Facing a Challenging New Year: Isi Leibler, Algemeiner, Sept. 18, 2017
Rosh Hashanah (New Year) Guide for the Perplexed 2017 / 5778: Yoram Ettinger, Jewish Press, Sept. 20, 2017
Israel and the American Jewish Crisis: Caroline Glick, Jerusalem Post, Sept. 19, 2017
Obama Blinked, Israel Bombed: History Will Show Who Got Syria Right: Robert Fulford, National Post, Sept. 15, 2017
ROSH HASHANAH 5778 – 2017: SOUNDING THE SHOFAR
Baruch Cohen
CIJR, Sept. 19, 2017
The sounding of the shofar is a symbol of the New Year, of renewal, and of unending hope for peace, love, and better world for all. The blast of the shofar reminds us of our mighty and proud Israel Defensive Forces, and of their acts of heroism in Israel’s wars. It also reminds us of the ethical and just values of the mighty and proud people of Israel, their heroism, and their love for peace and hope for the ultimate, harmonious gathering of all peoples. Judaism regards the period between Rosh Hashanah (the New Year) and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) as days of celebration, creation, renewal, and a new beginning, for each individual and for Am Israel, The Jewish People. The sound of the shofar is a call for peace.
Tsedek, tsedek, tirdorf: justice, justice shall you pursue! Happy New Year to all of CIJR’s family, friends, and supporters. May it be a year of peace for Israel, the Middle East, and for the entire world! Shana Tova U'Metuka: a sweet New Year for us all.
(Baruch Cohen, 97, has been CIJR’s Research Chairman for thirty years)
THE CHALLENGE OF JEWISH REPENTANCE
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
Wall Street Journal, Sept. 16, 2017
The Ten Days of Repentance are the holy of holies of Jewish time. They begin this Wednesday evening with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and culminate 10 days later with Yom Kippur, our Day of Atonement. At no other time do I feel so close to God, and I suspect the same is true for most Jews.
These days constitute a courtroom drama like no other. The judge is God himself, and we are on trial for our lives. It begins on Rosh Hashanah, with the sounding of the shofar, the ram’s horn, announcing that the court is in session. The Book of Life, in which our fate will be inscribed, now lies open. As we say in prayer, “On Rosh Hashanah it is written, and on Yom Kippur it is sealed, who will live and who will die.” At home, we eat an apple dipped in honey as a symbol of our hope for a sweet new year.
On Yom Kippur, the atmosphere reaches a peak of intensity in a day of fasting and prayer. Repeatedly we confess our sins, whole alphabetical litanies of them, including ones we probably had neither the time nor the imagination to commit. We throw ourselves on the mercy of the court, which is to say, on God himself. Write us, we say, in the Book of Life. And at the end of a long and wrenching day, we finish as we began 10 days earlier, with the sound of the ram’s horn—this time not with tears and fears but with cautious yet confident hope. We have admitted the worst about ourselves and survived.
Beneath the surface of this long religious ritual lies one of the more transformative stories of the human spirit. The sociologist Philip Rieff pointed out that the movement from paganism to monotheism was a transition from fate to faith. By this he meant that in the world of myth, people were pitted against powerful, capricious forces personified as gods who were at best indifferent, at worst hostile, to humankind. All you could do was try to propitiate, battle or outwit them. This was a culture of character and fate, and its noblest expression was the literature of Greek tragedy.
Jews came to see the world in a completely different way. The book of Genesis opens with God making humans “in his image and likeness.” This phrase has become so familiar to us that we forget how paradoxical it is, since for the Hebrew Bible, God has no image and likeness. As the narrative quickly makes clear, what humans have in common with God is freedom and moral responsibility.
The Jewish drama is less about character and fate than about will and choice. To the monotheistic mind, the real battles are not “out there,” against external forces of darkness, but “in here,” between the bad and better angels of our nature. As the religion writer Jack Miles once pointed out, you can see the difference in the contrast between Sophocles and Shakespeare. For Sophocles, Oedipus must battle against blind, inexorable fate. For Shakespeare, writing in a monotheistic age, the drama of “Hamlet” lies within, between “the native hue of resolution” and “the pale cast of thought.”
