Dear Friends,
During the early
1980’s, I served
as the director
of the Martin
Steinberg Center
of the American
Jewish Congress
– a center for
Jewish artists
in the
performing,
visual and
literary arts.
One of the
Center’s members
had called me
and told me
about Kaya
Williams, a
woman in her
90’s who had
been active in
the Women’s
Division of the
American Jewish
Congress in the
1930’s. I
learned that she
is a widow, and
lives all alone;
moreover she has
a special story
to tell.
I realized that
it would be a
mitzvah to visit
Kaya Williams,
so I arranged to
visit her at her
West Side
apartment in
Manhattan. She
was pleased that
I was working
for the American
Jewish Congress,
and she began to
tell me about
her activities
for the women’s
division during
the 1930’s. The
leaders of the
women’s division
were especially
concerned about
the rise of
anti-Semitism in
Germany and the
ways in which
the German
government was
spreading
anti-Semitic
propaganda to
other countries,
including the
United States.
Kaya was chosen
to go on a
speaking tour to
Jewish
communities all
over North
America in order
to alert the
Jewish
population of
the growing
danger. Her
prime target
would be liberal
American Jews
who were
concerned about
social and
political
issues. The
following is a
summary of her
comments to me:
When she first
starting
speaking, she
had to overcome
her initial
shyness;
however, she
spoke from her
heart, and was
able to reach
some people. She
had
documentation
which proved
that the German
government had
declared war
against the
Jewish people,
and that they
were actively
spreading
anti-Semitism to
other countries.
What she wasn’t
prepared for was
the
indifference,
cynicism, and
opposition that
she encountered
among many Jews.
From my own
study of the
period and from
my conversations
with Kaya
Williams, I
became aware of
the following
reasons for the
negative
reactions that
she encountered:
A. Some of the
Jews she
encountered were
assimilating
into the
American
“melting pot”;
thus, they did
not feel that
the growing
threat to the
Jewish people
was “their”
concern.
B. There were
those who
pointed out that
the Germans had
suffered a loss
of national
pride after
World War 1.
They therefore
felt this
anti-Jewish
rhetoric is just
a way of letting
off steam; thus,
nothing will
come of it.
C. There were
those who stated
that the Germans
are a highly
cultured and
educated people
with outstanding
writers,
artists,
musicians, and
scientists;
moreover,
Germany was
viewed as a
major center of
secular western
culture. They
therefore felt
that such a
civilized
country is not
going to
endanger Jews.
D. It was known
that German Jews
considered
themselves to be
patriotic
Germans, and
many of them
denied that Jews
are a people;
thus, they
referred to
themselves as
“Germans of the
Jewish faith.” A
high percentage
of German Jews
had assimilated
into German
society, and it
was said that
these Jews were
more German than
the Germans! And
there were
others who
converted to
Christianity in
order to gain
further
acceptance among
the Germans. In
addition, the
Jews contributed
to all facets of
the country’s
national life.
Given these
reasons, it was
felt that most
Germans would
resist the Nazi
propaganda
against the
Jews.
Kaya told me
that the
negative
reaction that
she encountered
was a very
painful
experience for
her, and it
caused her to
become somewhat
disillusioned
about her
community work.
She began to
offer criticism
of the passive
reaction of the
leadership of
the American
Jewish Congress
and other
liberal Jewish
organizations
during the early
1940’s when
reports of the
murder of
European Jews
began to reach
the United
States; however,
she suddenly
became silent,
and I saw that
the topic was
too painful for
her to talk
about. During
one
conversation,
she looked at me
with great
intensity and
told me that I
must not be
silent when the
State of Israel
will once again
be endangered.
She said that I
must speak up,
even if many
don’t believe
me. I couldn’t
understand why
she seemed so
worried, since
Israel was not
in any immediate
danger then;
yet, she seemed
to sense that
some great
danger was
awaiting Israel.
I promised her
that I would
indeed speak up
and follow her
example, but my
words did not
initially
satisfy her. I
had to reassure
her again and
again, before
she accepted my
promise.
Kaya lived in
the era of the
Holocaust, when
6 million Jews –
men, women, and
children – were
murdered. As we
know, most of
the world was
indifferent to
the genocide and
barbaric
persecution. And
we live in the
era when there
are governments
and terrorist
organizations
that are calling
for and striving
for the
destruction of
the State of
Israel, which
has a population
of about 6
million Jews.
