xt7tb27psf4m https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7tb27psf4m/data/mets.xml Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass Kentucky Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass 2007-08 Newspaper of the Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass, previously named the Central Kentucky Jewish Association and Central Kentucky Jewish Federation. Published ten times annually. The Federation seeks to bring Jewish community members together through holiday parties, lectures, Yiddish courses, meals, and other celebrations of Jewish heritage and culture. They also host fundraisers and provide financial assistance for Jews in need, both locally and around the world. This collection is part of the Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass records, 2016ms010. newsletters 2016ms010 English Central Kentucky Jewish Federation Inc Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass records Jews -- Kentucky -- Lexington Jews -- History Shalom, August 2007 text image Shalom, August 2007 2007 2007-08 2025 true xt7tb27psf4m section xt7tb27psf4m AUGUST 2007 Gesher o ff to gre 1455, .4, . i‘, at start Israeli shlichah 4 + + Camp Shalom and Camp Gesher are winding up the first week of the 2007 session. Enrollment has been very good this year and a multitude of activities have been planned. Don’t miss out on all the fun: hurry and call the CKJF office to sign up for the second week! That week—August 6 through 9—will feature a special guest. Einat Divir, an Israeli shlichah (emis- sary), will be a staff member for Week 2 of camp. Einat is 21 years old and has served in the Army and Navy in Israel. She studied theater and literature in high school and has worked with children teach- ing drama classes. She has also done volunteer work with children with disabilities. Einat’s visit to the United States has been arranged by the Jewish Agency for Israel. see Camp, page 7 Central Kentucky Jewish Federation "SnipiZEitaoreg' 1050 Chinoe Road - Suite 302 - Lexington, KY 40502 FAIIg) Change Service Requested Lexington, KY Permit l 719 John and Paula Frank relate tales of escape Road to us. in 403 fraught with peril O49 By Mary lfngel A box of Cuban cigars saved John Frank’s life. That was 66 years ago, but the journey that took him from Nazi Germany in 1934 to the United States in 1943 seems as fresh in his 93-year-old mind as if it all happened yesterday. To John, it might as well have. Such things, he says, you never forget. John Frank and Paula, his wife of 61 years, have lived in Lexington since 2002. They moved here to be near one we... (mental Kentucky} eggsh Federation annual meeting AV-ELUL 5767 of their two sons, Daniel, a profes- sor at the University of Kentucky, and four of their seven grandchil- dren. (Another son, Leonard, and his family live in Israel.) But two years aftet his parents’ arrival, Daniel Frank, after 24 years at UK, accepted an offer from Purdue University and moved his fam- ily to Indiana. His parents decided to remain in Lexington, in their home at Richmond Place. John Frank was born in 1914 in Germany. His family lived in Cologne, where his father was a law— yer and a grandfather was a rabbi. see Escape, page 4 Linda Ravvin elected new president, Volunteer Awards presented ¢ 4 + On June 27, the Central Kentucky Jewish Federation held its annual meeting at the corporate offices at the Chinoe Center. The program started with a report by outgoing president Marty Barr, who reviewed the changes introduced in the func- tioning of the Board of Directors to promote more active and participa— tory meetings. He then reported pos- itive developments in almost every area of the organization, culminating with improved, cooperation among the different local Jewish organiza- tions, as highlighted by the joint pro- grams on Martin Luther King Day, Yom Hashoah, and Yom Ha’Atzmaut. He also highlighted the reactiva- tion of the Community Relations Committee and its growing activity in representing the Jewish commu- nity on issues of public concern. Following Marty, Executive Director Daniel Chejfec gave a brief report on the state of world Jewry and the a . -. 4:? Linda Ravvin, incoming President, shares vision for CK IF situation in Israel. He pointed out the importance of every member of the Jewish community’s taking to heart the lyrics of the old pioneer : song, “Anu banu artza lib’not u’leibanot ba”—”We came to the land to rebuild it and to be rebuilt by it,” meaning that we need to continue our efforts see Annual meeting, page 3 MIS-PAGINATICN TH RUGHUT VOLUME IN THIS ISSUE President's Message ................................ 