UP FRONT
Anti-Semitism Creeps
Into Anti-War Rhetoric
New York (JTA) — When
Alisa Solomon, a Jewish
writer who is opposed to the
U.S.-led war against Iraq,
decided to attend last mon-
th's peace rally in Washing-
ton, she was not altogether
surprised to find anti-
Semitic statements mixed
with anti-war rhetoric.
"What I've felt (in the anti-
war movement) is a kind of
Israel-bashing which is diff-
erent from regular
criticism," said the 34-year-
old New Yorker, who con-
tributes to the Village Voice,
a liberal weekly published
here.
"It is a kind of gleeful
bashing that starts to define
the U.S. role in the war as
(one) for Israel, which
translates into a war for the
Jews," she added. "It's easy
enough to blame the U.S.;
Why blame Israel?"
As the anti-war movement
continues to grow in
strength, many of those
within and outside the
movement are becoming
aware of an anti-Semitic
strain that has entered some
of the anti-war critiques.
At the Jan. 26 anti-war
rally M. Solomon attended,
some placards amid the tens
of thousands of people mar-
ching under the banner of
the National Campaign for
Peace in the Middle East
announced "No American
Blood for Israel," according
to Ms. Solomon and others
there.
"We would look to the
peace movement to make a
strong statement about anti-
Semitism and to date we
haven't heard that," said
Rebecca Suber, field director
for the Shalom Center, a lib-
eral Jewish organization.
Many peace activists —
both Jewish and other --
have been among the most
vocal critics of Israeli
government policy over the
past few years, and they are
finding the line now often
blurring between legitimate
criticism and scapegoating.
Much of the rhetoric
blames Israel for the war by
saying the United States
should have accepted Iraq's
offer of an international
Middle East conference in
exchange for withdrawal
from Kuwait, and some ac-
tivists say Israel refused to
agree and thus forced the
war.
But others say Saddam
Hussein's offer was a
spurious one, made almost
two weeks after his Aug. 2
invasion, and they question
whether the former view
hides an anti-Semitic
perspective.
The anti-war movement
has also brought together
some seemingly unlikely
partners — leftists and ex-
treme rightists —who share
a similar anti-war perspec-
tive and, some peace ac-
tivists and others fear, a
similar anti-Jewish agenda.
"The radical right and left
have for many years focused
on Jews and/or Israel and
Zionism for scapegoating on
many issues, and now they
have found their voice on the
war issue on many of the
same lines," said Alan
Schwartz, director of resear-
ch for the Anti-Defamation
League of B'nai B'rith,
which monitors anti-
Semitism.
The Lyndon LaRouche
Artwork from Nevescley by Bob Niovenvm. Upright. 1990, Newsday. Dimbuted by Los Anger Thus Sr.**.
organization, described by
critics as a fascist political
movement with neo-Nazi
touches, has tried to work
within the anti-war move-
ment in 30 cities coun-
trywide, according to Chip
Berlet of Political Research
Associates, a organization
based in Cambridge, Mass.,
that monitors extremists
groups.
LaRouchians, as they are
known, along with Liberty
Lobby, another group trying
to infiltrate the peace
movement, have a strong
anti-Semitic component, one
that is prominent within
their anti-war rhetoric. Most
peace organizers refuse to
work with these groups, but
members may still try to
hand out leaflets at rallies or
join the anti-war coalition
under a different name, Mr.
Berlet said.
Mr. Berlet characterizes
the Liberty Lobby's platform
as one that espouses a neo-
Nazi racialist world-view.
ROUND UP
/3
Hear Ye, Hear Ye:
Judaism On Tape
New York (JTA) — They
spend most of their time
listening for the sounds of
war. Now, Jewish soldiers in
the Middle East have the
chance to listen to some-
thing a little more soothing:
the resonance of Jewish
spirituality, direct from
Brooklyn, N.Y.
Rabbi Mitchell Ackerson
of Fort Bragg, N.C., recently
ordered an array of books
and audio tapes on the fun-
damentals of Judaism, to be
sent to Jewish soldiers serv-
ing in the Gulf.
The tapes were supplied by
Chadish Media, a producer
of educational tapes.
Mordechai Rosenberg, pres-
ident of the group, said items
requested included
teachings on basic Jewish
principles and instructions
for leading and reciting
prayers.
Chadish Media began in
1976, when congregants at a
New York synagogue re-
quested a recording of the
reading of Megillat Esther.
The rabbi's son, Mordechai
Rosenberg, began dispens-
ing the tapes. Soon, he
received requests for tapes of
other traditional readings
and expanded - his service to
a full-fledged business.
Today, Chadish Media
offers a catalog of "how to"
cassettes on chanting every
Torah portion, basic Yiddish
and Hebrew and advanced
Talmud.
Mr. Rosenberg says
customized requests are still
answered, regardless of their
marketability. He recently
completed a tape for a men-
tally disabled boy who need-
ed to learn the Torah bless-
ings for his bar mitzvah.
For a free catalog, write
453 E. 9th St., Brooklyn,
N.Y., 11218, or call (718)
856-3882, or (800) NET-
TAPE (638-8273).
Temple Observes
150th Anniversary
Charleston, S.C. — Kahal
Kadosh Beth Elohim, the
birthplace of Reform
Judaism in America and the
oldest Reform temple in con-
tinuous use in the United
States, will observe its 150th
anniversary March 22.
The Kahal Kadosh Beth
The front of Kahal Kadosh Beth
Elohim.
Elohim building, which has
survived the Civil War, the
Charleston earthquake of
1886 and 1989's Hurricane
Hugo, was designated a na-
tional historic landmark in
1980.
Started in 1749, the con-
gregation held its first ser-
vices in a private home. By
1792, Kahal Kadosh Beth
Elohim had moved into its
own building, the largest
synagogue in the United
States.
Among those extending
greetings to the congrega-
tion were President George
Washington. When syn-
agogue members wrote to
congratulate the new presi-
dent, Washington sent a
letter saying, "May the
same temporal and eternal
blessings which you implore
for me rest upon your con-
gregation."
Destroyed in the 1838
Charleston fire, the syn-
agogue was rebuilt in 1840
on Hasell Street in
Charleston, where it re-
mains today.
Originally Sephardic Or-
thodox, the congregation in-
stalled an organ when Kahal
Kadosh Beth Elohim was
rebuilt in 1840. With the
first service in the new
building, a liberalized ritual
was introduced. The temple
became the first in America
to include instrumental
music in worship, and in
1841 became the first
Reform congregation in the
United States.
ZOA Issues
Post Subscriptions
American servicemen
working with Israel's
Patriot missiles are receiv-
ing a free subscription to the
Jerusalem Post thanks to the
Zionist Organization of
America Israel district.
ZOA psychologists also
visited Israel earlier this
month to help mental health
practitioners in the area of
stress management and to
express solidarity with
Israel.
Among the participants on
the ZOA visit were Dr. Ruth
Westheimer, who visited the
American technicians man-
ning the Patriot missiles.
Japanese Banks
Stop Business
New York — Japanese
banks have stopped doing
business with Israel since
the outbreak of hostilities in
the Persian Gulf, the World
Jewish Congress reported
this week.
The Japanese action has
brought trade between the
two countries to a virtual
standstill.
Elchanan Harel, chairman
of the Israel-Japanese
Chamber of Commerce, said
the banks' action had a dev-
astating effect on business.
Transactions include obtain-
ing letters of credit.
Compiled by
Elizabeth Applebaum
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS 11