THE JEWISH VOICE AND OPINION Promoting Classical Judaism
March 2014
Vol. 27 • No. 6
Adar II 5774
Dangerous Scenarios Won’t Blunt White House Pressure; Israel Wants PA to Say “Jewish State;” PA Wants Israel to Say “1-9-6-7” The reaction of the United States and
NATO alliance to the recent moves by Russian President Vladimir Putin into Crimea and Ukraine as well as the Russians’ continued support for Syrian President Bashar Assad and his Iranian backers, should be instructive to Israel, according to a security analyst whose three-dimensional topographic map system of the Jewish state has facilitated understanding of the dangers Israel faces by relinquishing land. “If Obama rolled over for Putin when almost all the European Union and Sunni world were against it, just imagine the American reaction if Russia were to insert troops into ‘Palestine,’ especially considering that the entire EU and Sunni states would be in favor,” said Mark Langfan. Even more serious—and possible—he said is the prospect of a Palestinian state welcoming into its international airport “ten Iranian civilian jumbo jets filled with Iranian Republican Guard soldiers in full military garb, posing as tourists.” “How would Israel stop these soldiers and their Palestinian hosts from insisting on the Iranians’ right to visit the Al-Aqsa Mosque in the Palestinian capital of AlQuds? The short answer is that Israel could do nothing. Once Israel cedes sovereignty over an inch of land and grants construction of an international airport, the entire game is over,” said Mr. Langfan. Terrorists or Tourists In the wake of such a scenario, he
Bruriah HS Saves Lives...........................5 Kol Ami: Israel Day Parade?................ 6 The Current Crisis............................... 7 Remembering Rabbi Stern, z”l.....12 Orthodox Life on Campus...................14 Jews and Hobby Lobby......................16 Purim Puppets...........................................20
said, a new Middle East slogan would be born. Rather than the old “one man’s terrorist is another’s freedom fighter,” the new one would be: “one man’s terrorist is another’s tourist.” Mr. Langfan also said that once Palestine gained sovereignty over its land, nothing would prevent it from offering residency or citizenship to thousands of Iranian Republican Guards and their families. “And if Iran is successful in gaining nuclear capability, Israel would be powerless. If a Katyusha rocket were sent into, say, Tel Aviv, forcing Israel to at least try
Inside the Voice
Purim Ideas..................................................21 Just in Time for Purim.............................22 The Log..........................................................24 P’TACH Dinner...................................31 Project S.A.R.A.H. Breakfast...........32 New Classes........................................33 Mazal Tov.............................................33
to reinvade the relinquished West Bank, it would face not only the Palestinians already there now, but all the new Iranian troops who had been granted citizenship and residency by an independent Palestine,” he said. Bullying Israelis and their supporters do not expect scenarios like Mr. Langfan’s to blunt the pressure President Barack Obama is putting on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Some analysts say Mr. Obama’s many Middle East foreign policy failures—from Syria and Egypt to Iran— may prompt him to see Israeli concessions to the Palestinians as a rare foreign policy victory. “America has never been less wellrespected world-wide and never weaker in the eyes of the world, so we can expect Obama to come bullying Israel again,” said public relations expert Ronn Torossian. So far Mr. Netanyahu has held his ground. While in the US at the beginning of March for a meeting with Mr. Obama, and to speak at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference, the prime minister seemed prepared to press Israel’s arguments by outdoing the President’s own attempt at skilled rhetoric. Blaming Israel One day before Mr. Netanyahu’s arrival, Mr. Obama gave an interview to Bloomberg’s Jeffrey Goldberg, in which
continued on page 36 New Minyanim..................................34 Chesed Ops.........................................34 On Marcia’s Night Table..................35 Ess Gezint: Purim................................38 Index of Advertisers ........................41 Honor the Professional...................43 Letters to the Editor ........................44