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.
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