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March 21, 2003/Adar2 17 5763, Vol. 55, No. 30
Jewish groups brace for imminent conflict
MATTHEW E. BERGER
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
WASHINGTON - When Scud missiles fell on Tel Aviv at the beginning of the 1991 Gulf War, David Harris was there.
"We did not want Israel to face Iraqi Scud missile attacks alone," said the executive director of the American Jewish Committee.
Harris plans to be back in Tel Aviv next week, leading a small contingent of his group's leaders as a show of support for the Jewish state.
Harris is one of many in the Jewish community returning to familiar roles, as the Jewish world again joins the rest of America in gearing up for war.
Jewish organizations are engaged in intense planning for everything from security measures to policy statements - to how to talk to children about war.
In part, they are relying on how they handled the 1991 war and the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks as guides for what they will do and say - and not say - in the weeks and months ahead.
By the same token, times have changed, requiring new thinking and strategy to deal with the yet-unknown, organizational leaders say.
Some of the changes are obvious, such as the ubiquity of e-mail in aiding the communications process.
Others are more substantial, including having to deal with the post-Sept. 11 threat of terrorist attacks on American soil and against Israel and Jewish institutions.
The Jewish Community Relations Council of New York issued a security alert March 18, reminding its constituent agencies to be vigilant.
The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations is coordinating an emergency alert system for its member organizations.
The Anti-Defamation League rushed out an advanced edition of its manual, Keeping Your Jewish Institution Safe, in response to anxiety by Jewish communities around the country.
As they strategize over policy during war, Jewish leaders are reviewing what they said and did in 1991, and how it can be improved this time around.
While many Jewish leaders support the goal of regime change in Iraq, the Jewish people in the United States are divided, with many having participated in anti-war rallies over the past few months. That makes it even harder for the Jewish community to give a statement.
"Our job is to try and find the consensus, the common denominator and not meander into territory that is divisive," said Martin Raffel, associate executive director of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs.
At the same time, there is concern about being out in front on the war.
"There are concerns about the Jewish community speaking out, being highly visible," said Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents.
As in 1991, Jewish leaders are apprehensive that military action against Iraq is being perceived as being done for the benefit of Israel. The goal, leaders say, is to express support for American troops and a peaceful conclusion, but without giving the impression that the Jewish community is embracing military action.
JTA staff writer Rachel Pomerance in New York contributed to this report.
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