PROBING THE MYSTERIES OF LIFE
Jewish researchers have been powerfully attracted to the life sciences and the
challenge of probing for the reasons we are what we are--the miracle that lives in
every human. Here we honor a native Russian, German and American seeker for
such knowledge, scientists whose quests were rewarded with Nobel Prizes.

A diplomat and a general rally for Israel.

ELIE METCHNIKOFF
(1845-1916) b. Ivanovka, Russia Biologist Not until
he escaped Czarist oppression to join Louis Pasteur in
Paris in 1888 did his brilliance as an embryologist and
immunologist attract world attention. While a
professor of zoology and comparative anatomy at the
University of Odessa, Metchnikoff had discovered
that certain white blood cells he named "phagocytes"

I

"Israel stands today in this sorely troubled world as perhaps the most heartening
single achievement in the whole post-war era. Israel is not only good for the Jews,
good for the people of the Middle East and good for the U.S.A., it is in all truth good
for the human race."
- Henry Cabot Lodge
Late U.S. Ambassador

COMMISSION FOR THE DISSEMINATION OF JEWISH HISTORY
Walter & Lea Field, Founders/Sponsors
Irwin S. Field, Co-chairperson
Harriet F. Siden, Co-chairperson
Visit many more notable Jews on our website: www.dorledor.org

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2000

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"They have been misrepresented by
the Palestinian Authority, which led to
the pent-up frustration that Israel is
doing nothing," he said.
n the wake of negative press
Brig. Gen. Eival Gilady of the Israeli
during the recent riots in the
Defense
Forces outlined a wider perspec-
West Bank and Gaza, the Israeli
tive of the Israeli position Oct. 25 to a
government is sending diplo-
partisan crowd of 225 at the Jewish
mats and other officials throughout
Community Center in West Bloomfield.
Europe and the United States to offer a
The riots were not a result of former
different perspective.
Israeli Defense Minister Ariel Sharon's
"We're trying to give everyone an
visit to the Temple Mount, he said.
educated answer why everything broke
Arafat cannot compromise, and doesn't
down when peace seemed to be around
want to, because he might be able to
the corner," said Nimrod Barkan, direc-
gain more if the Palestinians riot,
tor of the Department Center for
Gilady said.
Political Research. He visited here Oct.
Arafat can't make the transfor-
20 to meet with local media
,
mation from the leader of a ter-
and Jewish leadership groups,
rorist organization to statehood,
and to dispel "a tremendous
said Gilady, a visiting fellow at
amount of confusion."
the Hoover Institution of
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud
Stanford University. "He still
Barak, he explained, believed
doesn't sleep in the same place
that to avoid a clash it was
two nights in a row."
essential to reach final-agree-
Barak's generous offer, includ-
ment status before Palestinian
ing Palestinian stamps, currency
Authority Chairman Yasser
Gilady
and customs offices, went way
Arafat declared a unilateral
beyond previous offers; yet
Palestinian state at the end of the
Arafat
refused.
year. Through negotiations, Barak
"He wanted to join the other
hoped the development could be ,
Arab leaders to have an opportu-
peaceful and coordinated, Barkan
nity to miss an opportunity,"
said. "He believed that if heads of
Gilady said, echoing the famous
state were involved, including the
Abba Eban quote about Arafat.
United States, then major conces-
"Once the riots began, it was
sions can be given and the heart
Barkan
in Arafat's interest to suffer
of the matter can be addressed."
high casualties, but we were
"The Palestinians, on the other
well
prepared.
The number of casual-
hand, received Camp David as a trick, as
ties were very low compared to similar
a plot to entrap them into a compromise
instances around the world," he said,
agreement," Barkan said. "Forthcoming
citing Tiananmen Square in China
as it may be from an Israeli perspective, it
and Somalia.
is still ideologically unacceptable to them,
"We told them ahead of time when
[so] when they came to Camp David, a
we would attack a house or a building, "
big surprise was waiting for us."
Gilady said. Israelis also used snipers
Barkan said Arafat was perceived as a
only when they had to, he said, while
hero of the revolution for standing up
Palestinians delivered rocks and
to Israel and the Americans, but he was
weapons in ambulances, knowing that
received very negatively in an interna-
Israelis would never shoot at them.
tional community that demanded he
Gilady said it was unfortunate the
reciprocate to Israel's steps.
Palestinian boy now known as
Arafat "opted to carry out a relatively
"Mohammed" was caught in the crossfire
violent move that would force the
of
Israeli bullets and died in the arms of
international community to pressure
his father. What the French media's video
Israel into something else, and things
didn't show were the Israelis surrounded
got out of hand," Barkan said. "He
by Palestinians and under fire from eight
wanted to get some religious element
different positions. The boy and his
into the violence, but it went way
father were out of sight of the Israelis in
beyond what he expected."
an isolated area.
Why the ostensibly moderate Arabs
"The best way to protect little
are becoming so extreme is because they
Mohammed
was to keep him at home,"
are not aware of the nature of the Israeli
Gilady said.
proposals, Barkan said.

HARRY KI RS BAUM
StaffWriter

JOSHUA LEDERBERG
(1925-) b. Montclair, NJ Geneticist He helped
pioneer the field of bacterial genetics, issuing co-
authored reports of several far reaching discoveries.
Proof was offered that "sexual" exchanges between
different strains of bacteria could recombine their
respective genes to produce entirely new, crossbred
species. And, a process called "transduction" allows
certain viruses to transfer genes from one bacterium
to another. Through such manipulations and his ingenious bacterial breeding
techniques, medical science has learned much about how genes function in human
heredity. Lederberg's 1958 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine was shared
with two other American geneticists, and he was elected president of New York
City's Rockefeller University in 1978.

V‘aelled, Teigitevreed

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