C-7403 Transcription
Friedman, Thomas L. Address. Introduction and remarks by
Herbert A. Friedman. 14 July 1988.
Herbert A. Friedman:
We have a very, um...very lovely, good, um, session for you
now. Um...there’s nobody uh gonna pounce on Mr. Friedman’s eve-
that Mr. Friedman’s every word. [laughs] There’s nobody going to
ask for interpretations of uh clauses and commas. There’s nobody
gonna ask for whether he is authorized to say what he is saying.
In other words, all of the tensions that were in many of the
previous sessions, don’t exist, don’t exist. What we have here
is an erudite...professional observer, and, probably, one of the
people on this earth who has observed more, in terms of number
of years [01:00], and more in terms of geography, and more in
terms of the leading actors on the strange, in both places, in
Lebanon and here, than probably anyone else you will ever meet.
Uh, for those of you who come from that city in the far
north, near the Canadian border [laughs] [applause, chatter from
audience]. I call that the imported clack, he brought it here
with him. Thomas L. Friedman was born in Minneapolis [applause
and cheers]. No, that is not Detroit [laughs]...[02:00] He, um,
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman Collection, C-7403. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
1
herre’e s nobody uh gogonnnnaaa popounce on Mr. Frieiedm
iedman’s every worddd. [l[[laughs] There’s nobod
erpreeetatatatititionononsss ofofof uuuh hh clclclauauausesss ananand d d cococommmmmmasasas. Ther
or whetetetherrr hhhe iiis auuuthththoorizizeddd tttooo sasasay yy whwhwhataa he
rds, all ofoo ttthehh tttensiiiooons thththatt wwwerrre ee in many
ssssions, dddononon’t’’t eeexixixistss ,,, dododon’ttt exexexisisst.t.t. WWWhat wee h
tee...profffessssiiionnnalll oobsbsbserererveeerrr, anndn ,,, ppprobablyyy,
hisss earth wwwhohoho hasasas oobsbsbserererveveved dd mooorerere, in termmms o
1:00]0]], ananand more in tetetermrmrmss ofofof geograppphyhyhy, and
e leadidiingngng aaactcc ors on ttthehehe strange, innn bbboth pl
here, thahaannn prprprobobobabbbllly anyoneee elelelsesese you will e
r those of you whwhwhooo cococomememe frooommm that city in t
the Canadian border [laughs] [applause ch
he had a good, classy education. He went, did- went to Brandeis
University, and then he went to se- eh, Oxford, and um, St.
Anthony’s College is the place [lone cheer from crowd;
laughter]...Have we got one? How ‘bout...I can’t believe it was
you! [laughs] [unclear] went to St. Anthony’s. If you go back,
for some reason, there’s a very long history, relationship with
that uh, between that college and leading Israelis. And, um,
came here to the Middle East. In April ’82, he was assigned by
the New York Times to be the Beirut bureau chief. ’82 is when
the invasion into Lebanon took place, within a couple of months,
uh, [03:00] after he got there. Two years later, he was
transferred to be the bureau chief here in Jerusalem. So he has
seen it from both sides. He was taken off the assignment here in
Jerusalem in, uh, earlier this year, in ’88, so that he could
complete a book, and the title of the book seemed to me to be in
her, although it’s probably going to be changed, but
it’s...work- oh, that’s the final title? “From Beirut to
Jerusalem.” And in January of ’89, when this well-disciplined
and professional man, who will stick to his dates, finishes that
book, he will be transferred to Washington and he will become
the chief diplomatic correspondent for the New York Times,
nothing less [applause].
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman Collection, C-7403. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
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tweeene that collegee annnd dd leleading Israelis.. An
o the Middle East. InInn AApril ’82, he was ass
k Timmmeseses tttooo bebebe ttthehehe BBBeieieirururut bububurerereauauau ccchihihiefefef. ’82
n inttooo Lebababannnonn n tookkk pppllacecce, wiwiwittthininin a cccouoo ple
after heee gototot thehehere. TTTwo yeyeyearrsss laaatett r, he wa
ttto be thththeee bubburerereauauau chihihiefefef hhhererereee ininn JJJerrrusalemm.
m both siiideees... HHHe wawawasss tatatakekekennn oooffff thththeee assignnnme
n, uh, earlllieieier rr thththisisis yyyeaeaear,r,r, iiin ’8’8’8888, so thaatat h
book,k,k, andndnd the tttitititlelele ooofff thththee bbbook seeeemememed d d to m
gh it’sss ppprororobabb bly goinining gg to be channngeeed,d,d, but
- oh, that’t’t’sss thththeee fififinalll titititltlle?e?e? “““FrFrFrom Beirut
And in Januaryyy ooof ff ’8’8’89,9,9, wheeennn this well-disc
ional man who will stick to his dates fin
Is...he picked [04:00] up two Pulitzer Prizes along the
way. Two! Not one. One in ’83, for his reporting in Beirut, and
one in ‘88 for his reporting from Israel. Plus a whole host of
other technical uh, uh awards, um, in the journalist profession,
and um...and he’s a uh, on top of everything else, a charming,
educated, good, Jew. Takes part in a lot of the Hartman
Institute programs and um, had no hesitation in accepting this
assignment, even though it interrupts his own private life of
his writing, and if you are a writer you know that every time
anybody busts into you, it not only disturbs the train of
thought for those few hours, but you’re on edge because you
gotta...[05:00] sit down and spend some time thinking over what
you want to say, and then everything gets uh, garbled up. But he
said yes, and he did so with good, good willingness, and we’re
very happy to have him here today, and I’m happy to present Mr.
Tom Friedman. [applause]
Thomas L. Friedman:
Thank you
Herbert A. Friedman:
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman Collection, C-7403. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
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roggrar ms and um, hadad nnnooo hehesitation in accecept
even though it intterrrrrrupts his own private
, anddd iiif f f yoyoyouuu ararareee a aa wrwrwritititer yyyououou kkknononoww w thththaat eve
ts intototo yououou,, ititit nottt ooonnlyyy distststuuurbsbsbs thehehe train
those feeewww hohohouruu s,s,s, buttt you’r’r’re ononon eeedgdgdge becaus
:0000] sittt dododowwwn aaandndnd spepependndnd sssomomomeee titiimememe ttthinkinng
ssay, anddd tttheeen evvverererytytythihihingngng geeetsss uhuhuh,,, garbleeed
nd he did sssooo wiww ththth ggooooood,dd gggooooood wiwiwillllingnessss, a
to hahaave hhhim hereee tototodadaday,yy andndnd I’m happppypypy ttto pr
n. [apppplalalausususe]ee
riedman:
you
...oh the subject, the subject, somebody wrote down
was...[indistinct from audience] Yeah, right...[laughs]...”An
ideal formula for Israeli diaspora relations”
Thomas L. Friedman:
Thank you, Herb. Um, I know there’s a lot of people who
wanted me to talk about the press, and uh, I wasn’t invited to
do that, so...maybe later, much later, next year [laughs] um, we
can talk about that. But I really was invited to talk about
Israel diaspora relations, and that’s what I’m going to do.
Um, my speech here is really uh...draws on some ideas I’ve
been working on for my book [06:00], so it’s written in
chapters, to some extent, or subchapters, and I hope they will
all meet at the end to form a whole.
There’s a joke, uh, that when the British were about to uh
dig the tunnel under the, uh, English Channel, uh they put out
bids for who would dig the tunnel. And they got bids of one
billion and two billion and three billion. They got one bid from
the Upper East End of London, uh, for a hundred thousand
dollars, by a, the firm of Goldberg and Cohen. So they thought,
well, we better check this out. I mean, uh, who can dig a tunnel
under the English Channel for a hundred thousand dollars? So
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman Collection, C-7403. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
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o ttala k about the prpressss,ss aand uh, I wasn’tt in
...maybe later, muchh lallattet r, next year [laug
out ttthahahat.t.t. BBBututut III rrreaeaealllllly y y wasss inininvivivitetetedd d tototo talk
pora rererelatititiooons,s,s, anddd ttthhat’tt’s whwhwhaata III’m’’ gggoioo ng t
speech hhheree ee isii rrreallllyyy uh.......dddrararawsss on some i
g on for rr mymymy bbooooookkk [0[[ 6:6:6:000000],,, sssooo ititt’sss wwwrittenn i
o some exxxteeenttt, orrr subububchchchapapapttterrrs,,, aaandd d I hopeee t
thhhe end tooo ffforoo mmm a aa whwhwholololeee.
s a jjjoke,e,e, uh, ttthahahat whwhwhenenen ttthehehe Britishhh wwwererere ab
nel undnddererer ttthehh , uh, EnEnEnglglglish Channeeel, uuh they
o would ddigigig ttthehehe tunnelll. AAndndnd ttthehehey y y got bids o
two billion annnd dd thththrerereeee billllioioion. They got on
ast End of London uh for a hundred thousa
they sent a man out there and Mr. Goldberg answered the phone,
Cohen was on the road, and said, “Mr. Goldberg, how in the world
can you dig a tunnel for a hundred thousand dollars?” And he
said, [affected accent], “Very easy. What’s the problem? I’ll
start one side with a shovel. Mr. Cohen will start on the other
side with a shovel [07:00], and we’ll dig until we meet.” So
they guy said, “What if you don’t meet?” “So you’ll have two
tunnels!” So I don’t know if you’re gonna have two talks today
or ten talks, or whatever, I hope they’ll all meet [laughter].
Some people remember where they were when President Kennedy
was shot. Others can recall where they sat when the space
shuttle Challenger went down. I remember where I was the day I
discovered Israel. I don’t mean discovered it on a map. I mean
the day Israel entered my consciousness and became something of
an obsession. It was June 6th, 1967. I was sitting in the family
room of our home in Minneapolis and the 5:30 PM CBS National
News was on. And Walter Cronkite was sitting there with a map of
Israel and the Sinai desert superimposed behind him, and was
reading the first news about Israel’s dramatic victory in the
SixDay War. Although I had attended Hebrew school as a young boy
[08:00], gone to Jewish summer camps, been Bar Mitvahed, Israel
had never really meant that much to me before that day. But
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman Collection, C-7403. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
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id, “What if you dodon’ttt memeet?” “So you’lll ha
o I don’t know if youuu’r’’re gonna have two tal
s, orrr wwwhahahatetetevevever,r,r, III hhhopopopeee theyeyey’l’l’llll alalallll mememeeet [la
eoplee rrremememembbberr r wherrreee ttheyeey wererereee whwhwhenee PPPrerr side
thers cannn receccalaa lll wherrreee theyeyey satatat wwwhehh n the sp
llllenger wwwenenenttt dododownwnwn... III rereremeeembmbmbererer wwwhehehereee I wass t
Issrael. III dddonnn’ttt mmmeaeaeannn dididiscccoooveeereede iiitt t on a mmmap
aelll entereddd mmmy yy cococonsnsn ciciciououousnsnsnesesess anananddd became som
n. ItItt wasasas June 666th,,, 191919676767. I was sittttinii ggg in t
home iiin nn MiMiMinnnn eapolisss ananand the 5:3000 PPPM M M CBS Na
. And Walteteterrr CrCrCronoo kikikitte was sssititittititingngng there wit
the Sinai deserrrttt sususupepeperiririmposssededed behind him, a
first news about Israel’s dramatic victory
after June 6th, 1967, I was never really the same. Like some many
American Jews of my generation, I was momentarily swept up by
the heroic Israel, which made me feel different about myself as
a Jew. During high school, I spent my summer vacations living on
a kibbutz not far from here, and Israel in a way became an
extension of my Jewish summer camp. It was an exciting time to
be in Israel. Everything was in motion, the economy was booming,
and although there was a deadly war of attrition going on along
the Suez Canal, it hadn’t wiped, or erased, the gleam on the
cheeks of the Israeli boys. Everything and everyone in the
country seemed larger than life. Every soldier was a hero, every
politician was a statesmen, every girl was a knockout. With the
kibbutz teenagers my age, there were trips to the Sinai, hikes
to the Golan, and long afternoons on the Mediterranean beach.
