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HIAS commends Senate for approving 'asylum' amendment to the Immigration
Reform bill
“By
unanimously passing this amendment, the Senate has sent a strong signal
reaffirming this nation’s obligation to treat asylum seekers with dignity,
fairness, and respect as they seek refuge in our country,” says Mark Hetfield,
senior vice president for policy and programs at HIAS.
Though
pleased with the outcome of the vote on Senator Lieberman’s amendment, HIAS is
extremely disappointed that the Senate did not pass amendments by Senators
Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.), Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.), and
Barack Obama (D-Ill.) that would have reaffirmed our commitment to, and the
value of, keeping families together. The pro-family amendments that failed last night included provisions that would have: ensured that family members of U.S. citizens and permanent residents who had played by the rules aren’t cut out of line; ensured that U.S. permanent residents are not unnecessarily separated from their spouses and children, and; sunset the new point system in five years to ensure that this new untested and un-reviewed system is serving the interests of American families and communities.
“The
American public deserves a solution to our broken immigration system, one that
reflects its values and needs,” said Aronoff. “We are hopeful, and intend to
work hard to ensure, that the House will take a different approach than the
Senate and reaffirm our fundamental values of family unity, fairness, and
dignity and pass comprehensive immigration reform that is workable and humane.”
American Jewish Committee expresses concern over NEW YORK (Press Release)—The American Jewish Committee, in a letter to Swiss President Michelin Calmy-Rey, expressed its deep concern about the recent agreement between the Swiss energy group EGL and the National Iran Gas Export Company (NIGEC). "In view of Iran's intransigence and
the compelling threat it poses to international peace and security, we urge your
government, together with other like-minded governments, to take political and
economic measures that would send an unmistakable signal to Iran of its need to
abide by its international obligations," wrote AJC President Richard J. Sideman
and Executive Director David A. Harris.
(Return to top)
During his visit
he met with Carnit Goldwasser (right), who will not leave any stone unturned in
her quest to ensure the release of her husband Ehud Goldwasser, abducted by
Hezbollah last July --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Driving in Israel: Not for the faint of heart MEVASSERET ZION, Israel—You are driving along the highway. The car in front of you indicates it is about to turn right, but turns left. Without any warning, another car cuts across your bows and turns right. The driver of the truck you are overtaking puts his foot on the accelerator and speeds away from you and just then you are overtaken by a bus. Anyone looking for a quick route to a nervous breakdown need only drive on Israel’s roads. The rule that seems to govern driving behaviour in Israel is: give no quarter and expect none from others. The worst mistake you can make is to signal, as that shows you are far too law-abiding to be let loose on the roads. Indicating is definitely passé. The problem is that the sense of urgency that governs daily life in Israel has spilled over into driving habits, despite the best efforts of police and educators. Behind the steering wheel people seem to undergo a personality change, and the mildest individual becomes a raging bull. Everyone is invariably pressed for time, so that cutting in, tail-gating, flashing headlights and tooting horns are all the order of the day. Of course, there are occasional incidents of courtesy on the road, when you are able to merge with traffic without incurring the vocal wrath of the driver behind you, and the car behind maintains a safe distance. There is also the comradely convention whereby the headlights flashed by an oncoming driver inform you that there is a police speed-trap ahead. In the final event, however, the steering wheel is the great leveler. The sturdiest of macho men and the feeblest little old lady are equals behind the steering-wheel. It is merely a question of whose nerves are the strongest in the battle for the road.
