UNICEF tried to do the right thing on the first birthday of Kfir Bibas by posting on X “Today is the first birthday of the youngest hostage held in Gaza. It’s another day of anxiety for his safety and well-being. Children continue to pay the biggest price for a war they didn’t start.
“The hostages must be freed, and every single child in Gaza must be protected. The violence and the suffering must stop.”
The post provoked a slew of angry reactions with a reposting several times over of “You can’t even say his name. It’s Kfir Bibas.” Some posts also noted that baby Kfir is Israeli and that he was captured by Hamas. Much as we would be overjoyed to see Kfir back in Israel surrounded by his family, we cannot allow ourselves to lose sight of the fact that many Gazan children have been killed or injured.
A baby is a baby is a baby, regardless of its parentage. We cannot allow ourselves to be infected by the sick ideology of Hamas and wait for people to starve to death or die by other means.
Veteran educator Rabbanit Miriam Hauer, while full of appreciation for US President Joe Biden’s humanity and the president’s humanitarian concerns, believes that if Biden feels so strongly about supplying sacks of flour to civilians in Gaza, the Americans should be the ones sending the flour.
If Israel sends it and Hamas steals it, as it has stolen other supplies, it’s like a slap in the face to Israel, if the hostages are not sent home in exchange. But if America sends supplies conditionally on the basis of for every hostage released, a huge sack of flour will be sent to Gaza, it may be possible to secure the release of all the hostages because America does not have nearly as big a problem in negotiating a deal with Hamas as would Israel.
Japan shows solidarity with the hostages and civilians of Gaza
Different nationalities and faiths have their own traditions. One of the traditions of Japan is Kakizome, the first calligraphy writing ceremony of the year. According to Japanese tradition, there is power in words and their ability to influence. Last week, in an effort to hasten the return of the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, the Japanese Embassy organized a Kakizome ceremony as a sign of solidarity with the hostages and their families as well as the civilian citizens of Gaza. The idea was to support and strengthen them at this particular time.
Representatives of the families of the hostages each chose a Hebrew word meaningful to him or her and their families, and a kanji with the same meaning was attached to it. A kanji is a Chinese character written in Japanese texts.
The event was initiated by artist and calligrapher Tirza Paytan Sela, with the participation of Ambassador Koichi Mizushima, who said at the start of the ceremony: “The position of the Japanese government since October 7 has been a strong condemnation of Hamas’s terrorist attacks and recognition of the right of the Israel state to defend itself. We would like to see all the kidnapped return home soon.”
Also participating were other Japanese diplomats and embassy staff.
Yuval Haran Mabari, the family representative of Tal Shoham, who at the time had been in captivity for 104 days, chose the word “union,” to which the kanji word “kizuna” was attached, written by the cultural attaché of the embassy, Yoshi Hijutzi, in its closest meaning in Japanese, which translates into English as “connection.”
Margalit Moses, who returned from captivity after 49 days, while her former husband, Gad Moses, remains a hostage, chose the phrase “to go free,” which was written by Kokoro Iwamoto, a researcher at the embassy. The closest Japanese equivalent was “spreading wings and rising up.”
Maya Palty, a relative of Elad Katzir, who was kidnapped from his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz, chose the word “resilience” – the last word Elad recorded for his family, posted just before he was kidnapped. In Japanese the word is “KI” which means “spirit and force.” It was written by Tirza Paytan Sela.
The conclusion of the ceremony was signed by the ambassador in kanji. He chose the word “AI,” meaning “love,” in the belief that love is a universal value, connecting people and cultures and creating harmony that leads to peace.
New Yiddish book of prose published
For the best part of 80 years now, people have been eulogizing Yiddish. Admittedly, it is not as widely spoken or understood as it was on the eve of the Holocaust, but poems and novels are still being written in Yiddish; there are Yiddish radio programs, Yiddish cabaret, Yiddish theater, and clubs for Yiddish-speakers and for people who want to learn Yiddish; and there are Yiddish libraries.
There are Yiddish schools, both religious and secular, in several parts of the world, and there’s even a publishing house in Sweden, Olniansky Tekst Farlag, which specializes in Yiddish books, where Prof. Dov Ber “Berl” Kotlerman had his fourth and most recent Yiddish book of prose published. The book’s title, Koydervelsh, is a Yiddish idiom for gibberish.
Olniansky Tekst Farlag was founded as recently as 2010 with the aim of publishing modern literature in Yiddish and thus contributing to keeping the language alive beyond the Ashkenazi ultra-Orthodox world.
