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The Word Not Spoken

Dry Bones

THE LORD PROMISED
"THEY, AND THEIR
THE LAND TO MS
CHILDREN AND THEIR
CHOSEN PEOPLE,
CHILDREN'S CHILDREN,
FOR THEM TO LIVE
...FOREVER."
THERE,

I is worth noting that Sen. John Kerry, the
Democratic nominee for president, didn't men-
tion Israel in his acceptance speech, but it's not
worth dwelling over the omission.
For openers, American policy toward Israel is not
going to change very much no matter whether
Kerry is elected or President George W. Bush is
returned to office. The core policy of strong military
and diplomatic support for the Jewish state reflects a
broad consensus view of the American public and of
most of Congress.
Neither candidate is making a major campaign to
change the policy, which is what would be required
to achieve any substantial new attitude. Joint ven-
tures, such as the development of the
Arrow 2 anti-missile missile that was suc-
cessfully tested last week in California, will
continue, while opposition to Israel,
reflected in the American Presbyterian Church's vote
to study selling its stocks in American companies
that do business with Israel, will remain the excep-
tion and not the rule.
The crucial questions are what the two candidates
hope to achieve in the Middle East and how they
intend to go about getting to those goals. In this
area, Bush's record is far more complete than Kerry's
and, perhaps, a bit more worrisome.
Bush has strongly endorsed the policies of Ariel
Sharon, Israel's politically conservative prime minis-
ter, including the shunning of Palestinian leader
Yasser Arafat, construction of the West Bank securi-
ty barrier and urging moderate Arab and Muslim
leaders to stand up against the terrorists who delib-
erately undermined the peace process. Those are all
important steps, for which Bush deserves credit. It
isn't clear that Kerry would have been as quick to

agree, for instance, that Arafat is not some-
one to continue to try to negotiate with.
On the other hand, the president's pre-
occupation with ending Saddam Hussein's
reign in Iraq has fueled new Islamic mili-
tancy, much of it focused anew on Israel as
America's democratic ally. Arab rejection of
Israel's right to exist within secure and rec-
ognized borders has become more intense.
In his passion to oust Hussein, Bush has
failed to make any meaningful effort to
revive a peace process or even to force the
Palestinians to live up to any of their com-
mitments under either the Oslo accords or
the Quartet road map laid out
by America, Russia, the
European Union and the United
Nations.
Had Kerry proclaimed support for Israel
in his acceptance speech, he would have
helped allay fears that he's playing to Arab
voters, especially those in swing states like
Michigan. Kerry has made the point, how-
ever, that he doesn't wear his religion on
his sleeve but in his heart; the same could
be said for his belief in a Middle East with
Israel as a strong and vibrant democracy.
Apart from Kerry's endorsement of tra-
ditional diplomacy and multi-lateralism in
dealing with world problems, the senator
has not tipped his hand on how he would use
American actions to try to resolve the Palestinian-
Israeli disagreements or to bring greater modernity
to the Arab states, a crucial step in winning their
acceptance of Israel. As on some other issues, the
policy positions for the Middle East laid out on

Let The Games Begin

Lion from the former Soviet Union came in,
Poland. It was a tremendous learning experi-
and the cheers were deafening.
ence."
We were all on our feet shouting, wanting to
In the interest of full disclosure, I've got to
let these kids know that they were not forgot-
say that my interest in these games was
ten, that American Jews cared and were reach-
renewed because Barry Bershad is the boys'
ing out to them.
basketball coach. Barry is my brother-in-law.
The Russians seemed baffled at first, as if
He has coached basketball for so long that
they didn't understand the commotion. Then
there is an entire wall at the Jewish
they began to smile at each other and wave
Community Center in West Bloomfield filled
back to us. Aside from the day the Tigers won the GEO R GE
with plaques and championship awards his
CANT OR
1968 World Series, it was the only time I had
teams have
Reali
tears in my eyes at a sporting event.
"It's people like him who makes this work,"
"One of the great things is that it brings the
Che c
said Karen. "They give up several nights a
entire community together," says Karen Gordon,
week to come out here and do this. And so do
chief delegate of the Detroit Maccabi committee.
the parents who drive the kids to practice and get
"From different schools, different branches of the reli-
involved in the fund-raisers.
gion. We have kids who are shomer Shabbat (Sabbath-
"I'll tell you a secret. When I was a player, Barry used
observant) and kids who have never worn a yarmulke.
to intimidate me when he coached the other team. He
Kids who might never have met each other otherwise
was always so intense and had his team playing so hard
but became friends because of the games.
it scared me.
"A few years ago, we had a group of kids from
"Now I can see it's because he cares so much. He
Poland who were staying with families in the area for
wants these kids to learn to play the game the right way
the games. And the kids here saw that they had their
and to find out that you can become something greater
palm pilots and computers and were into the same
than yourself when you are part of a team."
kinds of things that they were. Yet they were from
Another good lesson to take away from any game.

APPARENTLY HE
DIDN'T CONSULT
WITH THE
PRESBYTERIANS.

EDIT ORM

I

tell every member of my team that they will come
away from the JCC Maccabi Games with three
things," says volleyball coach Ken Begin. "And
the athletic competition will be the least important of
them.
"They will bond with new friends and some of these
friendships will last the rest of their lives. They will
have a renewed sense of their own Jewishness and all
that means. The games are fine. But that's not what
they'll remember."
Members of the Detroit delegations to the JCC
Maccabi Games, in Columbus, Ohio, and Boston, will
start leaving this Sunday.
As a spectator, I can only say the games gave me one
of the most moving experiences I ever had in an arena.
I was in the stands for the opening ceremonies when
they were held at the Palace of Auburn Hills in 1990.
As each group marched in, representing its city or
country, there was applause. But then the small delega-

George Cantor's e-mail address is

gcantor@thejevvishnews.com

Kerry's Web site are too fuzzy to allow a judgment
on how they would play out if he were in the Oval
Office — a fuzziness worrisome itself.
In the end, the candidates . should be judged on
whether what they say and do is best for America,
not whether it is best for any other country at the
expense of America.

❑

❑

RIN

8/ 6
2004

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