Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog: Elie Wiesel understood the terrible power of silence, the danger of not speaking out against evil

Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog

Elie Wiesel understood the terrible power of silence, the danger of not speaking out against evil, notes Natan Sharansky. by joelcrosenberg We continue to mourn the recent death of Elie Wiesel, the courageous survivor of Auschwitz, author of tremendous books about the Holocaust, and the long-time advocate of human rights around the globe. Along these lines, let me commend to your attention an excellent column by Natan Sharansky, the former political prisoner in the Soviet Union, current chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel and friend of Wiesel. Elie Wiesel’s great mission on behalf of Soviet Jews By Natan Sharansky, op-ed in the Washington Post on July 4 Perhaps better than anyone else of our age, Elie Wiesel grasped the terrible power of silence. He understood that the failure to speak out, about both the horrors of the past and the evils of the present, is one of the most effective ways there is to perpetuate suffering and empower those who inflict it. Wiesel therefore made it his life’s mission to ensure that silence would not prevail. First, he took the courageous and painful step of recounting the Holocaust, bringing it to public attention in a way that no one else before him had done. His harrowing chronicle “Night,” originally titled “And the World Remained Silent,” forced readers to confront that most awful of human events — to remember it, to talk about it, to make it part of their daily lives. Then, as if that weren’t enough, he turned his attention to the present, giving voice to the millions of Jews living behind the Iron Curtain. Although he is rightly hailed for the first of these two achievements, it was the second, he told me on several occasions, for which he most hoped to be remembered. Wiesel first traveled to the Soviet Union in 1965 as a journalist from Haaretz, on a mission to meet with Jews there, and was shocked by what he saw. Those with whom he spoke were too afraid to recount Soviet persecution, terrified of reprisals from the regime, but their eyes implored him to tell the world about their plight. The book that resulted, “The Jews of Silence,” was an impassioned plea to Jews around the world to shed their indifference and speak out for those who could not. “For the second time in a single generation, we are committing the error of silence,” Wiesel warned — a phenomenon even more troubling to him than the voiceless suffering of Soviet Jews themselves. This was a watershed moment in Soviet Jewry’s struggle. While the major American Jewish organizations felt a responsibility to stick to quiet diplomacy, wary of ruffling Soviet feathers and alienating non-Jews in the United States, Wiesel’s book became the banner of activists, students and others who would not stay quiet. He had realized that the Soviet regime wanted above all for its subjects to feel cut off from one another and abandoned by the world. Indeed, I can attest that even 15 years later, Soviet authorities were still doing their utmost to convince us — both those of us in prison and those outside — that we were alone, that no one would save us and that the only way to survive was to accept their dictates.... [To read the rest of this column, please click here] —————————– Order The First Hostage today — the new political thriller about ISIS plotting a terrorist attacks against Israel, Jordan and the United States — available in hardcover, e-book and audio formats. ———————-—- Subscribe (free) to the RSS feed (click here) and receive every new posting on this blog directly via email. Order THE THIRD TARGET today , the first in this new series — now out in paperback — the New York Times best-selling novel about ISIS capturing chemical weapons in Syria and plotting genocidal attacks on the U.S. and our Mideast allies. Make an investment in The Joshua Fund (www.joshuafund.net), our non-profit organization to help Christians care for Syrian refugees, educate and mobilize Christians to bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus, care for the poor and needy in Israel (both Jews and Arabs) with food and other humanitarian relief, care for Holocaust survivors, and strengthen the Church in the epicenter. Read our latest Donor Report, and prayerfully consider making a tax deductible, secure, on-line contribution. Thanks so much! Follow on Twitter — @joelcrosenberg joelcrosenberg | July 13, 2016 at 10:02 am | Categories: Epicenter | URL: http://wp.me/piWZ7-5ez

Israel, Jewish Agency Focus on Helping Local Arabs - Israel Today

Israel, Jewish Agency Focus on Helping Local Arabs

Thursday, March 10, 2016 |  Israel Today Staff

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Israeli Goodwill

At its triennial gathering in Tel Aviv last month, the board of the Jewish Agency was told that the organization would be increasingly focused on aiding the local Arab population in the coming years.

