Insight
Search For Peace
Son of the late Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin puts
his personal history into an international context.
can't do it. Public support was needed.
Dor Shalom's goals are advancing
the peace process his father began and
heyoung man was seated
bolstering democracy in Israel.
in the audience at the
Though Rabin adds, "We may not be
peace rally, watching his
able to achieve peace when people
father speak. Then he
have so much hatred they don't know
decided to leave the square early and
what they are hating."
In addition to its hopes of making
head for home.
Living nearby, by the time he'd
peace with Israel's Arab neighbors,
turned on his television that night,
Dor Shalom aims to bind wounds
reports of his father's
within Israeli society —
assassination were being
not just the political Left
– and Right, but secular
beamed across the
and religious.
world.
Rabin said some were
Yuval Rabin, son of
brainwashed into think-
the late Israeli Prime
ing his father referred to
Minister Yitzhak Rabin,
some of the terrorists as
shared the personal side
victims of peace. "This
of an international
has been researched over
tragedy, and his
thoughts on how it has
and over again, and he
affected Israel, to a rapt
has never used that
audience of 225 on •
expression."
Israel's history has had
May 8 at the D. Dan
both high and low
and Betty Kahn
points, noted Rabin.
Building of the Jewish
"We should attempt to
Community Center in
look at our history objec-
West Bloomfield.
Yuval Rabin, left, answers a question from moderator Arthur Horwitz
Interviewed by
tively, look at those
Arthur Horwitz, publish-
events and shatter myths,"
he said. "Then we can demand the
er of the Jewish News, Rabin said his
"This White House has the ability
first thought was "humiliation" upon
Egyptians and Syrians to stop calling
to articulate feelings at the right
learning a Jew was responsible for his
us Nazis."
moment in the right way, and Shalom,
father's assassination.
Audience member Erna Gorman of
chavera (goodbye, friend) became the
"This was not a deranged lunatic or best description of the experiences
Bloomfield Hills said she agreed with
someone with just a crazy idea who
Rabin's statements.
between them," he said. "Was it gen-
shot the prime minister; this was a
"He also sees the weaknesses of the
uine? I, for one, have no doubt."
highly intelligent person who premed-
Yuval Rabin is the chairman of Dor Israelis, and that we shouldn't just
itated an assassination," said Rabin.
blame everything on the Arabs," she
Shalom, Generation of Peace, an
"Who is he to get up and take away
said. "If the terrible things done by
Israeli grass-roots social movement
both sides is admitted by both sides,
any life for that matter."
that began after the assassination.
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's
Dor Shalom evolved from "the real- then perhaps there could be a bal-
shiva call the next day was not grand-
ance."
ization of a group of 10 young guys
Rabin said his father's legacy was at
standing, it was genuine, Rabin said.
on the night of the assassination that
The morning after an Israeli killed
first perceived as seeking peace, but
they have to get up and take responsi-
his father, the second condolence call,
today it has focused on the issue of
bility for the future, [driven by] the
after President Bill Clinton's, was from same conviction that the way my
leadership.
Arafat — "Israel's arch enemy," Rabin
"It's all about showing the way and
father was leading the country was the
going the way," he said. "It's about
said, adding that the call "created a
right way," he said.
closer understanding of him."
The rude awakening after the assas- taking responsibility." O
The Rabin family "had never met
sination was that governments alone
HARRY KI RS BAUM
Staff Writer
T
him prior, but we got to know him,"
he said. "We ourselves were confused
with this relationship, but it is certain-
ly representative of what is happening
today, seven years after the Oslo
Accords and five years after the assassi-
nation. Despite all of the obstacles, an
ongoing dialogue with . the Palestinians
is a fact that cannot be denied."
Clinton's tribute during the funeral
was memorable, too, Rabin said.
Remember
When •
From the pages of the Jewish News for
this week 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50
years ago.
David Tanzman was elected presi-
dent of Young Israel of Oak-Woods.
Leon Hochman was installed as the
new president of the Congregation
Shaarey Zedek Men's Club.
Lee Ann Salle was elected president
of the Temple Beth El Sisterhood.
198013%
Richard Demak, Robert Jacobson
and Allan Redstone are winners of
National Merit Scholarships.
Jewish students from New York
universities demonstrated in front
of the New York Times building
against the "anti-Israel bias of the
reporters and editors."
Sondra Nathan was installed as
president of the Greater Detroit
Section, National Council of
Jewish Women.
1970
A bomb blast damaged the Jewish
Center in La Plata, Argentina.
The Jewish National Fund's local
office announced a metropolitan .
Detroit pilgrimage and study mis-
sion to Israel.
The Zionist flag, which became
the flag of Israel in 1948, was
found among a group of old ban-
ners in a forgotten closet in
Detroit's Fisher Building.
11111.111011Malrw"1
Scholnick's Clothiers is offering
tropical-weight sport coats for
$39.95.
Harry S. Brown was elected
president of the Children's
Leukemia Foundation.
zaTk. mIatimmew
u.v.mmw.atithiEalk&
The largest YM-YWHA building in .
the world was dedicated in Montreal.
It cost approximately $1.5 million.
Temple Israel announced plans
for a community-wide celebration to
mark the 25th anniversary of Rabbi
Leon Fram's coming to Detroit.
The first Iraqi Jews to be evacu-
ated arrived in Israel as part of
Operation Ali Baba.
— Compiled by Sy Manello,
editorial assistant
5/26
2000
37