Category Archives: Action/Adventure

When I graduated Yeshiva College in 1964, the Senior Class officers asked me to solicit funds for the annual yearbook. One ad I solicited was from the Volkswagen dealership from which I had purchased my first car, a classic Volkswagen Beetle, one of the few cars for which a parking space could be found in Manhattan. A few weeks later, I received a letter in the mail from the editor of the yearbook along with the check from the Volkswagen dealership. He informed me that many Holocaust survivors supported Yeshiva University and it would be offensive and painful for them to see the Yeshiva accept money from a German company. Moreover, a week later, while stopped for a red light in the New York’s Washington Heights neighborhood, someone from an adjacent car yelled: “Why are you driving that Nazi tuna fish can?” It was an “aha” moment for me. I knew no Holocaust survivors and I assumed in my naivete that as time goes on, we forgive and forget; but the incident reminded me that Jews do not forget the evil of the past.

Remembering evil is the subtext of Zero Dark Thirty, the story of the United States manhunt for Osama Bin Laden, the embodiment of evil who commandeered the 9/11 attacks in which 3000 innocents were killed. Spearheading the hunt is a young CIA operative named Maya, who, over a ten-year period, doggedly tries to put together pieces of evidence from a variety of sources. Things begin to fast-track when, in questioning one suspect, she innovates. She decides to lie about the outcome of an attack to a prisoner who has been in total isolation, unaware of events on the outside. Using this ruse, she is able to extract valuable information about the identity of one of the terrorists who planned the 9/11 attacks. This eventually leads to the identification of Bin Laden’s most trusted courier.

Maya’s challenge is to provide actionable intelligence that can justify a strike. The Americans track the courier to gain more knowledge about the location and daily routines of Bin Laden. As the data is gathered, Maya pushes for a strike on the house in which she believes Bin Laden lives. Without absolute proof that he is there, her superiors are reluctant to order a strike; but they eventually come around to her way of thinking even though they are not totally convinced. Her sense of mission, coupled with her determination and intelligence, persuade the decision-makers to support her and Bin Laden is killed in the ensuing strike.

Jews are commanded in the Torah to remember Amalek, the arch enemy of the Jewish people who attacked the weak and infirm, the elderly, and the children as they were departing Egypt. Tradition tells us that Haman, the villain of the Purim story, is a descendant of Amalek. There is a custom in some communities to write the name of Haman on one’s shoe on the holiday of Purim; and while the story of Purim is being chanted, we stomp with our feet every time the name of Haman is uttered, thus causing the name of Amalek to be eradicated today even though his crimes took place 3000 years ago.

It is similar to what animates today’s present day search for Nazis who committed atrocities against humanity over 60 years ago. Zero Dark Thirty reminds us that the passing of time does not minimize the crime. We still hunt for evildoers because we believe there must be accountability for doing evil. When we remember the past, it guarantees that we will have a future.

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I recently completed my second year of teaching in an Israeli school and asked my 6^th graders what their plans were for the summer. Many told me they were going to summer camp to study Torah and to play sports. Earlier that same morning, I read an article about Hamas summer camps. What do the kids do there? They learn how to handle weapons, use live ammunition in military exercises, and the best way to kidnap an Israeli soldier. What a contrast! Some spend a summer learning how to love; others spend a summer learning how to hate.

I thought of Hamas summer camp as I watched Blood Diamond, a gripping, violent thriller about commercial traffic in diamonds that is used to finance conflict in budding African nations, often using children as executioners who are taught at a young age how to hate.

The setting is the Sierra Leone Civil War in 1999, where rebel and government forces are killing each other daily and committing unspeakable atrocities. Caught in the crossfire are the townspeople, one of whom is Solomon Vandy, a fisherman from the village of Shenge. In one sudden raid, he is separated from his wife and children and is forced to work in a diamond field under a brutal overlord. His son, Dia, is conscripted into the rebel forces and is brainwashed to shed his previous identity and become a hardened killer, under the banner of doing what is best for his country.

While working in the diamond fields, Solomon discovers a huge diamond worth a fortune, but his efforts to hide it are seen by his commander, who wants the diamond for himself. In the midst of trying to take it from Solomon, government troops launch an attack, at the end of which Solomon is incarcerated. In prison he meets Danny Archer, who is also aware that Solomon had hidden a valuable diamond. Danny offers to find Solomon’s family in return for the diamond, and so begins their alliance and ultimate friendship, punctuated by many tense moments of mistrust along the way.