4 Leisure Club revives favorite activity ....................... 4 Environmental concerns bring Israelis, Jordanians and Palestinians together .................................. 5 From the Executive Director ............................. 6 Third Opinion ........................................ 7 Ask a Rabbi ......................................... 8 IFS: At Your Service .................................. 9 Just for Kids ........................................ 10 The new student .................................... to History of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict — Part XX ........... II B’tayavon .......................................... 14 Around the Community ............................... 16 Lexington Havurah ................................... I6 Lexington Hadassah .................................. I7 TAI ............................................... I8 OZS .............................................. 19 Community Calendar ................................. 20 D W sta SHALOM Published ten times per year by the Central Kentucky Jewish Federation, Inc. 1050 Chinoe Rd., Suite 302, Lexington, KY 40502 Phone (859) 268-0672 0 Fax (859) 268-0775 email: shalom@jewishlexington.org AUGUST 2007, VOLUME XIV, ISSUE 6 Linda Ravvin, President Daniel Chejfec, Executive Director Jana LaZur, Activities Director Tamara Ohayon, Office Administrator Abby Miller, JFS Director SHALOM COMMITTEES Editorial Board Ruth Poley, Editor-in-Chief Mary Heléne Rosenbaum, Editor/Administrator Marcia Blacker Judy Levine Advisory Board Elissa Brown, Gail Cohen, Angie Ornstein, Janet Scheeline, and Rose Rita Wurmser CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Nicky Blackburn, Ryan LaZur, Michelle Levine, and Ruth Moser Production Services by Direct Response, Inc. The editorial staff has the right to edit all articles submitted for publication in Shalom. The appearance of any advertising in this publication does not represent a kashruth endorsement on the part of CKJF or any other agency or organization. Shalom is supported by the advertisements appearing in the paper. © 2007 by Central Kentucky Jewish Federation 2 - August 2007 Shalom ' ' CENTRAL KENTUCKY JEWISH FEDERATION SHALOM ENDORSES ICPA RESOLUTION ON 0"] Vfléfltipw IMMIGRATION REFORM In accordance with the underpinnings of American values of democracy, tolerance. entrepreneurial spirit and equality under the law.and congruent with core JeWish values of human rights, human dignity and fairness. the Jewish Councrl For Public Affairs (JCPA), adopted a resolution on immigration reform during its recent 2007 Plenum. Immigration reform in the US. should be guided by the following prinCIples: 1. The US. has a valid national interest in promoting the rule of law, securing borders and excluding those who engage in unlawful activity. It therefore should develop effective, reasonable and conSIstent security standards which should be applied both to persons wishing to enter the US. as well as those who are already here, legally or illegally. 2. Most who migrate to the U.S. are hardworking, and willing to make personal sacrifices to improve their circumstances. Most are devoted to family values, seeking to provide a better future for their Neil Poley reads Shalom Whfle waiting children, and are open and eager to embracing American values while for the golem in preserving the values and culture ofthe countries of their birth. Prague. . . . . . . 3. US. policy should strive to Institute uniform, compassionate and humane protocols to process refugee and asylum claims, Opinions 4. Those entering the US. legally who desire to settle here (I b permanently should not be subject to undue delays. Punitive EXPI‘ESSE y measures that criminalize actions by social service providers writers in should be avoided, undocumented workers should be afforded appropriate protection as to working conditions and standards. and a family reunification policy should be implemented to Silalom eradicate the inhuman separation of family members. . 5. A rational system of immigration is vital to the continued are "at necessarily economic growth ofthe US: it fosters entrepreneurship. attracts those of the editorial productive workers, and helps the U S to remain on the leading ‘ . , .‘ . edge of science. humanities and the arts. As the undocumented staff or adVisors, nor 0f become "legal." their contribution to the U 8. economy is enhanced the Central Kentucky through work paying taxes and buying goods and serVices. *w‘.