"What's Up with the Jews? " That's Negative Publicity That's What's Up..

You could probably hear my groan when I came across Stanley Fish's op-ed piece in New York Times. Again? Again? Can I ask, what's up with op-ed writers writing about Jews? As a blogger, Stanley Fish is interested in the increased public interest on the hidden label of "Jew," with negative connotation, on powerful people being arrested lately who happen to be Jewish and by antisemites' outbursts and actions (cough, Mel Gibson, cough). Fish defends the primary reason why Jews have been targeted by everyone- Jews are disproportionally wealthy and in leadership positions. Jews are just a bunch of well-educated folks, seeped in tradition and history. And those are the reasons why people envy, no, hate Jews, and these "bad Jews" are just being pawns in antisemitic rhetoric. Those Jews just aren't helping Jews' public image, in which the community has worked so long to improve. (The Holocaust may have dramatically reduced antisemitism but we're not at 0% yet.)

Stanley Fish is only really pointing out the paradox in today's portrayal of Jews. Jews are do-gooders. Jews are also evil. That's pretty darn confusing, he reasons. He thinks Jews can be anything, good or bad. I interpret his question and response as something more like this:

What kind of reputation should a modern-day Jew have then? Better yet, how can Jews continue to combat antisemitism, even as an occasional Jewish leader embarrasses his worldwide family with acts of transgression?

First of all, can I just say that DSK, Madoff, Spitzer, and other leaders (who happened to be Jewish) acted no different from other human beings? They're men. They have egos. It's no secret that when handed with power, there is a high potential for them to abuse it (insert in an image of Jafar in Aladdin when he becomes an ominous genie). Look at Tiger Woods. Like at all those NBA players. Richard Nixon. Yeah, even Hitler and his buddies. Dictators in the Middle East, Southasia Asia, and Latin America. No secret.

So, why is there a need to nitpick 'em as Jews? Keep race and ethnicity out of the crimes that people commit. We're all human beings with impulses. We're all liable to err our ways once we harness power over other human beings. We're also fallible with our lips, how we have a natural tendency to single out other ethnic groups simply because they're foreigners and strangers to us. The media, bloggers, and racists aren't treating Jews as regular human beings with different set of values and religious practices. (And is it so ironic the producers, editors, and other top people running the media are Jews? I'll get to this one)

So back to the question. In other words, what can Jews do these days to combat their negative public image?

Jews need to become example setters. Jews need to inspire others to realize that there is a point to have an education, to maintain strong ethnic/religious traditions, and hold values (quite much like American values, which shouldn't be so difficult for anti-semitic Americans to attain and maintain..) such as justice, equality, and liberty). Secular and religious alike, Jews just have those basics down and find a way to become successful. I've had non-Jewish friends awe over our qualities and traditions' meanings, especially Yom Kippur and Passover.

One of the more important things that we need to teach ourselves and our children is to call out on those antisemitic undertones everywhere. Confront people who whisper those and say, "What's up with you and Jews?" (keep yourself out of the picture) Challenge them and ask if they know of any "good" Jews. I applaud Chuck Lorre for calling out on Charlie Sheen, who plays one of television's most loved characters.

As a community, Jews should focus on the positives of our Jewish history. We should remember and examine Jews who truly have set examples for others, simply because they're decent human beings who could/can distinguish the right from the wrong. There are so many more Jews who have done wonderful things than those who committed crime. Take a look at the top 18 Jewish figures that the public have voted at the National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia, and "History Makers" listed by Jewish Women's Archives in Boston. And let others know about them! Personally, I admire Elena Kagan, Steven Spielberg, and Betty Friedan. And I know several Jewish men and women whom I deeply admire as well.

But I'll look at the public shaming of "bad Jews", in particular by the Jewish community as a way to remind them that the whole Jewish diaspora took notice and disapproved their actions. Nice way to embarrass the family of over 12 million, guys. Now, do some good and salvage our image.