The trouble is, of course, that faced with choice, we often make the wrong one. Given a second chance, Adam and Eve would probably pass on the fruit. Cain might work a little harder on his anger management. And there is a straight line from these biblical episodes to the destruction left by Homo sapiens: war, murder, human devastation and environmental destruction. That is still our world today. The key fact about us, according to the Bible, is that uniquely in an otherwise law-governed universe, we are able to break the law—a power that we too often relish exercising.
This raises an acute theological dilemma. How are we to reconcile God’s high hopes for humanity with our shabby and threadbare moral record? The short answer is forgiveness. God wrote forgiveness into the script. He always gives us a second chance, and more. All we have to do is to acknowledge our wrongs, apologize, make amends and resolve to behave better, and God forgives. It allows us to hold simultaneously to the highest moral aspirations while admitting honestly our deepest moral failings. That is the drama of the Jewish High Holy Days…
[To Read the Full Article Click the Following Link—Ed.]
WEEKLY QUOTES
"The U.S. has great strength and patience but if it is forced to defend itself or its allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea.” — President Trump, in his first address to the UN General Assembly. Trump also said of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, "Rocket Man is on a suicide mission for himself and his regime" and said the regime's "reckless pursuit of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles" threatens the entire world with unthinkable loss of human life. Trump also spoke in harsh terms about Iran and the nuclear deal signed by his predecessor. He called it "one of the worst and most one-sided transactions the U.S. has ever entered" and deemed it an "embarrassment to the U.S.” Trump said the Iran nuclear deal provides a "cover for the potential construction of a nuclear program" in the region. “We cannot let a murderer's regime continue these destabilizing activities while building dangerous missiles, and we cannot abide by an agreement if it provides cover for the eventual construction of a nuclear program," Trump said. (CBS, Sept. 19, 2017)
“The ignorant, absurd and hateful rhetoric, filled with ridiculously baseless allegations, that was uttered before this august body yesterday…was not only unfit to be heard at the United Nations — which was established to promote peace and respect between nations — but indeed contradicted the demands of our nations from this world body to bring governments together to combat war and terror…It will be a great pity if this agreement were to be destroyed by rogue newcomers to the world of politics. The world will have lost a great opportunity.” — Iran's President Hassan Rouhani. Speaking to the UN General Assembly, Rouhani on Wednesday praised the nuclear deal as a “model,” arguing that the Middle East was safer for it, and said Trump’s threat “undermines international confidence in negotiating with it.” (New York Times, Sept. 20, 2017)
“I have a simple message for Ayatollah Khamenei, the dictator of Iran: The light of Israel will never be extinguished. Those who threaten us with annihilation put themselves in mortal peril. Israel will defend itself with the full force of our arms and the full power of our convictions. We will act to prevent Iran from establishing permanent military bases in Syria for its air, sea and ground forces. We will act to prevent Iran from producing deadly weapons in Syria or in Lebanon for use against us. And we will act to prevent Iran from opening new terror fronts against Israel along our northern border.” — Prime Minister Netanyahu, at the UN General Assembly. After praising Trump’s address, Netanyahu said the 2015 accord strengthened Iran’s nuclear program and posed a grave threat to the entire world. In light of the deal’s flaws, the prime minister said, the nuclear accord must be ripped up or radically amended. “Change it or cancel it,” he said. “Fix it or nix it…Nixing the deal means restoring massive pressure on Iran, including crippling sanctions, until Iran fully dismantles its nuclear weapons capability,” he added. “Fixing the deal requires many things, among them inspecting military and any other site that is suspect, and penalizing Iran for every violation. But above all, fixing the deal means getting rid of the sunset clause.” (Times of Israel, Sept. 19, 2017)