‘ ‘d era -) It 18h Ft L t“ n JCPA urges JeWish communities around the country to actively 01‘ its constituent participate in the legislative reform process. so that immigration - - ~ fl reform reflecting these prinCIples can be implemented. i 01' committee The Central Kentucky JeWish Federation based upon the mpmlwrc“ Letters to rertzmrnerniam . x t, ., .lqialualia vuliillllllee. fully , endorses the JCPA resolution on immigration reform, and encourages the Ed‘t‘” are JIWJYS all members of the JeWish community and its allies in the broader welcome community to work to ensure that immigration reform is adopted. send them to July 10‘ 2007 dj—ifrqbbardstowngom, Michael J. Grossman, Co—Chair CKJF Community Relations Committee If you are not receiving Jewish weekly email and would like to, please email your name and email address to ckif@iewishlexington.org 9:96“ Federaf/o I I gr Central Kentucky JeWIsh Federation ”harms“ CKJF President CKJF Board Linda Ravvin Judy Baumann Lowell Nigoff Elissa Brown Linda Noffsinger Executive Committee David Feinberg Angie Ornstein Michael Grossman, Vice President Odette Kaplan Rickie Rosenberg Pat Shraberg, Secretary Doug Katz Walter Solomon Robert Grossman, Treasurer Mimi Kaufman David Wekstein Ruth Poley, Member—At-Large David Levine Carole Wilson Marty Barr, Immediate Past President Jennifer Miller J Ski/om Deabline Deadline for articles for the September Shalom is August 10. Email articles to di—ifr@bardstown.com. Articles submitted in hard copy should be double-spaced. Anr to st' and the J Rick Cam outsi ativil invo] Erich/i. Conn event IIIt‘ SS] outtt event isrur centi yean \VC‘VV Mart) memI and a exteni [sensl partic Pat SI Nomi sentir Gross Kaufr Pat SI as Lir memt appro were Next, nomii new p appro then i accep Fermi with I ty J .. Annual meeting (from page 1) to strengthen the Jewish community and its connections with lsrael and the Jewish world. Ricki Rosenberg reported on the Campaign, emphasizing this year’s outside-the-box approach and cre— ativity in getting the community involved. Her examples included the Evelyn Geller receiving President’s Award. Comedy Night and the mid-level event on October 6, Havdallah Under the Shining Stars. She also pointed out the success of the Pacesetters event and the fact thaf'tfi'é’campaign is running, so far, with an eleven per- cent increase card-by-card over last year, and that the expectation is that we will meet our goal of $380,000. Marty Barr acknowledge those Board members who finished their terms and are not eligible for reelection. He extended thanks to Lisa Satin, Stan lsenstein, and Ray Archer for their participation on the Board. Pat Shraberg presented the Nominating Committee Report, pre- senting a slate that included Michael Grossman, Odette Kaplan, Mimi Kaufman, David Wekstein, and Pat Shraberg for reelection as well as Linda Ravvin as newly elected member of the Board. The attendees approved the slate and the members were installed. Next, Pat Shraberg presented the nomination of Linda Ravvin as new president of CKJF, which was approved unanimously. Linda was then installed as president (see her acceptance speech on page 4). Former president David Feinberg, with his special humor, recognized the efforts of his successor, outgo- ing president Marty Barr, to promote Jewish life and the goals of CKJF in Central Kentucky over the past two years. Marty accepted a work of art by Gad Almaliah featuring a famous quote by Rabbi Hillel. Volunteer awards were presented. The President’s Award, for an indi. vidual selected by the president who has shown commitment and dedica— tion to the goals of CKJF and the wellbeing of the Jewish community in Central Kentucky over the years, went to Evelyn Dantzic Geller. Evelyn has served as president of CKJF, has chaired JFS, and has been a member of the Shalom Editorial Committee, the Spinoza Society, and the local and regional boards of Hadassah; she has made many more contributions to our community. The Volunteer of the Year award, named after Cookie Wenneker, is presented every year to an individual whose dedication and commitment to the goals of CKJF and the wellbe- ing of the Jewish community made him or her stand out in the past year. Nominations for this award are taken from the community at large, and the winner is selected by the Board. This yea r’s Winner was Pat Shraberg for her efforts on the Day of Giving, on the Community Activities Committee, as secretary of CKJF, and for working on the decoration of our new offices. Pat Slzraberg ~ Volunteer of the Year. The Young Leadership Award is presented