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************************5-DIGIT 02906 2239 11/30/88 •• 34 R. I. ,lEWISH HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 130 SESSIONS ST. Inside: Local News, pages 2-3 PROVIDENCE, RI (1;•906 Opinion, page 4 Around Town, page 8 f THE ONLY ENGLISH-JEWISH WEEKLY IN R.l. AND SOUTHEAST MASS. VOLUME LXXV, NUMBER 39 THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 1988 36¢ PER COPY · Reverent Or Revolting? West Bank Weapons Jewish Critics Review ''Temptation'' by Andrew Silow Carroll denouncing the anti-Semitic tone critic Michael Medved, rejects the NEW YORK (JTA) - Behold, of the protests. film on both artistic and religious the movie. But when discussing the film grounds. Defying calls for a boycott by itself and its controversial content, "I am offended by the movie in Christian fundamentalists and unanimity was dropped in favor of two ways," said Medved, co-host of dodging picketers in Los Angeles, a spirited discussion of what the the Sneak Previews program on New York and seven other North film means to art, religion, and the the Lifetime cable network and American cities, filmgoers, centuries-old debate between public television. including many Jewish leaders, Judaism and Christianity. "First, as a movie critic, because were finally able to judge for Praise For Scorsese this terrible movie is about as themselves the merits - artistic or The film earned the admiration pleasant as three hours in a religious of The Last of Annette Insdorf, Professor and dentist's chair. Temptation of Christ. Director of Film Studies at "But I am also offended as a Jew Packed houses greeted the film's Columbia University, and the because of the total lack of first showings on Friday, as did author of two books on cinema. sensitivity to religion in general, generally favorable reviews in the lnsdorf praised both Scorsese's and Christianity in particular." major media. Protests of director moviemaking and the film's The film, he said, "is a direct, message for filmgoers. unmistakable assault on the Martin Scorsese's film peaked the Rioting Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza are now 118lng day before, when 10,000 protesters "I must admit that I can foundations of Christian belief." lethal weapons like the spiked club being shown by a senior marched on Universal Pictures understand why certain Christians For Medved, an observant Jew, a Israel Defense Force officer (right) to Malcolm Hoenleln, headquarters in Los Angeles to have been nervous," said Insdorf. number of scenes which show executive director or the Conference or Presidents or Major denounce what they felt is a She referred to the 30-minute Jesus in conflict with his fellow American Jewish Organizations, during Mr. Hoenlein's recent blasphemous portrayal of the life finale of the film, in which a Jews "recycle a lot of anti-Semitic visit to Israel. The weapotis on the table - bayonets, swords, a of Jesi.:s. crucified Jesus, portrayed by canards that have appeared in hand grenade - were among those taken Crom Palestinian The anti-Semitic content of the Willem Dafoe, imagines marrying same films of the past. rioters attacking lllraell forces In the territories. protest.s was muted during the Mary Magadalene (Barbara "The religion of Israel is film's first weekend. Earlier in the Hershey) and raising a family. portrayed as a primitive pagan cult month-long campaign against the Said lnsdorf: "Perhaps if I were - bloody, brutal and benighted," exigencies of the politics of tbe takes "a radical departure from a film's release, protests warning of a Christian mother I would not said Medved. moment, 11 said Medved. reverent Christian understanding a "backlash against Jews" were want my children to see that Furthermore, Medved was 4 Least Jewish' Jesus of (Jesus') asceticism." directed at chairman Lew section of the film for fear it might disturbed by the "Arabic" flavor While not a professional film Tanenbaum, the international Wasserman and other Jewish confuse them about a sacred being. with which ancient Judea is critic, Rabbi Marc Tanenbaum affairs director of the American principals in the MCA "Nevertheless, I found the first depicted. The movie was filmed in brought to the movie his Jewish Committee, also found conglomerate, which own two hours such a compelling Morocco, and Peter Fabriel's score experience as chairman of the what he called "eome strong traces Universal. affirmation of faith that if I were a relies heavily on Arabic musical International Jewish Committee of the classic anti-Jewish elements Prominent Jews - professional Christian, I would be saying 'What instrumentation and textures. for Interreligious Consultations. found in traditional passion critics and others - who saw the a celebration of us!"' "I wonder if that sort of In portraying the human side of plays." film were unanimous in A second professional filmgoer, portrayal was dictated