Federation Star - July-August 2018

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24 Federation Star July/August 2018 CAMERA op-ed: Here’s why the media got the Gaza violence wrong By Sean Durns, Senior Research Analyst, camera.org, May 29, 2018 Western journalists covering the Arab-Israeli conflict are in need of an intervention. Many of them have spent the last several weeks regurgitating claims by Hamas, confusing terrorists with “protesters.” In so doing, they’ve helped the U.S.-designated terror group in its attempt to delegitimize and destroy the Jewish state. And they should’ve known better. Since late March 2018, Hamas has been sending terrorists – interspersed with unarmed civilians serving as human shields – to try and breach the Israel-Gaza border. Hamas has dubbed this long operation – whose participants have included members of U.S.-designated terror groups like Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) – the “Great Return March.” The terror groups hope to sacrifice their own people by placing Israel in a nowin situation. If terror operatives are able to cross the border, violating Israel’s sovereignty and endangering its citizens, it’s a win. If Israel defends itself and Gazans die in the process it’ll garner condemnation from self-styled human rights arbitrators, fueled by a gullible media. Matti Friedman, a former IDF soldier and AP journalist, recently observed that Hamas knows that, “The press could be trusted to present dead human beings not as victims of the terrorist group that controls their lives, or of a tragic confluence of events, but of an unwarranted Israeli slaughter.” And Hamas has pulled out all the stops to put on a grotesque show: paying and busing in demonstrators and bringing children and the disabled to the border in the hopes that they catch an errant bullet. Indeed, the group has even burned tires and used mirrors to obscure the vision of Israel Defense Forces (IDF) snipers who are seeking to specifically target the terror leaders hiding among the civilians. On May 14, as many as 62 Gazans were killed on the border, prompting front-page headlines by The New York Times, The Washington Post and others – all repeating claims provided by the Hamas-run Health Ministry – about “protesters killed” and “indiscriminate” and “excessive” use of force. Some, such as USA Today, uncritically repeated claims by anti-Israel U.N. official Michael Lynk that the “demonstrators” were “largely unarmed.” Many pundits contrasted the bloodshed in Gaza with the ceremonies on the same day for the dedication of the newly moved U.S. embassy in Jerusalem – some even claiming that the embassy move was responsible for the violence. Two days later, Salah Bardawil, a senior Hamas official, told Palestinian news outlet Baladna TV that “Fifty of the martyrs were from Hamas, and the other 12 were regular people.” He added, “I am giving you an official figure.” In short, the overwhelming majority of the “protesters” killed were, in fact, terrorists. And the media had every reason to expect that this would be the case. On April 26, the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center published a report showing that of the Palestinians killed up to that point in the “Great Return March,” 32 – or eighty percent – were linked to terrorist groups Indeed, according to a translation provided by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), Hamas official Mahmoud al-Zahar admitted to Al-Jazeera on May 13 that the group was “deceiving the public” when it claimed that the March was What do you think? The Federation Star wants to know! Send your letters and comments to fedstar18@gmail.com Letters Policy Include your name, full address and daytime phone. Letters should be no longer than 300 words. We reserve the right to edit for length and/or accuracy. Letters do not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples, the Federation Star or its advertisers. We cannot acknowledge or publish every letter received. one of “peaceful resistance.” It was, he proudly said, “a clear terminological deception.” Nonetheless, many journalists, including those at The Washington Post, The New York Times, USA Today, NPR and others, continued to refer to the dead as “protesters” and omitted or minimized evidence that the “march” was a Hamas-run propaganda ploy. In short: they ignored who Hamas is and has always been. Hamas has always targeted Israeli civilians and employed Palestinian human shields – a double war crime. The group has used schools to hide its weaponry, equipment and fighters, and, as recently as the 2014 conflict, employed ambulances as “transport vehicles” and hospitals as “command centers.” Since its creation as a Muslim Brotherhood spinoff in 1987, Hamas has made its objectives clear. The group’s own