Operation Cast Lead Pslarns For Soldiers Families gather to pray and connect with Israel. She'll Liebman Dorfman Senior Writer T he younger members of our com- munity were able to show their support for Israel's soldiers and gain a better understanding of the current situation in Israel at a program at Young Israel of Oak Park (YIOP) created with kids in mind. Facilitated by Aliza Sosne, the synagogue's Jewish family educator, the Jan. 7 program included a short recitation of psalms and a Mi Shebeirach (prayer for healing) on behalf of Israeli soldiers. It was highlighted by a story about life in Israel, told by Rabbi Lior Halevi, an educator at Yesluvat Akiva in Southfield. "Rabbi Halevi told the kids about the "Color Red" which in Israel means that you have 15 second to get to your bomb shelter;' said Gil Stebbins of Southfield, who attended with his 7-year-old son, Jordan. "This means that kids in southern Israel don't have time to be outside playing ball as 15 seconds is not enough time to get to the shelter:' Families who attended the program were invited to participate in Operation Teftllah, Torah and Troops, which YIOP Rabbi Michael Cohen said, "pairs individuals and families with Israel Defense Forces soldiers who have requested to be induded in the pro- gram, which was initiated by Rabbi Simcha HaKohen Kook, chief rabbi of Rechovot and the Bostoner Rebbi who lives in Jerusalem' Participants of Tefillah, Torah and Troops, which is an international effort of the National Council of Young Israel, say prayers, learn Torah and do acts of kindness on behalf of the soldier they are matched with. Stebbins was paired with an Israeli sol- dier. "And the spooky part was his name is the same as mine (in Hebrew): Gilad ben Miriam',' said Stebbins, who is president of YIOP. "I plan to mention him in my prayers, and my learning will be his honor. I'm try- ing to get his e-mail address so I can keep in touch with him personally as well as spiritu- alY' Among the 50 participants of Young Israel program were children ages 6-13 and their parentslordan enjoyed the program:' his dad said. "And it was good to express the issues to the kids in a way they can under- stand" Pinny Bodenstein, 8, and Yaakov Cohen, 9, both of Oak Park, recite psalms. Rabbi Michael Cohen locates a page of psalms for Jordy Weil, 10, and his brothers Jake, 11,and Justy (far right), 7, all of Oak Park. ❑ Hamasr Shifting Strategy Robert Sklar Editor W by so many fewer Israelis have died than Palestinians in the Israel-Hamas conflict points up the vast difference in military strategy and cultural ideology of the two govern- ments. Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, places terrorist fighters within civilian areas, thus exposing them to Israel's counteroffensive. Gazans have become human shields, sacri- ficial pawns, in Hamas' pursuit of its hatred of Zionism. Designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. Department of State, Hamas invests time and money in digging tunnels to smuggle weapons from Egypt, burying bombs to kill and maim Israeli soldiers, making suicide vests for male and female recruits of all ages and further reinforcing a terrorist infrastructure. "In contrast:" said State of Israel spokes- man Gershon Kedar during a visit to Metro Detroit last week, "the Israeli government is doing everything it can to keep its citizens safe: building bomb shelters, developing safe rooms, closing schools:' A16 January 15 • 2009 Ai Kedar is the Chicago-based deputy consul general to the Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest. He was named to the post in July. The career diplomat has served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for 18 years. He visited the Detroit Jewish News offices in Southfield on Jan. 8, the day he keynoted the Detroit Jewish community's solidarity rally for Israel. The Manchester, England, native, 45, made aliyah in 1982. In its current struggle with Israel, which it has vowed to destroy, Hamas terrorists have resorted to firing from school yards and storing rockets in mosques and hos- pitals in hopes of befuddling the Israel Defense Forces — even grabbing civil- ians walking down the street if they sense IDF soldiers nearby. That's not by whim, Kedar said in an interview arranged by the Jewish Community Relations Council of Metropolitan Detroit. It's a change in strat- egy "It used to be that Israel wouldn't target Palestinian mosques:' Kedar said. "But now everything has broken down!' Kedar studied international relations at the London School of Economics before joining the Israeli diplomatic service in 1990. The spur for Hamas ramping up vio- lence against Israelis has been the Jewish "Every time there is an unwritten understand- ing about things ... Hamas breaks them." - Deputy Counsul General Gershon Kedar state's heightened level of security. As Israel has improved protections for its people, Hamas has further exploited its people. For example, Palestinian women have become suicide bombers and Palestinian ambu- lances have become moving time bombs. Not long ago, Kedar said, a Palestinian woman who had a permit to come into Israel for burn injuries was recruited by Islamic Jihad, a Hamas ally, to become a suicide bomber and blow herself up inside an Israeli hospitarShe was caught at Erez Passage with explosives on her;' Kedar said. He added, "Every time there is an unwritten understanding about things they wouldn't do, Hamas breaks them. In every case, the break has been a war crime — pure and simple' ❑ Gershon Kedar addresses Detroit Jewry at Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Southfield during the Solidarity Rally for Israel on Jan. 8.