Issues and Positions

IPA Leadership Development

“Renaissance Of Ideas”
January 05, 2007
Renaissance Of Ideas
By Maayan Jaffe
January 05, 2007, The Baltimore Jewish Times

"During the war I cried a lot," says 11-year-old Sapir from Nahariya. "I didn’t want to go out of my house. Makom BaLev helps me with the stress, the fear."

"I could be out on the street, drinking," explains a 15-year-old boy from Jerusalem. "I come to Zula because I like the music. But I like to talk to the people who work here too."

"We each have our organizations. My husband, Dr. Michael Elman, worked for Talmudical Academy, and I worked for Levindale [Hebrew Geriatric Center and Hospital," notes Linda Elman, owner of Baltimore’s Hats to Hose. "Now I am president of WIT, the Women’s Institute of Torah. We each have our organizations. The Orthodox Union is something we do together."

Up close and personal: With unabashed honesty, heartfelt tears and wide grins of excitement, students and political leaders from across Eretz Yisrael opened their mouths and their hearts to tell a delegation of more than 700 Orthodox Jews from America about their experiences, " trials, tribulations, and successes" living in Israel and discovering the Orthodox Union. With 50 other Baltimoreans, on tours and during panels that started early in the morning and ended well into the night, this reporter saw the power of the not-just-kashrut organization, the OU.

Project Tzafona

It is a sizable and animated delegation of lay leaders present at the Jerusalem Renaissance Hotel. We board the buses sleepy-eyed for a trip to northern Israel, pass orchards of aromatic citrus fruits, fields of wheat and sparkling ravines of water. It is a breathtaking tour to one of the most brilliant areas of Israel, but we know in the back of our minds that just months before, the fields were afire not with sunlight, but with missiles, bullets that murdered many and injured many more.

The bus halts in the parking lot of the Rambam School, a national religious school, whose back windows were shattered by a Hezbollah rocket that killed a passerby in July. We sneak into the back of the school’s assembly hall. A pantomime is dancing on a stage on the other side.

"We want to show the kids that they can get their emotions out in a number of ways," explains Rabbi Avi Berman, director of OU Israel. "The pantomime gets his point across without even using words."

This is our entrance into Project Tzafona, the OU’s response to the missiles that shocked major cities like Haifa, Tiberius, Safed and Nahariya into paralysis. It started, says Rabbi Berman, when the war broke out. But the seeds were planted years before. Project Tzafona is an outgrowth of Makom BaLev, the Israeli and spiritual brother of National Conference of Synagogue Youth, renowned for its outreach and in-reach among young Jews. Already offering educational and fun after-school and summer programs, says Rabbi Berman, "when the war broke out that branch went into action, and we started dealing with those kids we were already in touch with and then developed further."

Rabbi Berman says he has a network of 35 paid advisors and 100 volunteers who travel up north and meet with children who were affected by the war. They still offer programs, but they also scan classrooms to discover which children are suffering from high levels of post-war stress. They work with them in a group setting to lower their tension. They urge the children to draw their emotions, helping them select what colors best illustrate their feelings. Those that are suffering the most, they connect with individual counselors who can make a plan for total emotional recovery.

"At first they are hesitant to open up to me," says Moria Benjio, a counselor at the Rambam school. "But when I begin to speak about it, their eyes are open. They want to tell their stories. I see they want to talk about what happened."

"I have a group of 15-year-olds that I am doing therapy with each week in Safed. They said they all know they are going to die before 30," says Debbie Gross, director of the OU’s Israel emergency intervention program. "They said [the situation in Israel] is not getting better. It is getting worse."

She says she has little children that won’t take showers unless their mothers stay in the bathroom. Another little boy still sleeps in the shelter every night.

"How are these kids going to go on and build families if someone doesn’t first help them deal with the fact that they went through something?" Ms. Gross asks. "These kids need a chance to get over the trauma before the next trauma comes. And you know there will be a next trauma."