After dinner [09:00] we used to sit around the kibbutz lawn,
listening over and over again to the James Taylor singing “Rock-
a-bye Sweet Baby Jane.” I taught them how to play baseball, and
they taught me how to identify different fighter planes in the
Israeli air force, something which came in very handy when I
ended up in Beirut.
The kibbutz was full of lost Jews, some from Europe, some
from America, who had flocked to Israel in hopes of finding
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman Collection, C-7403. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
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l. EvE erything was iin momm tition, the economyy wa
h there was a deadly wwwar of attrition going
nal, ititit hhhadadadn’n’n’t t t wiwiwipepeped,d,d, ooor erererasasasededed, thththeee ggleam
he Israraraele iii bbboysysys. Evvverereryythihhing aaannnd eeevevv ryryryonoo e in
med largeeerrr thththanaa lllife... Everyryry solololdiiieree was a h
waaas a statatatetetesssmenenen,,, evee ererery y y giiirlrlrl wwwasss aaa kkknockouut.
naagagers myyy aaageee, thhhererereee wewewereee trrrippps tooo the Siiina
n, and longgg aaaftff ererrnononoonononsss ononon tttheee MMMeeediterrannnean
r [09099:00]0]0] we usededed tttooo sisisittt arararound theee kkkibibibbutz
ver andndd oooveveverrr again tototo ttthe James TTTayyylololor sing
Baby Jane.e.e.””” III tatt ughtht tthhem hohohowww tototo play base
me how to idennntititifyfyfy dddifififfereeentntnt fighter plane
force something which came in very handy
themselves. They were a kind of Jewish foreign legion. Most of
them lasted for a summer and never came back, but I was hooked.
Whatever I was looking for, I found. I guess it was an identity.
During those summers I was constantly challenged by my Israeli
hosts with the same question, “Nu? Nu? When are you going to
make Aliyah? When are you going to immigrate? What is there for
you in America? Here, here is where you belong.” Somehow I
always managed to mumble my way out of these challenges, usually
with something about how wonderful Minneapolis is with all its
lakes. I liked the way Israel made me feel as an American Jew
[10:00], but I was never convinced that Israeli identity could
be an end in itself.
Then a decade passed. There was college, graduate school,
and eventually a career in journalism that by quirk of fate
brought me back to Jerusalem as the correspondent for the New
York Time in 1984. Upon arrival, I braced myself for that
question beginning, “Nu? When are you going to immigrate?” But
it never came. When it did come, it wasn’t “Nu, when are you
making Aliyah?” but rather “Nu, how do I get a green card?” or
“Nu, what’s it like to live in New York City?” or “Nu, can I
really get a job in Los Angeles?” After enough such
conversations with Israelis, it became clear to me that
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman Collection, C-7403. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
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icaa?? Here, here iss whwhheree e e you belong.” Somomeh
ged to mumble my way oooutt t of these challenge
ing aaaboboboututut hhhowowow wwwononondedederfrfrfululul Minininneneneapapapolololisisis iiiss with
ked tthehehe wayayay Isrsrsrael mamamadde mme fefefeeeel aaasss ananan Ameri
t I was nnnevee ererr conononvincccedee thahahat IsIsIsraaaelee i identi
n itself.f.f.
dddecade pppassss eede ... ThThThererreee wwawasss cooolllleggge,,, graduaata e
llyyy a careeeerrr inii jjjououournrnrnalalalisisism mm thhhatatat by quirkkk of
back kk to JJJerusalllememem aasss thththee cococorrespondddenenenttt for
n 1984.4. UUUpopoponnn arrival,l,l, II braced myyyseeelflflf for t
ginning, “““NuNuNu??? WWWhehh n are you gogogoinining g g tot immigra
me. When it dididd cccomomome,e,e, iiit waaassnsn’t “Nu, when a
ah?” but rather “Nu how do I get a green c
something profound had changed in the America-Israel
relationship, between those heady days after the ’67 War, and
the sober aftermath of the Lebanon invasion. Israel was founded
on the radical thesis that the diaspora was not a viable
solution for Jewish national existence [11:00], that Jews could
not survive for long, either culturally or physically, in the
diaspora, and hence they had to have a homeland of their own.
Israel was going to be the center of the world with its own
original Hebrew culture and all Jews were supposed to move
there. America, America in the mind of Israel, was supposed to
be little more than an afterthought.
For Israel’s founding fathers, coming out of the diaspora,
that vision may have been true at one time, but no longer.
Today, America, with its bounty, its pluralism, and endless
opportunities for Jews and other minorities, is disproving that
thesis. America, in fact, has become the greatest threat to the
Zionist revolution, and as powerful a magnet for Jews as Israel.
Not only have Israel and America been quietly competing for
years over Jews leaving the Soviet Union, Argentina or South
Africa, they are now competing for Israelis themselves. Roughly
one out of ten Israelis now live in America, a point that was
graphically driven home to me by my high school history teacher
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman Collection, C-7403. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
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nd heh nce they had tto hahah veve a homeland of tthe
going to be the centeteerrr of the world with it
brew cucucultltltururureee ananand d d alalallll JeJeJews wwwererereee susuupppppposososeed to
ica, AmAmAmericicicaaa ininin theee mmmiinddd of IIIsraeaeael,ll wwwasaa sup
ore than anaa aaaftf erererthouuughgg t.
raaael’s fffouououndndndininnggg fafafathhhererers,ss cccomomominininggg ouououttt of thhe
mmmay haveee bbbeeeen trrrueueue aaattt onnneee tttimmme,,, bbub t no lllon
icaaa, with iiitststs bououountntntyyy, iiitststs pppluuurararalllism, andd d en
es fofoor JeJeJews anddd othththererer mmmiininorororiiities, iiisss dididispro
rica, iiin nn fafafactcc , has bebebecococome the greeeatttesesest thre
olution, anananddd asasas powerfffulll a mamamagngngnetetet for Jews
ve Israel and AAAmememeririricacaca bbbeen qququietly competin
Jews leaving the Soviet Union Argentina or
[12:00], Marjory Bingham, who told me while on a visit to
Jerusalem in 1987, “Tom, when you were in high school, you and
all your friends went to Israel. Now I have three Israelis in my
class.”
At the same time, many American Jews seem to be reassessing
their views about Israel. The Lebanon War, the Pollard spy
scandal, and finally the Palestinian uprising in the occupied
territories, have combined to produce a combined rethinking by
many American Jews of their relationship to Israel and its role
in their own identity. Where this rethinking will end is not
easy to predict, but it is clear, it is undeniably clear, that
the relationship between Israeli Jews and American Jews, and
between America and Israel, is radically changing from that
moment on June 6th, 1967, when Walter Cronkite introduced me to
my Jewish identity and introduced Israel to America.
What I’d like to talk here for the next forty minutes or so
is basically...[13:00] how that relationship between American
Jews and Israeli Jews, and between America and Israel, has
changed, and then, a few words on what the ideal relationship
might be.
Israel, in the mind of American Jews, has always touched
two emotional chords. One, pride, the other, fear. As such,
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman Collection, C-7403. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
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d ffini ally the Palesestitiininn anan uprising in thehe o
, have combined to prrrodooduce a combined rethi
an Jeeewswsws ooofff thththeieieirrr rererelalalatititionshshshipipip tttooo IsIsIsrararaeel and
n ideentntntity.y.y. Whehehere ttthihihiss rerrethhinininkkkingngng wililillll end
dict, buttt itt isii ccclearrr,, it iiis ununundeeeninn ably cle
nssship betetetweweweeeen IIIsrsrsraeaa lilili JJJewwwsss ananandd AmAmAmerrrican JJew
riiica and Isssraaaelll, isisis rrradadadicicicaaalllly chahahannnging frrrom
uneee 6th, 19676767, whhhenene WWWalallteteterrr CCCronononkikikite introooduc
dentitiity aaand intttrororodududucececed dd IIsIsrararael to Ammmererericicica.
’d likkeee tototo tttalk hereee ffforoo the nexttt fofoforrty min
y...[13:00]0]0] hhhowowow thahh tt relllatitiionononshshshipipip between A
raeli Jews, andndd bbbetetetweweweenenen Ameeeriririca and Israel,
d then a few words on what the ideal relat
Israel has always played two roles for American Jews. One, as a
visible symbol which places the Jew in the world and integrates
him with pride and dignity, and the other, as a haven that could
pred- protect the Jew from the world. Between 1948 and 1967, the
balance between these two emotional chords was very much
weighted toward Israel as a safe haven, and not as a symbol of
‘my identity.’ Of course, American Jews took pride in Israel,
but it was a quiet and understated pride, the sort of pride you
take in a good charity. Israel was a good charity, a charity you
could be proud of. Some people gave their money to the synagogue
[14:00], some people gave to Mt. Sinai Hospital, and other
people planted trees in Israel. Israel was a blue and white
Keren Kayemeth box you dropped coins in every week at Hebrew
school. Only in a small way did Israel culturally begin to
inject itself into American Jewish life and become a source of
Jewish identity. Hebrew schools began to proliferate, people
played “Hava Nagila’ instead of Eastern European songs at
weddings, and danced the hora and other Israeli dances, but that
was really about it. The more important role played by Israel in
the mind of American Jews was as a bomb shelter. Israel as bomb
shelter. Israel as haven against persecution. American Jews saw
it a place- Israel as a place where survivors of the Holocaust
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman Collection, C-7403. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
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y.’’ Of course, Amerericiccanaa JJews took pride iin
a quiet and understtatattedeed pride, the sort of
ood ccchahahaririritytyty... IsIsIsrararaelelel wwwasasas a gggooooood d d chchcharararititityy, a c
oud oof.f.f. Somomomeee pepepeopleee gggaaveee thheieieir momomonenn y yy tott the
me peopleee gavavave ee tototo Mt... Sinaiaiai HHososospiiitatt l, and o
teeed treeseses iiinnn IsIsIsrararaelee ... IsIsIsraaaelelel wwwasss aaa bbblue annd
ettht box yyyouuu dddroooppppededed cccoioioinsss innn eeeveeeryyy week aaat
y iiin a smallllll waww y y y didididdd IsIsIsrararaelelel ccculululttturally bbebegi
lf ininnto AAAmericannn JeJeJewiwiwishshsh lllifffe and beeecococomememe a s
tity. HHHebebebrererew ww schoolsss bebebegan to proooliiifefeferate,
a Nagila’ iiinsnsnsteteteadaa offf EEa tsterrrn n n EuEuEurororopean songs
nd danced the hhhorororaaa ananand d d otheeerrr Israeli dances
about it The more important role played by
could gather, and where other Jews driven from their native
lands by persecution might also go and seek shelter. Israel was
looked upon as a source of Jewish power and real estate that
could protect Jews, but even when American Jews saw Israel as a
haven [15:00], most American Jews thought of it as a haven for
other Jews, refugee Jews, displaced Jews, but not for American
Jews.
Before, uh, 1967, an American friend of mine used to tell
me that, in his family Israel was where they sent used clothing.
