From the opinion desk of the Spartan Daily

I will be writing a response to this poorly argued editorial. Look for it on Wed. March 8 in the Spartan Daily.

Israel's measures on Hamas government are destructive - Opinion

Israel's measures on Hamas government are destructive
The Shape of What's to Come
By Banks Albach
Date: 2/22/06 Section: Opinion

Rather than driving toward a brighter horizon after a new Hamas-led Palestinian legislature was sworn in with 73 of 132 seats on Saturday, Israel seems poised to drive the prospect of peace in the region off a cliff rather than down the "Road Map to Peace."

Maybe that's Acting Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's intention - his government's plan to sanction the Palestinians can hardly be viewed as constructive. It will not force Hamas to abandon its charter and accept Israel's right to exist. Nor will it buttonhole the extremists in Hamas to give up their guns or the use of suicide terrorism against Israeli citizens.

Nevertheless, Israel is halting about $50 million per month in tax transfers to the new Palestinian Authority; it will tighten border crossings between Gaza and the West Bank, claiming that the heightened measures will be directed at Hamas affiliates only; and the Israeli government plans to lobby the international community into halting funds to the Palestinian Authority.

On Saturday, Israel launched a military campaign in the Palestinian city of Nablus and the Balata refugee camp. As of Tuesday night, three Palestinians had been killed and 30 injured, according to the Palestinian Information Center.

To top it off, Israel wouldn't allow Hamas politicians from Gaza to travel to the West Bank for the swearing in of the new government. Instead, the Palestinians used a video conferencing system that broke down repeatedly.

Granted, Hamas must renounce violence and accept Israel's existence if it plans to embrace peace. Punishing the Palestinians, however, after their first successful election in a decade is beyond counterproductive - it's masochism on the part of Israel.

Yes, the terrorist wing of Hamas has murdered innocent Israelis, but Hamas has abided by the current ceasefire with Israel, which both sides agreed on more than a year ago. And the Palestinians did not elect Hamas because of the blood that its suicide bombers have shed in Tel Aviv and elsewhere. They swept the group to power because Hamas fills a massive gap in the Palestinian Territories, providing the medical care and other social services that the inept and corrupt Fatah party has missed throughout the years.

The appointment of Ismail Haniyeh, supposedly a Hamas pragmatist, to be prime minister is also a hopeful sign. But his first few months will be difficult. Besides trying to build a consensus with the Fatah party, which still holds 43 of 132 seats in the legislature, Haniyeh faces a $110 million budget shortfall without the tax transfers from Israel.

This means that thousands of Palestinian civil service and security employees will be broke. According to a Sunday piece in the New York Times, many members of the Palestinian security services have already staged demonstrations demanding their pay, revealing that Israel's decision is destabilizing the process.

That's why it's masochistic. Wouldn't Olmert and his Likud government prefer to deal with Palestinians who have cash in their pockets? Wouldn't Olmert prefer to deal with a Palestinian Authority that can maintain some sort of functioning infrastructure, rather than one without workers?

With Ariel Sharon on his deathbed, it's useless to ponder how the hawk-turned-pragmatist would have dealt with a Hamas-led Palestine. But some of his recent decisions - pulling out of Gaza and restoring travel between there and Egypt through the Rafah border - prove that Sharon was willing to make some difficult and unpopular decisions. In a nutshell, the situation was taking a turn for the better.

And it could turn back, though this requires Israel and Hamas to make painful departures from policies that are not only self-harming, but are the fuels that fire the cycle of violence that consumes them.

This can only be done through mutual incrementalism, or piece-by-piece trade-offs from both sides. It's fair to say that Hamas has taken a step by sticking to the current ceasefire framework. Likewise, the Gaza pullout was a step. So was opening up its border.

Hopefully Israelis will vote in the March 28 elections for Sharon's new centrist party, Kadima, or "Forward," instead of reinstating a Likud government led by the extreme hawk, Benjamin Netanyahu.

Most importantly, though, Israel politicians must stand up to the settler community and continue to dismantle their projects in the West Bank.

Meanwhile, Olmert should reinstate the tax-transfer, just to ease tensions for Israel, not to mention the Palestinians. Hinging its entire Palestinian policy on Hamas recognizing the right of Israel to exist is admirable, but it's foolish, and more symbolic than anything.

Taking this statement out of Hamas's charter will not stop the violence. For this to happen, both sides need to renounce violence. This means a ceasefire that includes air strikes and suicide bombings. The charter amendments can come later.

