I

World

Countering from page A52

At the same time, Ashley informs me that
as well as having a sizable Jewish population,
Metro Detroit is home to one of the largest
Arab populations outside the Middle East.
So it would seem to me that the importance
of intercommunity relations in defeating the
extremists cannot be over emphasised.
I am hopeful we shall be able to replicate
Rabbi Marc Schneier's program in some
limited way in the United Kingdom despite
the very negative contacts with the Muslim
community at the moment.
We, at the Board of Deputies, are explor-
ing ways that some of the bridges left
standing in our relations with the Muslim
community can be rebuilt, post- Gaza. This
may take some time, but, taking a leaf from
Rabbi Schneier's model, if we don't try, we
don't know what can be achieved.
So this is a work in progress. E

Flo Kaufmann is a vice president of the World

Jewish Congress, chair of the Council of the

European Jewish Congress and international

vice president of the Board of Deputies of

British Jews. She is a chair of the Friends of

Haifa Foundation UK and vice president of

the Commonwealth Jewish Council. The views

expressed herein are hers, not necessarily

those of any organization she represents.

Good Energy

U.S. energy leaders study Israeli trends.

Tel Aviv

p

roject Interchange, a nonpo-
litical, nonprofit institute of the
American Jewish Committee,
hosted U.S. energy leaders in Israel to
acclimate them to the Jewish state's tech-
nological opportunities in a post-fossil
fuel economy.
Timed to coincide with the Eilat-
Eilot Renewable Energy Conference in
February, the Project Interchange semi-
nar allowed for possible future Israel-
America collaboration. During the con-
ference, a $20 million U.S.-Israeli Energy
Cooperation Act, passed two years ago by
the U.S. Congress, was launched.
Known for advances in solar energy,
wind, and creative renewable energy tech-
nologies, an Israeli company BrightSource
is building the world's largest solar energy
project in California. Israeli companies
such as Ormat are working in America
to create clean energy from geothermal
sources. Better Place is the electric car
initiative, now signed on in California and

Hawaii.
Project Interchange, founded in 1982,
brings U.S. and international policy mak-
ers and opinion leaders to Israel to learn
about Israeli society, the quest for Middle
East peace and U.S.-Israel ties. Past semi-
nars have brought Muslims from France
together with Israeli President Shimon
Peres and Palestinian Authority President
Mahmoud Abbas; introduced women
executives from the U.S. construction
business to their Israeli counterparts; and
fostered energy renewal among European
environment leaders.
"Our goal is to educate people about
Israel in all of its complexities:' says
Nanci Rands of Bloomfield Hills, national
chair for Project Interchange. "For this
group, in particular, we want them to see
developments in energy, meet with busi-
ness people and open a dialogue on best
practices'

Answering
Israel's Critics

The Charge
The Israeli press reported last
week that a recent European Union
internal document criticizes Israel's
desire to complete a security barrier
that runs through Jerusalem, saying
that it restricts the mobility of Arab
residents.

The Answer
The criticism ignores the reality of
Palestinian suicide bombers who,
earlier this decade, wreaked havoc
in Jerusalem. After 35 years of uni-
fying and beautifying Jerusalem,
Israeli authorities were forced to
build the wall for security.

- Allan Gale,

Jewish Community Relations Council

of Metropolitan Detroit

'..c) Jewish Renaissance Media, March 19, 2009

For more about Project Interchange: www.

projectinterchange.org .

THE JEWISH COMMUNITY RELATIONS COUNCIL OF METROPOLITAN

DETROIT IS PLEASED TO INVITE YOU TO JOIN US AS WE HONOR

Tuesday, May 26, 2009 • 7:30pm

JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER

D. DAN AND BETTY KAHN BUILDING

EUGENE AND MARCIA APPLEBAUM

Governor Jim and Janet Blanchard

Honorary Co-Chairs

Reception following program
Kosher dietary laws observed

To learn more about opportunities to pay tribute to Zina

of Metropolitan Detroit

WERE PART OF THE TEAM

A54

March 19 * 2009

Kramer, please contact the Jewish Community Relations
Council office, (248) 642-5393, ext. 9, or visit detroitjcrc.org

FEATURED SPEAKER

U.S. SENATOR DEBBIE STABENOW