Uh, really, he said, “when I outgrew my shirts and pants, we put
them in a box and sent them to Israel. That is how I thought of
the place, a place you sent used clothes.” After June 1967,
however, the perception of Israel in the mind of American Jews
shifted radically, from Israel as safe haven for other Jews, to
Israel as the symbol of my own Jewish communal identity. The
transition can only be understood, I think, in the context of
the Six Day Day, first the fear that many people had before the
war, of Israel’s destruction, impending destruction, and then
the dramatic way in which Israel defeated three Arab armies at
once. Um, [16:00] it was so dramatic, in fact, and came as such
a surprise, both to Israeli Jews and American Jews, and it was
in such contrast to what they expected, that it simply blew them
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman Collection, C-7403. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
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, uh, 1967, an Ameriiicacacan friend of mine used
his fafafamimimilylyly IIIsrsrsraeaeaelll wawawasss whererereee thththeyeyey sssenenentt used
he saiaiaid,d “““wwwhenenen I oooutututggreweew my y y shiririrtstt aaandnn pan
ox and seeentnn ttthehh mm m to IIIsssrael.l.l. TThahahat isii how I t
a place yyyououou senenenttt usuu ededed ccclooothththeseses ”.”” AAAftftfter Junne
e pperceptttiooon offf IIIsrsrsraeaeaelll ininin thhhe mininindd d of Ameeeri
icaaally, frooom mm IsII rararaelelel aaasss sasasafefefe hhhavavaveeen for otthther
he syyymbololol of my ownn JJJewewewiisish communalll iiidededentit
can onlnlly y y bebebe understooooood,d,d I think, innn ttthe con
Day, firststst ttthehehe fear ththth tat mmmanananyyy pepepeople had b
ael’s destructitiiononon,,, imimimpepependinnnggg destruction, a
c way in which Israel defeated three Arab a
away. It was so powerful, in fact, that it made some American
Jews feel that there would never be another Holocaust. It almost
cured them of this trauma. “After such a victory, who needs a
safe haven anymore?” said some American Jews. “Look who we are!
We have power. We are not the Shylock image. We are ace pilots.
We are not the cowering, timid Jews who get sand kicked in their
faces. We’re tank commanders! We’re not pale-faced wimps. We’re
the Hathaway man, handsome, charismatic generals, with
eyepatches!” The whole image of the running, craven Jew, who
checks the exits as soon as he arrives in a new country, was
partially healed by the Six Day War. American Jews were Israel,
and Israel was them, and many of them could not embrace it
enough as a symbol as source of identity. Gentiles in
Minneapolis used to say to me about Israel [17:00], “boy, your
people over there are something!” and we would respond, “boy,
they sure are! Those are my people.”
For American Jews, Israel became their visible body on the
world stage, not in 1948 when the state was created, but only
after 1967 when it captured their imaginations. The impact of
the ’48 war on American Jews was relief, relief that the
survivors of the Holocaust had a place to go, but the impact of
the ’67 war was pride and a symbol of Jewish identity. Israel,
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman Collection, C-7403. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
12
e ttana k commanders! WeWee’r’re e not pale-faced wwim
y man, handsome, chhharrrisiismatic generals, with
” Theee wwwhohoholelele iiimamamagegege ooofff thththe rururunnnnnninining,g,g, cccrararavvven Je
exits aaas sososoooon aaas heee aaarrrivives iiinnn aaa nenn www cocc untr
ealed by thtt ee SiSS xxx Day WaWW r. AAAmeeririricaaan nn Jews wer
waaas them,m,m, aaandnnd mmmananany yy ofofof tttheeemm m cococoululld d d nooot embrrac
ssyymbol aaas sooourrrceee oofff idididennntttittty... GeGeGenntn iles iiin
usssed to saaay yy tott mmmeee abababouououttt IsIsIsraaaelelel [17:00],,, “b
therrre ararare somethththinii g!g!g!”” ananand d we woulddd rresesespond
re! Thohoosesese aaarerr my peopopoplelele.”
erican Jewwws,s,s, IIIsrsrsraelll bbbecame tttheheheiririr visible bo
, not in 1948 wwwhehehennn thththeee stattteee was created, b
when it captured their imaginations The im
in a way, began to replace Judaism for many American Jews after
1967. Israel came along at a moment in American Jewish history
when Judaism was ceasing to have a compelling religious hold on
many Jews. In an era of secularization and a general loss of
traditional values, Israel offered American Jews a new way to
organize their own identity and remain connected to Jewish
history, but without having to be observant [18:00], without
having to go to synagogue every Saturday and spoil the weekend.
I know, believe me I know, because I was the epitome of the
transformation. It was Israel’s victory in ’67, I said, which
prompted me to assert my own Jewishness. Not five years of
Hebrew school, not Herzl Camp, not my Bar Mitzvah. Hebrew school
only embarrassed me because I had to get on the Hebrew bus in
front of the gentile kids at my elementary school, and my Bar
Mitzvah only bored me except for the envelopes stuffed with
money. My active involvement with Israel really began in 10th
grade, 1968, in the wake of the Six Day War. The Jewish Agency
sent a shaliach, a sort of roving ambassador and recruiter for
Israel to Minneapolis for the first time, and I became one of
his most active recruits. For my independent study project in my
senior year in high school, I did a slide tape show on how
Israel won the Six Day War. For my high school psychology class,
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman Collection, C-7403. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
13
t wwiti hout having toto bbbeee obobservant [18:00],], w
o to synagogue every SaSSattut rday and spoil the
ieve mememe III kkknononow,w,w, bbbecececauauausesese I wwwasasas ttthehehe eeepipipittome o
ion. ItItIt wasasas Isrsrsrael’’sss vvictcctory y y iiin ’’’6766 , III said
to asserrrttt mymymy ownwnwn Jewwwisii hnesesess. NNNottt five year
olll, not HHHerererzlzzl CCCamamamp,pp nnnototot mmmyy y BaBaBar MiMiMitztztzvah. HHeb
asssed me beeecaaaussse III hahahad dd tototo geeet onnn ttht e Hebrrrew
e gggentile kkkidididsss atatat mmyyy elelelemememenenentaaaryryry school, and
y borrred mmme exceptptpt fffororor ttthehehe eeenvelopesss ssstututuffed
ctive iiinvnvnvolololvevv ment wititith hh Israel reaaallllyy y began
, in the wawawakekeke ooofff thththe SiSiSix DaDaay y y WaWaWar.r.r. The Jewis
iach, a sort offf rororovivivingngng ambasasassador and recru
inneapolis for the first time and I became
my friend Ken Greer and I did a slide tape show on kibbutz life,
which ended with a stirring rendition of “Jerusalem Gold- “...of
Gold,” [19:00] and a rapid fire collage of fresh-faced,
idealistic looking Israelis up on the screen. I would beam with
pride as they flashed those pictures up there, as if to say to
my classmates, “take that, you gentiles! What do you have to be
proud of?”
In fact, high school for me was one big celebration of
Israel’s victory in the Six Day War. In a period of a few
months, I went from being a nebbish whose dream was to one day
become a professional golfer, to a Israel expert in training. I
was insufferable. When the Syrians arrested thirteen Jews in
Damascus, I wore a button for weeks that said, “Free the
Damascus Thirteen” which most of my high school classmates
thought referred to an underground offshoot of the Chicago Seven
[audience laughter]. I recall my mother saying to me gently,
when I put the button on one Sunday morning to wear to our
country club brunch, “is that really necessary, Tom?” I became
so knowledgeable about the military geography in the Middle East
that when my high school geography class had a teaching intern
from the University of Minnesota [20:00] for a month, he asked
me to give the talk on the Golan Heights and the Sinai. In 1968,
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman Collection, C-7403. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
14
t, high school for meee was one big celebrati
ctoryyy iiin n n thththeee SiSiSixxx DaDaDayyy WaWaWar. IIIn nn aaa pepeperiririododod of a
ent frororom m bebebeiiingg g a neeebbbbbbiishhh whhosososeee drdrdreaee m mm waww s to
ofessionaaalll gogogolfll ererer, tooo a Isrsrsraeelll exxxpepepert in tr
raaable. WhWhWhenenen ttthehehe SSSyryy iaiaiansnsns aaarrrrrresesesteteted d d thththirteenn J
wwwore a bbbuttttooon fooorr r weweweekekeks ttthaaat saiaiaidd,d “Freeee t
irttteen” whiiichchch mosososttt ofofof mmmyy hihihighhh ssccchool claaassm
errededd tooo an undddererergrgrgrouououndndnd offffshoot offf ttthehehe Chi
aughterrr].].]. III recall mymymy mmmother sayiiinggg ttto me g
the buttonnn ononon ooonnen SSunddday mooornrnrninining g g tot wear to
b brunch, “is ttthahahattt rererealalally nnneececessary, Tom?”
eable about the military geography in the M
the first story I wrote as a journalist, for my high school
newspaper, was about a lecture given at the University of
Minnesota by a then-obscure Israeli general who had played an
important role in the ’67 war. His name was Ariel Sharon.
But Israel did not just become a source of pride and
identification for American Jews, it also became the tent pole
around which institutional Jewish life in America became
organized, and a vehicle through which American Jewry began to
discover and support its own power. Thanks to Israel, Jews felt
that they had a body to be proud of, and used it to assert
themselves and become a community of power, a community that was
not frightened or embarrassed to bare its fangs, and bring its
full economic and political clout to bear in support of its
agenda. That agenda was supporting Israel. In Minneapolis, all
Jewish community philanthropy was funneled through the [21:00]
local UJA Appeal. Each year there’d be a kickoff dinner with the
wealthiest Jews, uh, making donations. The speaker would always
have some connection to Israel, usually a general. He would
stand before the crowd, breath some fire, flex some muscles,
tell some lies, and in the end, the audience would puff out
their chests and open their wallets.
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman Collection, C-7403. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
15
h iinsn titutional Jewewisissh hh lilife in America bebeca
and a vehicle throughghh whhhich American Jewry
d suppppopoportrtrt iiitststs ooownwnwn pppowowowererer. ThThThanananksksks tttoo o IsIsIsrrael,
ad a bobobodyd tttooo bebebe proooududud of,ff, andndnd usesesed dd ititit to as
and becommmeee aa cocc mmmmmmunitttyyy of pppowwwererer, a aa communit
neeed or ememembababarrrrasasassesesed dd tototo bbbarrreee ititits fafafangngngs, andd b
iccc and poooliiitiiicaaal clclclouououttt tototo beeearrr ininin supporttt o
t aaagenda waaasss suss ppppppororortititingngng Isrsrsraeeelll. In Minneeeapo
unitytyy phihihilanthropopopy yy wawawasss fufufunnnneled thrrrouououghghgh the
ppeal. EaEaEachchch year thererere’e’e d be a kiccckoooffffff dinne
Jews, uh, mmmakakakinininggg dodd natititions... TTThehehe ssspeaker wou
onnection to IsIssrararaelelel,,, usususuallllyyy a general. He
e the crowd breath some fire flex some mu
But no one talked much about the fact that fifty percent of
everything that was donated that evening, in response to this
Israeli general, stayed in Minneapolis to pay for the local
Jewish hospital, the home for the aged, the Jewish community
center, and the various synagogue educational programs. In other
words, Israel, Israel enabled American Jewish local institutions
to become stronger, more self-sufficient, and more varied. That
wasn’t all. Israel actually helped produce a vigorous, proud,
and assertive American Jewish leadership. The UJA campaign
replaced the synagogue as the source of Jewish leadership. In
fact, the campaign replaced Judaism altogether [22:00]. A good
Jew was not someone who went to the synagogue every Friday and
Saturday. A good Jew was not someone who prayed three times a
day and put on tefillin every morning. A good Jew, in the eyes
of most of the community in Minneapolis, was measured by how
much time, and more importantly how much money, he gave to the
campaign. The campaign became the factory and testing ground for
Jewish leaders. There was the UJA young leadership, old
leadership, singles leadership, women’s leadership, lawyers’
leadership, doctors’ leadership, even gay leadership, for all I
know. Plain old American Jews stopped visited Israel after 1967.
