In Reverse

In most Jewish families there are stories of the children and grandchildren embarrassing the families by allying themselves too closely with the goyim (non-Jews) and goyish values.  The South African Goldstone family had a reverse shanda (embarrassment) to deal with when the sabba, zaydi, grandfather became known all over the world as the "anti-Israel spokesperson of the year" recently.  Davka, right before his grandson's Bar Mitzvah!


It was announced in the press, official, mainstream and unofficial (like blogs) all over the world that he'd be persona non grata at the Bar Mitzvah, a punishment worse than death.  Now it has been announced that there has been a sulha of sorts, and he can attend.

A day earlier, the South African Jewish Board of Deputies, which represents most of the country’s synagogues, issued a statement that outlined something like a quid pro quo: a promise of no protests on the bar mitzvah boy’s big day, in exchange for a meeting between the judge and leaders of the South African Zionist Federation and other Jewish organizations.

Honestly, I don't see the connection in how this makes everything fine. But I also didn't like the interference in private family affairs.  I was not one of the bloggers who blogged about Goldstone's ban.  I'm sure the family suffers enough being in the public limelight and microscope.  If the Bar Mitzvah boy and his family want granddad at the Bar Mitzvah, it shouldn't be anybody's business but theirs.