OTHER VIEWS
If Not Now, When?
I
3/29
2002
46
standing of Israel's history. Like other
sraelis have spent the past 53
Israeli teens, they join the IDF at the
years building a thriving and
vibrant democratic homeland for age of 18, prepared to serve their
nation. The Seeds of Peace experience
more than 5 million Jews and 1
has not produced a generation of
million Israeli Arabs.
"draft-evading pacifists," but
At the same time, Israel has
rather
young men and women
been forced to dedicate far
who
are
better equipped to deal
too many of its desperately
with the difficult issues facing
needed resources toward
their nation.
defending itself against hostile
So why is Seeds of Peace
neighbors. Just as the majori-
important? Every Israeli under-
ty of diaspora Jews panned
stands, without being reminded
the Zionist dream as "naive"
by American Jews, the dangers
before 1939, so has the
HANNA
and
risks of the region. Yet,
N
dream of peaceful co-exis-
every
Israeli hopes that eventual-
LIS
tence with its neighbors been
ly,
war
and bloodshed will end.
Point
labeled "naive," "misguided"
Even the current Israeli govern-
and even "dangerous."
ment continues to support the
Yet, almost every Israeli,
from right to left, maintains some hope efforts of Seeds of Peace because it
knows that both Israelis and Arabs are
for a peaceful future. Israel has survived
destined to co-exist in the Middle East.
against incredible odds by being vigi-
After nearly 54 years of war, both
lant about its security and defense,
sides
view each other
while, at the same time, maintaining
with
incredible
animosi-
hope for a peaceful future. For Israelis,
ty and hatred. Years of
this dichotomy is natural and accept-
conflict have resulted in
able. Every Israeli parent sends their
a generation of Israelis
teens into the Israel Defense Forces
who see every Arab as
when they turn 18, fully aware of the
an enemy; at the same
need to defend Israel; yet, at the same
time, Israel's Arab
time, every Israeli still hopes that this
neighbors are filled with
will be the last generation of sons and
misconceptions
and
daughters who are putting their lives on
hatred toward Israelis.
the line.
Seeds of Peace is simply
The founding fathers of Israel, from
a process undertaken by
Herzl to Jabotinsky and from Ben-
teens from both sides to
Gurion to Begin, understood that the
spend
time together
Zionist dream is not about an eternal
away
from
the conflict,
military struggle, but rather a peaceful
thereby
allowing
them
co-existence with Israel's neighbors.
to
see
each
other
as people rather than
Seeds of Peace was established 10 years
as
enemies.
There
are no expectations
ago (before the Oslo process) to bring
that
anyone
will
change
their political
together Jewish and Arab teens from
opinions because of this encounter. The
the Middle East for a three-week joint
expectation is that the Seeds of Peace
camping experience in the woods of
process will help bring about, at some
Maine. Since then, many Arab govern-
future date, a generation of leaders who
ments have dispatched delegates to rep-
may choose a different course.
resent their countries in the Seeds of
For everyone in the Middle East,
Peace camp. Every Israeli government,
hope
is a scarce commodity that needs
both Likud and Labor, has endorsed
nurturing
and careful attention. Seeds
and supported the mission of Seeds of
of Peace nurtures this hope for the sake
Peace. Upon returning home, teens
of future generations without losing
from boLn sides continue to meet
touch with the realities and dangers of
monthly at the Seeds' Jerusalem center.
the current situation.
