Israel’s Self-Inflicted Wounds
Israel’s Self-Inflicted Wounds.
The following is an op-ed by Ambassador Ronald S. Lauder.
As the state of Israel approaches its 70th anniversary, I am filled with pride as I watch the vulnerable Jewish state of my childhood evolve into the strong and prosperous nation it is today.
As president of the World Jewish Congress, I believe that Israel is central to every Jew’s identity, and I feel it is my second home. Yet today I fear for the future of the nation I love.
True, the Israeli Army is stronger than any other army in the Middle East. And yes, Israel’s economic prowess is world renowned: In China, India and Silicon Valley, Israel’s technology, innovation and entrepreneurship are venerated.
But the Jewish democratic state faces two grave threats that I believe could endanger its very existence.
The first threat is the possible demise of the two-state solution. I am conservative and a Republican, and I have supported the Likud party since the 1980s. But the reality is that 13 million people live between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. And almost half of them are Palestinian.
If current trends continue, Israel will face a stark choice: Grant Palestinians full rights and cease being a Jewish state or rescind their rights and cease being a democracy.
To avoid these unacceptable outcomes, the only path forward is the two-state solution.
President Trump and his team are wholly committed to Middle East peace. Arab states such as Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are now closer to Israel than they have ever been, and contrary to news media reports, senior Palestinian leaders are, they have personally told me, ready to begin direct negotiations immediately.
But some Israelis and Palestinians are pushing initiatives that threaten to derail this opportunity.
Palestinian incitement and intransigence are destructive. But so, too, are annexation plans, pushed by those on the right, and extensive Jewish settlement-building beyond the separation line. Over the last few years, settlements in the West Bank on land that in any deal is likely to become part of a Palestinian state, have continued to grow and expand. Such blinkered Israeli policies are creating an irreversible one-state reality.
The second, two-prong threat is Israel’s capitulation to religious extremists and the growing disaffection of the Jewish diaspora. Most Jews outside of Israel are not accepted in the eyes of the Israeli ultra-Orthodox, who control ritual life and holy places in the state. Seven million of the eight million Jews living in America, Europe, South America, Africa and Australia are Modern Orthodox, Conservative, Reform or secular. Many of them have come to feel, particularly over the last few years, that the nation that they have supported politically, financially and spiritually is turning its back on them.
By submitting to the pressures exerted by a minority in Israel, the Jewish state is alienating a large segment of the Jewish people. The crisis is especially pronounced among the younger generation, which is predominantly secular. An increasing number of Jewish millennials — particularly in the United States — are distancing themselves from Israel because its policies contradict their values. The results are unsurprising: assimilation, alienation and a severe erosion of the global Jewish community’s affinity for the Jewish homeland.
Over the last decade I have visited Jewish communities in over 40 countries. Members in every one of them expressed to me their concern and anxiety about Israel’s future and its relationship to diaspora Jewry.
Many non-Orthodox Jews, myself included, feel that the spread of state-enforced religiosity in Israel is turning a modern, liberal nation into a semi-theocratic one. A vast majority of Jews around the world do not accept the exclusion of women in certain religious practices, strict conversion laws or the ban of egalitarian prayer at the Western Wall. They are bewildered by the impression that Israel is abandoning the humanistic vision of Theodor Herzl and taking on a character that does not suit its own core values or the spirit of the 21st century.
The leadership of the Jewish world always honors the choices made by the Israeli voter and acts in concert with Israel’s democratically elected government. I’m also keenly aware that Israelis are on the front lines, making sacrifices and risking their own lives every day so that Jews worldwide will survive and thrive. I count myself forever in their debt.
But sometimes loyalty requires a friend to speak out and express an inconvenient truth. And the truth is that the specter of a one-state solution and the growing rift between Israel and the diaspora are endangering the future of the country I love so dearly.
We are at a crossroads. The choices that Israel makes in the coming years will determine the destiny of our one and only Jewish state — and the continued unity of our cherished people.
We must change course. We must push for a two-state solution and find common ground among ourselves so that we can ensure the success of our beloved nation.
The Jerusalem Post
The Jerusalem Post.
