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Contributing Editor
Editorial
Champion For Peace
S
Holocaust sur
jumps from pl
mark 90th birthd
.
Nathan Offen, snugly attached to Florida jumpmaster Hugh Funk, floats to earth.
Delray Beach, Fla.
T
he Cessna 182 takes off with Holocaust sur-
vivor Nathan Offen, dressed in tan slacks,
a blue long-sleeve shirt and clear-lens
goggles, seated on the floor next to the pilot. The
almost 90-year-old, one-time Detroiter waves toward
his skydiving jumpmaster's wrist camera while prim-
ing himself for this unusual journey. He savors the
bird's-eye view of the lake-dotted landscape over
West Palm Beach in south Florida.
Jumpmaster Hugh Funk of Skydive Palm Beach,
based in Wellington, Fla., prepares to open the single-
engine plane's door. "All right, we're all hooked up
and ready to go," Hugh says to Nathan.
"Are you ready to sky dive?"
Nathan nods affirmatively.
"All right," says Hugh, "let's go have
some fun," adding, "Watch your step; it's
a doozy!"
With that, Nathan secures both feet
on the plane's wheel well, and they jump
from an altitude of 10,000 feet amid
high clouds. They wave once more to
Hugh's wrist camera — their hair and
clothing flapping in the wind as they
float with seemingly little effort, but
clearly under Hugh's control with a para-
chute in tow.
Halfway down, Hugh pulls the ripcord and
releases the chute. Nathan feels pressure on his mid-
section from the harness as the chute releases, but is
still eager to help steer the descent.
"Congratulations! You did it; you did a great job,"
Hugh says as they coast to the ground with Nathan's
hands grasping the yellow drawstrings.
Standing safely on the grassy landing spot, Nathan
says to his affable instructor: "I feel great; it was a
40
February 14 • 2013
"I think I might be the first
Holocaust survivor who may
jump from a parachute from
a plane at the age of 90."
- Nathan Offen
great adventure!"
Nathan tells Hugh the best part of the jump was
"coming down — and steering the parachute to the
right and the left!"
The about-to-be nonagenarian char-
acterized this leap of destiny as "the pin-
nacle of my life:'
What spurred him to mingle with the
birds?
"I just want to do the job; I'm very anx-
ious to do it. I think I might be the first
Holocaust survivor who may jump from
a parachute from a plane at the age of
90," Nathan says as Hugh interviews him
before the glorious free fall.
Post - Jump Party
The jump actually took place days before
Nathan turned 90 on Dec. 15. On his birthday, 54
guests hosted by longtime friend Gloria Lack feted
him in Boynton Beach, Fla., not far from his Delray
Beach winter home where he still plays tennis and
paints — two special joys. Nathan, father of three
daughters and grandfather to three, spends the sum-
mer at his home in Port Washington, N.Y.
Partygoers included family friend Linda Zlotoff of
Bloomfield Hills, who calls Nathan "a vibrant, tena-
10,000 Feet on page 41
he takes plaudits and criticism in stride, never
letting either impede promoting reconciliation
among conflicted peoples. A fashion consultant
by profession, Brenda Rosenberg says she became an
agent for peace in the aftermath of 9-11.
The Bloomfield Hills resident didn't have to dig too
deeply to find the courage and energy to navigate
rough cultural and religious chasms so she could help
improve interfaith and intercultural relations, especially
among Jews and Arabs.
And her efforts have been noble, if not daring.
Her targets have been prejudice, misconception,
fear and hatred. Rising global anti-Semitism and anti-
Zionism have fueled her cause, but so has a relentless
desire to forge partnerships from seeming stone and to
spur understanding despite the divides.
The JN article "Healing Rifts" (Jan. 31, page 8)
reported her on-scene impressions of the opening of
the King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Center
for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue in Vienna.
Not everyone is in her position to travel the world to
advance tolerance and acceptance. But that shouldn't
diminish the incredible determination and good will
that propels this regional board officer of the American
Jewish Committee.
Over the years, Rosenberg has been integral in
developing the creative arts initiative "Reuniting the
Children of Abraham: A Toolkit 4 Peace," the commu-
nity presentation "In Our Own Words ... Muslim Voices
in Detroit: Messages to the Jewish Community" and
the hope-filled book Friendship & Faith: The Wisdom of
Women Creating Alliances for Peace.
Rosenberg isn't blind to radical Islamist ideology and
Muslim fundamentalists driven by terror. She knows
that's a fight best fought by the U.S., Israel and other
civilized nations.
She sees her role helping change Muslim-Jewish mis-
trust one meaningful interfaith project, one thoughtful
intercultural discussion at a time. ❑
Hagel Must Prove Himself
T
he American Jewish community must stay
vigilant of Chuck Nagel if he wins U.S. Senate
confirmation as the new defense secretary.
Notwithstanding his apology about using the term
"Jewish lobby" and suggesting pro-Israel groups "intimi-
date" Congress into doing "dumb things," the Obama
nominee has plenty of skeletons in his political closet.
Amid strong Republican opposition, the former
Republican senator from Nebraska may have tempered
his worldview in deference to the president, but an apol-
ogy alone won't make up for his troubling beliefs and
feelings about Israel, Iran sanctions, and outreach to
Hamas and Hezbollah.
The Zionist Organization of America and Christians
United for Israel oppose the nomination, in part blunt-
ing the lackluster support Nagel has received from more
centrist Jewish groups. No matter how penitent he is,
the Vietnam War hero won't atone for his seeming anti-
Israel stance while at the altar of confirmation.
Barack Obama clearly calls the defense shots, but
Nagel would have to earn Jewish trust and confidence if
he becomes the president's chief defense implementer. ❑