views

for openers

On Joining Th e Gym

I

ing world to understand all its inner
recently joined a gym. Anyone who
secrets and foibles, but why is it that
knows what it’s like to battle their
people who jog for an hour on an arti-
weight can probably guess that it
ficial sidewalk park as close as possible
wasn’t my first time joining a gym; but
to the entrance? I want to tell these
this time, like any chronic yoyo dieter
people, calories get burned on
will say, is different.
the good old pavement, too.
In the past, the gym
That is not as odd as the fact
would charge my credit card
that so many of the televisions
monthly even though I only
strung up to the ceiling are set
really ended up mastering one
to the food channel. So, there
of their machines: the vend-
you are, running as fast as you
ing machine. This time I was
can, stinking up the old Arm
determined to master at least
Fresh and thinking, “Yes! I’m
one of the actual exercise
Rochel Burstyn
losing weight! I’m doing great!
machines, too.
Contributing Writer
I’m on a roll, baby!” Then you’re
The weird part is that I
gazing at the TV (because it’s
joined the gym that’s closest
that or watching the ripped
to my house — the Planet
guy in front of you kiss himself in the
Fitness that overtook the old Farm
mirror) and you find yourself thinking,
Fresh on 10 Mile and Coolidge. One
“Boy, that looks good. Yeah, when I
thing that makes me smile is that I
get home, I’m in the mood for full-fat
remember how, years ago, the first “F”
macaroni and cheese …” And then, on
fell off the Farm Fresh sign and my
the way out, you grab something from
family and I were making ‘Arm Fresh’
the least complicated machine in the
jokes for weeks — too funny that now
place (the vending machine) or, better
it’s a hot spot for joggers with T-shirts
yet, from the free candy jar they have
sticking to their backs and the most
on the counter. (I am not making this
un-fresh armpits in the city.
up.) And you’re back to square one.
Maybe I’m too new to the exercis-

You spent an hour running at the gym
and you gained two pounds.
Gyms are funny places. These days,
people come with phones or music,
which they listen to with their own
ear buds; and it just seems so odd
sometimes. If someone arrived via
time machine from 100 years ago to
see how we’re living in the future, I
imagine she’d be stymied by the sight
of folks running in place, literally each
in her own world. The 100-year-old
Yiddish speakers would be flabber-
gasted most of all and would probably
urge us to go home so they can cook
us hearty meals that we should eat in
good health. “What’s the matter with
a little schmaltz?” they might ask, con-
fused.
The truth is that real health goals
should refer to overall health and not
just physical, which means we need to
make time to exercise the funny bone,
too. I mean, sure, if you’re feeling flab-
by, then you might want to tone your
thighs … but remember, laughter is the
best medicine. And that’s why it’s so
great there are so many things to laugh
about when you’re going to the gym. •

guest column

Iran, Saudi Arabia And What Lies Between

A

full-on war between Iran and
Saudi Arabia has never been
closer. Although both Muslim
countries, Iran is the head of the Shi’ite
world whereas Saudi Arabia heads
the Sunni nations. The con-
flict between the Sunnis and
Shi’ites began after the death
of Mohammed in the year
632 C.E. The Sunnis believed
that the community should
determine who would succeed
Mohammed as leader, while
the Shia believed that leader-
Kobi Erez
ship should remain within the
family of the prophet. This
disagreement led to an enor-
mous rift.
A proxy war between the
two sides is still waging on: the Saudis
fund and support the Sunni rebels in
Syria who are fighting against Assad’s
regime — which is supported by Iranian
money and troops. In Lebanon, Iran
sponsors the Shia terrorist organiza-
tion Hezbollah (an organization that
continues to pose a serious threat to
Israel’s security), whereas Saudi Arabia
backs the Lebanese Sunnis. In Yemen,
a military intervention was launched

by Saudi Arabia in 2015 against Shia
groups backed by Iran.
But the fight isn’t just about military
prowess. Each side tries to cut the
other’s world power using financial and
diplomatic measures. To mini-
mize Iran’s profitability, Saudi
Arabia lowered the price of its
oil and forced Iran to sell its
own “black gold” for less. Saudi
Arabia’s tactic, in addition to
the Western world’s sanctions
on Iran, was proving to be effec-
tive until Iran finagled its own
economic and political boost
by signing a nuclear deal with
President Obama — one that
removed sanctions and pro-
vided Iran with $150 billion to
help fund terrorist activities around the
world, including violence against Israel
and the U.S.
Ironically, Iran managed to create an
unexpected alliance between Israel and
Saudi Arabia. Both countries opposed
the nuclear deal with Iran and both are
looking to diminish Iran’s influence in
the region. Saudi Arabia and Israel have
been cooperating since at least 2013
by sharing intelligence and resources.

News of serious Israeli-Saudi coopera-
tion even included a deal that would
allow Israel the use of Saudi airspace
to launch an attack on Iranian nuclear
sites. Just recently, with the quiet
encouragement of Israel, Saudi Arabia
isolated Qatar, an Arab state that open-
ly supports Hamas and that regularly
carries out terror attacks on Israelis,
although Saudi Arabia’s main reason for
the isolation is Qatar’s growing associa-
tion with Iran.
As open threats to destroy each other
escalate, both Iran and Saudi Arabia
are preparing for the real possibility of a
direct war. Saudi Arabia is certainly not
a friend to Israel; however, the tough
neighborhood of the Middle East forced
this unusual partnership. Now that the
current U.S. administration is no lon-
ger supporting Iran, it can and should,
together with Saudi Arabia and Israel,
put pressure on Iran and its proxies to
ensure Iran realizes there will be seri-
ous consequences for its involvement
in terror and for its nuclear program
development. •

Genocide
Lecture
At HMC

The Holocaust Memorial Center
Zekelman Family Campus will
welcome Scott Straus, professor
of political science and interna-
tional studies at the University
of Wisconsin-Madison, at 7 p.m.,
Wednesday, June 28.
A former
journalist based
in Nairobi,
Kenya, Straus
has written
extensively on
the causes and
prevention
of genocide.
Scott Straus
During “The
Promise of
Never Again:
Where Are We Today and What
Can Be Done?” he will discuss
domestic and global efforts to
prevent genocide, with a focus
on the progress made in the
past 20 years and the challenges
going forward.
“Genocide was not a term
used until 1944 when it was cre-
ated to describe Nazi policies
of systematic murder. Referring
to violent crimes committed
against a group with the intent
to destroy their existence,
genocide is, unfortunately, still
alive and well in regions across
the world including the South
Sudan,” said Rabbi Eli Mayerfeld,
CEO of the Holocaust Memorial
Center. “Having Scott Straus,
who is one of our country’s fore-
most experts on the subject, join
us for this presentation will be
quite eye-opening to all those
who attend.”
The event is supported by
Doris and Eric Billes, Pam and
Ken Bloom, Karolyn and Arie
Leibovitz, Denise and Peter
Rodgers, as well as the PNC
Foundation, Rwandan-American
Community of Midwest and
Armenian Genocide Education
Committee. It is free for mem-
bers and $5 for nonmembers.
To RSVP, call Laura Williams at
(248) 536-9605 or email rsvp@
holocaustcenter.org by Sunday,
June 25. •

Kobi Erez is executive director of the Zionist
Organization of America - Michigan Region.

jn

June 22 • 2017

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