Grapevine: Nov. 19, 2024: Swiss cheese politics

In Israel politics is everything. Much as any cause may initially be apolitical, as with the campaigns for the immediate return of the hostages, rallies have become increasingly political due to other factors that influence the decision-making process.

At the weekly Saturday night rally in Jerusalem last weekend, political issues were raised by most of the speakers. It was almost like Purim, with the sound of clackers, drums, and boos when the name of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was mentioned. If there was anyone at home in the Netanyahu household two blocks away, they must have heard the repeated negative chorus, because the powerful microphones carried the sound for a long distance.

Speakers emphasizing the sanctity of human life, cited a litany of excuses given by Netanyahu for not making the hostages the No. 1 priority. All the goals that he had named in order to move the hostages up on the list of priorities had been achieved, speakers said, as they charged that Netanyahu was failing to reach an agreement with Hamas and keeping the war going for his own personal and political purposes.

Other issues and claims brought up at the demonstration included the reservists who have spent six months and longer on the battlefield, and the toll this has taken on their private lives professionally and economically; the number of displaced persons who cannot go home, and who in some cases no longer have homes to which to return; the number of fallen soldiers whose deaths in many instances could have been avoided; the number of wounded; and, from a political standpoint, two cardinal issues:

One is the effort to maintain the status quo whereby yeshiva students from haredi communities would continue to be exempt from army service; and the other, the destruction of Bedouin villages to make way for a new Jewish neighborhood.

It was pointed out that Bedouin are citizens of Israel, fight in the IDF, were among the rescuers and the victims on October 7, were kidnapped and taken to Gaza, and despite all this, are denied the most elementary of human rights. Some of the names that the prime minister was called, both by the speakers and the crowd, are not repeated here in order to avoid feeding fuel to Israel’s enemies and critics.

Political activist Yaya Fink, speaking of hope for a better future, and the fervent wish that the hostages would be home by Hanukkah, the miracle season, in the Hanukkah spirit asked the attendees to turn on the lights in their cellphones and to hold them up. Suddenly, there were twinkling lights piercing the darkness of France Square and part of Aza Road. It was a dramatic moment.

Taking responsibility

■ FOR MORE than a year now, Israelis have been calling on their leaders to take responsibility for the lack of preparedness to counter what happened on October 7. Some have paid lip service to the request, but nothing has really been done to determine why the warnings of the female observers went unheeded, or who should step down from office. The nation is still waiting for the appointment of a commission of inquiry.

In the UK last week Archbishop Justin Welby resigned over a report of an alleged serial child abuser associated with the Church of England, of which Welby was the spiritual leader. Welby was apparently aware of the man’s alleged cruel conduct, but failed to report what he knew to the police. In recent months, some of the victims have come forward to disclose their suffering.

In the statement in which he announced his resignation, Welby wrote: “It is very clear that I must take personal and institutional responsibility. I believe that stepping aside is in the best interests of the Church of England.”

A fireside chat with Trevor Asserson

■ IT MAY be a little late to try to get a seat, as the event is on Wednesday, November 20, but if you contact Aviva Rosenschein, the director of community engagement for Camera Israel at aviva@camera.org, she might be able to squeeze you into the Camera event in Ra’anana for a fireside chat with Trevor Asserson on the Asserson BBC report.

Camera monitors media reports about Israel and the Jewish people and is quick to point out inaccuracies or unfair bias. Asserson is the founding partner of Asserson, one of Israel’s largest international law firms. He will be discussing “BBC, Bias, Israel and the War.” In early September of this year, Asserson launched his 200-page report titled “The Israel-Hamas War and the BBC,” which includes an in-depth analysis of BBC output in both English and Arabic. The report contains traditional forensic analysis by a team of data scientists. Asserson will be joined by a member of Camera’s Arabic department.

The event, hosted by Matan and Kinor David, begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Mishkan-Music and Arts House, 4 Hapalmah Street, Ra’anana.

Campus antisemitism

■ NOT QUITE in tandem with the number of documentaries being made about October 7 and its aftermath are documentaries made by Americans about spiraling antisemitism in the US – particularly on university campuses. While most of the American films are post-October 7, Blind Spot, directed by IronBound Films, takes viewers to more than a dozen campuses across America, beginning in 2022, and continuing through most of this year.

We keep reading about campus antisemitism, but we have no real concept of how volatile and frightening it is until we see the visuals.

