The Commonality of Humanity, An Artist's Journey
It’s been a very busy and intense 10 days in Israel. For the purposes of this blog I side-stepped many events, including the May 1st speech by Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy in the Israeli Knesset.
Dr. Miriam Adelson, The Merry Widow of The Late Sheldon Adelson
Israeli physician, Miriam Farbstein was born in Tel Aviv on October 10, 1945.
In 1991 she married the International, Las Vegas based casino mogul, Sheldon Adelson.
By 2010 with his huge supply of big bucks, Sheldon and Miriam were anointed the Republican Party Mega-Donors, the King and Queen Makers for the Grand Ole Party.
Upon his death in January 2021, Miriam inherited billions of dollars from her husband.
According to Forbes, Dr. Miriam Adelson is worth over $30 billion.
According to a Newsweek article dated January 12, 2021 by Brendon Cole The Adelson’s & The GOP
- In 2012 the Adelsons donated $90,000,000 to the unsuccessful Republican campaign against Barack Obama’s reelection
- In 2016, the couple donated $25,000,000 to the Trump campaign
- After Trump’s election they gave $5,000,000 to the Trump’s inauguration committee
- The Adelson’s received front row seats to the 2017 inauguration
- In 2018, Sheldon Adelson was awarded the President Medal of Freedom
- For the 2018 mid-term elections the Adelsons spent over $123,000,000 in publicly disclosed contributions to Republican candidates, campaign committees and super-pacs
- For Trump’s reelection bid in 2020, the couple’s total contribution to Trump and Republican funds and candidates was around $218,000,000
- Since 2016, the Adelsons gave $425,000,000 to Trump and other Republican candidates.
According to the November 7, 2021 article in POLITICO by Alex Isenstadt, Miriam Megadonor Meets Republicans within a weeks’ time, Merry Widow Dr. Miriam Adelson met with Kevin McCarthy, Rick Scott, Mike Pompeo, Nikki Haley, Mike Pence, Ted Cruz and Ron DeSantis.
The Adelsons and Israel
The Adelsons, by their very nature are far more centrist and left wing than Republicans.
Pro-choice and socially liberal, Sheldon and Miriam have only one political agenda – the protection, the safe guard and the strengthening of US-Israel relations to secure the State of Israel’s future.
Some pundits claim it was Sheldon who manipulated the GOP into becoming a solidly pro-Israel party.
Not only did Sheldon and Miriam support Republican ‘movers and shakers,’ they gave 100s of millions of dollars in support of Israeli drug clinics and medical research facilities; educational facilities; ‘Yad VaShem,’ the nation’s Holocaust Museum and ‘BirthRight Israel,’ a highly successful program that brought American Jewish teenagers to Israel.
In 2007 the Adelsons gave birth to the daily free Israeli newspaper, “Israel HaYom” יִשְׂרָאֵל הַיּוֹם, ‘(Israel Today).
Personal friends and financial benefactors of Benjamin ‘Bibi’ Netanyahu, “Israel HaYom” with Dr Miriam Adelson as Publisher, was the daily mouthpiece shining a light on the silver-tongue, golden boy of Israeli, Jewish and GOP right-wingers.
It’s been reported the couple invested well over $50,000,000 into the free newspaper.
Starting in 2019 rampant rumors were tossed around gossip columns and social media that Miriam and Sheldon were fed up with the bizarre, greedy and borderline unethical behavior of Bibi’s wife, Sara Netanyahu.
The relationship between the Four began to fray and as recently as March 12, 2023, Miriam expressed her unhappiness with Bibi.
She wrote and published an opinion piece in “Israel HaYom” stating her blatant displeasure of Bibi’s ultra-right-wing coalition’s efforts, led by Justice Minister Yariv Levin, to ram the Judicial Overhaul through the Knesset:
“Regardless of the substance of the reforms, the government’s dash to ratify them is naturally suspect, raising questions about the root objectives and concern that this is a hasty, injudicious, and irresponsible move. A good deal is reached through cold-eyed circumspection. Slow down!” Dr Miriam Adelson Opinion, Israel HaYom
Does Jerusalem Need A Second Right-Wing Museum Complex?