(Return to top)
*High school student Madison Flashenburg says her participation in the March of the Living in Poland "changed my future." She and four other teens shared their experiences at Temple B'nai Israel in Clearwater, Florida. The story by Tiffani Sherman is in today's St. Petersburg Times. *New York Met Shawn Green is on the list of National League baseball's ten top hitters, but just barely. His .314 average ranked him tenth. The chart is in today's San Diego Union-Tribune. *U.S. Rep. Jane Harman (Democrat, California) told colleagues on the House Homeland Security Committee they should avoid the "blame game" in investigating how Andrew Speaker, a carrier of a dangerous form of tuberculosis, was waved across the border from Canada, notwithstanding an alert to federal agents about the potential dangers his condition posed. She said preventing such an incident from reoccurring was more important. The story by Johanna Neuman and Joel Havemann is in today's Los Angeles Times. *A measure by California Assemblyman Lloyd Levine (Democrat, Van Nuys) to require the neutering of most dogs and cats was approved by a 41-38 vote and sent to the state Senate. Television's Bob Barker after completing his last "Price is Right" show telephoned some lawmakers to drum up support. The Associated Press story is in today's San Diego Union-Tribune. *The conviction and sentencing of I. Lewis "Scoter" Libby on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice have created a hot potato issue in the Republican presidential primary: should the President pardon Libby, who formerly was chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney? The story by Peter Wallsten is in today's Los Angeles Times. *Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas have postponed their scheduled meeting in Jerusalem. The New York Times News Service brief is in today's San Diego Union-Tribune. *Jonathan N. Rosen and Noam B. Fischman, attorneys for Italia Federeci, president of the Council of Republicans for Environmental Advocacy, said their client plans to plead guilty to charges of not paying federal income taxes and of lying to the Senate Indian Affairs Committee when it was investigating the activities of now jailed lobbyist Jack Abramoff. The story by Richard A. Serrano is in today's Los Angeles Times. *Baseball commissioner Bud Selig wants New York Yankee Jason Giambi to meet with former U.S. Senator George Mitchell, who is now investigating the use of steroids by baseball players. However the players' union wants Giambi not to meet with Mitchell, at least not yet. The story is in today's San Diego Union-Tribune. *His Ducks having won professional hockey's Stanley Club, Michael Schulman, the franchise's chief executive officer, says he would like to build hockey rinks in such Southern California cities as Chino, Irvine, Riverside and Upland. The story by Helene Elliott is in today's Los Angeles Times. *U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter (Republican, Pennsylvania), concerned that a narrowly-approved amendment to end the guest worker program in the U.S. after five years could break up the fragile bipartisan alliance backing the Immigration bill, says he will try to craft an alternative to the amendment language. The Associated Press story by Charles Babington is in today's San Diego Union-Tribune. *A Los Angeles Times investigation of whether actor Steven Seagal had ties to organized crime was followed by reporter Anita M. Busch finding a dead fish and a rose on her punctured windshield, with a note that read 'Stop!' Thereafter, the FBI wiretapped a private investigator's office, leading to a racketeering case that was brought in federal court against Anthony Pelicano. Now Pelicano's attorneys are challenging the search warrant that led to the search of the investigator's office. The story by Chuck Phillips is in today's Los Angeles Times. (return to top) _________________________________________________ The Jewish Grapevine 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------BASEBALL JEWS—A few days ago in this space, we reported that there are 13 Jewish major league baseball players. But that information is a year old. With the retirement of Gabe Kapler of the Boston Red Sox to become a minor league manager, there are currently an even dozen. So who are the others? Florida sports writer Bruce Lowitt advises us that seven of them are players who returned to their 2006 teams: Catcher Brad Ausmus of the Houston Astros; Shawn Green of the New York Mets; first baseman Kevin Youkilis and pitcher Craig Breslow, both of the Boston Red Sox; second baseman Ian Kinsler and pitcher Scott Feldman, both of the Texas Rangers; and relief pitcher John Grabow of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Five others are with new teams in the 2007 season: Pitcher Jason Marquis went from the St. Louis Cardinals to the Chicago Cubs; catcher Mike Lieberthal went from the Philadelphia Phillies to the Los Angeles Dodgers; pitcher Scott Schoeneweis, who played in 2006 for the Toronto Blue Jays and the Cincinnati Reds, now plays for the New York Mets; pitcher Jason Hirsch went from the Houston Astros to the Colorado Rockies, and outfielder Adam Stern went from the Red Sox