This Week ,WW Playing Politics? CASUAL CONTEMPORARY FURNITURE & ACCESSORIES AT DISCOUNTED PRICES! Lauder rally speech assailed; outstanding citizens; silence on cabinet. JAMES D. BESSER Washington Correspondent See our Selection of Omnia, Legacy, Cart r 33080 Northwestern Hwy. Between Orchard Lake Road & 14 Mile West Bloomfield faaloazge.:,,,,a0 Z.X4 :bs,40.41. Traditioll! Traditioll! At: allthingsjewish.com Call: Alicia (248) 557-0109 for directions rJ TIE ONE ON ONLY AT THE SHIRT BOX The Shirt Box, Shirts and a Whole Lot More. Always 20%-35% Off Retail HOURS: Mon.-Sat. 9:30-6 • Thurs. till 7 Open Sunday 12-4 1/12 2001 24 Courtyard Center • 32500 Northwestern Hwy. • Farmington Hills, MI 48334 • (248) 851-6770 Washington Watc . lla onday's huge rally in Jerusalem protesting a U.S. proposal to divide the city and give the Palestinians control over the Temple Mount has widened divisions within the American Jewish community over the troubled peace process — and over exactly who represents American Jews. Ronald Lauder, chair of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, was a featured speaker at the event, despite strong protests by several leading Conference members who charged that the rally — which took place in the shadow of an intensifying campaign for prime minister in Israel — was a political event, not simply an affirma- tion of the importance of Jerusalem. In response to the barrage of criti- cism, which erupted at a Conference meeting last week, Lauder prefaced his speech to the rally — which drew up to 300,000 protesters — by saying he was appearing as a private individual. But news coverage identified him as chair of the Conference — an umbrel- la organization of diverse groups that is widely regarded as the consensus voice of American Jewry. "This is exactly as we feared," said Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch, executive direc- tor of the Association of Reform Zionists of America, who led the oppo- sition to an official Presidents Conference presence at the Jerusalem rally. "He said he stood there as an individual — but it's not possible to distinguish your role as the chair of the umbrella body of American Jewry and your capacity as an individual." Hirsch said that the credibility of the Conference is at stake. At last week's meeting in New York, Knesset member Natan Sharansky, a vocal critic of the current peace negoti- ations, appealed for support for the rally called in response to Clinton's last-ditch peace proposals. Lauder sought support for his deci- sion to attend the rally, but several other prominent Conference leaders — including top officials of the Reform movement — argued that Lauder's presence would be seen through a political lens in Israel. "The more Sharansky spoke, the clearer it became this was a political rally, not a rally for Jerusalem," said Abraham Foxman, national director o the Anti-Defamation League. "Most us believe that Jews should support th centrality of Jerusalem. But the timin of this rally sent a political message." A motion to allow Lauder to attend passed by a vote of 15-9; conference rules demand "consensus" positions o critical issues, but do not define exactl what that means. "Several years ago, the Conference tried to define consensus but it didn't succeed," said Seymour Reich, a for- mer Conference chair and a peace process supporter. "The idea is still that you know a consensus when you see it. There was a clear feeling at this meeting that there was no consensus." Reich said that Lauder's appearance at the rally— even with his disclaime that he was speaking as an individual — "is not good for American Jews, and it's not good for the Conference, which has,traditionally tried to stay o of Israeli political matters. This is the first major breach of that, in my view, and I think it weakens the ability of the Conference to speak for all American Jews." But Malcolm Hoenlein, the execu- tive vice-chair of the Conference, defended Lauder's actions. "He was there as an individual, a concerned Jew who cares about Israel, he said. "The fact is he convened the meeting last week to consult with the Conference because this is such'an important issue; he didn't have to do that." When there was no consensus for an official visit, Hoenlein said, "he made it very clear he was going as an individ ual." Hoenlein said critical decisions abou the peace process can only be made by Israel's citizens, but that the issue of Jerusalem, with its deep connection to Jews around the world, is a special case. That's just the problem, said ARZA's Hirsch, who said political and religiou forces in Israel are increasingly definin some issues as superseding democratic procedures.