This Week

Altered Legac

Israel's court orders the dismantling of Baruch Goldstein's
shrine, and supporters warn of divine retribution.

released a statement that merely reiter-
ated the court's decision.
Federman, who has been in and out
of jail for crimes of politically-moti-
he grave of Baruch
vated violence, suggested the army
Goldstein — the murderer
might not want to carry out the order.
of 29 Hebron Muslims at
"It's not a one-way street," he said. "If
prayer — was quiet last
they try to wreck Goldstein's grave,
Tuesday at mid-morning. In the
Goldstein's admirers may
memorial stand behind the
try to wreck the grave of
grave, however, amid the
somebody they don't like."
used-up yahrtzeit candles
Such as the grave of
and dried wax, one candle
Yitzhak Rabin? "You said
still burned. On the grave-
that, not me," Federman
stone, someone, or likely
replied.
several people, had placed
At the little shopping
12 pebbles.
center next to Meir
"People come to pray
Kahane Park, some passers-
there just about every day,
A Kiryat Arba woman
by praised Goldstein and
said Noam Federman, a
offered a warning. "He was
leader of the ostensibly out-
a tzaddik. He wasn't a
lawed Kach movement,
murderer, he was a murder
which Goldstein represent-
victim. 'Whoever tries to
ed on Kiryat Arba's local
destroy his grave will him-
council. 'A lot of people go
self be destroyed by God,"
there to pray for healing.
said a man of about 30 in
He was a doctor, don't for-
a black T-shirt.
get.
A few feet away, some
But above all else,
soldiers were having a bite
Goldstein, an American
to eat at the sandwich
immigrant to Israel, shot to
stand. Close to them, a
death 29 Moslem men and
woman of about 50 who
boys praying at the Cave of
carried a prayer book, said,
the Patriarchs on Purim
"God forbid that they
1994. The surviving crowd
destroy a holy place like
killed him.
this." She identified herself
To discourage others
only as Naomi. "He tried
from following his example,
to redeem the Jewish peo-
on Sunday the Israeli High
ple from our enemies who
Court of Justice gave the
are trying to destroy us.
Israeli Army final permis-
Whoever touches this holy
sion to demolish the
place will receive his just
"shrine" surrounding the
punishment from God."
grave, but not the grave
Not everybody agreed.
itself. "Goldstein's grave ...
One local pensioner,
together with the inscrip-
A settler prays at Baruch Goldstein's grave.
Albert Raymond, 55, told
tion on the gravestone
a Cable News Network
describing him as 'holy,'
crew
that
the
great majority of Kiryat
with shelves of prayer books and a
offers praise and fosters admiration for
Arba's 6,000-odd residents agreed that
stand
for
memorial
candles
with
an
Goldstein as a person, and, inevitably,
"what Goldstein did was awful in the
inspiring biblical inscription.
lauds and encourages acts of violence
extreme. It never should have hap-
In
its
ruling,
the
court
denied
a
that could result in death," wrote
pened."
petition
by
Goldstein's
parents
against
Justice Mishael Cheshin.
A number of others interviewed
the
army's
plan
to
demolish
the
shrine.
The gravestone itself is inscribed to
opposed
the massacre, but spoke
Asked when the shrine would come
"the holy Dr. Baruch Kopel
warmly
of
Goldstein. Before that
down, the Army Spokesman's Office
Goldstein," saying he "gave his soul

LARRY DERFNER
Israel Correspondent

T

for the People, Torah and Land of
Israel," and was "murdered for sancti-
fying God's name." It's at the end of
an elevated and landscaped path in
Meir Kahane Park.
The tiled circle is flanked by lam-
posts, a bench, and a fountain for
washing hands. There is a bookcase

"Whoever tries to destroy
his grave will himself be
destroyed by God."

))

11/26
1999

\28

alemliTA

he Israeli armys chief of staff
has fired an officer for telling
audience of soldiers that
nfs Conservative and Reform
ha ve been more harmful to
the Nazis.
Shaul Mofaz ordered

eent: da
on-
sdem
urvca
hi
reew
tfoem
n ecgs

oen ni Fr

want someone
in
tern said Monday,
comments that had
made by Lt. Gamliel Peretz.
under fire after he
tad as telling a group of
did not consider peo-
with the Reform
IeiVative movements
and that the two move-
ed to the assimilation of
n Jews, which is worse
Holocaust."
ade the remarks last week
lecture on the status of
n
i Judaism before a group
0 soldiers. When two sol-
4firtated with the Conservative

)--6 !:: 0, ,"tifOltkviet-o---avoimims:;-
41L its, peretz reportedly said

express his opinions,
if they are rooted in fact.
comments were first
they elicited sharp criti-
Conservative and
eaders, as well as from
ticians, including
n Minister Yossi Sarid.
eretz was fired, Rabbi
arks, director of the
ative Movement's
Assembly of Israel,
t that leaders of the
vement, as the
stream is known in
inally called for
ieved of his corn-
he be dismissed.
acks praised the
us decision.
rom the fervently
nfted Torah Judaism
ferent view.
,.when an army officer
he gets thrown
my," Meir Porush
‘Wii•Radio, I

roh

f