A Word from Rabbi Schulman - 2/6/14

I am really pleased that Brotherhood is bringing an Israeli diplomat to our congregation this Sunday morning. From 9am-11am, Eyal Naor, Deputy Consul General of Israel to the Pacific Northwest, will speak “about the current situation in the Middle East, threats and opportunities for Israel.” In addition to providing an overview of Israel’s domestic and regional challenges, there will be a generous amount of time for attendees to ask questions of Mr. Naor.

I expect the questions from our members will be probing and forthright, just as they have been in previous occasions when we have hosted an Israeli representative. There is no need to self-censor any query posed to the Deputy Consul. At TBT there is a bedrock of support for Israel, so as long as the question is posed in a respectful manner, I do not think there is anything that should be considered off limits.

Besides, Mr. Naor is an experienced diplomat. He is trained to respond in an even-keeled manner to even the most provocative question. He is a seasoned professional, who probably speaks at public forums many times a week. Compared to a university setting or a left-leaning Protestant church, Temple Beth Torah is about as friendly an environment as any in the Bay Area.

I hope we will have a good turn-out for Sunday’s event. It is not every day that we have an Israeli official come to Fremont and share an insider’s perspective on Israel and the Middle East. So if you have a question you want to ask during the open forum, I encourage you to speak whatever is on your mind. After all, a spicy question is a perfect ingredient to add to any Middle Eastern dish.