CHICAGO’S OLDEST AND MOST WIDELY CIRCULATED INDEPENDENT JEWISH NEWSPAPER FREE THROUGHOUT METRO CHICAGO js

VOL. XVII, NO. 400 © Star Media Group, Inc. — “USEFUL INFORMATION FAITHFULLY RECORDED” — By Mail: $30 AUGUST 24 - 30, 2007

Saudi airline: No Bibles, crucifixes, starsof David

ANALYSIS: TIME TO SEND A SIGNAL TO THE DESPOTS

OF RIYADH JTA — VIA GENOCIDE OR MASSACRE? — Armenians are marched to a By DANIEL PIPES nearby prison in Mezireh by armed Turkish soldiers, April, 1915. MIDDLE EAST FORUM Saudi Arabian Airlines (known as Saudia) declares on its English-language Armenian web site that the kingdom bans “Bibles, crucifixes, sta - tues, carvings, items with Genocide religious symbols such as the Star of David.” Until the Saudi govern- ment changes this detest - Affirmed

— ISRANET PHOTO — ISRANET able policy, its airline should MORE STREET ART — Cows, globes, horses, kassam missile fragments — cities have deco- be disallowed from fly ing IN REVERSAL, ADL SAYS OTTOMAN TURKS COMMITTED GENOCIDE rated their streets with all sorts of art in recent years (Jewish Star, Aug. 10). has into Western airports. now added bears. Michael Freund brought ASSESSING EVENTS OF 1915-1918 The “United Buddy Bear” exhibition, which opened there at the beginning of this month, fea- this regulation to interna- tures 133 identical fiber glass figures of bears, each decorated by a different artist in the style tional attention in a recent ADL HAD FIRED CRITICAL DIRECTOR; of his or her country. It’s been a big hit in Jerusalem, having arrived there after being exhib- Jerusalem Post article, THE BERNARD LEWIS FACTOR ited in , , , , , , and . “Sau dis might take Bibles The motto for the exhibition —- “The Art of Tolerance” — was penned by the exhibition’s cre- from tourists,” in which he CHICAGO JEWISH STAR AND JTA ators, Eva and Klaus Herlitz, of . At the end of the world tour (which is to include points out that a section on In a dramatic rever- Beijing and ), the bears will be sold at auction for UNICEF and other organizations the Saudia web site, “Cus - sal, the Anti-Defam - helping needy children throughout the world. To date, nearly $2 million has been raised. y toms Regula tions,” lists the ation League’s na tional forbidden articles above director issued a gPLEASE TURN TO PAGE 2 statement August 21 WHEN THE LAND RESTS using the term “geno- cide” to de scribe the EVERY 7 YEARS, AGRICULTURAL LAND IN IS TO LAY FALLOW; IT’S CALLED SHEMITTAH massacres perpetrat- PROTEST ed by the Ottoman By BATSHEVA POMERANTZ Empire against the It comes about every TO CCHR Armen ians. The ADL and its — ANDREW TARSY / ADL PHOTO seven years, and this Rosh — BERNARD LEWIS / ALAN KOLC PHOTO Hashanah is one of them: CITY OFFICIALS TALK WITH national director, Ab - Andrew Tarsy (right) was fired as the start of the shemittah JUF LEADERS ABOUT raham Fox man, have head of the ADL’s Boston office af - (or sabbatical) year in the ARAB FESTIVAL COMPLAINT faced mounting criti- ter publicly challenging the group’s Land of Israel. cism in recent weeks refusal to call the 20th Century Ar - The word shemittah for refusing to use the menian massacres “genocide”. vyna By DOUGLAS WERTHEIMER genocide label, and (Hebrew, ) means “let EDITOR Professor Bernard Lewis (left) has fall” or “let rest”. It begins essentially opposing a called the 1915 Ottoman Turkish on - this year on September 13. A meeting to discuss proposed congres- slaught a “terrible slaugh ter”, but has In modern-day Israel, anti-Israel activity at a re - sional resolution that refused to characterize it as genocide. only about 3% of the popu- cent City of Chicago Arab would do so. lation works in agricul- festival went well, and in - The controversy Fox man fired Andrew ture, where advanced tech- cluded an assurance that intensified last week when Tarsy, the director of the nology is used to yield an the City opposed the promo- ADL’s New England region, abundance of produce dur- / JTA —BRIAN HENDLER PHOTO tion of such “political posi- Apology from for de nouncing the organi- ing the shemittah year. GUSH KATIF METHOD — The “detached” method of agricul- tions”, participants have zation’s position in an in - Contrast this with Bib lic - ture was pioneered and fine-tuned in the Israeli-populated told the Jewish Star. Wiesel attacker terview with the Boston al times when society was Gush Katif communities, until their des truc tion by The Aug. 7 meeting — Globe. 100% agrarian: fields and Palestinians during Israel’s Gaza Disen gagement in 2005. be tween the Chicago Com - WIESEL: “I EXPECTED IT. “In light of the heated orchards had a hefqer status Above: Cucumbers grown in a Neveh Dekalim green- mission on Human Rights’ I’M A NOVELIST. I IMAGINE controversy that has sur- (that is, they were ownerless house in the Gush Katif settlement bloc in the Gaza Strip. (CCHR) chairman Clarence rounded the Turkish-Arm - property), and crops became Wood, its First Deputy Com- SITUATIONS ... IT’S CLEVER” enian issue in recent weeks, available for all (as the ered holy and is traded in a During the 40-year ex- mission er Kenneth Gunn, and because of our concern Torah mandated). special way. ile, the few remaining and the Jewish Fe d eration’s Eric Hunt, the man who for the unity of the Jewish During the shemittah The first shemittah foll - Jewish inhabitants were Jay Tcath and Michael Kot - accosted Elie Wiesel in a community at a time of in - year plowing, sowing, plant - ow ed the conquest and divi- not obligated to observe zin — was call ed by the Fed - San Francisco hotel on Feb - creased threats against the ruary 1, apologized in court. ing, reaping and harvesting sion of the land of Israel by gPLEASE TURN TO PAGE 3 eration and took place at its Jewish people, ADL has de - are forbidden. Fruit that Joshua, until the Baby lo n- downtown office. Wiesel, 78, a Holocaust cided to revisit the tra gedy survivor, Nobel laureate, grows (by itself, so to speak) ian exile following the des - Tcath is executive director that befell the Ar menians,” and famed author, was on during this year is consid- truction of the First Temple. Holocaust NGO of the Jewish Community Foxman said in his state- Relations Council and Kotz- the witness stand in San ment. Fran cisco Superior Court YAD VASHEM GETS in is the JUF/Federa tion’s “We have never negated INSIDE executive vice-president. Aug. 13 recounting what he UN RECOGNITION describ ed as his most har- but have always described The impetus was the dis- the painful events of 1915- ——U—— rowing ordeal since World Yad Vashem, Israel’s na - covery of anti-Israel litera- War II, when Hunt blurted 1918 perpetrated by the Editorial: Giuliani’s insight...... 4 tional Holocaust museum, ture distributed at the first- out, “I’m terribly sorry about Ottoman Empire against ever Chicago Arabesque fes- By the numbers...... 4 was accredited Aug. 9 as a what happened.” the Armenians as mas- tival, held in June at Daley sacres and atrocities," Fox - DC: New pragmatists...... 5 non-governmental organiza- Wiesel said he wasn’t sure tion by the Unit ed Nat ions. Plaza (Jewish Star, July 13). the apology by Hunt, 23, of man said. Anti-Semitic state...... 6 The accreditation will per- In 2003, a Jewish Star New Jersey, was sincere. “On reflection, we have Elvis’ yahrzeit ...... 7 mit the museum to partici- investigation revealed that “I expected it,” Wiesel said. come to share the view of DVD: “Les Misérables”...... 8 pate in U.N. deliberations Chicago’s Arab Heritage “I’m a novelist. I imagine situ- Henry Morgenthau, Sr., Community Calendar ...... 10 ROSH HASHANAH CARD, 1945 / JTS PHOTO — V-MAIL and enhance collaboration Month had become a source ations. This is something a that the consequences of Our Annual Synagogue on issues of Holocaust re- of anti-Israel activity — to character would do. It’s clever, those actions were indeed Torah: Spiritual witnesses ...... 11 Guide, pages 8-10. membrance. y JTA gPLEASE TURN TO PAGE 2 very clever.” y JTA gPLEASE TURN TO PAGE 3 2 AUGUST 24 - 30, 2007 CHICAGO JEWISH STAR

