Cover Story

MAKING A CONNECTION

from page 6

Clockwise from top left:

Helen Husid of West Bloomfield
watches an Ethiopian student
painting at the Kesharim
Program in Netanya.

Peter Alter, right, speaks
to students at the American
Jewish Joint Distribution
Committee Kesharim Program
in Netanya while Aaron
Martin listens. Both are
from West Bloomfield.

Rabbi Alon Tolwin
of Aish Ha Torah talks
with Dr. Deborah Segal
at the Emek Hospital.

r AN,
tel

1/26

2001

10

Don Cohen and his wife
Keri Guten Cohen enjoy
home hospitality with Yo'ed
and Jane Golan and their
children Mayah and Omre
at Moshav Nahalal.

One group of young adults even
ventured to the Western Wall and the
Jewish Quarter in the Old City after
midnight and said they weren't fearful.
Even for first-timers, it was clear
Israel is hurting for tourists. Shops
were empty, hotels were quiet, even
the plaza at the Western Wall was rela-
tively uncrowded.
At every turn, Israelis were heart-
ened by the large contingent from
Michigan. Over and over again, mis-
sion participants heard expressions of
appreciation for being in Israel dur-
ing difficult times.
"We appreciate you coming," Peres
told the group. "It's a most meaning-
ful gesture of togetherness and
friendship under challenging times."
Still, Israelis often asked, "You
were not afraid to come?"
"My mother didn't want me to
come because of the possible danger,"
said Rabbi Joseph Krakoff of

Congregation Shaarey Zedek in
Southfield, echoing many participants'
experience. "But it's been very power-
ful. I can't imagine not coming."
For some, fear is relative. While in
Israel, Judy Loebl of Huntington
Woods was interviewing candidates
to be the new Detroit Jewish com-
munity shaliach (Israel emissary).
"Each one asked me if it's safe to
come to Detroit. They'd heard it's
dangerous," Loebl said ironically.

Missions Within a Mission

Though it was a "Mission" with a
capital "M" and the itinerary was
very focused, there still was time to
pursue personal missions.
Southfield funeral director Herbert
Kaufman found time to collect dirt
to fulfill the custom of burying a Jew
in earth from Israel. Several Anti-
Defamation League board members
visited the organization's Jerusalem

office. Many people visited with
friends and family living in Israel
over meals or coffee.
One night, Rabbi Yosef Weingarten
of Chabad of Grand Rapids joined a
busload of Chabad rabbis for a visit
to two settlements in a particularly
embattled area. The bus was bullet-
proof and escorted by soldiers.
There, he spoke to the settlers and
told them of the 200 Michiganders
who had come.
Others took the opportunity to
savor brief visits to especially meaning-
ful sites, such as the Western Wall.
Alex Rosenhaus, 17, of Farmington
Hills says she was emotionally moved
by her first touch of the ancient
stones. Adam Cohen of Huntington
Woods made a connection by laying
tefillin there for the first time.
"The Wall was a humbling experi-
ence. I felt the privilege of my life,"
said Terry Barclay, senior vice presi-

