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Jewish Journal

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February 24, 2020

‘Hunters’ Creator Responds to Auschwitz Memorial’s Complaints

Leave a Comment / Entertainment /

Amazon’s new series “Hunters” has stirred up controversy for its portrayal of the Holocaust and the atrocities perpetrated by the Nazis. The Auschwitz Museum’s Twitter account posted its objections to the show’s depiction of torture, a macabre and deadly game of chess in particular.

“Auschwitz was full of horrible pain & suffering documented in the accounts of survivors. Inventing a fake game of human chess for @huntersonprime is not only dangerous foolishness & caricature. It also welcomes future deniers. We honor the victims by preserving factual accuracy,” the post read. It also responded to another Twitter comment by saying that it offers consultation services for shows and movies that want to portray scenes accurately, but “not many of them come for a consultation.”

David Weil, the show’s creator, issued a lengthy statement that addressed the museum’s concerns.

“Years ago, I visited Auschwitz and I saw the gates my grandmother was forced to enter decades earlier and the barracks she was forced to live in as a prisoner. I saw vestiges of the nightmarish world she had survived,” he said. “It was an experience that forever altered the course of my life. It was the moment consecrated in time and memory that I sought to make good on doing my part – however big or however small – to ensure the promise of ‘Never Again.’ I believed then – as I do now – that I had a responsibility as the grandson of Holocaust survivors to keep their stories alive.

He continued: “While ‘Hunters’ is a dramatic narrative series, with largely fictional characters, it is inspired by true events. But it is not documentary. And it was never purported to be. In creating this series, it was most important for me to consider what I believe to be the ultimate question and challenge of telling a story about the Holocaust: How do I do so without borrowing from a real person’s specific life or experience?

“It was for this reason that I made the decision that all of the concentration camp prisoners (and survivors) in the series would be given tattoos above the number 202,499. 202,499 is the highest recorded number given to a prisoner at Auschwitz. I didn’t want one of our characters to have the number of a real victim or a real survivor, as I did not want to misrepresent a real person or borrow from a specific moment in an actual person’s life. That was the responsibility that weighed on me every night and every morning for years, while writing, producing, editing this show. It is the thing I go to sleep thinking about and the thing I wake up working to honor.

“In speaking to the ‘chess match’ scene specifically… this is a fictionalized event. Why did I feel this scene was important to script and place in series? To most powerfully counteract the revisionist narrative that whitewashes Nazi perpetration, by showcasing the most extreme – and representationally truthful – sadism and violence that the Nazis perpetrated against the Jews and other victims. And why did I feel the need to create a fictional event when there were so many real horrors that existed? After all, it is true that Nazis perpetrated widespread and extreme acts of sadism and torture – and even incidents of cruel “games” – against their victims. I simply did not want to depict those specific, real acts of trauma.

“If the larger philosophical question is ‘can we ever tell stories about the Holocaust that are not documentary,’ I believe we can and should. ‘Hunters,’ like a myriad of acclaimed films on the subject, does not always adhere to literal truth in its pursuit of capturing the representational truth of the Holocaust. My decision to fictionalize was made in awareness of this debate, and this show takes the point of view that symbolic representations provide individuals access to an emotional and symbolic reality that allows us to better understand the experiences of the Shoah and provide it with meaning that can address our urgent present. I am forever grateful to the Auschwitz Memorial for all of the important and vital work that they do, for keeping the memory of victims and survivors like my grandmother, Sara Weil, alive.  I believe we are very much on the same side and working toward the same goals. And I hope we can continue a dialogue on how to achieve those goals.”

‘Hunters’ Creator Responds to Auschwitz Memorial’s Complaints Read More »

Henry Winkler and His Daughter Zoe Receive Children’s Charity Honor

Leave a Comment / Entertainment /

Henry Winkler and his daughter Zoe received Generation Awards from the nonprofit organization Westside Infant-Family Network for their philanthropy and support of vulnerable families. The “Barry” star, who had dyslexia as a child, accepted the WIN’s Leadership award for his work in helping children with learning differences.

