OTHER VIEWS

6/7

2002

34

Planting Seeds Of What?

Spreading Seeds Of Understanding

0 nce again the camp, Seeds of Palestinian human rights and human life.
All these goals are right out of Yasser
Peace hits the news and who
Arafat's
manifesto!..
can argue with "peace?"
Unfortunately,
this incident is not our
Unfortunately, the con-
first
revelation
relative
to Seeds of Peace.
cept, more particularly the sponsoring
Listed
among
the
international
camp
organization, Seeds of Peace, has
sponsors
are
Saeb
Erekat,
longtime
sen-
developed a glaring glitch.
ior
Palestinian
advisor
and
spokesperson.
A Seeds of Peace graduate
Included on the honorary com-
from Roseville, Huwaida Arraf
mittee are U.S. Reps. David
was recently released from an
Bonior, John Conyers and John
Israeli jail. Ms. Arraf had run
Dingell — all well recognized as
into the Church of the
members of the Arab Hall of
Nativity in order to aid the
Fame for voting most consis-
Palestinian Arab terrorists that
tently against measures favoring
escaped there to avoid Israeli
the State of Israel.
arrest. She now lectures
Nationwide fund-raising
around the country on her
JERO ME S.
events
sponsored by the camp
harrowing experiences under
KAU F MAN have had as their primary
Israeli arrest and the awful
Poi nt
speakers former Ambassador to
plight of her fellow Arabs.
Egypt Edward S. Walker Jr.,
There is also a cross-cultural
now
president
of the Middle East
part of the story that gives it some
Institute.
Walker's
numerous writings
human interest. It turns out this Arab
and
opinions
are
easily
found on the
girl from Roseville married a Jewish boy
Internet.
These
include
how
Saudi
from Brooklyn, N.Y., named Adam
Arabia
is
a
great
friend
of
the
U.S. and
Shapiro. They met in Jerusalem where
unjustly
maligned
by
the
American
they were both working for Seeds of
press. His position is that if the United
Peace! Mr. Shapiro had been working
States stops its favoritism toward Israel,
for the camp for about four years and
incidents like the World Trade Center
was the director of the project while she
disaster in New York City would never
was a program coordinator.
occur. -Furthermore, the Arabs would
Mr. Shapiro is now a hero in his own
happily join the newest coalition
right among the Palestinian Arabs. He
against Iraq's Saddam Hussein!
has an illustrious history. He took it
Other speakers have included
upon 'himself to traverse an Israel-Arab
Martin
Indyk, past U.S. ambassador
battlefield hidden in a Red Crescent
.
to
Israel
and the Middle East whO was
ambulance furnished to him by the
famous
for
consistently taking the
PLO, in order that he might breakfast
Arab
side
in
many disputes with
and show solidarity with his beleaguered
Israel.
Other
speakers have been Abed
hero, Yasser Arafat, and a coterie of his
Rabbo,
Yasser
Arafat's minister for
terrorist lieutenants in Arafat's Israeli-
information
and
culture, and Yossi
surrounded headquarters in Ramallah.
Beilin,
now
a
marginal
member of his
Other credits for Mr. Shapiro include
own
Labor
party
and
one
of the
that he is also the co-founder with Ms.
authors
of
the
now
irrelevant
and just-
Arraf of a Pro-Palestinian Arab organi-
ly
maligned
Oslo
Peace
Accords.
zation called the International
With this formidable bunch of sup-
Solidarity Movement. The credentials
porters,
one can't help but wonder what
of this organization were accepted by
are
Jews
doing involved as monetary
Yasser Arafat, himself, at a group meet-
contributors
and even worse, sending
ing Dec. 18, 2001. Their Web site pro-
their
kids
to
the
camp? Are the kids to
claims the following goals:
come
out
with
the
ideology of director
• Raise awareness of the Palestinian
Adam
Shapiro
and
his program coordi-
struggle for freedom and an end to
nator
Arab
bride?
Do
parents think the
Israeli occupation.
above
cast
of
characters
really has the
• Recognize the Palestinian right to
well-being
of
the
State
of
Israel in mind?
resist Israeli violence and occupation
Do
these
Seeds
of
Peace
supporters
via armed struggle.
think
of
Israel
as
a
homeland
for the
• Right of return of Palestinian
Jewish
people
and
as
a
sanctuary
for
refugees and the Palestinian capitol to
Jews
fleeing
from
persecution
once
be in Jerusalem.
again rampant all over the world?
• Immediate compliance by Israel
What
do they teach the kids in that
with international law, (as interpreted
camp
or is it all just canoeing and
by the Arab "judiciary.")
camp
songs?
Perhaps those donating
• Expose Israel's lack of respect for
to the camp and the parents of the
children involved should answer those
Jerome S. Kaufman is a Bloomfield
questions themselves? ❑
Hills resident.

