David Reaboi, senior vice president of the Security Studies Group, discussed Qatar and terrorism in front of around 50 people at the Beverly Hills Hotel on May 25.
Reaboi spoke after Shabbat morning services were held by the Beverly Hills Jewish Community Synagogue in the Sunset Ballroom, highlighting his cover story in the May 24 edition of the Journal.
“Today there is no more important bankroller of the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas than Qatar,” Reaboi said, adding that Qatar is “savvy when it comes to information warfare” as well as lobbying for favorable policies in Washington, D.C. Reaboi cited the ongoing civil war in Yemen as an example of this.
“We think that Saudi Arabia is indiscriminately bombing schoolchildren in Yemen. What they [the media] don’t tell us is that the Iran-backed Houthi” rebels want their own Hezbollah-like state, Reaboi said, arguing that Qatar supports the Houthis due to Doha’s warm ties with Tehran.
Reaboi said that the Senate’s block on $2 billion in arms sales to Saudi Arabia since April 2018 is an example of Qatar’s effective lobbying in D.C. He argued that “the most pro-Qatar, anti-Saudi politicians come out of South Carolina” due to the establishment of Barzan Aeronautical, a subsidiary of the Qatari-run Barzan Holdings defense industry, in South Carolina in March 2018.
“Suddenly [Senator] Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) goes from being very good on this stuff to being very bad on this stuff,” Reaboi said, adding that even former United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley is “terrible” on Qatari issues.
The only Republican senator who is good on matters relating to Qatar is Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.), Reaboi argued, pointing out that Cruz sponsored the Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act of 2017.
“He’s got a very good staff and he’s very right on this,” Reaboi said.
He also said that Qatar’s lobbying in D.C. has been “empowered by lobbyists in the Jewish community.” When an audience member asked Reaboi for names during the Question-and-Answer session, Reaboi listed attorney Alan Dershowitz and Zionist Organization of American President Morton Klein as examples. Reaboi added that Dershowitz visited Doha in January 2018, and then “immediately upon his return writes a piece [in The Hill] calling Qatar the ‘Israel of the Middle East.’” Reaboi said Dershowitz’s Op-ed was essentially a “paid advertisement” for Qatar since Dershowitz admitted that he was invited by the Qatari royal family to visit the country.
Another audience member asked Reaboi why Israel sometimes encourages Qatar to give money to Hamas; Reaboi responded that members of the Israeli Foreign Ministry Foreign Ministry argue that Qatar needs to fund Hamas since the implosion of the Gaza Strip would result in bigger problems for Israel, Reaboi said. The problem with this line of thinking, Reaboi said, is that Qatar’s funding of Hamas enables Hamas to fund pro-Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) causes.
He later explained how the media helps promulgate Qatari talking points, citing Nathan Thrall’s March 28 New York Times article about the BDS movement and the Jewish community. Reaboi wrote in his cover story, “Thrall painted a bleak picture of Israeli atrocities and echoed age-old themes of untoward Jewish influence in America’s ‘paper of record.’” Reaboi argued in his speech that the Times never disclosed that Thrall is the director of the International Crisis Group’s (ICG) Arab-Israeli project; stating that the ICG is “40 percent funded by the Qataris.”
Reaboi also pointed out that CNN frequently has on British journalist Mehdi Hasan, a presenter on the Qatari-run Al Jazeera English, to discuss “every possible subject… no one says, “Hey this guy is being paid by the Qatari government.’”
In response to an audience question about the growing political divide in the U.S., Reaboi argued that the Democrats are moving “further and further left” and that “Qatar takes advantage of this” by using Al Jazeera English to discuss “woke” progressive issues while Al Jazeera Arabic does “absurd anti-Israel videos about the Holocaust and the usual crazy stuff… it’s an operation. It’s something that’s thought out.”
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed a bill into law May 29 at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem that protects Jewish students and employees from anti-Semitism on campus.
The Tampa Bay Times reports that the bill, HB-741, codifies anti-Semitism as “dehumanizing, demonizing, or stereotypical allegations” accusing Jews of controlling powerful institutions as part of a global conspiracy. It also defines criticism of Israel that veers into “applying a double standard to Israel by requiring behavior of Israel that is not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation, or focusing peace or human rights investigations only on Israel.”
“Anti-Semitism has no place in our state,” DeSantis said to reporters after he signed the bill, adding that any “institution that adopts any anti-Semitic policies or guidance” will “be verboten.”
Republican State Sen. Randy Fine, who co-sponsored the bill, recounted an instance 32 years ago when a male student failed an Algebra class because the teacher wouldn’t excuse him from taking a test on Yom Kippur, saying, “If that was a real holiday, we would have all had it off.” Fine then said he has aimed to ensure that the aforementioned story would never happen to his children.
