When a Frog Flies…Israel and Haiti
Almost forty years ago, the great director Robert Altman made a wonderful film titled “McCabe and Mrs. Miller,” starring Warren Beatty and Julie Christie. It was a subtle and richly textured story that forced you to accept that, sometimes, the bad guys have a lot of good in them, and vice versa. Also, the whole movie was set to songs by Leonard Cohen… a magical film.
Why am I thinking of McCabe and Mrs. Miller? Actually, the answer lies in one line of dialogue that I have remembered to this day. One of the less savory characters does something good, and another character comments that, when a frog flies, you shouldn’t expect it to stay in the air for very long. Very wise, very wise…
As I watched the national and international coverage of Israel’s relief efforts in Haiti this week, I found myself thinking about flying frogs, and wondering exactly how long they would stay in the air. Network after network, including even CNN, was full-throatedly singing the praises of Israel’s field hospital, and marveling that it was able to do what even the United States wasn’t. It was nothing short of remarkable. So much so, in fact, that I found myself screaming at the TV set and calling my son in to watch it with me. Finally, finally, someone recognized the gracious and human side of Israel, and was willing to acknowledge it in public.
As predicted, it hasn’t taken long for the flying frog to come back down to earth. “Yes, well, but, harrumph harrumph… that’s all well and good, but remember that they are gross offenders of human rights in Gaza, and that wall they put up is an exercise in apartheid, and what does it matter what they’re doing for Haitians when they oppress people back home. That’s the real Israel.” Read the comments that are posted on Youtube in response to the film clips of Israel’s efforts in Haiti, and you’ll see every one of these sentiments.
And, of course, there are Jews who are saying the same things, so incapable are they are seeing the good that is in Israel. It’s almost gotten to the point where people feel they have to apologize for saying something positive about Israel without immediately qualifying it or apologizing for it.
Well… I am unabashedly proud of what Israel is doing. Israel has no stake in Haiti other than saving lives and helping those who really, truly cannot help themselves. How great is it that it saw fit to do what it is doing, and what a sad joke it is that the apartheid label is so loosely applied to Israel, which rescued 16,000 Ethiopian Jews and brought them home, and now works tirelessly to save the lives of Haitians who will never set foot in Israel.
So, the press will undoubtedly go back to bashing Israel. The frog will cease to fly. And those within our community who have trouble seeing anything at all positive about Israel will go back to reminding us of all that is wrong with Israel- and there is a lot, to be sure.
But for one brief shining moment, in the midst of great tragedy, the world had a chance to see Israel at her best, and to discover that there is another side to that country that everyone seems to love to hate.
And the world liked what it saw. Hallelujah…