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 .