EDITOR'S NOTE11001

Where Israel Needs Our Help

what they could mean:
n the past few weeks, a strange
• As of this writing, Mr. Barak is
convergence of events seems to
yet
to form his government. That's
have ushered in the final bizarre
despite
the opening of the Knesset last
chapter of the 20th century. And
week,
which
featured the carnation-
it all seems serene when compared to
clad outgoing Prime Minis-
what's about to happen in
ter Binyamin Netanyahu
Israel and to American Jews
and Mr. Barak embracing
laboring on the Jewish state's
one another as the old
behalf.
friends they actually are.
World headlines these
Meanwhile, Israel's new
once again. And most importantly,
itary chief of staff steps out of uniform
days reflect this: The Kosovo
leader has crashed into the
intermarriage (Sephardi and Ashke-
and seemingly overnight is running
War -- with its new prece-
much-discussed new Israel,
nazi, modern Orthodox and secular,
the country, appointing former mili-
dents for NATO and rein-
one that for now is as color-
Russian and everyone) will diminish
tary colleagues to top posts. But don't
vigoration of the phrase
ful as it's ungovernable. The
the impact of Israel's powerful tribal
worry; he promises to stem the tur-
"never again" — ended after
new Israel features a surging
politics. Until that day, hold on.
moil and unify the people. What
a brutal several months.
religious party, whose leaders
NEIL R UBIN
• Meanwhile, the Arab camp, led by
would
we
think
were
this
news
from
Russian and German troops
call democracy subservient
an Egypt seeking to recapture its role as
Senior
Editor
again occupy territory in the
Chile or Indonesia?
to Jewish law; a reinvigorat-
pan-Arab nationalist leader, is laying the
Israel, of course, is far from a dis-
Balkans, this time ostensibly
ed secular party, whose head
groundwork to push Israel hard on the
guised dictatorship. Indeed, the
under U.S. command. In
peace front. Its media offer daily and
calls
the
religious
parasites
(and
in
regimes of the rest of the Arab world
South Africa, the truly remarkable
harsh criticisms of Israel, particularly
turn
is
called
an
anti-Semite),
and
a
likely would collapse quickly in the
Nelson Mandela quietly faded into the
senior
Labor
leader,
who
demands
that
Mr. Barak's pledge not to divide
face of Israeli-style openness and
twilight. And Pope John Paul II, one
Jerusalem
— which is silly because the
American
Jews
get
a
life
and
replace
democracy. We're going to need to
of the more charismatic religious lead-
their philanthropic reliance on Israel's
city's
borders
will be redrawn and a
continue to remind the Congress and
ers of the century, had an emotional
Palestinian
flag
will fly over the Arab
saga
with
a
healthier
paradigm.
Americans in general about that.
and likely final visit to his Polish
Now Mr. Barak will form a stable
neighborhoods,
but not that of the Old
homeland, taking time to speak with
• Israel is going through a social
government out of this chaos, and is
City.
Trust
me,
it'll
happen.
Balkanization, not a military one.
the country's chief rabbi.
And
when
it
does,
signaling the
indeed
poised
to
change
the
face
of
There is a most-ever 15 political par-
On top of all thaz, a guy named
coming
end
of
the
formal
Arab-Israeli
Israeli
politics.
But
expect
wild
headlines
ties in the new Knesset, in this mod-
George Bush enthusiastically declared
conflict
(the
informal
will
last for
from Jerusalem along the way. Even
ern political version of the old "one
that he wants to be our president.
another century), we will all yearn for
after
the
new
government
is
formed,
the
Jew, two synagogues" joke.
The Middle East, it seems, is the
the relative serenity of June 1999. II
rush for influence within will be akin to
The good news is that, unlike what
only place not leading the news. That's
the jockeying of horses the moment the
most people fear, the situation will not
because, in the generic terms that suf-
racetrack gate swings open.
last forever. The bad news is that the
To contact Neil Rubin,
fice for knowledge these - days, last
• All along, I hate to say it, but
next 12 to 16 years will seem like for-
month's election of Ehud Barak as
please e-mail
Israel runs the risk of appearing as if it
ever. During that period, the voting
rubin@jewishtimes.com
Israel's new prime minister makes
were a banana republic. How should
laws of this young country will change
everything OK. But, just wait. And as
the world interpret this: A former mil-
we do so, consider these points and

. . . the rush for influence within
(the new government) will be akin to
the jockeying of horses the moment
the racetrack gate swings open.

firearm available when the Constitu-
tion was penned was the musket.
Jamie Scott Fields

Detroit

War Veterans
Aid The Living

I must commend the coverage in your
Memorial Day edition depicting how
the Jewish War Veterans remember
and honor the dead ("Memory's Day,"
June 4).
The JWV also remembers and hon-
ors the living. One of the ways it does
this is by visiting the patients in veter-
ans' hospitals.
Recently, I accompanied my fellow
veteran Sheldon Schwartz on one of
his frequent visits to the hospital. I

Anna Bunin
of Oak Park
stands at the
grave of Lt.
Raymond
Zussman
during
Memorial
Day services
at Machpelah
Cemetery in
Ferndale.

particularly remember one incident in
which an African-American patient
had become so concerned for his
future, he had become incommunica-
tive.

Sheldon greeted the patient with a
cheery hello and a warm handshake
and, in no time, he had the patient
telling us his concerns. He had just
been diagnosed with a serious illness,

was facing major surgery by a surgeon
he had not met, and was hundreds of
miles from home and family.
Sheldon, a prostate cancer survivor,
said he had a similar experience some
years back. He dispensed hope, good
cheer and the feeling that we cared.
When we concluded our visit, the dis-
position of the patient had changed
from tears of despair to tears of joy.
We are told at the Passover festival
to welcome the stranger into our
homes. In this age of ethnic cleansing
of strangers, Sheldon symbolically wel-
comed a stranger into his home with
love; hopefully, this selfless act will
have a lasting effect on this patient in
his future relations with Jews.
Harmon Tron

Southfield

6/18
1999

Detroit Jewish News

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