And most of the
world is
indifferent to
this threat.
My father was a
progressive
Jewish social
activist who had
a passionate
concern for the
security and
welfare of his
people; however,
both he and I
were aware there
were some
progressive
Jewish activists
who are
concerned about
every people,
but their own.
For example,
there are some
progressive
Jewish activists
who do not offer
strong
condemnations of
those seeking to
destroy Israel;
instead, they
strongly condemn
Israel, and they
blame Israel for
the lack of
peace in the
Middle East, due
to their
disagreement
with some of its
policies. They
ignore, however,
the following
reality: Iran,
Hizbullah, and
Hamas refuse to
recognize the
State of Israel,
as they believe
it has no right
to exist; thus,
they seek the
destruction of
the State of
Israel,
regardless of
what policies it
adopts.
There are even
some pro-Israel
progressive Jews
who ignore this
reality, thus,
they naively
think that if
only Israel will
change certain
policies, there
will be peace in
the Middle East.
As the media
reported,
missiles from
Hizbullah in
Lebanon and from
Hamas in Gaza
can now reach
every city in
Israel. We need
to remember that
Iran is
developing
nuclear weapons,
and that the
President of
Iran has
publicly called
for the
destruction of
Israel. The next
war against
Israel can
therefore
include Iran,
Hizbullah, and
Hamas; moreover,
it can also
include the
P.L.O., which
has just renewed
its alliance
with Hamas,
without
demanding any
change in
Hamas’s position
on Israel.
The current
leader of the
P.L.O. likes to
convey a
moderate image
to the western
media. The P.L.O.,
however, still
engages in
anti-Jewish
incitement which
includes
anti-Jewish
libels from the
dark ages; it
still refuses to
recognize Jewish
roots in
Jerusalem; and
it still refuses
to recognize
Israel as a
Jewish state. In
addition, the
leader of the
P.L.O. insists
that the Arab
refugees and
their
descendants
return to the
State of Israel,
instead of
returning to the
Palestinian
state that the
P.L.O. wishes to
develop; thus,
Israel would
then become
another Arab
state! The P.L.O.
therefore has a
more “moderate”
way of
expressing the
ancient goal of
Israel’s
enemies:
“Come, let us
cut them off
from nationhood,
so Israel’s name
will not be
remembered any
longer!” (Psalm
83:5)
One does not
have to be a
political expert
to realize that
our enemies are
planning another
war against us.
Other Arab
countries, such
as Egypt, may
also join the
next war against
us. As the media
reported, the
new Egyptian
government wants
to move its army
into the Sinai
Peninsula, right
near our border.
There are also
reports that the
majority of the
Egyptian people
want to abolish
the peace treaty
with Israel;
moreover, their
government has
made it easier
for Hamas to
gain dangerous
arms by opening
the Rafah
crossing.
A reminder of
the evil goals
of Hamas can be
found in a
statement
regarding Hamas
which was
written by an
Israeli leftist
leader, Danny
Zamir, the head
of the secular
and leftist
Rabin
Pre-Military
Academy. Zamir
wrote:
“The State of
Israel is under
a prolonged
attack by the
Hamas movement –
a fundamentalist
Islamic terror
movement, based
on a racist and
ultra-nationalist
ideology that
seeks the
killing of Jews
for being Jews
and the actual
elimination of
the State of
Israel as its
declared
aspiration, and
formally part of
its foundation
platform.”
He added: “And
bear in mind
that Hamas is
not a marginal
extremist
underground, but
a movement
freely chosen by
the Palestinians
to head their
elected
government.”
(Jerusalem Post,
13th of Nisan,
5769, April 7th,
2009)
We need to also
bear in mind
that the people
of Gaza elected
Hamas to govern
them “after”
Israel withdrew
from Gaza! And
the noted
journalist,
Yossi Klein
Halevi, who
initially
supported the
Oslo peace
process, wrote
the following
related
observation:
“Israel, after
all, withdrew
from Gaza in
2005, uprooting
all its
settlements from
the area. Yet
the rockets
continued to
fall across the
international
border — long
before Israel
imposed a siege
against Gaza’s
Hamas
government.”
