The 90`s

Americanized Jews are self-destructing

Note: Written by Howard Barbanel, Published week of August 11th - 17th 1993

There are 613 commandments in the Torah.  Here's one that's been spiraling out-of-vogue lately: "Do not intermarry with them (non-Jews.) Do not give your daughters to their sons and do not take their daughters for your sons.  They will lead your children away from Me, causing them to worship other gods. God will then display His anger against you and you will quicky be destroyed." (Deut. 7:3-4)

Sackcloth, ashes, torn clothing, deep mourning - Tevya saying "there is no other land" and walking away - these were the typical responses of Jewish parents confronted with the specter of intermarriage.  No longer. Some of the folks may be dismayed or even a little distressed but on the whole mom and pop go along 100 percent. Among a large segment of the Jewish population intermarriage has even become tres chic.

Just how acceptable is this? Look at The New York Times on Sundays.  In the "Styles" section the Times lists weddings and engagements.  The July 28 issue was full of intermarriages being performed by both Christian clergy and rabbis.  Intermarriages were predominate among the overall marriage listings and July 18 was a light week. You should have seen July 4! 

What is this doing to our people? The recently released Jewish population study sponsored by the UJA-Federation admits to an average 50 percent intermarriage rate nationwide.  The study says that only 4 percent of the non-Jewish spouses convert to Judaism. Only a small percentage of their children are raised as Jews.

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Likud Party chief, in a recent address to the Knesset remarked about intermarriage that "the figures show that in the 1950s for instance, intermarriage was between 6 and 8 percent and today it's around 52 percent.  If you go to California, which has the worst rate of intermarriage, its already 70 percent." If you go to cities like Phoenix and Houston the rate approaches 80 percent. So much so that even their local Jewish newspapers regularly publish the wedding announcements of intermarried couples with nary a sideward glance.

Among those who opt to marry another Jews, there is a negative population growth rate.  We're only generating 1.8 children per couple - this is below replacement. The median age for American Jews is 45 - this means that more than half the Jews in the U.S. are in their 50s, 60s, 70s and above.  Compare this with the median age of 25 for the U.S. population as a whole. This means that of the roughly 5 million Jews here, about half fit the actuarial probability of facing death within the next 20 years.  This will cut the number of American Jews by half.

In the 1930's we had 6 million Jews in this country. Netanyahu observes that "the most recent surveys place that figure (population) closer to 5 million... it means that in the last 30 years, had U.S. Jews a reasonable growth like that we enjoy here in Israel, we would have been looking at something like 9 million U.S. Jews today.  In other words, 4 million Jews disappeared, weren't born or were assimilated. 

What is the root cause of this phenomenon? In a word: ignorance.  Most Jewish kids today don't receive a Jewish education and most of the younger generation today, those in their 20s, 30s and 40s either received no Jewish education or were recipients of a grossly sub-standard Talmud Torah Sunday School type of instruction that in fact bred far more antipathy for Judaism than affection.  Throughout the 1940's, '50's and '60's the American Jewish mania was to become as American as possible. This effort has proven successful.  It has borne fruit - not the figs and dates of Israel, but the apples for American apple pie. 

With no compelling reasons to stay apart, feeling part of the American mainstream, young Jews have little or no compunctions about delving into everything that our society has to offer.  We're all Americans, right?

Manifestations of this include the never-before-seen high levels of alcohol and drug consumption and abuse by Jews.  Say it ain't so? Just go to any college campus and you'll see the Jewish kids bellying up to the bar with the best of them.  Take a trip to Fire Island or the Hamptons and you'll witness the bacchanalian revels taking place in single share houses, in the clubs, at parties and on the street.  It doesn’t end there. Intermarriage also stems directly from the high levels of promiscuity among young Jews. On most college campuses it's been known for some time that the most sexually active and inquisitive students are the Jews.  The carries forward into single life where 50 percent are marrying non-Jews because more than 75 percent are dating, or have dated, non-Jews. Many single Jews express strong disdain for dating other Jews. There is a sizeable number who boast of never having dated any Jews at all!

Along with all of this there is an unprecedented number of Jews who have never been married, who are in their 30s and 40s and a divorce rate hovering at 50 percent as well.  Neber in Jewish history have there been so many unmarried Jews on the loose. Look at the personals in New York magazine - mostly Jews.

What does this portend for the future of Jewish philanthropy? The UJA and Israel Bonds people are worried.  They're undertaking a valiant effort to send young people to Israel on missions and "Israel experience." Sadly, only 20 percent of American Jews have been to Israel.  Yet Israel is an anecdote. Jewish organizations, the Israeli government and American Zionism must make getting young people over to Israel our top priority.