Blind Spot is yet another red alert about Jew-hatred in America. The stars are all students, said Tarman. There have already been initial screenings at Columbia University and on the West Coast, with the official world premiere scheduled for November 24 at New York’s Museum of Jewish Heritage with more than 800 people registered to attend.

This is indicative of the concern. Film marketing lead Dan Tarman said that he has already received numerous requests for screenings from across the US, UK, Canada, and Israel.

He doesn’t have any fixed dates as yet but hopes to be in Israel soon because just as it is important for American Jews to know what is happening in Israel, it is equally important for Israeli Jews to know what is happening to Jewish citizens of America.

Antisemitism in America

■ JUST AS American Jews don’t quite understand the whole business of the haredi draft, Israeli Jews don’t understand the fear that is gripping certain American Jewish circles as antisemitism intensifies and becomes more threatening and more violent.

Writing to invite congregants of Temple Beth Israel of Highland Park and Eagle Rock in Los Angeles to a neighborhood Shabbat last Friday night, the congregation’s spiritual leader, Rabbi Alex Weisz, mentioned how heartbroken he had been over the past year, as so many people had told him how scared and alone they felt in the (antisemitic) climate of America.

His letter to congregants also implies that many are dismayed by the presidential election results. Since the election, Weisz has spent countless hours in pastoral counseling on the phone.

COP29 in Baku

■ ISRAEL’S PERIPATETIC President Isaac Herzog had planned to be in Baku, Azerbaijan, for the UN’s COP29 climate conference, but, according to his office, security considerations prevented his participation, which meant that he not only missed out on the discussions, but on meetings with many foreign leaders to whom he had hoped to put Israel’s case. However several media outlets reported that the real reason for Herzog missing out on attending was that Turkey would not allow Herzog’s plane to travel over Turkish airspace.

Herzog was previously in Baku in May, 2023, when he paid a state visit to Azerbaijan. At that time, Israel faced far less animosity from Turkey than it does today, even though relations had been downgraded for some time. In fact, in March 2022, Herzog paid a state visit to Turkey, and was warmly received by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who now vilifies Israel at every opportunity.

Herzog enjoys meeting high-ranking representatives of different countries. These days, he can appeal to them for assistance in efforts to release the hostages from Gaza. Such meetings also help to cement relations between Israel and other countries, and sometimes enhance, below the radar, connections between Israel and countries with which Israel does not have diplomatic relationships.

There are 197 countries participating in the conference in Baku, which would have offered Herzog the opportunity to connect with countries whose leaders he has not met with previously. His late uncle Abba Eban used to relate that, behind closed doors at the United Nations, he had developed friendships with representatives of various Middle East countries, who would shun him in public, but who were most friendly and hospitable in private.

Tensions with France

■ THE FRENCH Embassy usually publishes press releases in French, except when it is important for more people to read whatever information is being relayed. Thus, press releases about French displeasure with Israel over recent issues were sent out in English.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot found it unacceptable that, during his recent visit here, armed Israeli police entered a French-owned compound in east Jerusalem without authorization to do so. A subsequent press release in English condemned statements by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich with regard to the possible annexation of the West Bank.

On a more positive note, another press release in English confirmed that the soccer match between Israel and France would be attended by President Emmanuel Macron, Prime Minister Michel Barnier, Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, Sports Minister Gil Averois, former presidents Nicolas Sarkozy and Francoise Hollande, and Israel Ambassador Joshua Zarka.

A much happier event, devoid of tension, was held at the French ambassador’s residence in Jaffa, where Ambassador Frederic Journes conferred the prestigious honor of officer of arts and letters on Naomi Perlov, the artistic director of the Suzanne Dellal Center, in recognition of her contribution to contemporary dance and theater in both Israel and France.

At the same event, he conferred Legion of Honor knighthoods on writers Dror Mishani and Bluma Finkelstein. Mishani’s books have been translated into 20 languages and are very popular in France. Finkelstein is a poet and professor emerita of literature st the University of Haifa. Also honored was talented translator Dorit Daliot, who has been instrumental in promoting French literature in Israel.

The ambassador, who is a culture buff, was particularly pleased to be hosting this ceremony.

An ambassador from Poland?

■ WHEN HE arrived in Israel a little over a month ago to take up his post as head of Poland’s diplomatic mission in Israel, he was widely reported in the Israeli media as being the new ambassador, after a three-year hiatus in which the embassy had been headed by a chargé d’affaires. But when the embassy sent out invitations for Polish Independence Day and Polish Armed Forces Day, Maciej Hunia, who is hosting the event, was not listed as ambassador but as chargé d’affaires.