by the Jesus, said Tanenbaum, Scorsese (Continued on page 16) ====Voting On Jewish Issues: Bentsen vs. Quayle==== by Howard Rosenberg respective parties. opposing it. who signed a letter opposing the Split on Yarmulkes WASHINGTON (JTA) On the question of abortion, • In 1986, Quayle backed an arms sale that prodded Reagan to remove • Bentsen supported a 1987 bill While both vice presidential candi­ Bentsen defends women's rights, sale to Saudi Arabia before and the Mavericks from t he arms to allow Jews in the military to dates are considered strong on unlike Quayle, who opposes it and after Reagan vetoedacongressional package. wear yarmulkes; Quayle opposed it. Israel, neither of them was at the even voted Sept. 30, 1987 to oppose effort to block it. Bentsen originally • Both co-sponsored the 1987 bill forefront in fighting for pro-Israel the use of federal funds for abor­ opposed it and was the first Demo­ Foreign Aid Package to close the Palestine Liberation measures on and off the floor of the tions in cases of rape and incest. crat on the override vote to switch On foreign aid, both have less Organization's U.S. offices. Senate, an analysis of their voting to the President's side. than perfect records, although records shows. Prayer in Schools Pro-Israel analysts said they did Bentsen has been more likely to • Neither were among the 30 sen­ Pro-Israel activists credit Sen Both have supported a constitu­ not consider the vote on the over­ vote for a foreign aid package. ators signing the March letter to Dan Quayle (R-lnd.) with playing tional amendment favoring prayer Secretary of State George Shultz ride a "key vote," since the most But pro-Israel activists said a key role on the Senate Armed in public schools. objectionable component of the supporting his then-promising Quayle, who opposes allocations to Services Committee in helping gain On Soviet Jewry, Bentsen op­ sale, Stinger missiles, had been peace initiative that in part criti­ multilateral organizations and to funding for joint U.S.-Israel poses, while Quayle supports, the removed. cized Israeli Prime Minister research on strategic defense, com­ amendment by conservative col· some countries in the bills, has told Yitzhak Shamir as an obstacle to monly known as "Star Wars." league Sen. James McClure (R­ them he would vote for foreign aid peace. to Israel if it were to receive its They said Quayle helped set the Idaho) that some Jewish activists In April, to celebrate Israel's 40th cost-sharing formula for research feel might gut the 1974 Jackson­ money on a separate vote. On July 7, Quayle opposed the anniversary, Bentsen gave his final on the Arrow anti-tactical ballistic Vanik Amendment. speech on Israel before his selec­ missle, whereby the United States McClure's measure would tie most recent foreign aid appropria­ tion for the Democratic ticket. pays 80 percent and Israel 20 per­ conferral of most-favored-nation tions bill, along with about 14 cent of the cost. status on the Soviet Union to over­ colleagues. An analyst added that "We do not approve of every Sen. Lloyd Bentsen (D-Texas) all Kremlin compliance with the Quayle opposed two of the six mast Israeli action and they do not like gets the credit, the Israeli activists 1975 Helsinki Accords, and not important foreign aid bills since he all of our policies. But on the most said, for his role in implementing just to the treaty's emigration was elected to the Senate in 1980, basic issues - resistance to Com­ the 1985 U.S.-Israel Free Trade standards. and that he "almost always" munism, support for human rights, Area agreement. On arms sales to Arab countries, opposed foreign aid bills while in willingness to take risks for genu­ Also, as Senate Finance Commit­ they were not as consistently the House. ine peace, close cooperation on the tee Chairman, Bentsen co·epon· most sensitive security matters - opposed to them as colleagues like Bentsen, by comparison, sup­ sored an amendment to the Trade Packwood and Sen. Daniel Inouye Israel and the United States have Bill this .year with Sen. Robert ported 20 of the 32 major foreign · worked side by side," Bentsen said. (D-Hawaii). aid votes while in the Senate. He Packwood (R-Ore.) that protects But Bentsen has opposed most Quayle's most recent Senate the agreement against protection· voted against six of them and did action relating to Israel came July of the key arms sales to Arab not vote on six others. ist measures in the Trade Bill itself. countries, while Quayle has not. 27, when he released a study com­ On domestic issues, Bentsen gets On the potpourri of related Jew­ piled by his staff on the dangers of • In 1981, Quayle helped Presi­ ish issues: more favorable marks from the dent Reagan gain approval for the nuclear proliferation, based on largely Democratic Jewish acti­ sale of AW ACS surveillance planes • Both co-sponsored New York recent news reports.

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