Ha'Am Fall 2018: Justice Edition

U C L A’ S J E W I S H N E W S M A G A Z I N E Est. 1972

Justice

Fall 2018

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Table of contents

Fall 2018 Staff

Ha’Am Quarterwalk Things to look out for pg.3

Editor in Chief:

Writers:

Marketing:

Yosef Nemanpour

What is Justice?

Devorah Norton pg.4

Jacob Schaperow Lead Nicole Schussman

Devorah Norton Lead Ben Balazs Alyssa Bonchick Kate Burt Sam Forman Grayson Peters

Kate Burt Lead Rivkah Chaya Adison Lior Behdadnia Es-haugh Dayan Ben Forman Joey Levine Mayan Miryamian Asher Naghi

The Mizrahi Project Yosef Nemanpour pg.4 Justice in Memory Grayson Peters pg.5 D’var Theory Ben Balazs pg.5 Everything SJP Contributing Authors pgs.6-7 Interview with Rep. Brad Sherman Grayson Peters pg.8 Power and Responsibility Kate Burt pg.9 Pittsburgh Grayson Peters pg.9 Tav HaYosher Ben Balazs pg.9

Editors: Layout: Ezra Einhorn Lead Margalit Zimand

Letter from the Editor What is the value of the Jewish voice? It is undignified to even ask the question, yet this quarter I found myself asking it far too many times. With the Pittsburgh tragedy, anti-Semitism throughout the country, and the NSJP conference at UCLA, my instinct is to feel that my Jewish voice is weak and unwanted.

I can’t speak for the greater community wants to hear, or cares to hear the Jewish voice, but I can tell you that everyone definitely heard it. The community with the second largest Jewish population in the United States used their collective voices to combat the voice of injustice, the voice of anti-Semitism.

It is our own voice that was heard. Whether it be students like Hillel President Noy Anisman and Michael Dayan who organized an incredibly meaningful UCLA vigil for those lost at the Tree of Life synagogue, or students like Jackie Schaeffer and Orly Termeie — who bore their emotions on their sleeves in front of USAC and the public, Rabbi Aaron Lerner in his meetings with Chancellor Gene Block, or that of Representative Brad Sherman, who spoke for the rights and concerns of the Jewish people. Our Jewish voice was heard. And that is why I am so proud to be a part of Ha’Am Newsmagazine, UCLA’s only Jewish publication, sponsored by ASUCLA. This publication is titled, Student Voices for Justice, and that is exactly what this is. I am incredibly proud of my team, and I am excited to see the passion that comes in the coming weeks. We will not be silenced, our voice will be heard and Ha’Am will make sure of it.

I want to single out a few members of the Ha’Am Dreamteam that despite their incredibly busy schedules make Ha’Am the incredible group it is. Those exceptional individuals are Kate Burt, Grayson Peters, Rivkah Chaya Adison, and Ezra Einhorn. Truly thank you for all that you do.

Sincerely,

Six Ways to Get Involved in the LA Community pg.10 Yosef Nemanpour Editor in Chief Ha’Am Newsmagazine is published and copyrighted by the ASUCLA Communications Board. All rights are reserved. Reprinting of any material in this publication without the written permission of the Communications Board is strictly prohibited. The ASUCLA Communications Board fully supports the University of California’s policy on non-discrimination. The student media reserve the right to reject or modify advertising whose content discriminates on the basis of ancestry, color, national origin, race, religion, disability, age, sex or sexual orientation. The ASUCLA Communications Board has a media grievance procedure for resolving complaints against any of its publications. For a copy of the complete procedure, contact the publications office at 118 Kerckhoff Hall @ 310-825-9898 Cover photo licensed via Adobe Stock

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What is Justice?

By: Devorah Norton

fall on the human timeline - it makes sense to decide that people should leave the world equal to or better off than they found it.

Rawls draws a variety of conclusions from this experiment. Considering the fact that - practically speaking - we can’t overhaul the moral code of the entire world, the most important takeaway is that a just society is one in which you wouldn’t dread being born into a different family for any reason other than you might miss your mom’s cooking.

Photo licensed via Adobe Stock

Most definitions of justice are circular.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines it as: the quality of being just, impartial, or fair.

When you try to figure out what it means to be just, impartial or fair, you get more ambiguous answers. For example, just simply means acting or being in conformity with what is considered morally upright.

While I’m only mentioning one of many definitions of just and justice, the same problem plagues all basic definitions. They fail to describe what it would mean to be morally upright or fair. They simply describe the need for it.

So what is justice?

What does it mean to act morally or to treat people fairly? How do you even start to determine such a thing?

In a time where people throw around the word “justice” like it’s candy at an Aufruf, it’s important for people to know what they’re talking about. Things like “social justice,” “students for justice,” “justice for women,” and “justice for African-Americans” are said constantly, without any concern for the meaning of what is being said.

John Rawls, an American moral and political philosopher from the 20th century, posited an interesting thought experiment

that I believe encompasses the true definition of justice.

Rawls invited people to stand behind a “veil of ignorance” to determine what they believe a just society would look like.

