Sending prayers to Israel

Young Chang

NEWPORT BEACH -- Carolyn Alexander doesn’t have relatives in Israel,

but she considers the country her homeland and its people her kin.

The Newport Beach resident will show her support tonight at Temple Bat

Yahm’s special Sabbath service, which will be dedicated to peace and

solidarity in Israel, where extreme violence has erupted in recent weeks.

The service will feature prayers for peace offered by Alexander and

other congregation members. Also, the temple’s Rabbi Mark S. Miller will

give a sermon about the strife-torn situation in the Middle East.

The service is part of a countywide “We Are With Israel” effort

organized by the Jewish Federation of Orange County.

“It’s just to let the people of Israel know that we are empathetic,

that we are with them,” said Sally Spiro, chairwoman of the Orange County

Jewish Federation Synagogue Council and member of the temple. “We want

them to know that we are praying for them, and the suffering that is

going on over there, that we’re aware of it.”

In the last seven weeks, more than 200 deaths have been reported

throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip, where riots and battles have

erupted between Israelis and Palestinians.

Like their brothers and sisters in the Middle East, local Muslims and

Israelis disagree about the core of the problem and the solution to

peace.

Miller said his message will be about ending the bloodshed between

Israelis and Palestinians with a change of attitudes.

“The road to peace lies in direct negotiations between Israel and her

neighbors which represent the Arab world’s recognition of Israel as a

legitimate nation,” he said. “And acceptance of the right of Israel to

exist.”

Miller said Israel is not mentioned by name in most Arab lands, but

called the “Zionist Entity.” He emphasized that the current violence is

really part of a larger issue involving Damascus, Lebanon and Saudi

Arabia.

Mohammed Qasqas, a student at Orange Coast College and a member of the

school’s Muslim Student Assn., said he thinks the solution to peace is to

give back what was taken.

“I don’t see how you could change attitudes because they practically

stole the lands from the Palestinians,” Qasqas said. “If you use common

sense, that’s not the right thing to do. If you steal something, you give

it back. That’s how peace could be brought to a point. If that can’t be

accomplished, at least give the rights to the people that were there.”

Spiro said local reaction to violence in the Middle East is strong,

and she expects to see more than just congregation members at tonight’s

service.

Alexander said she will be there because it is her task to support the

people of Israel through words and deeds.

“It’s about having a voice for Israel,” she said.

FYI

WHAT: Sabbath service dedicated to peace and solidarity in Israel

WHEN: 8 p.m. today

WHERE: Temple Bat Yahm, 1011 Camelback St., Newport Beach

CALL: (949) 644-1999.