Intellectual Boycots

Signing letters of support for boycotting intellectual institutions, and academic cooperations is essentially anti-intellectual. The last twelve months were just an opportunity for many people sharing more or less loudly radical anti-Israel opinions to raise them at the level of open statements. In a way, it is a good way as it offers to people the chance to show what they think. Psychologically and not only, it releases them of the pressure of saying - or rather not saying at all - things they were thinking about. 

The list shared by LitHub, which is slightly growing by the day, appealing for a boycott of Israel cultural institutions, was created around voices like Sally Rooney who already announced very proud at the beginning of the year that she does not allow her books to be translated into Hebrew. (Nothing about Russian, or other languages of countries where people are really opressed by their own governments). Some of the people who signed are famous in the literary world for their works, some for being vocal. Some are writers or poets, some are just translators. Some are just names that hopefully will sign one day more than just a protest for a far away cause they are trying to get advantage of from the comfort of their lofts. Some authors I may know, some I really like, some are just as toxic as what they claim they believe in.

I think is everyone´s right to have an opinion, also a wrong one. We expect too much from intellectuals, but as history showed already, they are humans as everyone of us. They need to pay bills, sign political protests in the hope to get some points for their portfolio always in the making. Totalitarian regimes were supported by intellectuals, created by intellectuals, fuelled with ideological content by intellectuals. Sometimes they have no idea what they are getting into, but sometimes they are fully aware as they are widespreading lies and old libels.

This letter, in addition to many other moves that happened since 7/10 do not talk about peace, do not want to build bridges with intellectuals in Israel who do share critical points of view towards their government, as shared in their books and public statements. The letter is just building a wall, aimed at pressuring the public opinion in a direction that does not have nothing to do with being an intellectual. Also, not with intelligence, in the genuine sense of the world.

I would have been really empathic to the interest of the signatories if they will be so acribic vested in, for instance, cutting any cultural ties with Russian institutions - as we speak, Russia is attacking Ukraine; Chinese cultural institutions - Uyghurs are opressed, intellectuals are not free, the authors allowed outside do share propaganda messages; Islamic Republic of Iran - who brutally murdered intellectualls, among many other things against freedom of thinking and women rights; and so on, and so on...

In free countries, people are free to be wrong and long for propaganda vitamins and wear keffiyeh or for anything they wish for some or the others. But also in a free country, they may not be out of criticism for their childish or well-funded/intentional misleading investment in a cause obsessively taking ovet any others, with a not so humanistic intention.

There Was Night and There Was Morning by Sara Sherbill

If one will have the curiosity, as I did, to do a bit of search of rabbi Daniel Sherbill, the rabbi father of Sara Sherbill, he or she will only stumble upon heartwarming obituaries, mentioning him as a kind and helpful person. 

Coming to religion during the 1960s, Sherbill served as a rabbi in several communities across America. Displaying a spiritual yet anchored in the Orthodox restrictions type of belief, he was a different person in relationship with his family and with some of the younger - way too younger - women members of his communities. He was praised for bringing Jews back to Judaism, in the midst of his hippie-like, denominational type of religious practice.

His daughter, Sara, the author of the recently published memoir There Was Night and There Was Morning - I recommend to have access to the book as I did, in audiobook format read by the author, an to feel the emotions of accounting the abuse and trauma from her own voice and emotional breaks - knew a different person. And so did her mother, and siblings too. Prone to terrible anger attacks and violence, he was also a sexual abuser, targeting very young girls from his community, luring them into drugs, as he ended up as a drug addicted too.

Sherbill´s memoir is very much focused on the tentacular outreach of trauma, sometimes inherited, that can permeate our lives in so many unexpected ways. First and foremost though, it affects our way to trust other people, to position our relationships, our human connections. It may make you believe that the world is full of predators and bad people hiding behind a pious mask. It pushes people out of religion, any kind of religion, although sometimes by converting old rituals into daily routines that keep the life go on, 

It is a very emotional story although I struggle a bit trying to understand the type of community it was, and how it really operated in real time. But for the storry itself, it is largely irrelevant, as we are left with the right approach and knowledge of trauma that is more important than the context.

