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Newsletter : 9fax0205.txt
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>JN Feb. 5, 1999, Vol. 7, No. 25
Bnei Akiva Encourages Army Radio Careers
By Arutz-7 News Service
The Bnei Akiva religious-Zionist youth movement, in a departure
from its usual policy, is encouraging its youth members to consider
a career in journalism. Those who are about to enlist in the Israel
Defense Forces and who have such leanings are advised to consider
opting for the Galei Tzahal army radio station for their army
service.
U.S. Reform Rabbis Criticize Israel
By IsraelWire
A delegation of 33 visiting American Reform rabbis have expressed
disappointment over Israel's lack of concern for the religious
feelings of many of America's Jews. The Reform rabbis came to
Israel seeking explanations as to why the Knesset passed the
Religious Councils Law, aimed at barring the Reform and
Conservative Movements from the nation's religious councils.
After meeting with Israeli lawmakers and a candidate for prime
minister, the American rabbis said Israeli politicians failed to
grasp their concerns about religious freedom and may pay for it
with reduced financial and political support. "There's still a
fundamental lack of understanding of what our issues really
are," said Rabbi Janet Liss of Glen Cove, NY.
The law, which passed by one vote, calls for Reform and
Conservative representatives seeking seats on local religious
councils to pledge allegiance to the Orthodox chief rabbis.
The councils are local administrative bodies that disburse
government funds to build and maintain synagogues, supervise the
supply of kosher food and provide other religious services.
Reform and Conservative representatives have objected to the bill
because it means pledging devotion to Orthodox rabbis who don't
recognize the liberal streams of Judaism.
After last week's vote, the Reform and Conservative movements sent
letters to their followers urging them not to support Israeli
politicians who voted for the bill. American Jews are expected to
contribute millions to candidates in Israel's May 17 national
elections.
Spielberg Releases New Holocaust Film
By Michael LeLaqnd (VOA-Chicago)
After movie director Steven Spielberg made the film "Schindler's
List" in 1994, he committed himself to making sure the Holocaust
was never forgotten. He founded the "Survivors of the Shoah Visual
History Foundation," which is dedicated to videotaping and
archiving interviews of Holocaust survivors throughout the world.
The foundation is now telling the stories of five survivors in a
documentary film, "The Last Days," which opens this month.
Director James Moll says he has been asked why Spielberg is making
another movie about the Holocaust. He calls the tragedy the
most-extreme example of what can happen when hatred is allowed to
go unchecked and says the lessons of the Holocaust are relevant in
today's world.
"Every time we open a newspaper, we read about racially-motivated
conflicts around the world. We read about a man dragged behind the
back of a truck because of the color of his skin, or a college
student who is beaten and tied to a fence post and left for dead
because he is gay, and we realize the world has learned very little
from the Holocaust."
Spielberg chose not to speak at a news conference before a preview
of the movie in Chicago. He released a statement saying one of the
most-valuable lessons to be found in "The Last Days" is that these
terrible experiences happened to real, individual people and that
the same thing could happen to anybody.
Survivor Bill Basch says this was an important movie for him to
help make, and for all to see, to keep the memory of the Holocaust
alive. "If we leave this earth without leaving an impact on our
children and impress on them that it is their obligation to tell
this to their children, then we have failed."
Congressman Tom Lantos of california is another of the film's
subjects. He says it was important to make this film now, because
so many Holocaust survivors are nearing the ends of their lives.
When a reporter asked if helping make the movie provided any sense
of closure, or finality to the Holocaust for him, he called that
impossible.
"When you go to Yad Vashem and visit the Children's Pavilion and
see the reflection of more than a million children's faces, little
children who were massacred in cold blood, the concept of closure
is not a relevant concept with respect to the Holocaust."
The documentary is just one of several projects being undertaken by
the Shoah Foundation. It also plans books and computer software
to help future generations learn about this devastating period in
human history.
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