to the Baltimore Orioles. Lowitt provided some interesting info on these fellows: Marquis, who was in the World Series last year, signed a three-year $21 million contract with the Cubs. With 61 career wins through yesterday, he stands a good chance of being the fifth Jewish pitcher to record 100 victories, joining Ken Holtzman, Sandy Koufax, Steve Stone and Dave Roberts. Liebenthal signed a single year $1.15 million contract with the Dodgers. He began the season fifth among Jewish home-run hitters with 150, seventh in runs batted in with 609 and seventh in hits with 1,137. Some more stats: When Schoeneweis started 2007, he already had 466 career strikeouts to his credit, making him 10th overall among Jewish players. If he makes 41 relief appearances this year, Schoeneweis will pass Larry Sherry and Allan Levine to move into third place on the all-time appearance list for Jewish relievers. Back when he was with the Astros, Hirsch occasionally pitched to Ausmus, which made him part of the first all-Jewish battery since the 1960s when Norm Sherry sometimes caught his brother Larry Sherry and other times caught for Koufax.  CONGREGATIONAL
CURRENTS—With housing at San Diego
State University so difficult to obtain that there is heated controversy in
surrounding neighborhoods over the creation of mini-dorms, Chabad Rabbi
Chalom Boudjnah offers a non-controversial solution. He says
there are two rooms to rent at the Chabad House at 6115 Montezuma Road, near
the campus, for $350 per month each, with a $20 additional monthly charge
for cable. The number is
(619) 265-0519.
...Rabbi
Leonard Rosenthal of Tifereth Israel Synagogue in San Diego gives a talk
during Shabbat morning services on Saturday about "what makes wine kosher?"
Armed with that knowledge, members of his congregation plan to go on a field
trip on Sunday to the wineries in Temecula. Well, wine not? IN MEMORY—Helen Newbauer Cushman, namesake with her late husband Elliott Cushman of the "Elliott & Helen Cushman Wellness Center at Sharp Memorial Hospital" has died at age 89. Her sons are Larry Cushman And San Diego Port Commissioner Stephen Cushman. An obituary by Michael Kinsman is in today's San Diego Union-Tribune. (Return to top)
__________________________________________________  Such Elation! San Diego berths cruise ship By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO, Calif. —The cruise ship Elation sailed away from San Diego today, taking lots of Jewish stories with it. But no one minded. The Carnival ship will be back to San Diego, and back, and back. As of today, the nine-year-old, 70,367-gross-registered-ton ship is home-ported on a year-round basis in this Southern California port. From its berth in the shadow of San Diego's office buildings, the Finnish-built, Panamanian-registered ship annually will make 78 trips of 5- and 4-day durations to the Mexican ports of Ensenada and Cabo San Lucas. Its 10 passenger decks have sufficient capacity to carry 2,052 passengers comfortably, and up to 2,606 if families decide to fill the upper berths in some cabins.  As
Maurice M. Zarmani, an Egyptian-born Sephardic Jew who serves as
Carnival's vice president for sales, presided over on-board ceremonies
marking the ship's first cruise out of its new home port, members of the
San Diego Chamber of Commerce and the San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau might have been even more impressed by another statistic,
cited by Port Commissioner Mike Bixler. He said every home-ported
ship call has an economic impact of approximately $2 million on the
regional economy. That includes direct spending by the ship on
such items as provisions, bunkering, dock fees, and stevedoring as well
as indirect spending by the passengers who may stay in hotels before or
after their cruises, eat in restaurants, rent cars, visit sightseeing
attractions, and the like. No wonder
Bixler enthused
Maurice Zarmani that "we're elated to be aboard Elation!" Carnival Cruises was started by Ted Arison, an Israeli, and today his son, Mickey, is still a major shareholder. Over the years the company has purchased such other lines in the cruise ship business as Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Cunard. Seabourne Cruises, and Costa, thereby securing the corporation's place as the dominant force in the cruise ship business with approximately 65 percent of the entire cruise fleet. In San Diego, Carnival and its sisters represent 85 percent of the port's program, which has mushroomed over the last seven years. In 2000, Bixler said, the port registered 101 ship calls, accounting for 175,000 passengers. By the current 2006-2007 fiscal year, those numbers had grown to 219 ship calls and 619,000 passengers. In the next fiscal year beginning July 1, there will be 283 calls, servicing an estimated 850,000 passengers. Allan Rappoport, a former district director of U.S. Customs who in his retirement serves as vice chairman of the port's Cruise Industry Advisory Committee, draped a medal commemorating the inaugural voyage from San Diego over the neck of the ship's master, Captain Giovanni Cutugnio. He shared with the Italian seaman that his own family originally had lived in Italy, adding "so as people would say we are landsmen!" 
