Pressure on Goldstone to Repair His Report's Damage to Israel
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CHING YUN HU SHOWS BRILLIANT VIRTUOSIC SKILLS / 12 WRITING, BUT AN OVER- VINTAGE PIPPI STILL POPULATED STEALS HEARTS / 12 DESK / 13 Subscribe to our FREE epaper - go to www.sajewishreport.co.za www.sajewishreport.co.za Friday, 8 April 2011 / 4 Nissan, 5771 Volume 15 Number 13 Pressure on Goldstone to repair his Report’s damage to Israel PAGE 3, 8-9 PHOTO: ILAN OSSENDRYVER PHOTO: Dr Clive Evian is a world expert on Aids and a tireless fighter IN THE FOREFRONT OF SOUTH against this pandemic which is wreaking havoc in South Africa. He is a pioneer in the surveillance, prevention and treatment of the AFRICA’S FIGHT AGAINST AIDS disease. He is a true builder of a better South Africa. SEE PAGE 11 UJ scampers to Travel in Mexico - friendly DAVIS: Criticising Israel Israel house prices limit BGU fallout / 4 haven for Jews / 16 doesn’t make an enemy / 10 rise steadily / 5 YOUTH / 18-19 SPORTS / 24 LETTERS / 14 CROSSWORD & BRIDGE / 20 COMMUNITY BUZZ / 7 WHAT’S ON / 20 2 SA JEWISH REPORT 08 - 15 April 2011 SHABBAT TIMES PARSHA OF THE WEEK April 8/4 Nissan April 9/5 Nissan Owen Metzorah Birds of peace Griffith; Starts Ends Ann Harris; 17:42 18:30 Johannesburg WORDS CREATE reality. The Hebrew and Rabbi word for speech, dibur, is the same word 18:10 19:05 Cape Town Moshe for “thing”, davar. And so we read in this 17:27 18:16 Durban Silberhaft. 17:47 18:36 Bloemfontein week’s Torah reading that one who slan- PARSHAT 17:46 18:36 Port Elizabeth dered would be afflicted with a skin con- 17:38 18:28 East London dition that would render him a metzo- METZORAH rah. Rabbi Dovid Wineberg New cemetery plaques Our Sages point out that “Metzorah” Green and Sea Point Hebrew Congregation DAVID SAKS is composed of two words, “Motzi” PHOTOGRAPH SUPPLIED “rah”, extracts evil. Because not only did Published by the offender speak negatively about And yet this week’s Torah reading S A Jewish Report (Pty) Ltd, A SOMBRE past and hopeful new present, came together in someone, he brought out the negativity begins with the words: “This shall be PO Box 84650, Greenside, 2034 Mauritius last month as the island’s youthful Jewish commu- from a world of potential into the world the process of purifying the Metzorah.” Tel: (011) 023-8160 nity joined with international guests for remembrance and Fax: (086) 634-7935 of reality. The dibur made it into a davar. There is a process of healing, of commemoration; and celebration of the continuance of Printed by Caxton Ltd This is what made the Goldstone return, and perhaps Justice Goldstone’s Jewish life in the here and now. EDITOR - Geoff Sifrin Report so upsetting. While our enemies astounding editorial in the Washington Seventy years ago, some 1 670 Jewish refugees from Nazi- [email protected] kept slinging labels and accusations at Post titled “Reconsidering the Gold- held Europe were interned on Mauritius by the British colo- Sub-Editor - Paul Maree us in the hope that something will stick, stone Report on Israel and War nial authorities after they had been refused permission to Ed Co-ordinator - Barry Bilewitz no-one had the temerity to formally con- Crimes”, is the beginning of that [email protected] remain in Palestine. clude that Israel is pursuing a policy of process. Senior Reporter - Rita Lewis During the next five years, 127 of them died and were buried murdering civilians. That is, until In the opening paragraph, he asserts: [email protected] in a section of the St Martin’s cemetery on the island. The Richard Goldstone. “If I had known then what I know now, Sports Editor - Jack Milner cemetery was later handed over by Deed of Grant to the [email protected] Historically, evil ideologies were the Goldstone Report would have been a SAJBD, which has overseen its maintenance ever since. Books Editor - Gwen Podbrey named by their creators. The Nats different document.” Three new plaques were unveiled at the cemetery. The first Arts Editor - Robyn Sassen named apartheid, Hitler named the In a complete about-face of the was in memory of the late Dr Aaron Zwergbaum, a prominent [email protected] Final Solution, and American Report’s conclusions, he accepts “that leader of the Mauritius detainees, who was the liaison Youth Editor - Alison Goldberg “Slaveholders” approvingly spoke of the civilians were not intentionally targeted [email protected] between the detainees and the Zionist organisations in Israel “Institution of Slavery”. as a matter of policy” by Israel. Cape Town correspondent and in later years continued to be very active on their behalf. But while our enemies accuse Israel of Notwithstanding that Goldstone’s Moira Schneider: 021-794-4206 The second was unveiled by Ann Harris, and paid tribute to criminal “policies”, they resort to histor- reversal is a case of too little too late, his