The first partisan institution that caters to the right-wing pro-Republican enclaves on both sides of the Atlantic is the Menachem Begin Heritage Center.
An official state memorial, the Heritage Center opened in 2004 during right-wing, Ariel (Arik) Sharon’s regime.
Former general and supporter of Putin, the late Prime Minister Arik Sharon’s controversial activities include his involvement with the first George Bush administration and his rumored clandestine dealings in the early 1980s with the Chairman of the Dade County Republican Party for the State of Florida, the young Jeb Bush.
Every year the Center awards the Begin Prize, “to a person or organization that has done important work for the benefit of the State of Israel and/or Jewish people.”
One recipient of the Begin Prize was Kaare Kristiansen, a Norwegian statesman who quit the Nobel Prize Committee when the prize was awarded to Yasser Arafat.” Heritage Center, Wikipedia
Let’s move on, shall we?
Who is Rabbi Marvin Hier and Why Is He Trump’s Rabbi?
Born in New York in 1939 to Polish immigrant parents, Rabbi Marvin Hier grew up in the Lower East Side.
Hier has a long and impressive history. He’s a doer, he makes things happen. He achieves what few others could even attempt to achieve.
Not only the brains and energy behind the Simon Wiesenthal Center (Holocaust research and remembrance center and museum), he’s a double Academy Award winning co-producer of documentary films (“Genocide” and “The Long Way Home“).
Newsweek describes Hier as the following: “Hier is one phone call away from almost every world leader, journalist and Hollywood studio head. He is the dean and founder of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, the Museum of Tolerance and Moriah Films.“ Rabbi Marvin Hier
In May 2008, Republican President George W. Bush invited Rabbi Hier to accompany him as an honorary member of the U.S. delegation traveling to Jerusalem to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the modern state of Israel.
Not without controversy, in 2013, The Forward (an American newspaper catering to the Jewish populace) labeled Hier, “the most overpaid executive of a Jewish non-profit.” Seems Heir put his wife on the payroll and together they earned over $1,250,000 per annum.
In 2017 Hier, over objections by thousands, gave an invocation at Donald Trump’s inauguration.
- Trump, the voice of right-wing bigotry, racism and sexism.
- Trump who tossed and tosses insults at Mexicans, Muslims, the disabled, African Americans, women and Jews.
- Trump who continually insults anyone and everything.
- Trump who incites hatred, anger, fear and violence.
- Trump who won only 24% of the Jewish vote
Rabbi Hier who constantly claims to be completely bi-partisan, supported Trump’s 2020 reelection bid.
Jerusalem’s Museum of (In) Tolerance
Well over 25 years ago, Rabbi Marvin Hier had an epiphany. The Commander-In-Chief of the Los Angeles based Simon Wiesenthal Center envisioned an educational museum in Jerusalem for children and adults that would confront racism, prejudice and examine social responsibility.
After years of Israeli court cases, legal battles, architectural designs and redesigns, public relations fiascos, the Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem was built in part, on a 1000 year old deserted Muslim Cemetery.
The completed white structure has no architectural connection or ambiance related to Jerusalem.
What it does have is Hypocrisy.
April 27th, 2023, “Celebrate The Faces of Israel”
Organized by The Jerusalem Post (a popular daily English language centrist/right newspaper and online news service) with Rabbi Marvin Hier and the Museum of Tolerance Los Angeles, the soft opening of the Jerusalem Facility took place on April 27th.
The event was entitled, “Celebrate The Faces of Israel.”
Keynote Speaker was Ron DeSantis, the American/Italian Republican racist, sexist, homophobic governor of Florida.
Yes, the same Governor of Florida who’s suing Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck and the rest of the Disney World Gang of Mafia Monsters.
Yes, the same die-hard Republican who is stomping on the rights of African Americans, Authors, Educators, Libraries, Teachers, Women Rights and the entire LGBTQ community.
Yes, the same Ivy League educated (Yale and Harvard) Republican who labels Renaissance art as pornographic.
And yes, the same Ron DeSantis who during the 2021-2022 Floridian School Year banned 565 books. Some books were permanently banned, others were only temporarily off the shelves.
