LIVING IN THE HERMETICALLY SEALED WORLD OF JFNA FANTASY

Friends, JFNA'a leaders have sealed themselves off from reality to such an extent that they actually believe that their Press releases and public statements influence world events. But, as anyone who has read these pages knows full well, paraphrasing a superb columnist, these leaders have hermetically sealed themselves in the world of JFNA fantasy.

Let us look at a few examples:

     ~ In the midst of the Jewish Agency Board meetings in Jerusalem, JFNA organized a meeting with the Prime Minister. Aside from a bizarre statement by Ms. Manning to the effect: "don't worry Mr. PM. in the vent of a war with Iran, North American Jewry '...are ready and prepared to do whatever is necessary, including providing for urgent financial needs, leading advocacy efforts, dealing with domestic security concerns and more." I am certain that the Prime Minister was "comforted," but... of course, there was more. She expressed "her concern" that the Ethiopian aliyah was not moving fast enough. And, presto chango, exactly as JFNA wrote it: "[S]hortly after the meeting, the government agreed to significantly increase Ethiopian aliyah..." Ahhhh, the power, the hyperbole -- Manning demands and the Government of Israel genuflects and succumbs. Sure.

Of course the Prime Minister is so fearful of the power of Ms. Manning to influence world events to have asked "where exactly is the money you promised us to 'Complete the Journey?'" To which Ms. Manning would have replied: "Oh, that. Ask Jerry."

     ~ That was on February 27. It was only the very next day that JFNA was petitioning the Pope...yep, the Pope. "The Jewish Federations of North America is calling for support for an online petition urging Pope Benedict XVI to seek the release of Alan Gross during an upcoming papal visit to Cuba." This time the "urging" was made by Michael Gelman, Chair of the Executive Committee, and, presumably, of much less force and immediate impact than Chair Manning's demands of the PM.

     ~ And, earlier of course we have seen the Briefings on Beit Shemesh and the JFNA-led discourse on tolerance and civility in Israel where, dealing with even higher authority, all JFNA could do, so far, was to publicly whine.

I expect that in the coming days we will see JFNA Briefings demanding the release of Jonathan Pollard (probably responding to the urging of Pope Benedict to do so) and importuning Ahmadinejad to give up efforts by Iran to build a nuclear bomb, among other things,

Hyperbole and fantasy -- JFNA's stock in trade.

Rwexler