Bar-Ilan University’s Ingeborg Rennert Center for Jerusalem Studies will bestow its annual Guardian of Zion Award upon former Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, and Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky. Mr. Sharansky will deliver the Distinguished Rennert Lecture, this year entitled “How to Make Sure that Jerusalem Unites Us as Israelis and as Jews, and Doesn’t Divide Us “.
“Natan Sharansky is a voice for freedom, a champion of liberty and democracy, living a life of courage and conviction,” said Rennert Center Director Prof. Joshua Schwartz in making the announcement.
“Both anti-Semitism on the left which delegitimizes the Nation State of the Jewish people, but speaks about love of Jews, and anti-Semitism on the right, which hates Jews, but speaks about love for the Jewish state – are our enemies. Our struggle against this anti-Semitism can be effective only if our left is ready to fight anti-Semitism on the left, and our right is ready to fight it on the right,” said Mr. Sharansky.
The Ingeborg Rennert Center for Jerusalem Studies was established at Bar-Ilan University in 1995 by US Jewish community leaders Ingeborg Hanna and Ira Leon Rennert as an expression of their heartfelt commitment to the preservation and advancement of Jerusalem’s unique heritage. Integrating studies on the history, archaeology, geography, demography, economy and sociology of Jerusalem, the Rennert Center has become the foremost academic center in the international academic community studying aspects of Jerusalem’s past and present.
Born in Donetsk, Ukraine, Natan Sharansky was a Prisoner of Zion, a leader in the struggle for the freedom of Soviet Jews and activist in the human rights movement. Subsequent to his request to make aliyah, he was arrested on trumped-up charges of high treason, espionage and anti-Soviet activity, tried in a Soviet court, and sentenced to 13 years in prison. He served 9 years in a Gulag, including many years in solitary confinement and 405 days in punishment cells. He was released following massive public campaigns, led by his wife Avital and political leaders in the West. He made Aliyah on the day of his release. Natan Sharansky was the initiator and driving force behind the historic demonstration during Gorbachev’s first visit to Washington, in what is viewed as the final chapter of the struggle for the release of Soviet Jewry.
In Israel, Mr. Sharansky established the Zionist Forum to assist in the absorption of Soviet olim and the Yisrael B’Aliyah party to accelerate the integration of Russian Jews. He served in four Israeli governments, as a Minister and Deputy Prime Minister. He is the author of: Fear no Evil, The Case for Democracy and Defending Identity, and is the recipient of the United States’ two highest civilian honors, the Congressional Medal of Honor and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Between 2009 and 2018, he served as Chairman of the Executive of the Jewish Agency for Israel and worked to strengthen the connection between the Jewish People in Israel and the Diaspora. Mr. Sharansky was awarded the Israel Prize Lifetime Achievement Award for promoting aliyah and the ingathering of exiles.
The Guardian of Zion Award ceremony will take place in Jerusalem on Tuesday evening, June 11.
Lesson 1: The Importance of Holocaust Remembrance – The Responsibility of Memory
The first lesson is the importance of Zachor, of the duty of remembrance itself. For as we remember the six million Jewish victims of the Shoah — defamed, demonized and dehumanized, as prologue or justification for genocide — we have to understand that the mass murder of six million Jews and millions of non-Jews is not a matter of abstract statistics.
For unto each person there is a name — unto each person, there is an identity. Each person is a universe. As our sages tell us: “whoever saves a single life, it is as if he or she has saved an entire universe.” Just as whoever has killed a single person, it is as if they have killed an entire universe. And so the abiding imperative — that we are each, wherever we are, the guarantors of each other’s destiny.
Lesson 2: The Danger of State-Sanctioned Incitement to Hatred and Genocide — The Responsibility to Prevent
The enduring lesson of the Holocaust is that the genocide of European Jewry succeeded not only because of the industry of death and the technology of terror, but because of the state-sanctioned ideology of hate. This teaching of contempt, this demonizing of the other, this is where it all began. As the Canadian courts affirmed in upholding the constitutionality of anti-hate legislation, “the Holocaust did not begin in the gas chambers — it began with words”. These, as the Courts put it, are the chilling facts of history. These are the catastrophic effects of racism.
As the UN marks the commemoration of the Holocaust, we are witnessing yet again, a state-sanctioned incitement to hate and genocide, whose epicentre is Ahmadinejad’s Iran. Let there be no mistake about it. Iran has already committed the crime of incitement to genocide prohibited under the Genocide Convention. Yet not one state party to the Genocide Convention has undertaken its mandated legal obligation to hold Ahmadinejad’s Iran to account.
Lesson 3: The Danger of Silence, The Consequences of Indifference — The Responsibility to Protect
The genocide of European Jewry succeeded not only because of the state-sanctioned culture of hate and industry of death, but because of crimes of indifference, because of conspiracies of silence.
We have already witnessed an appalling indifference and inaction in our own day which took us down the road to the unspeakable — the genocide in Rwanda — unspeakable because this genocide was preventable. No one can say that we did not know. We knew, but we did not act, just as we knew and did not act to stop the genocide by attrition in Darfur.
Indifference and inaction always mean coming down on the side of the victimizer, never on the side of the victim. Indifference in the face of evil is acquiescence with evil itself.
Lesson 4: Combating Mass Atrocity and the Culture of Impunity — The Responsibility to Bring War Criminals to Justice
If the 20th Century — symbolized by the Holocaust — was the age of atrocity, it was also the age of impunity. Few of the perpetrators were brought to justice; and so, just as there must be no sanctuary for hate, no refuge for bigotry, there must be no base or sanctuary for these enemies of humankind. Yet those indicted for war crimes and crimes against humanity – such as President Al-Bashir of Sudan – continue to be welcomed in international fora.
Lesson 5: The Trahison des Clercs — The Responsibility to Talk Truth to Power
The first lesson is the importance of Zachor, of the duty of remembrance itself.
The Holocaust was made possible, not only because of the “bureaucratization of genocide”, as Robert Lifton put it, but because of the trahison des clercs — the complicity of the elites — physicians, church leaders, judges, lawyers, engineers, architects, educators, and the like. Indeed, one only has to read Gerhard Muller’s book on “Hitler’s Justice” to appreciate the complicity and criminality of judges and lawyers; or to read Robert-Jan van Pelt’s book on the architecture of Auschwitz, to be appalled by the minute involvement of engineers and architects in the design of death camps, and so on. Holocaust crimes, then, were also the crimes of the Nuremberg elites. As Elie Wiesel put it, “Cold-blooded murder and culture did not exclude each other. If the Holocaust proved anything, it is that a person can both love poems and kill children”.
Lesson 6: Holocaust Remembrance — The Responsibility to Educate
In acting upon the International Holocaust Remembrance Day, states should commit themselves to implementing the Declaration of the Stockholm International Forum on the Holocaust, which concluded: “We share a commitment to encourage the study of the Holocaust in all its dimensions… a commitment to commemorate the victims of the Holocaust and to honor those who stood against it… a commitment to throw light on the still obscured shadows of the Holocaust… a commitment to plant the seeds of a better future amidst the soil of a bitter past… a commitment… to remember the victims who perished, respect the survivors still with us, and reaffirm humanity’s common aspiration for mutual understanding and justice.”
Lesson 7: The Vulnerability of the Powerless — The Protection of the Vulnerable as the Test of a Just Society
The genocide of European Jewry occurred not only because of the vulnerability of the powerless, but also because of the powerlessness of the vulnerable. It is not surprising that the triage of Nazi racial hygiene — the Sterilization Laws, the Nuremberg Race Laws, the Euthanasia Program — targeted those “whose lives were not worth living”; and it is not unrevealing, as Professor Henry Friedlander points out in his work on “The Origins of Genocide”, that the first group targeted for killing were the Jewish disabled — the whole anchored in the science of death, the medicalization of ethnic cleansing, the sanitizing even of the vocabulary of destruction.
