fbpx

GET HOME DELIVERY! CLICK HERE »

ADVERTISE
pick up locations
HOME DELIVERY
donate

Jewish Journal

Connect. Inform. Inspire.

May 14, 2020

GW Pro-Israel Student Group Condemns Appointment of Pro-BDS Professor as Interim Dean

Leave a Comment / News, United States /

George Washington University’s (GWU) pro-Israel student group GW for Israel condemned the university’s appointment of a pro-boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) professor to the position of interim dean of the Elliott School of International Affairs (ESIA).

GWU Provost Brian Blake announced the appointment of Anthropology Professor Ilana Feldman to the position on May 8, stating: “Dr. Feldman brings to the interim dean role more than a decade of teaching and administrative experience at GW, most recently as vice dean at Elliott. As an expert in her field with close working relationships with faculty, students and staff, she is an excellent choice to serve in this role.”

GW for Israel issued a statement on May 12 denouncing the appointment of Feldman, citing her support of the BDS movement.

“As a fervent supporter of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, Professor Feldman isolates Israeli students in the ESIA as well as the hundreds of students who support a Jewish state for Israel,” the statement read. “GW for Israel supports a two-state solution where both Israelis and Palestinians can live in prosperity alongside each other. The BDS movement does not support a two-state solution, seeks to exclude Israel and the Israeli people from the academic, economic and cultural life from the rest of the world, and undermines direct peace negotiations between the two parties.”

The student group added that while it’s necessary to have a diversity of viewpoint among faculty members to ensure students have a balanced education, “we feel the outwardly anti-Israel sentiment Professor Feldman has repeatedly demonstrated will prevent from doing so while simultaneously targeting Israeli and Jewish students who have already faced harsh discrimination and hatred.”

https://www.facebook.com/gwforisrael/posts/3178088235576497

Both GW for Israel and Alums for Campus Fairness launched petitions urging the university to reconsider its appointment of Feldman.

Jewish groups also denounced the university’s actions.

“Pro-Israel students have felt increasingly under attack at [GWU],” Anti-Defamation League Washington, D.C. tweeted. “With the appointment of a supporter of the academic boycott of Israel as an interim dean, we urge GWU to make clear that pro-Israel perspectives & activism will be protected on campus.”

StandWithUs CEO and co-founder Roz Rothstein similarly said in a statement to the Journal, “We are deeply concerned about GW’s choice for interim dean of its international school.  This is someone who publicly advocates for academic boycotts against Israel, which have been widely condemned as violations of academic freedom. We saw at University of Michigan how a professor with the same political agenda abused his power against a Jewish student seeking to study abroad in Israel. The university must act swiftly to ensure that Ilana Feldman will have no ability to enact a boycott or otherwise cause harm to Jewish, Israeli, or pro-Israel students at GW.”

AMCHA Initiative director Tammi Rossman-Benjamin also said in a statement that she was deeply concerned about Feldman’s appointment.

“Feldman spearheaded the American Anthropological Association’s academic boycott of Israel, and she regularly demonizes Israel and excuses terrorism in her professional research,” she said. “Promoting an academic boycott of Israel is unlike any other social justice cause that a faculty member may choose to pursue, since it not only directly tramples on the academic rights of any student or faculty member who wants to travel to or study about Israel, it is significantly associated with acts that target Jewish and pro-Israel students for harm, including assault, harassment, destruction of property and suppression of speech.  In fact, our most recent research demonstrated that academic BDS-compliant behavior and promotion was linked to 86% of Israel-related acts of anti-Semitic harassment.”

Rossman-Benjamin added: “We will be keeping a close eye on GW to ensure that Jewish students’ safety and rights are adequately and equally protected.”

GWU spokesperson Crystal Nosal told the GW Hatchet, the university’s student-run newspaper, that the outgoing Dean Reuben Brigety, the Dean’s Council and various faculty members have all expressed support for Feldman’s appointment.

“Dr. Feldman has demonstrated her leadership ability and her respect for and commitment to all students, faculty and staff of the Elliott School community,” Nosal added.

Feldman did not respond to the Journal’s request for comment.

GW Pro-Israel Student Group Condemns Appointment of Pro-BDS Professor as Interim Dean Read More »

‘Freedom’ Protesters, Please Take History 101

Leave a Comment / Columnists /

Change always triggers our emotions. Whether it’s confusion, pleasure, joy, concern, anger or sadness — anything that causes a blip in our expectations sets off activity in our brains. It makes sense that people have strong emotions regarding government-implemented restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic. What doesn’t make sense is the verbal violence and physical actions many protesters have utilized. It is clear these people either haven’t read a history book, didn’t pay attention when they did, or believe in revisionist history.

