Archive
‘True Freedom Flotilla’ publicizing plight of Gilad Shalit sails past U.N. and Statue of Liberty
Malcolm Hoenlein (right), Executive Vice Chair of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, and Ambassador Gabriela Shalev (center), Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations, present Rosemary Mackey of the American Red Cross NY Chapter with a humanitarian aid package for Gilad Shalit, including food, books, underwear, socks, a sweatshirt and glasses.
NEW YORK (Press Release)–Hundreds of protesters in a “True Freedom Flotilla” sailed past the Statue of Liberty and the United Nations on Thursday with signs calling for the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit from his Gaza captivity. For more information, please see previous story.
Demonstrators aboard boat in East River display signs at United Nations headquarters
*
Preceding provided by the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations
Davis votes for Iran sanctions measure
WASHINGTON, D.C (Press Release)– Congresswoman Susan Davis, a San Diego Democrat, voted to strengthen sanctions against Iran in an effort to persuade them to abandon their nuclear ambitions and support of terrorism. H.R. 2194, the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010, would strengthen the underlying Iran Sanctions Act (ISA) by imposing an array of tough new economic penalties aimed at persuading Iran to change its conduct.
“It is in the national security interests of the United States and our allies to compel Iran’s leaders to halt their nuclear program.” said Davis. “Sanctions, combined with unified international diplomatic pressure, are our best hope for peacefully achieving this goal.”
Targets of the bill range from business entities involved in refined petroleum sales to Iran or support for Iran’s domestic refining efforts to international banking institutions involved with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Iran’s illicit nuclear program or its support for terrorism.
The bill would impose severe restrictions on foreign financial institutions doing business with key Iranian banks or the IRGC. In effect, it would present foreign banks doing business with blacklisted Iranian entities a stark choice – cease your activities or be denied critical access to America’s financial system. The bill would also hold U.S. banks accountable for actions by their foreign subsidiaries.
The House approved the final legislative agreement between the House and the Senate clearing the bill for President Obama’s signature.
*
Preceding provided by Congresswoman Susan Davis
LGBT forum cancels presentation by pro-Israel group
LOS ANGELES (Press Release)– StandWithUs, (SWU) was suddenly banned on Thursday from presenting a Gay Rights workshop at the international US Social Forum (USSF) conference being held in Detroit, Michigan, from June 22 to June 26.
USSF notified SWU on Tuesday, just two days before SWU was scheduled to present its “LGBTQI Liberation in the Middle East” session.
“The cancellation letter claimed that we had ‘masked the true nature’ of the workshop and were really trying to ‘defend Israel,’ but this is patently false,” according to SWU Midwest Director Brett Cohen, an expert on gay issues in the Middle East who was approved by USSF to lead the session. “We gave them our program plan and background about our organization, and website information months ago. In all that time, the conference organizers never asked for more information.”
Cohen has been harassed for several weeks by USSF participants who emailed him intimidating messages with thinly veiled threats that violence might break out at his session. The organizers of the USSF were unwilling to offer security at the workshop, and warned Cohen, “Security is important to the US Social Forum. At the same time, the social forum is an open space,” implying that Cohen’s physical safety might be at risk.
In their message to the forum, the organizers stated that they cannot, “allow the workshop to proceed uncontested.”
“The real tragedy is that once again, the voice of the persecuted Middle Eastern LGBTQI community is being silenced. They face murderous persecution and discrimination. In Iran, gay men are forced to undergo sex change operations, or face execution. Across the Middle East, gays are murdered by their own families in ‘honor killings.’ They face active discrimination and often, legal punishment for the ‘crime’ of being gay. We wanted to highlight their plight using videos and documents produced by LGBT rights organization members who live in hiding for fear of death in every country in the region except Israel. Our goal was to shed light on their plight and connect conference participants to these important organizations so that they could offer assistance and shed light on this viciously persecuted minority. I thought building these coalitions was the purpose of this conference,” said Cohen.
“Apparently, USSF was so afraid that participants might indirectly learn that Israel has an outstanding record on LGBT issues and is a refuge for persecuted gays in the Middle East that they chose to turn their backs on the cries for help from this suffering minority across the region. This was the only workshop about the plight of gays in the Middle East, but the organizers’ unfortunate prejudice against Israel trumped their commitment to human rights. And they tried to ‘shoot the messenger’ by harassing and intimidating Brett Cohen, and to make sure the message for much needed help was never heard,” said SWU CEO Roz Rothstein.
SWU has been committed to education about LGBT suffering in the Middle East. The organization has had projects such as iPride 2009, which connected non-Jewish gay leaders from around the world with the annual Tel Aviv iPride event and introduced them to gay Israeli politicians and to many different gay rights organizations with offices in Israel. SWU’s campus advocacy programs have always included education about gay rights in the Middle East.