Instead, everyone who came seemed to be a leader. Israel crowned
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman Collection, C-7403. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
16
troongn er, more self-f-suuufffff icicient, and more vvar
Israel actually helplppedeed produce a vigorous,
ve Ammmererericicicananan JJJewewewisisish hh leleleadadadershshshipipip. ThThThee e UJUJUJAAA camp
e synnagagagogueueue asss the sososouurcecce of f f JJeJ wiwiwishss llleaee ders
ampaign rrrepee lalaacecc d d d Judaaaisii m alalaltoogegegethhheree [22:00]
sssomeoneee whwhwhooo wewewentntnt tooo thththe sysysynananagooogugugue every Fr
ggogood Jewww wwwasss nnnottt somomomeoeoeoneee whhho prrrayyyed threeee
onnn tefillininin eeeveeryryry mmmororornininingngng. A A A gogogood Jew, in
the cccommumumunity iiinnn MiMiMinnnnnneaeaeapopopoliiis, was mmmeaeaeasususured
and morrreee imimimpopp rtantlyyy hohohow much monnneyyy,,, he gav
he campaigngngn bbbecececamaa e thththe fffactcttorororyyy ananand d testing
ers. There was thththeee UJUJUJA A A younnnggg leadership, ol
singles leadership women’s leadership la
American Jews as leaders, and leaders have to meet leaders, so
when they came to Israel on fundraising missions, they met with
Peres, Rabin, and Shamir. I was always being asked to speak to
visiting Jewish groups as a reported here, but no one ever
called me and said, “come speak to a group of wealthy Jews from
Chicago.” They always invited me to speak to a group of Jewish
leaders [23:00] from Chicago.
It became a, a very strange dialectic, this process.
American Jewry used Israel to become self-directed, an energized
community, and this in turn created a deep sense of being at
home in America, for American Jews. It made the United States
and increasingly viable alternative to secular Zionism. American
Jewish leaders had power, they had dignity, they felt part of
their society. There were Jewish senators and congressmen at a
conference of presidents, who could see the American President
any time they wanted. So with all of that, many American Jews
started to ask, “Wait a minute, why move to Israel? Why make
aliyah? I have everything I could ever want as a Jew right here
in the USA. If Scarsdale exists, who needs Tel Aviv?” No wonder
Israeli’s started to feel slightly ambivalent toward American
Jews. The Israelis were nurturing and giving vitality to a
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman Collection, C-7403. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
17
:00]0] from Chicago.
ame a, a very strangeee diidialectic, this proce
wry uuusesesed d d IsIsIsrararaelelel tttooo bebebecococome ssselelelf-f-f-dididirererectctcteed, an
and tthihihis ininin turururn crrreaeaeatteddd a dededeeeep sssenee sesese of be
rica, forrr Amememerirr cacacan Jeeewwws. ItItIt mmmadadade thtt e United
innngly viaiaiablblbleee alalalteteternrr atatativivive tototo sssecccululularrr Zioniism
errrs had pppowwwerrr, thhheyeyey hhhadadad dddiiignnnittyt ,,, ttht ey felllt
ty.. There wwwererere ee JeJeJewiwiwishshsh sssenenenatatatorrrsss aaand congrrress
of prprresidididents, whwhw o cococoulululddd sesesee the Ammmererericicican P
ey wantttededed. SoSS with alalallll of that, mmmannnyy y Americ
ask, “Waittt aaa mimiminnun tett , hhwhy moooveveve tttooo IsI rael? Wh
ave everything III cococoulululd d d everrr wwant as a Jew r
If Scarsdale exists who needs Tel Aviv?”
community with whom they suddenly found themselves in
competition. [24:00]
Chapter 2 [chuckles]. Just as Americans got hooked on
Israel after the ’67 war, so Israelis got hooked on America.
It’s easy to forget today that back in the ‘50s, when Israeli
politics was dominated by the Labor Party, there was much talk
about bi-polarity, and Israelis were really very much focused on
the Soviet Union. My friend Ehud Gol, for the spokesman- former
spokesman of the Foreign Ministry, is forever telling me that I
may be married to a nice Jewish girl from Brooklyn, but when I’m
in the shower in the morning it’s Russian Red Army songs that I
sing. It was only after Stalin’s anti-Semitic outbursts and
Israel’s open support for America in the Korean War that the
Soviet Union really faded as a potential ally. Then, uh, France
weighed in, and there was really a love affair with France. You
may recall the most popular singing group in Israel in the ‘50s
was Les Compagnons de la Chanson, a French singing group. Elvis
was really a distant echo. Uh, they didn’t have television
[25:00] here, so really American culture and American singing
groups and things of that nature simply never came in. Um, and
really, as the author Ze’ev Chafets once put it me, he said, “I
wouldn’t say that people pitied me for being an American, but
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman Collection, C-7403. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
18
larriti y, and Israelilis weww rere really very mucuch
Union. My friend Ehhhududd GGol, for the spokesma
f theee FFForororeieieigngngn MMMinininisisistrtrtry,y,y, isss fofoforerereveveverr r tetetellling
ied ttooo a nininiccce JJJewissshhh ggirlrrl frororommm BrBrBroooo klklklynyy , bu
er in theee morororninn ngngng it’sss Russssssiaannn Reeed dd Army son
s only afafafteteterrr StStStalalalinii ’s’s’s aaanttti-i-i-SeSeSemimiitititic outburrst
ennn supporrrt fooor Ammmererericicicaaa ininin thhhe Koooreeean War th
n rrreally faaadededed dd asasas aa pppotototenenentititialll aaalllly. Thennn, u
and dd thererere was rererealalallylyly aaa lllovovove affairrr wwwititith Fr
the mosssttt popopopupp lar singngnginining group innn IIIsrsrsrael in
pagnons ddeee lalala CCChahh nson, a FrFrrenenenchchch sssini ging gro
a distant echo. UUUh,h,h, ttthehehey diiidndndn’t have televi
e so really American culture and American
back in ’67 there was no great attraction here of being
American. America was seen as being an eclipse. There were race
riots and drugs and Vietnam and hippies, and Israelis laughed at
Coca Cola and women who shaved their legs and weird things like
underarm deodorant.”
But again Israel’s sweeping victory in the Six Day War
changed all of this. It injected a new spirit of grandiosity, of
Manifest Destiny, into Israel. It ushered out the pioneer era of
simplicity in Israeli life, and ushered in an era of
consumerism, stock speculating, dollar accounts, credit cards,
and living beyond one’s means, which peaked in the ‘70s. The
material riches offered by America suddenly gained a new appeal
for Israelis [26:00]. If you wanted to sell a bed, you
advertised that it was an American-style bed. If you wanted to
be hip, you wore American jeans. If you wanted to be in, you
bragged of having visited Disneyland, not Paris. Popular
American culture cascaded in through television, movies, and
advertisements. I once heard and advertisement on Israel Radio
for frozen food, in which one actor said to another, “This is
our frozen food product.” The second man responded, “Excuse me,
are you from America?” The first man answered, “No, our system
is, but thanks anyways for the compliment!” In the old days,
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman Collection, C-7403. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
19
off this. It injectctededd a nnew spirit of ggrarand
stiny, into Israel. IIIttt ushered out the pion
in Isssrararaeleleliii lililifefefe,,, ananand dd ususushererereddd ininin aaann n erereraa of
, stoockckck spepepeccculalalatinggg,,, ddollllar aaaccououountnn s,s,s, credi
beyond onnne’ee s memm ananans, wwwhihh ch pppeaakekeked inii the ‘70
chhhes offefefererereddd bybyby AAAmemm ririricacaca sssudududdededenlnlly y y gagagained aa n
s [26:00]]]. Ifff yyyouuu wwanananteteteddd ttto seele lll aaa bed, yyyou
thaaat it wasss aaan nn AmAmAmererericicicananan-stytytyleee bbbeeed. If yooou w
woreree Amememerican jejejeananansss. IIIfff yoyoyou wanteddd tttooo be i
having vivivisisisitett d Disneyeyeylalaland, not Paaariiis.s.s. Popul
lture cascacacadedededdd inii tthhhrou hhgh tttelelelevevevisisisioi n, movie
nts. I once heaaardrdrd aaandndnd aaadverrrtititisement on Isra
food in which one actor said to another “
when you lived American-style in Israel, it meant you stood out
like a sore thumb. Now you stand out if you don’t life American
style. Israelis each Hamburgers at McDavid’s instead of
McDonald’s and shop at American style supermarkets, count their
wealth in dollars not shekels, and are as likely to dress up as
Rambo on Purim as they are as Haman or Esther. Americans who
immigrated to Israel after ’67, attracted to the simple and
primitive frontier ways of Israeli life, now complain [27:00]
that Israel is turning into precisely what they were trying to
escape.
It was during this post-’67 period that I believe America
began to pose a serious existential challenge to the Zionist
revolution. As Israel became a more normal society, and more
like America, it lost some of its distinct identity, and as
America became a nicer place for Jews, the ideological terms of
trade between Israel and America began to change. Some Israelis
began asking themselves, “Why put up with the fake American
lifestyle, the fake McDonald’s and the knockoff jeans, when I
can have the real thing?”
Now, um, of course this view didn’t apply to all Israelis,
by any means. But those who were influenced by this view began
to signal it with their feet. It used to be a stigma to emigrate
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman Collection, C-7403. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
20
to IsI rael after ’6767, ataa trtracted to the simimpl
rontier ways of Israeeelilli life, now complain
is ttturururnininingngng iiintntntooo prprprecececisisisely yy whwhwhatatat tttheheheyyy wwere t
during thththis pppossst-tt ’6777 periiiodoo ttthahh ttt I believe
seee a seriririououousss exexexisisistett ntntntiaiaial chchchalalalleleengngnge to thee Z
AAsA Israeeel beeecaaameee aa mmmororore nnnorrrmaala sooociety, an
a, it lost sososomemm ooof f f itititsss dididistststinnnctctct identityyy, a
ame aaa nicicicer placecece fffororor JJJewewews,s,s, the ideeeololologogogical
en Israaaelelel aaandnn Americacaca bbbegan to chhhannngegege. Some
g themselvevevesss, “““WhWW y putt up wwwititithhh thththe fake Ame
the fake McDonaaaldldld’s’s’s aaandndnd theee kkknockoff jeans,
e real thing?”
from Israel. No one ever left Israel for good, only for visits,
or as an Israeli teacher friend of mine remarked, “my sister
went to New York for one year [28:00] fifteen years ago.” But
even these kind of word games are becoming less necessary these
days. The image of the yored, someone who leaves Israel, has
been undergoing a radical transformation in recent years, from a
label of denigration, or the “refuse of society” which Rabin
once called him,’ to a rather neutral term. A PORI poll
conducted for the Haaretz newspaper in 1987 found that 57% of
all Israelis no longer believe that someone who emigrates is
betraying the country. The image of the yored has so improved
lately, that it’s even seeped into Israeli television
commercials. In 1988 Bezeq, the Israel national telephone
company, began running a commercial, on prime time, showing an
elderly Israeli grandfather sitting in front of a shabby, bare,
dilapidated desk, and dialing a number with the phone. Subtitled
beneath the man were the words “Netania Israel, 6:30 AM.” The
screen was then given over to what appears to be the Israeli
grandfather’s [29:00] grandchildren living in Los Angeles. They
are shown seated in an affluent looking, comfortable living
room, including a color television and a boy playing with a
football. Their comfortable surroundings were titled “Los
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman Collection, C-7403. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
21
niggrar tion, or the ““reeefufuf sese of society” whihich
him,’ to a rather neeeutuutral term. A PORI pol
or thhheee HaHaHaarararetetetzzz nenenewswswspapapapepeper ininin 1119898987 fofofoununundd that
s no lololongererer belelelieveee ttthhattt somememeoooneee whww ooo emee igra
he countrrryy.y TTThehh iiimageee of thththe yoyoyoreeeddd has so id
t it’s evevevenenen seeeeeepepeped dd ininintototo IIIsrsrsraeaeaelilii tttelelelevisioon
. In 198888 BBBezzzeqqq, thththeee IsIsIsraaaeeel naata ioioionnnal teleeeph
gannn runninggg aaa comomommememercrcrciaiaial,l,l, ooon prprpriiime time,,, sh
aelii grananandfatherrr sisisittttttininingg innn front ooofff a a a shab
desk, ananandd d didd aling aaa nununumber with thhheee phone.
man were ttthehehe wwworoo dsdd “““NNettanininia a a IsIsIsrararael, 6:30 A
then given overrr tttooo whwhwhatatat apppppeeaears to be the I
’s [29:00] grandchildren living in Los Ange
Angeles, 8:30 PM.” This commercial – and their having a phone
conversation – this commercial prompted the following letter to
the editor in the Jerusalem Post, by one Sara M. Schachter of
Jerusalem: “Dear Sirs, I was appalled to see the new Bezeq
commercial! This not-so-subliminal message of Grandpa is still
in Netania but Los Angeles is a land of opportunity for the
young and ambitions, emigration is indeed a major problem for
the State of Israel, but I think it’s in poor taste for Bezeq to
legitimize and exploit this unfortunate fact, and I’m surprised
that the editors of Israel Television included this commercial
on the air.” The letter was followed by an editor’s note, which
read: “This public service announcement [the Bezeq commercial]
[30:00] has been discontinued, following complaints that it
would encourage yerida.”
