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Jewish Journal

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March 23, 2016

Nazi propaganda and the forging of hate

Leave a Comment / Culture /

An effective sales pitch reaches all audiences, and the Nazis knew it.

That’s why, amid the memorabilia on display in the traveling exhibition “State of Deception: The Power of Nazi Propaganda,” posters and banners, flags and newspapers, are mixed with a child’s board game, knives and pins given to members of Hitler Youth groups and a copy of Adolf Hitler’s “Mein Kampf” printed in Braille. 

“The Nazi Party began a chain of niche marketing, directing propaganda toward students, toward women, toward farmers,” said Steven Luckert, curator of the free exhibition at the Los Angeles Central Library through Aug. 21. “You open up this edition of ‘Mein Kampf,’ and there’s a swastika in Braille. The Nazis were even targeting their message to the blind, saying, ‘We understand your plight. You have been excluded from the German community, and we want to bring you back.’ ”

Presented by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) and the Los Angeles Public Library, the multimedia exhibition charts how, shortly after the end of World War I, the Nazi Party transformed itself from a fringe extremist group into German’s largest political power. Through a sophisticated propaganda machine, the Nazis spread lies about political opponents, promoted anti-Semitic messages and ultimately tried to justify the need for war. 

In “Mein Kampf,” Hitler famously called propaganda “a truly terrible weapon in the hands of an expert,” and, according to exhibition researchers, his party proved to be expert propagandists through both subtle and overt methods. Luckert, curator of the permanent collection at USHMM, pointed out a 1932 campaign photograph of Hitler’s face shot by his official photographer, Heinrich Hoffmann. It used shadowing similar to techniques used to shoot movie stars, over a black background. The poster, he said, would have stood out opposite the brightly colored posters of his political opponents.  

Amid the aftermath of World War I and the during Great Depression, Luckert said, the Nazi Party tapped into citizen dissatisfaction and used amorphous phrases and vague promises to gain support. The party grew from winning 12 seats in the German parliamentary elections in 1928 to 107 in 1930. By 1932, the party had 232 seats. 

All the while, it was calculated in its strategy, including how it did — and didn’t — invoke anti-Semitism.

“They learned from a number of local groups that anti-Semitism didn’t play well with those audiences, so they didn’t use it,” Luckert said. “When Hitler ran for president of Germany in 1932, he gave a speech in which he lays out his program. There’s not one reference to the Jews. He does that not because he’s not anti-Semitic, but he knows that he can get more votes by having a broader appeal, and that anti-Semitism could be divisive.”

“State of Deception” drew more than 1.7 million visitors during its initial run through 2012 at USHMM in Washington, D.C. This smaller version of the exhibit has been traveling the country and will be at the downtown branch of the L.A. Public Library into the summer.

More than 30 middle school, high school and college classes signed up for tours before the exhibition even opened; experiences like those help expose newer audiences across the country to the museum, according to museum officials. And that’s just the beginning. 

“There are online resources. If you bring your class here, it doesn’t just stop when you leave,” said Steven Klappholz, director of USHMM’s western regional office. “This is the national United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and we want to make sure that we are servicing the entire country. If you live in Calabasas, our goal is to make the museum as relevant to you as if you lived in Arlington, Va.”

On a recent Tuesday morning shortly before the exhibition’s March 10 opening, Luckert led a group of 15 students from Otis College of Art and Design. Pausing in front of a Volksempfänger “People’s Receiver” radio, Luckert explained that the devices were manufactured cheaply by the Nazi propaganda machine so working-class citizens could have easy access to party speeches as well as targeted music and programming for young people and housewives. 

“They even had something close to ‘American Idol,’ ” Luckert said. “You can get across subtle propaganda messages, but the Nazis also found that people responded better to a message after listening to music like this. It worked, and this is something that propagandists today argue still works.” 

The Otis students were part of an undergraduate class titled “Movies That Matter,” involving watching Holocaust-themed films such as Roman Polanski’s Oscar-winning “The Pianist.” The “State of Deception” exhibition fed into the class’ unit on anti-Semitism, according to instructor Perri Chasin.

