Book review: The Settler, by Orit Arfa

It is a book I was waiting to read for a long time. Not necessarily for its title, but because I am still waiting for novels addressing in an intelligent, non-biased way the new intellectual realities in Israel and the genesis of the category of "The Settler" seems to be one of the most difficult to deal with in a 'normal', not-hysterical way. And either you love or you hate them, 'the settlers' are a very visible part of the nowadays Israeli reality. This book is a long waited beginning of a different way of writing about this sensitive topic, not only in Israel, and I am looking forward to more books covering the same issue.

The most enjoyable part for me regards the intellectual discussion regarding the failure of Gush Katif. For the main character of the book, Sarah, the 2005 tragic events were a turning point when she started to put everything under question, including her religious upbringing and the very deep roots of her Zionism. She continues to look for reason(s) and an alternative. Following the Rav Kook advice that it is a sparkle of holiness in everything, she found refuge at the Atlantis - the choice of the name is not accidental, as it refers to the disappearing continent with the same name - night club where she desperately tries to hide her past - the settlers were despised by the hip leftists clubber elites of Tel Aviv. But giving up your inner self, despite the provocative appearances - pants, unmodest clothes, smoking, drinking - is not easy and Sarah is looking for meaning. Recreating the spirit of Gush Katif - 'a utopia of Torah observance that lived out the highest biblical value of settling and serving the land of Israel' - is impossible also for her observant parents, and for many of those directly victims of the government juggling with the people's life. On the other end of the story, the peaceniks are nurturing the illusion that the state of Israel should make concessions for an equally illusory peace. The exchange of ideas regarding many important issues in this respect is very interesting and outlines common sense positions often ignored by the pathetic self-hate discourses.

The romance between Sarah and the rebel club owner Ziv Harel wasn't too appealing for me, although the process of her revealing herself is well outlined. 

A book I recommend to anyone interested to read a different perspective on contemporary trends of ideas and movements in Israel. Personally, I am looking forward with curiosity about the next book  by Orit Arfa. 

Jewish memories in Osnabrück

I was always curious to visit Osnabrück, particularly for the Felix Nussbaum Museum, an artist whose works I become accustomed with during my life in Germany. A sensitive artist, that tried until his last days to fight hate and nonsense with the power of art.

The museum is a relatively new addition to the cultural landscape in Osnabrück. Following a major exhibition of Nussbaum works at the Jewish Museum in New York in 1985, the interest towards his history and work increased. A decade later, a project designed by Daniel Libeskind, the architect of the Jewish Museum in Berlin, won a state competition. I am not a big fan of the work in Berlin, but I might say that this project in Osnabrück epitomizes at a great extent the feeling of solitude and hopeless that you have when thinking about those times. 

Light and raw concrete alternate in an ironic game, where hope is unreal and the overwhelming loneliness is a road going nowhere. 

The exhibition space is greatly dedicated to the works of Nussbaum, many of them discovered in the last decades. It is also focused on activities and sending cultural messages for fighting racism and intolerance.

The museum has three main parts: a oak area where his early works are displayed, a shadows and lights area covering the paintings Nussbaum created during his hidding time in Brussels and the later discoveries, many of them carefully documenting his life in the camp and the spiritual pains and material constraints the Jews were victims during WWII. 

It also presents works of Felka Platek, his life partner, as well as documents that show how the Nazi bureaucracy functioned against its fellow Jewish citizens. It is an overwhelming spiritual experience you leave with the heavy burden of desperation and incomprehension of the human nature in general. 

Close to the museum, there is a small street bearing the name of Rabbiner Stein who between 1994 and 2005 was the Rabbi of Osnabrück who worked intensively for the integration of the Jews from the former Soviet Union and collaborated closely with other religious leaders. He was followed by young Rabbis, themselves from families of former Russian immigrants, who followed his path.

Jews lived in Osnabrück until the 13th century, but as everywhere, they were often victims of expulsions and pogroms. During the Black Death in 1350, many of them were killed and their properties confiscated, as accused by religious leaders of being the reason behind the 'divine punishment'. A 1716 law forbade Jews to enter into commerce without specific authorization of the municipal council. Their number increased though during the French occupation, and a wealthy community of merchants subsidized the construction of a synagogue that was inaugurated in 1906.

In 1927, the synagogue and cemetery were desecrated, one of the many anti-Semitic acts that will mark this period of time. 134 Jews were killed during the Shoah, and many of them immigrated all over the world. Nowadays, most of the community is made by Jews originally from the former Soviet Union. 

Jewish histories in Rothenburg ob der Tauber

There is no Jew left in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, even since 1938, when the locality was proudly declared 'Judenfrei', but very often on the cobblestone streets you may encounter small groups of religious Jews visiting. The relation of this locality with the Jews is just another example of Jewish histories in Central Europe, particularly in Germany.

In the gardens of the former imperial castle of the Hohenstaufen, there is a stone memorial that reminds the victims of the famous Rindtfleisch pogrom, the first large-scale Jewish persecution after the Ist Crusade. In 1298, following the accusations of desecration, by the Jews in Röttingen, nowadays Franconia-Bavaria, of a consecrated host, a certain Lord Rindtfleisch - not sure if the name was a relation with his butcher job or due his obstination of killing Jews - assumed a 'mandate in heaven' and gathered people inciting to pogrom. He had succeeded and around 5,000 Jews were killed in the Franconian region. Around 450 Jews, many among them women and children, took refuge in Rothenburg but were massacred without mercy. The memorial monument, inaugurated in 1998, a work by Peter Nedival, has inscribed the words of a survivor of the pogrom: 'With a bitter soul a bitter lament'.