N E W S

ploy ee identified only as portal to the world, offers a Saudia (slogan: “We aim to “Gladys” confirmed that this pressure point for change. please you”) from its run- Saudi airline rule really is applied. To take advantage ways, thereby com- e “Yes, sir, that is what we of this vulnerability, pelling the kingdom FROM THE FRONT PAGE religions other than Islam.” have heard, that it is a prob- Western govern- to permit infidel Freund followed up by lem to bring these things ments should de - religious items, under the rubric, “Items calling the Saudia office in into Saudi Arabia, so you mand that unless monotheistic and and articles belonging to New York, where an em- cannot do it.” the Saudi govern- polytheistic alike, An unnamed official at ment at least per- into its territory? YOU BE THE JUDGE the Saudi consulate in New mits “that stuff” in, Where are you Ath - “200 Jews still live York further confirmed the Saudia faces exclusion ens, Frankfurt, Gen eva, secretly in Karachi regulation. “You are not al- from the 18 airports it Houston, London, Ma drid, [Pakis tan], all that re- lowed to bring that stuff into presently services in Europe, Mála ga, Manchester, Milan, mains of a community the kingdom. If you do, they North Am erica and . Munich, New York, Nice, numbering 2,500 at the will take it away. If it is real- If those routes were shut Osaka, , Prague, Rome, time of Pakis tani inde- with Rashi ly important to you, then you down, Riyadh will face a Vienna, and Wash ington, D.C.? pen- TOPIC can try to bring it and just tough choice: If no government acts, dence Sunday, August 26 see what happens, but I don't •Ignore this action: Al - what about a delegation of Pakistan: in recommend that you do so.” Christians, Jews, Hindus, 3 pm (Please note special time.) low ing Western airlines to 60 years of 1947. Responding to the Saudi service Saudi Arabia with- Buddhists, and others independence Mag - $12 | $10 members | $8 students ban on churches and Bibles out reciprocity would pre- board ing a Saudia flight ain For reservations call 312.322.1743 and Stars of David, some sumably be too great a with much publicity, open- Sha lome, the communi- would ban mosques, Kor- ly displaying their reli- or email [email protected] hum iliation for the monar- ty’s synagogue, was de - ans, and crescent moons in chy to abide. gious artifacts, daring the mol ished in July 1988 the West, but that is clearly airline to confiscate these? by order of President