 Left: Former District Director of U.S. Customs Allan Rappoport and wife Jane stand in San Diego Cruise Ship Terminal; center: former port commissioners Dr. Robert Penner and Dan Larsen flank former San Diego City Councilwoman Abbe Stutz Wolfsheimer in the terminal, and right: newly appointed San Diego Port Commissioner Laurie Black aboard the Carnival Elation with Lorin Stewart, chair of the San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau. Although most of the people in attendance at the ceremony may have been unfamiliar with the Yiddish word for "countryman," the comment drew a chuckle from a number of fellow Jews in the lounge, a few of whom had been active in San Diego's efforts to attract the cruise ship industry. Among them were former San Diego City Councilwoman Abbe Wolfsheimer Stutz; former Port Commissioner Dr. Robert Penner, and newly appointed Port Commissioner Laurie Black. Yet another Jewish member of the Port Commission, Stephen Cushman, was unable to attend because of the recent death of his mother, Helen Newbauer Cushman. Following the ceremonies, guests were invited to have lunch aboard the ship, which included an appetizer of smoked salmon (ahh, lox!) among the selections. Thereafter, there was a tour. One of the most striking features of the ship is its seven-deck high atrium around which passengers often gather for a multi-storied floating party as music from the piano at the base of the atrium wafts to the upper decks. Among the extensive art works to be found on the 10 passenger decks, at various elevator landings, are three-dimensional murals created by Israeli artist Calman Shemi. According to a Carnival press release, "the large, semi-abstract panels—which feature vibrant, multi-hued patterns interwoven with irregular-shaped textures and colored fabrics—depict images gleaned from the artist's varied life experiences, from the sunbaked landscapes as seen from an Israeli kibbutz to the rugged mountains of his native Argentina." 
 Born in 1939, Shemi made aliyah when he was 22 years old. According to a biography posted on the website of the Art Symbol Gallery of Paris, "Calman Shemi has developed a unique style of 'Shadow box' painting. He first creates a painting in a wooden box. After the painting is completed, he then matches a hand made wooden frame to the box. This unusual technique creates an illusion of looking through a window to the landscape or into a room. The frame is covered with gold or silver leaf and is layered with many coats of lacquer. This special technique creates the contrast between the 'outside level' and the painting within the deeper level." 
 Furthermore, according to the biographical sketch, "Calman Shemi has also developed a unique technique using his pallet of colors. The paintings are created with special colors and are painted on a wood or metal panel that has been covered in layers of gold and/or silver leaves. After the paint has thoroughly dried, the painting is gilded with many layers of lacquer. Between each layer of lacquer the surface is hand polished to give the surface a shinny look."
