9 AUTUMN 1985 Intmmrj-,,-J|-I Dtxp1,- Contents the Stemberg Centre for Judaism, the Manor House, 80 East End Road, I,Ondon N3 2SY Telephone: 01-346 2288
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tiREill NUMBER 9 AUTUMN 1985 inTmmrJ-,,-J|-I Dtxp1,- Contents The Stemberg Centre for Judaism, The Manor House, 80 East End Road, I,ondon N3 2SY Telephone: 01-346 2288 2 Lionel Davidson Why I Left Israel MANNAistheJoumaloftheSternberg Centre for Judaism at the Manor House and of the Manor House Society. 4 Lionel BIue lnklings MANNA is published quarterly. 5 Paul Johnson How the Left Became Hooked on Jew and . Zion Baiting Editor: Rabbi Tony Bayfield Deputy Editor: Rabbi william Wolff Art Editor: Charles Front Editorial Assistant: Elizabeth Sarah 7 David Rosenberg Jews in Britain -Ethnic or Beligious Minority Editorial Board: Rabbi Colin Eimer, Rabbi Dr. Albert Friedlander, Rabbi 10 David Hulbert pabbi Avihail's search for Lost Tribes David Goldberg, Dr. Wendy Green- AmongtheAfghans a gross, Reverend Dr. Isaac Levy, Rabbi Dr. Jonathan Magonet, Rabbi Dow Marmur, Rabbi Dr. John Rayner, Profes- sor J. 8. Segal, Isca Wittenberg. 12 Dow Marmur Israel will confirm the Truth of Judaism - Or Destroy lt Views expressed in articles in A4lcz72jccz do not necessarily reflect the view of the 14 Rosita Rosenberg Ticking the Minutes Editorial Board. 16 Ben segal Islam -Purity and Arrogance Subscription rate: £5 p.a. (four issues) including postage anywhere in the U.K. Abroad: Europe - £8; Israel, Asia, 17 Ju.ia Neuberger Human Fights Need More Protection Americas , Australasia -£12. 18 Ivan Lawrence Nonsense, Julia 19 Herbert Weiner Our Souls Are Booted in a Past Life 20 Evelyn Rose pot LuckandJudaism 21 David Goldberg Lastword 'The cover picture is a sculpture by Jackie King-Cline whose major exhibition at the Stemberg Centre opens on November loth. IFC, EDITORIAL STOP STIFLING FREEDOM HE SAGA OF THE certain amount of power and Johnson, with which it is jux- editorship of the Jew- should use it responsibly. But taposed, contentious. They T ish Quarterly makes did Tony Lerman transgress may also be challenged to sorry reading. The columns of any of these rules? Did he clarify their own positions and the Jewish press have been so give aid and comfort to our that can only be good. inundated with statements, enemies? Tony Lerman's offending counter-statements, letters David Rosenberg is a lead- editorial suggested that the and comment that the precise ing Jewish socialist. Jews have community over-estimates the facts are difficult to deter- played an important role in prevalence of anti-semitism in mine. But these three points the development of socialism the world and uses the cry of are abundantly clear: and have provided many anti-semitism to evade discus- Labour MPs in this country. sion of difficult issues relating - Newly appointed editor Yet the Jewish Socialist to the policies of the State of Tony Lerman was forced Group is execrated by large Israel and the current direc- to resign. sections of our community. tion of Zionism. A radical - The resignation was not Why? Because they con- position. But may it not be unconnected with his pub- stantly attack the accepted stated? lication of an article by views of the community on The leaders of our com- David Rosenberg. and an many subjects. And most of munity have long sought to editorial on Israel. all because of their views on suggest to the outside world - Pressure to resign was Israel. that we are a community with brought to bear on Mr. What does JSG say about a single voice, united on all Lerman by members of Israel? As we understand it, important issues. There are, the Board of Deputies and the JSG believes that there of course, times when such an other communal figures. should be two separate states, appearance is helpful. But one for Israeli Jews and one mostly it constitutes a flagrant Clearly all editors are for Palestinian Arabs. It misrepresentation of the highly selective in the choice claims that the PLO is the truth, and it is a very danger- of material that they print. legitimate representative of ous position to maintain. If We at MANNA attempt to the Palestiniaris. Furthermore dissent and debate are eradi- apply criteria relating to the the Jewish Socialists only con- cated even from internal dis- quality of the writing and the demn terrorist acts against cussions we will find ourselves intrinsic interest and freshness civilian targets. Those are heading for disaster and of the subject matter. But are challenging and confronting alienating still further all there views we would not views. But does that make those with a will to think for print? Certainly we would those