SHABBAT SHALOM, GESHER SHALOM!


 
February 15th 2019
 
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Shabbat Times: 
Candle Lighting
Evening Service
Morning Service
Minha
5:12 pm
7:00pm
9:30am
4:45pm
 
  Forecast: 42/sunny

IN THIS ISSUE...
Shabbat Kiddush
Join us for Kiddush on Shabbat. This is the perfect opportunity for us to experience community and get to know each other better.

Birthdays and Anniversaries 
Irith Insler
Robert Mohl
Audrey Altschul
Milton Breit
Harrison Millner
Jackson Millner
Justine Laufer
Alan Fromkin
Lily Ciardiello
Richard Rosenberg
Laurie Singer
 

   UPCOMING EVENTS
 
Saturday 2/16
Morning Service 9:30 am
Minha , S'uda Shlishit (3rd Shabbat Meal), timely topic, Maariv and Havdalah 4:45 pm
Monday 2/18
President's Day Office Closed
Morning Service 9:00 am
Evening Service 7:45 pm
Wednesday 2/20
On the Road with the Rabbi to Leibman's Kosher Deli RSVP required 12:00 pm
Thursday 2/21
Rabbi's Class "Talmud and Tangents" 10:30 am
Visiting Scholar Janet DiNardo White - Lecture topic "Reform Movements" 12:30 pm
Friday 2/22
Bible Class 11:30 am
Indoor BBQ Dinner RSVP required 6:00 pm
Friday Night Musical Service 7:15 pm
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!
Debbie and Franco celebrated 20 years with the Congregation, and they are still going strong!


Torah Reading   513 Haftarah 520
T'TZAVVEH
This week's portion is a continuation of the detailed listing of the appurtenances required for the functioning of the desert Sanctuary, and of the priestly garments which Aaron, the High Priest, and his sons had to wear when officiating in the Sanctuary.
NER TAMID - The expression "Eternal Light" is actually a misnomer; "Regular Light," while not as lofty an expression, is a more accurate rendering. The Ner Tamid was kindled each day in the evening and burned throughout the night until the morning.
EPHOD - A tunic, waist-length garment worn by the High Priest. It was clasped together at the shoulders by two onyx stones on which were engraved the names of all twelve tribes, symbolically identifying Aaron as the representative of all the people.
HOSHEN MISHPAT - The Breastplate of Judgement was a pouch approximately nine inches square that was suspended by two gold chains from the shoulders of the Ephod. It contained twelve precious stones (four rows of three); each engraved with the name of one of the tribes. These stones comprised the Urim and Tummim which were consulted as an oracle of sorts in decision making.
ROBE OF THE EPHOD - A sleeveless tunic of blue, worn under the Ephod. It was fringed with alternating golden and pomegranate shaped bells. The chiming of the bells indicated to the people that the High Priest was performing his duties.
MITRE - A turban of linen with a gold plate affixed to the front, engraved with words "Kodesh Ladonai" (Holy to the Lord).
OTHER GARMENTS - The High Priest also wore a woven tunic, girdle and breeches - all made of linen. Ordinary priests wore these same linen garments, but their headgear was an ordinary turban instead of the Mitre.
ALTAR OF INCENSE - Each morning and evening incense was burned on the altar, made of acacia wood and overlaid with gold. The Altar of Incense was placed in the tabernacle just in front of the veil that covered the Holy of Holies.

You may recall that I wrote some months ago that we needn't panic over the election to Congress of a few young, progressive "stars" whose attitudes toward Israel and Jews give many of you cause for concern. I didn't say so in so many words, but the gist of what I wrote was they will shoot themselves in the foot, if not in the head. It (the self-incriminating statements and the reaction/condemnation) happened sooner than I thought. I was especially relieved that the House Democratic leadership that came down heavily on Ilhan Omar, does not have one Jew in its very top ranks; that speaks volumes, too. I won't bore you with all the news articles about this latest incident (if you want them email me and I will send you a raft of them), but I thought that this essay in Ha'Aretz was particularly worthy of reprinting in full:

Ilhan Omar Just Doesn't Get Why Americans Support Israel
Omar thinks cold cash, or hypnosis, keeps Congress toeing the Zionist line. Does she lack the political imagination, the information, or a filter on conspiratorial thinking, to see the real reasons for U.S. support for Israel? They do so because it is appealing to constituents of many political stripes
 