Nearly everyone who visits Israel returns with an enhanced Jewish identity and sense o pride.  American Jews, like all Americans, like to identify with something exiting, something winning. Israel is that kind of place.  It inspires both nationalistically and religiously. Just as Israel has been the salvation for millions seeking refuge from persecution, Israel can be the savior for young American Jews.

The 90`s

Tribal fear and loathing amongst Jews

Note: Written by Howard Barbanel, Published Week of July 14th - July 20th, 1993

"There is the white one who doesn't like the black one who doesn't like the rich one who doesn't like the poor one...different strokes, for different folks..." so go the lyrics to an old pop tune from Sly and the Family Stone.

Lately, the Jewish community has started to resemble the old Indian caste system or the Victorian English class system.  The community is polarizing with each end spinning into an opposite orbit as though they were molecules in a laboratory centrifuge or one of those scary rides down at the amusement park that test G-forces to the limit.

The latest example is right on the Dine - Tom Dine, that is.  you may recall that until two weeks ago, Dine was the $175,000-plus a year executive director of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the powerful pro-Israel lobby.  Here is a guy who couldn't leave a good thing alone. There is a tendency among the very successful and very visible to sometimes self-destruct. 

His act of self-destruction came a couple of weeks ago when comments Dine made to a book author four years ago finally saw the light of print.

Just what is it that Dine said that resulted in his summary dismissal from such a lofty perch? He called Orthodox Jews "smelly" and "low class."  Here's just what Dine said in David Landua's book, Piety and Power: The World of Jewish Fundamentalism.

"In nine years on the job he's never been to Brooklyn... The Congressmen from there are so pro-Israel anyway, there is no need to work on them."

This is nothing.  The really "great stuff" is:

"I don't think mainstream Jews feel very comfortable with the ultra-Orthodox.  It is a class thing I suppose. Their image is 'smelly'. That's what I'd say now you've got my thinking about it. Hasids and New York diamond dealers."

Dine went on to assert that, "UJA people have told me several times they don't want to fly El Al because of it's direct...but it's low class, like the Orthodox."

The disdain by many secular and non-observant Jews toward the Orthodox manifest itself everywhere, from a London neighborhood nixing an eruv (a community board comprised primarily of Jews) to New York City community boards leading vociferous opposition to building permit applications to expand yeshivot to places like Westhampton Beach (a town with plenty of churches) initially opposing the construction of a synagogue in the tony resort.  Who leads the opposition? Primarily Jews.

Here's another case in point: The Hebrew Academy of Long Beach (HALB) purchased the former building and grounds of the now-relocated Lawrence Country Day School in fancy Hewlett Bay Park.  The neighborhood, mostly comprised of wealthy non-observant Jews, let loose a hue and cry that was deafening. Big stories about the village's opposition to HALB's plans for a girl's yeshiva high school filled the daily papers, the Jewish papers and even spilled-out onto TV.

Now, the HALB people spent $2.2 million for a facility that had been a school for decades, in fact, a school that for a great deal of time restricted Jews from its enrollment.  The village still is threatening to condemn the property via eminent domain to block the Yeshiva from opening for business this coming fall. Negotiations have been going on for over a year now between the village and the yeshiva to reach an accommodation.  Could you imagine Itailans in Bensonhurst or Polish-Americans in Ridgewood opposing the construction/expansion/location of a Catholic high school in their neighborhood? Only Jews possess such fear and self-loathing.

Examples of Jewish self-hatred and inferiority complexes abound.  Crown Heights. Where were the major Jewish organizations? No where.  Who was the Hasid's biggest supporter? Sen. Al D'Amato.

More example of indifference, arrogance and chauvinism? Ashkenazic discrimination against Sephardim, espeially as was institutionalized by the Labor Party in years past; Lubavitch disdain and non-recognition of Ethiopian Jews as Jews; Satmar fraternizing with Arab terrorists in their aim to destroy the "Zionist entity" because they don't belive in a state of Israel before the arrival of the messiah; The old Litvak-Galiciana non-sense; the German Jewish denigration of the "ost Juden;" The ancient enmity between the Pharisees and the Saducees.  Enough all ready!

For the Jewish community to thrive we must recognize that we are all descendents of the many sons of Jacob - one family - one people - we are all the Children of Israel and we can't afford to have any orphas or stepchildren and longer.