The new Palestinian Authority would be wise to divide its government according to expertise: Fatah should handle diplomacy and Hamas should concentrate on infrastructure, education and health. Incorporating Hamas's military wing into the Palestinian security forces might curb their extremist tendencies as well.

Many on the right and left have already taken sides. Some of you reading this probably have too. This is as much of a trap as the one that the Palestinians and Israelis find themselves in now.

It may seem hard to swallow, and you don't have to like it, but there is no right and wrong side in this conflict - there are only extremists and pragmatists. The road to peace only has room for the latter.

Banks Albach is a Spartan Daily co-opinion editor. "The Shape of What's to Come" appears every Wednesday.

Israeli comic finds humor in hardships

From the Spartan Daily.

Israeli comedian and actor Yossi Vassa humored a crowd of around 200 students and community members Monday afternoon with a show about his 440-mile trek out of Ethiopia.

The show, "It Sounds Better in Amharic," has played to sold-out audiences during a Bay Area tour, according to Yarden Schneider, cultural director for the Israel Center of San Francisco, who organized the event.

The actor used jokes and comedy to compare Western Israeli culture to life in his Ethiopian village, comparing mathematics, rituals such as courtship and Jewish practices.

"The differences between Israel and Ethiopia can be confusing," Vassa said in his show. "It's not easy to flirt with a girl in the village."

Vassa said that in Israel, the first step during courtship is asking for a girl's phone number, followed by dating, marriage and divorce.

"They tell me it's no big deal," he said. "Try to do all that with no telephone."

Naama Shani, an Israeli student at San Jose State University, said she hasn't met many Ethiopian-Israelis.

"I really like the concept of bringing Ethiopians to Israel," Shani said.

The show turned to a more somber note as Vassa told the story of his emigration from Ethiopia to army staging camps in Sudan, which he wished could have been an eight-hour trip in a Ferrari. Instead he and his fellow emigrants had donkeys.

"During the day we had to hide from robbers and soldiers," Vassa said. "At night we walked quickly."

After three months of traveling by foot, Vassa said his family and others arrived at the Sudanese border where they were transported in a crowded truck to an army camp.

"Someone asked, 'what do we do now?' Wait," Vassa said.

After nine months and many deaths, including those of his grandmother and two of his brothers, the camp was "a city inside the desert that was one big graveyard," Vassa said.

Once in Israel, Vassa said he had other difficulties such as being a new immigrant, not having an Israeli name and struggling with school.

"I'm not going to call myself Anda Argi-it'll totally give away that I'm Ethiopian," Vassa said. He adopted the name Yossi because it was the name of the man who was in charge of assigning Hebrew names and who failed to give Vassa one.

In math class, the only thing that helped Vassa was envisioning sheep-five lines of three sheep each. When he got to fractions, "there were some hurt sheep."

"I'm torn between two cultures, between Ferraris and donkeys, between sheep and mathematics," Vassa said at the end of the hour-long show.

Abel Habtegeorgis, the African-American diversity advocate at Mosaic Cross-cultural Center, said he hoped the show would bring greater awareness between the Jewish and Ethiopian communities.

"He was able to take such a tragic story and make it into an inspirational comedy," Habtegeorgis said.

In a discussion after the show, Vassa said that even 20 years after his journey, it is still not easy for new Ethiopian immigrants in Israel.

Vassa said there's hope for blacks and whites to live together because "everybody feels Jewish."

Vassa immigrated to Israel in 1985 when he was 10 years old as part of an Israeli secret operation to evacuate Jews out of Ethiopia. The Israeli Defense Forces airlifted much of the Ethiopian Jewish population, known as "Beta Israel," out of camps in Sudan until Arab countries put pressure on Sudan to stop the emigration. Another effort in 1990 transported additional Ethiopian Jews to Israel. Three military operations evacuated an estimated 90,000 Jews out of Ethiopia and Sudan.

Vassa's performance was sponsored by the Jewish Student Union, the Ethiopian student group, Hashbesha, the history department, Mosaic Cross Cultural Center, the Israel Center of San Francisco, and Hillel International.

Israeli comedian to stop at SJSU as part of Bay Area tour

From The Spartan Daily, Mon Feb. 20

Israeli comedian and actor Yossi Vassa will perform his one-man show tonight from 4:30 to 7 p.m. in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Joint Library.