In the Veil of Ignorance thought experiment, people were asked to make decisions that would govern the actual world without knowledge of where they would stand in it. That means they would make decisions without knowledge of their sex, race, physical handicaps, generation, social class of parents, etc., but the people would still be self-interested rational persons who are aware of: 1. The general types of possible situations humans encounter 2. General facts about human psychology and “human nature” It follows that since a person wouldn’t know if they would be handicapped, rich, attractive or anything in between, they would avoid adopting discriminatory practices. Someone unaware of their social standing would likely adopt principles of universalized healthcare and someone unaware of which generation they would fall into would allocate equal resources to all.

For - without knowing where they would

A just society is one in which every single person has equal access to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I’m not going to argue that a just society is one in which everyone has healthcare, a nice house, two cars and three meals a day.

Justice looks different in every corner of the world. However, the overarching theme of a just society is that no one should ever look at someone and think, “I’m so happy I’m not them,” solely based on their sex, race, religion etc. That doesn’t mean no one would be jealous of anyone else. Some parents are nicer, some families have different cultures and experiences in the world and there are many discrepancies that might still exist.

A just world would be one in which no one pities another person’s skin color.

Where being Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu are simply descriptions, not hindrances.

To me, justice doesn’t mean socialism, or any other form of forced equality. One of the biggest beauties of the human race is our extremely diverse range of talents, passions, abilities and experiences. Justice means treating other people as you would want to be treated. Justice means not thinking, “Well, that’s not my problem, so why should I care?” A just society is one in which every single person is treated like a human above all.

Devorah Norton is a staff writer and Content Manager for Ha’Am.

The Mizrahi Project: The next generation of Jews are Mizrahi By: Yosef Nemanpour When one feels like “the other” it is a surreal experience. Even more surreal is to feel like an outsider in a space that is so familiar. This is the Mizrahi experience in Ashkenazi Jewish communal spaces.

It is to worry that your tune for Kiddush Friday night will not be well recepted.

It is to worry that your ethnic foods will be written off.

It is to see a drastic difference between Jewish life at school and Jewish life at home.

And it is to be comforted by the fact that there is really more in common than what separate us.

It is found all over, in Jewish high schools, in Jewish camps, and even in university Hillels.

And granted there is no one directly at fault. From a sociological perspective, many of the Mizrahim are only first or second generation and therefore focus more attention on stabilizing in their new homes, according to Sharona Kaplan—UCLA’s JLIC Coordinator. It’s for this reason, we don’t see many Mizrahim taking positions in Ashkenazi spaces. They reach for more stable jobs, higher paying jobs, jobs that will give them a sense of security.

While Ashkenazi communities have

been in the states for generations creating infrastructure, Mizrahi Jews have been stabilizing. Today, Jewish communal spaces are ashkinormative. Give it two or three generations and there will be an undoubted influx of new Mizrahi contributions to Jewish communal spaces leading to a shift in what these communal spaces may look like—and it has already begun!

In the meantime, the message to the Mizrahi community is to get involved and to stay involved.

Yosef Nemanpour is the Editor in Chief of Ha’Am.

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Justice in Memory By: Grayson Peters

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D’var theory: The ancient and contemporary polymath By: Ben Balazs

It often seems like one’s academic major in higher education is a blood-bound oath, and America’s culture of specialized labor promotes that stoicism in kind. Judaism by contrast touts the polymath, a person of wide-ranging knowledge or skill, as the most effective member of society, such as Maimonides who was “an expert on scripture and Talmud… an important legal official… [and] a physician in the Muslim court,” according to the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy.

Photo by ‫ בית השלום‬via Wikimedia Commons

Past injustices can never be undone. For millennia, the Jewish people have been persecuted, exiled, confined to the margins of those societies.

None of that can ever be changed. But, it would be wrong to think that we can only strive toward justice in the present and future.

How we choose to remember our collective story shapes our relationship to the past and that of future Jewish generations. An unjust historical account is one which erases our people, their sufferings, and their accomplishments from our collective memory. A just history is one which restores their proper place in the light. One such forgotten story is that of the Roman Jews.

In the city of Rome, there is a bridge which spans the Tiber River from east to west. Built in 62 B.C.E., it is the oldest surviving Roman bridge in the city. Although it is now possible to walk freely across the Tiber here, this was not always the case. Centuries ago, starting in the 16th century, the eastern side was blocked by gates which authorities locked from dusk to dawn. Behind that gate was the Jewish Ghetto.

In 1555, Pope Paul IV issued a papal bull known today for its first words: Cum nimis absurdum. It was absurd, declared the Pope, that Roman Jews should live as equals among Christians. Since the Jews were “through their own fault condemned by God to eternal slavery,” it was deemed only natural that their rights be stripped. Accordingly, the Pope declared that all Roman Jews would be required to live within the cramped confines of a walled Ghetto, to be built along the banks of the Tiber.

Jews were forced to wear identifying yellow clothing - hats for men and handkerchiefs for women - and restricted to a single profession: the sale of second-hand clothing. A mandatory curfew behind the locked gates of the Ghetto was strictly enforced, and attendance at Catholic services on Shabbat mornings was compulsory.