every year to a commu— nity member between the ages of 25 and 45 for his/her commitment to the goals of CKJF and the programs to the community, as well as show— ing leadership qualities in her/his activities in the Jewish community. Nominations are taken from the community at large, and the winner is selected by the Board. This year’s winner was Judy Levey, whose past participation as a Board member, as well as service on the Camp Shalom committee and her active volunteer- ism on the Day of Giving and at other events, including those of her congregation at 025, mark her as a great choice for the award. It was bittersweet because of the upcom- ing departure of Judy, her husband Sandy Goldberg, and their children from our community. It was an evening of celebrating accomplishments, taking stock of where we are and laying up future plans: everything an Annual Meeting is supposed to be. There are many ways to get involved in the activi- ties of CKJF which benefit the whole Jewish community—serving on a Br .I: 4 . Judy Levey accepts Young Leadership Award. committee, participating in our annu- al Day of Giving or our upcoming training for the friendly visitors' pro— gram, and many more opportunities. If you are interested, please contact Daniel Chejfec at the office, (859) 268- 0672, or by email at ckjf@jewishlex— ington.org. 23X 859.231.0464 ’7‘ Q. M; g For all the celebrations in life! Dupree Catering 1006 Delaware Avenue fax 859.253.1727 www.dupreecatering.com August 2007 Shalom - 3 f ANQUETS. » tansdowne Shoppes . Far more im’ormeumi, c2 President's Message Linda Ravvin Relocation Specialist. Richard 3. Koe Schennberg ' Associate Brokers - Owner (859) 626-1312 Phone (859) 806-3845 Kae (859) 806-4288 Richard [85?) 624-0528 Fax Web Site: Schennberg.com Francis {:3 Sebannbesg 'Rediiy, LLC 206 Wayne Drive, Suite B Richmond, KY 40475 FEDS; Frofessional Errand Ey Driving Service - Doctor’s Appointments - Groceries ‘ - After School Activities Flexible Hours until 7:30 pm. Fag Sellers 8594—2125459 1... Escape (from page 1) After Hitler came to power in 1933, the family remained in Germany until the next year, when they moved to the Netherlands and settled in Amsterdam. Refugees were unable to get work permits, so the family lived off what money they had and by renting out rooms in their apartment. John’s brother, a dentist, left for England in 1935 so he could go into practice. In 1938, John decided to leave, too, but the immigration quota was closed. He was working with a Kindertransport committee that evacuated Jewish children from Germany after Kristallnacht. It was during that time that he received, as a thank-you gift, the box of cigars that would become the currency used to buy his way to freedom. After the war began in 1939, the Frank family was caught in Holland. “Nobody could get out, nobody," John says. The Germans invaded Holland in lU-lll; the conquest took just five days. Then came the Man occupation 4 0 August 2007 Shalom and the Gestapo, and that's when “everything changed,” John says. He lived underground to stay out of the Gestapo’s way, but that wasn’t always easy. In February 1941, many of his friends were picked up in the street. John escaped by running into a bank and hiding under a desk. The next month, John had the oppor- I believe that the primary goal of CKJF, as part of the National Federation system, is to be convener, coordina— tor, and umbrella for the Jewish community as a whole. Working with the other representatives of our commu- nity organizations, I hope that we will reach new levels of cooperation with joint programming, educational opportunities, leadership development, and connec- tion to Israel. To enable all of this, of course, we must continue to develop and increase our annual CKJF/UJC campaign. We must also emphasize the inclusive nature of federations and encourage involvement by reaching out to those. who are not connected or who are periph- erally involved. This means that the onus is on you, as community members, to fully participate, become involved and take leadership roles to further these goals. In his book, Building Powerful Community Organizations, Michael Jacoby Brown writes: "To build commu- nity and mutual support, groups have to go beyond helping the individuals in the groups. They have to help all the members to see themselves as part of a community that can help each other in many ways, and to use the power of the group to do this." There are many goals which I have for CKJF and our community (I do have a rather ambitious mind). I would like to see new and exciting