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The Price Of Peace

W

renching.Considering the
human element of Israel's
Gaza decision — leaving
politics out of it — wrenching is the
only word that accurately describes the
scenes depicting the pullout of Israelis
(the word "settlers" has too many con-
notations) from Gaza.
Whether you consider Israeli Prime
Minister Ariel Sharon a statesman in
proposing the pullout (I supported the
decision) or a sell-out since he is the
one who initiated the program in
Gaza in the first place, you had to be
moved by the forced removal of these
residents.
These were families living a princi-
ple, whether one agreed or not. They
literally put their lives at stake. They
lived daily with mortar shells and the
possible murder of their children.
The biblical arguments aside — not
all were Orthodox Jews —they lived
believing they were helping Israel, not
endangering it. After all, wasn't it the
government that told them a commu-
nity in Gaza would help protect the
western border of Israel?
They had built a community and

Berl Falbaum, an author, a Farmington
Hills public relations executive and a
former political reporter, teaches journal-
ism part-time at Wayne State University
in Detroit.

synagogues, raised families, tended
gardens. They created memories.
Uprooting one's home, dashing one's
dreams and future, for politics — poli-
tics that suddenly changed and with
which they disagreed — is not an easy
task.
They not only had to leave what
they loved, but they have to start over,
building new homes, new friendships,
new jobs, new relationships.
In the face of this upheaval, the resi-
dents of Gaza promised nonviolent
protests and they kept their promise.
The most violent opposition came
from "outsiders" that streamed into
Gaza from other parts of Israel.
And who could not sympathize with
the soldiers, many of them opposed to
the very orders they were there to
implement. But they executed their
orders, many with tears rolling down
their cheeks. They did so without
arms, putting their lives at stake
because violence by extremists was a
possibility.
It was a heartrending scene, fraught
with emotion on all sides.
And yet ...
It proved once again that for all its
faults, Israel is a resilient democracy
dedicated to the rule of law. The Gaza
residents moved. Yes, they opposed the
removal but did so with peaceful, non-

My Fair City, New Orleans

I is not the typical immigrant
story. My great-grandfather,
Simon Pulitzer, was one of 19
children growing up in Slovakia. He
wanted to be a cowboy in Arizona,
so he and two brothers left for an
adventure.
Instead of going through Ellis
Island, they arrived into this country
in the late 1880s through Galveston.
One brother got sick, and instead of
going to Arizona, Simon found him-
self in White Castle, La., an hour
upriver from New Orleans. Simon
eyed my great-grandmother, Clara
Klingsberg, doing laundry on a
washboard. They were married and
moved to New Orleans a few years
later.
It was not always easy for a Jewish
immigrant family with 12 children.

David Saperstein is a Huntington
Woods resident.

9/ 8..
2005

70

violent protests. There were
it vehemently — as Israelis
exceptions — as there always
and Jews generally do — but
are. The soldiers obeyed,
did so peacefully.
although the faces of many
On every street corner,
clearly showed their disap-
Israelis debated Gaza.
proval of the very actions they
Newspapers of every political
carried out.
persuasion chimed in.
The removal was conducted
Everyone had an opinion;
with compassion, with soldiers
some had many.
BERL
and residents embracing, cry-
And yet ...
FALBAUM
ing, praying and consoling
There was no civil unrest,
Community
each other. The scene was
no violence. Indeed, during
View
almost surreal, leading to the
the entire incident, the casual-
questions:
ty toll included some minor
In what other country could we wit- injuries. In the land known for its
ness such understanding in this kind
miracles, this was another miracle,
of emotional-laden confrontation? In
even if it was a political one.
what other country would the soldiers,
And so, post Gaza, life moves on in
considered the oppressor, be kissed
Israel where almost every major politi-
and hugged by the oppressed? In what
cal decision deals with its very sur-
other country would the two pray
vival. Given the news media's short
together?
attention span, the news from Gaza
Even in the U.S., despite our consti- has disappeared from page one. It is
tutional commitment to free speech
no longer the lead in the nightly TV
and nonviolent protests, we have never news. It disappeared from the news
engendered that degree of understand-
radar screen. Problem solved.
ing between two such opposing forces.
The former Gazans will build new
The Vietnam demonstrations — per-
lives as surely as they built the ones in
haps an equivalent to Gaza in high-
the desert among more than a million
emotional content — were violent
neighbors who hated them. They will
between protester and police/soldier.
meld into Israeli society wherever they
Even labor disputes, in which much
live.
less is at stake for the state, pickets and
They will become a footnote in his-
law enforcers frequently find them-
tory books as another sacrifice Israel
selves violently entangled.
made for the ultimate goal: peace. Let
The Israeli populace, divided on the
us hope and pray the sacrifice was
merits-of the Sharon initiative, argued
worth the price. ❑

Street storefront.
My sister remembers my
grandmother treating her to
lunch at Gallatoire's, and
There are family stories of
thinking that she had been
Simon being attacked by a
introduced to the whole
knife-wielding man, of being
restaurant. I remember rid-
so poor that Simon left his
ing the trolley with her
clothes on the banks of the
DAVID M.
down St. Charles Avenue,
Mississippi River in a fake
SAPERSTEIN seeing the house across from
suicide so at least some of
Loyola University where she
the children would be eligi-
Community
raised my mother, learning
ble for an orphanage.
View
which uncle lives in which
Whether those stories are
apartment building, which
true, nobody really knows.
What I do know is that when your house used to belong to which aunt,
and who lives just down the street.
grandmother is one of 12 children
It was my grandmother who taught
who grew up in New Orleans, it
me how to say pralines and
feels like you know the whole city.
Tchoupitoulas. Most of all, I
Strolling through the Quarter, my
remember the never-ending stream
grandmother pointing out the
of aunts, uncles and cousins who
antique store on Royal Street that
came to greet their cousin visiting
my aunt used to own, the Royal
from Los Angeles.
Orleans Hotel where my parents
A painting of the house on St.
were married, the jewelry store
Charles stands in my mother's bed-
owned by an uncle whose faded
room. I don't think I truly appreciat-
name was still visible on a Canal
ed my New Orleans heritage until I

took my wife to a family reunion
shortly before we were married.
An aunt invited the whole clan
over for Sunday brunch. It was a
beautiful, sunny morning on the
banks of a canal. Some kids played
on the grass in the back yard, and
there was enough food to feed an
army. As we were leaving, my wife
asked if that had been a typical
brunch. She had expected Sunday
brunch to be bagels and lox. Instead,
we had enjoyed cheese grits and
petit fours. And, of course, for
dessert, doberge cake from
Gambino's (think chocolate and
lemon seven-layer cake with real
butter).
Tres New Orleans. It is hard to
comprehend the news reports today:
New Orleans is closed until further
notice.
My fair city, you will always have a
place in my heart. ❑

