The Charlotte Jewish News - Decemt>er, 1995 - Page 2
perspectives
by Harvey Cohen
Rabin...a Different View
Most everything I've read, seen
or heard in the media about Yitzhak
Rabin since his assasination, indi
cates he was not a man easily given
to laughter. He was serious about
his purpose, about his goal and
dream for peace. I don't know that I
could add anything in the way of
tribute to this hero that hasn't al
ready been said, so I won't say any
thing. However, I do want to offer
a different view of Rabin than the
one you usually see, stem, resolute
and yes, even defiant. I want to
show you the "other" Rabin, the
man who could laugh and bring
laughter to others. The very notion
that there could be peace in the
Middle East brought smiles, no,
smirks, to many faces and evoked
laughter from others. If there is any
justice to come in his death, it will
be that he had the last laugh on all
the peace process nay sayers.
(L-R) President Bill Clinton, Mrs. Yitzhak Rabin, Prime
Minister Rabin, ILR Chairman Stanley Chesley and U.S.
Secretary of State Warren Christopher enjoy a light
moment in Washington at a gathering of leaders of
the United Jewish Appeal and UJA counterparts in
other countries
I also want to share a poem written by T. Lee Keene of Charlotte and
mailed within days of the assasination. It expresses a personal view I'm
sure is shared by many others.
He stood above the others,
Always searching for a solution
To the problem at hand.
In his lifetime, he made a difference.
Kind when needed, and stem when required;
Vindication of his death will be the peace in Israel.
Another man may have bent under the
Heavy load...Yitzhak Rabin...now rests alone.
T. Lee Keene
95
Deadline for the
January issue is
December 10!
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Federation
Connection
Rich Osborne-President
Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte
The tragic assassination of
Prime Minister Rabin shocked and
saddened the world. Our commu
nity coalesced on the Monday fol
lowing the assassanation to
spearhead a noon-time service for
peace uptown at Marshall Park
and a memorial service that
evening at Temple Beth El. Over
600 people attended the memorial
service, a tribute to the high re
gard in which the Prime Minister
was held. It also demonstrated the
determination of our community
to stand solidly with Jews and gen-
tiles everywhere who support
peaceful settlement of diplomatic
as well as political differences. I
wish to thank Adam Bernstein,
chair of the Community Relations
Committee, Rabbi Bennett,
Rabbi Ezring and Alan
Feldman, as well as the staff,
Cary Bernstein, Vicki Hopkins
and Lou Wernick for coordinat
ing and facilitating these memorial
events.
The Board of Federation
agreed to cosponsor with the
Blumenthal Home a study of the
feasibility of planning for elderly
housing on Shalom Park. This study
reflects the recommendations of a
task force chaired by Evelyn Berger
and Dr. David Citron. North Caro
lina is fortunate to have such a su
perb facility as the Blumenthal
Home to serve the regional Jewish
community. The Home regularly
receives the highest accolades from
regulatory authorities and never
compromises its commitment to
serve the Jewish community. The
elderly continue to grow as a pro
portion of our population, and, at
the same time, many of the state and
federal programs which have as
sisted in caring for the elderly are
threatened. It is critical that our
community work with the Home to
fmd the best way of providing and
improving services for this part of
our population. After hearing the
report of Evelyn and Dave, the
Federation Board has the highest
expectations of the new study.
Finally, we have launched
the 1996 Annual Campaign. Hav
ing just completed the process to
allocate the $1.35 million raised
in the 1995 Annual Campaign, I
can assure you that our commu
nity could put to very good use,
that and much more. Please give
every consideration to the request
of your solicitor. He or she is ask
ing you on behalf of the commu
nity to help us respond to local,
regional and international needs.
How we respond to this call will
determine how effectively we can
contribute to the continuity of the
Jewish people here, elsewhere in
the Diaspora and in Israel. Your
support is greatly appreciated.
Excerpts From Prime Minister
Rabin's Last Speech
"Permit me to say that I am
deeply moved. I wish to thank each
and every one of you, who have
come here today to take a stand
against violence and for peace. This
government, which I am privileged
to head with my friend Shimon
Peres, decided to give peace a
chance...a peace that will solve most
of Israel's problems.
"I was a military man for 27
years. I fought so long as there was
no chance for peace. I believe that
there is now a chance for peace„a
great chance.
"I have always believed that the
majority of the people want peace
and are ready to take risks for peace.
In coming here today, you
demonstrate, together with many
others who did not come, that
people truly desire peace and op
pose violence. Violence erodes the
basis of Israeli democracy. It must
be condemned and isolated. This is
not the way of the State of Israel. In
a democracy there can be differ
ences, but the fmal decision will be
taken in democratic elections, as the
1922 elections which gave us the
mandate to do what we are doing,
and to continue on this course.This
is a course which is fraught with dif
ficulties and pain. For Israel, there
is no path that is without pain. But
the path of peace is preferable to the
path of war.This rally must send a
message to the Israeli people, to the
Jewish people around the world, to
the many people in the Arab world,
and indeed to the entire world, that
the Israeli people want peace, sup
port peace. For this I thank you."
Minutes later
Prime
Minister
Rabin was
assassinated!
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