The Crowd

B.W. Cook

“Nations will behave wisely once they have exhausted all other

alternatives,” said Rabbi Mark Miller, leader of Newport’s Temple Bat

Yahm.

Miller stood on the sanctuary bema (pulpit) Sunday evening addressing

some 1,000 locals who had come to hear the words of former Israeli Prime

Minister Binyamin (often spelled and pronounced Benjamin) Netanyahu.

Miller and the congregation of Bat Yahm invited Netanyahu to appear in

Newport Beach as part of the temple’s distinguished scholar lecture

series named in honor of Norman Schiff.

The lecture series has hosted Shimon Peres, Yitzhak Rabin, Abba Eban,

Henry Kissinger, Elie Wiesel, Herman Wouk and Leon Uris in past years.

“The choices for peace [in the Middle East] often seem like a choice

between bad and worse rather than good and bad,” Miller said, prior to

introducing the former prime minister, known for his right-of-center

conservative politics and hawkish stance against the enemies of Israel.

Delivering a similar hard-line approach, Miller added, “Momentum for

peace should not be a euphemism for further concessions by Israel.”

Specifically, Miller was referring to concessions of land that diminish

the protectability of Israel from attack by hostile neighbors, Syria in

particular. It was a theme further emphasized by Netanyahu.

The arrival of Netanyahu in Newport Beach created considerable excitement

in the community. Temple Bat Yahm was filled to capacity with both local

Jews and Gentiles interested in meeting the controversial leader.

Receptions were organized in his honor, including a $300 per-person

dinner at The Ritz Restaurant in Newport Beach, generously underwritten

by Hans and Charlene Prager, owners of the establishment.

The funds collected were used to cover the cost of Netanyahu’s visit,

reported to be $75,000. To meet the expense, critical fund-raising was

led by Ted Greenzang, chairman of the Netanyahu event. His committee

included dedicated locals Rosella Bernstein, Ada Gilbert, Karen Green,

Chunky Greenzang, Ruth Harrell, Marion Jacobson, Leslea Miller, Marion

Robboy, Bernie and Joan Rome, Winne Ross, Beth Slavin, Sally Spiro, Scott

Sussman, and Lee Berman.

Some of the patrons supporting the event and attending the Ritz dinner

were the Steven Edwards, the Richard Goodmans, the King Bursteins, the

Keith Burnetts, the William Kleins, the Bryan Murphys, the Edward

Millers, the Elliot Mercers, the Malcolm Pauls, the Ygal Sonenshines, and

the James Warsaws. Following the address, a private dessert reception was

held to afford locals the opportunity to shake hands with Netanyahu.

The world leader fulfilled the meet-and-greet expectation with generous

personal charm. Netanyahu is not known for his warmth and grace. He is

known for his strong nationalistic stance. As the leader of the

conservative Likud Party, Netanyahu was elected to the Israeli high

office in 1996, defeating Prime Minister Shimon Peres. The election was

based on a campaign that focused attention on the peace agreements

between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).

Ironically, Netanyahu had been a major instrument in the creation of the

agreements in the earlier part of the decade. Palestinian self-rule,

occupied land in the Gaza Strip and West Bank exchanged for peace, were

the tools of negotiation that struck Israel during his election campaign.

As Netanyahu, 50, walked up the steps of Bat Yahm’s bema, the crowd

stood, applauding the world leader.

Surrounded by Israeli and U.S. Secret Service agents, the MIT and Harvard

educated statesman shook the hand of Rabbi Miller and welcomed the crowd

that included his bride, Sara. Political sources have reported that

former Israeli prime minister’s personal life has contributed to his

political tumult. Sara is Netanyahu’s third wife, and in a nation with a

strong conservative [Orthodox] religious influence, a man of less than 50

years with two divorces was not looked upon with generous understanding.

Personal background aside, Netanyahu is respected as a world leader, and

as an expert on terrorism. A combat hero, he was wounded at Israel’s Ben

Gurion Airport attempting to free hostages on a hijacked Sabena Airline.

His brother was lost in the raid on Entebbe.

He has served his country in many capacities, from soldier to ambassador

to foreign minister to prime minister. In so doing, the man has

influenced the path of his own people as well as others in the Middle

East, and surely the rest of the world, including the United States.

There was a sense of history in the Newport Beach sanctuary as Netanyahu

began to talk. There was also silence, a sense of awe, for some 1,000

guests sharing a moment with a man who has influenced world relations.

