OTHER VIEWS
The Time To Visit Israel: Now
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Yisrael (the Jewish nation).
was recently privileged
intifada (Palestinian
The
to lead a small group of
uprising) has not broken the
congregants from Sara
will of our brethren.
Tugman Bais Chabad
This became apparent many
Torah Center on a unity mis-
times during our trip. It was
sion to Israel.
reflected in the will of the town
The specific purpose of our
of Emanuel, which has decided
mission was to deliver toys and
to build 300 more homes,
financial assistance to the com-
RABBI
munity of Emanuel, which sits
ELIMELECH despite the terror attacks.
It was seen in the kibbutz of
amidst the rustic beauty of
SILBERBERG
Merav
(overlooking Jenin),
Shomron (Samaria) and has suf-
Community
where
the
tragic shooting death
fered much from terrorism in
Views
of Aliza, a young teenage resi-
the past two years.
dent of a home for abused chil-
Our more general purpose
dren, has brought the kibbutz together
was to give moral and economic sup-
in an unprecedented way.
port to our beleaguered brethren
It was seen in the face of Ziv, a young
throughout Israel.
soldier whom we met on an artillery
Contrary to perceptions prevalent
base in the Golan Heights. Ziv is over-
throughout the world, we found
worked and exhausted from tracking
Israelis leading very normal lives.
People are certainly cautious, but stress down suicide bombers, but he refuses to
related to security concerns is not gen- slow down — and will never give up his
wide smile.
erally reflected in their daily activities.
It was evident in Alon Moreh (over-
Terror incidents are down by more
looking Nablus), whose residents
than 90 percent.
refuse to put a fence around their
The people we met, which include a
community, because "we will not be
broad spectrum of Israelis, attribute
caged in; we will live free in our land."
this significant drop to the Israeli
Unfortunately the intifada has bro-
army's reoccupying the Arab cities,
ken
the will of American and world
which greatly enhances Israeli intelli-
Jewry to personally visit Israel. With
gence. They contend that as long as
tourism down by 90 percent, hotels
the Palestinian Authority controlled
and shops are closing in large num-
their own cities, it was impossible to
bers. Israel cannot survive economical-
get reliable information about poten-
ly without Jewish tourists.
tial terror attacks.
It was heartbreaking to see the faces
We visited the Jewish enclave in
of
some of the shopkeepers in
Hebron. This small group is composed
Jerusalem. We must keep in mind the
of very deterinined people who are
words of Moses to the leaders of the
convinced that their presence in this
Jewish tribes who settled outside the
holy city, the cradle of the Jewish peo-
ple, safeguards the Jewish nation. They mainland: "It is inconceivable that your
brothers go to battle (in Israel) and you
argue that they are willing to live with
remain here (outside the battle)!"
the Arabs side by side in peace.
Perhaps the most inspirational mes-
But if the Arabs claim that they can
sage of the 9-11 horror was the heroism
never live with Jews, then separation
of the New York police and firefighters
will not do any good. After all, what's
to prevent Arabs from lobbing mortars who risked their lives for total
strangers. We who have the distinction
from 10-15 miles away into Jewish
of being "a light unto the nations" must
areas? (This, in fact, is the reason why
certainly take risks for klal Yisrael (the
most Israelis are skeptical about the
Jewish
people).
idea of a fence separating Jews from
In fact, the chance of injury or
Arabs. Very few believe at this point
death due to terror in Israel is relative-
that a political solution is possible.)
Whether or not you concur with the ly small. As I write this article, I hear
news of a plane crash in North
philosophy of the Jewish inhabitants
Carolina that has claimed 21 lives. Yet
of Hebron, these are people of great
we continue to fly.
courage and faith. Our entire group
Despite the statistics on teen drivers,
found them to be a true source of
we allow our children to get behind
inspiration. In fact, wherever we went,
the wheels of a car and drive off.
in communities from Judea and
We do not allow these statistics to dic-
Samaria to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, we
tate what we will do and how we will live.
were inspired by the resolve of Am
And considering the fact that terror-
ism is substantially down, there is no
Elimelich Silberberg is spiritual leader
better — or more necessary — time to
of Sara Tugman Bais Chabad Torah
visit
our Holy Land than now.
Center in West Bloomfield.
I
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Top to bottom:
Stuart Selis of West Bloomfield,
center, at the Western Wall.
Rabbi Elimelech Silberberg
and Rabbi Shraga Rice,
vice-mayor of Emanuel, watch
the town's children open gifts
collected in Bais Chabad of
West Bloomfield toy drive.
Gil Hoffman of Jerusalem and
his fiancee, former
Bais Chabad of West Bloomfield
member Netanya Weiss, who
made aliyah in June 2002.
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2003
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