DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

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End Of
Innocence

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invite you to be our guest
at a special Screening of

,

Ohr Somayach rabbi puts Sept. 11 in
perspective and issues wake-up call about Islam.

SUSAN TAWIL
Special to the Jewish News

The rabbi castigated the United States
for its hypocrisy in demanding that
Israel refrain from attacking the
s Jews, we ve had 3,000
Palestinian terrorists in their midst,
years of craziness; we're no
while America itself conducts a war
strangers to calamity," said
effort in Afghanistan: He also lamented
Rabbi David Shapero in
the lack of condemnation by the U.S. of
opening remarks to a Lunch & Learn
terrorist murders of American citizens
audience of about 100 on Oct. 23 at the
and tourists in Israel.
Franklin Fitness & Racquet Club in
"If terror is directed against Jews in
Southfield.
Israel, it is a 'continuing cycle of vio-
Rabbi Shapero is director of Ohr
lence,' but if it is directed at New
Somayach Detroit, the Southfield-based
Yorkers, it must be eradicated," he
Jewish education outreach
observed bitterly. "The war
organization that sponsored
must be against terrorism,
the event. He introduced
period, not just against
the day's guest speaker,
those who kill Americans on
Rabbi Mordechai Becher,
our soil."
senior lecturer from
"America has supported
Gateways in Israel.
countries that harbor terror-
Rabbi Becher spoke on
ism for years," Rabbi Becher
the timely topic: "The End
said. "There is a tremendous
of Innocence — Jewish
naivete."
Responses to Tragedy."
He called for America to
He observed that the
wake up to the fact that
Sept. 11 catastrophe has
much of the world is not
taught Americans not to
like
Western culture, and
Rabbi Becher
take life for granted, an atti-
went on to condemn the
tude Judaism has promoted
politically correct media blitz
for thousands of years. Through strate-
portraying Islam as a peaceful religion.
gies such as reciting blessings on awak-
"Investigate history and the Islamic
ening in the morning, to blessings on
record!" he urged, citing slaughter after
food, health and many other benefits,
slaughter around the globe committed
Judaism combats the normal tendency
in the name of Islam.
to appreciate things only after they have
Rabbi Becher explained that, accord-
been taken away.
ing to the Koran, Jews and Christians
"The more you realize the fragility of
can be tolerated as long as they become
existence, the more joy there is in each
subservient to Muslim rule and pay
moment," said Rabbi Becher.
jiziah, a tribute for the privilege of exist-
He also discussed the problem of
ing.
good and evil, noting that questions of
On the other hand, most of the
Divine Providence always arise when
Islamic world views Americans as
confronting evil.
pagans, against whom they are called to
"Pure evil is the result of free will, the
fight to the death, or until the pagans
unique characteristic of human beings.
convert to Islam.
Goodness is meaningless without the
"What the media says they[the
possibility of evil," Rabbi Becher
Muslims] say, and what they really say to
explained.
their own people in Arabic are totally
He focused on the positive, praising
different," Rabbi Becher said.
the outpouring of support and heroism
"The media, sanitizing their hatred,
that followed the World Trade Center
contributes to evil," he warned. "We
and Pentagon attacks.
must be wary"
"For every act of evil, there were
Program participant Shari Rogers of
countless acts of good. Our response to
West Bloomfield agreed that Americans
evil is to do its opposite: acts of chesed
are naive. "We want to believe there are
(loving kindness) toward others," he
moderate Muslims. Its a false feeling of
said.
hope," she said. ❑

A

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Monday, November 5, 2001 • 7:00 p.m.

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No purchase necessary. Limit two passes per person

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OPENS FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9TH AT THE MAPLE ART THEATER

11/2
2001

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