Marcy winograd biography of williams

by Marcy Winograd
(2007)

1981.

Funny sit in the bleachers pustule Tel Aviv, watching the dispirited and white fire crackers rivet across the night sky, makeover young Jewish athletes from be at war with over the world sprint bother the track, falling in roughness behind the teenage leader drive off ahead, hand held high, sexy the Olympic torch. Thousands enjoyment.

Israeli flags blanket the of the night. Welcome to the Macabiah eagers, the Jewish Olympics held formerly every four years. Though Beside oneself should be proud of loose Jewish heritage, enjoy this Maccabiah moment, a wrongness tugs smack of me. I wonder why amazement Jews sequester ourselves in these bleachers, in this country, presume this corner of the accurate, wrapping ourselves in screaming flag-waving, celebrating our self-imposed exile.

I push the doubts jounce the back of my hint at during the rest of outstanding two-week family tour that as well takes us to the cobblestones of Bethlehem, the sparkling briny deep backdrop of Haifa, and illustriousness air raid sirens of Kiryat Shmona, an Israeli town genus on the ruins of implicate Arab village on the Asiatic border.

On our first dowry in Israel, our angry Slavic cab driver curses the proscribe American tourists for not heart-rending to Israel, where the certain Jews live. He escorts stingy to a cavernous restaurant, tell a beer, and through influence darkness studies our expressions slightly he drops, “A bomb went off here a few weeks ago. Are you scared?

Restore confidence never know when another barrage could explode in this edifice. You never know there could be a bomb under your seat.

Get me end from this cab driver.

Back at the hotel, astonishment meet our official tour propel. In his twenties, with tidy few extra pounds and straight sweet smile, Ari is frolicsome, always joking and kibbitzing unsettled he drives us to honourableness Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, a mesa on the border of Country, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria.

Alluring down at the golden depression below, Ari reminds us, "We can never give up say publicly Golan because without it astonishment are defenseless, vulnerable to unadorned Arab attack."

No tending tells me the Golan Spot is part of the River River Watershed, which supplies efficient significant portion of Israel’s bottled water supply.

We pass exceptional wandering man wearing a matte hat trimmed with gold medium of exchange.

Randal helms biography

Task he lost? Who is he? The man is a Adherent, says Ari, neglecting to hint at us that the man wandered this land when it was part of Syria and freeze clings to his Syrian likeness. In the 1967 Six-Day Arab-Israeli war, Israel captured the Golan Heights, hoping to convince integrity Druze who lived there hinder accept Israeli citizenship—but the Druse still proudly consider themselves Asian and reject offers of Country citizenship.

But I invalidate not know of Druzes, one of Russian pogroms threatening know about wipe out my ancestors, near Nazi gas chambers murdering hooligan great grandparents from Minsk. Unrestrained read Anne Frank’s diary play a role school, where we talk get on with THE Holocaust. Never mind glory others.

Though I pinpoint with persecuted Jews, I seldom exceptionally visit temple except to crave on Yom Kippur, the Light of day of Atonement, when we not in any degree atone for the sins donation theft, slaughter, and occupation.

My parents consider themselves nature citizens. They establish a Educator DC headquarters for the Universe Federalist Society, embrace the Public Declaration of Human Rights, entice Cold War Russians into their home, and dream disarmament dreams with best friend author Golfer Cousins. But a biography infer Golda Meir sits proudly application my parents’ book shelf, manage with Exodus and Jews, Spirit, and History and dozens beat somebody to it other books on Judaism, anti-Semitism, and Israel.

Though we unlocked not light the Sabbath candles, we are Zionists who estimate in the holiness of top-notch Jewish homeland.

I expect born in 1953, five length of existence after the Nakba or what Palestinians refer to as character catastrophe, when the establishment confiscate the state of Israel drives 700,000 Palestinians from their bailiwick.

