TALLIT AND TEFILLIN, SHABBAT AND KASHRUT

DAVID M. WEINBERG

Only a deep commitment to traditional practice will lead to a revitalization of Jewish life in America and subsequently create a solid basis for recovery in Diaspora-Israel relations.

AMERICANS TAKE part in the annual Salute to Israel parade in New York City. Polls show that Israeli Jews think that a ‘strong and thriving’ Diaspora Jewry is important for Israel’s future.. (photo credit: EDUARDO MUNOZ / REUTERS)

In recent months, the “distancing discourse” between American Jews and Israel has intensified. Rarely a day passes without new reports of “crisis” in the relationship relating to questions of egalitarian prayer services at the Western Wall, conversion to Judaism, settlements and Palestinian rights, and the tensions between democratic norms and Judaic imperatives within a Jewish state.

The American Jewish Committee’s important comparative survey of American Jews and Israelis, released this week, highlighted enormous disparities, particularly with respect to assessments of the Trump administration’s policies towards Israel, the move of the US embassy to Jerusalem, religious pluralism, and even whether American Jews and Israelis consider one another part of their family

The reasons for this are clear: American Jews generally share the values of liberal universalism, and are less Jewishly knowledgeable and committed than ever. Israelis, by contrast, incline towards survivalist and particularistic concerns, and are more traditional than ever.

Israeli Jews are more than twice as likely as their American counterparts (81% to 40%) to say that being Jewish is “very” or “most” important in their lives. In fact, 23% of American Jews say it is not “too” or not “at all” important, and the vast majority of them are intermarrying and not raising kids in any form of all-embracing Jewish cultural or religious environment.

The AJC survey also shows clearly that the more observant American Jews are on the denominational spectrum, their attachment to Israel is stronger. And conversely, the more distant one is from matters Jewish, the less attached one is to Israel as the “nation-state of the Jewish people.”

And thus, obviously and alas, it is primarily Jewish assimilation abroad and the toll it takes on Jewish consciousness and identity that underlies the “distancing” phenomenon among American Jews.

One major takeaway from this is that it is a mistake and a diversion from constructive problem-solving to blame the “divide” on Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu, “the occupation,” or Ultra-Orthodox control of the Israeli rabbinate. These are not the crux of the matter.

It’s of course true that the current “bromance” between the Trump and Netanyahu administrations exacerbates the divide, given Trump’s highly unfavorable ratings among American Jews; just as the intense love-fest between American Jews and former President Obama grated on Israeli Jews.

And it’s true, too, that anger about failure of the two-state solution and resentment about the lack of religious pluralism in Israel makes it harder for liberal Jews abroad to advocate full-throatily for Israel.

But ultimately the “distancing” isn’t because of politics or denominational status. It is generated by societal realities and liberal lifestyles in the Diaspora that have led to Jewish disaffiliation and ultimately suicidal Jewish results.

It’s important to note that these realities probably would obtain even if a center-left government came to power in Israel and it recognized Reform marriages and froze settlement construction. It doesn’t seem likely that all-of-a-sudden, miraculously, American Jews would then re-discover their deep Jewish identities.

And keep in mind that a Labor or Yesh Atid government would largely maintain Israel’s necessarily-assertive foreign and defense policies, occasionally using ferocious military might to beat back this country’s enemies. Just how much better is this going to sit with America’s very progressive Jews?

SO HOW TO BRIDGE THE DIVIDE? An entire industry of professionals and pundits now specializes in this, with plenteous pontifications on how to “build peoplehood,” and on how to “bring Israeli and Diaspora Jews into greater appreciation for the priorities and needs of the other.”

To accompany its poll, the AJC published a symposium of solutions with contributions from 25 Israeli and American Jewish thought-leaders. It’s worth reviewing (and dismissing) some of them, and perhaps considering the one approach that few are prepared to admit is most necessary.

Theodore Sasson, Einat Wilf and Dov Zakheim want American Jews to aggressively campaign for full denominational religious pluralism in Israel – as if that will paper over all differences and bring about Jewish renaissance and Israel-Diaspora bliss. And since the non-Orthodox denominations have done such a good job (sic.) at maintaining Jewish identity in America, it’s a swell idea for them to succeed in Israel too.

