Page 33 - Jewish News_August-2020

COMMENTARY August 2020 33

On my mind A friendship against all odds

By David Harris, CEO, American Jewish Committee (AJC), June 14, 2020
an “A” and entered into a business n the wake of the unprecedented democratic and pacific Germany. formal diplomatic ties between Ger- The rationale for this historic deci-
arrangement with the Church called tragedy of the Holocaust, it was Over the next seven decades, step many and Israel was another postwar sion was that 2020 coincided with the
“The Divine Right of Kings” (and less- Ianything but obvious that a Jew- by step, a remarkable story developed. milestone. 75 anniversary of the end of the Sec-
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er Aristocrats). All people were now, ish group would seek to engage post- It began as an effort, with the help of All of this underscored AJC’s in- ond World War. It was the right time to
ipso facto, subjects of this group and war Germany. But that’s exactly what the American occupation authorities, vestment in postwar Germany and be- look back and remember the dark past,
existed only for their welfare and bet- American Jewish Committee (AJC), to introduce programs for Germans on lief in the possibility, however remote to assess the remarkable road trav-
terment. Good deal for the haves, not alone among global Jewish organi- democracy, mutual respect, denazifica- it may have seemed on May 8, 1945, eled since 1945, to take stock of where
so good for the others. This went on for zations, did. Others largely shunned tion and anti-antisemitism. that a promising new chapter could be things stand today, and to plan for the
quite a long time, with the Jew being Germany, wishing it to go into obliv- That wasn’t easy, and the process written. future. The topics to be examined in-
a good foil to keep order and atten- ion. was anything but linear. As the years passed, the AJC in- cluded the transatlantic partnership;
tion from these Aristocrats and Church Why? It was certainly not for lack Not every German was prepared to volvement became both deeper and European integration and solidarity;
muck-a-mucks. But I digress. of understanding of what happened renounce overnight the ideology that more varied. rising anti-Semitism around the world;
These Founding Fathers “invent- during the 12-year reign of the Third had driven so many from 1933 to 1945. In 1980, for example, it partnered fading Holocaust memory; Israel and
ed” a form of government totally dif- Reich. The immense human toll was Nor was every German suddenly pre- with the Konrad Adenauer Founda- Europe; and the health of democratic
ferent from anything prior. This new all too well known, as was the enor- pared to take lessons from Americans, tion to establish an annual exchange values.
system was going to be created around mity of the Final Solution against the much less American Jews, on how to program, now in its 40 year, bringing Alas, the pandemic forced cancel-
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the concept that government was re- Jews. The liberation of the concentra- live their lives going forward. And in a American Jewish leaders to Germany lation of this gathering. It was a painful
sponsible to the people and working tion camps, from Auschwitz-Birkenau ravaged country, with cities destroyed, for study tours, and emerging German decision. The Global Forum was sold
for the good of people. It was to be a to Mauthausen, revealed the horrific economic infrastructure crippled, refu- leaders to the United States to under- out, the list of confirmed speakers was
“People’s Government” of, by and for truths. The horrors were all-envelop- gees on the march and adequate food stand American Jewish life. That was long, and the experience would have
the people. And it was! We are still liv- ing, the pain searing. an ever-present issue, not everyone’s followed by partnerships with the taken participants out of the conference
ing with that system and it, like our Rather, it was for one simple rea- first priority was necessarily the em- Friedrich Ebert and Friedrich Nau- center and to such venues as Sachsen-
Judaism, has spawned countless other son: AJC leaders understood that brace of a new value system. mann foundations. hausen and the Brandenburg Gate for
religions and governments throughout Germany could not be wished into But with the passage of time, and In 1990, strengthened by more program sessions.
the world. oblivion, any more than it could be the help of inspired leaders, includ- than four decades of deepening en- Fortunately, all is not lost. Thanks
They are, and have been, the nu- transformed into a permanently weak, ing, notably, Chancellor Konrad Ad- gagement, AJC became the first inter- to technology, a Virtual Global Forum
cleus around which improvements can agricultural country, as some American enauer, the first signs of progress were national Jewish organization to support will take place instead from June 14 to
be made for the betterment of civiliza- officials unsuccessfully tried to per- achieved. publicly German reunification. 18. It may not have quite the emotional
tion, rather than the sole purview of a suade the White House at the time. Beginning in 1949, West Germany In 1994, a seemingly improbable power of actually being in Berlin, but
few dominating all for their own selfish Sooner or later, Germany would established a democracy, which has relationship was established with the will permit an exploration of timely is-
ends. re-emerge on the European and global proved remarkably resilient. Through Bundeswehr that is now in its 26 year. sues – and an affirmation of the unique
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We study, debate, amend, tweet stages. Would that Germany be another the brilliant vision of two Frenchmen, It led to joint cooperation in assisting bond that has been forged between
and argue the pros and cons of each, tyrannical, aggressive nation, trig- Robert Schuman and Jean Monnet, refugees from Kosovo, driven out by Germany and AJC over the past 75
and only because we have those sys- gering yet more war, or would it be a the first seeds of European integra- ethnic cleansing, among other initia- years.
tems in place can we do all the above. democratic and peaceful country, co- tion were planted and, centrally, of tives. May that bond serve as an inspir-
It’s a never-ending experiment, excit- operating with its neighbors and con- course, included West Germany, as In 1998, AJC became the first ing case study in the possibilities of
ing, frustrating and challenging, with tributing to a more stable world? the project’s main objective was to American Jewish group to open a per- progress for nations and people every-
no end in sight, and that is good. And The answer was anything but ob- prevent another war in Europe. The manent office in Berlin. where.
that’s why I like being Jewish! vious in the 1940s. AJC leaders at the United States helped immeasurably And in 2019, AJC announced that
Joel Kreiss is a past president of the time grasped the essential fact that in getting Germany back on its feet, the organization’s annual Global Fo- The AJC West Coast
Jewish Congregation of Venice. they could not sit on the sidelines and bolstering democratic institutions, de- rum, which draws thousands of partici-
wait for the unfolding of history to re- fending its security and becoming a pants, would be held in Berlin in June Florida office, located in
veal the answer to the question. Too staunch ally. To the surprise of many, 2020. This was to be the first time since
much was at stake. They needed to a Jewish community in Germany was the organization’s founding in 1906 Sarasota, can be reached
get involved in trying to help ensure reborn and took root in several cit- that it would take place in Europe, at 941.365.4955.
that the answer was an unambiguously ies. And the establishment in 1965 of much less in Germany.

build. advocate.

remember. support.

Government Affairs

Meetings with elected officials are increasingly important as we see support
for Israel eroding around the world. Advocating for Jewish interests starts
locally and often goes to Washington D.C. You can count on the Heller CRC
when it matters most, from advocating in our local school systems to

championing national bills.

^ Builds Bridges
Robert and Esther Heller ^ Advocates through
CRC Government Affairs

COMMUNITY RELATIONS COMMITTEE ^ Remembers the Holocaust
^ Supports Hillel

Holocaust

Heller CRC assists school teachers, synagogues, churches and
libraries to “Never Forget.” The Holocaust Speakers Bureau
brings survivors’ personal stories to school children and
adults alike. Classrooms Without Borders takes elite
teachers each year to Poland with a survivor. These
experiences change how they teach the Holocaust,
helping them create upstanders in their schools.

HELLER CRC’S MISSION

To build relationships within
the Jewish and non-Jewish

communities and to advance
common interests through
education and advocacy. jfedsrq.org/HellerCRC

Published by The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee • www.jfedsrq.org