oints of view

Refugees from page 29

In supporting the commemora-
tion, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu said, "The Arab countries,
which never accepted the U.N. declara-
tion on the establishment of a Jewish
state, compelled the Jews living in their
territories to leave their homes while
leaving their assets behind. In several
instances, the deportations were accom-
panied by pogroms and violence against
Jews. We have acted — and will continue
to act — so that they and their claims are
not forgotten."

A Marked Declinr
Jewish populations throughout the affect-
ed territories have dwindled to virtually
nothing. According to StandWithUs,
these are the number of Jews in some
of the lands in 1948 and also today:
Algeria, 140,000 and 1,500; Egypt, 75,000
and 100; Morocco, 265,000 and 2,700;
Tunisia, 105,000 and 1,000. In Iran,
which is an ardent enemy of Zionism but

which claims to support its remaining
Jews, is home to 10,400 Jews, about a
tenth of how many lived there in 1948.
StandWithUs explains that the expul-
sion of Jews from Arab lands was not just
in response to Israeli statehood. Its book-
let "Jewish Refugees of the Middle East"
relates: "Contrary to prevailing myths,
Jews and Arabs had not coexisted peace-
fully. The Jews were an oppressed minor-
ity during the 14 centuries of Arab rule.
The roots of their 20th-century expulsion
lay in this long history of anti-Jewish
prejudice and persecution':
It was only during European colo-
nial rule in these lands during parts of
the 19th and 20th centuries that Jews
began to participate fully in society.
Following its 1945 founding, the Arab
League enacted laws to marginalize
and persecute Jews in their states even
though some of the Jewish communities
were 2,000 years old and predated the
Arab-Muslim conquest, according to

Arm from page 29

A Clear Need
The Arab war of aggression against the
fledgling Jewish state spelled trouble for
Jewish nationals living in Arab states.
Repression ranged from denationaliza-
tion, dispossession, arbitrary arrest and
even murder as well as expulsion.
Today, the Palestinians are pulling
out the stops to boost their international
standing via the United Nations as well
as via international conventions, treaties
and agreements. At the same time, more
than 180 U.N. General Assembly resolu-
tions have been passed since 1948 deal-
ing with Palestinian refugees but not one
with Jewish refugees.
So the international network of
alliances, including Jewish Detroit's
StandWithUs-led coalition, serves as a
lasting reminder and remembrance of
the angst and plight of post-World War II
Jewish refugees.

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❑

Starr from page 29

in an effort to salvage some of its
continually dwindling membership
and "changing with the times."
The addition of Hebrew words in
the language that adopts the per-
missibility of interdating is truly
laughable. Saying that recognition
of all humans being created bet-
zelem Elohim serves as a justifica-
tion for interdating, and eventu-
ally intermarriage, makes about
as much sense as me arguing I
should be eating delicious bacon in
my Sukkah because the Torah says

v'samachta b'chageicha, v'hayita
ach sameach (we should rejoice

in our holiday and we should feel
nothing but total happiness).
I am attracted to the heart of
what the Conservative movement
was built upon. I am attracted
to the integration of the Jewish
tradition into modernity through
continual reinterpretation that
builds on Halachah paired with an
undying spirit of inquisitive learn-
ing and practice.
This innovative expression of
a tradition was established to
answer questions of the day that
our brilliant sages could have
never even imagined, let alone
addressed. It was not created in
the spirit of perpetually moving to
the left and blowing off the tradi-
tion, but rather to develop the
tradition while keeping its pillars
close to our hearts.
This movement should be lead-
ing the charge in offering halachic
analysis on the issues of embry-

30 January 15 • 2015

Dry Bones

StandWithUs.

Jk

onic stem cell research, cloning,
homosexual relationships and
other facets of our society left
unaddressed by our tradition rath-
er than regressing from what has
been previously established.
It is offensive to me that this
movement allows itself to make
yet another revealing, significant
pivot away from its core and
toward American liberalism. It is
particularly upsetting to me that
this decision comes from the
movement's youth.
The active decision to amend
this bylaw is a blatant display of a
change that is not rooted in valu-
able interpretation of Halachah
but in readjustment based on
modern convenience.
No one ever said Judaism was
supposed to be easy. No one ever
said it was supposed to be all fun.
Judaism is a faith that connotes
certain principles and morals. At
the core of those values is the
preservation of the nation itself
through committed relationships
to one another as well as to those
principles that unite us all.
Once the Conservative move-
ment abandoned adherence to
that belief, it abandoned me as
well.

❑

Jesse Arm is a freshman at the

University of Michigan. He is a gradu-

ate and former student body president

of the Frankel Jewish Academy in West

Bloomfield. This essay was first published

in the Times of Israel.

in the modern world. I want my children to
recognize that sometimes we have to sacri-
fice aspects of our autonomy for the sake of
strengthening community, and that everybody
is richer when we give of ourselves.
Recently, the youth leaders of Conservative
Judaism decided to rewrite the articles gov-
erning the ethics of dating for USY officers.
I agree that the new language, like that of all
constitutions, is indeed sufficiently vague so
as to require interpretation. It is no surprise to
me that some understand the new language to
permit interdating, a behavior previously pro-
hibited by the teens themselves.
The new language of the USY constitution
proclaims that the youth leaders "will strive
to model healthy Jewish dating choices. These
include recognizing the importance of dating
within the Jewish community and treating each
person with the recognition that they were cre-
ated betzelem Elohim (in the image of God)"
I wish the teens would have been clearer — in
the positive language they so desire — that they
are maintaining their stance against interdating.
After all, while many of us know and are
grateful for anecdotes to the contrary, the sta-
tistics on intermarriage are clear with regard to
its impact on Jewish practice, Jewish identity
and its potential impact on the future of the
Jewish people.
But the additional language within the
clause on interdating is significant. Given the
complexities of dating in the 21st century that
result from "sexting," the misuse of social-
media sites and other complicating factors for
being a teen today, I am thrilled our teens will
strive for "healthy dating choices"
Such decisions will encourage teens to
find other teens who are committed to mak-
ing appropriate physical, spiritual and moral
choices, thereby reinforcing positive behavior

that will, God-willing, create "healthy" Jewish
families down the road.
Similarly, our teens affirmed a commitment
to avoiding lashon harah (gossip) as well as
a zero tolerance to bullying. The teens re-
affirmed their commitment to Shabbat obser-
vance, regular attendance at worship services,
kashrut, and avoiding alcohol and drug abuse.
It is a credit to our youth and adult leader-
ship that Conservative Judaism seeks to edu-
cate our children about behaviors that will keep
them protected and safe.
Moreover, demonstrating the Conservative
movement's belief that Jewish values can and
should impact every aspect of our lives, our
teens also set the goal of treating every indi-
vidual "in the image of God:'
Yet, it is interesting that the traditional
Jewish world is quick to criticize those who
‘`weaken" observance of the mitvot ben adam
l'makom (ritual commandments), but for some
reason is more willing to accept those who fail
to practice the mitzvot ben adam lachaveiro
(commandments governing how we treat other
people). Conservative Judaism affirms that
just as kashrut, in-marriage and the beautiful
observance of Shabbat are important so, too, is
the commitment to treating each person with
the recognition that the Divine sparks are pres-
ent in all of us.
In their commitment to the ethical and
ritual commandments and values of the Jewish
people, the teen leaders of USY are not only
role models to their fellow teens, but also to
all leaders within the Jewish community May
we all be inspired by their spirituality, their
learning and their desire to bring healing and
respect to the world.

❑

Aaron Starr is a rabbi at Congregation Shaarey

Zedek in Southfield.