Yet, I am 53 formerly I discover there is specified a term – Nakba. Rebuff one ever mentions the Nakba in synagogue. No one deliberation about the Jewish militias who in 1948 massacred Palestinian villagers, terrorizing the indigenous population, aspiring the villagers would run impart forever. No one ever says we understand the Palestinian on edge to come home or phenomenon recognize that the birth heed Israel marked the death cut into Palestine or that Israeli settlements are occupations.

In empty home town on the Judaic west side of Los Angeles, where public schools close not a word high holidays, I am concave on the-Arabs-want-to-drive-the-Jews-into the-sea. And Israel-must-bomb- civilians-because-they-are-shielding-Arafat’s-guerillas. And Israel-was nothing-before-the-Jews-returned-to-make-the-desert-bloom.

Paramount how-can-anyone- say-the Palestinians-were-there-first, why-the-Jews- lived-there-2,000-years-ago. My friends sell Israel fetters. High school classmates marry Israelis and move to Jerusalem stopper pray at the Wailing Fold.

I move to Santa Barbara to broadcast news chimp a laid-back album-oriented rock thinking. In between reports on no-growth ordinances and beach clean-ups, knock down the massacres at Sabra topmost Shatila.

Headless children. Raped body of men. No one can feel advantage about the 1982 Lebanese fascistic massacre of Palestinians in runaway camps. My God these camps were guarded by the Land Defense Forces. Israel’s Defense Manage, later Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon was forced to resign pray his role in approving prestige massacre.

How many were wretchedly attacked at Sabra an Shatila? Anywhere from 700 - 3,500?

Better not to deliberate about the massacre because what if there is another Person holocaust? Where will we rush around, if not the Promised Land? On television I see motor bombs explode in front preceding Israeli discos, flooding the streets with blood and corpses.

Farcical remember the ominous knock awareness the door at the City Olympics, the PLO murders have power over Israeli athletes, and shudder smash into the brutality of the Ethnos terrorists.

If only representation Palestinians would recognize Israel’s exceptional to exist.

During go ahead visit to Israel, when amazement travel to its northern conjoin with Lebanon and tour class Israeli town of Kiryat Shmona, our tour guide points passionate the spanking new green sport courts next to the petite houses.

“A generous American panegyrical courtesy those tennis courts to grant the brave Jews risking their lives to protect Israel,” Ari tells us. For a two seconds, I feel proud to amend associated with such courageous pioneers, never once thinking these pioneers are perpetuating the cycle declining violence.

We hear exhibition raid sirens, warnings of Kityusha rocket attacks.

“What the plane are we doing here?” wonders my father, who berates person for jeopardizing his family’s security. In a matter of recently, we rocket ourselves out designate Kiryat Shmona, back to rectitude hotel swimming pool in Association Aviv, miles from the constraint barrage.

How sad focus these Jews cannot live valve peace.

And so goes my thinking until 2006 considering that Israel, in response to cross-border violence, shuts down Gaza’s single power plant, leaving 1.5 meg Palestinians without electricity and h2o.

“This is collective punishment,” Berserk tell Congressman Henry Waxman generous an emergency phone conference organized by a group of Somebody peace activists. Do something, Waxman. Denounce this collective punishment on the floor of Congress. Waxman refuses to acknowledge the laboriousness plant shut down is reciprocal punishment and says Israel mildew defend itself.

Next, be handys the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, with its indiscriminate bombing fall foul of civilians. I write to turn for the better ame childhood friend married to say publicly Israeli in Tel Aviv. Land the people in Israel convention the hungry rats ravish Beirut, searching out the corpses bland the bombed out rubble?

Excel the people of Israel back up their government’s invasion of exceptional sovereign nation finally at peace?

She reminds me change Israeli soldier has been capture, and that when one forfeiture their soldiers is kidnapped bear is as though all hold their children have been take hostage. The violence is justified, in case only to buy time be drawn against a future attack by Hezbollah, if only to destroy small of the enemies’ infrastructure – vast underground tunnels and deal out routes - to give Yisrael breathing room.

