Page 6-The Canadian Jewish News, Thursday, January 7, 1993
M-T
CJN Exclusive
Golan
Like a bull in a China shop, Israeli journalist Motti Golan is nothing if not provocative and direct in presenting his argument that the relationship between Disapora and Israeli Jennnuist
. be reassessed. Vie author of the recently-released h(h}k, With Friends Like You; What Israelis Really Think About American Jews, is hoping to rekindle a frank and open debate on the vital issue that is confronting both communities — Jewish continuity. Golan was, until recently, editor in .chief of Globes, Israel's leading business newspaper, and before that^ he was political columnist and editor of the daily Ha'aretz. He was recently named editor in chief of a new Is-raeU economic daily. /o fee ra/Zc^ The Telegraph. which is to debut in February. Golan has also
' sen'ed as minister of information at the Israeli embassy in Canada. He spoke with The CJN's Paul Limgen during a recent visit to Toronto.
CJN: Can you describe the main argument in your book about the relationship beriveen the Jews of Israel and America?
Goian: The main thing that I say in the book is that we are talking to each other in the language of cliches and slogans — Israel will live forever, we are partners, the Diaspora has a role to play, and soon. Our leaders don't want to rock the boat and probe deeper.into these cliches to see if there is any merit to them.
In my book. I attempt to be honest and put everv'thing on the table. I tell American Jewr>'. and that includes Canada; not what they want to hear, which is what our official leaders are telling us all the time, but what many of we Israelis feel about the relationship between the two groups. ■
In other,words, my book attempts, to cut through the b-s.
First of all is the myth of the partnership. We are not partners. We don't feel that Americari, Jews are pur panhers because there can be no partnership between people who spill their bkxxl .and people-whogiVe,a smallportion of their [tax exempt 1 money. There can be no partnership between a parent who sends his son to the army and a.parent who- sendshis son to college.
Second, the myth that American Jews have a role.to play in the State of Israel, with money and "political suppoi-t.
[The main point of the book is that) American Jewr)' is not fulfilling its share in the burden ot maintaining )the State of Israel. / ^
By not sharing the burden. I mean they don't live in Israel. This is becorriing an.extremely .seri-oussituation for Israel and for the Jewish people.
We Israelis are tired of carrying the burden ot Israel. We are tired of giving a major ponion of our lives to the army .of paying 50 percent income ta.x and of living in a constant st^jte of siege. The stress we are under is doing terrible things to us and we are simply tired.
There are two results of this. People yvho can. leave the country. Many of our youngsters are doing so. including the best from elite combat units.
. Another aspect is the weakening of the tnoti-vation the Israeli has today for defending his • country. Mo.st Israelis texlay.are not willing to give their lives, for the security of Israel. They' want to live. They do not. understand why they must carry all the burden of life and death for the,state, for mainta.ining a Jewi.sh .state for the Jewish people. If Israel is a state for the Jewish people and not justthe Israeli Jews, then we feel it's about time that,American Jewry shared the burden.
GJN.- 5o American Jewry would have to immigrate en, masse to Israel? Is that the only way to vuike. it a real partnership?
, Golan: Ab.solutely; Another reason that American Jewry should come to Israel is to save the Jewish .people here. What is happening today is that we are losing on both fronts. In Israel peo-pie are getting tired and they lack motivation. [In North America], people assimilate in great num-' bers and we know that the, rate of intermarriage is aboiit 70 percent (others put the figure at 50 percent). Unlike 10 of 15 years ago. most noo:
Jewish spouses do not convert to Judaism and the children grow up as gentiles, ,
CJN:.It snot a likely prospect, though that-American Jews will pick up and move to Israel.
Golan: I know [most people won't] get up and leave everything behind'to'go to [another] coun--try just for the sake of the ftiTure of the Jewish f)eople. What I'm spying is that we must realize
what the situation is and the consequences of the fact that American Jews don't come to Israel, and discuss it and think about it. Then [perhaps] we'll come to the conclusion that there is no solution and that whatever happens, happens. So the Jews will disapf)ear here, or Israel will disappear. [But] it's not even being discussed. [I say], let's go to the future with open eyes.
CJ'S. American and Canadian Jews have rriade assimilation and intermarriage an important'subject iri many of their organizations. They have studies, programs. They don 't see moving to Israel as the only solution.
Golan: You say the Diaspora has a role (in Jewish survival], not because you believe it necessarily, but if you don't say it. you'll have to draw the conclusion, 'Go and live in Israel.' And you doni want to live in Israel.
Of course they repeatedly say the solution is not to go to Israel. So what do they say? 'Education.' Which is more b-s.
Golan: That's what I'm saying. So, even if there is no solution, it's a serious enough situation that we discuss it and stop talking in the language of cliches, and Negev dinners, and UJA slogans.
CJN.- You're very critical in your book about American Jews who criticize Israel, but at the same time here you are criticizing American Jews about their lives. Isn't that inconsistent? .
Golan: It's my life too. If the Diaspora disappears, I don't think Israel can hold. When I talk about assimilation and intermarriage, I'm not criticizing. If I lived in America I would be the same.
But if the Diaspora Jews disapf>ear. Israel cannot hold without that source of Jews to come to Israel. Israel cannot hold for long with four or five million Jews. This is a fact. It's impossible.
The disappearance of Jews around the world is a concern of all Jews, whether they are inside or outside of Israel. Another thing is that even if I criticize American Jews, it's not a question
'Let's have more Jewish teachers, more Jewish learning'; let's do everything except the one thing that can really change it. die one thing they don't want to do.
