War Prof. Sir Lawrence Freedman "America's Confrontation with the Middle East"

Vice Principal of Kings College & War Prof. Sir Lawrence Freedman speaks at Oxford University Chabad Society Shabbat Dinner

Oxford University Chabad Society hosted last weekend Vice Principal of Kings College and Prof. of War Studies, Prof. Sir Lawrence Freedman, at a Middle Eastern cuisine Shabbat dinner. Sir Lawrence, who is , who is also on the investigation panel into the Iraq War, attended with his wife, Prof. Judith Freedman, who is one of the first female law professors at Oxford.

Prof. Sir Lawrence Freedman spoke for about thirty minutes about his award winning, in war literature, new book, Choice of Enemies: America’s confrontation with the Middle East. He explained that as he is on the Iraq panel he is unable to speak on that subject unless everyone leaves the room and the natural subject for a Jewish audience, Israel and the Palestinians would be too obvious, therefore he will focus on the problem with Iran.

Prof. Freedman elaborated on the fact that one must understand the politics regarding Iran in the context that Iran, from the beginning of the Islamic Revolution in 1979, depends on a conflict with America for its support and backing within Iran.

Rabbi Eli Brackman, director of Oxford University Chabad Society, introduced the speaker saying that the presence of Sir Lawrence Freedman completes a circle of the OU Chabad Society hosting the most influential political thinkers in the United Kingdom, including Lord Robin Butler, Sir Adam Roberts, Prof. Sir Alistair Horne and Prof. Sir Michael Howard.

Rabbi Brackman also spoke during he evening about the life of the patriarch Abraham as reflecting the history of the Jewish people. Abraham was initially told to ascend to the Holy Land, Canaan, after which he was forced to descend to Egypt, a symbol of spiritual depravity from the Biblical viewpoint. This descent, however, according to Jewish thought, is considered not a descent for its own end, but for the purpose of a greater ascent that follows the descent in the life of Abraham.

This paradigm is the narrative of the Jewish people - a journey of ups and downs but ultimately must be for the purpose of elevating oneself and the world we live in to greater spiritual heights than the state of existence before the descent.

In this context, Rabbi Brackman paid tribute to undergraduate Jewish student, member of the Chabad Society, Antonia Bruch from Regents College who passed away from bacterial meningitis this past week. Her passing created great distress and sadness amongst the students, as she was much admired and liked even though she had only entered Oxford a few weeks earlier. According to a student who knew her, she had a rare combination of ambition and determination together with much kind-heartedness toward others.

The Shabbat dinner was attended by over 90 students and faculty and lasted until past midnight.