September 11, 2001, served as a terri-
have recently returned from the
ble reminder of the tragedies we have
Jewish Federation of
witnessed
in our lives. In the wake of
Metropolitan Detroit-sponsored
so
many
tragedies,
we have come
solidarity mission to Israel.
together to search for enduring solu-
While I was there in May, I had an
tions to hatred, terror and violence."
opportunity to observe, firsthand, the
Please take the time to read Seeds'
cost of not living in peace: empty
charter
"Uprooting Hatred and Terror"
hotels and shops, anguish and
at www.seedsofpeace.org. It is
fear on faces, I heard heart-
this kind of effort and com-
wrenching stories of innocent
mitment that will lay the
people killed or maimed.
foundation for peace.
After seeing the Park Hotel
Seeds of Peace has the sup-
in Netanya where the Passover
port
of world leaders, including
massacre took place, and talk-
United
Nations Secretary-
ing to the doctors and direc-
General
Kofi Annan, Jordan's
tors of trauma centers who
Queen
Noor
Al Hussein,
supply emergency care, I am
BRENDA
Israel's
Shimon
Peres and U.S.
more convinced than ever we
NAOMI
Secretary
of
State
Colin Powell. -
must seize all reasonable
ROSENBERG President George W. Bush said,
opportunities for peace.
Counterpoint "Seeds of Peace brings together
That is why I am an active
tomorrow's leaders, changing minds and
supporter and member of the execu-
hearts
one person at a time."
tive committee of Seeds of Peace
Seeds
of Peace also provides an
Michigan and co-coordinator of our
opportunity
for adult supporters to
local teens' group with Nabil Satar
join
together
in honest, nonjudgmen-
and Lisa Lis. Seeds of Peace works
tal
dialogues
that
create positive part-
toward securing lasting peace in the
nerships
within
our
community. At a
Middle East, and other regions in
recent
informal
dinner
at my home, I
conflict. Seeds' beliefs mirror my own
engaged
in
such
a
dialogue
with fellow
experiences, that it is possible to break
board
member
Nabil
Satar,
an
the cycle of fear and hate by providing
American
Muslim
who
lived
in
the tools to turn inherited hatred into
Lebanon.
Following
is
an
excerpt
from
tolerance, trust and empathy.
a
note
I
received.
from
Nabil:
For the past decade at a summer .
"I used to view the Israelis as fight-
camp in Maine, Seeds has brought
ing
for their existence, but not the
.
diverse populations together: teens
collective
Jewish people. To know and
chosen by their governments — Arabs,
understand
that Jews worldwide view
Israelis, Bosnians, Serbs, Greeks, Turks,
the
state
of
Israel
as shelter from per-
Indians and Pakistanis. At camp, they
secution,
anti-Semitism
and hate was
learn each other's histories and partici-
really
news
to
me."
pate in recreational sports, art activities
Nabil heard my story, and I heard his
and daily conflict-resolution sessions.
points
of view. We don't always agree
The teens develop empathy, respect,
with
each
other on issues, but we keep
communication skills, confidence and
talking
because
we share a common
hope that they can create a future of
goal
with
Seeds
internationally: to cre-
peaceful co-existence.
ate
co-existence
by encouraging dia-
The benefits of Seeds don't stop at
logue,
mutual
understanding,
equality
the end of camp. To assure continuing
and
respect.
We
do
not
promote
specif-
education and support, Seeds main-
ic
political
views
or
co-habitation.
tains SeedsNet, a listsery for graduates.
Our organization is a powerful tool
Youth summits and youth conferences
for
peace. That is why I find it disap-
unite the teens and provide a peaceful
pointing
when individuals, who have
opportunity for them to express a
not
seen
its amazing work firsthand,
voice for change. The material the
question
the validity of Seeds. We
teens presented from their interna-
invite
you
to our meetings, the camp
tional youth conference "Uprooting
and
our
conferences.
Hatred and Terror" last November is
"There can be no more important ini-
compelling and inspirational.
tiative
than bringing together young
The following is an excerpt:
people
who have seen the ravages of war
"We seeds of peace, young people
to
learn
the art of peace," said the U.N.'s
representing 22 war-ravaged nations,
Kofi
Annan.
"Join us and see for your-
hereby declare that we are tired of
selves
how
the
art of peace is learned."
hatred, violence and terror. The sight
Imagine
what
could happen if
of humanity reduced to rubble on
everyone directed their energy toward
partnering for peaceful co-existence
Brenda Naomi Rosenberg is a
instead of warring. ❑
Bloomfield Hills resident.

I