(Author: Lyonel Fliss, Vol. 74, #1, Pesach 2019)
When World War II ended, the horrified world and the traumatized survivors believed that the lessons from the Holocaust would be learned and that such a monstrous human tragedy would never, ever be repeated.
Over seven decades later, we are witnessing a new form of war against the Jewish nation. If the Holocaust was aimed at the physical annihilation of the European Jews, the present war, which I call “The Heritage War”, is targeting the historic heritage of the Jewish nation, to ‘prove’ that this nation did not ever have any deep roots in history and particularly in their own Land of Israel. Physical massacre is being replaced by an intellectual one.
This Heritage War is being fought through the distortion of history and the discreditation of biblical historians, archaeologists and academic institutions, particularly The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Israel (HUJI) aiming to disinherit the Jewish nation from their most valuable asset: their historic heritage. It aims to delegitimize the State of Israel and the Jewish nation’s rights to their ancient land and ultimately to destroy the State of Israel and its Jewish population.
This movement, which I call “The Triple D” – similar to Natan Sharansky’s 3-D test of antisemitic criticism of Israel (Delegitimization, Demonization and Double standards) – is supported by the enemies of Israel, international institutions such as the United Nations, academic institutions and antisemitic individuals, who all benefit in various ways from their ties with rich Muslim countries such as Iran, and dream of the disappearance of the State of Israel and the Jewish people.
Their actions range from public condemnations, boycotts and sanctions, to publications endorsed or produced by inf luential individuals and institutions, seeking to proliferate their antisemitic and anti-Israel theories. They employ the Triple D philosophy.
The first D is the Distortion of Jewish history, which involves:
- Denial of Jewish national history from Hebron to the Holocaust
- Defamation of biblical historians and archaeologists who find evidence of Jewish history in the Land of Israel
- Discreditation of Israeli academic institutions, including HUJI
The second D is the Disinheritance of the Jewish nation from its own history.
The third D is the Delegitimization of Israel and the Jewish nation with regard to their right to their historic land.
Triple D is the main instrument currently being used by the enemies of Israel to delegitimize the State of Israel, with the intention of wiping it off the world map and eradicating its Jewish population. It is a movement initiated by radical Muslim countries and organizations, but also by anti-Israel, antisemitic non-Muslim countries, organizations, academic institutions and inf luential individuals. Their activities are gaining momentum through international conferences, mass demonstrations, in the world, BDS and intense propaganda in mainstream media as well as social media.
Their methods of infiltrating the minds of millions of Muslims and non-Muslims with their ideology are reminiscent of those used by the Nazis: gross distortions of the truth and discreditation of those trying to oppose them. The greater the lies and the more often are they repeated, the greater the chances that they will eventually become credible and accepted as facts by the public at large.
The conclusion is that the Triple D should not be ignored but, on the contrary, actively combated. The lessons of the Holocaust shall not be forgotten and we shall never, ever allow a Heritage War to succeed. In this fight for truth, which is vital for the future of the State of Israel and the Jewish nation, two institutions have significant roles to play:
- The Ministry of Jerusalem Affairs and Heritage, the arm of the Israeli government in charge of protecting and promoting Jewish heritage
- The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the custodian of Jewish culture and history
To carry out these roles properly at the international level, I believe we need to create a world-class centre called The Jerusalem Heritage Forum comprising a visitors and conference centre with an integrated Mount Scopus Panoramic Observatory. It is a forum from which the visitors could learn, discuss and see at a glance 3000 years of Jewish history and the Jewish people’s connection with the heart of their land, their capital, Jerusalem, and its surrounding areas. From the observatory decks, visitors will receive the best orientation by Hebrew University guides before starting their tours on the ground.
These days when there is again talk about West Jerusalem and East Jerusalem, the observatory will demonstrate that Jerusalem cannot be divided into west and east, because Jerusalem has always been one Jerusalem, a unique place with a rich history over various epochs, the eternal capital of Israel and of the Jewish people around the world.
Artist’s impression of proposed Mount Scopus tower
So long as the Triple D persists, we should not remain complacent. Therefore, construction of The Jerusalem Heritage Forum and the new Mount Scopus Observatory should become a national priority. It will be the symbol of Israel’s right to exist and its sovereignty over Jerusalem as its historic capital. The tower will be a beacon of hope to Jews around the world and a permanent reminder to those who dream of Israel’s destruction.
APPENDIX: Extracts from interview with Lyonell Fliss, conducted by Steve Linde, Jerusalem Report, 4 November 2018.
What exactly is your project?
This is a joint non-profit initiative between me and South African entrepreneur Stewart Cohen, known as Mr. Price (the honorary chairman of the Mr. Price Group retail chain).
How did it come about?
After I immigrated to Israel in 1970, I started to work in my profession as a structural civil engineer at a company in Haifa called Balasha-Yalon and they got a project from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem to provide the water supply to the campus, which included a major structure that was the water tower. The architects Binyamin Idelson and Gershon Tzipor got me to design the tower, and supervise its construction. When I first saw the design, I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was a work of art, which enhanced the campus and Mount Scopus view , but in my opinion, its size was not big enough for a symbolic landmark of Jerusalem skyline.