He is one of a large number of new heads of Polish diplomatic missions around the world who are technically ambassadors but officially charges d’affaires until a dispute between President Andrzej Duda and Prime Minister Donald Tusk is settled. The two Polish leaders are from different political parties – a factor that is affecting the status of Polish representatives abroad – so it may take some time before numerous designated ambassadors actually receive the title and can present their letters of credence to the heads of state in the countries to which they’ve been posted.

Spiritual diplomacy

■ DIPLOMACY HAS many guises, and is achieved not only through traditional bilateral channels but also through business relations, interfaith contacts, sports, and military connections. In the latter case, for instance, military attachés to embassies have their own association and meet frequently among themselves, with Israeli military officers, and at diplomatic and social events.

Spiritual diplomacy is conducted both nationally and internationally with interfaith organizations in most countries and interfaith conferences conducted in many parts of the world.

Among the best known and most widely attended of these conferences is the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in Kazakhstan, which is also attended by religious and political leaders from Israel. This month Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III was appointed goodwill ambassador of the congress.

Kazakhstan has a strong commitment to religious dialogue, in the belief that many conflicts can be resolved through spiritual diplomacy.

Construction art

■ NOT SO long ago, it used to be very dangerous to walk anywhere near a construction site in Israel, because there were so few safety measures in place, and scaffolding was left uncovered. Unfortunately, there are still construction workers who are injured or killed due to negligence or certain faults, but as far as pedestrians are concerned, scaffolding is properly covered, and it is becoming increasingly fashionable to make the protective fences attractive.

In Jerusalem, the long overdue Knesset museum is finally taking shape, and the protective fence has been taken down because it is no longer necessary. But during the years in which it was standing, it was decorated with changing prints reflecting the history of the Knesset.

Not far away, on Jaffa Road, property developer Laurent Levy, who has a keen eye for aesthetics, is building a large complex that includes a hotel and a commercial center. The protective fence features reproductions of photos from the period of the British Mandate.

Some of the other downtown projects in the capital feature photographic displays of what the project will look like, inside and out, when it is completed.

But the efforts to make these fences attractive to the public eye are spoiled by vandals who deface them with ugly graffiti or who paste posters across the photos. What kind of perversion makes egocentric hooligans deliberately ruin a thing of beauty?

The question comes to mind in relation to a further improvement on the aesthetics of a building site – this time in Tel Aviv, where Moti Ben-Moshe, the chairman of Blue Square Real Estate, which is part of the Alon Blue Square Israel Group, announced the establishment of an open art gallery at the ceremony for the laying of the cornerstone for what will be a 97-unit luxury residential project of two towers of seven floors each in the Ramat Hatayasim neighborhood. The project is known as Project Asherman 32.

Ben-Moshe’s vision is for the project to be home to a community and not just to a large group of strangers who share an address. Toward this goal, he decided to turn the protective fence into an open art gallery with rotating exhibitions featuring paintings, drawings, and photographs by Israeli artists.

He believes that this will give the Israeli public a greater appreciation of art and will bring Israeli artists to wider public attention.

A Jewish reshuffle

■ NEW APPOINTMENTS are in the air. Karin Mayer Rubinstein, CEO and president of the Israel Advanced Technology Industries Association, has been appointed as a member of the Jewish Agency Board of Governors, representing the Jewish Federations of North America. This appointment reflects Rubinstein’s long-standing commitment to contributing to Israeli society and strengthening Israel’s connections with Jewish communities worldwide.

Rubinstein regards her role as “a significant mission” given that this is a time when the State of Israel faces a difficult war, global antisemitism is on the rise, and the challenges facing the Jewish people in the Diaspora, particularly in the United States, are growing. Rubinstein believes that deepening the connection and fostering cooperation between Jews worldwide and the State of Israel, as well as the strengthening of Jewish identity, are critical tasks for the future of the Jewish people.

Alongside her efforts in these areas, Rubinstein is determined to bring her experience and her global network to promote Israel’s status as a leader in innovation in hi-tech, health, security, and all advanced industries.

“It is important to me to continue building significant bridges between Israel’s technological ecosystem and American Jewry, encouraging collaborations in entrepreneurship, investments, and innovation, which will contribute to Israel’s economic resilience and the strength of Jewish communities worldwide,” she said.

