Letter from Netanya - Jan Gaines on Purim

Dear Friends,

   Purim is here with sunshine and perfect weather. Israelis say it always rains on Purim but this year, after weeks of storms, Purim is a treat.

  Yesterday, schools held their Purim parties, with kids from 4 to 17 getting into some sort of Purim ensemble.  The teenagers amused me the most. The girls found every kind of strapless and mini-skirt outfit possible, from waitresses to bunnies.and brides.  But the boys only dress their hair, coloring it every shade possible, often 3 or 4 kinds together. The little ones have the same kind of Halloween regalia you are used to seeing except for specials this year: Israeli police and IDF for the boys, and TV characters for the girls. It seems to me we have fewer Queen Esthers and Modechai's every year.  There are huge Purim parades to rival Macy's in both Holon and Tel Aviv, but here in Netanya it's very amateurish. Still, it's a happy time, for everyone except the two working parents who have to take time off for the next 4 days.

   I find it kind of awesome that this year we celebrate Purim as if it were 2500 years ago when we also faced destruction from the same Persians. Does history really repeat itself?  I guess for the Jews, always!  However if you ask me are Israelis scared, emphatically no!   Not even spooked. It may be in the back of people's minds but certainly not in the front.

  The government hasn't ordered us to clean out our shelters, or get our gas masks replaced.  In fact, there is a shortage of gas masks because the govt. claims it ran out of money. Nobody believes that.  Take your choice of reasons:

the Home Front command doesn't think gas masks will do any good, or they have about half the population quietly covered and they don't want protests from the other half,  or they don't want the Iranians to see preparations for war- - - -who knows.?  As for me, I turned mine in 5 years ago with everyone else, for refitting, but never got to the distribution location to pick one up.;  I finally went the other day only to find it has closed down.  !!!

   Before the 2nd Gulf War I remember well how extensive preparations were and how it seemed daily the govt was urging us to get our shelters ready.  But of course that was when everyone expected to be attacked.  This time we will do the attacking!  Perhaps they feel there is still a little time left to prepare. However, most of the Israelis I talk to in my unscientific poll, feel that there will be a war. They say we are dealing with the determined and "irrational" mullahs who don't operate like responsible leaders and who don't care about killing their own people.

   What is really interesting to me is how many "secular" Israelis feel that in the end, God will somehow protect or save us. Maybe that is a reaction to the realization that we are sitting ducks (appropos of Bibi's great speech at AIPAC) just waiting for the nuclear ducks, or maybe it is based on Israeli's great awareness of our history of miraculous survival here in the land, in one war or skirmish after another. But I'm reminded of what Kerrin Behrend said, "They are more anxious about getting a parking place in Tel Aviv" than the threat of war.

  So don't cancel any trips you've planned for the summer, PLEASE. Remember, Israel has never lost a tourist!  And maybe we'll scrape through this crisis too.

  Finally, BE HAPPY.  IT'S ADAR.  Hag Sameach.  Jan

A Month of Hagim: Jan Gaines' Letter from Netanya

Dear Friends,

The Hagim (holidays) here in Israel starts with frenzied shopping before Rosh Hashonah. Not just for food, but new clothes, kitchen and dining items, and even furniture. The lines in the supermarkets lasted an hour, giving me plenty of time to chat with other shoppers in my line. One young woman, seeing I was an American, said to me " if we ever lose the U.S. we will be doomed." Just another reminder of how many Israelis rely on Congress, on American Jews (YOU!) for a feeling of semi-security.

Many Israelis DO go to synagogue on the Yamin Noraim (High Holy Days) even tho they are considered "secular". I saw many unfamiliar faces, men dressed in T shirts and jeans, in my synagogue. But they put on tallit and kippot. Especially for Yom Kippur which was a truly awesome day. Even the most anti-religious Israelis observe the custom of NEVER driving a car on Yom Kippur. All over the country there is a sudden quiet descending, starting with 4:00 p.m. Kol Nidre night. Everyone wears white, the women especially dressed in flowing white cotton skirts or pants and tops. The men put on a white shirt. And while there are a few who are not in synagogue for Yom Kippur day, most everyone goes somewhere. We were packed, much more so than on Rosh Hashonah. If only we could get a handful of these families to join us during the year!!!