But I’m afraid the blackout won’t help. Today an estimate
400,000 of the four million Israelis, as I said, are living in
America, and the number of young, non-Orthodox American Jews who
move to Israel for Zionist ideological reasons are really, uh,
becoming, I wouldn’t say you could count them on one hand, but
almost. Uh, meeting a young, secular American Jew who has made
aliyah to Israel is almost like meeting someone on the street
these days who’s twirling a hula hoop. Um, you feel like it’s
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman Collection, C-7403. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
22
mbiitit ons, emigratioion isii iindeed a major prprob
f Israel, but I thinknkk iitt’t s in poor taste fo
and eeexpxpxplololoititit ttthihihisss unununfofofortrtrtunatatateee fafafactctct,,, ananandd I’m
itors ooof IsIsIsrrraelelel Tellleveveviisioion ininincludududedee ttthihh s co
” The lettttett rr waww sss follllooowed bbby ananan eeedidd tor’s no
pppublic sssererervivvicecece aaannnn ouououncncncemmmenenenttt [t[tthehehe BBBezeq ccom
bbeb en dissscooontttinnnueeed,d,d, fffololollololowwwinnng cooompplp aints th
raggge yeridaaa.”””
m affrarr iddd the blalalackckckouououttt wowowon’ttt help. ToToTodadadayy y an
the fouuur rr mimimillll ion Israraraelelelis, as I sssaiiid,d,d, are l
d the numbebeberrr ofofof young, non-OrOrOrthththodododox America
ael for Zioniststt iiidededeololologogogicalll rreasons are rea
wouldn’t say you could count them on one h
someone just from a different era. A friend of mine, Laura
Blumenfeld’s, uh uh, who’s been an assistant of mine, who has
moved here, said, “I ran into my ulpan teacher the other day,”
she just moved here in 1986, “and he said to me, you’re still
here? I said, ‘Yes, I’ve, I, I’ve decided to stay for a while.’
So he said to me, ‘You mean people are still doing that?’ It was
like I was [31:00] doing some ‘60s fad that was out of date.”
[coughs]
Now, just as the ’67 War brought forth an era of
materialism that made individual Israelis get hooked on America,
it also made Israel into a regional superpower, which made it as
a country, very much dependent on the United States, um, and I
think that’s pretty well clear to everybody, in terms of Israel
now getting about three billion dollars a year in American aid,
and that becoming central to the support of the Israeli economy.
This in turn created a situation where politically Israel could
not take any major diplomatic decision without taking the
American reaction into account. As one senior Israeli official
put it to me, “There are two kinds of dependency. One kind of
dependency is when you’re told what to do. That rarely happens
with the United States. The other form of dependency is when you
act on the basis of anticipated reactions. That happens all
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman Collection, C-7403. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
23
[311:00] doing somee ‘6660s00 ffad that was outt of
ust asasas ttthehehe ’’’676767 WWWararar bbbrororouugughttt ffforororththth aaannn ererera of
thatt mmmada eee iiindididividuuualalal Isrsraelililis gegeget tt hohohookoo ed o
e Israel inii tototo a rrregiooonnnal sususupeeerprprpowwweree , which
veeery muchchch dddeeepenenendededentnn ooonnn thhheee UnUnUnitittededd SSStates,, u
s ppretty weeellll cccleeeararar tttooo evvveeeryyyboodo yyy, in termmms
abbbout threeeeee bibb llllllioioionnn dododollllllararars aaa yyyear in AAmAmer
comininng cececentral tototo ttthehehe sssupupuppopoport of thhheee IsIssrael
n creatttededed aaa situationonon wwwhere polittticccalalally Isr
y major ddipipiplololomamamatitt c ddde iici iisionnn wwwititithohohout taking
action into accccououountntnt... AsAsAs oneee senior Israeli
e “There are two kinds of dependency One
time. It is now a built-in feature of [32:00] daily policymaking
here that we ask ourselves, ‘What will the Americans say if we
do this and what will the Americans say if we do that?’”
Next chapter. Next chapter is called “Tennis, anyone?” It
started out as a normal Saturday morning. Bob Slater, the
correspondent of Time Magazine and I were having our normal
Saturday morning tennis match, at the Jerusalem Tennis Center.
We happened to arrive at our assigned court at two minutes
before 10, and the Israeli players on the court were in the
middle of a point. We walked on to the court but stayed over to
the side, so as not to interrupt. At that point one of Israeli
players asked if we would please wait outside. We said no
problem and stayed outside until the clock struck 10, at which
point we returned to claim the court. They were still in the
middle of a, a point, and vacated the court reluctantly. As we
passed each other, one of the Israelis began mumbling in Hebrew
something about arrogant Americans pushing them off the courts.
After a few seconds of this, I told the fellow [33:00] that if
he had something to say, he should say it in English, at which
point he erupted with a lava flow of vile invectives that were
variations on “fucking Americans,” “arrogant Americans,” and “go
back to your own country where you belong.”
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman Collection, C-7403. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
24
rniingn tennis match,h, aaattt ththe Jerusalem Tennnnis
to arrive at our assssigiigned court at two min
and ttthehehe IIIsrsrsraeaeaelilili ppplalalayeyeyersrsrs onnn thththeee cococourururttt wwere i
point.t.t. Weee wwwalklklked ooonnn tto tthe cccooourtrtrt bututut staye
o as not tott iiintnn erererrupttt.. At ttthaattt poooinii t one of
eddd if weee wowowouluuld dd plplpleaee sesese wwwaiiittt ouououtststsididde.. We saaid
ssts ayed oooutttsiiideee uuuntntntililil ttthehehe clllocckc sttrt uck 1000,
turrrned to ccclalalaimii ttthehehe cccououourtrtrt... Thhheyeyey were stiilill
, a pppointntnt, and vavavacacacateteted dd thththee court reeelululuctctctantl
other,, ooonenene of the IsIsIsrararaelis begannn mmmumumumbling
bout arrogagagantntnt AAAmmem riiicans pussshihihingngng tttheh m off th
seconds of thihiis,s,s, III tttololold thhheee fellow [33:00]
thing to say he should say it in English
Bob and I stood there, gape-mouthed, watching this man
fulminate. When he was gone we just stared at each other across
the net dumbstruck. “What in the world was that about?” we said
to each other. It was clear that this Israeli was bothered by
something more than just tennis etiquette. He must have been
nursing some grudge against American Jews for a very long time
and our entering his court two minutes early simply lit his
fuse. This contretemps occurred just as the United States was
putting heavy pressure on Israel to turn over for questioning
several Israeli officials alleged to be involved in the Pollard
spy scandal. And, uh, at the time of Pollard’s arrest, many
American Jewish leaders had been highly embarrassed by the fact
that Israel was spying on the United States [34:00]. They
expressed that disappointment loud and clear to the Israeli
government, much to the annoyance of many Israelis. Maybe that
was at the root of this man’s anger, considering what he said,
and this was hardly the first time I had heard Israelis express
anti-American sentiments. His anger clearly seemed to be rooted
in the resentment many Israelis feel at being dependent on
America in general, and American Jews in particular. It’s no
secret to Israeli officials that Washington gives the
extraordinary amount of aid to Israel which it does in large
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman Collection, C-7403. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
25
eriingn his court twowo mmminini ututes early simplyy li
contretemps occurredd jujjust as the United Sta
vy prrresesessususurerere ooon n n IsIsIsrararaelelel ttto tututurnrnrn oooveveverr r fofoforr ques
aeli ofofofficiciciaaalsss alleeegegegedd totto beee iiinvovovolvll ededed in th
. And, uhhh,,, atatat thehehe timmmeee of PPPollalalarddd’s’’ arrest,
wiiish leadadadererersss hahahaddd bebb enenen hhhiggghlhlhly yy emmmbababarrrrassed by
wwwas spyiiinggg ooon thhheee UnUnUnitititededed Stttattet sss [3[[ 4:00]... T
hattt disappoooininintmtt enennttt lololoududud aaandndnd cccleleleaaar to theee Is
muchchh tooo the annononoyayayancncnceee ofofof mmmany Israaaelelelisisis. Ma
root ofoff ttthihihisss man’s ananangegeger, consideeeriiingngng what
s hardly thththeee fififirsrr ttt tititime II hhhadadad hhheaeaeard Israeli
an sentiments. HiHiHisss ananangegeger cllleeaearly seemed to
ntment many Israelis feel at being dependen
part because of the electoral clout of American Jews. It is not
only American Jews’ political lobbying of Congress that is
important to Israel, but also their lobbying of the American
public at large, the way in which they keep Israel on the
American agenda. Although American Jews personally send Israel
about 300 million dollars in donations each year through the
UJA, through their lobbying of Congress the United States
government sends Israel three billion dollars. “Pull the
American Jews out of their relationship,” remarked [unsure]
[35:00], a veteran Israeli diplomat in from Washington, “and the
whole relationship will start to shake.” In other words,
Israel’s security and economic wellbeing now depend in part on
assistance from America, assistance that will only be
forthcoming on a large scale if there continues to be a vibrant
American Jewish community that doesn’t move to Israel.
Now, Israelis react to this dependence on America and
American Jews in a variety of ways, not all of them as volatile
as the man on the tennis court. One is by trying to compensate
for it by emphasizing what a strategic asset Israel is for the
United States, and with a certain cockiness aimed at projecting
Israel as larger than life. For instance, one of the most
popular t-shirts sold in the old city of Jerusalem, is blaz-
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman Collection, C-7403. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
26
h ttheh ir lobbying ofof CCConoo grgress the United SSta
sends Israel three bibiillllliiion dollars. “Pull t
ws ouuuttt ofofof tttheheheiririr rrrelelelatatatioioionshihihip,p,p,””” rereremamamarkrkrkeed [un
veterrananan Isrsrsraaaelilili dippplololommattt in fffrommm WaWW shshshinii gton
ionship wwwilii ll sts ararart tooo shakekeke.” IIIn otoo her word
cuuurity ananandd d eeeconononomomomicii wwwelelellbbbeieieingngng nnnowowow dddepend in
frrrom Amerrriccca,,, aaassssisisistatatancncnce ttthaaat wililillll only bbbe
onnn a largeee ssscacc lelele iiifff thththererereee cooontntntiiinues to be
wish h commmmmmunity thththatatat dddoeoeoesnsnsn’t’t’t move tooo IIsrsrsrael.
sraeliisss rerereacacact to thiiisss dedd pendence onnn AAAmerica
ws in a varararieieietytyty of ff ways, nooottt alalallll of them as
on the tennis cccououourtrtrt... OnOnOne isss bbby trying to co
mphasizing what a strategic asset Israel is
emblazoned with an Israeli F-16 fighter bomber and the words
“America Don’t Worry, Israel is Behind You.” At the same time, I
discovered that virtually every Israeli official I met had a
quiet disgruntlement toward American Jewish [36:00] leaders.