The show, "It Sounds Better in Amharic," is Vassa's personal account of the 440-mile trek he made by foot from Ethiopia to a refugee camp in Sudan in order to escape the country and later flee to Israel.

Co-sponsoring the event are San Jose State University history department, Mosaic Cross-Cultural Center, the Jewish Student Union, Hillel International and Hashbesha, the Ethiopian student group.

"It's a chance to show students that blacks have importance not just in the United States, but all around the world, like in Israel," said Andrew Schwartz, Jewish Student Union president. "The Ethiopians in Israel are an essential part of society - there are 100,000 Ethiopians in Israel today - but on television and in the media, they don't really show that. It's a great opportunity to meet and hear the story of an Ethiopian Jew."

The show is part of Black History Month, which also included a poetry reading last Wednesday and will include a Women's Appreciation Night on Tuesday and an African Unity Fest on Feb. 28 to conclude the month's events.

"The Jewish Student Union and Hillel wanted to collaborate with the organizers of Black History Month to bring a black Jew who can tell his story," said Vanina Sandel, student life director for Hillel, an organization that aims to promote Jewish life on college campuses.

"He was a minority as a Jew in Ethiopia and he was a minority as a black in Israel," Sandel said. "He felt it twice as much."

"It Sounds Better in Amharic" has been performed in five other Bay Area locations, including UC Berkeley.

The Israel Center of San Francisco organized the Bay Area tour.

Sharon Dwek, in charge of student outreach at the Israel Center of San Francisco, has seen Vassa perform before. She said his message is effective because "you can laugh and cry at the same time."

Dwek said the performance opening at the African Diaspora Museum was so popular they had to turn people away, which is why an additional performance was added for Thursday "by popular demand."

Vassa made the journey in 1985, at age 10, taking advantage of the Law of Return, which allows any Jew become an Israeli citizen.

In late 1984 and early 1985, Israeli forces airlifted over 6,000 Ethiopian Jews out of refugee camps in Sudan. However, Vassa's family, along with many others, had to travel from Ethiopia to the camps in Sudan because the Ethiopian government would not allow the emigration to Israel.

Vassa employs two styles - stand-up comedy and narrative storytelling - in his story about the changes he and others faced as new immigrants in Israel.

"He compares Israelis to Ethiopians - that's the funny part," said Dwek, who has seen Vassa's performance many times. "The touching parts (are about) crossing Sudan and going to Israel and losing part of his family."

My studies keep me busy

See what I am studying:

The Spartan Daily. Yes, this is a required course, but I would want to write for it regardless of this. It is taught by Prof. Craig and Jan Shaw. Both AP masters.

Journalism 132: Internet information gathering with Prof. Greene. Or "new media."

Writing for journalism and mass communications 100W. I'm taking it with the program chair, Dona Nichols. It's not exactly the easiest class. Very demanding but immensely helpful.

Journalism 133: Editing and news management with the "yoda" of J-school. I had to bully myself into this class. Well worth it.

Hebrew 10B: Beginning Hebrew, part two. Ivrit.

Beginnning social dance and self-defense. Ughhhhh. Phys. ed. requirement.

Hopefully I'll have an internship this summer with Ha'aretz, Israel's leading newspaper.

Diabetics suffer because of cartoons

I was avoiding talking about this whole thing because it seemed so obviously ridiculous and hypocritical what is happening surrounding the cartoon fiasco. But then I read an article in The Economist, Feb. 11, 2006, titled "When markets melt away; Consumer boycotts."

"Other affected firms range from Novo Nordisk, a leading insulin-maker that reports a slump in use of its products by Saudi pharmacies and hospitals ... "

Of course, I had to research this further, as a type 1 diabetic whose quality of life is greatly increased by Novalog, a type of insluin made by the very company that the Saudi doctors are boycotting.

Perhaps I can provide some more context for this situation: It's not like boycotting Danish cookies or LEGOs. I doubt little Saudi children are going to cry for long when they don't get the new LEGO Star Wars B-wing Fighter collection for their birthdays. And I have enough confidance in Muslim women to find a good pastry recipe to make up for the lack of Danishes.

But insulin? Really?

I thought doctors had a code of ethics to adhere to. What about that episode of West Wing where an Iranian doctor had to save the son of the Ayatollah even though his father (or uncle) had been killed by the Ayatollah's men?

