It was hard to tell why nearly 200 Bay Area teens were so hyper. It could have been because they were about to hear Yossi Olmert, the brother of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, speak, or because it was Yom HaAtzmaut. But chances are, it was the dance they were going to have after his talk that had them in a frenzy.
Whatever the reason, the group sat quietly, save for laughing at Olmert’s jokes, during his talk at Kehillah Jewish High School in Palo Alto after sundown on Saturday, May 6.
His talk was sponsored by Caravan for Democracy, a program of the Jewish National Fund. Co-sponsors included B’nai B’rith Youth Organization, the Addison-Penzak Jewish Community Center and Kehillah High School.
Olmert, who now resides in New York, is a Middle East scholar who reportedly left Israel due to credit debt. He has served as adviser to former defense minister Moshe Arens, holds a doctorate from the London School of Economics in Middle East history, and will soon release a book, “The 18 Years in Lebanon.”
But despite the scholarly talks he gives around the country, he was concerned about captivating the audience of students. “I always wonder why young people want to hear boring statements from someone like me before a party and after dinner,” he joked.
He discussed why Iran could be a threat, how to break down Jewish and Israeli stereotypes, and why Jews should be proud of Israel.
“Who hasn’t been to Israel yet?” he asked, looking for raised hands. “I can’t believe it. You need to go.”
He added, “We should be proud of Israel. Terrorists want to destroy our morale, our spirit. As a democracy, they think that we have soft bellies and can’t handle it.”
But if the economy is any proof to the country’s resilience, Olmert said that in 2005, the country witnessed an increase in tourism and the best economic year in its history.
Now, with a new leadership in Israel, he envisions a strengthening Jewish state.
He also touched on other current events, such as the recent anti-Semitic statements made by Iran’s president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. “Some people don’t take what Iran says seriously. They think they don’t mean what they say. But what they say is what they mean. We can’t take the risk.”
But Olmert said Jews should be careful not to categorize all Muslims as anti-Semitic. “Not all the Muslims in the world hate us,” he said. “Do not make that mistake.”
As for Hamas, he said, “They say they support democracy, but people who call for war and violence are not democratic. The Palestinians elected a terrorist organization.”
Students said that he was interesting, and several especially liked one of his jokes.
“I like what he said about the Swiss banks,” said Morgan Hill resident Krissy Rosenblatt. Olmert quipped that no matter what happens in the world, the Swiss will always benefit.
San Jose resident Igor Cherny, who said he was there for the dance, was impressed with Olmert’s talk. So was Kayla Kliger of Mountain View.
“He was very interesting. Even though we’re Jews, we get ideas of who we should be from our teachers,” she said. Though she hasn’t been to Israel, she said she feels connected with the country because she has friends and relatives from there.
Greg Sterling, an Atherton resident and volunteer for the JNF — which also brought Olmert to speak at Congregation Kol Shofar in Tiburon and Rossmoor in Walnut Creek on Sunday, May 7 — said he appreciated Olmert’s honesty. “I thought he told the students the truth,” he said.
Immediately after Olmert’s speech, the students cleaned up the room, music erupted and, in a celebratory mood, they danced.