JCSI has entered into a partnership with the Jerusalem Post—a highly-regarded brand and the leading English-language publication covering Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.
This partnership includes marketing and strategic advisory services as the Jerusalem Post seeks to increase its market share in North America and expand its platforms and products, including conferences.
JCSI with the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences: Young Creatives Award
The 2018 JCS International Young Creatives Award Competition Opens June 15
JCSI has proven experience establishing high-profile partnerships that span the realms of popular culture, new media and the arts. After negotiating a partnership arrangement, JCSI and the International International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences launched the JCS International Young Creatives Award in 2017.
“This award was a collaborative initiative that allowed us to engage young creative leaders around the world, raise the profile of the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences—an already well-established top-tier cultural arts program—and integrate social media platforms so we could scale up quickly. It is just the latest example of what JCS International can do for its clients and partners.”
Michal Grayevsky, JCS International
On November 18, Michal Grayevsky, JCS International President, as part of the 2017 International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences World Television Festival presented awards to the three winners—Eisa Alhabib of Kuwait, Ewing Luo of China and Roberto Pino Almeyda of Chile. Each of these young creative leaders produced an exceptional 1-minute short video on the theme of Women Peacemakers.
The JCS International Young Creatives Award was open to contestants from around the world between the ages of 18 and 29, who were invited to submit a one-minute video on the theme of Women Peacemakers.
The three winners were selected based on the criteria of concept, execution, character development and creativity. The panel of jurors was comprised of:
- Jenna Arnold, Co-Founder of ORGANIZE
- Camille Bidermann, Executive Director of the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences
- Sean Cohan, President of International & Digital Media at A&E Networks
- Susan Ennis, EVP of HBO
- Michal Grayevsky, President of JCS International
- Barbara Kopple, Film Producer and Director
- Dennis Paul, Founder and Managing Member of Thyra Global Management
- Muna Rihani, Chairman of U.N. Women for Peace Association (UNWFPA)
- Isiah Thomas, President of NY Liberty
JCS International President Michal Grayevsky (second from right) with the 2017 JCSI Young Creatives Award Winners Roberto Pino Almeyda, Ewing Luo and Eisa Alhabib. Credit: Noa Grayevsky
Jury for 2017 JCS International Young Creatives Award: Pictured: Barbara Kopple, Susan Ennis, Isiah Thomas, Jenna Arnold, Sean Cohan, Michal Grayevsky, Muna Rihani, Camille Bidermann, Dennis Paul.
JCS International President Michal Grayevsky (right) with Bruce Paisner, Chief Executive Officer and President of the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Credit: Noa Grayevsky
The Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya, Israel
The Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya, Israel.
The Lauder School of Government, Diplomacy and Strategy.
International Institute for Counter-Terrorism.
“I will always remember your unshakeable trust and support in the early years of IDC. You have always been a true friend, and from the very beginning, shared our vision of building Israel’s first private university.”
Professor Uriel Reichman, President and Founder, IDC Herzliya
The Lauder School is focused on teaching excellence, leadership, professionalism, innovation and integrity. The school strives to prepare future leaders in the public sector and to generate policy-relevant research that can help Israel, its neighbors, and the broader international community better cope with contemporary challenges. Established in 2001, the school currently boasts over two dozen course offerings, over 1,300 enrolled students, five affiliated research institutes and over fifteen student exchange programs.
The Lauder School of Government, Diplomacy & Strategy is also proud to host two of Israel’s most influential policy conferences: the Herzliya Conference, organized by the affiliated Institute for Policy & Strategy (IPS) and the World Summit on Counter-Terrorism, organized by the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT).
Photo credit: IDC
Photo credit: IDC
Photo credit: IDC
Photo credit: IDC
Photo credit: IDC
Photo credit: IDC
Ben Gurion University, the Lauder Employment Center, & The Jewish National Fund
Ben Gurion University, the Lauder Employment Center, & The Jewish National Fund – Developing Israel’s Negev Region.