By Evan Gottesman, associate Director of Policy and Communications at Israel Policy Forum.
At the start of the week, Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar from Minnesota was back in hot water over tweets on Israeli influence in American politics. This time, according to Omar, "It's all about the Benjamins," the cash keeping U.S. civil servants towing the Zionist line.
It's telling that Ilhan Omar fell so quickly back into an anti-Semitic trope after a protracted public controversy over earlier tweets on Israel hypnotizing the world. It is also grating to see Republicans like House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, who once suggested wealthy Jews were trying to "buy" the midterm elections, pounce at the opportunity to score partisan points. Congresswoman Omar did ultimately apologize, albeit only after censure by the House Democratic leadership.
Beyond the offensive nature of the whole ordeal, Omar's comments betray a serious misunderstanding about what makes support for Israel such a potent political current in the United States. Conspiracy theories often tell us what we want to hear, and it's convenient to view one's ideological rivals as mindless drones who can be activated on command or with payment. If only the puppet masters could be overthrown, the whole system would come crashing down. But the reality is more complicated, and it does the Palestinians no favors to embrace an overly simplistic outlook that sees American Israel lobby money as the lynchpin holding the occupation in place.
Much of Israel's political cachet in American domestic politics comes from the Christian evangelical community. Their ideological conviction is real and requires no buyout. Evangelical support is far more uncritical than that of other demographics. Indeed, a far greater portion of Christian evangelicals than American Jews believe God gave Israel to the Jewish people. Christians United for Israel boasts the largest membership of any pro-Israel institution in the United States.
Many U.S. politicians are themselves evangelicals. Those who aren't still recognize evangelicals as a significant constituency - a full 25 percent of the American population and the largest single faith group in the country. But Israel's religious appeal is not exclusive to one confession. After all, much of American Jewry, a small but politically engaged minority, feels a genuine (if more philosophically fraught) bond with Israel, independent of any lobby.
Then there are the nonreligious aspects of the relationship with Israel that are more broadly appealing to Americans, especially but not exclusively on the right. There is the clash of civilizations element: the idea that Israel is a democratic outpost of Western civilization on the edge of an untamed wilderness, a tale evocative of the United States' own expansionist parable of manifest destiny. This was convenient during the Cold War, when noncommunist Israel beat back an alliance of Soviet client regimes in the Arab world, and it has taken on new life in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, with Israel's enemies recast in the same mold as the Islamic fundamentalist hijackers who brought down the Twin Towers.
Some of these intangible conceptions have translated into real policy: for instance, George W. Bush's administration imposed an embargo on helicopter spare parts to Israel as a protest over targeted killings in the second intifada. After 9/11 and the commencement of the "global war on terror," Bush lifted the ban.
Of course, many of Israel's foes are religious fanatic terrorists and, in widely televised incidents, some Palestinians in the occupied territories did celebrate on 9/11. And Israel is a key American strategic and intelligence partner in the Middle East. Not everything about popular American notions of Israel are untrue so much as they have become a distorted civic mythology in which Israeli actions are viewed with a less critical eye and the Israelis and Palestinians are treated in zero sum terms.
Pro-Israel organizations like AIPAC certainly capitalize on these themes, but they are not solely responsible for creating them. U.S. politicians enthusiastically play up support for Israel to their constituents in a way that they do not with other American allies, even other liberal democracies. When was the last time a congressperson led a rally in support of the U.S.-Germany relationship?
The truth is that elected leaders don't simply boost Israel to cash in. They do so because it is appealing to constituents of many political stripes. Republican support is louder and emboldened by more religious fervor, but Democratic backing for Israel is fairly steady too, according to a 2018 Gallup poll. There is a pro-Gulf state lobby in Washington (equal, if not exceeding the pro-Israel lobby's influence). Spending on lobbying and PR efforts on behalf of several Arab governments well outpaced similar pro-Israel expenses last year. Yet you don't see American officials parading their support for Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates in front of voters.
The pretext for Congresswoman Omar's latest contentious tweet was Kevin McCarthy's threat of punitive action against her and Rashida Tlaib over their Israel criticism. McCarthy admonished the two Democratic representatives in a public way because it mobilizes the Republican base and inflames a wedge issue among Democrats. Contra Omar, no "Benjamins" were required to make such a move politically expedient for the GOP, even as it helps turns Israel into a partisan football.
When and if the historical trends buoying the U.S.-Israel relationship are overturned, it will be in part because of this politicking (in which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has participated), combined with a growing impatience with Israeli leaders who make no scruples over their intention to annex the West Bank and definitively close the door on a two-state solution.
The Palestinians' ability to insert themselves into the American consciousness with appeals to historical moments like the civil rights and anti-apartheid movements will also be critical in a country where it is very easy to identify with Israel. Pro-Israel organizations like AIPAC do wield real influence, but they are only one part of the story.
In the meantime, Ilhan Omar's political imagination seems not to account for the idea that Israel could carry genuine allure for Americans without relying on artificial interference, whether cash or hypnosis. Omar ignores how uncritical elements of U.S. support for Israel evolve from very American cultural motifs. Ironically, building support for a just and sustainable Israeli-Palestinian peace will require overcoming these preconceptions.
Initially, Ilhan Omar, like U.K. Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, seemed content to fall back on tokens and reflexive defensiveness when she was called out for anti-Semitism. Her apology is a welcome development, but this is the second such incident in two months. That's why it is even more imperative that she also correct the record with real actions, and by substituting conspiratorial thinking with a solid grasp of the real triggers underlying American ties with Israel.
Apology Unaccepted                                                  
This is a very illuminating article. Those who know Ilhan Omar b etter and from back in her home state, say we cannot cut her any more slack:
Minnesota Jewish leaders Talked with Ilhan Omar About Anti-Semitism Last Year. She and They Have Been There Before, and They Remain Frustrated.                                                                      
 
