• AMERICA•SRAEL Chamber of Commerce of Michigan a Palestinian flag there, but it is not meant to be politi- cal." It is very impor- tant that we realize exactly what these people are saying. First, understand that to the gentile, they (i.e. Hillel and PZC) represent, like it or not, the Jewish students on campus. > Their responses rep- resent the Jewish students' responses and their actions represent the Jewish students' actions. People outside the Jewish community might interpret these pronounce- ments as a sign of weakness or self-ab- negating criticism. After all, when has a Palestinian leader of- fered profuse apolo- gies for attacks on Israelis? In addition, we must interpret the intentions of these groups. Both Hillel and the PZC are trying to identify with the Palestinians. They are trying to understand, empathize, sympa- thize, alleviate and comfort the Palestinians in their time of mourning. I, too, as a Jew, as well as a person, identify with them. Had this happened to my people, I also would protest. I would demonstrate and mobilize as much political support as possi- ble. But I would not lose a sense of who I am. After the Hebron massacre, I did not forget that I am a Jew first and always — that there is a big star branded on my fore- head for everyone to see. Nor do I forget that Palestinians are my people's enemies. However, I ac- knowledge, as Prime Minister Rabin did: "We must make peace with our enemies, not our friends." Many of my fellow Jewish stu- dents over-identify with the Palestinians. There is a very im- portant difference between the two. Identifying allows one to en- ter the "shoes" of another for a moment, to experience his situa- tion and then leave those shoes and return to his or her own. To over-identify means to enter a person's shoes, then his socks, then his shirt, then his body, his mind, his heart, his soul and soon to forget who you are and end up confusing yotu.self with that per- son. When PZC and Hillel mem- bers express condolences or sor- ,D . row for Baruch Goldstein's actions, they are doing it for the wrong reasons. Of course we con- demn Dr. Goldstein. Had he not A COCKTAIL RECEPTION FOR CHAMBER MEMBERS AND PROSPECTIVE MEMBERS • MEET fellow businesspersons for networking. • HEAR about Chamber members who have initiated or expanded business with Israel. • LEARN about the opportunities for your company to conduct business with Israel. MONDAY, JUNE 6, 1994 • 5:30 P.M.-7:30 P.M. cast: $15.00 Kmart Corporation ® International Headquarters 3100 W. Big Beaver Road • Troy, MI 48084-3163 (Enter "D" Door) For additional information, please call the Chamber of Commerce at (810) 661-1948. been killed, he would have died by Israeli execution and justice would have been served either. way. We empathize as only Jews can. But we must not lose ourselves in the "shoes" of the Palestinians. We cannot get lost in our feelings of pain and sorrow. Mr. Ruskay says that the newspaper ad in the Daily sym- bolized "my own need to do some- thing in response to show my sympathies. It was my own ther- apy. If it didn't help (the mourn- ers), it helped me." Advertisements, however, are not therapy, nor should they be used as a medium through which to express one's feelings. The pub- lic arena is used to express sin- cere, thought-out responses that carefully articulate one's position. PZC and Hillel did a harmful thing by aiding and abetting the Palestinian cause with their ac- tions. Would they consider it ap- propriate to fly a "non-political" Palestinian flag at Shabbat ser- vices because it seemed to be the politically correct thing to do? We should have condemned Dr. Goldstein's actions from an objective and Jewish standpoint, identifying with the Palestinians as a people who have also suf- fered a loss, who have also expe- rienced being gunned down at a place of worship. But we must not forget our history. Though we ought to remain committed to peace in these troubled times, we also must stand firm in our com- mitment to those who gave their lives so that we could live to see this day. 0 Michael HarPaz is a recent gradu- ate of the University of Michigan. -,e . 4W . : :,: • : ..0 :„ 4 OW • er ■ m; 4 , ,140040 • 4 • ea' • NICOLE MILLER /541 TIES—BOWTIES—BRACES—VESTS—BOXERS UM BR ELLA S—WATCH ES—J EWE LRY—TIE CAS ES SCRUNCHIES—DOP KITS—COSMETIC CASES COIN PURSES—CANVAS BAGS—FORMAL SETS ****WALLET ON A STRING—BEACHWEAR**** • - • MI NICOLE MILLER ADAMO COLLECTION 268 W. 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