Teachers who do not comply with the Ron DeSantis List of Banned Books Rules and Regulations, enforced by GOP appointed media specialists can be charged with a 3rd Degree Felony.
Among the recent 176 books that are definite DeSantis ‘no-nos’ and have been permanently removed, are:
- THE STORYTELLER, a Holocaust story by best seller author, Jodie Picoult.
- FOREVER, a coming of age story by popular Jewish author, Judy Blume
- EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE by Jonathan Safran Foer, about a young boy whose father died in 9/11
- CHIK CHAK SHABBAT, by Mara Rockliff
- THE BERENSTAIN BEARS AND THE BIG QUESTION by the late husband and wife team, Stan and Jan Berenstain (the franchise continued by their son, Mike)
- BELOVED by Nobel Prize winner, Toni Morrison
- BLUEST EYES another novel by Toni Morrison
- THE HANDMAID’S TALE by Margaret Atwood
- THE LIFE OF ROSA PARKS
- CARTER READS THE NEWSPAPER
- BLACK FRONTIERS
- A STORM CALLED KATRINA
- BEFORE SHE WAS HARRIET
- DIM SUM FOR EVERYONE
- HANK AARONS’ DREAM
- WHEN WILMA RUDOLPH PLAYED BASKETBALL
- ROBERTO CLEMENTE: PRIDE OF THE PITTSBURGH PIRATES (it was temporarily removed then reprieved and placed back onto Florida school library shelves)
Yes, this is the same Ron DeSantis (the darling of the fanatic and hypocritical Jewish Republicans, and Jewish and Israeli right-wingers) who recently passed a bill through the Republican controlled state legislature that allows any Floridian resident, with or without training, to carry a permit-less, concealed firearm.
I guess the PULSE Nightclub Massacre on June 12, 2016 in Orlando, Florida is of no importance to the NRA, gun loving Republican hypocrites. Only 49 were killed and 53 injured by gun fire. But what does Ron care – it was a LGBTQ hangout.
And let’s not forget the February 14, 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland (suburb of Miami) Massacre where 14 students and 3 teachers were killed, along with an additional 17 injured.
Dinner with Jewish Right-Wing Mega Donors, hosted by Larry Mizel
Even with the politically motivated stunt of signing a Florida bill in Jerusalem to combat hate crimes, it is difficult to understand the Jewish Republicans, Right-Wing Jewry on both sides of the Atlantic love affair with Ron DeSantis.
Epilogue
Sunday, April 30th – Justice Minister Yariv Levin
Once upon a time Yariv was Bibi’s confidante, his right hand man.
But of late, Yariv has stepped into the spot light in his overwhelming desire to stir up his right-wing constituency.
On last week’s pro-government, pro-overhaul, pro-right-wing coalition demonstration, Yariv Levin was the Star of the Evening:
From Haaretz (daily newspaper and online media source published in both Hebrew and English) reported by Yossi Verter:
After the hateful speech by coup minister Yariv Levin at Thursday’s right wing rally in support of the government, the very fact that the Supreme Court is still left standing and its justices are still alive is nothing short of a miracle.
The necessary conclusion from Levin’s remarks was that the court building should be stormed and set on fire and that the people who ‘provide rights to terrorists and seek lenience for rapists, (and should) look after the old woman in south Tel Aviv and not the infiltrators who are threatening her” should be hanged.
Sunday, May 1st, 2023 – more from Justice Minister Yariv Levin
And yesterday, just hours before posting this blog, Justice Minister Yariv Levin accused the Joe Biden Administration of being directly involved in the Pro-Democracy, Centrist/Left Wing Weekly Demonstrations.
Quote from Haaretz Breaking News:
In a recording obtained by the site, Levin – who spoke at a meeting with ultra-orthodox political activists – said that the protest movement has “total control of the press” and “a hold on the court, the AG and the entire financial system, and the U.S administration which cooperates with them.”
I guess it’s fine when right-wing Republicans step in, come to visit, show their support, speak on the floor of the Israeli parliament, hang out at the Museum of Tolerance, even become a face of Israel while taking every opportunity to bash the Joe Biden Administration.
to be continued….
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