“As a modern Jewish historian, [the nation of Israel] makes me enormously proud,” keynote speaker Prof. Tim Crain told some 160 community members who attended the Milwaukee Jewish Federation’s annual meeting on Aug. 14, at the Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center.
Noting that in just six decades, Israel has become “a modern democratic state with one of the highest standards of living in the entire world,” Crain said that he is optimistic that Israel’s future is bright.
But for Israel to fulfill its potential, it is essential that it achieve the second of two major foreign policy objectives it established when it was founded; it must end hostilities with the Arab world.
“Throughout the history of Israel, the Zionist republic focused on two major objectives regarding foreign policy. The first objective was to establish economic and commercial ties with nations throughout the world.
“The second objective and perhaps even more important for this nation in its embryonic stage and onwards as the 20th century progressed into the 21st century, was to formally end hostilities with the Arab states, to achieve peace and hope for the future,” Crain said.
He illustrated Israel’s progress on the first of those foreign policy objectives by describing Israel’s strong relationships especially with the U.S., but also with Germany, Italy, France and Turkey.
Noting that relations with Egypt and Jordan, once among Israel’s most threatening enemies, have been normalized and peace with Syria is “a work in progress,” Crain said Israel’s greatest foreign policy concerns lie with the Palestinians and the Islamic Republic of Iran.
And Crain called on “the international community, particularly the great powers [to] get themselves involved in a more constructive fashion in this region.”
After outlining how those powers worked together at critical times and created conditions that benefited Israel in the 20th century, he noted that “although some progress has been made [toward peace] much work obviously remains,” and noted that during the Bush administration, for a number of reasons, “very little progress was made.”
That kind of disengagement cannot continue if Israel is to thrive, Crain said.
“Now, with a new presidential election on the horizon, it is absolutely imperative, whether it’s Barack Obama or John McCain, to get involved in the situation once again, because the United States [which is unique in having good relations in the Arab world and also with Israel] can do a great deal of good,” he said.
Progress “will most likely come about at a snail’s pace,” which he said “is very, very hard for Americans … who like a quick fix. Patience is going to be very, very important,” Crain said.
If the U.S, the last superpower in the world, continues to stand on the sidelines, “the status quo will continue and progress toward eventually resolving these problems that have so plagued the nation of Israel for its first 60 years will be unreachable.”
Crain ended by saying he is “very optimistic. And I remain a firm believer regarding the nation of Israel, that the best is yet to come.”
At the meeting, federation executive vice president Richard H. Meyer thanked the 361 community members who have volunteered for the federation and the MJF staff. He then recognized staff members who had reached milestone years in their MJF employment.
Women’s Division president Idy Goodman presented the Melvin S. Zaret Distinguished Professional Service Award to Steven A. Baruch, Ph.D., director of the Coalition for Jewish Learning, the education program of the federation.
In his address, federation president Bruce A. Arbit spoke about the plight of Jewish refugees from Georgia.
“In the last week alone almost 3,000 Georgians have died and over 100,000 have been driven from their homes. This has become a humanitarian catastrophe of the first degree,” he said.
“All in all, there are some 10,000 Jews eligible for aliyah to Israel who live in this area and are caught in the crossfire. Once again, in my lifetime there are Jewish refugees. It’s hard to believe it,” he said, linking those refugees with the federation’s fundraising work.
Nominating chair David J. Lubar presented his committee report and congratulated Jerry Benjamin, who has been elected president-elect to begin his term at this time next year.
In addition to Arbit and Benjamin, the 2008-2009 officers are: vice presidents Betty Chrustowski, Jane Gellman, Idy Goodman, Betsy L. Green, Keith Lindenbaum, Lubar and Mitch Moser; treasurer John Cohn; and secretary Scott Sampson.
The federation elected 13 new members for a two year term: Stan Azimov, Daniel Bader, Fred Croen, Brad Dallet, Suzy Ettinger, Jennifer Friedman, Moshe Katz, Jody Kaufman Loewenstein, Judi Ketten, Julie Sadoff, Linda Marcus, Karen Schapiro and Andrea Schneider.
Event co-chairs were Keith Lindenbaum and Linda Marcus.
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