Editorials are posted and archived
on JN Online:
www.detroitjewishnews.com
Dry Bones
Nothing Doing
EUROPE REFUSED
I
t is easy to mistake action for progress. Facing a
difficult problem, it often seems that doing
something is better than doing nothing. And
when the problem is truly intractable, it is way too
easy to believe that doing almost anything is a meas-
ure of advancement.
But we need to be wary of that fallacy as momen-
tum builds again in Washington and European capi-
tals for "doing something," preferably something
dramatic or revolutionary, about Israel and the
Palestinians. Demanding visible action now is prob-
ably the least effective formulation for either ending
the violence or achieving a permanent and enforce-
able peace between the Jewish state and its West
Bank and Gaza neighbors.
We certainly didn't need the double sui-
cide bombina b that killed 10 Israelis
Sunday in Ashdod — carried out by
Hamas and by the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades of
Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement — as a reminder of
how little the Palestinian leadership has done to
make any progress possible. Replacing Arafat and
the corruption and ineptitude at the top of the
Palestinian Authority would be a real forward step,
but that doesn't seem to be on anyone's current to-
do list.
It's hard to see what Israeli Prime Minister Ariel
Sharon and Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed
Qurei were going to accomplish before their meet-
ing this week was canceled in the aftermath of the
Ashdod attack. They could talk about everything,
but Qurei has nothing to offer that Sharon should
trust as a commitment to the first necessary step of
reducing the carnage.
The heads of the Arab states are scheduled to
meet later this month, with indications that they
intend to make much of renewing the Saudi
Arabian "peace plan" of two years ago. That one
went absolutely nowhere because it called for Israel
to retreat all the way to the indefensible pre-1967
Green Line before the states would
TO FIGHT ISLAMIC
recognize its right to exist. The
TERROR
IN ISRAEL
plan is all noise and no substance,
another nothing pretending to be a
something.
Factions in America continue to
press the White House to some-
how get involved in forcing Israel
and the Palestinians to come to
terms. But any action by the Bush
administration now would be
strictly for show because the
underlying conditions of Arab
0
rejection and Palestinian incite-
ment to violence haven't
changed in the last three
SO NOW EUROPE
years — despite the fact
HAS TO OECIOE IF
that those conditions
have made life far more difficult
IT WILL
for ordinary Palestinians.
If they really wanted to pave the
way toward progress, the Arab
states could take a few very simple
steps. They could, for example,
drop their 55-year-old prohibition
against granting citizenship to the
Palestinian "refugees" from the
1948 war. Accepting their fellow
Arabs as permanent citizens would
be an enormous boon to the
does not require for its security — a step that Ariel
Palestinians for whom states such as Egypt, Syria,
Sharon has already indicated he is prepared to take.
Jordan and Saudi Arabia profess such concern.
Israel should also revisit the route of its security
The Palestinians could easily ban the daily barrage
fence to be sure that it does not needlessly disrupt
of hatred toward Israel and Jews both in their media
the lives of Palestinians who are not involved in ter-
and their schools. They could stop their officials
rorist attacks — another action it says it is already
from making vicious anti-Semitic statements in
taking.
Arabic immediately after saying in English that they
Those would be real "somethings." Everything
want peace and progress with Israel.
else
we've seen is nothing. Li
Israel, in turn, could move forward toward leaving
those settlements in Gaza and the West Bank that it
r
EDIT MAL
Teaching By Example
R
ecently I ran into one of my son's friends at
a local coffee house. In the course of con-
versation, I asked him if he was thinking
about goillg on this year's Teen Mission to Israel.
His answer, "No, I'm waiting for Birthright next
year, because its free!"
As I thought about his answer, I was troubled.
Here is a bright, well-educated, Jewishly oriented
young adult who actually thinks that there is such a
thing as a free lunch. Where could he possibly gain
this grave misconception?
As Robert Aronson, the Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit's CEO, stated in his Other
Views article in the Feb. 20th Nregarding
Birthright Israel, "there is no more meaningful
Mark Davidoff is chief operating o zcer and executive
director of the Bloomfield Township-based Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit.
per year as a part of this program. Every dol-
Jewish program for our young adults."
lar of this payment is coming from
However, the fact is it's not free at all. The
Federation's Annual Campaign. So here's the
cost to send each Birthright participant on
issue and the challenge: If we are raising
this life-changing mission is $1,800. So how
young members of our community to think
is it that such an adventure is provided to
that the community is a faucet that can be
first-time travelers to Israel at no cost? The
used without replenishing the well, we will
answer? Others are sacrificing and paving
one day find a thirsty community with not
(or should I say paying) the way so that
MARK
enough resources to meet all the needs.
there are no barriers for those who other-
DAVI DOFF
As I reflected deeper on the innocent
wise could not afford to go.
Comn ?unity
assumptions made by our future Birthright
And who is it that is making the sacrifices
Persp ective
traveler, I concluded that he was not to
and the payments to make this program
blame. We must teach by example. Instilling
possible? It is true that major philanthro-
in our children how we can "work" the system to
pists from across the country and the Israel govern-
gain
a free ride is not the example. Giving responsi-
ment contribute major funding. But it is also true
bly and teaching our children to give in the same
that Federations around the country are contribut-
manner in support of the vital programs that exist
ing based on a fair share formula, regardless of how
only because of Federation's Annual Campaign is a
many students are coming from their own commu-
lesson worth practicing as an adult and teaching as a
nity.
parent. H
Your Detroit Federation is contributing $185,000
3/19
2004
25