most credible hope for bringing a peaceful resolution to
the Middle East, the kind of peace that Isaiah spoke of in
the Bible. I fear his death is a setback."
The fax machine at The Jewish News was busy through
the weekend, with condemnations crossing political and
religious lines such as never before.
"He had a tremendous challenge," said Jimmy Prentis
Morris Jewish Community Center choral group leader
Sunny Lipenholtz. "The time was not ripe for peace, be-
cause this happened. I hope, though, the process contin-
ues."
"I think this woke people up," said Michael Traison,

president of the America-Israel Chamber of Commerce
of Michigan. "It brought them out of the age of innocence.
The unthinkable — that a Jew could attack another Jew
— makes people take note."
Larry Wolfe still isn't sure if he has awakened from Sat-
urday.
He returned to Adat Shalom for Monday evening's
memorial service.
It wasn't a regular day. I=1

signed the accords with the Palestine Liberation Or-
ganization. He secured a peace treaty with Jordan. He
was speaking at a rally for peace when he was mur-
dered late last week.
Even as they mourn the late Israeli prime minister,
many Jewish leaders are saying, in the next breath,
that they will continue to support his vision of peace.
The Jewish community, they have said, "stands behind
us on this." To suggest otherwise seems to be compa-
rable to saying Yitzhak Rabin deserved what he got.
The notion that Mr. Rabin, the man, and his policies
Julie Edgar, Ruth Littmann and David Zeman con-
as prime minister are inseparable is troubling to some
tributed to this article.
local residents. And they find abhorrent the thought —
more than hinted at on several national newscasts —
that Mr. Rabin's political opponents were the inspira-
tion for, and are quietly pleased by, his death.
"We view this event as chilul HaShem (a public des-
ecration of God's name), which is the most serious offense
in Judaism," Dr. Novetsky said. "(Mr. Rabin's) death is
a tragedy, and we condemn it unconditionally.
"We send our condolences to the Rabin family — his
wife, children and grandchildren, and especially to the
greater family, the family ofAm Yisrael (the people of
Israel)."
He labeled Mr. Rabin's murder "the senseless act of
an individual," which in no way reflects the sentiments
of Jews who did not support the PLO-Israel Accords.
"But why is it," he asked, "that those who opposed
Rabin are supposedly 'against peace'? In fact, this
couldn't be further from the truth. Think of the resi-
dents of Judea and Samaria who have children. Of
course they want peace.
"Everyone wants peace," he said. "The question is,
what is the best means to achieve a peaceful resolution
to the conflict?"
Dr. Novetsky notes that polls, taken just before the
assassination, showed that 60 percent of the Israeli pub-
lic opposed the Oslo Accords.
Yet there seems to be a perception, especially among
American Jews, that those who did not support the
peace accord are few, and in any case most of these are
rabid, right-wing, religious zealots.
No sooner had the assassin been caught when two
terms were being used, time and again, to describe him.
Yigal Amir was "right-wing," and "a student at Bar-
Ilan University," an interdenominational school which
nonetheless carries the image of being "Orthodox." The
involved with the Jewish commu- community to Israel. I had much to
suggestion, of course, was that the killer's act was a nat-
nity," Phillip Stolhnan says. "Now, discuss with him. He was a young
ural outgrowth of the concepts promoted by conser-
I am an old, tired man, hard of man. He was vital." ■
vatism and religion.
hearing."
This is the first of several images
"It's already starting," Dr. Novetsky said. "The 'vio-
"(In the picture), Mr. Rabin was of Prime Minister Rabin with De-
lent
rhetoric' of 'the opposition' is being blamed for the
talking about Israel's state of affairs troit commUllity members.
act of a crazy person."
and the relationship of the Detroit
Among those at the Adat Shalom rally Monday
evening was Rabbi Alon Tolwin, educational director
of Aish HaTorah. He states unequivocally that the ac-
tions of Yigal Amir have nothing to do with Judaism.
Mr. Amir reportedly has said "God told me" to kill
Mr. Rabin. He said he has seen justification in the Bible
for his actions.
Rabbi Tolwin countered: "He has a fouled-up view of
Judaism. There is no legitimization fot' a Jew to kill an-
other Jew in the way that he did."
Rabbi Tolwin described his Orthodox friends and col-
leagues as distraught and bewildered at the prime min-
o Dr. Jay Novetsky, Yitzhak Rabin was an ister's death. "People are in shock."
outstanding military leader, a hero, the gen-
Yet he noted the frequent tension that often char-
eral responsible for the liberation of acterized the relationship between Yitzhak Rabin and
Jerusalem. But he was not the man who of- much of the observant community. Mr. Rabin appoint-
fered the best vision of peace for Israel. ed Cabinet members outspoken in their disapproval of,
"We recognize only too well the impor- or sometimes outright disdain for, traditional Judaism
tant contributions he made to Eretz Yisrael," said Dr. (one even suggested that Israel should no longer ob-
Novetsky, a Southfield resident and national board serve Jewish holy days, like Rosh Hashanah, as state
member of the One Israel Fund, which secures chari- holidays). Mr. Rabin himself also made remarks to
table contributions for Judea, Samaria and Gaza. "But which Orthodox Jews took offense.
that doesn't mean we can't disagree with his policies."
This tense relationship only exacerbated in the face
Throughout the past two years, Yitzhak Rabin has of the peace process. For many religious Zionists, com-
been Israel's most prominent spokesman for peace. He mitment to the Land of Israel is a biblical directive. God,

Meeting Of The Giants

T

he founder of Bar-Ilan
University is shown with
Yitzhak Rabin during the
Fisher meeting for big
givers to the 1977 Allied Jewish
Campaign.
"At that time, I was very much

Some Mourn Rabin,
Not His Policies

Lc J Not all American Jews
L2,J hope Yitzhak Rabin's
6 -}- - policies will continue.

o ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Lu

I-

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