COMMUNITY VIEWS

Time Of Trouble, Time To Travel

spread throughout the area by our
s I watch the television dis-
Arab and Palestinian neighbors. As I
playing horrific and grue-
prepare to depart, I face objections
some scenes of bombings '
from family members, teachers and
and killings in Israel, I pack
friends, who can't under-
and plan for the two months
stand why I choose to
I will spend in our unstable
immerse myself in this pre-
homeland.
carious setting during one
On Feb. 5, I will depart
of the worst periods of pro-
from Detroit Metropolitan
longed fighting in Israeli
Airport. My destination: Tel
history.
Aviv, Israel. My best friend,
Rivka Garver, 17, also a
Israel Needs Us
Bloomfield Hills Andover
I'll tell you why I'm going.
High School senior, and I
Never before has Israel felt
will live on the campus of
JAC LYN
so alone.
Alexander Muss High School
GO LDIS
Americans sympathize
in Israel, located in Hod
Spec ial to
for their plight and organize
Ha'Sharon, 20 minutes from
solidarity rallies, yet cancel
the Jew ish News
Tel Aviv. We, along with
their tours and urge others
),
approximately 100 of our
not to go because "it's not safe,
4,a4V4:ka*
peers from across the United States,
because "it's better to go when the vio-
will study, learn and grow as Jews and
lence subsides." So many of our own,
as human beings during our eight-
perhaps even yourself, sit in "safe"
week stay.
cities, rallying, protesting, but not
From the program's inception,
doing anything concrete, not helping
thousands of Jewish teens have passed
the Israeli citizens when they need us
through the gates of the Alexander
the most, when they need us in per-
Muss campus. Simultaneously,
son. Tourism is at an all-time low.
throughout the years, conflict has
Israeli workers are suffering from
ensued in the bitter battleground of
American absence in society, and the
the Middle East.
truly, anything can happen any-
Israeli people feel very secluded in
The intifada and the Palestine Lib-
where. How- many killings are
their struggle for peace.
eration Organization are two examples
reported in New York each day?
They need us now more than
of the rampant and random terror
Does that stop us from going to
ever. It's easy to go when the coun-
New York? No, of course it doesn't.
try is calm and prosperous. It's not
My program takes strong measures
as easy when bombings are reported,
Jaclyn Goldis, 17, is the daughter of
to keep its students safe. We will not
when fear lingers. Sure, I can under-
Cheryl and Alex Goldis of Bloomfield
be allowed to take public buses, to go
stand the apprehension. But we live
Hills. She is active at Congregation Beth
to certain areas deemed unsafe; securi-
in
America,
not
a
glass
bubble,
and
Ahm.

It's easy to go
when the country
is calm and
prosperous. It's
not as easy when
bombings are
reported, when
fear lingers.

ty surrounding the campus will be
tight to ensure that terrorists do not
infiltrate our dorms and classrooms. I
feel proud to take on the responsibility
of traveling to Israel at a time when
our brothers and sisters feel desperate-
ly alone.

Enthusiasm High

This will be my fourth visit to our
homeland, yet my anticipation does
not wane despite my past travels. I
can't wait until the airplane lands in
Israel. I can't wait to kiss the ground
and I can't wait to begin my studies,
to meet new kids who will join me on
the campus and to revel in the coun-
try I love.
Each day before I leave, I fall asleep
and dream of Israel. Before, I thought
I would be in for an unparalleled
experience, for two months that
would change my outlook on life. I
now know I have a greater purpose: I
must spread solidarity to the Israeli
people. I must tell them that they are
not alone, that the American Jews are
s trongly behind them. I must prove it
hem by going; only then, can they
be ieve that the whole world is push-
ing for peace in Israel, only then can
they know their sons and daughters
who enlist in the army aren't fighting
in vain. ❑

For more information about the Alexan-
der Muss High School in Israel, contact
Nina Sherman at NinShr@aol.com or
go to the Alexander Muss Web site at
www.amhsi.com

LETTERS

On The Passing
Of A Friend

I spent the past hour reading all of the
wonderful articles and vignettes in
tribute to David and Doreen Her-
melin ["Forever Ours," Dec. 1, page
7]. It helped me to reach a sense of
closure with the sorrow I feel about
his passing.
As a resident of Chicago who did
business in Detroit, I came to know
David during the late 1980s. When I
first visited Aspen in 1982, David
invited me and my family to join his
extended family. I treasured the inclu-
siveness of his personality and the

1/19

2001

40

complete absence of ego in all of his
dealings with people.
I knew he was a busy person, but he
always seemed to make time to talk. I
did not realize at the time that being
invited to join him for coffee at the Big
Boy was so special an honor — a mark
of acceptance and friendship.
I tried to call and visit with David
and Doreen during the past year,
hopefully without appearing intrusive.
I had a strange feeling when I woke
up on Nov. 22. That morning, I called
to talk with Doreen to find out how
David was faring. Reggie [Fisher],
Doreen's sister, told me that David
had passed a few hours earlier. Some-
how, I sensed that morning that

things were not quite the way they
ought to be in a more perfect world.
The Detroit community was
indeed blessed by having David and
his soul mate Doreen as active mem-
bers. I shall miss him dearly, as will
my children. We adore the Hermelins.
David J. Kudish

chairman,
Stra t ford Advisory Group . Inc.
Chicago

Put Safety
In Perspective

I read the comments of Alisa
Lefkowitz ["Using Guilt To Put Us In

Danger," Jan. 12, page 32]. They were
very interesting.
Living in Israel as I do, I get infor-
mation on other nations, neighbors
and others. I read about car bombs in
the Basque region of Spain and learn a
wise traveler rents a car on the French
side of border since the ETA terrorists
don't tamper with cars with French
license plates.
How about Turkey or Germany for
that matter? You might find yourself
somewhere unknowingly involved in a
brawl between Turks and Kurds.
Compared to some other hotspots,
Israel is fairly safe. If I can travel from
Nazareth to Tel Aviv without fear of
being attacked, then anyone can.