Israeli American Coalition (IAC) for Action Chairman Shawn Evenhaim said in a statement, “In 2018, IAC for Action took the lead in resourcing the Florida legislature’s development of HB-741. Recognizing the sharp increase in anti-Semitic activity, our approach was to pursue legislation that delivers a practical regulatory response. The signing of this law goes far beyond simply showing symbolic support for the plight of the Jewish community. We sincerely thank Representative Randy Fine, Governor DeSantis, and legislators on both sides of the aisle for standing boldly against anti-Semitism.”
What are Hezbollah’s terror aspirations and how can we combat them?
This was the topic of a panel hosted by the American Jewish Committee (AJC) Los Angeles in partnership with the Consulate General of Romania in Los Angeles on May 28 at Wilshire Boulevard Temple School.
Around 200 people came to hear Lt. Gen (Ret). and Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA) Hybrid Warfare Task Force member John Toolan, AJC Transatlantic Institute Director Daniel Schwammenthal, Southwestern Law School Professor, Lt. Col. of the U.S. Air Force (Ret.) and JINSA Hybrid Warfare Task Force Member Rachel VanLandingham, and U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps Col (Ret.) and JINSA Hybrid Warfare Task Force member Ian Corey.
Toolan noted that the first time U.S. Marines had to deal with terrorism was in 1983 when Hezbollah bombed U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut, killing 241 American service members.
“Since that time we’ve learned an awful lot about terrorism,” Toolan said, adding that at the time Hezbollah was a “faceless enemy” and that “today terrorism has morphed probably 50 times and it continues to change.”
He went on to say that one of the challenges involved in combating a terror group like Hezbollah includes balancing rules that nation-states have with the lack of rules constraining Hezbollah and their ilk.
Schwammenthal added, “Hezbollah has one goal and it shares the same goal with other radical Islamic organizations and that is to establish an Islamic state where Sharia [law] rules supreme.”
Schwammenthal also said that along with terrorism, Hezbollah uses political methods in Lebanon through their use of “welfare organizations” to provide “subsidized healthcare for the population in southern Lebanon. They do this in the same way as the mafia in Sicily provides similar services… all within the same goal of strengthening their support base.”
“Hezbollah has one goal and it shares the same goal with other radical Islamic organization and that is to establish an Islamic state where Sharia law rules supreme.” — Daniel Schwammenthal
He added that Hezbollah has been involved for many years in transnational criminal activities, including drug trafficking in Latin America, where it conducts business with various drug cartels.
Regarding the rule of law, VanLandingham said Hezbollah exploits “a misunderstanding of what the law allows [by] delegitimizing Israel in the eyes of the world.” She added that Hezbollah stations around 150,000 rockets in Lebanese civilian homes and hospitals, which amounts to “every third Shia home in Lebanon” being used as a human shield. “Hezbollah knows the law of armed combat allows Israel to strike [these civilian areas], she said, “because they become military targets once the weapons are stationed there.
“[Hezbollah] know their civilians are going to die and they’re OK with that because they want to show the carnage” on global television, VanLandingham said.
Toolan said that information warfare is important to fight terror groups like Hezbollah since “virality trumps veracity.” He cited the October 2013 viral video of Marines desecrating the bodies of dead Afghanis as an example of something that could “set us back years” in terms of public opinion.
VanLandingham added that the information war is something that Western militaries struggle with since it takes time to analyze and declassify information needed to determine the legality of civilian strikes.
Corey suggested that maintaining good relations with the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) is a good way to “counter the narrative that Hezbollah is the only force powerful enough [to control Lebanon.]”
Schwammenthal also criticized media coverage of Israel’s conflicts with Hamas and Hezbollah, saying the terror groups keep firing rockets at Israel until Israel is forced to respond, and that media coverage focuses on Israel’s response and then buries the fact that Hamas and Hezbollah instigated the conflict.
LGBTQ+ Pride Shabbat On the eve of Pride Month, JQ International holds its second annual “LGBTQ+ and Ally Pride Shabbat” at a private home in Beverlywood. Courtney Mizel, a JQ board member and JQ’s 2017 Community Leadership Award honoree, is the hostess. Celebrating Shabbat and gay pride, the evening includes a catered kosher rainbow menu by Chef Mumsie, rainbow candlemaking crafts, entertainment and an open bar. JQ International is a Jewish organization emphasizing inclusivity regardless of religious affiliation, gender identity, sexual orientation or expression. 6:30-10:30 p.m. $50. Address sent upon ticket purchase. (323) 417-2627.