It’s not easy to find oneself dependent on people you can’t
fully respect. As uh, uh, one of Peres’s aides said to me, every
time he came back from America, all I have to do is attend one
Israel bonds dinner in New York and see all those New York Jews
and all the schmaltz, and I get so sick, it’s enough to never
make me want to leave Israel. But not only American Jewish
schmaltz and soft-headedness rankles Israelis, but I think also
their deep-seated ambivalence about being someone else’s
vicarious symbol of courage.
Israelis...”American Jews think we’re all heroes,” said
Ze’ev Chafets, the Israeli author, “and like good fans they
won’t tolerate a negative word about us. They go to the off
season banquets, they hear the coaches and the quarterbacks,
that is the generals and the politicians, tell them what it’s
like down on the field. They follow us every morning in the
newspapers, they even send their kids to the little leagues
here, the summer camps, but ultimately they see us a bunch of
dumb jocks. Like all players, we enjoy the adoration, but when
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman Collection, C-7403. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
27
e bbaca k from Americaca, alaa ll I have to do iss at
s dinner in New Yorkk aaandd d see all those New
schmmmalalaltztztz,,, ananand d d III gegegettt sososo sicicick,k,k, iiit’t’t’sss enenenoough t
t to leleleaveee IIsI rararael. BuBuButt nonnot onononllly AAAmemm ririricacc n Je
d soft-heeeadaa ededdnenn ssssss rannnklkk es IIIsrraeaeaeliiiss,s, but I t
seeeated amamambibibivvvalelelencncnceee abababououout bebebeinining sooomememeone ellse
ymmbm ol of cooourrraggge.
is....”Americicicananan JJJewewews thththinininkkk wwwe’rrreee all heroooes,
ts, ttthe IIIsraeliii autututhohohor,rr “““anananddd like gggooooood d d fans
ate a nnnegegegatatativii e word aaabobobout us. Theeey gogogo to th
uets, theyyy heheheararar thehh coa hchesss aaandndnd tttheh quarter
generals and ttthehehe pppolololitititiciaaannsns, tell them wh
n the field They follow us every morning i
it’s you getting your head [37:00] bashed in every day on the
field, when it’s your son going off to Lebanon, then it’s hard
to look on the fan without a little bit of contempt.”
What adds to these feelings of resentment toward American
Jews is the fact that Israelis are now finding it very difficult
to deal with the competition from America for Jewish hearts and
minds. Harry Wall, the ADL director in Jerusalem, told me once
about an exhibit on American Jewry which his organization
brought to Israel. “When it was touring America, the exhibit was
called ‘American Jewry: The Fulfilment of the Dream,’ but when
we brought it to Israel we decided that we had better change the
name, so we took of the b-business about fulfilling a dream,
because there is only supposed to be one dream, and that is the
Zionist dream. We just called the exhibit, ‘American Jewry, from
Pre-Revolutionary War to Today.’ I invited the top people from
the Ministry of Education to come to the opening, and when it
was over I told them that they could have the exhibit. They said
to me, ‘Well, that would be just great, because we’ve never
taught anything about American Jews [38:00] in our school
curriculums.’ I said to them, ‘Huh? You’ve never done American
Jewry?’ They said, ‘No.’ I said, ‘We’re talking about the
largest, most successful Jewish community in the world.’ It
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman Collection, C-7403. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
28
y WWala l, the ADL dirireccctott r r in Jerusalem, totold
hibit on American JJJewwwrrry which his organizat
Israeeel.l.l. “““WhWhWhenenen iiittt wawawasss tototourinining gg AmAmAmererericicica,a,a, the e
ricann JJJewryryry::: ThThThe Fuuulflflfiilmemment ooofff thththe ee DrDrDreaee m,’
it to Isrrraeaa ll weww dddecidddedee thahahat wewewe hhhadaa better
tttook of f f thththeee b-b-b-bububusiss nenenessssss aaaboboboututut fffulululfififilling a
ree is onllly suuupppposssededed tttooo bebebe onnne drrreaaam, and th
am.. We justtt cccalaa leleled d d thththeee exexexhihihibiiitt,t, ‘Americaaan J
ionararry WaWaWar to TTTodododayayay ’’.’ III iiinvvviiited theee tttopopop peo
y of EdEdducucucatatatioii n to comomomeee to the opeeeniiingngng, and
told them ttthahahat tt thtt ey couldldld hhhavavaveee thththe exhibit.
l, that would bbbeee jujujuststst gggreattt,, because we’ve
hing about American Jews [38:00] in our sch
turns out that every year they study about a different Jewish
community in Israeli schools. They’d done Russian Jews and
European Jews and Ethiopian Jews, but never American Jews. It
seems that they are too secure and too prosperous. It wasn’t a
stated policy not to teach children about them. No one said,
‘don’t teach about American Jews.’ It was just understood, you
didn’t teach about American Jews.”
Unfortunately, as American Jewish life has become harder
and harder for Israelis to ignore, some of them have taken to
running it down, or praying for an outbreak of anti-Semitism in
America. There are more Jews in Israel, rooting for Jesse
Jackson to be elected President of the United States than
anywhere in the world. Neri Horowitz, a young Israeli political
scientist, refers to this as Israeli anti-Semitism. My friend
Yaron Israchi, a professor [39:00] at the Hebrew University of
Jerusalem, and a political dove, encountered the phenomenon
firsthand when he was invited to debate a representative of Gush
Emunim before a visiting group from Florida of Jewish leaders.
“Before the debate began,” recalled Yaron, “I prepared myself to
explain to these people why they Gush Emunim settlement movement
was destructive to our traditions and collective identity and
not helpful to our security, and even dangerous for aliyah. The
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman Collection, C-7403. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
29
h aabob ut American JeJewsss.”..
unately, as American JJJewish life has become
for IIIsrsrsraeaeaelililisss tototo iiigngngnororore,e,e, somomomeee ofofof ttthehehemmm hhave t
down, ooor prprpraaayinining fooorrr aan ooutbrbrbreeeakkk ofoo aaantnn i-Se
ere are mmmoroo ee JeJJ wswsws in IIIsraelelel, rororootttinii g for Je
beee electetetedd d PrPrPresesesidididenee ttt ofofof ttthehehe UUUniniitetetedd d Statess t
ttht e worllld... NNNerrri HoHoHorororowiwiwitztztz,,, aaa yyyouuunggg Israellli
refffers to ttthihihisss asasas IIIsrsrsraeaeaelilili aaanttti-i-i-SSSemitism... My
hi, aaa prororofessor [[393939:0:0:00]0]0] att ttthe Hebrrrewewew UUUnive
and a pppolololitititicii al dove,e,e, eeencountereddd ttthehehe pheno
hen he wasss inininvivivitett d dd tto ddd bbebatatteee aaa rererepresentati
re a visiting gggrororoupupup fffrororom Fllloororida of Jewish
debate began ” recalled Yaron “I prepared
Gush Emunim, I don’t remember his name, was the first to talk.
He said that the West Bank belongs to the Jews, that it’s part
of Eretz Israel, and that the Arabs don’t count, and that no one
should dictate to the Jews what to do. This was a time of a lot
of illegal settlements being built. Then he gave a very
impassioned speech about the Biblical history and the Torah
rights, etc. So one guy from Florida stands up and says, ‘Say,
you’re counting on massive aliyah from America and the West to
realize your plan for settling the West Bank, aren’t you?’ and
the man said yes. So the guy from the Florida said [40:00], ‘How
can you possible expect aliyah from Western, liberal Democrats,
when what you project through the settlements is a kind of
aggressive inconsideration of minority rights and all kinds of
other things which tarnish the image of Israel, and can only
encourage anti-Semitism from abroad? Because the way you treat
your minorities is how Jewish minorities will be treated. What
right will we American Jews have to claim to be treated well as
a minority?’ So this Gush Emunim guy smiled from ear to ear.
‘Sir,’ he said, ‘you don’t understand what you’re saying. Anti-
Semitism is the means through which massive Jewish aliyah will
come. So if we can contribute to that, you in the West will see
all the anti-Semites around you that will encourage you
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman Collection, C-7403. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
30
. SSo o one guy from FFlooorirr dada stands up and say
ting on massive aliyi ahahah fffrom America and the
r plaaannn fofoforrr sesesettttttlililingngng ttthehehe Wesesesttt BaBaBanknknk,,, ararareen’t y
d yes... SoS ttthhhe ggguy fffrororomm thtthe FlFlFlooorididida aa sasasaidii [40
sible expppecee tt ala iyiyiyah fffrrrom WeWeWesttererern,, liberal D
ouuu projecececttt thtthrororougugugh hh thththeee seeettttttlelelemeeentntnts is a kkin
innnconsideeeraaatiiionnn oooff f mimiminononoriririttty riiighththtsss and allll
s wwwhich tarrrnininishss ttthehehe iiimamamagegege ooof IsIsIsrrrael, andd d ca
nti-S-SSemitititism fromomom aabrbrbroaoaoad?d?d? BBBecause ttthehehe wwway y
ties isiss hhhowowow Jewish mimiminononorities willll bebebe treat
we Americananan JJJewewewsss hahh ve tto clcllaiaiaim m m tototo be treate
’ So this Gush h EmEmEmunununimimim ggguy sssmimimiled from ear t
aid ‘you don’t understand what you’re sayi
emigrate, and especially to the West Bank.’ Well,” added Yaron,
“these American Jews devoured him. There was so much anger
directed at him from these people from Florida, that I didn’t
have to say another thing. Israelis like this believe only in
aliyah through Apocalypse Now. For these people, the [41:00]
best news of the year is Jesse Jackson. If they lived in Miami,
they would be voting for Jackson. For them, the worst-case
scenario for American Jews is always the best possibility.”
But this Israeli anti-Semitism is by no means confined to
the lunatic right. Many American Jews, myself included, were
shocked by an open letter to an American friend that world-
renowned Israeli political theorist Shlomo Avineri published in
the Jerusalem Post in March 10, 1987, at the height of the
American Jewish criticism about Israel, um, over the Pollard
affair. Avineri, a leading Labor Party ideologue, uh, wrote this
letter to a friend, in which he said, which he complained, that
American...that the Pollard case was bringing out, quote, “a
degree of nervousness, insecurity, and even cringing, on the
part of American Jews, which runs counter to the conventional
wisdom of American Jewry feeling free, secure, and unmolested in
an open and pluralistic society. Let me not mince words,”
[42:00] wrote Avineri, “some of the responses of American Jewish
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman Collection, C-7403. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
31
be vov ting for Jacksksonnn... FoFor them, the worsrst-
r American Jews is alallwwways the best possibil
is Isrsrsraeaeaelilili aaantntnti-i-i-SeSeSemimimitititisssm iiisss bybyby nnnooo mememeananans con
righhht.t.t. Manananyyy AmAmAmericccananan Jeweews, mmmyyyselelelf ff inininclcc uded
an open llletee teteter rr tototo an AmAA ericicicann fffriiienee d that w
raaaeli polololitititiciicalalal ttthehh orororisisist ShShShlololomooo AAAvivivineri ppub
emmm Post iiin Maaarccch 101010, 191919878787,,, aaat thehehe height of
wisssh criticccisisism mm abababouououttt IsIsIsrararaelelel, umumum, over thhehe P
neri,i,, a llleading Labababororor PPPararartytyty ideologggueueue, uh,
friendndd, ininin which heee sasasaid, which heee ccomplai
that the PoPoPollllllararard dd case was bbbririringngnginining out, quo
ervousness, insssecececurururititity,y,y, anddd eeven cringing,
rican Jews which runs counter to the conve
leaders after Pollard’s sentencing remind me of the way in which
Jewish leaders in Egypt under Nasser, in Iran under Khomeini,
ran for cover when members of their Jewish communities were
caught spying for Israel. You always told us Israelis that
America was different. Of course it is, of course. Of course no
one will put you in jail or legislate against you. But you are
afraid that Jews will not be able to get responsible positions
in your government, that Jewish employees in the defense and
intelligence branches will be handicap, that Jews will be denied
access to sensitive positions. One Jewish spy, one Jewish spy,
and look how deep you find yourself in the galut mentality.