It makes sense that people have strong emotions regarding government-implemented restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic. What doesn’t make sense is the verbal violence and physical actions many protesters have utilized.

I understand that the government telling you what to do chafes. And yes, there is a curtailing of what Americans think to be freedom. Mentally, it is driving me up a wall, too. However, there’s a difference between wearing face-masks and not shopping at Macy’s, and true government seizure of human freedom.

When I look at a gathering of “freedom” protesters, I see people fully clothed. There are no government-required uniforms. Nothing is tattered (unless it’s a fashion statement). Everyone wears shoes. There apparently is enough disposable income to afford jewelry, sunglasses and specially manufactured hats and the occasional face-mask. I also see the cars and motorcycles in which the protestors arrived. I assume they are owned or leased, not stolen from a government facility. I also assume these protesters have arrived from the same homes they lived in last week; homes they own, rent or lease. I see cell phones. This means you are communicating with anyone you want. You are exchanging information about yourself and your views on the government.

Everyone appears robust and healthy. Men have chosen to sport beards or not. Some protesters have screamed in the faces of the men and women who are working to protect them and others, and no one has been executed via hanging or a bullet to the head for it.

I vehemently disagree with the way the federal government has withheld information, disseminated incorrect information and downplayed the severity of this pandemic.

Don’t get me wrong. I vehemently disagree with the way the federal government has withheld information, disseminated incorrect information and downplayed the severity of this pandemic. Right now, I abhor the current presidential administration. If I had known about COVID-19 in January, I would have hoisted my seriously ill father —  who looking back, had all the symptoms — over my shoulder and dragged his stubborn rear end to the ER. Of course, at that time, the ER doctors might have had no idea what was wrong, either.

However, wearing a mask, having to buy new socks and undies at Target or Walmart instead of browsing for them at a shopping center, and using Zoom and FaceTime to connect with relatives are small prices to pay for making sure you can continue to FaceTime those relatives next month — because they still are alive.

When I look at a gathering of “freedom” protesters, I don’t see pajama-style uniforms, numeric tattoos on forearms and yellow Stars of David sewn onto clothes. I don’t see distended stomachs or prominent ribcages indicating starvation. I don’t see men forced to shave off facial hair, or women forced to cover their arms, ankles and hair.

A Michigan woman holds ups a sign comparing Governor Gretchen Whitmer to Adolf Hitler in protest over the governor’s stay-at-home order on May 14, 2020 in Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

I don’t see armed guards forcing protesters into overflowing paddy wagons overflowing to be driven to a work camp or to be murdered at a death camp. I don’t see chains on your ankles or around your neck. I don’t see anyone preventing you from driving or walking back home. I don’t see children being ripped from your arms.

I see protesters in their homes, not behind barbed wire. I see them having access to the same medical care those wearing masks are granted. I see them in the grocery store and pumping gas. I don’t see their possessions being seized. I don’t see their land being seized. I don’t see anyone being forced into ghettos. I don’t see the government cutting off Wi-Fi so no one can pass on information. I don’t see mass book burnings.

I recently watched a YouTube video produced by a couple of South Koreans. One of the hosts brought up a good point: Americans likely are so bothered by and uncomfortable with face-masks because unlike in Asia, masks are not an everyday occurrence. I agree. It takes getting used to, as does social distancing. However, these masks are not suffocating us. Social distancing does not mean we are trapped in solitary confinement in prison or in a concentration camp. We have means of communication.

Social distancing does not mean we are trapped in solitary confinement in prison or in a concentration camp.

I understand the economic effect mandatory closures have on small businesses. I have seen layoffs and experienced pay cuts. I struggle to pay bills. I have had to cut luxury services such as cable and movie streaming sites. I have donated to those in need. I make frequent grocery runs for the elderly, immuno-compromised neighbor down the street. I support local charities and point people toward the best local restaurants and small businesses. I mourn when I learn someone has passed away. I worry about my family members working outside the home contracting the coronavirus.

However, no protester is slated by the government for death or forced labor. You are not being beaten into submission. You are not penned in like animals. You are not being systematically starved or tortured.

This is not the Holocaust. This is not the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. This is not the slavers’ selling blocks. This is not the border camps.

This is not the Holocaust. This is not the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. This is not the slavers’ selling blocks. This is not the border camps.

Unless you find yourself in the same situation as any of the aforementioned government-caused situations, stop complaining about your “freedom” being taken away by your local or state government. By protesting the actions necessary to stop the spread of COVID-19, you only demonstrate that you don’t have a clue what “freedom” really means.