And so it is our responsibility as citoyens du monde to give voice to the voiceless, as we seek to empower the powerless — be they the disabled, the poor, the refugee, the elderly, the women victims of violence, the vulnerable child — the most vulnerable of the vulnerable.
We remember – and we trust – that never again will we be silent or indifferent in the face of evil. May this International Day of Holocaust Remembrance be not only an act of remembrance, but a remembrance to act.
Irwin Cotler is a member of Parliament and the former minister of justice and attorney general of Canada. He is Emeritus Professor of Law at McGill University, and has written extensively on the Holocaust, genocide and international humanitarian law.
“There was a straight road to Auschwitz,” says Wendy Lower, John K. Roth Professor of History and George R. Roberts Fellow at Claremont McKenna College in California. “When you look back, the Holocaust was inevitable.”
Lower, a historian who spent five years living and researching in Germany, says that while genocides are all a bit different, there are consistent aspects to every mass killing. By leveraging history, she believes, one can almost predict these killings before they start.
Prof. Benedict F. Kiernan, the Whitney Griswold Professor of History, professor of International and Area Studies, and director of the Genocide Studies Program at Yale University, agrees. He tells JNS.org that genocides usually proceed from a combination of causes, long-term and immediate.
First, harsh historical or social conditions create the “fertile political ground that is necessary for emerging genocide perpetrators to be able to recruit supporters and gain the positions of power from which they may implement their criminal policies,” explains Kiernan. He lists warfare, carpet bombing, mass poverty and suppression, catastrophic environmental degradation, and political or economic destabilization as among the long-term conditions from which genocidal extremists may profit the most.
“Without such widespread historical conditions, a genocidal minority would often remain politically isolated or impotent,” says Kiernan.
Second, the extremist leaders share certain characteristics, he notes. These include being obsessed with their own ideological preoccupations, which can range from racism or religious hatred, territorial expansion, romantic agrarianism, and obsession with recreating or rivaling and distant past.
“Not all of these ideological features are harmful on their own, but on their combination is usually disastrous,” Kiernan says.
“You have to have a combination of hateful people and power,” says Peter Hayes, the Theodore Zev Weiss Holocaust Educational Foundation Professor at Northwestern University. Hayes says almost all modern genocides are state-directed, meaning that even the most evil leaders can likely not carry out a full-blown genocide without their country being behind them.
In Nazi Germany, Adolf Hitler had that national support. His genocidal platform can be traced as far back as the 1920s, when in Munich, he laid out National Socialist German Workers’ Party’s 25-point plan.
“Among the points was that no Jews can be members of the German race,” notes Lowry. “They put these points on posters and plastered them all over the city.”
Yet it wasn’t until the depression struck in the 1930s that Hitler’s party began to gain steam. Hayes pointed out that in 1928, Hitler’s party only received 2.5 percent of the vote. In 1932, it received 37 percent.
“Hitler was not very successful until there was an intervening factor in the sense of a major economic catastrophe. … All these regimes and genocides begin in a kind of vocabulary of cleaning, a magical thinking that goes into all of them, that they will make their countries great again by stamping out the forces of evil within them,” says Hayes. “It takes an extreme crisis for people to be willing to buy such nonsense.”
In Germany, the Jews became the scapegoat.
“The old proverb is that anti-Semitism rises and falls in inverse relationship to the stock market,” Hayes quips. “No one likes to blame themselves.”
The portents of genocide became increasingly clear in the late 1930s, when the German leadership had a shift in language. In speeches and newspaper articles, Hayes says the Nazis began to use a word they had never used before: annihilation. Before then, the Nazis referred to the “removal” of the Jewish people. “Annihilation” was different.
Then, there was Kristallnacht in November 1938.
“This was the first real act of physical violence against the Jews—their property and their bodies,” Lowry says.
Only a few years later, the Germans made a decision to shoot at Jews as their armies moved into the Soviet Union. It started with the shooting of men and boys in July 1941. By August 1941, they were shooting Jewish women and children, too—“any Jews in the path of their armies,” says Hayes.
That same year, the first zyklone-b gas chamber was constructed—and tested.
“There were key turning points where fire bells should have gone off—and sometimes they did,” says Hayes, but the Jews had little ability to protect themselves or in many cases to leave due to immigration restrictions and simply being outgunned.
The Holocaust might have been the first example of this systematic type of genocide. But it was not—and likely will not—be the last, Hayes believes. Today, he says, we are obligated to learn from the past.
Moving forward
Education is essential, says Hayes, explaining that one should be able to recognize the difference between extremist activity or political parties and the potential for genocide. In France, for example, while there has been a rise in terrorism against Jews, the state is on the side of the people being attacked.
“The majority population is more angered by the Muslim attacks on the Jews than feeling threatened by the Jews,” Hayes says.
In Hungry, the situation is different.
“Hungry is a borderline case that should be watched,” says Hayes. “Hungry, as a state, is not so protective [of its Jews] and is on the verge of the tipping the other way.”
Hayes also says that Russia has all the combined warning signs for genocide, including national humiliation since 1989, an increasingly difficult economic situation, and extensive anti-Semitism that “might find another outlet.”
“The greatest defense of recurrence of a holocaust is knowledge of the Holocaust,” Hayes says.
What can prevent a contemporary genocide?
“Once a group of people is recognized as vulnerable to genocidal operations, it has to be a priority to those who have the means to provide a safe haven, to get these people out of harm’s way and prevent that loss of life,” says Lowry. “We failed during the 1930s by not providing enough places of refuge. … We have to be more watchful today.”
Hayes says, “The best defense is the defense of liberal principles: the rule of law, treating all people fairly and opposition to theocracy. To stop genocide, these are things one has to defend.”
SIDEBAR: TIMELINE TO GENOCIDE
In hindsight, what events were pivotal in the igniting of the Holocaust?
Feb. 24, 1920: National Socialist German Workers’ Party publicly unveils 25-point Plan, including language that no Jew can be a member of the German race
1930s: Increase in anti-Semitic legislation; anti-Semitism begins to be realized through powers of the state
July 1932: German elections show a 34.4 percent increase in popular support of the Nazi party
Nov. 1938: German officials shift language from “removal” to “annihilation” when referring to Jews
Nov. 9-10. 1938: Kristallnacht, Nazis in Germany torched synagogues; vandalized Jewish homes, schools, and businesses; and killed close to 100 Jews
Fall 1939: First carbon monoxide gas chamber tested in Belzec extermination camp
July 1941: German army adopts policy of shooting Jews as it enters new territory in war
Nov. 1941: Nazis discover use of zyklone-b for use in gassing; experiment in Auschwitz extermination camp
Many people will tell you that while they may not be observant, they are spiritual. What exactly does that connote? Does it mean meditating? Vegetarianism? Jogging?
It is none of the above, for all the aforementioned are self-focused. In this week’s parsha, we discover the meaning of spirituality. Kedoshim t’heeyou lee – “You shall be holy unto Me, for I, the L-rd Your G-d am holy…” (Leviticus, 19:2) is the proclamation of G-d.
What is the path to holiness? The parsha details for us the steps that we must take to attain that goal. Therefore, most of the mitzvoth of the Torah are mentioned in this parsha, for it is through the adherence to the mitzvot that we become holy and spiritual. These mitzvoth range from revering parents to loving our fellow man as ourselves, to refraining from taking vengeance or holding a grudge, to being on guard against gossip, to being kind to the stranger, to paying the day worker his wages on that self-same day, to keeping the Sabbath and not worshiping or fashioning idols, and many more. These mitzvot are so critical to Jewish life that every Jew – Kol Adas Bnei Yisroel, had to be present when they were taught (Leviticus 19:2). Another reason advanced by our sages for teaching these commandments to the entire congregation is to underscore the fact that sanctity cannot be attained through a hermit-like existence, but only through reaching out to others in chesed – kindness, thereby bringing them closer to HaShem.