Here's what I know about the insulin they are boycotting:

In my decade of having insulin-dependant diabetes, Novo Nordisk has the cheapest insulin (the brand Novolin is made by Novo Nordisk and is generally cheaper than Lilly brand insulins).

Novo Nordisk is responsible for advancements in insulin effectiveness and dispension.

Novalog is the kind of insulin I take- it is a fast-acting insulin that is almost identical to human insulin and starts to work almost immediately.

Novalog is recommended for insulin pump systems- an innovation in insulin dispension that makes the lives of type 1 diabetics a lot easier, not to mention stave off complications such as liver conditions, foot amputations, blindness and early death.

I would not give up my Novo Nordisk products for any amount of offense a cartoon can cause.

Expect further research on this subject; I will most likely not give it up.

But for now, I say: Shame on you Saudi doctors who are allowing politics to affect the health of your citizens. (My heart always goes out to fellow type 1 diabetics.)

Spartan Daily- the complete guide

The past few weeks have flashed by, but the fruits of my toils have not passed by unnoticed.

Roddick beats Carlsen

Philippoussis wins over Robredo- SAP Open men's tennis tournament

Students react to De Alba case

CSU chancellor expects state will buy out fee increase

New expert site connects community, university

Textbook prices blamed on publishers

New PAC aims to look after students' interests

SJSU dean speaks to House Democrats

Conference gal 

Me, dark, in Israel

 
 

At the advice of my instructor

It's coming from all sides: "You don't exist unless you have a Web site."
My New Media instructor at San Jose State University College of Journalism and Mass Communications, Stephen Greene, is pushing us all to start blogging.
One of my favorite seminarists, Neil Lazurus, says if you really want to be someone important, create three or four Web sites.
My proposed identities remain as such: A Jewish journalist (this blog), a diabetic, a vegan, a diabetic Jew, a vegan Jew, a vegan diabetic Jewish journalist, a Jewish diabetic, (you get the point).
Apparently, half of SJSU students have a MySpace page. That's over 12,000. The rest don't exist.

Link to my MySpace page

Link to other J-school blogs:
JMC Journal

Student blogs:
Ryan Sholin
Daniel Sato
Shaminder Dulai

Fond of more than fondue

From the Jewish Community News of Silicon Valley Dec 2005

La Fondue owner Tracey Cutler finds time to help a 78-year-old woman

By Laura Rheinheimer

Tracey Cutler describes her life as “very busy.” She and her husband Mitchell own and operate La Fondue restaurant in Saratoga, parent two teenagers (ages 15 and 17), and travel often to Israel and other exotic destinations. Yet Tracey still manages to integrate volunteering into her hectic schedule. She says a big part of her life is helping others in whatever small ways…

“What small ways?” interjects 78-year-old Eleanore Prisant, with the attitude of a Jewish grandmother, “it’s not a small way. You help me in big, big ways.”

Tracey helps Eleanore as part of a volunteer program through Jewish Family Services of Silicon Valley called “Friendly Visitors.” The program offers companionship to the elderly and help with small chores, such as paperwork and shopping. In some instances - like with Tracey and Eleanore - the relationship flourishes into much more.

Tracey had been volunteering for years with a large organization when she decided to respond to an email advertisement for the Friendly Visitors program.

“I really felt more compelled [to help someone one-on-one]” she said. Now, Tracey describes the relationship with Eleanore like that of a mother and daughter. Both women say they felt an immediate connection.

Tracey has cleaned Eleanore’s apartment, driven her to the hospital, celebrated her birthday, bought her gifts, and signed her up for a class at the Jewish Community Center.

Tracey teases that she is still trying to get Eleanore to La Fondue.
“I wasn’t expecting [anything], but she did everything for me,” said Eleanore.

Avital Agam, a social worker with Jewish Family Services, says that not all matches work out this well. When they do, it is a gift. “Eleanore calls her ‘her angel,’” said Avital.

“Eleanore has shown and taught me a lot [too],” Tracey says, describing how Eleanore has stayed positive with a “beaming personality,” even through tough times.

“Beaming,” teases Eleanore.

Legally blind with no family in the area, Eleanore lives independently but needs help with driving, shopping, cleaning and other chores. In her adult life, she worked as an analytical chemist. Her training came from Hunter College in New York, where she graduated in 1949 with a chemistry degree. Work in the field never came easily, Eleanore recounts, as very few women worked as chemists and men were not terribly interested in opening their doors.

“I suspect being Jewish didn’t help,” said Avital Agam.

