As the American Jewish community celebrates the50th anniversary of Israel\’s independence, those of us who went overto fight as volunteers in the fledgling country\’s armed forces canlook back with special pride and remembrance.
In the last four years the people of Israel witnessed two contrasting realities in their pursuit of peace with the Palestinians. True, there had been a stunning series of diplomatic breakthroughs between Israel and the PLO, that was followed by apeace treaty with Jordan and a web of new relationships with a half dozen Arab states. Israelis were filled with hope that at long last their state of siege had ended and they could look forward to an era of normalcy and safety.
Fifty years ago this week, on Nov. 29, 1947, the General Assembly ofthe United Nations voted to partition British-held Palestine into aJewish state, an Arab state, and a corpus separatum, comprisingJerusalem and Bethlehem, to remain under the control of the UnitedNations.
I have never been a fan of group travel. Bernie and I like to headout for parts unknown, armed only with a guidebook and a rental car.
Steven Grossman, chair of the Democratic National Committee, appeared at Tufts University in Boston recently to talk with students about his party\’s future.
Israel does not actually prevent Conservative or Reform rabbis from convertingnon-Jews to Judaism. It simply doesn\’t recognize those conversions –not for citizenship, not for marriage, not even burial near one\’sfamily.
There is nothing tentative or half-way about MarkC. \”Moshe\” Hardie.