Pretoria correspondent her late husband, Chief Rabbi Cyril Harris Diane Wolfson: 082-707-9471 ical evils such as Nazism or apartheid to editorial is important for a number of The third plaque bore the wording, in Hebrew and English, Manager: Distribution name them. This is because they cannot reasons: of the traditional benediction recited by those who have not Britt Landsman find a name for them because there are 1. A belated retraction is better than [email protected] visited the cemetery for 30 days and more. It was dedicated by no such policies. no retraction, and in fact helps Israel Sales Executives - (011) 023-8160 Mauritian-born Geff Clency Geffroy, who discovered late in The Goldstone Report concluded prepare for any further conflicts. Britt Landsman: 082-292-9520 life that he was Jewish by birth (although he had already “con- “without a doubt” that Israel had delib- 2. By referring to Hamas action as ter- Manuela Bernstein: 082-951-3838 verted” prior to that) and has since become one of the local Murray Schoeman: 083-627-6670 erately targeted civilians, that is that she rorism, he clarifies the playing field. Jewish community’s most active supporters. Freelance Sales Executive pursued a policy of killing innocent peo- 3. By clearly affirming Israel’s right Marlene Bilewitz: 083-475-0288 ple, just because they were Palestinian. to self-defence and holding non-state Classified Sales Except that the Commission couldn’t actors to the same rules as nation states, [email protected] Dates for Yom Hazikaron find a name for such a policy, or who had Design and layout he levels that field. Frankie Matthysen instituted it - let alone when, or why, it A Metzorah on the way to healing was Nicole Cook was instituted. It was precisely this required to bring two birds as an offer- and Yom Ha’atzmaut Website departure from reality that succeeded in ing. The symbolism of (chirping) birds THE SA Zionist Federation, in a statement, explained the www.sajewishreport.co.za uniting almost every segment of Israeli represents the Metzorah’s obligation to dates set for Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha’atzmaut. Ilan Ossendryver society in condemning the Goldstone set the record straight and hopefully IC-Creations It said “the original published dates of Yom Hazikaron [email protected] Report’s central conclusion as a com- bring about reconciliation. and Yom Ha’atzmaut... were set at the request of the Beth Subscription enquiries plete falsehood, or worse a blood libel. While the Goldstone Report will in all Din according to certain considerations, but have been Avusa Publishing (Pty) Ltd Indeed, words create reality. For this likelihood continue to cause harm to amended with agreement from the Beth Din and the Chief Tel: 0860-13-2652 reason Prime Minister Benjamin Israel, and that is a “regret” that its Rabbi, to comply with the alternative dates set by Israel. BOARD OF DIRECTORS Netanyahu labelled the Goldstone author has to live with each day, Justice “Yom Hazikaron will be commemorated on Sunday Howard Feldman (Chairman), Issie Kirsh Report one of Israel’s top three strategic Richard Goldstone has the opportunity night May 8 and Yom Ha’atzmaut on Monday night May 9 (Deputy Chairman), Stan Kaplan, Marlene threats, and initiated a vigorous cam- now of healing through an ongoing Bethlehem, Russell Gaddin, and Tuesday May 10.” Norman Lowenthal, Bertie paign to respond to these malicious process of reconsideration. Lubner, Benjy Porter, Herby “conclusions”. By taking this message to where peo- Rosenberg, Howard It was also no surprise that many in ple are chirping - on the airwaves of Al- KASHRUT NOTICE Sackstein, Jason Valkin. the South African Jewish community Jazeera and CNN, in Geneva at the SOME PONCHOS TEQUILA VARIETIES KOSHER PAREV distanced themselves from their former Human Rights Council and the UN in KASHRUT proud son. I was the associate rabbi of New York - and at countless universities THE FOLLOWING “Ponchos 1910” coffee tequila varieties The following symbols will appear on the Sandton Shul at the time of Justice around the world, Richard Goldstone are now kosher parev, with the Beth Din logo: advertisements and/or advertising fea- Goldstone’s visit. While I strongly sup- can preach Israel’s fundamentally just • Blanco 43 per cent tures to indicate whether or not they are ported his right to attend shul, and the cause in a way that few others can. • Coffee 35 per cent kosher. Where no Kashrut mark appears • Reposado 40 per cent on an advert, the Jewish Report shul’s responsibility to ensure the safety Let us all learn the lesson of the awe- assumes no responsibility for the of all worshippers, I also chose to deny some power of words and the damage “Patron xo Café” tequila, previously approved, after a Kashrut status of that establishment or him any acknowledgement in that they could cause.