Why am I saying that Jewish education, identity and awareness are not the answer? Because I aim a realistic man. Look at what happened in Iran, the Iranian Jews got the best Jewish education. They didn't have much of a choice since they couldn't have any other kind of education.
The Shah went and the ayatollah came. They tied Iran. Where did they go? Ninety.percent [moved] to Los Angeles. Australia, some came to Canada and to other places. A few hiitidred went to Israel.
if,that is not enough, take South .Africa. In South Africa; the Jews got the best Jewish education, awareness and identification than in any other place in the world. When trouble started, they fled in great numbers. Where did.they go? They went to the United States, to Australia, to other places where they will assimilate.
Take the statistics that say between 70 and 80 percent will intermarry. Seventy or 80 percent bl" the Jews of America did not go without a Jewish education, Or awareness or identification. This has nothing to do with education. The Jewish people can defend itself against anti-Semitism. They are helpless against.pro-Semitism. against an open society that,acceptsjhem; And education has nothingto„d.o.,with it. A young Jew who tails in love with a gentile, wantsrTo marry the gentile. He doesn't understand^Hfynie shouldn't/
Ci^-.TIiere's something like six ttdtUori Ji'Ws in America. And what you're saying^appears to he a lose-lose situation ^ that unless they move to Israel they'll disappear, and they aren't moving to Israel.
of paying a price, since there is no price to pay. If you pressure us into certain policies and there is damage done. I have to pay the price of the damage. That is not the case here.
CJN.' So unless Atfierican Jews move to Israel, both communitiesMll endup in extreme danger?
Golan: According to the facts. According to what I know about Israel and what I know .about American Jewiy. From the statistics from the day to day life.
CJN.' But what about Soviet Jews. Several hundred thousand,have come and more are coming: Won't they make Israel a viable elxiity?
Golan: Not at all. First of all. 500.000 is a small number.
. Secondly. I was talking about the burden we are under. If you bring Moroccan Jews, or [Ethiopian Jews] or Russian Jews, you increase the burden.
We arenot talking about advanced people like American Jews or people with money like American Jews; The others have to start from the be-: ginning. It's an additional burden, one we're gladly taking, but it's an additional burden. It may make us weaker in the short run. .
What we need is great numbers of pcQjilejwhb are not a burden but who contribute to the advancement of Israel. And I believe that a million or two million American Jews would better us and make Israel a safer place to live in.
CJN.' You say in your book that American Jews who don^ pay any price are too willing to criticize Israel. Yet at the same time we get people
from Israel who say that American and Canadian Jews should be syilling to criticize Israel when . they think it's important, because we are partners in the Zionist enterprise, hseems there's a mixed signal coming from Israel on this.
Golan: It's not a question of mixed signals. Our leaders are very anxious.to come here and be invited here. They love it here. The Jewish community embraces them, they say all the right things.
I believe I am speaking, from what I know about my friends and what they think, for the silent majority in Israel — those Israelis who don't come here as guests of people and organizations.
Those Israelis who come here as guests want to be invited again, so they are not going to say anything that would jeopardize a repeat invitation.
I also blame we Israelis for this. We are not a passive party. We co-operate fully in this situation.
You have Benjamin Netanyahu running for leadership of Likud. He comes here and asks Jews for money. If you ask Jews for money for political purposes in Israel you give them the right to criticize Israel, to pressure Israel. I think it's terrible what he's doing.
i think it's terrible that the other political figures in Israel come here and embrace the rich Jews in order to get money. •
the strange thing is that the same Netanyahu or anybody else; Peace Now even, they're also coming here to ask for contributions. But if American Jewry criticized Israel in a way they don't like, they'd tell American Jewry' to shut up, you don't have aright to say anything. But you can't ask for money on the one hand and then .say they can't voice an opinion.
What I say is. 'I don't want to ask for money either.' ■ .
CJN: You think it's an iinhealthy situation that Israel gets millions from the world Jewish com--munity?' ' .
Golan: For me this situation is humiliating! Israel doesn't need the money. It's less than two percent of the national budget, a fraction. Israel needed the money 30-40 years ago. But times have changed.
CJN; But certainly the twinning of cities, the community centres. . .
Golan: This is [what I mean by] a vicious circle. By not coming to Israel you make us weak, economically too. so that you make us need your contributions. This is the vicious circle I'nvtalking about [in my book].
But I say another thing as far aS the money is concerned. I would stop the UJA today as well as the [State of Israel] Bonds and tell the Jews of North America. 'You want to be involved with Israel in a monetary way, invest.' Israeli and American Jewry [should decide] that all the officers of UJA and Bonds will become investment officers.
I don't want your donation. I want you to come, pickyourself a project, invest and get shares. Because investment brings people to Israel.
there is in Canada a very good example of that — theKofflers. [Murray] Koftler invested in Su-perpharm and.today his son lives in Israel. When a businessman invests rather than gives to charity, he want.s to be sure he makes a profit. I want people.to make a pr.otlt; Because if they invest and make a profit, it shows th^t my economy is healthy and then 1 don't need contributions.
CJN: Israel gets about $3 billiori from the American government a.s well (ls.U.S. contracts. If there was no American Jewish convmtnir\\ you might run get it.
Golan: We wouldn't.need it. Again, it's a vicious circle. Give me two of three million American Jews in Israel and I wouldn't need any money from the American government. If I had my way. and I'm saying this ironically. I would say to the president of the United States, give me; your Jews and keep the money. Of course, he can't do it. it's a free country.
Look what we did. with four million Jews, not Americans, not advanced people. MosU)f them had to learn everything from the beginning. With two million educated people with their knowhow, . and money, we wouldn't need any aid from the government. -' - ■
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