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A Sukkot Like No Other
iv
e came together Sunday, 1,100 strong,
to bond, unconditionally, behind the
democratic and religious ideals that we,
as Jews, enjoy in America and Israel.
It was an unusual way for Detroit Jewry to usher
in the harvest festival of Sukkot, the seven-day
holiday known as ZMan Simchateinu, Time of Our
Joy.
We gathered at Adat Shalom
Synagogue, still reeling from the terrorist
attacks on America, still mindful of the
rash of suicide bombings in Israel.
As evidenced by the flag-waving crowd, we need-
ed to come together, though many of us have
taken part in synagogue or interfaith unity services
over the past three weeks.
We prayed for the victims, honored the unsung
heroes and reinforced our oneness — as a com-
munity, as a nation and as a people. Many eyes
were tear-filled.
A video in which Israelis from our Partnership
2000 region in the Central Galilee shared their
comfort and support provided sustenance — a
dramatic reversal of what we've provided them
.1
since the intifada began a year ago.
The front rows of the sanctuary could have had
a wider representation of spiritual leaders and _.
communal groups. And the recounting of moving 1
personal stories, briefly told, would have stirred
even more emotion and energy.
But the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan
Detroit and Detroit Jewry's public affairs voice,
the Jewish Community Council, deserve plaudits
for helping us focus on why we were there and
why we needed to be there — to show terrorist
regimes that if their intent is to break up America
as a nation, or Jews as a people, they have failed.
Their carnage has brought us together, not torn
us asunder.
Winds Of Hope
What We Can Do
"Sept. 11 clearly changed the world," said U.S. Sen.
Debbie Stabenow, who keynoted Detroit Jewry's
Sunday event. "But I see reason for hope."
We do, too.
The rally wasn't about politics or process. It was
about our search for understanding what we stand
for as American Jews.
It also was about the Jews of Detroit,
shoulder to shoulder, letting the world
know we stand by our brethren in Israel
and fellow Americans in this time of crisis.
Jews of all ages, affiliations and political beliefs
stood together — hopeful, resolute and proud.
We were one; that was important. The Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit's president,
Lawrence Jackier, perceptively summed up why:
"It's important for us as a community to shake off
our malaise, the paralysis, when an event like this
occurs, and move forward as one community."
Move forward we must because freedom itself is
under attack.
The irony of Sept. 11 wasn't lost on us on Sunday.
As Rabbi Paul Yedwab of Temple Israel put it: "We
now try to understand in our gut what our brothers
and sisters in Israel have known for half a century. "
Let us rededicate ourselves not only to freedom,
but also ecumenism. Let us start by better promot-
ing the work of local groups like the American Arab
and Jewish Friends, the National Council for
Community and Justice, the American Jewish
Committee, the JCCouncil and Seeds of Peace to
create bridges of harmony, not of discontent.
Against the backdrop of Sukkot, which began
Monday night, we set aside individual differences
Sunday to make a collective difference. Adat Shalom
Rabbi Daniel Nevins caught the spirit of the moment,
saying, "We relate more to Sukkot's lesson of human
frailty and dependence upon God. We recall that even
the mightiest buildings Cannot shelter us from danger."
Sukkot, the Feast of Booths, tells the story of the
Israelites after their exodus from Egypt. For 40 years, they
wandered in the desert, camping in portable, thatched
huts (sukkot), anticipating
Canaan, the Promised Land.
During Sukkot, we take
stock of our will to survive
and oneness as a people — a
theme reinforced at the rally.
This year's turmoil and
tragedy gives deeper meaning
to the Sukkot prayer ufros
aleinu sukkat shlomecha —
spread over us Your sukkah of
peace.
EDITO RIAL
❑
Jeannie Weiner, JCCouncil;
Rabbi Paul Yedwab, Temple Israel;
Rabbi Reuven Spolter, Young Israel
of Oak Park; Rabbi Daniel
Nevins, Adat Shalom Synagogue;
and Lawrence Jackier, Federation
president, join arms Sunday.
Related story: page 14
America, Israel: Call To Action
A
s an American, I love my country and as
a Jew, I love Israel.
My love is based on each country's
democratic values and principles.
Foremost among these principles and values are
liberty, freedom, peace and compassion. It is on
this basis that there is a close friendship and
strategic relationship between these two countries.
The horrific atrocity of Sept. 11 was repugnant
to all of civilized humanity and, particularly, to
Israel, which had been suffering terrorist attacks
for many years. Because of this mutual suffering,
there was an even closer, symbionic connection
between the two nations.
There was a loss of innocence here in America.
Similarly, the objective of the heinous
No longer are we the impregnable fortress,
attack on America was to encourage
immune from major terrorist acts. Our
America
to leave the Islamic world. Of
basic sense of security and power have
course,
Israel
would have to be abandoned
been challenged. Likewise, Israel lost its
as
the
only
democratic
outpost in that part
ve-n-
aqo
when
the
dream
of
innocence a
of the world, but the real underlying
peace with its neighbors in this generation
objective was to pressure America to end
was shattered. The extraordinarily gener-
their support of moderate Islamic coun-
ous offer of peace to the Palestinians was
JOEL D.
tries so that fundamentalist Islamic govern-
shunned and insultingly responded to
TAUBER
ments could assume control by force.
with the intifada (uprising) and terror.
Community
The rej aion and ensuing conflict was
Views
based not on the offer, but on Palestinian
Israel Not The Focus
Authority leader Yassir Arafat's often stat-
Support of Israel was clearly not the cause of the
ed objective of a Palestinian state, including all of
Israel — in other words, the end of a Jewish state.
TAUBER on page 30