AIPAC, here we again

Obama's declaration of Israel accepting pre-1967 borders in his Middle East speech hardly surprised me. It's the US stance. But with the arrival of Bibi the next day, I could only surmise that Bibi will storm in the White House and give Obama a earful. Which he did.

Yet, I was unsettled by Obama's speech on Thursday though. Nothing new but... the "mutually agreed land swaps" had me wondering. What did that mean?

Obama cleared up that issue at AIPAC. Demographics have changed since 1967 and then I agreed with his point. Still, if you look at the demographic map of Israel (an example here, not great but gives you a picture), how is this going to work? Being such a vulnerable state, Israel needs security buffer. A 2-hour drive between the West Bank and the Mediterranean is hardly defensible. Military invaders could choke and separate Israel into North and South. Furthermore, much of Israel's Jewish population tend to favor living in central Israel.

Really, I think, the country is just too small to be divided in a way that can satisfy the need for both parties. Israelis (and Diaspora Jews) want to keep as much of the land they can that they won in 1967 and have a state of substantial size for defense. The Palestinians have a much higher birth rate than the Israelis and they need large enough of land to support its rapidly growing population.

Aside from border issues, what is more important to me is the recognition of the state of Israel by Hamas, who wants to join with the PA in governing Palestine. Israel is already willing to make some concessions but Hamas is taking the "my way or the highway" route. That just doesn't get anyone anywhere for the peace deal. Yes, it is a terrorist group and it will always hate Israel. But Israel isn't going to make its move on the chessboard without security assurance should Hamas agree to recognize the state of Israel and bombard it with rockets themselves. Israelis need to feel safe first, diplomatic- and military-wise.

Obama and other foreign leaders need to pressure Hamas. Strangling Gaza hasn't been too effective in shutting down that government (but it has weaken it to the point where it saw the need to join forces with PA).

I know this whole argument isn't much different from the past and, so here it goes again with more affirmative points. Should I be excited? Not quite. We're used to this cycle of starting and stopping. But I do expect Obama to be tougher than his predecessors to get this peace thing going. He got the healthcare reform passed and that was tough for our free enterprise, democratic country.

Earn your Nobel Peace Prize now, President Obama.

Latest Holocaust e-mail chain

I received this in the e-mail yesterday. There were two components - a story of a survivor who saved 2,500 children and a emotion-induced cartoon (well, you can't deny how cute cartoon children are!). Look at this lady - Let us never forget! The world hasn't just become wicked...it' s always been wicked. The prize doesn't always go to the most deserving. Irena Sendler There recently was a death of a 98 year-old lady named Irena. During WWII, Irena, got permission to work in the Warsaw ghetto, as a Plumbing/Sewer specialist. She had an 'ulterior motive'. She KNEW what the Nazi's plans were for the Jews (being German). Irena smuggled infants out in the bottom of the tool box she carried and she carried in the back of her truck a burlap sack, (for larger kids). She also had a dog in the back that she trained to bark when the Nazi soldiers let her in and out of the ghetto. The soldiers of course wanted nothing to do with the dog and the barking covered the kids/infants noises. During her time of doing this, she managed to smuggle out and save 2500 kids/infants. She was caught, and the Nazi's broke both her legs, arms and beat her severely. Irena kept a record of the names of all the kids she smuggled out and kept them in a glass jar, buried under a tree in her back yard. After the war, she tried to locate any parents that may have survived it and reunited the family. Most had been gassed. Those kids she helped got placed into foster family homes or adopted. Last year Irena was up for the Nobel Peace Prize. She was not selected. President Obama won one year before becoming President for his work as a community organizer for ACORN and Al Gore won also --- for a slide show on Global Warming. In MEMORIAM - 63 YEARS LATER Please read the little cartoon carefully, it's powerful. Then read the comments at the end. I'm doing my small part by forwarding this message. I hope you'll consider doing the same.. It is now more than 60 years after the Second World War in Europe ended. This e-mail is being sent as a memorial chain, in memory of the six million Jews, 20 million Russians, 10 million Christians and 1,900Catholic priests who were murdered, massacred, raped, burned, starved and humiliated! Now, more than ever, with Iran , and others, claiming the HOLOCAUST to be 'a myth'. It's imperative to make sure the world never forgets, because there are others who would like to do it again. This e-mail is intended to reach 40 million people worldwide! Join us and be a link in the memorial chain and help us distribute it around the world.. Please send this e-mail to people you know and ask them to continue the memorial chain. Please don't just delete it. It will only take you a minute to pass this along.. Thanks!

