At the Menachem Begin Heritage Center in Jerusalem, Israel!
Some highlights from last night when I got to attend “Hollywood and Hasbara!” This anti-BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions) educational tour is focusing on how to best fight for Israel on the world stage.
Featuring Roseanne Barr and Shmuley Boteach! Moderated by Dep. Speaker of the Knesset, Hilik Bar.
A point that made many heads nod in agreement: The lack of acknowledging the 850,000 Jews who were expelled and evacuated from Arab and Muslim countries, mainly from 1948 to the early 1970s. Many of these jews came to what is now Israel- which comprises just 0.1% of the land mass of the Middle East, yet it is asked to give up territory. Israel is surrounded by 22 Arab and/or Muslim Nations.
They made sure to discuss the importance of debunking the common belief that Israel is an apartheid state. Rabbi Shmuley reminded of how an Arab judge by the name of George Karra had sentenced a former Israeli president to jail. This is just one of many examples of how Israel does not practice apartheid. The fact there is an Arab judge and the fact he sent a Jew to jail. There are more than 1.2 million Palestinian-Arabs living in Israel as full Israeli citizens. They serve in Israel’s parliament, diplomatic corps and on the Supreme Court.
I especially appreciated Roseanne’s definition of Zionism, which is: You cannot kill me anymore. Here I am and here stay. This was especially meaningful to hear being that it was Holocaust Remembrance Day yesterday.
Yehuda Glick was also in attendance! I remember seeing him in the news back in 2014 when he had been shot by a terrorist (apparently in the exact center where we had been sitting during this talk). He is currently a member of the Knesset and campaigns for expanding Jewish access to the Temple Mount (which is the holiest site in Judaism, as the Jewish Temples had stood on the Temple Mount). While Muslims are free to pray on Temple Mount, Christians and Jews may only visit the site as tourists and are forbidden from singing, praying, or making any kind of "religious displays”- though this site is holy to all three religions.
Glick recounted the terrifying moment he was shot by an Islamic Jihad terrorist who approached him and said, “I’m terribly sorry, but you are an enemy of Al Aqsa,” before shooting him in the chest 4 times. He was taken to the hospital in critical condition. His would-be assassin was shot dead hours later during a police raid at his home. Today- his wedding day- he again went up to the Temple Mount.
An interesting account that Shmuley Boteach had shared that I feel is worth mentioning. He shared that he had brought Dr. Oz (yes, the famous Dr. Oz) to Israel several years ago. Being that Dr. Oz is Turkish, he was given permission to go up to the Temple Mount. Dr. Oz’s wife, therefore, was not given permission- being that she is a Christian. She found it interesting that she had not been excluded from any Jewish areas or areas controlled by Jews.
Some other points discussed are shared in the videos.