One of the mitzvoth mentioned in this parsha is “not to place a stumbling block in front of a blind person “(Leviticus, 19:14). This means that we must be careful not to give misleading advice. We also have to insure that we do not have hidden agendas and that our motivations for giving advice are pure.
The question that must occur to all of us however, is why does the Torah not simply state that we are not permitted to mislead others. Why this convoluted passage–“putting a stumbling block in front of a blind man?”
The Torah wants to impart to us the seriousness and the importance of trust. Even as no sane individual would countenance tripping a blind person or allowing him to walk in front of a moving vehicle, so too, misleading someone who is unaware, is equally deplorable. We all know how painful it is to discover that we have been betrayed by people in whom we placed our trust, so we should take care not to do this to others. All relationships are built on trust. Neither individuals, nor families, nor societies can survive when trust is missing. When we come to the understanding that to deceive or mislead someone is no different than pushing a blind man down, then we will surely be sensitive to every word that we pronounce.
The path to spirituality and sanctity as outlined in this parsha is to strive for discipline, for moral and ethical excellence and to emulate the attributes of G-d. Even as He is compassionate, so must we aim to be compassionate; even as He is forgiving, so must we must aim to be forgiving, and that is the meaning of “You shall be holy unto Me, for I the L-rd your G-d am holy.”
New York Jewish Travel Guide sat down with Mr. Antonoaldo Neves, TAP Air Portugal Chief Executive Officer, during its inaugural flight between Lisbon and Tel Aviv to ask a few questions about the new route. The following interview was edited for clarity:
NYJTG: What inspired you to add these new strategic routes to Tel Aviv and why is the timing right for this launch now?
Antonoaldo Neves: We built a plan about four years ago to expand the connectivity from the Americas to Europe and we have been adding flights, especially to the U.S., over the past three years to North America. We have added Toronto, JFK, and Boston. We are going to add Washington, Chicago and San Francisco this year. So it’s a lot of investment for our clients to connect from the Americas. We added frequent trips to Brazil and to Europe and about two years ago we started to understand that if we could go beyond Europe, that Tel Aviv is a great market for us because Lisbon is so close. It is so close to North America and so close to the northeast of Brazil that there is no other way that you can connect to North America from Tel Aviv that is shorter than through Lisbon.
So it’s shorter to go to Tel Aviv, from Tel Aviv to New York through Lisbon, than through Frankfurt, than through London. You won’t believe but it’s shorter to go through Lisbon than through London. Because the world is round and we have a great competitive position and this is what allows TAP to be very competitive in prices, because if the flight is shorter, I spend less money to fly the plane and so it’s going to be cheaper for me to do a flight from Tel Aviv to JFK through Lisbon than it’s going to be for my competition in Spain, France, Netherlands, and Germany — so that’s how Tel Aviv came into place. We are closer to London than Barcelona, for sure. So Lisbon is closer to JFK than Barcelona.
NYJTG: You are right in the middle.
Antonoaldo Neves: Yes – right in the middle, it’s the perfect spot.
NYJTG: If I may ask, what would be your estimate of total percentage growth in traffic and what would be the increase in tourism as a result of this new strategy for Portugal?
Antonoaldo Neves: It’s a lot, as TAP is growing about 1.5 million clients a year. Now we are 16 million clients, customers, passengers. Last year alone we had about 4.4 million passengers in Lisbon as tourists because of TAP. We are growing 10% a year. So every year we add from 400,000 to 600,000 new tourists to Portugal.
NYJTG: Does this include Porto or are you talking about Porto and Lisbon?
Antonoaldo Neves: Yes, because we have an air bridge between Lisbon and Porto and we have 13 flights a day and it’s actually our largest route. So all the clients that come through Porto go to Lisbon and vice versa. We have a stopover program, which allows customers to remain in Portugal for five extra days between connections at no extra cost so you can go from Tel Aviv to Lisbon and you get to stop over in Europe for free. So you can do Lisbon/Paris and spend up to five days in Lisbon for free and also from Lisbon to Porto, and you can spend up to five days in Lisbon as well for free or you can go to Paris or Rome. From Tel Aviv to Rome via TAP, you pay only Tel Aviv/Rome and you can stay up to five days for free in Porto.
NYJTG: What are your advertising programs to reach this strategic growth and do you have an established network in place?
Antonoaldo Neves: We invest a lot in that so we do traditional marketing. We have been investing a lot of money in New York, for instance, to promote all destinations. So if you go to New York, you will see that the yellow cabs have TAP logos on the top. We do a lot of digital media/marketing, so 50% of our sales are direct channel. It’s direct sales. We also do a lot of work with Influencers on the web. We also work very close to the agents and we have lot of programs with the agents so that we can promote our network.
NYJTG: Does this include the Jewish Heritage Program, such as [promoting Jewish tourism to cities such as] Belmonte, Porto, Lisbon, and others?
Antonoaldo Neves: We are starting that now and it’s a lot of work. We are not at full speed right now on the Jewish heritage. But even through these channels that I have explained to you, we can promote Tel Aviv in Brazil right now. We promote our destinations not only in Portugal — we promote Paris in New York, we also promote Rome in New York actually via our yellow cabs in New York; [prior to this campaign] these yellow cabs in New York had no Portugal promotions; it was all about other destinations. It is all about other destinations as well as Porto.
NYJTG: Are the daily flights consistent from winter and summer?
Antonoaldo Neves: Right now we have seven days a week in summer and five days a week in winter, but we are going to go to seven days round the year next year for sure. We may even add a little bit more. Summer is doing very well, so I think one day in the future we should have two flights a day.
NYJTG: Two flights a day would be great; I heard that you have incentive/perks for the travelers?
Antonoaldo Neves: They do have a lot of incentives. We have for instance free sightseeing for one day in Lisbon, special fares with the hotels, and we have a tourist guide.
NYJTG: For hotels also?
Antonoaldo Neves: Yes, hotel discounts and you can book all that online. It is available now by going online to the stopover link.
NYJTG: So they can book them directly online or through a travel agent?
Antonoaldo Neves: They can do this online for sure. I think the travel agents do it as well.
NYJTG: That’s sounds easy and a great perk. You had mentioned earlier about mileage rewards. How much mileage do you accrue with these promotions?
Antonoaldo Neves: It depends on the revenue on the fare you pay. Now we have it based on the fare you pay. So the mileage now is proportionate to the amount of money you spend on the ticket, not the mileage flown. It’s in the system which they call “revenue based mileage accruals,” which is based on the amount of money you spend.
NYJTG: That’s great. Is there any other breaking news that we should know about?
Antonoaldo Neves: No, not now with the airline, but we plan ahead because we don’t like surprises. We only announce surprises by year end. October, November is when TAP is going to announce new destinations for 2020. Right now, we have to deliver what we promised last year. This is a brand-new plane. We need to renew the planes because not only does it provide more comfort for the passengers but it’s also more efficient for the operation. We can save a lot of money this way. The new generation of aircraft burn less fuel, have better range, and they carry more passengers.
Thank you, Mr. Neves, for your time and all the information you shared with us. I really appreciated it, as will our readers.
New York Jewish Travel Guide was hosted by TAP Air Portugal on its March 31 inaugural flight from Lisbon to Tel Aviv.
The Hotel Bristol Extension. Photo Credit: Wikipedia
Educational travel – especially trips exploring world history – is a growing trend for Americans, with reputable tour operators across the U.S. engaging renowned historians, best-selling authors and noted history experts as featured guests who travel along with participants. This type of journey is gaining popularity, especially when tied to exploring one’s ancestry or religion.