“The USSF response highlights once again how anti-Israel prejudice and ignorance hijacks and perverts human rights values, and clouds the judgment of those who claim to be human rights activists. They refuse to acknowledge Israel’s many efforts to find a path to peaceful co-existence. In effect, they end up supporting radical groups and intolerant governments that make a mockery of all their purported ideals. They have shown that they are so focused on hating Israel that they cannot focus on standing up for the people at risk like those in the LGBTQI community who suffer under the oppressive regimes. When USSF and other activists take these positions, they don’t seem to be proponents of human rights. Instead, they are hypocritical or actually enemies of human rights and of peaceful co-existence. The leaders of the USSF have shamefully silenced the suffering of Middle East gays because of their own hateful intolerance. Anti-Israel bigotry is alive and well at the USSF. Such bigotry is a grave threat to human rights values everywhere when obsessive focus on Israel trumps all else.” concluded Rothstein.
*
Preceding provided by StandWithUs
‘Eurydice’ and ‘Engaged’ are ‘E-ticket’ shows in San Diego
By Carol Davis
Carol Davis
SAN DIEGO–Two shows worth seeing and scheduled to close this weekend (June 27th) are worthy of comment. One is a comedy/farce; the other is based on the Greek Tragedy Eurydice. The theatre companies offering these polar opposite productions are A Talent To aMuse Theatre Company (W.S. Gilbert’s “Engaged”) and Sarah Ruhl’s “Eurydice” presented by Moxie Theatre. Both are small local companies who continually to do excellent work.
Engaged by W.S. Gilbert, the other half of Arthur Sullivan of the famed Gilbert & Sullivan pair penned this (soap opera long before its time) farcical comic play in the late 1800’s. It is somewhat a variation on the same theme: Cheviot Hill (Sam Zethumer) is in love with love. In other words, he loves anything in skirts and has no problem pledging his love along with a promise of marriage to the first, second or third woman he comes in contact with.
The loves of his life are about as different from each as night is to day except for one thing, they all love his money. They include: Maggie Macfarlane (Sarah Hunter), a Scottish lass engaged to Angus Macalister (O.P. Hadlock) who is easily bought off by Cheviot; Belinda Treherne (Bernadette Ralphs), who is promised to Belvawaney (Reed Willard) but changes her mind for financial reasons and Minnie Symperson (Calandra Crane) daughter of Cheviot’s uncle Symperson (George Weinberg-Harter) who stands to inherit Cheviot’s fortune should he remain single is fittingly fidgety, fussy and flummoxed. (Of course if the money stays in the family, one does not object.)
Directed with a broad brush, Welton Jones does a fine job of keeping this three-act, two intermissions play moving along at a timely fashion; just about two hours long. Anything longer for this convoluted, satirical romp and the wiggles would have set in, since the outcome is as predictable as “If winter comes, can spring be far behind”?
On the acting front, Sam Zetumer is the perfect Cheviot Hill; conceited, in love with himself and perfectly satisfied that he has a right to do what ever it is he is doing. Keeping all three ‘engaged’ is no easy feat, somewhat like a juggling act, yet each of the women allows herself to used by Cheviot in one way or another. It’s the men who manage to show a little righteous indignation (not much) by showing off their anger and in one case, wielding a firearm.
On the outstanding list, Pamela Stompoly’s Victorian costumes are a beautiful sight and worn well by all. George Weinberg-Harter’s cartoon like set design fits the bill looking much like a Dr. Seuss backdrop. On the clever side, a miniature cardboard choo choo train limps along announcing the arrival of Cheviot and his uncle Symperson to Grena near the garden cottage (first act action) on the border between England and Scotland where we first meet some of the group. On the WOW side a genuine looking spinning wheel is used as a prop in Act I and on the accent side, the Scottish accents seem pretty authentic and consistent to me.
Overall, this seldom done farce is worth a try. You can catch it at Swedenborg Hall, 1531 Tyler St. in University Heights. For more information call 619-233-9407.
Death is so final, unless you’re a playwright. That said the passing of a parent could have a profound effect on a child no matter the age. In her 2000 play, (it premiered in 2003) Eurydice, Award winning playwright Sarah Rhul journeys through her own emotional seesaw after the loss of her father, by using the themes from the Greek Classic, Orpheus to parallel her journey with that of Eurydice’s and as a path toward her own healing. It is journey of love lost and found only to be lost again.
In a plot reversal the heroine, Eurydice is at the center of this story. It is told through her (a feminine perspective) eyes rather that Orpheus’, her musician/poet husband. In the original story Orpheus, who was said to cast a spell on everyone he meets including the Lord of the Dead, is allowed to rescue his beloved bride, Eurydice from Hades only to lose her again by not following directions: Don’t look back to see if she’s following, no matter what! You guessed it he looked back.
Set on Jennifer Brawn Gittings multi functional stage, the story of Eurydice (Jennifer Eve Thorn) unfolds as she is coaxed on her wedding day by the Lord Of the Underworld (Max Macke) to follow him to Hades. Still overcome by grief by the death of her father, her first love, (a father’s love is stopped by marriage on her wedding day) she agrees to follow.
