he was addressing.

    The basic subject of Barton’s talks in 1991—“He was advertised as a special speaker who would talk about America’s godly heritage,” Mayo said – seemed innocuous, although the flyer might have hinted at the more bigoted agenda of the audience. “Was it the plan of our forefathers that America be the melting pot home of various religions and philosophies?” Mayo said, quoting from the material promoting the Barton speech.

    But, Mayo said, Barton is no anti-Semite; if anything, he’s a philo-Semite, in the way that American evangelical Christians are. Last year, Barton was a featured speaker at one of Glenn Beck’s rallies in Israel. Barton quoted from John Adams, praising Jews, saying, “I will insist that the Hebrews have done more to civilize men than any other nation,”

    But that’s not to say that there’s no reason for Jews to be concerned about Barton’s vision of America’s future – in which the country would be a Christian nation. And there’s good reason for everyone to take particular note of his claims about the American past.

    “He clearly believes that separation of church and state wasn’t really the idea of the founding fathers,” Mayo said, and while that may not make Barton an anti-Semite, “it means that he believes that this country was founded on Christian precepts. That’s just not something that we agree with.”

    Christian publisher pulls Christian historian’s book presenting a “Christian” Jefferson Read More »

    Israel Factor: Obama more likely to attack Iran than Romney

    Leave a Comment / Israel, The Israel Factor /

    A year ago, Mitt Romney’s Israel Factor score was 7.4 and Barack Obama’s was ‎‎5.5.

    What a difference a year can make in time and perspective: in our new ‎survey for the Israel Factor, Barack Obama – for the first time – is leading over ‎Romney.

    This change was a long time coming. In May 2012 they were almost tied, in July ‎and June the two were tied. Take a look at Obama’s and Romney’s path to August 2012:‎

    Photo

    So what happened in the past month to put Obama ‎slightly ahead? Two things:‎

    A.‎ Romney’s visit to Israel, probably more acceptable to most Israelis than to ‎our panel, was somewhat problematic in the mainstream expert view. ‎Romney was playing politics – while the expert prefer policy driven ‎statements, comments and actions. We asked one panelist why his vote ‎for Obama went down from 9 to 8, and the visit was the reason. The ‎‎“Palestinian culture” statement, and generally, the “turning of Israel into a ‎wedge issue” didn’t make this panelist (who still favors Romney over ‎Obama) happy.‎

    B.‎ Obama’s seemingly tough position on the Iranian issue is making a ‎difference. We’ve argued many times that Iran is the most revealing issue ‎on which many Israelis – our panel included – look at the candidates and ‎how “good” they are on Israel. We dedicated a long question to Iran in this ‎survey, supplying the panel with statements to rank from totally disagree ‎‎(1) to totally agree (10). Look at these two statements and how the panel ‎rated them:‎

    ‎

    Obama will use force against Iran if diplomacy doesn’t work

    6.44

    If elected, Romney will use force against Iran if ‎diplomacy doesn’t work

    6.11

    ‎

    In other words: disregarding Romney’s implied claim that he will be tougher than ‎Obama on Iran – that he is more likely to use force against Tehran’s leaders – ‎the panel ranks Obama higher on this specific issue of using force. The panel ‎sees in Obama the determination to stop Iran by all available means. And while ‎the difference between Obama and Romney on this question is not great, it ‎even gives Obama a little more credit than it does Romney. ‎

    As you know, we don’t reveal the way each panelist votes on specific questions, ‎but counting the panelists, I can share another interesting fact: Four panelists ‎gave Obama higher marks on this question – only two panelists gave Romney ‎the edge (the rest ranked them identically). Also note that no panelist gave ‎Obama lower than a score of 5 on this question. No panelist thinks there’s no ‎chance in the world that Obama would use force against Iran.‎

    Interesting, is it not? I’m sure many readers aren’t going to agree with our panel ‎‎– and even more certain that many Israelis would not agree with it either. But ‎we’re doing a panel survey, not a public opinion poll. Next week, I’ll share with ‎you some of the reasons why our panelists have changed their rankings. ‎

    Israel Factor: Obama more likely to attack Iran than Romney Read More »

    Ankie Spitzer leads worldwide minute of silence for Munich 11

    Leave a Comment / Mobile, News, Olympics, Sports, Worldwide /

    Ankie Spitzer led a minute of silence to honor the Munich 11 that was streamed live around the world.

    Spitzer, the widow of an Israeli coach who was among 11 members of the Israeli Olympic team killed at the 1972 Games, led the minute of silence on Sunday evening at the JCC Maccabi Games opening ceremonies at the JCC Rockland in suburban New York.

    The JCC Rockland had initiated a petition drive, which turned into an international campaign, to hold a moment of silence at the opening ceremonies of the London Olympics in memory of the Israeli athletes and coaches killed by Palestinians terrorists at the Munich Olympics. The International Olympic Committee turned down the request despite high-profile supporters such as President Obama, presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney and governments around the world.

    “Maybe at the London Games we did not get the minute, but let me assure you, we did not have silence either,” Spitzer said at the Rockland JCC event. “For 40 years we walked this long and lonely road by ourselves, but not anymore. Two years ago I came here to the JCC Rockland and the JCC decided to dedicate the Maccabi Games to the memory of our loved ones. They were the ones who initiated the petition on the internet, and through this petition the world woke up.”

    Some 1,225 athletes from 36 delegations from the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Israel, Mexico and Venezuela will compete in sporting events this week in the Maccabi Games.

    Ankie Spitzer leads worldwide minute of silence for Munich 11 Read More »

    Gabby Giffords returns home to Tucson

    Leave a Comment / Arizona Shooting, Is Featured?, Mobile, News, United States /

    Former Arizona congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords has moved home to Tucson.

    Giffords and her husband, astronaut Mark Kelly, reportedly bought a home recently in Tucson and moved in on Sunday. She had spent the last year-and-a-half in Houston undergoing rehabilitation after being shot during a constituent event in Tucson in January 2011.

    The Arizona Democrat resigned from Congress in January to concentrate on her rehabilitation. She will continue her therapy in Tucson, according to the Arizona Daily Star.

    Kelly had been living in Houston, but has since retired from the NASA space agency.

    Giffords, who is Jewish and a member of a local synagogue, was shot in the head at a Jan. 8, 2011 meet-the-constituents event outside a supermarket in Tucson. The gunman, Jared Loughner, killed six people. Giffords was among 14 people wounded.

    Loughner last week changed his plea to guilty in the attack. The change reportedly was in exchange for a plea bargain that would send Loughner to prison for life.

    He has been diagnosed with schizophrenia; Loughner was declared mentally competent to understand the charges against him.

    Gabby Giffords returns home to Tucson Read More »