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Editorials
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Israel Coverage Remains A Vital
Component Of The Jewish News
IN FOCUS
From its fragile birth in 1948 to its near-super- "Weapons Shipped To Israel Proposed As US
Gift By National Security Council."
power status today, Israel continues to shape
Twelve years ago, The Jewish News utilized
American Jewish identities. For many older
six full pages, about 20 percent of its news
Jews, Israel was built upon the ashes of the
hole, for coverage of Israel. The content was
Holocaust and anti-Semitism. Never again
similar to 1974, except a sense of weariness
would a Jew be stateless. Never again would a
pervaded. A sampling of headlines in that edi-
Jew rely on others for self-defense. For many
tion included: "For Good Or Ill, TV News
younger Jews, Israel is a given. It's a booming
Shapes Perception Of Israel"; "Israel Arrests
high-tech economy. It's what Italy is to Italian-
Killers Of British_
Americans and Ire-
Tourist";
"Chinese
land is to Irish-
1. Change Israel Atti-
Americans.
- tude"; "Israel Wants
For 50 years, the
z To Renew Autonomy
pages of The Jewish
.1 Talks"; "U.S. Navy
News have mirrored
;1) Pilots Learn From
Israel's growth and
Israeli Air Combat."
maturation — and
Last Friday, The Jewish
g
the dynamic rela-
committed 10
§
News
tionship its readers
t. full pages, about 15
have with the Jewish
percent of its editori-
state.
al/news content, to
Marvel and Maurice Shapiro enjoy the clay sculpture of Mulu
Forty-six years
Israel. While issues of
Geta, an Ethiopian Jew who now hails from Israel. His artwork
ago this week, The
war and peace still
was part of Israeli Art Expressions, an exhibition and sale April
Jewish News devoted
dominated ("Michigan
19-26 at the West Bloomfield-based Jewish Community Center
two full pages,
Israel is a Jewish homeland of religious contrast,
Senators Weigh In On ,.of Metropolitan Detroit's Kahn Building in celebration of the
about 21 percent of ranging from ultra-Orthodox Jews to secular Jews.
U.S. Role In Mideast
State of Israel's 50th birthday. Event co-sponsors included Con-
the paper's total edi-
Peace Negotiations";
gregation Shaarey Zedek and Michigan/Israel Connection.
torial/news content,
"Pain Lingers On As Suicide Bombing Victim
to Israel. The tone of the stories was clear:
Leaves Hospital"; "Britain Joins U.S. On
Israel was building a state and American Jews
were playing a key role. A pioneering spirit was Mideast Team"), there was also a much desired
sense of maturity "Israel's Annual Trade (with
evident — even photographs showed fresh,
Turkey) Has Quietly Passed The $500 Million .
smiling faces of recent emigres wearing mili-
Mark"; "Hutchinson Mulls Israel Investments";
tary berets.
"Next Year In Jerusalem For Hillel Headmaster";
Twenty-four years ago this week, The Jewish
Israel's 50th
"Kicking Up Heels — Beth Abraham Hillel
News committed six full pages, about 28 per-
Moses Girls Practice Israeli Dance Steps."
Is Miraculous
cent of its total editorial/news content, to
In celebrating Israel's 50th anniversary, The
Israel. But isolation and a preoccupation with
I will be in Israel this week
Jewish News reaffirms its commitment to pro-
security had replaced optimism. Typical head-
with two generations- of my
vide its readers with information that reflects
lines in that edition included: "Tekoah Calls.
family to celebrate the 50th
the central, but dynamic, role the Jewish state
UN Condemning Act A Miscarriage Of Jus-
anniversary ofIsrael's indepen-
plays in shaping our own identities. While cur-
tice"; "PFLP, Kiryat Shemonah Terrorists, Take
dence — a unique moment in
rent and future generations of American Jews
Credit For Murder Of Israel Attache In Wash-
history for each and every one
may take Israel's existence for granted, we do
ington"; "Israel Reports Losses Of Several
of us who is Jewish. We are liv-
not. We will not. ❑
Men, Planes, Gains Hermon Position";
ing the miracle.
I believe we are the chosen
generation. Some of us have
lived through the horrors of
the Holocaust to see the
BY
rebirth of our people. Some
CAN'T
1R9,RABS1,
BUT
.yoU
of us were there in the early
NICE
MAYBE
MIRACLES
ARE
HAPPENING
AH,PERHAP.5
RAW, WHy AREN'T
pogroms, shteds or ghettos
Foot. ME WITH THAT STUFF. WELL,
THERE
ALL ARouM7 Us, BUT THE g
days to help establish the Jew-
TC- ► ERE MIRACLES
M OFF FOR THE ISRAEL
TUST SEEM COMMONPLACE,
ARE!
firioRE?
they came from, and remem-
ish state. But no matter when
so WE (2001—rAKE A5 MUCH
.50TH ANNIVERSAR9 CEIZORATONS
ber the earliest Zionist confer-
NOTICE OF THEM AS WE SHOULD
we were born during this
HAVE A
ences. But no matter whether
MIRACULOUS TIME
period, each of us has wit-
you
are young or old, this is a
nessed a different chapter.
(I
historic moment.
And each chapter has been a
With all the differences and
ti building block in this miracle •
with
all the issues confronting
we call Israel.
us
as
Jews, there should be one
There are senior citizens in
point
we rally around, that
Israel who remember the
v/ I
IE
Israeli Artistry
LETTERS
Ilowz By You
oi
Mendel
5/1
1998
33