There she meets up with her father (Todd Blakesley) who is waiting for her. He makes a place for her stay and together they reunite and begin the task of bonding again, getting to know one another again and building that father/daughter relationship again.
Blakesley turns out to be the gentle the caring parent she so misses. When Orpheus does finally make it down to the underworld to rescue his bride, it is she who calls back to her husband causing him to look back and she to remain behind with her father.
Ruhl’s piece is a playful (there is a Greek chorus of three stones in the forms of Fred Harlow as Big Stone, Rhona Gold as Loud Stone and Zoe Sonnenberg as Little Stone), warm and tender love story glimmering with hope, yet mindful of loss. Thorn is absolutely perfect as Eurydice. She is open, lively and simply glowing with optimism.
Visually, Gittings’ (costumes and set) set is eye catching especially the very large blue urn that is a working water falls set in a corner of the stage (raised on a platform) surrounded on two sides with blue tiles and working showers. Throughout the play the sound of water cascading down this urn becomes a living symbol of healing and calm.
Artistic director Delicia Turner Sonnenberg and her talented cast prove once again that theatre can be engaging, moving and powerful even if it’s the retelling of a Greek myth with a twist.
Moxie’s production of Rhul’s play appears to be the last utilizing the College area venue. Unfortunately for all, (unless the property owners have a change of heart) Moxie will be looking for another stage to mount their thoughtful and always clever productions.
Eurydice is a must-see show exactly as it being mounted by Moxie Theatre. It plays through June 27th.
Hurry!!!!
See you at the theatre.
*
Theatre critic Davis is based in San Diego
Adventures in San Diego Jewish History, July 9, 1954, part 4
Compiled by San Diego Jewish World staff
-And Away We Go-
Southwestern Jewish Press, July 9, 1954, page 7
By Julia Kaufman
The problem of what to do with your two weeks’ vacation can be solved in a number of ways. Some prefer to take their vacation in one place to get plenty of rest, sun, sports and good food, others enjoy a cruise, but for those who like to cover ground and see many things and any places, there is nothing like a motor trip. We chose the latter for ourselves, because we always wanted to see the great Northwest.
Our target was British Columbia, some 1600 miles from San Diego. This sort of a vacation is not inexpensive, but expenses can be controlled and it would be difficult to duplicate the value received in the amount of ground covered, places to be seen and experiences to be had. Being practical, we took with us a set of Triple A Guide Books from the Automobile Club, advising where to stay, things to see and places to eat. Any motorist without this American “Baedeker” is missing a bet.
If possible, it is a good idea to plan your trip before you leave. Decide where you wish to go, pick out the high spots on the way, plan your mileage and make reservations wherever possible. You will find accommodations to suit every pocketbook if you plan ahead. In the summer it is advisable to avoid midday travel. We preferred the early morning when the roads were clear and the air cool. Your clothing should be as varied as the climate you intend to pass through. We found our raincoats a boon on a rainy day and our heay jackets a comfort on the snow-covered mountain tops.
After an overnight stay at Paso Robles, we went to San Francisco to spend several days. The Bay City has loads to offer tourists from the Top of the Mark to the Sea Coast, with excellent restaurants with international flavor. From San Francisco, via Rt. 101, our trail lewd through the California Redwoods and Paul Bunyan Country with many State Parks and impressive groves of giant trees. Our stopovers were Garberville, Calif., and the Grants Pass in Oregon on the Rogue River. The nest day we headed for Portland, this time on Rt. 99. A must here is Scenic Route 30 along the Columbia River; a visit to the Bonneville Dam, where the salmon climb the ladders to be counted. From Portland we headed to Port Angeles, picking up Rt 101 at Shelton, Washington. From Port Angeles we ferried to Victoria, B.C, crossing the Straits of Juan de Fuca. In Victoria, after settling in our motel, we picked up a printed route from the information center, opposite the Empress Hotel, indicating the high spots to be seen. Be sure to see the Government Buildings at night outlined in lights. A tip to the women if you are interested in English china, silverware, linens, etc – don’t get there on a weekend.
We stayed here two days and proceeded to Sidney for a three hour ferry ride through the San Juan Islands to Anacortes. It was a very pleasant, scenic and restful trip. From Anacortes we traveled down Rt. 99, going through Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia and Portland. Then on Rt. 26 to Timberline Lodge, nestling 6000 ft. against Mt. Hood. Ski-lifts and the longest ride via cable car are there for your enjoyment. Being surrounded by snow, above the clouds, was an unusual experience after leaving the green of summer below. The lodge itself is very beautiful. Dale, the friendly and obliging young clerk, showed us the room where Franklin D. Roosevelt slept.
