Real Courage from page A36

remove their hands from their steering
gear and fly downhill at top speeds!
The spirit and camaraderie devel-
oped during the ride continued into
the evening. Both groups shared
accommodations and thus had the
opportunity to dine and socialize
together following the ride each day.
The opportunity for the disabled
cyclists to participate in this event
is due to their participation in the
cycling program at Beit Halochem.
Money raised in Canada (and else-
where) for Beit Halochem provides
direct funding to the organization's
cycling and other sports programs.
I observed firsthand the importance
of these programs and hope we can
continue to provide the necessary
resources so that each of our disabled

Obama Wins from page A36

Sunni sheikh Yusif al-Qaradawi
wanted John McCain to win. Iran's
hardliners also favored a McCain vic-
tory (according to Iran's former Vice
President Mohammad Ali Abtahi)
"because they benefit more from
enmity with the U.S., which allows
them to rally the Islamic world behind
their policies and at the same time
suppress dissent at home." The Taliban
took note of Obama's election promise
to increase U.S. troops in Afghanistan,
warning that, should he fulfill this
plan, "jihad and resistance will be con-
tinued."
Iraqis are intensively divided about
Obama's plan quickly to withdraw U.S.
troops from their country. That plan,
plus promises to end U.S. dependence
on Middle East oil and to negotiate
with Iranian leaders, rattled the lead-
ers of Saudi Arabia and other Persian
Gulf governments.
Some commentators argue that
Obama cannot make a real difference;
an Iranian newspaper declares him
unable to alter a system "established
by capitalists, Zionists, and racists.'
Predictably, the appointment of Rahm
Emanuel as Obama's chief of staff
confirmed Palestinian perceptions of
an omnipotent Israel lobby. A com-
mentator in the United Arab Emirates
went further, predicting Obama's rep-
lication of Jimmy Carter's trajectory of
flamboyant emergence, failure in the
Middle East, and electoral defeat.
In all, these mixed reactions from

heroes has the opportunity to benefit
from participation.

❑

Courage in Motion 2009 is sched-
uled for Oct. 18-23. The ride Web site
address is: www.cycleisrael.com .

Joni Kwinter (kwin@rogers.com ) has
been a Beit Halochem board member
for five years. The Toronto resident is a
Courage in Motion co-chair for 2009.

Interested in starting a Michigan
chapter of Beit Halochem?
Contact Frank Hoffman of
Detroit: fhoffman@deloitte.com ,
(313) 396-3910.

Muslims suggest puzzlement at the
prospect of a U.S. president of Islamic
origins who promises "change," yet
whose foreign policy may buckle
under the constraints of his office. In
other words, Muslims confront the
same question mark hanging over
Obama as everyone else:
Never before have Americans voted
into the White House a person so
unknown and enigmatic. Emerging
from a hard-left background, he ran,
especially in the general election,
mostly as a center-left candidate.
Which of these positions will he adopt
as president? More precisely, where
along the spectrum from hard- to cen-
ter-left will he land?
Looking at the Arab-Israeli conflict,
for example, will Obama's policies
reflect Rashid Khalidi, the ex-PLO flak
he befriended in the 1990s, or Dennis
Ross, his recent campaign adviser and
member of my board of editors? No
one can yet say.
Still, one can predict. Should Obama
return to his hard left roots, Muslim
euphoria will largely continue. Should
he seek to make his presidency a suc-
cess by moving to the center-left, many
— but hardly all — Muslims will expe-
rience severe disillusionment.

❑

Daniel Pipes (www.DanielPipes.org) is

director of the Middle East Forum and
Taube distinguished visiting fellow at the
Hoover Institution of Stanford University,

Palo Alto, Calif.

Factional Bickering
Hurts Outreach

New York/JTA

T

here is an old saying, made
popular by Hillary Clinton, that
it takes a village to raise a child.
As people grow, their future is impacted
not only by family, but also the society as
a whole. This includes teachers, mentors,
bosses and the institutions in which they
reside. Everyone, the saying implies, has
a hand in developing who a person is and
what he or she becomes.
The same can be said about raising
a Jew — it takes the whole community,
the diversity of every aspect of Judaism,
to shape a Jew. It can also be said about
Judaism itself, from Reform to Orthodox,
that we all have a hand in shaping the
future of the entire Jewish community.
That's why it is up to us, here and now, to
make sure the community will grow, will
thrive and will become more dynamic as
we raise the next generation of Jews.
It is our responsibility to lead the way,
to come together and work for the sake of
the entire Jewish community.
Unfortunately, this is much easier said
than done. Fundamental questions must
be answered before we can move forward.
Can we ever move past our denomina-
tional differences? What can we do on an
individual level, as either professionals or
lay leaders, to help bring together the dis-
parate sects of Judaism?
Will we be a more complete community
if we open our doors and welcome in
everyone who has chosen to affiliate with
the Jewish people rather than create barri-
ers that keep them away?
These are not questions with easy
answers. Some believe that Judaism is a
privilege, and one must work hard to earn
that privilege. That means keeping kosher,
observing Shabbat and either marrying
a Jew or making sure that your spouse
will convert. These folks believe Judaism
is open to everyone, as long as you follow
a few basic ground rules. For its efforts,
the Orthodox movement lays claim to the
fastest-growing segment of the Jewish
population.
Others, however, believe that holding
people to a rigid set of rules will only push
folks away. The Reform movement also
claims to be the fastest growing move-
ment in Judaism, in part because it allows
people the freedom to celebrate Judaism in
a way that is meaningful to them and with
those most important to them. With inter-

Adam Bronfman and
Kerry M. Olitzky
Special Commentary

marriage rates rising and more adult chil-
dren of intermarriage than at any point in
Jewish history, many families are looking
for a home that respects the choices they
have made.
We should look at what the Reform and
Orthodox movements have in common
and apply that to the entire Jewish com-
munity. Both are growing because they
are reaching people on an individual level,
providing meaningful content and bring-
ing in charismatic leadership.
While it's inspiring to see both move-
ments benefit from employing the same
basic tactics, it's discouraging to see con-
tinued ideological quarreling.
This is not to say aligning oneself with
one movement creates division — quite
the opposite. In identifying so vigorously
with a set of beliefs, each movement in
Judaism has the ability to speak to a part
of the community and their concerns.
Interfaith families raising Jewish children
need to know that there is a segment of
the community that welcomes them, that
will support them as they pursue a Jewish
life.
While their lifestyles might not be
accepted by some, it's the responsibility of
the entire Jewish community to encourage
these families to explore their Jewish heri-
tage, no matter what their background.

❑

Adam Bronfman is managing director of the
Samuel Bronfman Foundation. Rabbi Olitzky
is executive director of the Jewish Outreach
Institute.

November 20 • 2008

A37