Eleanore takes a class now at the JCC on the history of Jews in the U.S., called “Coming to America.” This helps keep her brain sharp, and stay connected socially. Eleanore said she was not active in the Jewish community, but always felt connected, “because I’m Jewish.”
Anyone interested in getting involved with “Friendly Visitors” or other volunteer programs, contact Avital Agam at Jewish Family Services, 357-7450 or avitala@jfssv.org.

Club council invited anti-Israel speaker to speak at Club Day

Anti-Israel speakers were invited to give political speech by De Anza’s Inter-club Council on Club Day last Thursday, according to one of the speakers. ICC Programs Chair had prior knowledge of speech content, which violated ICC Code on mutual respect, mandating that clubs do not present negative items against other clubs in their presentations. The anti-Israel speech was given in front of a booth for Jews, Israelis, and Friends, which featured large Israeli flags.

Two San Jose State students, along with a De Anza student, spoke against the United States, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa, calling them oppressive, at De Anza’s Club Day, under a time slot reserved by Latino-advocacy group, Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan (MEChA).

Callahan said that Club Day exists for De Anza clubs to recruit members, advertise themselves, and maintain a table. Among the clubs present, Jews, Israelis, and Friends (JIF) had a booth set up in close proximity to the speakers, and featured large Israeli flags on each side of the booth.

The speakers, SJSU’s Sulaiman Hyatt and Shahid Ali, along with De Anza student and MEChA member, Anthony Choice, used the performance time allotted to MEChA to speak about the “oppressive” nations. The speech included statements about the definition of an oppressive nation and how the four countries practice it, according to students and community members present at the event, and La Voz, De Anza’s student paper. The moderator of the event, Inter-Club Council (ICC) Chair of Programs, Hala Hyatt, is responsible for ICC-sponsored events, according to ICC Chair, Sarah Joy Callahan. Her position as chair of programs requires her to emcee the yearly event. Ms. Hyatt is the sister of one of the speakers, Sulaiman Hyatt.

Mr. Hyatt stated on Tuesday that he had been invited to speak by the ICC, and collaborated with Choice to utilize MEChA’s time slot for the speech. Mr. Hyatt stated that he was speaking on behalf of “MSA Bay Area.” Hyatt said he used the Latino-advocacy time because MEChA has more to do with just Latino issues, and said he spoke at the event because “action needed to be taken.” The performances for Club Day, including the speech, were predetermined by a sign-up sheet that stated only the time and name of the club.

Hyatt said that he has done several speeches with similar content, and that his sister, and De Anza’s ICC Chair of Programs, Hala Hyatt has been present at some of these events.

ICC Chair, Callahan, said that the performances are not screened beforehand because the clubs are trusted to have performances that do not violate the ICC Code. The Code states in Article IV Mutual Respect, that “all activity planned by a club must be socially acceptable…” and must be “mutually respectful to the diversity of our campus when planning events…” Section D states “Clubs must not advertise/promote negative items about another club.”

Ms. Callahan stated, “I’m not going to say it doesn’t look bad.” Hala Hyatt was unavailable for comment, but Ms. Callahan stated, “If Hala did something to violate the Code she swore to uphold, it would have been out of ignorance and not malicious intent.” Callahan said, “Even if she had a lapse of judgment—which is not good—but [we should] make the punishment fit the crime.” She said that ultimately, failure for an ICC officer to uphold the Code would result in expulsion, but the issue must be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

Sulaiman Hyatt held a meeting for a group at SJSU’s MOSAIC room Tuesday afternoon, a group he referred to as “Concerned Students,” whose goal is to try to correct the “fundamental flaws of the MSA” (Muslim Student Association). In the meeting, Mr. Hyatt spoke about the Muslim community’s need to become more active. He said that he aims to use events to “kick somebody in the nuts and see how they respond.” He said that the speech at De Anza was meant to cause uproar on campus. “Mission accomplished.” Mr. Hyatt said. Another member of the group, who identified himself as “Bob,” said that the group will meet a lot of opposition, especially from the Zionist movement, and the group should not worry about this opposition because they have experience dealing with it.
Mr. Hyatt said that the group’s main issues address 9/11, Zionism, the Iraq War, and Black Power. On Zionism, Hyatt stated, “Israel is a state that needs to be dissolved. That is the only way to deal with the issue.”