n. •Cut off the Western air- untenable and unenforce- lines in return: Cutting off Or which public service Zia ul-Haq to make way able, given the freedoms of the Western airlines would law firm in those eleven for a shopping plaza. speech and worship. unacceptably isolate Saud - countries will bring local Israeli independence The Koran, for example, is from major markets and human rights suits against in May 1948 saw the is not a Saudi artifact and premier destinations. Saudia as an arm of the Ka rachi synagogue set cannot be held hostage to •Permit non-Wahhabi re - Saudi government? on fire.” y Saudi policies. However This issue provides an ligious items: That leaves —Source: Patrick Belton, close ly it identifies with Is - the Saudis no choice but to opportunity for left and “Karachi’s Forgotten Jews”, lam, the Saudi government accept the import of “Bib - right to unite against radi- Jewish Chronicle (London), does not own the religion. les, crucifixes, statues, car- cal Islam. Who will take August 17, 2007 Further, as Stephen vings, items with religious the lead to confront Saudi Schwartz of the Center for discrimination, arrogance, JEWISH STAR symbols such as the Star of y QUOTE OF THE WEEK Islamic Pluralism points David.” and repression? out, signs in Saudi airports warn Muslim travelers Further, once these ma - had taken place following that the airport’s mutaw- terials are allowed, other the Jew ish Star’s 2003 wa’in, or religious police, benefits would likely follow, Protest report on Arab Heritage con fiscate Korans, other such as permitting non- e Month. At that time, Wood A popular commentary in medieval Europe was the Is lamic literature, and Islamic religious buildings FROM THE FRONT PAGE had made a similar com- Postilla Litteralis Super Totam Bibliam, a vast work that Mus lim objects of non- and services in the kingdom mitment. Saudi origin. for the millions of non- such an extent that 26 per incorporated Jewish interpretations, including those Federatio United Fund/Jewish the Jewish supported by our community, Wood told the Jewish While discriminating Muslims who live there. cent of the programs for of Rashi. Star this week that while spe cifically against Shiites Muslims who reject the that year were devoted the city “will not tolerate” Wahhabi interpretation of directly or indirectly not to On the occasion of the Asher Library and Newberry and Ahmadis, this policy such political activity, it manifests a wider insistence Islam would also eventually Arab Heritage but to the Library’s joint acquisition of a rare 1481 edition of the was impossible to expect on Wahhabi suprem acism. benefit from this loosening. Jewish state (Jewish Star, that even the most vigor- Postilla, historian Deeana Copeland Klepper shares More broadly, the Saudi Such joint action also Nov. 21, 2003). ous monitoring effort could what brought Christian scholars to Jewish teachings on leadership runs a country sends a long-overdue signal Tcath, who found the be completely successful. the Bible, with images from lavishly illuminated copies that the American govern- to the despots of Riyadh — anti-Israel material at Chi - He said that he had re - that Westerners have thrown cago Arabesque and con- of the text. ment has condemned re - newed his suggestion to the peatedly as having “no reli- off their servile obeisance to tacted Clarence Wood ab out Federation that the Jewish gious freedom” and being their writ. it, said at the time that he community could establish among the most religiously Who will be first to act? was “at wit’s end be cause an advisory council like the repressive in the world. Which national govern- this is a problem that has one on Arab Affairs, which Saudia is probably the ment or municipality will happened in the past.” would operate under the arise from the customary A meeting between 618 S. Michigan Avenue | Chicago only civilian airline whose CCHR um brella. logo includes swords. dhimmi posture and ban Wood, Kotzin and Tcath 312.322.1700 | www.spertus.edu Tcath told the Jewish Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies is a partner in serving is Studies Jewish of Institute Spertus Star that the Federation Signaling Riyadh $ had declined the offer. Saudia, the state-owned Canadian Rockies 8 Days 995 Exploring Jewish Learning and Culture Caravan makes it so easy ... Explore your world for only $995. 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