Much of the Washington, DC, Jewish community is excited about an event this coming Sunday on Israeli-Arabs. One-fifth of Israel's population of seven million people is comprised of Arabs, who are full citizens with voting and other rights...and responsibilities.
Israeli-Arabs, however, often complain of inequality, bias, and other unfair treatment. So, some 33 organizations have come together to co-sponsor the event, Arab Citizens of Israel - Challenges and Opportunities.
Topics will include economic empowerment, alienation and integration, seeking parity in education, and the needs of the Beduin Arab community. Many speakers likely will focus on "injustices" done onto Israeli-Arabs by Israeli Jews and the State, putting much of the blame for Israeli-Arab greviances upon others, not themselves.
Judging by the pre-announced panel of speakers and topics, omitted will be any discussion of homegrown radicalism, hatred, and incitement to terrorism by Israeli-Arab leaders like Sheikh Raed Salah, who in the past has publicly called for violence to "liberate" al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.
Israeli-Arabs continue to be involved in acts of terrorism against their Jewish countrymen and women, and this fact ought not be ignored and deserves discussion.
Last week, Israel announced the arrest of two Arab residents of Jerusalem who plotted to fire missiles into the city's soccer stadium, which potentially could have killed and injured hundreds. The two appear to have been aided by Palestinian employees of Britain's consulate in Jerusalem, who had conspired to sell weapons to Hamas and are now under arrest.
Israeli-Arab radicalization and incitement aren't on the agenda on Sunday probably because the organizers do not want to spoil an atmosphere of goodwill. But ignoring the problem of continued hostility toward Israel in some quarters of the Israeli-Arab community is not helpful at all at confronting a very serious, lingering problem. At the least, efforts to improve the conditions of Israeli-Arabs ought to be introduced Sunday as intended to help combat a sense of disenfranchisement among Israeli-Arabs that may aid recruitment into radical activity and terror.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
A Palestinian State Will Solve Nothing
There is a big rush on to establish a Palestinian state. The thinking goes that, once one is established, the Palestinians will be satisfied and end their conflict with Israel. Facts, however, suggest otherwise. This week's Florida Jewish Journal contains my essay explaining why a Palestinian state, at least for now, is an existential threat to Israel's survival.
Treasured Venue's Confused Priorities
Several years ago, a handful of wealthy Jews in Washington DC acquired the old synagogue at Sixth and I Streets, which had become a church for 50 years after the area's Jewish population moved to the suburbs.
Sixth and I Synagogue, as it's now called, was rededicated in 2004 and has since become one of the hottest venues in town, hosting a variety of Jewish religious, social, and cultural events.
Sixth and I admits it's an "ongoing experiment," and it sometimes has problems -- like when it disclosed to a third-party commercial interest the e-mail addresses of hundreds of attendees after an event last Fall.
Now, it appears, Sixth and I administrators and event planners could benefit from a reminder about what has become one of the greatest threats to Jewish continuity: intermarriage.
Certainly, many events at Sixth and I help bring together young Jews, thus creating opportunities for young men and women to meet when they might otherwise not. This may help combat intermarriage.
But another part of the problem of intermarriage is the incredible numbers of Jewish males who feel no particular need to marry inside the faith and what must be done to reach out to them and draw them back.
It has been widely reported that about 50 percent of young Jewish men marry non-Jewish women, whereas only five percent of Jewish women marry outside the faith. There is even a Facebook group drawing attention to the problem.
At Sixth and I, however, the priority has been on programming appealing to Jewish women. Last October, Sixth and I screened Seeking Happily Every After, which, basically, preached to Jewish women in their 30s that it is okay to remain single -- that they can still live happy, healthy lives.
While it is important for single women in their 30s to receive support and encouragement as they watch friends around them marry and start families, I'm not sure this was at all helpful in encouraging marriage, which I think ought to be the Jewish community's number one concern to make up for the six million it lost.
Now, Sixth and I has planned another event targeting young Jewish women. At the event in late January, women in their 20s and 30s will learn "successful negotiation strategies," to use with "supervisors, significant others, and family."
Again, while such programming may have important uses, it still begs the question: Does not Sixth and I also see outreach to young Jewish males as a priority? Is it not important to try to craft programs that identify and confront the reasons why so many young Jewish males are falling out of touch with their faith and intermarrying?
For those men who marry non-Jewish women who do not convert to Judaism, their children are not considered Jewish under Jewish law. Essentially, their offspring are lost to the Jewish faith. Some will argue that, as long as those kids are involved somehow in Jewish life, then they are not lost. But many others still recognize such ties as fragile, likely temporary, and infrequently inherited. Really, most Jewish men who marry non-Jewish women bring very little, if any, Jewish observance into their households and their kids are, legally, not Jews.
