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Middle East
Staying Put
With some program changes, area students are remaining in Israel.
Harry Kirsbaum
Staff Writer
A
darn Baruch woke up in a war
.
zone.
The 18 - year - old Frankel
Jewish Academy of Metropolitan Detroit
graduate went to Israel on his senior
trip in June, and decided to stay for the
summer and enroll as a volunteer para-
medic for Magen David Adorn.
When the first rockets hit Haifa on
July 15, Adam was taking a nap in the
MDA station and woke up to the sounds
of sirens.
"The entire rest of the day it felt like
a continuation of a nightmare he said.
"At the same time, it was amazing to be
there to be able to help out."
Although he wanted to stay in Haifa
to help, he and other volunteers were
moved to safety in the south the follow-
ing day.
"I wish that I could help in what-
ever way I can:' he said on the phone,
while walking in Jerusalem with his
brother, Jeremy, 20, and mother Linda,
all of West Bloomfield. "But the Israelis
understand better than we do that it's
not safe to be there."
Adam is one of many students from
the Detroit metropolitan area who are
involved in Israel programs, and are
staying despite the conflict.
Jeremy is spending his junior year at
Hebrew University in Jerusalem, and
just passed an exam as a tour guide for
the Western Wall tunnel tour.
"Jerusalem is still bustling with
tourists, and everyone feels completely
safe,' said the University of Michigan
student majoring in Judaic studies. "Life
is going on as normal in Jerusalem.
People here appreciate American sup-
port and they feel strength when they
see Americans come to visit in the
tough times."
Ben Freed, 17, of Ann Arbor was
interviewed by MTV while on a six-
week Young Judaea Machon (leader-
ship) program sponsored by Hadassah.
"Being here, you really see two
things," he told the interviewer July 19.
"You see the actual effect on Israeli
society, where everyone knows some-
one who has been called up from the
reserves and who are headed up north.
"But, at the same time, what you
don't see on CNN is this Scout camp
we went to, where kids are going about
their daily lives, laughing, playing and
having fun. There are still people in
the malls and on the streets. It's still
a thriving place, despite all the things
going on.
The story, "Behind The Lines Of
The Israeli/Lebanese Conflict: Two .
American Students' Stories," can
be viewed at: www.mtv.com/news/
articles/1536701/20060719/index.
jhtml?headlines=true.
Ben's mother, Eileen, is not worried
about safety.
"As a parent, I am always concerned
for Ben's safety, but I have faith in Young
Ben Freed: "It's still a thriving place."
'Perpetual Optimist'
UJC Mission:
Chair Jane
Sherman sees
fabulous morale,
but worries
about
displacement.
16
August 3 • 2006
Jerrin Zumberg
Special to the Jewish News
Tel Aviv
S
ixty-seven influential
Jewish-American com-
munity leaders traveled
to Israel on a United Jewish
Communities solidarity mis-
sion last week. Over the course
of the trip, the group met with
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert,
former Prime Minister Binyamin
Netanyahu and regional experts
to discuss Israel's current two-
front conflict.
The mission traveled through
affected northern communi-
ties, taking time to meet with
Partnership 2000/Central Galilee
region leadership and displaced
families living in bomb shel-
ters. Local Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit participants
included Karen Alpiner, Stacey
Crane, Mark
Borovoy and Jane
Sherman, the UJC
mission chair.
In Israel,
Sherman spoke
with Detroit
Jewish News
contributor Jerrin
Zumberg to
answer questions
about the latest
developments
in Israel and the
future.
Jane Sherman
Now that the solidarity
mission is over, what do
think the overall senti-
ment was during the
trip?
"We are amazed at the Israeli
community here and the fact
that they just want life to go on
as normal. There is no doubt
that in the Israelis' minds they
know they have 100 percent of
the American
Jewish com-
munity behind
them. The feel-
ing on the bus
and among the
mission lead-
ers was that
we have got to
raise millions
of dollars to
take care of
people in the
shelters. There
was optimistic
pessimism!'
What, if anything, sur-
prised you during this
trip?
"Nothing surprised me. I have
been through this before. I've
been through all the wars. You
name 'em, I was there."
Were you afraid at all
to come to Israel and
travel up north?
"Are you kidding? No. Personally,
I am not afraid at all. American
Jews are100 percent behind what
is going on. We know we are on
the right side this time, unlike
'82, and doing the right thing to
save lives. The fact that our sol-
diers have gone in trying to save
Lebanese civilians at their own
expense was proved this week.
We are trying to save as many
lives as possible."
Why do you think dias-
pora Jews should care
about this war?
"Because Israel is important to
Jews around the world. I believe
so goes Israel, so goes the Jewish
community."
How do you explain
your position to people
back home, who may be
critical of Israel's latest
war?