litan Detroit
ecture Series

The Jewish Community Center of Me
proudly presents its first-ever Shiff

seminar called "On a Clear Day You
Can See Damascus."
Panelist Daniel Pipes, director of
the Middle East Forum, a think tank,
told the group that they have every
right to insist that their voices be
heard in Israeli politics.
"American Jews are far more hard-
headed about this than Israelis," who
are fatigued after decades of endless
hostilities, Pipes said.
Israelis just want to start their "dot-
com companies" and get on with
being a normal nation, he said, while
American Jews can't understand why
Israelis would want to hand over land
without getting much in return.
Among those who feels he has a
personal stake in the Middle East is
Steven Kaplan, 31, a New York
accountant, who follows the peace
process closely and is a news addict

who needed to be reminded of a con-
nection to the Jewish state.
Binderman, of Baltimore, grew up
a Zionist, but lately feels "very discon-
nected."
The reason? Her priorities have
changed, she says. She's a new mom
and "day school issues are more timely
than what's going on in Syria."
She was attending UJC sessions
about Israel to force herself to get con-
nected again.
But nothing can force an interest in
the Middle East for Matt Steinberg,
29, of Philadelphia.
"I'm the wrong person to ask that
question," he said, when asked
whether he follows the Mideast peace
process. "I don't have a high interest in
politics, Mideast or otherwise, and I
don't read the papers."
Then why is he going to Israel

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Israel mine field: Druze Arab shepherd Said al-Waleh kicks dung as he clears
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when it comes to Israeli current events.
But Kaplan says he's an exception.
Most of his Jewish peers are "either
indifferent or ignorant" when it comes
to Israel because they simply can't
relate.
"Their ties to Judaism are tenuous
at best," Kaplan says, and so are their
ties to Israel. •
Kaplan's commitment has been rein-
forced over the years through trips to
Israel. That's why he thinks Birthright
Israel — a program launched by Jewish
philanthropists to provide young Jews
with a free trip to Israel — is basically a
good way to helps cement ties to
Judaism. Although he adds with a grin:
"I think there are a lot of young, rich
Jewish kids getting away with murder."

Family Ties

Mindy Binderman, 33, never thought
she would be among the young Jews

this summer as part of Partnership
2000, a program that promotes busi-
ness ties between Israel and the dias-
pora? And why is he involved in his
local federation?
"It's important for Jews to stick
together," Steinberg says.
But even among those whose focus is
their local Jewish communities, there
was still evidence that Israel is an attrac-
tion at least on an emotional level.
Many, for example, knew the words to
Hatikva at the opening ceremonies.
And many were rolling in the aisles
Saturday night when a member of the
political satire troupe the Capitol
Steps walked out on stage dressed as
Palestinian Authority Chairman
Yasser Arafat, did a double take at the
sea of Jewish faces and said, "Boy, did
I pick the wrong crowd." ❑

— JTA Washington correspondent Sharon
Samber contributed to this report.

•

v'
the JCC's
48) 661-7649.

servations, pleas-

nits Center of Metropolitan Detroit

ing • Eugene ET Marcia Applebaum Jewish Community Campus
00 West Maple Road • West Bloomfield, MI

'Morris Building • A. Alfred Taubman Jewish Community Campus
15110 West Ten Mile Road • Oak Park, MI.

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