As the congregation crowds the bus’ accordion door, not one dry eye can be found.

"We are looking for the pockmarks and the damage to the buildings," says one participant, slowly climbing the stairs to his seat. "What we don’t realize is the damage is to the people."

Setting Policy

Before midmorning, OU conference attendees are upright in their seats, focusing on Israel, its policies, how we can affect them and how they affect us. Planned by Baltimoreans Dr. Michael and Linda Elman, the convention was packed with debate and discussion leading up to the resolutions session, which brought delegates from OU shuls across the country to vote on resolutions that could change the way the OU addresses issues in the Jewish state.

In a session on Israel’s security challenges from a religious perspective, Rabbi Nachum Rabinovich, rosh yeshiva of Birkat Moshe Hesder Yeshiva in Maaleh Adumim, and a graduate of Ner Israel Rabbinical College and Johns Hopkins University, expresses that no amount of technology or money will protect Israel from its enemies. What we need, he says, is tzedakah and mishpat.

"If society begins to fall apart at its seams, then no amount of chochmah [wisdom], gevurah [strength], no amount of ashirut or kalkalah [wealth or economic success], will provide for its security," he says.

He reads official reports from last year’s disengagement, bringing to light a case of three girls ranging in age from 13 to 17 who were kept in jail without bail with drug addicts and all kinds of unsavory characters.

"What were their terrible crimes?" asks Rabbi Rabinovich. "They sat on the street, blocking traffic, of course."
Rabbi Rabinovich’s anecdotes hinted at the horror stories that Anita Tucker, a former resident of Netzer Hazani in Gush Katif would tell the crowd Thursday evening.

"For 11 months my husband and I were living in a tiny youth hostel," she expresses. "A lot of my belongings were ruined."

She says that even in her new caravan, there is little room for her children and grandchildren to visit. She has land, but many of the other used-to-be farmers do not.

"Rebuilding our new home is more expensive than the value of the one that existed," she remarks. "It is not the disengagement anymore. It is a human problem. We are not talking about a hurricane, we are talking about a situation that should have been prepared for, but it wasn’t, and now we have been dumped to fend for ourselves."
Unless our society succeeds in overcoming this sickness, which is destroying the bonds that unite the Jews as one people, Rabbi Rabinovich says, even if we succeed militarily, economically and diplomatically, it will be to no avail if we can’t come together.

The best way to usher in an era of tzedakah, he explains, "is to come here yourself. Every additional conscious, religious Jew in Israel is a guarantee for a strengthened Am Yisrael in the future."

Not everyone is going to come, and not everyone can come, the rabbi admits. But if someone sits in America and feels an attachment to Am Yisrael, "the very least he could do is protest when things of this nature take place."
With Rabbi Rabinovich’s words burning in their minds, conference participants pour into the hotel conference room for the "Debate and Adoption of Resolutions" session.

Local attorney Aron U. Raskas, OU national vice president, is chairing the event. As he takes the microphone, he makes clear that between May and October "we labored greatly over these resolutions and the process," and he ensures listeners that the resolutions reflect "where the opinions of this organization are."

In the midst of setting policy for fighting teenage substance abuse, defending Darfur and combating anti-Semitism, a heated discussion such as one might imagine took place between talmidei chachamim in the time of the Great Assembly centers around two resolutions. One deals with whether or not to take public positions contrary to the government of Israel; the other will determine just how much the OU will meddle in Israeli efforts to write a constitution.

The OU policy toward Israel, according to Mr. Raskas, has haunted the organization for the last year, since it chose to stand publicly silent as the Gaza disengagement took place, and as Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was elected on a platform of dismantling additional Jewish settlements.

"It has been the policy of this organization that it will not take a position in public contrary to actions of the government of Israel as they pertain to security issues. The board is authorized to take positions as they pertain to religious issues," Mr. Raskas says.

The Baltimore contingency "largely in favor of going public when appropriate" is animated, expressing itself at one of the two central microphones throughout the debate.

