Letters (August 14, 2009)

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Letters published in the AJN print edition of August 14, 2009

Honestly ignorant

MICHAEL Burd, in his letter headed “Waste of Time” (AJN 07/08), reveals admirable honesty -— honesty only because he frankly admits his failure to “understand why Jewish community representatives waste their time with interfaith meetings with the Islamic community”.

It’s evident from his boorish remarks that his personal experiences in interfaith dialogue may, at best, be perfunctory and superficial, and more likely, are non-existent. I remind Michael that attendance at panel nights and lectures, which involve, among others, his perceived antagonists, doesn’t really qualify in my books as engaging with the “other”.

As someone who has been involved in frequent dialogue with Muslims -— and yes, in two government-funded programs also, I’m happy to divulge to Michael what actually transpires if he’s prepared to listen to an “opportunistic do-gooder”.

In so far as “forbidden subjects” is concerned, of course we don’t begin with the “contentious ones”; but when they do invariably surface, the topics are discussed in a respectful and courteous manner.

To attribute a lack of civility to these occasions, and to suggest that Muslims have “diametrically opposed … understandings” (whatever do you mean by understandings) to Judeo-Christian ones is bizarre and shows a disconnect with reality, and an attachment to, well, let’s simply call it the six o’clock news.

Oh, and by the way, Jewish community representatives are already developing closer relationships with many other faith communities — not because (as Burd suggests) we have more in common with them, but simply because they’re our neighbours.

Walter Rapoport
Malvern, Vic

Understanding interfaith

MICHAEL Burd tells us that he fails to understand why Jewish community representatives waste their time engaging in interfaith meetings with the Islamic community and cites an influential Sydney-based radical Islamic party, Hizb ut-Tahrir, which share his views on interfaith relations, to strengthen his argument (AJN 07/08).

Mr Burd, couldn’t you have found someone else who shares your point of view?

Henry Herzog
St Kilda East, Vic

Parochial diatribe

THANK you AJN for continuing to print regular doses of Michael Burd’s parochial diatribes (AJN 07/08). I suppose some may find comfort in infantile, grossly simplified arguments like “when dealing with Islam everything is one way” and that we shouldn’t associate with anyone aligned with Palestinians and Arabs. I suppose that the only people making such generalisations feel a sense of superiority, moral clarity and comfort at not even having to bother considering the humanity of hundreds of millions of people.

I suppose it feels good to know that “we Jews” are the good guys fighting against the bad people (all Muslims, Arabs and Palestinians). There are only a few small glitches in Burd’s argument. Interfaith dialogue has the potential to promote understanding, relationships and to destroy misconceptions and stigma.

While I support dialogue with other religions, avoiding it with Islam will just lead to more of the ignorance and racism that already pervades parts of our community in relation to Muslims.

Finally, and most crucially, not all Muslims, Arabs and Palestinians are the same. There are hundreds of millions of them in different countries with vastly different interests, values and worldviews.

While it may be difficult, coming to terms with a complicated world is part of both pragmatic and ethical politics. When Burd makes comments on behalf of “we Jews”, he risks essentialising Jewish people in the same way that he essentialises Muslims.

If Muslims are all the same, then so are “we Jews” Mr Burd, and that means that you agree with me?

ELON GERSH
Toorak, Vic

Interfaith in action

MICHAEL Burd writes that dialogue with Muslims is naive, a waste of time and a one-way street (AJN 07/08). Recent experiences by our community show otherwise.

Some time ago, I addressed a 100-strong mainly Muslim audience on anti-Semitism in the Islamic media. Heckling and jeering emanated from sections of the audience, as well as a flurry of hostile questions — until a hijab-wearing Muslim woman stood up and went to the microphone.

She admonished the hecklers, suggested they calm down and urged them to take on board the messages in what I had said about racism and anti-Semitism.

The same Muslim woman, who happens to be a lecturer in journalism, subsequently accepted an invitation to address a Jewish Communal Appeal Women’s Campaign function and delivered a moving speech on the racism to which Muslim women are subjected and how our communities can learn from each other’s experiences.

Three weeks ago, the president of the Board of Deputies, Robin Margo, was invited by Affinity — the Muslim partner in a number of our interfaith and cross-cultural projects — to deliver a paper on anti-Semitism to a Muslim-organised conference at The University of Sydney.

The invitation was a generous overture to our community. The paper — which is available on the Board of Deputies website -— expressly addressed anti-Semitism in Islamic countries, with some challenging illustrations. Despite that, the response to the presentation has been overwhelmingly positive, which is again greatly to the credit of the Muslim identities who organised and attended the conference.

On an ongoing basis, the Board of Deputies annually brings together 1000 Muslim, Christian and Jewish school students in various harmony programs. The feedback from students is always encouraging, looking towards a future in which the diverse components of our society understand and respect each other.

