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Insight

from page 27

flow," she said.
She noted the support of "hundreds
of millions of Christians who love the
Jewish people" and "Muslim people
who are against the distortions of
Islam."
But peace must also come from
within, she said.
"It is within our power to need to
show our love for each other," she
said. "The more we open ourselves up
to Jewish values and God, the more
we shall find peace that no outsider
will ever disturb. The trick is to use
your time to the fullest and move for-
ward with courage. In the end, with
God's help, the Jewish people will tri-
umph."
Ragen has no plans to run for office.
"Do you know the low regard for
politicians in Israel?" she asked. "I
would like to maintain the respect I
have as a writer than lose it entirely."
After the talk, Aaron Kraft of
Farmington Hills commented that "if
everything she says is workable, it will
be excellent for us."
While agreeing that re-education is
important, he sees a need for certain
conditions to make it work.
"The U.S. will be in the Middle
East now for a long time, and I think
it will help us," he said. "It will also
help if the Palestinians can get their
economy going. If they have money it
will change their thoughts."
Hedy Halpern of Windsor has been
on Ragen's e-mail list for two years. "It
was nothing I hadn't heard before, but
it's nice to hear it in person. I like her
views," she said, carrying the four
books she purchased. "I am skeptical
that the road map will work. It smells
like Oslo."
Gayle Friedman of Birmingham
attended with her mother, Beverly
Apel, and friend Evelyn Noveck, both
of West Bloomfield.
"I've read many of her books and
read her column and, for the most
part, I thought she was dead-on,"
Friedman said. "She's a very strong
female voice and while she says things
bluntly, she gets them heard better
than most."
Noveck appreciated Ragen's advoca-
cy concerning violence against women,
noting her own involvement with
Hadassah and Na'amat, which provide
legal and other support services to vic-
tims of domestic abuse.
Apel applauded Ragen on all counts.
"She has made important changes in
Israeli society [regarding women's
issues] and brings a lot of issues to the
forefront," she said. "She's a woman
hawk, but she's right on." fl