“I want them to question the media that they see,” Chasin said. “Right now, we’re going into an election period, and I think it’s really important that they listen carefully, that they understand what the message is and who the messenger is. As global citizens, it’s important for them for to understand that as artists, they have a responsibility and this is part of their responsibility.”

Sophomore Rachel Halemanu, who also saw the exhibition in Washington, D.C., said this more condensed version was easier to process. 

“There’s a lot of information, and it’s easier for us to get a grasp on what they’re trying to say here,” Halemanu said. “We’re focusing on the media and it’s really interesting to see how media can influence our perception on different subjects.” 

The tour of the exhibition by the Otis students included a bonus: a visit with actor Robert Clary, the former “Hogan’s Heroes” star who recently celebrated his 90th birthday. A Holocaust survivor, Clary spent more than 20 years working with the Simon Wiesenthal Center and giving talks about his experience throughout the United States and Canada.

On the lecture circuit and now, Clary gives a markedly different message than what the Nazis were espousing in prewar Europe.

“Be better human beings. Don’t hate each other. Don’t be too greedy and help other people,” Clary told the Journal. “It’s a very hard thing to do, but it’s not impossible.”

Nazi propaganda and the forging of hate Read More »

BDS on campus: A response to Jay Sanderson

Leave a Comment / Opinion /

Last week, I was driving through La Verkin, Utah on my way back to Los Angeles after three peaceful days of hiking and camping in Zion National Park. We turned a corner and my phone lit up, buzzing and beeping after being disconnected. Amid the text messages and emails, a headline caught my eye about a Jewish leader in Los Angeles who had criticized the the Israeli government’s approach to combatting BDS on campus.

I read through the article and tried to make sense of it. Jay Sanderson’s comments, detailed by Haaretz columnist Judy Maltz, did not fit the impression that I had of the conservative-leaning Los Angeles Jewish community. I was encouraged to see a Jewish leader speaking out about his disagreements with the Israeli government, and calling for pro-Israel advocacy that includes the questions and visions of students.

As soon as I got home, I drafted a response to Mr. Sanderson, thanking him for his leadership and for speaking candidly about the polarizing debates over BDS that many students experience on campus. I was disappointed to see that Sanderson later regretted his initial comments, following them up with remarks that put him more in line with the same non-nuanced Israel advocacy he initially criticized. While he insists that his comments were taken out of “context,” it’s hard to believe that Haaretz would have printed his comments inaccurately. I’m left wondering what caused such a significant shift in Sanderson’s position from the first article to the second.

Initially, Sanderson rightly pointed out that efforts against BDS on campus have only helped to “stoke the fire” of the polarized debates over BDS and drive young Jews away from Israel and the Jewish community altogether. As an alternative, he called for less noise and more nuance in conversations about Israel. His comments are an important call to action to create more space for young people, like Sanderson’s own 22-year-old daughter, who returned from trips to Israel with many concerns about the direction of the country, to ask questions.

Like Sanderson’s daughter and many other Jewish college students, I have serious questions about the direction that Israel is headed and the policies of the Israeli government. Thousands of young people across the country see continuing settlement expansion in the West Bank threatening the viability of a two-state solution, and we are worried for Israel’s future. We see that the occupation of Palestinian territory in the West Bank has gone on for almost fifty years, and we feel deep concern for the rights of Palestinians.

Our questions and principles have led us to Israel advocacy rooted in support for diplomatic solutions and opposition to policies and rhetoric that perpetuate and escalate the conflict. And they have led us to oppose the BDS movement on campus, because of its failure to advocate for a practical solution that would address the needs of both peoples.

I was so heartened to read that Sanderson recognized that our community needs to find more meaningful ways to engage young people. But he should have gone farther. The truth is, an obsession with “combating BDS” is often a distraction from the real issues in front of us and from our real questions. BDS fights often serve to reinforce the non-nuanced dialogue against which Sanderson initially spoke out.

Traditional approaches define “pro-Israel” on campus as simply opposing BDS resolutions and reading off pre-approved talking points – leaving out any commitment to working to support solutions and end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. If we want this to change, we need help from our communal institutions.

Unfortunately, these institutions have largely been failing us – advancing an unhelpful, overly combative and one-sided approach. It’s true the hard-line messaging against BDS advocated by the Israeli government is, to some extent, responsible for driving students away from the Jewish community. But the Federations should also take responsibility for themselves.