Although the thousands of Roman Jews were of diverse origins and varying practices (Ashkenazi, Sephardic, Yemeni, Palestinian, and pre-Diaspora Roman) only a single synagogue was permitted within the Ghetto. Within the walls of the Ghetto, limited space necessitated dense, tenement-style apartments and narrow, winding streets. The nearby Tiber River, which was prone to overflowing, flooded the Ghetto on a yearly basis.

The story of the Roman Jews under Papal rule is not simply a story of repression, but also one of small acts of resistance. Consigned to the sale

of second-hand fabrics, Roman Jews recycled textiles and wove vibrant, finely detailed Torah mantles. Compelled to attend Christian services on Saturday mornings, Jews napped with wax in their ears. To accommodate the demands of the five subcommittees and their divergent practices, a single Cinque Scole synagogue with five connecting rooms was built, enabling simultaneous services for all five communities.

Over three hundred years after the Ghetto’s establishment, the Ghetto walls were finally demolished in 1885 following Italian Unification, and a Grand Synagogue - the Tempio Maggiore di Roma - was erected.

But more suffering was yet to come. Roman Jews living in the former Ghetto area awoke on the morning of Oct. 16, 1943 to a raid by occupying German forces. 1,259 were captured. 16 survived the war.

Yet not even the defeat of fascism in Europe brought a lasting peace for Jewish Romans. In 1982, the end of Sabbath services in the Grand Synagogue was interrupted by the entry of five Palestinian terrorists affiliated with Abu Nidal, an extremist Palestinian liberation group. The assailants threw grenades and fired submachine guns. Only one victim died - a two-year old named Stefano. Now, the Synagogue is a public museum of Roman Jewish history and offers tours of the former Ghetto. But armed guards, security cameras, and barbed wire fences betray a continued sense of danger.

Few communities are more intimately acquainted with injustice than the Jews who made their home on the eastern bank of the Tiber River. But their story gives us the opportunity to reflect on the common threads that bind the disparate stories of Jewish communities into a single narrative.

We like to insist that we’ll “Never Forget” our past, but the details often slip through the cracks.

And when microcosms of the Jewish experience fade into obscurity, so too do the names, lives, and legacies of our kin.

These restored chapters of the Jewish story remind us of the essential components of Jewishness, the timelessness of anti-Semitism and the binary of persecution and resilience. At a time when intolerance appears resurgent and Sabbath services are again marked by acts of violence, it behooves the Jewish community to remember our forgotten forebears and do their lives justice.

Grayson Peters is a staff writer for Ha’Am.

“became the subject of the blog,” according to owner Brandon Stanton, who maintains nearly 18 million followers. Part of his success is attributed to the activism that accompanies his projects. Most recently, he began documenting the stories of those who survived the Rwandan genocide. During this campaign he opened several crowdfunding goals to assist numerous subjects presented in Stanton’s work.

How is this an example of a polymath? Benjamin argues that the creator in this case is also a writer.

Beyond that, this writer-photographer is a political activist.

The success of the photograph is dependent on the careful captioning that comes with it, just as “the task of changing the concert is impossible without the collaboration of the word,” as he argues. In this sense, no significant impact can be made unless vastly different specializations are conjoined to usher forth new modes of thinking and acting.

...no significant impact can be made unless vastly different specializations are conjoined to usher forth new modes of thinking and acting.

The idea of balancing several skills is debated significantly in the Mishna as well.

Rabban Gamliel argues in Pirkei Avot, “Excellent is the study of Torah together with a worldly occupation; the exertion in both of them causes sin to be forgotten” (2:2). Many Jews support this concept of multitudinous life. If one dedicates all their energy into one skill or study, like Torah, some other corporeal need will remain ignored.

It is pertinent then to ask whether critical theory addresses and supports these notions today. Acclaimed theologian Walter Benjamin, a German Jewish philosopher who wrote much of his work during the rise of the Nazi party, penned an article titled Author as Producer illustrating this same duality of skills. In it he describes an effective producer as someone who understands “the decisive difference between the mere supplying of a productive apparatus and its transformation.” An effective author gives their consumers products that sell, but also products that suggest a call to action or change.

A great current iteration of this scenario is the Humans of New York Facebook page (https:// www.facebook.com/humansofnewyork/).

Originally developed as a blog to document photographs of New York denizens, the page expanded into a dual narrative of pictures and detailed personal accounts, which eventually

How the polymath can be formed in the 21st century is the current conundrum. Although unknown forces drive university students down the river of one major or another, thus washing them ashore to a determinate career, interdisciplinary education may become foundational in how we look at our chosen paths in a productive, and eventually impactful, manner. The wisdom of the aforementioned thinkers outlined here should foster questions regarding the meaning of the “profession” as is known in our current discourse. Can our ability to make a difference be nurtured by the principles of the polymath? Is it realistic to stretch ourselves in this way to try and attain greater insight? Perhaps most importantly, is this lifestyle actually accessible to most people?

Ben Balazs is a staff writer for Ha’Am.

