Other Views

Solidifying My Sense Of Self

Ann Arbor
nybody who has experienced
graduation knows that the for-
mal ceremony serves only as a
symbol for the larger and more signifi-
cant transitions that are likely to accom-
pany such an event.
In my case, my recent graduation
from the University of Michigan raised
all sorts of questions as to what direc-
tion I wanted my life to move in. I
found myself constantly bombarded by
family and friends who were curious
about my career ambitions and future
plans.
Yet I was experiencing a strong inter-
nal conflict because I felt that, before I
made a decision about my career, I
needed to gain a better understanding

A

Erica Levine, 22, is the daughter of
Caren Landau and Jeffrey Levine, both
of West Bloomfield. She can be reached
at levine.erica@gmail.com .

I Protest!

Gush Etzion, West Bank
ast week, my brother-in-law,
Steve, met a young Israeli sol-
dier. The soldier asked Steve
what blessing to recite on his calzone.
This soldier, not much more than a
kid, was too unsure to make the deci-
sion for himself.
Steve realized that this 19-or-so-
year-old and his fellow soldiers in the
Israeli army would be making a far
greater choice that should never even
be a question in an army: whether or
not to follow orders, a question that
even the most mature among us can-
not answer.
With the army poised to expel
10,000 Jews from their homes, their
communities, their lives — there are
rabbis on one side telling soldiers to
follow orders and other rabbis saying
they must disobey orders to remove
Jews from their homes. These 19-year-
olds will be forced to make these deci-
sions on their own. It is all in their
hands.

L

Laura Ben-David lives in Neve Daniel,
near Jerusalem. She has many relatives
in Metro Detroit, including a 90-year-
old grandmother, Rena Fishman of West
Bloomfield. Ben-David and her hus-
band, Lawrence, made aliyah in 2002
from Boca Raton, Fla.. They have five
children ages 2 to15.

of who I am as a person. Exploring
Judaism over the past year and a half
has helped me clarify my goals and bet-
ter understand the relation between my
future career and my life as an
American Jew
In the winter of my junior year, I
began learning at the Jewish Resource
Center in Ann Arbor through a pro-.
gram sponsored and run by Orthodox
rabbis from the Oak Park-based
Machon rTorah/The Jewish Learning
Network of Michigan. As I began learn-
ing, I discovered that I hardly knew
anything about the beliefs and practices
central to Jewish life.
Deep down, I had always felt a spiri-
tual connection to the religion, but I
thought that the practices of traditional
Judaism were outdated. It was my
understanding that we (American Jews)
only observed the Jewish traditions in
order to maintain a cultural connection
to other American Jews and to Jewish
communities around the world.

that I could understand only as
My learning culminated post-
a cultural or exterior label.
graduation when I joined 60 of
Despite our differences, all Jews
my University of Michigan
share something that tran-
peers on a trip to Israel. We
scends cultural boundaries and
spent our first Shabbat all
physical appearances.
together as a group in the Old
That first Shabbat made me
City and as we arrived at
realize that I didn't want to
Kabbalat Shabbat services at the
start my career without first
Kotel Western Wall), I sudden-
ERI CA
gaining a deeper understanding
ly found myself overwhelmed
LE VINE
of my Jewish heritage. As an
with emotion. The sight of Jews
Corn munity
American
Jew, I hope to be able
from all over the world wel-
view
V
to incorporate this broader
coming Shabbat together was
understanding of Judaism into
one of the most beautiful events
my daily life.
I have ever witnessed.
In September, I will be heading back
I saw such a variety of individuals,
to Jerusalem with the goal of learning
from Hasidim wearing long gold coats
more about Judaism. I am confident
and fir hats with peyot running down
that this experience will help me to
their cheeks, to American tourists in
solidify my sense of self and enable me
shorts and T-shirts, to Israeli army initi-
to be more successful in all of my future
ates dancing and singing in the center
endeavors, including my professional
of the plaza; at that moment, I finally
career. I hope to someday be able to
understood that in spite of the external
share my strong Jewish faith with a
differences, we were all Jews.
family of my own. ❑
Judaism was no longer something

I have no answer for these soldiers.
And I don't look particularly rabbinical
so I doubt they would ask me. At this
point, my own feelings are less about
expulsion and more about freedom to
protest. And, of course, about the terri-
ble outcome that can come from pit-
ting Jew against Jew in this unprece-
dented difficult, complex event.
On Monday, July 18, we joined the
buses of orange-clad protesters to the
demonstration against the planned dis-
engagement. We sat near one of the
many camera crews covering the event.
We stood silently for the afternoon
prayers recited simultaneously by thou-
sands, while listening with one ear to
the London newswoman next to us
reporting to a live audience. I had been
eyeing her crew for a while imagining
what I would say if she would inter-
view me, coming up completely blank
and hoping she wouldn't ask. Then I
heard her say the following: "These
right-wing people think they can pre-
vent the disengagement; but Ariel
Sharon has overcome very stiff opposi-
tion and will move ahead regardless."
Suddenly, I knew exactly what I
would say. This newswoman had
already concluded that the disengage-
ment was a fait accompli, which left
us with nothing to discuss. Therefore,
I would have told her: "I cannot do
an interview with you because we
don't see the world the same way. I
believe in one God Who can deter-
mine the final outcome. Not Sharon,
the United Nations or the slanted

toward this ultimate destina-
tion. Yet that event, so long
ago, was a celebration of free-
dom (perhaps a bit too much
freedom) while this was nei-
ther a celebration, nor free.
With police and the govern-
ment trying to stymie the
event at every turn, this was
LAURA
an event to recapture the free-
BEN-DAVID
A Halting March
dom that every democratic
Special
country guarantees: the free-
The well-planned event was
Commentary
dom to protest.
supposed to begin with the rally
On Monday, the people slept
and prayer service, then proceed
in a field across from Kfar Maimon,
with a march to the communal village
barred from entering. Tuesday, they
Kfar Maimon, the first station in the
woke up surrounded by police and
three-day march to the entrance of
army and told that everyone must
Gush Katif [G7A Strip]. Though the
enter the village or be subjected to the
march was carefully coordinated with
use of force. They entered and were
the proper authorities, at the last
locked in. Only those heading north
minute, the police decided it was illegal.
could leave. We watched the horrific
They halted buses carrying thousands of
scenes on television of our police and
people to prevent them from getting to
our soldiers locking up our citizens!
the demonstration. Despite this, more
Jewish people who wanted nothing
than 40,000 people attended.
more than to protest freely and peace-
The march continued the next day
fully. The entire event had been
despite the deploying of 20,000 police
approved by the police, only to be
and soldiers to stop it. My husband,
banned at the last minute.
Lawrence, missed the first night and
People may not understand that we
decided to go Tuesday, with Eitan, my
have to protest. No one will protest
11-year-old. He reported a tremen-
for us. Not protesting is tantamount
dous feeling of unity among those
to agreeing. The country's future
tens of thousands of people, joined
hinges on the decisions and actions of
together to protest for something that
the 19-year-olds amongst us. I don't
they believe in.
envy their burden. Nor do I judge
It's funny that we had been compar-
them. It is those who put them in this
ing this three-day event to
position, pitting brother against
Woodstock, with cars coming from
brother, whom I hold accountable. ❑
everywhere; everyone marching

media that do everything in
their power to report events
the way they want them to
turn out. No, I cannot answer
your questions because you
think you already know the
answers."

SIC

7/28
2005

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