Certainly there are problems that remain to be addressed. And there are extremists and rejectionists with whom we cannot engage at all. But as a community, we need to continue building bridges and relationships with our fellow Australians of all faiths and backgrounds, and we intend to continue doing so.

Vic Alhadeff
CEO, NSW Jewish Board of Deputies

Wrong approach

IT is ironic that only a few weeks after our government authorities decided to lift a two-year ban on Lebanese-based TV station al-Manar (AJN 07/08) — produced by international recognised terrorist organisation Hezbollah — Australian federal police arrested allegedly home-grown Islamic terrorists.

It was al-Manar that invented the lie that 4000 Jews stayed home from the World Trade Centre buildings on 9/11 and still disseminates anti-Semitic propaganda, incites violence and glorifies suicide bombings to millions of viewers worldwide.

It appears the pro-Arab lobby has been successful behind the scenes in convincing the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) to turn a blind eye to this extremist-backed TV station.

While nobody wants censorship, there is a fine line between inciting hatred towards other minority groups, namely Jews in this instance, and allowing freedom of speech if it affects other peoples’ security.

Our government would rather deal with the aftermath of terrorism -— much of it influenced by these types of racist TV and internet programs -— rather than try to use whatever means they have to prevent young angry Muslims in the West from carrying out the acts of violence al-Manar promotes.

It is worrying that Australian Arabic Council chairman Roland Jabbour claims al-Manar is so popular with Australian Arabic community and Lebanese Australians.

Hezbollah is an official political party in Lebanon. Imagine the outcry in Australia if Israel were to air a TV program defaming Arabs and Muslims and inciting hatred and violence towards them. Once again it is always Jews and Israelis that are fair game and the exception to the rules when it comes to human rights.

Michael Burd
Toorak, Vic

Who is a Jew?

RABBI Kennard must be commended for his excellent article (AJN 07/08) “Ties that bind us”) in which he discusses the most important of questions -— who is a Jew? He goes on to say that millions of Jews who are non-practising, or even non-believing, are as Jewish as the chief rabbi.

But then he criticises the court in London that has overruled a London Jewish school’s decision to refuse admission to a child whose mother had a Reform conversion. Does he not by his own definition accept that this is a Jewish child?

Any school that accepts funding, taxation and other benefits from the state for a private school for Jewish children must accept the state’s definition of who is a Jew. If this school in London, or anywhere for that matter, is entirely self-funded, only then would it have the right to decide which section of the Jewish population is to be admitted or refused.

Even then, I feel that to turn away Jewish children of Conservative or Reform parents is not only blatant  discrimination against another Jewish group, but could even be classed as a form of anti-Semitism and racism. This behaviour by our Orthodox section is very hurtful and should be strongly condemned.

Reform Rabbi Weiller in South Africa lost his two sons while in the Israeli army fighting for Israel, and then he himself went to settle there. Yet in South Africa the Orthodox rabbis would have meetings with priests and Christian clerics, but would walk out if Rabbi Weiller was there. Was he not a good enough Jew? We must learn to accept and tolerate not only other religions, but differences in our own religion as well.

Lou Varejes
Lindfield, NSW

Thanks Lamdeni

I WAS delighted to see an advertisement in The AJN congratulating the 25 graduating Lamdeni Centre bat mitzvah girls from a variety of local schools. Mazal tov to all!

We all want a great Jewish education for our kids, and my family is just so happy with the Jewish education and community experience we receive at Lamdeni.

We have four children — three that are school age, who attend our local primary school and Lamdeni as their education mix.

I am just so excited and grateful for the quality Jewish education that my daughter and two sons receive at Lamdeni. Together with us working with our kids at home, they read Hebrew beautifully, understand and value the chagim and their Jewish heritage, and are proud and enthusiastic Jewish community members!

The curriculum is vibrant; the teachers are young, caring, committed, innovative and enthusiastic. My children eagerly look forward to attending classes and socialising with the hundreds of other Jewish students at the centre each week and at festival times.

Congratulations to everyone at Lamdeni for ensuring that there are other ways for families to access quality Jewish education and achieve these critical milestones like bar and bat mitzvah.

Jonathan Schauder
Carnegie, Vic

Film worth seeing

I WAS struck by Yoar Shamir’s Defamation, which was shown at the Melbourne International Film Festival. It asks the important question: is criticism of Israel’s politics just anti-Semitism wearing a mask, or is the accusation of anti-Semitism a way for Israel to avoid responsibility for the suffering it causes Palestinians? It also asks questions about the March of the Living: laudable and legitimate, or indoctrination of Israel’s young generation? A film worth seeing and discussing.

Stephen Langford
Paddington, NSW

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