EDITOR'S NOTEBOOK

Coming Of Age

achel Rosenthal, a 2001 University of Michigan
Rosenthal grew up at Congregation Shaarey Zedek in
graduate in religious studies, is spending 10
Southfield. She's the great-granddaughter of Cantor Jacob
months in Israel as part of a work/service/learning
Sonenklar, of blessed memory, who was a beloved Shaarey
program called Project Otzma.
Zedek cantor.
Two months into her eagerly anticipated participation, she
The Birmingham Groves High School graduate said she
was startled by the reality and terror of the 25-month-long
was drawn to Project Otzma by her love for Israel "and a
Palestinian uprising: She watched a bus burn in the wake of
chance to experience this country in a totally new way."
yet another suicide bomber.
Some may think Rosenthal is nuts to participate, and she's
It was Bus 841 of the Egged Bus Cooperative, a privately
willing to accept that first impression.
held company that has lost more than 100 passengers in the
She recounts that when she told people she'd be moving to
intifada. Fourteen Israelis were killed when a jeep blew up
Israel for a while, "the prevailing first response was, 'Why in
after pulling alongside the bus at a passenger
the world would you want to go there now?'"
stop near Hadera in northern Israel. A mas-
Reflecting on her short time there, with the fiery stench
sive fire slowed search and rescue efforts.
from the deadly bus blast on a country road still pelting her
Witnesses told of looking on helplessly as
senses, Rosenthal was impassioned about not letting fear —
passengers burned alive. Another 25 people
the terrorists' ultimate weapon — consume her.
were hurt in the devastating fireball
"At this moment," she wrote, "I wouldn't want to be any-
unleashed by a follower of Islamic Jihad on
where else in the world. We cannot live our lives in a bubble,
Oct. 21.
afraid of the outside world that may harm us in some way. To
Rosenthal, three other Otzma participants
experience life that way is to miss out on everything wonder-
fill the world has to offer."
ROBERT A. and their program director were driving back
from an afternoon visit to Nazareth Illit and
SKLAR
the Jezreel Valley in the Central Galilee when
Editor
Reaching Out
their stay in the Jewish homeland changed
Marta Rosenthal found herself worrying about Rachel's
instantly.
safety while the sniper shootings were occurring in and
"This attack became all too real," wrote Rosenthal,
near Washington, D.C., where her younger
23, in an e-mail message dated later that day.
daughter, Jenny, is a junior at George
She's the daughter of Marta and Ben Rosenthal of
Washington University.
Franklin, both on the Jewish Federation of
"Which one did I have more concern for? We
Metropolitan Detroit's board of governors and fre-
cannot live in fear. Israel is not going anywhere
quent Israel visitors.
and neither should we," said Marta, proud and
An earlier suicide bombing since this 17th Otzma
supportive of Rachel's embrace of Israel during
class arrived in August took place in Tel Aviv, 40 miles
such trying times.
north of the absorption center in which the class of
Marta will make her eighth trip to Israel in
12 young adults is living near Ashkelon, once an
the
last two years on Dec. 4. She'll gather with
Rachel
Rosenthal
ancient seaport.
other Partnership 2000 steering committee
members.
Defining Moment
Rachel, meanwhile, isn't bashful about urging U.S. Jews
Until the burning bus, Rosenthal had been distant from a
to reinforce their commitment to Israel's survival.
pi guah, or terrorist attack. "It is something that happens
"It has been said time after time how much Israel needs
`there,' a place far removed from our concept of 'here,'" she
our support right now," she wrote, "and I am here to say it
wrote.
again because I cannot stress it enough."
This time, she felt the obvious range of emotions: sadness,
Contribute to a charitable cause, go as a tourist or volun-
anger and grief It was horrible, and she was embittered that "a teer in the Central Galilee, Michigan Jewry's Partnership
human being could do such a thing."
2000 region in terms of building economic, educational,
But she felt something more, too. "What had always been
humanitarian and social ties, she wrote.
far removed from my small sphere was now right in front of
You also can become active in a local chapter of an Israeli
me," she wrote, "and I am forever changed."
fund-raising arm; buy Israeli products via local stores,
After the initial shock faded from seeing an example of the
events and the Internet, including vvvvw.jewish.com ; call,
Palestinian violence and terrorism that has claimed more than
e-mail or write Israelis; invest in Israel or Israeli businesses;
640 victims since September 2000, Rosenthal delved into the
and advocate for U.S. and United Nations support for -
mists of self-discovery.
Israel to repel aggression and assure its security.
"I am in Israel here and now," she thought to herself. "And
Whether as a volunteer or as a tourist, visiting Israel is
despite the horror before me, I must stand strong and not be
important to do, even if it is only to show we are not
afraid."
afraid. Wrote Rachel: "We must stand up and say, Wineni
She knew, she wrote, that "if we live in fear, they who are
— I am here.'"
trying to hurt us will ultimately win."
Otzma is the Hebrew word for strength in the sense of
Project Otzma provides young adults ages 20-25 a chance
empowerment.
to live, learn and volunteer in Israel in a variety of settings.
Otzma participant Rachel Rosenthal became empowered
Sponsors are Israel Forum and United Jewish Communities
the day she came upon that burning hulk of steel that had
(umbrella for the North American federated network), in
been Egged Bus 841 at Karkur junction outside Hadera.
cooperation with the Jewish Agency for Israel.
As she so inspirationally put it, "I will never forget this
Participants come together daily for Hebrew classes, com-
day, the sight of how much a person can blindly hate
munity-building and to learn about Israel's history and her-
another. Yet do what they will, I am still here. I will not be
itage.
moved." ❑

R

Jimmy Choo SARTORE

Sigerson Morrison Rocco P.

Alessandro Dell'Acqua

Robert Clergerie Henry Cuir

Guiseppe Zanotti

TENDER

271 WEST MAPLE
DOWNTOWN BIRMINGHAM
248.258.0212

Monday-Saturday 10-6
Thursday 10-9
Sunday 12-5

J14

Open aTE N DER Charge Today

11/8

2002

5

