OTHER VIEWS
The Temple And The Trade Center
s the holiday season
approaches, people all over
America will soon stop and
celebrate. However, this year
our celebrations will be tempered by
the events of Sept. 11.
Many Americans, especially those
with family and friends lost in New
York, Washington and Pennsylvania,
will probably choose not to celebrate.
After all, they may think, what do
they really have to celebrate this year?
Chanukah, which this year begins at
sundown Dec. 9, provides an answer
to this question. This holiday's histori-
A
cal story loudly proclaims a rightful
Jewish and American celebration —
continuity.
According to the Chanukah story,
Syrian-Greek soldiers sought to
destroy the Jewish Temple. These sol-
diers brought pigs onto the altar, ran-
sacked the Holy of Holies and ran a
prostitution ring out of the Temple
courtyard. I can only imagine how
these atrocities affected the Jews of
that time. These ancient Jews likely
mourned the destruction of their cen-
tral religious institution. Gone with
the Temple was the Jewish communi-
Unintended Consequences For Israel?
Atlanta
U
nintended consequences are
-part of history. When we
look back in five, 10 or 20
years, what will have unex-
pectedly happened because of the slaugh-
ter of innocents on Sept. 11, 2001?
History is on the side of the unan-
ticipated outcome. For Jews in support
of a homeland or state of their own,
the aftermath of wars has brought
unexpected, costly, but positive results.
- Already, many coalition partners are
using the common external terrorist
threat to alter relations with the U.S.
and rework those with each other. In
2020, will the U.S. be importing
more oil from Russia, Uzbekistan and
other former Soviet republics than
from Saudi Arabia? Will 2015 see the
10th anniversary of the end of the
Indo-Pakistani struggle over Kashmir?
What about Israel? Both Israel and
the Palestinians need a ladder from
which to descend from this horren-
dous cycle of violence. They have no
choice except to share the land west of
the Jordan River. The moment is ripe
for Israelis and Palestinians to reach a
non-belligerency agreement that
includes the establishment of a con-
tiguous Palestinian state that does not
threaten Israel's Jewish existence.
A Palestinian state that enshrines
one-person/one-vote, sees the creation
of a Palestinian constitution, and
evolves into a non-autocratic form of
government, would certainly be an
unintended consequence of Sept. 11.
This is no pipe dream: look at polling
data of Palestinians taken since the
mid-1990s and one finds that this is
Where's The Debate?
Jerusalem
IV
1114
11/9
2001
36
ithout a doubt, acts of
terror are the most evil
and debilitating events
the western world will
ever confront.
The devastating realities of man-
made death are beyond comprehen-
sion. The terror-induced trauma
brought on by one individual or one
group of individuals paralyzes society
in a manner far worse than any natu-
ral catastrophe or disaster.
This is the scenario. now facing the
United States and her allies. And they
are facing it head on.
Make no mistake. Western society
has always been a target for terror.
That is a fact we must never forget nor
overlook. But now, the United States,
the largest, greatest, bastion of western
democracy, has become the target —
and on her own soil.
And this war, like any war, would be
far easier to deal with and objectify
were it to be fought elsewhere, some-
place a safe distance from home.
In his initiative to combat terrorism
President George W. Bush has galvanized
the United States, coalescing citizens
from coast to coast and on both sides of
the aisle. Democrats and Republicans are
forging unprecedented liaisons. Every cit-
izen has become a New Yorker at heart
and in soul. The world and more impor-
tantly, the terrorists, see a united front.
But something is missing. In the
fight to preserve democracy, one of the
greatest gifts of democracy has been
relinquished. The counter point.
President Bush has outlined and is
implementing his war against terror. But
cation line to God: sacrifice.
economy. Many communi-
The central Jewish court and
cation lines crashed on Sept.
government offices were lost
11. Like ancient citizens of
with the Temple, as well.
Jerusalem during the Syrian-
The Israelites probably
Greek siege, present-day
believed that life, as they
Americans still do not know
knew it, was over.
the full extent of the Al
Recently, one of my third-
Qaida terrorist acts. Many
grade Hebrew school stu-
Americans believe that life,
dents at Congregation
as we know it, is over. We
ANDY
Shaarey Zedek compared the
might never again walk city
PASS
Temple destruction to the
streets
without fear of a ter-
Community
World Trade Center bomb-
rorist-induced
catastrophe.
Views
ing. In many ways, the WTC
On Chanukah, we
represented the center of America's
remember the rededication of the
I
precisely the kind of state
that the vast majority of
Palestinians are seeking. The
hijackers of their national
movement need to retire.
est of the majority popula-
tions in the region; they do
not believe that Islam is
only a religion of violence
or the only platform for
political mobilization.
Path To Peace
Fifth, the presence of
Why now?
moderately successful
First, it is the right thing to
Palestinian self-determina-
do. Second, a majority of
KENNETH W tion will inevitably have
Palestinians and Israelis sup-
natural and long-term reper-
STEIN
port the notion. Third, it
cussions upon surrounding
Special
begins to bring to an end the
autocratic Arab states. It is
Commentary
notion that Palestinian
unlikely that sudden
refugees will be able to return to pre-
democracy or democratic values will
1967 Israel. Sari Nusseibeh, Palestinian
break out like a plague in Palestine,
Authority chairman Yasser Arafat's new
but the spores are there for such val-
representative in Jerusalem, has recently
ues to germinate.
said that he would be willing to accept a
Likewise, I do not believe that Syria,
peace agreement with Israel without a
Libya or Iraq will suddenly declare
Palestinian right of return.
that the "Federalist Papers" or Voltaire
Fourth, bolstering secular as
must become mandatory reading in
opposed to religiously motivated
the public-schools. But if the Miranda
Palestinian nationalism is in the inter-
rights are found in a Palestinian con-
where is the opposition, the
easily patrolled, guarded,
talking heads suggesting that
security conscious society. I
there may be other ways of
listened for counter argu-
ments, yearning to hear the
fighting this fight, the opposi-
tion within and without the
counter points, the alterna-
party showing alternatives,
tive suggestions.
My theories were regularly
pundits and academics debat-
ing and proposing, columnists
met with agreement. So I
suggesting new and different
became my own counter
ways of achieving the goals of
point, it was like playing a
MIC AH
fighting the war on terror.
solitary game of chess. I sug-
HALP ERN
I am the last person to
gested that, perhaps, these
Speci al
suggest buckling under to
issues should be taken up by
Comme ntary
the terrorists.
the U.S. Supreme Court and
I would very much like to hear alter-
that while today, the vast majority of the
population may be in favor of a national
native options as well as plans. I need to
hear those voices. It is the American way. ID, nobody knows how the public will
feel in six months, after the initial shock
and paranoia has had a chance to be
Running Counter
turned into normalcy and lifestyle.
While lecturing and commentating in
Something else. What about the
the States, I advocated that Americans
specifics of President Bush's attack on ter-
divest some of their civil liberties.
ror? It is, without a doubt, so very impor-
Why? In exchange for a safer, more
tant to attack terror at its root. But who