Grapevine November 1, 2024: Iran-Israel alliance

Regardless of their political differences, Iranians around the world are rooting for Israel, says Iranian-American filmmaker and entrepreneur Hooman Khalili, who describes himself as a Persian Christian. 

Khalili has made 17 visits to Israel over the past 21 months, the most recent being last week for the launch of his 18th mural highlighting the heroism of Iranian and Israeli women. 

Israel is the only country in the Middle East that supports the Iranian women’s campaign for freedom, he said at the launch ceremony at Jerusalem’s First Station.

When he started his mural campaign, it was purely in support of the fight for the freedom of Iranian women. He wanted to make more people aware of the suffering they endure under the present regime. After October 7, he was inspired by the courage of Israeli women and included them in his murals.

The latest mural, under the title of Woman, Life, Freedom, honors victims of terror attacks and is a collage of symbols, biblical figures, history, and courage dating from Queen Esther to the present time.

Khalili believes that his murals also help in fighting antisemitism. Arab women look at them and see that Jewish women are fighting for freedom, and it inspires them to do the same, he says.

He has been aided by representatives of Israel’s Foreign Ministry, most notably Dan Oryan, the director of civic diplomacy, whom he praised for his dedication to the cause.

Persians and Jews were friends for 2,000 years. They’ve been enemies for only 50, said Khalili, who is confident that they will be friends again.

Among those attending the launch were the families of Shirel Haim and Sahar Saudyan, two of the female IDF soldiers who were murdered by Hamas on October 7. 

The two young women were of Iranian-Jewish background. Shirel’s father, Eli Haim, spoke of her courage and her responsibility to her fellow soldiers. 

Singers Sophie Abraham and Lital Peer, who are also of Iranian background, sang appropriate songs, and brief addresses were also given by Carolyn Hyde, a social activist who is building bridges between Jews and non-Jews, and Orly Cohen, a researcher on the women of Iran. The event was well attended by Jews, Christians, and Muslims.

A special celebration 

■ IN CELEBRATION of her 90th birthday, Australian-born, veteran Jerusalemite Sarah Klein invited her children, grandchildren, and a few close friends to join her for high tea at the Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem hotel. The age range was four to 97. 

The latter was another Australian-born Jerusalemite, Joan Fisher, who, despite her advanced age, was wearing stylish Ferragamo shoes with heels. The staff at the Waldorf knocked themselves out to make the milestone birthday a truly memorable occasion. The service was impeccable; the waiters were courteous and attentive to every request, and the maitre d’ was thrilled with all the compliments that came his way. 

Although her daughter Nava and two sons Ishai and Gidon lauded Klein and her late husband Shmuel as fantastic parents who did everything possible for their children, what was most remarkable about them, everyone agreed, was that they never complained, though Shmuel as a Holocaust survivor had every right and reason to complain.

Not only that, the parents allowed and even encouraged their children to chart their own paths in life and helped them whenever possible. 

Klein’s daughters-in-law Tammy and Nathanelle also voiced their appreciation and told her they loved her. But what was truly heart-warming was the number of people dining at other tables who took the trouble to come over to Klein’s long table to congratulate her and wish her more long and happy years ahead. 

More than that, were the two Orthodox men, Mordechai Ben Malka and Yosef Yitzhak Ben Mazal, who approached Klein’s table and, after wishing her well, each asked for a blessing, crouched, and bowed his head as she placed her hands on top of his black skullcap and blessed him with success and long life. 

Mordechai said he didn’t understand English, but figured that the One on High understands all languages. Yosef Yitzhak told her that she had the face of a saintly rabbinic leader. 

Klein, who looks nowhere near her age, and doesn’t carry a cane or use a walker, has previously been complimented on her looks, but this was the first time that she had been compared to a saintly rabbi.

Antisemitism in Australia 

■ WITH REGARD to Australia, when Klein and Fisher were growing up, there was a modicum of antisemitism, but nowhere near the extent to which Australia’s Jewish communities are experiencing today. 

In Melbourne, the capital of the state of Victoria, television stations and senior police were quick to condemn veteran officer Sgt. Mandy Finegan, who twice in the space of a week gave the Nazi salute and said “Heil Hitler” in front of colleagues at the police academy. 

