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anion
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The Prince Of Judah
Dry Bones
hen we sit down to the seder celebration
of our miraculous delivery from slavery
in Egypt, we might pause a minute to
reflect on Nachshon ben Aminaday. His
bravery 3,000-plus years ago still offers us a lesson,
particularly as we think about the heartbreakingly
terrible warfare between Israel and the Palestinians,
and how it might be possible to stop it.
According to the oral tradition, when the escaping Jews
got to the shore, they found that Pharaoh had changed
his mind and had sent war chariots in pursuit. The
Israelites were frozen in fear and would not listen when
Moses told them that God had ordered them
to walk directly into the Red Sea.
That was when Nachshon, the son of
Aminadav and prince of the tribe of Judah, literally
took the plunge. He started forward, going deeper
and deeper until the waves were just about over his
head — which is when the sea split and the Jews
were able to escape the Egyptian soldiers.
Nachshon went on to be the first prince to make an
offering at the new Tabernacle, and he was an ancestor
of several heroes, including both David and Daniel. He
died in the Wilderness, short of the Promised Land that
he so strongly believed God wanted for the Jews. It is
never explained where he got the courage to jump into
the sea. Perhaps the experience of the plagues convinced
him that his faith in God would not be misplaced.
At this moment in Israel's history, it may again
have to take a substantial chance, hoping not for
another miracle so much as for simple human decen-
cy. It would be great to have a Divine command-
ment for what it is to do next, but the modern world
is a little suspicious of revealed truths — particularly
in the wake of the religious fanaticism that drove the
Sept. 11 hijackers. And if Israel, like Nachshon, had
to rely mostly on recent experiences it would not put
down arms in the face of the unrelenting Palestinian
terrorism and incitement to terror (though the
record oLbroken promises since Oslo
echoes Plaraoh's duplicity).
Still, and preferably sooner rather than
later; each side will have to set aside the anguish of
the last 18 months, the needless deaths and injuries,
the shattered lives and shattered hopes. Instead of
seeking to punish each other, the parties will have
to find a way to step back away from violence and
toward negotiation for a secure future.
It will be tempting next Wednesday night at the first
seder to dwell on the maror, but bitterness is only one
lesson of Passover. We will do well to think of the brav-
ery of Nachshon ben Aminadav and his belief that a
better future can be found in a trustful step into the
unknown waters. ❑
EDIT ORIAL
,
Further, a Middle East peace does not rest
with the PLO. It lies in the hands of the
Arab world, and only New York Times
columnist Thomas Friedman, a major con-
criticizing Israel, which experiences a "mini-
vert
on this issue, has written consistently
World Trade Center" calamity almost daily.
on
this
point.
The so-called collateral casualties are
That
is
probably why Saudi Arabia's
much greater in Afghanistan than in Israel.
crown prince used Friedman's column to
None of the so-called sophisticated journal-
announce a "new" Arab peace initiative that
BERL
ists covering the president seems inclined to
FALBAUM
proposed
peace and normal relations with
ask him to explain.
Israel
in
exchange for Israel's withdrawal to
Community
• Most important — and we as a body
pre-1967
borders.
politic must remember this — the issue is
Views
Peace,
indeed,
depends on the Arab
not whether Israel has a dovish or hawkish
nations
finally
accepting
Israel's existence,
response to the terror.
but it is not a new proposal. It was proposed by the
When we debate how to deal with Arafat, we are
Saudis some years ago, but it went nowhere because
making a terrible political and tactical mistake
of resistance among Arab ranks.
because such reasoning implies that the other side
It is difficult, if not impossible, to assess whether
would respond favorably if "acceptable" politics are
the
"new" proposal is genuine or a public relations
implemented.
ploy
adopted by Saudi Arabia to blunt severe criti-
But we have tried dovish and hawkish policies
cism
the Saudis have received post-Sept. 11.
over the last few years.
Let
us hope that this time, they mean it. A sched-
The last prime minister, Ehud Barak, tried placat-
uled Arab summit should give us some answers.
ing the PLO, givipg it almost everything it wanted,
Meanwhile, we would do well as a people to focus
but that did not work. Current Prime Minister Ariel
on
the root of the crisis.
Sharon is trying strong military action, but that,
The
root cause, as it has always been, is an unvar-
similarly, is failing.
nished
determination by Arafat and some 20 sur-
But neither is to blame. The issue is that Arafat
rounding
Arab nations to destroy Israel. That deter-
has never been willing, prepared or able to pursue
mination
has not changed in more than half a cen-
peace, regardless of the Israeli position. Until that
tury.
changes, Israeli strategies are irrelevant and that is
To focus on the "ineffectiveness" of Israeli strate-
the position Bush had taken for little more than a
gies,
whatever they are, implies guilt, and gives
year after taking office.
Israel's
enemies fodder for the political debate.
He folded quickly, for a variety of reasons, including
Let
the
terrorism stop and then we can argue
the fact that Secretary of State Colin Powell has never
whether
Israel
is sufficiently forthcoming in its
been a supporter of the Israeli position. Powell finally
response.
❑
has had his day on this issue in the White House.
Root Of The Middle East Problem
hat now? In the Jewish tradition, one is
tempted to answer that question with
another one. Who knows?
Arguably, Israel finds itself in the
most hopeless political situation since its founding
in 1948. Throughout its history, whatever crisis, we
always had hope.
But now, even hope seems to be a fatality of the
bloodshed that is taking so many innocent lives in
the current conflict.
But the crisis, nevertheless, demands political
reflection and some "truths" should not be ignored.
• Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)
Chairman Yasser Arafat has won. He stated when he
launched the second intifada (uprising) that he
wanted a situation so violent that the world com-
munity would pressure Israel, adding that he was
prepared to accept 10,000 casualties. His objective
— immense pressure, both political and in terms of
casualties in Israel — has been achieved.
• The United States, after showing strong support
for Israel, has reversed itself, adopting a policy that
can only be described as hypocritical and that
description is kind.
Stating that Israel's military reaction to terrorism
is "not helpful," President Geroge W Bush does not
explain the distinction between his efforts to root
out terrorism with strong military action in
Afghanistan (and other parts of the world) while
Berl Falbaum, a former political reporter, is an author
and Farmington Hills-based public relations executive who
teaches journalism at Wayne State University in Detroit.
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3/22
2002
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