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Be an Informed Defender Dear Editor: Noga Gur-Arieh’s heart is in the right place, but she doesn’t realize that most Americans (whether Jewish or not) simply don’t have the information needed to mount a defense of Israel [see “We Can’t Combat the Enemy,” p. 8, March 22 AJT]. Case in point: How many people are aware that the 1967 war was launched with the open intention of “driving the Jews into the sea” or that, in the course of defending her people from annihilation, Israel liberated Gaza and the West Bank (including the Old City of Jerusalem) from occupiers (Egypt and Jordan) who had held those areas illegally since a previous Arab attempt to destroy Israel (the 1948 War of Independence)? And how many know that Israel offered to relinquish control of Gaza and the West Bank shortly after the end of hostilities, only to be answered with “three NO’s” –NO negotiations, NO recognition, NO peace? And how many people know that there are many programs in Israel aimed at fostering understanding between Jews and Arabs while anti-Jewish invective spews from mosques and media outlets in the West Bank and Gaza as well as being rampant in Palestinian textbooks? An how many people know that, even as rockets from Gaza terrorize the citizens of Sderot and other population centers in southern Israel, Israel supplies tons of humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza and also continues to allow severely-ill Gazans to be admitted to Israel to receive medical treatment? I hope that the Atlanta Jewish Times will continue to publish columns urging Americans to tell Israel’s stories. I also hope that those columns will cite places where people can get the information they need to be effective advocates for Israel. A few such websites are stepupforisrael.com, camera.org and honestreporting.com. Sincerely, Toby F. Block Atlanta
March Mensch of the Month ISSY CHESKES
O
ne of our congregants, Issy Cheskes, spent six or so months building an ark in his garage to gift to our synagogue for our chapel. We dedicated this ark in Izzy’s honor on Jan. 26 immediately following Shabbat services. - as nominated by Loli Gross
MARCH 29 ▪ 2013
Issy Cheskes
Congregation Beth Shalom’s new ark
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