Sarah Hannah is a writer, editor and religious school educator on the East Coast.

‘Freedom’ Protesters, Please Take History 101 Read More »

david suissa podcast curious times

Pandemic Times Episode 39: How will COVID-19 change our world?

Leave a Comment / Podcasts, The David Suissa Podcast /

New David Suissa Podcast Every Morning at 11 a.m.

Reflections on how the pandemic is changing us, including a selection of poems on change and resilience.

How do we manage our lives during the coronavirus crisis? How do we keep our sanity? How do we use this quarantine to bring out the best in ourselves? Tune in every day and share your stories with podcast@jewishjournal.com.

Pandemic Times Episode 39: How will COVID-19 change our world? Read More »

I Sound Like My Mother

Leave a Comment / A Bisl Torah /

In our new morning routine, I play the role of Henry’s teacher from 8:30-9:30 a.m. We color, build, garden, learn letters and do puzzles. In a way, this hour serves as my respite from the outside world. For a few minutes, his silly mannerisms and eagerness helps me gain hope and faith in what’s to come. We all need a little push to begin our day and he nudges me in the right direction.

As Henry was coloring recently, I said something about his picture. I honestly don’t remember what I said. But he looked at me and exclaimed, “That’s exactly what Grandma says!”

I smiled and responded, “You’re right. I am turning into Grandma.”

Jokingly, many of us kid around when we say we are turning into our parents. We groan as we hear ourselves saying, “Do this because … I told you so!” or “You’ll understand when you’re older” or “Your face is going to freeze like that.” But when Henry told me I sound like my mother, I felt incredibly lucky and blessed.

If I sound like my mother, it means I sound like a woman who gives her entire being to her family and students, never wavering in the amount of energy she expends on both. If I sound like my mother, it means I sound like a woman who finds ways to volunteer at domestic violence shelters while putting on Sisterhood Kiddush lunches. If I sound like my mother, I sound like a woman who my children (and one day, grandchildren) will know has a heart that solely beats for them.

If I sound like my mother, then I think I will have succeeded in becoming the mom and professional I strive to be.

Bereshit Rabbah reminds us that all the days of her life, Sarah would keep her tent open, filled with a boundless light. When she died, the tent doors closed and the light disappeared. But when Isaac married Rebecca, the doors opened and the light returned. It was as if Sarah’s memory inspired Isaac and Rebecca to live their lives as she would, filled with a sense of hospitality, embrace and love.

It is often a mother (or parent) who inspires us to be the best version of ourselves. Their examples, role modeling and guiding words propel us into the person that stares back at us in the mirror. Sometimes it takes a 4-year-old to remind us how much influence our mothers have on the ways in which we exist in this world.

Mom, you inspire me in more ways than you will ever know. I love you.

I Sound Like My Mother Read More »

How Jewish Health Care Reformers Raised the Bar for Medical Treatment

Leave a Comment / Jewish Contributions to Humanity /

Jewish Contributions to Humanity #4:
Original research by Walter L. Field.
Sponsored by Irwin S. Field.

ABRAHAM FLEXNER (1866-1959) b . Louisville, Kentucky. The academic reformer.

Abraham Flexner was an unlikely candidate to be one of the greatest reformers of American medicine. After all, he wasn’t a doctor and had no medical training. And yet, his proposal to reform health education created the medical school system that remains with us today. A high school teacher and principal, Flexner first made waves in 1908 when he published a book critical of American universities—particularly their penchant to prioritize research over schooling and their preference for large lectures instead of intimate classroom settings. That book, “The American College,” received the attention of the president of the Carnegie Foundation, Henry Pritchett, who then commissioned Flexner to write the “Flexner Report,” a 1910 analysis of American medical training. His report called on schools to raise the bar on admission and graduation standards, follow mainstream scientific and medical theories, take control of clinical training in hospitals, and to be subjected to stronger state medical licensing regulations. In the 25 years following the publication of his report, more than half of America’s medical schools, including a number of the handful that existed for black students, closed or merged—he wanted to cut the annual number of medical school graduates from 4,400 to 2,200. His impact on American education continued in 1930 when he helped found the Institute for Advanced Study, a postdoctoral research center in Princeton.

LILLIAN WALD (1867-1940)  b. Cincinnati, Ohio. Raised among the wealthy, she toiled among the needy.