“I am overwhelmed to be honored here today along with my daughter, Zoe, who has done so much good for the world. The passion and heart she has displayed in providing dignity and humanity to families devastated at the U.S./Mexico border is one of my proudest moments as a father,” Winkler said. Zoe is the co-founder of This is About Humanity, which supports separated families.

Henry Winkler and His Daughter Zoe Receive Children’s Charity Honor Read More »

19 JCCs Faced Bomb Threats, Officials Say

Leave a Comment / Online, United States /

Around 19 Jewish Community Centers (JCCs) across the United States faced bomb threats on Feb. 23, officials said, resulting in one of them being evacuated.

NBC New York reported that more than 100 people were evacuated from the Albany JCC as a precaution after it received an email of an anonymous bomb threat. Law enforcement inspected the JCC for any suspicious items and declared it safe.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, told reporters later in the day that 19 JCCs received similar bomb threats, 18 of which were in New York.

“You have your children in a class in the building and they say there is a bomb threat — that is terror,” Cuomo said. “And that is what they are trying to do, they are trying to create that terror. We can’t let them.”

He added that there have been 42 anti-Semitic incidents in New York over the past couple of months.

The New York governor also tweeted: “NY has zero tolerance for anti-Semitism — we won’t let hate & fear win.”

Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt tweeted, “#Antisemitism continues to plague NY. Sad sign of the times that bomb threats were emailed to 19 JCCs across the state in recent days. @ADL_NYNJ is responding, and thanks to @NewYorkFBI, @NYPDNews & all in law enforcement for investigating & protecting our communities.”

The American Jewish Committee similarly tweeted, “Horrific news from NY as 18 Jewish community centers received bomb threats yesterday. We thank federal, state, and local law enforcement for their swift reaction to this threat and @NYGovCuomo for his continued leadership in the fight against anti-Semitism.”

19 JCCs Faced Bomb Threats, Officials Say Read More »

By Boycotting AIPAC, Sanders Hurts the Palestinians

Leave a Comment / Editor's Note /

When Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) blasted the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) last Sunday while confirming he wouldn’t attend their annual conference, he probably didn’t realize he was hurting the Palestinian cause.

Sanders certainly merited the pushback he received for accusing AIPAC of promoting “leaders who express bigotry and oppose basic Palestinian rights.” Rabbi David Wolpe, for one, tweeted: “I’ve attended AIPAC more than ten times. Every time Palestinian rights were mentioned people applauded. There are a range of views presented, left, right and center. This dismissal is unwarranted and unworthy.”

My friend Sarah Tuttle Singer, who often writes in support of the Palestinian cause, posted this “Dear Bernie” message on Facebook:

“AIPAC is not monolithic.

It is a varied and multi-faceted tent encompassing all kinds of folks – including many who supported you back in 2016 and probably still support you this time around.

When I first spoke at Policy Conference, I criticized certain polices of the government of the State of Israel, talked about how we have to end the Occupation, restore justice to The Land, and how Israelis and Palestinians – Jews and Arabs – must live together in equality, freedom, and security.

I was invited back to share this message again and again and again.

You should come and see the enormous tent for yourself.”

So, yes, it was unfair for Sanders to harshly criticize a conference he has never attended.

As AIPAC noted in its response: Sanders “has never attended our conference and that is evident from his outrageous comment. In fact, many of his own Senate and House Democratic colleagues and leaders speak from our platform to the over 18,000 Americans from widely diverse backgrounds — Democrats, Republicans, Jews, Christians, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, progressives, Veterans, students, members of the LGBTQ+ community — who participate in the conference to proclaim their support for the U.S.-Israel relationship.”

Rabbi David Wolpe, for one, tweeted: “I’ve attended AIPAC more than ten times. Every time Palestinian rights were mentioned people applauded. There are a range of views presented, left, right and center. This dismissal is unwarranted and unworthy.”

But let’s give Sanders the benefit of the doubt and grant that he really believes those things he tweeted about AIPAC. Wouldn’t it still be in his interest to use this huge platform to convey his message of equal rights for the Palestinians? Sanders has made it his lifelong mission to care for the weak and the downtrodden, often mentioning the plight of the Palestinians.