The Israeli Ministry of Education
Supporting Seeds of Peace, whether in
selects teens for the camp after an
Israel
or in the United States, is never
intense national selection process. Teens
unpatriotic
or dangerous. American
are chosen because of their demonstrat-
Jews
are
not
the ones to remind Israelis
ed passion and concern for Israel's sur-
of
the
difficult
and dangerous road
vival, and their knowledge and under-
ahead; every Israeli lives through these
dangers on a daily basis. Seeds of Peace •
Hannan Lis of Farmington Hills is
participants do not advocate "peace at
president of the Seeds of Peace Michigan any price," nor do they support reduc-
Chapter.
ing Israel's resolve to defend itself. ❑
Peaceful Intentions Can Backfire
the world from a nuclear Iraq - 20
eeds of Peace tends to feature
years
ago. If gambling were legal in
Jewish "peace activists" who
Michigan,
I would certainly wager
work hard to inculcate Jewish
against the question of whether Seeds
children in the concept that
of Peace teaches young Jews
peace should come at any
about how Israel prevented
price ("Resolving Conflicts,"
Iraq's Saddam Hussein from
March 15, page 39). We
going
nuclear 20 years ago.
should not be "thrilled with
I
would
love for Israel to be
the openness and the partici-
at peace, but the sad reality is
pation" of Jews in a forum
that Israel's and America's
substantially controlled by
enemies do not understand
Peace Now types; our young
or speak the language of
people need to understand
Ats
peace. Any doubt about this
that there is a very powerful
ERIC J.
can be dispelled by looking at
group of enemies in the
ROSENB
ERG
Palestinian
Authority leader
Middle East who are dedicat-
Counterp
oint
Yasser
Arafat's
Arabic lan-
ed to our destruction. They
guage
speeches,
which feed
need to be taught that Israel -
anti-Jewish and anti-Israel red
and America are the world's main
meat to his audiences.
refuges against the terror that many
All too often, as I read articles
perpetrate against Jews.
about Seeds of Peace, I read about
I believe in peace, but not "peace
Jewish children who preach the need
in our time" or peace at any price.
to make concessions to Arab nations
We should be educating
and terror groups (e.g., the Palestine
our children about what
Liberation
Organization), while Arab
the world was like before
children
leave
those same meetings
- there was an Israel and
stating that they "learned more about
why it is so crucial that
the Jewish religion." One does not
Israel be strong, free,
see Arab children declaring that Arab
independent and mili-
nations need to walk away from the
tarily superior to any of
goals
of returning refugees to Israel;
its enemies or neighbors.
to
reducing
Israel to an eight-mile
Our children should
wide
border;
to utilizing terror to kill
understand that Israel is
and
frighten
Israelis,
and weaken
the first country to be
Israel's
will.
condemned by a world
This is the point at which I should
body (the United
praise Hannan and Lisa Lis, Brenda
Nations) for not return-
ing lands that it captured Rosenberg and others for their good
intentions with Seeds of Peace. And,
in wars in which it,
in
the purpose of truth telling, I do
Israel, was attacked. The perpetrators
concede
that their hearts are in a
lost 'their land, and now state that if
good
place.
The problem is that good
we just give back the land, all will be
intentions
have
been very costly to
okay. If so, why did they start the wars
Israel and Jews for quite a while now.
in the first place? Our children should
Oslo was well intended. Former
be young Zionists, not young
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak's
peaceniks or young capitulationists.
proposed giveaway to Arafat was well
Al Qaida and the Taliban are on
intended. Yet both were wrongheaded
the run not because America capitu-
from
the start, and very damaging to
lated, but because America used its
the
Jewish
people.
muscle. Firmness and strength are the
The
more
we as Jews act in a "self-
only language that terrorists, and
less, well-intended way" that hurts
many of the Arab governments,
our own people in the name of peace,
understand.
the less that the Arab leaders and
It is time for all of us as Jews to
masses respect us, and the more Israel
face the threat, and stand together as
is weakened. Therefore, while I
one to eradicate it — not teach our
appreciate
good intentions, they
children to be good disciples of for-
sometimes
lead to dangerous and dis-
mer British Prime Minister Neville
astrous
results,
and to me, the weak-
Chamberlain. Young Jews need to be
ening
of
the
will
of bright Jewish
taught to be proud of Israel's saving
youngsters to stand tall against Arab
aggression would be a tragic out-
Eric J. Rosenberg is a Farmington
come. ❑
S
Hills resident.