On Monday, August 13, Young Israel of Fort Lee, in conjunction with Jewish National Fund, hosted renowned journalist Tuvia Tenenbom for a special lunch and learn event. Nearly 100 people ventured out in the heavy rain to hear Tenenbom speak about his experiences traveling the globe. Rabbi Dr. Saul Landa, chair of YIFL’s lunch and learn program, shared the podium with Tenenbom for an interview style presentation.
Tenenbom detailed how he extracted information from Germans, other Europeans and Palestinians. Posing as “Tobi the German,” a non-Jewish Pole, a Jordanian, or “Abu Ali,” a Palestinian, he uncovered their real and undisguised feelings about Israel and the Jews. It was alarming to learn that through his ‘undercover’ conversations with Germans, Tenenbom concluded that 8 out of 10 Germans are still strongly anti-Semitic. Similarly, he noted that many Israelis working for European government-funded NGOs in Israel are also promulgating anti-Zionist rhetoric.
Tenenbom’s experiences led to his writing four books, the latest of which, Catch the Jew!, was published in 2015 by Gefen Publishing. The book recounts his journeys as he wandered through Israel and the Palestinian Authority for seven months. He met with self-hating Jewish intellectuals in Tel Aviv, self-promoting PLO leaders in Ramallah, ultra-Orthodox personalities in Jerusalem, and foreign human rights activities in Nablus. These activists, while promoting peace in the world, only target Israel in fierce campaigns. His books are not works of fiction; they report his personal findings based on real encounters with others. Tenenbom’s storytelling is at times poignant, sometimes funny or enraging, but in the final analysis, they are sad in the breadth of hatred for Jews and Israel that he uncovers. This knowledge, though, educates about the need for robust vigilance and proactive support for Israel.
Tuvia describes himself as a dramatist, journalist/columnist and writer. He grew up in Bnai Brak to a devout ultra-Orthodox, anti-Zionist family. In his 20s, Tenenbom left Israel to study science and the arts in the United States, leading to advanced degrees in both literature and mathematics. He founded, and is the current artistic director, of the Jewish Theater of New York. His book career began in 2012 when a German company, Suhrkamp Verlag published his first book, Allein unter Deutschen, often translated as Sleep in Hitler’s Room, a psychological travelogue through Germany.
For information about the synagogue or future events please visit www.yiftlee.org.
By Merna Davidowitz
