Haifa's Resonance
We went to Haifa, which is a
beautiful city that typically lives
in harmony, experiencing a full
peace between the secular and
religious, Jews and Arabs; it
has the second-largest Arab
population in Israel. Recently, it
has been under siege by Syrian-
made missiles that have killed
10 residents and injured count-
less more.
We arrived one hour after the
latest missile. We witnessed the
devastation that the missiles cre-
•

ated with their 4,000 ball bear-
ings that explode upon impact.
While we were viewing the
apartment complex that had
just been hit, one of its residents
stuck his head out of the win-
dow indicating he was fine and
loudly shouted, "Long live Israel."
He was not only exhibiting his
strength but was trying to con-
sole us!
Shortly after, we met with Yona
Yahav, the mayor from Haifa,
whose primary job was to con-
tinue to protect his residents.
But he couldn't help but ask for
our continued support to visit as
soon as possible.
We visited the Tel Nof air force
base where we met with young
pilots who made it clear that
they could only fire upon a target
when permission was granted;
protocols were followed to ensure
that no human life was in the
immediate vicinity of their tar-
get. This was obviously difficult
as it was clear that the Hezbollah
would fire into northern Israel
often times from within and .
between civilian homes in south-
ern Lebanon.
And even though the IDF
would drop leaflets asking the
residents to leave, the Hezbollah
would hold these families at
gunpoint, preventing them from
doing so.
Upon our return to America,
each of us knew we carried a
responsibility to let the American
Jewish community know that
we are one. Klal Yisrael is like

Hadassah Wilts Israel
Hadassah has organized a four-
day solidarity mission to Israel
this week to meet with Prime
Minister Ehud Olmert as well as
mayors, residents and children in
the north and to visit Hadassah
agencies engaged in emergency
response.
The mission is led by Detroiter
Annette Meskin, former president
of Hadassah's local chapter and
long active nationally. Mission-
goers include Detroit Jewish
News Story Development Editor
Keri Guten Cohen.
The mission follows the
Hadassah National Convention in
Nashville, Tenn., where President
Judi Schram headed the 22-per-
son Greater Detroit Chapter of
Hadassah delegation.

"Hadassah Hospital continues
its life-saving treatment and cut-
ting-edge research while stand-
ing ready for the most severely
injured during the present crisis','
said Schram.
Examples of Hadassah's work in
Israel include: opening two youth
villages for hundreds of relocated
children and families from north-
ern Israel; offering use of Hadassah
College Jerusalem to ORT
Engineering students disrupted
during final exams and final proj-
ects; and sending teams of social
workers, psychiatrists, pediatri- .
cians and a "medical clown" bun-
ker-to-bunker in Nahariya where
families and children confined to
shelters for days are 'suffering from
emotional trauma.
Senior physicians with special-

Condoleezza Rice. Although his
eyes were tired and bloodshot,
he spoke from his heart, explain-
ing that Hezbollah hides behind
civilians as human shields, and
only targets civilians, while the
IDF targets Hezbollah. He was
openly bothered by the deaths
of the Lebanese civilians and
explained how Israel does every-
thing to minimize civilian casu-
alties.
He was resolute in his com-
mitment to drive Hezbollah out
of Lebanon and to restore the
sovereign Lebanese government
and military.
Later in the day, we learned
that 650 French Jews arrived
at the airport to make aliyah;
they were greeted from some
members of our delegation. The
French leader responsible for
these events was saying goodbye
to his son as Prime Minister
Olmert welcomed him and the
entire group to Israel.

one body. When a part of that
body is injured, the entire body is
injured. We have the responsibil-
ity to pray, to support Israel not
only through donations but also
investment; and we must not be
afraid to visit.
As Prime Minister Olmert
spoke to us, he indicated that
our being in Israel was a natural
expression to show our support,
but it's not automatic. Israel
needs it to be automatic.
Our hearts were happy that
we had the opportunity to be in
Israel during these challenging
times; while we are saddened
that we had to come back, we do
so with a new resolve. to support
Israel now more than ever.
As we heard from so many
Israelis, "It is our belief in God
and the unprecedented support
we receive that makes this war
bearable. Knowing that some-
body cares is more important
than answers:'
There is much work to be
done. We ask the community to
help. Please double your efforts
in prayer, in gifts to Federation's
Israel Emergency Fund and visits
to Israel in the near future. Li

