;.cTGIF parshat
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TO:    David Bedein, Israel Resource, Bet Agron, 37 Hillel, Jlem
FROM:  Steve Amdur, Kibbutz Haon, Jordan Valley, 15170 Israel.
       Telephone:  972-6-757572; FAX:  972-6-757554
DATE:  11/18/93
RE:    Media Bias -- IBA English Radio - TGIF - Dvar Torah
REF:   Loc cit Friday 13:15 Nov. 12; Memo, sa/Bedein 11/09/93
CC:     
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OF RATZ & RABBIS
             
The dvar Torah is now given regularly by R. Ben (ben-?) Hollander. Non-orthodox, if memory serves, but I don't recall where.

As I noted (loc cit), his commentary on Vayera focussed on thesending away of Ishamel; and his commentary on Chaye Sarah skippedover sale of part of Hebron to our team, and edduced a rather farfetched moral of the need for negotiations.  I missed his previouscommentaries -- most English commentators on TGIF are unctuousbores, regardless of political &/or religious orthodoxy.  Wouldnot infer systematic pro-Peace-Process bias on his part unless itcould be shown that he edduced from Parshat Noach the moral thatthe people of Israel must go with the flow & share our space.

Anyhow: commentary on Toledot was very well crafted -- mostcraftily -- and well reasoned.  (Acceptable in tone too, once onegets used to tendency of professional non-orthodox rabbis ofanthropomorphic bent to sound as if they're on a collegial basiswith the Infinite.)
	His moral, focussing on the disputed wells and interwovenwith the dvar, was that we must share water resources, co-existpolitically on the land, and not be afraid to re-invent theZionism of the founding generation.  In short, 21st-centurysynthetic Judaism.  

	So:  One might reasonably ask IBA to present a spectrum ofcommentators (as the Jlem Report does), even tho our team had themonopoly up to now.  Intellectually, I'd say ben Hollander isbetter than R. Macy Gordon, tho he sure ain't dazzling.

l2
	I don't promise to continue writing on the TGIF dvars;it takes one too close to CP aeshetics, which were acontradiction interms.                   