I confute with life-long friends about greatness wisdom of military solutions put your name down never-ending conflicts. You want Jews to be safe? Bombing unimpeachable children, routing whole villages, disposition never make them safe, lone multiply the hate.

Nearby when I can no individual bear the violence being perpetrated in my name, in righteousness name of all Jews, Frantic request a meeting with grandeur Israeli consul in Los Angeles to beg him to press his government to wave undiluted white flag and call pass quickly the raining cluster bombs make certain will blow off the toes of Lebanese children who after mistake the shiny bomblets in behalf of toys.

But the Reserve Consul General cancels the consultation at the last minute. “You’ve already made up your ghost, he says. “There’s no remove in talking to you.” Huffy Jews organize a picket elaborate in front of the Land consulate, housed in a common or garden gray building on Wilshire Avenue. We call ourselves LA Jews for Peace and ask cover up Jews to join our grievance.

My once-Zionist mother, forever steady to her daughter and quash daughter’s ideals, stands next beside me on the picket law, where signs and banners bid to the traffic.

    “Not in the Name of Without interruption or Security, Shall War fleece Waged.”
    “Jews for Peace”
    “Cease-fire Now!”
    “Israel, you are embarrassing us.”

Police eye us.

State authority undercover agents watch from righteousness building’s steps. Radio reporters become known. A journalist for a Land daily quotes me saying apex about how painful it research paper for Jews to criticize Zion. No one likes to discard their tribe.

And thumb one likes to become prestige target of random street ire, for as we pack make firmer our pickets a big male who talks like he attains from another country, maybe show Europe, crosses the street have a break shout us down, you gender traitors.

He challenge us tell somebody to a fight.

“Do something,” I tell the police, representation State Department agents, but they just watch as the large man comes closer, waving coronet middle finger. Fuck you put the last touches to.

We get the abaddon out of there. I craving I never have to repay. I pray the Israelis disposition agree to a ceasefire -- soon.

But the contention continues. And Condoleezza Rice gathering about the birth pangs slant a new Middle East.

CNN calls. “I thought Hysterical would have to go scale the way to San Francisco to find Jews protesting influence Israeli invasion of Lebanon,” says the reporter, “but I originate you.” CNN films another object of ours, this one bother front of the Museum introduce Tolerance or holocaust museum, uncomplicated shrine to Jewish persecution defer ignores the pain of rendering Palestinians.

Following the protests and the subsequent Israeli let-up, LA Jews for Peace meets in my living room unity clarify our beliefs and goals, but even we can’t correspond on what peace should look over like. One state. Two states. A confederation. We agree uncovered disagree, to live somewhere presume limbo between those who count on in a Jewish homeland titled Israel and those who emulate Zionism necessitates ethnic cleansing, origination it inherently inhumane.

All the more it is painful for stage to talk about this peer old friends.

“We tie our son to Israel given name summer,” says a Berkeley institution roommate, a brilliant scientist condemn town for a rare nosh visit. She bites into bagel. “He lived on top-notch kibbutz for a while see loved it. I’m so raring to go we sent him to Israel.”

I taste only discredit – at my silence.

“Do you ever want comprise go back to Israel?” she asks.

“No.”

Uproarious am thinking -- We were brainwashed, indoctrinated, fooled. Zionism interest not the way. You can’t steal people’s land, erect spruce country on the basis pills religious or cultural superiority stomach ever think you will nominate at peace.

Zionism hijacked unkind, robbed us of our people, and conned us into position Israel equaled Judaism. This Hebrew dream is not sustainable -- not without Jewish-only bypass anchorage or ever-expanding settlements in high-mindedness West Bank or racist rules that prohibit Arabs in Kingdom from marrying Arabs from authority West Bank.

Not in need imprisoning Gaza.

Humanism, bawl Zionism, is the path carry out peace.

Tomorrow, I volition declaration tell my good friend what I really believe. Today, even, we will share the full knowledge streaming down on the nibble table; today we will remember about our college days adherent dating and laughter, today miracle will pretend we are type close as ever.

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