Peace or Hate? from page 42

Campus Cloud from page 40

very few Muslim leaders who responded
positively to my book and was willing to
endorse it publicly even though it was
written by an Israeli and from a Zionist
perspective:'
Halevi called the stance "generous and
kind," and added, "If he is not a dialogue
partner for us then there is virtually
no one with whom we can speak in the
Muslim world."
That said, Halevi, too, is opposed to the
Ground Zero mosque, saying it is "not an
effective way of bringing Islam into the
mainstream; and mainstreaming Islam in
America is Rauf's goal."
A better idea, he said, would be an
interfaith center that would include a
church, a mosque and a synagogue as well
as a common space for people of all faiths.
Like Pearl, Halevi believes focusing on
the imam's personality is misplaced.
"The question of building a mosque at
Ground Zero is traumatic enough:' Halevi
said. "We don't need to create an artificial
issue around the man behind it"

But students active in Jewish affairs
say it's something they face whether
they want to or not.
"We were very affected by the
divestment struggles at Berkeley and
San Diego, and we're fully aware it is
coming to our campus:' said Raquel
Saxe, who is beginning her sophomore
year at the University of California,
Los Angeles.
Firestone, Hillel's president, said,
"We want the students to be prepared,
not paralyzed with fear. We are in the
identity-building business, and the
Israel issue is one we are standing up
for:"
During the Hillel Institute in St.
Louis, some 80 Hillel professionals
arrived early to take part in a 24-hour
simulation exercise in which they
played various roles on a mythical
university campus faced with a divest-
ment bill and a boycott of visiting
Israeli professors.
The techniques used in the simula-

❑

tion are included in an Israel Advocacy
Playbook that Hillel distributed at the

conference and plans to give every
Hillel campus professional.
"The group that went through this
exercise together now has a common
language said Chicago educator Carl
Schrag, who developed and ran the
exercise on behalf of the Israel on
Campus Coalition. "When BDS [the
sanctions campaign] hits — and I
presume it will — hopefully they'll
remember they're not alone:'
Coalition building is key to Israel
advocacy work on campus, say those
involved in leading such efforts. It
shouldn't come down to Jewish stu-
dents against the rest of the campus
community, they add — and as
interfaith efforts increase on more
and more campuses, Jewish students
should find themselves less isolated.
Allison Sheren, now Hillel program
director at the University of Michigan
in Ann Arbor, says that things were

different five years ago as divestment
efforts hit her campus when she was a
student.
Now she points to a "MuJew" pro-
gram — a Jewish-Muslim alternative
spring break option on her campus
that has brought Jewish and Muslim
students together on social action
projects for the past three years.
"There's a real focus on dialogue, on
partnerships:' Sheren said.
"When Israel issues come up, even
if there are disagreements, there is
discussion."
Samantha Shabman, a student at
George Washington University in
Washington, says she'll "defend Israel
until the day I die:'
But at the same time, Shabman
notes that her school has a large Arab
and Muslim student population she
hopes the Jewish students will reach
out to.
"We have to work together and show
we respect each other:' she said.

❑

The Jeffrey-Tamaroff Automotive Family wishes you a blessed

SHANA TOVA 5771

Jeffrey

HONDA NISSAN ACURA KIA
JEFFREY PRE-OWNED VEHICLES

GRATIOT & 13 MILE - ROSEVILLE

1-586-296-1300 • jeffreyauto.corn

Too often in our daily livec, ie forget the things that mean the
most to us: health.family and good friends. As we approach
this Rosh Flashanah,we at the Jeffrey-Tamaroff
Automotive Family want to take a moment and reflect
on all of our blessings this past year and wish
everyone in the Jewish community. "L' Shana Tova."
May the New Year be good to you. As always.
were grateful for your continued business.

*TaMBROFF

HOIVEM.

sia

HONDA NISSAN
TAMAROFF CERTIFIED
PRE-OWNED VEHICLES

TELEGRAPH & 12 MILE
12 MILE W OF TELEGRAPH
SOUTHFIELD
248-353-1300

1-800-TAMAROFF • tamaroff.com

Sincerely,

Narviri

effigy r

Tamaroff
SandI Ta) maroft

Jeffrey
raman*FF

THE

AUTOMOTIVE FAMILY

SALES - LEASING - FLEET - SERVICE - COLLISION- PARTS

44

September 2 • 2010