Making more meaningful connections

We have a problem with the way Jewish communities are trying to bring Israel to its Jews. There is plenty of literature on American Jews distancing from Israel because of politics, associations, and identity conflicts. Do we have to be pro-Israel? Do we have to pick one side or the other in terms of how we want to make this peace deal? Explain again in 2011 terms, not 1948, why we need Israel? It's all about politics and American Jews are generally uncomfortably with "dual-loyalty" and confrontations that threaten their social status. There's no way to avoid any of this as long as Israel exists and Zionism remains a political philosophy. How do we mitigate this issue for Jews who are uncomfortable getting that involved politically but want to do something with or for Israel? The answer is: reorganize Birthright to serve the specific interests and needs of students, not a "one-size-fits-all" experience as critics like to term it.

Let's be honest. I wasn't crazy about hiking through a forest where we held onto each other for support to avoid slipping on wet rocks during my Birthright trip. Kayaking down Jordan river was fun and relaxing, but I was thirsty. Not for water. But thirsty for knowledge about the area's significance, not the water. I wanted to go back to Tzfat, where we had arrived from, and talk more about spirituality and mysticism. Or the Golan Heights and hear more in details about the battle for the land in 1967 and why we had to capture it from Syria.

With each successive visit to Israel, I discover more and more of Israel's jewels beyond the nature. I was already thinking along the same lines as Haaretz's reporter, Anshel Pfeffer, in his piece here, when I started writing this entry. Basically, Birthright trips should offer much more than it does now. Israelis often refer them to Taglit, which means "discovery." But what does Taglit really mean in figurative sense these days? Taglit came to me in 2007, not 2005, when I started exploring Jerusalem by foot and bus, through Mehane Yehuda shuk and various quarters in the Old City, and then to Tel Aviv along Allenby Street, if only briefly on my first visit. The more I experienced Israel firsthand such as figuring out the proper custom for those Egged buses when Shabbat was over and having iced drinks with Sudanese refugees, the more I felt connected to the country at the moment and, at the same time, the memories of my Birthright trip began to wane. By the time I left Israel after 7 months, I had long forgotten the events of my Birthright trip, only with pictures and e-mails with one of the participants who I had befriended.

I'm not suggesting that we let 18 year-olds with little street-smarts to wander out in Israel alone but rather take them to meet real Israel, with real issues. As Pfeffer wrote,

Israel is a much more interesting and complex country than Birthright would have its alumni believe and if the majority of participants, who rarely bother open a newspaper and whose websurfing habits are confined to celebrity gossip, enjoy the trip, that’s fine, but once they get back to their countries of origin, some of them may act as pro-Israel activists on campus for a while, but the rest will be looking for the next thrill.

The serious minority, those who in a few years from now will be the real opinion-makers and leaders, are either already involved and informed, and therefore Birthright was superfluous for them, but most of them are simply too intelligent to buy into this saccharine alternative to the real Israel. And they are the target audience.

Right on target, Mr. Pfeffer, but should we focus on expanding the numbers of the "serious minority"? Beyond general community leadership (such as executive director of a Jewish Community Center or Federation), we could build leaders in other areas by connecting American Jews with their real interests and hobbies that exist in Israel.

