metro PRESEASON SALE luxury leisure furnitu e since 194 4. Dr. Charles Jacobs of Americans for Peace and Tolerance and Dr. Eugene Greenstein, president of local ZOA Wake-Up Call Speaker calls radical Islam "biggest threat" to Jews since WWII; criticizes level of official Jewish response. Don Cohen Contributing Writer correctness" that labels criticism of Islam, mosques and Muslim organizations as racist. omebody better think this He says Muslim political and religious through and develop a strategy leaders, leftists, academics and some because we're flying blind;' church leaders promote a narrative where Charles Jacobs says of American Jewish Israel and Jews are the problem and "if responses to radical Islam in America. you are an Islamic person nothing you do "I don't blame the Jewish organizations is blameworthy, and whatever is done by for not seeing this coming," he said, but you is justified:' he does blame them for "not acknowledg- "Big lies repeated long enough can ing the problem and not discussing it win hearts and minds," he said, explain- with the community." ing that after the 1967 Six-Day War, "the Jacob's view resonated with the crowd Soviet Union, who were masters of pro- of more than 250 at a forum sponsored paganda, joined with pseudo-academics by the Zionist Organization of America to flip the story" about Israel. Instead (ZOA) and StandWithUs-Michigan of a story of a Jewish survival and tri- at Congregation Shaarey Zedek in umph over hate, it became one of "white Southfield on April 6. His talk broke new colonialists who stole the land from ground by challenging Jewish Federations the dark-skinned indigenous, innocent and their Community Relations Councils, Palestinians." the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and "After 40 years, this has become the the American Jewish Committee (AJC) to view in all of Europe, on American col- more loudly and effectively identify and lege campuses and in the media elite,' he challenge the threats against Jews and said. Israel. He urged Jews to "lay aside our furi- He called Islamic anti-Semitism "the ous left/right debate and focus on mak- biggest threat we've had since WWII." ing Israel's basic case" as a democracy, "The failure of Jewish leadership is not American ally and bulwark against an unknown phenomenon in our people's Muslim extremism and terrorism. history': he said. "The consequences [of We must "find and face the truth': he failure] to us are enormous." said, by going beyond the mainstream The Boston-based Jacobs has formed media and "ally ourselves with other four organizations to address what he sees victims of Islam" and lauding evan- as inadequacies of the Jewish "establish- gelical Christians as "absolutely our best ment." He helped found the media-moni- friends." He also asked his audience to toring Committee for Accuracy in Middle "hold our Jewish leaders feet to the fire:" East Reporting in America (CAMERA) in Asked if there are moderate Muslims, 1983, the American Anti-Slavery Group he responded, "I know there are moderate in 1993, the David Project in 2002 and, Muslims because I work with moderate together with a Muslim and a Christian, Muslims. But I don't know if they will his current organization Americans for win. The moderate Muslims I work with Peace and Tolerance in 2008. are frightened, too." While Jacobs says things in Europe are Vladimir Kovner of Bloomfield Hills worse than here, he sees us going down says he's been coming to ZOA programs the same path. A major reason is multi- for several months and finds it "energiz- culturalism, whereby "nothing is better ing for Jews to see how many other Jews than anything else, and there are no are sick of the threats to Israel and want absolutes:' he said, resulting in "political to do what we can to help." Fl S Join us for a PREVIEW OF SUMMER and enjoy exceptional savings on all BROWN JORDAN COLLECTIONS. Our SPECIAL ORDER SALE is going on now. Serving our customers for 30 years. Open 7 days. 828 North Main Street I Downtown Rochester I 248.652.1080 Quick Clean 31SI9 W. 13 Mile Rd.,Farmington Hills 13 Mile + Orchard Lake in Westbrooke Shopping Center 13 MI e R Orchard La ke Rd. casualconceptsinc.com • Dry Cleaning...Regularly $2.50 (sweaters, pants, plain only) Now for a short time.... $2 .25 with ad only • NIcn s Suit t x$5.75 • Shirts on Hangers . .99e (NO L1i MIT) • I .nundry Sere ices Available 248-489-0953 1641860 Keep your company top of mind with our readers. ADVERTISE WITH US! CALL 248.351.5107 Visit theJEWISHNEWS.com 14 April 14 - 2011 JN