Friday February 27, 2009 Leon Launched Charn Offensive by Simon Yaffe Many people associate the kaddish In a forward for one of Mr. Charney’s prayer with death. books, Carter referred to him as “the But, as found out while unsung hero of the Camp David Peace researching for his book The Mystery of Treaty.” the Kaddish, it was a prayer of celebration Mr. Charney remains rather secretive and also one adopted in medieval times about how he helped America broker peace by rabbis who felt their Judaism was between Israeli Prime Minister Menachem threatened by the Crusades. Begin and his Egyptian counterpart Anwar American Mr. Charney’s idea for the El Sadat but he said: “I refer to my efforts book came around four years ago when as using the back door channels.” he was in a hotel. He added: To be involved in those peace He ran into Israeli television reporter talks was one of the greatest privileges of Saul Mayzlish, who had interviewed him my life. before. “President Carter called me his unsung Mr. Charney was in mourning for his hero. That gave me a lot of serenity.” mother Sara and wanted to know where A film about his work in the Camp the nearest minyan was so he could say David Accords is in production -- with Mr. kaddish. Charney playing himself. Mr. Charney and co-author Mayzlish The film is due to be launched at this travelled to a number of historically year’s Monte Carlo International Film important Jewish sites, both in and Festival. Europe. President Carter’s book, Palestine: And they learned stories about how Peace Not Apartheid caused widespread famous rabbis responded to massacres condemnation when it was published two BOOK: Leon Charney and other forms of persecution, including years ago, with mant criticizing him for wanted to test the temperature with him.” forced conversions. alleged anti-semitism. “I met him very early one morning and Mr. Charney is on the Forbes’ 400 list But Mr. Charney refuted that. he had all his bodyguards surrounding as one of the wealthiest americans He said: “ is not anti- him.” New Jersey-born Mr. Charney, 69, is semitic. As a religious Christian, he is “I asked him about the Israeli solidiers synonymous for his syndicated political just obsessive about peace in the Middle who were missing in action and he talk show, The Leon Charney Report, East. He is a humanist. promised me things.” which goes out across America -- and “Most of the people who have criticized “But with Arafat, he said one thing and also for his role in helping Israel and him have not even read the book.” did another.” reach a peace agreement in 1977. “I have it and it is clear that he wants Mr. Charney, who lives in New York An entertainment lawyer by trade, he Israel to remain a Jewish state.” with Israeli wife Tzili Doron and their two became an adviser to Senator Vance “I am closer to him than most American sons, Mickey and Nati, is also a chazan Hartke and became involved in international Jews and he had more Jews in his cabinet and sings on Shabbats and festivals in politics and diplomacy. than many other presidents.” synagogues across America. Mr. Charney, who studied at New York’s And President Carter was not the only The president of the University of Haifa, and Brooklyn Law luminary who Mr. Charney negotiated he said: “Weizman always said to be a School before being admitted to the bar with. Zionist, you have to live in Israel.” in 1965 recalled: “I was fairly known in The son of Lithuanian immigrants, Mr. “I consider it to be a mitzvah to go and Israel.” Charney returned to the region where live there -- my mother emigrated to Israel “I had defended in a his parents have grown up to speak to when she was 70.” court case and I was a close friend of the the Soviet Union leader Leonid Brezhnev “But I am a traditional Jew and a Zionist Jewish Journalist who worked in an effort to let 1,000 Jews leave the -- even if Weizman did not agree with me.” for CNN.” country for Israel. He was asked by Robert Lipshitz, who And, in 1966, he travelled to , ■The Mystery of the Kaddish, by Leon H. was part of President Jimmy Carter’s where an exiled was based. Charney and Saul Mayzlish, is published counsel to help with negotiations. Mr. Charney recalled: “(Ezer) Weizman by JR Books, priced £14.99