At the beginning of April, an International Spinoza Institute was established in Israel in cooperation with the Hebrew University and Mishkenot Sha’ananim. It has attracted the sponsorship of Mayor Teddy Kollek and Professor Ephraim Katzir as well as many Israeli intellectuals and academics. The embryonic Institute has planned a series of hi-annual conferences up to … Read more
The Thirteenth Jerusalem Prize for work defending “the freedom of individuals in society” will be awarded to the South African writer J. M. Coetzee by Teddy KoIlek on April 9th. Coetzee is the first South African to be awarded the prize and follows in the footsteps of such luminaries as Bertrand Russell, Eugene Ionesco, Ignazio … Read more
Anachnu Kan (‘We are here”), the popular Israeli song and dance ensemble, recently visited Britain to sing in the Yom Ha’atzmaut concert. Many of the members were amongst the wave of immigrants who were permitted to leave the USSR following the mass protests and sit-ins at the beginning of 1971. As their name suggests, this … Read more
One suspects that only in the Jewish world could a conference of journalists be deemed to “preserve” a people. Accordingly, the recent Jerusalem-based International Colloquium of the Jewish Press was subtitled “The role of the Jewish press in preserving the Jewish people”. This odd premise was variously interpreted by the conference speakers. Chaim Herzog, President … Read more
The people of Israel are remarkably innovative and Moshe Efrati’s dance company is a good example. It is called Kol Demama—the Voice of Silence. Such a name may conjure up many misleading images—for many of Efrati’s dancers are totally deaf. How do the deaf and the hearing communicate with each other? How do the worlds … Read more
JEWISH opposition to apartheid is not necessarily related to political or religious affiliation. This was well-proven by an Orthodox rabbi and supporter of Herut who died last year: Louis Isaac Rabinowitz. A leading figure in the Orthodox rabbinate and considered by many as Chief Rabbi material, Rabinowitz served from 1944-1961 as Chief Minister of the … Read more
The Board of Deputies of British Jews is a traditional animal. It is a creature of great longevity and the respectable backbone of Anglo-Jewry. It defends Jewish interests and is regarded by the outside world as the legitimate voice of the Jewish community. Despite its hard work and manifest good intentions, there is still … Read more
Despite Eric Moonman’s optimism, there appears little, if any, sign of increased intellectual involvement in the Zionist movement. A conference of academics in support of Israel cannot be cited as involvement. All too often, public relations exercises have been presented as genuine debate. It would seem that with the exception of youth groups and students, … Read more
The call for the establishment of a national Conference on Soviet Jewry would be a welcome development in co-ordinating future activities and would satisfy many of the complaints now being made. Until a few months ago, there were four definable groups within the campaign. The “old guard” centred very much on the Board’s Soviet Jewry … Read more