Elana Maryles Sztokman wants Israeli and American Jewish feminist activists to collaborate in advancing gender equality to “keep Israel from falling down the Trump-Netanyahu rabbit-hole” – as if joint combat against religious radicalism (which could be a good thing in itself) will create the ultimate platform for renewed Jewish identity and Israel-Diaspora shared values.

Many writers (Ofer Pines-Paz, Gidi Grinstein, along with the leaders of last year’s grandiose, expensive “Structured Jewish World Dialogue” project of the Jewish People Policy Institute) call for a new “consultative mechanism,” some form of Israel-Diaspora parliament that would have to be consulted before Israel adopted policies that affect the broader Jewish world. As if the Jewish Agency and World Zionist Organization don’t already play this role, and as if Israeli leaders need to be further constrained by self-anointed Diaspora Jewish leaders.

Asher Lopatin and a range of writers call for more trips – more Birthright visits and “reverse Birthright” visits (where Israelis travel to America) – so that the two communities can learn “to empathize with each other and acquire each others’ reciprocal strengths.” Okay…

Much more thoughtful figures such as Gil Troy, Steve Bayme and Yossi Klein-Halevy seek renewal of “liberal Zionism” as an intellectual creed to be taught, or a revival of “spiritual and cultural Zionism” through creative Israel-Diaspora partnerships in art, music, dance and literature. Fine ideas, as far as these might go.

But only a few figures are prepared to say that the future of Diaspora Jewry and the health of Israel-Diaspora relations are dependent, mainly and simply, on Jewish schools and shuls. On a return to core Jewish education and practice in America.

Eliot Cohen, Elliott Abrams, Jack Wertheimer and Ken Stein each call for the organized Jewish community to spend less time on politics and less money on episodic social gatherings for almost-surely-lost millennials. Instead, they say, American Jews must focus on Jewish and Zionist education, with much more money spent on day schools that teach an all-embracing Jewish identity to the very young.

For most American Jews, this is surely a bitter pill to swallow, but to my mind it is incontestably an accurate prescription too.

However, even these brave figures can’t quite bring themselves to level with their co-religionists and countrymen and tell them the fuller truth: That nothing short of a deep commitment to traditional Jewish ritual practice – with its personal strictures and many community boundary demands – is likely to lead to a revitalization of Jewish life in America and subsequently create a solid basis for recovery in Diaspora-Israel relations.

This requires not just occasional Temple attendance or once-yearly lighting of Hanukka candles, but true observance of Shabbat and dietary laws, daily devotion to prayer, holding fast to sacred family structures and to in-marriage, and most of all – passion for studying Torah regularly.

Ahad Ha’am had it right when he reportedly said: “More than Jews have kept Shabbat, Shabbat has kept the Jews.”

Obviously, these are arduous commitments that most American Jews are far from re-embracing at present. But if one can’t even admit that rigorous ritual engagement and real communal religious commitment is the only historically-proven formula for a sustainable and proud Jewish life; if not a single American Jewish (or Israeli) thinker dares to broach this in a serious intellectual symposium – then the Jewish People and Israel-Diaspora relations are in deep trouble.

Nevertheless, there is hope. Polls show that Israeli Jews think that a “strong and thriving” Diaspora Jewry is important for Israel’s future. They consider themselves responsible for global Jewish welfare, and are willing to invest resources in Jewish and Zionist identity ventures abroad. They clearly want a dialogue that is conducted with less delegitimization and more respect, in both directions.

The author is vice president of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategic Studies, jiss.org.il. His personal site is davidmweinberg.com.

Palestinian Islamists fire a barrage of rockets toward Israel – TV7 Israel News 20.06.18

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Model farm in Israel sowing seeds for global innovation

Abigail Klein Leichman

Unique full-scale educational farm in northern Israel to test and show local and international agronomists the latest Israeli ag-tech advances.

Harvesting wheat in Neve Ya’ar, site of the Volcani model farm. Photo: courtesy

Starting with wheat fields and an almond grove, a full-scale sustainable educational farm now taking root in Israel’s Jezreel Valley will be an international showcase for cutting-edge Israeli technologies in precision agriculture, high-yield growth with less water, and preventing soil erosion and infestation.