The exception to this quiet are the kids. This is the one day a year when they have unfettered access to all the streets. So every conceivable kind of wheeled apparatus was out, from small toy cars to skate boards to mountain bikes. The kids started this wheel rally on Kol Nidre and kept it up almost for 24 hours. There is a hill on my way to synagogue and there the shrieks of delighted boys followed me all the way to the doors. Kids as young as 2 or 3 years were part of the fun, chaperoned either by a parent (not in Synagogue) or an older sibling.

Few synagogues have a break fast on the premises. Most people go to family, friends or home. We had about 20 people at someone's apartment, everyone bringing something. Backing up a bit, the only similarity at the end to TBE was Neilah with the kids up on the bimah to see the last shofar blowing - - and we only had one shofar blower, the cantor. We finished earlier than in Stamford, or at least so it seemed. It got dark by 5:30, probably because the Yamin Noraim were so late this year.

I missed the gorgeous and spiritually inspiring services at TBE. Do you know how lucky you are?

After Yom Kippur there is a 1 day breather until Succot comes in, during which everyone, or so it seems, puts up a succah in any corner they can find. Every single or duplex home, every apartment balcony or terrace, and surprisingly for me, every restaurant, puts up a succah which they really use every day of the holiday. In fact, a group of us went to a new restaurant last night and were surprised to see that they didn't have a succah- - - we almost walked out.

All over the streets you see men and boys carrying their lulav in a long plastic container, day and night. There are services every morning and for some, every night, in all the city synagogues. Of course these are all Orthodox. We only do a long morning minyan.

This is the week when all the kids are out of school and there are wonderful activities for them all over the country. Here in Netanya, which is crowded with French and British tourists, we have a unique art festival of mosaic art, both do it yourself in the public square, and galleries with professional exhibits. We also have a huge festival of succot from 20 different countries with different activities for the kids from watching a fire eating juggler at the French succah to making paper fans at the Spanish succah.

But today, as I write, on Tuesday the 18th, there is another drama going on, the releast of Gilad Schalit for 1200 Palestinian "prisoners" as the media call them, but "terrorists" and murderers as we call them, which is what they are. While 80% of the Israeli public approve of the swap, it is still with a heavy heart. Released are the planners and executors (who weren't killed by the suicide bombs) of the Park Hotel Pesach massacre here only 4 blocks from me, of the Jerusalem Sbarro bombing where whole families were wiped out, of the Dolphinariam bombing in Tel Aviv which killed dozens of teen agers, many of them Russian only children of their parents, and a Haifa restaurant bombing, as well as many other terrorist murders.

I'm watching a TV channel called France 24 which many of you can get in Stamford, and which I always have felt was pretty well balanced. They are an English language station, and now they are giving full coverage to the joy of the families of "prisoners" , which they see as so "touching." Never do they get specific over who these "prisoners" are or what they have done. Just the sweet reunions. This is Israel Bashing in a "kinder, gentler" version. I don't expect anything different from CNN Europe and haven't even turned it on.

These days are some of the most beautiful I've experienced in Israel. The sun is strong, the breeze is gentle, the sea is calm, the temps between 75-80. I've been swimming in the sea because it is so smooth, without waves. The city square, our promenades along the sea( of about 6 miles) and the pedestrian areas are crowded with strolling families, young couples, baby carriages. The cafes are full. This is Succot in Israel, celebrated also today in Jerusalem with the Feast of Tabernacles procession of both 4,000 Christians and their Jewish friends. It is a time when the eternal dedication of the Jews to their traditions and their homeland have never been more visible.

Hag Sameach. Jan Gaines

Letter from Netanya: Jan Gaines on Erev Yom Hashoah

Dear Friends,
This is the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day. This evening we will have a somber and heart wrenching commemoration, focusing on 70 years since Babi Yar.
Babi Yar, where in TWO DAYS of killing, 38,000 Jews perished. That was a higher murder rate even than Auschwitz, which was 10,000 Jews murdered PER DAY.
Each year I participate in our commemoration which is a dramatic reading of the details of each Nazi murder site. For Babi Yar, descriptions of Jews buried alive, thrown into the pit still alive, the brutality of the Germans and their Ukrainian cohorts in killing babies.
And I look around and see that nothing has changed!!! Jews are hated and threatened with extinction. Babies are slaughtered- - -the 3 month old Fogel baby which the murderers missed in their first round of killing, but heard the baby crying so went back into the house and stabbed the baby to death!!
Not nice to hear, is it? I don't like writing these things but this is our history and our reality today.
Then the question becomes, how do we deal with it?
Each of us has that conflict to resolve. Do we try to have the haters recognize our humanity as well as theirs? Some people take that path. Or do we reject the haters and take to our guns?
A terrible dilemma for a people essentially committed to peace and "brotherhood".
Here in Israel the dilemma is face forward, every day. Our kids in the army, our shelters cleaned out, our southern towns and cities readying for missile defense, our countrywide defense preparations ongoing with a full scale rehearsal in June nationwide. And the return of our gas masks; easy, just pick them up at the post office!!
How do Israelis do it? How do they live like this?
My neighbor always reminds me of the answer. " Every threat makes us stronger, every call for our extinction makes us more determined to survive. Each of us is a small world of strong will, and with the intersection of each of our worlds, we will never be defeated."
AMEN!
Jan G