The 90`s

Even in 1993: 'If I forget thee O' Jerusalem'

Note: Written by Howard Barbanel, Published Week of July 7th - July 13th, 1993

Between pronouncements being promulgated by the Clinton Administration, the Rabin government and the Palestinian Arabs, one gets the impression that the Hold City is under siege and that the City of Gold needs a savior right quick.

Here are some of the recent pearls from the Clinton State Department: "There arose a Pharaoh who still knows Bush" - there is no difference between the Clinton team and the Bush people over the Jerusalem issue.  From the latest $2 billion installment in the $10 billion loan guarantee program the Clinton folks sent a questionnaire to Jerusalem asking precise details on where the money will be spent and where Israel is spending in the territories in general.  The U.S. says it will hold up additional guarantees until it is satisfied that the money isn't being spent in the "occupied territories...including East Jerusalem." The Clinton Administration has made it clear to the Israelis that it views East Jerusalem as occupied territory, the same position taken by former President Bush.  This Bush position garnered the ire of most American Jews during the election. Additionally, as a candidate, Bill Clinton advocated recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's captial. Recent statements from Washington would indicate a reversal in practice from what was campaign promise, but, hey, Bill has been doing that a lot lately.

Meanwhile it looks as though Labor just can't stop itself from giving away the store before there's even a customer in it.  Prime Minister Rabin, in an interview given to the Palestinian Arab newspaper, Al-Kuds, said that "he had no objection to Palestinians in East Jerusalem voting in  elections for a Palestinian Governing Council, but they could not be a candidate for election." Yo, Yitzhak, what if their "legal address" is in Bethlehem and they only have a "second home" in Jerusalem? How would this be policed? How can Jerusalem Arabs vote for a Palestinian authority and still be under Israeli jurisdiction.  A vote of this kind would certainly bolster claims by the Arabs for a bi-capital arrangement or partition of the city.

This "Vaticanization" of Jerusalem (Vatican Cit vis-à-vis Rome) is all ready being supported by many foreign countries who hold separate receptions and meetings for Arabs and Jews in Jerusalem, who sometimes have separate consulates there for each community and the like.

The Israeli government tolerates the existence of an "official Palestine National Headquarters" building in the Arab part of town where Feissal Husseini (a relative of the beloved Grand Mufti) has his digs.  The H.Q. is guarded by "Palestinian Security" people. Foreign journalists and diplomats regularly make pilgrimages there. This exists just some miles from the Knesset and Kotel. 

Meanwhile, Jerusalem Mayor Teddy Kollek continues to advocate a policy of "separate by equal" for Jews and Arabs - believing in obstructing Jews from buying property or living in non-Jewish neighborhoods.  In making a case for his re-election this November, Kollek in a New York Times interview a couple of weeks ago stressed the need for "reasonableness and flexibility" regarding Jerusalem's governance in light of possible progress by the Labor government in the peace process.  How can Labor make any concessions in the Holy City if a Likudnik like Ehud Olmert became mayor?

Olmert, the Likud candidate, in contrast said that "it's inconceivable that Jews would be unable to live anywhere they want in their own country and in their captial."  Olmert also cautions about potential Labor concessions to the Arabs in Jerusalem and stresses that it "is important that Jerusalem's next mayor be someone who will speak out for Jerusalem from Jerusalem concerning the city's unity under Israeli sovereignty."

Here's some of what our Arab friends are saying about Jerusalem just in the past couple of weeks: Our best and most-trusted pal Yassir "some of my best friends are Jews' Arafat prophecized that "Jerusalem will be the capital of an independent Palestinian State." He made this prediction while rubbing shoulders with the "moderate" King Hudsein of Jordan.  While meeting with reporters and editors or American Jewish newspapers a week later, he was not any more flexible on the issue.

Feissal Husseini (remember him?) is, however, more flexible.  Kol Yisrael radio quotes Husseini (the head Palestinian delegate to the peace talks in Washington) as having said on June 17 that "Jerusalem should be an open city with two capitals, one Israeli and one Palestinian."

To back-up their position, the Palestinian Arabs are planning an international business conference in East Jerusalem in July to raise $10 billion.  Eight hundred and fifty rich Palestinians from all over the world have been invited. Al Kuds reports that the conference is being sponsored by the PLO and "large Western Europe concerns and will focus on concrete plans for investment..."

