mask widespread despair and pes-
siMism. How else can one explain
the sudden offer last week of a tem-
porary truce with Israel (then embar-
rassingly retracted) by the military
wings of Hamas, Islamic Jihad and
two military groups connected to
Arafat? Arafat recently appointed
Sari Nusseibeh, a moderate
Palestinian who accepts Israel's right
to exist, as his representative in
Jerusalem.
Palestinians fully know how much
they have sacrificed over the past
year — the lives of their children,
their personal well-being — and
how little they have accomplished.
Such failure makes it hard for them
to sustain the political will to
destroy Israel.
And should Arafat exit the politi-
cal scene, that goal will become even
more remote. The Palestinian
Authority could well split in two, for
it consists of two geographically sep-

arate regions (the West Bank and
Gaza), each dominated by a strong-
man (respectively, Jibril Rajoub and
Mohammed Dahlan). If these toughs
emerge as rulers of their areas, as
seems likely, the Palestinian national
movement will be fractured as never
before and the battle against
Zionism will become yet more diffi-
cult.
For these reasons, a rapid decline
of Palestinian will appears likely, as
has happened several times before
(in 1939, 1949, 1967, 1991) —
though this one could well be more
severe.
There is good news here; if Israelis
can sustain their recent sense of
common purpose and resolve,
Palestinians may give up — perhaps
permanently — on their goal of
destroying Israel. And should that
happen, an end to the century-long
Palestinian-Israeli conflict could
finally be in sight. ❑

Few of the country's major newspa-
pers picked up the story. Baldwin
himself was unaware of the release
two days later. Any suggestion of a
few days of bad press did not materi-
alize. The company never used the
word "Holocaust" in its press releas-
es, only "Nazi" and "forced labor.
Most search engines logging
Holocaust information will bypass
the press releases on Ford's Web site
at www. Fo rd. co m
Hence, most media will character-
ize Ford's conduct as "war-era," not
"Holocaust-era" conduct.
Moreover, are these documents
really available for immediate public
and independent scrutiny? Ford has
donated them to its own Benson
Ford Research Center for complete
public access — but then will close
the archive just two weeks after the
announcement until March 2002.
Ford will continue to control all the
spin and analysis on its initial revela-
tion for the near future. By March
2002, any potential furor will be
over, and any attempt to see these
documents will be "old news," con-
fined to scholarly journals coming
out in 2003.
Nonetheless, eventually, Ford's

records will all be subject to inde-
pendent world scrutiny. That is
good. Even now, company sources
have made clear their intention to
cooperate with independent journal-
ists during the closure of its archive
as well as when its archive re-opens.
When put to the test, the company
aggressively arranged my access to all
materials and search mechanisms.
Such records generally contain leads
about the actions of other U.S. corn-
panies in league with Hitler, since
many of them corresponded and
acted in concert. So the documenta-
tion will be a trove for investigators.
Hence, for Ford and for Holocaust
history, it is a win-win. Ford has
done the right thing with minimal
fallout. It has shown corporate
America a better idea on coming
clean about the Holocaust. Ford has
acknowledged its terrible past, apol-
ogized, opened its archives and,
hopefully, will move on. Now, it's
time for others, including IBM, to
do the same.
Asked whether IBM and other
companies should do as Ford has
done, a Ford spokesman issued the
following statement: "We choose to
lead by example." ❑

"

SACHS from page 25

dreds of Jews filled the plaza. As
part of the Kabbalat Shabbat
service, our minyan welcomed
the Sabbath by joyously dancing
in a circle at the Wall for 10
minutes during an extended
singing of " Lrhah Dodi."
In the darkness after Maariv
services, we walked back with
many other Jews, taking a direct
route through the Arab shuk, a
bazaar that leads to the
Damascus Gate.
Cousins Aharon Friedman and David Sachs
At Arthur's home, we had a
outside the King David Hotel in Jerusalem.
traditional Shabbat dinner, which
culminated with a discussion of
We went back to Toldos Avraham
the week's Torah portion and Shabbat
Yitzchok after midnight and by then
songs sung around the table.
it, too, was darkened. As we crowded
onto the bleachers, voices in the shul
rose to the rafters — a crescendo mak-
On The Town
ing the entire building tremble under
I didn't yet know it, but the incredible
the spiritual power of the Lubavitch
night had only begun.
melody to "Avinu Malkeinu."
Although the entire neighborhood
On our last stop we visited the Mir
was closed down tight for Shabbat,
Yeshiva, where several dozen men were
Arthur promised me we would be out
quietly and devotedly learning Torah
late into the night.
— at 1 a.m.
We walked the streets of Mea
Shearim — literally — as traffic on
A Joy
Shabbat is forbidden.
It was difficult to believe that this
The spirit of the Shabbat lifted me,
was the 21st century — it seemed to
and I could see how living in
more be like a chasidic shtetl in
Jerusalem affected my cousin. I had
Eastern Europe of the 1800s.
experienced firsthand a tradition start-
Men, wearing black coats and black
ed by the Baal Shem Tov and his cha-
hats — or gold-striped caftan-style
sidim in the 18th century.
coats and fur streimel hats — walked
"This is one of the few places in the
leisurely with their wives, pushing
world you will see spiritualism on this
baby carriages down the middle of the
level," Arthur said. We didn't arrive
street on the mild December night.
home until 1:30 a.m.
All businesses were closed, adding to
We arose early that morning and I
the serenity of Shabbat.
davened at the Ohr Somayach yeshiva
Arthur said we would drop in on
across the courtyard from Arthur's
tishes, a tradition where congregants
apartment. I came back for a cholent
gather around their rebbe's dinner
(Shabbat stew) lunch and finished the
table and sing Shabbat songs.
day with Minchah, the Seudah
On about every corner, there
Shilishit meal, Maariv services, then
seemed to be a different yeshiva or
back to the Friedmans' for Havdalah
synagogue. We stopped at several.
to end Shabbat.
We first went to Karlin-Stolin, a
Now I understand what my cousin
chasidic synagogue where congregants
meant when he told me, "It's a joy liv-
daven with tremendous fervor — let-
ing a Jewish life in Jerusalem.
ting their voices and emotions joyous-
"To live a 20-minute walk from the
ly express their heightened spirituality.
Kosel [Western Wall], to learn Torah
At two Hungarian chasidic syna-
here and keep Shabbos like this, in the
gogues, Toldos Aharon and Toldos
most beautiful, holiest city in the
Avraham Yitzchok, hundreds of men
world — obviously, I feel privileged."
and boys of all ages surrounded their
Although the Friedmans have found
rebbe's table, on bleachers 10-15 rows
spiritual peace and serenity living in
high. Excitement and rousing voices
their Jerusalem community, Arthur
enveloped the buildings.
said all Jews know that ultimate peace
We also visited the Slonim synagogue
will arrive only with the coming of
where there's spiritual singing in a dark-
Mashiach (the Messiah).
ened room throughout the night until
"That's what we pray for and long
Shacharit services the next morning.
for every day," he said. ❑

12/28
2001

27

