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| [audio:http://www.deprogramprogram.com/audio/111208_Excerpt.mp3|titles=Sha’i ben-Tekoa] | |||
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| …There was more on the terrible 3 videos story yesterday when the Ministress of Immigration and Absorption Sofa Landver testified before the Knesset Committee on Immigration, Absorption and Diaspora Affairs chaired by Likud MK Danny Danon who summoned her to address the controversy. She said there was no intent to hurt anyone’s feeling, but if there were, she is sorry. She was sorry if people were offended but insisted she was not apologizing. “If anyone was offended, they should look in the mirror, and see their kids when they come back from public schools.” In other words she stood by the message of the videos.
Meanwhile, in the States the senior vice president of the Federations of North America Rebecca Caspi said that indeed American Jews were “hurt to their depths of their souls. The videos presented a message that a Jewish life can only be lived in the State of Israel. It is unacceptable that US Jews are expected to hit the streets when they are needed to protest on Israel’s behalf while Israel delegitimizes their Jewish lives in their home country.” She wants to have her cake and eat it too. By contrast, Charley Levine told the committee he thought the videos were great. He has lived in Israel since 1979 and as in the States makes his living at PR. He told the committee, “I don’t know why people are apologizing. Any time any Israeli raises the issue of Aliyah, there will always be problems of sensitivity. As a professional, the content here is terrific. If Israel wants to be a Zionist leader, it has to choose between being popular and correct. I prefer that we be correct. These ads are the responsibility of Israel [to make].” Precisely. So Rebecca Caspi and Jeffrey Goldberg don’t like being told there is a difference between being a Jew who lives in Israel and one who does not? They think there is no difference? Then of Judaism, of Jewishness, of Jewish thought and belief, these are ignorant people… |
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