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May 19, 2000/14 Iyar 5760, Vol. 52, No.37
Historical perspective helps us understand today's events
MARTY LATZ
Special to Jewish News
I arrived at the Standard Club in Chicago last week to conduct a negotiation seminar for a group of Illinois lawyers unsure what to expect. I knew only that the venerable club had a large seminar room, plus rooms to accommodate overnight guests.
Imagine my surprise when I looked up at a plaque on the wall near the elevator and recognized a host of Jewish-sounding names on its board. Is it possible, I thought, that this old and esteemed club in downtown Chicago has some Jewish history?
When I did a little digging, I found that the club indeed has some Jewish history and may have been founded largely by Jews in the mid- to late-19th century. Many early members also founded or led a number of Jewish philanthropic organizations.
I immediately felt a sense of history, perspective and a somewhat visceral connection to the club, related in part to what I read about the business and communal success of some of our brethren and their role in the growth of one of our country's most important cities. Somehow, I felt a part of it.
I had felt this pride and connection earlier last week as I listened to Dan Meridor, a member of the Israeli Knesset, talk about Israel and the prospects for Middle East peace.
Meridor, in Phoenix speaking to a gathering of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, played on several critical themes that struck a chord within me. First, he evoked a sense of Jewish historical pride when he recounted briefly the incredible story of how far we and Israel have come since the birth of the Jewish state in 1948. He noted that we have "moved from ashes to the greatest peak of our history," and that it is an "unprecedented, unparalleled success story."
Second, Meridor stressed the strength and tenacity of the Jewish people. "Being strong is the key," he said. "The peace process starts with the Arab understanding that Israel is not going anywhere. They have to live with us because we are strong."
Such strength, he noted, is not just military, but economic, social and numeric in terms of population. "We've learned what the price is when we're weak."
Finally, Meridor reviewed the reasons Israel is considering trading land for peace with the likes of Syria's President Hafez Al-Assad and the Palestinian Authority's Yasser Arafat. Israel has 4.9 million Jews; 3.5 million Arabs live in Judea, Samaria and Gaza.
"In some years, (Israel) will either not be a Jewish state or it will not be a democracy," he said. Given its commitment to both, we must find a solution.
Further, "now is the time to negotiate, when we are strong. Agreements need to be based on a strong Israel or else they won't be kept."
A lot of Jewish history has occurred since those Jewish Chicagoans founded the Standard Club some 100 years ago. As I read about them last week, I envisioned them sitting around smoking cigars and making weighty decisions.
But as I listened to Meridor, the Chicagoans faded into the past, pre-World War I, pre-Holocaust, pre-Israel.
In the end, last week's events helped me refocus on the long-term perspective, especially useful now as the peace negotiations heat up.
Marty Latz is a Valley attorney and negotiations consultant. Send comments to Latz@NegotiationInstitute.com.
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