DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
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FEBRUARY 22 • 2024 | 7
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There is no cost to the stu-
dents and each faculty member
— most of whom are already
involved with the Coalition —
is working voluntarily.
We intend to tackle difficult
issues, including Israel-related
questions, and encourage frank
dialogues and open minds. A
key objective of the Academy
is to foster new and sustainable
relationships between the stu-
dents.
At the Coalition, which
is comprised of a partner-
ship between the Jewish
Community Relations Council/
AJC, the Council of Baptist
Pastors of Detroit and Vicinity,
the Urban League, the ADL
and the NAACP Michigan
Conference, we often stress
that what unites the two com-
munities is stronger than what
divides us. The people who
hate one community invariably
lump in the other one as well.
As best stated by Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr., “We may have
arrived in different ships, but
we’re all in the same boat now.”
The Coalition has thrived
as a result of lots of passionate
people who are committed to
fighting racism and antisemi-
tism and promoting solidarity
between both communities.
Sixty years ago, Black and
Jewish Freedom Fighters in
the South marched together,
and some died together. It
was a time when strong bonds
between the communities
were forged. We are confident
that the Coalition’s Leadership
Academy will help create lead-
ers who will be better equipped
to carry that torch into the next
generation.
Mark Jacobs is the co-director of
the Coalition for Black and Jewish
Unity. If you are interested in learning
more about the Coalition Leadership
Academy, contact Tamara Lopes at (510)
684-8985 or lopes@jcrcajc.org.
AMERICAN SUPPORT FOR
ISRAEL IS IMPRESSIVE
The United States rose to the
occasion in two ways: govern-
mental support for Israel and
support from the second larg-
est Jewish population in the
world. It was and is still good
to see President Joe Biden
state his support for Israel, and
the U.S. sending supplies and
armaments to the Jewish state.
The support from American
Jews has been beyond impres-
sive, raising over $1 billion for
Israel within a month after
Oct. 7.
The Jewish community in
Detroit has raised over $30
million for Israel, as well as
countless supplies and volun-
teering. Support is ongoing.
BUT SUPPORT IN
AMERICA IS NOT
UNIVERSAL
Although I have studied
American history for many
years, perhaps I am still naïve,
or just amazed, once again,
that so many Americans
lack any basic understanding
of Middle East politics and
actors. Forlornly, I had hoped
for better.
Instead, according to the
Anti-Defamation League,
antisemitism has increased by
360% in the U.S. Moreover,
many American college cam-
puses, allegedly places for
open, frank, thoughtful and
respectful dialogue, are now
venues for pro-Palestinian pro-
tests that deride Jews and Israel
as evil.
Pro-Palestinian groups on
campus organize aggressive
rallies and intimidate Jewish
and other students who might
disagree. A recent poll demon-
strated that few of the students
spouting “From the River to
the Sea” actually understand
the history or meaning of this
slogan.
It’s not just antisemitism on
campus. Take, for example,
a protest at New York City’s
Memorial Sloan Kettering
Cancer Center in January.
Its leaders urged participants
to sling anti-Zionist and
antisemitic tropes at kids in
the cancer ward who were
watching the protesters. Noble,
hey?
Worse are those who
promote misinformation or
justify the Hamas attack as
credible “resistance” from
“militants.
” This bogus stance
was also promoted locally
in several rallies in Metro
Detroit. One congresswoman
from Metro Detroit — I don’t
even have to name her, do
I? — had to be pressured into
acknowledging that the attack
on Israel was indeed a terrible
act. She was also censured by
Congress.
Meanwhile, the mainstream
media continue to call Hamas
members “militants,
” instead
of terrorists, even though the
European Union, Canada, the
U.S. and other nations have
formally designated Hamas as
a terrorist organization.
In short, words matter. They
always have.
MAYBE ONLY ISRAELIS
REALLY UNDERSTAND
THE IMPACT OF THIS
WAR ON ISRAEL
To read about Israelis as they
cope with the war generates
great empathy and sadness,
as well as admiration for their
courage. Many of us here in
America have friends and
family in Israel. We may have
lost someone we know.
Most of us, however, cannot
really understand living in
Israel at this time. This is a
personal war. Most, if not all,
Israelis feel the loss of someone
they know who was killed or
wounded in action or during
an attack on civilians, or one of
the unfortunate hostages. And
we are not diving into shelters
with our children when the
sirens sound.
NO ONE KNOWS
HOW IT WILL END
One can read a lot of op-eds
with solutions for the end of
the war, or speculations on
how it will end. While these
articles might be interesting
reading, only a couple of truths
exist.
First, the elimination of
Hamas or similar terror groups
— there are too many to list
here — is a tremendously
difficult task. Although they
have been seriously damaged,
they are still firing rockets
into Israel and fighting the
IDF. It is also clear that they
are not a reliable negotiating
partner. The last Hamas
terrorist standing will declare
victory no matter how many
innocents have died because of
his/her actions.
When reading the reports on
the war, it also appears obvious
that Hamas miscalculated the
intensity of Israel’s response
and the resolve of Israelis.
According to the reports from
Israel, the vast majority of its
citizens continue to support
the war effort, despite growing
international pressures to end
it. They are tired of terrorism.
The old saying, “enough is
enough,
” is the reality for Israel.
I hope I can soon read about
an end to the war, the end of
Hamas and the release of all
the hostages.
I am certain I will not read
about Israel’s demise. I just
wish I could read about Israel
at peace with all its neigh-
bors.
Mike Smith is the Alene and Graham
Landeau Archivist for the Detroit Jewish
News Foundation.
READING THE WAR
continued from page 4