Kotlerman, director of the Rena Costa Center for Yiddish Studies at Bar-Ilan University (BIU), was born in Siberia, and spoke Yiddish in his native Russia before coming to Israel. He has been a visiting professor or scholar in residence at universities in the United States, Japan, South Africa and Lithuania. (Yes, there are ethnic Japanese who speak Yiddish.)
In addition to Yiddish, he specializes in Jewish culture. He’s definitely not a lone wolf in Yiddish literature in Israel. His current book was largely inspired by his experiences as director of the Association of Yiddish Writers and Journalists in Israel in the 1990s, though it does cover other periods.
His books were published in various countries: Israel, America, Argentina, and Sweden; and each has a different setting. For instance, his second book, The Forsaken (Di opgeshtoysene) is a book of suspense based on rabbinic responsa – namely, on the questions and answers of Rabbi Moshe Kisilev, who was the chief rabbi of the Chinese city of Harbin in the first half of the 20th century. There was a vibrant Ashkenazi Jewish community in Harbin at the time, including the family of former prime minister Ehud Olmert. The book was published by a New York publisher, The Yiddish Branzha, which specializes in contemporary Yiddish literature.
People who have some childhood memory of Yiddish or who have woven romantic fantasies about the Yiddish speakers of yesteryear, tend to treat Yiddish as a nostalgic or sentimental language. Kotlerman does not deny the nostalgia or sentimentality, but says that Yiddish today is also a conceptual art form constantly searching for its niche.
BIU professor wins a Lifetime Achievement Award
In other BIU-related news, Prof. Eytan Gilboa from BIU’s School of Communication has won a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Israel Association of International Studies for his immense contributions to research in international relations in Israel and abroad.
Gilboa first joined the department of political studies and later founded and headed BIU’s School of Communication and the Center for International Communication. He is one of the world’s leading scholars in international communication and US-Israel relations, and is frequently interviewed by media outlets in Israel and abroad for his analysis of American political developments. He received his MA and PhD degrees from Harvard University and has been a visiting professor at several leading American and European universities, including most recently the University of Pennsylvania. He has published 15 books and more than 200 articles.
He is a foreign affairs commentator on radio and television and an op-ed contributor to media outlets in Israel and abroad. He has won several international awards, including most recently the ICOMM Distinguished Scholar Award from the International Studies Association.
Beyond academia, Gilboa has served as chairman of the Israel Communication Association, chairman of the Foreign Service Selection Committee, chairman of the Israel Public Diplomacy Forum, and chairman of the Political Science Committee at the Israel Science Foundation.
In a letter congratulating Gilboa on his award, BIU president Prof. Arie Zaban wrote, “Nowadays, perhaps more sharply and decisively than ever, we are again aware of how essential knowledge and expertise are in your field. For half a jubilee of your academic life, you have been engaged in research and teaching at Bar-Ilan University. Over the years you have advanced research and tools in the field, and you’ve raised generations of public servants, researchers, and government and media personnel, who play their part in the very important field of international relations.”
Commemoration of fallen educators at Jerusalem Theater
In a highly emotional event at the Jerusalem Theater, AMIT educational institutions commemorated fallen alumni; saluted educators currently fighting on the front lines; and honored and recognized principals and their educational teams who are ensuring that their schools and colleges continue to function as usual.
Shields of Honor were awarded to outstanding administrators and educators from Sderot, including Mayor Alon Davidi and the principals of AMIT Sderot schools: Sara Levanon, Edi Dagan, and Assaf Ben David. Despite having been evacuated from her Sderot home, Nurit Davidi, the principal of Ulpanat AMIT Dyckman in Beersheba, continues to lead her school with unwavering dedication, and she, too, received the well-deserved honor.
The shields were awarded by Tamar Raskas Benovitz, chairwoman of AMIT in Israel, Debbie Moed, former national president of AMIT, and Dr. Amnon Eldar, director-general of the AMIT network.
A special certificate of appreciation was awarded to Tshalon Siri, David Dvir, Danny Steiner, Sahar Sigavi, and Lior Halevi – all of whom are currently running educational centers opened by AMIT for Sderot evacuees. These centers are located in Eilat, the Dead Sea, Tel Aviv, and Jerusalem.
Rabbi Shalom Malul of Yeshivat AMIT Yagel Ashdod recited Yizkor for the fallen graduates of AMIT, while a presentation was screened with their names and photographs. Because the list was so long, with 46 alumni, a chapter of Psalms was added to Yizkor. Malul came to the event straight from reserve duty, without changing out of his army uniform. He is involved in identifying fallen soldiers and victims of the October 7 massacre and its aftermath.
