offering tribute to the fallen.” Michael Oren, former Israeli ambassador to the United States, described Poems Born in Bergen-Belsen as “an important resource for students of the Holocaust, for educators, and spiritual leaders. But it is also a work of literature that deserves to be judged on its artistic merits, which are formidable.” Holocaust scholar Michael Berenbaum wrote in the Jerusalem Post: Reviewing the book in the National Catholic Register, Peter Jesserer Smith wrote: In a September 2021 interview with Al Jazeera, Menachem Rosensaft explained why he writes poetry: Israel / Palestinian peace process Rosensaft, who was known to support the Israeli peace movement, was elected national president of the Labor Zionist Alliance in early 1988. Shortly thereafter, he confronted Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir at a meeting of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations. Shamir had called on the American Jewish leadership to support his government's hard-line policies and criticized those who publicly espoused more dovish positions. Rosensaft responded by noting that since Israelis themselves were divided, "Why should we be accused of disloyalty?" "We support Israel fully and identify with her totally," he explained, referring to the more liberal Jewish groups that belonged to the Presidents Conference. "But that does not mean we have to agree with every single decision or policy set by the government or a particular minister. Voicing our concerns does not indicate disloyalty." In December 1988, he was one of five American Jews in Stockholm, Sweden, who met with Yasir Arafat and other senior leaders of the Palestine Liberation Organization, resulting in the PLO's first public recognition of Israel. Writing in Newsweek, he explained that despite an initial reluctance to participate in such a meeting, he concluded that since he had urged others to negotiate with the PLO, "I really had no choice. Since I wanted others to talk to the enemy, I had to be willing to do so as well – not going would be a betrayal of my principles both as a Jew and as a Zionist." For Rosensaft, the very beginning of dialogue was a major accomplishment. "There are miles to go," he said. "But for God's sake, let's start talking. When you talk, you de-demonize the enemy." A year later, in an open letter to Arafat also published in Newsweek, he voiced his dismay at the fact that the Palestinian leader had done nothing to move the