RUBY'S BALM PRESENTS..

SPECIAL COMMENTARY

Remembering Why We Came

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Jerusalem

crowd quiets down. He faces the
congregation and requests that if,
he bus to my apartment
during the service, any of the con-
passes one of the more pop-
gregants hears some important news
ular hangouts for this city's
of the current situation, or if, God
infinite number of demon-
forbid, the government
strations. The walls made of
broadcasts a military call-
Jerusalem stone surrounding
up, to please come and see
the square are covered with
him directly so that he may
wind-tattered posters and
make an announcement to
flyers whose glue is not yet
the congregation. He
dry.
reminds us briefly of the
Today, however, some-
Yom Kippur War of 1973.
thing is different. While
He doesn't need to. How
there are people in the
can I describe the depth of
streets, there are no demon-
the feelings we shared as
strators heatedly selling their
DARRE N
the melodies of Kol Nidrei
political wares. Where are
SPIL MAN
penetrated the hall follow-
the usual multitudes? Most
Speci at to
ing that announcement?
likely, they are among what
the Jewi sh News
The next morning during
appears to be the vast major-
the Torah service, we took
ity of Israelis that feel the
time to pray for the three soldiers
debate over borders and stipulations is
who were recently kidnapped from
one we cannot afford right now. We
inside our borders by Hizbullah ter-
need to give ourselves what we feel we
rorists. As we prayed for the three
are not getting from anywhere else in
boys, two Jewish and one Druze, we
the world: support for Israel's right to
prayed as a family longing for the safe
exist.
return of a son or brother. We knew
Can anyone blame us when the
that it could have easily been the
United Nations Security Council
child of any number of families from
makes a move to publicly condemn
our own congregation. The amen to
us, and our closest ally, the United
that prayer as it was chanted through-
States, remains silent until after the
out Israel on Yom Kippur must have
vote has passed? We understand the
shaken the heavens.
U.S. government's fear of appearing
I am still on the bus on my way
biased, but the mark is still on the
home when the hourly radio news
books, and it hurts.
report comes on. As those familiar
At times like these, when Israelis
beeps begin to sound, the chatter of
feel that nobody in the world except
the passengers stops almost immedi-
perhaps the Jewish community in the
ately. An anxious look comes over the
Diaspora feels our pain, our seemingly
faces of those around me. The
fragmented country made up of 30-
reporter informs us that the violence
something political parties, and five
has not stopped, but at least, at this
opinions for each person, coalesces
hour, it has not escalated. A brief
into a family.
feeling of relief is quickly replaced by
the reality that the outcome of this
Shades of 1973
latest episode in our history is
It is Yom Kippur evening and I am
unknown.
crowded into a community center
A look of understanding is passed
that has been converted into a syna-
amongst passengers who have never
gogue for the holiday. The Kol Nidrei
met before. "This is not the first
service is about to begin, and I am
time," their eyes say to each other.
remembering the holiday with my
"We've made it this far, we'll make it
family back in Michigan.
through again."
The leader of the service
A cell phone rings. The loud chat-
approaches the bimah, and the
ter from before again fills the bus. All
Darren Spilman is originally from
of a sudden, it almost feels like a nor-
Farmington Hills, where he attended
mal day. As a new citizen of this
Adat Shalom Synagogue. After graduat-
country, and a current soldier, I
ing from the University of Michigan in
remark to myself that maybe this is
1996, he went to Israel on the Jewish
the source of Israel's success. The abil-
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit-
ity to look into the eyes of one you've
sponsored program, Project Otzma. He
never met before, and find the .
made aliyah in January and is now a
strength to remember why we came
soldier in the Israeli Defense Forces. His
here in the first place, and to find the
parents are Geraldine and Murray
courage to try to still make that dream
Spilman of Orchard Lake.
come true. ❑

T