Don’t misunderstand me,” concluded Avineri, “in no way am I
condoning what Israel did in the Pollard affair, but the truth
of the matter is simple. You in America are no different from
French, German, Polish, Soviet and Egyptian Jews. Your [43:00]
exile is different, comfortable, padded with success and renown,
but it’s exile nonetheless.”
What I found so disturbing about this article was not only
the fact that so seemingly intelligent a man as Avineri could
make such a stupid argument, but that virtually every Israeli I
knew endorsed it wholeheartedly. Avineri completely misread the
American Jewish reaction. To begin with, he equated the reaction
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman Collection, C-7403. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
32
Jeewsw will not be aablblleee toto get responsiblele p
ernment, that Jewishh eeemployees in the defen
e braaancncnchehehesss wiwiwillllll bbbeee hahahandndndicapapap,,, thththatatat JJJewewewss will
ensittivivive popoposssitititions... OOOnne JJewisisishhh spspspy,yy ooonenn Jew
w deep yooouuu fififindnn yyyourssselee f ininin tthehehe gagagalut menta
deeerstand d d mememe,”,,” ccconononclcc udududededed AAAvivivineneneririi, “i“iin no wway
haata Israeeel diiid innn ttthehehe PPPololollllarrrd affffffaaair, buttt t
er is simpllle.e.e. Yououou iiinnn AmAmAmererericicica ararareee no difffefere
man, Polililish, Sovivv etetet aaandndnd EEEgygygyppptian Jeeewswsws. Your
fferenttt, cococomfmm ortable,e,e, pppadded withhh sssucucuccess a
ile nonethehehelelelessssss.”..
found so distturururbibibingngng aaabobb ut ttthhhis article was
at so seemingly intelligent a man as Aviner
of American Jewish leaders with that of American Jews. Most
American Jews I knew did not give a hoot about the Pollard
affair more than a passing shrug, which only showed how secure
they really were. Those who did think about it and articulated
concerns, primarily Jewish leaders, were cringing not out of
fear for themselves. They were cringing in part out of the
monumental ignorance and breach of trust evinced by Israel,
which they openly and vocally support and continued to support.
To compare American Jews, who every year feel at home enough in
America to lobby the Congress for 3 billion dollars in aid
[44:00] for the Jewish state, who in every crisis since the
State of Israel was born, from Suez to the Lebanon War, were not
afraid to stand up and defend Israel publically, to compare them
to the behavior of Soviet Jews, of Ethiopian Jews, of Iranian
Jews, is sheer nonsense. It’s the desperate analysis of a man
who feels that the only way to attract Jews to Israel is by
offering it as a haven and not a compelling option for Jewish
life.
Can I get a drink of water? Oh, thanks!
New chapter. Bear with me, I’m almost...halfway done.
[laughs] [audience laughter] You’re gonna hear it all,
goddammit. [laughs] The next chapter is called “Heroes and Dead
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman Collection, C-7403. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
33
ignnoro ance and breacachh ofofo ttrust evinced byy Is
openly and vocally suuupppport and continued to
Ameriiicacacan n n JeJeJewswsws,,, whwhwhooo evevevererery yeyeyeararar fffeeeeeelll atatat home
lobbyyy ttthe CCCooongrgrgress fofoforr 33 billlllliiionnn dodd llllllaraa s in
the Jewiiishss ssstatt tetete, whhhooo in eeeveeryryry cccrirr sis sinc
raaael wasss boboborrrn,,, frfrfromoo SSSueueuez tototo ttthehehe LLLebebebanon WWar
taaand up aaanddd dddefffennndd d IsIsIsrararaelelel puuublllicccallll y, to co
viooor of Sovvvieieiet tt JeJeJewswsw , ofofof EEEthththiooopipipiaaan Jews, of
eer nnnonsesesense. IIt’tt s thththeee dededespspsperate annnalalalysysysis o
hat thehee ooonlnlnly yy way to aaattttttract Jews tooo IIIsrael
as a havenenen aaandndnd nott a compepepellllllinining g g option for
get a drink of water? Oh thanks!
People.” Just as Israelis began to look on America differently,
both as an attracting and a threat, as a source of aid and a
thorn of dependence [45:00], American Jews began to look, begin
looking, on Israel differently. When American Jews first
discovered Israel in 1967, it was like meeting a beautiful woman
with whom they fell head over heels in love. They didn’t just go
on dating, they went out and got married and had kids together.
But the truth was, the couple really didn’t know that much about
each other. They were just in love, and love, as they say, is
blind. The marriage worked fine as long as American Jews never
really did the things you’re doing. As long as they never really
got off the tour bus and visited Israel, or as long as the only
Israelis they met were heroes and dead people. Then, the
marriage was trouble free. But the Israeli statue started to
come alive for American Jews in 1973, with the ’73 War, and then
with some of the scandals of the ‘70s, and finally with the, uh,
coming of the Likud and Begin government, with a, its own very
different agenda, an agenda that American Jews, liberal American
Jews, found a little difficult to deal with [46:00]. American
Jews gradually realized that this woman they married had all
kinds of crazy relatives hidden in the closet [audience
laughter]. Jewish settlers who spoke in mystical terms about
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman Collection, C-7403. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
34
theey y went out and ggotott mararried and had kidids
th was, the couple reeealaalllyl didn’t know that
Theyyy wwwererereee jujujuststst iiin nn lololoveveve, anananddd lololoveveve,,, asasas they
marriagagage wowoworrrkededed finnneee aas llong g g aaas AAAmemm ririricacc n Je
the thingggsss yoyoyou’uu rerere doiiinnng. AsAsAs lononong asaa they ne
tttour bususus aaandnnd vvvisisisitii ededed IIIsrrraeaeael,l,l, ooorrr asss long as
eyy y met weeereee hhherrroeeesss ananand dd dededeaaad peeeoplplpleee. Then,,, t
s tttrouble fffrereree.ee BBBututut ttthehehe Isrsrsraeeelilili statue sststar
for AAAmeririrican Jewswsws iiinnn 191919737373,,, with theee ’73733 War
f the ssscacacandndndalaa s of thehehe ‘70s, and fffinnnalalally wit
he Likud anananddd BeBeBegigg n governmeeentntnt,,, wiwiwith a, its
genda, an agendnddaaa thththatatat AAAmeriiiccacan Jews, libera
a little difficult to deal with [46:00] A
settling the land and expelling Arabs, rabbis who declared that
American-style Reform and Conservative Judaism were
illegitimate, army generals who compared Palestinians to
cockroaches in a bottle. This left American Jews uncomfortable,
and excl- exclaiming, “Wait a minute! I married Gold Meir!
You’re telling me Arik Sharon is in the family?! I married Teddy
Kollek. You’re telling me Rabbi Levinger is in the family?! I
married Yitzhak Rabin. You’re telling me Kahane is in your
parliament?!”
By the beginning of the 1980s, Israelis had pretty well
dragged American Jews off the tour bus, but I would say the
final tug came with the Lebanon War. Again, I know because I was
part of it. My father-in-law, Matthew Buxbaum, got the bad news
while on a weekend visit to [47:00] Aspen, Colorado, during the
summer of ’82. The news came via a prominent business contact of
his from New York City, who was also visiting Aspen. The message
was short, and not very sweet. “Your son-in-law Tom Friedman,”
the man told Matthew gravely, “is the most hated man in New York
City today.” More than Son of Sam? I thought. [audience
laughter] More than Mayor Koch? Could it be? What had I done to
deserve this? My crime, it turned out, was that of the
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman Collection, C-7403. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
35
’ree telling me Rabbbbii LeLL vivinger is in the ffam
zhak Rabin. You’re teteellllliiing me Kahane is in
!”
beginnnnnininggg ooof ttht e 19191980880s, Isrrraeaeaeliiisss haaad d d prett
rican Jewwwsss ofofoff f thththe tooouuur bususus, bububut III would sa
ammme with h h thththeee LeLeLebababanonn nnn WaWaWar... AAAgagagaininn, III know bbec
MMyMy fatheeer---innn-lllawww,,, MaMaMatttttthehehewww BBBuxxbx aaaummm, got ttthe
weeeekend visssititit tooo [4[4[47:7:7:000000]]] AsAsAspeeenn,n, Coloradooo, d
82. TTThe nnnews camememe viaiaia aaa ppprororommminent bbbusususininness
w York k CiCiCitytyty,,, who wasss alalalso visitinnng AsAsAspen. T
and not verereryyy swswsweeee t.tt “““YYour sssononon-i-i-in-n-n-lal w Tom Fr
d Matthew graveeelylyly,,, “i“i“isss the mmomost hated man i
” More than Son of Sam? I thought [audienc
messenger. As the Times bureau chief in Beirut [static;
recording missing]...
...in Tel Aviv, uh, ain’t never heard of the intifada. So,
um, uh, they are the ones who I think have been much more
seduced by the camera than, um, uh the Israeli or American Jews
have been hurt by it, um, because what happened and what I think
happened to them, to a very large extent, is that the TV
coverage became an end in itself, instead of a vehicle, or a
[48:00] necessary stage, to achieving negotiations. And so, just
sort of playing the victim on TV, just became an end in itself.
But sooner or later, you gotta get off stage, and when you do,
you gotta meet the Israeli. And until you do that, you can be on
Nightline from now until Christmas and it ain’t gonna get you
nothing
Herbert A. Friedman:
Hold it for just one second. I would like to make sure, ah,
because our time is just about out, and Tom’s been up here
almost an hour and a half...I would like to make sure that there
are no questions hanging regarding the matter of Israel-diaspora
relations, or his recipe at the end of what he thought that
relationship should be. So, with all due respect, if there are
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman Collection, C-7403. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
36
thheme , to a very lalargggeee exextent, is that ththe
came an end in itselflff,,, iiinstead of a vehicle
essarrryy y stststagagage,e,e, tttooo acacachihihievevevinggg nenenegogogotititiatatatioioionns. An
ying thththe vivivicctc imimim on TVTVTV,, juust bbbeeecamamame ee ananan end i
or later,,, yououou gotototta gggeeet offffff statatageee, and when
eeeet the IIIsrsrsraaaelilili. AnAA d dd unununtiiilll yoyoyou dododo ttthat, yyou
rooom now uuuntttilll CCChrrrisisistmtmtmasasas aaannnd ittt aiaiainn’n t gonnnna
Friedmamaan:n:n:
t for justtt ononone ee sess co ddnd. II woooulululd d d lililikek to make
time is just aaaboboboututut oooututut, annnddd Tom’s been up
our and a half I would like to make sure
any questions of that sort, let’s get ‘em up, and then we’ll get
back to the political thing if we have any time. We got another
ten minutes, and that’s all, because Scott and his crew have put
in a good lot of effort [audience laughter] [49:00].
Thomas L. Friedman:
Keep it down there.
F1:
I enjoyed your speech, but one thing you said concerned me.