Dia, Solomon’s son, has been trained to kill. His captors blindfold him and give him a machine gun to execute a man. He pulls the trigger, and when he removes his blindfold he knows that he has a new identity as executioner. The next time he kills, it will be easier because, as a child, he has no conception of the great pain he is inflicting. He thinks that taking another man’s life makes him an adult in the loyal service of his country.

This attitude comes to a head when, after many months, he sees his father, who he presumes is an enemy. He holds him at gunpoint, but then something amazing occurs. Solomon reminds his beloved son of conversations he had a long time ago about getting up early in the morning to go to school to study towards becoming a doctor. This childhood memory connects them in the present and Dia puts the gun down, tearfully embracing his father.

There is a concept in Jewish tradition that subjects learned in one’s youth stay with a person throughout his life. In fact, one of the Sages of the Talmud remarks that his most important teacher was not the one who taught him the sophisticated logic of Talmudic debate but rather the one who taught him the alef-bet, the Hebrew alphabet.

A parent does not always know what will stick in a child’s mind, what childhood memory will be the one that that will inspire him in later years to lead a life of commitment to parental values. Blood Diamond reminds us how important it is to create of reservoir of positive memories in our children that will enable them to remain faithful to our core beliefs and values when they are older.  Planting a garden of love can overcome a harvest of hate.

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When I served as a synagogue rabbi, I was often asked by congregants to listen to a dilemma they were facing and then to offer some guidance. As they explained their situation to me, I often felt I needed more information to give them sound advice. Sometimes the problem was straightforward; other times I counseled congregants to wait until more information was available before making a decision. I rarely regretted telling them to wait a little longer before adopting a particular course of action, but I would regret offering advice prematurely before all the facts were in. This is one of the challenges faced by the protagonists in Crimson Tide, a tense and absorbing naval thriller dealing with the possibility of nuclear war.

The film begins with rebels commandeering nuclear missile launching sites in Russia. When the rebel leader threatens to launch the missiles, the United States sends its own nuclear submarine to patrol the waters off Russia and, if necessary, to launch a pre-emptive attack against Russia. The tension escalates when Frank Ramsey, the captain of the submarine Alabama, and Ron Hunter, the new executive officer of the ship, clash over the protocols for preparing for a possible nuclear strike.

When the submarine receives news that the rebels are about to break the codes for the missile launch, the Alabama goes into a state of high alert. A hostile sub sends torpedoes towards the Alabama, which miss their target; but the explosion nearby causes the ship to lose its radio transmission. Herein lies the problem: the last completed message received is for the Alabama to launch its missiles, but there is a subsequent message that is incomplete. Does it confirm the previous order or does it cancel it? Ramsey argues that it does; Hunter says it does not. Both men operate out of pure motives, but one approach may lead to a worldwide nuclear holocaust and the other to the annihilation of the United States. Each passing moment without a decision puts America at risk, but a quick decision that is wrong is catastrophic for the world.

Jewish tradition encourages debate when the way forward is unclear. The Talmud is the quintessential text embodying the argumentative spirit searching for truth. The classic examples are the debates between Hillel and Shammai, two giants of Torah scholarship. They provide a model to emulate. They both want is best for the community and they are devoid of personal agenda,l so their disagreements are viewed positively. They may arrive at different conclusions, but both are animated by the same quest for truth.

When Ramsey is looking for a new executive officer, he confides to one of his senior officers that he wants someone who will be an independent thinker, someone who will not be afraid to challenge him. Inwardly, he values the perspective of others. This is a lesson that emerges from the Creation narrative. There, God says “Let us make man.”  The commentators ask: to whom is God talking? Who did God have to consult with before creating the world? In truth, God did not have to consult with anyone, but the Bible here is teaching us an important life lesson; namely, that before embarking on any important task, we should always consult others. God wanted to teach us that no matter how important and knowledgeable we think we are, we should seek counsel with others to make better decisions.

As I get older, I realize how little I know. As a young man, I thought there were only two ways to see things: the right way and the wrong way. With the benefit of life experience, I have learned that there are a variety of different approaches to life’s challenges. Crimson Tide reminds us that the more informed we are and the more we glean the wisdom of others, the better decisions we will make.

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