David Klein Gallery ISRAEL continued from page 27 presents In Jerusalem, we met American us poring over a map of Israel, making families with young children. We a "wish" list of places we should visit talked. We joked. We shared the same — keeping in mind we were hiking stories of our experiences prior to two young children, our son, 8, and coming: family pressure and well- daughter, 11. He recommended a intentioned friend's comments. Yet, travel agent in New York and we here we were living the words of the ' began the search for airfares. A friend Haggadah: "Next Year in Jerusalem." recommended a "guide" for us. It's true. Not only were we safe, but With excitement, we told the chil- dren of our plans. We were shocked by our daughter's reaction, "Isn't there a war there?" Then it hit us: the Cable News Network (CNN) fear syndrome. How could we possibly go to Israel now? We found ourselves logging onto the Jerusalem Post and Israel National News Web sites to read the daily news. The response from our friends and colleagues was omi- nous. "You're not taking your kids, are you?" That question, that look — they made us question our responsibility as parents to safeguard our children. Yes, we had many sleepless nights. We spoke to our Allen Olender with Max, 8, and Teddie, 11, on the Israeli guide, who effectively plaza of the Western Wall in Jerusalem. reassured us. Still, we won- dered. we, too, had to watch CNN evenings Oh, yes, we took out "travel insur- to learn that "violence had erupted in ance." Surely, if there were a major Israel." The truth is that CNN's "vio- outbreak of violence, if we panicked at lence" was no more threatening to us the last minute, we could back out. in Jerusalem than was the violence in Cincinnati a threat to us as residents The Right Decision of West Bloomfield. As we watched By the time the week before departure CNN's coverage of the violence in arrived, finally, we had become comfort- Cincinnati, we joked aloud, "Was it able that going was the right thing to do safe to come to the USA?" — for ourselves and our children. We As Amy's mother told her con- believed those who traveled before us cerned gra'ndmother over 20 years many times, "Once you are there, you ago as Amy prepared for her first will feel as safe as you do here. It's not trip, "If you wait for the perfect what you see on CNN." time to go to Israel, you will never So on March 29, we steppea onto a go." One lesson our children learned British Airways jumbo jet on our way to well: "Don't believe everything you what would be the "trip of a lifetime" see on CNN." for our children and for ourselves. So call us. Certainly we'll tell you Two weeks of crawling through the how we worried, and how we looked caves of the Maccabees, climbing the at our children and wondered. And waterfalls where David camped, float- we'll tell you that, if we could, we ing in the Dead Sea, jeeping up the would still be in Jerusalem, still on magnificent hills of the Golan Heights the hills of the Golan this very and praying at the Kotel, the Western minute. We'll tell you how Israel Wall of the Temple Mount our forefa- needs us now, and how we need thers built. Then there was the pla- Israel now. toon of machine-gun-toting young By the way, you can bet we will be soldiers we met touring Yad Vashem, there, in Israel, for our daughter's bat Israel's memorial to the 6 million. We mitzvah next summer — if we can felt lumps in our throat. If only there wait that long to go back! had been an Israel then. ❑ ICONIC IMAGES New Paintings by Dana Bell May 5 — May 26, 2001 Opening Reception to meet the artist Saturday, May 5, 2001 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. See Dana Bell's Iconic Images at dkgallery.com 163 TOWNSEND BIRMINGHAM Ml 48009 TELEPHONE 248.433.3700 Fax 248.433.3702 HOURS: MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY 11 - 5:30 - MA S TE R HEATING &AIR CONDITIONING CO RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL SERVICE * SALES * INSTALLATIONS AIR CONDITIONING TUNE UP TIME! 10 Pt. A/C Tune Up '80.00* 'call for details FOR A WORRY FREE SUMMER SEASON, SCHEDULE EARLY, SCHEDULE NOW! QUALITY WORK * EVERYTIME * NO EXCUSES! BERKLEY 399-1800 GROSSE POINTE W. BLOOMFIELD NORTH OAKLAND 882-4870 788-9073 682-9090 MASTER CARD & VISA WELCOME r DAVID ROSENMAIVS Ainro Amok PIIIIKIHASERS NEW & USED CAR BROKER Sales * Leasing • Buying (248) 851-CARS (248) 851-2277 4/27 2001 29