PASSOVER 5772 Y R W E J N A I D A N A C O T E C I V R E S F O S R A E Y E STUDENTS FROM MERTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN COTE E R Saint-Luc can be seen singing from the Haggadah alongside H T - Y teacher Bracha Shizgal. Students spent the weeks leading T H up to Passover studying the story and traditions of the holi - G I E day and were all excited to join their families at the Seders in order to sing the Four Questions and share with them what they learned at Merton Elementary School. Merton, a member of the English Montreal School Board, offers the Heritage Language Hebrew Program . 2 The Jewish Standard, April 2012 Debating a Strike on Iran MICHAEL HAYMAN PUBLISHER AND EDITOR Ronen Bergman, an Israeli expert than 1000 miles across unfriendly air on strategic affairs, believes that the three space, refuel in the air en route, fight off JULIUS HAYMAN major factors for an Israeli strike on Iran Iran’s air defenses, use at least 100 are now in place: international legitimacy, planes and attack multiple underground B.A., L.L.B. Israel’s capability and the necessity to sites all at the same time. “I don’t think EDITOR 1937-2000 act. Israeli Minister for Strategic Affairs, you’ll find anyone who’ll say, ‘Here’s Moshe Yaalon, responding to those who how it’s going to be done - handful of question Israel’s capability to launch a planes, over an evening, in and out,’”, preemptive strike, told the Herzliya says Andrew R. Hoehn, director of the Conference that “any facility that is Rand Corporation’s Project Air Force. guarded by a human being, can be pene - The Jewish Standard believes trated by a human being. It is possible to that while all options must remain on strike at all the facilities in Iran militarily, the table a pre-emptive Israeli attack at and I can say that from my experience as this point is premature, even if Iran con - chief of staff”. The threat, moreover, of tinues to hit “soft” Jewish targets Iranian retaliation is, some conclude, around the world. Sanctions are having overblown. “There will not be 100,000 an impact. Mysterious explosions have dead, “says Defence Minister Ehud Barak, killed scientists and destroyed missile “or 10,000 dead of 1000 dead. The State plants. Computer worms have set back of Israel will not be destroyed”. research programs. We are by no means Other Israeli experts are not con - suggesting that the rhetoric from vinced of the wisdom of immediate action. Jerusalem, or from its neoconservative Former Mossad chief Meig Dagan believes allies in the United States, should be a military strike now would be the “stu - toned down. Nor do we think, as some pidest thing I have ever heard.” Retired incredibly naive observers suggest, that Israeli military intelligence head Maj-Gen. all it would take to stop Iran’s nuclear Amos Yadkin echoes these comments program would be to treat Ahmedinejad arguing that if and when Iran makes the with “respect”. Mutual deterrence is not decision to get the bomb, there will still be an option either. Iran is not a “rational time for a strike to be ordered. Adds actor”. Its proxies in Lebanon and Gaza Shlomo Brom, a general retired from never consider how many of their own Israel intelligence and former deputy people might perish in a nuclear war. national security advisor, “assuming that Some fifty years ago, Levi Eshkol once they do make a decision to was being prodded by his ministers and weaponize, we will know it...There is a the public to launch an attack on window of time from the point of making Egypt. For several months Eshkol the decision and until they succeed in resisted waiting, wisely as Michael weapon making”. Indeed, some within the Oren has pointed out, until he received Israeli Defence Forces believe it could be the go-ahead from Lyndon Johnson. as late as 2018 before Iran has nuclear We think the current Israeli govern - operation capability. ment would do well to follow Eshkol’s There is some general agreement lead, a view, according to one poll, among military personnel both in Israel shared by 80 percent of Israelis. and within the international community. Barak Obama may be cautioning Israel Even the most optimistic military com - against “loose talk of war”. But if manders in the IDF admit that Israel can - Iran’s threat to block the Straits of not completely wipe out Iran’s nuclear Hormuz is not a bluff, if sanctions ulti - capabilities. Senior officers are on record mately prove to be insufficient, the as saying “we will have to go back to Iran president has stated unequivocally that a second time” and that “we have no illu - he would then be prepared to use force sion that we can delay their plans by more to stop Iran’s nuclear build-up. Yes, than two or three years.” Moreover, a Israel alone has the right to determine large scale operation against Iran would its response to threats to its national quite likely mean strikes against Iranian security. But the last thing the coun - ANITA SURMAN missile launchers in Lebanon, Gaza and try needs is further international iso - Editor maybe even Syria. Such operations would lation. We think it is in Israel’s best General News Section stretch IAF resources, even if not beyond interests if the US military doesn’t have its capabilities. Bombing Iran would to be “sucked in” against its will to fin - mean Israeli pilots would have to fly more ish the job. The Jewish Standard is published monthly in Toronto and Montreal by Michael Hayman, B.A., M.A., Editor and Publisher. 1912A Avenue Road, Suite E5, Toronto, Ontario M5M 4A1. (416) 537-2696; Printed and bound in Toronto, Canada by Regal Press Canada. Publication Mail Registration Number 40715545 All changes of address should be sent to: [email protected] We cannot guarantee changes left on voice mail will be made. The Jewish Standard, April 2012 3 THE WORLD IN REVIEW NEWS OF THE RECENT PAST IS REVIEWED By NOAH FREEDMAN Basketball vs was denied. TAPPS main - shared American heritage of firm of Carrington, Shabbat tained that the game would religious freedom”. Among Coleman, Sloman and have to be forfeited, claim - those joining in the protest Blumenthal to represent - The Robert M. Beren ing that its bylaws stipulat - were Houston Mayor Annise ed the Academy and all Academy, an Orthodox ed that the game must go D. Parker and the former agreed to work pro bono. Jewish school located in forward. coach of the Houston While some par - Houston, has a pretty good URJ’s Rabbi Rick Rockets Jeff Van Gundy. ents were reluctant to basketball team. After win - Jacobs was at the forefront When the protest fell join in the lawsuit, the ning their regional game of the protest: “What mes - on deaf ears, Nathan and complaint proceeded Beren earned the right to sage”, he wrote, “would be Alyza Lewin, a father against the Mansfield compete in the semi-finals. sent to these scholar/ath - and daughter legal team Independent School The problem was that the letes if they were forced to based in Washington, District and TAPPS. And semi-finals were scheduled choose between their faith decided to act. Nathan that’s when TAPPs sur - for Friday March 2 and and their athletic goals? Lewin has argued sev - rendered. Saturday March 3 and the And what a powerful mes - eral religious cases TAPPS reluctantly Academy asked the Texas sage TAPPS could send by before the Supreme complied with Beren Association of Private and finding an accommodation Court and knew that Academy’s request and Parochial Schools to change which would allow Beren to TAPPS had a very weak rescheduled the semi- the times of Beren’s games. participate. Only the later position. The Lewins final game for Friday Initially the request choice could be true to our asked the Dallas-based (Please turn to page 22) PRIME MINISTER STEPHEN HARPER AND ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU ARE presented with hockey jerseys. PMO photo by Jason Ransom 4 The Jewish Standard, April 2012 FREE SPEECH CAN WAIT HOLOCAUST IMAGERY MUST BE BANNED, ESPECIALLY IN ISRAEL By MICHAEL HAYMAN We have long The following item appeared as an editorial and immoral”. Dr. Efraim deplored the use of in the March Ontario edition of The Jewish Zuroff, director of the Holocaust imagery. A Standard, - the Editor Simon Wiesenthal Center labour leader objecting to in Israel, saw the publici - the negotiating tactics of his of the Holocaust is that of a tried to eliminate us physi - ty stunt as “an obvious employer labels him a Nazi. petrified young boy from the cally and now the Zionists abuse of the memory of the A group of protesters rally - Warsaw Ghetto standing and the media are trying to Holocaust, insulting to all ing against government cut - with his arms raised in sur - eliminate us physically”. Jews and Holocaust sur - backs accuses the govern - render. The parents of one “What’s happening now” vivors” . ment of resorting to tactics young child in Beit Shemesh added one man wearing a And so in response which would have made reenacted the scene to make yellow star, “is exactly like to the actions of some 1500 Hitler proud. Police are their point. what happened in extremists, a bill is now likened to “storm troopers” Haredi leaders made it Germany”.