By blasting and boycotting AIPAC, he missed the opportunity to help his own cause.

Let’s do a thought experiment: Imagine if Sanders would decide to attend the conference. If he really cares about the Palestinians, I can only dream that he’d have the courage to send them this message:

“I just returned from the AIPAC policy conference. It was quite an experience. I dream of the day when you, the Palestinian people, will have your own Palestinian Policy Conference, with speakers from all sides engaging in how best to move your movement forward.

“I dream of the day when Palestinians will shed the shackles of chronic victimhood and emulate your Jewish neighbors. After my people lost 6 million in the Holocaust, we could have wallowed for a century in justified victimhood. Instead, we accepted what the United Nations gave us and, against all odds, built this flourishing country called Israel.

“I’m not diminishing your pain one bit. I’m not downplaying the difficulty of your struggle. I’m only suggesting a more constructive approach to improving your future— an approach that replaces animosity and bitterness with enlightened self-interest.

By blasting and boycotting AIPAC, he missed the opportunity to help his own cause.

“This is what I saw at the AIPAC conference. I saw plenty of love for Israel, yes, but also plenty of genuine struggle. I saw panels where speakers were challenging Israeli policies; others that dealt with the complexity of Israel’s ongoing challenges, with the imperative of resolving the Palestinian conflict, with the religious and ethnic divisions in the region, and even with Israel’s contributions to the welfare of humanity through technology and innovation.

“There’s no reason why you can’t do the same. You have the talent and the drive; all you need is the opportunity. You must demand this from your leaders. You must demand that they sit down and negotiate with Israeli leaders and make a serious counteroffer. You must demand an end to the rejection of normalized relations with Israel, which only reinforces despair, and demand to begin the long process of co-existence, which is the only path to hope.

“If you choose this path, know that I will support you every step of the way. And when you have your first Policy Conference in Washington, D.C., know that I will gladly attend.”

By Boycotting AIPAC, Sanders Hurts the Palestinians Read More »

Belgian Carnival Depicts Jews as Insects

Leave a Comment / Online, Worldwide /

The Aalst Carnival in Belgium on Feb. 23 depicted Jews as insects as well as featured participants dressed in Nazi uniforms.

Times of Israel reporter Raphael Aren tweeted photos and video from the carnival, which included a mock Western Wall featuring drawings of Jews with large noses. According to The Jerusalem Post, one of the slogans written on the wall read, “You would also complain if they cut your penis.”

Others in the parade dressed in costumes of fur hats and long noses to depict Jews, according to the BBC.

Belgian Prime Minister Sophie Wilmes condemned the parade.

“The use of stereotypes stigmatizing communities and groups based on their origins leads to divisions and endangers our togetherness,” Wilmes said.

Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Yuval Rotem tweeted, “The infamous event features despicable antisemitic exhibitions. One can’t help but wonder whether lessons from the terrible fate of Belgian Jewry’s history from merely 75 years ago have been learnt at all.”

Jewish groups also condemned the parade.

“It is truly appalling to see such #antiSemitic tropes once again, carried out in the Aalst carnival,” Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt tweeted. “At a time when #antiSemitism is on the rise, there should be no tolerance for these types of shameful and hateful displays.”

The Simon Wiesenthal Center similarly tweeted, “No Jew should have anything to do with a city that so fundamentally disrespects Jews and Judaism. We lost our sense of humor and irony when 25,000 Belgian Jews were deported to Auschwitz. Would be nice to hear from [European Union] leadership sitting in Brussels.”

American Jewish Committee Transatlantic Institute Director Daniel Schwammenthal called on the EU to condemn and investigate the parade.

“With very few exceptions, Belgian political leaders have been inexplicably silent in the face of this shameful parade,” Schwammenthal said in a statement. “With rising violent anti-Semitism in Europe, public displays of anti-Jewish hatred should have long been tossed on the ash heap of history. In the city of Aalst, apparently, peddling stereotypes of Jews as vermin even deserved increased police protection. This parade was nothing short of an outrage and an offense to any civilized country.”