“Polls are not the stuff of leadership,” Netanyahu said. “True leadership

is about values and the willingness to stand for, and, if necessary,

fight for, values. It may be a successful fight or a failed fight, but a

fight just the same,” he said.

Sharing the experience of a recent diplomatic journey to China, Netanyahu

brought the audience inside his personal dialogue with Chinese President

Jaing Zemin. The Chinese leader was comparing the long history of Jewish

and Chinese people, and Netanyahu asked Zemin a question: “How many

Chinese people are there?” The leader answered, 1.2 billion people. “How

many Jews are there?” continued Netanyahu, answering his own question

with the figure of 12 million.

“What happened to the Jewish people, who began some 5,000 years ago,

representing a population base of approximately 10% of the Roman Empire?”

Netanyahu extrapolated his figures and added, “Based on these population

estimates, the Jewish people should number a quarter billion today.”

What happened was diaspora. The dispersion of the Jews outside of

Palestine; scattered, broken apart from the homeland. Centuries of

wandering, culminating in the ultimate atrocity, the Holocaust.

It is a central theme of Jewish life. A theme that often brings

criticism, even ridicule from outsiders. Nevertheless, it is a very real

part of the history of the people. Netanyahu then brought home his point

with the Chinese president. The difference is the land. The Chinese have

had a homeland for their long history. The Jews have not. Not until the

creation of Israel following the end of World War II.

“Had there been an Israel prior to World War II, there would not have

been a Holocaust,” shared Netanyahu, continuing, “And had there not been

a Holocaust, there might not be a state of Israel today.”

The cruel irony of his statement was not lost on the crowd that included

Ken Grody, Ruth Harrell, Michael Luras, Cathy Kroopf, Gail Molk, Sherri

Morr, Beth Slavin, Robert Warsaw, Len and Madeline Zuckerman, Mark Razin

and Lane Sherman.

“Jerusalem will never be divided again,” added the man who was born in

the holy city in 1949. The crowd applauded. “The Jewish people have come

back from the valley of death in just 50 years. I am proud and I am full

of hope,” Netanyahu said.

“The odyssey continues with great hope and with great elan, because we

have a homeland. The diaspora is over.”

Netanyahu went beyond the emotional platitudes of the all important issue

of a Jewish state and homeland and became very specific on political and

economic issues facing Israel and the world.

“Ninety-nine percent of Palestinians are self-ruling today. This is no

longer an issue. The open lands, the buffer zone of the Jordan Valley

that serves as a defense from the east, these are still very crucial

issues,” he said.

Netanyahu went on say that peace depends on freedom and that controlled

economics do not benefit Israel or any state that claims to be

democratic. “Israel was born on a socialist model. There was no money for

anything. It was a necessary system. However, by 1960, the economic model

should have evolved to a free market system, yet the bureaucracy wants to

live forever,” said Netanyahu, diving into the heart of the political

divide in Israel today.

“We have a very high-tech based economy. But without freedom, it is

meaningless,” he said, inviting businessmen and women in the crowd to go

to Russia today and raid the towns of their brilliant scientists and

thinkers who have no outlet for their brainpower in a system that is

bogged down in bureaucracy.

“Get a plane and bring them to America,” he said only half-jokingly.

Drawing laughter, he compared the plight of Moses crossing the Red Sea in

biblical times to what might happen today if God was speaking to Moses.

“Moses, I have good news and I have bad news. The good news is that the

Red Sea will open so that you may take your people across to freedom. The

bad news is you will have to file an environmental impact form when you

get to Israel.”

Netanyahu added that his basis premise for prosperity and freedom

contained five points: “Cut the deficit, cut inflation, privatize

industry, remove regulations, and free the currency.” The Likud Party

official sounded more like a Reagan Republican than the former prime

minister of Israel.

“Remember that most modern wars have begun from peace treaties,”

cautioned Netanyahu. “Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East,

and we can have peace with democracy. When our neighbors, who live under

various forms of dictatorship, are allowed freedom of the press, when

they have satellite dishes that bring them world news and viewpoint, when

they have Internet access and cell phones, then peace will be more

possible.” Peace from cell phones. An amazing concept.

Netanyahu left Newport Beach admonishing the crowd to be cognizant that

evil exists in the world. Even in the perfect American haven in Southern

California that we call home.

“Evil exists in the darkest corner of the human psyche. We must fight

evil wherever and whenever it exists,” the statesman concluded,

encouraging all in attendance to become active participants in the

process for peace.

Peace in the Middle East, peace in the world. It is, after all, the

holiest possible state of life on earth.

* B.W. COOK’S column appears Thursdays and Saturdays.