RIP Topol

There are some actors who are known for a variety of roles. Then there are others who become iconic for a single part.

The actor Topol (also known as Chaim Topol) died yesterday. Born in Tel Aviv in 1935, he is best known for playing Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof. Since 1966, he played the role over 3000 times and is best remembered for the 1971 film adaptation.

Though he was only in his 30s when the played Tevye in film and was aged up via makeup and costume, he was perfectly cast in the role.

He was a proud Jew, a proud Israeli, and an icon for the ages.

May his memory be a blessing. Z”l.

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Antisemitic News of the Week: You Know Who on American Jews and the Figurative Moving of the Israeli Capital

Antisemitism is the oldest version of hate in human history. For thousands of years and in many parts of the world, we have been hated, forced out of our homes, persecuted, and murdered.

Earlier this week, a certain former President made the following statement about American Jews.

“No President has done more for Israel than I have,” Trump wrote before saying it was somewhat surprising that “our wonderful Evangelicals are far more appreciative of this than the people of the Jewish faith, especially those living in the U.S.”

Aside from his usual braggadocio, the disturbing aspect of what he says speaks to one of the basic tenets of antisemitism. Jews in America (or in any country that is part of the diaspora) are not 100% loyal to the nation in which they live. The culprit is, as usual, Israel. It is curious (though it should not be to anyone with a working brain), why other Americans whose families came from other parts of the world are not accused of the same lie?

Speaking of Israel, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong stated that until the two-state solution is resolved, her country’s embassy will remain in Tel Aviv. They also refuse to recognize that Jerusalem is Israel’s capital city.

I would like to make the following proposal: until her government deals honestly and openly with their colonial past, how about we recommend that their capital city be changed? Instead of Canberra, how about we recognize Melbourne or Sydney as the main seat of the government? How would they feel?

It is morally reprehensible that Israel is told what she can and cannot do, but she cannot turn around and do the same thing. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.

Just another week of antisemitism. What else is new?

Emma Watson is Wrong About Israel

As a proud Jewish person, I get tired of the antisemitic, anti-Israel bullshit. For once, I wish we would just get over it and move on with their lives. As I see it, it takes way too much physical and emotional energy to hate another person simply because of who they are. Why not just live and let live?

Recently, Harry Potter and Beauty and the Beast star Emma Watson made a rather controversial post on her Instagram account.

Outside of her work as a performer, Watson is known as a feminist and a humanitarian. The fact that she is committed to both causes is nothing to sneeze at. But they are undermined when Israel is marginalized and demonized due to either purposeful lies or ignorance. Watson seems to be an intelligent and educated woman with a dedication to creating a better world. The problem is that she, like many people either ignore the facts or doesn’t bother to do their research before professing support of a terrorist organization. The issue grows tenfold when someone who has a platform as she does spreads lies.

I have nothing against those of Palestinian origin. My problem is when a government uses their resources not to build up their country, but to destroy another and convince the people that the neighbor is to blame. One of the podcasts I regularly listen to, Israel Story, had a recent episode about the Sbarro suicide bombing that occurred in the summer of 2001. Instead of just interviewing the surviving victims and their family members, they also interviewed the family of the person responsible for the attack. While I find it heartening and revealing is that the brother of the bomber partially places the blame on his government, not on Israel (start at 1:12:39).

Is she antisemite? I don’t know, I’ve never had the opportunity to meet her in person. But I do know that Israel is the only nation in that region in which women are fully enfranchised. The Tel Aviv Pride parade is one of the biggest gay pride parades in the world. It is a full-fledged democracy in which all citizens, regardless of any societal labels, have the same rights and responsibilities.

I don’t want to tell her to shut up and look at her next script. But I do want to give her a history book and recommend that she do a little reading before making her next broad and misleading statement.

Israel: A Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood Country on Earth Book Review

The best way to learn about a new culture is to speak to a local. They have the insight and experience that an outsider would never have.

Earlier this month, Israeli actress/ producer Noa Tishby published her first book. The Tel Aviv native seeks to understand and explain Israel as it is, without relying on the flashy headlines or the half truths. Using her firsthand experience, she speaks of Israel, both past and present, as it is, and not how some see it or wish it could be.

What I love about this book is how down to earth and accessible it is. Tishby‘s voice is that of the average person, not the academic or historian who usually writes about this topic. That, I believe, provides an opportunity for a dialogue that should have happened long ago.

If you only read two chapters, I highly recommend chapters on BDS and the virulent anti-Israeli sentiment (which is really antisemitism). Even for those who are well versed on the topic, it was an eye opener.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

Thank You, Lana Del Rey

It has been said that art and music have healing properties. Whether it is healing on a personal level or a cultural level, music and art have the power to bring people together and remind us of our common humanity.