activities of all types that will attract as many of us as possible and provide oppor- tunities for both individual and community growth. We, as members of CKJF, need to review our mission state- travel from Amsterdam to Brussels. He stayed there for a month in a boarding house with the Gestapo, sleeping in a bathtub by day when the Germans were not around, and hiding on the street at night. A doctor with connections—and help from the cigars—got fake documents for John that allowed him to leave for Paris. Even so, he had to make tunity to flee, it across and he took three bor- it. It meant The next month, John had the oppor— ders and leaving his tunity to flee, and he took it. it meant through parents behind leaving his parents behind because three because their their health wasn’t good. He never saw Check- health wasn't them again. Both died in Sobibor. Pomts‘ At good. He each stop, never saw he would them again. assess his Both died in Sobibor, an extermina- tion camp in Poland, in April 1943. During his work with the Kristallnaclit refugees, John had met Gertrude Wijsmuller, a Dutch Red Cross worker who is credited with beginning the Kindertransport program and later was declared a Righteous Gentile by Yad Vashem. ln March 1‘44], she obtained a per- mit for him that allowed him to surroundings, go into the bathroom to figure out what to do, then make his move. Sometimes it meant put- ting his fake papers right in the face of the security guards, so the papers would be too close to read. Another time, he used an immunization cer- tificate to get through a checkpoint because the paper was the same color as the passes being waved by the people being allowed through. see Escape, page 12 ment and bylaws, as well as the committee structure. (It’s gen— erally called updating to meet the changing times). I am sure that each of you also has a Vision of what you would like to see in our community future. Together, I hope that we will realize all of our combined goals. That is how a community grows and succeeds: by working together as the extended family that we are. The Dalai Lama has said, “Responsibility does not only he with the leaders of our countries or with those who have been appointed or elected to do a particular job. It lies with each of us individually.” You have just elected me president of CKJF, but I will not take the respon— sibility alone—I now charge each of you to actively involve yourselves, to step up to leadership roles and to participate with me in tikkun olam. X15 Leisure Club revives favorite activity By Ruth A loser On August 16, the Leisure Club will enjoy a Chinese buffet, something we have not done in years. This time we will be at the Number One Chinese Buffet on Richmond Road. So get ready for egg drop soup, egg rolls, and egg foo young. (Or chow mein, or whatever you want.) We are off in September so we can all celebrate the High Holidays. On October 2 we will enjoy Sukkoth at Ohavay Zion in the sukkah. There are no plans yet for November, but in December we will hold our annual Hanukkah party. Watch Shalom for upcoming Leisure Club events. Invitations Will be sent in the mail, and announce- ments are placed in newslet- ters from Ohavay Zion and TAl. Hope to see you soon. it Eli en col alr res im lar pr( “M ing brii edu of t pro ciai Israel 21c: Environmental concerns bring Israelis, Jordanians and Palestinians together By Michelle Levine They may come from worlds apart, but leading political and environ- mental figures from Israel, Jordan, and the Palestinian Authority have found a common theme to bring them together—the Great Rift Valley. The Great Rift Valley is a series of geological rifts stretching 4,000 miles, from southern Turkey to Zimbabwe, running through Syria and Lebanon, along the Jordan River, the Dead Sea, the Gulf of Eilat and the Red Sea until Kenya, at which point it splits into two branches. Five hundred million birds use the valley route to migrate twice a year from Europe to Asia. The multi-national group—under the moniker of the Dead Sea Triangle (DST)—has met twice recently, in Jerusalem and at Kibbutz Sde Eliyahu, to discuss the future of the Great Rift Valley and to step up the environmental collaboration already in prog- ress through innovative and large-scale projects. Sessions were organized by Dr. Yossi Leshem from Israel's Society for the Protection of Nature and Tel Aviv University. Together with Participants of the Dead Sea Triangle release a predator which feeds on rodents instead of using pesticides. The global aim of the DST initiative is to provide a platform