oints of view

Commentary

Guest Column

Jewish Extremism Is
The Greatest Danger

visited Israel this summer to
see projects that Ann Arbor
Federation campaigns support
and came back enthused and amazed
at the incredible works we help to
make possible. One of the most mov-
ing presentations came from Gideon
Herscher, the American Jewish Joint
Distribution Committee staff person
who leads all of Israel's international
rescue efforts from Haiti to,
most recently, Nepal.
This is the Israel I have
always known and loved.
But there is also another
Israel, an Israel of religious
and political extremism that
shames us all and, I believe,
poses a much greater threat
to the state than Iran,
Hamas or Hezbollah.
We saw examples of this
on two consecutive days in
August. First, a teenage girl
was murdered by a religious
zealot during a gay pride parade. The
next day, Jewish terrorists set fire to a
Palestinian home and left the Hebrew
word "Revenge the mark of a so-
called "price tag" attack. A Palestinian
family was burned to death.
The reason for the attack was the
demolition of two buildings by the
Israel Defense Forces constructed ille-
gally on Palestinian-owned land. This
was not revenge against Palestinian
actions; it was revenge aimed at the
Israeli Supreme Court and the army.
Both attacks were followed by broad
condemnations from across Israeli
society and from the government.
The government claims it will never
tolerate terrorism, Arab or Jewish, nor
hatred against any minority in Israel.
Unfortunately, the government is
much more efficient at catching Arab
terrorists than Jewish terrorists. And
many of the most provocative state-
ments emanate from members of the
government coalition itself.
Which Israel is the real Israel?
Unfortunately, both are real. They
attempt to coexist as distrustful
neighbors in a single society, but it is
time to choose what kind of society
Israel will be. The current situation is
destroying the fabric of Israeli society,
the fabric of diaspora Jewish attach-
ments to Israel and the international
relationships that Israel needs to sur-
vive.
When Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde coex-
ist in the same body politic, only the

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October 1 • 2015

actions of Mr. Hyde are remembered.
Most Israelis oppose the Israeli Hyde.
Many diaspora Jews no longer know
the Israeli Jekyll. And much of the
world no longer believes he exists. If
Hyde is the true Israel, then so be it
and let each person decide what that
means for him/her. But if the good Dr.
Jekyll is the true Israel, then we must
stop making excuses and do what
must be done to right the
ship, while Israeli democ-
racy still has the means to
do so. We are running out
of time.
What about the rest of us
here in America, wanting
to support Israel and find-
ing it harder and harder to
do so? We can pretend that
these bad acts are aber-
rations, loudly condemn
them, but fail to act on
them. In other words, we
can behave just like the
Israeli government. Or we can turn
our backs, say Israel is no longer a
country we can relate to and divorce
her like a decades-long marriage that
has lost its appeal. Most Jews I know
are taking one path or the other.
There is a third way. I believe this
marriage is worth the special effort
needed to save it. No relationship is
saved by walking away. It requires
engagement, confrontation even, when
there are things happening that you
cannot abide. And it requires a faith
that both sides can rise to the chal-
lenge, hear one another and respond.
I could easily turn my back on
Israel, but who would be the big-
ger loser? I would lose a part of my
heritage, of my historical legacy and a
connection to the largest Jewish com-
munity in the world. If I voluntarily let
that go, I am not even sure what being
Jewish means.
My preference is to double down.
I choose to invest in everything I see
that is good in Israel and to challenge
what I believe is bad. Results won't be
easy and won't be immediate. But I
can raise my voice for what I believe is
right or choose to have no voice at all.
If there is integrity in the latter choice,
I can't find it. Engagement is the only
path to change.

❑

David Shtulman is executive director

of the Jewish Federation of Greater

Ann Arbor. A version of this article first

appeared in the Washtenaw Jewish News.

Combating Child Hunger

ummer is over, families have sent
you to connect with your senator and
representative in Washington. Tell them
their kids back to school and
Congress is back from recess
that you support a child nutrition bill
preparing to vote on the Child Nutrition
that includes the following:
Reauthorization Bill, which will soon
• Streamlining regulations for summer
expire.
and after-school meals
• A summer EBT (electronic
Those of us who have had
children may remember when
benefit transfer) to help fami-
the kids would come home
lies when school is not in ses-
from school and vehemently
sion
• The option for additional
declare that "there is nothing
to eat." In our home, that was
anti-hunger agencies to reach
certainly not the case, but it
out to kids who can't access
didn't stop my kids from being
summer meal sites
disappointed that I had not
Food-insecure infants
purchased a specific kind of
and toddlers are two-thirds
snack food or drink that they
more likely than food-secure
felt entitled to consume after a
young children to be at risk
long day at school.
for developmental delays.
As this important bill comes up for
Research has also tied food insecurity to
iron-deficiency anemia in young children,
Congress to address, I think about the
children who do come home from school
a condition that negatively influences
to an empty pantry and refrigerator.
development of basic motor and social
Those who, after an action-packed day,
skills. The stress that family hardships,
are looking to recharge their bodies with
like food-insecurity, place on a young
something until dinner time. And then,
child physically alter the development of
what if dinner consists of nothing more
crucial brain structures controlling mem-
than some pasta or sharing a bag of
ory and psychosocial functioning.
Early childhood is the narrow window
chicken nuggets?
This summer, I had the opportunity
during which one builds the basic capac-
to travel to Denver with Rabbi Joseph
ity to learn and interact productively
Krakoff to learn how its community
with others; disrupting this brief period
addresses childhood hunger. The rabbi
diminishes children's ability to acquire
and I joined the JFS Lunchbox Express
complex school skills as they grow and,
(a big yellow school bus with volunteers)
later, job skills.
to pass out lunches to kids living in
impoverished neighborhoods. As the bus
Lea Luger is executive director of Berkley-based
reached its destinations, children would
Yad Ezra kosher food pantry.
line up patiently to collect their lunches
and choose their drink (white or
chocolate milk).
Even though I have worked at
HAPPY HOLIDAY
Yad Ezra for many years, it was
very emotional for me to see all
ON OUR HOLIDAY
FLIMSY, FRAGILE, 141
these children whose families are
OF
SUCCOT,
WE
LEAF-COVERED
struggling to provide basic needs.
JEWS SIT IN
HUTS . . .
Thankfully, I thought, these
kids receive school lunches and
snacks nine months of the year.
With so many world events
demanding our attention, we
can't assume that the most vul-
nerable in our country will be
taken care of just because we
happen to live in the U.S.
A LUXURY IN '411
HURRICANES,
We must take the time to send
THESE TIMES OF
EARTHQUAKES,
a loud and clear message to
FOLKS MADE
REVOLUTION,
Congress that the children in this
HOMELESS BY
AND WAR!
country deserve a strong child
nutrition bill. Childhood hunger in
the U.S. is not acceptable.
Please take a few minutes to
call Feeding America's Advocacy
hotline toll-free number (888)
398-8702 and listen to a prere-
www.drybonesprojectom
corded message that will enable

❑

Dry Bones