Luger from page 40

progress in assisting millions of
Americans. Through discussions with
various government, industry and
educational leadership, it is hoped that
the Israeli government will modify
and adopt some of these programs to
meet the needs of its citizens.
What an incredible, once-in-a-life-
time opportunity this was to connect
with our Israeli counterparts to share
ideas about eliminating hunger in
Israel. Fortunately for Detroit's impov-
erished Jewry, our local community's
generosity, partnered with govern-

ment efforts, helps Yad Ezra accom-
plish its mission of feeding those most
vulnerable.
We need to expand the circle to
include all who are hungry, wherever
they are. Advocacy, financial support
and education are the answers. One in
three is not acceptable; no "one"
should go hungry. ❑

Lea Luger is co-director and director of

development of Yad Ezra, Michigan's only

kosher food pantry, based in Berkley.

The Gift Of Origami

Abrahamic religions in our
s we all know,
area. They were visiting
Christmas and
various houses of worship;
Chanukah, which is
this was our turn.
also called the Festival of
Naturally, I welcomed
Lights, always. come in prox-
them, gave them each a
imity to one another; but this
prayer book and led them
year they actually come
to be seated.
Rache I Kapen
together
Following the Shabbat
Corn munity
Since our Jewish holidays
service, I invited them to
Pers pective
are observed according to the
join the rabbi and mem-
Jewish, or Hebrew, calendar,
bers of our congregation at our cus-
they tend to fall in different dates
tomary Shabbat luncheon. As we sat at
when it comes to the Gregorian, or
one of the tables, the Japanese women
English, calendar that we all use for
gave a gift of their beautiful origami
non-religious purposes. There are no
creations to each person who
similarities between the two holidays;
approached us — and they were
Chanukah commemorates the victory
many. When their bags were empty,
of the Judeans, or the Jews, against the
they made more with nimble and
Syrians in the Land of Israel more
experienced hands.
than 2,000 years ago, and the conse-
Following the lunch and the gift
quent miracle that occurred with a jug
giving, the women asked me to join
of oil in their newly renovated Beit
them in a picture outside the syna-
HaMikdash, the Holy Temple.
gogue and promised me a copy of the
However, just because of the holi-
picture in the mail. Imagine my sur-
days' closeness in time, Chanukah in
prise and emotional reaction when I
the United States became a huge holi-
received the picture ensconced in a
day of gift giving almost on the scale
of Christmas, especially when children beautiful origami frame in the shape
of a multicolored Magen David, a
are concerned. A few years ago, I was
Jewish star.
blessed to experience what Christmas
I treasure this unique gift greatly as
is supposed to be all about, beyond all
it more than anything I can imagine
the glitz and glitter: namely, the
personifies what the Christmas is all
Christmas spirit of good will to
humankind, a mantra of the Christian about: good will to people no matter
what religion or race or ethnic back-
holiday. Thus the two holidays were
intertwined in a most meaningful way. ground. It is even more significant
now as we are about to celebrate the
It was one Shabbat in our West
two holidays together, when there is so
Bloomfield synagogue; I was an usher
who welcomed congregants and hand- much hate in the world and not
ed them the siddur (prayer book) used enough good will towards humankind
— and the light emanating from our
in our Shabbat service. In came a tall,
chanukiyah, the Chanukah menorah,
unfamiliar man who was followed by
isn't sufficient to light up all the dark
three Japanese women holding large
corners in the world.
paper bags. The man introduced him-
self as a reverend. With the three
Rachel Kapen is a West Bloomfield
Japanese missionaries, he was to fos-
resident.
ter good will among the three

A

Winning Propaganda War

East Quarterly, Baz shot and
murdered Halberstam four
days after Baruch Goldstein,
t comes as a relief to
an Israeli, killed 29 Muslims in
learn that Karen
a mosque in Hebron. The
Hughes, who runs the
Goldstein massacre had
public diplomacy shop at
prompted riots throughout the
the U.S. State Department,
Middle East and incensed
has suspended the pathetic
Muslims in the United States,
Daniel Pipes
effort to reach out to Arab
who "interpreted the events
Spec i al
and other foreign audiences
unfolding in the Middle East
Comme ntary
via a taxpayer-funded mag-
very differently from most of
azine named Hi Internation-
America."
al (best remembered for a
Although the Israeli government
notorious June 2005 article, "Sharp-
unstintingly condemned Goldstein's act,
Dressed Men," that told how "real men
the Arabic press "almost without excep-
moisturize").
tion" portrayed the massacre as a
It's startling to realize that $4.5 mil-
responsibility of the Israeli people and
lion a year produced a mere 55,000
government. It broadcast the
monthly copies of Hi and, according to
-. Palestinian representative telling the
alexa.com, a Web site that ranks about
United Nations that, "The government
900,000th from the top, suggesting it
of Israel is accountable for what has
gets about a hundred hits per day. The
taken place ... and one can say it even
magazine has been an embarrassment
participated in the act." Islamist sources
and a waste of money.
declared that "anybody or anything
But even had Hi been better con-
remotely linked with Israel" was a legiti-
ceived and executed, it — and to a less-
mate target for revenge.
er degree, such U.S. government efforts
Baz lived and breathed this interpre-
as Radio Sawa and Al-Hurra Television
tation: American media was irrelevant
— is misconceived.
to him. Although living in the world
Like generals fighting the last war,
press capital, he inhabited a mental
diplomats recall the successes of Radio
environment shaped by near and dis-
Liberty and Radio Free Europe in pro-
tant Arabic-language editors.
viding precious information to Soviet
With an anger "fueled by reports
bloc peoples and thereby helping to
from Arabic sources that painted the
bring about the demise of the Soviet
Union and its satellites. Doing what they killer Goldstein as an agent of Israeli
rather than as a deranged gunman
know worked once, they largely adopted
acting alone he equipped himself with
the same informational model for Hi,
a small arsenal of weapons, searched
Sawa andAl-Hurra.
out a target related to Israel, found it in
The clearest proof comes from
a van full of Chasidic boys, and
Muslims living in Western countries
embarked on his murderous rampage.
(including Israel) and who are fluent in
Unlike the Soviet bloc, the Muslim
one or more Western languages.
world
lacks not access to reliable infor-
Enjoying access to a huge array of tele-
mation
but interest in it. The reasons
vision stations and Internet sites, they
are
many
but perhaps the most salient
generally get their news not from these,
of
them
are
a disposition to believe in
but seek out Muslim sources.
conspiracy
theories
and an attraction to
One sign of this pattern is the intense
totalitarian
solutions.
effort by such television stations as Al-
Rather than try to purvey informa-
Jazeera (in Canada) or Al-Manar (in
tion
to Muslims, the State Department
France) to reach Muslim audiences; or
(and
its counterparts elsewhere) should
Al-Jazeera's plan to begin broadcasting
instead
assert the case for liberal, secu-
in English in early 2006. An even more
lar
and
humane
values. More than facts,
compelling piece of evidence comes
the Muslim world needs to understand
from Islamist terrorists living in the
the basics of what makes the West
West, who practically block out non-
thrive — and thereby be inspired to
Muslim sources of information.
emulate it.
For example, consider the back-
ground to the March 1, 1994, assault by
Daniel Pipes (www.DanielPipes.org ) is
a Lebanese immigrant, Rashid Baz,
against a Jewish boy, Ari Halberstam, on director of the Middle East Forum and pub-
lisher of Miniatures (Transaction
the Brooklyn Bridge in New York. As
Publishers).
Uriel Heilman recounts in the Middle

Philadelphia

I

❑

December 29. 2005

41