who espouse them themselves. thiiik long and hard before enemies of the Jewish Unity and uniformity are publishing anything which people? Do such views debar not the same. The Talmud has advocated violence or prom- a man from writing in a debate and disagreement at oted hatred. We would also Jewish journal on a subject on its heart. It may be the `very not wish to glamourise or pro- which he holds an M.Sc.? nature of leadership t6 seek mote the views of those who We think not. Which is why to create a united front. It is would seek to harm the we are also prepared to pub- equally of the essence of the Jewish people, though we lish an article by David role of journals like the might well wish to understand Rosenberg. Some may find it Jewish Quarterly and Manna them. We also recognise that contentious. Some may also to state firmly when this is not journals and editors wield a find the article by Paul possible.I MANNA AUTUMN 1985 WAS DRIVING ALONG the grounds for deflation. Chelm. the Derech Haifa in Israel, Of course, I didn't think any of driving in the inner lane, at this at the time. At the time, sfoevcf the prescribed speed - other cars achim gain yachad.. brothers were hurtling past in the normal manner sitting in unity. - when traffic lights ahead changed I had visited Israel first a few to red and I slowed to a halt. years before, had an idea for a Another car braked beside me and I book, A Long Way fo Sfez./ofe, made was presently aware of a familiar subsequent visits for the purpose of inspection. The man inspecting me researching it, and later on after it and my vehicle was of imperial had appeared to help with a script [' build and distinguished coiffeure, for an aborted film of it - a mission not-unlike Mr Shimon Peres but not entirely fruitless for on this with a better class of wrist-watch occasion I had an idea for another and bangle. book, Smi,th's Gaz,elle. `A good car', said he to me judi- On all these trips I was greatly cially. `But a bad driver'. Then the enchanted by Israel. It seemed to lights changed and he was off like me a model,~ place - model in the smoke. sense of miniature: a complete OK bzJbbc/ch, I said to myself. working one assembled and man- It was the Ford Mustang again. ned by Jews. Its defects as well as its This car was becoming the bane of virtues were even then immediately my life. I had bought it, just emig- apparent but no less engaging; on rated with it, on the advice of an the contrary, they added character, expert Israeli friend. These were charm, substance. There was some- days of innocence, days of 1968, thing greatly heartening. in this anyway, before sporty Mercs and embodiment of almost mythical Porsches were two a penny on the childhood archetypes; something roads of Israel. The car seemed to beyond words even that the robust represent something here, mainly a Jewish spirit had survived the great challenge, which was why I was in evil of Europe, had resurrected the slow lane to avoid murderous itself warts and all from those races. phoenix ashes. A few days before, emergivg Also on these trips, it is needless from a hard day at Ashdod Cus- to say, I became an ear for much toms-clearance office, I had found a Zionist propaganda, little of which I gang of Yemenite port workers clus- had managed to plumb. Yet when, tered round the car. They had man- in 1967, the Arabs announced that aged to get the bonnet open and the time had now come to annihi- were examining the interior. On late Israel I suffered the identical leaming that I was the owner, one o#grf experienced by Jews of them, a spare ringleted young fel- everywhere and found myself all of low like a junior prophet, came out a sudden a sheep in Zionist clo- with an observation. `God gives thing. nuts', he said, `to people without I joined committees, wrote arti- teeth,. cles, addressed rallies. I went A good car. But a bad driver. further. When the initial uneasy (Ashkenazi mflchcr) . muttering of middle-east experts God gives ruts to people without began to firm into opinion - situa- feeffe. (Sephardi prole). tion very difficult, Israel scarcely Why, whence, all this omnisci- viable, perennial source of trouble, WHY I LEFT ence, about me as well as the car? alien intrusion into, dagger aimed From either end of the spectrum, at, thorn in flesh of, the Arab world across yawning social divides, an -I firmed up, too. identical reaction - God and nuts/ In a fine moral fervour I con- good car; no teeth/bad driver. Evi- cluded -my wife and I concluded, dently a profound levelling desire the children were too young to con- ISRAEL was on display. Or more likely, clude -that if all one had to do to be Chelm had materialised again.