Grapevine April 17, 2024: The next prime minister?

It looks as if far-right leader Itamar Ben-Gvir’s power base is expanding and may even result in the possibility of him becoming the next prime minister. 

After all, pollsters already gave him many more seats than Naftali Bennett had scored when he became prime minister.

Ben-Gvir’s negative attitude toward Arabs and his public backing of police even when they appear to have committed transgressions will earn him many votes from within the police force and their families. He is a true disciple of the late Meir Kahane, who advocated the transfer of all Arabs out of Israel. No one should ignore the writing on the wall.

Israeli designers who worked for Roberto Cavalli

■ SEVERAL LEADING Israeli fashion designers worked for Roberto Cavalli, the iconic Italian designer who died last week.

Among the first was Tamara Yovel Jones, who maintained a close friendship and professional relationship with him until his dying day.

Not only that, but in her capacity as head of the fashion design units at Shenkar and Bezalel, she sent some of her more talented students to Milan 

to be inspired by Cavalli, who had a very positive attitude toward Israel and Israelis – particularly Israeli women whom he admired both for their beauty and their strength.

In November 2011, when Motty Reif, who inter alia is a well-known producer of fashion shows, decided to revive Israel Fashion Week but called it Tel Aviv Fashion Week, Cavalli came to inject additional glamour by opening the event with a new collection of his own.

The revived Fashion Week, after a very long hiatus, did not have the extravaganza that had been the highlight of openings of Israel Fashion Weeks in the 1970s and 1980s, when the late Lea Gottlieb, the founder of Gottex, and her star model, the late statuesque and sensual Tami Ben Ami, provided opening night viewers with a glittering mix of Las Vegas, Paris, and Milan. Gottlieb had an innate sense of drama, which was reflected both in her designs and in her fashion shows, though she herself wore modest classics.

Although there definitely is a sense of glamour in the shows produced by Reif, it is more low-key and geared to commerce more than entertainment. Aside from that, there is very little new in fashion today. Innovation resides more in technology than in style. In fact, perusal of fashion publications of the second half of the 1960s proves that what goes around comes around. The designs are exceedingly similar to those paraded on fashion runways today.

When Cavalli came to Tel Aviv in 2011, Tel Aviv Fashion Week, of which he was the key attraction, was naturally launched at the residence of the Italian ambassador, who at that time was Luigi Mattiolo. Among the guests were Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai, international fashion model and actress Noa Tishby, and fashion designer Gideon Oberson, whose beachwear range was the closest rival to Gottex.

In their heyday, Israel Fashion Weeks were the country’s best means of image promotion, attracting hundreds of overseas buyers along with writers of leading fashion magazines and newspapers. The designs were eye-catching, and the Israeli models were tall, beautiful, and graceful.

One of the reasons that Reif wanted to revive Fashion Week was that, just under a decade earlier, he had completed his term as cultural attaché to the Israeli Consulate in Los Angeles, where he was extremely conscious of how Israel was perceived. He wanted to promote the beautiful lifestyle image of Israel rather than the military one. The more tension there was in the Middle East, the more Israel’s military image came to the fore.

There is no doubt that Cavalli helped Reif to get Tel Aviv Fashion Week off the ground, and for that Israel’s fashion industry is deeply in debt to him

Batman writers sign letter calling for the return of Bibas family 

■ A FONDNESS for the enduring Batman character, who first appeared in comics in 1939, had the entire Bibas family of Kibbutz Nir Oz dressed in some semblance of Batman for Purim 2024. On October 7, 2023, they were among the hostages taken by Hamas to Gaza.

In late November, Hamas said that 10-month-old Kfir Bibas, his four-year-old brother, Ariel, and their mother, Shiri, had been killed, but provided no proof to the claim.

There is video evidence that they were alive when taken to Gaza, and the hope in Israel is that despite the inhuman conditions to which the hostages are subjected, the family is still alive.

A petition organized by the David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies, in Washington, DC, and sent to Sheikh Meshal bin Hamad Al Thani, the ambassador of Qatar, and Motaz Zahran, the ambassador of Egypt, has been signed by more than 50 writers, artists, and editors associated with the iconic Batman character. The petition urges the two envoys to Washington to press for the release of Ariel.

The signatories on the letter include many of the most renowned comics creators involved with the Batman franchise.

“Every hostage is equally important, but naturally Batman writers and artists feel a special connection to this young Bat-fan and his family,” said Dr. Rafael Medoff, historian and director of the institute. “These comics creators have spent decades developing a hero who fights for the innocent and stands as a beacon of hope for his community, and we’re trying to channel that spirit through this effort.”

