It is no secret that Israel has enemies everywhere. Some choose guns and bombs as weapons. Some would prefer to use the power of public opinion, using half-truths and one-sided stories to report on Israel’s struggle to exist. Then of course there is the mass-media that never tires of distorting the stories of Israel’s self-defense effort. Of all places, Seattle has become the latest ground-zero for attacking Israel. (Maybe they figure that if they do it there no one will notice!)
All of us who live in urban areas are used to seeing city buses with all kinds of advertising and pictures on them—these “rolling billboards” are really a “no-brainer” to generate revenue. That’s fine- why not use advertising dollars to help public transportation. New signs on Seattle buses are a very different story.
Imagine driving down the street and seeing a sign on a bus that read “Israeli War Crimes- Your Tax Dollars at Work.” Together with the headline the sign displays the obligatory picture of children and destroyed buildings. The group sponsoring these ads is called “Seattle Mideast Awareness Campaign.” Their spokesman, Ed Mast, had the nerve to comment “I wouldn’t say it’s an anti-Israel message… we would like Israel to stop violating human rights.” I think I disagree. To portray Israel’s acts of self-defense as “war crimes” can hardly be considered a neutral statement about human rights. (If you would like to see the original report and pictures of the bus signs go to my blog, “yaakovthompson.blogspot.com.” Click on the link “War Crimes Bus Story.”)
As for King County Metro (these are public buses)- they say that the signs do not violate their guidelines. These signs contain no reference to “pornography, alcohol, tobacco, or threaten public safety.” So, as far as King County is concerned, the signs are fine!
I would love to see the list of people who provided the money for these signs. I am sure it would be very interesting reading. I far as I can anticipate there would only be two groups on that list- the first are those who hate Israel, the second would be those who are so blind to the realities of what Israelis face every day that they really believe bogus stories like this. This would be the group that has been convinced that Palestinians have human rights but Israelis don’t.
I think it is particularly insidious that these signs not only present a false picture of the terrorism coming out of Gaza and Israel’s attempt to stop it, but they also insinuate that all Americans share the guilt because it is the American taxpayer that makes these “war crimes” possible. This argument is absurd and of course fails to remind the American taxpayer that the people of Israel can always be counted on as the true friends of America. No, Israel is not guilty of war crimes. Israel is only guilty of self-defense. Any other argument is but a play for public opinion and an attempt to hide the real issues.
If you have to go to Seattle soon don’t ride the bus- call me and I’ll give you the cab fare!
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
To The New Year!
How will you remember 2010? It’s usually hard to remember one year from another- the effect of time seems to be to melt all of our memories together into that jumbled recollection that leaves us saying “I remember that but I’m not sure when it happened.” I don’t think any of us will be saying that about 2010! It has been a year to remember – economic crisis that touched everyone, continued polarization of our citizens- politics, policies, and division have taken their tolls on our land. It has been a tough year for everyone- we are more uncertain than ever about what the future will bring. I am not claiming that it has been a year without any good news at all but I think this year will stay in our memories as a time when we said to each other “things can only get better.”
I hope that those words will be the most enduring memory of 2010. It has been a year in which many of us, our families, and our friends have faced real problems and challenges The Jewish community has faced a hard year also- downsizing has become the key phrase in all of our institutions. That will have an impact of Jewish life for years to come. Many of our memories of 2010 may be things that we wish we could forget! That seems like a very sad statement to make but if you are like me you are ready to say goodbye to 2010 with a heartfelt “good riddance.”
As a Jew I am constantly amazed by the history of our people. No matter what history has tossed in our way, we are the people that declared “it can only get better” over and over. We have never given up or given in… the future has always held opportunity to make things better. I wish we had some magic way of sharing that optimism and hope with our fellow Americans. That fact is that, as bad as this past year has been for many of us, we have seen people respond in very heroic ways. Even in these tough times people continue to help each other. In this age of “less is more” and “no frills” we have been reawakened to the values that are most important. That is a very good sign. The lessons that we have learned have been very bitter but we have come out on the other side with a renewed sense of what really matters.
I will be very happy to welcome the new year as a new chance to make things better- to see people struggle less, to worry less, to get back to living with joy. I don’t know how quickly that can happen but I do know that if we reflect on what we have learned in 2010 we can welcome the future rather than dread it.