The memory of the two Jews - among many other across the German lands - who took part at the WWI: Hans Löwenthal and Moritz Gottlob.

Apparently Jews returned here after the pogrom, but only for a couple of hundreds of years. The theologian Johann Teuschlein incites anti-Jewish hysteria and Jews will be forbidden from entering the town in 1520. At the time, they represented around 10% of the population.

The situation changed only after 1861 allowed the return of the Jews. Then, many of the Jewish prayer halls and synagogues were turned into churches, like in the case of the one Schrannenplatz. Another example of a former synagogue that become a church is St. Mary Chapel. 

The Jewish quarter - Judengasse - remains an interesting area to visit, with its small houses and quiet streets has 21 buildings intact from the time of the Middle Ages, being considered the only surviving late medieval street in Europe.

During the breaks between pogroms and persecutions, Rothenburg ob der Tauber often played the role of an important center for the German-speaking Jewry. At the Reichstadtmuseum - Imperial Museum - one can visit a collection of cemetery stones and other important objects that belonged to the Jews here. 

One of the most famous Jew that lived here for a short time is the Rabbi Meir of Rothenburg, born in Worms, who was a traveler in this area. He often visited Würzburg, Augsburg or Kostritz, but settled here for a while, and even established a yeshiva in his house. The Maharan of Rothenburg is a major author of tosafos on Rashi's commentaries. He also approaches questions regarding taxation of Jewish communities or the sensitive issue of the payment of ransom for returning the kidnapped Jews - dead or alive. Himself, Rabbi Meir will be such a victim too. 

Many tombstones that are now preserved, were discovered in 1914 a the site of the Jewish medieval cemetery. Nowadays, the Jewish memories are discretely inserted into the daily histories of the city, to be noticed by those who are looking for them.

Sometimes, you just need to rise your eyes to spot a small Magen David inscribed in the walls of a building. They tried hard to destroy us, but it was always something left impossible to annihilate.

The Jewish and Israeli tourists may roam freely on the streets of Rothenburg ob der Tauber. A city without Jews but with so many memories that should not be forgotten.

A Gefilte Fishy Tale

It is Friday and Bubbe Judy is ready to prepare the Shabbos table. Of course the fresh gefilte fish jar, her grandson's favourite dish is there, and everything seems to be under control. Everything until the sturdy nasty jar doesn't want to open. At any price, even if you take it to the doctor. Hypnosis doesn't help either. Everyone keeps going on and around the jar trying to find help for fixing this very important issue, but without any success. What's to be done? The more they try the more desperate they are. It seems the jar is listening only to those whom share the ardour for the delicious gefilte. Nephew Jack is the chosen one who will be able to open the jar just by saying 'Please'. Sometimes, we forget how easy and beautiful is to utter this very magic word. This could be the Shabbos lesson for this week.

I've found the book very inspiring, funny - the verses are flowing well and the choice for poetry is quite appropriate for this story - and with dynamic illustrations. The characters are modern - not wearing sheitels or long skirts - but still anchored in the tradition: they buy kosher and prepare the Shabbos table and use once in a while Yiddish - a dictionary is provided for the newbies. A typical Jewish American family nowadays, but it can resonate with other Jews that still want to keep the old traditions, but in their own way. Being non-judgmental is the best way to understand the new ways of being Jewish nowadays, outside the religious shtetls. 

As a lover-without-borders of gefilte fish, I fully approve this book. Ironically, it happened to me more than once to deal with serious jar stubborness, and only the kindness of my neighbours saved our Shabbos meal. I never tried the magic word with the jar though...In the book, Bubbe promised herself to choose a can the next time and maybe I should too.

The book has also a Shabbos song, and a recipe for gefilte fish muffins that maybe I will try once in a while.

If you are looking for an inspired present for your children for the coming holidays, this book is a good idea.

Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange of an honest review

A rabbi and an imam are going to Jerusalem

It may sound like the beginning of a traditional joke, but I think it sounds much better than a rabbi and a imam started a war in Jerusalem. Ramazan Demir, the imam, and Schlomo Hofmeister, the rabbi, are both young and religious and involved in the daily discussions regarding religion and tolerance, both between their religions, on one side, and in relation with the majority. 

Together, they spent a couple of days in Jerusalem, via a stop over in Istanbul, exploring their roots and the big dilemma of the 21st century. Both of them are European citizens and acknowledge the main challenges of our times, while trying to make the world a better place.

During their trip they approach issues such as extremism, radicalization, missionarism, relation with other religions, head covering for women and in general how to preserve the difference while being part of the majority. On purpose or not, they behave like well trained diplomats, avoiding as much as possible particular tensed situations and political disputes - which do exist and fuel greatly the current dissent, particularly in the Middle East - trying to assume that extremes and over politization is in fact the main reason for misunderstanding. Even when they are visiting Hebron, a place torned out between two religions, where a visit from outside cannnot be done without special supervision, particularly when it comes to going to the religious places, the two enlighted religious leaders are just mentioning that the holy places of the two religions are situated in the other religion's place. 

In my opinion, the most interesting part of the book were the discussions about the current relation of Western Europe to religion, the post-post-Enlightment years and the difficulties of accepting the religious difference. The dialogue omits to address, among others, the root causes of the current radicalization among Muslim communities in Europe, but hope the dialogue will continue and, at least in the German-speaking media, a more complex discussion will ensue.