Tweeting the Iranian drone attack on Jerusalem

■ FORMER US ambassador to Israel Martin Indyk tweeted during the Iranian assault on Israel: From what one can see on CNN, Iran’s drones and missiles are targeting Jerusalem! That has almost never happened before, because of the sanctity of the Holy City for Muslims. Maybe Iran doesn’t value Al Quds in the same way.

It was pointed out to him, in replies, that Jerusalem has been targeted several times, but, as can be expected, on the whole Jewish people agreed with him, and Muslims did not. A tweet from a latter source said that Indyk was once a responsible diplomat, but that now it seems that he wants Eylon Levy’s job.

Eylon Levy and Douglas Murray

■ A VIDEO in which former government spokesman Levy is seen interviewing Douglas Murray is doing the rounds on social media.

Though Levy is fiercely pro-Israel, Murray may be even more so. The two don’t agree on everything and argue a lot, but in a fairly civilized manner, which makes the interview more interesting. What they have in common, other than their attitudes to Israel, are their beautifully modulated British accents. Both are Oxford alumni, and both are journalists and authors.

Khamenei gives Netanyahu a lifeline 

■ DESPITE ALL the rhetoric and the missile bombardment last Saturday night, one has to wonder whether Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei actually wants to keep Benjamin Netanyahu in office, in accordance with the old adage “Better the devil you know than the one you don’t.” Netanyahu’s waning popularity – even in right-wing circles – suddenly reversed in his favor as his years of warning about the Iranian threat leaped from obsession to reality. This was Bibi’s “Aha! I told you so” moment.

Though presumably as concerned as anyone else in Israel, he’s unlikely to send Khamenei a thank-you note, but there’s little doubt that Khamenei gave him a lifeline, though in doing so the ayatollah lost some of his own clout and was widely castigated in the international community.

If anything good came out of the Iranian belligerence, it was the digital traffic of the overseas relatives and friends of tens of thousands of Israeli residents, who all wanted to be sure that the recipients of their messages were all right. The widespread concern of people living in different time zones and countries was amazing and heartwarming. It was also a sign that when Israel is in trouble, Diaspora Jews rally to help physically, morally, emotionally, and financially. When we speak of ourselves as brothers and sisters, it may sound trite, but it happens to be true.

Kaori Matsutomi and Israel 

■ OF COURSE, it’s not just Jews who care. During the time she spent in Israel, Kaori Matsutomi, the wife of Shigeo Matsutomi, who was then Japan’s ambassador to Israel, made many friends due to her vivacious personality. She has maintained contact with several of them – particularly since October 7, and again since the Iranian missile blast last weekend.

She enjoyed her time in Israel and would like to come back.

Meanwhile, Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that Koichi Mizushima, Japan’s most recent ambassador to Israel, has been appointed as his country’s envoy to South Korea. This will be Mizushima’s second stint in Seoul, where he previously served as a minister. His new appointment became effective immediately.

Israel-Poland diplomatic exchanges 

■ THOUGH JAPAN is quick to send successors, Poland is still dragging its heels in sending a new ambassador to Israel. Marek Magierowski, who was the last Polish ambassador to serve here, was recalled in August 2021 and sent to Washington. Thirteen months ago, following a diplomatic semi-freeze, Poland announced that it was sending an ambassador.

In the spirit of the revival of mutual diplomatic exchanges, Israel did send an ambassador in the person of Yacov Livne, who is currently having a very tough time because some people on Poland’s extreme Right are accusing Israel of deliberately murdering Damien Sobol, the Polish victim of an accidental shooting of workers of the World Central Kitchen.

Taiwan: Israel's constant friend 

■ NONETHELESS, A lot of the animus leveled at Israel for refusal to call a ceasefire has subsided since Iran attempted to make good on its threats against Israel.

Among the constant friends of Israel is Taiwan, whose President Tsai Ing-wen met this week with a cross-party Knesset delegation led by Yesh Atid MK Boaz Toporovsky, who chairs the Israel-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group.

Members of the delegation included MKs Boaz Bismuth, Vladimir Beliak, and Matti Sarfatti-Harcavi, who were accompanied to the president’s office by Maya Yaron, representative of the Israel Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei.

Tsai commented that bilateral interactions between Taiwan and Israel have recently been very close. She indicated that in addition to regular dialogues on energy, the environment, and the economy, Taiwan and Israel have signed agreements to strengthen exchanges in education, public health, tourism, and other domains.

Tsai added that she looks forward to Taiwan and Israel leveraging their industrial strengths and continuing to deepen their partnership, based on their shared values of freedom and democracy, to jointly build more resilient global supply chains.