In spite of this, Jerusalem is gearing-up for the 1996 celebration of the 3,000 year anniversary of the city becoming the capital of the Kingdom of Israel.  The "Trimillenium", as it's being dubbed, will feature King David prominently. The Trimellenium organizers say that "Jerusalem is the tangible historical testimony of the Jewish religion and its heritage on one hand, and independence and sovereignty of the Jewish people on the other.  This identification as both spiritual and national symbol...and its eternal tie between the city and the Jewish people...has parallel in the history of nations." Amen, brother.

The 90`s

There's a new kind of fungibility taking place

Note: Written by Howard Barbanel, Published Week of June 30th - July 6th, 1993

During the life of the previous Likud government there were many who accused Israel of taking U.S. aid dollars and loan guarantee funds and through manipulative bookkeeping, funneling millions to bolster Jewish settlements in Judea, Samaria and Gaza.  The entire settlement program put Israel at loggerheads with the then-Bush Administration. There was a good deal of head-butting going on.

Today there are two new governments.  One Israeli, one American and there's a whole new kind of fungibility taking place.  Israel, of all people, is spending 450 million shekels on economic development in the territories, up from 120 million last year.  A whopping increase. who is this money being spend on? Would you believe the Palestinian Arabs? It's true. The Rabin government is engaged in a determined plan to improve the Arab economy in the territories - partly at Israel's expense and certainly at the expense of the Jewish communities there.

While transferring money to the Arabs the Rabin government has cut virtually all funds to the non-Labor affiliated Jewish communities in Judea, Samaria and Gaza.  They have eliminated funds for infrastructure projects such as roads, electric lines, plumbing, land reclamation, communications and more. Funds for such basic services such as kindergartens have been axed.  Almost every tax incentive for Jews passed by the prior government has been set aside. Preferential tax rates for businesses and industries have been killed as have been the subsidies for new home and apartment buyers in the Jewish towns.

Of the 450 million shekels (more than $140 million) being spent by the Labor Party on the Palestinian Arabs, $50 million is slated for Arab infrastructures projects.  Taxes have been cut for the Arabs in the territories and new Arab businesses are now exempt from property and income taxes. 

Labor has established new Arab industrial parks in Nablus, Hebron and Gaza.  All restrictions on the importation of funds from abroad have been eliminated for Arabs and they now can import anything and as much as they desire.

Things get even better for the Arabs.  The Saudi Arabians have just unveiled a $200-million aid package to enable Palestinian Arabs to purchase land in Jerusalem and a report in Ma'ariv recently stated that the Saudis and other gulf states are "channeling $100 million to the territories via organizations associated with the PLO's Fatah faction." The report indicates that it was the U.S. government that pressured the Saudis to open up their purse - because since the Gulf War the House of Saud hasn't been too forthcoming to the Palestinian Arabs.  It was the PLO who supported Saddam Hussein and who is now carrying out the majority of terrorist attacks on Jewish targets in Israel.

And there's still more.  Ha'aretz reported on May 6th that the U.S. and European Community will give the Palestinian Arabs another $23 million.  More than 25 years ago The Beatles wrote, Can't Buy Me Love.  It is apparent that the present Israeli government never heard the lyrics to that tune. 

In an effort to make peace quickly with the Arabs, the Israeli government has already ceded most of the water and state land rights to a new "Palestinian Council" to be created and has agreed to international supervision of elections in the territories - a move garunteed to accord de facto legitimization to the creeping concept of another Palestinian state (the first is Jordan) in Judea, Samaria and Gaza.  Rabin is also talking about forming a Palestinian Police Force and arming them - all prior to the signing on any kind of peace agreement.

To stay that Jews in Judea are worried is an understatement.  The "only" Jewish communities in the territories to benefit from Labor's largesse are Labor-affiliated settlements in the Jordan Valley and other communities surrounding Jerusalem - oh, and by the way, Peres is talking about letting East Jerusalem Arabs vote in Palestinian Elections.

Trying to make peace is a lofty ambition, one which should be pursued vigorously, but not one that should take place at all costs or made at any price.  The Palestinian Arabs in their own newspapers sense imminent victory and are openly talking about the phased destruction of Israel, one phase at a time.

Every Jew believes in and wants peace.  Can an atmosphere for peace really be achieved when Jews and Jewish communities are openly discriminated against by a Jewish government? Can a broad general consensus be built when a Jewish government is deliberately letting loose termites to undermine the foundation of Jewish presence in the territories? Helping Arabs live better lives is one thing, working to worsen the lives of Jews while doing that is quite another.