Club Day speaker names Israel as oppressive nation in front of sukkah

Three speakers, under the time slot allotted to a latino-advocacy group, gave speeches about oppressive nations, including Israel, in front of Jewish club booth, according to De Anza students and other witnesses.

Anthony Choice, of the De Anza Movimiento Estudantil Chicano de Atzlan (MEChA), voiced his opinion about the oppression imposed by four countries: the United States, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq. The speech was given on Thursday, Oct. 20, on Club Day, where different clubs on campus were allowed time and space to present and promote their clubs. One of the clubs present was Jews, Israelis, and Friends (JIF), who had a sukkah set up in celebration of a Jewsih Holiday, were positioned in close proximity to the speakers, and some witnesses felt the speech may have been directed to their booth and that the speakers were aware of the booth and JIF.

Club Day is put on by Inter-Club Council (ICC) as a day for clubs to present themselves and use time on the mic to speak to the students. ICC mediates the clubs and on Club Day, introduced the speakers and orchestrated the event. MEChA is a regional organization, with clubs on many campuses, including San Jose State, that organizes to help rasie money for latino children, among other activities. Acoording to several witnesses present at the event, a man with dreadlocks, later identified as Anthony Choice of MEChA, used the latino-advocacy club's time allotment to give a specch about oppressive nations. He named, in order, the U. S., Israel, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa, say witnesses. The speech was given in front of the JIF booth, among others. The booth featured a sukkah made of several pieces of wood, with a large Israeli flag painted on two sides.

The other two speakers were described as wearing a black power T-shirt and a tradtitional Muslim garb, possibly Egyptian. Witnesses also say that the event's moderator, a female student high up in the ICC, thanked the speakers by name. One witness says that she called one "brother."

JIF students did not react publicly to the speech, but people at the booth report that they were confused about why the speakers were there, because one or two of the men were from San Jose State. One Jewish student, and potential JIF member, said the speakers spoke about wanting peace in a preaching manner, but raised their voices and increased hand gestures when they spoke about oppression. Some JIF members wanted to issue a rebuttal, but decided not to, to "be civil." Another De Anza student and active JIF member, Ryan Medeiros, said the group did not stand up and say anything because he felt it would have shown that they were insulted, which is what the speakers wanted.

"There was a lot of emotion going on," said Anna Kirshon, a De Anza JIF member. Kirshon said she wasn't offended as far as politics go, but could see how others might be. "To me, their tone sounded offensive." Rebecca Reice, a staff member at Hillel of Silicon Valley, said she does not believe that the issue involves the Muslim Student Association (MSA).

One student did speak in response to the oppression speakers, given time at the end of the MSA's time slot. Jeremy Zimmer, a New College student, was at Club Day gaining membership for a club called Students for Justice (SFJ). Zimmer, a Jewish student, but not affiliated with any campus Jewish organization, spoke to the crowd, saying that not all Israelis are supportive of what the government does. Zimmer said later that he felt compelled to speak in response to Choice because he felt the issues are more complicated than presented. He said the situation in each of these four places is different and that the distinction is important. He said the information was not being used in a productive way. Zimmer aims to create a peace coalition with SFJ to open discussions between conflicting groups, where groups should listen to all views before telling others how to feel or act in order to create an understanding that not everyone will agree but they must have mutual respect in order to open communication. He said that fifteen seconds of ranting will cause the entire system to fail.

ICC chair, Sarah Joy Callahan, De Anza MSA president, and a San Jose MSA member, did not respond to e-mail and phone inquiries. Anthony Choice could not be contacted for comment.

Disengagement Debated Over Challah and Wine

San Francisco Israel Center speakers engage San Jose area college students and community members in debate on after-effects of the disengagement. Shabbat dinner livened with discussion on Israeli-Palestinian politics as students speak their minds on the issue.

Two speakers from the Israel Center in San Francisco joined San Jose State and other Silicon Valley area college students for Shabbat dinner and Israel debate Friday night. Sharon Dwek, Israel Center coordinator, and Lital Carmel, Campus Outreach Director for Israel long-term programs, spoke at the weekly Shabbat dinner held in the Silicon Valley Hillel house Friday to spark discussion on the days after the disengagement. The two women also discussed Shabbaton, an upcoming Jewish leadership conference and MASA, which offers Israel long-term programs.

