People To People

SHOWING WE CARE from page 6

Joining Hands
To Find Peace

MARTA ROSENTHAL and
MICHAEL HOROWITZ

Special to the Jewish IVezvs

111 f there's anything we learned

A on our brief mission of soli-

darity to Israel, it's that in these
difficult times, you've got to be
there to really under-
stand. Long distance
just isn't enough.
When an Israeli shopkeeper
welcomes you with the sad
observation that you're the first
customer he has seen in two
days, when every person you
meet in'the street (unfortunate-
ly, none of them tourists) gives
you a verbal bear hug just for
being there, then you under-
stand.
When you're there, you wit-
ness the terrible isolation that
Israelis are feeling, the sense that
few among the nations of the
world really care about truth.
It's tough to bear when you
were so close to peace.
And yet, in this often puz-
zling, always extraordinary,
country, even when her people
are emotionally spent and
depressed, life'goes on.
For instance, in the central
Galilee (Detroit's Partnership
2000 sister region), we niet with
elementary schoolteachers dis
cussing a curriculum of coe.xis
tence between Arab and Jew.
They hope that will lead to
enhanced understanding of each
other. We dropped by a reunion
of 40 teenagers from the region
— participants in Detmit's Teen
Mission 2000 — who shared
their feelings of affection and
gratitude toward our Detroit
community. Over and over

Marta Rosenthal, a member of

the Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit's Board of
Governors and executive commit-
tee, is an associate chair of the
Michigan Unity Mission to Israel.
Michael Horowitz is co - chair of
Federation's Israel and Overseas
Allocations Committee.

,

11/17
2000

10

again, as in so many other
places we visited, their parents
thanked us for being in Israel at
such a difficult time.
At the Jezreel Valley College,
President Aliza Shenhar sum-
moned the heads of all student
organizations -- Arab and
Jewish --- and instructed
them in the ways of a
democracy. As long as
they shared their agendas, she
said, they were free to stage
protests, for that is what free-
dom of speech is all about.
At the Milton and Lois
Shill-wan Home Hospice in the
Valleys — an inspiring example
of our Detroit-central Galilee
connection — we met with
Jewish and Arab medical staff
and an Arab volunteer dedicated
to bringing the hospice concept
to his own community. We felt
no strain between us, only a
unity of purpose: to ease the
pain of terminally ill patients in
Arab Nazareth and Jewish
Nazareth Ilit.
This isn't to suggest that noth
ing has changed. Things aren't
the same. Relationships between
Israeli Jews and Arabs have
undergone a defining change.
Expectations, once so high, have
been dashed.
At the same time, there is a
sense among the many Israelis
we met that, while it will be dif-
ficult and take more time, peace
is inevitable because there is no
other option — not for Israelis,
or for Arabs. They have a
responsibility to learn to live
together.
We in the diaspora have
responsibilities, too. And right
now, one of them is to physical-
ly join hands with our sisters
and brothers in Israel. The
Michigan Unity Mission to
Israel, Jan. 14-19, will give us
just such an opportunity. Please
make that call today to reserve
your place.
We must be there, not just
in good times, In tough times,
too.

.

said Raheli Brooks, volunteer coordi-
their visitors that, despite everything,
nator of Hafuch al Hafuch Teen
they were continuing to live their lives
Information and Counseling Center in
as before.
Midgal HaEmek. She added that she
"It is good for Detroiters to come
had received many e-mail messages
see the real picture — that in Israel,
from friends in Detroit.
we are still living our regular lives,"
"It makes you feel like you have
said Shulamit Malach, principal of the
Nofim School in Migdal HaEmek.
someone out there who cares about
Here, the Detroit Federation's
you, and it strengthens our connec-
Partnership 2000 sponsors Jewish
tion," she said.
identity programs funded through
Migdal Mayor Eli Barda echoed her
Federation's Annual Campaign.
feelings: "This is a heartfelt thing, that
"It is a nice feeling that they share
we are receiving support and solidarity
moments with us, not only in happy
in these difficult times, not just by
days, but also in difficult
phone and by e-mails, but
times as well," Malach said.
also by people who are
"We know what happened
coming here and seeing
with our Arab neighbors
that we are not afraid.
was significant, but maybe
When we are united, we
it happened because they
are stronger
were living under this pres-
sure and had no other
It's Home
recourse. Of course, it does
Has the unrest
not leave good feelings."
One of the flashpoints of
in Israel deterred
Twelve-year-old student
the clashes in the Galilee
Avivit Harush said she had
some six weeks ago was the
you from
been afraid something
border between the Arab
traveling there?
would happen to her dur-
residents of Nazareth and
Give your opinion on
ing the violence; even now,
the Jews of Nazareth Ilit.
IN Online at
Some Jews living in
she said, she looks around
www.detroit
her "with seven eyes."
Nazareth
Ilit said that in
jewishnews.com
Attempting to normalize
spite of the rough times
life, Malach said Nofim
they'd just experienced, they
School staff had met recent-
would continue to work
ly with teachers and the principal of
toward finding a balance with their
an Arab school in the neighboring vil-
neighbors.
"I've lived in Nazareth Ilit since 1959,
lage of Iksal — with which they have
worked before — to see how they can
and I will continue living there. It is my
place and I have no fear," said
renew their contacts.
Partnership 2000 volunteer Shosh
"It is scary, but because of the base
we have built, we have a connection,
Nahon. "Both sides need to think, and
realize, that we both need each other in
and we know that the education of
our youth is what will keep us moving
the Galilee. We are two peoples here
forward," Malach said. "In the end, we
and we need to continue to live togeth-
are two peoples living here together,
er. I have to be an optimist because
today, at 4 p.m., I am starting a dia-
and we have to find a joint way in
logue group of Arab and Jewish women
which everybody gets what they
need."
in Nazareth Ilit. We have to be opti-
Having the Detroiters visit the area
mists, otherwise you can't live here."
at such a time was "heartwarming,"
Having the Detroiters visit was like

."

On The Cover

Marta Rosenthal and
Michael Horowitz visit the
sixth-grade class at Nofim
School in Migdal Ha Emek
to view the Jewish Identity
Program funded by
Partnership 2000.

,