We all know that Cong. Josh Gottheimer came out early and forcefully in condemning Rep. Omar's latest; here is what Cong. Bill Pascrell had to say (and remember that he has a huge Muslim/Palestinian constituency in Paterson):
Bill Pascrell Says Ilhan Omar Must Apologize
Dem congressman says colleague 'channeled the cancerous bigotry that has fanned the flames of hate for centuries'

We all know that Cong. Josh Gottheimer came out early and forcefully in condemning Rep. Omar's latest; here is what Cong. Bill Pascrell had to say (and remember that he has a huge Muslim/Palestinian constituency in Paterson):  Bill Pascrell Says Ilhan Omar Must Apologize
Dem congressman says colleague 'channeled the cancerous bigotry that has fanned the flames of hate for centuries'
 

How AIPAC Really Operates
What AIPAC Says About Itself (posted on social media day-before-yesterday)
Our work is the best manifestation of American democracy: the ability to petition our government and advocate directly for the policies, principles and values important to us.
We embrace the opportunity to exercise our First Amendment right to engage lawmakers directly on the merits and substance of policy. We provide timely, accurate information to educate members of Congress.
American Israel PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE. We are not a PAC: we do not rate, endorse or direct funds to candidates. We are an American organization supported by American citizens. We are proud, patriotic Americans who support a strong U.S.-Israel relationship.
As Americans, we are proud to exercise our right to participate in the policy and political process. We are a lobbying group comprised of grassroots citizen activists.
Support for the U.S.-Israel relationship remains a bipartisan pillar in Congress and among the American people.
The U.S.-Israel relationship is strong and only growing stronger thanks to the strategic benefits our alliance with Israel provides America, and is further cemented by years of hard work to build a bedrock of bipartisan support in Congress.






Tonight: Evening service at 7:00 p.m.
Tomorrow morning at 9:30 a.m.
Tomorrow afternoon at 4:45 p.m.
During Seudah Shlishit we will resume reading Michelle Alexander's NYT op-ed Time to Break the Silence on Palestine, which will be followed by three refutations: Alan Dershowitz, Peter Buchsbaum and Thane Rosenbaum.

This Week's Yahrzeit Observances
We hope that our weekly listing of yahrzeit observances will serve 2 purposes:
1)     To remind those who have the yahrzeit for a second time, much closer to the date of the actual observance
2)     To alert friends and acquaintances that someone they know is observing a yahrzeit. We hope that you will show them your support by joining them at our minyanim, and helping to assure that Kaddish can be recited with a minyan 
Hyla Epstein will be observing yahrzeit for her brother, Allan Abrams on Saturday evening, February 16th
Peter Bloch will be observing yahrzeit for his brother,  Floyd Bloch on Saturday evening, February 16th
Sue Ann Koby will be observing yahrzeit for her father, Dr. John Breiner on Saturday evening, February 16th
Jerome Margolin will be observing yahrzeit for his father,  Eli Margolin on Sunday evening, February 17th
Anne Sommer will be observing yahrzeit for her mother, Berta Sommer on Sunday evening, February 17th
Lynda Sussman will be observing yahrzeit for her aunt, Lillian Sudack on Sunday evening, February 17th
Marvin Josif will be observing yahrzeit for his father, Dov Josif on Monday evening, February 18th
Marilyn Saposh will be observing yahrzeit for her father, Louis Bettinger on Monday evening, February 18th
Ethel Chesen will be observing yahrzeit for her mother,  Helen Winterfield on Tuesday evening, February 19th
Evelyn Baer will be observing yahrzeit for her grandmother, Emma Baer on Tuesday evening, February 19th
Ellen Yuder will be observing yahrzeit for her father, Larry Davidman on Tuesday evening, February 19th
Gloria Singer will be observing yahrzeit for her brother-in-law, Douglas Winikoff on Wednesday evening, February 20th
Sharon Fischler will be observing yahrzeit for her father-in-law, Nathan Fischler on Wednesday evening, February 20th
Rabbi Henry Glazer will be observing yahrzeit for his mother, Rose Glazer on Wednesday evening, February 20th
Alvin Sussman will be observing yahrzeit for his sister, Blossom Cass on Thursday evening, February 21st