Tsai also expressed her sincere concern and sympathy following Iran’s attack on Israel and condemned the use of violence to undermine global peace and stability.

She thanked the delegation for its support of Taiwan and expressed appreciation to Toporovsky for his active promotion of cooperation on youth education and humanitarian aid between Taiwan and Israel, and his consistent support on social media and in op-eds for Taiwan’s participation in international forums.

Referring to Israel as an important global hub for start-ups, Tsai said that Taiwan’s Industrial Technology Research Institute, Asia Silicon Valley Development Agency, and major manufacturers are all eager to explore opportunities to further cooperate with Israel.

Toporovsky called Taiwan “a beacon of democratic and liberal values” and commended Tsai as “a beacon of democratic and liberal leadership.”

He offered Israel’s condolences for the loss of life and injuries after the earthquake in eastern Taiwan, noting that the Taiwanese once again showed the world their resilience and strength.

He also spoke of the security situation in the Middle East and of the challenges confronting Israel. In this context he said that Israel will always remember Taiwan’s support after the attacks by Hamas on Israel on October 7, and by Iran last weekend.

Australian attachment to the Arava

■ THE AUSTRALIANS are coming. It has been mentioned previously in this column that there has been a steady flow of solidarity visits by individuals and groups from Australia.

Australian friendship and support groups have given generously to many and varied institutions and projects in Israel, but the folks from Down Under are particularly attached to the Arava.

Among contributors to the development of the Arava are Erwin and Lottie Vidor, whose son Allan came with his wife, Sharon, on a familiarization tour and were warmly welcomed by Meir Zur, head of the Central Arava Regional Council, and Naomi Becker, the CEO of the Central Arava Development Company.

The senior Vidors are long-term generous donors to Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund, which is responsible for projects all over Israel, including the Arava.

After seeing various projects, the Vidors went to Moshav Hatzeva, where the Vidor Visitors’ Center is established as a place where visitors can see a film and other exhibits that will give them an insight into agriculture. The couple also visited Sapir Park with its charming lake, waterfall, sculpture garden, and picnic areas.

Also in Israel this month were Tony Ziegler, president of the New South Wales Friends of Magen David Adom, and his wife, Carolyn, who are both ardent, hands-on supporters of MDA. When in Israel, they go out with ambulance drivers to actually see for themselves how emergency treatment can often save lives.

And coming up on May 20 is an Israel reunion of alumni of Mount Scopus Memorial College, a pioneer of Jewish day schools in Australia, which this year celebrates its 75th anniversary. There are many Mount Scopus alumni, some of whom were actually pupils in the school’s kindergarten when it opened, now living in Israel.

Special guests at the reunion in Tel Aviv will be Dave Sharma, a former ambassador to Israel and currently a senator for New South Wales, and Daniel Andrews, a former premier of the State of Victoria.

Experts discuss agricultural research and development 

■ LAST WEEK, US and Israeli officials convened at the US National Arboretum for a seminar and dinner reception marking the 45th anniversary of BARD, the US-Israel Binational Agricultural Research and Development Fund.

The seminar featured experts who discussed promising prospects on topics related to numerous aspects of agricultural research and development. These included the use of AI and IoT in various spheres of agriculture, including smart farming, postharvest food loss, water security, agro-energy, and photovoltaics.

There was general recognition of the importance of international ties in promoting sustainable solutions for agricultural challenges, and of interdisciplinary cooperation.

Michael Herzog, Israel’s Ambassador to the US, said: “The time has come to recognize agricultural security as an integral component of national security. In the realm of food security, we face many challenges. No one country can confront these challenges alone, and we must pool our scientific resources to find solutions.

“The long-standing partnership between Israel and the US is a crucial foundation for this mission.”

Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Avi Dichter agreed, saying: “We are working on long-term planning. Our policy is targeting food security. We all know and understand that maintaining and providing food security is a necessity that cannot be neglected. We see our agriculture as one of the pillars that must be safeguarded.”

BARD Executive Director Prof. Yoram Kapulnik noted: “Today, both the US and Israel are facing many similar challenges in agricultural practice.

“Our vision is to catalyze mission-oriented research and collaborative innovation in agriculture, food, and nutrition, transforming global future food systems with more sustainable approaches. We aim to do so by supporting innovative agricultural research and training the next generation across a broad range of agriculture, food, and nutrition-related topics through our fellowship programs.

“We are also looking into ways we can accelerate innovation in agriculture by bringing together academic leaders and industry experts.”