for dialog though cooperative research and education in the Dead Sea region. Three leading institutions of higher education, Al-Balqa University (ABU) in Jordan, Al-Quds University (AQU) in East Jerusalem, and Tel Aviv University (TAU) in Israel, will each set up a Dead Sea Research Hub along the shores of the Dead Sea to jointly contend with a series of scientific challenges common to all three parties. While the group is currently fundraising for a research center and research bases in all three countries, work has already begun on one proj- ect—reducing agricultural reliance on pesticides. Barn Owls and kestrels prey on rodents that attack crops, so farmers are learning to build nesting boxes to sweeten the birds’ attraction to the area; once the birds of prey inhabit the farm, the farmer is free to discontinue use of chemical pesticides. Apparently the owls breed more when there is enough food for their young—and in the midst of Sde Eliyahu's wheat fields, these owls are laying far more eggs than usual and their young are of various ages. In 2004, the Tel Aviv Municipality began using kestrels and barn owls for biological pest control, exterminating rats and mice in urban courtyards. Eight local schools joined in the education efforts to promote this project. More recently, Jordanian and Palestinian farm— ers decided to join SPNI's project to reduce pesticide use. “It is a good experi— ence to learn from the Israelis and this proj- ect, in particular, is very important for our health and environment because we are get- his partners in the project —lmad Atrash of the Palestine Wildlife Society and retired Jordanian general Mansour Abu Rashed—Leshem envisions a tri- angle of research facilities (known as the Dead Sea Triangle) in the Great Rift Valley, Ein Gedi, Jericho, and Wadi Mujeb in Jordan. “Migratory and local birds are play- ing a key role in our collaboration, bringing people together: farmers, educators and scientists. The results of the birds' activities are far more profound than those of the politi- cians," Leshem told lSRAELZlc. ting rid of the rodents and pests plaguing farmers in a natural way," said Atrash, who has worked in close alli- ance with Leshem and the SPNI for years. In January 2006, the Cleveland Federation helped ful— fill this vision—funding research and conservation activities with Jordanian farmers, and 20 nesting boxes for barn owls and kestrels on the eastern shores of the Jordan River, across the river from the Bet She’an Valley. The program is coordinated by Rashed, a retired senior Jordanian Intelligence Officer and one of the leaders of the Israel-Jordan peace process; Rashed is currently the chair- man of the Amman Center for Peace and Development (ACPD). He explained that in the Muslim tradition, barn owls symbolize bad luck. Thus, many of the Jordanian farmers were hesitant to cooperate at first. Yet after a few <2\e Adazx/ 6° Preschool F Temple Adath Israel Preschool is now enrolling for the 2007-2008 school year. - Half-day program (mornings) ° 2, 3 and 4 year old classes ' Extended care options daily until 3 pm ' Nurturing, family environment CALL: 269-1915 124 North Ashland Avenue Lexington, KY “22 Years of Excellence" farmers used barn owls instead of chemical pesticides with tremendous success, others were quick to follow suit. An integral part of the Dead Sea Triangle Initiative; ‘ the proposed Research and Visitor Center will compile research being performed in every nation situated along the Great Rift Valley about processes and phenomena of the valley. Emphasis will be placed on integrated research in the fields of geology, life sciences and archae- ology. The center will focus on issues such as migrat- ing birds, geology, Dead Sea studies and heritage. Atrash is optimistic about the Dead Sea Triangle initia- tive, and will be establishing an environmental research and education project with Al-Quds University and the Jericho-Wildlife Monitoring Station (JWMS) "The JWMS has been involved in research, education, and eco-tourism since 2001," he told ISRAELZlc. Likewise, Leshem is hopeful that the proj- ect will move forward in the near future, as support is already coming in. ”Representatives from the Japan International Cooperation Agency and Japan’s ambassador to Israel, Yoshinori Katori, are seriously consider- ing sponsoring an initiative for regional coop- eration in the valley, which they refer to as the ”Corridor for Peace and Prosperity,” said Leshem. If funding is obtained for the Dead Sea Triangle initia- tive, the great minds of the three triangle countries will be coming together much more frequently. 