Dwek began the discussion with background information about the events leading up to the disengagement Questions posed by Dwek included why Israel forcefully extracted its citizens from Gaza, why the world was so involved in the process, and how Israel should proceed as a society. Dwek poses three scenarios for the effects of the disengagement she calls “the good, the bad, and the ugly.” The “good” would be the formation of a peaceful, prosperous Palestinian state, the “bad” is a chaotic region with unchecked drugs- and weapons-smuggling through the Egyptian border, and “the ugly” in which Hamas would be gain political control through elections, funded by Lebanon and Iran.

Students from various Silicon Valley campuses-- including DeAnza, Foothill College, Santa Clara University, and San Jose State University-- as well as Hillel staff and community members, discussed the implications of the disengagement. Students expressed varying views on what has happened and what should happen next in Israel. Among the group were several Israelis, including the two guests, Jewish students from France and Chile, and the Hillel's student life director from Argentina, as well as various members of the Jewish community.

Tomer Altman, who teaches Israel history at Congregation Beth David's Hebrew high school, feels a double standard is applied to Israel in expecting it to protect Arabs living within its borders, but the same expectation is not put upon any territory under Palestinian control. Amir Margittai, a freshman majoring in finance, says that many Israelis in Tel Aviv are worried that without the military presence in Gaza, terrorists might now focus on targeting Tel Aviv. According to Dwek, once Israel is withdrawn from Gaza, any missiles into Israel can be defended with less ambiguity because it has a right to protect its borders. Daniel Baskin, a San Jose State student, points out that one response on the Palestinian side, as he witnessed on the Internet, was the slogan “Today Gaza, Tomorrow Jerusalem,” which causes concern for many Israelis and Jews around the world. Andrew Schwartz, SJSU's Jewish Student Union president, says he feels the results so far don't indicate a good outcome. Naama Shani, an Israeli San Jose Sate student, says Israelis can't stick strictly to ideals. “If something is not as bad as it could be, you say, 'I'll take it'”.

The speaker ended the discussion by highlighting the achievements by Israelis in technology, physics, and economics, including several Nobel Prizes. Jewish intellect and entrepreneurship will keep Israel strong, according to Dwek.
The evening concluded with the speakers inviting students to attend an upcoming leadership conference. The conference, called Shabbaton, will include many discussions and lectures on Israel. Conference speakers include Avshalom “Abu” Vilan, Israel parliament member from the Yachad party (formerly Meretz) and co-founder of PEACE NOW, an Israeli peace movement, and Deputy Consul General Omer Caspi. The event will be help at Walker Creek Ranch near Petaluma on Nov. 4-5.

The Israel Center in San Francisco is responsible for eight area Hillels. Dwek, who is four months pregnant, will present at the upcoming “Do the Write Thing” Jewish journalists conference in Toronto, Nov. 13-15.

For more information, contact the Israel Center of San Francisco at 415-512-6223 or www.israelcentersf.org.

Jews, Muslims Break Fasts Together

Muslim and Jewish students break the fast together at Santa Clara University campus with sweets, dates, and honey Thursday evening.

Santa Clara, Ca. Thurs., Oct. 13. Students from San Jose State University and Santa Clara University joined together to break the fasts of Yom Kippur and Ramadan’s ninth day Thursday at sundown. The event was prompted by professors from SCU’s religious studies program, who invited the schools' Jewish and Muslim students to organize incorporating Yom Kippur’s break-the-fast with the Muslim iftar. The event is one of many in a series to create dialogue between the two faiths in this year’s coinciding months of the Jewish Tishrei and the Muslim Ramadan, both thought of as holy and a time for reflection.

Both groups seemed contented with the outcome. Ahmed Khatib, a member of the Muslim Student Association at San Jose State, says that it is accepted to have friends join for the iftar, and thinks it is great to have Jewish students join the Muslims for the event. “It highlights the beautiful similarities between the Abrahamic traditions,” said Khatib. Naama Shami, a San Jose student associated with Hillel, also appreciates the collaboration, which she feels holds importance for the future. “Non-aggressive dialogue is important to clarify the misunderstandings between the two religions,” said Shami.

Santa Clara University, a Jesuit-affiliated school, hosted the event. Philip Riley and Cynthia Baker, associate professors in the school's religious studies program, invited the Jewish and Muslim student organizations to host a series of events in the month of Tishrei/Ramadan.

San Jose State hopes to follow suit. New ideas for events to include the two organizations are being considered, according to Andrew Schwartz, San Jose State’s Jewish Student Union president.

Maryam Amir-Ebrahimi speaks with Prof. Baker