‫אני ואתה‬

Ani Ve’ata

‫ אריק איינשטיין‬:‫משורר‬

By: Arik Einshtein 1971 You and I will change the world You and I, then everyone will join First they said to us It won’t change You and I will change the world.

Ani ve’ata neshaneh et ha’olam Ani ve’ata az yavo’u kvar kulam Amru et zeh kodem lefanai Zeh lo meshaneh, Ani ve’ata neshaneh et ha’olam

‫אני ואתה נשנה את העולם‬ ‫אני ואתה אז יבואו כבר כולם‬ ‫אמרו את זה קודם לפני‬ ‫זה לא משנה‬ ‫אני ואתה נשנה את העולם‬

The Value o

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In case you missed it, he

Submission: NSJP is deliberately using inflammatory imagery in antiSemite propaganda

Exerpts from public com students at USAC me

By: Rabbi Aaron Lerner

November

Posted, Daily Bruin: November 9, 2018, 12:05 am • Last week, Joe Bruin was turned into a symbol of anti-Semitism.

Just days after a massacre of Jews at a synagogue in Pittsburgh, the National Students for Justice in Palestine organization, a group established in 2010 that claims to advocate for humanitarian rights in Palestine, designed and released a logo in which UCLA’s cherished mascot is depicted flying what looks like a kite-bomb in the image of a Palestinian flag. The logo is to be used in the NSJP conference at UCLA next week.

This kite isn’t like any old kite you might see flying at the beach. It resembles actual petrol kite-bombs, which Hamas, a terrorist organization, launches into Israel to start fires and terrorize the population. Hamas has even launched a kite with a swastika painted on it.

Israel’s Mediterranean climate is much like Southern California’s. These kites are intended to ravage the landscape.

We all know too well what fires from a single cigarette can do here.

NSJP is openly broadcasting its solidarity with Hamas terrorists by co-opting UCLA’s cherished mascot in this fashion. Standing for Palestinian human rights is one thing; advocating for violence is another. This use of the university’s trademark should offend all Bruins, regardless of their political sympathies.

In mark of just how serious this act is, UCLA’s administration issued an almost-immediate cease-and-desist letter directed against the mascot infringement.

The context of this logo is important. According to Los Angeles City Councilmember Paul Koretz, over the past

few years some SJP leaders around the country have been documented saying, among other things, “kill all the Jews,” “let’s stuff some Jews in the oven” and “kill all Zionists.”

The group now mocks our cherished symbol. Sure, a bear flying a Palestinian kite might not be perceived as a hateful message at face value. But the political context of the imagery – and the history it reminds us of – cannot be ignored.

Th stereoty crimes Jews were

My message to these students: Start your own group that is independent of NSJP. A hate group can’t advocate for human rights. But people who really care about Palestinians, Jews and the future of humanity in the region can still do important work without demonizing and attacking others.

There is a real conversation to be had about Israel and Palestine. There is room to critique history and the current leadership of both sides. There is a chance to work toward a better future.

But Hamas doesn’t offer that hope. And neither does NSJP’s Joe Bruin-turned anti-Semite.

Lerner is the executive director of Hillel at UCLA. Photo by UCLA Hillel

Jews have a connection to Israel as w Israel goes hand in hand... An essen as in Islam, is prayer... Jews have bee thousands of year to go back to the -

group their constitutional rights is falsely perceived as an institutional endorsement of their message.

In this case, I have fundamental disagreements with SJP, which has called for boycott against and divestment in Israel, actions that stigmatize that nation and label it a pariah state. The attempt to ostracize Israeli thinkers, and to declare off-limits even discussion with Israeli academics runs contrary to the values of inclusion, debate and discussion that are crucial to any university.

By: Gene Block This op-ed originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times on November 12, 2018.

November 9, 2018, 12:05 am •

This weekend, Students for Justice in Palestine, one of 1,200 UCLA student organizations, plans to host a national conference on our campus. Some students, community members and even the Los Angeles City Council, concerned by anti-Semitic statements made by some SJP members around the country, have demanded that UCLA cancel the

Public A

To be clear: I do not believe all SJP-affiliated students are anti-Semites or terror supporters. I have relationships with several SJP at UCLA students who simply care deeply about Palestinian human rights and do not freely mix with anti-Semitism, anti-Zionism, hate and terror.

The controversial Students for Justice in Palestine conference will go on at UCLA. Here’s why

Our polarized era tests the resolve of those, like me, who lead a university. We urge our students to engage in reasoned debate, but the rancor of the times may turn dialogue on contested topics into a minefield. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been among the most volatile issues at UCLA, but that volatility cannot prevent us from addressing it.

My first obligation is to defend the firs on our campus....The NSJP conference unmolested by pro-Israel groups... Ha be forcibly condemned by this counci -Brand

event. In the weeks since the mass shooting at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, those calls to cancel only increased. The conference, however, will go on, and it is important to explain why.

