September 20, 2009

Broadcast Date: 
Sep 20 2009

American Jewish organizations call for action against “the threat of a nuclear Iran”; the UN’s Goldstone report concludes that Israel committed "war crimes" during Operation Cast Lead last winter; will Israel's multi-million dollar branding campaign succeed? Plus rethinking food on Rosh Hashannah.

Episode segments
  • Standing for Freedom in Iran but Stonewalling on Gaza.
    Foreign Policy, National Politics, International Politics, Middle East, Israel/Palestine, Occupation
    Rabbi Arthur Waskow is the founder and director of The Shalom Center and a long time peace and environmental activist. He is one of the organizers of the Jewish Fast for Gaza.
    Marilyn Kleinberg Neimark

    The Conference of Presidents of Major Amercian Jewish Organizations is taking advantage of high synagogue attendance during High Holy Days to mobilize the Jewish community to take a number of actions aimed at increasing the pressure on Iran.  At least one critic--Richard Silverstein in his blog, Tikkun Olam-- however, sees this organizing as "doing the bidding of the Israeli government in ratcheting up pressure on the Iranian regime.  The ultimate goal is to lay the groundwork for a potential Israeli attack on Iran."

    Rabbi Waskow talks with us about using the High Holy Day pulpit in this way and what it means to him to "Stand for Freedom in Iran."  He also responds to the United Nations' fact-finding mission's report on the 3-week war in Gaza last winter and its total rejection by Israel. To access the full the report, click here. For a summary, click here.  For a variety of Israeli responses click Haaretz,  and/or click Jerusalem Post.
  • Israel's Branding Campaign
    American Politics, Israeli Politics, Israel/Palestine, Arts & Culture, Occupation
    Mandy Katz is a senior editor at Moment magazine.  She is the author of The Rebranding of Israel: From war planes to women, why at 60 Israel's image is taking off in a new direction.
    K.E.Feldman, Marilyn Kleinberg Neimark

    We continue our September 6 conversation about the Israeli Foreign Ministry's multi-million dollar brand Israel campaign. Our discussion ranges from  the differences between branding and traditional hasbara; to culture as the terrain of struggle over Israel's brand-identity (e.g., the uproar around the Toronto International Film Festival's uncritical spotlight on Tel Aviv in its inaugural city-to-city program); to the deployment of Israeli government supporters on the Internet (e.g., Megaphone and Help Us Win); to the exploitation of women (in the government sponsored magazine feature, Women of the IDF).

  • Rethinking What We Eat
    Holidays, Jewish Life, Food
    Judith Belasco is Director of Food Programs for Hazon.
    Marilyn Kleinberg Neimark

    Both nutritionally and symbolically, food is an important part of the Jewish tradition and increasingly Jewish communities are re-thinking and expanding what it means for food to be kosher (i.e.,"fit").  We talk with Judith Belasco about where Hazon, and its blog, The Jew and the Carrot, fits within the burgeoning Jewish food movement.