Jerusalem Diary
Mimouna and mmm-bread mark end
of Pesach in chametz-hungry Israel

By Judy Lash Balint

JERUSALEM—Midnight, just a few hours after the close of the Pesach
holiday, and it's near bedlam at the corner of Beit Hadfus Street in
Jerusalem's Givat Shaul neighborhood.

Angel's Bakery that occupies that corner is awash in chametz-seeking Jews,
eager to get that first taste of leavened bread after seven days of matzah. It's
definitely those orthodox Israelis whose tradition dictates the consumption
of cardboard-style handmade shmura matza who are first in line to snap up
the fragrant but plain long rolls as the bakery fires up after the holiday.

Even at this hour, the line extends out of the store and down the stairs,
almost to the street where desperate bread buyers who have only just
finished putting away their Pesach dishes vie for the few available parking
spots, leaving others to dispatch their kids while they stay in their cars and
block the street.

Those in the know drive on a few blocks to competitor Berman's Bakery,
where the parking is easier. Security guards scan the seemingly endless
crowd that descends on the small store till the wee hours. Bakery workers
are virtually mobbed as they emerge from the back every few minutes with baskets of fresh rolls.This year at Berman's there are two choices--long, plain white rolls or round, whole wheat scattered with seeds. Some people are
buying dozens, while others stuff just a few of the warm breads into plastic
bags and head for the cash register.

The four cashiers try to maintain a semblance of order and no one seems to begrudge the five or ten minutes spent in line since it's an opportunity to
inhale the heady fragrance of freshly-baked bread.

For thousands of other Israelis, the close of Pesach means not only clamoring
for bread but the beginning of Mimouna. Call it a return to roots or a belated awakening of interest in our ethnic traditions. In recent years the Mimouna celebration has become one of Israel's most popular festivities, embraced by Israelis of all origins.

While no one can quite tell you why Mimouna is celebrated —some say it's to mark the passing of the father of the revered 12th century Jewish philosopher Moses Maimonides (the Rambam) who died right after the conclusion of Passover—Moroccan Jews have used the occasion to throw open their
homes for neighborhood parties to feast on freshly-made traditional pastries (muflettot), let loose and toast the end of Passover.

Here in Israel, where tens of thousands of Moroccan Jews settled during the turbulent 1950s and 60s, the parties have been elevated to national status
and expanded to parks and synagogues. The Mimouna celebrations are a mandatory stop for politicians of all stripes. This year's main festivities
took place in the Ashdod Opera House and provided an opportunity for
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to issue a plea for unity in the face of "all the difficult things we have to deal with."

During the day, the Mimouna festivities continue with large gatherings in
parks in every city in the country. The largest crowd is expected in the
southern town of Netivot, home to the tomb of the Baba Sali, a revered Moroccan kabbalist rabbi.

In the words of the traditional Mimouna greeting: Tarbakhu u-tsa'adu,
May you prosper and be successful. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a
few rolls to finish.
 

Judy Lash Balint is an award-winning Jerusalem-based writer and author of Jerusalem Diaries: In Tense Times. (Gefen) www.jerusalemdiaries.com What's happening behind the headlines in Israel? Check out http://jerusalemdiaries.blogspot.com Visit http://flickr.com/photos/jerusalemdiaries/ for some unusual photos from Israel.

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Commentary
When Democrats turn blind eyes to
Israel-bashing, that's anti-Semitism

By Bruce Kesler

There’s debate and discussion over whether the Left has become anti-Semitic
or tolerates anti-Semitism. This is occasioned because many Democrats
tolerate the alliance with or participation alongside extremist groups and individuals supporting Palestinian and Arab charges against Israel.

Their primary defenses are, first, that they themselves hold no animus toward Israel or Jews or cause to be hostile; second, that it’s a free country in which
one shouldn’t be judged by others on the same podium or playing a leading
role in organizing or participating in an event; and, third, there’s legitimate criticisms to be made of Israel that are independent of animus toward Jews.

As matters of independent principle, these defenses may hold some water. However, as matters of both fact and practicality these arguments are
specious and deceptive. Acceptance of them by those making these
arguments, further, is hypocritical self-deception. Worse, when from Jews,
such arguments are self-destructive ignorance.

As any state, Israel is imperfect. When, criticism of Israel is one-sided, slanted, or knowingly factually wrong, and far worse behavior by Palestinians is
ignored, excused, or lies parroted, that is anti-Semitism.

In America, we treasure the right of non-violent free speech and association. That, also, includes the right and responsibility, for civility and
self-preservation, to not speak or associate with those whose speech and associations are disagreed with or who support terrorism. Appearing with or sharing a podium with such people, outside of civil debate, is to legitimize
them. That is anti-Semitism.

