SPECIAL
COMMENTARY

4

TIME TO LEAD

from page 43

argue the justness of Israel's position.
Our decision to refrain from making
visits to Israel becomes symbolic aban-
donment. We know what is right. We
just refuse to do it.

Question Of Values

We witness a parallel crisis in the
realm of Jewish identity in North
America. The recently issued study
of the American Jewish Committee
that - relates, in part, to intermarriage
paints a bleak picture. The finding
that 78 percent of American Jews
favor rabbinic officiation at inter-
marriages and half of those surveyed
believe that it is "racist" to oppose

Our decision to refrain

from making visits to

Israel becomes

symbolic

abandonment. We

know what is right. We

■

0 Mg. Jewel0 Torismo

just refuse to do it.

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intermarriage must be a cause for
concern for those who are commit-
ted to a Jewish renaissance.
Our choice is clear. Either we
must accept the data and change our
own value system, thereby signaling
our surrender, or we must make a
renewed effort to strengthen Jewish
identity.
In facing the challenges presented
to us by Israel and by intermarriage,
our leaders have a decision to make.
They can be guided by the masses, or
— risking the displeasure of their
constituency — they can provide
guidance and instruction.
No one likes to be challenged.
Criticism of their followers, no matter
how gentle, does not increase the pop-
ularity of leaders. But that does not
change the fact that the role of the
leader is to set forth a vision and
direction, inspiring us to do that
which is difficult — but right. At this
critical moment in our history, we
need our leaders to "tell it like it is."
We will not always thank our lead-
ers for guiding us. We may not even
want this type of leadership. But we
certainly need it. ❑