I hope that those words will be the most enduring memory of 2010. It has been a year in which many of us, our families, and our friends have faced real problems and challenges The Jewish community has faced a hard year also- downsizing has become the key phrase in all of our institutions. That will have an impact of Jewish life for years to come. Many of our memories of 2010 may be things that we wish we could forget! That seems like a very sad statement to make but if you are like me you are ready to say goodbye to 2010 with a heartfelt “good riddance.”
As a Jew I am constantly amazed by the history of our people. No matter what history has tossed in our way, we are the people that declared “it can only get better” over and over. We have never given up or given in… the future has always held opportunity to make things better. I wish we had some magic way of sharing that optimism and hope with our fellow Americans. That fact is that, as bad as this past year has been for many of us, we have seen people respond in very heroic ways. Even in these tough times people continue to help each other. In this age of “less is more” and “no frills” we have been reawakened to the values that are most important. That is a very good sign. The lessons that we have learned have been very bitter but we have come out on the other side with a renewed sense of what really matters.
I will be very happy to welcome the new year as a new chance to make things better- to see people struggle less, to worry less, to get back to living with joy. I don’t know how quickly that can happen but I do know that if we reflect on what we have learned in 2010 we can welcome the future rather than dread it.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
The Genie is Out of the Bottle
Most of us don’t really understand how the internet works. How is it that your kids or grandchildren can send you pictures or letters from anywhere in the world and (like magic) you see them on your screen! Does it work like TV? Well, maybe like a car- I don’t really know how it works either but when I turn the key it takes me where I’m going. For all of us who don’t really understand how those things work one thing is certain- the internet does work and it is a Genie that will never go back in the bottle! Yes, the internet does great things for us- human beings have never had access to so much information before. The only thing I worry about is how long it will take us to understand the difference between information and wisdom.
The flurry of stories about Wiki leaks is multiplying faster than I can read them. The details are pretty simple although the issues are much more complex. Does anyone have the right to steal secrets and then publish them? What pertains to governments also pertains to people. If we assert that the internet should not be censored then there is really nothing you can do if I decide to uncover and make public anything I want, like your credit card numbers or your social security number or anything else I choose.
Mr. Assange (the Wiki leaks guy) thinks he is doing the world a favor by revealing America’s “dirty little secrets.” In truth he is committing a crime against every American citizen (which, I believe, is closer to his intent.)His intentions have become even clearer as he states his threats against us- should he be arrested or killed there will be a flood of information that will be released. This is his “insurance policy.”
Does the age of the Internet mean that cyber-spying or cyber-terrorism should go unpunished and unanswered for the sake of “freedom-of-information?” I think not. We are now engaged in a war of wills- who will submit first? Those who have acted against Wiki leaks have seen their own websites attacked (MasterCard, PayPal.) Threats have been made to insure that these cyber-pirates stay in business. In one sense we are powerless- the internet has a life of its own somewhere out there in the flow of electric information- but behind that borderless flow of information are real people who choose to act as they do and should be held responsible. The Genie is out of the bottle but maybe a jail cell would be just the right size!
Most of us don’t really understand how the internet works. How is it that your kids or grandchildren can send you pictures or letters from anywhere in the world and (like magic) you see them on your screen! Does it work like TV? Well, maybe like a car- I don’t really know how it works either but when I turn the key it takes me where I’m going. For all of us who don’t really understand how those things work one thing is certain- the internet does work and it is a Genie that will never go back in the bottle! Yes, the internet does great things for us- human beings have never had access to so much information before. The only thing I worry about is how long it will take us to understand the difference between information and wisdom.
The flurry of stories about Wiki leaks is multiplying faster than I can read them. The details are pretty simple although the issues are much more complex. Does anyone have the right to steal secrets and then publish them? What pertains to governments also pertains to people. If we assert that the internet should not be censored then there is really nothing you can do if I decide to uncover and make public anything I want, like your credit card numbers or your social security number or anything else I choose.
Mr. Assange (the Wiki leaks guy) thinks he is doing the world a favor by revealing America’s “dirty little secrets.” In truth he is committing a crime against every American citizen (which, I believe, is closer to his intent.)His intentions have become even clearer as he states his threats against us- should he be arrested or killed there will be a flood of information that will be released. This is his “insurance policy.”
Does the age of the Internet mean that cyber-spying or cyber-terrorism should go unpunished and unanswered for the sake of “freedom-of-information?” I think not. We are now engaged in a war of wills- who will submit first? Those who have acted against Wiki leaks have seen their own websites attacked (MasterCard, PayPal.) Threats have been made to insure that these cyber-pirates stay in business. In one sense we are powerless- the internet has a life of its own somewhere out there in the flow of electric information- but behind that borderless flow of information are real people who choose to act as they do and should be held responsible. The Genie is out of the bottle but maybe a jail cell would be just the right size!