Earlier generations’ anti-Semitic tracts and common speech have largely disappeared from America. However, they have been replaced by thinly
veiled stereotypes that essentially connect anyone associated with vigilant
defense of America, Western civilization, or Israel as a colonialist oppressor,
and commonly emphasize the role of Jews in such activity as demonstrating a conspiracy. This permeates the attacks on “neocons,” or AIPAC, for example. The deep roots of Arab oil money funding Democrats’ organizations and
political activities, or paying for radicals’ chairs in academia, is not mentioned, and can only be motivated by animus or corrupt profiteering. That is anti-Semitism.

Democrats learned during the late 1940’s and early 1950’s that the survival of their liberal agenda, not to mention of America, depended upon taking matters into their own hands and vigorously excluding communists and
fellow-travelers from their ranks or tolerance.

If Democrats don’t similarly act responsibly today, that is anti-Semitism.

Kesler, a San Diego County resident, is a regular contributor to the Democracy Project website.

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VThe Jewish Grapevine
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Pelosi's problems with Republicans quite 'Syria's?'

Jewish Republicans are smelling blood following House Speaker Nancy
Pelosi's recent trip to Syria with a congressional delegation. First Matt
Brooks, national executive director of the Republican Jewish Coalition, issued
a statement condemning the California Democrat: "The Speaker's statements were reckless and irresponsible.  Syria is  state sponsor of terrorism and an
ally of Iran.  Speaker Pelosi's statement, 'We came in friendship, hope and determined that the road to Damascus is a road to peace' represents a softness and a weakness in foreign policy that hurts the United States and Israel.  Syria doesn't travel the road to peace. The road Syria has taken leads directly to terrorism, violence and war."

Today Brooks and the RJC followed up by releasing a video of an anti-Pelosi commercial the RJC plans to run on national cable networks. Meanwhile,
San Diego's Congressman Darrell Issa (R-Vista) has been in the news for
his visit to Syria and other Middle Eastern countries.  In light of their campaign against Pelosi, Republicans have been distancing themselves from the local congressman.

The National Jewish Democratic Council declined to comment during the
last days of Passover, saying it would be disrespectful to enter into
controversy during the chag.  However, a source familiar with the Democratic organization said that after Passover NJDC will likely dismiss the Republican attack on Pelosi as simply partisan posturing.—Donald H. Harrison

 

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The Jewish Citizen
              by Donald H. Harrison
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Community College trustee suggests
unions help make spending decisions

SAN DIEGO—Marty Block has spent his nearly two full terms as a trustee
of the San Diego Community College District presiding over his board colleagues. The former local chapter president of the American Jewish Committee has a knack for making peace.

Whereas tumult seems to characterize the relationships between community college trustees and the faculty in other districts, Block said such relationships
are comparably tranquil in his own district which includes three college campuses and six continuing education centers.

Meeting this evening with a San Diego State University class of students training to become college teachers, Block said the delegation or sharing of authority by boards of trustees often can be the key to such harmony.

Kendra Jeffcoat and Marty Block

Too often trustees in various community college districts try to
"micro-manage" what happens on the campus, sometimes permitting staff
or faculty members to make end-runs around the duly appointed
administrators.  Instead of helping matters, such micro-management can
interfere with sound administrative practices, he said. Better to give an administrator power to make decisions and to replace him or her if he or
she doesn't do a good job.

He added that some community college boards continually wrangle over
how money earmarked for faculty salaries and benefits should be spent
instead of permitting the teachers' elected labor union leadership to use its
own processes for determining such issues.

Block, guest lecturing in a class taught by Dr. Kendra Jeffcoat, said slightly
more than 80 percent of the overall operating budget of the San Diego Community Colleges pays for faculty salaries and fringe benefits. In times
past, the trustees would try to decide how much should go for salaries, how much for this fringe benefit, how much for that one, and how much for programs like in-service teacher training.  Such deliberations would often
lead to controversy with the teacher's unions

His board avoids such problems by allowing the local chapter of the
American Federation of Teachers to determine how the funds should be
divided after the Trustees decide what percentage of the budget should be devoted overall to teachers.

The result has been to make community colleges similar to
employee-owned companies with each faculty member feeling that
he or she has a stake in the success of the overall enterprise, he said.

In California, the state government pays fees to community colleges
based upon their enrollments, Block noted.  Under the shared power
system, he said, faculty members at San Diego City College do what they
can to encourage more and more students to enroll, so as to increase
the pot of available money for their benefits.

Block was elected to the community college board after serving two full
terms on the San Diego County Board of Education, which serves as a liaison between the state government and more than 40 K-12 school districts in the county.  Now with two four-year terms on the community college board
nearing an end, Block has been lining up support to run as a Democrat for
the California Assembly.
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Jews in the News
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John Drayman knew as a boy that his fellow Jews were outsiders in Glendale.  Now he is preparing to take his seat as a City Councilman in that city. Valerie Reitman has the story in today's Los Angeles Times

The bill by Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez along with Assembly members Patty Berg and Lloyd Levine to permit assisted suicide for terminally ill patients has been the subject of increasing rancor.  George Skelton offers an analysis
of the debate over AB 374 in today's Los Angeles Times.