On both routine academic matters and controversial issues, the overwhelming majority of university leaders — and that includes me — strive to preserve the rights of all sides to speak and be heard. At the same time, we recognize the often existential impact of emotionally charged debates about issues like the Mideast conflict, immigration, affirmative action and abortion. Preserving the right to speak about such issues does not validate the content of that speech. All too often affording a

Those values underpin the University of California’s “Principles Against Intolerance,” adopted in 2016.

Even though our nation’s laws protect speech tainted by bias, stereotypes, prejudice and intolerance, the principles stress the need for mutual respect during debate in order to advance UC’s mission.

The principles also warn about the dangers of antiSemitic forms of anti-Zionism, in which criticism of Israel morphs into hostility against Jewish people.

When SJP announced its intention to hold its national conference at UCLA, the university recognized its legal right to do so. Much of what will be said at that conference may be deeply objectionable — even personally hurtful — to those who believe that a complex conflict is being reduced to a one-sided caricature, or see a double standard

that demonizes the world’s other countries receive l dreadful behavior. Indeed, t that the conference will be i rhetoric.

There is no easy way to re remains an awkward reality system, and democracy’s debate, demand that Americ oppose and even defend the r not defend ours. That prou goes back to John Adams s British soldiers accused of also extends to our colleges

I am disturbed by the risi in the United States and th American must condemn t racial animus that too oft Ultimately, we must combat with more and better speech ways to rise above the cu students in particular can that may well provide the future.

Gene D. Block is the chanc

Photo by UCLA via Wikim

of our Voice

7

ere are some highlights:

Los Angeles City Council Resolution passed on November 6, 2018 in regards to SJP at UCLA

RESOLUTION

mments made by Jewish eeting regarding NSJP

WHEREAS, any official position of the City of Los Angeles with respect to legislation, rules, regulations or policies proposed to or pending before a local, state or federal governmental body or agency must have first been adopted in the form of a Resolution by the City Council with the concurrence of the Mayor; and WHEREAS, the National Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) have scheduled a conference for November 16-18 at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) which undoubtedly will promote anti-Semitism; and

r 13, 2018

WHEREAS, according to recent news accounts SJP members have posted violent anti-Semitic rhetoric on social media, ranging from calling for the annihilation of the Jewish people, to admiration of Adolf Hitler and hateful calls to ‘kill Jews’ ‘kill all Zionists’ and ‘let’s stuff some Jews in the oven’; and

st amendment e must go on ate speech must il. don Broukhim

WHEREAS, the National SJP’s website would fall under the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of anti-Semitism that was recently adopted by the State Department, such as comparing Israel to the Nazis; and WHEREAS, this conference will not be open to all students: only those who have been “verified and vouched for” by SJP or another pro-Palestinian group on campus would be allowed to attend, meaning that most Jewish students would not be allowed to attend the conference; and WHEREAS, a public university should not allow any group to implement a litmus test for event participation on their campus based on an attendee’s beliefs, religion, or national origin; and

Affairs & History, ‘21

The holocaust started with small anti-semitic ypes…Jews are the number one target of hate s in the U.S. according to the FBI…When the e murdered in the Pittsburgh synagogue a few weeks ago, that could have been me.

-Orly Termeie Psychobiology, ‘19 well... Judaism and ntial part of Judaism, en praying for land of Zion.

-Michael Dayan Psychology, ‘19

s only Jewish state while less condemnation for there is fear among some infused with anti-Semitic

esolve that discomfort. It y that our constitutional commitment to open cans allow speech we may rights of those who might ud, yet difficult, tradition serving as lawyer for the the Boston Massacre. It s and universities today.

ing tide of anti-Semitism he world. I believe every the religious bigotry and ften infects our politics. t speech that is distasteful h. If universities can find urrent rancor and if our model our values, then very best hope for our

cellor of UCLA.

media Commons

WHEREAS, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in federally assisted programs or activities; and this includes protecting students from anti-Semitism and preventing discrimination against most Jews in admissions to a conference held on a public university campus; and WHEREAS, while UCLA has a responsibility to allow freedom of speech, our campuses should never become an environment where Jewish students are harassed, bullied, or prohibited from learning; and WHEREAS, the Regents of the University of California should let UCLA know that it is not appropriate for SJP to have a meeting on campus especially where many of the leaders of the organization are calling for violence against Jews; it is never a good time to have this type of event, but given the atmosphere in the country, including the recent shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue and arson at synagogues in New York, it is inappropriate for UCLA to host such a conference; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, with the concurrence of the Mayor, that by the adoption of this Resolution, the City of Los Angeles hereby includes in its 2017-2018 State Legislative Program SUPPORT for any administrative action which would cancel and ban the National Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) conference scheduled for November 16-18, 2018 at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

PRESENTED BY:

November 6, 2018

•AUL KORETZ Councilman, 5'1) District

SECONDED BY:

ak

Excerpts From: A

RESOLUTION IN FAVOR OF EQUALIZED ACCESS TO UCLA FOR NONCOMMERCIAL SPEECH EVENTS; SPECIFICALLY IN REGARDS TO SJP Passed 11-0-0 on November 13, 2018

...

LET IT BE FURTHER RESOLVED That the USAC commends the preexistence of a Jewish Caucus within NSJP but recognizes that inclusion of the Jewish community and condemnation of antiSemitism amongst registered conference attendees must be ongoing; ...