There are many ways that Jewish Federations and other important communal institutions around the country can move forward positively. They can heed J Street U students’ call to ensure that their policies and practices recognize the Green Line, a vital component of showing true support for a two-state solution. They can make clear that they do not support the settlement enterprise and the ideology of those who work towards permanent Israeli control of the West Bank. Most importantly, they can listen carefully to students’ questions and take our concerns into account.

In the past few years, important voices throughout our community have begun to speak out about the dangers of occupation, and to call for a broader conversation about Israel that can honestly and successfully engage concerned young people. These include leaders from the Reform movement, which I am proud to call myself a part of.

I was pleased to see Sanderson taking a step in the right direction. But this is not the first time an American Jewish leader has expressed concern over the flight of young people from our community – and it won’t be the last.

We need more than just words. These concerns must followed up with real action – and a real willingness to improve upon strategies that are not working.

Lizzie Stein is a senior at Occidental College and is the Vice President for the Southwest on the J Street U National Student Board.

BDS on campus: A response to Jay Sanderson Read More »

An opulent showcase for kosher wines and food

Leave a Comment / Food, Los Angeles /

“I’m not even Jewish!”

This is not the conversation I expected to have with an expert winemaker who has been involved with the production of kosher wines for more than a dozen years. But such was the case with the affable Philip Jones, senior winemaker and managing director of Goose Bay from New Zealand and the Pacifica label from Oregon. 

His Oregon pinot noir is certified kosher, and a terrific value for any Oregon pinot, really. The Bay Area native was raised Catholic but found himself intrigued by the idea of getting into kosher wine when a friend suggested it to him over dinner one night in Santa Maria, Calif., more than 20 years ago. 

The exchange I had with Jones, during which he talked about the challenges of bringing Jewish winemakers from Melbourne, Australia, to his remote New Zealand vineyard to produce Goose Bay’s kosher vintages, was one of the many unexpected pleasures of the Kosher Wine & Food Experience held March 2 at the Petersen Automotive Museum. 

Sample iconic French label Laurent-Perrier rosé and classic Champagnes, and taste vaunted Rothschild kosher wines? Nosh on short rib cavatelli and pastrami-style cured cod on a rye blini from the chefs at Herzog Wine Cellars’ flagship Ventura Country kosher restaurant, Tierra Sur? See the range of the famed enterprise’s kosher production, including reserve bottles and its special edition Camouflage blend that combines 12 varietals? All this, plus a chunk of Israel’s wine industry all present under one roof in L.A.? Twist my arm. 

For the sixth annual Los Angeles event that originated in New York City, organizer Royal Wine Corp. moved the tasting extravaganza with approximately 50 wineries and eight spirits brands to the Petersen from last year’s location at the W Hollywood hotel. Attendees tasted Israeli wines while snapping photos of Maseratis, rare alternative-fuel cars, vintage motorcycles and the like.

An opulent showcase for kosher wines and food Read More »

Rabbi elected as first Jewish member of Ugandan Parliament

Leave a Comment / Worldwide /

The leader of a tribe of Jews in Uganda, a rabbi whose family and community were persecuted under Idi Amin, has been elected to the Ugandan Parliament — the first Jew to achieve that honor in the African nation.

Rabbi Gershom Sizomu has a Los Angeles connection: He was ordained in the Conservative movement at Sinai Temple in 2008 by Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson, dean of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies at American Jewish University.

“I was very proud of him,” Artson said about Sizomu’s election.

Sizomu, 47, and his wife, Tziporah, also recently became parents for the fifth time on March 12. Nadav Sizomu had his naming ceremony on March 21, joining siblings Igaal, 21; Dafnah, 19; Naavah, 10; and Zivah, 4. Today, there are about 2,000 members of Sizomu’s Abayudaya tribe. The Jewish origins of the tribe date to the early 20th century, even before Uganda gained independence from Great Britain. Sizomu and the Abayudaya live in the eastern Ugandan town of Mbale, near the Kenyan border.

“It’s the second-largest town in Uganda, but by American standards, it’s very, very small,” said Artson, who flew to Uganda to formally install Sizomu in Mbale. “His community is on the outskirts.”

