Middle East
Emergency Calls
Phonathon rings up aid for Israel.
M
ore than 150 vol-
unteers of all ages,
gathered at the Max
M. Fisher Federation Building
on Aug. 13 to participate in a
community Israel Emergency
Phonathon. Appeals for both
the 2006 Annual Campaign
and the Israel Emergency Fund
yielded 115 gifts to Federation's
2006 Campaign, 184 gifts to
Federation's Israel Emergency
Campaign — a total of $65,000
in three hours.
Many teens from the 2006
Teen Mission were on hand
making calls.
In the lobby and in the
Federation's lower level, chil-
dren and families were inspired
to connect with Israel — from
mailing a "Shema pillowcase"
to an Israeli child so they could
have sweet dreams, to sending
an e-card with best wishes to
families in Federation's Central
Galilee partnership region, to
writing a page of a book about
what peace is.
"People are clearly giv-
ing from their hearts, doing
whatever they can," said Nancy
Grosfeld, co-chair of the Annual
Campaign with Lawrence Lax.
"We are seeing that many
donors are not only increas-
ing their gifts to the Annual
Campaign, but also matching
those gifts
with separate
pledges and
donations
to the Israel
Emergency
Emily Orley, 16, of Bloomfield Hills and Emily Rosen, 17, of West Bloomfield
Fund."
To date, total
community
achievement for Federation's
Israel Emergency Fund is close
to $3 million, with an overall
goal set at $15 million. ❑
Right:
Ron Sollish of
Huntington Woods
Far right'
Harry Jubas of Oak Park
Bracing For War
Obsession
documentary
issues a wake-
up call about
radical Islam.
Harry Kirsbaum
Staff Writer
M
ore than 400 people
crowded into the
Maple Art Theatre in
West Bloomfield on Aug. 15 for
a private viewing of Obsession:
Radical Islam's War Against
the West, a one-hour documen-
tary that examines Islamists'
drive for world domination and
global jihad (holy war) from an
insider's viewpoint.
Using clips from Arab televi-
sion, speeches made by imams
inside mosques and interviews
with terrorism experts, former
terrorists and family members,
the case is made that the West is
that experts in the film are warn-
at great risk and under the same
ing the West about.
immediate threat of world war
After the film, a moderated dis-
that Europe faced in the early
cussion was led by Nolan Finley,
1930s.
editorial page editor of the
Although solutions
Detroit News. It featured
are non-existent in
Chief Deputy Majority
the 2005 film, the
Whip Rep. Eric Cantor,
menace is real.
.12 R-Va., and Eblan Farris
With a Muslim
of the World Council
population of 1.2
of Cedars Revolution,
billion and an esti-
I a Lebanese Maronite
mated 10-15 percent
Christrian group.
of Muslims radical-
r
Cantor promised to
Eric Canto
send the film to every
ized,"this is a huge
number (more than 100 million)," member of Congress, then
Walid Shoebat, a former PLO
reminded the crowd:
terrorist, says in the film. "This
"We must do everything we
is as big as the United States of
can to make the case that it is not
America."
because America is in Iraq. It is
The film was dominated by
not because of Israel's boundar-
ies. It is not because of something
hate. Radical Islamists shouted
"Death to America, Death to
we did. We should not blame
Jews, Death to Israel." Viewers
America first:' he said. "We are
saw scene after scene of radical
not engaged in a war on terror;
we are at war with the Islamic
imams spouting hatred from
their pulpits, then talking about
fascists."
peace in public. Scenes showed
Citing the U.S. elections in
Islamists celebrating after 9-11.
November, Cantor said the direc-
tion in which we head "hangs in
The images gave life to a threat
the balance."
"There is a culture of hate in
this world that is aiming against
Israel as we speak, that continues
to aim against the United States
of America. This election will
be largely about that, and we
must stand up and stand with
those who share our vision of the
world?'
Audience member Garry
Zeitlin of Farmington Hills com-
mented that the election is part
of the problem. "Our government
is not doing anything to help us;
they're too busy fighting amongst
themselves:' Zeitlin said.
Brian.Elias of Bloomfield Hills
called the movie "unbelievable."
The jihadists "don't operate under
the same rule book that we do," he
said. "We operate under the rule-
book of being fair and upstand-
ing. Our God isn't telling us that
we need to kill people."
Linda Stulberg of Stand With
Us/Michigan said, "Make sure
your children have seen the
movie, your neighbors and co-
workers. Make sure your syna-
gogue shows it. We've got to wake
our community out of its lethal
slumber and educate people?'
Rabbi Alon Tolwin of Aish
Hatorah, a sponsor of the event,
offered some proactive ideas.
"What can we do? We can find
and give support to moderate
Muslims who love freedom like
we do," he said. "We can join hon-
estreporting.com and join stand-
withus.com so your pro-Israel
voices can be heard with that
much more power?'
The event was also sponsored
by Stand With Us/Michigan,
B'nai B'rith Great Lakes Region,
Fellowship of Israel and Black
America, Zionist Organization
of America Michigan Region,
Friends of the Israel Defense
Forces Michigan Region and
American Red Magen David for
Israel Michigan Region.
The movie is not at theaters,
but can be purchased in DVD
format by calling Aish Hatorah,
(248) 948-9908.
gust 24 20,06
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