How to Help

Here are some tax-deductible
ways to donate money and know it
will do some good for the people of
Israel:
• The Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit has estab-
lished an Israel Emergency Fund.
All contributions to the fund will be
dedicated to rescue and relief opera-
tions, primarily directed to Israel's
northern region, where hundreds of
missile attacks have occurred over
the past weeks. Already, an emer-
gency grant of nearly $1 million was
directed primarily to Federation's
Partnership 2000 region of the
Central Galilee, where the money
is being used to repairand restock
shelter facilities and to move chil-
dren out of the region to overnight
camps in the south. Donations can
be made three ways:
• Online: www.thisisfederation.org
• Hotline: (248) 205-2550
• Mail: Send checks payable to the
Jewish Federation of Metropolitan
Detroit to P.O. Box 2030, Bloomfield
Hills, MI 48303. For information on
Israel's Emergency Fund, call Lisa
Cutler, (248) 203-1458.
Other organizations include:
• Friends of the IDF, a North
American organization that makes
life a little easier for members of the
Franklin's Jane Sherman was chair
Israel Defense Forces by providing
of the National Federation Israel soli-
things such as personal care pack-
darity mission, July 23-27. She trav-
acres, air-conditioned recreation
eled with fellow Jewish Federation
facilities and areas to get snacks.
of Metropolitan Detroit representa- -
Call (800) 318-FIDE or visit wwsv.
tives Karen Alpiner of Franklin, Marc
israelsoldiers.org.
• Magen David Adorn, the Israeli
Borovoy of West Bloomfield and
Red Cross affiliate that provides
Stacey Crane of Farmington Hills.
all of the blood used to treat IDF
soldiers and 97 percent of the blood
used for Israelis, is on high blood
ties in trauma; general surgery,
alert. American Friends of Magen
orthopedic surgery and anesthesia David Adorn is raising money to pay
went to Safed to assist at Ziv hos-
for the needed blood. One unit of
blood costs $36; one gunshot wound
pital. Young Judeans on summer
can require 50 units. Visit www.
programs in Israel are gathering
call (866) 632-2763.
afmda.org,or
funds to buy and distribute toys
Hadassah
has opened two youth
•
and books for displaced children
villages
for
relocated
children and
from the north. Also, Hadasiah
families from northern Israel. Some
employees have begun collecting
600 young people are at Hadassah-
donations and equipment for the
Neurim, and 90 families and
soldiers fighting at the border.
children are in Meir Shfeyah. The
"We have received our wake-
Hadassah Medical Organization's
up call and we must respond','
two hospitals are prepared for any
Schram said. "We must speak out
emergencies and sent two medical
teams to the north. To donate to
for Israel, and we must support
Hadassah's emergency campaign,
Hadassah's efforts in Israel. As
call (866) 229-2395, or visit www.
I announced in front of thou-
hadassah.org.
sands of Hadassah delegates at
• The Jewish National Fund is
the national convention during
running Operation Security Blanket.
the introduction of the presi-
By visiting www.jnf.org or calling
dents: 'Greater Detroit Chapter of
(888) JNF-0099, you can make a
Hadassah stands with Israel!'"
donation to JNF's overall crisis fund

or limit your gift to the effort to
house northern youths at summer
camps in the central and southern
portions of . Israel; to the construc-
tion of security roads along the
Gaza border; or to the purchase of
emergency vehicles and bulletproof
vests and helmets for emergency
responders.
• ORT America is raising money
for an emergency fund to support
students at the 162 ORT schools in
Israel, 35 of which are in range of
Hezbollah rockets. Rockets have hit
three of the schools. Among the uses
of the emergency fund are a summer
camp for ORT students in Ashkelon,
relief and trauma counseling, build-
ing repairs, and increased security.
Visit
www.aort.org or www.waort. org
to make a donation.
• Hatzolah, a volunteer, nonprofit
emergency medical service that
responds to terrorist attacks and
other medical emergencies through-
out Israel, needs bulletproof gear.
For more information, visit www.
hatzolah.org.il .
• B'nai B'rith International is
launching an Israel Emergency Fund
to raise funds to assist the Israeli
victims of terror and to help meet
the ongoing personal needs of the
IDF soldiers. Donations may be sent
to Israel Emergency Fund, Nnai.
B'rith International,2020 K Street,
NW, 7th floor, Washington, D.C.
20006. Li

Answering
IsraersCritics

The Charge:

In a plea for an immediate
ceasefire last week, U.S. Sen.
Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., described
Israel's recent military actions
as "the systematic destruc-
tion of an American friend
— the country and people of
Lebanon."

The Answer:

Israel's self-defense campaign
against the terrorist Hezbollah
has targeted less than 1 percent
of Lebanon, aiming solely for
terrorist infrastructure and
attacking the means whereby
Hezbollah receives, moves and
positions its weaponry.

— Allan Gale, Jewish
Community Council of
Metropolitan Detroit

August 10 • 2006

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