This is the latest in my series “Good News Friday” where I like to bring some good news to take us into Shabbat.
My thoughts exactly
This week the anti-Israel BDS-ers got a virtual kick in the teeth when their proposed boycott of Habima Theatre was rejected by London’s Globe Theatre. The Globe is holding an international Shakespeare festival, with theatres from 37 countries participating, each performing a play in their native tongue. There was even a theatre from “Palestine”. Out of all the countries participating, only Israel was singled out to be boycotted by the loony BDS brigade, because it has performed in (gasp!) Ariel.
Jewish actress Maureen Lipman was among the few actors who spoke out against the boycott, while the Independent had a sympathetic (for them) article about Habima, the actors and the boycott. As Ilan Ronen, Habima’s artistic said, echoing Maureen Lipman’s sentiments:
“We come to the Globe along with 37 countries and languages. And this is the only theatre, and the only language, that should be boycotted? Everything is OK in those other countries – no problem at all?
In any event, the boycott was a failure, and the expected attempted disruptions of the play were similarly an epic fail. The redoutable blogger and pro-Israel activist Richard Millett was at Habima’s performance and has written an excellent review of the play, the disruptions and the counter-protests.
I really enjoyed last night’s performance of Habima’s The Merchant of Venice at The Globe on the south bank of the River Thames on a beautiful summer evening in London.
The cast received a prolonged standing ovation at the end (see above). The Globe was the perfect setting with its open roof allowing you to peer into the ever darkening sky as the constant movement of small planes readied you for the inevitable interruptions.
My main concerns were whether I would follow a play in Hebrew and whether the interruptions would ruin the experience, but two small screens kept us nicely updated in English and The Globe’s security knew when to act and when not to.
Security removed protesters swiftly so limiting the disruption but they allowed a very weird protest, where six protesters stood silently on the first balcony for virtually the entire first half with their lips taped up, to proceed.
Read the whole thing and enjoy the video clips and photos that Richard posted as well. Kol hakavod to Richard and all the pro-Israel activists who took part in the counter-boycott and protests. Kudos too to the Globe Theatre for not bowing under pressure from the boycotters, and for going the extra mile in providing excellent security.
The other piece of good news is on a much more minor scale but is of great personal importance to me and my family. Our 8 year old granddaughter Noa took part in an inter-school quiz on the subject of the history and geography of cities and towns in Israel. She was one of the youngest participants and won 3rd prize! We are very proud of her.
The quiz was moderated by the Israeli media personality and Hebrew language expert Avshalom Kor; entertainment was provided by a boys’ choir and the girls’ recorder orchestra. A great time was had by all, including children, parents, grandparents, teachers and local education officials.
Here is a video of Noa answering one of the questions: In which tribe’s “nachala” (division of Eretz Yisrael) are Shechem and Beer Sheva. Answers: Efraim (or Menashe depending on whom you ask, and Shimon respectively). Noa is sitting on the top tier, first on the right. (Apologies for the quality of the video. The lighting in the hall was not on, and the children were silhouetted by the sunlight through the windows).
And here is a clip of Noa receiving her prize:
We are swelling with nachas from her. Next stop Nobel Prize? 🙂
Shabbat shalom to all my readers.
Anne's Opinions 
Mazal Tov to Noa and all your family! Shabbat Shalom
Thanks! Shabbat shalom to you too.
I reckon that some of the Jews fighting against the cultural boycott of Israel are wrong.
I’ve noticed the tendency of some Jews, subliminally at least, to get suckered into the view that boycotts hinder cooperation between nations, hands across the border, Jesus wept, and all that jazz.
Likewise, the argument is heading in a direction – and some Jews appear to be going along with it – that they should fight boycotts because they hinder cultural contacts with Israel “despite” Israel’s “conduct.”
This argument does not take into account that Israel’s “conduct” is in fact a moral necessity, a byproduct of a battle for survival against its neighbours’ desire to replace the only Jewish nation state in the world with a 23rd Arab state, after which the entire region can commence its attempt to drag civilisation back to around the time when Moses was found floating down the Nile in a basket.
The “we should maintain artistic contacts “despite” Israel’s “conduct” argumnet is a dangerous road to go down folks because the people that are behind same – using the thin veneer of art as a moral principle – ultimately want to destroy Israel.
I reckon that most of them, are, in fact, evil bastards and a shower of anti-Semites.
If Zionism is a Godsend for anti-Semites then cultural boycotts are a Godsend for those that are trying to take a more subtle approach to the destruction of Israel.
Forget the red herring of art and cultural boycotts, reprehensible I know. The bottom line is that the attempt to boycott Israel both is immoral and illegal and is being led by anti-Semites.
First they came for Habimas’s Merchant of Venice and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t an artist etc etc to paraphrase Martin Niemoller’s famous saying in relation to the inactivity of German intellectuals during the Nazi rise to power.
Fight the boycotts for real reasons and let there be no moral ambiguity about Israel’s conduct either politically or militarily vis-a-vis art and culture – after all if the IDF went out of business if would be fairly difficult to stage the Merchant of Venice in Tel Aviv with Jihadist slitting the throats of the actors and the audience.
Roxymuzak, I took the liberty of editing your comment because you seem to have posted the whole thing twice.
Thank you for your excellent comment. You really managed to put the whole anti-Israeli issue into very clear perspective, and I agree with you 100%. The “soft” onslaught against Israel is so insidious that we have started to absorb their poisonous message. It really is a most dangerous phenomenon, and I thank you again for pointing this out.
Because of this constant gradual onslaught of anti-Israel activities, we Israelis and Israel-supporters get so caught up in fighting separate battles, e.g. boycotts, smears of apartheid, UN resolutions etc. that we lose sight of the bigger war which, as you say, is a war on Israel by non-military means.
In this way, the anti-Zionists are winning the war. We really need to keep sight of our real goal, as you recommended.
I wish there was a way to “star” your comment.
way to go Noa ! A lotta coninued nachat for the family! This makes my Friday even better than hearing about anti boycotters although kol hakavod to them & the Globe. How come we don’t boycott here? I presume we’re too civilised!
Thank you for the good wishes!
Re the boycott, who would we boycott? We davka beat the boycott. And yes, we’re too civilized anyway.
we could boycott swiss chocolate(real mesirut nefesh!) & south african products -do they have any? -There are things that can be boycotted
Well done to Noa & while Noble might not be the next stop may she & all your family continue to aim high!
As for BDS they will continue to aim low with an inability to widen their horizons & point that high-powered moral microscope always reserved for Israel even a few km’s beyond Israel’s borders!
Thank you for your good wishes Colin, and welcome to my blog.
Well said re the BDS crowd. You really put it into a nutshell.