Sizomu was elected in an eight-way race in February to represent the Bungokho North district of eastern Uganda in Parliament as a member of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Party, the opposition party. His election was challenged in court by runner-up Peter Magomu Mashate of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), the ruling party.

Last week, Sizomu told the Jewish Journal the court had dismissed the challenge and that he is now listed in the Uganda Gazette as a member of Parliament for the district. But according to Diane Tobin of Be’chol Lashon, a San Francisco-based organization of global Jews with which Sizomu is affiliated, Sizomu is facing a second round of court challenges.

“Obviously, it’s a historical moment,” Artson said of Sizomu’s election. “It’s the first time a Jew was elected to [the Ugandan] parliament. It’s the first time a member of the Abayudaya can participate.”

The story of the Jewish origins of the Abayudaya began in 1919, when Uganda was a British protectorate. Tribal general Semei Kakungulu renounced Christianity after a dispute with the British and converted to Judaism. Sizomu’s grandfather succeeded Kakungulu as spiritual leader of the Abayudaya. Both Sizomu’s grandfather and father were rabbis, although neither was ordained.

“[They had] no formal rabbinic training as there was no rabbinic school in Uganda,” Sizomu said.

Under Idi Amin, the tribe’s existence was imperiled. “We were not allowed to practice or identify with Judaism,” Sizomu said. “We were forced to work on school gardens on Saturday, and they called us Christ-killers.”

Sizomu’s father was arrested for building a sukkah during the dictator’s rule.

“I was inspired by my father and grandfather, who were both spiritual leaders of my community, but the overthrow of Idi Amin on Erev Pesach brought me much closer to the delivering God of Israel,” Sizomu said. 

After Amin’s ouster, which Sizomu called “the perfect timing for redemption,” the Abayudaya sought closer relations with worldwide Judaism. Through the organization Kulanu, they connected with the Conservative movement in the United States, resulting in a formal mass conversion of the tribe in 2002.

Sizomu left his country to study Conservative Judaism at the Ziegler School for five years, including one year in Jerusalem.

“He liked that we were focused on God,” Artson said, “and followed traditional texts and the love of mitzvot.” Sizomu also served a rabbinic internship at Shomrei Torah in West Hills while studying at the Ziegler School.

In 2008, Artson flew to Uganda to formally install Sizomu. “It was on the Uganda national newspaper’s front page,” Artson recalled. “We had one week of Torah learning and shared it with the community.”

Artson described the Abayudaya services as “very spirited” and “traditional … like a Conservative congregation. A lot of singing, many psalms and proverbs [set] to their own melodies, an African rhythm and musicality, too. Wonderful, great energy, great spirit.”

In fact, a CD of Abayudaya prayer music was nominated for a Grammy.

Artson called the Abayudaya “generous and dignified” and Sizomu “genuine and real. He loves his community.”

Sizomu called Artson “my teacher and mentor and a big inspiration.”

“[He] is a great teacher with a voice of reason heard in every statement coming out of him, and I admire his clarity in teaching Torah and in explaining the realities of life. When he came to Uganda, everyone loved his lessons and sense of humor.”

Sizomu continues to visit the United States several times each year, including visits to synagogues in Southern California. 

In 2011, three years after his historic ordination, he made an equally historic run for Parliament, but lost that election. Between the 2011 and 2015 elections, “I maintained my support” and “[learned] from previous experience,” Sizomu said. 

“I would like to use my position to appeal to government and non-government organizations here and abroad to help the people of my constituency have access to basic social needs like running water, health and education,” Sizomu said. “The Abayudaya will benefit alongside others.”

The longtime leader of the Abayudaya is looking forward to joining Parliament, but said he also remembers the past. He will seek to ensure that previous persecutions will not be repeated.

“[The] Abayudaya will benefit by gaining some political recognition, which can translate into some political protection,” he said. “In the past, we have suffered at the hands of people who have used political power to promote their hatred against us.”

Rabbi elected as first Jewish member of Ugandan Parliament Read More »

Despite increased tension, Jerusalem Marathon attracts runners from around the globe

Leave a Comment / Israel /

Minutes after runners from around the world kicked off the sixth annual Jerusalem Marathon on March 18 from Sacher Garden, next to Israel’s Knesset, the city’s mayor and architect of the racing course took a last peek at the starting line. 