I understand your pain on seeing your cousin eat pork, a pork
chop at his Bar Mitzvah, but what concerns me is, don’t you
think it’s unfair of American Jews to demand a certain kind of
expression of Judaism from Israelis that we may or may not be,
expect of ourselves, and shouldn’t we just allow them to express
their Judaism as they wish, and be they are here...
Thomas L. Friedman:
Right, that’s a, a very legitimate question. Unfortunately,
the pork chop reference actually referred to a part of this
speech I didn’t even talk about, which is about the
relationship, the religious relationship between the two
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman Collection, C-7403. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
37
t ddowo n there.
yed yyyououour spspspeeeechchch, buuuttt ooneee thhinininggg yoyoyou uu sasasaidii con
d your paaainii ooon nn seseseeinggg yourrr coousususinnn eat pork,
BBBar Mitztztzvavavah,hh, bbbututut whahahattt coooncncncererernsss mmme is, doon’
unnfn air offf AAAmeeeriiicaaann n JeJeJewswsws tttooo dddemmmandndnd a certaaain
of Judaism frfrfromoo IIIsrsrsraeaeaelililiss thththattt wwweee may or may
urselellves,s,s, and shohohoulululdndndn’ttt wee jjjust allllowowow ttthem
sm as tttheheheyyy wiww sh, and d d bebebe they are heeererere...
riedman:
that’s a a very legitimate question Unfo
countries. I mention it because it seems to me very impor- it,
it, it refers to a much larger question. And that is, um, can
nationhood, national symbols, speaking Hebrew, etc., be enough
to preserve you [50:00] as a Jew? And really the answer is, you
know, I think very questionable. One sees this with Israelis
when they move to America. The Jews who assimilate the quickest
in America are Israelis who come to America, because all most of
them have are these national symbols. Alright, they don’t have
that sort of communal religious experience. I was, uh, giving a
talk for an army officers’ course, a couple weeks ago, and they
were showing me the agenda...it was for Israeli army officers
who were going to school in America for two years. And the
speaker before me was a speaker who was giving them a talk on
how to behave in a synagogue. Um, and, uh, you know, all I’m
saying is that, I mention it that, to me, Israel has got to
articulate also a spiritual vision of Judaism that’s going to be
compelling for American Jews. You can’t say, you know, “I am the
center,” okay, “I am the carrier of your Jewish identity,”
[51:00] and the conduct a Jewish life here that if transplanted
to Los Angeles would wither in, uh, you know within a year. And
it’s really that dilemma which I’m trying to, evoke, ‘cause
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman Collection, C-7403. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
38
aree Israelis who cocomeee to o America, becausese a
re these national symmmbobbollsl . Alright, they do
f commmmumumunananalll rererelililigigigiououousss exexexperiririenenencecece. III wawawass, uh,
armyyy ooofficiciceeers’s’s’ couuursrsrsee, aa couououpppleee weww ekekeksss ago,
g me the agaa enenndadd .....it wwwas fofofor IsIsIsraaaelee i army o
innng to scscschohohoolool iiinnn AmAA ererericicica fofofor rr twtwtwooo yeyeyears. AAnd
orrre me waaas a spppeaaakekekerrr whwhwho wwwasss gggivivivinnng them a
ve in a synnnagagagogoo ueueue. UmUmUm, ananand,d,d, uuuhh,h, you knowww, a
hat, I mememention ititit ttthahahat,tt tttoo mmme, Israaaelelel hhhas g
also a spspspiririritii ual visisisiononon of Judaisssm thththat’s g
for Americacacannn JeJeJewwsw . YYou can’n’n’ttt sasasay,y,y, you know,
ay, “I am the cccarararriririererer ooof yoyoyouurur Jewish identi
the conduct a Jewish life here that if tra
there’s, there’s a challenge there, which Israelis shouldn’t be
allowed to escape.
M1:
On the topic of, uh, leadership, all of us are here because
we were selected for this program, which means to one degree or
another most of us have bought in to some extent to the, the
existing leadership, uh, situation, for which we are rewarded,
and that, that’s how you become recognized as a young leader, by
helping perpetuate the system, not by making waves and creating
problems that going to hurt fundraising in the short run, and I,
my own sense after spending time here over the last several
years, and particularly after the last few weeks, is that
somehow or another we as leaders have to divert the attention
[52:00] from some of the more traditional things that have been
done and more toward education, and toward understanding the
historical and religious basis for the relationship with Israel,
and...I’d like to get your reaction to that assessment, and any
ideas that you might have as to how to help bring that about?
Thomas L. Friedman:
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman Collection, C-7403. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
39
t oof f us have boughtht iiinnn toto some extent too th
adership, uh, situatitiiooon, for which we are r
hat’sss hhhowowow yyyououou bbbecececomomomeee rererecogngngnizizizededed aaasss aaa yyoung
petuaaatetete thehehe sysysystem,,, nnnoot bby mamamakkkingngng wavavavesee and
at going tott hhhuruu ttt fundddrrraisinining ininin ttthehh short r
e after ssspepependnndinininggg titt mememe hhherrreee ovovoverrr ttthehehe last se
paaarticulaaarllly afffteeerr r thththeee lalalassst feeew weeeeks, isss t
anooother we asasas leaeaadededersrsrs hhhavavaveee tooo dddiiivert theee at
m sommme ofofof the mororore trtrtradadaditititioioional thinnngsgsgs ttthat
re towawaardrdrd eeedudd cation,,, ananand toward uuunddderererstandi
and religioioioususus bbbasaa isii fffor tthehehe rrrelelelatatatioi nship wi
ike to get yourrr rrreaeaeactctctioioion tooo tthat assessment
you might have as to how to help bring that
Um, I mean I couldn’t agree more with, you know, what, uh,
what you said. You see there is an institutional imperative at
work among American Jewish leaders, which almost prevents them
from ever offering Israel that kind of critical understanding.
The institutional imperative is that they don’t get invited to
the White House to talk about the Jewish poor. They don’t get
invited to the White House to talk about the Jewish aged. They
get invited to the White House to talk about Israel. And as a
result, that makes many of them reluctant to, in any way, to um,
uh, you know, voice any kind of critical understanding,
sympathetic criticism, I think, to Israel [53:00]. I think what
you’re doing here I can only applaud, and a story I dropped out
of there, but which I’ll tell you...I mean it’s very refreshing,
I must say to talk to a group of American Jewish ‘leaders,’ um,
uh, haha, whatever you are...um, American Jews, period, okay,
who don’t, who can digest what I have to say. I mean, I’m sure
there are people nursing God know what out there, but without
standing up and throwing a pie. I mean, I must tell you, I spoke
to the Conference of Presidents of major American Jewish agenc-
uh, major American Jewish organizations, several years ago, and
I’m not afraid to say this in public, they were the dumbest
group of Jews I have spoken to anywhere, any time on this Earth
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman Collection, C-7403. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
40
thee White House too tataalklkl aabout the Jewishh ag
to the White House tttooo ttat lk about Israel. A
t makkkeseses mmmanananyy y ofofof ttthehehemm m rerereluctctctanananttt tototo,,, ininin any w
w, vooicicice anananyyy kikikind ooofff ccrititicalalal undndnderee stststanaa ding
criticisssm,mm III thihihink, ttto Isrsrsraeelll [5553:33 00]. I t
g here III cacacannn onononlylyly apppppplalalauddd,,, ananandd aaa stststory I dr
uttt which I’’’llll tttellllll yoyoyou.uu ....III mmmeaaan iiitt’t s veryyy r
to talk to aaa grgg ouououp p p ofofof AAAmememeririricaaannn JJJewish ‘llelead
hatevvver yyyou are...u.ummm, AAAmememeriiican Jewsss,,, pepeperiod
who cannn dddigigigesee t what III hhhave to sayyy. III mean,
eople nursisisingngng GGGodoo kkknow hhwhatatt oooututut tttheh re, but
and throwing aaa pppieieie... III meannn,, I must tell yo
erence of Presidents of major American Jewi
[chatter from audience; light applause]. Um, the, uh, the
Women’s Hadassah group in Worcester, Massachusetts, asked more
intelligent questions, and showed more insight into the
predicament of Jews both in America and Israel, than these bozos
did [audience laughter]. Now, um, and I, I mean I say that, we
laugh, but I find it very sad [54:00]. They came to Israel three
months ago, the Conference of Presidents, alright, and before
they came, um, the foreign ministry called me up and said the
Conference of Presidents is coming here, they insist that you
come and give them a talk about the press coverage in the West
Bank and Gaza. And I said, “now, wait a minute. They’re gonna be
here. They’re gonna be here in Israel, in Jerusalem. Tell ‘em to
put on a helmet and a flak jacket one day, and get in a car, and
start at the southern end of the West Bank and drive to the
northern end and see for themselves! Tell ‘em to go on patrol
with an Israeli patrol, as I’ve done on numerous occasions. But
I’m not gonna come, sit in Jerusalem and tell them about what’s
happening five miles away! Well, sure enough, they found two
other suckers to come speak to them. They spent an hour and a
half throwing pies at them, lecturing them about what was going
on in the territories, and then, when I called the foreign
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman Collection, C-7403. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
41
thhe e Conference of f Prrresee ididents, alright, and
um, the foreign minisisstrttry called me up and s
of Prrresesesidididenenentststs iiisss cococomimimingngng hererere,e,e, ttthehehey y y inininssist t
ve thhhememem a tttaaalkkk abouuuttt ttheee presesess cococovevv rararagegg in
za. And III saiaiaid,dd “““now,,, waittt a mimiminuuutett . They’r
reee gonna aa bebebe hehehererere iiin IsIsIsrarr elelel,,, ininin JJJerererusuu alem.. T
lmmmet and a flllakkk jjjacacackekekettt onnneee dddayyy, anndn get iiin
e sssouthern enenend dd ofofof ttthehehe WWWeeesttt Baaanknknk and drivvve t
d andndd seeeeee for ttthehehemsmsmselelelveveve !!s! TTTell ‘em tototo gggo on
aeli paaatrtrtrololol,,, as I’veee dododone on numeeeroooususus occas
na come, sisisittt ininin Jerus llalem aaandndnd tttelelelll them abo
ive miles away!y!! WWWelelell,l,l, sssure eenenough, they fou
rs to come speak to them They spent an hou
ministry later to ask if they ever went out to see themselves,
the answer was no. [55:00]
So, uh, I can only applaud what you’re doing, coming here,
looking, seeing the reality, with all its beauty and all its
ugliness, and going home, and A, being able to educate people
better on that basis, but also, I think, I hope, having the
courage and the responsibility to offer Israel something back.
[indistinct voices from crowd]
Herbert A. Friedman:
Ah ah ah ah! Time, time, time. Sorry. Uh, Scott n- fellas,
forget it. Scott and his bunch have put on a show. Tom has
really, really, extended himself, uh, way beyond the call of
duty, so we’re gonna...we thank him for coming
[applause]...uh...
Thomas L. Friedman:
Thank you. Thank you.
Herbert A. Friedman:
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman Collection, C-7403. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
42
thhe e responsibilityty tttooo ofoffer Israel sometethi
voiccceseses fffrororommm crcrcrowowowd]d]d]
Friedman:::
ahhh ah! TiTiTimememe,,, tititimememe,,, tititimememe. SoSoSorrrrrry... UUUh,h,h, Scottt n
Scccott anddd hhhisss bbbunnnchchch hhhavavave ppputtt ooon a show. TTTom
llyyy, extendddededed himimimseseselflflf, uhuhuh,,, waaayyy bbbeyond thhehe c
’re gggonnanana...we thththananankkk hihihimmm fofofor cominggg
..uh....
riedman:
you Thank you
And, uh, let me turn the program over now to Mr. Scott
Apter [56:00], um, and uh, I don’t know what he calls himself,
but it’s the uh...[fades]
END OF AUDIO FILE [56:12]
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman Collection, C-7403. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
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