MIDDLE EAST Israeli says she has no fear

Safety concerns in Israel often depend on where a person lives.
By JUDITH DULBERGER
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
YOUNGSTOWN -- It's about one hour's drive from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. No more than the distance between Youngstown and Cleveland. In a small country no bigger than the state of New Jersey, the constant threat of terrorism must pervade every facet of life.
"People may find this hard to believe," said Janet Harshman Agassi, "but I go [about] my daily business now without any fear at all."
Agassi, a Youngstown native and graduate of The Rayen School, has lived in Israel for the past 20 years. When she first arrived, she worked as a producer for ABC News, heading the Jerusalem Bureau.
Agassi now divides her time between free-lance writing, teaching English as a second language to Hebrew-speaking business executives, and rearing three teenage children.
Agassi was in Youngstown this week as keynote speaker for the Combined Jewish Appeal 2003 Inaugural Event at Temple El Emeth.
She spoke of repeated terrorism of the past two years in Israel and its consequences on the Israeli economy, on the political climate, and on the daily lives of Israeli citizens.
People ask her how she is not afraid every day, with violence in the news almost daily. Agassi responds that much depends on where you live.
By example, she said, if you live in Youngstown and hear of a killing or a series of killings in Cleveland, you certainly don't feel as fearful as people in Cleveland.
This is how it is for Agassi.
Relatively calm
Very few suicide attacks have occurred in the vicinity of Ra'anana, a distant suburb of Tel Aviv, where she lives with her family. They are spared the constant fear of Israelis living in more vulnerable areas such as Jerusalem, where riding a bus or lunching in an outdoor cafe can be considered a "bold and courageous act."
Still, living the experience of war and terrorism on a daily basis takes its toll. After a series of attacks, day after day after day, she said "everybody becomes more apprehensive, more watchful, and more fearful, because we know that nobody is immune."
As with most Israelis, Agassi believes that peace is now as remote as ever. She speaks with the formal, analytic eye of a journalist and the heartfelt trepidation of a loving parent. The reality of knowing that one day she will have three teenagers in the army all at the same time is difficult.
Every Israeli citizen is drafted into military service at age 18 -- boys for three years and girls for two years. Young Israelis are highly motivated to serve, as is Agassi's oldest son, who will be joining the army next summer, she said. Still, Agassi envies those parents who will be sending their sons and daughters off to college, instead of sending them off to war.
World problem
Agassi thinks that, despite bias and anti-Semitism, the world is beginning to see what Israel has been up against.
Is there a solution to the conflict?
The general feeling is one of pessimism, Agassi said. And despite all the violence, she said she recognizes that only a negotiated political settlement will ultimately end this conflict.