From Timberline, down Route 26 and 97, a side trip along Rt. 230, took us to Crater Lake. This trip will reward you with scenes of impressive beauty. The roads were banked with snow twenty to thirty feet high, with a magnificent view of the blue Crater Lake. We advise you not to plan a stop at the Hotel. From our next stopover, Klamath Falls, we visited Mt. Shasta, where they boast the largest trout hatchery in the world. En route because of the extreme heat through the Sacramento valley, we stopped to swim and boat on Lake Shasta, ten miles from our motel in Redding. The next morning we started very early to avoid the heat, drove along Rt. 99, picking up Rt. 40 into Oakland, and then on to Rt. 1010, by-passing San Francisco and arriving in Carmel about 2 p.m. Two days of relaxation on the picturesque Carmel beach, with a visit to Monterey Bay and we were ready to head for home. We broke our trip with a stopover at Santa Barbara and reached home without being exhausted by the 4,000 mile trip. We hope you have as much fun as we did.
*
A Lincoln Quiz
Southwestern Jewish Press, July 9, 1954, Page 8
By Bernard Postal
How much do you know about the personal and official relationships between Abraham Lincoln and the Jews of the U.S.” About the colorful and incisive role played by American Jewry during the Civil War? The answers to many provocative questions are given in a lively and informative quiz below.
Try it yourself, and see how much fun it can be to learn about American Jewry in the momentous days when the Great Emancipator was president of our country.
1. What Southerner was generally considered the most prominent Jew in America during the period of the Civil War?
2. To whom, among others, did Lincoln turn, when he sought to deny the baseless rumor that he was a member of the Know-Nothing Party, a mid-19th century anti-alien and anti-Catholic political party?
3. What Jews served as delegates to the 1860 and 1864 Republican National Conventions at which Lincoln was nominated?
4. What Jews were Lincoln presidential electors in 1860 and 1864?
5. What Jews played important roles in the founding of the new Republican Party in 1856 and in Lincoln’s presidential campaign in 1860?
6. Who transmitted to the world Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation?
7. When did Lincoln scotch an official attempt at anti-Semitism?
8. Who was Lincoln’s foot doctor?
9. What Jewess was one of the first of her sex to be appointed to a Federal position by Lincoln?
10. What Jewish physician was at Lincoln’s death bed?
11. Who were among the first contributors to the fund for the Lincoln monument in Springfield. Illinois?
12. Who helped Lincoln’s widow to get a government pension?
13. Who designed the Lincoln penny?
Answers
1. Judah P. Benjamin was Attorney General and later Secretary of War and Secretary of State in the Confederacy.
2. In a letter to his personal friend, Abraham Jonas, dated July 21, 1860, Lincoln explained in full his position on the Know-Nothing Party after his alleged membership in the party threatened to become a political issue in the 1860 presidential campaign.
3. Moritz Pinner of St. Louis and Lewis N. Dembitz of Louisville, an uncle of Louis D. Brandeis, were Lincoln delegates to the 1860 Republican National Convention, and Maier Hirsch of Salem, Oregon, voted for Lincoln’s renomination in 1864.
4. Sigismund Kaufmann of New York was a Lincoln presidential elector in 1860, and Abram J. Dittenhoefer, also of New York had a similar post in 1864.
5. Abraham Jonas of Illinois; Moritz Pinner of St Louis; Abraham B. Arnold of Maryland; Abraham Kohn, Illinois; Abraham Dittenhoefer and Sigismund Kaufmann, New York; Moses Aaron Dropsie, Philadelphia; Edward Kanter, Michigan, and Moses Naar, New Jersey.
6. Edward Rosewater, War Department telegrapher, later founder and editor of the Omaha Bee, tapped out from War Department telegraph office in Washington the text of the famous proclamatijonon January 1, 1863.
7. He countermanded the notorious Order No. 11 issued by General Ulysses S. Grant on December 17, 1862 which excluded all Jews as a class from the Department of Tennessee. Lincoln repealed Grant’s order in a note written on January 3, 1863, after Cesar Kaskel of Paducah, Kentucky, called the matter to his attention.
8. Dr. Isachar Zacharie, a Jewish chiropodist from England, who became very friendly with Lincoln.
9. Mrs. Abraham Jonas, widow of Lincoln’s friend, Abraham Jonas, who was appointed post mistress of Quincy, Ill., in 1864 to fill out her husband’s unexpired term.
10. Mr. C.H. Liebermann, a Washington D.C. physician, who was one of the nine medical men at Lincoln’s death-bed. His portrait is among the 47 persons in Chappel’s famous painting, “The Last Hours of Lincoln.”
11. Julius Hammerslough, of Springfield, Ill., who was an old friend of Lincoln, was designated by the national Lincoln monument committee as a special agent to raise funds among Jews. The official minutes of the Lincoln Monument Association of Springfield record among the very first contributors to the fund “The Hebrew citizens of Alton, Ill.,” followed shortly thereafter by the Hebrew Congregation of Philadelphia.
