March 18, 2021
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Jewish Federation of NEPA Non-profit Organization 601 Jefferson Ave. U.S. POSTAGE PAID The Scranton, PA 18510 Permit # 184 Watertown, NY Change Service Requested Published by the Jewish Federation of Northeastern Pennsylvania VOLUME XIV, NUMBER 6 MARCH 18, 2021 Pro-Israel, Jewish groups react to ICC decision to investigate Israel for purported war crimes BY JNS STAFF investigation of Israel.” stands to handicap law-abiding nations’ (JNS) – Pro-Israel and Jewish groups President of B’nai B’rith International abilities, rights and fundamental duties to weighed in on the recent controversial Charles Kaufman and CEO Daniel Ma- combat the brutal asymmetric warfare of decision announced by the International riaschin said that there is “no moral or legal terrorist organizations,” they said. Criminal Court that it would open its equivalence whatsoever between Israel, Rabbi Jonathan Guttentag, interna- investigation into alleged war crimes a democratic state seeking responsibly tional liaison of the Coalition for Jewish conducted by Israel and the Palestinians to protect the lives of its diverse civil- Values, said the “ICC said nothing while since 2014. ian population, and Palestinian terrorist Hamas lobbed thousands of missiles at AIPAC said that the ICC investiga- groups openly committed to indiscrimi- Israeli cities, awakening only once Israel tion into Israel represents “significant Close-up view of the sign of the nate atrocities and the very destruction of responded. By ‘investigating’ defense overreaches of the ICC’s mandate and International Criminal Court (Photo by the Jewish state. against terrorism, the International Crimi- jurisdiction that must be condemned by Friemann/Shutterstock) “Above all, the acquiescence of the nal Court is openly encouraging terror and the administration and Congress.” The prosecutor to politicize the ICC and exploit the murder of [Jewish] civilians, while also lobby group called on Biden to maintain sistance to the Palestinian Authority and it as a propaganda tool not only batters calling it a crime for Jews to live in Judea.” sanctions on the ICC. It also pushed the maintenance of a Palestine Liberation the standing of the court and distracts it Guttentag added: “The inherent mor- that “the administration must continue Organization office in Washington due from truly grievous and systematic crimes al equivalence of an ICC investigation to enforce U.S. law which prohibits as- to the P.A.’s active support for the ICC’s around the world, but also intolerably See “ICC” on page 3 Landmark decision recognizing non-Orthodox conversions performed in Israel sparks fierce debate BY ISRAEL KASNETT and within the Jewish Diaspora, with between Orthodox and secular communi- the state of Israel’s character as a Jewish, (JNS) – Israel’s Supreme Court handed some saying it crossed a red line while ties, which have reached a “fever pitch” Zionist and liberal state.” down a decision on March 1 recognizing others affirming that it is a decision that during the pandemic, as well as the role Previously, Israel recognized Reform Reform and Conservative conversions is long overdue. of the Supreme Court and calls on the and Conservative conversions as part of for those seeking to obtain citizenship. The decision touches on some hot-but- Israeli right to reign in its powers. More the citizenship process and only if they The result has caused an uproar in Israel ton issues in Israel, including tensions so, coming just weeks before Israelis head were performed overseas. Now, this to the polls, it adds yet another contentious decision allows such conversions even if issue into the political arena. performed in Israel. Israel’s highest court Indeed, politicians on the religious claims that it was compelled to make this right quickly condemned the decision decision, rather than the Knesset, since the by the court and vowed to introduce leg- issue had been debated for years with a Happy Passover islation to overturn the decision. Aryeh pronouncement never forthcoming. Deri, head of the Sephardi ultra-Orthodox See “Landmark” on page 6 party Shas, lambasted the ruling as “a fatal blow to Israel’s Jewish character and a complete destruction of the status 2021 UJA quo in matter of religion and state that have existed for more than 70 years.” Pay it forward & give to Other right-wing parties highlight- the 2021 Jewish Federation ed the political ramifications. Likud of Northeastern Pennsylvania condemned the ruling, saying that Annual Campaign! “the High Court made a decision that endangers the Law of Return, which is a cornerstone of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state. Only a vote for Goal: Likud will ensure a stable right-wing For information or to $970,000 government that will return sovereignty make a donation call 570-961-2300 ext. 1 or $920,010 to the people and the Knesset.” send your gift to: as of March 10, 