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Don’t Underestimate the Power of One Candle
As we gather throughout the nights of Hanukkah one ritual draws our attention: the lighting of the Hanukiyah, the Hanukkah menorah. Each night we add a candle until we reach the last night and have all eight candles burning. In essence each day of the festival is represented by one candle, a rather meager representative by today’s standards!
Have you ever seen one of those space photos taken of the earth at night? What we see is an entire planet that seems aglow by electricity. Major urban areas can be identified by the big “blob” of light that can be seen even from space. In this age in which our planet is aglow with artificial light it might seem that one small candle doesn’t really mean much. Perhaps it doesn’t if the only measure we use is the amount of light that is added to the darkness of a winter night. In fact that one small candle adds much to the winter night – it adds the light of community. A sense of community in numbers- that one light that I burn adds to the light that you kindle. Then we can multiply that by the number of Jewish homes in which small solitary candles begin to add up to a massive number- candles are lit across the globe. No, you might not be able to see them from space ,but you can certainly see them as you pass proud Jewish homes in which a great miracle is being recalled and celebrated.
More importantly I think we might underestimate how important one candle can be if we failed to consider the impact of this very easy ritual. Our people have a long history, one that has defied the normal expectations of historians and the common life cycles of nations. Through the millennia nations have come and gone, empires have been won and lost; wars have brought destruction to cultures and entire peoples. Yet, through it all, our people survived. The occasion of Hanukkah begs that we ask the question. An often quoted verse is “Not by power, but by the spirit.” Those few words say volumes about our people and even more about the significance of “one little candle.” We have survived because of the power of our rituals. We have survived because of those special acts that unite us as a people, unite us as a community, and unite us to a past that we never experienced directly but is a part of our “sacred present.” It is the power of this very “small” ritual that ties us to the past and the future.
Often the word “ritual” is considered to be something bad- an empty act that is simply done because someone said you have to do it. Rituals are considered just empty actions but they are not- they are the symbolic actions that focus our minds and bodies on spiritual truths. Lighting one candle may shed a tiny bit of light but that same candle can light the spirit of an entire people.
As we gather throughout the nights of Hanukkah one ritual draws our attention: the lighting of the Hanukiyah, the Hanukkah menorah. Each night we add a candle until we reach the last night and have all eight candles burning. In essence each day of the festival is represented by one candle, a rather meager representative by today’s standards!
Have you ever seen one of those space photos taken of the earth at night? What we see is an entire planet that seems aglow by electricity. Major urban areas can be identified by the big “blob” of light that can be seen even from space. In this age in which our planet is aglow with artificial light it might seem that one small candle doesn’t really mean much. Perhaps it doesn’t if the only measure we use is the amount of light that is added to the darkness of a winter night. In fact that one small candle adds much to the winter night – it adds the light of community. A sense of community in numbers- that one light that I burn adds to the light that you kindle. Then we can multiply that by the number of Jewish homes in which small solitary candles begin to add up to a massive number- candles are lit across the globe. No, you might not be able to see them from space ,but you can certainly see them as you pass proud Jewish homes in which a great miracle is being recalled and celebrated.
More importantly I think we might underestimate how important one candle can be if we failed to consider the impact of this very easy ritual. Our people have a long history, one that has defied the normal expectations of historians and the common life cycles of nations. Through the millennia nations have come and gone, empires have been won and lost; wars have brought destruction to cultures and entire peoples. Yet, through it all, our people survived. The occasion of Hanukkah begs that we ask the question. An often quoted verse is “Not by power, but by the spirit.” Those few words say volumes about our people and even more about the significance of “one little candle.” We have survived because of the power of our rituals. We have survived because of those special acts that unite us as a people, unite us as a community, and unite us to a past that we never experienced directly but is a part of our “sacred present.” It is the power of this very “small” ritual that ties us to the past and the future.
