Tuesday, July 1, 2014

The Museum on the Seam

Museum on the Seam

I did forget all about the Atlas wedding, until I saw a picture of the bride that was posted 52 minutes ago on facebook.  If you are there, then we won't be able to talk.  Rats. Tomorrow for sure.  I have free time from 5pm to 7pm tomorrow that's 10am-noon. Let's try connecting then. I am sure that the Hartman Institute will have wifi.  If I can't get on, I'll go to a cafe on Emek Refaim for a drink use their wifi.

Today I went to Mt. Scopus today.  So much new building I didn't even recognize anything. I bought a book for Eli. I couldn't pass it up. It's called Eich Oseh Sabba. The Sabba makes all the animal sounds to teach the grandson what an animal says e.g. "What sound does the cat make." It is cute.  Of course on the way home, my bus broke down.

Earlier I went to the Museum on the Seam.  It's exhibition was all about leadership, usually about corrupt leadership.  This is what  I wrote in my dairy.

The other day I went to the Museum on the Seam which deals a lot with tolerance between different groups especially between Jews and Palestinians.  It is in the old Jordanian army post at the Mandelbaum gates dividing  Jerusalem  pre '67.

From the book on their exhibit  "And the trees went forth to seek a king."

We love them and hate them. Admire and scorn them.  We trust their promises, as we watch them being led handcuffed and humiliated.

Who is worthy of leadership? What motivates people to become leaders?  Is it an inner feeling of justice and an ability to see the truth which guides them? Or rather is it a disappointing and manipulative desire for self-glorification and abuse of one's position at the expense of the masses


See the parable Judges 9:8-18.

We long for a leadership that can discern the needs of the people.  A spiritual leadership, motivated by a true sense of mission, a leadership that admonishes, warns, and alerts, that lights the way through the personal dedication to the notion of justice, freedom, and peace in Israel and the nations.

See Prof. Eliezer Schweid's book "Prophets for their People" Jerusalem, Magnes Press 1999 for examples of good leadership like Ben Gurion.

Since the outburst of the Arab Spring, a bloody wars in the Middle East over the shape of the ruling authorities.  In Europe and in Israel leaders are being  tried in court and in the Far East horrendous crimes are being committed to ensure the safeguard of the existing leadership.  In these times of confusion, due to the lack of morality and clear ethical codes on behalf of a leadership detached from its people, we face the danger of losing faith in the institutions of power.

From And the Tress went forth to seek a king intro by Raphie Etgar curator.

I am reminded of what Sharansky said last year at the RA convention when somebody asked him if he was interested in going back into the government.  He said, "No.  He always does things backwards.  He went to jail before he was elected to the Kenesset."  The list of Israeli leaders being convicted is great. Ehud Olmert, Uri Luripansk, former President Katsar, former chief rabbi.  Other leaders like Netaniyahu and Barak were acquitted  for lack of evidence.

There is a group to fight government corruption in Israel called Ometz.

Same thing in America where the political party blocks everything the President wants bills, appointments, etc not because  it is right for the country but just because they don't want to give him any victory

Do we get the leaders we deserve or need?

It was a very thought provoking exhibition but mostly depressing.



Sent from my iPad

Some initial thoughts about the aftermath of the murder of the 3 Israeli teens.

Some initial thoughts about the cruel murder of Eyal Yifrah, Gil-Ad, and Naftali Frenkel

I know that the issues are complex and there are no simple solutions to anything dealing with the Israeli- Palestinian conflict.  But if I were in charge or an advisor, this is what I would do.

I understand the Israeli need to strike back fast and hard.  First of all, I would advise against it.  I know that Hamas and other Arabs would see this as a sign of weakness, but I know just the opposite.  Restraint is a sign of strength.

Secondly, the culprits of this brutal crime must be brought to justice.  If possible, I would bring them to court, try them, and let justice take its course.  I would pressure Abbas to continue to condemn the murder of innocents and make the P.A, help bring those suspects to justice.  If he is a true leader, he can do no less. If all that can't be done, then I have no problem of killing them in the line of duty.

Lastly, I wouldn't have destroyed the homes of the terrorists by the IDF for a couple of reasons. As a parent, I know that I have little or no control over my teenage children let alone my adult ones.  Why should the parents suffer even if they agree with the kidnapping and murder of the boys (thinking thoughts are not a crime) as long as they are not accomplices?  At least officially, this affair has split the PA and Hamas and I think that is a good thing.  Destroying homes will give the two factions the ability to unite against the unfair Israeli occupation.  Moreover, up to now, the civilized world has sympathized with Israel.  Destroying the homes may or may not be legal in international law, but certainly it gives the world an opening to sympathize with the "poor Palestinians" and ignore the righteous cause of the Israelis.  I think it will be a P.R. disaster for us.

These are some of my thoughts as I sit in Jerusalem mourning those 3 boys.