The 90`s

The Jews in Judea are our brothers

Note: Written by Howard Barbanel, Published Week of December 26-January 3, 1993

Ron Nachman is man who is very concerned about discrimination - discrimination against Jews - most particularly against Jews living in Judea and Samaria.  Nachman has a stake in all this; after all he's the mayor of Ariel, a town of 12,000 midway between Tel Aviv and the Jordan River and one of the only members of the Knesset from the territories.

Ron Nachman is ubiquitous in the U.S - he's omnipresent, stalking corporate boardrooms, synagogues, living rooms and anywhere he can get a minyan of people to listen to his message.  His message is blunt, to-the-point and minces words. He is a man with a mission.

Nachman and I had the chance to chat the other day and he was effervescent as ever.  "It's interesting," Nachman opines, "that when Kanhane was calling for the total removal of Arabs from the territories he was called a racist.  When people like Beilin, Sarid and Aloni call for dismembering the Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria and call for our removal to Tel Aviv, they're called liberals and peace-makers.  I fail to see the difference between the Kahane position and the left-wing's, both call for overt evacuation and ethnic cleansing." 

"You may be aware," Nachman continues, "that the Rabin government has been systematically discriminating against the Jewish communities in the territories since they assumed office - making our lives difficult and canceling programs and curtailing services.  I recently sued the government in the Supreme Court and won. The court ruled that existing Law of Development Town, enacted by the prior Knesset supersedes indiscriminate government regulations that strip towns such as Ariel from government services and benefits.  The government is trying to repeal the law, but so far they’ve lost the vote in committee."

Nachman asserts that "if we're to have a society built on law and equality" then "the law must be applied equally, everywehre in Israel and to all Jews, not only for Jews who happen to agree with the current government's ideology."  Mayor Nachman becomes equally outraged when the subject of Jewish philanthropy comes up. He's really disturbed that UJA and JNF funds are not spent on Jews living in the territories. "UJA and the Jewish Agency aid Jews in Uzbenkistan, Europe, Latin America and the U.S.  They will help any Jew in need anywhere in the world except for some Jews living in the Land of Israel. They even help Israeli Arabs. I demand that the Jewish Agency and UJA stop boycotting our children and adopt us as they have the Arabs who live in the village of Ajamy outside of Tel Aviv."

Some of these groups say they don't want to engage in politics and don’t want to endanger their tax-exempt status, but Nachman rightly contends that by boycotting the Jews of Judea and Samaria these groups are in fact playing politics.  Further, the IRS has stated in writing that funds earmarked for social welfare purposes in the territories are fully protected under IRS codes.

As for the Isaeli government, Nachman can't understand that if Israel can talk with its harshest enemies - the PLO - and shake hands with Arafat, how that government is more concerned with raising $2 billion for the PLO than in schools, hospitals and basic services for 130,000 of its own citizens living in the Land of Israel.  "The Arabs are your cousins," Nachman says to American Jews and the Israeli government, "but you are our brothers and you should always take care of your brothers first."

Nachman sits on the Knesset's Finance Committee and the Legislation Committee.  In that capacity, he's had opportunities to question top government people about the PLO Peace Agreement.  He says that the highest people in the government are clueless as to what man of the specifics of the deal are, haven't the foggiest notion of how to deal with possible contingencies such as Arafat's declaring an independent state in Jericho or how it will contend with Arafat's rumored plans to enlarge the Palestinian Police Force from 15,000 to 30,000 men.  "We only have 20,000 police for 5 million Israelis. Why does the PLO need 30,000 for 1.5 million people? This is not a police force, this is an army." Army Chief-of-Staff Ehud Barak, in a recent interview in Yediot Aharonot said that he has no solutions to the security problems and can't provide an absolute defense for the residents in the territories. Barak states that he was not consulted when the Rabin-Arafat accord was hammered out and neither was the Minister of Police.  Barak said what's going on is like shooting a bullet at wall and then, afterward, drawing a circle around it for a target. 

Finally, Nachman is full of dread and foreboding.  He predicts Sabra and Shatilla type massacre of Jews by Arabs like the 1929 pogrom that emptied that city of Jews for the first time in millennia.  Nachman contends that if the government and military have no concrete security plans, massacres of Jews can be a very real possibility down the road.  "Israel right now is the only party making concessions. The PLO has conceded nothing. There has been no easing of the Arab boycott. No Arab state has recognized Israel.   There is no change in the PLO covenant calling for Israel's destruction and no cutrailment or condemnation of terrorism against Jewish civilians." 

Nachman concludes by saying he "wants peace - every Jew wants peace - but what I want is peace with security first and I want equal treatment for Jews everywhere in Eretz Yisrael by both the Israeli government and by Jewish philanthropic organizations."