“If you love running, there’s nothing like a marathon, and I personally love running,” Mayor Nir Barkat, clad in shorts and a neon-green pullover, told the Journal.

“This time, I’m going to take a group of my army buddies with me. I’m going to be a tour guide while I run today,” added the avid distance runner, who is known to trail through the city he governs most mornings.

But while some of the city sites along the route, which leads runners inside the Jaffa Gate and through the Armenian Quarter, have been around for ages, one thing was decidedly new: beefed-up security.

Marathon organizers were well aware of the nearly 20 Palestinian attacks and attempted attacks on Israelis that have taken place in Jerusalem since October, when anxiety in Israel reached a peak. The March 18 marathon marked the first major international event in Jerusalem since tensions sparked. 

Police spokeswoman Luba Samri said 1,000 officers were dispatched throughout the city. A note on the marathon’s website warned, “Attention: no weapons are [allowed] in Sacher Garden area,” the starting point of the race. 

Lydia Weitzman, foreign media adviser to the Ministry of Tourism, told the Journal extra efforts were made this year in particular to attract overseas participants. International travel to Israel has dropped slightly as of late, down 4 percent from last year.

Since the first year the race was held, in 2011, it attracted athletes from across the globe. This year was no different, with more than 25,000 participating. Of those, 2,600 hailed from 64 countries, with around 400 more international runners than last year.

“Today, the modern tourist understands that there is nowhere safe in the world,” Weitzman said.

Amir Halevi, director-general of Israel’s Tourism Ministry, said that sports tourism in general is less affected by geopolitical issues.

“A marathon runner who dreams of running through the streets of Jerusalem, steeped in history and culture, will not give up on his dream,” he said. 

Indeed, come race day, most runners were unmoved by the recent bout of violence in Jerusalem, despite the loops along roads where multiple stabbing attacks were carried out. 

“No, we’re not scared, but I don’t remember in previous years that [there] were so many soldiers, so I guess it means something,” said Mitushlach Brown, 20, a religious student from the United States who is attending seminary school in Kiryat Moshe and who was decked out in a rainbow tutu skirt. 

Bringing an international race to Jerusalem was Barkat’s idea. He has completed four marathons and runs the half-marathon in Jerusalem every year. The route he designed goes from the seat of Israel’s parliament to the Hebrew University and toward the Old City, leading runners inside the Jaffa Gate and through the Armenian Quarter, and then along the southern and central parts of the city. The legs of the race have more hills and therefore are more exhausting, dipping through 2,300 feet of elevation. 

At one time, the marathon caught ire from the Palestinian Authority, as part of its path weaves through sections of East Jerusalem, but the criticism has tempered over the past few years.

All of this year’s top-placing runners were from Kenya. Shadrack Kipkogey, 25, won the men’s race with a time of 2 hours, 16 minutes and 33 seconds, while the women’s record was set by Joan Jepchirchir Kigen, 38, who ran the course in 2 hours, 28 minutes and 30 seconds to beat her own time by seven seconds. 

One of this year’s participants, Flora Frank, 72, power-walked down a slope early in the first leg of the competition with a plastic bag full of bananas dangling from her left hand.

“This will be — please God, if I get through it — my 33rd marathon,” she said. 

Like many runners, Frank was raising funds for a cause. She had two: an English branch of World Emunah working on a special needs project, and Zaka, an Israeli emergency response organization.

“We’ve over 300,000 pounds so far, I’m not talking about dollars, I’m talking about sterling,” she said. (That’s the equivalent of more than $425,000.)

While huffing and puffing, runners catch views that extend to Jordan and include terrace gardens, high-rises and ancient stone walls. 

Barry Sacher, 43, from South Africa was not sweating the steep scales. He trains in Beit
Shemesh, where he currently resides south of Jerusalem, also notable for its hills.  

“Everybody says it’s the views, the culture, the history, the international feel,” he said of the race. “There’s something about it that stands out.”