A spokesperson for Aalst Mayor Christopher D’Haese defended the depictions of Jews as satire and free speech to the BBC, saying: “It’s our parade, our humor, people can do whatever they want. It’s a weekend of freedom of speech.”

The Jerusalem Post argued in a Feb. 24 editorial that the parade was “an absolutely deliberate anti-Semitic assault. There is no way that these tropes and themes were accidentally or unintentionally insulting due to ignorance or a misunderstanding. It takes a very twisted mind to justify such blatant Jew-hatred as legitimate freedom of expression.”

They later added: “Welcome to Europe 2020.”

Belgian Carnival Depicts Jews as Insects Read More »

Bernie Sanders Announces He Won’t Attend AIPAC

Leave a Comment / Online, United States /

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) announced via Twitter on Feb. 23 that he will not attend the upcoming American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) Policy Conference in Washington, D.C. on March 1-3.

Sanders tweeted: “The Israeli people have the right to live in peace and security. So do the Palestinian people. I remain concerned about the platform AIPAC provides for leaders who express bigotry and oppose basic Palestinian rights. For that reason, I will not attend their conference.”

In a follow-up tweet, he pledged to “do everything possible to bring peace and security to the region.”

During a Feb. 5 town hall in New Hampshire Sanders said that he didn’t think he would attend the AIPAC conference but he had “no objection to going.”

The progressive Jewish group IfNotNow, which has been pressuring the Democratic presidential candidates to boycott the conference, praised Sanders’ decision in a tweet.

“Thank you Bernie for choosing to #SkipAIPAC!” they wrote. “We are grateful for your commitment to freedom and dignity for all Palestinians and Israelis.”

AIPAC released a statement following Sanders’ tweet saying, “Senator Sanders has never attended our conference and that is evident from his outrageous comment. In fact, many of his own Senate and House Democratic colleagues speak from our platform to the over 18,000 Americans from widely diverse backgrounds –– Democrats, Republicans, Jews, Christians, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, progressives, veterans, students, members of the LGBTQ+ community –– who participate in the conference to proclaim their support for the U.S.-Israel relationship. By engaging in such an odious attack on this mainstream, bipartisan American political event, Senator Sanders is insulting his very own colleagues and the millions of Americans who stand with Israel. Truly shameful.”

Other Jewish groups stood with AIPAC.

“It’s offensive that @BernieSanders denigrates the @AIPAC policy conference as a platform for bigotry,” Anti-Defamation League (ADL) CEO Jonathan Grenblatt tweeted. “At a time when we see a surge of real hate across the US, it’s irresponsible to describe AIPAC like this. @ADL proudly will be there.”

American Jewish Committee CEO David Harris similarly tweeted, “Sen. Sanders, you won’t address 18,000 Americans of all backgrounds celebrating US-Israel ties. Shame. You overlook core interests & values at heart of [the U.S.-Israel] link. Shame. You describe #AIPAC as a platform for bigotry. Shame. You ignore AIPAC’s support for 2-state deal. Shame.”

Associate Dean and Director of Global Social Action Agenda at the Simon Wiesenthal Center Rabbi Abraham Cooper told the Journal in a phone interview, “It’s not just his absence [that] speaks volumes, the outrageous statement he made of disrespect to millions of American Jews – and to Israelis – is extremely distressing and won’t be forgotten by American Jewry.”

Union for Reform Judaism President Rabbi Rick Jacobs urged Sanders to reconsider and engage in a dialogue with those at the conference.

“If Sen. Bernie Sanders wants to lead the Democratic Party and the nation, I hope he can speak to, engage with, and even debate everyone,” he tweeted. “Don’t skip AIPAC; speak to — and with — participants at AIPAC.”

Jewish Democratic Council of America (JDCA) Executive Director Halie Soifer said in a statement that voting against President Donald Trump would be the driving force behind the Jewish vote in the November elections.

“Candidates should be judged on their positions, not on whether they attend any particular conference,” Soifer said. “JDCA will support the Democratic nominee — whomever that may be — in November, and strongly opposes the use of Israel as a political wedge issue. The U.S.-Israel relationship, has been — and must remain — a bipartisan issue.”