LET IT BE FINALLY RESOLVED, The Undergraduate Student Association council of UCLA denounces the perpetuation of any and all oppressions that dehumanize student identities, including but not limited to Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, xenophobia, etc.

8

Just Ice

Representative Brad Sherman on Israel and SJP

Interview By: Grayson Peters

Photos by George Hodan via Publicdomainpictures

Idea Credit: AJ Goldsman

Photo by: U.S. Congress. [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Congressman Brad Sherman is a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives, representing California’s 30th Congressional District. Congressman Sherman is Jewish, a member of Encino’s Valley Beth Shalom synagogue, and a strong advocate for Israel. As a Congressman, he serves on the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade.

In response to the National Students for Justice in Palestine (NSJP) Conference, which was hosted at UCLA, Congressman Sherman wrote a letter to UCLA Chancellor Gene Block in which he expressed his concern that the NSJP Conference might constitute a violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits “discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin.”

On supporting Israel There is only one state in the world that anyone is trying to abolish. Nobody’s trying to expel the Hungarians from Central Europe, nobody’s screaming that Uruguay shouldn’t exist, but the people of Israel have had to deal with several wars that were designed to abolish their country, whether that be 1948 or 1967. So thank God Israel survived and it is, I think, clearly anti-Semitic to call for the abolition of the one Jewish state unless your organization is dedicated to the abolition of all nation-states. There used to be anarchists, about 150 years ago, who advocated that, but I don’t know anybody who’s advocating it now.

And if you look carefully at the positions of Students for Justice in Palestine, they are dedicated to the abolition of Israel and the ethnic cleansing of the Middle East. They hide that by saying they want to liberate “occupied territories,” and then “occupied territories” becomes every square inch of Israel. They have not taken the position that Israel has a right to exist anywhere, at least anywhere in the Middle East.

So we have this conference. It’s odd to see SJP demand a chance to have a nice, peaceful conference at UCLA when it’s my understanding that, just last May, they disrupted a conference of Students Supporting Israel. Why a group that prevents others from having a conference is being allowed to have a conference, apparently subsidized by the taxpayers of California in the sense that it’s free facilities, I need to talk to the Chancellor about it.

Cease and desist letter submitted to Chancellor Gene Block from Rep. Brad Sherman on October 11, 2018.

On how pro-Israel and Jewish students should respond Well, the key thing is not to respond, to get information out to the 95 percent of the students on campus who are neither Students Supporting Israel nor Students for Justice in Palestine. I don’t think the key to creating a pro-Israel campus is necessarily focusing just on what SJP is doing or what other anti-Semites are doing. My letter kinda says it all – if you’ve got room, I’d publish the letter.

But, you know, it wouldn’t hurt to talk to the Chancellor and say, “Hey, why is a group allowed to use the facilities when they organized an effort to prevent others from using the facilities?” I’m told that no student fee money will be used for this conference, but it’s even more than student fee money. You’ve got taxpayer money! Those buildings were built by taxpayers, now they’re being given for a while to SJP for free, or very little.

On settlements That being said, there are a few that have taken an anti-Israel position, and I don’t object when folks criticize the Israeli government, I’ve never met an Israeli who hasn’t. And I myself do not support these outpost settlements that are on the one hand illegal under Israeli law but on the oth-

er hand seem to be recognized de-facto even if they’re illegal de-jure. So it’s just fine to criticize the Israeli government.

On bipartisan support for Israel Israel has only one other friend in the world, and that’s Guatemala, and if only one party were to support Israel, then Israel would have only half of a friend. And that isn’t sufficient. Over the first 70 years of the Israeli state, both Democrats and Republicans have been in control in Washington, and I assure that in the next 70 years, we’ll go back and forth. There are elements in the Republican Party who are trying to drive a wedge between Israel and Democrats, and it may meet their shortterm political objectives, but it’s one of the most dangerous things that can be done to the state of Israel. And so I invite everyone, regardless of where they stand on all the other issues that confront our country, to work to make sure that both parties are pro-Israel.

On the embassy move Well, clearly, moving the embassy could have been differently. It was something that should have been done about 70 years ago. I had legislation in the 1990s to say that we would build an embassy in Jerusalem before we built one in Berlin. That legislation did not pass, but it is in-

structive that, when the German people told us that they had moved their capital from Bonn to Berlin, we built a new embassy in the place that they said was their capital. And if we were willing to do that for the Germans, we should have been willing to do that for Israel.

Hamas-led demonstrations were going to go on independent of moving the embassy; they were there because it was 70 years since the Jewish state.

On the cessation of $200 million aid to the UN’s Program for Humanitarian Aid to Palestine (UNRWA) As to aid to the Palestinians, I think the U.S. should do its part, but if we can’t rely on some agencies to do it in the right way, then we have to fund other agencies instead. And the agencies that we were funding have not been as careful as they should be in making sure that their aid does not benefit terrorists.

Rep. Brad Sherman is a U.S. Representative from the California 30th.