Letter from Netanya: A Difficult Week

Dear Friends,

It has been a difficult week. The bestial murders in Itamar, followed by continuing missile launched against Beersheva, Ashkelon, Ashdod , Sderot and other smaller communities.

So once again we turn toward our IDF and our Border Police to try and keep us safe. Which brings me to tell you a little about Two Guys and the IDF.

Guy One is now in basic training. He will soon be going into one of two of the most difficult and prestigious units in the IDF. He will essentially train as a commando.

Guy doesn't look at all like a commando. He's not real tall and he's not real broad, although he's been working out and it certainly shows it. He comes from a very upscale family and Tel Aviv suburb, but there is nothing spoiled about him. He's been a member of the Israeli Scouts for many years. He is very affectionate and will give you a hug even if he hardly knows you. He has a great sense of humor and loves to surprise friends and family.

I know him as a friend of my granddaughter.

Guy Two also comes from a very upscale family and from Herzliyah Pituach which is the Tel Aviv suburb that is home to all of the Ambassadors homes as well as wealthy businessmen and professionals. Guy Two is a singer and performer. I saw him in a Herzliyah teen drama club production of "Joseph and the Amazing Dreamcoat". He played the lead. He is gorgeous looking, has a nice voice and a great stage presence. After the show was over I was standing with his parents and a friend who had brought me, and Guy came out and hugged everyone in sight, including me whom he had never seen before. He was ecstatic. I asked his father if Guy Two would be trying out for the Army entertainment branch. Absolutely not answered his father. Guy insists on going into a fighting unit of the IDF, as tough as he can apply for.

Why do I want to tell you about the two Guys.? Because they are typical of Israeli youth, who are idealistic and committed to their country. Because they could easily get softer jobs in intelligence or communication. But in spite of their very upscale background, they don't want anything soft or easy.

We often hear about upscale Tel Aviv youth who try to get out of the Army or to get soft assignments. But my experience is exactly the opposite. And I recently read in the newspaper that the percentage of young people requesting combat duty now tops 60%. That confirms what I see in my much smaller sample.

These kids know they have some tough years ahead of them and probably they will not see "peace" anytime in the near future. These days, "peace" only means the absence of attacks, nothing more. But nevertheless they are ready to take on this huge burden of three to four years of their young lives, with an outcome no one can predict for them.

That's why I've become more like Israelis when it comes to war. I worry about all these wonderful "guys" all the time. But never, ever, do I doubt that Israel will survive because of them.

Shalom, Jan

Report from Netanya: Jan Gaines at the Gaza Border

Dear Friends,

As I open my eyes to another glorious and tranquil spring day in Israel, I am just now absorbing the impact of a trip I was on yesterday to the Gaza border.

The trip was one of a regular bi-monthly visit to army installations all over Israel. Sponsored by the Friends of the IDF, these trips are always visits to inaugurate a new clubhouse for our soldier kids to relax in right on their base. But beyond that purpose, they are always an eye opener for those of us, mostly Anglo grandparents, who worry about our collective "kids" in the IDF. And for me, yesterday's trip was the reason I could wake up peacefully on another tranquil morning in Netanya.

Just this week we read about an amazing new defensive missile called "Trophy" which can deflect and destroy an anti-tank missile aimed at our tanks on the border. The missile doesn't even need human action to launch it. The other day the Palestinians sent their anti-tank missile across the border in an accurate trajectory and the Trophy sensed it and destroyed it in mid-air almost without the crew being aware of it!!!! Our visit yesterday to the Gaza border confirmed why Israel can maintain its defensive edge - - - - -not just because of the Trophy, but because our defensive capabilities along the border are awesome.

