OTHER VIEWS

The Miracle Continues

T

here is nothing like a trip to
Israel to awaken our collec-
tive Jewish pride and to
instill in our children a deeper
understanding and appreciation of
their Jewish identity.
Thanks to the overwhelming suc-
cess of Federation's Michigan
Miracle Mission 4 last April, hun-
dreds of families in the Detroit
Jewish community have now
expressed a strong interest in going
to Israel together, as a multi-genera-
tional experience, on Federation's
Family Miracle Mission in
December 2005.
The good news is tourism is on
the rise in Israel and that our Family
Mission has "sold itself" just
through word of mouth. Over the

Peter M. Alter is president of the Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit.

past months, Federation staff,
excitement grows as our
together with mission leader-
Family Mission is taking
ship, representatives from the
shape. Knowing there is
Michigan Board of Rabbis
nothing in the world like
and community volunteers,
seeing Israel through our
have all worked diligently to
children's eyes, our goal is
ensure the best possible tour
to share this rare and won-
package and travel experience
derful family experience
PETER M.
for the largest possible num-
with as many members of
ALTER
bers at the lowest price during
the community as possible.
Community
the peak of Israel's tourist sea-
With the goal of building
Perspective
son. Tall orders.
our community's deep and
But speaking on behalf of
lasting connection to Israel,
the committee, we are indeed confi-
our committee has worked hard to
dent that we've put together a terrif-
keep the costs of the mission as rea-
ic family mega-mission — some-
sonable as possible so that as many
thing for everyone, including unique
families as possible may choose to
learning opportunities on a variety
participate. In the months ahead, we
of "tracks" designed for interests and
look forward to welcoming the com-
age groups, including a track specifi-
munity aboard to what will surely be
cally for b'nai mitzvot.
an exciting adventure — a priceless
With each passing week, our
journey. 1-1

Family Mission Facts

Based on flight and hotel availability
Federation will be able to accommodate
800 participants on the Family Miracle
Mission at the cost of $3,995 for adults
and $3,595-$3,895 for children.
Because interest in this trip has been
so strong and in order to be fair to all
who wish to travel on the mission,
applications will be accepted on a first-
come, first-served basis. Applications
will be accepted by mail only post-
marked no earlier than Dec. 15. For an
application, call Deena Lockman at the
Bloomfield Township-based Federation:
(248) 642-1644.

Education By Murder

Philadelphia
ducation by murder"
describes the slow and
painful way people wake up
to the problem of radical Islam.
It took 3,000 deaths to wake up
Americans — or at least to wake up
the half of them who are conserva-
tive. Likewise, it took hundreds of
deaths in the Bali explosion to semi-
wake up Australians; it took the
Madrid assault for Spaniards and the
Beslan atrocity for Russians. Twelve
workers beheaded in Iraq awoke the
Nepalese.
But it took just one death to wake
up many Dutch. Indeed, one grue-
some killing may have done more to
arouse the Netherlands than 9-11
did for Americans.
The reason for this lies in the
identity of the victim and the nature
of the crime. He was Theo van
Gogh, 47, a well-known radical lib-
ertarian, a filmmaker, television pro-
ducer, talk-show host, newspaper
columnist and all-around mischief-
maker who enjoyed the distinction
of being a relative of one of
Holland's most renowned artists,
Vincent van Gogh.
In recent years, Theo garnered

E

Daniel Pipes is director of the Middle
East Forum and author of "Miniatures"
(Transaction Publishers). His e-mail
address is Pipes@Meforum.org

11/19
2004

40

attention by critiquing Islam in a
2003 book Allah Knows Best and a
2004 film Submission. He was mur-
dered at 8:40 a.m. on Nov. 2 in his
hometown of Amsterdam while
bicycling down a busy street to
work. In the course of being shot
repeatedly, Van Gogh beseeched his
killer, "Don't do it. Don't do it.
Have mercy. Have mercy!" Then the
killer stabbed his chest with one
knife and slit his throat with anoth-
er, nearly decapitating van Gogh.
The presumed murderer,
Mohammed Bouyeri, 26, a Dutch-
born dual Moroccan-Dutch citizen,
left a five-page note in the Arabic
and Dutch languages stabbed to Van
Gogh's body. In it, he threatened
jihad against the West in general ("I
surely know that you, Oh Europe,
will be destroyed") and specifically
against five prominent Dutch politi-
cal figures.
Police investigators quickly real-
ized that the assassin was an Islamist
whom they knew well — and had
been following until just two weeks
earlier; they also placed him in the
"Hofitadgroep" network and charged
him and six of his associates with
"conspiracy with a terrorist intent."
The authorities additionally asserted
that these had possible connections
to the Takfir wa'l-Hijra and Al
Qaida terrorist groups.
That a non-Muslim critic of Islam
was ritually murdered for artistically
expressing his views was something

without precedent, not just
ing attacks and counter-
in Holland but anywhere in
attacks on mosques, church-
the West. Dutch revulsion at
es and other institutions,
the deed shook the deep
plus some major police
complacency of what is per-
raids, giving the country the
haps the world's most toler-
feel of a small-scale civil
ant society.
war.
Immigration Minister Rita
Dutch attitudes toward
Verdonk, one of the five per-
Muslims
immediately and
DANIEL
sons threatened, publicly
dramatically
hardened. A
PIPES
rued the country's having
poll found 40 percent of the
Special
long ignored the presence of
population wanting the
Commentary
radical Islam. "For too long,
nearly million-strong
we have said we had a multi-
Muslim community no
cultural society and everyone
longer to feel at home in the
would simply find each other. We
Netherlands. Double that number
were too naive in thinking people
endorsed more stringent policies
toward immigrants.
would exist in society together."
Jozias van Aartsen, parliamentary
De Telegraaf a leading paper, pub-
lished an editorial unimaginable
leader of the VVD party, went fur-
before the van Gogh murder, calling
ther, warning that "jihad has come
to the Netherlands and a small .
for "a very public crackdown on
group of jihadist terrorists is attack-
extremist Muslim fanatics." Even
left-wing politicians woke up to the
ing the principles of our country.
These people don't want to change
need to speak "harsh truths" about
immigration, focusing on the dis-
our society, they want to destroy it."
proportionate criminality of
Muslims.
Dutch Reaction
Islamist terrorism in the West is
One day after the murder, 20,000
counterproductive because it awak-
demonstrators gathered to denounce
ens the sleeping masses; in brief,
the killing and 30 people were
jihad provokes crusade. A more cun-
arrested for inciting hatred against
ning Islamist enemy would advance its
Muslims. Interior Minister Johan
totalitarian agenda through Mafia-like
Remkes announced that he could
intimidation, not brazen murders.
not rule out unrest. "The climate is
But if Islamists do continue with
seriously hardened."
overt terrorism, the tough Dutch
Proving him right, the next two
response will everywhere be replicat-
weeks saw over 20 arson and bomb-
ed.