12. Henry and Joseph Seligman, two brothers, befriended Lincoln’s family after Lincoln’s death and aroused interest that led to the granting of a pension to Mrs. Lincoln.
13. Victor David Brenner, an American artist, designed the Lincoln penny, the first coin to bear the head of a President, which was issued August 2, 1909. Brenner’s initials, VDB, appeared on the pennies and still can be seen with a magnifying glass near the penny’s rim, under Lincoln’s shoulder.
*
John Carter Concert at Calif. Western On July 11th
Southwestern Jewish Press, July 9, 1954, Page 8
John Carter, brilliant young American tenor who will be presented by California Western University on July 11, at 3;00 p.m. in the Greek Theatre, finds that singing is “doing what comes naturally.”
Assisting Mr. Carter will be Robert MacDonald, pianist, and music instructor at the university; Pauline Hughes, violinist; Margery Hart, cellist. Mrs. Hughes and Mrs. Hart are both San Diego residents.
The concert is presented as a part of the Festival of the Arts program at the University. Admission for the concert is $1.00. Tickets may be obtained at the Palmer Box Office, University Office or at the Greek Theatre box office preceding the concert.
*
Welcome Mat Out For Newcomers
Southwestern Jewish Press, July 9, 1954, Page 8
With the publication of the Fund-Federation Brochure titled “Welcome Neighbor to San Diego,” the latest project of the Federation was under way, according to Carl M. Esenoff, President.
Published by the San Diego Federation of Jewish Agencies and the United Jewish Fund, the cover of the book depicts a descriptive map of San Diego County. Contained in the brochure is a letter welcoming the newcomer to San Diego and offering him the community’s hand in friendship.
Other pages, in the eight page booklet, include a directory of the local Jewish Community agencies; the houses of worship in San Diego; and a listing of national organizations having local branches in this community. There is also a separate page for the serviceman and his family telling the work of the USO-Jewish Welfare Board.
Victor Schulman and his co-chairman, Mrs. Berg, stated that the second step in this hospitality project would be to create a committee which would call on new Jewish residents of our community, welcoming them and making them feel at home. The Brochure would be used by the hospitality committee for that purpose.
*
“Adventures in Jewish History” is sponsored by Inland Industries Group LP in memory of long-time San Diego Jewish community leader Marie (Mrs. Gabriel) Berg. Our indexed “Adventures in San Diego Jewish History” series will be a regular feature until we run out of history.
ADL says European parliamentary group cares little about facts of Gaza Flotilla
NEW YORK (Press Release)–The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) on Thursday called a resolution adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly Council of Europe (PACE), which urges an investigation into the flotilla incident yet declares Israel’s actions illegal, “inexplicable.”
Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director, issued the following statement:
“It is inexplicable that the Parliamentary Assembly Council of Europe would call for an investigation of the flotilla incident while at the same time condemning Israel’s actions as illegal. Such a formulation would be laughable if it weren’t so horribly offensive. To ignore Israel’s announcement of an investigation and prejudge its outcome shows that PACE cares little about the actual facts.
“While the Council importantly demands that Hamas cease rocket attacks on Israel and recognize Israel’s right to exist, the statement fails to mention the responsibility of Hamas for the situation of the people in Gaza.
“We note that the PACE statement calls for Hamas to immediately release kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit and for International Red Cross access to him – on the eve of the fourth anniversary of his being held in captivity. We urge European Governments to make every effort to demand his release.
PACE, comprised of parliamentarians from the 47 member countries of the Council of Europe, meets four times a year to debate issues and call for action by European governments.
*
Preceding provided by Anti Defamation League
Petraeus a good choice in a bad situation
Shoshana Bryen
WASHINGTON, D.C.– Gen. McChrystal out, Gen. Petraeus in – but the problem of U.S. policy in Afghanistan remains as it was last week: American troops have been sent to fight for a goal that is at best unclear under rules of engagement that are at best complicated and at worst deadly.
It wasn’t supposed to be that way. President Obama said, “We have a clear and focused goal: to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al Qaeda in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and to prevent their return to either country in the future.” The mechanism, as articulated by Gen. McChrystal and the President, was to bring the Afghan people to our side by offering clean, transparent and representative government centered in Kabul, along with infrastructure, jobs and security from the Taliban and its rules. Population protection was primary, even at greater risk to Coalition troops.
That sounds a lot like nation-building.
Nation building in a place that has no history of a strong center; in a tribal system governed by regional leaders who pay only marginal lip service to Kabul; where illiteracy is rampant and the 20th Century (never mind the 21st) is largely unknown; and where bribery, negotiation and warfare are the rule would be a tall order under any circumstances. In the current circumstance – under the literal gun of the Taliban and the figurative gun of a deadline next July – would seem impossible.
The primary elements of al Qaeda that were in Afghanistan are believed to have moved to shelter over the border in Pakistan.
