Shabbat shalom!
A tip of the kipah and shiva call this week for Sinead O’connor, who died at the age of 56. When she released her memoir, “Rememberings” in 2021, most headlines and reviews focused on her horror story of the time Prince abused her and also of her appearance on Saturday Night Live when she ripped up a picture of the Pope. But more interesting to me was how one of the world’s most famous Catholic converts to Islam had a lifelong, abiding appreciation for Judaism and Jewish people. Specifically, three Jewish people: Bob Dylan and Barbra Streisand, both of whom she seemed to idolize and after whom she modeled herself, plus her imaginary, romantic ideal, a “much-fantasized-about” handsome rabbi who would steer her toward Judaism. Rest in peace Sinead.
I am ignoring most of the hideous headlines this week in the good old US of A, and going a bit deeper on Israel, given the historic week of news surrounding the Knesset vote on judicial reform that just occurred. Israel is teetering on the brink of civil war and is facing a constitutional crisis brought on by Nut-and-yahoo and his coalition of crazies who, despite a clear majority of Israelis opposing them, are driving the judicial reforms forward that could dismantle democracy.
The cartoon above appeared in yesterday’s edition of The Jewish Chronicle and captures, sadly, the current state of affairs in the Jewish state. My overly-simplistic take on the forces driving this crisis is that a minority of Orthodox want to use government to feel more empowered and create a more Jewish state, and the secular majority want to prevent government from doing so. Throw into that mangled mix a power hungry prime minister who wants to use the levers of power and government to stay out of jail on several bribery and corruption charges, and you end up with a level of distrust that is spiraling out of control and in the wrong direction. That distrust is what has been driving 29 straight weeks of protests by hundreds of thousands of patriotic Israelis, the refusal of thousands of volunteers in the IDF, including hundreds of fighter pilots, to perform their duties, setting a dangerous precedent by politicizing the military. Nut-and-yahoo recently gave an interview to George Stephanopoulos (he has still not granted a single interview to any Israeli journalist) claiming the new law changes very little and basically taunting the opposition. Meanwhile, his sycophants are busy trying to ram through more changes, including fining news networks that don’t provide favorable “balanced” views of the coalition, and channeling more funding to their version of Fox News, Channel 14, that is basically a propaganda mouthpiece for Nut-and-yahoo. They have also introduced a bill to remove the Prosecution role from the Attorney General, which could potentially neuter any ability to continue the bribery and corruption charges against Nut-and-yahoo. Far from putting things on hold and working toward a compromise, the law removing the “Reasonableness” clause from the powers of the Supreme Court has only ennobled the coalition to double down and aggressively push for more reforms that are unpopular with a majority of Israelis. It’s the “Shlock and Awe” strategy.
How will this end? My personal take is that the Israelis are a tough, resilient bunch of Jews that will ultimately work something out. While it’s hard to imagine an existential threat to Israel coming from within, it is a fact that as the opposition grows stronger, the coalition seems to get more emboldened, which is not a great recipe for compromise. Maybe President Herzog will get the parties to the table to bang out something both sides can live with, but there is no clear path for that at the moment. Israeli philosopher and noted author, Dr. Micah Goodman has been performing a unique kind of reserve duty for the last six months: speaking with people from all sides of the judicial overhaul conflict, from teams of politicians during the negotiations at the President’s Residence — at the request of President Isaac Herzog — to squadrons of pilots who are on the brink of refusing service — again, at the request of the IDF. His view: “I think the cynics will determine what happens tomorrow and next week, but I think it’s the optimists who will determine what will happen next year and two years from now.” We shall see, and you will get the latest updates here on the Jew News Review.
Weirdly, the crisis has came to a head during the holiday of Tisha B’Av, or what I refer to as the holiday of “bad juju for Jews”. Were it not for my Hebrew calendar, I would not know about this holiday, lapsed Jew that I am. But, according to Wikijudea, it commemorates the destruction of the Temple twice, first by the Babylonians, then by the Romans. Tisha B’Av marks the end of the three weeks between the two destructions and is regarded as the saddest day in the Jewish calendar, and it is thus believed to be a day which is destined for tragedy. For example, on this day, in addition to the destruction of the two temples: Moses broke the Tablets of the Law when he saw the people worshipping the golden calf; the expulsion of the Jews from England in 1290 and then Spain shortly before Tisha B’Av 1492; the outbreak of World War I shortly before Tisha B’Av 1914, which overturned many Jewish communities, and finally, the day in 1941 the Nazis signed off on the final solution. So, like I said, bad juju for Jews.