(Globe and Mail,
April 10, 2009)
The above
information
reminds us that
the six million
Jews in Israel
are facing great
dangers. As I
mentioned, there
are some
progressive
activists who
are ignoring
this danger, and
there are other
progressive
Jewish activists
who would agree
with me. In
fact, Jews from
across the
political and
religious
spectrum have
criticized those
progressive
Jewish activists
who lack
compassion and
empathy for
their suffering
brethren in
Israel. For
example, some of
these activists
have gone on
fasts on behalf
of the Arabs of
Gaza, but they
do not go on
fasts on behalf
of the Jews in
Israel who
suffer from the
missiles that
come from Gaza.
From reading
some of their
statements and
blogs, you
wouldn’t even
know about the
suffering caused
by Hamas.
A few years ago,
Hamas increased
their attacks on
Israel, and
missiles and
rockets from
Gaza fell on
additional
cities in
Israel. The
left-of-center
Israeli
government
finally decided
to defend its
people, and its
armed forces
entered Gaza.
Many Jews were
therefore
shocked when “J
Street” – an
organization
which defines
itself as
pro-Israel and
pro-peace –
could find no
moral difference
between the
violent attacks
of Hamas, an
organization
with genocidal
goals, and the
attempt of
Israel to defend
itself.
There were other
American Jews
who view
themselves as
“progressive”
who felt that J
Street’s
response lacked
compassion and
empathy for
their suffering
brethren in
Israel. For
example, Rabbi
Eric H. Yoffie,
who was then
president of the
Union for Reform
Judaism, called
J Street’s
position on the
Gaza conflict
“morally
deficient”
(Washington
Post, April 17.
2009).
Our tradition
encourages each
of us to have
empathetic
compassion for
the suffering of
the Community of
Israel, and the
Talmud states:
“Whoever
participates in
the suffering of
the community
will gain merit
and see the
comfort of the
community.” (Taanis
11a)
As I discussed
in this letter,
there are Jewish
activists that
need to do a
“tikun” – fixing
– of their cold
attitude towards
the suffering of
their brethren.
They can begin
this “tikun” by
engaging in a
process of
spiritual
renewal which
would enable
them to have
empathetic
compassion for
the endangered
six million Jews
of Israel;
moreover, this
would be a good
way to honor the
memory of the
six million Jews
who perished in
the Holocaust.
Through this
spiritual
renewal, these
activists can
merit to
experience the
full comfort and
redemption of
the Community of
Israel which is
described in the
following
prophecy
regarding the
redemption that
Hashem, the
Compassionate
and Life-Giving
One, will bring
us at the dawn
of the messianic
age:
“Hear the word
of Hashem, O
nations, relate
it in distant
islands, and
say, ‘The One
Who scattered
Israel will
gather him in
and guard him as
a shepherd does
his flock.’ For
Hashem will have
redeemed Jacob
and delivered
him from a hand
mightier than
he. And they
will come and
sing joyously on
the height of
Zion; they will
stream to
Hashem’s bounty
– upon grain,
upon wine, upon
oil, and upon
young sheep and
cattle; then
their soul shall
be like a
well-watered
garden, and they
shall not
continue to
agonize anymore.
Then the maiden
shall rejoice in
the round-dance,
young men and
old men
together; I
shall transform
their mourning
into joy, and I
shall comfort
them and gladden
them after their
grief.”
(Jeremiah 31:11,
12)
May we be
blessed with
true Shalom.
Yosef Ben Shlomo
Hakohen (See
below)
Related
Comments:
1. A previous
letter in this
series discussed
Torah
perspectives on
the following
question: Should
we give up parts
of the Land of
Israel if this
would lead to a
“genuine” peace?
A copy is
available upon
request.
2. As we
learned in this
series, the
Redeeming One
Who gave us the
Land told us
again and again
that our true
security in the
Land depends on
our fulfillment
of the Torah –
the Divine
Teaching. The
following two
passages can
serve as
examples:
“If you will
follow My
statutes and
guard My mitzvos…I
will provide
shalom in the
Land, and you
will lie down
with none to
frighten you”
(Leviticus:
26:3, 6).
“If only My
people would
heed Me, if
Israel would
walk in My ways.
I would
immediately
subdue their
enemies, and
turn My hand
against their
tormentors”
(Psalm 81:14,
15).
Yes, we need to
be “streetwise”
during this
dangerous
period, but we
also need to be
“soul-wise and
strengthen
ourselves
through the
Torah, “a tree
of life”
(Proverbs 3:18).