IDF Chief Cantor Shai Abramson’s soul-stirring rendition of the prayer for the well-being of IDF soldiers elevated the spirit of the evening, resonating from one of sadness for so many losses to that of collective gratitude for the relentless efforts of those on the front lines. This was accompanied by the showing of an emotional slideshow of AMIT principals and headquarters staff serving on the front lines. The atmosphere was charged with a sense of unity, as the event blended moments of reflection and celebration.
Greetings and blessings were sent by President Isaac Herzog, who expressed gratitude to the AMIT network, administrators, and educators for their unwavering commitment during such challenging times. He stated what everyone felt: “We are all mourning the victims, including the 46 fallen AMIT graduates, and praying that graduate Noa Argamani will soon return safely with all the hostages.”
AMIT student representatives mounted the stage and thanked the administrators and teachers in a moving dialogue between them, speaking of today’s youth and the experiences they have undergone. Singer Ehud Banai closed the event with a musical tribute to the administrators and their spouses.
Eldar encapsulated the sentiment of the evening, stating, “We wanted to salute the educational leaders and, in particular, the leaders of Sderot, who continue to champion education in times of war. Our aim is to thank and support them, as they pave the way for a resilient and brighter future.”
Encouraging the study of agriculture
Due to the weather forecast, which predicts rain, the Tu Bishvat Products of Israel Farmers’ Fair, conceived by the staff of the Ben-Zvi Institute to help the country’s farmers, has been postponed till Friday, February 9, from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Flowers, fruits, and vegetables will be among the items on sale.
Though it’s important to buy Israeli-grown fruit, vegetables, and flowers, it’s no less important to undertake academic studies in agriculture. This has been seen over the past three months as hundreds of Israelis – possibly thousands – have responded to the farmers’ calls for help in harvesting and packaging their crops, after so many foreign workers returned home, and so many reservists from farming families were called up to the army. Staff members of foreign embassies have also pitched in.
To encourage the study of agriculture, Adama, an Israeli company specializing in solutions for agricultural problems in more than 100 countries around the world, has established scholarships in 25 specific academic fields of agriculture, in which students will take first- and second-degree courses in food and environment at the Rehovot campus of the Hebrew University.
The scholarship fund was established as a means of support for Israel’s rural industries. The Adama company has set the ball rolling with NIS 1 million toward full scholarships for students from the Gaza border communities and the northern kibbutzim and moshavim.
Mody Benaiah, the deputy CEO at Adama, says that the security situation in Israel has a negative impact on agricultural produce, and during a period of crisis, Adama is always ready to be there for the farmer. Israeli farmers have long been making breakthroughs in farming produce, equipment, and irrigation, and Adama wants to ensure that this tradition continues.
The Hebrew University’s Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food, and Environment, which is internationally recognized, is the only academic institution in Israel that offers degrees in agricultural sciences, said the faculty’s dean, Prof. Shaul Bordman.
Awarding of the prestigious 2023 Shimon Perez Prize
Perhaps more than at any other time in Israel’s history, members of foreign diplomatic missions have become involved not only as observers and liaisons between their various countries and Israel, but as participants in facts on the ground.
American ambassadors have always been involved in this way, and though ambassadors from other countries have been engaged in promoting trade and cooperation in science, culture, innovation, and tourism, few have become as immersed in Israel as German Ambassador Steffen Seibert – even before German citizens were among the hostages kidnapped by Hamas.
It was at the ambassador’s residence in Herzliya Pituah this week that a poignant event was held, while a similar event was held simultaneously in Germany. The two events were actually part of a whole – the awarding of the prestigious 2023 Shimon Peres Prize to the Israel-Germany youth movement Hashomer Hatzair, and the collaborative schools in Hamburg, Sha’ar Hanegev, Sderot, and Rahat. The accolade underscores the significance of unity across borders during these challenging times.
For the past seven years, the Peres Prize for Joint Social Entrepreneurship has been awarded in Berlin to young people from Israel and Germany who promote and foster shared values. This year, amid the ongoing war in Israel, the prize ceremony was awarded simultaneously at the German residence in Israel and city hall in Berlin.
The 2023 prize highlighted two exemplary projects, embodying successful cooperation between young minds from both nations. Both initiatives focus on social diversity and commonalities between cultures, addressing broad social issues beyond the range of their respective projects.
