Jeff Halper writes:
I just saw the Dylan film "A Complete Unknown." Excellent acting and, of course, music, but also some personal and political links to my life that I'll just mention while the film is fresh in my mind.
First, I knew Bob and his family, as I grew up in his hometown, Hibbing, Minnesoita. We weren't friends -- Bob is five years older than I am -- but his brother was in my class and I spent quite a bit of time at his house in the years when he was just becoming Bob Dylan, late '50s - early '60s, when he was in and out. And.... we were at each other's bar mitzvahs.
More important, personally and political, was my connection to Pete Seeger, who figures prominently in the film. Back in 2001, as the head of ICAHD (the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions), I received a letter from him. Let me share parts of its with you. "Thank you!" he writes, for your article in Jewish Currents [on ICAHD's work in resisting Israel's demolition of Palestinian homes, including rebuilding homes with the Palestinian families as acts of political resistance). I have a small amount of money to send to ICAHD. Can you tell me where to send it?"
Then came the most meaningful part:
In future years there should be more checks because [I am donating] the royalties to "Turn, turn, turn" to ICAHD. 55% of the royalties for the song because I put the tune together and added six words ('I swear it's not too late') to the words which were written near Jerusalem 2256 years ago....
45% will be sent to ICAHD for at least 50 years, because the present copyright law says my publisher can collect royalties for 50 years after my death.... I hope you all survive these dangerous times."
[signed} Pete, 82 and crumbling, with a hand-drawing of a banjo.
Unfortunately, the royalties never arrived. The publisher's lawyers refused to agree that they go to a political organization abroad for all kinds of legal reasons Pete apologized for. Nonetheless, he did donate yearly to ICAHD until his death in 2014. But that's not the end of the story.
We stayed in touch and I visited him a couple times at his home in the Hudson Valley. He remained a supporter of ICAHD and helped us organize events and make useful contacts. Above is a picture of us in ICAHD shirts. The last time I met him he told me: "I support the BDS movement as much as I can. You can let my views be known."
My connection with Bob is incidental - although it was nice to see a reference to Hibbing in the film. My connection with Pete I would like to believe was more meaningful. And, as you all well know, ICAHD continues to resist the demolition of Palestinian homes even as we call in a clear, strong voice for an end to Zionist settler colonialism and the establishment of one democratic state between the River and the Sea.