The Times from page 28
Jewish state and the Jewish nation
worldwide.
"Fair-minded journalism, based
in Israel, and read both here in Israel
and among those who care for the
Jewish nation around the world, has
a vital, even noble role to play in
enabling informed debate over the
challenges and the choices that face
the Jewish state. Informing that debate
is one of the prime goals of the Times
of Israel:'
Now more than ever, Israel and
diaspora Jews need the Times of
Israel. Horovitz has the passion,
knowledge, commitment and resourc-
es to succeed. All he needs are the
eyeballs.
Jeff Zaslow By The Numbers
Commentary
Our Long Journey From Illusion To Reality
I
n the past few months, the Detroit
Jewish News has published sev-
eral editorial columns and letters
about Israel that span the political
spectrum from left to right and back
again. As someone who not only
directs Michigan's chapter of the old-
est Zionist organization in America,
but also as someone who grew up in
Israel and served in the Israel Defense
Forces (IDF), I would like to offer a
different perspective on the Israeli-
Palestinian conflict.
I grew up in Jerusalem, in the north-
ern suburb of Ramot. Now the biggest
neighborhood in Jerusalem, Ramot
was created after the Six-Day War in
response to overwhelming growth in
the city. Because part of Ramot lies
north of the Green Line, much of the
international community considers it
an illegal settlement.
There is a vivid memory I have as a
10-year-old in Jerusalem. I was in gym
class. A friend was talking about his
brother who had just joined a para-
troopers unit. We all gathered around
to hear and started talking about
where each of us would serve when we
were old enough. Our teacher inter-
rupted: "Kids, that's enough. We are
already late. Besides, I hope that by
In addition to the estimated 1,500
people who attended the Feb. 13
funeral of journalist and author
Jeffrey Zaslow, statistics compiled by
the Ira Kaufman Chapel in Southfield
for its website show 20,081 page views
from 30 countries for the basic link
to information about Zaslow and
his survivors. "Jaw dropping" is how
Ira Kaufman funeral director David
Techner described the Web traffic,
far and away beyond anything he has
ever seen.
Aside from the U.S., the countries
generating the most views were
Canada, Israel, Spain, Brazil, Mexico,
France, Singapore
and Italy. Within
the U.S., the states
generating the most
views were Michigan,
Florida, Illinois, New
AMERICA AND
York, Pennsylvania,
THE WEST ARE
California, Texas,
SUPPORTING THE
Ohio, New Jersey,
ANTI-ASSAD
Massachusetts and
FORCES
Georgia.
A 90-minute
video of the remark-
able funeral service
at Congregation
Shaarey Zedek in
Southfield is now
available on the Ira
Kaufman website.
Within the first 24
hours of it being
WE DON'T KNOW
posted, with no
WHAT IS REALLY
advance notice, it
GOING ON BUT, ,
received 87 views
from 15 states.
The video can be
accessed by search-
ing for the Feb. 13,
2012, Jeffrey Zaslow
funeral notice at
www.irakaufman.
Dry Bones
IT'S MORE THAN AN
ARGUMENT OVER
HUMANITARIAN AID.
A scene from the 2005 removal of Jewish settlers from Gush Katif in Gaza
the time you are old enough to join the
army, there will be peace and the army
won't even need you."
This was a common sentiment. Over
the years, Israelis have wanted peace
more than anything. We were tired of
wars — '48, '56, '67, '70, '73, '82 — tired
of losing sons and daughters. In 1994,
after peace with Jordan was estab-
lished, we thought we had a
chance — that things would
change. Finally, we thought,
a partner on the Palestinian
side who loves their children
more than they hate us. And
we were ready to give up
land. Just like the late Prime
Minister Yitzhak Rabin, most
of us held on to the illusion
of a possible peace.
And so we gave: weapons,
international status, money
and precious land.
And still we have had war. My grand-
father fought in the Six-Day War, my
father in the first Lebanon War and I
served in Ramallah and Hebron from
2003-2006.
Israel made countless conces-
sions, including the recognition of the
Palestinian Authority in the West Bank
and Gaza Strip and an offer of 99 per-
cent of Palestinian-requested land. In
2005, Israel gave over Gush Katif in
the Gaza Strip, some of its most sig-
nificant geographical area. Expelling
thousands of Jews from their homes
was a heart-wrenching sight for a
soldier to see. I asked to be assigned
elsewhere.
There was barely time for a glimmer
of hope. In return for all of our con-
cessions, Israel suffered more terror
attacks at universities, clubs, restau-
rants, shopping malls and hospitals,
and the continued Arab campaign of
incitement against Jews in the news
media, schools and mosques.
That's when we became officially
disillusioned. It is impossible to
appease the Palestinians because
they do not want peace.
Checkpoints and fences
were not installed because
of anti-Arab sentiment. They
are a result of Palestinian
terror. Palestinians had
years of access to Israel's
territory for employment,
university study and use of
Israel's hospitals and ser-
vices. But then there were
bus bombings, cafe killings,
rockets, murder of Israeli
settlers, sniper fire; these are the rea-
sons why a concrete separation wall is
necessary. Israel finally took a stand
because the streets of the Jewish
state were covered in Jewish blood.
J Street, the U.N. and others want
to remove my family and 90,000 more
from our suburban Jerusalem homes. I
want peace, Israel wants peace, but
Israel needs Palestinians who want
peace. Those who want to throw us out
should come here themselves and not
leave the dirty work to the IDF. I will
be here in Ramot, too, resisting as did
those in Gush Katif "in determination
and with sensitivity."
Kobi Erez is executive director of the
Bloomfield Township-based Zionist
Organization of America-Michigan Region.
COM. _I
March 1 • 2012
29