SAT JUNE 1
David Zasloff
“The Reluctant Jew” Both “jazz comedian” David Zasloff and his audiences find something funny about “The Reluctant Jew,” Zasloff’s narrative and musical account of how he discovered, somewhat belatedly, a home inside Judaism and his Jewish heritage. Along the way, the poet and philosopher has been a stained-glass artist, wilderness guide, ski instructor, written two books and plays “zen jazz” with his band. 7:30-10:30 p.m. $15 advance tickets. $20 at the door. $10 students, seniors. $8 Beyond Baroque members. Beyond Baroque, 681 Venice Blvd., Venice. (310) 822-3006.
Breakfast, Teaching and a Show Gathering women who enjoy spending time with other women on Shabbat, Lev Eisha offers a light breakfast, insightful teaching, and musical and meaningful Shabbat services. Rabbi Toba August leads the learning, followed by Jewish Women’s Theatre’s “The Accidental Activist,” original stories of courage, outrage and action. 8:15 a.m. breakfast and teaching. 9:30 a.m. Shabbat services. Free. Beth Shir Shalom, 1827 California Ave., Santa Monica. (310) 575-0985.
“The Big Shabbat” Young professionals, including singles and couples, are invited to “The Big Shabbat,” a gathering of their peers at Nessah Synagogue. Rabbi Yitzchak Sakhai leads the inspiring Shabbat morning services, followed by a special Kiddush, socializing and l’chaims. 9:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Free. Nessah Israel Synagogue, 142 S. Rexford Drive, Beverly Hills. (310) 273-2400.
“Playback Yerushalmi” Jewish Women’s Theatre presents the Los Angeles premiere of “Playback Yerushalmi,” an English-language playback show about Jerusalem, staged by Yanshufim Ensemble, a Bay Area-based improv troupe of Israelis. Designed for both American and Israeli audiences, the participatory-theater show has performers listen to stories by members of the audience, then improvise about them onstage while acting, singing and using movement techniques and humor. 8-9:30 p.m. $22-$25. Jewish Women’s Theatre, 2912 Colorado Ave., Santa Monica. (310) 315-1400.
Rabbi Sharon Brous
Seidler-Feller and Brous Rabbi Chaim Seidler-Feller, who served as the executive director at Hillel at UCLA for four decades, and IKAR Rabbi Sharon Brous lead a lunch-and-learn session following Shabbat services at IKAR. Their personal conversation, “Ties That Bind,” explores religion and social justice. 9:15 a.m. Shabbat services. 12:30 p.m. discussion and lunch. Free. Shalhevet High School, 910 S. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles. (323) 634-1870.
SUN JUNE 2
Rosh Hodesh Women’s Circle Food justice community organizer Devorah Brous leads the celebration of an ancient ritual as attendees gather to share wisdom and learn from one another. Brous’ “newMOON Rosh Chodesh Women’s Circle” meets every month on the occasion of the new moon. Participants dress in white and are encouraged to bring a glass jar that they will take home with salts following the gathering. Potluck dishes are welcome and each woman is asked
to bring one intention to plant in her inner garden in the new month of Sivan.
7-10 p.m. $20, $25. Pacific Palisades address provided after ticket purchase.
M. Zudhi Jasser
“Taking on the Islamist Establishment” M. Zudhi Jasser, an internationally recognized expert on Islamism, appears at Kehillat Ma’arav to discuss “Taking on the Islamist Establishment,” addressing the root cause of Islamic terrorism. 10 a.m. breakfast. 11 a.m. lecture. Free. RSVP required. Kehillat Ma’arav, 1715 21st St., Santa Monica. (310) 829-0566.
James Worthy
James Worthy Lakers great James Worthy and former Los Angeles Times sports columnist Steve Springer discuss the purple and gold’s past and present as well as the revised edition of Springer’s book “100 Things Lakers Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die.” The event at Shomrei Torah Synagogue includes a continental breakfast and book signing. 10 a.m.-noon. Free, event only. $20 for event and Springer’s book. RSVP required. Shomrei Torah Synagogue, 7353 Valley Circle Blvd., West Hills. (818) 854-7650.
TUE JUNE 4
Revolutionary Judaism “Judaism as a Revolutionary Religion,” an interactive discussion at Sinai Temple, examines what is it about Judaism that has provided a foundation for 75 percent of the world’s population and the changes it introduced into the lives of our ancestors that continue to reverberate today. Speakers are Sinai congregant Elie Alyeshmerni and Rabbi Erez Sherman. Dinner provided to Sinai Men’s Club members. $10 general admission. 6:30-9 p.m. Sinai Temple, 10400 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. (310) 474-1518.
Challot for Shavuot In advance of Shavuot, join the Israeli-American Council (IAC) for the women-only challah-baking event “Mother & Daughter Challot LeShavuot.” A community rebbetzin explains the rituals around baking challah, and each person will be assisted in creating their own dough, which they can take home and use to bake their own bread loaves. If your mother or daughter cannot make it, don’t fret — bring friends or other relatives. 7-9:30 p.m. $30, must be purchased in advance. Proceeds benefit Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles. IAC Shepher Community Center, 6530 Winnetka Ave., Woodland Hills. (818) 466-6405.
