The Jewish Star February 11, 2011

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Rabbi Lau remembers Rabbi Lander Page 3 Is El Baradei good for the Jews? Page 12 Hebrew only please! Page 5 Ask Aviva: Teacher with a question Page 19

THE JEWISH

STAR

VOL 10, NO 6 ■ FEBRUARY 11, 2011 / 7 ADAR I, 5771

Local Egyptian Jews recall exodus By Sergey Kadinsky The most respected institution in Egypt is not taking sides. Standing by as supporters and opponents of embattled President Hosni Mubarak fight on in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, the soldiers are also guarding the Ben Ezra synagogue from potential looters. “I spoke just now with Mrs. Weinstein, the President of the Cairo Community. She is safe and sound and indicates that army security forces have replaced the police guarding the synagogues,” Yves Fedida of the France-based Nebi Daniel Association wrote in an email. The Jewish community in Egypt numbers only a few dozen individuals, but it has numerous synagogues and cemeteries to maintain. Carmen Weinstein’s chief task is raising funds for their upkeep. “Weinstein raised the money, got the squatters out of the cemetery and identified the graves,” said NYU political science professor Youssef Cohen, 63, who last visited Egypt in 1998. Following the overthrow of the monarchy in 1952, the government’s strong Arab nationalism and opposition to Israel led to a massive exodus of the once sizable community. Under Murabak, Egypt became a major recipient of American aid in return for keeping the peace with neighboring Israel. “Mubarak was a highly westernized man. He wanted to create a modern Egypt, but there was too much poverty and unemployment. That’s what’s fueling the problem,” said Cohen. Cohen said that on his last visit he did not experience overt anti-Semitism, but Continued on page 2

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“Israel is on the frontlines.” One on one with Ari Fleischer extremists. And that’s again why it’s such a conundrum.

By David F. Nesenoff David F. Nesenoff: What is going on in Egypt? Do you have some new personal insight? Ari Fleischer: My heart is with the protesters; who doesn’t hope that this leads to freedom and democracy. But my mind is cognizant of recent Middle East history and I’m wary of how this is going to play out. So this is a classic conundrum of foreign policy, American ideals and real politic. DFN: As far as Israel is concerned and the Muslim Brotherhood, there’s certainly a great fear that putting the democracy label on terrorists legitimize certain groups. Is this your understanding? AF: Israel is on the front lines and it has the most to win or lose. When you’re on the front line, even if it’s a cold peace that lasted for 30 years, its something you don’t want to miss. And so the stakes in Israel are much higher than the stakes in the United States. It’s a little easier for Americans to hope for a democracy because we won’t suffer the immediate consequences the way Israel would… if it turns out to be like Iran 1979.

DFN: Some say that President Bush bet on Hamas losing when there was a democratic election and that might have been the wrong call on his part. AF: Or he thought Hamas would be exposed for what they are. And eventually the people of Gaza would throw Hamas out because they weren’t delivering on a better and more peaceful life. That was

Bush’s bet but I don’t think that matters anymore because he’s not in office. I’ve got to say, and I say this as a partisan Republican, Barack Obama has largely handled this well. My view is that the best course for Israel and America is what I call slow and steady. Slowly say goodbye to Mubarak, and steadily push for reform.

DFN: You worked with President Bush as his Press Secretary; would a Republican administration handle the present situation differently? AF: President Bush was vociferous in speaking out for the freedom agenda. And he believes very strongly that left to their own devices, people will seek peace and freedom. Of course when you leave people to their own devices, those devices can get hijacked by Muslim

Shabbat Candlelighting: 5:07 p.m. Shabbat ends 6:08 p.m. 72 minute zman 6:36 p.m. Torah Reading Parshat Tetzaveh

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DFN: On another issue, since you’re an expert on publicity and public relations …in Israel they call it hasbara, there are many who say that Israel has the worst hasbara. Muslim Brotherhood has better hasbara, and Hamas and the Palestinians are better at representing themselves whether it be through Internet or through images. What’s Israel’s problem; is it that simple? AF: Its nonsense if anyone says that Hamas or the Islamic BrotherContinued on page 3


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