Le Monde, France
About More Than Israel Crisis
By Sylvain Cypel
Translated By Sarah Whorton
15 October 2008
F
France - Le Monde - Original Article (French)
For once, they are not to be found at the Bagel Tree Café for a canasta party. Sarah Shapiro, 86 years old, originally from New York, Lil Bookman, and Mildred Price, from New Jersey (they didn’t state their ages) are some of the tens of thousands of retired American Jews who are spending their days in a retirement center in Florida. The weather, the palm trees…They are living in Boca Raton, 70km from Miami. All three are widows.
Usually, on Sunday morning, around pancakes, they chat about their children and grandchildren. This time, they came to meet “schleppers.” The Yiddish term is almost untranslatable. A “schlepper” is a transporter (of messages and packages). It also describes a scruffy vagabond. Sometimes, this also describes a “flirt.” These “schleppers” came to New York or San Francisco to bring Barack Obama’s message to Florida. The network of young Jews has been around for three weeks: it has rapidly reached 20,000 members.
To start: a video sketch from Sarah Silverman, seen by 3 million visitors on YouTube. “The Great Schlepp” says: Don’t be afraid of Obama; Jews and African-Americans, we are similar. The examples chosen are hilariously sarcastic: “Young African-Americans and old Jews both walk around in track suits; both have plenty of friends who are going to die…” Mick Moore, 34 years old, National “schlepper” leader, gives the most convincing argument for these elderly Jews who the Democratic candidate “worries:” “Obama’s father was an immigrant. His mother made big sacrifices so that he could get an education. He went far away, but finished at Harvard. Then, he did social work. Does this remind you of anything?” The retirees smile.
Sarah, Lil, and Mildred are listening. The “schleppers” respond point by point to the “disinformation” the Jewish Republican Coalition and other Jewish groups are widely distributing in Florida: Barack Obama is Muslim, he is financed by Hamas, his “hidden agenda” aims at the destruction of Israel…These groups are distributing a “documentary” video, entitled, “Obession, the radical Islamic war against the West,” which alternates images of Muslim children and young Hitlerian girls. “They are worse than the Christian right,” says Mick Moore. “I don’t dare report certain things said on the subject of Obama’s black identity.” “It’s terrible racism,” adds Lil.
“I’m afraid of Palin…”
They have always been Democrats, but this time, they are hesitating. “I was a little worried about him,” admits Sarah. “His name sounds bizarre, and he is so young. I thought that voting for him was too risky.” Without meeting the “schleppers,” she started to shift sides at the beginning of September, when John McCain chose Sarah Palin as his running mate. They reproach her for her “crass ignorance,” her “coarseness,” and also her connection with evangelists. “Sarah Palin was the best present McCain could give us,” emphasizes “schlepper” Ari Wallach. For these Jewish grandparents who have always placed education above everything, “a woman who shoots a wolf with an automatic weapon from a helicopter does not reassure us.” The opinion of Sarah is made: “I’m afraid of Palin. McCain is 72 years old. If he were to pass away…” Mildred is definitive: “She can go back to Alaska and freeze there…”
Of course, there is also Israel. All three give regularly to work for Israel, and observe Jewish holidays. For half of us, it is a question of utmost importance. But Republican support of Israel is stronger than Democratic,” says Lil. Their obsession is the threat of Iran, the fear of seeing the Jewish state annihilated. The “schleppers” listen, then ask them to put themselves in the future: “Do you want Israelis to continue to live in fear? Obama supports Israel’s security, but who, he or McCain, is going to help peace progress? The Middle East doesn’t need a cowboy.” Of course, the “Israeli question” suffers enormously from the economic crisis. “We are only thinking about this,” admits Sarah. “Israel is far way. Here, we must absolutely regulate health insurance. My granddaughter convinced me that, regarding economic affairs, Obama will be better.”
All three talk about their retirement. Aren’t their private accounts at risk of falling? There, the “schleppers” play on the past. They came to Florida so that their grandparents’ generation would not escape the Democrats. In this key state, the “Jewish vote” will be an important part of the result. The three “Yiddish moms” aren’t listening any more: “My son, you know, the lawyer, he did something extraordinary…”
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