How about some good juju for Jews? Now you’re talking! Here then, finally, is your weekly buffet of baffling, beguiling, and better news for the Jews copied and pasted from the likes of The Forward, Kveller, Times of Israel, The Jewish Chronicle, JTA, and other reputable sources of all things Jewish-y.
- Opinion: The unrest in Israel is not over the judicial overhaul – it’s an identity crisis – Another point of view on this hot topic from Gedalia Guttentag, Editor of Mishpacha magazine – Having passed the “reasonableness clause” amendment this week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must decide whether to press ahead with the rest of the package of changes — as justice minister and architect of the controversial reforms, Yariv Levin, wants to do — or notch a victory and pivot to other concerns like the economy and security situation. But for a glimpse of their long-term future, Israelis should look beyond their own political system to a set of parallels overseas. The judicial overhaul crisis is the local version of Trumpism and Brexit — both tell us what happens when ideas go from the margins to the mainstream. Combined with a powerful animating personality, formerly marginal ideas can awaken a powerful new majority, and provoke a national identity crisis. Click here for more.
- Israel’s Supreme Court will hear challenge to law limiting its power, potentially teeing up constitutional crisis – TEL AVIV (JTA) — The Israeli Supreme Court has announced that it will hear petitions challenging a new law that limits its ability to strike down government decisions. The challenges won’t have their day in court until September, but the announcement paves the way for a possible constitutional crisis in Israel. That’s a scenario that a range of scholars and officials have worried about for months, as Israel’s right-wing government has pursued an effort to sap the power and independence of the Supreme Court amid mass street protests and civil disobedience. Click here for more.
- White House blasts Fox News host’s claim that ‘you had to be useful’ in death camps – F’ing Fox at it again. WASHINGTON (JTA) — In an extraordinary swipe at a popular Fox News Channel host, a White House official condemned Greg Gutfeld’s claim that “you had to be useful” to survive Nazi death camps.“What Fox News allowed to be said on their air yesterday –- and has so far failed to condemn –- is an obscenity,” Andrew Bates, a White House spokesman, said Tuesday in an unsolicited email to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. The comment came as Gutfeld berated a Jewish cohost who was critiquing a Florida Department of Education curriculum that recommends teaching that slaves acquired useful skills. “Did you ever read ‘Man’s Search for Meaning’?” Gutfeld said. “Vic Frankl talks about how you had to survive in a concentration camp by having skills! You had to be useful! Utility! Utility kept you alive!” Oy.
- On Culture: So, how did this 74-year-old Jewish guy with the goofy glasses wind up writing a Dolly Parton musical? Bruce Vilanch is a comedy writer, who spent a decade as head writer for the Academy Awards (earning six Emmys in the process) and also provided material for Bette Midler, Paul Reiser and Dolly Parton, among others.The Parton connection proved key in Vilanch’s third incarnation: playwright. Along with the husband-and-wife team of Gabriel Barre and Tricia Paoluccio, Vilanch has co-authored Here You Come Again, a musical comedy that features the songs of Dolly Parton.Bruce Vilanch at the 2023 Outfest in Los Angeles. Photo by Getty ImagesHere You Come Again tells the story of a die-hard Parton fan who just broke up with his boyfriend and now finds himself confined to his parents’ attic at the start of the pandemic. Who can help him? None other than an imaginary version of his idol, who miraculously appears and uses her wit and songs to lift his spirits and teach him about life.
- New Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris says buying NFL team was ‘bashert’ – Another Jewish owner in the NFL? (JTA) — Josh Harris already owned parts of professional sports teams in the NBA, NHL, NFL and the English Premier League. But when the opportunity arose to purchase his hometown Washington Commanders, the Chevy Chase, Maryland, native said it was “bashert,” using the Yiddish word for fate. Harris, a co-founder of the private equity firm Apollo Global Management, which manages over $500 billion in assets globally, bought the Commanders earlier this year from embattled Jewish owner Daniel Snyder for $6.05 billion — a record for a North American sports franchise. The sale was approved by the NFL last week. Snyder, who is under multiple investigations over sexual harassment and toxic workplace culture allegations, was fined $60 million as part of the sale.
Ok, enough already. Time to ward off any bad juju and stay cool. I hope you all have a great weekend, and remember, stay safe out there, and keep hydrated….it’s bloody hot!
Brad out.
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