founding charter calls for the destruction of Israel and the genocide of Jews – even approvingly quoting Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf. Since Israel’s unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in 2005, Hamas has launched no fewer than three wars against the Jewish state in 2008, 2012 and 2014 – all in addition to the frequent rocket attacks that began shortly after the group seized power in 2007. Yet, this history – and Hamas’s genocidal objectives – has largely gone unmentioned by many media outlets covering the latest round of violent demonstrations at the border. Instead, many in the media have uncritically There was never a country called Palestine By Jerrold L. Sobel, ZOA of SWFL President Please forget one of the great misnomers of our time: Israel did in such numbers that much of it sticks. vile accusations against the Jewish state not steal Palestinian land. It’s not To cite just a couple: their land, it’s never been their land, and Myth: “Israel discriminates against it will never be their land. This land was its Arab citizens.” given to the Jewish people, as stated in The facts show otherwise. Israel is the Bible, by the Creator, and will remain the homeland of the Jewish people world. Out of a population of 8.8 mil- one of the most open societies in the in perpetuity. Despite 27 invasions of lion, 1.85 million are Arabs, 170,000 Judea and Samaria – erroneously called are Christians, and 230,000 are Druze the West Bank – conquests by many, or other religions. All have equal voting rights. It’s one of a very few places forced conversions, exiles, massive oppressions, generations of Diaspora, and where Arab women have the right to cowardly acquiescence by a cadre of 5 th vote. Arabs currently hold 18 seats in column Jews themselves, Jews have not the Knesset. only survived in what’s known as Eretz Following a 5-year trial, in a landmark decision for women’s rights, an Yisrael (Israel), they’ve taken a desert wasteland and turned it into a powerful Arab judge, Salim Joubran, sentenced little democracy, the envy of the world. the former president of Israel, Moshe To her detractors, which there are Katsav, to seven years in prison for many worldwide, the mantra remains rape. In what Muslim country do Jews the same, ad nauseam. “Israel is complicit in doing this...” “She omitted do- Jews hold in the Saudi government or have such rights? How many seats do ing that...” “We respect Judaism but are Jordan? Can anyone recall a Jewish against Zionism.” Attempting to mask judge sentencing a prominent Arab in their anti-Semitism as anti-Zionism, Egypt? More to the point, has anyone her enemies propagandize the most even heard of a Jewish judge in Egypt? Myth: “The Palestinian Authority protects Jewish holy sites.” If only that were true, one important element blocking a sincere peace would be eliminated, but the facts speak otherwise. Just in the years between 1996-2000: In September 1996, Palestinian rioters destroyed a synagogue at Joseph’s Tomb in Nablus. Rachel’s Tomb near Bethlehem has been repeatedly attacked since 1996. In October 2000, Joseph’s Tomb was torched after the Israeli garrison guarding it was temporarily withdrawn. It was subsequently rebuilt as a mosque. In October 2000, the ancient synagogue in Jericho was destroyed by arson and a second historic synagogue was damaged. Forget about protecting these sites. In textbooks, speech and daily life, the Palestinians and their supporters absurdly deny any Jewish connection to these ancient landmarks at all. This all occurs under nominal Israeli control of these areas. One can only imagine the fate of Jewish holy sites left to Palestinian stewardship. COMMENTARY echoed casualty claims made by the “Palestinian Health Ministry” – a Hamas-controlled entity that shares the terror group’s objective of delegitimizing and destroying Israel. It’s hard to imagine the press echoing the claims of other Islamist terrorist groups, such as the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) or al-Qaeda. Yet, with near ubiquity, they’ve done so with Hamas – and all while ignoring video and photographic evidence showing Palestinians planting explosives, carrying firearms, knives and Molotov cocktails, even launching kite bombs embroidered with swastikas, because, as one 19-year-old Gazan proudly told an NPR reporter: “We want to burn” the “Jews…this is actually what we want them to know.” But when it comes to Israel, there is a double standard. The terrorist perpetrators are treated with a different benchmark – one of privileged victimhood instead of independent agency. To many in the press, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is but one of dueling narratives, as opposed to cold hard facts – as unpleasant as they might be. And the facts