Important/Interesting Reads
In Honor of Presidents' Day:
Letter from the Newport Jewish Community to President George Washington
On August 17th, 1790, Moses Seixas, an official ("Warden"/Rabbi???) of the Hebrew congregation in Newport, Rhode Island, delivered a public letter to President George Washington, who was visiting the state. In his letter, Seixas thanked Washington for his leadership in forming the fledgling government of the United States, and also expressed the hope that the young country would accord respect and tolerance to all of its citizens, regardless of background and religious beliefs.
The famous phrasing "a Government, which to bigotry gives no sanction, to persecution no assistance" which is attributed to Washington, actually comes from Seixas' letter, and President Washington, in his reply to Seixas, echoes that wording verbatim
Sir,
Permit the children of the stock of Abraham to approach you with the most cordial affection and esteem for your person and merits - and to join with our fellow citizens in welcoming you to NewPort.
With pleasure we reflect on those days - those days of difficulty, and danger, when the God of Israel, who delivered David from the peril of the sword, - shielded Your head in the day of battle: - and we rejoice to think, that the same Spirit, who rested in the Bosom of the greatly beloved Daniel enabling him to preside over the Provinces of the Babylonish Empire, rests and ever will rest, upon you, enabling you to discharge the arduous duties of Chief Magistrate in these States.
Deprived as we heretofore have been of the invaluable rights of free Citizens, we now with a deep sense of gratitude to the Almighty disposer of all events behold a Government, erected by the Majesty of the People - a Government, which to bigotry gives no sanction, to persecution no assistance - but generously affording to all Liberty of conscience, and immunities of Citizenship: - deeming every one, of whatever Nation, tongue, or language equal parts of the great governmental Machine: - This so ample and extensive Federal Union whose basis is Philanthropy, Mutual confidence and Public Virtue, we cannot but acknowledge to be the work of the Great God, who ruleth in the Armies of Heaven, and among the Inhabitants of the Earth, doing whatever seemeth him good.
For all these Blessings of civil and religious liberty which we enjoy under an equal benign administration, we desire to send up our thanks to the Ancient of Days, the great preserver of Men - beseeching him, that the Angel who conducted our forefathers through the wilderness into the promised Land, may graciously conduct you through all the difficulties and dangers of this mortal life: - And, when, like Joshua full of days and full of honour, you are gathered to your Fathers, may you be admitted into the Heavenly Paradise to partake of the water of life, and the tree of immortality.
Done and Signed by order of the Hebrew Congregation in NewPort, Rhode Island 
 
Moses Seixas, Warden
August 17th 1790

When the Right and Left Fight Over Anti-Semitism, Jews are Caught in the Middle and Often Left Out of the Conversation                                                                                            
This article is over one month old, but it just came to my attention. It is an excellent, objective explanation of the background and motivations behind the law, it backers and detractors:
 
The Controversy over Laws Punishing Israel Boycotts                         


Israel
NYT columnist Bret Stephens wrote a brilliant piece in defense of Israel/Zionism, calling out left-wing progressives (and also right-wing extremists). It is entitled The Progressive Assault on Israel-A movement that can detect a racist dog-whistle from miles away is strangely deaf when it comes to some of the barking on its own side of the fence.
It is comprehensive, insightful and so important that I will be reproducing in the March Messenger so that it will be available to the entire congregation (not just to you Shab Sha recipients or to those who come on Shabbat afternoons). We will be analyzing it and discussing it in Shul on Shabbat morning, March 9; please bring your copy of the Messenger along.
Below are 2 representative samples of readers' reactions to the Stephens' op-ed:
Progressives and Israel: Differing Perspectives                                                                                                           Readers say misunderstanding on the far left, and Israeli policies contribute to the problem                                    
Ethiopian Jews Left Behind               
As thousands of Ethiopian Jewish community members still languish in Addis Ababa and Gondar, a few are finally coming home - without their married children.                                                    
Opinion: Israel has a Racism Problem. Here are 3 Ways to Help Fix It                                                                            We need to figure out how to break the systemic oppression that forces Ethiopians to fight to survive, writes an Ethiopian Israeli living in New York                                                                         

Reported Homophobic Incidents in Israel Increased by 54 Percent in 2018, Report Finds
Number of Israeli-Arab Ph.D. Candidates More than Doubled in a Decade 
Report: Kuwaiti Businessmen Said to Visit Israel 
Ex-Saudi Intelligence Chief Reveals Secret Israel-Saudi Relations Dating Back 25 Years  
Venezuela's Guaido Says He Is Working to Restore Ties with Israel   
Canadian Parliament Approves New Israel Free Trade Deal                                                          
Netanyahu Rival, Gideon Saar, Wins Big in Likud Primary
Social Justice Protest Leaders take Spots 3 & 4 in Israel's Labor Party Primary    
Don't Blame the Orthodox Church for Nasty Political Games in the Holy Land                               
The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate is not deliberately selling off land to Israeli settlers. It has been the victim of fraud and attacks by Israeli extremists                                      
Ancient Coin from Bar Kochba Revolt Found in Israel   