Raised in relative wealth, Lillian Wald chose to live a life dedicated to those who lived in poverty—and in the process she helped create lasting institutions in America that fulfilled and still fulfill her vision of supporting the needy. After training as a nurse in New York, Wald eschewed the traditional hospital path to instead set up shop on the Lower East Side, where donors supported her mission of providing free medical care for poor communities that had few medical resources. The term “public health nurse” was first used in connection with her clinic. Her nurse shop—which added dozens of staff—became the Henry Street Settlement, which exists today and annually aids about 50,000 low-income New York residents, with health care being but one of its many social services. In addition to this local triumph, Wald partnered Henry Street with a major insurance company, which inspired countless other insurance companies to embark on social service projects. She was also a founding member of the NAACP, and hosted the group’s founding meeting at Henry Street. A female leader at a time when few women held leadership roles in America, Wald was a relentless activist in concretely improving the lives of the working poor. She was also a co-founder in the early 1900’s of the National Child Labor Committee, a group that was chartered by Congress in 1907 and, to this day, exposes and fights cases of child labor in the United States.

How Jewish Health Care Reformers Raised the Bar for Medical Treatment Read More »

Hundreds of Orthodox Jews Flood London Streets for Lag b’Omer, Ignore Social Distancing

Leave a Comment / News, Worldwide /

Hundreds of haredi Orthodox Jews filled the streets of the Stamford Hill neighborhood of London to mark Lag B’Omer, ignoring social distancing rules.

Large gatherings remained banned in the United Kingdom, as is mixing in groups outside of households.

The Metropolitan Police were called to the area and “engaged with those present to remind them of their responsibilities under the current regulations,” the Independent reported, citing a police spokesperson. Police were critical of bonfires being lit too close to homes and cars.  Many who called police complained about noise and the lack of social distancing.

The gatherings took place both on Monday night and Tuesday, according to the report.

One area Jewish resident told the newspaper the celebrations were “disgraceful.”

“Local police will continue to engage with representatives from the community to encourage them to observe the guidance and legislation while it remains in place,” the police spokesperson told the Independent.

Similar gatherings were held in haredi neighborhoods in Israel and New York.

Hundreds of Orthodox Jews Flood London Streets for Lag b’Omer, Ignore Social Distancing Read More »

Israeli Soldier Seriously Injured in West Bank Car-Ramming Attack

Leave a Comment / Israel, News /

An Israeli soldier was seriously injured in a car-ramming attack Thursday in the West Bank as violence there escalates.

Israeli troops shot the Palestinian driver as he “drove quickly toward IDF soldiers next to a military post” in an apparent deliberate attack, the Israel Defense Forces said. The driver was “neutralized” by the gunshots, the IDF said.

Haaretz reported that the driver was killed by the gunshots.

The soldier is listed in moderate-to-serious condition at Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba.

The attack took place near Hebron in the settlement of Negohot, near Hebron.

The car-ramming comes after an Israeli soldier was killed after being struck in the head with a large rock during a raid in a Palestinian village in the West Bank early Tuesday morning. The following morning, Israeli soldiers shot and killed a Palestinian teen during clashes in a Palestinian refugee camp near Hebron where the soldiers were on a manhunt for the rock thrower.

Israeli Soldier Seriously Injured in West Bank Car-Ramming Attack Read More »

L.A. County Issues New Shelter-in-Place Order Indefinitely, Eases Restrictions for Retailers, Outdoor Recreation

Leave a Comment / Los Angeles, News /

Los Angeles County officials implemented a new shelter-in-place order on May 13 that eases current restrictions for retailers and outdoor recreation centers but lasts indefinitely.

Under the modified order, all retailers that aren’t in malls and shopping centers are allowed to reopen for delivery and pickup only. Certain outdoor recreation centers such as bike parks, shooting ranges and tennis courts also are allowed to reopen under the order.

Large gatherings are still prohibited.

County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said during the May 13 press briefing that the new shelter-in-place order will be revised over time.

“This will be a slow journey,” she said. “In the last few weeks, we’ve worked together to slow the spread of COVID-19, and this will now be our new foreseeable normal in the future.”

Ferrer pointed out that while COVID-19 cases and deaths haven’t leveled off since the county first issued its shelter-in-place order in March, the county hasn’t experienced a massive surge in cases that might have overwhelmed its health care infrastructure. She also said that there has been a small decrease in the rate of COVID-19 deaths and infections over the past few weeks.

“I can promise you if everybody hadn’t done their part, if people hadn’t stayed home — that would not have been what the last two months looked like,” Ferrer said. “We would have had many, many more cases, and many, many more deaths.”

The new shelter-in-place order comes a day after the Los Angeles Times reported that Ferrer had said the order was going to be extended for another three months, resulting in a backlash on social media. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said during a May 12 press briefing that Ferrer didn’t mean the order would remain static for three months; she meant that there would have to be some health protections in place until an effective treatment or vaccine is developed.

