Daniel Pearl was both an Israeli and an American citizen. His parents were
Israeli born but moved to Princeton, NJ where Daniel was born in 1963.
Daniel Pearl was also a Jew. That was clear from his name, from his face and
from the incontrovertible fact that in his dying moments, he looked into the
camera and stated, “Yes, I am a Jew, and my father is a Jew, and my mother (is a
Jew).”
I couldn’t help but feel a chill run through me as I read the story of his death
reported in the Star on February 23, 2002. The words “I am a Jew” spoken in the
face of death are all too reminiscent of Jewish history throughout the ages.
Many have made the ultimate sacrifice of giving their lives in defense of their
Jewish faith, their Jewish families and their Jewish homeland. History is
replete with examples dating from the suicide pact against the Romans at Massada
in 70 CE to the endless list of martyrs during the Spanish Inquisition to the
more than 6 million who died as a result of the Holocaust, less than 70 years
ago.
But Daniel Pearl did not die just because he was a Jew. He died because he was a
truth seeker; an American journalist traveling in Pakistan to interview an
Islamic terrorist leader. He died because he had guts and true to his Biblical
counterpart, he walked into the lion’s den armed with integrity and courage. But
there would be no miracle for this Daniel. He would not be saved.
The truth is, there are millions of people worldwide who celebrate the death of
Daniel Pearl and all that he represents. As an American, a Jew and a truth
seeker, he is an anathema – the ultimate infidel. But to me, he is an icon of
what this country stands for and the values I cherish and am willing to fight
for.
When Daniel Pearl died reciting the lineage of his faith, he was referencing
more than just his religion. He was asserting his connection to his family, his
heritage, his historical and spiritual identity. Underlying his words are the
fact that his parents succeeded in fully integrating into American society and
culture and raised a son whom the Wall Street Journal described as “an
outstanding colleague, a great reporter and a dear friend.”
Daniel Pearl was a man who, up until the moment of his death, lived to perform
great work and good deeds. He is a symbol of the strength of America. May his
memory be a blessing.