I can't recall an event at Sixth and I targeted specifically to young Jewish men. Shouldn't it be a priority to reach out to them, too? Otherwise, we shouldn't be surprised when 50 percent of men intermarrying becomes 60 and then 70 percent.
Sixth and I Synagogue, as it's now called, was rededicated in 2004 and has since become one of the hottest venues in town, hosting a variety of Jewish religious, social, and cultural events.
Sixth and I admits it's an "ongoing experiment," and it sometimes has problems -- like when it disclosed to a third-party commercial interest the e-mail addresses of hundreds of attendees after an event last Fall.
Now, it appears, Sixth and I administrators and event planners could benefit from a reminder about what has become one of the greatest threats to Jewish continuity: intermarriage.
Certainly, many events at Sixth and I help bring together young Jews, thus creating opportunities for young men and women to meet when they might otherwise not. This may help combat intermarriage.
But another part of the problem of intermarriage is the incredible numbers of Jewish males who feel no particular need to marry inside the faith and what must be done to reach out to them and draw them back.
It has been widely reported that about 50 percent of young Jewish men marry non-Jewish women, whereas only five percent of Jewish women marry outside the faith. There is even a Facebook group drawing attention to the problem.
At Sixth and I, however, the priority has been on programming appealing to Jewish women. Last October, Sixth and I screened Seeking Happily Every After, which, basically, preached to Jewish women in their 30s that it is okay to remain single -- that they can still live happy, healthy lives.
While it is important for single women in their 30s to receive support and encouragement as they watch friends around them marry and start families, I'm not sure this was at all helpful in encouraging marriage, which I think ought to be the Jewish community's number one concern to make up for the six million it lost.
Now, Sixth and I has planned another event targeting young Jewish women. At the event in late January, women in their 20s and 30s will learn "successful negotiation strategies," to use with "supervisors, significant others, and family."
Again, while such programming may have important uses, it still begs the question: Does not Sixth and I also see outreach to young Jewish males as a priority? Is it not important to try to craft programs that identify and confront the reasons why so many young Jewish males are falling out of touch with their faith and intermarrying?
For those men who marry non-Jewish women who do not convert to Judaism, their children are not considered Jewish under Jewish law. Essentially, their offspring are lost to the Jewish faith. Some will argue that, as long as those kids are involved somehow in Jewish life, then they are not lost. But many others still recognize such ties as fragile, likely temporary, and infrequently inherited. Really, most Jewish men who marry non-Jewish women bring very little, if any, Jewish observance into their households and their kids are, legally, not Jews.
I can't recall an event at Sixth and I targeted specifically to young Jewish men. Shouldn't it be a priority to reach out to them, too? Otherwise, we shouldn't be surprised when 50 percent of men intermarrying becomes 60 and then 70 percent.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Beware of Jews in High Office
Provocative title? It's not what you think.
Jewish Americans are often proud to see other Jewish Americans in high office -- be it in politics, business, or other noble pursuits. It makes us -- a mere 2 percent of the American population -- feel that we're contributing positively to the American experience. Others may have additional reasons why we gloat over such a thing.
But it also so happens that when some Jewish Americans achieve such heights, they disown their Judaism out of a sense of shame and to avoid being seen as different. Israeli Middle East commentator Isi Leiber brilliantly uses the experience of former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger to illustrate the point much better. This is a must-read, especially for anyone who automatically thinks that any Jewish American in high office is always a good thing.
Jewish Americans are often proud to see other Jewish Americans in high office -- be it in politics, business, or other noble pursuits. It makes us -- a mere 2 percent of the American population -- feel that we're contributing positively to the American experience. Others may have additional reasons why we gloat over such a thing.
But it also so happens that when some Jewish Americans achieve such heights, they disown their Judaism out of a sense of shame and to avoid being seen as different. Israeli Middle East commentator Isi Leiber brilliantly uses the experience of former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger to illustrate the point much better. This is a must-read, especially for anyone who automatically thinks that any Jewish American in high office is always a good thing.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Jordan Cozies Up to the Bully
Israeli Middle East analyst Barry Rubin has a good piece out today on Iran and its regional influence.
Rubin observes that, as Iran continues to advance along its road to nuclear weapons capability, its neighbors are sensing they had better make nice to Iran because no one will protect them once Iran goes nuclear. It is an ominous sign of the progress Iran is making and the fear taking hold among America's closest allies in the region.
