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OTHER VIEWS
SIMKOVITZ
from page 26
artists exhibited their work and it was
almost like the Ann Arbor Art Fair.
Early every evening and late into the
night, except erev Shabbat, many
thousands of Israelis came to the
pedestrian mall. For several square
miles, it was literally packed, wall to
wall, with humanity. Whole families
attended including children and
infants in strollers. At times, it was
difficult just walking among and
through the Israeli crowds.
The saddest thing was the realiza-
tion that American Jews really do not
put their support where their mouths
are. Call a meeting at the Jewish
.Community Center and there will be
a large attendance to cheer and wave
flags. But most American Jews, in this
time of Israel's need, stay away from
Israel. We have all kinds of excuses.
We don't have time. We can't afford
the trip. We are afraid to go.
Nonsense.
One friend of Israel told me that he
had made the trip to the "Great
Kotel." When I asked him his
thoughts of Jerusalem, he told me I
was mistaken. He did not go to the
Kotel (Western Wall) in Jerusalem, he
went to the Great Kotel in China.
Some cannot afford the trip but
they can afford a new $35,000 SUV.
As to those who fear to go, my wife
and I found Israel to be no more dan-
gerous than a trip to certain places
here in our greater Detroit area.
Why is it that when Israel needs our
presence most, American Jews aban-
don Israel?
I remember 1990-1991, when I was
stationed in Israel with the IDF as
U.S. Army exchange scientist engineer.
When I walked on Hayarkon Street,
from my residence at the Tel Aviv
Hilton Hotel to the American
Embassy, I would look up and see
planes coming in towards the Ben-
Gurion Airport bringing in thousands
of Russians and Ethiopians. But U.S.
Jews were not coming to Israel.
The Israelis would ask then, as they
ask now, "Where are the Americans?"
At this time, when Israel needs our
presence, I ask your readers, "How
sincere and strong is your support for
Israel today? When you said "Next
Year in Jerusalem," did you really
mean it?" ❑
PIPES from page
rorism." Both of the state's U.S. sen-
ators objected. Former New York
Mayor Rudolph Giuliani added: "I
wouldn't have invited her. Cancel
it."
But she did speak, without any
interference. The protests against
Ashrawi were completely non-vio-
lent and included nothing more
than scattered boos, hand-held signs
and a rebuttal following the speech
(given by this writer).
These two parallel yet contrasting
episodes point to several conclu-
sions:
As the school year starts, both
sides of the Arab-Israeli conflict are
seeking to shift the terms of the
debate. The pro-Israel side wants to
de-legitimize speakers who effective-
ly call for the destruction of the
Jewish state. The anti-Israel side
wants to block speakers who are
sympathetic to Israel.
• Both of these incidents point to
profound problems in the university,
and why Abigail Thernstrom, senior
fellow at the Manhattan Institute,
calls it "an island of repression in a
sea of freedom."
In the Colorado case, the adminis-
tration made the morally idiotic
choice of honoring an apologist for
terrorism. In the Concordia case, a
weak-kneed response permitted
thugs to inhibit free-speech.
• The incidents with Netanyahu
and Ashrawi also point to the differ-
ing faces of pro- and anti-Israel
activism, with the former acceptably
political and the latter crudely vio-
lent. The first resembles the
restrained actions of the Israeli
armed forces. The second represents
a North American face of the suicide
bombings. Or, to put them in their
most elemental terms, we see here
the contrast between the civilized
nature of Israel and its friends, ver-
sus the raw barbarism of Israel's ene-
mies.
It promises to be a hot year politi-
cally on college campuses. How
things turn out will depend on
which form of activism prevails —
the holding of pink sheets of paper
with "I disagree" written on them or
the throwing of chairs from bal-
conies. ❑
BRENNER from page 27
name, though the midrash (biblical
interpretation) tells us her name was
Na'ama. We should like to pluck her
out of that obscurity and have her
spend some time with us.
As Noah's wife, she was obviously
the hostess aboard that congested
craft. What was the Ark like? Was
she in charge of the kitchen? All
those animals had to be fed. Was it
possible to do any housecleaning?
What about sanitary facilities? How
did she get along with the wives of
her three sons? Did they help?
And, did old man Noah assume
any responsibilities, or did he leave
it all to God? We shall have an
opportunity to get details of a story
that has never been told in full.
Our next guest will be Cyrus L.
Sulzberger (1858-1932), a promi-
nent merchant and philanthropist in
New York. His son, Arthur Hays
Sulzberger, was publisher of the New
York Times and was responsible for
setting that paper on its continuing
anti-Zionist policy. Sulzberger sen-
ior, however, was a warm supporter
of Zionism, a close friend of
Theodor Herzl and a vice president
of the Federation of American
Zionists.
Back in 1904, Cyrus Sulzberger
wrote, "We are justified in sympa-
thizing with Zionism in behalf of
Israel. Long enough, aye, for too
long has continued the wandering of
the homeless nation." He went on to
describe the needs and benefits of
establishing a Jewish national home-
land. We shall reread his own words
to him, and then sit back to hear
what he thinks of the New York
Times today.
We must have an Arab guest, and
he will be Professor Sari Nusseibeh,
president of Al-Quds University in
Jerusalem. There are some who hail
him as a moderate and a possible
successor to Palestinian leader Yasser
Arafat. Others cite anti-Israel state-
ments that he has made. What does
he really believe?
Not long ago, he was one of the
signers on an Arab petition calling
upon their brethren to stop military
action against civilians in Israel. On
the other hand, he has been quoted
as expressing admiration for terror-
ists. Perhaps in our sukkah, he will
give unambiguous expression to his
basic views on the possibility of
peace with Israel. If we hear any-
thing startling, we shall let you
know.
Enough! We have sufficient mate-
rial to think about for the remainder
of the week.
-
❑