Starting with wheat fields and an almond grove, a full-scale sustainable educational farm now taking root in Israel’s Jezreel Valley will be an international showcase for cutting-edge Israeli technologies in precision agriculture, high-yield growth with less water, and preventing soil erosion and infestation.

“This is unique in the world,” says Prof. Hanan Eizenberg of the Neve Ya’ar Research Center, one of three such centers run by the Volcani Institute-Agricultural Research Organization of the Israeli Agriculture Ministry. “You can’t find a large-scale model farm for precision farming anywhere else.”

Plans for the teaching farm were announced today by the Helmsley Charitable Trust, which gave a $4.8 million grant to support development of the 123-acre Neve Ya’ar farm as an innovative, economically viable and environmentally sustainable program to educate farmers and researchers in Israel and worldwide.

Staffed by Volcani experts, the model farm will be supported by an on-site laboratory, which will expedite the otherwise lengthy process of applying findings to the field. Trainings, seminars and workshops will be offered on a regular basis.

“A lot of model farms fall short because they work with experimental-size fields and you can’t apply the results in the same field,” Volcani International COO Tali Gottlieb explains to ISRAEL21c.

“In a large field you can implement your experiments and use them to scale for the farmers. We’re hoping to encourage farmers to adopt these practices faster because it makes economic sense for them to do so.”

Gottlieb said Volcani researchers are considering how to adapt the innovations for different climatic regions across the world. “Agricultural ministers and other officials from abroad will be invited to come and see what we offer,” she says.

Additional model farms could be established in other parts of Israel so that visitors could choose the farm with the most similar climate. However, many of the technologies to be implemented at Neve Ya’ar will address universal issues such as problems with fertilizer drift.

“As urban living areas are encroaching into agricultural areas, people don’t want to smell fertilizer through their windows, so we’re looking at ways to produce fertilizers with fewer chemicals, danger and odor,” Gottlieb says.

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Wheat and almonds

Eizenberg, whose area of expertise is weed research and plant pathology, has worked with Neve Ya’ar Research Center Director Zalmen Henkin on planning the farm and hiring technicians.

“In November we will plant the first crops,” he tells ISRAEL21c.

The farm will begin with 36 hectares (89 acres) of wheat and 4 hectares (about 10 acres) of almond trees. The field crops will alternate every year.

“Almonds are a super food and generate great interest all over world,” says Eizenberg, “and we have optimal growing conditions for almonds in the Jezreel Valley. Wheat was chosen as our first field crop because it is a very important grain and because we want to demonstrate how we grow high-yield and high-quality wheat in our area.”

Almond trees in Neve Ya’ar, site of the Volcani model farm. Photo: courtesy

He anticipates that in the second growing season, after the wheat is well established, the wheat fields will be divided to show the effects of different treatments for nutrition and soil cultivation.

Soil erosion is a growing concern in Israel as well as in parts of the world including Australia and Europe. Neve Ya’ar will demonstrate Israeli innovations to keep the soil stable. These include planting specific groundcover crops and using no-till methods that increase water penetration and retention of organic matter and nutrients.

“We will also adopt precision agriculture in order to apply pesticides and fertilizer only when needed and where needed,” says Eizenberg.

Testing ground

Israel’s precision-ag innovations are sought throughout the world, he adds, citing Chile as one country actively working with the research center.

“European scientists want to have a meeting in our model farm in 2020. There are others interested in what we are doing because of the large scale and the Volcani’s well-known research. We expect people from various countries to come and see what we do.”

In addition, the Neve Ya’ar model farm will be a testing ground for private Israeli ag-tech enterprises developing products ranging from smart irrigation by remote sensing to drones used for monitoring field conditions.

“We will encourage startup companies to validate their technologies in our fields,” says Eizenberg, adding that Volcani founded a precision ag-tech business accelerator in Ramat Yishai, close to Neve Ya’ar, a couple of years ago to support precision-agriculture startups.

Sandor Frankel, a trustee of the Helmsley Charitable Trust, tells ISRAEL21c: “Helmsley is excited to partner with the Volcani Institute to support the development of world-class practices in innovative, economically viable, and environmentally sustainable agriculture. We expect this grant can help the farm to serve as a model of excellence for developing, testing and demonstrating methods that can reduce the negative impacts of unsustainable farming methods, protect scarce natural resources, and benefit farmers in Israel and worldwide.”

