Cover Story

AM YISFtAEL CHAI from page 15

RALLY REACTION

"Al)! hope is that we'll be able to impress our local
representatives to encourage the United States govern-
ment to hold Israel to the same standards it holds
itself, said Matt Kamins of Southfield, who waved a
large Israeli flag during the rally.

"Taking advantage of civilians is the
coward's way out," said Jan Wanetick of

Southfield, attending the rally with her three
daughters, Sala, 13, and Francine and Natalie,
both 9.-

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Above: Kol Zimra, an
all-male Jewish a cappella
choir, roused the crowd
to dance and sing.

"I believe we're doing a mitzvah by •
being here in support of Israel," said Julie

Guttman, who attended with Debra Walter. Both
are from Huntington Woods.

Right: Lizzie Shubin, 15,
of Ann Arbor holds a
handmade sign that shows
the unity between the
US. and Israel.

"I

came here to be with all the other

J ews in support of Israel," said Deborah

Anstandig, 17, of West Bloomfield. "Hopefully,
the action won't stop after this rally. The only
thing we really have to count on is God, and I
think now it's time for us to start praying."

Far right:
Rabbi Syme delivers an
impassioned address.

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5/3
2002

16

"We went to Afghanistan seeking out those who
organized and supported the murderers of Sept. 11,"
he said. "In doing so, we inadvertently killed inno-
cent Afghan villagers, but we did not target them,
and that difference is the difference between civiliza-
tion and darkness."
Nothing can separate the democracies of the
United States and Israel, said his brother, Rep.
Sander Levin.
"We're here in large numbers, despite the rain, as
citizens of America to say to the citizens of Israel:
`We stand with you in your battle against terror as
you have been standing with us Americans in our
battle,'" Rep. Levin said. "Whether it's in New York
or Tel Aviv, whether it's in Washington or Jerusalem,
or whether it's in Pennsylvania or Haifa — terrorism
is terrorism is terrorism."
Mark Schlussel, the event chairman, summed up
why people were willing to stand in the rain sup-
porting Israel.
"We, the Jews of Michigan, will not be silent. We
will shout from the rooftops against this blatant
attempt to delegitimize, dehumanize and demonize
Jewry and Israel," he said. "It's appalling."
Kol Zimra, a local all-male Jewish a cappella choir,

roused the crowd with a brief Israeli sing-along
before two religious leaders brought the house down
with their fiery words.
"Many thousands of Christians of every denomi-
nation and every geographic area of this country
stand in solidarity with you," said David Blewett,
president of the national Christian Leadership
Council for Israel and the regional Ecumenical
Institute for Jewish-Christian Studies, both based in
Oakland County.
"Palestinian Christians are being persecuted every
day by Palestinian leaders," he said. "All Christian
leaders must stop making excuses and begin to speak
against all forms of terrorism.
"When we say with you, 'Never again,' we
Christians mean that never again will we stand idly
by as Jews are murdered simply because they are
Jews. 'Never again' means now. The killing of Jews
must stop now!"
Blewett added, "Am Yisrael Chai (the Nation of
Israel Lives), now and forever."

Admonishing Silence

Of all the speeches, none was more crowd-pleasing
AM YISRAEL CHAT on page 23

"I support Israel and I believe in everything they do. I
have relatives there," said Rosalie Ohrenstein of Walled
Lake, who attended with her husband, George. "I
support the IDF (Israel Defense Forces). When I see
those beautiful kinder (children) up there singing and
the soldiers, it makes me happy. Not being here would
proud to be here."
have been terrible.