In fact, that mission has already begun. Whereas the Jewish Agency was historically focused solely on the Jewish community, today it employs 75 Druze and Arabs and has poured around $2.5 million into their respective communities in recent years.

Agency chairman Natan Sharansky told the gathering that “as a Zionist I believe that this is important for the future of our democracy.”

At the same time, Israeli Police Commissioner Roni Alsheikh announced the appointment of a new commander for the Northern District who will be focused on mass recruitment of Arab Muslim officers.

“The police has been deepening cooperation with the Arab population by establishing police stations in Arab towns, and conducting massive recruitment effort of officers from the Muslim sector,” Alsheikh said.

Israel has also been proposing increased economic cooperation with the Palestinian Authority, as confirmed by Palestinian Minister of Finance Shukri Bishara in remarks to the Bethlehem-based Maan news agency.

Bishara met late last month with Israeli Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon. Israel’s Channel 10 reported that the two discussed a package that would see greater integration in the construction, medical, and high-tech sectors, as well as a range of study and internship opportunities for young Palestinians.

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Israelis Reeling from Deadliest Wave of Terror Yet by Chris Mitchell - CBN News

American Israeli Ezra Schwartz with family

Israelis Reeling from Deadliest Wave of Terror Yet

By Chris Mitchell

CBN News Middle East Bureau Chief

Friday, November 20, 2015

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ALON SHVUT, Israel -- Israel suffered its deadliest day yet in the current wave of terror.  Five died in two separate attacks Thursday, including an American teenager studying in Israel.

Ezra Schwartz came to Israel to join a program co-sponsored by the Jewish Agency and the Israeli government. The head of the Jewish Agency, Natan Sharansky, said his death was even more tragic because Schwartz came to be part of the vibrant Israeli experience.

On Thursday afternoon, a 24-year-old Palestinian terrorist from nearby Hebron began shooting at cars in the next lane with an automatic rifle. He killed Ezra and two others, a Palestinian and an Israeli, and wounded seven.

A video caught the aftermath when Israeli police surrounded the terrorist.

Chris Mitchell - CBN News Middle East Bureau Chief

Earlier in the day, two Israelis died in Tel Aviv when 36-year-old Raed Mahmoud walked into a worship service and began stabbing people during afternoon prayers. He worked in a restaurant next door.

Hamas praised both of the attacks, which came almost one year to the day after a major terror attack on a Jerusalem synagogue killed four during morning prayers.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the terrorists will pay a price for these attacks, and Israeli officials continue to blame incitement by the Palestinian Authority and its political party, Fatah.

Fatah recently held a rally honoring the terrorist responsible for the first two murders in this recent upsurge of violence.

Republican presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz tweeted that the Palestinian Arab terrorism is simply the same radical Islam as ISIS.

Many Israelis agree.

"Just as the attacks in Paris, just as previously in London and Madrid and New York, the Islamist, radical terrorist just want to kill us -- not because of what we do or because of where we live -- because of who we are," local resident Ashley Perry told CBN News. "And Jews and Christians around the world are on the front lines."

Watch video here: CBN News - Israel Report

Ukrainian Jews Exodus 'Deeply Significant'

Ukrainian Jews Exodus 'Deeply Significant'

CBNNews.com

Tuesday, March 31, 2015

JERUSALEM, Israel -- It's a modern day Exodus story. Just before Passover when Jews around the world celebrate their exodus from Egypt, the Jewish Agency reported Tuesday that Ukrainian Jews celebrated an early Passover at the agency's refugee center as they prepare to immigrate to Israel.


"The Jews who are living at The Jewish Agency's refugee center in Dnepropetrovsk left their entire lives behind in order to give their children a better future in Israel," said Jewish Agency chairman Natan Sharansky. "Their decision to immigrate to Israel on the eve of Passover is deeply significant."


In 2014, some 5,480 Jews immigrated to Israel from Ukraine, nearly three times as many as the previous year. The increase follows the outbreak of hostilities in eastern Ukraine with Russian-backed separatists.


The aliyah [immigration to Israel under the Law of Return] continues in 2015, with some 1,400 new Ukrainian immigrants, compared to 400 during the first three months of 2014.


The agency estimates there are about 200,000 eligible immigrants in Ukraine. It has representatives throughout the country to help those who would like to immigrate to Israel.


