SHALOM NEW HAVEN, High Holidays Edition 2016/5776/5777, Page 4
Federation Launches Joshua Society The biblical Joshua was seen as a faithful, humble and charismatic leader of the Israelites. How fitting a namesake for a new giving society that recognizes generous and faithful supporters of the Jewish Federation. The Joshua Society is an inclusive community of philanthropists who, as families or individuals, contribute $10,000 or more to the Federation's annual campaign.
Aerial view of the Temple Mount. Credit: Wikimedia Commons.
Will Temple Mount Tensions Yet Again Strain Israeli-Jordanian Relations? By Sean Savage JNS.org Jordan’s King Abdullah II vowed to fight against repeated violations and attacks carried out by Israel and extremist groups on the Temple Mount complex, according to a recent interview in the Jordanian daily Ad-Dustour. Tension between Israel and Jordan over the Temple Mount has simmered for the past few years, as Jewish worshippers and Muslim activists have clashed at the holy site, which ignited larger waves of protests and terrorism by Muslims. Late last year, these tensions spilled over when Jordan pulled its ambassador to Israel, only to later restore its envoy in February. That followed steps by Israel to ease restrictions on Muslim access to the holy site put in place to reduce violence, which further showed a willingness to uphold the status quo agreement. In the recent interview, King Abdullah claimed that Israel was seeking to “Judaize” the holy site and was attempting to “violate the sanctity and compromise al-Aksa Mosque. He added that, “Our responsibility towards the Muslim holy places in Jerusalem is our top priority in the international arena, and we use all means necessary to defend the al-Aksa Mosque.” Further, he vowed that Jordan would resist Israel’s “blatantly repeated attempts to change the status quo in Jerusalem regarding its landmarks and the prejudice against Islamic and Christian peoples.” These latest comments may signal a deepening
strain in relations between Israel and Jordan, one of only two Arab states that has a peace treaty with the Jewish state. The Temple Mount - the site of the two former Jewish temples - has long played a pivotal role in Jewish affairs and worship. Yet after the Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans in the 1st century CE, the site passed through a succession of foreign rulers, from the Muslim Caliphs and Crusaders to more recently the Ottoman and British empires. While the site was under control of the Muslim Umayyad Caliphate in 691 CE, the Dome of the Rock was built over the site of the former Jewish Temple, a move that still ignites impassioned debate today. After failing to gain control of Jerusalem’s Old City during the 1948 War of Independence, Israeli forces captured the Old City and the Temple Mount from Jordan during the 1967 Six-Day War. Despite regaining Jewish sovereignty over the Temple Mount, for the first time in nearly 2,000 years, Israeli leaders relinquished religious sovereignty over the site to the Jordanian-run Islamic Waqf. Under that arrangement, which would become the “status quo,” Jewish prayer was forbidden on the Temple Mount and non-Muslim access was restricted to certain days and hours. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly insisted that Israel will not change the Israeli-Jordanian-Palestinian status quo, despite pressure from some members of his own political party and ministerial cabinet to do so. Jonathan Schanzer, vice president for research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told JNS.org Israel has been CONTINUED ON PG. 39
Greater New Haven is among the first communities in North America to participate in this new national recognition program. “We are very pleased to be one of the early adopters of the Joshua Society,” said Chief Executive Officer Judy Diamondstein. “We are pleased to honor our generous contributors and recognize the power and the importance of family philanthropy.” Joshua Society members will participate in exclusive events like a special conference call that was held on Aug. 2 to discuss one of the most important and polarizing presidential elections of our lifetimes. Top Jewish political insiders: Greg Rosenbaum, chair of the National Jewish Democratic Council and a vice-chair of the Platform Committee at the Democratic National Convention, and Jeff Berkowitz, the former message and research maven of the George W. Bush White House and the Republican National Committee, provided an insider’s view on outreach efforts surrounding the 2016 Jewish vote. Upcoming events for Joshua Society members include: • Nov. 12, 2016: An exclusive luncheon at the 2016 General Assembly in Washington, D.C. • February, 2017: A dedicated webinar featuring Israeli officials focused on the issues facing the Middle East today. • August 3-6, 2017: Joshua Society Retreat in Montreal, Canada. For more information about the Joshua Society and to find out how you can join, contact Director of Development Amy Holtz, at (203) 387-2424, ext. 254, or email: aholtz@jewishnewhaven.org.