EDITORIAL Let George Do It On the good news-bad news front: while there was no discerni- ble progress made between Jerusalem and Washington during Israeli Prime Minister Shamir's visit here last week, there was also no discernible cooling in the warm relations between the two allies. Indeed, Shamir and the Administration spoke of the "unshakable friendship" that exists between the U.S. and Israel. The fact that there were no tangible negative repurcussions in spite of Shamir's virtual rejection of George Shultz's peace plan is a testimony to the Secretary of State's equanimity, and empathy for Israel. Shultz understands the difficulty for Jerusalem in endorsing a plan, however well-intentioned, when the Israeli government itself is divided. He has been patient in all of his dealings with Israel's leadership, and while reportedly offering economic incentives to the Jewish state for accepting his peace proposal, he has gone out of his way to state that the U.S. will not seek to "punish" Jerusalem in terms of economic aid or political pressure. This is an enlightened approach, particularly for those who remember the deep fears caus- ed by the Ford Administration's "reassessment" of U.S. policy towards Israel when Jerusalem resisted Washington's pressure to return land captured in the Yom Kippur War. On a human, as well as diplomatic, level, Shultz must be disap- pointed, for he has worked tirelessly on the plan and staked his per- sonal reputation on it by meeting with leaders in the region. Despite widespread pessimism, Shultz plans to visit the Mideast again soon and continue his efforts, an indication that he believes there may be a chance for progress. Whether or not one agrees with the specifics of his proposal, American Jews and the Jerusalem government owe the Secretary a debt of gratitude for the manner in which he has conducted himself. We wish him well in his ongo- ing efforts. may become complacent. Some may even resort to disparaging com- ments like "The candidates are all the same" or "I'm tired of hear- ing about the elections?' Tomorrow, five presidential candidates will be competing for 138 delegates in the Democractic caucuses here. The once overflowing list of contenders for the Democractic slate has been reduced to five, and after tomorrow may shrink even further. Members of the Jewish community who do not observe Shabbat have a special obligation to cast their ballot tomorrow. The Jewish community has a long history of participation in political campaigns — a tradition we today must uphold. It's an age-old phrase, but one which cuts through the political rhetoric being thrown from every corner: Your vote does count. The Jewish News urges our readers to consider very carefully the platforms of the five Democratic presidential candidates. Where do they stand on issues that will directly affect the Jewish communi- ty, such as the Middle East and prayer in public school? What are their positions on other issues that will direct the future of the United States, such as health care, the federal deficit and relations with the Soviet Union? But don't stop there. Once you have made an educated decision, cast your vote. Otherwise, prepare to face the future — and decisions with which you vehemently disagree — with silence. Cast Your Ballot Back in the old days, politicians preached their messages from gazebos in the parks. Bands played, lemonade was served and children, garbed in their finest attire, had their cheeks pinched. Today, political candidates usually broadcast their positions through the media. There are debates, the obligatory appearance on "Meet the Press" and long newspaper interviews, sometimes couched in the most innocuous terms so no one will be offended. Faced with a barrage of such political publicity, certain voters LETTERS The Daily 'Body Count' One can see on television, hear on the radio and read in the news the detailed daily "body count" of Palestinians who died in the three-month rioting in the West Bank and Gaza. Every human life end- ed violently and untimely is a small world destroyed, but when civilians shower soldiers with rocks and raise barricades, death and destruction are unavoidable consequences . . . According to a UN report, there are in 26 countries, civil wars, revolutions or other in- ternal armed struggles going on, some of them with the overt or covert support of the United States. In these con- flicts hundreds of people perish daily, yet there is hard- ly any mention (of them) in the media, nor are there any daily "body counts." Perhaps there is a sinister purpose in the media to publish the daily report only on the Palestinian casualties in the Israeli unrest, to discredit the only country which gives the media the freedom to make such reports and accounts available .. . Charles Lucacs Southfield After The Fire At Beth Abraham Thank you so very much for caring about Beth Abraham Hillel Moses. It was a great honor to see my synagogue as part of The Jewish News (Feb. 26). I remember the day it burned down and I thought that never again would it be a synagogue. But because of all the people who cared in bring- ing it back, it is what it is to- day and it's possible to have a beautiful synagogue once again. Thanks again for caring so much. Brooke Slavik I am a student at Beth Abraham Hillel Moses. I am in the seventh grade. I am glad you did an article on the fire at the BAHM synagogue. You gave it good coverage. I really liked the part where you placed the articles of the students in Kitah Hey (my class). The articles that you chose were really good. Keep up all the good work. Jason Kleinberg Editor's note: These letters, as well as the original articles ac- companying 'After The Fire," are part of a Jewish News class project at Beth Abraham Hillel Moses. Identifying With The Criminals I was moved by the op-ed ar- ticle by my friend and col- league, Dr. Emanuel Tanay, "Is There Honor Only After Death for Survivors of the Holocaust?" (Feb. 28). But as the days pass, think- ing about the article, I wondered: Notwithstanding the Heroes and Martyrs Authority (in Israel), who, Jew or non-Jew, looks upon those who perished in the camps as heroes? Even in Israel, I have heard time beyond count: "Why did the Jews go to their death like Continued on Page 10 Let Us Know Letters must be concise, typewritten and double- spaced. Correspondence must include the signa- ture, home address and daytime phone number of the writer.