BDS / Anti-Semitism / Anti-Zionism
U.S. House of Representatives Approves Motion Condemning Anti-Semitism 
This first-of-three articles I sent you last week, but it is necessary for understanding the second and third articles:
Anti-Semitic Incidents in UK at Record High for Third Year in a Row
Guardian Apology over Gaza Photo for UK Anti-Semitism Story                                                              
This is about the UK-and not about Israel or the Palestinians. The picture was entirely inappropriate   
Antisemitism Never Went Away...  It's just that now MPs like Luciana Berger are standing up to it  Auschwitz survivor Anita Lasker-Wallfisch said recently: 'I thought that our suffering was an atonement for all time and that the generations to come would be free of prejudice forever. Alas, I was wrong.'            
  Anti-Semitic Acts Hit France amid Anti-Government Protests
Dutch Textbook Says Jerusalem is Holy to Muslims and Christians But Does Not Mention Jews 
And there are more omissions and falsifications                                                                
 
 
BDS
From JTA's Ron Kampeas:                    
Why Democratic Candidates Voted No on the Anti-BDS Bill
AIPAC was relieved by the substantive Democratic backing in the Senate for a controversial pro-Israel bill initiated by Republicans.        
The Strengthening America's Security in the Middle East Act (S.1), which the American Israel Public Affairs Committee said "contains critical pro-Israel provisions," passed in a 77-23 vote, earning yeas from every Republican but one, Rand Paul of Kentucky.
"These provisions - contained in one of the first major bipartisan bills adopted by the Senate this year - pledge security assistance to Israel and clarify that state and local governments have the right to counter boycotts of Israel," AIPAC explained.
Not only that, the bipartisan numbers were good: Of 47 senators in the Democratic caucus, 25 voted for the measure to 22 against. A majority of the minority!
The exceptions, however, were notable: Of the seven Senate Democrats who have declared for the presidency or seem poised to, six voted no. Only Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota voted yes.
I asked all seven for explanations; five got back to me. Klobuchar's staff said she was caught up in hearings, and the office of   Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., did not respond. The five no voters based their opposition to what has been called an "anti-BDS bill" on free speech concerns about its anti-boycott element, which would provide federal protections for states penalizing boycotters.
Among those who replied, some emphasized their support for the other components of the bill, including $38 billion in defense assistance for Israel, as well as sanctions targeting Syria's Assad regime and the reinforcement of the alliance with Jordan.
Cory Booker of New Jersey: "I have a strong and lengthy record of opposing efforts to boycott Israel, as evidenced by my co-sponsorship of S. 720, the Israel Anti-Boycott Act. However, this specific piece of legislation contains provisions that raise serious First Amendment concerns, and that's why I voted against it. I drafted an amendment to help address these widely held concerns, but there was no amendment process offered to allow for this bill to be improved. There are ways to combat BDS without compromising free speech, and this bill as it currently stands plainly misses the mark."
Sherrod Brown of Ohio: "I strongly support additional security cooperation with Israel and Jordan, and holding the Assad regime accountable. However, recent court cases in Kansas and Arizona have raised First Amendment concerns with state laws, therefore, I believe we need to pause on enacting federal legislation while the issue is still pending in court."  
Kamala Harris of California: "Senator Harris strongly supports security assistance to strengthen Israel's ability to defend itself. She has traveled to Israel where she saw the importance of U.S.-Israeli security cooperation firsthand. She opposed S.1 out of concern that it could limit Americans' First Amendment rights."
Bernie Sanders of Vermont: "While I do not support the BDS movement, we must defend every American's constitutional right to engage in political activity. It is clear to me that this bill would violate Americans' First Amendment rights."
Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts: "I oppose the boycott. But I think penalizing free speech activity violates our Constitution, so I oppose this bill."
So why were the presidential contenders more likely to vote against the kind of bill that pro-Israel types - and a majority of their party colleagues - usually see as a slam dunk? The Republicans want to paint them as soft on the movement that targets Israel for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS), although all six oppose it - as a few said so directly .


Here are some other theories.

·  Fundraising for statewide office vs. fundraising for nationwide office: Presidential campaigns, particularly among Democrats, rely increasingly on small donations from individuals (remember Sanders boasting about his $27 average donation in the 2016 campaign?). An individual motivated to click on "donate" is likelier to be a partisan and less sympathetic to a candidate who signed on to a bill initiated by the opposite party. Notably, grassroots Democratic groups, including the hugely influential MoveOn, oppose the anti-BDS bills. Senate campaigns remain more susceptible to issue-driven donors and political action committees that favor lawmakers who cross partisan lines in order to turn favored bills into law.

·  The ACLU: The American Civil Liberties Union is an influential voice among Democrats, and it has made killing the anti-BDS bills a top priority, which helps embed the message among activists and donors watching the presidential campaign. Gillibrand, notably, did a 180 after ACLU representations. The group remains formally nonpartisan, however, and will not establish affiliated political action committees or endorse candidates, which diminishes its influence in Senate races.

