Sartaba’s Raison D’etre ca 1993
S A R T A B A Communications
Chairman: Jonathan Silverman Internet:zalmanaron@juno.com
PROPOSAL FOR SARTABA A “DIGEST” OF WRITINGS
FROM THE ISRAELI PRESS TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH
In American journalism generally, and American Jewish journalism in particular, there is a perplexing gap in the character of writing published about Israel. The proposed “digest” would effectively fill that gap, and thereby perform a number of useful roles.
The “digest” would comprise newspaper articles about significant events, internal politics and foreign affairs, the broad spectrum of Israeli cultural activity, and opinion. But unlike the available U.S. writing on the subject, the “digest” would originate solely and exclusively from Hebrew sources and thinking.
From reading the Israeli newspaper Yediot Ahronot carefully over the past few months I have developed tremendous admiration for the writing in it. It is not Proust’s REMEMBRANCE OF THINGS PAST or Hannah Arendt’s ORIGINS OF TOTALITARIANISM. Deeply profound literature. It is newspaper writing. But it is written “from home” by Jews who live love and die there. Its spirit is simply not duplicated in America anywhere, and that is the gap the “digest” will fill.
As an array of enjoyable and informative reading the “digest” will encourage American Jewish subscribers, and others, to become engaged emotionally and intellectually with Israel.
If the American Jewish community cannot take off and visit Israel every few months, by subscribing to and reading the “digest” it will become possible, in key respects, for Israel to visit them. Nothing but good can come from that. Jonathan A. Silverman (my raison d’etre circa 1993)