An impressive Colonel explained to us that there are 3 kinds of tunnels used by Hamas in the border area. First, the tunnels you read about which are used for smuggling everything from missiles to cocaine to toilet paper (?) Now that the border has been relaxed by Israel so that non-military supplies can come in, I question the toilet paper. But you get the idea. This is where all the heavy military stuff is coming in.

The second kind of tunnel is the house to house kind, used extensively in Operation Cast Lead 2 years ago. This is the kind that allows fighters to exit a house they've been firing from, go through the tunnel to several houses away and escape, while trying to induce the Israelis to fire on the first house in order to sustain civilian casualties.

The 3rd kind of tunnel is the one that worries the IDF the most, said the Colonel. This is the kind dug UNDER the border fence, enabling terrorists to enter Israel to plant roadside bombs or to try to capture Israeli soldiers.

The fence itself is electrified with an alarm wire strung across. In addition, there are many all-seeing eyes, mostly female ones, watching the border at all times. There is the all seeing balloon one sees all the time in the skies. There are huge satellite dishes which also watch every movement along the border. There is a whole battalion assigned jub to the Gaza border, just watching and watching and sensing. And alot of mostly young women IDF soldiers who sit at cameras and monitor everything that moves.

There isn't a day that passes without some attempt by terrorists to fire a missile, lay a mine, shoot a mortar across the border. Thank goodness most of us don't know about these attempts. And Hamas is not totally in control, we were told. There are many more extremist offshoot which handle missiles without asking permission. Because Hamas is now the government, they have to act more responsibly, so as not to incur heavy retaliation. This doesn't mean they have stopped arming and shooting. It does mean that they do not have 100% control over their own territory. It also means that Gaza is becoming more, not less, radicalized.

But now you know why I woke up this morning feeling tranquil. No matter how many missiles they shoot, the IDF is ready to stop most of them. It's true that some landed in Beersheva last week, but no one was hurt. It doesn't mean Hamas won't occasionally try to hit Ashkelon or Netivot, or Sderot. But there are herculean efforts down there on the border to stop them, and if retaliation is necessary, the air force knows exactly where the missiles came from.

And that is why I can look forward this morning to a tranquil brunch with friends, to a lovely Shabbat dinner tonight with Ilan & Karen and Nina, etc., and tomorrow a quiet Shabbat at Beit Israel, followed by a picnic somewhere. The temps are about 70 degrees, the sun is shining and all's well with my world.

Shabbat Shalom, Jan

Letter from Netanya: Jan's Israeli "Family"

Dear Friends,
While it has been a tumultuous week in this part of the world, I think I will tell you about the people here whom I love. Egypt, Iran, Libya- - - they can all wait until another time.

Let's start with my surrogate family, since my own is so far away in Spokane, WA. The father, Ilan, is Yemenite, 2nd generation. He comes from a huge traditional Yemenite family. I have the pleasure of being with all 100 plus of them both at the end of Pesach, and sometimes also at Purim. Ilan is a contractor, self-employed, fixes everything and works only with the Anglo community here. Plus a couple of embassies.

Karen is from the Zurich area of Switzerland. Raised Lutheran, one day in her teens she asked her father why there were almost no relatives on his side, whereupon her father informed her that he was born German Jewish. At that point Karen went through teen rebellion, ended up deciding to be Jewish, had an Orthodox conversion in Switzerland, then came here, met Ilan and made a new family- - -all Jewish!

They have 4 kids. Eden is almost 13 and is the big brother. He has trophies in Judo but also can change a diaper, cook for and feed his siblings, pick up his little sisters at kindergarten and fill the Daddy role very well. He fights all the time with Omri, almost 11, who plays the Recorder beautifully, snow boards in winter, surf boards in summer and also picks up his baby sitter at nursery school.

The two girls are AnaEl who is 6, and LiYam who is almost 4. Both girls are totally independent, often feed themselves if both parents are working , and are delightfully uninhibited as well as being crackerjacks on the computer.

That's my family. This week I watched the girls while Karen worked the late afternoon (4:00 - 7:00) shift at the travel agency. You haven;t lived until you've heard the Flintstones and Curious George in Hebrew. At least the "abba-dabba-doos" were the same language. But the girls are too creative to watch TV all afternoon. They paint, play computer games and play "Ima (that's LiYam) and Achot Gadol (that's big sister Jan) going to a birthday party. And I usually get in a good game of Monopoly with Omri, vying with him for Jerusalem and Netanya instead of Park Place and Boulevard. I think the train stops are the same.