Despite increased tension, Jerusalem Marathon attracts runners from around the globe Read More »

When Jews cheer for Fascism: Trump at AIPAC Policy Conference

Leave a Comment / Opinion /

On March 21, Donald Trump was one of four presidential candidates to address the annual Policy Conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). One needs no introduction to the fascist policy proposals that have propelled the businessman’s campaign into the national spotlight. Even Jews who have no family connections to the Holocaust easily observe the parallels in his scapegoating of ethnic minority groups, proposed mass deportations, immigration bans and national registries. Therefore, it was disconcerting (to say the least) to watch thousands of our brethren stand on their feet and cheer for the man whose core platform points resemble 1930s Germany more so than any modern presidential candidate’s. 

Over the years, American Jews’ political support has hinged on a candidate’s willingness to throw his or her weight behind the pro-Israel community and all of its facets. So much so, that oftentimes the candidates’ general platform points take a back seat to their stances on Israel. This has been an advantageous strategy, and one that has resulted in a strengthening of ties between the U.S. and Israel. But there is a point at which every moral Jew must ask himself or herself, how much are they willing to sacrifice for this relationship? Would we sacrifice our liberties or those of our neighbors? Or can we muster the courage to draw the line well before that? Are we willing to support a candidate who calls for a national registry of an ethno-religious minority, so long as he throws jabs at President Barack Obama’s stance on Israel? Are we willing to put aside his scapegoating tactics so that we may hear a few additional sound bites on Palestinian nationhood (or lack thereof)? Are we willing to put aside the very values that Judaism embodies, in favor of a slightly more hawkish stance on our foreign policy in the Middle East? 

In this age of political disillusionment, hyper-partisanship and changing tides, Jews’ place as a voice of political reason is becoming ever more important. The values of tikkun olam are no longer localized calls for grass-roots volunteerism. They are a real driving force behind many of the actions young Jews across the nation are undertaking: mass political action, progressive rallying and intersectional social justice. Indeed, as Jews, it is always our responsibility to embody the principles that Hillel the Elder so famously stated. And we must ask, if we are not for Muslims, what are we? If we are not for Latinos, what are we? If we don’t stand up to fascism, what are we? And if not now, when? 

So, no, we will not stand up and applaud Donald Trump for saying he will support Israel. We will not turn a blind eye to bigotry and fascism because it is politically convenient, or because it is not yet targeted at us. We will not wait until all those who stood in solidarity with us are imprisoned, deported or murdered. And this is simply because we know all too well that if we do so, there will be no one left to stand with us.

Guy Singer is an undergraduate student at UC Santa Barbara.

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Hollywood millennials for Hillary Clinton

Leave a Comment / Blogs, Danielle Berrin, Opinion /

It was a marvelous sight: Beneath a giant screen bearing a big “H” sat Chelsea Clinton, the daughter of a former president and a presidential hopeful; America Ferrera, a first-generation Latino-American actress; and Lena Dunham, the young, half-Jewish writer and creator of the HBO series “Girls.” They had gathered onstage at the Hollywood venue NeueHouse on the night of March 20 to proclaim their support for Hillary Clinton. (Full disclosure: I was invited because I’ve donated to Clinton’s campaign.) 

During one of the nastiest election cycles in recent memory, in which xenophobic pandering has reached a new low, the evening offered an astonishing image of American politics in the 21st century: three powerful, accomplished (and quite young) women campaigning for their dream of crowning the nation’s first female commander in chief. 

But the dream quickly gave way to a bitter reality. 

“There’s this narrative about young women not being inspired by Hillary,” Ferrera, best known as the star of sitcom “Ugly Betty,” said. “And that’s just not the case.”

“When I first made it clear [on social media] that I was obviously voting for and campaigning for Hillary Clinton is when the vitriol started,” Dunham began. “And I want to say that I have received more hostility [from fellow Democrats] for voting for a qualified female candidate than I have ever received from anyone in the American right wing.” 

The hip venue and casual, laid-back atmosphere belied the gravity of the evening’s message: that Clinton is targeted by a culture “so deep into the psychology of villainizing successful women,” as Dunham put it, her qualifications are often either dismissed or delegitimized — along with the credibility of her supporters.

As if to underscore the young-and-hip factor, Dunham wore a jean jacket with sewn-on patches and knee-high socks, while Ferrera looked more polished in a white blazer. The duo of actress-activists sought to prove that some young women are, in fact, electrified by Clinton and offered a litany of reasons for why they support her. Between them, a pregnant Chelsea Clinton, dressed in a simple black pantsuit, sat quietly while the stars delivered theater-worthy monologues to drum up more support. 

