ITAMAR EICHNER: The tradition ended because of a disagreement that erupted within the community about whether to allow Evangelical Christians and Messianic Jews to join the celebration. Orthodox Jews were in favor, while Reform Jews were opposed. This is far from being the only conflict, in the island’s small Jewish community. About three years ago, the community was in an uproar over the decision to dismiss Peter Shaktman. The dismissal was preceded by a vote by the community, which led to tensions boiling over between supporters and detractors. A physical altercation ensued and a Police car was even called to the scene. Peter believes that his Homosexuality was behind the dismissal. Community leaders strongly deny this, claiming he was dismissed because of his direct and blunt manner, which caused more than a few People to Get up and leave. After the Rabbi’s dismissal, about 60 People – many of them gay men and lesbians – Left.
ITAMAR EICHNER: Cliff Halevy took me on a canoe trip, in the Ocean. If paradise has a branch on Earth, it’s there, right next to Cliff’s back yard:
Cliff, with long hair that gives the air of a Beatnik, is the leader on the island, with a third of the State’s Jews living there [It’s Impossible to Buy, for less than 1,000,000, a tent city was even created, and many youths are forced to keep their parents];
the two villas across from there ~ across the canal ~ also belong to Jews;
Cliff says the President knows all the neighbors and always waves Hello. When they visit, the entire area is full of agents…
ITAMAR EICHNER: Unofficial figures reveal that there are currently 7,000-10,000 Jews in Hawaii, though many of them aren’t engaged in community life at all. Many Hawaiian Jews marry natives, Filipino_Chinese, Koreans, and Japanese, which explains the Asian features of many of the island’s Jewish children.