Jewish Democratic members of Congress issued statements rebuking Sanders’ tweet.

“Hurling insults and derogatory remarks like this is not productive to maintaining bipartisan support for a strong US-Israel relationship,” Rep. Elaine Luria (D-Va.) tweeted. “I strongly condemn @BernieSanders’ tweets about @AIPAC and encourage my colleagues to join me in attending this bipartisan policy conference.”

Rep. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.) said in a statement, “Thousands of the [conference] participants will be proud Democrats like me who strongly support Israel and also reject bigotry in all forms, and progressive Democrats like me who know you can care deeply about Israel and a brighter future for Palestinians while advocating for two states living side-by-side in peace and security as a result of direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. I will continue to strongly support Israel’s security in the face of ongoing attacks and other serious threats. And unlike Senator Sanders, I look forward to sharing my views with the pro-Israel Democrats, Republicans, and Independents who will be gathering in Washington next week.”

Community members also spoke out in defense of AIPAC.

“I’ve attended AIPAC more than ten times,” Sinai Temple Rabbi David Wolpe tweeted. “Every time Palestinian rights were mentioned people applauded. There are a range of views presented, left, right and center. This dismissal is unwarranted and unworthy.”

Israel-based writer and Journal contributor Hen Mazzig tweeted, “I’m an Israeli, a queer Jew of color and proud to join @AIPAC [Policy Conference]. Every year I find it to be one of the most inclusive & welcoming spaces. Senator, you have done nothing to gain the trust of Israelis/Palestinians, if anything, your surrogates have pushed us further apart.”

The only other Democratic presidential candidate who has declined to attend the conference is Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). During a Feb. 6 town hall in New Hampshire, IfNotNow activist Sarah O’Connor asked Warren if she would commit to skipping AIPAC, saying that AIPAC is forming an alliance “with Islamophobes and anti-Semites and white nationalists, and no Democrat should legitimize that kind of bigotry by attending their annual policy conference.”

Warren responded: “Yes.”

Bernie Sanders Announces He Won’t Attend AIPAC Read More »

Auschwitz Memorial Claims Amazon’s Nazi-hunting Series is ‘Dangerous’

Leave a Comment / Online /

WARSAW, Poland (JTA) – The Auschwitz Memorial has condemned the new Amazon mini-series about Nazi hunters.

The museum said in a tweet that the human chess game invented for “Hunters,” in which the inmates of the Auschwitz camp were the game pieces and were killed when their piece was removed, is “Dangerous foolishness & caricature.”

“Hunters,” which stars Al Pacino, became available on Friday and tells the story of a group of people trying to stop Nazis living in New York City in the 1970s.

“Auschwitz was full of horrible pain and suffering documented in the accounts of survivors,” the museum tweeted. “Inventing a fake game of human chess for ‘Hunters’ is not only dangerous foolishness & caricature. It also welcomes future deniers. We honor the victims by preserving factual accuracy.”

The creator of the series, David Weil, refutes the allegations, telling Deadline that a few years ago he visited Auschwitz and saw the gate through which his grandmother was forced to pass and the barracks where she lived. Defending the chess scene, Weil emphasized that is it “to most powerfully counteract the revisionist narrative that whitewashes Nazi perpetration by showcasing the most extreme – and representationally truthful – sadism and violence that the Nazis perpetrated against the Jews and other victims.”

” I am forever grateful to the Auschwitz Memorial for all of the important and vital work that they do, for keeping the memory of victims and survivors like my grandmother, Sara Weil, alive. I believe we are very much on the same side and working toward the same goals. And I hope we can continue a dialogue on how to achieve those goals.”

 

Auschwitz Memorial Claims Amazon’s Nazi-hunting Series is ‘Dangerous’ Read More »

Victoria’s Secret Founder to Step Down Over Jeffrey Epstein Ties

Leave a Comment / Online /

Billionaire entrepreneur Leslie Wexner, under fire for his ties to the disgraced late financier Jeffrey Epstein and allowing a culture of sexual harassment and bullying of female employees at Victoria’s Secret, is stepping down from his L Brands retailing empire.

