Intent from page 36

Editorial

Deceptive Questions

Not Looking Within

Delegates from Great Britain, France and Germany
also left the chamber as Ahmadinejad spoke. Canadian
delegates never arrived. I respect the West's desire to
not give the Islamic Republic leader an audience. But
I don't get the notion that ignoring him would make
him go away or lessen his influence. The clerics he rep-
resents are madmen bent on controlling not just the
Middle East (consider the two just-freed Americans
held for more than two years by Iran on trumped-up
spying charges), but also "setting straight" both the
infidels who don't pray to Allah and their own people
who are intolerant of shariah law.
Notably, Ahmadinejad took exception to the tarnish
on the West's historical record, asking rhetorically:
• Who abducted tens of millions of people from their
homes in Africa and other regions during the dark
period of slavery, making them a victim of materialis-
tic greed?
• Who imposed upon the world a colonialism that
spanned four centuries?
• Who triggered the first and second world wars,
which left 70 million killed and hundreds of millions
injured or homeless? Who created the wars in the
Korean Peninsula and in Vietnam?
• Who imposed, through deceit and hypocrisy,
Zionism and 60 years of war, homelessness, terror and
mass murder on the Palestinian people and on coun-
tries of the region?
• Who imposed and supported for decades military
dictatorship and totalitarian regimes on Asian, African
and Latin American nations?
• Whose economies rely on waging wars and selling
arms? Who dominates the policy-making establish-
ments of the world economy?
Ahmadinejad further accused the United States of
using the atomic bomb against "defenseless people."

Ahmadinejad maintained that the majority of nations
and governments are innocent of contributing to "the
current global crisis" and, in fact, have been victimized
by related policies. He said the "arrogant powers" of
the world have no right to be the sole arbiter of human
rights "while they militarily attack and occupy other
countries."
"Can the flower of democracy blossom from NATO's
missiles, bombs and guns?" he asked.
Of course, Ahmadinejad conveniently bypassed
Iran's human rights abuses or the emergence of the
Iranian Green Movement. A Holocaust denier and an
advocate of Israel's destruction, he is known for outra-
geous demeanor at the U.N., according to Israel Project
research. Six years ago in his debut appearance, he told
delegates: "State terrorism is being supported by those
who claim to fight terrorism." In 2006, he seized on
America's "hegemonic power" over the U.N. In 2008,
tapping into one of his favorite bromides — anti-Sem-
itism — he accused Israel of manipulating the U.S.
presidential race and suggested "a small, but deceitful
minority of Zionists are playing with the American
public." In 2009, he again attacked Israel, accusing it of
genocide, barbarism and racism.

Dry Bones

A Baseless Baseline

The New York-based Conference of Presidents of
Major American Jewish Organizations was knee-jerk
in lauding the Western wal kout of the Ahmadinejad
speech, but did ring true in proclaiming: "Leaders
who are in reality committed to 'love, freedom, justice,
wisdom and the bright future that awaits humankind,
as Ahmadinejad put it, do not threaten to wipe other
countries off the map, do not infringe upon the basic
human rights of speech, assembly and self-determina-
tion, and do not gun down the legitimate aspirations
of their people — all violations of which the Iranian
regime is guilty."
"The United Nations was created
to make effective participation of all
nations in international decision making
processes possible. We all know that this
goal has not yet been fulfilled because
of the absence of justice in the current
management structures and mechanism
of the U.N,"Ahmadinejad said in conclu-
sion.
He got that right, but his basis —
blaming the West — is fraudulent. He
pinned "the building of a common bright
future" and "the promotion of knowledge,
peace, justice, freedom and love across
the world" on the divinity of Islam.
"Today;' Ahmadinejad declared,
"nations have been awakened. With the
increase in public awareness, they no
longer succumb to oppressions and dis-
criminations."
President Ahmadinejad sees a global
movement toward "the creation of a better
tomorrow." What he doesn't see is Iran's
utter guilt in embracing the very intoler-
ance, scorn, deceit and saber rattling it
accuses the West of. That's an important
lesson this Rosh Hashanah, a time for
repelling oppression and loathing. I I

Finding What
Matters Via An
Israel Peer Trip

0

ne parent put it well recounting
how his daughter described her
Taglit-Birthright Israel experience
– that free, 10-day educational journey for
Jewish young adults ages 18-26 who have
never been to the Jewish state on a trip
with their peers. "You pounded this stuff
into my head all of my life," he remem-
bered his daughter saying, "but it took this
trip to Israel to pull it all together for me."
That "stuff" clearly matters.
It's at the core of what it means to be
Jewish – common roots, shared history,
spiritual bonds and oneness as a people.
This is the stuff of inspiration, motivation
and newfound commitment – as well as
discovery of a deeper Jewish identity.
The opportunity to experience firsthand
the energy, beauty and spirit of Israel cer-
tainly helps spotlight the anti-Israel myths
prevalent on many college and university
campuses.
Nearly 20,000 young adults participated
in the Taglit-Birthright Israel trip this
summer, among them 10,526 registered
students from more than 700 campuses
across North America – a fifth of all North
American campuses.
Over the past 11 years, Taglit-Birthright
Israel (www.birthrightisrael.org ) has
brought nearly 300,000 Jewish young
adults to Israel from 54 countries, includ-
ing students from nearly 1,000 North
American campuses. The waiting list is
long, with demand far outstripping funding.
The University of Michigan had the
highest trip representation this summer
with 326 students. Other Michigan cam-
puses also sent students: Michigan State
(81), Wayne State (11), Eastern Michigan
(9), Western Michigan (8), Oakland and
Kalamazoo (5 each), Central Michigan and
Grand Valley State (4 each), University of
Michigan-Dearborn (3), Northern Michigan
(2), Washtenaw Community College and
Thomas Cooley Law School (1 each).
Taglit-Birthright Israel is a partnership
between individual donors, the Israeli
government, private philanthropists and
the Jewish Federations of North America,
Jewish Agency for Israel and Keren
Hayesod-United Israel Appeal. By any stan-
dard, the trip has proven a popular and
prime conduit for strengthening Jewish
community and our people's connection to
our beloved ancestral homeland.
Echoes of the journey linger ...
resoundingly.

September 29 • 2011

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