metro
Bait & Switch
from page 11
ACT S
OF KIN
PP MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR
JEWISH COMMUNITY
6 TH
NEM
12TH GRADERS
-
fr -
'■ 1•11e 'I' NIL
ir
1.0.•
t
pizza
1
SUNDAY
DECEMBER 7
12:30 - 3:30 P.M.
kosher
and b.°
lun
ch
t; ansportatOn
Projects will include
(but not limited to):
provide d
Interact with kids and adults
with special needs
Play games with Jewish seniors
Help Bookstock
Sort and assemble food packages
Drop off and Pick up:
Lobby of the Jewish Community Center • 6600 W. Maple Rd.
West Bloomfield
Pre-registration is required.
For more information and to register visit
www.jservedetroit.org
Free of charge thanks to the generosity of local partners and
generous grants from the Stephen H. Schulman Millennium Fund
and a grant from National J-Serve.
Here
For Good
I
J-Serve Detroit Partners
are posted on
www."servedetroit. org
Jewish
Federation
OF METROPOLITAN DETROIT
Alliance
for Jewish
Education
solving these problems," he
said, calling emotion a "war
by other means."
"I prefer cold reason
toward achieving a just
peace he said.
Listing legitimate griev-
ances from both parties, he
said, "I believe in empathy
for both people, but I will
not dramatize either side's
pain. I take all that for
granted and more. There
can never be a just peace
without compromises on
EMU students Rory Franchy and Dan Morris
both sides."
Nelson sees Israel's secu- flank Martin Shichtman, director of EMU
rity barrier — that roughly Jewish Studies; seated, speaker Cary Nelson
adheres to Israel's pre-1967
borders — as a step toward
peace.
"The Wall is a reason for hope he
documents to restrict collaborations,
said, because it can lead to a division
publishing, travel abroad and even writ-
of land necessary for a two-state solu-
ing recommendations for students who
tion. He called for "political maturity"
choose to study in Israeli universities.
from Palestinian leaders to recognize
"When you close down programs you
Israel's rights as a nation.
close down people's options:' Nelson
"West of the Wall should be con-
said.
sidered politically irrelevant" to
Citing Israeli innovation on "drip irri-
Palestinian leadership, Nelson said.
gation" — a major agricultural achieve-
"There is no reason to just go bonkers.
ment that grows food with less water
They should focus efforts east of the
— he noted that BDS does not allow for
Wall"
Palestinian and Arab collaboration or
learning, which only harms their com-
The Real Results Of BDS
munities.
Nelson challenged the students, asking,
"BDS offers nothing of real value to
"Do you know what you are endors-
the Palestinians:' Nelson said. "It offers
ing?" and cautioning them against
no path to peace. It is a chimera. It does
"ignorant political action."
absolutely nothing for the people."
As an example, he quoted BDS prin-
Plus, it is counterproductive in that
ciples calling to end "all occupation
"it hardens Israeli hearts and discourag-
of all Palestinian lands" noting there
es contacts:' he added. "They oppose all
is no definition of what are legitimate
projects to build empathy and reconcili-
Palestinian lands or recognition of any
ation. BDS rejects rational discussion:'
Israeli land. It is not unreasonable,
Nelson also called for open discus-
especially given the views of the top
sion about the role and impact of anti-
BDS organizers, to read the statement
Semitism on BDS and other anti-Israel
as calling for the elimination of Israel.
movements.
Likewise, he said every major BDS
"Anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism's
spokesperson not only calls for a "right
moral salvation. BDS supporters need
of return" for Palestinians, but, in fact,
to be investigating themselves on
"insists on it." The idea that millions
this issue rather than going ballistic
of descendents of Palestinians directly
whenever anyone brings it up:' he says.
affected by the establishment of Israel
"There should not be a prohibition
in 1948 can take over Israel will never
about investigating the anti-Semitic
be accepted by Israel.
underbelly of the BDS movement."
"They bait you with the idea of
Even with pure intention "the pro-
return of land, but give you a highly
motion of anti-Semitism and anti-Jew-
contested issue that will only lead to
ish hostility is the effect:' he said. "You
open war," he said.
get the feeling that they don't really care
Challenging BDS' insistence on
about the fate of Israeli Jews:'
spurning interaction with Israeli aca-
"This was an opportunity that was
demics, educational institutions and
needed here on campus:' said Dan
Morris, a psychology major from
political entities, he said it hinders
academic freedom. Nelson ridiculed
Ypsilanti who worked to bring Nelson
the idea that if BDS was adopted there
to campus. "A lot of people are misin-
would be no discrimination against
formed, and we were about to provide
Israelis as long as they disassociated
honest and unbiased truths. BDS truly
themselves from Israel, and quoted BDS has no positive end goal in sight."
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December 4 • 2014
JN