Often the word “ritual” is considered to be something bad- an empty act that is simply done because someone said you have to do it. Rituals are considered just empty actions but they are not- they are the symbolic actions that focus our minds and bodies on spiritual truths. Lighting one candle may shed a tiny bit of light but that same candle can light the spirit of an entire people.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Reprinted from The Jewish Journal, 11/24,2010
Readers of the Jewish Journal are very lucky. They are served by a Jewish newspaper that contains all the important Jewish news of South Florida. We should be proud of our paper and the staff that continues to keep the Jewish community informed about news, events, and accomplishments in our small part of the Jewish world. A few months ago the paper also launched its official website, “floridajewishjournal.com.” The website insures that you can read current news anytime you wish. The website also offers several features that are not included in print. Among these features is my “Ask the Rabbi” column. While this feature is usually only offered on line, I wanted to share a recent entry with you because I feel it is important for us, as supporters of Israel, to read. It is the kind of question that you might get in your workplace or from friends. I hope my answer will help you think about the issues involved. The following exchange appears on the homepage of The Jewish Journal and appears by clicking the “Ask the Rabbi” column.
Dear Rabbi Thompson,
I am a Christian Catholic living in Canada. I need to have better understanding of how Israel is conducting its disputes with the Palestinians. This past few years has caused my opinions of Israel to become negative. It seems we only get news of the negative Israel is doing. I understand the need of Israel to protect itself and how in the past the Palestinians were not recognizing Israel's right to exist, and, really why should I care. But I do. I really pray for peace in the Mideast and I also need to change my opinion on how I feel Israel has gone about protecting itself.
My problem is that I had a prejudice regarding the Jewish people because of what was happening and I want to change my attitude. What can you suggest I do in order to become a more forgiving person?
Regards,
John
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Dear John,
First let me say that I don’t think you need to be a more forgiving person- you only need to be a better informed person. Needing forgiveness implies that you have done something wrong. In my opinion you have not- you realize that your opinion of Israel has been shaped by a media that is overwhelmingly anti-Israel. One has only to look at the ridiculous resolutions coming from the UN to see the double standard that is applied to Israel. I take great pride in knowing that Israel is one of the most compassionate nations in the world. After the earthquake in Haiti Israel was first on the scene with field hospitals. Israel sends doctors around the globe and, yes, Israel gives Palestinian patients the best medical care available.
I am glad that you pray for peace in the Middle East. I hope you will do some reading. History will reveal to you that Israel has been fighting for its very existence since the moment of its birth. Terrorists continue to send missiles into civilian areas almost daily. Israel must live with the constant threat of war and terror attacks. While the Palestinian Authority continues to air its demand for peace it does nothing to curb violence. For those of us living in North America it is impossible to understand that fully.
The media often says that Israel is heavy handed in its reactions to the Palestinian threats. The papers and news shows love nothing more than to show armed Israeli soldiers staring down “poor Palestinian children who are “only” throwing rocks.” Ask yourself this as a Christian and as a human being- which culture is it that teaches their children to carry bombs and blow themselves up to kill others? The answer to that question should tell you something about the enemy that Israel faces each day.
Has Israel ever made mistakes? Of course they have. But do these mistakes justify an endless war of terror? John, I don’t want you to forgive Israel, I want you to understand her.
Thank you for your prayers I would be glad to join you in prayer any day!
Rabbi Thompson
Dear Rabbi Thompson,
I am a Christian Catholic living in Canada. I need to have better understanding of how Israel is conducting its disputes with the Palestinians. This past few years has caused my opinions of Israel to become negative. It seems we only get news of the negative Israel is doing. I understand the need of Israel to protect itself and how in the past the Palestinians were not recognizing Israel's right to exist, and, really why should I care. But I do. I really pray for peace in the Mideast and I also need to change my opinion on how I feel Israel has gone about protecting itself.
My problem is that I had a prejudice regarding the Jewish people because of what was happening and I want to change my attitude. What can you suggest I do in order to become a more forgiving person?
Regards,
John
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Dear John,
First let me say that I don’t think you need to be a more forgiving person- you only need to be a better informed person. Needing forgiveness implies that you have done something wrong. In my opinion you have not- you realize that your opinion of Israel has been shaped by a media that is overwhelmingly anti-Israel. One has only to look at the ridiculous resolutions coming from the UN to see the double standard that is applied to Israel. I take great pride in knowing that Israel is one of the most compassionate nations in the world. After the earthquake in Haiti Israel was first on the scene with field hospitals. Israel sends doctors around the globe and, yes, Israel gives Palestinian patients the best medical care available.