Grayson Peters is a staff writer for Ha’Am.

Power and Responsibility: An Application of Genesis

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By: Kate Burt

First, God made light: day and night.

Then, the sky and the earth.

God next made vegetation, then the living creatures, and finally humankind.

Genesis 1:28 reads: God blessed [humankind], and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.”

In that passage, God instructs humankind to “subdue” the Earth and have “dominion” over it. In other words, the implication of that statement is that humankind has power over all other living beings. Our God-given power over all other living things is not something to be taken lightly.

With great power comes great responsibility.

Humans, as we have been granted such power, have the responsibility to use it for good. If all other creatures and plants on Earth are lower in status, shouldn’t we protect them and care for them? Why else would God have given us this power?

Thus far, humankind has not done its job. To say that the current state of our environment has room for improvement would be an understatement.

Our climate is changing as a result of our actions. Global warming is a massive threat to our plants and animals.

rainforests to suit our needs. As the human population grows and our plant numbers decline, we endanger ourselves. Many humans also rely on animals for for meat and other resources.

As we destroy the homes of animals, we eliminate those resources.

Glaciers are melting, natural habitats are being exploited for resources, and temperatures are changing like never before. However, that’s just the beginning. Animals and plants, which we explicitly had been assigned leadership over by God, are dying.

Humankind has not been using its powers over Earth’s other beings entirely for good, and we are seeing the repercussions every day. However, not all hope is lost. Because we have the power to destroy, we have the power to rebuild. Rebuilding is harder than destroying, though.

Working on improving our environment serves as justice for humans too, not just animals and plants, because as we destroy it, we are putting our own lives at risk. We need the other creatures of the Earth to be in our ecosystem in order to survive. When one species goes extinct, other species in its food chain multiply in unprecedented ways which can affect humankind negatively. For example, if bees go extinct, our plant supply will weaken, taking away much of our food and oxygen.

We also rely directly upon many different types of plants and animals for survival. For example, plants give us oxygen as a result of photosynthesis.

However, we are constantly destroying

To name a thing is to call it into being: A reflection on Pittsburgh By: Grayson Peters

To name a thing is to call it into being.

In the beginning were the heavens and the earth. And darkness was on the face of the deep.

“Let there be light.” And there was light, and it was good.

“Let us make man in our image.” And there was man, and he was given the power to name the world around him.

During a brit milah, an eight-day old boy is named. He is brought into the ranks of the Jewish nation; he is made a Jew. “I just want to kill Jews.” Summoned, death crossed the threshold.

“All these Jews need to die.” And the light flickered, and there was a day of darkness.

To be named is to exist. To be remembered is to be a blessing.

Bernice Simon Sylvan Simon Melvin Wax Daniel Stein Irving Younger Rose Mallinger

Jerry Rabinowitz Joyce Fienberg Richard Gottfried Cecil Rosenthal David Rosenthal

To speak is to create one’s own world, and to be silent is to surrender oneself to a world fashioned by others. Our words can bring light and dark into the world. The choice is ours.

Grayson Peters is a staff writer for Ha’Am.

There are many ways in which one can help expedite the process of reparations for the living things that God gives us dominion over. For example, one of the easiest things to do is donate.

Even a dollar helps. One should also ensure that their apartment building, office, home, etc. has a recycling system and uses renewable energy. Plant trees, use less paper towels and toilet paper, and pick up trash when you see it.

With great power comes great responsibility. We must start using our God-given dominion for good.

Kate Burt is a writer and the Marketing Specialist for Ha’Am.

Photo by Jami Dwyer [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Tav HaYosher: Where Are They Now? By: Ben Balazs

Discourse around labor circles in California has, in the past decade, been stung with major shifts in equity. This change has even seen local light on UCLA’s campus, specifically in regards to boycotts from the custodial staff who felt they were victims of severe inequality this past quarter, but the Jewish community has also met the equity paradigm shift in its own confrontations.

One such move came with Tav HaYosher, a program under Uri L’Tzedek, an Orthodox Jewish social justice organization, which pushes for an “ethical seal” of kashrut. The seal establishes that a food product is only kosher when the workers involved in prepping the food are guaranteed the right to fair pay, fair time, and a safe work environment, according to Uri L’Tzedek’s main website, www.utzedek.org.

Tav HaYosher found itself on several headlines in the late 2000s, but what has happened since then? After almost a decade, with little coverage in recent years, things don’t look great. When peering at the list of compliant restaurants and establishments on Uri L’Tzedek’s website, a large-fonted notice rests atop the page reminding readers, “Due to a lack of consistent volunteers, some restaurants are behind in inspections. We cannot verify with complete accuracy that restaurants listed here are fully compliant to this date.”

Photo by Alpha Stock Images via The Blue Diamond Gallery

It didn’t help either that for California, home to one of the largest populations of Jews in the world, only nine locations were Tav HaYosher certified.

It was also very surprising to see that two of those California locations were at UCLA’s Hillel, “Le Shack Bistro,” and “The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf,” respectively. Clicking on the former leads only to a dead Hillel webpage, speaking further to the lack of currency on Uri L’Tzedek’s website. The latter location was particularly striking because barely anybody who frequents the cafe had any clue about Tav HaYosher.