The interior of the Reichstag building. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
A prime example is the growth of tours that retrace and explore World War II history. Esteemed institutions such as the New Orleans-based National WWII Museum have seen 100 percent growth in bookings for educational trips over the last year and they anticipate bringing more than 1,500 guests to WWII sites around the globe in the next year.
Of particular interest to those seeking to learn more about the origins of World War II and Hitler’s regime, a new educational tour has been created by The National WWII Museum. The 12-day tour explores Germany and Poland through the lens of the rise and fall of the Third Reich. Guests visit Berlin’s Olympic Stadium and Reichstag as well as sites of the Third Reich’s exploits across Europe at Auschwitz, Wannsee and Warsaw. The group stops along the way to visit stunning cathedrals and Teutonic castles as well. With full-time guides and historians adding depth and context to every stop, travelers have access to a uniquely immersive historical view of Germany and Poland, staying in luxury hotels while visiting some of Europe’s most extraordinary sites. The tour is led by noted historian Dr. Alexandra Richie, one of the world’s foremost experts on World War II in Europe. She is the author of Faust’s Metropolis: A History of Berlin, which was named one of the top ten books of the year by American Publisher’s Weekly, and Warsaw 1944, which won the Newsweek Teresa Torańska Prize for best non-fiction book of 2014 and the Kazimierz Moczarski Prize for Best History Book 2015.
Krakow Square. Photo Credit: Wikipedia
By understanding a brief history of the war’s timeline, growing interest in a trip like this can be further understood. In Europe, the journey to World War II began when the Nazis concocted and then promoted their designs for a new world order, which was founded on conquest and racial-purity ideals. Germany launched the war on September 1, 1939, by invading Poland. Hitler and his followers unleashed a hell that would return to its birthplace in Berlin fewer than six years later.
During the trip, guests have time to explore historical sites and reflect on how the Nazis rose to power and brought not only destruction, but misery to Europe. Immersed in the expert storytelling of Dr. Richie, participants visit battlefields, museums and memorials, while interacting with locals on excursions that the Museum has planned along the way.
What makes this voyage most remarkable are the once-in-a-lifetime connections and interactions planned throughout the program. Guests have the opportunity to meet people who were eyewitnesses to historic events in Germany and Poland. Several meals, VIP events and private social gatherings specially arranged by the Museum include WWII veterans and noted civilians, who share their first-hand experiences with the group. And throughout the entire visit to Europe, guests have full-time access to Dr. Richie, who personally guides the group through many of the locations visited.
The port city of Gdansk. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
In addition to Dr. Richie, Gordon “Nick” Mueller, PhD, adds a unique perspective about the extraordinary efforts being made around the world, and here in the U.S., to continue telling the story of WWII. He is the founding president and CEO of The National WWII Museum, whose dedication to telling the entire story of the American experience in World War II has made the Museum the national institution it is today. He is committed to honoring the service and sacrifice of the WWII generation and is always hastened and humbled by the narrow window of time left to honor that generation in person. Dr. Mueller’s exceptional contributions to public awareness of WWII history have been recognized by the French Legion of Honor and his recent induction into the Board of Trustees of the National History Center.
“Our guests will travel on a journey that takes them from Dresden to Auschwitz to Warsaw, focused on the devastating legacy of the Holocaust, the bombing raids and the last battles,” said Ms. Richie.
It's sad that the NYT, once the Titanic of newspapers, referred to in the past as The Gray Lady because of its trusted respectability in reporting and objectivity, is now no more than a politically biased, bigoted, Jew hating daily that according to all reports is in big trouble. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Israel’s ambassador to the U.S., Ron Dermer, to his credit, body slammed the NYT as “a cesspool of hostility towards” Israel. He continued, “The same New York Times that a century ago mostly hid from their readers the Holocaust of the Jewish people has today made its pages a safe-place for those who hate the Jewish state.”
“What is the difference between the New York Times and a roll of Charmin toilet paper?” Answer: “Not much, they are both suitable for flushing down the drain.” It’s sad that the NYT, once the Titanic of newspapers, referred to in the past as The Gray Lady because of its trusted respectability in reporting and objectivity, is now no more than a politically biased, bigoted, Jew hating daily that according to all reports is in big trouble. Its readership has plummeted over 50% since 2005 and its staff has been reduced to a bare minimum to stave off the slide into bankruptcy.
Last week that publication that sadly is the favorite of Jews in The City and around the country sank deeper into the murky depths of its long time hatred of Israel and its alienation of Jews, by printing a vile cartoon that pictured a blind President Trump in a yarmulke, being led by a German breed dog (a dachshund) with a Jewish star hanging from its neck and a face featuring a contorted image of Bibi Netanyahu. Outrageous in its attempt to depict Israel’s prime minister as a Jewish-Nazi dog controlling our president. Do you recall the comment of Jew/Israel hating Congresswoman Ilhan Omar declaring that Jews control this nation with its hundred dollar “Benjamins?” The NYT now echoes her dangerous sentiments to its millions of readers. We now know where they stand.
Last week that publication that sadly is the favorite of Jews in The City and around the country sank deeper into the murky depths of its long time hatred of Israel and its alienation of Jews, by printing a vile cartoon that pictured a blind President Trump in a yarmulke, being led by a German breed dog (a dachshund) with a Jewish star hanging from its neck and a face featuring a contorted image of Bibi Netanyahu
Israel’s ambassador to the U.S., Ron Dermer, to his credit, body slammed the NYT as “a cesspool of hostility towards” Israel. He continued, “The same New York Times that a century ago mostly hid from their readers the Holocaust of the Jewish people has today made its pages a safe-place for those who hate the Jewish state.” That paper’s Pulitzer Prize winning self-hating Jewish columnist, Tom Friedman, depicted Israel as “Yad Vashem with an air force.” Friedman, the leading columnist, the shining star of the NYT, earned the wrath of former NYC Mayor Ed Koch who responded to one of Friedman’s frequent condemnations of Israel: “Of all the anti-Semitic slurs, one of the worst is that Jews control the world. Last week we heard yet another version of the same old lie, this time from Tom Friedman.” This NYT trope of Israel leading the world is not a new one.
It’s time for all readers/subscribers of the NYT to cancel their habit of starting off the day reading the biased, bigoted and extremely dangerous venom spouted by that sheet. Once upon a time, opening up its pages on the subway or in the Automat or carrying it folded beneath your arm while chugging to work was a sign of culture and sophistication. No more. It’s now a symbol of outright hatred. Flush it!
J. Levine Books and Judaica, a longtime independent seller of Jewish books, gifts and ritual objects, has said it will shutter its doors at the end of May. Photo Credit: Wikipedia
By: Ilana Siyance
The Big Apple is losing one of only three Judaica Stores left in the city. J. Levine Books and Judaica, a longtime independent seller of Jewish books, gifts and ritual objects, has said it will shutter its doors at the end of May. Fourth-generation owner Daniel Levine told The New York Jewish Week that the Midtown Manhattan shop’s business was hurt by the rising popularity of online shopping. “The next generation doesn’t shop in stores,” he said. “That’s the nature of the world.” Levine said the company will continue to operate online at levinejudaica.com, but that the business size will be reduced.
Levine is a fifth-generation family business operating at 5 West on 30th Street, between Broadway and Fifth Avenue. Having opened in 1905, it is one of the oldest standing Judaica stores in the entire country. The business was actually founded in 1890 in Vilkomir, Lithuania, where Hirsch Landy began selling the Torah scrolls that he wrote. When he immigrated to America, he opened the store as a pushcart on the Lower East Side selling Torahs, Tefillin and Tallitim. In 1920, his son-in-law, Joseph Levine, incorporated and expanded the business to selling other Judaica items including Torah and arc covers. Joseph’s sons Harold, Melvin and Seymour Levine carried on the business further broadening its scope. Back in November 1991, the retail store was featured in an article by the NY Times. In the article, owner Danny Levine had said “I’ve found that people are looking today for presentation or atmosphere. I want the store to be the Henri Bendel of Judaica,” Levine had said. “People should feel, wow, this is Judaism at its best.”
