In doing so, they have undercut the support, concern and affection of so many American friends. As American supporters of Israel complain "We can't be more Zionist than the Israelis choose to be." Our relationship with Israel has always been symbiotic. Their courage and determination elevated the prestige and political clout of Jews in America. In turn, American Jews used this new-found influence to support the Jewish State. One of the partners, American Jewry, began to abandon Israel after the Lebanon war, and the other partner, namely Israel, then abandoned its senses. The ineluctable consequence is that both will pay an enormous price.
There is an old Yiddish saying, "The oaf means it in earnest." About the best illustration of this old saw is the recent testimony of Mark X Jacobs, director of the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL) a sub (we really mean sub) group of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism. The testimony was given to the House Transportation Appropriations subcommittee in support of raising Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. CAFE standards set the minimum requirement for miles-per-gallon for a corporate fleet of cars.
Here for the record (and the laughs) are excerpts from Mr.Jacobs' testimony:
"We face choices that will affect generations to come --biblical choices between life and death, between a blessing and curse. Shall energy be a safe, clean, sustainable blessing? Or shall our consumption of energy be a curse, causing harm, and even death, to people and other creatures far into the future?
"I am here today not as technical expert or as a scientist, but as the representative of a tradition and a community which believe that issues such as CAFE standards are at their heart about our most basic obligations, the biblical imperatives to choose life and pursue justice. Since the 1970's, the organized Jewish community has consistently supported federal policies and programs to reduce U.S. consumption of fossil fuels based upon both our ancient values and contemporary policy principles.
"Jewish tradition teaches that humankind has a solemn obligation to future generations to live within the ecological limits of the earth. Global warming poses grave threats to future generations--including more frequent and severe storms, decreasing agricultural productivity, and even the failure of entire ecosystems.
"In order to fulfill our obligations to future generations, to creation, and to the Creator--and, in order to protect our common self-interest and security, we must raise CAFE standards for all vehicles, including sport utility vehicles, mini-vans, and pick-up trucks. It is imperative that Congress allow the Department of Transportation to study the feasibility and practicability of raising CAFE standards. . . .
"We face choices that will affect generations to come --biblical choices between life and death, between a blessing and a curse. Shall energy be a safe, clean, sustainable blessing? Or shall our consumption of energy be a curse, causing illness and death to people and other creatures far into the future?"
Ruth King is a member of the executive committee of Americans For a Safe Israel.
Americans For a Safe Israel
1623 Third Ave. (at 92nd St.) - Suite 205
New York, NY 10128
Outpost - 12 - February 2000