When Hebrew University's Rothberg International School e-mailed me announcing a new dance program, I was immediately excited. How wonderful would this be for students interested in dance and learning from Israeli and Russian dancers? It's an unique opportunity. If one could simply participate in something in Israel, the connection, I think, would all be more meaningful because of cultivated relationships. What if a Birthright trip could be designed around dance, while following the curriculum of visiting the Old City, Masada, and the like? Would dance workshops in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and in a Bedouin camp make a more lasting difference?

Everywhere I looked out the window on the Egged bus between cities, I saw opportunities for young Americans to connect with Israel, through like-minded peers. Right now, I'm thinking how I would love to visit and talk with people involved in ever-growing therapeutic riding programs.

It's still lacking in all areas of Birthright. I perused Birthright NEXT's website to see what they had done since 2005. Comparatively much more. Back in 2005, there wasn't a lot and mostly based in large cities like New York and geared towards post-graduates, not rising sophomores. I had to find my own way in maintaining my connection to Israel, which I did through Colgate Jewish Union and study abroad. Now, I wonder if the increase in opportunities and programming has proven to be more effective. Probably, especially with the social media being all in the range in helping people find like-minded peers.

I didn't see any programs that could reach specific audience. I've glanced through MASA but the descriptions are still vague. Volunteer in what? What are the options? Where could the kibbutz be? Are there any possibilities to work on healthcare or refugee issues?

I could be suggesting a post-Zionist view here by doing away with kibbutzim but the most important issue is simply keeping American Jews connected to Israel through whatever means to make that happen.

I say, change the programming and organization of Birthright trips. Jewish communities need leaders who can serve in different areas, especially in the cultural realm. Give more options for students to discover how their passions translate in Israel. During my policy-focused Germany Close-Up: American Jews Meet Modern Germany trip sponsored by American Jewish Committee, students who were interested in international relations or political science seemed to be much more engaged with the speakers and sincere in their attempts to understand German-Jewish/Israeli relations. Because of this trip's nature, I actually almost felt like my 5-day trip to Germany was more meaningful than my 10-day trip to Israel.

No, seriously, we should promote Israel differently. Why? If we don't tell young people that there are intimate opportunities in Israel that are so relevant to them, why should they care? And that's not good news if they don't.

Without their involvement in Israeli culture as future participants of their respective Jewish communities, American Jewish communities will certainly be devoid of creativity, cultural exchanges,, and a politically neutral connection to Israel.

Let's get back to this.

Sorry, Nefesh b'Israel, to have neglected you for so long. Are you accusing me of flirting with another blog? Guilty as charged. I've been running a separate, anonymous blog for my trip to Germany that had a different focus from this.

But I promise that I will give some reflections of being Jewish in Germany and Israel over time.

Right now, I'm on the job hunt again. Instead of San Francisco, I've put my eye on Washington, DC. Being in Germany made me realize how much I care about international/foreign issues, especially regarding Jewish politics and communities. I was asked by a recruiter today, "Why DC? Why not Chicago or New York or LA?" I said, "Because I like to talk politics and international issues. I like to be surrounded by all that stuff." It's just so intellectually exciting for me when I learn about new issues and more deeply about the old ones, listen to other perspectives, and read debating columnists and op-ed pieces. Mainly, I want to be part of the cultural, social, and political exchanges that goes in tandem with globalization.

And Berlin was pretty darn big with so much politics, history, and culture. It's the size of New York City in terms of land (but half the population at 1.3 million versions 2.6 million). In a way, I got to live in New York City but for cheap. After living in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, Berlin, DC, and San Francisco, and growing up near New York, DC is taking the prize. Given that I enjoyed living in Berlin, Jerusalem, and DC in the past, I've found that I really want to be in the heart of a country, where passions reach their heights. I can taste all the important debates and decisions are being conducted. I'm only a heartbeat away from those lawmakers, activists, and lobbyists who are trying to make changes. And I can jump in, like I can (maybe) counter-protest at the AIPAC since I'll be in the city during the conference, to drown out all anti-Israel/Zionist chants with pro-Israel ones.

Well, I'm not driving on the Belt anyway so that's one less major complaint.