L Brands announced on Thursday that it will sell 55 percent of Victoria’s Secret to Sycamore Partners, a private equity firm, The New York Times reported. Wexner will become chairman emeritus of L Brands, which also owns Bath & Body Works. L Brands has sold or spun off many of its businesses in recent years, including Lane Bryant and Abercrombie & Fitch.

Wexner is a prominent philanthropist, particularly in the areas of Jewish learning and other Jewish causes.

A Times investigation published earlier this month accused Wexner, 82, of allowing one of his top executives to harass and bully former employees and models and allowed a culture of misogyny to pervade the company. The report included interviews with more than 30 current and former executives, employees, contractors and models, as well as court filings and other documents.

Days earlier, a Times story said that Wexner was in discussions to step aside as L Brands’ chief executive reportedly over his ties to Epstein, who Wexner employed for years as a personal adviser over his finances, philanthropy and private life. Epstein killed himself in a New York jail in August while awaiting trial on charges of child sex trafficking.

The deal to step down comes as Victoria’s Secret is suffering a drop in sales and criticism that its advertising is out of touch with its customers.

Victoria’s Secret Founder to Step Down Over Jeffrey Epstein Ties Read More »

Israel Confirms 2nd Coronavirus Case As South Koreans Ordered Out of the Country

Leave a Comment / Israel, Online /

JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israel confirmed its second case of coronavirus, diagnosed in another Israeli who returned after spending two weeks quarantined on a cruise ship docked in Japan’s Tokyo Bay.

The case was confirmed on Sunday at Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer, where the cruise passenger has been in isolation since returning from Japan. Four other Israelis who developed the virus aboard the ship remain isolated in a special medical center in Japan.

Meanwhile, South Korean nationals on Sunday were ordered to leave Israel and were to be airlifted out the following day at Israel’s expense. Some of the visitors were stranded in Israel after flights between the countries were canceled.

The Israel Airport Authority said Monday morning that 622 Korean nationals had left the country since Sunday night, and that up to 900 still remained in the country. Many were hunkering down at Ben Gurion Airport after being refused entry to hotels.

That action followed Israel’s Health Ministry ordering students and teachers from three Israeli cities to self-quarantine in their homes after visiting tourist sites at the same time as the group from South Korea. At least nine members of the group, who returned home last week after a two-week visit to Israel, have since tested positive for coronavirus.

Israel Confirms 2nd Coronavirus Case As South Koreans Ordered Out of the Country Read More »

Harvey Weinstein Convicted On Rape and Sexual Assault Charges

Leave a Comment / Online, United States /

(JTA) — Disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein was found guilty Monday on two counts of rape and sexual assault, but was acquitted on more serious charges.

A New York State Supreme Court jury found Weinstein, 67, guilty of a criminal sexual act in the first degree and rape in the third degree. He was acquitted of the more serious charge of first-degree rape, and of the most serious charges in the case, two counts of predatory sexual assault.

He was ordered straight to jail to await sentencing, which is scheduled for March 11.

Weinstein appeared unmoved as the verdict was read in the Manhattan courtroom, The New York Times reported. He had pleaded not guilty and said that any sexual activity was consensual.

His defense team has already launched the appeals process, Deadline reported, citing sources.

Weinstein still faces charges in a separate case in Los Angeles. His indictment in that case was announced on the first day of his Manhattan trial.

Weinstein faces a maximum of 25 years in prison on the charge of sexually assaulting production assistant Miriam Haley at his Soho apartment on July 10, 2006. He was convicted of third-degree rape against Jessica Mann, an aspiring actress who accused him of assaulting her at a DoubleTree Hotel in New York on March 18, 2013.

Six women testified at trial that he had sexually assaulted them, though Weinstein was charged with crimes in connection with only two. The others were allowed to testify to establish a pattern of behavior.

Dozens of women have accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct that took place over decades, including actresses such as Rosanna Arquette, Ashley Judd, Rose McGowan and Gwyneth Paltrow.

Harvey Weinstein Convicted On Rape and Sexual Assault Charges Read More »