remain: Hamas is a genocidal terrorist group. Peaceful protests don’t involve violence. And no matter how many times headlines blare it, terrorists are not protesters. Founded in 1982, the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America (CAMERA) is a mediamonitoring, research and membership organization devoted to promoting accurate and balanced coverage of Israel and the Middle East. Opinions and letters printed in the Federation Star do not necessarily reflect those of the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples, its Board of Directors or staff, or its advertisers. This brings us to the greatest canard of them all, the foundation on which every pro-Palestinian lie is based upon: “The Jews are building settlements on Palestinian land.” This granddaddy of all fabrications makes great copy for the media and is excellent for denigrators of Israel, but lack historical fact. There is no Palestinian land plain and simple. If there was: When was it founded and by whom? What were its borders and the name of its capital? What were its major cities? What constituted the basis of its economy? What form of government did it live under? Was Palestine ever recognized as an entity by another country? By whom? What was the language of the country called Palestine? What was Palestine’s religion? What was the name of its currency? Since there is no country today, what caused her demise? These questions were posed by a Japanese writer, Yashiko Sagamori. Only the most revisionist adherents of the Palestinian narrative couldn’t even attempt to answer her queries. Pose these same questions regarding Israel and Jewish connection to this land, and each can be factually answered. Maimonides Medical Society The Jewish Federation of Greater Naples now has a Maimonides Medical Society. We are looking for Jewish healthcare professionals to build a community by networking and connecting with their peers. To be added to the Maimonides membership list, please contact Renee’ at rbialek@jewishnaples.org or 239.263.4205 and let her know you are interested in attending future programs and events. We are looking for volunteers to be on the Maimonides Committee. If you are a member of the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples and want to chair this group or serve on the committee, please let Renee’ know. And if you are interested in speaking or know of someone who would be a great speaker, email Renee’.
COMMENTARY Give a hand By Rabbi Howard S. Herman DD We as individuals, and as communities, are constantly being bombarded with the message “to give.” Whether it is giving blood, or giving money or giving service; giving attention, giving time, giving support or giving concern; the needs out there in our world, in our families and in our communities are pervasive. We are needed now probably more than ever. Desperation and/or immediacy seem to be the clarion for us to give. People who have given of themselves, especially when they are not asked, are those whose names are truly remembered. We all remember the name of the teacher who went out of their way to help us when we were having a difficult time. We all recall the friend who offered assistance without being asked, when we were in financial, moral or emotional straits. No one ever forgets those meetings when a chairperson needed to be selected, a courageous stand needed to be taken, a commitment needed to be made, a pledge needed to be honored, and after an embarrassing silence someone came forward without being urged and offered to be that person. In many respects, this is the history of humanity. Some people give lip service and other people give real service; some people give words and some people give works; some people give applause and some people give aid. Some people give excuses while others put forth the perspiration of action. The July/August 2018 Federation Star answer really comes in how you want to use your hand. Consider the story of the teacher who used the system of placing gold stars opposite the names of students who answered questions correctly. One day she dropped the box of gold stars and they fell like confetti all over the floor. The teacher got down on her hands and knees and attempted to pick up all of the tiny gold stars. The children in the classroom watched in fascination. Finally, the teacher looked up and said sharply, “Isn’t anyone going to give me a hand?” Immediately, all of the students began to applaud enthusiastically. The essence of giving of yourself is to give openly and freely without any strings attached. Whenever we do step L’chaim – let’s celebrate life together Rabbi Fishel Zaklos The sounds of celebration are fresh in my mind as I write this article. We recently celebrated some wonderful milestones at the Chabad of Naples. At the