"Recently, one of the Zionists said that Iran should not be in Syria…I say- the Zionists will not be here in another 25 years, we will not forget the crimes of the Zionists. If they do something foolish, they will disappear even sooner than that." — Iran's acting Commander-in-Chief Seyyed Abdolrahim Mousavi. A day after the opening of the UN General Assembly, Mousavi reportedly warned that his country would destroy Tel Aviv and Haifa if Israel took any 'foolish' steps against Iran. "Israel needs to put its head down," he said. (Jerusalem Online, Sept. 18, 2017)
“If (the Sept. 7 airstrike — reportedly carried out by the Israeli Air Force — that targeted an Assad regime chemical weapons facility) it slows the production of those deadly weapons, Israel’s attack will have done a service for humanity as well as itself…It also should have served as a wake-up call for the Trump administration. Mr. Trump has been slow to recognize that the United States has vital interests in Syria beyond eliminating the Islamic State — and that those interests don’t coincide with those of Russia, which has been working in tandem with Iran.” — Washington Post Editorial. Trump should heed Netanyahu’s recent warnings about the danger posed by Iran’s effort to establish a permanent military presence in Syria, the Washington Post said on Thursday. The editorial called on the US to take “its own steps to block the Iranian ‘entrenchment’ in Syria that Mr. Netanyahu spoke of…Diplomacy might achieve some of that, but military steps should not be ruled out,” it went on to say. The paper also praised the airstrike that targeted an Assad regime chemical weapons facility in Syria’s Hama region. (Algemeiner, Sept. 15, 2017)
“The Trump administration strongly supports the Taylor Force Act, which is a consequence of PA and Palestine Liberation Organization’s (PLO) policy of paying terrorists and their families.” — U.S. State Department. The Trump administration declared its firm support for a bill that would suspend US financial assistance to the PA until it ends what critics have described as a long-standing practice of rewarding Palestinians who kill Americans and Israelis. President Trump, the State Department added, “raised the need to end any part of this program that incentivizes violence against Israeli and American citizens with President Mahmoud Abbas last May in both Washington and Bethlehem.” Taylor Force was a student at Vanderbilt University and a West Point graduate who was visiting Israel in March 2016 when he was killed. The PA praised Force’s killer as a “heroic martyr.” The PA has reportedly paid $144 million in “martyr payments” over the years. (World Israel News, Sept. 17, 2017)
“Muslims are living in peace and harmony under Israeli law and there are about 400 Mosques in Israel, which are protected by the Jewish state…This is the beauty of Zionism. Zionism has never encouraged religious violence.” — Noor Dahri, of the Pakistan-Israel Alliance and the Pakistan Israel News. The Pakistani Muslim and his family arrived in Israel to tour holy places. Dahri notes that the arrival of his family is itself “evidence that Israel is a democratic country.” Dahri has had a long relationship with the Jewish State, having earned a degree in criminal psychology here. He has also authored the book, The State of Israel: In War & Peace and Islamic Terrorism. (Jewish Press, Sept. 16, 2017)
“(Israel) has been a friend and ally of Colombia, and recently a great ally in the construction of peace in the country…We would like to strengthen this magnificent relationship…We are honored to have you visiting here, and are grateful you have chosen Colombia as one of the countries in your first visit to Latin America.” — Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos. Israel has offered its expertise in the “very humanitarian” effort of helping Colombia clear its countryside of anti-personnel mines, Santos said after meeting Netanyahu in Bogota. Santos said that Colombia can learn from Israel how to channel and tap into the innovation of its people. Colombia was the second-leg of Netanyahu's three-country Latin American tour. Netanyahu met briefly at Bogota's airport with representatives of the small Jewish community. After Colombia he flew to Mexico. (Jerusalem Post, Sept. 14, 2017)