"It was very difficult and embarrassing to defend the OU’s policy [of public silence] to my community during the disengagement," Dr. Michael Elman says.

"I think we are all haunted by what occurred in the United States during World War II, when for the most part, the leadership of our community lay silent [with] horrific things going on in Europe," says Pikesville resident and OU vice president for the Atlantic Seaboard Region, Jerry Wolasky. "I see a sense of moral fiber that this organization represents, and I think it is very important for the organization to stand up for what it believes in, whether or not that is in opposition to the State of Israel."

And Ahavas Yisrael head Eli Schlossberg added: "There are times one needs to stand up and say what needs to be said, whether it is going to be listened to or not."

When the Israeli prime minister opened the first evening session of the conference. He was met with tepid applause.

"He didn’t really say anything," one Baltimorean who wished not to be named commented as the prime minister left the hall.

"I think he said the things people wanted to hear, but he did not get to any of the real issues," noted Thomas Weiss, president of Congregation Shomrei Emunah.

Mr. Olmert’s speech had become a conference joke. During the journalists’ roundtable, Yossi Klein Halevi, Israel correspondent for The New Republic said, "The prime minister would not have said what he said if he had been speaking to an Israeli audience."

What did the prime minister say?

"I do not really genuinely think that the objective situation is as difficult as it sometimes appears for all of us. When we analyze the situation, one has to recognize that the economic situation in Israel is perhaps the best it ever was. I am absolutely certain that the fight in the north improved the situation in the north, and we know today that the situation is better than it was."

When it came to serious issues that the government and the Orthodox disagree on, all Mr. Olmert could do was stumble: "Uh, uh, conversion, uh, issues of the quality and nature of our Jewish identity and what it means in the life of the State of Israel and so on and so forth."

When Rabbi Rabinovich opened his speech, he thanked the prime minister for sharing the good news.

"Somebody thought of presenting me this morning with a clipping from this morning’s Jerusalem Post, in which there was a report of what our prime minister spoke last night to the opening session of your convention. I imagine that many people will be as surprised as I am to hear that Israel is now safer after the Lebanon war than it ever was, that our international position is now better than it was for a long time, and the economic position is the best in the history of the state," he smiled. "It certainly feels good to hear, and I am grateful to you for bringing that information to us. I never would have heard about it."

The resolution to empower the senior leadership to express opposition to Israeli government policies passes by a two-thirds majority.

Nathan Diament, the Washington, D.C.-based director of the OU’s Institute for Public Affairs, was a key backer of the resolution that would require the OU push for basic Jewish premises to be included in an Israeli constitution.
Citing a recent decision by the Supreme Court to recognize same-gender marriages legally consummated outside of Israel, discussion over accepting non-Orthodox conversions performed abroad and verdicts relating to how the army dealt with synagogues during the Gush Katif evacuation, Mr. Diament encouraged attendees to vote in the affirmative.
While he makes his case, stressing that Americans have a right to take a stance, the words of Zev Bielski, chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel, echo. Speaking Wednesday night, he says if we consider Israel to be the center of Jewish life, "how can it be that 60 to 70 percent of Jews in America have never been to Israel?" And he encourages aliyah now so that we can influence Israel’s ways.

The resolution, which states that an Israeli Constitution should "affirm Israel’s Jewish character, strengthen the bond between Israel and the Diaspora, affirm the role of Judaism in the public realm, and set reasonable procedures for the appointment of judges to the Supreme Court, and expressly establish limits to the court’s jurisdiction," passes with little debate.

In the words of Mr. Raskas, "Israel is the homeland of all Jewish people. There is only one Jewish state, one Eretz Yisrael. If Israel is going to turn into France or Venezuela, we have a right to talk about it first."

But second, as beautifully noted by distinguished journalist, author and translator Hillel Halkin: "If you are speaking about taking action, perhaps the most important action you can take is putting aliyah on your agenda."