23 August 2007 Shalom 0 5 ... --...~—uo~ u -, From the Executive Director Daniel Chejfec Time for a new Zionism + + + The idea of Zionism is generally associated with the establishment and independence of the State of Israel, and this is indeed a very important part of what Zionism is all about. Israel, however, is not the end but the beginning of Zionism. The existence of Israel represented the liberation of the Jewish people, but the liberation movement has more tasks ahead. One of those tasks is the liberation of the individual Jew. But this goal has been interpreted in several ways. There are those who believe that the liberation of the Jew means to strive for a Judaism that stresses its universal- istic elements to the point of subsuming or even denying its particularistic elements. These are those who claim that "we have transcended the stage of peoplehood"; in its Israeli incarnation, it includes those who believe that we are to work only for the betterment of all humanity, because political states and national identities are issues of the past. They believe that the Jews have superseded Zionism and that attachment to Jewish tradition is atavis- tic, even blaming it for the persistence of the conflict with the Palestinians. They clearly state that Israel should not call itself a Jewish State. This group of people calls itself ”post-Zionists” and includes many in the intellectual elite of Israel. I disagree with them in that I believe there is a clear role for Zionism in the liberation of the individual Jew. 1' am also uncomfortable with them because they appear to believe that they posses the ultimate truth and 6 0 August 2007 Shalom demand that everybody else adopt it; those who do not are condemned and shunned. Their attitude is no better than that of Hamas and its ‘ cadres, although their behavior does not include terrorism. They do, how— ever, share with Hamas and the PLO an absolute ideological certainty with no room for doubt or reassessment, and that bothers me enormously. I go back to the original formulation of the Zionist idea, best presented, in my opinion, by Leon Pinsker’s arti— cle, ”Auto-Emancipation." Zionism was intended from the beginning The role of Zionism today is, in my view, to allow the indi- vidual Jew to embrace his/her tradition and carry it with him/her to the broader world. to allow the individual Jew to be able to function as such while hav- ing access to modern society. While the Emancipation opened up many new opportunities and created a situation where Jews were not dis- criminated de jure any more, it perpetuated the anti-Jewish discrimination de facto. It was this intellectual discon- nection that gave Zionism an audience among the rank and file of European Jewry. The persistence of anti-Semitism in the face of the self-styled “mod— ern world” forced Jews to reevaluate their ideas. Among those who reevaluated their ideas were those who believed that the path to acceptance was the refor- mulation of their Jewish identity by eliminating all the elements offensive to their detractors, and that if the Jews ”were only to adapt” they would be accepted. They sought to de-emphasize all that was specifically Jewish and to emphasize that which they considered ”universal” values in Judaism. Some even went so far as converting out. Their ideological descendant are the ”post-Zionists” who believe that if Israel gives up Zionism and the emphasis on Jewish political sovereignty, the siege by the Arabs will end, a new era of peace will dawn, and Israelis will be able to live as normal people. My problem with this is that it seems to imply that for Jews to have a normal life they are supposed to renounce their specific- ity, something that no other people is forced to do. I also have strong doubts that Arabs will accept anything less than total sovereignty over a unified Arab Palestine. see New Zionism, page 9 Make 0 lasting difference in. your Jewish community. Buy a car. Thanks to Gene Hieger of Green’s Toyota. you can do both. tio Co tal sio tiVI tIO] sta anc tivc (1) p u I rest nisl Ne The atec selv to p The the that thei eve] prol can: indi a so we ; ists. this lack can Jew: The betv vast of Z allo‘ his/ him by s mal< prec e9 JFS: At Your Service Abby Miller, Director of Jewish Family Services JFS:/it Your Service is a monthly column covering a wide range of issues. If you have a problem or a concern that you would like addressed in this Shalom column, please send your queries to JFS: At Your Service, c/o Iewish Family Services, 1050