Rabbinic Insights By Rabbi Wayne Dosick CARLSBAD, California—For more than 1,900 years, in whatever places and circumstances Jews lived, the daily prayer was always the same: “In Your mercy, O God, return us to Jerusalem.” Every Yom Kippur service and every Pesach seder ended the same way: “Next year, Jerusalem. Next year, Jerusalem.” In 1948, the prayer was answered, the dream became reality. After almost two millennia of exile; after almost 20 centuries of wandering, of being guests in host countries, we could return home: Israel was ours once again. The mighty Arab armies tried to stop us before we began; they tried to wipe us out before we could establish a new foothold in our Land. But miracles are not confined to ancient days: “Just as you did miracles for our ancestors in days of yore, O God, please do miracles for us in our time.” God did. The hand of the Divine was with the ill-equipped, highly outnumbered, yet incredibly passionate band of new Israelis - some with the stench of the ovens of hell still in their nostrils. Israel was ours once again. Yet, all was not complete. We had the body; but, the heart was severed and the soul was in anguish. The ancient and Holy City of Jerusalem - the heart of Israel - was cut off by military cease-fire and political negotiation. The promise of full access was denied by Jordanian fiat. We could not come to the site of the Holy Temples; we could not come to Mt. Zion; we could not come to the cemeteries of the Mt. of Olives. And, we could not come even to the modern establishments, Hadassah Hospital and the Hebrew University. The body was strong and growing stronger; the heart still bled from our longings and was washed with our tears. Then, 40 years ago, in June, 1967, the body, heart, and soul became one again. The lightning-fast Six Day War brought all of Jerusalem into Jewish hands. The Holy City was unified and whole. Jerusalem was ours. I remember being in Jerusalem on Tisha B'Av, in 1971, only four years after the reunification. Tisha B'Av, the ninth day of the Hebrew month of Av, commemorates the destruction of the city and the Holy Temple in the 586 BCE by the Babylonians, and, again in 70 CE by the Romans. As I walked down the valley and then up toward the Temple Mount and the Kotel, the Western Wall, which is the last remnant of the 2nd Temple, in my mind's-eye, I could see my ancestors fleeing away from the Temple area; they ran from the soldiers, from the fires, the destruction, the death. Now, I was walking toward the Temple Mount, protected by Israeli soldiers; a free Jew in a free land. I was fulfilling the ancient prayer; I was returning to Jewish Jerusalem. You would think that the celebrations of the 40th anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem would be incredibly joyous throughout the Jewish world - and throughout the whole world, if, indeed, the world cared about the Jews. And, in many ways, the celebrations are wonderful. {Jump to continuation}
by
Carol Davis CORONADO, Calif.— Only in San Diego County could you find Moses playing Joseph. Yep! Spencer Moses is playing Joseph in the Andrew Lloyd Weber, (music)/Tim Rice, (lyrics) musical, Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat now in quite-a-lively, one-act production at Lamb’s Players Theatre in Coronado.
There wasn’t a dull moment in either of the past productions, nor is there one
in this current version. This current one, however, is back to a one-act piece,
as the originators wrote it; it just rocks along and no one is the wiser.Webber and Rice first penned the piece in 1968 for a school production and it was presented as a cantata. It was the second of their many collaborations (The first was The Likes of Us), which they wrote in 1965 but it didn’t hit the stages until 2005. Just in case you’re not familiar with the names, you might recognize Jesus Christ Superstar. They wrote that as well. Joseph, as I’m sure you know, is based on the biblical Tale of Jacob and his twelve sons, (Jacob and Sons) Joseph being the youngest and his father’s favorite. Such a favorite was he, that his father gave him a beautiful coat of many colors (Joseph’s Coat) angering the older son’s enough to send Joseph on a long extended trip by selling him off as slave to some passing Ishmaelites (Poor Poor Joseph) who ended up dropping him off in Egypt where he became a slave. Besides the coat and the favored attention Joseph got from his father that made the brother’s jealous, Joseph had dreams that had all the makings of a bright future for him (read ruler) and they were having no part of it. Before the brother’s returned home to tell their father of Joseph’s mishap, they tore the coat of many colors into shreds and smeared it with goat’s blood to make it appear that Joseph had been killed. (One More Angel in Heaven) Back in Egypt, Joseph becomes the slave of Potiphar who has lots of