The Big Apple was once home to dozens of Jewish bookstores. It will now have only two independent stores remaining in Manhattan. One is West Side Judaica on the Upper West Side, and the other is Judaica Classics on the Upper East Side. As reported by VIN News, in 2017, the former announced it would be closing. But following the news customers flocked over, showing their support and allowing West Side Judaica to stay in business. The city also still has several boutique Judaica stores, mostly connected to museums or synagogues.
The dwindling number of Jewish bookstores should not be seen as a lessening of interest in Judaism, said historian Jonathan Sarna, a professor of American Jewish history at Brandeis University. Rather it is “a message to others who are thinking of opening Jewish bookstores,” Sarna told the Jewish Week. “It’s cheaper and easier to shop at Amazon.”
President Donald Trump is considering placing Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood on a U.S. list of foreign terrorist organizations, the White House said Tuesday. Photo Credit: Middle East Eye
President Donald Trump is considering placing Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood on a U.S. list of foreign terrorist organizations, the White House said Tuesday.
Edited by: JV Staff
“The president has consulted with his national security team and leaders in the region who share his concern, and this designation is working its way through the internal process,” White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders wrote in an email to reporters.
Naming Egypt’s oldest Islamist movement a foreign terrorist organization would allow Washington to impose sanctions on any individual or group with links to the Muslim Brotherhood.
The Muslim Brotherhood responded by saying it is stronger than any politician’s decision.
“We will remain… steadfast in our work in accordance with our moderate and peaceful thinking in what we believe to be right, for honest and constructive cooperation, to serve the communities in which we live and humanity as a whole,” a Brotherhood statement reads.
The Muslim Brotherhood was founded in Egypt more than 90 years ago. It came to power when its candidate, Mohammed Morsi, won the 2012 presidential election. Morsi had led the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak a year earlier.
Current Egyptian President Abdel Fatah el-Sissi toppled Morsi in 2013, outlawed the Muslim Brotherhood, and threw Morsi and many of its leaders in jail.
El-Sissi has shown little tolerance for the opposition and any dissent.
El Sissi had urged Trump to take the step of designating the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign terrorist organization during an April 9th visit to the White House, the New York Times reported on Tuesday, citing officials familiar with the matter.
After the meeting, Trump praised El Sissi as a “great president,” as a bipartisan group of politicians raised concerns about El Sissi’s record on human rights.
Many lawmakers and human rights groups have blasted al-Sissi for what they say have been numerous abuses and the recent successful referendum extending presidential terms which could allow him to rule until 2030.
Organized opposition to the referendum in Egypt was almost nonexistent.
According to an AP report, some people think the Muslim Brotherhood does not meet the legal criteria required for the designation. Others think the organization is too diverse and spread out across nations, making it difficult to enforce a one-size-fits-all description. There also questions about whether a designation would complicate U.S. diplomacy.
To meet the legal criteria for the designation, a group must engage in terrorist activity that threatens the security of Americans or the defense, foreign relations or economic interests of the United States.
According to the AP report, Jonathan Schanzer, with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a Washington think tank, said some violent branches of the group could be designated, but other members support its extremist political views but not violence.
That “blurry” picture of the group was what discouraged earlier U.S. administrations from designating it, he said. The Muslim Brotherhood in Libya, Syria and Yemen have apparent ties to militants, while the group in Jordan bills itself as a political group, said Schanzer, who advises against a “blanket terrorist designation” of the group.
The second anti-Semitic cartoon that the New York Times published within a week. This cartoon above shows an ominous looking Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as an evil version of the biblical Moses. The first cartoon that the NYT ran showed a blind President Donald Trump being led a dog of a German breed. Photo Credit: YouTube
A public funeral was held on Monday for Lori Gilbert-Kaye, 60, the woman who was shot and killed while attending a Passover service at Chabad of Poway on Shabbat.
By: Fern Sidman
Kaye was standing in the lobby of the synagogue just before 11:30 a.m. when she stepped between Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein (the Chabad rabbi) and gunman, John T. Earnest, 19, who fired several shots from what police described as a rifle, as was reported by INN.
Her husband, Dr. Howard Kaye, told the congregation that he performed CPR on his wife and that she died quickly.
“She did not suffer,” he said reassuringly, according to CBS News.
Kaye described the gunman as “lower than an animal” who was likely raised on a diet of blood and gore, according to the INN report.
At one point, he admitted that his thoughts were coming to him so quickly he was having trouble organizing them but he wanted to share the story of a peace pole his wife had erected at their home. The pole had a message “Peace prevail on Earth” in five different languages
“My wife was a person. Is a person who did so much good in her life. Whatever good she did always turned out. And whatever I did that might not have been good, she repaired and made me look good,” he said.
Not only did Jew hating terrorist John Earnest murder Lori Kaye in cold blood but Earnest wounded the synagogue’s rabbi, Yisroel Goldstein (pictured above) 8-year-old Noya Dahan; and her uncle Almog Peretz. Photo Credit: Chabad.org
INN reported that Kaye’s daughter, Hannah Kaye, said she chose to a pink dress of her mother because she said her mother was a rainbow, her greatest advocate and her dancing partner.
“Our story was, is and will forever continue to be nothing short of extraordinary and remarkable,” she said.
“My mother gave me every opportunity I could have dreamed of. All of who I am today is a result from the experiences we had together.”
A friend recalled how Kaye was a large supporter of President Donald Trump, always had a gift to give a friend or loved one and watched several cable news channels and read several newspapers, according to the INN report.
A public funeral was held on Monday for Lori Gilbert-Kaye, 60, the woman who was shot and killed while attending a Passover service at Chabad of Poway on Shabbat.
“Lori died on Shabbat. Lori died on Passover. Lori died in a synagogue. And Lori died saving our Rabbi,” her friend said, according to CBS News.
At the end of the service, Rabbi Goldstein said the congregation would continue to work to make the world a better place and will continue to hold services in the face of danger.
“We don’t go down for one moment. We don’t allow anyone – no terrorist, no murderer, no evil – to shut us down,” he stressed.
At the time of the shooting about 100 congregants were worshipping when the deranged gunman struck. Not only did he murder Lori Kaye in cold blood but Earnest wounded the synagogue’s rabbi, Yisroel Goldstein; 8-year-old Noya Dahan; and her uncle Almog Peretz, according to a WIN report.
World Israel News reported that Goldstein, who lost one of his fingers, said he was preparing for a service and heard a loud sound, turned around and a saw a young man wearing sunglasses standing in front of him with a rifle.
“I couldn’t see his eyes. I couldn’t see his soul,” Goldstein said.
And then, Goldstein said, “miraculously the gun jammed.”
WIN reported that in the moments that followed, the rabbi said he wrapped his bloodied hand in a prayer shawl and addressed congregants outside, vowing to stay strong in the face of the deadly attack targeting his community.
John T. Earnest pleaded not guilty to murder charges at his arraignment on Tuesday, according to an AP report. Sitting behind glass panes and wearing glasses, Earnest appeared to be looking straight at Judge Joseph Brannigan of San Diego County Superior Court, showing no emotion. Brannigan said Earnest would be held without bail, calling him “an obvious and extraordinary risk to public safety.” Photo Credit: Facebook
“We are a Jewish nation that will stand tall. We will not let anyone take us down. Terrorism like this will not take us down,” Goldstein recalled telling the community.
