Valor And Victimization

Israel's 50th drew too many negatives.

ir

at Israel's Jubilee, the headline will
likely read "Profiles in Courage, Valor
and Victimization."
Typical were newspaper stories that
provided a sentence or paragraph or
two about Israel's accomplishments,
but then devoted major space to nega-
tive characterizations about Israel's
sour or surly mood, enumerating the
obligatory shopping list of social and
political problems. Western-written as
compared to Israeli-authored assess-
ments focused on diaspora Jewish and
Israeli relations; few Israeli writers
cared.
Israeli accounts tended to beat the

ment could not rejoice at all. They
used the occasion as an excuse to
explore Israel's bad and ugly done in
five decades to Israel's Arab citizens,
hroughout this season of
the non-Ashkenazi population, and to
celebrating Israel's 50th and
the Palestinian Arabs.
Zionism's centenary, notice-
These Jewish writers, Western and
able are the variety and
Israeli alike, took very little pleasure in •
number of events and articles that
Israel's successes; instead they indicted
betray a passionate interest in Israel.
Israeli history as imperfect, maintain-
/- And they emerge from Jews and non-
ing that it will remain so as long as
Jews alike.
those wronged or denied do not have
Conspicuous is that Jews have been
their expectations met. These were not
systematically harsher in their criti-
merely writers of history; many
cism.
crossed the transom and wrote histori-
Most articles I've seen or heard
cal editorials about the future they
about were "Garden of Eden" histo-
wanted Israel to be.
ries; a preponderance con-
Most forgot that
centrated on the story
.13 Zionism was a minor-
after the apple was bitten.
ity enterprise without
Tones and content have
ideological roots in
blended the good stuff
North Africa, or that
with the bad: compassion
it was not conjured
with criticism, guilt with
up as a movement to
greatness, and warts with
satisfy Arab political
worries. Politically correct
aspirations.
"Spielbergian" realism was
Only a few essays
evident, not deMille's
dwelled explicitly on
emotional grandeur.
the virtues of dedica-
With the exception of
tion and industrious-
> major community-wide
1
ness that propelled
celebrations, the content
Israel to this moment.
of Israel at 50 programs,
Four articles in the
have rarely lauded or
April edition of
extolled the country's his-
Commentary were
tory. Some even have
notable exceptions.
scorned the struggle to
For the last several
create the Jewish state.
months, Israel's three
Only a handful of arti- Fireworks over Jerusalem during anniversary celebrations.
major newspapers
,– cles portrayed glorifica-
highlighted problems
/-) tions that retold the
and shortcomings of today's Israel,
breast harder, more frequently and
gathering-in of the World War II rem-
only occasionally mentioning Israel's
passionately about Israel's shortcom-
nants or rescuing Jews at Entebbe.
ings. Their emphases were on the deep pre-state history or that from 1948 to
Though Israel has had a stable of
1967.
social rifts, loss of a moral compass
heroic leaders, not much was said
A 20-part Israel television series did
and domestic resentments. Many
about their contributions to shaping
not
merely retell Zionism's origins and
dwelled
on
the
lifeless
and
listless
the state (Time Magazine did list Ben-
the building of the Jewish national
peace process. Some asked where have
Gurion among this century's top 100
home; it ventured into criticizing
all the Israeli leaders gone? Most
leaders). Some musical, literary and
Israel's leaders for poor treatment of
praised Israel's economic miracle.
\-- media renditions commemorating the
/__)
the Israeli Arab, the Sephardi Jews,
Detractors and lovers of alike over-
anniversaries were superb, giving us
and for abusing the Palestinians.
dosed on last night's politics, leaving
the tastes, smells, and sounds of Israel;
Some of this may be true, but it is
out the rigorous step-by-step history
others spanked Israel mercilessly.
not
all of Israeli history.
of
100
years
that
evolved
Zionism
and
My sense is that 50 years from now,
The
best non-Israeli material came
then
turned
it
into
Israel.
Israelis
do
Dr. Kenneth W. Stein is professor of
Economist's special survey
from
the
not
know
or
have
forgotten
all
too
Near Eastern history and political sci-
(4/25-5/1 issue), "After Zionism."
quickly
the
arduous
process
of
toil
and
ence at Emory University.
Tikkun, with its unabashed left-liberal
sacrifice that created the state. A seg-

KENNETH W. STEIN

Special to The Jewish News

riven
Approval Praised

:

Moscow (JTA) —,Russian Jewish
leaders praised the parliamentary
approval of Sergei Kiriyeriko as
Russia's new prime minister.
President Boris Yeltsin's nominee
had been rejected twice by the
Dumas the lower house of parlia-
ment.
Communist politicians had cited
Kiriyenko's Jewish ancestry as one
reason for their opposition.

e orde

reaer ai

nation
ion o a, retired
vania architect accused of
is massacre thou-
an as or ews.
Jonas Stelmokas, an 82-year-old
Lithuanian platoon commander
who was stripped of his U.S. citi-
. zenship three years ago, made no
• comment as he left the courtroom.
H
e denies Nazi
participating in azi
atrocities.

'

Croatia Seeks
Extradition

Nev York {JTA) Croatia
demanded the extradition of a
World War I.I concentration camp
commander from Argentina.
Croatia has charged Dinko Sakic,
76, with war crimes against the
civilian population, for which he
could be sentenced to a prison term
ranging from five to 20 years.

Aa

5/S
1998

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