Some might surmise that the cost of an additional seal like this may have scared away food establishments from participating, but according to a PBS interview with a couple of the founders of this program in 2011, the Tav was actually lightweight. Uri L’tzedek’s director at the time, Ari Weiss explained, “We don’t charge anything for this seal. We have a licensing agreement which they sign.”

The seal establishes that a food product is only kosher when the workers ... are guaranteed the right to fair pay, fair time, and a safe work environment

The director continued to describe how a business achieves the Tav: “The criteria for our certification is, first and foremost, we want to make

sure that people get at least minimum wage.” The thought process is that a business earns the seal simply by maintaining a standard for the fair treatment of its workers.

This operation could remain sustainable because “The people who actually go into the restaurants are volunteers, college students, graduate students, young professionals who care deeply about this mission and about this project,” according to Weiss.

It’s evident that the founders’ enthusiasm regarding this program’s growth did not match their outreach, given that so few restaurants uphold the Tav in California today. This also reflects the inefficacy of a kosher seal which depends solely on volunteer work, unlike some of the monoliths in the kosher industry like the Orthodox Union.

Speculation then arises about why such an intriguing, forward-thinking kosher certification seems to have lost its ground. It doesn’t appear too far-fetched to assume that had this ethical seal appeared on the foray today, during the peak of equity politics, it could have flourished. Either Uri L’Tzedek barely jumped the gun on a promising shift in the kosher industry, or perhaps the Jewish community is not invested enough in equity to care for the development of such a system.

Ben Balazs is a staff writer for Ha’Am.

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6 Ways to get Involved in the Los Angeles Community Challah for Hunger Challah for Hunger is a national charity that bakes and sells challahs on college campuses. The organization donates all the proceeds toward ending hunger in local communities and spreading awareness of the current problems of food shortage and insecurity. UCLA has a Challah for Hunger chapter that bakes challahs at UCLA Hillel at 6 p.m. every other Wednesday. Contact Hillel for more info.

2 3 4 5 6 Photo via Challah for Hunger at UCLA

Tomchei LA Shabbos

Tomchei is an organization that assists Jewish people in the Los Angeles area by providing family services. They provide people of need with food, clothing, furniture and more. Additionally, they help people obtain educations, assist with living situations, and provide social service organizations to aid in the job search. If you would like to get involved, you can join Tomchei in packing food boxes on Thursday evenings at 6 p.m. at 8761 West Pico Blvd, Los Angeles 900235 or 12405 Sylvan Street, North Hollywood 91606. In addition, you can donate furniture, provide new job opportunities, or volunteer your services.

Photo via Tomchei LA

Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles LA Wildfire Relief Fund

Photo via The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles

The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles addresses the challenges of Jewish life by providing community support for all generations. They have started a fund to give back to organizations and support those in times of need. 100% of the funds go directly toward those in need. Generosity is greatly appreciated to help the Jewish future thrive. There website is www.jewishla.org or jewishla.org/lafires to donate to victims of the Socal fires.

Etta Israel Center

Want your voice to be heard?

Ha’Am is hiring: • Editors • Writers • Design/Layout • Marketing • Photo/Video

Interest may include:

The Etta Israel Center serves Jewish youth with special needs and their families in the Los Angeles area. Their services range from residential housing to educational and social services. Etta is celebrating 25 years of service with a gala at The Beverly Hilton on Wednesday, Nov. 28, hosted by UCLA alumni Mayim Bialik from “The Big Bang Theory.” Visit their website etta.org for more info.

Photo by Etta via Harvey Farr

Bearing Witness

Photo via UCLA Bearing Witness

Want to get published?

Bearing Witness is program at UCLA that brings students in direct contact with Holocaust survivors. The program, offered during winter quarter, places you in an intimate setting where you are able to talk directly with a survivor and learn about their past and present during lunches throughout the 10-week program. Students participating in this program perform a mitzvah by continuing to pass down these survivor’s stories for years to come. Check out the Bearing Witness Facebook page fb.me/bearingwithnessUCLA/ for more info.

Camp Kesem

Communications, Political Science, Linguistics, English, Public Affairs,

International Relations, Psychology, STEM, DesMA, Engineering, Marketing, TFT, Philosophy,

Music, anything!

express interest to haam@media. ucla.edu

Camp Kesem is a nonprofit organization with a nationwide community that supports children for the duration of their parent’s cancer. Camp Kesem has over 100 free summer camps in over 40 states that allow children who have been impacted by a parent’s cancer to have a fun summer experience. If you would like to get involved, email info@campkesem.org.

Photo via Camp Kesem

001 UCLA’s Premiere Jewish Literary Magazine

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‫אביב תשע’’ח‬

spring 2018

kol ha’am

kol ha’am

Accepting submissions for: • Art • Prose • Lyrics spring 2018 • Poetry ‫אביב תשע’’ח‬ • Photos • Recipes • Paintings • Illustrations Send submissions to kolhaam@media.ucla.edu

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