Naples Preschool of the Arts, 21 of our oldest preschoolers celebrated their academic achievements and growth as they move ahead to kindergarten. And 40 of our Hebrew School students attended end-of-year ceremonies in recognition of another year of Jewish learning well done. In each instance, it was a huge cause for l’chaim. As I watched the students walk across the stage at our Chabad, their faces beaming with pride, and saw the smiles on the faces of everyone in the audience who had supported them on their way, I thought, l’chaim. We gathered to recognize their accomplishments and the journeys they’ve made, all of us together. I blessed them with l’chaim, that they should continue the togetherness, and keep and build on the friendships they’ve made here at our Chabad schools. I wished them a full life ahead of everything good. But interestingly, the phrase l’chaim is plural, not singular. The word for life in Hebrew is “chai,” so it stands to reason that the saying should be “l’chai.” But literally we’re saying “to lives.” To me, that suggests a very important message, that life is plural, not singular, and that it’s at its fullest when shared with others, when you are thinking about others, blessing others and giving to others. The last time I was in Israel with my family, I noticed something striking. We went to both the Dead Sea and the Sea of Galilee. I wondered, “Why is one so full of life and the other harbors none? They both receive the same source from the Jordan River.” The answer is that the Jordan River flows into and out of the Sea of Galilee from north to south. The Dead Sea, however, has no outlet. My takeaway: when you’re giving and sharing, as we say, l’chaim, in that way you are truly full of life. Giving connects us. Recognizing the ways in which our lives are all intertwined broadens our perspectives and asks us to act in ways that enhance others’ lives, and through that, our own. In the day to day, it is easy to lose sight of the collectiveness of our objectives – it seems everyone is running to meetings and obligations, to take care of what needs to be done. As we gather together with family and friends in the slower, more relaxed days of summer, it affords us the chance to focus on what we can share and give 25 up, it has to be done in love and it must be a real and honest part of ourselves. There is a time to use your hands for applause, but there is also a time for reaching your hands out to help. If you happen to be the person who sees the needs of the hour and steps forward to help, you will win the admiration of those around you, and you will earn the peace of mind that comes with knowing you have served. The “Wisdom of Ben Sirach” teaches us: “Let not your hand be stretched out to take, nor closed at the time of giving back.” Rabbi Howard Herman serves at the Naples Jewish Congregation. to others. We have the opportunity to be there for each other, and to slow down and notice the people who’ve been sent into our lives to enhance them. Winston Churchill may have said: “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” This is traditionally the slow season in Naples in terms of tourism and visitors. It’s a time to connect with the community, and to think about how the community benefits from each of us being a part of it. It’s also a time when many of us can carve out more minutes for talking, learning and growing. The conversations get longer – people have a few extra minutes to linger over a meal or a cup of tea. This only adds to our togetherness and gives us more chances to celebrate and grow as we seek out more happy occasions on which to say “l’chaim.” Rabbi Fishel Zaklos serves at Chabad Jewish Center of Naples. Subscribe Want to receive the Federation Star in your mail box every month? Email: jhartline@jewishnaples.org Call: 239.263.4205 Subscriptions are free, thanks to generous readers, committed advertisers and the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples. Display WANT TO DISPLAY THE Federation Star IN YOUR OFFICE OR BUSINESS? CONTACT EDITOR TED EPSTEIN AT FEDSTAR18@GMAIL.COM OR 239.249.0699. The Federation Star delivers! Introduce your business to a POWERFUL demographic and reach over 5,000 Jewish residents in the Greater Naples area! For ad rates and deadlines, contact Joy Walker at 941.284.0520 or walkerjoy62@yahoo.com. Advertise What do you think? The Federation Star wants to know! Want to comment on something you read in the newspaper? Send your letters to the editor (up to 300 words) to fedstar18@gmail.com. Have a story idea or want to see something featured in the Federation Star? Call editor Ted Epstein at 239.249.0699. Contribute
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Federation Star - July-August 2018

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