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IPF and Buchanan?


How did an article authored by an Israel Policy Forum staffer end up in a magazine edited by a longtime antagonist of Israel and American Jews? The article's author, M.J. Rosenberg, said Pat Buchanan's The American Conservative magazine called and asked for a "pro-Israel piece."

Rosenberg, director of policy analysis for IPF, said he never dealt with Buchanan, but that he is willing to publish his articles anywhere they can call attention to his view that the "peace process is good for Israel."

"Follow the Road Map," his article in the magazine's June 16 edition, argues that the American pro-Israel community does not permit the diversity of opinions seen in Israel, and that one can be both a lover of Israel and a strong supporter of the "road map."

Rosenberg said he has been told that The American Conservative magazine has a "big following" in the Bush administration and on Capitol Hill, and he already has heard from people who had not been aware of IPF or its policy position.

Many in the Jewish world have found Buchanan's statements and writings anti-Semitic -- from calling Capitol Hill "Israeli-occupied territory" to, most recently, writing that the Iraq war was all for the benefit of Israel.

The June 16 edition also includes a piece by another longtime Israel critic, Taki, as the magazine's co-editor is known. That article asserts that anyone who criticizes Israel is labeled an anti-Semite -- although it offers virtually no evidence to back up that argument other than quoting other opinion pieces. Taki also writes that the Jewish community reacted to Rep. Jim Moran's (D-Va.) March comments blaming the war with Iraq on the Jewish community as if "Moran [had] been photographed burning Jewish stores during Kristallnacht."

Rosenberg said the premise of Taki's piece was inaccurate, but he was glad his article appeared to provide an opposing view.

But Jeff Synder, co-chair of the D.C. Council of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, said he was dismayed that Rosenberg would place an article in a publication edited by someone with Pat Buchanan's history, and containing articles that "if not anti-Semitic in fact, are anti-Israel and show a disdain for the Jewish community."

Bigger home for JPDS

The Jewish Primary Day School of the Nation's Capital is already expanding, even before it has opened its new D.C. building.

The school, which bought the former Owl School at 16th Street and Military Road, N.W. last fall, has purchased the lot adjacent to the school to provide additional area for sports and recess. The house standing on the 11,000-square-foot lot -- for which JPDS paid $435,000 -- will be torn down, according to a school spokesperson.

JPDS, which held graduation this week, will move to the new site in September.

Down Under honored

Praising its friendship with Israel and its support of the United States in the recent war on Iraq, the American Jewish Committee's Washington Chapter saluted Australia last Thursday with its annual Celebration of Friendship Award.

Australian Ambassador Michael Thawley, who noted that Australia is "proud" it has been the home of "many thousands of Jewish immigrants," said his nation was glad it could help the U.S. defend "democracy and freedom."

"Peace and security is a collective good and also a collective responsibility," Thawley said. It was "satisfying," he added, that by defeating Saddam Hussein, Australia is able to say, among other things, it may have prevented a future attack on Israel.

The evening also included the presentation of the first International Leadership Award to Peter Lowy, CEO of Westfield America -- owner and manager of 63 U.S. shopping centers, including malls in Bethesda, Wheaton and Annapolis.

"I want to give a special welcome to all the customers of Montgomery Mall," Lowy quipped in accepting the honor.

The Australian-born Lowy, who moved to Los Angeles 13 years ago, and his family have a long history of support for Jewish philanthropy and Israel.

Embassy move put off again

President George W. Bush has again delayed moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. In a statement last Friday, Bush said it was in the "national security interests of the United States" to postpone moving the embassy from Tel Aviv for an additional six months. Since the Embassy Relocation Act was passed in 1995, presidents repeatedly have postponed the move. As a presidential candidate, Bush had said that moving the embassy would be one of his first actions.

Rabbis on the Hill

Some 35 Conservative rabbis were on the Hill earlier this week for the Seventh Annual Rabbinical Assembly Advocacy Day. The rabbis were in town Monday and Tuesday, according to Rabbi Lee Paskind, chair of the R.A.'s social action committee, to advocate on such issues as tax cuts, particularly their concern for child-tax credits for low-income families; the environment and taking steps toward fuel independence, including the elimination of SUVs from emissions exemptions; and the restoration of social welfare coverage for immigrants.

Bill introduced

Rep. Jim Saxton (R-N.J.) has introduced congressional legislation to fund Holocaust education in schools. Co-sponsored by Rep. Rob Andrews (D-N.J.), the Holocaust Education and Awareness Act of 2003 would provide grants of up to $10,000 each for new or existing Holocaust education programs, as long as matching funds of up to 50 percent are guaranteed by state or local government or private sources.

-- by Eric Fingerhut, with reports from Matthew Berger of JTA


This story was published in the WashingtonJewishWeek
on: Thursday, June 19, 2003

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Copyright 2003, Dallas Jewish Week