Standard bearer of Jewish commitment

An author and Holocaust survivor minces no words when she speaks about Judaism and its importance in a world threatened by terrorism.

By SHARON TUBBS, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published May 2, 2002

In her books and column in the Jewish Press, Holocaust survivor Esther Jungreis is known for her frankness. That was the case in a recent telephone interview with Jungreis, 65, the founder of Hineni ("Here I am"), a worldwide organization that educates people about Jewish life and reacquaints non-practicing Jews with the Torah and Jewish heritage through classes, programs and lectures.

Jungreis, who will speak at 4 p.m. Sunday at Congregation Kol Ami in Tampa, has written two books about commitment to the Jewish life and is working on her third book, The Committed Marriage. She also writes a column featured in the national weekly newspaper the Jewish Press, called "The Rebbetzin's Viewpoint." (Rebbetzin is an honorary title given to the wives of rabbis. Jungreis is a widow.)

The Times talked with Jungreis about issues at the forefront of the Jewish community: Daniel Pearl, the Jewish Wall Street Journal reporter killed by terrorists; what she believes is a crucial need for Jews to be committed to their religion; and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Times: What is your view of the way the United States government has handled the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?

Jungreis: We have to appreciate that President Bush made that powerful proclamation to the world on Sept. 11 that America is going to go to war and is at war against terrorism. . . . The president spoke most courageously and expressed the sentiments of all freedom-loving people. Unfortunately, reality is such that there's always duplicity, and what is good for the goose is not always good for the gander -- whatever the expression is, you know.

What has happened is that while America, yes, has taken seven months already, eight months or nine months, to pursue her enemies and has bombed in Afghanistan, even hit a hospital -- mistakenly, of course, but nevertheless -- and everybody understands that, because we cannot allow terrorists to take over the world and to create a situation where people are afraid to walk around the street, Israel is having Sept. 11 every day of the week.

So it's most unfortunate that the United States has not maintained the strength of its policy vis-a-vis Israel. There's a double standard over here, and the reasons are obvious. There are all kinds of pressures that come along. To say the least, the petrol dollar pressure and all kinds of financial interests.

When you think about it, Saudi Arabia's our ally. Our ally? You must be joking. (Osama) Bin laden and Mohamed Atta and all these people who were responsible and are responsible for the killings and the terrorism are being fed and nurtured by the Saudis. . . . We are supposed to be a democratic country, and we are supposed to be supportive of freedom and liberty for all. Well, in these countries there is no freedom, there is no liberty. There's only terrorism.

Times: What should the United States be doing that it is not doing now?

Jungreis: Israel went in (the West Bank), and Israel should have been allowed to finish its job. Instead of being called back. . . . The United States should have considered Israel cannot clean up those bomb factories and get rid of those vicious animals in seven days. . . . Israel never asks for help from America, but America should have allowed Israel to do what it had to do and stayed hands-off. And not say (to Israel) that just because, you know, "We have our oil interests, you get out of there." And America should have been strong enough to say, "Israel, you protect yourself."

Israel never asks for help from anybody except from God. We are the Jewish people, and our help comes from God. We don't need help from anybody. But don't tie our hands. . . . Israel fights only one way. And the leader of the Israeli troops is the almighty God. And this has been throughout history; otherwise, we wouldn't have been able to survive the centuries. We are less than 12-million Jews in the world -- in the world -- and look at us. I'm a survivor of the concentration camps, and look at us -- I'm here. So if we survived all the Hitlers and all the evil people throughout the centuries, we'll survive Arafat also. There's no problem on that.

Times: What impact do you think the videotaped terrorist murder of Daniel Pearl, the Jewish Wall Street Journal reporter, had on the United States' perception of terrorism in the Middle East?

Jungreis: I think it was a wakeup call. . . . If you remember, in the very beginning of all these things, in Ramallah (in October 2000), they kidnapped two Israeli soldiers . . . and hacked them to pieces just like they did to Daniel Pearl and then they threw out their bodies from the window, and the mob was waiting and dancing and stomping on their bodies until their skulls turned into jelly. That's evil.

That's what they did to Daniel Pearl, except they didn't turn his skull into jelly -- that they didn't do. But the world should have woken up. The world should have said something. . . . We have a double standard over here. So, the world was very much silent as long as it was happening in Israel. But then it happens to a Wall Street Journal reporter who's a citizen of the United States and happens to be a Jew, also, then it's a different story.

Times: Your organization has been around for nearly 30 years. Do you still think there is a problem with Jews knowing their roots?

Jungreis: You better believe it, because there's no Jewish education that's meaningful. . . . The Jews have very sophisticated educational programs in their lives. I mean most Jews are college grads. Most Jews are professionals. . . . But ask the average Jew about Judaism and his knowledge is on an infantile level. I mean, the average Jewish person's education consists of preparation for bar mitzvah.

Now, how would you think that a person's prepared if his secular education would consist of learning a poem from Shakespeare? For example, from age 8 to age 13, he studies this poem from Shakespeare. And then at the age of 13, he recites the poem -- and that's it. End of school, you see? So, the average Jew does not have Jewish education. The problem is that because he doesn't have an education, he doesn't know that he's missing something in his education. In order to know that you are lacking, you have to know something . . . to appreciate that you are lacking. But if you don't know that you are lacking, then you don't even have a clue that you are lacking. It's a vicious cycle. It's a Catch-22.

Times: Could that lack of knowledge be contributing to Jewish rates of intermarriage?

Jungreis: Oh sure. there's nothing to anchor you if you don't know who you are. Why shouldn't you marry anyone, as long as they're nice? That's the only criterion. . . . If you don't have any Jewish underpinnings, then what's the difference what religion? . . . Does it make a difference to you if you marry somebody from New Jersey or from Connecticut? That's ridiculous, right? So why should it make a difference whether somebody's Jewish, Catholic, Protestant or a Muslim, as a matter of fact. If religion doesn't play a role in your life, then it makes no difference.

Times: The interreligious movement has become increasingly popular as people of different religions gather for forums and interfaith worship. Is this a good thing?

Jungreis: I tell you, all this dialogue will not accomplish anything because nobody's really listening. Everybody's just saying whatever they want to hear. . . . No one is listening. . . . You think you're going to convince a Muslim that he's going to change his faith? Come on. You're going to convince bin Laden and his crew? Who are you convincing?

If you go:

Esther Jungreis speaks at 4 p.m. Sunday at Congregation Kol Ami, 3919 Moran Road, Tampa. The event is free, but reservations are required. Call the synagogue at (813) 962-6338 by 2 p.m. Friday to reserve a space.

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