1 SENIOR EDITOR'S NOTEBOOK Impeachment: The Jewish Angle Rev. Jesse Jackson. And as he promot- here is only one collective ed a progressive social agenda we Jewish response to the gross favor, but for which we feel too busy spectacle that's wormed its to personally craft, he sought a middle way through Washington ground. Of course, we also had a during the past 12 months: Oy, when direct line to his slew of trusted Jewish will this narrishkeit (nonsense) end? advisers. This week, the bizarre Then, there was the Israel episode in our nation's histo- thing. His attachment to ry seemed to be painfully the Jewish state exceeded crawling toward resolution, the political necessity of although a few more turns thanking generous Jewish are likely. These, and the campaign contributors, of political and legal implica- which there were many. He tions of it all, were discussed was awed by Yitzhak Rabin, last Thursday by myself and who seemed a modern bib- others. lical figure to him. Even in When future chroniclers today's tense relationship NEIL RUBIN of American Jewish history with Binyamin Netanyahu, Senior Editor analyze our reaction to Mon- Mr. Clinton keeps the ago- ica-gate, they'll find surpris- nizingly frustrating Middle ing Jewish themes. They'll East peace process atop his agenda. learn that most Jews, like most people He would love nothing more than according to the polls, believed that to have a dramatic breakthrough, Mr. Clinton had a sleazy side and that which he thought he had crafted at he probably broke the law by lying the Wye talks. We know that Mr. under oath. Clinton seeks to secure his long-term So why let him stay in power? It's place in history and bump some nasty not just the conventional wisdom of a headlines off the front page. Who robust economy. Rather, the Jewish cares if in doing so he nudges along a psychology behind "make it go away" potentially meaningful peace? is that we always have and still do root At home this past August, Sen. Joe hard for this president β€” even if we Lieberman (D-Conn.) added more no longer want to say it out loud. Jewish spice to the drama. In what Six years ago, we sensed an exciting was deemed groundbreaking remarks leader who broke the old mold of the by a Democrat, he took to the Senate Bush-Reagan years. With boundless floor, expressing "deep disappointment energy, he believed in religion but did- and personal anger" with the presi- n't fawn over the fundamentalists. He dent. He never said it, but the next believed in inclusiveness, but dis- day, every newspaper noted Mr. tanced polarizing figures such as the T was so distasteful, it left me feeling sick to my stomach. You had the makings of a perfectly beautiful success story (Eugene Apple- baum's) and yet apparently found it necessary to detract from it by the unnecessary comparison to the Jack Robinson/Perry Drug story. Jack is always a perfect gentleman and has always been a credit to not merely the Jewish community, but also the entire community. And he has always conducted his business affairs in a competent and efficient manner. He has proven his retirement to be extremely charitable. He did not deserve such abusive references; his many friends must be very disappoint- ed. Hiram A. Dorfman Farmington Hills Disparity Of Punishment In your Jan. 15 editorial, "Spinning Pollard," the statement appears, "We would like more information about exactly why it is in the national inter- est to keep Pollard in jail." Here one may ask also, why is it in the national interest to keep former Defense Secre- tary Caspar Weinberger's prejudicial pre-sentencing memo classified secret after nearly 13 years of secrecy? In addition to excessive secrecy, there is another aspect of the Pollard case that is troubling. That involves the issue of disparate punishments for the same crime, spying for a friendly country. When Jonathan Pollard pleaded guilty to spying for Israel, he received President Clinton Some historians will note some surprisingly Jewish flavor to Monica-gate. Lieberman's being an observant Jew known for his integrity. A Jewish "light to the nation," this paper and others noted, was shining. A few weeks later, the president himself embraced Jewish morality. He kicked off a public apology campaign (he's always campaigning for some- thing) in a Sept. 14 breakfast with religious leaders. The president reflect- ed on the upcoming Yom Kippur holy day, discussing a book lent to him by a Jewish friend β€” the Reform move- ment's "Gates Of Prayer." "In the Jew- ish tradition," the president said emo- tionally, the slate is wiped clean and you start anew. With real repentance, I'm told, the sins are effectively removed." But all along, the historians will note, lobbyists for Jewish causes became increasingly frustrated at how the real issues were ignored. For exam- ple, in early 1999, the president pre- tended to have a national debate on desperately needed Social Security reform. But everyone, including him, was too distracted. It was of keen importance to Jews, a group with a rapidly growing aging population whose private funds can't keep up with the needs. By the way, the records also will reflect on a bright aspect of the saga: No one cares that Ms. Lewinsky is Jewish β€” accept a few people holed up in Montana and some nuts in Jerusalem, the latter of whom last Purim said that she was a modern Queen Esther sent to cultivate sup- port for Israel from the free world's leader. That notion is as ridiculous as the one that says that Mr. Clinton's only congressional punishment can be removal from office. 1-1 sents "a fundamental the maximum penalty miscarriage of justice." under the law, life in Demonizing Pollard, as prison. In contrast, his detractors have when Navy Lt. Corn- tended to do over the mander Michael years, does not make Schwartz pleaded guilty Judge Williams' assess- to spying for Saudi Ara- ment wrong. For those bia several years ago, he who believe his assess- received the minimum ment is correct, Pol- penalty, a less than hon- lard's punishment rep- orable discharge from Jonathan Pollard resents not justice but the Navy. vengeance. Unlike Pollard, For those who equate vengeance Schwartz, a non-Jew, did not have to and justice, nearly 13 years of impris- spend a single day in prison. onment isβ€’ not punishment enough for Here, one may wonder why there is Pollard. For the Clinton administra- such a disparity in punishments. On tion, as it once more ponders Pollard's this, as so much else about the Pollard fate, the question is, will it be able to case, the government is silent. differentiate between the two? In 1991, in a failed appeal process, Appellate Judge Stephen Williams Irving Warshawsky stated that Pollard's punishment repre- West Bloomfield 1/29 1999 flotrnit C h NILMIC 22