Victoria’s Police Commissioner Shane Patton, in apologizing to the Jewish community, said he was disgusted and angered by such appalling conduct for which there was no room in the police force. In January this year, performing the Nazi salute in public or publicly trading in Nazi symbols became illegal, and offenders can be sentenced to prison or pay a heavy fine or both. 

“A Nazi salute is not just a gesture,” said Dr. Dvir Abramovich, chairman of the Anti-Defamation Commission. “It’s a horrifying symbol of genocide, terror, and antisemitism.”

Relating specifically to Finegan’s violation of the law, Abramovich continued: “It’s moments like these that we are reminded that the fight against intolerance is ongoing.”

Legislation is a positive step, but it doesn’t stop people from violating or ignoring the law. We see this in Israel where the national security minister (a title he invented because “police minister” did not have a sufficiently impressive cachet), not only breaks the law, but also ignores it and refuses to accept the opinions of the attorney-general. 

There are jokes in Israel that the real prime minister of the country is not Benjamin Netanyahu, but Itamar Ben-Gvir. The law will eventually catch up with him, and if Netanyahu does not get rid of Ben-Gvir as soon as possible, his political career will take a nosedive. He will be put out to pasture much sooner than he anticipates.

Middle East media 

■ WITH PROPOSED legislation for putting a muzzle on Israeli media and foreign media outlets operating in Israel, there is a danger that Israel, so proud of being the only democracy in the Middle East, will become a totalitarian state with the media as the mouthpiece of the government, just as Pravda was the mouthpiece for the Kremlin during the Communist era.

Al Jazeera is no longer permitted to broadcast from Israel amid allegations that the Qatar-owned media outfit is staffed by members of Hamas.

Now, apparently, any foreign media outlet that broadcasts or publishes material that is unfavorable to Israel can be shut down by Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, who has been trying to limit the power of the press ever since he came into office. 

One of the foreign media outfits mentioned as a possible candidate for Karhi’s ax is CNN, which is occasionally critical of Israel, but which also provides an interview platform for President Isaac Herzog and Netanyahu to respond to criticisms and allegations and to tell Israel’s side of whatever story may be in the news at any given time.

As it is, Israel desperately needs the goodwill of foreign media outlets, which is why Herzog and Netanyahu, who seldom give interviews to Israeli media, are only too happy to be interviewed by foreign print and electronic media. 

Does Karhi, in the national sense, really want to cut off his nose to spite his face?

Privately owned media in America is, unfortunately, bowing to the perceived future government, according to a report in the New York-based Huffington Post, which comments that even though Donald Trump has not yet been elected president again, major newspapers such as The Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times are bowing to his will and neither has endorsed a presidential candidate.

Both publications had prepared endorsements and in both cases publication had been killed by the billionaire owners, presumably to placate Trump. If he doesn’t win, he will probably blame them for not endorsing him.

Best breakfast 

■ ISRAELI HOTEL breakfasts have earned accolades from tourists from around the world. Even in a two-star hotel, the breakfast is generous, with sufficient variety on the buffet to satisfy most tastes and, certainly, all appetites. 

When it comes to luxury hotels, such as the David Kempinski in Tel Aviv, the amazing number of choices on the breakfast buffet are both mind-boggling and mouth-watering. 

Condé Nast Traveler, which rates hotel meals, service, and amenities, has characterized the breakfast at the David Kempinski hotel as one of the best in the world in 2024.

The reviewer was not certain what to expect but the reality exceeded all imagined expectations. Among the culinary delights was something rarely if ever seen at other Israeli first-class hotels – fresh honeycomb.

 The display was a feast for both the eyes and the palate. 

The presentation and the view of the beach each added to the pleasurable dining experience.

Mor Cohen, the hotel’s chef, was naturally thrilled to be on the best breakfast front lines.

“This is a great honor for us to receive this recognition,” he said. “Israeli breakfasts are known as an experience in and of themselves, and this acknowledgment from a magazine like Condé Nast Traveler only amplifies our pride and ambition to continue enhancing the experience for our guests.”

The cost for anyone not staying at the hotel is around three times as much as a breakfast in a regular Israeli coffee shop, but the choice is infinitely greater, plus the fact that one can keep returning to the buffet at no extra charge.

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