Rabbi Herbert and Rachel Yoskowitz at the Tzippori • excavations in the Central Galilee. The Argentinean immigrants gave the same answer, adding, "We should have come here sooner." They were among the 2,000 people who arrived in Israel from Argentina in 2001. Of these, 180 came to Nazareth'Illit, one of our Partnership communities, buy- ing houses and helping to strengthen the community by their contributions. This month, another 43 Argentinean olim will arrive in Nazareth Illit. Builders And Dreamers Union. Aliyah and absorption have always been hallmarks of Israel, and, even now, in spite of the Matzau (the Situation), immigrants continue to arrive. They receive the same integra- tion into their new home as they would have in calmer times. Each group of new immigrants had a collective experience as well as an individual experience to share. Yet all the ohm (immigrants) said making aliyah was the right decision. At a kibbutz absorption center for Ethiopian immigrants, the new arrivals sat in an ulpan class to learn Hebrew. Painfully thin, they looked older than - their years. Many are experiencing ongo- ing health problems as a result of their difficult lives. But all seemed happy. Speaking in Hebrew, I asked them, "Is it good for you here?" Their beau- tiful smiles gave the answer even before their words did. They gave no thought to the Matzav or to the fact that they were next to Jenin and lived in a fenced compound guarded by armed border patrol soldiers. "Yes," they said, "Israel is very good for us." There is so much more we saw and want to share; but the images we con- veyed portray a picture of the special people who are part of the uniqueness of Israel. Their commitment and ideal- ism are truly building a strong region in the Central Galilee. They dream and build for the future in spite of the harsh reality of the present Matzay. For eight days, we had the privilege of being with them, working with them and sharing the dream. At no time did we feel unsafe or threatened. We lived among Israelis on a moshav Palestinians is signed. 4. The Saudis protest American sup- port for Israel as one-sided, but have no comparable objections to one-sided support for the Palestinians by the Arab/Moslem states and most of the Europeans. 5. The Saudi tone is anything but peaceful. At the United Nations last week, Saudi Ambassador Fawzi Shobokshi barely mentioned Abdullah's suggestions, choosing instead to launch a vitriolic attack on the Jewish state. He accused Israel of "racism . . . and systematic terrorism" and said it "has no desire for peace," but seeks instead "to expel the Arab people from Palestine." 6. Abdullah reportedly spoke to his Jewish interlocutors about normalizing relations with Israel, territorial swaps, flexibility regarding Jerusalem and peace. His U.N. ambassador demand- ed total Israeli withdrawal in return for "good neighborly relations," but said nothing about diplomatic recog- nition or full peace. 7. Abdullah has rejected all requests for specifics, relying only on second- hand reports of others, which can easi- ly be denied. 8. The real test of Abdullah's inten- tions will be how hard he works to line up support prior to the Arab League leaders summit in Beirut, scheduled for March 27-29. So far, the signs are anything but encouraging. American officials are concerned that Palestinian Authority leader Yasser Arafat might view the Saudi initiative — as he did the recent European Union proposal — as insulation against American and Israeli pressure. That's why the administration has stressed that before anything can hap- pen, Arafat must end the violence and crack down on the extremists. Abdullah enjoys more respect than Fand and has Arab nationalist creden- tials that his brother lacks. The impor- tant question is whether he has the will to place his prestige on the line to play peacemaker by putting some meat on his concept and working hard . in the Galilee adjacent to the archaeo- logical excavations at Tzippori. We drove around the region, walked the streets and met the people. We saw the neighboring Arab villages up north, walked in Arab Nazareth and even went off the beaten path. Yes, there are areas to avoid and occasional roadblocks; but life in Israel goes on and the people of Israel are determined. Our experience convinces us that true to the words of the folk song from Israel's early days "...believe me, the day will come when it will be good for us in our land of peace..." Perhaps you'll put Israel on your schedule for 2002. Go there and see what a nation of determined people are doing to make the dream of Israel a reality. Go and see for yourself. ❑ Rabbi Herbert Yoskowitz is a spiritual leader at Adat Shalom Synagogue in Farmington Hills. He visited Israel with his wife, Rachel, director of immigration and citizenship services for Southfield- based Jewish Family Service. to build bridges of peace in the Middle East — or whether this is just another PR exercise designed to mend fences in Washington. ❑ DOuglas M. Bloomfield is a former executive director of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. His e-mail address is dmb@his. corn Perspectives on Israel: a continuing series What is Zionism? the national liberation movement of ry.1 ZIOnioi the Jewish people, holds that Jews, like any other nation, are entitled to a home. Zionism has estab- lished the modern state of Israel in the ancient homeland of the Jewish people. "Zionism is creating a society, however imperfect it may still be, which tries to implement the highest ideals of democracy—politi- cal, social and cultural—for all inhabitants of Israel, irrespective of religious belief, race or sex." Yigal Allon, an Israeli Founding Father Anti-Israel propaganda routinely equates Zionism with racism in spite of the fact that Jews are not a race. For more information on Zionism visit: www.us-israel.org/jsource/zion.html Israel's remarkable effort to rescue tens of thousands of Ethiopian Jews so they could become citizens of Israel demonstrates the essence of Zionism and eloquently shows the absurdity of the racism charge. Criticizing nationalism is one thing. Singling out Jewish national- ism as racist, as was done at the recent Durban Conference on Racism, is anti-Semitism. Jewish Community Council To learn more about how you can become an effective Israel advocate, visit www.jewishcommunitycouncil.orq 3/8 2002 35