During construction, I inspected this structure a number of times, and when we reached the top, which is about 53 meters, I knew that this was my legacy, my contribution and connection to the State of Israel. Every time I come to Israel, I go there to climb the tower and touch it. On the top there is an observatory, which looks out at the Dead Sea and Jordan, but it is not panoramic and it doesn’t look westward toward Jerusalem and the Old City.
When we finished the construction in 1971, I remember [being] left on the very top of the tower by myself. There was complete silence, and I could see the view of the whole of Jerusalem. Years later, I read a singular impression from a very famous person, who didn’t have the luxury of a tower, but visited Mount Scopus in 1831 and saw the view from up high of Jerusalem. His name was Benjamin Disraeli, later prime minister of England, and he gave the best description of the view that remains imprinted in my mind. He said, “The view of Jerusalem is the history of the world; it is more, it is the history of earth and of heaven.” You can’t beat this description! During the various epochs of human history, Jerusalem was regarded as the centre of the world, where the three continents of the world come together – Europe, Asia and Africa – and where the three monotheistic religions converge, especially Judaism and Christianity, both of which regard Jerusalem as the holiest place. When I came there for the first time, I said, “This view of Jerusalem is a treasure, with which no other view in the world can compete. The Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Empire State Building in New York are magnificent, but their observatories can’t compare with this view of 3000 years of history. We have a treasure which, in my mind, must be shared with the rest of the world”.
What is the importance of this project for Israel?
What is the symbol of Paris? The Eiffel Tower. What is the symbol of New York? The Empire State Building. What is the symbol of Egypt? The pyramids. What is the symbol of Israel and Jerusalem? The Western Wall and the Old City. The world sees this view as the symbol of Israel, but I am offering a new vision, a striking new symbol.
A symbol that means what?
Israel has constructed the Knesset building, the Dead Sea Scrolls museum, the Bridge of Strings, but none of them offers a panoramic view of the Jerusalem skyline like this project does …. If the Temple Mount is the soul of Jerusalem and Judaism, then Mount Scopus is the eye of Jerusalem.
The Mount Scopus Observatory will provide a direct view over 3000 years of Jerusalem’s history and topography and the ancient and modern buildings of Israel’s capital.
I came to the conclusion that Israel, the Jewish people and the world … deserve a grand vision on the right scale in the right place at the right time, with the dual purpose of educating the world and showing what Jerusalem really is, the united capital of Israel. In my opinion, it should be the first stop for VIPs and tourists coming to Israel.
Do you have the funding to do it?
I can tell you a few figures. The Eiffel Tower receives seven million visitors a year, and draws from these visitors 140 million euros. The Empire State Building has received 86 million dollars from visitors every year for the last six years. The funding should come from an investor who sees the potential of this.
What would it mean for you personally?
Just the satisfaction of an unaccomplished duty for this country. I am not looking for a cent as a profit. Someone asked me what my sign of success would be. And I said, “I would like to come to Israel to put the first shovel of concrete on the foundation.” That means the project is on the go. This is the dream of my life. I have built over 200 big industrial projects, mostly in southern Africa, some of them the largest in the world, such as the Alusaf aluminium smelter at Richards Bay in South Africa and another one that’s even bigger in Mozambique. But this one will be the cherry on the top of my career. It must be the highest quality possible of architecture. On the top will be an open-air observatory, and under that a revolving restaurant and an art gallery. There will be a visitors’ centre on the ground f loor, and various other things, such as the Einstein Memorial in memory of Albert Einstein, who had such a close connection with the university and left his archive to it. Next to this is a museum of Jewish contributions to the world, including all the Nobel prizes and medical discoveries, musicians, writers, actors and chess players, called “The Jewish Mind Museum”. Next to this will be a convention centre, a commercial mall, and on the road to what is currently the Botanical Gardens should be a monument for the Defenders of Mount Scopus during the years between the War of Independence and the Six Day War. I have called the whole complex “The Jerusalem Heritage Forum.”
I visualize the tower as the missing landmark and symbol of Jerusalem, the eternal capital of the State of Israel. It is my vision and it will hopefully be my legacy, but more importantly, it will be my gift to Jerusalem and Israel, to the Jewish people and to the world.
Lyonell Fliss is a Rumanian-born civil engineer and Holocaust survivor now living in Johannesburg. In 1969, he and his wife Liliana escaped from Communist-ruled Rumania and moved to Israel, where Mr Fliss’ was involved in the building of the water tower on Mount Scopus, today widely regarded as a symbol of the Hebrew University. This article, along with an interview with Mr Fliss conducted by Jerusalem Report editor Steve Linde, first appeared in the Jerusalem Report of 12 November 2018, and is reprinted here, together with extracts from that interview, with Mr Linde’s kind permission.
The author points to the location of the proposed tower on Mount Scopus