Authorities said Earnest had no previous contact with law enforcement. Prosecutors are seeking a sentence of life without parole or the death penalty. Earnest pleaded not guilty to murder charges at his arraignment on Tuesday, according to an AP report. Sitting behind glass panes and wearing glasses, Earnest appeared to be looking straight at Judge Joseph Brannigan of San Diego County Superior Court, showing no emotion. Brannigan said Earnest would be held without bail, calling him “an obvious and extraordinary risk to public safety.”
Leonard Trinh, hate crimes prosecutor for the district attorney’s office, provided more details about the attack, saying Earnest fired eight to 10 rounds before his AR-style rifle jammed. Trinh also said Earnest had a tactical vest, helmet and 50 bullets at the time of his arrest.
Police searched Earnest’s house in San Diego and said he also was being investigated in connection with the March 24 arson attack at the mosque in nearby Escondido.
California State University, San Marcos, confirmed that Earnest was enrolled as a nursing student who was on the dean’s list.
After the gunman fired numerous rounds, the AR-type assault weapon might have malfunctioned, San Diego County Sheriff William Gore said, according to the World Israel News report.
An off-duty Border Patrol agent fired at the shooter as he fled, missing him but striking the getaway vehicle, the sheriff said.
Chabad Lubavitch of Poway Synagogue was the sight of a horrific and deadly shooting on Shabbat, April 27th. Photo Credit: Chabad of Poway
WIN reported that Earnest called 911 to report the shooting, and when an officer found him on a roadway, he “pulled over, jumped out of his car with his hands up and was immediately taken into custody,” San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit said.
The rabbi, who described Kaye as a founding member of the congregation, said the attack could have harmed many more people had the shooter turned toward the sanctuary where so many were praying.
“Lori took the bullet for all of us,” Goldstein said, his hands wrapped in bandages. “She didn’t deserve to die.”
World Israel News reported that friends described Kaye as giving, warm and attentive to community members on their birthdays and when they were sick. A wife and mother, she loved gardening and made delicious challah for her family and friends, Roneet Lev said.
When the gunfire erupted, another worshipper, Shimon Abitbul, said he put his 2-year-old grandson on the floor and waited for a break in the shooting to grab the boy and sprint away.
Abitbul, who was visiting from Israel, said he was still coming to grips with the carnage.
“All of us are human beings,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if you are Jews or Christians or Muslims.”
Peretz, a visitor from Israel who was wounded in the leg, said he turned around after hearing gunfire and saw the shooter standing by the door. He grabbed his niece by the hand and carried out another child.
California State University in San Marcos was the institution of higher learning that John Earnest attended. He was a dean’s list student who was majoring in nursing. Photo Credit: news.csusm.edu
He then saw a group of children and got them running. “I tell them, ‘Go this way, go this way,” Peretz said.
Earlier on Monday, the shooter, John Earnest, was formally charged with murder and attempted murder, with hate crime allegations.
Prior to the attack Earnest had published an anti-Semitic screed online in which he claimed responsibility for an arson attack against a mosque in the area weeks earlier.
Police investigating the shooting attack say Earnest acted alone and was not part of any organized group.
Authorities have also charged him with arson in connection to a fire last month at an Escondido mosque.
Earlier on Monday, Earnest’s parents denounced his actions as “evil” and said they had no clue what motivated him.
“We are shocked and deeply saddened by the terrible attack on the Chabad of Poway synagogue,” his parents said in a statement released by their attorney and quoted by AFP.
“But our sadness pales in comparison to the grief and anguish our son has caused for so many innocent people. He has killed and injured the faithful who were gathered in a sacred place on a sacred day.
“To our great shame, he is now part of the history of evil that has been perpetrated on Jewish people for centuries.”
“Our son’s actions were informed by people we do not know, and ideas we do not hold,” Earnest’s parents said.
“Like our other five children, he was raised in a family, a faith and a community that all rejected hate and taught that love must be the motive for everything we do,” said the parents.
“How our son was attracted to such darkness is a terrifying mystery to us, though we are confident that law enforcement will uncover many details of the path that he took to this evil and despicable act,” the statement said.
WIN reported that Earll Pott, a family attorney who issued the statement, said the parents will not provide a legal defense for their son, who will likely be represented by a public defender. They asked for privacy.
The FBI revealed on Monday that it had received a warning about the Poway synagogue shooter five minutes before he carried out a deadly shooting attack, according to an INN report.
The FBI had received a warning about Earnest minutes before the attack, but did not have enough time to locate the suspect.In
Shortly before the attack was carried out Earnest posted an anti-Semitic manifesto on the 8-Chan board, an online community notorious for hosting extremists. In his manifesto Earnest accused the Jewish people of seeking to destroy the European race, accused President Trump of being controlled by Jews, and vowed to post a live-stream on Facebook of an attack on a Jewish target.
The deadly shooting in Poway that has shaken the community to the core marks the six month anniversary of the massacre that took place at the Tree of Life Synagogue in the Squirrel Hill section of Pittsburgh. On October 27, 2018, 11 elderly Jewish worshippers were shot to death by truck driver Robert Bowers, 46, of Baldwin, Pennsylvania. Bowers also posted anti-Jewish screeds on the internet prior to this deadly assault on those gathering at the synagogue to pray on Shabbat morning.
On Tuesday morning, the Jewish Press reported that Chabad Rabbi Uriel Vigler was attacked by an African-American man who physically threatened him and yelled anti-Semitic vulgarities. The assault happened on Lexington Avenue in Manhattan, as the Rabbi was making his way to morning prayers (Shacharit).
The assailant then ran away, and the rabbi did not need medical treatment.
Rabbi Vigler filed a complaint with the New York Police Department (NYPD).
In response to the attack, Rabbi Vigler told the TPS news agency: “I thought we were living in peace and tranquility in Manhattan. We won’t surrender to terror. We will continue to act with alacrity and full of love for every Jew and we will continue to spread light to the world.”
Rabbi Vigler is the rabbi of the Chabad Israel Center on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, and the director of the “Balev Echad” organization which empowers IDF soldiers who were wounded while serving in the army.
In a related development, the reprehensible anti-Semitic cartoon that appeared in the pages of the international edition of the New York Times has been at the center of a political maelstrom. Detractors of the NY Times have claimed that the iconic newspaper has essentially morphed into a contemporary version of the Nazi propaganda sheet, known as Der Sturmer.
On Monday evening, April 29, several hundred people gathered at the NY Times building on 8th Avenue in midtown to express their staunch opposition to the paper’s continual legacy of promoting anti-Semitism and establishing themselves as a tendentious repository of misinformation about Israel. Their coverage of all Israel related matters has been highly skewed and bigoted for many decades, despite the fact that pro-Israel advocacy groups have concretely challenged the veracity of the NY Times reportage.
While the well intentioned demonstration in front of the NY Times building attracted such prominent Jewish personalities as Professor Alan Dershowitz, and former Brooklyn Assemblyman Dov Hikind, among others, there appears to be a division among Jewish leaders on precisely what is the most effective path to traverse in order to not only confront the Times head on but to make the kind of formidable impact that result in dissuading the “Paper of Record” from tenaciously clinging to their current controversial editorial policy on Israel.
Professor Phyllis Chesler, a prolific writer, prescient scholar, leading academic and author of the ground breaking book “The New Anti-Semitism” said, “Demonstrations make for great optics, but the truth is for these gatherings to really be effective, we need rabbis, community leaders, organizational leaders, yeshiva principals and other respected personalities to bring out our Jewish youth. The paltry numbers of people that currently turn out to these demonstrations is more than embarrassing and definitely counterproductive.”
She added, “We need young people, en masse, at these demonstrations and we need them in the forefront of leadership roles as well. We need thousands in the streets expressing our positions, not just a few hundred and in many cases much less than that. While I both respect and greatly admire those who organized this demonstration at the Times building, I do question whether it was really worth it since the NY Times clearly has no intention of altering their anti-Israel propaganda policy because of this public display of angst.”