“‘Shtisel’: Behind the Scenes” Join the cast and writer of the hit Israeli television show “Shtisel” (Yiddish for “a little bit”) for a sneak peak into the creation of the series and view clips to learn how “Shtisel” has impacted them, the Charedi community and Israel as a whole. The series, which is streaming on Netflix, follows a Charedi family living in an ultra-Orthodox neighborhood in Jerusalem as it reckons with love, loss and daily life. Over two consecutive evenings organized by Gesher — which facilitates dialogue between the secular, religious and Charedi sectors of Israeli society — “Shtisel” stars Dov Glickman, Ayelet Zurer and Neta Riskin plus show creator and writer Ori Elon appear in conversation. On June 4, Larry Tanz, vice president of international original series at Netflix, moderates; on June 5, Sinai Temple Senior Rabbi David Wolpe does. 7 p.m. both evenings. $54 general admission, $100 premium, $250 VIP. June 4: Saban Theater, 8440 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills. June 5: Sinai Temple, 10400 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles.
Current Events in Israel Hebrew teacher Shifra Raz leads a weekly class called Current Events in Israel and the Jewish World, drawing on Hebrew novelists, dramatists, poets and popular songwriters, and taught through reading, discussions, role-playing, creative writing, singing and watching Hebrew-language films. 7-8 p.m. $10 per class for members, $15 per class for general admission. Free for students under 16. Mishkon Tephilo,
206 Main St., Venice. (310) 392-3029.
WED JUNE 5
Resiliency Training Security experts from The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles’ Community Security Initiative (CSI) lead a basic safety course designed for congregants and parents. Unveiling a new program, CRT (Community Resiliency Training), CSI officials focus on how to create a culture of security through the identification of pre-incident indicators, efficient reporting and situational awareness. 7-8:30 p.m. Free. Sephardic Temple, 10500 Wilshire Blvd. (310) 475-7000. All attendees must preregister to have access to onsite parking. Email juliah@sephardictemple.org with your full name, title and organization.
Have an event coming up? Send your information two weeks prior to the event to ryant@jewishjournal.com for consideration. For groups staging an event that requires an RSVP, please submit details about the event the week before the RSVP deadline.
The national security advisers of the United States, Israel and Russia will meet in Jerusalem in June, the White House said Wednesday.
The announcement said that John Bolton of the United States, Meir Ben-Shabbat of Israel and Nikolay Patrushev, secretary of the Russian Security Council, would convene “to discuss regional security issues.”
American Friends of the Hebrew University (AFHU), which raises awareness and funds for Hebrew University in Jerusalem, honored leading trial attorney Brian Panish, founding partner of Panish Shea and Boyle, at the Harvey L. Silbert Torch of Learning Award Dinner.
The May 16 event at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel commemorated Panish’s professional achievements and civic leadership while drawing close to 400 attendees and raising nearly $900,000.
The proceeds from the event benefited Hebrew University’s Faculty of Law and will advance AFHU’s mission in support of the university.
According to AFHU, the award remembers the late Silbert, a widely respected attorney and businessman who was committed to Israel, Hebrew University and the mission of AFHU for more than half a century.
Hebrew University Professor Barak Medina, the rector of the university who is also a former dean of the Faculty of Law, was in attendance.
“The Hebrew University’s Faculty of Law represents the pinnacle in legal education in the State of Israel and is the training ground for Israel’s greatest legal minds,” AFHU Western Region Vice Chair and Event Co-Chair Patricia Glaser said in a statement.
The event featured New York Times op-ed columnist and Pulitzer Prize-winner Bret Stephens as the keynote speaker.
Rabbi Naomi Levy, founder of Nashuva congregation and author of “Einstein and the Rabbi,” delivered the invocation.
The Israeli American Council (IAC) has named business leader and philanthropist Naty Saidoff as the next IAC national chairman of the board.
Saidoff, who is a co-founder of the IAC and has served on its board of directors since its inception, will start in the new role at the end of the year, according to the May 23 announcement. He currently serves as an IAC Los Angeles council member.
“I’m honored to join our CEO, Shoham Nicolet, at the helm of the fastest-growing Jewish organization in America at this pivotal time,” Saidoff said in a statement. “The IAC has nurtured a vibrant coast-to-coast community and a dynamic national platform of programs. It is uniquely equipped to bring solutions to the table that make a transformative impact on the Jewish community in America and the state of Israel at this complex moment in Jewish history.”
In addition to his work with the IAC, Saidoff and his wife, Debbie, are supporters of StandWithUs and sit on the board of the Shalom Hartman Institute. Saidoff is the founder and principal owner of Capital Foresight, a closely-held debt acquisition and commercial real estate holding company. The businessman recently acquired a controlling interest in Shikun & Binui, one of the largest construction and infrastructure companies in Israel.
