6 | AUGUST 31 • 2023 

guest column
Oppenheimer, Golda, Barbie ... and Me
T

hree movies this sum-
mer bear the names of 
iconic 20th-century Jews: 
Oppenheimer, Golda and Barbie. 
All three movies 
speak to both the 
vulnerabilities and 
the strengths of the 
Jewish People, call-
ing us especially at 
this time of year in 
service to each other 
and to humanity.
The movie Oppenheimer sug-
gests that the motivation of the 
Jewish scientists at the core of the 
Manhattan Project to develop the 
atomic bomb was just as much a 
response to the existential crisis 
facing European Jewry as it was 
to protect the United States. In 
addition to showing the scientists’ 
later ethical conflicts with nuclear 
weaponry, the film suggests that 
the “soft power” of Jewish edu-
cational success coupled with the 
closeness of the Jewish people 

significantly furthered the “hard 
power” (weapons and soldiers) 
that helped the U.S. to win World 
War II.
Likewise facing the possibility of 
Jewish destruction, Golda depicts 
the difficult choices Israeli Prime 
Minister Golda Meir confronted 
during 1973’s Yom Kippur War, 

including the last-resort possibility 
of Israel using the (aforemen-
tioned) atomic bomb against the 
invading armies who nearly over-
ran the Jewish State. Among other 
reasons for Israel’s ultimate victory, 
Golda suggests that America finally 
came to Israel’s aid with “hard 
power” because of — again — the 
“soft power” of Jewish relation-
ships: the prime minister appealed 
directly to the Jewishness of 
Secretary of State Henry Kissinger 
who ultimately secured military 
aid for Israel, despite America’s 
greater interests in protecting its 
own access to Arab oil. 
In obvious ways, Barbie stands 
apart from Oppenheimer and 
Golda with its messages of female 
empowerment and self-realization, 
along with its gentle call for the 
protection of human rights and 
dignity. Barbie also reminds us of 
Jews’ entrepreneurial success in 
America — Mattel was founded 
by Jews, including Barbie’s creator 

Ruth Handler — both as a reac-
tion to American antisemitism 
and as a testament to the freedoms 
life in the U.S. offers Jews. What 
we see clearly in Barbie, however, 
is that when the non-Jewish world 
ensures the safety of Jews and the 
doors to liberalism are opened 
for our people, then we rise to the 
forefront of the fight to extend 
the values of individual freedom 
and equality of opportunity to all. 
Jewish safety and freedom make 
the world better for all people.
In looking back today at the 
vulnerabilities and strengths of the 
Jewish people in the 20th century, 
we see parallels to our own times: 
rising antisemitism in America 
and the ongoing threats against 
Israel of annihilation by Iran 
and its proxies, balanced against 
the profound success of Jews in 
American business, entertainment 
and government, and the incred-
ible accomplishments of the Israeli 

Rabbi Aaron 
Starr

PURELY COMMENTARY

1942 - 2023

Covering and Connecting 
Jewish Detroit Every Week

To make a donation to the 
DETROIT JEWISH NEWS 
FOUNDATION
go to the website
www.djnfoundation.org

The Detroit Jewish News (USPS 275-520) 

is published every Thursday at 

32255 Northwestern Highway, #205, 

Farmington Hills, Michigan. Periodical 

postage paid at Southfield, Michigan, and 

additional mailing offices. 

Postmaster: send changes to: 

Detroit Jewish News, 

32255 Northwestern Highway, #205, 

Farmington Hills, Michigan 48334

MISSION STATEMENT The Detroit Jewish News will be of service to the Jewish community. The Detroit Jewish 
News will inform and educate the Jewish and general community to preserve, protect and sustain the Jewish 
people of greater Detroit and beyond, and the State of Israel.

VISION STATEMENT The Detroit Jewish News will operate to appeal to the broadest segments of the greater 
Detroit Jewish community, reflecting the diverse views and interests of the Jewish community while advancing the 
morale and spirit of the community and advocating Jewish unity, identity and continuity.

DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
32255 Northwestern Hwy. Suite 205,
Farmington Hills, MI 48334
248-354-6060
thejewishnews.com

 
 
Publisher
The Detroit Jewish 
News Foundation

| Board of Directors:
 Chair: Gary Torgow
 Vice President: David Kramer 
 Secretary: Robin Axelrod
 Treasurer: Max Berlin
 Board members: Michael J. Eizelman 
 Larry Jackier, Jeffrey Schlussel, 
 Mark Zausmer
 
 
 Executive Director:
 Marni Raitt 
 Senior Advisor to the Board: 
 Mark Davidoff
 Alene and Graham Landau Archivist Chair: 
 Mike Smith
 Founding President & Publisher Emeritus: 
 Arthur Horwitz
 Founding Publisher 
 Philip Slomovitz, of blessed memory

 

 Editorial 
 Director of Editorial: 
 Jackie Headapohl
jheadapohl@thejewishnews.com
Contributing Editors: 
David Sachs, Keri Guten Cohen
Staff Reporter: 
Danny Schwartz 
dschwartz@thejewishnews.com
Editorial Assistant: 
Sy Manello
smanello@thejewishnews.com 
Digital Manager:
Elizabeth King 
eking@thejewishnews.com 

Contributing Writers:
Nate Bloom, Rochel Burstyn, 
Suzanne Chessler, Shari S. Cohen, 
Louis Finkelman, Samantha Foon, 
Yevgeniya Gazman, Stacy Gittleman, 
Esther Allweiss Ingber, Barbara Lewis, 
Jennifer Lovy, Rabbi Jason Miller, 
Alan Muskovitz, Karen Schwartz, 
Robin Schwartz, Steve Stein, 
Nathaniel Warshay, Julie Smith Yolles, 
Ashley Zlatopolsky 

 Advertising Sales 
Director of Advertising: Keith Farber
kfarber@thejewishnews.com
Senior Account Executive: 
Kathy Harvey-Mitton
kmitton@thejewishnews.com 

| Business Office
 Director of Operations: Amy Gill
 agill@thejewishnews.com
 Operations Manager: Andrea Gusho 
 agusho@thejewishnews.com
 Operations Assistant: Ashlee Szabo 
 Circulation: Danielle Smith
 Billing Coordinator: Pamela Turner

| Production By 
 Farago & Associates
 Manager: Scott Drzewiecki 
 Designers: Kaitlyn Iezzi, Kelly Kosek, 
 Deborah Schultz, Michelle Sheridan 

continued on page 10