As a person who has written extensively on Israel and Jewish affairs for decades, and truly comprehends the nuances of the cognitive war that has been launched by a litany of adversaries in order to decimate the Jewish people and all that they represent, Chesler said we are living in the most dangerous of times. “Anti-Semitic incidents and Jew hating vitriol are at a fever pitch and tragically, I see even more of a dramatic escalation as each moment passes. It is really coming at us in a fast and furious fashion,” says Chesler who had offered a cogent analysis of this frightening phenomenon many years ago.
From her academic perch Chesler recalled that back in 1980 she approached the Hadassah organization as well as the United Nations and then the government of Israel with an offer to instruct people on how to scrupulously filter leftist rhetoric that is designed specifically to lambaste and flagrantly attack Israel.
“While these folks gave me a polite hearing, none of my suggestions on this matter got off the ground and that got me to thinking about the pervasive and well entrenched apathy in the Jewish world and how it can be combatted,” said Chesler.
She added that, “If Jewish organizational leaders would get together and start a campaign in which they could reach out to NY Times advertisers (many of whom are Jewish) and convince them to take their advertising dollars elsewhere, I believe that the NY Times will stand up and take notice. Losing this kind of substantial ad revenue would really help to debilitate them and that is the last thing that they need as they struggle to stay afloat financially.”
Asked what the next course of collective action should be in the war to stem the tide of this alarming rate of anti-Semitism, Chesler drew a heartfelt sigh and said, “Unity, strength and working together as we utilize highly effective modalities to make statements that will change the course of history. The clock continues to tick and time is running out.”
On Law Day, we renew our commitment to the rule of law and our Constitution. The rule of law requires that no one be above the obligations of the law or beneath its protections, and it stands as a bulwark against the arbitrary use of government power.
Our Founding Fathers knew that to secure liberty our Government must be one of laws and not the whims of officeholders. “The true idea of a republic,” wrote John Adams, “is an empire of laws, and not of men.” The Constitution, therefore, granted only limited power to the Federal Government, leaving the remainder to the States, and divided the Federal powers between three separate, co-equal branches. This separation of powers has helped guarantee the rule of law and preserve liberty for generations.
Each branch of the Federal Government takes an oath to uphold the Constitution and laws of the United States and thus is duty bound to the rule of law. That is why my Administration continues to fight the issuance of improper injunctions by Federal district courts, which enable a single district court judge to dictate law to the entire country and undermine the separation of powers. We are also eliminating unnecessary and burdensome regulations to help limit the intrusion of unaccountable regulators into the lives of American citizens. Additionally, I have taken action to ensure that public universities are fulfilling their obligation to uphold the First Amendment. In March, I signed an Executive Order that directs Federal agencies to ensure that public universities receiving Federal research or education grants are promoting free inquiry and not stifling open debate.
On this Law Day, I encourage all Americans to take time to express appreciation for how the rule of law helps protect our rights, including the freedoms of religion, speech, and the press. Today, we reflect on the many sacrifices our American forebearers made to secure and defend these rights for their posterity, and we aspire to be equally as dedicated to preserving them for future Americans.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, in accordance with Public Law 87–20, as amended, do hereby proclaim May 1, 2019, as Law Day, U.S.A. I urge all Americans, including government officials, to observe this day by reflecting upon the importance of the rule of law in our Nation and displaying the flag of the United States in support of this national observance; and I especially urge the legal profession, the press, and the radio, television, and media industries to promote and to participate in the observance of this day.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirtieth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand nineteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-third.
DRIVING FORCES BEHIND THE CRISIS: A new report by the President’s Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) looks at some of the underlying forces that have driven this crisis.
Today, CEA is releasing a report detailing some of the driving forces behind the opioid crisis.
In order to effectively address this crisis, it is vital to understand the forces that are driving it.
CEA’s analysis separated the crisis into two waves – first the large growth in prescription opioid related deaths that lasted through 2010 and the increase in illicit opioid deaths since.
SURGE IN PRESCRIPTION OPIOID MISUSE: The first wave of the opioid crisis was led by a massive rise in the misuse of prescription opioids.
A range of factors coincided with the first wave of the crisis, including lower prices, aggressive marketing by opioid manufacturers, and changing prescription practices.
The first wave saw a rise in the availability of prescription opioids due to lower out-of-pocket costs, prescribing practices, illicit “pill mills,” deceptive marketing, and inadequate controls.
Falling out-of-pocket costs for prescription opioids not only lowered the cost of misuse, but also coincided with lowered prices in the black market.
Out-of-pocket prices for prescription opioids fell by 81 percent between 2001 and 2010.
One potential factor in falling prices was the large increase in the share of prescription opioids subsidized by public programs, which rose from 17 percent in 2001 to 60 percent in 2010.
RISE IN ILLICIT DRUG SUPPLIES: The second wave of the crisis came as individuals struggling with addiction turned to heroin in place of prescription opioids.
As new controls decreased access to prescription opioids, individuals with opioid use disorders began to substitute with cheaper and more available illicit opioids, such as heroin.
The large numbers of people who struggled with addiction to prescription opioids led to an increase in demand for illicit opioids in the second wave.
Mexican traffickers increased shipments of heroin to the United States and other foreign producers introduced synthetic opioids like fentanyl to respond to this demand.
As more and more users turned to heroin, it has also been made even more potent as suppliers lace it with deadly synthetic opioids like fentanyl.
From 2010 to 2017, heroin-related overdose deaths spiked from 3,036 to 15,482.
Synthetic opioid overdose deaths increased from 3,007 in 2010 to 28,466 in 2017.
EMERGENCY RESPONSE: President Donald J. Trump is working to cut off supplies of illicit opioids and address the oversupply of prescription opioids.
President Trump signed legislation to help identify and disrupt shipments of deadly drugs.
At President Trump’s urging, China has agreed to take measures to prevent trafficking of Chinese fentanyl and fentanyl analogues.
During fiscal year 2018, Customs and Border Protection seized more than 2,000 pounds of fentanyl and more than 5,700 pounds of heroin.
The Administration’s efforts have helped generate a decline in opioid prescribing nationwide.
Recently, the Department of Justice brought the first ever criminal charges against a pharmaceutical distributor and its executives for their role in fueling this crisis.
A World Jewish Congress delegation comprising senior professionals and members of the WJC Jewish Diplomatic Corps arrived in San Diego on Monday to stand in solidarity with the local Jewish community in the wake of the horrific shooting at the Chabad congregation of Poway that claimed the life of Lori Gilbert Kaye and wounded three others. The delegation is representing the more than 100 Jewish communities worldwide affiliated with the WJC, many of which face substantial security threats and significant efforts toward their physical security.
The delegation attended Ms. Gilbert Kaye’s funeral, on behalf of WJC President Ronald S. Lauder and WJC CEO Robert Singer, and will stay in San Diego through Tuesday night to pay its respects and meet with members of the local community.
As the funeral began, WJC CEO Singer said: “Jews around the world stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Jewish community of Poway in shock and disbelief at the nightmare that unfolded during prayers on the last day of Passover, exactly six months to the date of the massacre at the Tree of Life Congregation in Pittsburgh.”
“The Jewish community of Poway is not alone. As its members grapple with the aftermath of this attack, the latest in a plague of hate-filled violence spreading across the globe, recently targeting churches in Sri Lanka and mosques in New Zealand, people of all faiths must stand together in unity and opposition to all forms of antisemitism and xenophobia,” Singer said.
“Terror is indiscriminate, and we must recognize that unless we do everything in our power to stop it, we are all potential victims. We must be vigilant in upholding our values of liberty, tolerance, democracy, and security for all. All Jews are responsible for one another, and we must protect each other, but we must also stand firmly in solidarity with all religious communities when vile hatred threatens. We must never give in.” Singer added.