In a statement, current IAC Chairman of the Board Adam Milstein said Saidoff was well qualified to be his successor.
“Naty is a visionary and talented Jewish leader, philanthropist, and business trailblazer — and will add so much to the IAC’s work as chairman,” Milstein said.
Saidoff is also an involved member of the American Jewish Committee (AJC) and was the first Israeli-born member of their national board of governors. Every year the Saidoffs fund four exclusive trips as part of the AJC’s Project Interchange Institute, of which Debbie serves as national chair. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti was part of their most recent delegation to Israel.
“Naty Saidoff is a visionary in philanthropy and business. The IAC couldn’t be more thrilled to have him on board as our next Chairman,” IAC Co-Founder and CEO Shoham Nicolet said in a statement. “Naty is a role model for me personally and for our entire community for his commitment to giving, activism, and service to the community and his social entrepreneurship. His leadership will be especially invaluable as we work to expand our partnerships within the American Jewish community to build stronger local Jewish communities, secure a vibrant Jewish future for our children, and strengthen the State of Israel.”
An umbrella organization for Israeli-Americans, the IAC has chapters across the country, including in Los Angeles, and holds events and programs serving the Israeli-American and Jewish-American communities.
— Erin Ben-Moche, Staff Writer
Artist Bruce Rubenstein (second from far right) with his wife, Shirly Brener, actor Mickey Rourke and his children, Journey and Mila, at his recent art opening. Photo courtesy of Vincent Chavez
The May 11 opening of Jewish artist Bruce Rubenstein’s solo exhibition, “Alive in the Superunknown,” at Castelli Art Space in Los Angeles drew many friends, art lovers and loyal art collectors, some of whom had traveled from as far as Dallas to view new art by Rubenstein.
The New York native, who moved to Los Angeles in 1985, specializes in large-scale artworks, blending abstract forms and organic shapes with hints of hidden symbols and figures. Rubenstein also enjoys painting on old wooden doors instead of the standard canvas, using mixed-media to create stunning pieces of art.
A few celebrities attended the exhibit, among them Mickey Rourke and Tina Knowles, who is pop star Beyoncé’s mother, and her husband Richard Lawson.
Rourke, who owns two paintings by Rubenstein, has been a longtime friend of the artist. The two met in New York City while Rubenstein was working as a window dresser in Manhattan. Soon after they met, Rourke offered him a job as a driver and assistant. Rubenstein packed up his things and moved to L.A.
“I worked my way up the ranks and eventually ran his production company and co-wrote with him the movie ‘Bullet,’ ” Rubenstein said.
The semi-autobiographical 1996 movie, based on Rubenstein’s life growing up on the streets of New York, tells the story of Butch Stein, a Jewish junkie from the mean streets of Brooklyn. Rourke played Stein, and the late rapper Tupac Shakur played Tank, a local drug dealer. Both of Rubenstein’s brothers died of drug overdoses many years ago, and he was left alone to support his ailing mother.
After 15 years of working with Rourke, Rubenstein founded a decorative painting company called Red Ruby Paintworks and did murals and Venetian plastering. His huge murals can be found throughout the Los Angeles area including at the Henry Fonda Theatre, Wolfgang Puck restaurants and the Highlands nightclub. In recent years, he was also the manager of stand-up comedian Andrew Dice Clay and for two years was the executive producer of “Dice” on Showtime.
The one constant in his life was art.
“It takes years and years to find your true original voice and style as an artist and now that I have found it, I can’t stop painting. Sometimes I paint 10 hours a day, every day,” Rubenstein said. “What I’m representing to the world today is absolutely original and it’s me.”
Rubenstein is married to Israeli actress Shirly Brener and is the father of two girls, Mila, 14, and Journey, 6.
— Ayala Or-el, Contributing Writer
From left: Amanda Bialack, Jodi Marcus, Alyse Golden Berkley, Libby Weiss, Sharon Freedman, Deena Singer, Civia Caroline and Myra Chack Fleischer attend Jewish National Fund’s Women for Israel luncheon. Photo courtesy of Jewish National Fund
Jewish National Fund’s Women for Israel (WFI) held its annual luncheon at the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles in Beverly Hills.
The May 14 event featured former Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) Spokesperson Capt. (reserve) Libby Weiss and surprise remarks from Sderot Mayor Alon Davidi.
Co-chaired by Amanda Bialack, Civia Caroline and Deena Singer, with honorary chair Beverly Cohen, the event took place 71 years to the day since Israel declared its independence.
Weiss recounted her experience growing up in Portland, Ore., and attending JNF’s Alexander Muss High School in Israel, which helped secure her connection to the Jewish state. In speaking about her experience working as head of international social media for the IDF, she said: “The journey from the battlefield to the headline is very short. I had a front-row seat during conflicts and know how the truth can be manipulated.”
