Follow Up On Iran

In last week’s column I shared some thoughts with you about different policies about Iran. As mentioned then, both Americans and Israelis are strongly divided concerning how to answer the threat of Iran’s quest for nuclear power and weapons. One of the strongest barbs in the policy dispute has come from Alan Dershowitz who warned that J Street would “have blood on its hands” because of their attempts to lobby the Obama administration. Dershowitz claim is that J Street has lobbied for the removal of any mention of military action as a part of American policy. This week I follow up with an interview with Dylan Williams, Director of Government Affairs for J Street. Williams has been with J Street for three years. Trained in International law, Williams has also served as a Foreign Policy advisor to Olympia Snowe. I hope that all of my readers will appreciate the importance of understanding all the arguments concerning Iran.

YT: Could you please comment of Dershowitz’s comment on J Street. Will J Street “have blood on its hands?”

DW: J Street has never advocated for or advised the administration to take the military option off the table. To say that is false and a misrepresentation of J Street’s position. J Street believes that Iran obtaining nuclear weapons would pose a very serious threat to American and Israeli interests and to peace and stability in the Middle East and around the world. We therefore lobby for a combination of tough, targeted sanctions and diplomacy to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. We have also set forth the case that it is those like Dershowitz encouraging the U.S. government to rattle sabers and beat the war drums who are undermining President Obama's diplomacy. There is a big difference between leaving all options on the table while pursuing a permanent diplomatic resolution, and actively threatening military action. And while it is prudent for the United States military to prepare under existing authority for a contingency with Iran, as it already has, it is reckless to mistake that contingency for sound strategy.

YT: What is J Street doing that sets it apart from that “old style” of Jewish American advocacy for Israel?

DW: J Street believes that only a two-state solution will preserve the Jewish and the democratic nature of Israel. In the past, other American pro-Israel organizations have advocated for whatever the Israeli government set as policy. J Street reserves the right to differ with the Israeli government on issues of policy that do long-term harm to Israel as a Jewish democracy.

YT: What, then, is the main goal of J Street?

DW: To advocate for the two-state solution. That is the only policy that will insure that Israel remains Jewish and democratic.

YT: Could you explain what you mean?

DW: Without two states, one Jewish and one Palestinian, demographics tell us that the Arabs will soon be the majority population between the Mediterranean and the Jordan. That means that Israel will face a choice: either it will have to give all people living under its rule the same political rights, in which case, Jews will be a voting minority and Israel will cease to Jewish, or Israel will deny full political rights to the non-citizen majority, in which case it will cease to be a democracy. J Street argues that a state that is both Jewish and democratic represent the Zionist dream. Without both of these, the dream fails.

YT: What is the “ideal” outcome to resolve the Iranian situation then?

DW: The ideal outcome would be a negotiated outcome that would allow Iran to retain a civilian nuclear program but with the strongest monitoring possible. This is because permanent Iranian compliance with its nuclear obligations is only likely to come about if it is allowed to exercise its right under the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes, and because unprecedented monitoring of that program would give us the best assurance that Iran will not be able to develop nuclear weapons.

YT: What, then, is your opinion about the threat of military action against Iran?

DW: J Street contends that war talk is counter-productive in several ways. First, the talk of impending war only tells Iran that they must decide quickly to develop nuclear weapons. Both Israeli and American intelligence agrees that Iran not yet decided whether build a nuclear weapon. Secondly, as I have argued in an article in Foreign Policy, loose talk of war only causes the Iranian people to rally around the government to fight an enemy, strengthening the hand of the mullahs. This undermines the sanctions, which are working by causing terrible inflation in Iran- this causes the people to blame the government. It goes without saying that the threat of war also raises the price of oil. Although Iran is selling less oil than ever the jump in prices will produce a near-record income for Iranian oil this year, which they can apply to their nuclear program.

YT: How, in your view, will these issues with Iran be resolved?

DW: J Street has supported President Obama’s policy—from its outset-- of using a combination of sanctions and diplomacy as the best approach for preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Heeding the President’s warning about loose talk of war, we have joined American and Israeli security experts in combating efforts to ratchet up war talk and tie the President’s hands in dealing with this grave threat to Israeli, U.S. and global security. If cooler heads in Washington and Jerusalem prevail, the prospect of a nuclear armed Iran can be halted once and for all, most likely through a staged drawdown of Iran’s illicit nuclear activities in coordination with international partners led by the United States.