The delegation in San Diego is being led by Lauren Rose, Assistant Director of WJC North America. Ms. Rose is available for interviews, upon request, regarding the WJC and global perspective of this tragedy.
The Orthodox Union (OU) – the nation’s oldest and largest umbrella organization for the North American Orthodox Jewish community, lauds California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s announcement that he plans to allocate $15 million for the State Nonprofit Security Grant Program in his budget.
The grant program provides unprecedented funding for security grants for nonpublic schools, places of worship and other nonprofit institutions. The program will provide up to $200,000 per recipient and will for the first time allow for security personnel funding for nonprofits at risk of bias crimes or attacks due to their ideology, beliefs or mission.
Teach CA, a project of the Orthodox Union that advocates for equitable funding for nonpublic schools and institutions in California, has been advocating for increased security funding for at risk institutions since 2016, and specifically to increase the critical State Nonprofit Security Grant Program.
Both on the state and federal levels, the Orthodox Union has long focused on creating legislation to increase safety for schools and other nonprofits at risk of terror attacks. Teach CA and its affiliated region-based programs in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Florida Maryland and Ontario stand ready to work with their communities to assist them in securing and advocating for similar funding programs.
“In light of the senseless act of anti-Semitic violence at the Chabad of Poway Synagogue, a strong response was necessary by the government of California to ensure that people of all faiths feel safe in their community institutions. Today, the Jewish Caucus and Governor Newsom have shown their commitment to the safety and security of all Californians, including those most at risk of bias or hate crimes,” said Orthodox Union Executive Vice President Allen Fagin.
“We are extremely grateful to the Governor and the members of the Jewish Caucus for heeding the call of so many and making the well-being and security of our schools and places of worship a top priority,” said Orthodox Union President Moishe Bane.
Founded in 1898, the Orthodox Union, (OU), serves as the voice of American Orthodox Jewry, with over 400 congregations in its synagogue network. As the umbrella organization for American Orthodox Jewry, the OU is at the forefront of advocacy work on both state and federal levels, outreach to Jewish teens and young professionals through NCSY, Birthright Israel/Israel Free Spirit, Yachad and OU Press, among many other divisions and programs. For more information, visit https://www.ou.org/.
The Jabotinsky Movement, joins with Jews the world over and mourns the tragic loss of Lori Gilbert-Kaye Z”L who was murdered at the Chabad of Poway on the last day of the Passover festival.
“That this coldblooded murderer committed this atrocity exactly six months after the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting is not lost on us,” stated Moshe Phillips, National Director of the U.S. Division of Herut North America.
“The words we recited at the Seder from the Haggadah “In every generation they rise up against us” echoed in our minds as the news reports assaulted us with the story of this latest deadly attack on U.S. Jews. The same anti-Jewish conspiracy theories that animate many in the Islamic world, neo-Nazis, Farrakhan’s Nation of Islam, and other haters seems to have motivated this killer as well. The only answer to such lone wolf attackers is stronger security and stronger Jewish Unity,” continued Phillips.
Herut calls upon all Jews, wherever they are, to take concrete steps to internalize the lessons from this attack: the importance of both physical security and Jewish Unity and that these two lessons are bound together now just as they have been since ancient times.
“Jews must be prepared at all times to defend one another. This is one of the main themes of the life of the great Zionist leader Zeev Jabotinsky (1880-1940) who is the inspiration of the Herut movement,” stated Karma Feinstein-Cohen, the executive director of World Herut and a member of the Board of Governors of the Jewish Agency.
Jabotinsky led the Organization for Jewish Self-Defense in Odessa before World War One and in the aftermath of the infamous Kishinev Pogrom he worked with fellow Jewish leaders there. He later organized the Haganah self defense unit in Jerusalem after World War One. In the years before World War Two he crisscrossed Europe again and again urging young Jews to learn self-defense and prepare to defend the Jewish community. Some of those Jews listened and joined in the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, fought with the Bielski partisans, and rescued Jews from Nazi Occupied Europe. Even before World War Two Jabotinsky pleaded with young Jews to make aliyah, that is to immigrate to the Land Of Israel, and save themselves.
“That this violent attack was launched just days before the Yom HaShoah memorial to the Holocaust is no coincidence,” said Phillips. “The only answer to such lone wolf attackers is a dual program of stronger security and stronger Jewish Unity.” Herut North America – The Jabotinsky Movement, urges all Jews to remain vigilant and keep security top of mind.
The words of Jabotinsky written when he memorialized the great Zionist hero and fighter Yosef Trumpeldor who died with a weapon in hand as he defended fellow Jews in the Galilee at Tel Chai in 1920, come to mind at this time: “Tolstoy and Gandhi [said] that turning the other cheek influences the worst enemy more than a strong hand. This is a nice and delicate theory, buy this does not mean that it is true. The best proof of this lies before our very eyes and is called the history of the Galut (i.e. Diaspora, Exile). We Jews have tried it. Not only have we tried, but we have systematically carried it out with superhuman patience in the course of many generations… Trumpeldor was the leader of Jews capable of defending themselves.”
Herut North America, is a twenty year old international movement for Zionist pride and education and more about Herut can be found here: https://herutna.org/.
As we observe Jewish American Heritage Month, our Nation celebrates nearly 4,000 years of Jewish history and honors the numerous contributions of Jewish Americans to our country and the world. Rabbi Akiva, a great Jewish scholar, declared that a central principle of the Torah is to “love thy neighbor as thyself.” Jewish Americans have repeatedly demonstrated their dedication to this commandment, helping the downtrodden and pursue justice, sanctifying the name of God, and embodying the best of America.
During a Jewish wedding ceremony, it is customary for the newlywed couple to shatter a glass. This longstanding tradition commemorates the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem and symbolizes that even during times of heightened joy, one should remember the painful losses Jews suffered throughout history. In the same way, all Americans bear a moral responsibility to stand alongside our Jewish communities and learn the lessons of tolerance that run through the tragedies that have befallen the Jewish people — both long ago and, sadly, in recent times. Reflecting on these events steels our resolve that they never happen again.
Unconscionably, rates of anti-Semitic hate crimes have risen globally, and Jewish institutions have been vandalized and violently attacked. This past October, we mourned alongside our Jewish brothers and sisters following the attack at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in which 11 worshippers were killed, making it the deadliest attack against Jews in American history. Then, on the sixth-month anniversary of that horrific attack and on the last day of Passover, we grieved as the Chabad of Poway Synagogue was the target of yet another act of anti-Semitic violence, in which one worshipper lost her life and three others were wounded. As Americans, we unequivocally condemn the pernicious, baseless hatred that is anti-Semitism.
Our American tradition compels us to reject the source of anti-Semitism. Following the Revolutionary War, the Jewish community of Newport, Rhode Island, was unsure if the new American Government would grant them equal rights, given the persecution and expulsion the Jewish people had faced in so many times and in so many places. In response, George Washington penned his famous 1790 letter to the members of Newport’s Touro Synagogue, reassuring American Jews that, in the United States, their religious liberty would be protected. He further invoked the prophet Micah, hoping that the “Children of the Stock of Abraham, who dwell in this land, continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other Inhabitants; while everyone shall sit in safety under his own vine and fig tree, and there shall be none to make him afraid.” Since then, the unique American promise of religious liberty for people of all faiths has remained a proud hallmark of our Republic.
Today, we recognize the resilience of the Jewish community in the face of great adversity and celebrate the countless ways Jewish Americans have strengthened our Nation. We echo the words of President Washington and Rabbi Akiva and stand in solidarity with our American Jewish neighbors as we reaffirm our commitment to combat all forms of hate and anti-Semitism.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim May 2019 as Jewish American Heritage Month. I call upon Americans to celebrate the heritage and contributions of American Jews and to observe this month with appropriate programs, activities, and ceremonies.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
thirtieth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand nineteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-third.
