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November 25, 2008 | 8:57 am

Israeli reporter: American Jews are ‘obsessed with money’

Photo
UJC head Rieger

Jewish federations, like all nonprofits, are feeling the hurt from the economic downturn. Months ago cutbacks led many organizations to pear down their travel budgets. But the General Assembly of the United Jewish Communities, an annual gathering of North American Jewish federations, remained scheduled for Israel, where it is held every five years. The GA ended last week, and I have to wonder if UJC leaders wished they’d stayed stateside this year.

There were some worthwhile speeches, but the four-day event went largely unnoticed by its hosts. In fact, Hebrew-speaking journalists were not only absent from most of the conference but had a few choice words—words that coming from a non-Jew might be perceived as anti-Semitic—for their American brethren. Check that: At least one of these reporters wouldn’t consider many American Jews to be members of his tribe.

Speaking to journalism students this week, Ma’ariv Diaspora affairs reporter Eli Berdenstein admitted he did not know a great deal about American Jewry, but in any case rejected the idea that US Jews who claim they are “Jews by choice” are authentically Jewish.

Danny Ababa, Diaspora reporter for Israel’s largest daily, Yediot Aharonot, told The Jerusalem Post that “this whole business [the GA] is one big kiss-up to rich people. American Jews are not authentic; they’re obsessed with money; there’s something annoying about them.“

Read the rest from the JPost here. Considering all the money American Jews pump into Israel—whether we’re entering into, stuck in or coming out of a recession—it amazes me that Diaspora affairs reporters, of all people, could have so much disdain for such an important part of the Diaspora.

Posted by Brad A. Greenberg in 4 Comments — Leave your comment

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I am not bemused but not amazed. When the secular Labor Zionist movement wrested control of the Israel revitalization project from the religious movements and in so doing tried to redefine Jewish identity, they convinced nobody and confused everybody, most especially themselves. A few generations later, Aharon Yadli, former educatiom minister said at the conference as reported in the JP link you provided

“... Even so, the main point is that Israelis have to begin to understand that the Jews in Israel are part of a larger Jewish people. We should teach the young generation in Israel to see itself first as Jewish before it is Israeli,“ he said.

Begin to understand? Not so historically long ago that statement would not have been meaningful. But the incident last year in which A.B. Yehoshua the novelist got all red in the face shouting strangulated logic and embarrassed himself in a panel discussion on Jewish identity was part of this confusion.

Comment by Ben Plonie on 11/25/08 at 3:37 pm

Meant to say “I am bemused but not amazed.“

Comment by Ben Plonie on 11/25/08 at 3:38 pm

I know the Jewish Press is not on your reading list, but their account of this meeting has PM Olmert saying,

“Although this is, most likely, my last appearance before this distinguished crowd as prime minister of Israel, this is by no means a goodbye,“ Olmert said. “I am certain we will continue to meet and discuss all the important issues that affect Israel’s future, that affect our joint future, the future of the Jews across the world and the future of us here in the State of Israel.“

Can you believe the jerk was asking for a job? Sure, Ehud, let’s do lunch, say, sometime in 2050?
The article goes on to

Comment by Ben Plonie on 11/26/08 at 6:47 am

whats annoying about american jews is whats annoying about us americans in general, jews, non jews, white, black; but then who would have trouble enumerating whats annoying about israelis. the two groups of friends i can COUNT on always telling me how i should be living my life differently than i do, are my GERMAN AND ISRAELI friends!

Comment by shmulik saperstein on 11/28/08 at 1:21 am

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