Editor's Letter The Future: Yours &I Israel's The Mideast from page A5 Create a Hadassah Charitable Gift Annuity and make an enduring contribution to the Jewish Community. Establish a stream of payments for life, and you may also claim a charitable deduction for a portion of the gift, and remove assets from your taxable estate. Young Judaea is Hadossah's bridge to the future. YJ fosters Jewish identity. love for Israel, leadership skills and friendships that lost a lifetime. Help ensure the vitality of tomorrow's Jewish community. Sample rates of return on a GIFT ANNUITY lone life) minimum gift 65,000, minimum age 60 AGE 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 % OF RETURN 5.7 6.0 6.5 7.1 8.0 9.5 11.3 Some states require lower rates. Please call for details. The information contained herein is intended for educational purposes only and is not intended to provide legal, tax or other professional advice or to be relied upon. We encourage you to consult a tax advisor or accountant. Your actual benefits may vary depending on the timing of the gift. HA DAS SAH For personal assistance please call us toll-free today at 800.428.8884 or email giving@hadassah.org to learn more about our gift annuity program. Hadassah The Women's Zionist Organization of America, Inc. 50 West 58 Street, New York, NY 10 019 A copy of Hadassah's latest Financial Report is available by writing to the Hadassah Finance Dept.. 50 W 58th Street, New York. NY 10019. © 2008 Hadassah The Women's Zionist Organization of America, Inc. Hadassah is a Registered Trademark of Hadassah, The Women's Zionist Organization of America, Inc. 1449450 PAULA CREAMER, champion professional golfer Open This Sunday- December 21s1 UNSTOPPABLE. PAULA CREAMER IS. So is her Citizen Eco-Drive. easy to navigate streaming headlines lifecycles photo galleries contests feedback forms community listings blogs Fueled by light, it never needs a battery. IT'S UNSTOPPABLE. Just like the people who wear it. how do you get your news? CITIZEN ECO-DRIVE ritories. And I have been convinced that no region is more fundamental to the security of America or the peace of the world than the Middle East." Bush rightly took credit for some vital inroads against terror, includ- ing a relentless campaign to break up extremist networks. He also has built stronger ties with longtime allies like Jordan and Egypt, emerg- ing allies like Iraq, Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia and new partners in North Africa. "And we left no doubt that America would stand by our clos- est ally in the Middle East — the State of Israel;' Bush said. I applaud him for that. Bush had the courage to insist that Palestinian leaders reject ter- ror and recognize Israel's right to exist. He saw the wisdom in Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's deci- sion to build a security fence. But I'm perplexed why he thinks the Palestinian Authority leader- ship — Prime Minister Abbas may be ousted from office in early 2009 — is fit for building institutions "of a vibrant democratic state." Bush reiterated his vision as laid out initially to the Israeli Knesset and also before the World Economic Forum in Egypt earlier this year. "It was not a Jewish vision or an Arab vision or an American vision;' Bush said. "It is a universal vision. It unites all who yearn for freedom and peace in the Middle East. And if we lead, and if we persevere, and if we keep faith in our ideals, that vision will become a reality some- day." That's a noble vision though a bit vague. In 33 days, President-Elect Barack Obama will inherit the course of that vision. He'll be in a position of power, buttressed by a four-year term, to give that promis- ing vision what it lacks: shape, tex- ture, direction and, perhaps most importantly, a mandate. ❑ You're busy — we get that. Is the Middle East the most funda- mental region to America's security? ECO-DRIVE Serano 40 Diamonds. Mother-of-Pearl Dial. $525; collection priced from $525. M. Wigler's Watchbands Plus Gifts, Jewelry Watches, Batteries, Repairs and Appraisals Phone: 24S-5.53-7720 • 28839 orchard Lake Road, Farmington Hills A6 December 18 • 2008 Access the news, events and opinions important to this community check us out @ JNonline.us 0 I- 0 Is the Middle East truly "freer, more hopeful" now than it was in 2001?