She also recounted the humanitarian work of the IDF, such as when the IDF traveled across the world to set up field hospitals in Haiti and the Philippines after natural disasters there.
Davidi was grateful for the opportunity to address the room full of women and thanked them for their support.
“When Sderot is strong, Israel is strong,” the Israeli elected official said. “When you support Jewish National Fund, Sderot is strong.”
In a statement, JNF Los Angeles Associate Director LisaShaoul said she appreciated the commitment of JNF’s women supporters.
“Our women for Israel are a strong, dynamic group of committed American women philanthropists who work tirelessly to improve the lives of Israelis,” Shaoul said. “We are so proud of the breadth and depth of our work and hope to continue making an impactful difference so that our Jewish homeland will continue to blossom and lives will continue to flourish.”
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party failed to form a coalition before Wednesday’s deadline, triggering a second round of elections.
According to the Times of Israel, the Knesset voted 74 to 45 to hold new elections on September 17. Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avigdor Liberman was the main obstacle to Netanyahu forming a coalition, as Netanyahu refused to support Liberman’s bill requiring haredim to enlist in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
“The Likud failed in this work of building a coalition… and they and the haredim are to blame for Israel going to elections,” Liberman told reporters.
The Likud Party lambasted Liberman in a statement, accusing him of aiming “to end Netanyahu’s career and replace him.”
This will be the first time in Israel’s history to have two elections in the same year.
Lynda Obst, 69, is one of Hollywood’s best-known and most successful producers. She has made over 20 movies and TV shows over the course of career. Her credits include “The Fisher King,” “Interstellar,” “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” “Contact,” “Hope Floats,” “One Fine Day” and “Sleepless in Seattle.”
She is the executive producer for the National Geographic channel limited series based on Richard Preston’s “The Hot Zone” (see this week’s Arts & Entertainment supplement) and a recipient of the Women in Film Crystal Award, as well as the We Empower Women’s Pioneer Award and the first Polly Platt Award.
Obst also wrote the best-selling book “Hello, He Lied & Other Truths from the Hollywood Trenches,” which was adapted into a documentary for AMC.
Originally from the suburbs of New York, she created Rolling Stone magazine’s “History of the ’60s” and later became an editor for The New York Times Magazine.
Howard Rosenman: You have quite an impressive resume, but you also have an incredibly talented family. Your younger brother, Rick Rosen, is a partner at William Morris Endeavor; your son, producer Oly Obst, has several series on air, including “The Resident” and “Chad.” How did that happen?
Lynda Obst: Rick came to Hollywood first. He worked his way up, first from working at a studio, home video and then eventually as an agent through ICM, and then he helped found Endeavor. I came out when Rick was just beginning because I was in journalism before that.
HR: When did you get woke to Judaism?
LO: During my son’s [addiction] recovery. When he was going through recovery, he started to believe in God. He had missed that growing up as a skeptic, secular, science-oriented son of a [Carl] Sagan-ite. While he was in the program, he had searched to find a meaning for the concept of God in his life. When I came home from that conversation, I was bereft that I had worked so hard at raising him but it didn’t occur to me that leaving God out would be such an important thing. So I began to want to really know what my own tradition was. I didn’t grow up in a religious household. We went to shul only on the High Holy Days. So I got to know a wonderful group of rabbis and their families who live in the Highland area eruv. They were incredibly gracious to me and invited me into their homes for Shabbat [and] for every holiday.
HR: How have your Jewish values impacted your career?
LO: Well, I had a very strong sense of ethics. I studied ethics as a graduate student and wrote my dissertation on ethics. Then I went to The New York Times, where ethics is a kind of operating principle. Nobody pays for your lunch; you need a certain amount of sources; you always have to tell the truth.
So when I came to Hollywood, and there was just a Wild West out here and there were no ethics, and it was take as you can and everybody grab and lie and fend for themselves, I found it formidable. My first boss was ethically challenged in a big way and he would terrify me by the actions that he took all the time. I tried to find other techniques to accomplish the same things without the same process.
So Jewish ethics is one thing that really matters to me. Also, I think the search for meaning. In my movies, if there’s anything consistent in them, it’s certainly heart, but also a search. My relationship to Judaism is Jacobian, in that I wrestle with it. I’m a Jew through and through, but I’m kind of a nonbelieving kind of a person. I’m a scientist, so I wrestle with the idea of laws, religious laws; and I wrestle with the idea of one God, the one God in the Bible; and I wrestle with the idea of tribalism; and I wrestle very strongly with the idea of putting your people ahead of all other people, as opposed to all people being equal.
HR: How do you feel about Israel as a progressive Jew in America?