Rubin observes that, as Iran continues to advance along its road to nuclear weapons capability, its neighbors are sensing they had better make nice to Iran because no one will protect them once Iran goes nuclear. It is an ominous sign of the progress Iran is making and the fear taking hold among America's closest allies in the region.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Question Air Travelers
Yesterday, the Middle East Contrarian took a detour from discussing Middle East policy to vent about airport screening procedures. In a letter-to-the-editor of the Rochester (NY) Democrat & Chronicle, I suggested that questioning of passengers at airports would enhance security while sparing most travelers new, intrusive screening techniques such as full-body patdowns.
It is pretty ridiculous that passengers stand idle unapproached in security lines and then security officials stare at a photo ID but do not ask a single question of travelers that might expose malintent. A wasted opportunity to protect the air-traveling public.
It is pretty ridiculous that passengers stand idle unapproached in security lines and then security officials stare at a photo ID but do not ask a single question of travelers that might expose malintent. A wasted opportunity to protect the air-traveling public.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Inconvenient Truths Are Helpful Reminders
Inconvenient truths. By now, it's an overused phrase, most attributed to former U.S. Vice President Al Gore and his book and movie about global warming and the failures of U.S. environmental policy.
But Inconvenient Truths also is very relevant to the Middle East time and again. The most glaring example is news about autocratic Arab leaders and their largely disfunctional, disappointing governments -- "inconvenient" to hear because many in the West prefer the stability of such leadership to the uncertainty that could follow their demise.
As the Middle East Contrarian, I'm all about sharing inconvenient truths -- facts that people would prefer not to hear but, indeed, need to hear for there to be any progress toward a solution to the problems that pervade the Middle East. And what better time to once again stand true to this guiding principle than on one's birthday.
Today, I'd like to share the contents of two editorials from today's newspapers in Israel. The first reminds us of the futility of diplomatic efforts to persuade Iran to abandon its nuclear program. While some people cross their fingers hoping -- or worse, thinking -- that such efforts will succeed, us realists know already this is unlikely and wait patiently for the others to come around. The problem is waiting affords Iran additional time to develop nuclear weapons and further delays real, preventative action.
Today's Turkey is a huge disappointment. Liberals look to Turkey as a beacon of hope among the Muslim world, as a bastion of relative moderation. The "inconvenient truth," however, is that Turkey sadly no longer merits such distinction, and we ought to come to terms with that and act accordingly with policies that might convince the Turks to change course. The second editorial, from Israeli daily Yediot Achronot, addresses this issue:
But Inconvenient Truths also is very relevant to the Middle East time and again. The most glaring example is news about autocratic Arab leaders and their largely disfunctional, disappointing governments -- "inconvenient" to hear because many in the West prefer the stability of such leadership to the uncertainty that could follow their demise.
As the Middle East Contrarian, I'm all about sharing inconvenient truths -- facts that people would prefer not to hear but, indeed, need to hear for there to be any progress toward a solution to the problems that pervade the Middle East. And what better time to once again stand true to this guiding principle than on one's birthday.
Today, I'd like to share the contents of two editorials from today's newspapers in Israel. The first reminds us of the futility of diplomatic efforts to persuade Iran to abandon its nuclear program. While some people cross their fingers hoping -- or worse, thinking -- that such efforts will succeed, us realists know already this is unlikely and wait patiently for the others to come around. The problem is waiting affords Iran additional time to develop nuclear weapons and further delays real, preventative action.
Israel's daily Ma'ariv considers recent US statements that have downplayed the possible need for military action against Iran in light of what the leaked cables have said regarding Arab countries' warnings and fears over Iran's nuclear project: 'The clear conclusion is that the chance that the US will attack – or support an attack on – Iran is close to nil, and this assumption must cause us all to lose sleep. Israeli decision-makers must internalize this picture of the situation, make decisions based on realistic options and rely less on hopes that America will take part in any solution vis-à-vis Iran.'
Today's Turkey is a huge disappointment. Liberals look to Turkey as a beacon of hope among the Muslim world, as a bastion of relative moderation. The "inconvenient truth," however, is that Turkey sadly no longer merits such distinction, and we ought to come to terms with that and act accordingly with policies that might convince the Turks to change course. The second editorial, from Israeli daily Yediot Achronot, addresses this issue:
The WikiLeaks documents have only confirmed US and European fears over the dangerous regime that has taken power in Turkey.... Turkey, under its current Islamist government, has been drawing ever closer to 'the global axis of evil' and the US and Europe [ought] to treat it accordingly. '[Turkish Prime Minister] Erdogan himself misses no opportunity to wildly incite against Israel. Europe has already changed its attitude toward his regime, and today, it has no chance of being accepted into the EU. The time has come for the US Congress to treat the growing Turkish threat with utmost gravity.'
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