Not Just M&Ms

The OU never sleeps, says Rabbi Berman as he leads a small group of us through the dark and smoky alleys that make up Jerusalem’s city center. When you come to Israel, he notes, you think about the Kotel, the Old City, men with kippot and taleitim. You think about the kedushah. And when you walk down Ben Yehudah Street during the day, that might be what you see. But when you visit the town at midnight, you get a different picture, a very different picture.

Boys and girls are hanging out, rather uncovered for the crisp Jerusalem air. The stench of alcohol stings our eyes and noses. The scene reminds me of a miniature Manhattan; it is terrifying to think this is the holy city.
As we round the corner, Rabbi Berman stops. He points upward to a sign: "The Pearl and Harold M. Jacobs OU Zula Outreach Center."

Zula is a Turkish word used as Israeli slang for a place to hang out. There’s a lonely boy playing the guitar, another one slapping the tarbouka, Arab drum. It smells of cigarette smoke and dreadlocks.

"This is an emergency room," she says, pointing to the teenagers who come from Orthodox families but are struggling with their frumkeit, and life in general. "We aren’t counselors," she says, "we counsel."

Though the staff is qualified and most hold relevant degrees, they are dressed in traditional hippie garb, flowing skirts or big knitted kippos. They play the part: "These are my work clothes," she says, "to meet the lost youth where they are at and bring them back to Torah."

There are only three rules inside the Zula: no drugs, alcohol, or relationships. They have a 75 percent success rate of getting people back on the religious path, Rabbi Berman points out as he leads the group to meet with Deputy Minister of Finance Meshulam Nehari. The OU is looking for the government to collaborate and help maintain the center’s $800,000 yearly budget, and Rabbi Berman hopes when the minister sees Americans backing the program, he will get on board too.

The story of Rabbi Weinreb’s first day on Capital Hill as executive vice president comes to mind:
"At the end of a long day, after meeting with senators and congressmen, we [Rabbi Weinreb and Mr. Diament] went to the White House. The president was not there, but Mr. [Josh] Bolten, now the president’s chief of staff, was," Rabbi Weinreb relays.

It was around Purim time, so the rabbi offered Mr. Bolten mishloach manos, a Purim basket. He accepted it (Mr. Bolten is Jewish) and offered Rabbi Weinreb a treat in return.

"President Bush enjoys M&Ms, the candy," laughs Rabbi Weinreb, "and he has little boxes of M&Ms that he distributes to visitors. Mr. Bolten asked me how many grandchildren I have, and he was going to give me boxes of M&Ms. He showed me that the M&M boxes were white boxes with the presidential seal."

"Suddenly, I am Divinely inspired and I say, ‘Mr. Bolten, that box has my seal on it too.’

"I show him immediately after the ingredients on the side of the box, it says OU-D, my seal. So he looks up and says, ‘I understand, we have spoken about the Orthodox Union; I understand that the OU stands for Orthodox Union, but what on earth does the D stand for?’

"And then I say, ‘Believe me, Mr. Bolten, it does not stand for Democrat.’"

Later that year, Rabbi Weinreb was invited to the president’s Chanukah party. He and his wife are in line to greet the president. A big marine, more than 6 feet tall, introduces them to the president and first lady: "You have here Rabbi and Mrs. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb of the Orthodox Union," the marine says. The president looks at Rabbi Weinreb: "I know about you guys, the M&Ms." [Mr. Bolten had relayed the story to the President.]

"I figured I had my opening," says Rabbi Weinreb. "I listed the 10 programs of the OU that came to mind. I said to him, ‘Mr. President, it is not just M&Ms. It is our political division, the IPA, it is our youth division, NCSY, it is our work with developmentally disabled, Yachad, it is our program on college campuses, JLIC, it is our Israel Center [in Jerusalem], is it our Jewish Action [magazine], it is our Web site, www.ou.org , it is our teaching, it is our outreach, it is our synagogue services, it is all of these.’"