LO: Dismayed. Because it’s not equitable. [Israel’s] Arab citizens are denigrated as second-class citizens. That’s not Judaic to me. That’s not in our principles because the war between the right wing and the left wing, inside the nation, is really a value crisis that involves social values, as well. Do we care only about demonizing another people to keep ourselves safe, or are we about improving the quality of our lives and the quality of the less fortunate among us? I will always go for the latter position.
HR: You became very friendly with Carl Bernstein and his then wife, Nora Ephron. How did that relationship come about?
LO: I met Nora at a volleyball game in Washington, D.C. She was my idol and my mother’s idol. I’d read every woman’s column she’d ever written for Esquire, and suddenly there was a volleyball game gathering outside. I’m a little bit of a jock, so I realized I was going to have to play the best game of volleyball of my entire life to get her attention. I’m pretty short, so that’s not easy in volleyball if you want to spike, but I was able to pass and I didn’t miss one pass that was sent to me.
Afterward, we hung out. She liked me and asked, “What do you do?” I said, “I go to graduate school. Columbia.” She said, “Read this article of mine and edit it.” She later told me the story was apocryphal and wasn’t true, but I swear that it’s true. So she gave me a piece of hers to edit and it was uneditable. It was perfect. I wrote her back and said, “I don’t see anything to change. I don’t see a word out of place.” She said, “You really are an editor.” Then she began to introduce me. She wanted me out of graduate school and being a magazine editor, which she sensed was my natural occupation. She was right. Between Nora and my ex-husband, I got the job at the Times.
HR: What are the favorite movies you’ve made?
LO: “The Fisher King,” “Contact” and “Sleepless in Seattle” — a classic. Many of my movies I love for different reasons. They’re perfect for what they are, like “One Fine Day” is great for what it is, and “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” was the most fun movie to make, but movies like “Contact” and “The Fisher King” are more expressions of who I am.
HR: What are you doing now and what does the future hold for you?
LO: Aging.
HR: But beautifully.
LO: I’m doing television and movies out of my office at Sony. I have “The Hot Zone,” then I have a bunch of movies and TV I’m putting together.
Howard Rosenman has produced more than 43 movies, including “Call Me by Your Name.” He is also a co-founder of Project Angel Food.
With Shavuot just around the corner, it’s not too early to make some preparations. One tradition of Shavuot is to decorate the home with beautiful flowers to commemorate the springtime holiday. Inspired by the recent super bloom that had California fields covered in poppies, I decided to whip up some poppies out of tissue paper for the occasion. They are so easy to make, and would be a fun activity for the whole family.
What you’ll need: Tissue paper
Scissors
Black buttons
Green pipe cleaners
1. From colorful tissue paper, cut two circles that are about three inches in diameter. The measurement doesn’t have to be exact, and the circles don’t need to be perfect.
2. Crumple the tissue paper, and then flatten it out again. Wrinkling the paper gives the flower petals more dimension and texture.
3. Stack the two tissue paper circles on each other. Then place a black button in the center on top of the circles.
4. Working from the top, insert a green pipe cleaner down through one of the holes of the button and through the two layers of tissue paper. Keep going until only about three inches of pipe cleaner remain on the top side.
5. Bend down the section of the pipe cleaner that still extends above the button and thread it through the opposite hole of the button.
6. Twist this end of the pipe cleaner around the main stem to secure the flower in place.
Jonathan Fong is the author of “Flowers That Wow” and “Parties That Wow,” and host of “Style With a Smile” on YouTube. You can see more of his do-it-yourself projects at jonathanfongstyle.com.