They aren't especially solid financially, and they aren't the "beautiful people" of Tel Aviv. But I look to them as a snapshot of how a young Israeli family lives, how they think, how they vote, how they see the world.

Mostly they are too busy to think much about the outside world, but they do watch the Israeli news every night, they are center right politically although Ilan voted for Kadima in the last election. Ilan is a typical "secular" Israeli but one who observes Shabbat with singing and respect- - - - -yet won't go into a synagogue because it was forced down his throat at an early age.

Karen is the "keeper" of Judaism in the family. She would love to go to a Masoti synagogue if there were young families there but in the meantime she teaches her children the basics. And the males put on a kippa on Friday night. And there's no bread in the house on Pesach. And on Rosh Hashonah and Yom Kippur Karen brings the boys to our Masorti shul which has no young people, just to make sure her boys have a taste. And I almost forgot. They always come for Purim, when we have a slew of young families from the neighborhood and with grandparents as members.

And what about Shabbat, Saturday? Look, both of them work a half day on Friday. Ilan is a sportsman and cyclist. Shabbat day is for outdoors; hiking, biking, and surfing at the beach in spring and summer. Every Shabbat they go with at least one other family on a picnic and hiking trip. While this is a small country, it has every type of climactic conditions that exist, as those of you who have been here know.

We usually go to the Galilee because it's closer and because there are nice hills and tracks for off road biking. It always seems as if the whole country is sharing the precious land with us because there are always traffic jams coming home.

How could I possibly urge my family to sit in synagogue from 9:30 -11:00? And miss this gorgeous country given to us 3000 years ago.

There are many ways to thank God. Can they be called "secular" ? I don't like those classifications of "religious or secular". There are too many variations.

But when I'm with my "family" in the midst of spring in the Galilee, I wouldn't trade it for the most gorgeous Shabbat morning service in the world. With one exception. To hear and sing with George, now that's another story.

Shabbat Shalom , Jan

Letter from Netanya: A Dispatch from TBE Congregant Jan Gaines

Dear Josh, I'm finally feeling more settled and thinking about what to say this week. All of TBE activities leave me partially envious. We do poorly by contrast. But the contentment and "rightness" I feel more than justifies this final move.

Dear TBE Friends,

While you have further cold and white, we are having warmth and drought. A seven year drought in fact. The whole area is parched; not just Israel. Lack of rain affects the Palestinians and the Jordanians as well. Nowhere do we need more inter-national cooperation than for this.

So each day of gorgeous sun and warm weather makes me wake up with an "Oh shucks" feeling again.

And on top of that, today's news about the "Palestine Papers" gave me a double "Oh Shucks" or stronger. This leakage to Al Jazeera is a disaster for the little that is left of the so called peace process and only serves to strengthen Hamas at the expense of the PA. We are in for some very tough times ahead. Given Hezbollah's inevitable take over of Lebanon, along with the growing "de factor" recognition from more and more countries of a Palestinian state on the pre-Six Day War boundaries, we are more and more threatened both internally and externally.

But you would never know it from everyday life here. People are pleased and optimistic with the extraordinary discoveries of natural gas off Israel's coast. The partnership of Israeli Delek Co. with Houston's Noble Energy has drilled two fabulous sites containing enough natural gas for the next two decades. And the excess after Israel's needs are met, could make Israel an exporter energy exporter.
The two sites are aptly named Tamar and Leviathan. Tamar is estimated to yield 240 billion cubic metres and Leviathan 453 billion cum. of gas. I can't grasp the meaning of that except to say that the article I read in the JPost Magazine this weekend (you should be able to access it on line) that today Israel uses only 5 billion cubic metres.

People and the media are also talking about the latest political maneuver in the coalition which is Barak's pullout from the Labor Party, taking 5 other members with him, and forming yet another new party. Ho-hum!! Labor party voters just shrug and say Labor will come back. Likud voters think this finishes the once all powerful Labor party. And there is still a feeling that we don't have the kind of leadership we need right now, even tho Netanyahu could be re-elected easily if he ran now.

But Bibi is looking for stability. And I honestly believe he is trying hard to get some kind of a treaty with the PLO. Without giving away too much. And without setting off another intifada or provoking Hizbollah.