Pakistan, for its part, was supposed to bring the rule of Islamabad to its own tribal areas and fight al Qaeda and the Pakistani Taliban while the U.S. hit its leadership from the air. While the U.S. drone war has been successful in decimating al Qaeda leadership (at the cost of a great many civilian casualties), it has become clear that elements of Pakistani intelligence are supporters of the Taliban for their own reasons. The strength of Pakistan’s civilian-led government is questionable and the fear that a nuclear-armed country will fall to internal or external radical forces is omnipresent in American military thinking.
Our European partners in Afghanistan have begun to retire – the Dutch are going this summer and others have insisted on largely training, not fighting, roles. (The Georgians are a welcome exception to the rule.)
An American Special Forces officer of our acquaintance said he has two simple metrics for whether we are winning or losing in Afghanistan – whether the Afghan people think we are losing and whether the Taliban thinks it is winning. By both metrics he believes we are losing.
This is what Gen. Petraeus has undertaken to command. The good news for the United States and the West is that Gen. Petraeus is the most thoughtful of American military officers. He considered the situation of Coalition forces in Iraq and the situation of the military and political players, changed the course of our operations there and steered the counter-surge to decimate al Qaeda in Iraq as well as the Shiite militias, providing space for political reconciliation and the hope of long-term stability for that country.
Afghanistan is harder by orders of magnitude, but if we had to bet on someone to figure out the mechanism that will make our operations match our goal, we would bet on Gen. Petraeus.
*
Tessie Sonnabaum, lady of big hats, smile and heart, laid to rest
By Donald H. Harrison
Donald H. Harrison
SAN DIEGO—At gravesite services for Tessie Sonnabaum at the Home of Peace Cemetery on Thursday, June 24 , I couldn’t help but observe that she was known for her big hat, big smile, big laugh….
“And her big heart,” added Leah Fradkin, the rebbetzin of Chabad of Scripps Ranch.
How true.
Sonnabaum died June 19 at the age of 90 and was buried next to her husband, Irving, who at age 84 had predeceased her in 1997. Rabbi Yonah Fradkin, rabbi of Chabad of Scripps Ranch (home of the Chabad Hebrew Academy) officiated, assisted by sons Elie and Moti, both of whom are rabbis, and other members of the Lubavitcher movement, including Rabbi Zalman Carlebach of downtown San Diego.
Rabbi Elie Fradkin is spiritual leader at Chabad of Coronado, the city in which Tessie and Irving Sonnabaum lived and worked for many years as the proprietors of Jake’s Clothing Store on Orange Avenue. Cecile Kipperman, whose “Kippy’s” still is located on Orange Avenue, was among the mourners at the gravesite services.
The families that owned these two stores anchored the small Jewish community in Coronado, and, as Rabbi Yonah Fradkin observed, they helped non-Jews in that suburb on the west-side of San Diego Bay to understand the goodness of the Jewish people.
Today, serving as director of the regional Chabads in San Diego, Rabbi Yonah Fradkin said he wondered what Tessie and Irving might have thought to see that the young rabbi whom they had helped get settled in San Diego County more than 40 years ago has a son who today has his own congregation in Coronado.
Irving Sonnabaum was the kind of man who made sure that a man’s clothing looked good on him—quietly tugging at a friend’s sleeve or collar out in public to make sure it laid exactly right, Fradkin recalled. And Tessie was the kind of woman who always sought to help other people—“how can I help you?” being her approach toward all. Her watch phrase was the Yiddish expression “zei gezeundt, herst!” be in good health, now!
With son Stan and two grandchildren in attendance, Rabbi Fradkin recalled that until Alzheimer’s Disease robbed Tessie of much of her memory, she almost single-handedly made the Hallmark Card Company a wealthy concern, so determined was she to personally communicate best wishes on the birthdays, anniversaries and special occasions of her friends and acquaintances. Another son, who lives in the Los Angeles area, is Jack.
Among the mourners were Pessie Sonnabend, a Holocaust survivor from the coal-mining area of Niemce, Poland, who was married to Irving’s first cousin and who was aided in adjusting to American life by the Sonnabaums after arriving in San Diego. Another present was Gussie Zaks, longtime leader of the New Life Club of Holocaust Survivors, as well as former San Diego City School Board Member Sue Braun, and Tifereth Israel Synagogue Sisterhood members Phyllis Spital, Binnie Brooks and Judy Morganstern.
Known for her happy laugh, Tessie had been honored by the Tifereth Israel Sisterhood as a “woman of valor,” one of the highest salutes the organization renders to its active members.
Spital recalled taking walks with Tessie along Orange Avenue in Coronado and being stopped seemingly every few feet to be greeted by delighted passersby. Tessie would carefully introduce her to each one of them.
She also recalled Tessie’s trademark beautiful hats and her blue house in Coronado.
Sue Braun said after the formal services that she and her husband, Dick, had met the Sonnabaums in 1964 when they moved to Coronado. “Dick took his uniform over to Jake’s, not knowing anything about Irv and Tessie. We were living right around the corner from them. Tessie and Irv befriended us right away.”