Rating: 4.5 stars

 

The Enemy Beside Me by Naomi Ragen

 

It is always a great pleasure to read and review books by Naomi Ragen, whose characters and topics are allways mind challenging. My latest read by her though, The Enemy Beside Me is reaching a different level, both in terms of topic and complex approach. Set during Corona times between Israel and Lithuania, this is her 13th book. 

Taking over Survivor´s Campaign from her father, Milia Goldstein is a fierce campaigner for revealing the truth about the crimes against Jews committed during WWII in Lithuania. Perpetrated by local nationalists whose memories were brought to life after the independence of the country from the Soviet Union, those do fuel false identities and legitimities. While listening to some of the testimonies inserte into the story about the horrible cruely against Jews, who mostly went unpunished, I could not refrain from thinking about 7/10. What is wrong with this world to enjoy torturing to death innocent children and women?

The wife if a successful surgeon, Milia is faced with the fail of her marriage, as she is revealed that her husband cheated on her with a family friend. A strong woman nevertheless, she is decided to focus on what really matters and accept the invitation to speak at a conference in Lithuania, organised with European money by Dr Darius Vida.

Although there is a kind of burgeoning romance between the two - quite predictable, if you ask me - the strongest part of the book is Vida´s acknowledgement of his own family past. Somehow, Milia is giving him strength to not give up principles over immediate financial or social status. Milia and Darius are both of them fighting for reconciliation, coming from two opposite directions. Their concerted efforts do make this world a much better place.

Ragen treats always her characters with attention, and all of them play their role in the configuration of the narrative. My favorite is Vida, because he shows exactly what we may always expect in our fellow humans, no matter their ethnicity or religion; capacity to change, strength to chose to truth over lie, no matter how hard it is.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Traces of Jewish Life in Ulm, Germany

Travel across Germany allows me always not only to get to learn more about the country, but also to identitfy traces of Jewish life and memory. While in Ulm, I had the chance to discover more details about the tormented WWII history. 

A permanent exhibition an Einstein Haus/Ulmer Volkshochschule, on Kornhausplatz is dedicated to explaining historical episodes of the resistance against Nazi regime.

As for now, I do not have enough historical information to offer a critical outlook to the exhibition as such, but as expected, it features extensively Hans&Sophie Scholl, born here. 

There are also featured another members of the White Rose - the name of the most important resistance movement, at least in this part of Germany - as well as testimonies of Jewish citizens of Ulm. Take them with a grain of salt, but there are many details that deserve a further research.

As in many other German cities, what once was the Jewish quarter was clearly named - Jewish street, or yard. Judenhof in Ulm used to be the centr of local Jewish life from the late Middle Ages onwards. In 1353 a synagogue used to serve the community here. The name served usually to create clear boundaries between Jewish and non-Jewish residents and very often limited the freedom of movements of Jews living there.

As all over Germany, Jewish life got a new impetus in the 1990s, with the arrival of Jewish from former Soviet Union. The community increased considerably in the decade onwards, prompting the need for a bigger religious and community meeting point. Right now, the members count around 450-500, mostly Russian-speakers.

The new synagogue, a cube marked on sides with windows outlined by Stars of David, was inaugurated in 2012, 70 years after the Kristalnacht pogrom. 

It is situated on Weinhof 2 where the 19th century once stood, and is currently following the Chabad orientation. Due to the lack of time, during my visit I was not able to visit the synagogue, but according to the general descriptions of the location, it hosts a community center, a mikwa, a nursery and various educational programmes for children.

 

A Day in the Life...

There are so many books around, not necessarily on fantastic topics, but some may receive more attention than others based on a purely subjective circumstance.

A Day in the Life of Abed Salama by Nathan Thrall received an outstanding ovation and was multi-awarded several distinctions, among which the prestigious Pulitzer. It was named ´the best book of the year´ by several publications. 