I am glad that you pray for peace in the Middle East. I hope you will do some reading. History will reveal to you that Israel has been fighting for its very existence since the moment of its birth. Terrorists continue to send missiles into civilian areas almost daily. Israel must live with the constant threat of war and terror attacks. While the Palestinian Authority continues to air its demand for peace it does nothing to curb violence. For those of us living in North America it is impossible to understand that fully.
The media often says that Israel is heavy handed in its reactions to the Palestinian threats. The papers and news shows love nothing more than to show armed Israeli soldiers staring down “poor Palestinian children who are “only” throwing rocks.” Ask yourself this as a Christian and as a human being- which culture is it that teaches their children to carry bombs and blow themselves up to kill others? The answer to that question should tell you something about the enemy that Israel faces each day.
Has Israel ever made mistakes? Of course they have. But do these mistakes justify an endless war of terror? John, I don’t want you to forgive Israel, I want you to understand her.
Thank you for your prayers I would be glad to join you in prayer any day!
Rabbi Thompson
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Let’s talk!
You might have forgotten to celebrate a big occasion! The UN recently observed “International Statistics Day.” Yes, before you know it Hallmark will come out with a “Happy Statistics Day” greeting card. I must say, it seems we already have enough statistics to keep us busy- I don’t know if we need a special day to celebrate the “too much information” age! In looking at the information I did, however, see a startling statistic that makes me worry about the future of human communication. The UN studied the current state to telecommunications and found that 1.6 trillion text messages shoot around this world every year. Let me break down the math for you: that number means that every second of every day there are 200,000 text messages being sent. Texting now has its own special language of letters and abbreviations that makes the punch-those-little-letters messages go even faster.
While it is amazing that we can communicate at the speed of light, I worry that maybe we get a little too used to shortcuts and the ambiguities of those short little messages. OMG, will we forget how to talk to each other! (For those of you not up on your texting language, OMG means Oh My God!) The technology we have today makes it possible to communicate in ways never dreamed of before. Remember when the goal was “reach out and touch someone?” Now we can reach out and touch the whole world in a nano-second! The only problem is that it makes me wonder how good we are at communicating anything of value.
People now joke about “snail mail” – we remember how it was waiting a week to get a letter or document you needed. E-mail was a revolution for business and personal use; no more waiting, no more missed deliveries! Texting is a revolution too but I wonder if it’s a revolution for the better – there is something I miss about actually hearing a person’s voice! A text message, while it may be fast, is a rather “flat” medium. Was that text supposed to be funny? Sarcastic? Angry? Hmmm…. Can’t really tell!
Yes, instant communication is great but sometimes I really need to hear a person’s voice to understand what he is saying. Just by listening you can tell if you are hearing a frown or a smile! 200,000 invisible messages flying through the air every second, just makes me wonder how many of them are really saying anything at all!
You might have forgotten to celebrate a big occasion! The UN recently observed “International Statistics Day.” Yes, before you know it Hallmark will come out with a “Happy Statistics Day” greeting card. I must say, it seems we already have enough statistics to keep us busy- I don’t know if we need a special day to celebrate the “too much information” age! In looking at the information I did, however, see a startling statistic that makes me worry about the future of human communication. The UN studied the current state to telecommunications and found that 1.6 trillion text messages shoot around this world every year. Let me break down the math for you: that number means that every second of every day there are 200,000 text messages being sent. Texting now has its own special language of letters and abbreviations that makes the punch-those-little-letters messages go even faster.
While it is amazing that we can communicate at the speed of light, I worry that maybe we get a little too used to shortcuts and the ambiguities of those short little messages. OMG, will we forget how to talk to each other! (For those of you not up on your texting language, OMG means Oh My God!) The technology we have today makes it possible to communicate in ways never dreamed of before. Remember when the goal was “reach out and touch someone?” Now we can reach out and touch the whole world in a nano-second! The only problem is that it makes me wonder how good we are at communicating anything of value.
People now joke about “snail mail” – we remember how it was waiting a week to get a letter or document you needed. E-mail was a revolution for business and personal use; no more waiting, no more missed deliveries! Texting is a revolution too but I wonder if it’s a revolution for the better – there is something I miss about actually hearing a person’s voice! A text message, while it may be fast, is a rather “flat” medium. Was that text supposed to be funny? Sarcastic? Angry? Hmmm…. Can’t really tell!
Yes, instant communication is great but sometimes I really need to hear a person’s voice to understand what he is saying. Just by listening you can tell if you are hearing a frown or a smile! 200,000 invisible messages flying through the air every second, just makes me wonder how many of them are really saying anything at all!
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