gold. Potiphar likes and trusts Joseph who ends up running the household, until Potiphar’s wife makes advances to Joseph. When Potiphar hears about it, Joseph heads off to jail. (Close Every Door)And so the story goes that Joseph interprets the dreams of the Butler and the Baker while in jail. (Potiphar) Things start to look up for Joseph when Pharaoh hears about Joseph’s powers. So far no one has the ability to interpret his dream of seven fat cows and seven skinny cows until Joseph. Pharaoh is so impressed with Joseph that he puts him in charge of making preparations for the coming famine. (Go Go Joseph) I could be a spoil sport and tell you how the story ends, but I think you should go to your own bibles (Book of Genesis), or…take the bridge across to Coronado and see for yourselves. Lamb’s Players Theatre has this show down pat. Back again as the spunky and very energetic narrator, (she did this same thing in each of the two other productions) Deborah Gilmour Smyth is about as good as she gets even though some of the notes in the higher registers seemed a bit out of her range on opening night. It was a bit of a strain, but impressive none the less. She is ageless and as pleasing and vivacious a narrator as any theatre would want. Spencer Moses is what some might call the anti Joseph. He is a bit scrawny, doesn’t have the Donny Osmond (he took it on tour as did Patrick Cassidy and a host of others) look, has a smile as contagious as measles and when he gazes at you through those sad sack eyes, you just want to melt. And, he has a beautiful voice (“Close Every Door”) In short, he’s terrific! The ensemble composed of Steve Limones, Keith Jefferson, John Lorenz Lance Smith, Season Duffy, Colleen Kollar (choreography), and Joy Yandell do yeoman’s work. Lorenz, Limones and Smith represent the brothers (the rest are cascaded down in a fold out wallet picture package and shown to the audience) The gals represent the wives and other important female figures. All work about as hard as any director (in this case Robert Smyth) can ask. They sing, dance, and are the ensemble. In other words, they do it all.
The band, with Rick Marion on the keyboards, Rik Ogden on guitar, Dave Rumley, percussion and Oliver Shirley, bass under the direction of G. Scott Lacy was fine but Patrick Duffy’s sound design was about 100 decibels too loud but, I’m guessing on this one, only those over 30 objected. Michelle Hunt’s costumes went from clever to tacky, Mike Buckley’s set was a bit too flimsy and Nathan Peirson’s lighting design could have been more subtle. That said, this is an upbeat, fast moving, highly charged show with a talented cast that everyone can enjoy. It plays through July 15. For more information: www.lambsplayers.org or call 619-437-0600. See you at the theatre.
__________________________________________________________________
The sounds of his exercise routine:
Oy, Ahh, Oy, Vey!
Historically, athleticism and
Judaism have never been exactly synonymous. Have you ever seen a depiction of a
buff yeshiva bucher? For years, my doctor has
counseled me to get into a fitness program, which I always assured him was
against my religion and the very fiber of my core. At my last visit to my GP, he
again made the same suggestion. I countered that I would when he did, something
I was assured, judging by his shape, was out of the question. So much for being a smart
aleck. In my heart, I knew that he and the chorus of my wife, daughter and son,
were probably right. So on the spur of the moment, at the completion of a
meeting I asked the executive director of the Copley YMCA if she had a trainer
on staff? Not only was the answer in the affirmative, but she produced him on
the spot. If you want an advertisement
for physical fitness, Ray Scott is your man. A former Marine, Scott is a prison
guard in the a.m. and a physical fitness trainer thereafter. He is tall, slim,
muscular, but not muscle bound. In addition to everything else, he is a runner
in his early forties. Most importantly, he doesn’t recognize the meaning of the
words, "no" or "I can’t." When we first met, he peppered
me with a battery of questions. The most memorable of these was: "When did you
stop exercising?" "I never started," I honestly
told him. I’m not sure he believed me until we actually began our twice weekly,
hour program. There are few individuals who are as physically inept as I.
However, since the beginning of the year, I have learned a new appreciation for
religion. By the time that hour is nearly up, as my eyes well with tears, I am
praying up a storm that I will live to see the end of each session. Years ago, my wife gifted me
with a half hour, three times weekly session with "Wendy the Hun." Wendy would
show up early in the morning (not my favorite time of day) and put me through a
series of stretching exercises. I never knew my body could bend in so many ways.