Both women cited specific Clinton policy positions to illustrate how she aligns with their values. Ferrera talked about growing up as the daughter of an immigrant, single mother who raised six children on her own with very few resources, revealing that she depended on free meals at school. “I’m an American Latina who has experienced firsthand so many of the inequities that children and families from communities of color face in this country — the kinds of inequities Hillary has spent her entire career trying to change and understand,” Ferrera said in support of immigration reform.

Dunham had her list, too, but used her soapbox to speak more personally about the sexism she’s encountered for publicly supporting Clinton. “I’m kind of done with being polite about this,” she said. “The fact that other members of the Democratic Party have spoken to me like I was an ill-informed child for voting for someone who represents everything that I think this country should be, is outrageous. 

“I’m sorry,” she continued, “but to be told by people who supposedly share your values and your goals that the choices you’re making come from a limited understanding of feminism and a limited understanding of your own needs is wrong.”

Dunham said she reached her “tipping point” last week when she received an anonymous comment on social media from someone alleging that Bernie Sanders “has done more for feminism than Hillary Clinton.” 

“I. Lost. My. Freaking. Mind,” Dunham said to laughter and applause. A group of Sanders supporters known as the “BernieBros” have earned a reputation in the media as a “sexist mob” for posting misogynistic messages so offensive that even the Sanders campaign has tried to subdue them. 

“The idea that you’re going to tell me that the woman who stepped into the White House when I was 6 years old and made me think it was possible to live the life I wanted, and say the things I believed in, has somehow not done enough for women in her career, is so offensive to the core of my being that I should probably stop talking right now because I’m going to turn into a shaking, ogre monster,” Dunham said.

Lest anyone accuse these women of voting for Clinton for any reason other than her values and her record, Dunham and Ferrera spoke plainly about the role feminism plays in their choice. 

“I think it’s pretty awesome that Hillary Clinton is a woman,” Ferrera said. “However, if you could show me a purple-faced, three-eyed, sexless Martian with a better record on defending women’s rights and fighting for the most vulnerable children and families,  and working across party lines to actually get things done, then I would be out there campaigning for that Martian.” 

“When I’m told I am voting for [Clinton] only because she’s female and I’m female, I’m like, ‘If that was case, I’d be out campaigning for Carly Fiorina,’ ” Dunham said to laughter. “I’m sitting here before you as a voter who is fully informed. It doesn’t mean we’re using our whatever … vaginas … to vote for president. Which is the most insane concept.”

Their message inspired the crowd, a mix millenials and Gen Xers, but also underscored Clinton’s weakness among young voters who feel galvanized by Sanders’ message of economic equality. Again and again, the actresses used terms such as “hard won,” “unglamorous,” “unsexy” and “slow going” to describe Clinton’s work, while Sanders calls for revolution. In a thinly veiled reference to her mother’s Democratic opponent, Chelsea Clinton insisted that this is not a “single-issue” country and Americans can’t afford to have a single-issue president.

Due to give birth to her second child this summer, Chelsea Clinton said becoming a mother has deepened her appreciation for politics. For her, there is a simple litmus test for candidates that has nothing to do with gender, race, strength or even experience: “Am I being well represented?” she asked. “Are my values being represented?”

There are troubling realities to confront with every candidate. Being a woman shouldn’t be one of them.

Hollywood millennials for Hillary Clinton Read More »

Israeli government minister blames Brussels terror on ‘eating chocolate’

Leave a Comment / Israel /

An Israeli government minister blamed Belgian officials for “eating chocolate” instead of paying attention to security against terror.

“If in Belgium they continue eating chocolate and enjoying life, and continue to appear as great democrats and liberals, and do not decide that some Muslims in their country are organizing terror, they won’t be able to fight them,” Intelligence Minister Israel Katz said Wednesday in an interview with Israel Radio. Katz also serves as the country’s transportation minister.

His remarks came a day after twin bombings at Zaventem Airport and at a metro station in central Brussels killed at least 34 people and injured dozens.