“May the day come soon when His Majesty’s plane lands at Ben-Gurion Airport, and when the anthems played here tonight will be heard around the world ushering in that long-awaited era of lasting peace and tranquility…If I had to predict, I would tell you that the Arab world’s relationship with the State of Israel is going to dramatically change.” — Rabbi Marvin Hier, Simon Wiesenthal Center founder and dean. Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa al Khalifa has denounced the Arab boycott of Israel and said his subjects are free to visit the Jewish state. The statement by the head of the Persian Gulf country, which does not have diplomatic relations with Israel, was revealed at an event hosted by the Simon Wiesenthal Center. (World Israel News, Sept. 17, 2017)
SHORT TAKES
HAMAS AGREES TO DISSOLVE ITS GOVERNING BODY IN GAZA (Gaza) — Hamas agreed on Sunday to dissolve its governing body in the Gaza Strip, and allow the West Bank-based PA to take over in its place and hold general elections. Since Hamas ousted the Fatah-dominated PA from Gaza in 2007, Hamas and Fatah have essentially established two separate governments – one Hamas-run government in Gaza and another led by the PA in the West Bank. While the two parties have signed a number of reconciliation agreements aimed at creating one shared government, they have failed to implement any of them. (Jerusalem Post, Sept. 10, 2017)
UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SHOT DOWN OVER NORTHERN ISRAEL (Jerusalem) — An unmanned aircraft was shot down over the Golan Heights Tuesday afternoon, an IDF spokesperson reported. The drone unit was shot down by Israeli forces after it penetrated Israeli airspace. According to the IDF spokesperson, a Patriot missile downed the unmanned aircraft, which likely entered Israeli airspace from Syria. No injuries or damage were reported. (Arutz Sheva, Sept. 19, 2017)
IRAN SUPPORT FOR HEZBOLLAH UP TO $830 MILLION ANNUALLY (Beirut) —Iran has increased its financial support to the Hezbollah terror organization to the tune of $830 million a year, up from around $200 million a year, according to a report. According to the report, Hezbollah has 22,000 fighters, 7000 of which are fighting in Syria for Assad and Iran, and 2000 have been killed over the past four years. Iran has also poured hundreds of millions of dollars into Assad’s regime, and $70 million into Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza every year. (Jewish Press, Sept. 15, 2017)
NETANYAHU REFUSES MEETING WITH SWEDISH PM (New York) — Prime Minister Netanyahu has reportedly refused to meet with Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven at the UN General Assembly, telling him diplomatically that his schedule was completely booked. This is the second year that Netanyahu has given Löfven the cold shoulder, most likely due to Löfven’s haste to recognize a Palestinian State shortly after taking office. Another likely cause is that Swedish Foreign Affairs Minister Margot Wallström made several harsh remarks during the most recent terror wave, claiming that Israel executes without trial. (Jerusalem Online, Sept. 16, 2017)
US OPENS FIRST PERMANENT MILITARY BASE IN ISRAEL (Jerusalem) — Israel and U.S. officials inaugurated the first permanent American military base in the country, which will house dozens of U.S. troops and a missile defense system. The base will be located within the Israel Defense Forces Air Defense School in southern Israel, near Beersheba. The facility will include a barracks and several other buildings for U.S. troops to be stationed in the country, as well as systems to identify and intercept various aerial threats. It will operate under Israeli military directives. (The Hill, Sept. 18, 2017)
CHRC, ALBERTA GOV’T SPONSOR ANTI-ISRAEL EVENT (Calgary) — As part of the Ignite Change 2017 conference, Ranya El-Sharkawi launched into a 40-minute diatribe against the Jewish State. The Ignite Change website lists the City of Edmonton, the Province of Alberta and the Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC) as sponsors. El-Sharkawi, who strongly endorsed the BDS movement in her speech, said that "the whole concept of antisemitism is problematic," arguing that Arabs cannot possibly be antisemitic since they would be going "against [their] own ethnicity." El-Sharkawi included a claim that foreign volunteers "do not have the right to dictate how Palestinians resist, whether it's violent or non-violent." (B'nai Brith, Sept. 13, 2017)