Fortunately, I was never fully awake during those sessions and when Wendy left
to pursue another career, I quietly cheered. The sessions were at an end. This time, with my doctor’s
admonition ringing in my ears and the steady chorus of my family, I brought this
misery on myself. "Don’t you feel better after a
work out," is the most commonly asked question, "NOOO," I wail as I crawl out of
the weight room in a state of near collapse. "Doesn’t that feel good," Scott
will ask me after some torturous turn in one of those medieval exercise
machines. My answer is always the same. He grins and thrusts me into another
exercise. Still each week for the past
six months, I have dragged myself back to the Copley YMCA on a twice weekly
basis to endure the unendurable. We Jews don’t believe in original sin, so I
can’t say that I am atoning for any of it and it is not as though I like the
feeling of being a damp dish rag, after each session. "This is very good for you," my
daughter keeps telling me after I have breathless climbed twelve sets of stairs,
run around a baseball field three times while lunging and squatting and doing
jumping jacks. Scott must be preparing me for a Marine Corps entry exam. For my part, as I grunt and
groan through it all, I hear the voice of my late father uttering that Biblical
phrase: "And this too shall pass." But when, I wonder?
Story
Continuations Condemning the decision by the University and College Union of the United Kingdom to support a boycott of Israeli academia. Whereas on May 30, 2007, the University and College Union of the United Kingdom, voted in favor of a motion to boycott Israeli faculty and academic institutions; Whereas the UCU was created in 2006 out of a merger of the Association of University Teachers (AUT) and the National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education (NATFHE). Both AUT (in 2005) and NATFE (in 2006) have passed resolutions supporting a boycott of Israeli academics and academic institutions; Whereas Britain’s National Union of Journalists called for a boycott of Israeli goods in April 2007; Whereas these unions have a hypocritical double standard in condemning Israel, a free and democratic state, while completely ignoring gross human rights abuses occurring around the world in nations such as Sudan, Zimbabwe, Iran and Venezuela; Whereas a totally unjustified campaign is underway by elements of the international academic community to limit cultural and scientific collaboration between foreign universities and academics and their counterparts in Israel; Whereas Article 19, section 2, of the United Nations Covenant on Civil and Political Rights states that, “Everyone shall have the right to . . . receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice;” Whereas these and any other attempts to stifle intellectual freedom through the imposition of an academic boycott are counterproductive since research and academic exchange provide an essential bridge between otherwise disconnected cultures and countries; Whereas such boycotts represent a dangerous assault on the principles of academic freedom and open exchange; Whereas the UCU boycott motion appears to have spawned similar movements in Britain to boycott Israel economically and culturally, as the country’s largest labor union, UNISON, said it would follow the union of university instructors in weighing punitive measures against Israel; Whereas Nobel laureate Prof. Steven Weinberg, who refused to participate in a British academic conference due to the National Union of Journalist’s boycott, stated that he perceived “a widespread anti-Israel and anti-Semitic current in British opinion;” Whereas the senseless boycotting of Israeli academics contributes to the delegitimization and demonization of the State of Israel: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives— (1) condemns the vote by the University and College Union of May 30, 2007, to boycott Israeli academics and academic institutions; (2) urges the international scholarly community, the European Union, and individual governments, to reject, or continue to reject, calls for an academic boycott of Israel and reaffirm their commitment to academic freedom and cultural and scientific international exchange; (3) urges governments and educators throughout the world to reaffirm the importance of academic freedom and open dialogue and to condemn measures that would prevent the production, sharing, and exchange of knowledge; (4) urges other unions and organizations to reject the troubling and disturbing actions of the UCU and (5) urges the general members of the
