The Charlotte Jewish News - May 2015 - Page 12
Community News
J Street Conference, “A Clear Choice for a Better Future”
By David deGroot
J Street is the politieal home for
pro-Israel, pro-Peaee Amerieans
supporting U.S. diplomatie lead
ership towards a two-state solu
tion to the Israeli Palestinian
eonfliet. With support from the
Jewish Federation, I attended the
J Street eonferenee in Mareh.
Three thousand people attended
the eonferenee, ineluding 1,100
eampus aetivists representing J
Street U (the University arm of J
Street), giving the event a young
and dynamie eharaeter. These
young people were more than par-
tieipants, they were full partners
in planning and running the event.
Signifieantly, 30 eampus Hillels
signed on as partieipating organi
zations at the eonferenee. The
eonferenee, named “A Clear
Choiee For A Better Future,” fo-
eused on the responsibility of the
Ameriean Jewish eommunity to
make ehoiees in light of the stag
nating peaee proeess and eonstant
threat of violenee in the region.
Israeli President Reuven Rivlin
addressed the eonferenee by
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recorded video message. He ac
knowledged the disagreements
between J Street and other Jewish
organizations, reminding us that
“in the Jewish tradition, argu
ments are a sign of strength, not
weakness.” He welcomes open
and honest debate about Israel’s
future as a Jewish and democratic
country.
Student leader Amna Farooqi, a
Muslim of Pakistani origin, spoke
at a plenary session. Growing up
in Potomac, MD, she quipped,
made her “culturally Jewish,” and
as someone who wants to con
tribute to ending the conflict,
“knew that I needed to understand
all sides.” Her coursework in col
lege led her to observe that,
“Zionism is about the Jewish peo
ple taking control of their future.
I fell in love with Zionism because
Zionism became about taking
ownership over the story of one’s
people.” She called on the Ameri
can Jewish establishment to go
beyond “watered-down Zionism”
and play their part in taking re
sponsibility for a peaceful future,
with a “strong Israel and an inde
pendent Palestinian state.”
Stav Shaffir, a member of the
Zionist Union party, at 29 years
old, is the youngest ever female
Knesset member. Her plenary
speech described the choice be
tween the politics of hope and the
politics of despair. “We cannot af
ford the despair,” she proclaimed,
that is fostered by policies de
signed to maintain the status quo.
She opposed the pessimism ex
pressed by other parties that “Is
raelis should stop believ
ing in rosy dreams” and
that “managing the con
flict with a continuing
cycle of violence and ter
ror is the best that we can
do.” Calling for social justice, she
explained how, as a member of the
Knesset finance committee she
had witnessed government money
that was diverted from under
served areas in Israel to settle
ments beyond the Green Line. Her
emphasis on minority rights pro
vided an alternative Israeli narra
tive to Prime Minister
Netanyahu’s election-day warning
about Israel’s Arab citizens “turn
ing out in droves” to vote. She al
luded to his recent address to
Congress when she cautioned Is
raeli politicians against placing
American Jews in a situation
where they are asked to choose
between their love of Israel and
their loyalty to the US. While
some members of the Israeli gov
ernment oppose same-sex mar
riage, Shaffir painted a different
picture of Israel and provided con
ference attendees with other
choices. Turning to security con
cerns and the threats facing Israel,
she emphasized the importance of
diplomacy and peace based on a
two state solution to the Israeli-
Palestinian conflict, “not because
we are oblivious to these threats,
but because we take them seri
ously.”
Head Palestinian negotiator
Saeb Erekat claimed that no one
stands to gain more from peace or
lose more from its absence than
J Street ^
the Palestinians. Despite his re
cent inflammatory statements, he
reaffirmed the Palestinian Author
ity’s rejection of violence and its
recognition of Israel’s right to
exist, living in peace within secure
borders. Looking to the future he
stated “I do not want my sons to
be suicide bombers; I want them
to be like your children - physi
cians, musicians, soccer players,
writers and teachers.” He sees the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict as po
litical, not religious, and that “the
world should not be divided be
tween people who are pro-Pales-
tinian and those who are
pro-Israel, but between those who
are pro-peace and those who are
against peace.”
The J Street conference was a
platform for an important conver
sation in the American Jewish
community. Israeli political lead
ers provided a different and hope
ful vision for Israel’s future, and
American activists asked: what is
our responsibility in helping to re
alize that vision? You can see
recordings of the conference ses
sions by clicking the link on the
jstreet.org web site, including
speeches by White House Chief of
Staff Denis McDonough, former
Secretary of State James Baker
and the President of the Union for
Reform Judaism Rabbi Rick Ja
cobs. ^
Paula and Richard
Klein
By Richard Klein
Paula and I first met in 1963 at a Bar Mitzvah in
Danville, VA. We met again a few years later at High
Holy Day services in Greensboro, where she was a
student. There was special meaning in those two
Jewish encounters. We were married, two years later,
in 1968.
Paula grew up in Hampton, VA, and attended a
very traditional synagogue. A Charlotte native, I
attended Temple Beth El, although my grandfather
often took me to Shabbat services at Temple Israel.
We were both raised with a strong connection to
Judaism, our local synagogues, and the Jewish Fed
eration. Giving back was important and we have
passed along those same teachings to our four chil
dren, who all became B’nai Mitzvah at Temple
Israel. Paula was Sisterhood President at Temple
Israel while I served on congregational boards and
was President of the Jewish Federation. I was also
active with UJA (later. The Jewish Federations of
North America) on a national level. When I retired,
after 30 years in the family business, I was invited to
join JFNA professionally serving unaffiliated com
munities throughout the country.
Over the years, Paula and I have contributed to
numerous local Jewish institutions because of their
impact in our lives. Our hope is for our children and
grandchildren to continue similar practices of giving.
Our decision to create a legacy gift, and perpetuate
our giving, was made in consultation with our chil
dren since it would impact their inheritance. They did
not hesitate for a second and encouraged us to make
tzedakah part of our legacy.
Judaism teaches us the importance of passing
down values and stories from one generation to the
next. We were reminded of this by our grandson,
Adlai Martin, following the passing of my mother,
Elizabeth Goodman Klein on March 1, at the age of
89. He was seven years old. Our grandson was con
cerned that his parents’ anniversary would be “bit-
tersweef ’ since it is a day before my mom’s birthday.
He was saddened that Grandma Elizabeth wouldn’t
be able to celebrate and equally determined that she
would not be forgotten.
“On her birthday we should do something gener
ous because she was a generous person. That would
make her happy,” said Adlai. And so began the plan
to collect canned goods for Jewish Family Services
to help feed the hungry.
My mother inspired us and taught us all to give
back. ^