Sadly, I don't think he's going to have any success in moving the whole process off square one. We are really stuck now in a holding pattern- - unable to get ready for the next big blow.

A lot of people are very unhappy with the Israeli education system. It used to be superb but tenure for bad teachers and too big class sizes have pulled it down. I see the tenure problem in the small elementary school where I tutor each week. There is only one good English teacher out of three and two of the three have tenure. And none of them are native English speakers. This is an all Ethiopian government religious school ( but nothing like the Haredi schools) where the mostly non-Orthodox teachers really struggle to make some progress but are hampered by too many kids in class and the typical rambunctiousness of the kids. ( That wildness you see in all the schools. )

And what about the Army? I've read reports and heard about the spoiled rich kids of Tel Aviv finding excuses to avoid Army service. But my granddaughter's boyfriend is from a rich TA family and he is now in one of the two most elite and toughest units of the Army. And the grandchildren of everyone I know are serving without complaint and with pride. Not being able to serve, as is the case with one of these grandchildren, (for health reasons) is a terrible blow to him right now and even in his future. So the Army is holding its own and is ready for whatever comes.

One thing I know for sure. The famous Israeli pushy hospitality is still at work. I was in the check out line of a super market the other day, holding a few items in my hand. The lady in front of me motioned that I should go ahead of her. That done, she told me her name and asked me where I lived, had I made Aliyah, etc. My granddaughter was with me also. Then this Rachel took an old piece of paper and wrote her name and telephone numbers and handed them to me.l Her last name is famous in Netanya as one of the builders of the city, especially the seashore area where I live. So when I said "Wow" in surprise, that made her all the more determined I should call her. She insisted I promise to call her and reminded me all the way to the exit. She expected to hear from me!!

I will call her- - - to be a speaker at one of our Sisterhood or Hadassah meetings. She was born in Poland, which means she too, like almost every Israeli, has a Story! And in spite of her well known family, she is reaching out to someone she never saw before to offer friendship.

That's Israel. That's our stubborn, pushy, loud, nosy, noisy Israeli sisters. I love 'em and I'll never want to leave 'em.

Best Regards, Jan Gaines

Letter from Netanya: Jan Gaines on Jerusalem Day

Dear Friends,

Today, May 12, was Yom Yerushalaim, 43 years since the 6 Day War liberated and unified our capital. The day is gaining in significance every year, and so we here in Netanya celebrated it with an evening of music--outdoors, overlooking the sea and sky.

They say Jerusalem is two entities: the Heavenly Jerusalem and the Earthly Jerusalem. And tonight I felt that Israelis themselves are two entities as well. In our daily lives we deal with the mundane, the frustrations, and always the threats. But when Israelis come together to celebrate, we turn into heavenly beings, singing together, being together in joy and peoplehood.

So the evening started off with an hour of Chopin outdoors on our Tayelet or promenade, with the pianist giving the audience a history of Chopin's life and times as well as his Preludes and Nocturnes. We listened as the sun went down and the birds sang which reminded me of Caramoor with one difference. We had army helicopters flying on their nightly patrols!!! Since my apartment is only a block away from the concert, I'm used to these nightly forays and I heard only the Chopin.

After Chopin we had a break for a snack or schmoozing and then we went over to the amphitheater, also on the sea, for another concert. This one was with a youth orchestra, local kids, two youth choirs, and a fabulous singer whom you've probably never heard of, who gave us all the old songs about and for Jerusalem, "Ir Kodesh:. Israelis love to sing and especially with each other, so almost all our entertainers encourage group singing along with them. And so we did, for 2 hours, young and old, Sabtas, French, Anglos, Ethiopians, Russians, lots of kids with parents and grandparents.

Forgotten were all the daily troubles. We were now Israel Lemala. heavenly Israelis, celebrating heavenly Jerusalem. And we were one, as the worn out UJA slogan used to claim.

If I sound lyrical, that cannot begin to capture the emotions that washed over me as we ended the evening singing Jerusalem of Gold, 700 people in the audience, a couple of hundred kids on stage, the breeze blowing softly off the sea, pictures of the 6 day war's capture of the City flashing on screens, people standing for what has become our 2nd national anthem. And following this, Hatikva of course. Everyone standing. Everyone savoring those precious moments of understanding why we are here, and at least for me, how lucky I am to be a part of this country.