She said often they would be joined for simchas at the Sonnabaum house by Rabbi Monroe Levens and Lillian Levens, rabbi and rebbezin of Tifereth Israel Synagogue when the congregation was located at 30th and Howard Streets. “Our kids grew up with Uncle Irv and Aunt Tessie,” Braun recalled.
After the Brauns moved to the Del Cerro section of San Diego, they transplanted from the Sonnabaums’ garden some pink geraniums that still flourish, as do the Sonnabaum rhubarb plants.
At the end of Tessie’s life, she lived in a nursing facility for Alzheimer’s patients.
“I’ve been told that the last thing that goes when someone gets dementia is the strongest part of their character—that’s the thing that hangs on the most,” Braun said. “Tessie’s sense of humor never ever left her.”
Braun said she and Spital held a small birthday party for Tessie every December 25 – “we would bring a cake to the nursing home, and gifts.” Braun said that “I would have to think of things to say—jokes—to hold up my end, because Tessie had this sense of humor. She would laugh so much, and she never, ever lost that sense of humor. That’s the thing that stayed. She was always finding things funny. You know what, the staff loved her!”
*
Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World
‘True Freedom Flotilla’ in NYC demands Gilad Shalit release
NEW YORK, June 24 (Press Release) — Marking the fourth anniversary of Gilad Shalit’s kidnapping by Hamas, the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations has organized a “True Freedom Flotilla” that will sail today from Pier 40 around the tip of Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty and past the United Nations to raise awareness that Gilad Shalit remains in captivity, demand that his rights are respected and call for his immediate release.
The Conference of Presidents also will provide a humanitarian aid package including food, books, underwear, socks, a sweatshirt and glasses to a senior official from the American Red Cross to be transferred to Gilad, who has been held in total isolation until now.
Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Gabriella Shalev, Israel’s Consul -General in New York Asaf Shariv, French Deputy Consul General Patrick Lachaussee and interfaith leaders will join the Conference of Presidents in their demand for proper treatment for Gilad according to international law and for his release.
“Under the guise of a ‘freedom flotilla’ in the Middle East, organizations that have ties to terrorist groups have sought to create confrontations with the Israel Defense Forces. The real siege i n Gaza is against Gilad Shalit. According to international law, the Red Cross must be granted access to Gilad Shalit to ensure his well-being. Since his capture, Hamas has provided only two indications that Gilad is still alive – a recorded message of his voice released on June 25, 2007, and a video of him released on October 2, 2009. However, no one from the international community has been allowed access to Gilad in order to ensure his welfare or that the conditions in which he is being held are according to international law.
Only a week ago, officials from the International Committee of the Red Cross again were refused access to Gilad. Israel allows between 15-18,000 tons of humanitarian relief per week into Gaza and recently made changes that allow in products except for those that can be used for military purposes. Despite lengthy negotiations, offers to release large numbers of prisoners convicted of terrorism and other gestures, the Hamas regime consistently refuses these offers, said Conference of Presidents Chairman Alan Solow and Executive Vice Chairman Malcolm Hoenlein.”
The boats in this True Freedom Flotilla represent Americans of good will of every faith, those with real humanitarian commitments. The lead boats, the Queen of Hearts and the Star will carry hundreds of people, assembled on short notice, who seek Shalit’s return to his family and country. Noted Jewish singers Gershon Veroba and Sandy Shmueli will lead participants in song and prayer.
Israel’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Gabriella Shalev and Consul General Asaf Shariv also joined the Tue Freedom Flotilla. “For more than four years, the Hamas terrorist regime has denied Gilad Shalit his most basic rights, as well as any visit from international organizations. This is illegal and morally appalling,” said Ambassador Gabriela Shalev. “It is shameful that so many who claim to vigorously support human rights are totally silent in the face of this injustice,” she added.
“It has been four years too long,” said Consul General Asaf Shariv. “Gilad Shalit has been held in captivity and deprived of humanitarian aid. He is being held as a prisoner with disregard to international law. Sadly, it is all too easy to see him as a symbol of yet another terrorist act. We know that Gilad is more than just that. Gilad is a son, a brother, and a friend. He is a young man who deserves to see the light of day, his parents and his country. The package of humanitarian aid that we attempt to deliver to Gilad, through the International Red Cross, is the very least he deserves. If delivered, this warranted act will be more than Gilad has seen since 2006.”
In a written message of solidarity, Nobel Prize laureate Elie Wiesel said, “Gilad Shalit’s four long years in secret isolation cause pain and torment to and parents, grandparents and family…To the hostage, time itself is torture…When will his Hamas captors realize that even terrorism must have limits? When will they allow the International Red Cross to visit him in his prison cell or underground hole? When will the civilized world raise its voice and demand Shalit’s release? When will NGOs make their outrage known? When will all good, decent and sensitive men and women mobilize their energy to put an end to this human scandal? What is at stake is our honor and our humanity.”