The first project, “Where Does This Hatred Come From?” is a collaborative initiative of the “Lots of Drama Around Us!” program at Lämmert High School in Hamburg, Sha’ar Hanegev High School in Sderot, Jaffa Theater – a platform for Arab-Hebrew culture, and Almábash Theater in Rahat.
This unique theater and art project brought together German students with migration backgrounds and Israeli Jewish and Arab youth from Sderot and Rahat. Guided by professional artists and educators, the project explored questions of identity, belonging, racism, antisemitism, and cultural memory within the historical and social contexts of both countries. The project also showcased exhibitions and theater productions to the general public in Hamburg and Jaffa.
The second project is a collaborative effort between the Hashomer Hatzair youth movement in Israel and its German branch, focusing on the creation of a digital archive. This groundbreaking archive seamlessly integrates the past, present, and future, endeavoring to reconcile the historical fractures within the organization and pave the way for a renewed beginning. More than 300 former members and their descendants in Israel, who shared their lives as young Jews in Germany before World War II, were identified for research and documentation.
The establishment of this unprecedented digital archive was made possible through the dedicated efforts of numerous volunteers, both Jewish and non-Jewish, with the support of partnering organizations in Germany and Israel. The results were further incorporated into board games and card sets, enriching intergenerational dialogue as educational material.
Prof. Tsvia Walden, representing the Peres family, said: “The initiatives demonstrate what Peres believed in with all his heart: Young people from both countries can find a common language and create new things – they just need to be given proper opportunities.”
Dr. Tamara Orr, CEO of the German-Israeli Future Forum Foundation, said, “This prize is meant to awaken and inspire us all to look towards the future and not give up hope, even when it seems difficult. The two projects this year are an impressive example of unity and empathy, two things that are so crucial in the current reality.”
Outstanding women in communications scheduled to speak
There was a time when it was rare for even highly educated women to discuss politics and military affairs. Both were considered to be a man’s world, despite the fact that as far back as 200 years ago and more, wealthy European women used to entertain high-ranking politicians and army officers in their salons, but were less vocal outside their homes.
These days, women are prominent in every sphere of communications, inside and outside their homes and places of employment. Two outstanding female orators and public opinion shapers, Bari Weiss and Einat Wilf, will discuss current and possible future events at the Jaffa Hotel in Jaffa on Sunday, January 28, at 7 p.m. The event, geared to people in their 20s and 30s, is cohosted by the Tel Aviv International Salon and The Free Press.
Weiss is an American journalist, writer, and editor. Wilf is an Israeli-born former MK, essayist, author, and a leading thinker on Israel, Zionism, and foreign policy.
Commending women journalists
With regard to women journalists, many have had to fight so hard to get to where they are that they have become abrasive along the way – but that doesn’t mean that the hard edge that they display professionally applies to everything.
Reshet Bet’s Keren Neubach and Esty Perez Ben-Ami are really tough cookies, albeit social activists. But when they interview the close relatives of any of the hostages languishing in Gaza or of fallen soldiers, they are so gentle and empathetic that it’s hard to believe that each of them can make life thoroughly unbearable for an interviewee who has committed an injustice against someone who has suffered a misfortune. Tali Moreno, who can also be very tough, becomes quite emotional every time she has read a news report about another fallen soldier.
Some radio and television reporters try to sound as dispassionate as possible, because that’s really the professional thing to do, but the overwhelming majority are Israelis first and journalists second, and these days almost everyone in Israel personally knows of someone killed, wounded, or kidnapped.
Radio and television stations whose staffs keep interviewing the immediate relatives of fallen soldiers and people kidnapped or murdered by Hamas must be commended for inviting mourners to express their grief and talk about their loved ones. Emotionally and psychologically, it’s very important for mourners to be able to express themselves, especially as so many of the fallen soldiers were high school students less than two years ago.
Falsely reported dead
“The report of my death was an exaggeration” is one of the most famous quotes of American author Mark Twain. But in Israel this quote did apply to the father of constitutional law in this country, who was also an author, an academic, and a government minister.
Amnon Rubinstein, who died a week ago at age 92, was erroneously reported as having died. He had in fact been hospitalized for minor surgery, so that when Avraham Burg, who was then the Knesset speaker, received a message during a session of the Knesset plenum in mid-1999 that Rubinstein had died, he sadly announced it and promptly eulogized him. Minutes later, Burg learned that he’d been the victim of a hoax.
Contritely, he rushed to Rubinstein’s bedside to apologize, but happily, Rubinstein had watched the whole thing on television and had been amused to hear himself being praised so lavishly. In later life, two years ago, he said that he had not expected to live as long as he had.
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