Iran: The Need for Consensus

The mostly hotly debated issue in the American-Israeli relationship is one that affects both countries like never before: the threat of a nuclear armed Iran. Yes, the threat to Israel is more direct, but we all understand that Iran is a threat to America as well. If you need to be told this you must be living in a cave- we are all too aware of this issue to ignore it. The real issue is that we all (Israelis, Americans, and politicians from both countries) still have yet to reach a consensus on action. I write this now as a simple call- we need to decide what to do and we need to do it now! In the Jewish community there are, of course, hawks and doves. The fire of public debate was recently turned up in a TV interview that Alan Dershowitz gave. Dershowitz was asked to comment on the situation and used his remarks to criticize the position of “doves” like J Street. (J Street is a liberal advocacy group that favors negotiation on all land for peace and defense issues over military options. For a better understanding of the J Street position read A New Voice For Israel by Jeremy Ben-Ami.) Dershowitz said that J Street has been trying to get the White House to take military action off the list of possible American policies toward Iran. Dershowitz said “J Street will have blood on its hands if it continues this policy of undercutting the Obama administration when the Obama administration has said in no uncertain terms: it is willing to use military action against Iran if Iran is about to develop nuclear weapons… J Street is neither pro-Israel or pro peace.” Dershowitz said that it is vital that Iran believes that America will take action. This is very strong language and shows that American Jewry is divided on the proper course of action. I only wish the situation in Israel was not just as bad. Both Michael Oren and PM Netanyahu have recently stated that a unilateral attack on Iran by Israel would be “worth it” even if it only brought a delay to nuclear development in Iran. That contrasts vividly with a recent statement by Peres that claimed that such an attack would be a mistake. I have no doubt that public opinion in Israel is just as divided as the opinion of her leaders. As I said, we need to reach a consensus- it may soon be too late to do anything- nobody really knows. What we do know is that Iranian leaders continue to make the daily call for the destruction of Israel and they continue to say that America shall be the target of their weapons as well. Debate is great and everyone is welcome to express their opinion but the time comes for agreement and action. We are running out of time with each passing day. We, Israelis and Americans, need to set a course for our safety. Diplomacy is always better than war but diplomacy needs a partner. Saving lives is always better than taking lives but the most important life to save is your own.

More Precious Than Gold

It is the Olympic season- TV, Newspapers, blog sites, and advertising have all been reminding us lately that the games are on! Even if you are not interested in any or all of the competitions, the results are everywhere. The most celebrated headlines are, as always, who won the gold medal, the back-story, the celebration. Yes, silver and bronze do get the occasional mention but in the context of “runners-up.” The Olympics are a wonderful, peaceful way for nations to compete and to celebrate the human quest for excellence. The “games” really can be an inspiration- an example of focus, sacrifice, and dedication to being the best. However, that inspiration comes at a price. We live in a time in which the message is often given that being “the best” is the only acceptable position. Worse than that, our culture has reached a point at which we tell everyone that they are winners. In so many circles real competition is frowned upon- don’t make the “losers” feel bad. Children are told that they are the best and that everyone is a winner. I see it so often- young people who can’t handle “defeat” on any level. I often think that America has raised a generation of real “losers” because we have not taught our children how to handle life’s most common circumstances- coming in second or third or (God forbid) last. Real life teaches us that we will not succeed in everything that we try. It’s true in the workplace, in personal life, and even in our hobbies. I have always wanted to draw or paint but the truth is, as much as I would like to, I have no talent for either! The truth is that all too many of us have never learned to deal with disappointment or “second place.” Joshua Berkowitz has written a new book, Third Base For Life: A Memoir of Fathers, Sons, and Baseball. In the book he tells the story of a school team he coached, The Rashi Rams. Yes, the baseball team from a Jewish Day School. Hmmm… Jewish baseball players, you know how this will end already! The team was not the greatest but the kids loved baseball. Berkowitz managed to get the team invited to a Cooperstown Invitational Series. The book relates the outcome. The Rashi Rams lost every game they played. They came in 96th place out of 69 teams. Were they losers? No, they came away from the experience happier with the game than ever. They had the opportunity to compete, they met new people, and they grew closer as a team. Winning had nothing to do with the outcome. They were there to play for the love of the game. I wish we could teach that message to our children. Winning is not about the gold medal, it is about the chance to do something you love. Winning is about trying and, if you fail, trying again. The most precious lesson any of us can ever learn is not about winning- it is about learning what to do when you don’t when. That is a lesson more precious than gold.

