Speaker invited for the wrong reasons
Contrary to the assertions in a recent letter to the editor (“Rabbi should consider new points of view,” Jan. 18), I, a veteran political dissenter vis-a-vis the Middle East, have always welcomed alternative views.
In the case of Hedy Epstein, what I find objectionable is that the chief reason she was invited to speak at UCLA is her identity as a Holocaust survivor who is critical of Israel.
Taking a broad perspective, Epstein’s visit was simply another skirmish in a dirty war between Israel’s advocates and its detractors, consisting of one group hosting a speaker whose ethnic origins lay with the other group.
What this achieves is the humiliation of the members of the opposing community.
Such a program does nothing to further our understanding of the conflict. It only promotes further divisiveness and hostility on campus.
This point was brought home to me a few years ago when Jewish students sponsored former Palestinian terrorist Walid Shoebat.
The students applauded wildly for their newfound “hero,” whose message was insulting and degrading to Muslims and Arabs.
All such speakers ““ and there is a long list on both sides ““ are merely pawns in a propaganda campaign. Their words are generally meaningless and they carry little credibility in their own communities.
With regard to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the only time a critique might have an impact is when the speaker’s community is primed to hear the criticism or when it is leveled against both parties.
This, of course, is a much more difficult stance, and the speaker risks arousing the ire of everyone involved.
My experience of 31 years at UCLA has taught me that the best Middle East programs propose constructive steps that might lead to a compromise.
Given the reality of a region rife with enmity, there is little reason for transferring the battle to our campus.
To this end, Hillel has attempted, over the years, to coordinate events that could potentially build a coalition between opposing student groups.
Perhaps the time has arrived for both sides to lay down their swords and speak to each other rather than at each other.
Then, rather than constantly arguing about the past, we can focus our energies on building a better future together.
Chaim Seidler-Feller
Rabbi, Hillel at UCLA