A Ceasefire, For Now

United We Stand

Detroit Jewry stages solidarity rally at Yeshivat Akiva in support of Israel.

DIANA LIEBERMAN

StaffWriter

B

oston born and San
Francisco raised, Mark
Myers lived in Israel for
19 years before returning
to the United States 14 months ago
to become Israeli shaliach (emissary)
in Detroit.
A high school teacher in Haifa
before his two-year assignment here,
Mark Myers
Myers is passionate about the elusive
search for Mideast peace.
guards stood watch.
He was among hundreds of metro
The solidarity rally for Israel began at
Detroit Jews, shocked by events of the
5:40
p.m. and officially ended 40 min-
past three weeks in the Middle East,
utes later. But Rabbi Yigal Tsaidi, the
who gathered Monday, Oct. 16, to
school's principal, stayed until past 9
show solidarity with Israel.
p.m., leading prayers, singing and
"I hope there will be peace," said
dancing as well as conversing with local
Myers, who works for the
and national reporters.
Michigan/Israel Connection office of
The message of the rally was peace, but
the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan
peace
with security, justice and respect.
Detroit, after speaking at Monday's
rally. "But if there will be a need to
mobilize in support of Israel, this is the
Stepping Up
first step."
From the podium, Myers called upon
A crowd estimated at 1,200 filled the
local Jews to disregard their differences.
600-seat beit knesset (sanctuary) at
"Your message, that the Jewish people
Yeshivat Akiva in Southfield, overflow-
is one, that we are responsible for each
ing into five classrooms, the main hall-
other, and are united in our love and
way and outside along West 12 Mile
support of Israel, will be heard and
Road. Southfield police and security
greatly valued in Israel," he told an
Related editorials: page 43
emotional audience.

Rabbi Daniel Nevins of Adat
Shalom Synagogue in Farming-ton
Hills said America's Jews believe Israel
"has sought to act with restraint and
decency in the face of the vehement
calls for its destruction.
"Time and again, Israeli govern-
ments led by [political parties] Labor
and Likud have offered their oppo-
nents treaties of peace and painful
territorial concessions," he said.
"But, instead of a peace of the brave,
[Palestinian Authority Chairman
Yasser] Arafat has opted for cowardly
terror.
"Instead of the normalization of rela-
tions, Israelis have been ostracized by
their Arab neighbors. Instead of teach-
ing peace in the schools, Palestinians
have increased the rhetoric of rejection
and hate, teaching their children the
ways of terror."
In his remarks, titled "Youth Message
of Peace," Daniel
Horwitz, 16, of West
Bloomfield said two
16-year-old friends,
Etai, a Jew in Tel Aviv,
and Raya, an Arab in
Ramallah, were equally
frightened by current
events. Daniel made
these friends through
his participation in a
summer camp.
Daniel Horwitz

Etai told of friends wearing gas masks
to school. Raya told of sleeping on the
floor so she wouldn't be shot through
the window. Both speak passionately of
wanting peace, he said.
"I hope that somehow, the current
generation will be able to create peace
between people," Daniel said. "But
even if your generation can't reach that
goal," he told the gathering, "my gener-
ation will take over where yours leaves
off and ensure that my children will
derive the benefits of having peace."

National Tide

Detroit's was one of dozens of solidarity
events for Israel taking place across
North America in the past 10 days.
The local rally, organized by the
Jewish Federation of Metropolitan
Detroit and the Jewish Community
Council of Metropolitan Detroit, faced
none of the problems,
threats, protestors or
disruptions seen at
some other sites.
Federation's Nancy
Grand said this wasn't
the first time Detroit
Jewry has rallied on
Israel's behalf.
"Throughout our
shared history," she
said, "we've stood at

Rallying Point: Support For Israel Unites Crowd In Hopes For Peace

A

s members and friends of the
Jewish, community filed into
Monday's solicInrity rally for Israel at
Yeshivat Alciva, they received tiny
Israeli flags, along with blue-and-white
pins stating, "Detroit Stands by
Israel."
Those two symbols unified the
overflow crowd, yet differing opinions
about Israel still surfaced.
"[Israeli Prime Minister Ehud]
Barak said we should pray for peace,"
said Ann Dembs of West Bloomfield.
"There should be peace. But Israel
should build up their troops."

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She and her husband Phil have two
children, 11 grandchildren and two
great-grandchildren in Israel. "They
are praying everything will turn out all
right," Ann said.
What the general news media pres-
ent to the public is slanted against
Israel, she said. "I watched for a whole
half-hour the other night, and they
showed the same half-hour of Jews
beating Arabs the whole time."
West Bloomfield's Isadore
Averbuch, who came to the rally with
his daughter Susan Averbuch of
Commerce Township, said his father

paving blocks.
Averbuch said Rabbi Meir Kahane,
the right-wing Jewish activist who
formed the Jewish Defense League,
was "a prophet."
"He said the flash point would be
with the Arabs, and it is," Averbach
said. "Israel should be a Jewish state,
and nothing else."
Sylvia Man S an
Susan Averbuch said
that, to her, peace is
always paramount. "But
peace with security."
Sara Manson of
Southfield said that, if

had joint United States/Israeli citizen-
ship. "He lived in B'nei Barak [in the
contested area], and during the Six-
Day War [in 1967], the American
consul wanted him to leave," Isadore
Averbach said. "He was in his 70s
already. But he wouldn't leave. He
said, 'I still have the strength to fire a

gun.
After the Six-Day 'War,
Averbuch went to visit
his father. The
Jordanians had taken the
gravestones from the old
Jewish cemetery to use as