Why Is History Such A Hard Subject?

This Saturday night and Sunday we will observe Tisha B’Av. In last week’s column I gave you some of the background for this day. Tisha B’Av is a fast day recalling, among other events, the destruction of the First Temple in 586BCE and the Second Temple in 70CE. As I explained last week, these were national catastrophes that changed the course of Jewish history and theology in many ways. As we prepare for this day I reflect on a larger question: why do we have such a hard time remembering and understanding history? I take my cues from reports I have heard on the grasp that our young people have on history. Many American children fail questions about American history. Knowledge of such important events like the American Revolution or the Civil War has become too esoteric for many students (and teachers) to worry about. I wonder if other countries have the same problem when it comes to their citizens grasping the history of their own country. It also makes me ask why. Perhaps part of the problem lies in our attitude about the past. That attitude seems to be that only the present matters. “The past” is like a ball of yarn- it is all rolled together and hard to perceive the different lines that wind around each other. I think it is also a part of our modern “vanity.” We think that we are so advanced, so far removed from the mistakes and failures of the past that remembering history is not necessary. The only thing that matters is what we do today. Such an attitude reflects such a superficial understanding of humanity that it betrays the naiveté of its proponents. It is true that we are more technically advanced than our ancestors- even our grandparents for that matter. It is true that science has reshaped the way we live but it has not reshaped the human heart. As a student of history I try to never lose sight of the fact that human beings have not changed- our tools and our toys have changed but the essence of what it means to be human remains constant. Regardless of our new found technology, we still long to connect to each other and to that which is greater than all of us. Sometimes I think if we could remember how much we have in common with our ancestors we would understand ourselves much better. Tisha B’Av is not just about the Temples. It is not just an ancient part of our history. It is about the way our people reacted to and overcame times of crisis and spiritual confusion. These are lessons that would serve us well right now. Our civilization, both religious and secular, face great challenges. Some think the challenge might be too great, that we have arrived at “the point of no return.” The study of history, especially Jewish history, can teach us much. The human spirit is what created triumph and continuity in the face of catastrophe. That’s why it is essential that Jews understand the Jewish past. It is also something needed by all of our neighbors- it is not technology that overcomes crisis. All of the problems that may face us today have been experienced before, what remains to be seen is if we can have the faith, courage, and will that our ancestors had.

Iran's Latest Attack

It is old news. Ahmadinejad condemns Israel, calling it a “cancer” that must be destroyed. We have grown so used to anti-Israel rants coming from Iran that maybe we don’t pay attention any more- another day, another call to wipe Israel off the map. Maybe we have even grown weary of hearing about Iran’s “possible” nuclear program or maybe we have just convinced ourselves that Israel and/or America will take action before it is too late. We have come to depend on the fact that computer viruses and secret bunker-bombs will somehow avert an all out attack on Israel. We have even come to dismiss Iran’s threats to attack “the west.” I understand that we grow weary being in a state of constant alert but in situations like this it is required. I bring to your attention the latest version of Iran’s attack on Israel because it should concern us in an entirely different way. At a conference on drug use in Iran (yes, a big problem) Mohammed Reza Rahimi, Iran’s first vice-president offered a reason for worldwide drug use- the Talmud is to blame. He explained that the Talmud teaches that Jews can do anything to make money and so it is obvious that they are behind the international drug trade. As ridiculous as this sounds representatives of other countries attending the conference sat there and listened to it. Worse than that, the UN often praises Iran for their “war on drugs.” No, it does not surprise me that an Iranian official would make such a claim, nor does it surprise me that other people would sit there and listen as if this charge could be serious. What does get my attention is this- blaming the Talmud for drug use is not just an implicit attack on Israel. It is an explicit attack on Judaism as a religion. It moves the question from politics to culture and religion. It means that there can be no doubt that when Iranians call for the destruction of Israel they have another vision in mind as well- the destruction of all Jews. While Ahmadinejad may talk of destroying Israel, he is really thinking that Iran will succeed in wiping out Judaism. That should make us think twice. If Iran did have the means would it attack Israel? We have to believe it would. (Luckily Germany has provided Israel with some submarines that are a serious deterrent. With these German subs Israel can strike back no matter what happens on land.) As Jews this makes us nervous for Israel but we should also be nervous and alert for ourselves. In the Iranian worldview Jews are to be killed wherever they are because they are Jews. We have to understand that Iran seeks to fulfill Hitler’s vision- a world without Jews. That may be offensive to some but it is the simplest statement of the truth. Don’t ignore the situation. Urge our officials to support Israel. Urge our officials to combat Iran on every front possible. As Jews we have learned that ignoring our enemies does not make them go away. If we are not for ourselves who will be?

