RON WEISER
I HAVE just returned from an amazing conference — the Israeli Presidential Conference titled Tomorrow.
If nothing else it underlined that this little country in the Middle East was deemed worthy of the attendance and participation of many Heads of State, world leaders in the financial field, world leaders in technology and innovation and some of the leading philosophers on continuity. Jewish and non-Jewish.
RON WEISER
THE importance of the role of Zionism in Diaspora life has increased dramatically and is even more relevant than ever.
In June 2005, when I was one of two Australians invited by then Israeli President Katsav to attend the president’s international conference on issues facing the Jewish people, during discussions on assimilation, I stated that the numbers generally given by the leadership of Australian Jewry for Australian assimilation rates were too optimistic and unhelpful.
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RON WEISER
THERE is nothing like a debate on “the settlements” to stir passions or to allow false ideological sloganeering to override reality.
There are no such things as “settlements” per se. To Hamas and Fatah, Tel Aviv is a settlement. To Yossi Beilin, Mitzpei Yericho is a settlement.
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ALBERT DADON
I WAS surprised last week to discover that Malcolm Fraser and Ron Weiser had something in common. Apparently, they both believe in the influence of the Jewish lobby.
These are Dr Weiser’s exact words, published last week on his AJN blog “As long as there is a continuing consensus in the leadership of Australia Jewry, and within the main body of Australian Jewry itself, without significant or influential Jews breaking that consensus — we can remain reasonably confident about the direction of Australian government policy.”
Meanwhile, the former prime minister argued in The Age (11/08/09) that “fear of criticism from the Jewish lobby in Australia has so far prevented Australian governments taking effective action”. Read the full story
RON WEISER
RETURNING from Israel, it is interesting to note just how different the situation looks from over there.
US President Barack Obama has succeeded in doing something that Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu was not able to do alone — unite the Jewish people.
But not quite the way Obama had intended.
There seems to be wall-to-wall support in Israel in favour of “natural growth of the settlements” especially within the established blocks, notwithstanding whatever legal gymnastics or linguistic devices may be found to eventually resolve this issue with the US on a temporary basis.
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RON WEISER
THE speech by US President Barack Obama in Cairo presents the Jewish world with a difficult dilemma. How should we respond? It was so obviously a beautifully-crafted speech in tone, content and delivery and one which on the surface seemed to offer hope and a better future.
In many ways it was a brave speech. Obama made some statements in Cairo to an Arab audience which would have been difficult for them to hear and to internalise. Some of his words had me cheering.
And yet much more of what he said worried me greatly. I am sorry, but I am not convinced by the point of view which says that he had to say things that both sides wanted to hear and didn’t want to hear, if some of those things are so obviously off colour or hopelessly unequally balanced.
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RON WEISER
Ron Weiser
LEADERSHIP is about putting your views and standing up for them — not about hiding behind anonymous and factually-incorrect emails and comments. That’s not leadership, that’s cowardice.
To the members of the Board who commented on my previous blog, thank you for demonstrating your bravery as you have done throughout this sorry saga — not one of you put your own names to your views. The Board has not held one single meeting of the full membership to discuss the issue fully with all options on the table. Legally they do not need to.
The morality of this, however, is a question we all need to consider for ourselves. The only meeting called was an EGM where the motions pre-set and pre-put were to be discussed, and nothing else allowed to be put.
RON WEISER
Ron Weiser
LEADERSHIP is a funny thing — some know what it is and others may take longer to understand what it means. My wife and I belong to and are regular attendees and participants in the Mizrachi Synagogue in Sydney, a shul with difficulties and one with a seemingly uncertain prognosis.
Let me state at the outset that our family, like most of our friends in the Mizrachi shul, are supporters of Rabbi Moshe Gutnick as our personal Rabbi, communally important personage — Beth Din, Kashrut, Eruv et al — and friend. The previous leadership of Mizrachi determined that a merger with the Great Synagogue was in the best interests of our shul.
RON WEISER
Ron Weiser
ONCE again Israelis have gone to the polls and once again we can try and read the tea-leaves.
A real positive, not withstanding how people who supported losing candidates wish to present it otherwise, is that Israelis showed that their enthusiasm to vote has increased and not diminished since the previous election. 2003 saw the record turnout of 67.8 per cent of the electorate casting their vote. By 2006 that had dropped to 63.2 per cent.
This election saw the trend reversed with 65.2 per cent of the eligible electorate voting. It is also interesting to note that Israeli Arabs have been consistent in continuing to cast their votes and have not despaired of Israeli democracy — as so often falsely claimed by Israel’s detractors — achieving 8 seats in 2003, 10 seats in 2006 and 11 seats in this election, on top of those who stood within the other Jewish parties. When Ariel Sharon was elected in 2001 he was initially hailed as a “right winger”, whatever that actually means.
RON WEISER
Ron Weiser
WELL, at least it is interesting to see some of the responses to my blog on South Africa.
There are those who chose to respond publicly via the blog, but many more who chose to let me know their thoughts privately. And many ex-South Africans at that.
No guesses for how those private ones went in the opposite direction. And no wonder from the tone of some of the response on the blog itself.
So let me try and set the record a little straighter with the following points.
The article on my visit to South Africa was actually praiseworthy of the Jewish community there in the main. I was simply sad for the community to be in the circumstances it is today — for whatever reasons. I also pointed out at the very beginning that it was not a scholarly researched article, but rather just my impressions after a short visit.
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