"Jewish Agency representatives, who are spread throughout the country, focus their efforts on handling the aliyah process while strengthening Ukrainian Jews' ties to Israel and to Jewish life by both engaging in Jewish education in Ukraine and bringing hundreds of young people to experience Israel on Jewish Agency programs each year," agency spokesman Avi Mayer said in an email.


"The Jewish Agency's activities in Ukraine take place in cooperation with the government of Israel and with the support of Jewish communities, organizations, and donors in Israel and around the world," Mayer explained.


Aliyah from France and Belgium also increased substantially in 2014 because of increasing anti-Semitism and resultant terror attacks. The movement has continued in the New Year.

Immigration to Israel Hits a Record-Breaking Year

CBNNews.com

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

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JERUSALEM, Israel -- Immigration to Israel climbed to a 10-year high this past year, the Jewish Agency reported, quoting projected statistics from the Ministry of Aliyah and Immigrant Absorption.

An estimated 26,500 Jews immigrated to Israel in 2014, a 30 percent increase from 2013.

For the first time in its history, French immigration topped the numbers worldwide, while immigrants from Ukraine nearly tripled from 2013, up a whopping 190 percent.

Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky called it a "record-breaking" year marking an "historic shift."

"This year also saw an historic shift: for the first time in Israel's history, the number of immigrants who came to Israel from the free world is greater than that of immigrants fleeing countries in distress," Sharansky said.

Sharansky called the trend "evidence of Israel's attractiveness as a place where it's good to live, as well as of the success of our joint efforts to promote aliyah and strengthen connections between Jews around the world and the State of Israel."

Immigration from western European nations climbed 88 percent from last year, and the former Soviet Union saw a 50 percent increase. 

More than half the immigrants were younger than 35, including 5,300 children and 8,200 between the ages of 18 and 34.

France took the honors for the oldest immigrant, 104 years of age, while the youngest, several weeks old, came with his family from America.

Among Israel's newest citizens are more than 1,000 doctors and health professionals, engineers, artists, athletes and many with degrees in the humanities and science. 

Landmark Bill Enshrines Israel as Strategic Partner - CBN News

Landmark Bill Enshrines Israel as Strategic Partner

By Gary Lane

CBN News Sr. International Correspondent

Friday, December 05, 2014

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Congress has unanimously approved legislation declaring Israel a "major strategic partner" of the United States.

The United States-Israel Strategic Partnership Act of 2014 is viewed as historic because it strengthens the friendship the two nations have enjoyed for nearly 70 years.

The landmark legislation expands cooperation in several areas, like energy, agriculture, defense, and intelligence.

It provides Israel with another $200 million worth of military equipment -- a weapons stockpile both nations can use in the event of war.

Israel's status will be upgraded to expedite trade licensing, and Israeli citizens may be allowed to enter the United States without a visa.

Congressional approval comes at a time when relations between the two countries are at an all-time low.

The White House's dislike of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is apparent, with administration officials having made disparaging remarks about the Israeli leader in the past.

In addition, many Israelis feel the United States is pressuring the Jewish state to accept further concessions with Hamas, a designated terror group that has pledged to destroy the Jewish state. 

Nevertheless, Natan Sharansky, chairman of the Executive of the Jewish Agency for Israel, told CBN News he believes the United States will remain friends with Israel because the nation is the only representative of the free world in the Middle East.

"That's why inevitably we have and will continue to have strong cooperation between America and Israel," he explained. "And I have to say that our security cooperation, the cooperation at the levels of our armies and intelligence is very close and very deep."

Sharansky believes what is most important to Israel is that America continues to lead the free world, "and when America is not ready to lead, we will all have a problem."

But some of Sharansky's fellow Likud Party members and some members of the U.S. Congress don't like the direction the Obama administration is leading, especially on the issue of Iran's nuclear program.

They predict the United States will eventually negotiate an agreement that will lead to Iranian development of nuclear weapons.

That's something Sharansky says Israel will never accept.

"Of course we would prefer that the free world would realize the depth of the threat to freedom in the world and will take care of Iran," he said. "But if the free world will not do it, Israel will have no choice but to deal with this problem."

While many see the historic Strategic Partnership Act as a step in the right direction, deep strains in the friendship may still lie ahead.

Watch video: CBN News