Metro Knowledge Is Power Expert says factual rebuttal of charges against Israel works. The BBAC has all kinds of art classes for all ages & all levels of experience. TOON BEANS MAR Cog NG TE'T , ST 'Ts APRIL120 SPRIING RE AK ART CAMP FOR GRADES K-50 APRIL 5-9 Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center • BBArtCenter.org 248.644.0866 • 1516 S. Cranbrook Rd., Birmingham MI 48009 1536350 DESIGNS IN DECORATOR WOOD & LAMINATES, LTD. It Doesn't Have To Cost A Fortune...OnIy Look Like It! Proud Homeowners Jodi & Philip Warner Complete kitchen and bathroom remodeling as well as furniture design and installations including granite, wood and other materials. Lois Haron Allied Member ASID 248.851.6989 QUALITY KOSHER CATERING PLACE YOUR PASSOVER ORDER NOW!! SEE OUR WEBSITE FOR OUR TRADITIONAL PASSOVER MENU. NEW CHOICES AND LOWER PRICES WWW.QUALITYKOSHER .COM OR CALL OUR OFFICE AT 248-352-7758 1578560 16 March 11 • 2010 iN Don Cohen Special to the Jewish News A ds with gorgeous Israelis on beautiful beaches or repeat- ing talking points aren't the best way to make the case for Israel. This was the message that Dr. Alex Safian, associate and research director for the Boston-based Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America (CAMERA) brought to a community gathering March 3 at Adat Shalom Synagogue in Farmington Hills sponsored by the Zionist Organization of America together with StandWithUs—Michigan and the Adat Shalom Israel Advocacy Committee. "How can we effectively counter their falsehoods?" Safian asked the overflow audience of almost 200 people, listing an array of false charges against Israel that have entered into the mainstream understanding of Israel because of rep- etition and media attention. He criticized efforts to counter criti- cism by "rebranding" Israel as beauti- ful and technologically advanced or by simply repeating that Israel is a democracy and has a right to exist, calling them "guaranteed to fair "The only thing that works is fac- tually rebutting the charges;' Safian insisted, providing examples from American politics where falsehoods sunk campaigns that underestimated the resonance of the attacks or felt responding would dignify the charges. "It's clear',' he said, "if we don't effec- tively engage on the issues, people will believe the charges can't be rebutted and must be the truth." Doing so also "exposes Israel's critics as liar or, at best, uninformed;' raising questions about their motives. "It is important to convince non- Jews as well as Jews;' he said, with many nodding in agreementlews are embarrassed; instead, they need to get angry, informed and active:' Fighting Back As examples of bias, tilted language and judging Israel by "absolute stan- dards of conduct" that no nation adheres to, he cited news media descriptions of some West Bank roads as "Jewish-only" though Israeli Arabs can and do use them. In contrast, he Dr. Alex Safian of CAMERA tells of ways to rebut charges against Israel. showed pictures of Saudi Arabian roads to Mecca clearly labeled "Muslim Only." He displayed doctored quotes from Israeli leaders cited in The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy by academics Stephen Walt and John Mersheimer that did not support the conclusions the authors drew as well as British jour- nalist Robert Fisk's front-page story claiming Israeli use of uranium-laced weapons, which the U.N. found to be false but the paper never retracted. He also played audio clips to criti- cize National Public Radio coverage of Israel, saying "the whole crew at NPR must be held to account',' and video clips of CNN's Chief International Correspondent Christiane Amanpour, whom he called a "buffoon." "Yes, they have the free-speech right to lie and we have the free speech right to expose them for the liars they are',' he said, recommending a variety of resources. "Knowledge is power." Ron and Linda Sherr of West Bloomfield will turn to the CAMERA Web site for more information. "He told us concrete things we can do',' she said. "Refute, call, write letters. Whatever they are saying, when you feel it is wrong, question it." "If you don't answer the charge, they tell the next person and they tell the next and it grows like a fungus," cau- tioned Art Kirsh of Southfield. "You have to answer every one. Sometimes, it might get uncomfortable, but so what? You have to be able to talk about important things." Visit www.camera.org or call ZOA- Michigan Region at (248) 282-0088 for more information.