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Our Personal Relationship With Israel,
With Its Neighbors and the Importance of Peace

by Brett Krichiver, Student Rabbi

Note: The following was written by Student Rabbi Brett Krichiver for the Minister's Forum in the Tahoe Daily Tribune on Jan. 11.

One of the most complex relationships for the modern American Jew is his or her personal relationship with Israel. As Jewish Americans, we feel a strong connection to America as our home, yet we also feel a tug at our hearts for our Jewish homeland. Unfortunately, any picture of Israel is incomplete without mention of the long struggle with her neighbors. The Jews' ancestral brothers, the people of Islam, have also been at war with the Jews, fighting for a hundred years over a piece of land no larger than the state of New Jersey. This bitter conflict has overwhelmed its participants on both sides, and moderates are becoming harder to find. After twelve months it is increasingly difficult to view the Oslo peace process as a viable one. Among other outcomes, this process was supposed to result in the establishment of a state for Palestinians - but these prospects look dim. And the truth is that Israelis and Palestinians alike are suffering. We grieve for all those who have been sacrificed on the altar of fanaticism. The pain of Arab mothers who have lost their children is no less than that of their Jewish counterparts. Both sides are in great need to resolve the issues and arrive at a lasting solution.

Terrorism is the major obstacle to peace in the Middle East. I firmly believe that Israel's use of force is defensive in nature. Of course there are some excesses. There always are in warfare. But while some innocent Palestinian civilians are tragically killed, Israel's military seeks to avoid civilian casualties; it does not target civilians. On countless occasions the Israel Defense Forces have avoided operations because of the risk to civilians. As we as Americans have unfortunately faced in recent months, terrorists make no distinction between military and civilian targets. This has been a reality for Israelis for decades.

In reality, religious and political fanatics exist in all societies. How can peace be realized when children are taught to hate from the earliest ages? For the past decade, as supporters of the peace process, we have continued to blindly believe that peace is made by leaders alone. Time and time again we have been shown that children as young as six or seven espouse the doctrine of hate passed down by parents, siblings, and teachers. Societies must be educated for peace and this begins in the very early years of a childıs education.

So what can be done? First, the violence must stop. No progress can be made as long as violence continues. No government can or should tolerate attacks on its civilians. Only then can we begin to discuss options for a future of peace. In the long run, there is no way out of the Palestinian-Israeli impasse but through negotiations that will require painful sacrifices from both sides. The land is sacred for both, and neither is prepared to leave. In order to survive, we must be willing to become partners in creating a lasting peace.

Judaism yearns for peace. Our goal is to remind the world that we can work together to create a better world. A world where mothers will no longer bury their children before their time; a world where former enemies will beat their swords into plow shears and spears into pruning hooks. A world where each shall sit under their vines and fig trees and none shall be afraid. After September 11th, the entire world looks to Israel with new compassion, and new hope. In the coming weeks and months, may we join in our efforts to bring peace into our country and into the world.