SPECIAL COMMENTARY

SPECIAL COMMENTARY

Speaking Out Against Hate

Israel's Security Is Foremost

PRIME MINISTER EHUD BARAK

Special to the Jewish News

ir

rom the city of Jerusalem,
the eternal capital of the
State of Israel, and the spiri-
tual home of the Jewish peo-
ple, I send you my warmest greetings
for a happy, healthy and prosperous
New Year. Shana Tova!
We, the citizens of Israel, share the
deep concern of our fellow Jews
throughout the world for the demo-

It is our sacred duty to
spread the historic
message of our
tradition, a message
of tolerance and
openness.

graphic future of the Jewish people.
The open pluralistic societies of today
have given Jews greater opportunities
to integrate. Nevertheless, they have
also posed the greatest challenge to the
preservation of Jewish identity — the
danger of assimilation.
Here in Israel, we follow the global
resurgence of anti-Semitism, bigotry
and racism with great anxiety. It is our
sacred duty to be vigilant, to combat
fanaticism and to spread the historic
message of our Jewish tradition, a
message of tolerance and openness.
The insightful Zionist thinker, Ahad
Ha'am, envisioned the Jewish state as
the spiritual center and a source of pride
for all Jews. Within the next few decades
of the 21st century, and thanks to the
tireless efforts of devoted Jewish corn-
munities, we will reach a great Zionism
milestone: the State of Israel will become
the largest Jewish community in the
world.
Israel today is a strong country. It is
from this position of confidence that
we reinvigorate the peace process with
our Arab partners. Peace is an essential
element of our security and, as diffi-
cult as the negotiating process may be,
I am committed to making every pos-
sible effort to attain it.
However, I assure you that the
security of Israel and its citizens is my
first and foremost concern, and I will
allow nothing to compromise it.
This is my guiding principle, and
that of my government. Israel's central

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1999

duty is to provide a safe haven for the
Jewish people, and this mission is
deeply ingrained in our minds.
We welcome all Jews wishing to
build their homes here and participate
in the development and strengthening
of Israeli society. I believe that Israel's
centrality in Jewish community life
around the globe is essential for Jewish
continuity and the preservation of
Jewish identity in the diaspora. At the
same time, the Jewish communities in
the developed countries are called
upon to increase efforts to assist Israel
to face these challenges.
The opening of the gates of the for-
mer Soviet Union to massive aliya, the
rescue of Jews from Ethiopia and
other countries where they are in dan-
ger, and the wide-ranging efforts to
absorb the many hundreds of thou-
sands of immigrants, have presented
the State of Israel, the Jewish people
and the various campaigns around the
world with one of the greatest chal-
lenges since the state was established.
May we, during the coming year,
see the fulfillment of our prayers for
peace and prosperity, and may we look
ahead to an even brighter future for
Israel and the Jewish people.
Shana Tova and Hatima Tova!

PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON

Special to the Jewish News

arm greetings to all who
are celebrating Rosh
HaShana. During this
season of renewal and
redemption, Jews from across the
nation and around the world heed the
sound of the shofar announcing the
beginning of the High Holy Days and
gather together with family and
friends to celebrate the creation of the

Rosh HaShana:
uplifting time to
rejoice, pray
and reflect
and resolve
to make
the new year
better.

❑

Ehud Barak and Bill Clinton in July at the White House.

world and the beginning of the new
year.
Rosh HaShana is a time for rejoic-
ing, but it also is a time for serious
prayer and reflection. Jews give thanks
for their blessings and repent for their
mistakes. They resolve to change what
they can to make the new year better
than the last.
Regrettably, this past year saw too
many examples of hatred and violence
inspired by ignorance and prejudice.
We all can learn from the Jewish peo-
ple's strong dedication to civil rights
and tolerance, and we all must redou-
ble our efforts to combat the forces of
intolerance that still linger in our soci-
ety.
As we celebrate Rosh HaShana, I
urge all Americans to join the Jewish
community and to come together as a
nation to speak out against hate
crimes and to appreciate our common
humanity. Together, we can work to
ensure that the tragedies of the past
year are not repeated and that the
coming year is filled with happiness
and peace.
Hillary joins me in extending best
wishes for a meaningful observance. 17