One of the Middle East’s most strategic zones – Israel’s Negev region – has historically underperformed in education, employment and social development. With a growing and diverse population, the region holds untapped potential for economic expansion, including in cyber, environmental sciences, and clean energy. Working in partnership with two of the region’s leading institutions – Israel’s Ben Gurion University of the Negev and the American arm of the Jewish National Fund (JNF) – Ambassador Lauder has provided critical support and investment in the Negev’s future.
One of Lauder’s cutting-edge initiatives was to launch an Employment Center in Beersheva – the region’s key city – that is addressing the area’s chronic struggle to attract and retain a talented and diverse labor force. Opened in 2015, the Lauder Employment Center is now filling a critical gap in the region’s economic and social infrastructure.
Go here to learn more about these cutting-edge developments.
Ambassador Ronald S. Lauder at the Lauder Employment Center
The Jewish National Fund
The Jewish National Fund
The Jewish National Fund
The Jewish National Fund
The Jewish National Fund
The Jewish National Fund
Technion, the Israel Institute of Technology
Technion, the Israel Institute of Technology.
The Technion, the oldest university in the Middle East, is Israel’s leading institution of higher education focused on scientific excellence and innovation. Its discoveries propel Israel’s start-up economy, and its graduates fill the ranks at the leading private and public sector science and technology offices, both in Israel and beyond.
The school is also a leading engine for social integration and has steadily increased its recruitment of faculty and staff reflecting Israel’s diverse demographics.
Ambassador Lauder and his family have provided critical support to the Technion for capital projects, and he is represented on the institution’s Board of Governors.
The RAND Corporation
The RAND Corporation
Center for Middle East Public Policy.
One of America’s premier think tanks, the RAND Corporation’s Center for Middle East Public Policy brings together analytic excellence and regional expertise to address the most critical political, social and economic challenges facing the Middle East today.
Ms. Grayevsky has served on its Board since 2016.
Photo courtesy Diane Baldwin/RAND Corporation
Visit the RAND Corporation Center for Middle East Public Policy website here.
The Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation Committee
The Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation Committee.
Mr. Ronald S. Lauder has supported preservation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial Site for over 30 years. He is a chairman and founder of the The Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation Committee — a group of historically minded individuals who support the cause and believe that the existence of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial, its authenticity, and its message will help prevent a reemergence of hatred, racism, antisemitism, and xenophobia that led to the Holocaust.
In 1986, Mr. Lauder visited Auschwitz-Birkenau for the first time and was shocked to see that the camp had fallen into a terrible state of disrepair. Worried that the artifacts were disintegrating and would not be available for future generations to see, he immediately brought conservators from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York to help preserve these historic objects.
In the 90’s, Mr. Lauder spearheaded the international campaign that raised $40M for the preservation of the remaining barracks of Birkenau, as well as the mountains of shoes, suitcases, eyeglasses and other personal items that the Nazis took from Jewish inmates before they murdered them. Mr. Lauder believes that this effort is of utmost importance in an age of Holocaust deniers and growing anti-Semitism throughout the world. Soon, the last eye-witnesses of the Holocaust will no longer be with us and the camp will stand as the only testament to what took place. For all these reasons, Mr. Lauder believes the integrity of the camp must always be maintained.
The Ronald S. Lauder Foundation
The Ronald S. Lauder Foundation.
For three decades, the Ronald S. Lauder Foundation has been committed to rebuilding Jewish life in the regions of Europe where the destruction of the Holocaust was most profound.
Across a growing network of schools in more than 10 countries, the Foundation has supported a revival of Jewish life. Whether in Warsaw or Minsk, Budapest or Bucharest, the Foundation’s investments have had a transformative impact on communities that some believed had no future.
Learn more about the Foundation’s recent 30th anniversary events.
Bulgaria confers highest state honour on WJC President Ronald Lauder
Bulgaria has conferred on Ronald S Lauder, President of the World Jewish Congress, its highest state honour, the Stara Planina first degree.
The award celebrates Lauder’s extraordinary dedication to the development and strengthening of friendly relations and co-operation between the global Jewish community and Bulgarian state institutions, civil society, and the local Jewish community, and also for his contribution to the development of education in Bulgaria.
The honour was handed over by head of state President Roumen Radev on the day that Bulgaria commemorated the 76th anniversary of the rescue of the Bulgarian Jews from being murdered in the death camps of the Holocaust.