UCU to reject the call of the union’s leadership to boycott Israel. Yet, the celebrations are also muted. For, with great sadness, we know that all is not well in the Holy City. All is not well in the Jewish nation. All is not well with the Jews. The world - especially our neighbors in the Arab world - have not welcomed Jewish rule of Jerusalem. Much of the world - especially much of the Arab world - has not even welcome Jewish presence in the Land. The military threats and the terrorist attacks in the streets have caused Israel to be in an almost continual defensive posture. And, when land and life are at stake, sometimes, the Israeli political and military actions demand and bring less-than-desired choices and actions. So, many in the Jewish world are deeply concerned that modern-day Israel is less than the “light unto the nations” that it was envisioned to be. Many condemn Israel for its role in occupation and how its military behaves. Many are ashamed of Israel. Many - most, most sad to say - have become Arab apologists, and, - evens sadder to say - self-hating Jews. I would like Israel to be the pristine, highly moral country that it is surely destined to be. I would like right to not even be challenged by might. Yet, I live in a real world - a world that clearly and unequivocally promises to wipe Israel off the map. It is not as if the Arab militant position is veiled or nuanced. Their position, articulated time and time and time again, is destroy Israel. We are not talking about the subtitles of a street or a neighborhood of East Jerusalem; we are not talking about fine-lined boundaries in the West Bank. We are not talking about a Camp David offer that gave the Arabs more than 94% of what they were seeking. We are not talking about “land for peace.” After all, what did the “disengagement” when Israel gave up and left Gaza produce? Peace? No, just more rockets lobbed into Israel, targeting the innocent civilian population. We are talking about the utter destruction of the Jewish Land and the Jewish people - and, for some, the utter destruction of the Jewish people not only in Israel, but everywhere. We are talking about 586 BCE and 70 CE. And, we are talking about 1932, when we were properly forewarned, but few believed, and fewer acted. So, am I saddened when Israel's politicians and military behave in a less-than-desirable manner? Of course. But, do I understand that difficult and stressful times sometimes bring difficult decisions and actions? Absolutely. I would much rather that Israel err on the side of caution - even with its sometimes unhappy results - than take the chance that “being nice” leads to being destroyed. As Golda once said, “They can lost a thousand times. We can lose only once.” For what if - God forbid, God forbid - we were to lose Israel on our watch? What if - God forbid, God forbid - we were to lose Israel because we engaged in the politics of niceties, and they engaged in the politics of destruction? What would Jewish history say of us? Would it would say that we were good people, who lived good moral values and the highest rules of wartime conduct, even as we let others destroy us? Or would it say that it is less-than-pleased with us for our less-than-desirable ethical behavior, but that we saved ourselves and our Land from the enemies who sought to destroy us? Obviously, Israel cannot go on this way for too much longer. Her citizens cannot live under the constant threats of terror; her military cannot bear the cost of constant threat of war. Her economy cannot survive constant wartime demands. Her soul cannot bear the burdens of anti-intuitive conduct. Solutions that have long eluded Israel and her neighbors must be sought and found before the whole region buckles and falls under the weight of constant struggle and war. It has been tried before, but we must still be tried: we must find the solutions to Israel continued existence and her co-existence with her neighbors not on the battlefields, but at the peace table. Until then, there is still much to celebrate. This 40th anniversary of the reunification of the Holy City of Jerusalem brings much, much joy and soul-satisfaction. We are the Jewish people, living free in the Jewish Land. We are God's children living at God's Holy Mountain. The Jewish people lives and flourishes. 2,000 years of wandering and exile end in us. Eternity in the Holy City begins and resides in us.
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Jews
in the News
The
theatre has mounted this show twice before, once in its original home in
National City and then again in The Lyceum Space at The San Diego Rep. downtown.
My oldest grandson, Eytan, was a toddler and yours truly schlepped him
downtown to see the show (then it was two acts) which he sat through with as
surprising attention (for the first half). 
There
are some great schticks as well: an Elvis Presley (Song of the Kings)
look-a-like dressed as an ancient Egyptian Pharaoh; gals wearing felt skirts
with camels on them instead of those gawd awful looking poodles of the 50’s; a
few of the songs are done in Country Western, (One More Angel In Heaven),
1920 Ragtime (Potiphar) and French Cabaret ballads (Those Canaan Days).
There are about 24 songs and they all support the story introduced by the
narrator. It’s clever, fun, family oriented and great to see if you’ve not seen
it before.