Conflict resolution

■ THREE YEARS ago, Camille Moradian, from California, came to Tel Aviv to pursue a master’s degree in conflict resolution and mediation at Tel Aviv University. While there, she developed a deep passion for human rights and policy work. Since then, she has gained significant experience in the NGO sector, including working within the resource development department at the Association for Civil Rights in Israel.

She is now the director of resource development at Mitvim: The Israeli Institute for Regional Foreign Policies, and has been active in organizing its 7th Annual Conference, which is to take place on Thursday, November 21, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., at the Rabin Center in Tel Aviv, under the title of “Strategies of Hope.”

Speakers will explore ideas as to how the tragedy of the past year can be transformed into a turning point that ignites renewed diplomatic initiatives in Israel’s relations with the Palestinians and the Arab world.

Speakers will include: opposition leader MK Yair Lapid, MK Naama Lazimi, German Ambassador Steffen Seibert, US Embassy deputy chief of mission Stephanie L. Hallett, and Dr. Ronen Bergman, along with former ministers and senior experts from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the Palestinian Authority, Egypt, and the UAE.

Donating blood

■ A FESTIVE procession with singing and dancing circled the MDA blood bank building in Ramle last week. The occasion was the dedication of a Torah scroll donated by the Broder family in memory of Moshe ben Zechariah Menachem Mendel and Yenta Golda bat Rabbi Avraham Yitzhak, through the American Friends of MDA. The final letters of the scroll were written at the dedication ceremony, which was attended by the Sephardi chief rabbi of Ramle, Rabbi Yechiel Abuchatzeira, Ramle Deputy Mayor Avraham Dzhurayev, Ramle Religious Council chairman Maor Ashash, Torah scribe Rabbi Elad Cohen, members of the Broder family, MDA Director-General Eli Bin, MDA Deputy Director-General of Blood Services Prof. Eilat Shinar, MDA CFO Alon Fridman, as well as senior staff, employees, and MDA volunteers.

The ceremony was led by Michael Sitrit, the security officer for MDA’s Blood Services.

Broder family members have lived in the Land of Israel for five generations, and the Torah has always been central to their lives.

Rabbi Yonatan Shpitzer, director of the MDA Chabad House, recited blessings, and various speakers made the point that while MDA is constantly engaged in saving lives and ensuring the physical well-being of people, the Torah offers the spiritual lifesaving balance.

Hosting wounded troops

■ LAST WEEKEND, 140 wounded IDF soldiers and their families were hosted at the Leonardo Plaza Hotel in Jerusalem, which is part of the Fattal chain. From Thursday through Saturday night, they participated in lectures, group activities, a festive Shabbat reception, and more.

The get-together began with an optimistic talk by Asaf Yasur, a world champion in taekwondo and gold medalist at the Paris Paralympic Games. When he was 13 years old, Yasur was electrocuted and lost both hands. Despite this tragedy, he resolved to live his life to the full and to succeed in his ambitions. From the moment he discovered taekwondo, he realized that nothing would hold him back.

Another highlight was an address by Yair Lipschitz, a deputy company commander in the 101st Battalion of the Paratroopers Brigade, who serves in the IDF as a career officer. Lipschitz was severely wounded in Gaza, evacuated in critical condition, placed in a medically induced coma, and remained on life support for some time. Only two weeks earlier, he underwent another surgery, which he hopes will be the last. Four months ago, Lipschitz became the proud father of a baby girl, Hallel, which means praise.

“I met others who were wounded like me, and the conversations were truly inspiring,” Lipschitz said. “The meetings with fellow wounded soldiers who have been on a similar journey, as well as with soldiers from the Netzah Yehuda Battalion, who also spent Shabbat at the hotel, were remarkable. I’m left speechless – kudos to everyone involved in organizing this event.”

The weekend respite was funded by David Hager, a haredi businessman from Los Angeles, in partnership with the Netzah Yehuda organization. Hager, who is a constant supporter of Netzah Yehuda, said that from the beginning of the war he has hosted hundreds of reservist families at various hotels to give them relief from the everyday pressures.

“When I visited soldiers and asked how I could help, almost all of them said they were fine but would love for their families back home to be pampered,” Hager explained. “As the fighting dragged on and during my visits with wounded soldiers, I realized how important it is for families to help their injured loved ones break away from the routine of rehabilitation.” He also praised the management of the Leonardo Plaza Hotel.

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