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UN 324-BORE Farmington Hills PROFESSIONAL UNISEX HA.IiilitillOVAL BY EPILIGHTrm 34 Detroit Jewish News page 30 other trips staying at the luxurious Goldstein Youth Village and unimag- inable culinary experiences in what was, for us, the only Chinese restau- rant in all of Israel. The climb up Masada was preceded by a poetry reading, the climb down by a water fight. My personal quest for a summer of discovery seemed overrun by a demanding drive within the group to have fun. One can only imagine my disappointment when, during the first night in New York, I realized I was surrounded by people who saw mid- night song sessions as being more valuable than sleep. Looking back on the diary that I kept oh-so-diligently, I am not sur- prised to see that the few entries I did make were not concentrated on incredible events, but on incred.ible people. From discussions about goat cheese to horrifying middle school experiences to (surprise) religion, the insight, wisdom and humor of the people I was fortunate enough to spend this summer with never ceased to amaze me. Not only was this the most jarringly intelligent group of people I 'had ever known, it was also the most surprisingly hum- ble. No one had all the answers and, thankfully, no one pretended to. Every thought or idea, as absurd as it may have been, was examined as thoroughly as if it had come from one of our rabbis. And when a dis- cussion, in shiur at least, was thrown way off track, a rabbi could always be counted on to straighten things out. Not every discussion was a wealth of insight; an entire shiur was devoted to conning one of our beloved rabbis into saying "clay" or "rock," however even that lesson found us voluntarily forgetting our scheme in order to discuss the sub- tleties of fruit trees and classic rock. Through the warmth, strength and compelling nature of my teach- ers and friends, I managed to learn more about Judaism, relationships and myself, all while having a great time. Quite an unbelievable feat for six-week summer program. Maybe it should be included in the mission statement. I am always surprised when some- one asked me whether or not my summer as a Bronfman Fellow changed me. The alterations within me, which seem so subtle to others, have drastically altered the way that I interact with those around me. What I used to consider admirable — ambition, creativity and the slightest hint of sarcasm — now seem trivial (all right, I still kind of enjoy the sarcasm). Curiosity, toler- ance and respect, which I now rec- ognize to be the true measures of a successful person, have become the characteristics that I look for in my friends and family. That small shift in focus has sent a domino reaction of changes within me, one so huge that when people ask me to look back on myself, I don't really under- stand who I used to be. The quest for some kind of reli- gious reconciliation within myself has remained a search, rather than a goal reached. However, my ideas of personal hypocrisy have disappeared, as I realized that the simple act of looking was more enlightening than any solution could be. The people and experiences I encountered this summer helped me see that there is nothing wrong in not knowing the answer, and something beautiful in trying to find one together. ❑ LETTERS PATH To DESTRUCTION from page 32 from the ancient lands of Israel (Netanyahu). Peace is nice, but first Jews must secure all lands of Israel so that no Arab or Jew should ever think that control can be wrested away. If not, then property in Tel Aviv, Ramat-Gan, Beersheva and Haifa will be next. "Good fences make good neighbors"; but no fence should ever run down the middle of Israel. Every military, religious and secular person knows that it is the recipe for surrender and defeat. Even if Yassir Arafat were to give his hekhsher and declare a guaranteed peace, Israel could never surrender the land because of what will happen most assuredly. It was God who said, "If the Jews invite their (Arab) neighbors to share the land with them, the Jews will be thrown from the land and left to wander among the nations, unable to understand." There is the ultimate future. Not from an editorial but from the Almighty. Know whose direction we Jews should be taking. Michael Drissman Executive Director Committee for the Jewish Idea