Balancing Act
Jewish community leaders debate civil liberties vs. security in the fight on terrorism.
SHARON LUCKERMAN
StaffWriter
A
2/22
2002'
20
ation of the American Civil Liberties
Union, he added.
In addition, Jews are especially sensi-
tive to the issue of racial and ethnic pro-
filing by government because of the
centuries of anti-Semitic persecution in
Europe, culminating in the Nazi regime
and its occupation of much of the con-
tinent.
But Rabbi Daniel B. Syme of Temple
Beth El, who did not attend the
plenum, warns of making facile com-
parisons with the Jews then and what's
happening today.
"The Jews in Poland did not fly
planes into buildings, nor walk into
crowded streets as human bombs," he
said. "This is a totally different situation
... I believe the FBI and police must do
whatever is necessary to find these indi-
viduals [terrorists] and to intervene."
and to support the civil rights that we've
come to cherish."
She, along with JCCouncil vice presi-
dent Wendy Wagenheim, spoke in favor
of the resolution at the plenum.
Four students from Hillel of
Metropolitan Detroit also attended
some JCPA events, such as talks given
by Supreme Count Justice Ruth Bader
Ginsburg and Dennis Ross, former U.S.
special envoy to the Middle East.
The students included Christy
Thomas, 25, of Southfield; Zack
Rosenberg, 23, of West Bloomfield;
Alison Tschirhart, 19, of Oak Park; and
Jennifer Ludwig of Huntington Woods.
They were in Washington for the
Charlotte and Jack J. Spitzer B'nai
B'rith Hillel Forum on Public Policy,
which shared sessions with the JCPA
conference.
merican authorities tight-
ened national security fol-
lowing the Sept. 11 attacks,
and also cracked down on
those who fit terrorist profiles. Now the
debate rages: security vs. civil liberties.
"The buzz word is balance," said
Rabbi Marla Feldman before heading to
the Jewish Council for Public Affairs
plenum (assembly) Feb. 17-19 in
Washington, D.C. The JCPA is an
umbrella group of 13 national organiza-
tions and 123 local federations and
community relations councils.
Rabbi Feldman joined 15 other
Detroiters, the largest group ever from
the area, to debate a resolution on the
protection of civil liberties during the
war on terrorism.
Over many hours
of discussion in
preparation for the
debate, the Detroit
group, sought "an
appropriate balance
between individual
Sharona
Rabbi
Rabbi
Rabbi
Ann
Rabbi
Zack
rights and civil lib-
Shapiro
Sherwin
David
Marla
Zousmer
Daniel Syme Rosenberg
erties and the need
Wine
Nelson
Feldman
to protect our com-
munities from ter-
rorism," Rabbi Feldman said.
How Far To Go?
This careful attention to balance
Although the students did not partici-
between civil liberties and security was a The plenum debated and finally passed
pate in the rights-versus-security resolu-
major plenus topic. Rabbis and leaders
a resolution that pinpointed three areas
tion, they did have forums on the issue.
at the plenum, as well as in Detroit,
in which it felt the Bush administration
When asked if he had changed his
expressed a range of opinions on how to is not appropriately balancing protec-
mind after hearing these speakers,
reach that balance.
tion of civil rights and combating ter-
Rosenberg said he had.
rorism:
"It's inevitable at times of war, we
"Deporting illegal immigrants and
have to restrict freedom," said Rabbi
• attorney-client privilege
even certain profiling doesn't necessarily
• the detention of immigrants
Sherwin Wine of Birmingham Temple,
lead to more security," said Rosenberg,
• closed-door military tribunals
who did not attend the plenum. "The
who is president of Detroit Friends of
question is how much freedom."
"The JCPA applauded the strong
Israel, a pro-Israel advocacy group.
The rabbi warns Jewish Americans
stand on terrorism that the Bush
"Look at the 1995 Oklahoma bombing
not to allow their fears to produce
administration has taken, but indicated
by a white American guy."
another "period of panic," like the
that there has not been a proper balance
Local Jewish historian Sidney
McCarthy era or the period after World
between going after terrorists and pro-
Bolkowsky struggles with this point.
War I, when fear of Communism led to
tecting civil rights," said Ann Zousmer,
"Where do we draw the line?" asked the
the Palmer Act. Many Jews, both
JCCouncil president.
University of Michigan-Dearborn histo-
because they were left leaning and
The issue was intensely debated, she
ry professor. "We don't know if racial
recent immigrants "with accents," were
said, "but not because the Jewish com-
profiling will make a difference. The
caught up in this persecution, Rabbi
munity had a problem with civil rights." danger is of effecting the lives of an
Wine said.
Some organizations wanted to study the overwhelming majority of Muslim
"[The Palmer Act] violated the digni-
issue for several more months before
Americans who are not terrorists or
ty of citizens and yet didn't enhance
passing a resolution, "but the plenum
connected to terrorism.
security of the nation." One outcome of concluded that, in difficult times, it's
"Giving up our civil rights prospects
the injustices of that period was the cre-
important to stand up and be counted
may be too large a price to pay," he
added. "Then again, it may not."
Said Rabbi Syme, "I'm prepared to
sacrifice a measure of my own civil
rights in order to see that the terror-
ism is stopped. The terrorists and
those who aid and abet them must be
arrested, charged and punished appro-
priately. Until we have a sense of safe-
ty on our streets, the fear and anger
and prejudice will never cease."
Moral Obligations?
But don't accuse Rabbi Syme of disin-
terest when it comes to Muslims.
Over the years, he and Temple Beth
El have built bridges toward the
Muslim community and continue to
do so.
"I have participated in countless
inter-religious services in the wake of
9-11," said Rabbi Syme. "People of
every faith have participated to voice
their outrage against terrorism and
their deep hopes ... in restoring a
sense of security in our democracy"
Yet others who have worked with
the Muslim and Arab groups agree
more with the plenum resolution.
"The Jewish community has an
obligation to support the overall con-
cept that everyone — any American
citizen — has full rights of the consti-
tution, that means their civil liberties
are protected — no questions about
it," said Sharona Shapiro of the
American Jewish Committee, who did
not attend the plenum.
She does, however, believe there's a
place for profiling "but not racial pro-
filing," she added. "It makes sense for
the United States to investigate people
here on temporary visas and who come
from rogue countries."
When asked about the connection
between Arabs and Jews since Sept.11,
she said, "The fragile relationship here
is not because of Sept. 11, but because
of lack of a peace process in the Middle
East and escalating frictions between
Arab and Jews worldwide. There's an
ever-increasing collective anxiety [on
both sides]."
But it's important to emphasize mod-
erate Jewish, Christian and Islamic
voices who believe there is more than
one path to God, Shapiro added. She
stresses a connection to those whose
goal is not to make another religion dis-
appear.
"There are moderates in the Muslim
community who work with us on com-
mon issues, and where we disagree, we
agree to disagree," she said. "We
[AJCommittee] focus on the Muslims
who are living as our neighbors and
who are co-American citizens. They are
.