2021 Yamina leader Naftali Bennett accused Jewish Federation of Northeastern the High Court of “intervening in govern- Pennsylvania ment decisions and forgetting its role.” 601 Jefferson Ave., Scranton, PA 18510 However, on the other side, secular (Please MEMO your parties, including those in the center, pledge or gift 2021 left and even right, praised the decision. UJA Campaign) “Israel must have complete equality of rights for all streams of Judaism – Ortho- dox, Reform, Conservative,” opposition leader Yair Lapid said. “We all need to live here together with tolerance and mutual respect.” Similarly, Avigdor Lieberman of Yisrael Beitenu, a right-wing nationalist party, hailed it as a “historic” decision and Candle lighting promised that his party will “continue to March 19 ...................................... 5:24 pm battle religious coercion and to preserve March 26 .....................................7:04 pm INSIDE THIS ISSUE March 27 .......................... after 8:06 pm March 28 .......................... after 8:06 pm Israel envoy on tour Passover Science news April 2 ...........................................7:11 pm The new Israeli ambassador to Online resources for Passover An Israeli-Swedish ocean-wave April 3 ................................after 8:13 pm the U.S. embarks on a “personal include musical offerings; holiday energy producer wins award; a PLUS journey” along civil-rights trail. recipes; and more. robot uses a locust ear to hear. Opinion .......................................................2 Story on page 3 Stories on page 5 Stories on page 7 D’var Torah ...............................................8 2 THE REPORTER ■ MARCH 18, 2021 A MATTER OF OPINION Turning my back on my ugly, antisemitic teenage tweets BY ADAM ELAYAN helped me realize how misguided my reading someone else’s words. It filled munities, something those of us in these (JNS) – When I was a teenager six to anger at the Jewish community was. me with disgust to be associated with communities are responsible for address- nine years ago, I tweeted horrible antise- In 2015, three Muslim students were words that I saw to be hateful and wrong. ing. I recognized Mr. Aboubakr’s internal mitic statements. I made generalizations assassinated in North Carolina in an Is- I spoke with my college and was advised struggle of learning to reject what he was about Jewish people; I promoted stereo- lamophobic hate crime. Learning about not to respond to the publication. When taught, think critically about the hatred he types about Jews; and I blamed Jewish people like me who were murdered be- these tweets were brought to my dental once espoused and come to terms with people for bad things in my life. cause of their religion made me realize school’s attention in 2019 and 2020, I was ugly truths about who he had been. Since 2017, various groups have been how harmful bigotry – like the kind I again advised not to respond, and again I One portion of his story truly resonated circulating my old tweets, which long ago expressed online – could be. followed that advice. with me. After participating in a protest ceased representing my true thoughts and One victim was Deah Barakat, a dental I am truly sorry for the pain my words in Cairo, Mr. Aboubakr sought refuge in feelings. One tweet was a photo of a shirt student organizing a trip to provide dental have caused. I have wanted to publicly an orphanage. Seeing the distraught Mr. with a picture of Palestinian terrorist Leila care to Syrian refugees. His death inspired apologize for, and disavow, my teenage Aboubakr, the orphanage director told him, Khaled, of whom I didn’t have a good me to become a dentist. I vowed then tweets for years now. Perhaps I should “Don’t live for anger, but live for love.” understanding. that if I reached my goal, I would use my have taken this step earlier, against the That advice put into words what I felt I have never supported terrorism, but training to provide care to refugees in the advice I received. when I realized that I no longer believed many people saw my past statements and Middle East, regardless of their faiths, as I recognize that the things I said years the hateful things I had once written, and understandably assumed the worst about Barakat had wanted. ago were hateful, and for the last six years, I instead decided to focus on improving me. I was advised by university admin- During one trip to Jerusalem, I and have been committed to making a positive the lives of those around me. While I still istrators not to respond to the exposure my cousin played basketball with some impact in my community and showing that feel anger and sadness at the hardships of my posts, so for years, I stayed silent. Israeli teenagers whom we met in a park. those tweets do not represent who I am. I that my community faces, I no longer I am now publicly turning my back We talked about our experiences, and am someone who had misguided beliefs, live for that anger.