Jan Aronson died Sept. 18, 2018, at 93. Survived by husband Gerald; daughters Ellen, Lisa, Ruth. Mount Sinai
Jean Berson-Cahn died April 11 at 91. Survived by daughter Karen Campbell; son Peter Berson; 3 grandchildren. Mount Sinai
Nettie Bronson died April 18 at 103. Survived by daughter Lois; son Harold (Stephanie); 2 grandchildren. Mount Sinai
Joan Brown died April 12 at 87. Survived by daughter Debbie (Larry) Belkin; son Mark; 5 grandchildren; 4 great-grandchildren. Mount Sinai
Abe Brownstein died April 8 at 95. Survived by wife Eileen; daughter Sandy (Ron) Thomas; stepsons George (Tanya) Bruck, John Bruck; 6 grandchildren. Mount Sinai
Morris “Mike” Checansky died April 4 at 79. Survived by wife Iris; daughter Cindy (Robert) Yates; sons Rick (Eliza), Scott; 3 grandchildren. Mount Sinai
Anne Cholakian died March 30 at 69. Survived by sons Andrew (Jessica), William; brothers Daniel (Beverly) Gelb; Josh (Fanny Fuentes) Gelb. Mount Sinai
Irving Freedman died March 29 at 83. Survived by wife Sherre; son Randy; stepdaughter Marjorie Atkins; 4 grandchildren; 4 great-grandchildren; sister Esther Eglick. Groman Eden
Sheldon Freedman died April 13 at 84. Survived by wife Beth; daughters Mona, Hope (Joel) Cohen; sons Michael (Leora), Bryan (Denise); 7 grandchildren. Mount Sinai
Charlotte Friedman died April 13 at 98. Survived by sons Joseph “Joey” (Julie), Myron; 3 grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren; sister Liesel Shineberg. Mount Sinai
Kenneth B. Gelber died April 11 at 75. Survived by sons Jeffrey (Lauren), Rayn; sister Linda (Barry) Hyman. Mount Sinai
Arnold Gillis died April 7 at 88. Survived by daughter Nancy (Gary) Ferris; sons Steven (Shari), Martin; 4 grandchildren; sister Marilyn Goldfarb. Mount Sinai
Melvin Ginsburg died March 15 at 91. Survived by son Michael. Hillside
Esther Green died April 11 at 91. Survived by daughter Elissa (Michael) Beals; son Steven; 2 grandchildren. Mount Sinai
Marcus Jacob Jacobson died April 12 at 88. Survived by wife Judith “Judy”; daughter Mitzi (Roger) Schwarz; son Barry (Dina); 8 grandchildren. Eden Memorial Park
Edith Kalmar died April 13 at 92. Survived by sons George (Julie), Ivan (Diane Davidson); 4 grandchildren; 1 great-grandchild. Mount Sinai
Mildred Lewis died April 7 at 79. Survived by husband Edward; daughters Joan (Robert Cortes), Susan (David Golove); 2 grandchildren. Mount Sinai
Bernard Matier died April 18 at 93. Survived by daughter Deborah; son Michael (Stacey); 3 grandchildren; 1 great-grandchild. Hillside
Rose Mizrahi died April 19 at 92. Survived by daughter Vivien; son David (Linda); 6 grandchildren; 1 great-grandchild; brothers Pepe, Elis. Hillside
Adrianne Nathan died April 9 at 93. Survived by daughters Sandra Strom, Kathy (James) Barnes; 2 grandchildren. Mount Sinai
Edith Newman died April 18 at 95. Survived by daughter Deena (Charles); sons Gary (Jeanne), Jason (Karyn); 7 grandchildren; sister Jeanette. Hillside
Michael Perelman died April 4 at 54. Survived by mother Elaine; brother Mark. Mount Sinai
Marguerite S. Perkins-Mautner died April 15 at 92. Survived by daughter Deborah Kala Perkins; sons Louis (Michelle) Perkins, David Perkins; 2 grandchildren. Mount Sinai
Bernice A. Pitler died April 20 at 96. Survived by daughters Robin, Janice; 1 grandchild. Mount Sinai
Donald Raich died April 7 at 84. Survived by daughter Ariana (Brian) Swan; sons Jon, Michael (Lisa), Gregory (Samantha), Evan (Jill) Levy; 14 grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren; brother, Kenny (Jill). Mount Sinai
Ellie Rubin-Leichter died April 19 at 85. Survived by husband Ira; daughter Abbey Anna; 1 grandchild. Mount Sinai
Joseph Schnitzer died April 13 at 100. Survived by daughter Jerri (Marshal) Safron; son David; 4 grandchildren; 3 great-grandchildren. Mount Sinai
Louise Heller Schwab died April 17 at 71. Survived by husband Robert; daughters Hillary (Jordan), Marisa; son Andrew (Jackie); 2 grandchildren; sister; brother. Hillside
Ofer Sendowski died April 9 at 47. Survived by mother Shulamit; father Ilan; sister Merav (Jonathan) Rosenfeld. Mount Sinai
Paul Shorr died April 20 at 88. Survived by sons Steven, Stuart, Tim (Wendy); 1 grandchild; sister Harriet. Hillside
Allen Siegel died April 12 at 97. Survived by daughter Karen; son Kenneth (Ariel); 4 grandchildren; 6 great-grandchildren. Mount Sinai
Richard Wallach died April 19 at 81. Survived by wife Nancy; daughter Denise (Andrew) Geller; son Paul; 4 grandchildren. Mount Sinai
Elliott Weiner died March 28 at 66. Survived by daughter Chloe (Corwin Simms); sons Joshua (Sarah); Nicholas (Danielle) Fabi; 3 grandchildren; brother Stanley (Anne). Mount Sinai
Mitchell Aaron Williams died March 11 at 59. Survived by father Jack; brothers Gary, Ken. Eden Memorial
Edwin Wissner died April 16 at 100. Survived by daughter Barbara (Robert); son Peter; 4 grandchildren; 6 great-grandchildren. Hillside