GOOGLE & FACEBOOK FACE CRITICISM FOR ADS (New York) — Google and Facebook face sharp criticism for allowing advertisers to direct ads to users who searched for or racist sentiments and hate speech. In response, both companies said they would change how their systems worked. The criticism began after a report revealed that Facebook enabled advertisers to seek out self-described “Jew haters” and other antisemitic topics. The company responded by saying that it would restrict how advertisers targeted their audiences. BuzzFeed then reported how Google allowed the sale of ads tied to racist and bigoted keywords, and automatically suggested more offensive terms as part of that process. Google said it would work harder to halt offensive ads. (New York Times, Sept. 15, 2017)
CHINA MAKES MASSIVE INVESTMENT IN ISRAELI LAB MEAT TECHNOLOGY (Beijing) — China has signed a $300 million deal to partner with Israeli high-tech companies working to create laboratory-grown meat as the Asian giant looks to embrace technologies that will help it cut down on harmful emissions and pollution. Israeli companies SuperMeat, Future Meat Technologies, and Meat the Future are three of only eight companies in the world growing meat from animal cells in laboratories. China has already announced a plan to cut Chinese meat consumption by half. Last week, the state-run China Science and Technology Daily ran an article (in Chinese) advocating lab-produced meat as a safe and environmentally more acceptable way of eating meat. (Times of Israel, Sept. 17, 2017)
MUSEUM CREATES VIRTUAL CONVERSATIONS WITH HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS (New York) — New Dimensions in Testimony, at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in Manhattan is an interactive testimony installation—created by USC Shoah Foundation— which allows visitors to have “virtual conversations” with Holocaust survivors Pinchas Gutter and Eva Schloss. Visitors ask questions and lifelike projections of Gutter and Schloss answer in real time. Schloss is a survivor of Auschwitz-Birkenau who now lives in London. Gutter is a survivor of six Polish Nazi concentration camps who now lives in Toronto. The installation’s technology draws on 1,500 recorded answers triggered by visitors’ unique questions—allowing direct, seamless conversation. (Jewish Press, Sept. 17, 2017)
ISRAEL’S POPULATION TOPS 8.7 MILLION (Jerusalem) — Israel’s population stood at 8.743 million on the eve of Rosh Hashanah, up some 156,000 people from the previous year. The population growth rate was 1.8 percent. Jews make up nearly three-quarters of the population at 6.5 million, while almost 1.8 million Arabs make up just over one-fifth of the population. Druze, non-Arab Christians, and those not categorized as members of a religious group, make up less than 4.5% of the population, at 396,000 people. The country also saw 27,000 people move to Israel over the last year. Of the new immigrants, the highest number came from countries in the former Soviet Union, followed by France and the U.S. (Times of Israel, Sept. 18, 2017)
CIJR Wishes All Our Friends & Supporters: Shana Tova!
Facing a Challenging New Year: Isi Leibler, Algemeiner, Sept. 18, 2017—We enter Rosh Hashanah 5778 with conflicting emotions. Israel has never been in a stronger position, globally and domestically; we are thriving in every respect — economically, politically and militarily.
Rosh Hashanah (New Year) Guide for the Perplexed 2017 / 5778: Yoram Ettinger, Jewish Press, Sept. 20, 2017—Before the Sabbath, I participated in President Trump’s conference call with Jewish leaders for the new year. The invitation said that the President would “send well wishes for the upcoming holidays” and then move on to “discuss his administration’s progress on issues of interest to the Jewish community.”
Israel and the American Jewish Crisis: Caroline Glick, Jerusalem Post, Sept. 19, 2017 —As the New Year 5778 begins, 88% of Israeli Jews say that they are happy and satisfied with their lives. This makes sense. Israel’s relative security, its prosperity, freedom and spiritual blossoming make Israeli Jews the most successful Jewish community in 3,500 years of Jewish history.
Obama Blinked, Israel Bombed: History Will Show Who Got Syria Right: Robert Fulford, National Post, Sept. 15, 2017—One way to understand the vulnerable geography of Israel is to go far north, through the Galilee and into the Golan Heights, right up to the fence that marks the border with Syria. On the other side of the fence soldiers represent at least three of Israel’s many enemies.
