EDITOR'S NOTEBOOK
Addressing Campus Apathy
srael's best defense against the terrorism and propa-
ganda of Islamic extremists tied philosophically to
Palestinian dictator Yasser Arafat's hatred of Jews is
"an informed, educated and committed Jewish com-
munity here in the United States," says a 40-year human
.rights activist and one of American Jewry's deeper thinkers.
But the Jewish state is losing the battle largely because too
many college students — our future leaders — are ignorant
about Jewish history and what Israel represents, argues Alan
Dershowitz, a law professor at Harvard University in
Cambridge, Mass., and an irreverent author, lecturer and
lawyer with a yen for controversy.
'And I don't mean ignorance only by
those opposed to Israel, by those not inter-
ested in it or by those not members of our
community or faith. I also mean a level of
ignorance by our children, grandchildren,
students, colleagues and peers," the kippah-
wearing keynoter told 130 givers at the
Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit's
ROBERT A. major gifts appreciation dinner on Dec. 5.
The 20-minute talk at Congregation
SKLAR
Shaarey Zedek in Southfield preceded a for-
Editor
mal address to the community sparked by
his newly published book, Why Terrorism
surprised when Dershowitz responded with maps and facts.
"We didn't know the Palestinians were offered a state in
1947 and 1948 and turned it down," he said, referring to
the law students. "We were not aware that between 1948
and 1967, there was terrorism against Israel even though
Israel didn't occupy the West Bank or the Gaza. We were
not aware of the details of the offers made at Camp David
and Taba. We were not familiar that even before Camp
David and Taba, Israel withdrew from most of the popula-
tion centers, or that the vast majority of the Palestinians
were under control of the Palestinian Authority and that
these areas were reoccupied only in response to terrorism.
"The amount of ignorance was just appalling."
Dershowitz announced he and his students would create
a 150-page booklet that makes the case for Israel — "the
modern, centrist case for Israel." They plan to tailor it for
campuses worldwide.
"Most people see the world at this moment in time as a
snapshot," he said. "But even a snapshot can be distorted."
.
A Better Model
Compelling and animated, Dershowitz affirmed that Israel
is too trusting. Jews in America have followed the same
wayward course. Just as the world seemingly rewards radical
Islamists, we seem to reward them for deception, too.
Works: Understanding the Threat, Responding to the
If we don't know enough about Judaism and the
Challenge (Yale University Press, $24.95).
Jewish homeland, how can we, you and I, counter
His message was stirring as well as strident against
Palestinian myths publicized by the news media or
the backdrop of Israel's 26-month-long struggle
overheard from neighbors or relatives? If we aren't
against a Palestinian-led intifada (uprising) that has
in the know, how can we expect our children to be?
left almost 700 Israelis dead.
Campus activists like U-M students Adi Neuman
and Rick Dorfman, both of West Bloomfield, are
Letting Deceit Prevail
helping dispel such anti-Semitic overtures as divesti-
Dershowitz talked passionately about the war
ture. But they're in the minority because too many
Palestinians are waging to break the spirit of
students fear alienation for expressing even .a hint of
Alan
younger Israelis by bombing school buses and dis-
Zionism beyond the campus Hillel. Says
Dersho w i tz
cos in Israel. A similar war is being waged on U.S.
Dershowitz: "It has literally become politically
campuses, though less violently. The divest-from-
incorrect to be a supporter of Israel."
Israel conferences hosted by Arab students at the University
Clearly, if we ultimately want the situation on college
of Michigan in Ann Arbor and other top-tier colleges have
campuses to improve, we've got to drill deeper into the edu-
helped reinforce the Palestinian battlefront on this side of
cational bedrock, and get our day, afternoon and supple-
the Atlantic.
mental schools to "do a better job of educating our students
Arafat's distortions, innuendoes and lies on issues of land,
about making the case for Israel," Dershowitz said.
refugees, settlements and terrorism are scripted to taint the
"I don't mean propaganda," he said. "We don't need
thinking of Jewish and gentile leaders of the next generation
propaganda. The truth is good enough for us."
of Americans.
It is a grave time for Jews everywhere. We must embrace
Israel has done a lousy job telling its side — namely, the
the seamless web linking Israelis, vulnerable Jews in far-
historical truth — since the emergence of the Palestine
flung corners of the diaspora and us here in America. We
Liberation Organization, a terrorist's dream come true, after
must show unconditional, unparalleled love for Israel —
the 1967 Six-Day War.
financially, emotionally and spiritually.
And so have Americans.
We should have learned from the Holocaust that lies told
"The Palestinian case is being presented very articulately
often enough begin to sound true. The Palestinians, so
by trained propagandists who know what buttons to press,"
eager to brand Israelis who retaliate against terror as Nazis,
Dershowitz said. "They know exactly how to appeal to our
have mastered this tactic. World Jewry hasn't countered
college students."
nearly enough.
He told of a debate he had at the Harvard Business
We can't let others be the sole provider of insight into
School with the PLO ambassador to the United States,
Judaism and Israel for our children. If we can't also make
Hasan Abdel Rahman. He said the audience seemed to buy
the case ourselves, Israel will lose the battle for survival, and
into Rahman's presentation, which "was full of canards and
it will have been lost right in our living rooms. If Israel falls,
falsehoods, of misrepresentations and half truths."
we have lost as well.
"You got the sense when you heard him speak that there
We can't sit back. We must be on guard. We don't have it
is only one evil country in the world, only one wrong party
made. As Alan Dershowitz put it, "This is a problem of
in the dispute between Israel and the Arab world,"
many, many, many tomorrows. We will never be successful
Dershowitz said.
in a way that allows us to say it's over — it's done. That's
The best and brightest who were at the debate seemed
our destiny. We have to face it."
•E
TENDER
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