The president acknowledged it and went on; you don’t get much time with the president.

The next spring, the president wanted to push the notion of charter schools. And he wanted to have a cross section of people interested in this concept of fostering excellence in education. So he had people from the African American community, he had the archbishop of Washington, D.C., and he had Rabbi Weinreb.

"He invited me to be there, and there, too, I had a chance to shake his hand," notes Rabbi Weinreb. "He turned to me and said, ‘I know, it is not just M&Ms.’"

It’s close to 2 a.m. as the contingent returns to the bus; the Zula will stay open until the wee hours of the morning. There’s a certain electricity in the air.

Rabbi Weinreb’s words are true. The OU is working on many different fronts, in America and in Israel.

The OU is not just M&Ms.

'On The Threshold'

Catching up with OU head and former Baltimore rabbi Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb.

Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb spent 13 years as spiritual leader of Greenspring’s Shomrei Emunah Congregation, from 1989 to 2002. He left to serve as executive vice president of the Orthodox Union, a job that brings him to the White House and the Israeli parliament on a regular basis.

Rabbi Weinreb’s more recent international tour took place in Israel where the OU hosted its 108th anniversary convention. The BALTIMORE JEWISH TIMES caught up with Rabbi Weinreb during that event and discussed his transition from a local pulpit to leading an international organization.

How does your time at Shomrei Emunah influence what you do at the OU?

Rabbi Weinreb:One of my basic principles when I was in Baltimore was to try to be … inclusive, to work with a diversity of people. As you now know, Shomrei Emunah is a very diverse shul. I would argue it is the most diverse Orthodox shul in the world.

I worked very closely with the Associated [Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore], rabbis of other movements, with gentile politicians. That has helped me very much, because although most people identify the OU as being a modern Orthodox organization, we look at ourselves as being much more than that.

What should Baltimoreans know about the direction of the OU?

Baltimoreans should know that the OU is about to expand its horizons. We had 700 to 900 volunteers in the field when the rockets were falling. We were invited today by a representative of the prime minister’s office to visit with the people who are working on the future constitution of the State of Israel.

NCSY is on the threshold of making a major expansion. We touch 5 percent of Jewish high school youth in the States. We are being positioned [to] extend that to 10 percent. [The Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus is] on 13 college campuses. The 14th will be in Baltimore this September. The main thing that all people need to know: The OU is not just kashrus.

What type of influence do you think American Jewish communities can have on Israeli policy, and how do you think Baltimoreans can be part of that process?

Baltimore, more than most communities, is already involved. Shomrei Emunah has always had a sister relationship with a settlement in Yehuda and Shomron [the West Bank]. So Baltimore knows the answers to those questions. But the fact is American Jewry has an impact [in Israel].

People who were expelled from Gush Katif will say the kind of impact the Orthodox Union has had in supporting them through their various hardships. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert invited us into dialogue. [Chief Sephardic rabbi of Israel] Rav [Shlomo] Amar said there are things he cannot accomplish that the American Jewish community can accomplish. So we can do much.

And there is aliyah. Aliyah has to be on our agenda.

And there is hasbarah [public relations]. The ultimate responsibility for hasbarah is upon us. We know Israel and we know America.

Does the OU support the current government of Israel?

[The prime minister] knows, and the world needs to know, there are many things he is doing or considering doing, to which we are opposed. Our constituency varies very sharply from him.

What makes Baltimore special or different?

One is the achdus [unity] that exists there. We have, for example, one Orthodox Vaad HaRabonim, one rabbinical council. Everyone sits on it together, and that gives us tremendous, tremendous power. [Another] thing is that people are much less materialistic.

And there is , Torah learning. [Ner Israel Rabbinical College] has a tremendous influence on the town. Every shul has shiurim [classes]. Also, Baltimore is a place where ba’alei teshuva [those who become more observant] find it comfortable. In Baltimore, they won’t be subject to some of the practices of certain other communities that are not representative of true [Judaism].

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