·  The vision thing: Presidential candidates are under greater pressure to come up with a coherent overall vision, and their opponents will eagerly seek inconsistencies. Democratic candidates will be all about speech freedoms in the face of a president who has unrelentingly attacked the media, and the appearance of penalizing boycotts will not be a good look. It's true that consistency counts in Senate races as well, but within a narrower spectrum. Consider two of the Democrats who voted yea, Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Gary Peters of Michigan. Both are in states where campaigns have focused mostly on job creation. A free speech inconsistency won't resonate as much.

 

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In this WSJ Eugene Kontorovich op-ed the ACLU's inconsistency, if not its hypocrisy (and anti-Semitism) is made clear. A summary of the main points follows the url:


 

  For the ACLU, Antipathy to Israel Trumps Anti-discrimination                                                       

·  The American Civil Liberties Union, which for decades defended the vulnerable against public discrimination, has begun an assault on several anti-discrimination laws in order to bring boycotts of Israel into the political mainstream.

·  The ACLU has long argued that although private parties have the right to refuse to do business with people for ideological reasons, the government need not fund such conduct. "Taxpayer dollars must not fund discrimination" carried out by private parties, the ACLU has stated. It has successfully pushed measures banning the federal government from contracting with companies that engage in certain boycotts.

·  The anti-boycott laws the ACLU has defended are meant to protect gays and lesbians. Yet it inexplicably ignores that the logic of those anti-boycott laws applies equally to Israel.

·  The ACLU may think that refusing to do business with people because of their sexuality is immoral while refusing to do business with people connected with Israel is a blow for justice. But First Amendment protections are the same regardless of what one thinks of the underlying conduct.

·  The ACLU's enthusiasm for Israel boycotts has led it to take legal positions that threaten to undermine the anti-discrimination norms it has worked for decades to achieve. Now it is prepared to risk legal protections for sexual minorities for the sake of creating a constitutional right to boycott Jews.




Iran / Syria / Hezbollah
Bahraini Minister in Warsaw: Iran's "Toxic Money" Helps Block Israeli-Palestinian Peace  
IDF Believes Iran Pulling Forces in Syria Away from Israel Border Due to Strikes                                                       (and more topics covered by Israel's military threat assessment)                                              

Israel Rejects Iran Using "Reconstruction" to Cover Up for Entrenchment in Syria    
Rebel-allied news agencies say two Iranian Revolutionary Guards officers were killed and six Iranian military personnel were wounded while preparing to fire at Israeli Golan Heights * Syrian state news says no injured * IDF declines to comment                                                                          

Report: Israel Spying on Iran from U.S. Air Base in Afghanistan
U.S. Revives Secret Program to Sabotage Iranian Missiles                                                                              





The Palestinians
Arab Message from Warsaw: No PA Veto over Contact with Israel                                                                               Leaders attend despite Palestinian requests to boycott conference                                                     

PALESTINIANS PAY "SHIVA" CALL TO FAMILY OF MURDERED ORI ANSBACHER  
A group of ~ 30 Palestinians and Jews affiliated with the NGO Tag Meir paid a consolation visit 
And...

Leading Pollsters Review the Current Israeli-Palestinian Climate  
Palestinians Get 20,000 Permits for Medical Treatment in Israel in 2018                                    
Hamas Used Al-Aqsa TV to Coordinate Terror Attacks                                                                   
The station's messages were a key factor in the IDF decision to bomb Al-Aqsa TV headquarters in Gaza last November                                                                                                                            
Jared Kushner and the Art of Humiliation                                                                                                                        Trump's son-in-law has become known as a deal-maker. But with the Palestinians, his approach appears to be take it or leave it.           

Weapons Smuggling from Jordan into the West Bank in Support of Hamas and Islamic Jihad       
 
I have no idea why this information was ever classified; everyone knows it!
Declassified U.S. Document: Palestinian Schools Teaching Hate                                                       


Hi-Tech

Iran Tried to Hack Israel's Missile-Alert System         
Israeli Airports Fend Off 3 Million Attempted Cyber Attacks a Day 
Israelis Are Top Users of Social Media in the World  
Breakthrough in AI Diagnosing Heart Disease at Israel's Weizmann Institute  
Caught Between Giants: How Will Israel Navigate the U.S.-China Tech Cold War?                                                 Given its close diplomatic and security ties with the United States and its growing economic ties with China, where does Israel stand amidst the U.S.-China trade war?                                              
Symantec Buys Israeli Cybersecurity Company Luminate for $200 Million      





Pop Culture
 
Maybe these 3 articles should have been listed under BDS, but...                                                                 
(And her newest video release, "Bassa Sababa", is also included at the end of the article ) 
The Hypocrisy of Eurovision Israel Boycotters                                                                