Tel Aviv University celebrates 115th anniversary 

■ TEL AVIV, the Hill of Spring, is celebrating its 115th anniversary. Tel Aviv was founded during Passover in 1909. In the Jewish calendar, Passover is one of four New Years, and marks the beginning of spring. Also founded in 1909 in Jerusalem was the legendary Gymnasia Rehavia, where former president Reuven Rivlin and former minister Dan Meridor were many years later among the students.

Officially opened in April 1925, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, which was founded in 1918 by Weizmann and Albert Einstein, will celebrate its centenary next year.

Rivlin and Meridor are also alumni of the Hebrew University, where Rivlin’s father was a member of the faculty. Coincidentally, Meridor will celebrate his 77th birthday on April 25, which this year falls during Passover.

Also celebrating a milestone anniversary next year is Bar-Ilan University, which was opened in 1955, after its initiation in 1950 by the president of the Mizrachi movement in the US, Pinkhos Churgin.

Tel Aviv University took somewhat longer to develop from an idea to a reality. It was initially promoted in the 1930s by mayor Meir Dizengoff; and after the establishment of the state, another mayor, Chaim Levanon continued to push for it. Eventually, it was founded in 1956 through the merger of the Tel Aviv School of Law and Economics, the Institute of Natural Sciences, and the Institute of Jewish Studies.

Event for singles in their 20s and 30s to be held at the Jerusalem Great Synagogue

■ FOR MANY new immigrants who are single, as well as students and volunteers from Zionist youth groups spending a year or two in Israel, festival times such as Passover and Rosh Hashanah can be very sad and lonely because these are the two festivals in which families get together more than at any other time. A sense of loneliness and nostalgia is particularly bad in the case of young singles who are thinking about what they might be missing out on because they are not back in the old country with family and friends.

Aware of this, Steve Eisenberg, a resident of Miami, in conjunction with the Jerusalem Great Synagogue and several organizations, has organized a special event for singles in their 20s and 30s to be held at the Great Synagogue on Saturday evening, April 27, with music, drinks, and refreshments.

Cost is the equivalent of $25. Participation is free for soldiers who can prove that they are currently serving. For reservations, Eisenberg can be contacted on WhatsApp at 917-945-7342.

The story of Holocaust survivor Avraham Roet

■ THE ORGANIZERS of the Tel Aviv International Salon are already thinking ahead to Holocaust Remembrance Day on Sunday May 5, when a ceremony will be held in English, and Dutch-born Holocaust survivor Avraham Roet, who also fought in the War of Independence, will present his amazing story. He was hidden during the war by a Dutch organization called Rightness of the World. Most of his family, including two sisters, did not survive.

In March 1946, he arrived in what was to become the State of Israel. He was wounded while fighting in the War of Independence, and for many years dedicated his life to the rights of Holocaust survivors, retrieving art looted by the Nazis and getting financial compensation for Holocaust survivors from the Dutch government and financial institutions.

The venue for the memorial ceremony is Ichud Shivat Zion at 86 Ben-Yehuda Street in Tel Aviv. ISZ hosts a wide variety of religious, cultural, and social events that attract people from across the Jewish spectrum, from totally secular to ultra-Orthodox. Admission to the ceremony is free of charge.

Lior Suchard attempts to win friends for Israel

■ LONG BEFORE the conflicts in which Israel is now embroiled, it had an image problem, and has used many strategies in an effort to overcome negative perceptions and attitudes.

Even mentalist Lior Suchard is using his unusual talents to win friends and influence for Israel. In an interview with Riki Rath that was published in Makor Rishon, he told of having risked popularity with this decision to serve Israel’s interests, and though he may have succeeded to some extent, he lost 20,000 followers. But this doesn’t bother him, he said, because he doesn’t want people of that kind listed as followers on his social media accounts.

It took him a while to realize that there is no point in arguing with anyone who is anti-Israel, so what he did was to explore various pro-Israel platforms and study the messages to determine what he should deliver on his own social media accounts.

Sometimes he feels that he’s knocking his head against a brick wall, but there are also success stories.

He cited the case of Kim Kardashian’s mother who had posted on her Instagram account the desire for peace on all sides. Suchard got in touch with her and, in the most objective manner that he could summon, explained the overall situation to her, resulting in her sending a pro-Israel post.

If only it was that easy in more influential quarters.

Rewarding female reservists 

■ MOST ISRAELIS appreciate the sacrifices being made by reservists, especially female reservists who are the mothers of young families. Some of these women did not wait to be called up but volunteered and insisted on serving.

The Snir Association, which supports many charitable projects, believes that such women are entitled to some form of reward, and in cooperation with hairstylist Ofir Almog gave free hair treatments and styling to female reservists as a gift for the Passover festival.

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