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 Joe Stamell's wear Dynamic WearMaster master 851.3883 Alignment Wheel Balancing Brakes - Shocks Suspension - Exhaust Foreign & Domestic Cars OPEN MON.-SAT. brakes mufflers shock, macpherson struts & more FOREIGN CAR SERVICE WHY PAY MORE? 32661 Northwestern Farmington Hills FRONT END ALIGNMENT FRONT OR REAR BRAKES • All Broke Work Guaranteed • Turn Drums and Rotors • Semi metallic pods extra • Check Hydraulics $3995 • Test Drive Car MOST AMERICAN CARS 95 $4 Starting at most tors Ports and Other Service Extra 141,4111. DYNAMIC WEARMASTER EXHAUST SYSTEM Small & $7995 Compact Mid Size $ 89 95 Full Size $ 99 95 Single Exhaust, Resonators and Wide Pipes Extra MOST AMERICAN CARS Advertising in The Jewish News Gets Results Place Your Ad Today. 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