“Gilad Shalit must be released. Gilad was kidnapped across an international border on June 25, 2006 as part of an unprovoked and well-planned attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States and many of our allies, and has been kept in the manner that violates international law for more than 1,450 days. We are delivering a package of goods to the Red Cross in the hope that they can deliver them to Gilad in accordance with the Geneva Conventions,” said Solow and Hoenlein.”
*
Preceding provided by the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations
Musical clerks
David Amos
SAN DIEGO–The story is told of an orchestra concert, place and time of no importance, where the principal violin (the concertmaster) performed the entire program with a pained grimaced expression on his face. At the end of the program, a concerned concertgoer approached this violinist, who was famous for his wonderful playing, and asked him as to what might be the problem or malady. To this, the violinist answered, “It’s just that I hate music!”
What I did not tell you is that this incident did not happen, and is only a joke that makes its rounds with musicians. But it does bring us to the subject of what is sometimes referred to in the professional world as “musical clerks”. It is quite common; every orchestra has them. They are the trained, professional musicians who have little or no passion for the music they play. It is simply a paid job, and the moment the rehearsal and/or concert are over, it is time for something else that’s really enjoyable.
Many of these musical clerks started being this way from day one. Others honed their craft of making music for nothing more than a paycheck through years of practice and negative reinforcement.
Yet, these dispassionate musicians are everywhere. They will play only for money, not pleasure. They will volunteer for nothing. They are amongst us in San Diego, and I have seen them to a greater or lesser degree with orchestras all over the world, from the magnificent London orchestras, to the state supported orchestras in Central and Eastern Europe, and Latin America. I must report, that overall, musicians in the Israeli orchestras showed much more enthusiasm for their art than I saw in other places, as individuals, and as a group.
Here are a few examples from my personal experiences.
In the British orchestras, while strictness to the time allotted for rehearsals and recording sessions is legendary, there is a prevailing sense of good spirits, energy, and the desire to give the conductor and production staff the best possible music they can provide. The ambience of cooperation is exemplary. But, I distinctly remember a moment during a recording session in London, when the time was drawing to an end, and I asked the leader (concertmaster) how much time we have remaining to record. His answer, “33 seconds!” Rules are rules.
The worst attitude I faced was with the Moravian Philharmonic in Olomouc, Czech Republic. The musicians of that isolated city grew up in the Soviet system of musical training. It was geared to glorify the Soviet philosophy, where the musicians who did not make the grade to become superstars, were relegated to the “booby prize”, to play in orchestras.. The majority of them felt overused, underpaid, unappreciated, and looked at their profession with failure, disappointment and bitterness. Their job was no more inspirational than that of a factory assembly line worker, where the most pleasant thought is lunchtime, and the magic moment where they “punched out” and went home to be with family, watch television, and forget about the workday. Add to this the many years of indoctrinations about the evils of Western culture and capitalism, I felt that as a guest conductor, as well as the American soloists who came with us, were treated with suspicion and open unfriendliness. This took place after the liberation of Eastern Europe and the departure of the Communists, but I am certainly not anxious to go there again. And this was exactly what I told to that orchestra’s general manager.
In curious contrast, the recording I conducted in Moscow in 1994 was peaches and cream. Complete cooperation from everyone concerned and a genuine interest in the musicians make the best recording possible. And the results were indeed excellent. Among other compositions, we were recording a world premiere work by Morton Gould called Harvest, and the Russian musicians wanted to fully understand the meaning of the English word “Harvest” in order to focus completely on the composer’s and conductor’s intentions.
Yet, in San Diego, there is the infamous story of over 30 years ago (of which I had no involvement at all), where the unionized musicians during a recording session refused the emotional pleas from the composer and producers for a mere half a minute longer, to clean up and complete a recording. No overtime money was available, even for the requested half-minute, and the recording session stopped. To my ways of doing things, inexcusable. These were not artists, but the ultimate clerks.
But, as I mentioned, in every orchestra (with two exceptions), I found a small pocket of enterprising musicians full of energy, and bursting with musical ideas to further their careers beyond the salary they perceived. They looked to extend their opportunities, to play abroad, to record, and to volunteer to play and educate without pay in their own community. They relished in making new contacts. And these are the musicians whom I truly admired. In Israel alone, the contacts and continuing friendships I established there have led to many worthwhile projects.
And this, inevitably, brings me to what community musicians do. Yes, there is no doubt that the refinement, polish, and sophistication of seasoned professionals far exceed the skills of part-time amateurs, but the energy irradiated, the sincerity of the musical message, albeit somewhat technically flawed, make for some magic moments of intimacy and communication which professionals rarely reach.
Having lived in both worlds, I feel confident to make these statements. Just look up what George Bernard Shaw wrote on this subject.
*
Amos is conductor of the Tifereth Israel Community Orchestra and has guest conducted professional orchestras around the world.
sdjewishworld 