Comments on: Jews and Obama: two views http://njjewishnews.com/justASC/2009/07/02/jews-and-obama-two-views/ A multilog with NJJN Editor-in-Chief Andrew Silow-Carroll Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:09:56 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Larry (Avraham) Kallus http://njjewishnews.com/justASC/2009/07/02/jews-and-obama-two-views/comment-page-1/#comment-15156 Larry (Avraham) Kallus Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:29:02 +0000 http://njjewishnews.com/justASC/?p=1274#comment-15156 An acquaintance, from whom I usually receive an e-mail with a copy of the bulletin on the Torah Portion of the Week that he puts together for his synagogue, sent me the following: Barack Obama has demanded that Israel “freeze” growth and construction -- that Israeli families not be allowed to build extra rooms on their houses, much less new houses, and that they discontinue even “natural growth.” Obama’s envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell, explained the meaning of this to reporters last month: QUESTION: . . . can you give us just a definition of what the United States considers natural growth? What does that phrase mean in your mind? MR. MITCHELL: There’s been no change in our policy. And there have been - there have been discussions on every aspect of the issue. QUESTION: Well, what does natural growth mean? I mean, can you just use it in… MR. MITCHELL: I’m constantly asked by editors, you know, please give a plain explanation of what natural growth is. QUESTION: If it’s for your editor. (Laughter.) MR. MITCHELL: Well, of course, one of the issues is that there is no universally used and accepted definition. The most common definition is by the number of births, but there are many variations of that. I’ve had numerous discussions with many Israeli and other officials, and there are almost as many definitions as there are people speaking. But I think the most commonly used measure is the number of births. I found the above quotes a bit incendiary and asked my acquaintance for his source. He was able to provide quite a few independent sources (see below) - the first 2 listed below are Commentary Magazine and Canadian Jewish News. http://www.commentarymagazine.com/blogs/index.php/richman/70592 http://www.cjnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17200&Itemid=86 http://myrightword.blogspot.com/2009/06/its-all-about-births.html http://israelinsider.ning.com/profiles/blogs/mitchell-jews-in-judea-must I understand that Mr. Mitchell has done some waffling, though, so as not to seem inflexible about there being no births. Nevertheless I cannot help but be reminded of the line in the Passover Haggadah where we say "Pharoah only decreed against the male offspring but" so-and-so wanted to do much worse. I had thought the Obama administration was asking merely for an end to construction by Jewish people who live in the walled city of Jerusalem, Judaea and Samaria. Apparently, Mr. Mitchell is even suggesting an objection to live births. I think those of us who have considered ourselves friendly to the Obama administration, ought to quietly convey to them that this is the kind of vocabulary that is likely to create an uproar in the Jewish community if it should become known. I find it outrageous. I don't want my governemnt officials to be counted with the so-and-so's. Best wishes for the legacy of this administration and for the Jewish people, Larry (Avraham) Kallus, West Orange An acquaintance, from whom I usually receive an e-mail with a copy of the bulletin on the Torah Portion of the Week that he puts together for his synagogue, sent me the following:
Barack Obama has demanded that Israel “freeze” growth and construction — that Israeli families not be allowed to build extra rooms on their houses, much less new houses, and that they discontinue even “natural growth.”

Obama’s envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell, explained the meaning of this to reporters last month:
QUESTION: . . . can you give us just a definition of what the United States considers natural growth? What does that phrase mean in your mind?
MR. MITCHELL: There’s been no change in our policy. And there have been – there have been discussions on every aspect of the issue.
QUESTION: Well, what does natural growth mean? I mean, can you just use it in…
MR. MITCHELL: I’m constantly asked by editors, you know, please give a plain explanation of what natural growth is.
QUESTION: If it’s for your editor. (Laughter.)
MR. MITCHELL: Well, of course, one of the issues is that there is no universally used and accepted definition. The most common definition is by the number of births, but there are many variations of that. I’ve had numerous discussions with many Israeli and other officials, and there are almost as many definitions as there are people speaking. But I think the most commonly used measure is the number of births.

I found the above quotes a bit incendiary and asked my acquaintance for his source. He was able to provide quite a few independent sources (see below) – the first 2 listed below are Commentary Magazine and Canadian Jewish News.
http://www.commentarymagazine.com/blogs/index.php/richman/70592
http://www.cjnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17200&Itemid=86
http://myrightword.blogspot.com/2009/06/its-all-about-births.html
http://israelinsider.ning.com/profiles/blogs/mitchell-jews-in-judea-must

I understand that Mr. Mitchell has done some waffling, though, so as not to seem inflexible about there being no births.
Nevertheless I cannot help but be reminded of the line in the Passover Haggadah where we say “Pharoah only decreed against the male offspring but” so-and-so wanted to do much worse. I had thought the Obama administration was asking merely for an end to construction by Jewish people who live in the walled city of Jerusalem, Judaea and Samaria. Apparently, Mr. Mitchell is even suggesting an objection to live births.
I think those of us who have considered ourselves friendly to the Obama administration, ought to quietly convey to them that this is the kind of vocabulary that is likely to create an uproar in the Jewish community if it should become known. I find it outrageous. I don’t want my governemnt officials to be counted with the so-and-so’s.
Best wishes for the legacy of this administration and for the Jewish people,
Larry (Avraham) Kallus, West Orange

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