Lana Del Rey is one of the headliners of the Meteor Festival in Tel Aviv. The three-day long musical festival is scheduled to be held from September 6th to September 8th. Not surprisingly, there has been a backlash from those who believe that she should pull out. Her response is as follows:

“I understand many of u are upset that we’re going to Tel Aviv for the Meteor festival, I understand your concern I really get do. What I can tell you is I believe music is universal and should be used to bring us together.”

While I am not a fan of her music, I appreciate that she understands that music transcends all boundaries and labels. I also very much appreciate that she not giving into the lies about Israel that many believe to be truth.

Thank you, Lana Del Rey.

P.S. Did you hear about the Israeli startup IceCure that has developed a treatment to freeze cancer cells? I wouldn’t be so quick to believe the lies about what Israel has or hasn’t done.

Thoughts On Lorde Cancelling Her Tel Aviv Concert

“A lie told often enough becomes the truth.”-Vladminir Lenin

Recently, Lorde decided to cancel her summer 2018 concert in Tel Aviv, bowing to the pressure from anti-Israel activists.

Her decision bothers me for two reasons: the first is that music is music is music. Music brings us together. It bleeds through the political and social boundaries of class, race, religion, etc. Second is that she fell victim to the haters whose only goal is to see Israel wiped off the map and her citizens either murdered or forced into exile.

Pallywood has won once again. Pallywood for those unaware is the purposeful creation of fake news to create a myth that Israel is the big bad in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Palestine is the innocent victim.

 

What’s worse than the lies being spread is the fact that millions around the world believe the lies. A rather sad example of this is the recent UN resolution in which most of the member countries voted against the US moving their embassy from its current location in Tel Aviv to a new location in Jerusalem.

I suggest Lorde and every other musician who is thinking about cancelling their upcoming concerts in Israel re-think their decisions and do their homework. Her decision shows (at least from my point of view), that hate and prejudice still rule and that human dignity and mutual respect/understanding are still being forced from the spotlight.

 

Thoughts On The Move Of The US Embassy to Jerusalem

My regular readers know that I regularly disagree with everything Donald Trump has done since he took office last year.

Yesterday, he did something that I kind of, sort of, maybe agree with. He announced that the US will not only recognize Jerusalem as the capital city of Israel, but also that at some point in the future, the US Embassy will move from it’s current location in Tel Aviv to a new location in Jerusalem.

I have been fortunate enough to visit Israel twice in my life. It is a beautiful country with warm and friendly people and food that is beyond delicious. I encourage anyone who has not been there to go. It will be an eye opening and life changing experience.

As much as I want to applaud Mr. Trump for finally doing something right, I can’t. Something tells me that he is a) doing this without thinking it through, as he has done in the past and b) only making this announcement to please his base, instead of doing what is right for the country. His base, I might add, is partially made up of white Evangelical Christians. Some of them believe that the modern state of Israel exists to fulfill a biblical prophecy in which the Jewish people convert to Christianity. I don’t know about anyone else, but I am not changing my religion anytime soon.

As far as I am concerned, Jerusalem is and will always be the capital of Israel. It is a beautiful city brimming with life, history and spirituality. And it will always be the spiritual home of the Jewish people. Period.

 

Another Person’s Shoes

Let me begin by asking a question. Based upon the picture above, can you guess the city?

A. Miami

B. Honolulu

C. Tel Aviv

If your answer was C, then you are correct.

Let me tell you about the time I spent in Israel.

I have been there twice in my life. The first visit was as a teenager, the second was ten years later.

Israel is a small country, it’s no bigger than New Jersey.  But in it’s compactness lies it’s greatness.

The food is amazing. Instead of McDonalds and Burger King at every rest stop, they have falafel and schwarma. Breakfast is not just cereal and milk or a bagel with cream cheese. It’s salad and tuna and eggs.

The people are very friendly and as diverse as any large city in the United States.  The beaches are absolutely stunning. Walking barefoot into the Mediterranean sea while the North East Of the United States was engulfed in winter was heaven.

My two favorite   places to visit were the Western Wall and Masada. There is an energy around the Western Wall, as if there is a direct line to G-d. I was fortunate to climb Masada at dawn.  It was one of the most difficult experiences of my life, but also the most rewarding.  I have never seen a more beautiful sunrise than the one at Masada.

It’s no secret that the media distorts many things, including what is going on in Israel. There are many people who would happily see Israel wiped off the face of the earth.

I am going to end this post with a challenge. Regardless of your feelings or beliefs about Israel, I challenge you to visit Israel. See with your own eyes and make your own judgement. Whether or not your mind is changed, only time will tell.   But until you walk a mile in another person’s shoes, you can never truly understand them.