“When will you have the guts to take on the ULTRA-Orthodox establishment to enable the State of Israel to live to to its full potential as a democratic country serving the diverse interests of ALL of its people?”
The Interviewee – Norman Goldstein (Born 1942), Retired attorney, community activist. Born in Chicago, Illinois, graduate University of Chicago 1963, Northwestern Law School, 1966, married 1964, four children, eight grandchildren (three of whom live in Israel with their parents); actively engaged in Jewish, pro-Israel and community social action efforts.
In your opinion, what importance, if any, does the existence of a Jewish state have to you personally and to Jewish people in general?
“To me it is of great importance as a center of Jewish life, source of pride, strengthening of identity and sign of historic continuity of the Jewish People through the ages. I think the same is true for Jewish People throughout the world.”
Do you feel committed in some way to defend the future existence of Israel?
“If you are asking would I fly to Israel to literally fight for its existence, probably doubtful in that I do not think I would contribute much. If you are asking do I, and will I do everything in my power to advocate on behalf of Israel, defend its right to exist, fight delegitimization efforts, the answer is a resounding YES.”
Do you affiliate yourself with a specific denomination in Judaism? What is your view regarding the dominance of the Orthodox denomination in Israel religious establishment?
“I am actively engaged in the Conservative movement, having served as President of a prominent local congregation and as a regular Shabbat/Yom Tov attendee. I am appalled by the dominance and disingenuous nature of the influence of the ULTRA Orthodox in the Israel religious establishment.
“I have been involved in various multi-denominational unity efforts in Israel and have been repulsed by the attitudes and overbearing influence of the ULTRA Orthodox on Jewish daily life in Israel and its impact on Diaspora Jewry.“
Do you feel morally responsible for Israel’s actions (such as its management of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict)?
“I do not feel ‘morally’ responsible but do believe that ALL Jews are held accountable for the Current government’s mismanagement of the Israeli- Palestinian conflict. While I disagree strenuously with many of the policies, practices and pronouncements of the current Israeli government, I am also not oblivious to the fact that it ‘takes two to tango’ and the Palestinian leadership has not been forthcoming.“
In your opinion, what is the main thing Israelis fail to understand about the reality of being Jewish outside of Israel?
“In Israel, you are Jewish by dint of being there, in the Diaspora, you can choose not to be Jewishly engaged. Therefore, it takes a stronger commitment to affirmatively demonstrate one’s commitment to being Jewish outside of Israel. In the diaspora, it is very easy to dissociate oneself from Jewish identity and it is a challenge to make being Jewish a positive experience, a challenge we are not meeting very effectively.”
How would you describe Israel’s policy (formally and in practice) regarding its relationship with the Diaspora?
“Assuming you are talking about the policy of the government, I believe it naively and wrongly assumes that all Jews should be supportive of whatever actions the government of Israel takes. This is falsely premised on the sycophantish behavior of many so called Jewish ‘leaders’ who are interested in nothing but photo ops with the Prime Minister and little understanding of the apathy or antipathy of the Jewish man in the street.“
In your opinion, does Israel have an obligation to defend and help Jewish communities in need?
“Israel should be a haven for Jews in the world who are threatened. It should facilitate aliyah, but even more important, devote greater resources to making certain that KLITAH processes are improved to ensure that Olim remain in Israel, by choice.”
Have you ever been to Israel? if you have, can you summarize your impressions from Israel?
“Dozens of times since the late 60s. I never cease to be amazed by its tangible accomplishments, its diversity, its beauty and its complexity.
“I am appalled by its economic disparities, its unwillingness and inability ‘to take on the ULTRA Orthodox’ its inability to improve its political processes to advance the interests of ALL the people of Israel, its treatment of Israeli Arab citizens, its lack of forward thinking emerging political leaders, but am still in love with the PEOPLE of Israel and the hope that Israel represents as a proverbial ‘light unto the nations’.”
Can you tell us a bit about the Jewish community in your hometown?
“It is a diverse community of more than 1/4 million persons. There is a corps of native locals, but a mass of post WW !! arrivals, who, in large part still retain bonds to their communities of origin. It has outstanding individual talents and tremendous potential as a Jewish polity that he never been successfully brought together as a cohesive community. The Jewish talent is most impressive but it does not engage in furtherance of developing a strong Jewishly/Israel identified community.”
If you could ask the Israeli readers of this project a question, what would it be?
“When will you have the guts to take on the ULTRA-Orthodox establishment to enable the State of Israel to live to to its full potential as a democratic country serving the diverse interests of ALL of its people?”