Anger as Good Morning Britain Posts Survey on Boycotting Eurovision in Israel 
Kobi Marimi, Who Mixes Pop and Opera, to Represent Israel at Eurovision     
"Shtisel" Star Michael Aloni On How He Prepared To Play A Charedi On TV
The Great Hollywood Screenwriter Who Hated Hollywood
Ben Hecht helped invent modern American cinema-while he was making other plans                                  
 

"The Band's Visit" Drake Win Grammy Awards      
Billy Crystal Plays a Rabbi for the First Time in this Indie Drama
 Also stars Jewish sisters Jemima & Lola Kirke                                                          
The dry comedy explores how people deal with the death of a loved one and delves into some intriguing contrasts                                  

Can Israeli Wine Succeed Beyond The Kosher Aisle? 
This Italian Chef is Bringing Kosher Wood-Fired Pizza to NYC    
This may be disgusting...but for sure it is a sacrilege!






                                            
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At Ramah's three specialty camps, campers pursue their passions within the transformative Jewish communities that have distinguished the Ramah experience for over 70 years.




Dear Friends,  
Daniel Rozin is a New York based Israeli artist working in the area of interactive digital art .
He earned a BA at the Jerusalem Bezalel Academy of Art and Design and an MPS from NYU.
Rozin uses a combination of sensors and computers to create installations and sculptures that have the unique ability to change and respond to the presence and point of view of the viewer.
His current solo exhibition "Sol"  is proudly presented at Bitforms Gallery.
 
 

Dance
To Create a World
Gallim Dance Company
Choreographer Andrea Miller
February 14, 15, 16 | 8:00 pm
Sunday, February 17 | 2:00 pm
The Joyce Theater
The boldly inventive choreographer and artistic director of Gallim, Andrea Miller, returns to The Joyce after a year at the Metropolitan Museum of Art as its first choreographic Artist-in-Residence to present the world premiere of To Create a World. The piece is a culmination of research that began at the ancient Temple of Dendur and resulted in a unique movement language that takes audiences from a pre-human past to a post-human future.


Photo: Rune Abro
Dance
One. One & One (N. Y. Premier)
Vertigo Dance Company
Choreographer Noa Wertheim
March 5th - 6th, 2019 | 7:30 pm

Jerome Robbins Theater
Israel's highly regarded Vertigo Dance Company performs One. One & One, choreographed in celebration of the ensemble's 25th anniversary and set to a powerful score by Avi Belleli. Performed on a dirt-covered stage, the work creates an arresting sensory experience as it explores the individual's desire for wholeness and spiritual connection to the natural world.


Theater
The Band's Visit
2018 Tony Award Winner for Best Musical
Music & Lyrics, David Yazbek
Ending April 7th, 2019
Barrymore Theatre
THE BAND'S VISIT is the winner of 10 Tony Awards, making it one of the most Tony-winning musicals in history. It is also a 2019 Grammy Awards® winner for Best Musical Theater Album. In this delightfully offbeat story, set in a town that's way off the beaten path, a band of musicians arrive lost, out of the blue. Under the spell of the desert sky, and with beautiful music perfuming the air, the band brings the town to life in unexpected and tantalizing ways. Even the briefest visit can stay with you forever.


Music
21st Century Women
Inbal Segev, cello
February 28th, 2019 | 8:00 pm
Roulette Intermedium Brooklyn, NY
Inbal Segev performs solo cello works by five of today's prominent female composers: Missy Mazzoli, Reena Esmail, Anna Clyne, Gity Razaz, and Kaija Saariaho. The program's focal point, Legend of Sigh, is a new multimedia, immersive piece for cello and electronics written for Segev by Razaz with video and projection design by filmmaker Carmen Kordas. Legend of Sigh explores birth, transformation, and death through the retelling of an old Azerbaijani folktale about a mysterious being, Sigh, who appears every time someone lets out a heartfelt sigh, unknowingly calling out to him. In an article titled "Inbal Segev Offers Four Great Reasons to Program More Music by Women Composers," San Francisco Classical Voice described her performance of this program as "dynamic and musically diverse."


Daniel Rozin
Cracked Mud, 2019
Ceramic fragment, custom software, motors, control electronics, motion sensors, light fixture
4 x 132 x 132 in / 10.2 x 335.3 x 335.3 cm
Courtesy bitforms gallery, New York
Exhibition Sol
Artist, Daniel Rozin
February 8th - March 17th, 2019
bitforms gallery, New York
Israeli-American artist, Daniel Rozin. Sol probes the relationship between the function of natural and mechanical structures. The exhibited works employ a combination of custom software and organic materials to mimic and interact with the viewer's body in space. Rozin uses mirroring to nurture the mechanisms of performance, calling for the audience to contemplate the reflection of their gestures.


Exhibition
Soft Pop
Artist Collaboration, Keren Cytter + John Roebas
February 8 thru March 1, 2019
Malraux's Place
This is the debut exhibition of Cytter / Roebas, a collaboration between Keren Cytter and John Roebas, featuring a musical contribution from Sergei Tcherepnin.