“Do not freak out when you hear a scientist say that it’s still going to be here and we’re still going to be living under health orders,” Garcetti said.

There were 1,264 new COVID-19 cases and 47 new deaths from the virus in the county on May 13, bringing the county’s respective totals to 34,428 and 1,659.

L.A. County Issues New Shelter-in-Place Order Indefinitely, Eases Restrictions for Retailers, Outdoor Recreation Read More »

Celebrate Spring With DIY Egg Carton Flowers

Leave a Comment / Home /

When coming up with craft ideas for everyone stuck at home, I wanted to make sure the projects only called for materials that most people would already have around the house. I sure wouldn’t want you making a special trip to the store. One thing I figured pretty much everybody had was some empty egg cartons. With all the home baking I’m doing, I’ve been going through a dozen eggs a week.

One of my favorite egg carton crafts is handmade flowers. The egg compartments transform into the petals, and strips of the lid become the stems. You can paint the flowers if you wish, but some of you might not have paint or brushes right now, so I wanted to show you how beautiful they are with the natural color of the cartons.

I really love this project because while it’s great for kids, it’s so fun and relaxing for adults as well. Are you crafting these days? I hope you are. It’s so good for the soul when you can create beauty from something that would otherwise be destined for the trash bin.

What you’ll need:
Egg carton
Scissors
Glue
Button

 

1. Cut apart the 12 individual compartments of the egg carton. Each flower uses three compartments, so you can make four flowers out of one carton.

 

2. Cut a petal shape out of the four sides of each compartment, keeping the center intact. Carve out one compartment with large petals, one with medium petals and one with small. Don’t worry about making perfect petals — they look better when they’re uneven.

 

3. Stack the medium petals on top of the large ones and glue them in place. Then position the small petals on the medium ones and glue them together.

 

4. Glue a button on top of the layer with the smallest petals. This step is optional, but it creates a cute detail on the flower. And you probably have some odd buttons lying around the house.

 

5. From the lid of the egg carton, cut strips that are about a half inch wide. These are the flower stems.

 

6. Glue the strips to the back of the flowers. For stems, you can also use skewers, popsicle sticks and actual twigs, but I love that we’re making use of so much of the egg carton.

Celebrate Spring With DIY Egg Carton Flowers Read More »

Holocaust Education Bill Passes Senate

Leave a Comment / News, United States /

The Never Again Education Act passed the Senate through unanimous consent on May 13.

The bipartisan bill allocates $10 million over a span of five years to expand the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum’s programming to schools all over the country. President Donald Trump is expected to sign the bill.

Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), one of the co-sponsors of the bill, tweeted: “This important bill will provide our teachers with the resources they need to teach our students the lessons of the Holocaust.”

Another co-sponsor, Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), tweeted, “Anti-Semitism is a serious threat. Failing to educate the next generation would only make history more likely to repeat itself. I thank my colleagues for recognizing the importance of this effort, and I look forward to @POTUS signing it.”

Jewish groups praised the bill’s passage.

“I am grateful for the leadership of Senators Jacky Rosen and Kevin Cramer, and Representatives Carolyn Maloney and Elise Stefanik, and to all Senators for passing this bill today, during Jewish American Heritage Month, to ensure that the lessons of the Holocaust will be passed from one generation to the next,” Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan A. Greenblatt said in a statement. “Through the study of the Holocaust, students can grow as responsible citizens in a democratic society and develop critical thinking, empathy, and social justice skills for the future.

He added: “We look forward to President Trump signing the bill into law and to working closely with teachers and districts across the country to ensure that Holocaust education is uniform and consistent across the country.”

Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America National President Rhoda Smolow and CEO and Executive Director Janice Weinman similarly said in a joint statement, “The Never Again Education Act is our last best chance to make a significant and lasting impact against the rising tide of hatred in our country. The stakes are so high for communities across America, which is why Hadassah and its members have advocated for this bill relentlessly. Together, we’ve built up overwhelming bipartisan support in both chambers to support educators and ensure students learn the universal lessons of the Holocaust.”

Christians United for Israel (CUFI) founder and chairman Pastor John Hagee also said in a statement, “If there exists a silver bullet to defeat the spread of bigotry and hatred, it is education. Through this legislation, teachers around the country will have federal support in their efforts to stamp out anti-Semitism by teaching about its abhorrent consequences.”

CUFI partnered with Hadassah in pushing the legislation’s passage.

The bill initially had passed the House of Representatives in January. Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) reportedly put a hold on the bill on May 7 because he wanted some minor revisions done to the bill; ultimately, no changes were made.

Holocaust Education Bill Passes Senate Read More »