Ancient Jewish Proverb Says

What is the latest academic rage in China? Science? Medicine? Computers? How about Jewish Studies! A Center for Jewish Studies recently opened in China offering degrees up to the Ph. D. level and there are already over 200 students. Although there has been a Jewish community in China for centuries with a very complicated history, we don’t tend to think of China as being a place in which Judaism would be a topic of study. All the more surprising that the Jewish Program is well funded and growing rapidly. I think the first thing that we would all like to know is why would China want to grow its own native Judaic scholars? While some of the students might be Jewish, it must be a very small number. So why all this interest in Jewish history, culture, and religion? I think the answer tells us a lot about China and ourselves as well. China is an ancient culture that has a long and interesting history. We learn in High School that, when Europe was still in the Iron Age, China had science, literature, and technology. But the China of today is rapidly changing. It’s not just politics, communism or capitalism; it’s not just culture, east or west, but it is about the basic human values that create a country out of millions and millions of diverse peoples. It is ironic that a country as large as China seeks to takes lessons from our history, the history of a people that has always been a tiny sliver of humanity. You see the Chinese know that as a people they are changing. They sense that the structures that have lasted for centuries are crumbling. The Great Wall was meant to insulate, China but in the age of the internet there is no isolation, there is only change. Many Chinese also know that not all change is for the better that’s why they want to understand one of the most miraculous events in human history- Jewish survival. As many Chinese scholars try to deal with the bigger social issues of change and how to preserve that which is unique in their culture, they realize that it is the history of the Jews that holds the key to preserving a culture in the face of change and challenge. We have and do live all over the globe. We have survived in cultures that were hostile to every value that we hold dear and yet, through it all, we have maintained our culture, faith, and identity. That fact is even more impressive when we consider how very small our nation is. I hope the Chinese learn much about our culture. Maybe it will spark some of us to rediscover it for ourselves. With all the hand-wringing in the Jewish community about Jewish survival it is interesting to note that, at least so far, we still have a lot to teach the world. Now the question is can we appreciate our own culture enough to preserve it? An ancient Jewish proverb says…

On Line and Learning

It was a beautiful day at Citi Field in New York. The 40,000 seats had sold out in advance. A good day for any baseball field these days, but there was no game going on- instead it was a rally against the “dangers” of the internet that was sponsored by a coalition of ultra-right wing Jewish groups. These groups came together to warn the faithful that they should not use the internet or allow their children to use it. I understand that there is much on the internet that is undesirable. It is a double edged sword- the information age can spread knowledge but it can also spread hatred and lies. What I question is the wisdom of gathering 40,000 people together to tell them to ignore the greatest revolution in the history of humanity. We can’t make “evil” disappear by ignoring it. You can put your head in the sand but it won’t change anything. Jews cannot ignore the internet any more than we can ignore any other technology. I don’t think you have to condemn the internet to be a pious Jew, nor do I believe that any technology is intrinsically “evil.” Like every other tool, it depends on the user. You can use a hammer to build a home or you can use it to tear it down. As a student of Judaism I am bewildered that anyone would tell people not to use the internet. The web has made Jewish learning easier than ever both for the beginner and for the scholar. Just consider these innovations: the Dead Sea Scrolls were once hidden away, the “intellectual property” of a very small group of scholars who could not possibly do all the research needed to decode these texts. Today the entire contents of the scrolls have been digitized and are on line for the whole world. This makes scholarship much more of a democracy. Collections of scholarly materials that were once only accessible by travelling to many different countries to physically “see” the books are now accessible on line. Having just moved my personal library I can tell you that books get heavier and heavier the older you get- now you can carry an entire Jewish library on a few disks. Yes, there might be a lot of “dark corners” on the internet, but there is an entire world of learning that can go straight to your computer screen. The group that sponsored the anti-internet rally, The Union of Communities for Purity of the Camp, has made its point- there are bad things out there in cyberspace! But the internet is here to stay in every facet of our lives. People send e-mails, people do business on line, and our children are educated on line. For all the dangers the World Wide Web has made it easier than ever to communicate, to learn, and to save our most precious resource, time.