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ROSEN from page 33
We then made our way to
Jerusalem, via Haifa, on a bus. Have
you ever traveled with a 3-year-old?
It requires a suitcase, a backpack (for
water and snack breaks), a stroller (so
he won't run around at the Central
Bus Station), and of course, your
child, who wants to explore every
nook and cranny like an English
muffin. I was counting on good
Samaritans to help me along the way,
and I am happy to report that there
were many such people.
Throughout the month, I was pro-
voked emotionally, spiritually, politi-
cally. I was sad to see stores closed
and joyous to see others open. I was
challenged to hear people say they
would leave in a minute, and heart-
ened to hear teenagers say they
wouldn't leave if you paid them.
I met Russians who spoke Hebrew
fluently and Argentineans who spoke
none at all. Argentineans, it seemed,
were the new wave of immigrants
seeking a better life in a challenging
place like Israel.
I had conversations with strangers
and friends wanting to know about
U.S. policy regarding Israel or Iraq
and also wanting to know how did I
feel about Iraq. We talked about the
economy and the struggles Israelis
live with daily for work, food and
sanity. It was humbling!
And the most humbling experience
was their direct and unabashed grati-
tude that we were there. "Thank you
so much for coming," was all I
heard. How could I respond to such
naked gratitude?
And so here I am telling you about
my experience with an appeal. Please
go! Israel needs you right now, with-
out holding its breath that things
will get better. Israelis want to see
you; show them that you care.
If you have never been, go on the
mission, send your kids on Birthright
or teen tours or gather a group of
friends and hire a guide.
If you have been, go again! Visit
the little places. Tel Aviv and
Jerusalem get to see you all the time;
the rest of Israel doesn't, and it's
nicer.
Visit the north with its winter col-
ors. Visit the south with its sun-
baked beauty. Go shopping with a
thought! Support small and local
businesses. Try new foods. Keep a
journal.
It will be a gift to your soul to help
Israel and you will nourish your
heart with such joy. Go now; go in
the spring; go in the summer; just
go! ❑
Polish Jewry Reborn, Poland Reborn
I
am delighted by the recent major
role of the news media in pro-
moting exploration and debate
of the issue of the suffering of
the Polish and Jewish nations during
and following the World War II.
There is little recognition in the non-
Polish community of what Poland has
gone through, historically. I have met
few people who realize the miraculous
achievement of preserving Polish
national identity despite occupation,
brutalization and foreign domination.
Yet the people's spirit, much in tandem
with their Catholic faith, has preserved
the identity of Poland. We have wit-
nessed the rebirth. of Poland since
1989, a strong democratic nation
emerging as the leading nation in all of
Europe.
Lack of knowledge of Polish suffering
is nowhere better illustrated than at
Auschwitz, symbol of the extermina-
tion of one-third of world Jewry by
Nazi Germany during the years 1939
through 1945. This number represents
one-half of all European Jewry. Almost
100 percent of the 3.3-million-member
Michael H. Traison of West Bloomfield is
a principal with the Detroit office of
Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone
PLC.
Polish Jewish community was
Unfortunately, the word
exterminated.
Holocaust has been used
In addition to the body count,
more frequently in the last
Auschwitz represents the loss of
few years to describe horrible
unborn future generations. It
events that have occurred to
represents the obliteration forever
other people. In order to
of all of those communities that
preserve the uniqueness of
were central to the Jewish civi-
the term as it was originally
lization. (Warsaw was the largest
coined to apply to the exter-
MICHAEL
Jewish city in the world, outside
H. TRAISON mination of the Jews and
of New York.) It meant the elim-
their European civilization,
Community
ination of all the yeshivot,
Pope John Paul II's use of the
Perspective
libraries, schools, hospitals and
Hebrew word Shoah is per-
communal institutions of every
haps preferable so there will
kind.
not be any confusion.
In Hebrew, this catastrophic episode
It is important for non Jews to recog-
is known as the Shoah. It is a word
nize the unique and particular impact
derived from the Old Testament and
on Jewish people, even today, of the
means total destruction or holocaust.
events of World War II.
Thus, capitalized, Holocaust is the
On the other hand, it is incumbent
English equivalent of Shoah. It has
upon the Jewish people to recognize
been generally accepted for many years
the effect of that war on the Polish
as the term to characterize the unique
Nation. The Jewish people should be
assault on the Jewish people and the
sensitive to the 50 years of post-war
civilization in Europe. Not all of the
oppression, created as the direct result
victims of World War II were Jews, but
of that process initiated by the
all Jews were the victims of World War
Germans on Sept. 1, 1939. The Jewish
II.
people should mourn the deliberate
Polish civilization was not eliminated destruction of Warsaw by Germany
in the war, but at least 3 million Poles
while the Soviets stood by and Polish
died. By its end, the Germans had not
heroes died. Let both peoples continue
reached their goal of exterminating the
their efforts at reconciliation and
Slavic peoples or European Jewry.
remembrance. ❑
.
Sincere Best Wishes
•
for a
Happy, Healthy and
Peaceful Passover
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