Editor's Letter
...a loving
way to
celebrate a
simcha...
Our Blessed Soldiers
Once more, she reminded us how danger may not paralyze
I t was a speech to remember.
Israeli life, but does make it precarious. "Imagine walking in
It certainly spoke to me.
downtown Birmingham and a Katyusha rocket lands in Shaiii
Lauren Bienenstock was one of the speakers at the
Park. Imagine shopping at Somerset and being afraid of a sui-
Detroit Jewish community's Solidarity Rally for Israel on Jan.
cide bomber:' she said.
8 at Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Southfield. She talked
Neither scenario sounds rational because we tend to take
eloquently about the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces
our freedom and security for granted here in America.
mission she and her husband, Sam, went on last November.
As we strove to reinforce justification of Israel's December
"We saw firsthand these young, brave
response to Hamas' years of indiscriminant rocket attacks on
soldiers who are protecting our Jewish
southern Israel, we only had to recall why we need Israel and
freedoms," said Bienenstock, a human
what it represents."Israel's strength and survival depends on
energy cell behind the Walled Lake-
all of us;' Bienenstock said. "Israel is our strength. Israel is our
based Michigan Friends of the IDF.
homeland."
Referring to the men and women
who are Israel's frontline defenders,
Essential Insurance
Bienenstock said: "They do not know
Putting in perspective why we had gathered, Bienenstock
our names. They have not seen our
added: "As fellow Jews, we owe it to the soldiers, and to Israel,
faces. Yet they are in danger every sin-
to support them by helping them grow technologically and
gle day fighting for us, for themselves
educationally, and helping them obtain the weapons they
in Israel and for the Jewish communi-
need so they can protect themselves against the enemies that
ties around the world."
surround them."
In a powerful message, the Commerce resident distin-
Amen.
guished between living in America and living in Israel. She
Bienenstock succinctly grasped how the soldiers don't just
and Sam, an attorney, own a Bingham Farms court reporting
and video service. "When we talk about fighting for our coun- defend Israel, but also are part of the Zionist soul. They're citi-
zens committed to a just cause, not terrorizing mercenaries
try, it does not really hit home she said. "Does anybody in
who seek to intimidate, indoctrinate and murder. There's no
this room have any immediate family fighting for the United
taking the soldiers for granted. Bienenstock
States? In Israel, everybody has family that is
got it right: "They need us and we need
fighting or has fought."
them."
She asked the 1,500 rally participants to
When we rally for Israel during these
imagine Israeli boys and girls who have just
troubled times, it's not just an expression
graduated from high school. "Get a picture in
; - of support for the state, but also for the
your mind," she said. "They are the faces of
soldiers, who deserve our unconditional
any of our children."
blessing. Like Bienenstock said, "As Jews,
In Israel, military service is mandatory —
▪ our most important insurance is a strong
three years for boys and two years for girls.
if. Israel — and Israel's insurance is the Israel
Israeli kids and their parents understand the
Defense Forces."
obligation and the risk. It's a way of life little
No nation could endure the incredible
known in the American Jewish community.
restraints that Israel has been forced to expe-
Bienenstock continued with stirring
rience from Arab aggression for virtually all
inflection and terrific imagery about the sol-
of its 60 years of statehood. Yet even in war,
diers: "They strap on Ml6s. They crawl into
against an enemy sworn to its destruction,
cramped quarters in tanks. They eat, sleep
Israel makes humanitarian gestures toward
and live inside these tanks until it is safe for Lauren Bienenstock: "They
need us and we need them."
Palestinian civilians. Hamas, meanwhile, has
them to leave. They strap themselves into
been known to raid relief trucks and sell the
Cobra helicopters and fighter jets. Some are
food, medicine and medical supplies to dis-
at checkpoints with their trained dogs, never
traught Gazans!
knowing the dangers the next person can bring."
In closing, Lauren Bienenstock echoed a prevailing feeling
I certainly learned a lot about the soldiers' psyche from this
neighbor of ours. She's generous as well as articulate. Through in the Shaarey Zedek sanctuary: We, Am Yisrael — the Nation
of Israel — fight because we have to, not because we want to.
the Friends of the IDF's Impact program, she and her hus-
We have had enough. We will defend our tiny country, a sover-
band currently provide full four-year college scholarships to
eign state, which is our right.
three soldiers who have completed military service.
I second how she put it: "We cannot worry about what
the world says because history has shown us that they have
The Gripping Reality
always said too little too late."
The November mission the Bienenstocks were on included a
stopover at the Southern Command Post for the Gaza Strip.
Mission-goers heard that four terrorists had been killed a half
0 : Do American Jews really understand the
d everyday threat to Israel?
mile away trying to plant bombs at the Israel-Gaza border. But
tn
4.1
the threat of mortar shell fire lingered. So the visitors were
I- p
taken to a kibbutz outside the mortar shell range.
Z Z Do we appreciate the soldiers who defend
o our ancestral homeland?
"This is part of everyday life for the soldiers of the IDF,"
a.
0-
Bienenstock said.
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Marva/
...a
meaningful
way to
help
people
with disabilities.
Here's how...
• Present your guests with a JARC
Tribute expressing your unique
message
• Create centerpieces to donate
for use in JARC homes
• Recognize your honoree with a
special gift to a JARC home
...or your own idea!
Are you FABULOUS 40
this year?
So is ARC!
Let's celebrate together:
include JARC in your
festivities.
,
• 0
To discuss how to enhance
your special day, call Alissa
248.538.6610 X349
30301 Northwestern • Suite 100
Farmington Hills, MI 48334
www.jarc.org
1460560
January 15 2009
A5