Shabbat Shalom and come and visit. Jan

Israel's Branding War: A Challenge from Jan Gaines

Jan Gaines issues this challenge from Netanya, directing our attention to the current war of deligitimization that is seen by many as a major strategic threat to Israel. Shlomo Maital, a senior research fellow at the Technion, wrote about Israel's chronic branding problem in this week's "Jerusalem Report." He suggests that leading marketing experts need to help re-brand Israel in the face of the orchestrated campaign being waged against it. Many have pointed out the hostile treatment given Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren at U C Irvine recently, a videotaped incident that has gone "viral" on the Jewish internet.

Also see "Reut Launches Comprehensive Report on Israel’s International Delegitimization, Eroding Israel's Legitimacy in the Public Arena - a Report and "Branding Israel on Campus" all from the Reut Insititute. In the words of Gidi Grinstein of Reut, "Israel's survival and prosperity depend on its relations with the world in trade, science, arts and culture - all of which rely on its legitimacy. Rather than seeking to conquer Israel, its enemies aim to bring about its implosion, as with South Africa or the Soviet Union."

My feeling is that Israel has many more supporters out there than many Israelis realize. Israel's image is reaping the benefits of Haitian relief, Oscar nominations and SI swimsuit models. Israel also can market it's greatest strength - a vibrant democracy, supported actively by the New Israel Fund, ideally promoting a responsible government aligning its deeds with core Jewish values.

But we still need to be vigilant. We need to take Jan's challenge seriously. We are Israel's last line of defense.

-------------------------------

Psalm 121 is my favorite. "I lift mine eyes unto the mountains. From whence commeth my help. My help commeth from the Lord, who neither slumbers nor sleeps."


But these days I stop at the second sentence because I am not sure that the Lord really isn't slumbering. So from whence cometh my help? These days, I'm not sure anymore.

As Danny Gordis says in his new book and constantly in his columns and speeches, Israel is at war. The Arabs have failed to defeat us militarily, economically or with terrorism. So they have found a very effective new method: the war of deligitimization and revilement. And that war is succeeding where the others all failed.


Coming up soon, look for Apartheid Week on all the American college campuses. Watch for repeats of the U Cal Irvine and the Oxford Univ. incidents, which are going on all the time but don't make the news that you get. And of course there is Goldstone, the ultimate weapon of those who say that even if Israel defends itself it is guilty of war crimes and must be condemned. Add the boycotts of Israeli goods in England, Norwary, Sweden, led by the trade unions. And rise of Holocaust deniers now that Iran has made that an acceptable means of attack.


To quote Danny Gordis: Our enemies are winning this trial in the court of international opinion. Walt and Mearsheimer, Jimmy Carter and Goldstone and British courts issuing arrest warrants for Tzipi Livni are only the best known examples. The real list is much more extensive. One does not need a vivid imagination to envision a scenario in which the world simply imposes a bi-national solution (not a 2 state solution) on this region. If one is not absolutely committed to Jewish sovereignty that solution actually makes some sense.


Thus, this war over Israel's legitimacy is one we cannot afford to lose."

The problem is, who is on our side. Who is fighting back. Can Israel do this by itself with its small population and limited resources when the Arab world is funding anti-Israel NGO's in the area of l billion dollars worldwide. The World Council of Churches has been at this for many years. Now we have endowed chairs of "middle eastern studies" held by anti-Israel academics all over the States and England. When did you ever see a Human Rights Watch or Amnesty International report that supported Israel. How much money is the Ford Foundation giving to the New Israel Fund to support Adala, one of their grantees which rejects the claim of Israel as a Jewish state. Or B'etselem which cried out for the casualties in Gaza but never mentioned the 8 years of attacks on Sderot.

So we come to the role of the American Jewish community. Frankly, without the U.S. and American Jews, we aren't going to make it. You think that statement is too over the top-paranoid?


And if I compare this deligitimization campaign to the tactics of Nazi Germany to do the exact same thing to the Jews in the 30's, do you shrug and say "she's crazy. It'll never happen."

My friends, it's happening. Look beyond your doorstep . Open your eyes, not just to the Iranian threat, but this quiet war going on all over Europe and the Arab world': the goal is to Demonize not just the Israelis, but the Jews as well. You can't separate them anymore.


So if I lift my eyes unto the mountains, where is my help coming from? This is a clarion call my fellow Jews. Are you helpers or bystanders.

The time to make a choice is now.