Music
New York Philharmonic
Benjamin Hochman, Piano
Sunday, February 17 | 3:00 pm
Merkin hall
J.S. Bach, Trio Sonata from in C major
Debussy, Piano Trio
Fauré, Piano Quartet in G minor
Jerusalem-born pianist and conductor Benjamin Hochman's eloquent and virtuosic performances blend artistic bravura with poetic interpretation. Winner of the 2011 Avery Fisher Career Grant, Mr. Hochman has established an international musical presence through concerts with the New York and Los Angeles Philharmonics; the Chicago, Pittsburgh, Houston, Seattle, San Francisco, and Vancouver symphony orchestras; Prague Philharmonia and Istanbul State Orchestra; and his Carnegie Hall debut with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.


Music
Jupiter Symphony Chamber Players
Vadim Gluzman, violin
March 4 | 2:00 pm, 7:30 pm
Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church
Max Levinson piano-Vadim Gluzman violin-Kobi Malkin violin-Ayane Kozasa viola- Coleman Itzkoff cello-Xavier Foley double bass-Vadim Lando clarinet-Eric Reed horn-Gina Cuffari bassoon
KORNGOLD Piano Trio in D Major Op. 1
SCHUBERT Octet in F Major D. 803
Written in the highly expressive language of the Viennese fin de siècle after two years of study with Alexander Zemlinsky, the lyrical tunes in a thoroughly modern harmonic language also show evidence of the traditions of Brahms and Strauss. Korngold was born in Moravia, educated in Vienna, and achieved success as a composer of opera and concert music throughout Europe. Upon leaving Nazi Germany, he made a name for himself in Hollywood, and was a pioneer in the development of the classical Hollywood film score, providing music for at least 16 movie scores, two of which won Oscars.


Music
Lior Miliger's Free Improv Trio
Composer + Saxophone, Lior Miliger
Sunday, February 24 | 7:00 pm
Doors open at 6:30 pm
Rockwood Music Hall Stage 3
Santiago Leibson, Piano
Ken Filiano, Bass
Rodrigo Recabarren, Drums
An up and coming contemporary sax player, composer and improviser, Lior Miliger has been performing his compositions and free improvised sets with New York's leading musicians.
His music is influenced by traditional Jazz as well as ancient Jewish music, and Israeli folklore, taking a turn to the contemporary and modern improvised music.


Exhibition
The Weight of Things
Artist, Dana Levy
Thru February 16th, 2019
Fridman Gallery New York, NY
Dana Levy's two-channel video installation The Weight of Things depicts the interiors of two rooms of the Palace of Versailles - the bedroom of Louis XIV and Salle de Constantine - in the midst of an earthquake. Taking 19th century etchings of the rooms as source material, Levy separates and animates the intricate details: sculptures, tiny wall moldings, picture frames, furniture, balustrades. One-by-one, the elements tremble and crumble to the floor, as if brought down by the thunderous raucous of the accompanying soundtrack. The lavish interiors, symbolic of absolute monarchy and military expansion, are thus reduced to heaps of rubble surrounded by starkly bared walls.


Dance
Decadance/Chicago
Hubbard Street Dance
March 6 - 17, 2019
The Joyce Theater
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago returns with two thrilling programs of contemporary dance. The first week features Decadance/Chicago, an evening-length performance combines excerpts from works by Ohad Naharin which were arranged specifically for Hubbard Street by the world renowned Israeli choreographer.


Music
Revelry: Yemen Blues (Duo)
Ravid Kahalani, Composer + Singer
Thursday, February 28 | 7:30 pm
Symphony Space
Yemen Blues is an astonishing musical concept that resides at the crossroads of traditional Yemenite melodies and the world of funk, blues, and jazz. It coexists in both the past and present, at once both timeless and modern. The group was founded by singer Ravid Kahalani, who grew up in a traditional Yemenite family, learned the language and the traditional chants of his people, and then extended his influences to West African soul, from the Sahara desert thru classical opera to Afro-American blues. Get ready for one of the most gripping and fun live duos in contemporary global music today.


Exhibition
Open the Land to the People
Exhibition Opening, SOLOWAY
Artist Keren Benbenisty
Thru February 24th, 2019
SOLOWAY Brooklyn, NY
This solo exhibition presents selected works (2016 - 2018) from Benbenisty's study into the Lessepsian Migration of fish from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, through the Suez Canal, which slices through the Egyptian Desert. Benbenisty's critical intervention into the scientific discourse over the migration of fish provides for an insightful metaphor for the complex and painful issue of human migration that is stirring up unrest across Europe and the U.S.


Exhibition
Close One Eye
Artist, Tirtzah Bassel
Thru March 10th, 2019
Slag Gallery Brooklyn, NY
Israeli artist, Tirtzah Bassel's second solo exhibition at Slag Gallery will feature a new body of work that includes both large and small scale oil paintings rooted in the observations of every day life.



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