Nano system delivers anticancer drugs to childhood tumors

ISRAEL21c Staff

Existing chemo treatments for adults are not effective in a child’s body. The new system invented in Israel introduces a promising alternative.

Illustrative photo by Honeyriko/Shutterstock.com

A nanotech system invented in Israel for transporting anticancer drugs specifically in pediatric patients has been shown to slow tumor growth and prolong life expectancy in engineered mice by 42 percent. In most of the Western world, cancer is the primary cause of death in children over the age of one.

The new system meets an unmet need because existing chemotherapy treatments for adult cancer patients are not particularly effective for children due to differences in their physiology and in the way pediatric cancer cells grow and spread. In fact, conventional chemotherapy can cause severe damage to an ill child.

While highly targeted nanoparticle delivery systems show great promise in adult cancer patients, studies involving children have been limited. Prof. Alejandro Sosnik of the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering, together with graduate student Alexandra Bukchin, used a mouse model to test their system for the selective transport of the chemotherapeutic drug Dasatinib via nanoscale packaging in young patients.

“The target audience is very physiologically fragmented and therefore less economically viable for pharmaceutical companies,” said Sosnik, who focuses on developing special treatments for children with cancer.

Prof. Alejandro Sosnik of the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering. Photo: courtesy

“The differences between children of different ages are great, and drug companies do not want to invest in research and development for such narrow age ranges. A child’s physiology is very different from that of an adult, so the tumor develops differently. The effects of drugs on the tumor are also not the same. In addition, clinical trials are rarely conducted on children for obvious reasons,” he said.

Dasatinib is currently administered in tablet form to inhibit tyrosine kinase, an enzyme that acts like a switch for activating and deactivating various cellular processes. Dasatinib can stop cancer growth but the current form of the drug is released in an untargeted way, affecting healthy cells as well as cancerous cells.

Maximum efficiency

The nanotechnology delivery system developed by Sosnik and his team in Haifa is intended to transport the drug to cancer cells alone, thus maximizing its efficiency without harming healthy tissues. The transporter is made up of polymer micelles, nanostructures created by the self-assembly of polymers in water and considered to be an excellent method for transporting drugs, in part due to their tiny size (10 to 300 nanometers).

Technion graduate student Alexandra Bukchin. Photo: courtesy

The major innovation in the Technion research is the addition of sugar to the nanoplatform. The cancer cell identifies the sugar and intakes the delivery system, releasing the drug inside the cell and inhibiting the enzyme activity.

In the initial lab experiment carried out by Sosnik’s group the efficacy of the new delivery system reduced the dosage of the drug needed to kill sarcoma cells – a cancerous tumor of muscles and bones which accounts for about 10% of tumors in children – in vitro by about 90%.

In collaboration with the research group of Dr. Angel Carcaboso from the Hospital Sant Joan de Deu-Barcelona, the efficacy of the delivery system was demonstrated in vivo using mice carrying tumor biopsies from pediatric patients. The delivery system significantly improved the accumulation of the drug into the tumor and prolonged the median lifespan of the engineered mice from 19 days (in the control group) to 27 days.

“I hope that the delivery system we have developed will improve the situation and serve to deliver a broad spectrum of anticancer drugs,” said Sosnik.

A paper published recently in the Journal of Controlled Release summarizes the three-year study that led to the first success in delivering Dasatinib with the help of these nanoparticles, and the first demonstration of the particles accumulating in the tumor in the patient’s tissue, in a model of pediatric cancer in experimental animals. The research was supported by Technion as well as grants from the European Commission.

NFL cornerback went to Israel and was shocked by what he saw

When Denver Broncos Cornerback Chris Harris Jr. came to Israel, he could not believe what he saw in Israel’s backyard. Terrorism. He feels that in America, you hear about ISIS and terror, but you can’t sense how close it is. In Israel though, it is right there. As he said, “I think that’s one thing that kind of changed my perspective on this. It’s right here knocking on the door…”

People all over the world believe Israel is at fault for the struggle in the Middle East. They believe Israel causes “Palestinian” refugees, that Israel oppresses and therefore creates the terrorism – you name it, they believe it. But the more people who come to Israel and see what REALLY goes on, and the more they share the truth, maybe the more the world will stop blaming Israel.