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January 23, 2004
A little Israel in Canada
Scholar to tackle issues not often depicted in media.
JANNETTE EDMONDS SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH BULLETIN
Is Israel a Jewish state or a state of the Jews? It may be a moot
point to some, but not to Matitiahu Mayzel, professor of history
at Tel-Aviv University and visiting scholar to Vancouver's Jewish
community for the month of February.
"I believe it is more of a state of the Jews, which then raises
the question of the responsibility of the Diaspora towards Israel,"
Mayzel told the Bulletin in an interview from Tel-Aviv.
What is that responsibility, he asks, and what is the extent of
reciprocity of responsibility? Is Israel's sovereignty compromised
by dependency on not only the United States but also world Jewry?
These are some of the many topics he hopes to discuss during his
stay here.
In addition to teaching a course at the Jewish Community Centre
of Greater Vancouver (JCC), Mayzel will be addressing the Jewish
community both at public forums and synagogues, as well as meeting
with media and getting a feel for the community. One of his goals,
he said, is to bring information about current affairs in Israel
in areas not usually covered by the news media and to present opinions
and ideas about Israel and the Jewish people in an unofficial capacity.
"There is information that is obvious to Israelis, but not
known outside of the country," he said. "To strengthen
ties with the community, it is important to know the point of view
of the residents of Israel."
Mayzel was born in Jerusalem in 1940 and his major academic fields
are Russian history, modern military history and current affairs.
While in Vancouver, he will be teaching a course at the JCC on the
social and political history of Israel since 1967, entitled Torn
Country - History of Society and Politics in Israel in the Last
Decades. He is also hoping to meet with Hillel students at the University
of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University and Langara College.
As an historian, Mayzel is interested in how the Six Day War affected
Israel's society.
"The study of internal changes is as important as the outside
ones facing a society," he said. "Some of the challenges
were the inability to control the added territory, the increased
interaction with Palestinian society and the change in the economy
as a result of the war. I will talk on the history of these events
since 1967, which have led to the current situation in Israel."
Mayzel has written many articles in his fields of Russian and military
history, as well as commentaries on military events in Israel, but
says it is too soon to write about the current war in Israel with
any historical perspective.
"I would not dare to predict the future," he said. But
there is certainly much to say about the present. The security fence
is only one aspect of this huge topic. He calls the erecting of
a physical barrier a good idea, "but the way it is being done
currently, in deviating from the Green Line‚ is causing many
problems with the international community."
One good thing to report from Israel, he said, is the contribution
and influence of the large Russian immigrant community. Of Israel's
population of approximately six million, an estimated 800,000 to
one million are from Russia. Mayzel calls the immigration of the
early 1990s "one of the best things that happened to Israel
since its formation."
As an expert on Russian history, he was thrilled with the release
of Soviet Jewry and had spent several months in that country working
to help make it happen.
"It has been very beneficial to the country. We cannot do anything
without them now, politically or culturally."
Mayzel said his mission for his upcoming visit is to bring a face
to the many events that have a different dimension for the Jews
in Israel than for those abroad. He is also convinced of the mixing
of anti-Israel sentiment with anti-Semitism and adds that to his
list of topics he will speak about. As well, he has much to say
about Israel's military affairs and counter-terrorist history.
Mayzel is looking forward to returning to Vancouver. He was a visiting
professor at UBC from 1981 to 1983 as part of the Canada-Israel
Academic Exchange Program that operated in the 1980s. It was through
that program that he met Betty Nitkin, director of the JCC's Adult
Jewish Studies Institute.
"People in the community are concerned and interested and asking
lots of questions about Israel," said Nitkin. "So we felt
we needed to tackle these questions by having someone [here] longer
term. Last year's curriculum was missing a course on Modern Israel
and so I came up with the idea of bringing a scholar from Israel
and having him stay for a month.
"He was the logical choice to come as a guest scholar,"
she continued. "We have remained friends. He has much to offer."
Those wishing more information on the meetings and talks planned
for February should call Nitkin at the JCC, 604-257-5111.
Jannette Edmonds is a Vancouver freelance writer.
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