“Europe and the U.S. aren’t prepared to define that the war is on Islamic terror,” he also said. “When your definition isn’t right and doesn’t exist, you can’t lead a global war.”

Several Israeli lawmakers criticized Belgium and Europe for lax security and for being hospitable to Muslims, but not integrating them properly into society.

Joint Arab List lawmaker Ahmed Tibi called the attacks “worthy of moral and political denunciation.”

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ADL condemns Cruz for call to patrol ‘Muslim neighborhoods’

Leave a Comment / Election 2016, United States /

The Anti-Defamation League condemned Republican presidential candidate Texas Sen. Ted Cruz for calling on police to patrol Muslim neighborhoods in the U.S.

On Tuesday, Cruz called in a statement for new powers for law enforcement to “patrol and secure Muslim neighborhoods” in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Brussels, Belgium, before the residents “become radicalized.”

“If you have a neighborhood where there’s a high level of gang activity, the way to prevent it is you increase the law enforcement presence there and you target the gang members to get them off the streets,” the Texas senator told CNN’s Anderson Cooper later in the day. “I’m talking about any area where there is a higher incidence of radical Islamic terrorism.”

Responding in a statement Tuesday, ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said: “As we saw in Brussels today, violent terrorism is a legitimate concern for the home front. But demonizing all Muslims is a misguided and counterproductive response to the terrorist threat posed by those motivated by a radical interpretation of Islam.”

He also said: “The overwhelming majority of Muslims in America are law-abiding people who are as outraged by terrorism and bigotry as Americans of every other faith. Sweeping generalizations about them can serve only to foment discrimination and hate crimes against innocent, devoted Americans. Furthermore, our law enforcement agencies need the cooperation of Muslim communities and community leaders to combat and deter crimes, including violent extremism.”

Calling the patrols of Muslim neighborhoods “an irrational approach,” Greenblatt said: “Ordering special patrols of Muslim neighborhoods will almost certainly create an adversarial relationship between law enforcement and the communities they have sworn to protect, making those communities more vulnerable, more frightened, and often less willing to help. The approach is contrary to the principles of individual rights, equality, justice, and religious freedom on which this nation was founded.”

The ADL on Tuesday also sent a letter to Cruz expressing concern about two individuals he has identified as members of a national security coalition that he would put together if elected president. The individuals were identified as Lt. Gen. William G. Boykin and Frank J. Gaffney, Jr., “who have a history of anti-Muslim bigotry and have promoted outrageous conspiracy theories involving Muslims,” according to ADL.

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Jewish student and AEPi member, 21, dies at Miami music festival

Leave a Comment / United States /

A Jewish student at the University of Miami died following complications from a seizure he had while attending a Miami music festival.

Adam Levine, 21, of Reston, Virginia, died early Saturday at the Ultra Music Festival, several media outlets reported. He was a junior political science major and member of Alpha Epsilon Pi, a Jewish fraternity.

Levine was also active in student government.

“Truly beloved by all, Adam’s outgoing, caring personality and sense of humor was known to always make his friends smile,” the University of Miami’s Vice President for Student Affairs Patricia Whitely said in a statement, according to local news website Reston Now. “With a remarkably joyful disposition, he enjoyed helping his fellow students.”

While in high school, Levine worked as a teacher at Northern Virginia Hebrew Congregation’s religious school and as a counselor at the synagogue’s summer camp for preschoolers. He attended the Union for Reform Judaism’s Camp Harlam for eight years, and his family has requested that friends make memorial donations to the camp’s memorial fund.

Robert Nosanchuk, a family friend and the former rabbi at the synagogue where Levine taught, told Reston Now that Levine was always “the kind of kid people gravitated toward.”

“He was so affectionate and open hearted,” Nosanchuk added. “He defined loyalty and protection. I saw that time and again. If this had happened to someone else, he would care more than anyone else. He was such a loyal, consistent friend.”

On Facebook, Nosanchuk, now senior rabbi at Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple in Cleveland, wrote: “I officiated at his Bar Mitzvah. Today I’ll stand in the same place where I shared the community’s blessing for him eight years ago, in Reston, VA, in order to help pay tribute to his incredible life-energy.”

Levine is survived by parents Bruce and Laurie Levine as well as a brother and a sister.

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