Radev said that the joint initiatives of the World Jewish Congress and the Organization of the Jews in Bulgaria Shalom contributed not only to increasing intolerance and opposition to xenophobia and discrimination, but also to better co-operation with the Bulgarian institutions for action against antisemitism and hate speech.
“The rescue of the Bulgarian Jews is not only a historical event, but an inspiring example for today and tomorrow,” he said.
Lauder praised the Bulgarian people for standing up to the Nazis during the Second World War, and again now, against the rise of neo-Nazis.
“Once again today, you showed the entire world that courage, moral clarity, and decency begin right here in Sofia,” he said, referring to the “Together for Bulgaria, Together for Bulgaria” event.
“Once again, the Bulgarian people, along with their leaders have stood together and said: ‘We will not tolerate antisemitism or hatred of any kind.’ President Radev and Prime Minister [Boiko] Borissov have been so responsive to any kind of anti-Jewish hatred, setting an example for all world leaders. The World Jewish Congress thanks you for your outspoken clarity.”
Lauder also thanked the many NGOs from across Bulgarian civil society who have pledged to sign the Memorandum to Fight Hate speech in Bulgaria, adding: “I think it is very clear where the future lies. It lies with tolerance, good neighbours, and everyone working together to build a better world for our children.
“Hate will not be part of our future. Intolerance will not be part of it. Bulgaria reminds us that we must never be silent in the face of evil. Bulgaria reminds us that it takes courage to stand up to evil. Bulgaria reminds us that even a small country can tower over all others. Let the world use Bulgaria as its model.”
In the evening, Lauder was among guests and speakers at a commemoration ceremony at Sofia Central Synagogue.
Speeches were delivered by Sofia Cohen, President of the Central Israelite Religious Council of Bulgaria, Deputy Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev, who is Bulgaria’s National Co-ordinator against Antisemitism, and Maxim Benvenisti of Shalom’s Tzedaka Foundation, who introduced the history of those ordinary Bulgarians who participated in the rescue of the Bulgarian Jews.
Shalom conferred its highest honour, the Shofar award, on Georgiev and on US ambassador Eric Rubin and Israeli ambassador Irit Lilian.
Shalom, furthering its campaign to build a partnership network with NGOs committed to a society without division, intolerance and hate speech, signed a memorandum of co-operation with 10 NGOs at the ceremony. This was a sequel to the signing of the memorandum in February with the GLAS Foundation.
The 10 NGOs with which the memorandum was signed are the Association of European Journalists Bulgaria, the Association of Families for Partnership in Psychiatry, the Bulgarian Fund for Women, the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee, Jamba – an organisation that connects people with diverse abilities to employers, the National Foster Care Association, the Bilitis Foundation, Marginalia, the Movement of Bulgarian Mothers, and Maiko Mila, a support website for mothers.
Article and photos originally posted on The Sofia Globe
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Minister of Pensioners, students, young people and gender equality Ms. Gila Gamliel visited the Lauder
Chabad Campus in Vienna, Austria, July 30th, 2018
Ambassador Lauder surrounded by Foundation staff, students and alumni of the Lauder network of Jewish day schools and leadership training programs in Europe. November 7, 2017, New York
Hannukah 2016 at the Pierre Hotel in New York City. Mr. Lauder was joined by the Israeli ambassador to the U.N.
Visit the Ronald S. Lauder Foundation’s website.
Limmud FSU
Limmud FSU.
Limmud is a dynamic, pluralistic gathering of Jewish learning. Its programs are based on the core values of diversity, accessibility and free and open discourse.
Limmud FSU brings together and empowers young Jewish adults who are revitalizing Jewish communities and culture in the countries of the Former Soviet Union (FSU), as well as in countries with Russian-speaking people, wherever they may be, including the United States.
Founded by Chaim Chestler (Israel), Sandra Cahn (USA) and Mikhail Chlenov (Russia), Limmud FSU enjoys the support and leadership of Matthew Bronfman, Aaron Frenkel and an International Steering Committee that includes Ms. Grayevsky.