I was curious to read the book as well, and I may say that the topic - the way in which a deadly car accident outside Jerusalem reflects the deep divisions in Israel, especially towards Palestinians, was not bad. Clearly, that´s a reality to deal with, that creates a complex mentality context that do balance between death and life. 

It is a tragedy, indeed. But being simplistic is also tragic, insisting on the results before taking into account the causes. Thinking that you are on the good side, no matter what. What it really iritates me lately is the way in which some authors, or public personalities, assume that the reader should not think by her/himself. What about being really journalistic, presenting facts, and not jumping into conclusions? Considering your readers at least as smart, or even smarter than you, thus able to decide by themselves and draw their own conclusions.

That´s all about this book. And any other book and its author underestimating the reader´s intelligence.

9 Months and 1 Day...

 ...since those very first moments of shock and panic...are they all right, why are they not answering, maybe there is just one of those attacks that will be contained shortly after - no worries, we are strong, we are awake and not allowing the enemy, any enemy to destroy us again, to kill our children -, of feeling powerless...

...of being grateful for those few ones who asked how do we feel...

...of checking again and again who´s still alive and who is not answering and who is doing the miluim and who is gone...

...of feeling sorry for being alive, for being safe, for hiding in the attics of our fears...

...of Farhouds and Shoah and pogroms and Intifadas and terrorist attacks and 11/9...over and over again

...of learning again how to tell my children to stay away from them without telling them, to hide their stars, to train to fight, to distrust and still keep being proud...

...of highest security measures I´ve ever seen in the Gallut any kind of Gallut, for police guards on Shabbat and on Pesach and every day at schools and kindergartens and shops and broken glasses (again)...

...for tears and anger and screams and fighting and silence...because words cannot help...of running away from news because anyway, you cannot change anything, no one seems to can change anything, not today, not tomorrow never ever again...

...of seconds and minutes and hours and days and weeks and months...nine months and 1 day since the world will never be the same again...

...of seconds and minutes and hours and days and weeks and months of hope and despair of asking for a sign of life, or hoping there will be not another shiva...

...of simply building your own four-wall world, with a patch of sky, where to throw your curses and screams because no one, literally no one will ever help you, us, me and you...

...of having enough of rivers and seas and everything in between, of spitting on arguments made of poison and bile, of smeared Free Palestine and watermelons and ´Eyes on Rafah´ but not because hostages are kept there and keffieh and ´as a Jew´ and journalists praising them only because they cannot stop from hating us...

...of praying without words...

...of reading the news and seeing the pictures, of couldn´t stop from being anxious and fearing the worse for the world...

From Southerner to Settler

 

This is a fact that nothing and no one will change it: if you love the land of Israel and you feel connect religiously with Zionism, there is no other place to be but the land of Israel. There is no other place where one is able to learn the laws of the land and discover the everyday history in the making, but living and breathing there. 

There is a lot of harsh criticism against the ´settlers´, but rarely are took into consideration the testimonies and motivations of people included in this category. As in the case of any mass movement, there are different directions and school of thought, and listening to them may clarify this very important movement in the recent history of Israel.

And even if you are not reading books and making theoretical comparisons, spending some days in places like Efrat or Neve Daniel may put anyone in contact with the passion of people who moved to Israel by passion for the land.

This is how Susannah Schild, author of the blog Hiking the Holyland describes her decision to relocate with her family here: ´For me, Israel became the place where true spiritual pursuit was available, where religion was valued´. 

Her memoir: From Southerner to Settler. Unexpected Lessons from the Land of Israel may serve as an important guidance and explanation. Growing up in a family of established neurologists, she was aiming at raising her children in a less materialistic society. Once moved to Israel, the dissonance between life at home and life outside ended. As a Jew, she and her family were able to walk in the steps of our people, to feel the history of those places, to identify on the spot where history happened: ´an opportunity to really get to know Israel, the physical land of our forefathers and to understand its hidden message´.

The book is written in a relatable direct way, convening clearly the message and the meaning, an important testimony of Israeli and Jewish history.

Rating: 3.5 stars