Threatened, reviled, adored and revered .. .
There is nothing quite like Israel!
*
*
*
*
ZIONIST ORGANIZATION OF AMERICA
presents a
ly has experienced all of the
horrors that have befallen
Jews in this century: my
mother, first under commu-
nism, then Nazism. My
father as a refugee several
times as a result of the Nazi
era, and my wife as a
teenage refugee from Libya.
In all three cases their lives
were threatened more than
once. I somehow feel that I
have these experiences very
much on my mind every
waking moment. I feel very
close to these experiences,
even though I myself was
never on the spot as they
were."
His parents burned one
lesson into his con-
sciousness. "They had two
fears in Nazi Europe," Mr.
Harris said. "The first was
that the world was unaware
of what was happening to
them. But the second was
that the world was aware of
what was happening to
them, but was not sufficient-
ly moved to react. That has
shaped my guiding prin-
ciples. It means activity and
not passivity, it means try-
ing to find the courage to
stand up for the things you
believe in, to say them and
to act on them."
This passion to serve en-
dangered Jews also was the
Mr. Harris prides
himself in his
ability to take the
long view.
key factor in his greatest
challenge as a Jewish ac-
tivist — his role as national
coordinator of the Freedom
Sunday in December, 1987,
the outpouring of a quarter-
million Jews on Washing-
ton's Mall in support of their
Soviet cousins.
"In practical terms, the
most important ac-
complishment of my life —
apart from parenthood —
was the rally," he said. "It
was an incredible experi-
ence, a wonderful example of
what we can do when we all
pull together."
As AJC's top professional,
Mr. Harris will have major
administrative respon-
sibilities in a large and
sometimes contentious
organization. And he will be
plunged much deeper into
the world of intergroup Jew-
ish politics — an envi-
ronment that might put his
cautious, deliberative style
to the test.
"He's an introspective per-
son," said a former official
with another Jewish organ-
ization. "That's an excellent
trait when you're a policy
person. I don't know how it
will translate into fund rais-
ing or intergroup relations.
But there's no question that
David has a grasp of the
issues far and above that of
most agency heads. He
understands how important
Washington is to the pro-
cess, and he doesn't have
this inbred sense of the
world revolving around New
York."
His introspection is only
one of the base-line qualities
that have given Mr. Harris'
activism a unique patina.
He prides himself in his
ability to take the long view
rather than just react to the
issue of the day. In a number
of cases in recent years, he
has been ahead of his col-
leagues in warning of ap-
proaching shifts in policy.
Sometimes, this has earned
him the enmity of his peers.
Several years ago, Mr.
Harris rocked the boat in the
Soviet Jewry movement
when he warned of possible
shifts in administration
refugee policies. He argued
that the community should
work with the administra-
tion to structure new limits,
not oppose them.
His view was angrily re-
jected by some of his col-
leagues. But 18 months
later, the administration
announced exactly the policy
shifts he had described, with
the approval of the main-
stream Soviet Jewry move-
ment.
And he instituted pioneer-
ing programs to combat anti-
Semitism in Japan well
before the issue came to the
attention of the Western
world.
"The American Jewish
Committee has always had a
commitment to trying to
identify the ascending issues
of concern to American
Jewry," Mr. Harris noted.
"We have always had a
strong emphasis on resear-
ch, and we have had a good
record over time of being an
agency ahead of our time."
"David Harris is above all
a cautious person," said a
longtime Jewish activist in
Washington who has worked
with him over the years. "In
many ways he embodies
everything the AJC stands
for, good and bad. He's
moderate, reasonable and
cautious."
Mr. Harris is aware of the
challenges facing the ven-
erable organization. Money
continues to be tight, and
like the other Jewish multi-
issue organizations, the
American Jewish Corn-
mittee has had problems
rallying a new generation of
activists.
Two-hour TV Special
`ISRAEL: *SPIRIT AND RESOLVE"
Sunday, December 16th, 1:00 p.m.
on Cable Channel 11
Gas masks are issued to Israeli civilians . . . The U.N. condemns her
. . . Yet, despite everything, Israel continues to live and flourish, con-
tinues to welcome and settle the vast influx of Soviet Olim and is
poised to meet the challenges of Zionism today .. .
GET THE FACTS, GET THE REAL TRUTH ABOUT ISRAEL,
DON'T RELY ON MEDIA MISREPRESENTATIONS.
THE COMMUNITY IS INVITED TO
A SPECIAL SHOWING OF THE PROGRAM
Sunday, December 16, 12:45 p.m.
SOUTHFIELD ,LATHRUP HIGH SCHOOL
19301 West 12 Mile Road
Admission Free
, STAND UP FOR ISRAEL — JOIN ZOA • For Information, 569.1515
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THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
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