I EDITORIAL When Will Washington Learn? A ny parent knows that a threat is empty unless the child believes you are willing to back up your words with action. A simple lesson, but one that the United States seems not to have learned. In the hostage situation, it is Israel, not the United States, that has taken the lead and created an environment where the long- forgotten issue of rescuing U.S. hostages is being discussed. That is because Arab terrorists know that Israel is willing to enforce its words in response to kidnapping and murder. Diplomacy and political persuasion are preferable to force, but if the United States is to restore credibility, it must prove that it can handle a bunch of gangsters. And Washington must let it be known that terrorist groups, and the states that support them, will be punished, and that hostage-taking is intolerable. Reinforcing that lesson — that words must be backed up by com- mitment -- is the sorry scenario taking place between Washington and the Palestine Liberation Organization. Ever since Yassir Arafat said the magic words of appeasement last winter and the United States opened a dialogue with the organization, the PLO has had the upper hand. Arafat knows that despite his declaration of peaceful intentions, he can speak out in favor of terrorist acts against Israel and then explain them away if the State Department expresses displeasure. That is what is happening now, with the PLO having met in Tunis and called for "intensifying the armed struggle" against "the Israeli-Zionist occupation of our occupied Palestinian land." Washington criticized the PLO for its tough rhetoric, but Arafat knows that for the United States to back down on its dialogue would be to admit the mistake of its actions — something the administra- tion is loathe to do. When will the world's greatest power learn that it cannot control - even bands of thugs until it has achieved credibility built on com- mitment and resolve? When will the United States take a lesson from Israel? 1=1 WIT DEsPAiR, WE'LL lifiNK OF SAFfiliN6 ELSE TO IliT1/04 WE AMI A 4-‘ 1 1/W 1 ISRAEL/ 3 CRille8 ITV UrT i IA= WMPON LETTERS Auschwitz And Christian Concern Concerning the convent of Carmelite nuns at Auschwitz, I'm reminded of a recent visit to Israel, and the (Protestant) Mission to Protect the Holy Sites of Jerusalem, a hand- some Victorian edifice situated in the midst of Jerusalem's ancient Machpelach cemetery, and built, in the name of Jesus, over the desecrated graves of thousands of pious Jews. Michael Dallen Detroit Misrepresenting A Name Change You published a letter to the editor from Ronnie Schreiber which appeared on June 23. He alleged that the changing of my name was supposedly an example of a misrepresentation by a Jew for Jesus. However, the infor- mation that he ave was inac- curate and gives a false impression. My family's ancestral name was indeed Zaretsky. My father, with the encourage- ment of his parents, "angliciz- ed' their name in the early '30s. It is therefore inaccurate and a misrepresentation on anyone's part to suggest that the change of my name, back 6 FRIDAY, AUGUST 18, 1989 to Zaretsky, was in any way disconnectd from my ethnic Jewish identity. Also, Tuvya is the Hebrew name which was given to me at birth by my parents. Mr. Schreiber's misrepresentation of facts is misleading and if he did so knowingly, it is dissembling Tuvya Zaretsky . Jews For Jesus San Francisco Editor's Note: Schreiber stands by his assertion that the reason Zaretsky changed his name from Lloyd Carson was his tie to Jews For Jesus. Complete View Of Single Stress Thank you for including some of my comments in your article on "Jewish Stress" (Aug. 4). I enjoyed reading the entire article and must commend Richard Pearl for selecting different age levels and groups to complete the overall picture. It was interesting to learn that younger singles than myself have so many unhap- py experiences. I always thought that "youth" was its own reward. Stella Rives Southfield Sheik Obeid And Israel As non-Jewish U.S. citizens, it's nice to know that we have an ally with the chutzpa to snatch the jackal from his den. Maybe in the future other jackals will .take notice. Michael J. Vigilant Dolores J. Vigilant West Bloomfield Israel Stooped In Abduction I used to be proud to be a supporter of Israel. lbday, however, that pride is tarnished. Israel went into Lebanese territory and abducted Abdul Karim Obeid, one of the leaders of the Organization of the Oppressed on Earth. Israel then offered a swap in exchange for three Israelis and all Western hostages. Moshe Arens, the foreign minister, said that Israel had a legitimate right to abduct Obeid as a civilized nation. Israel was founded as a civilized nation, based on ideals and laws. It was a civilized nation in 1967 and 1973 when it defended itself from attacks to its territory. The government of Israel has become less and less civilized over the past several years climaxing with the events in which a government crossed boarders and kidnapped an individual (killing an inno- cent bystander who witness- ed the capture) and held him for ransom. We were outraged when Iran held hostages. We are outraged at the holding of hostages now in Lebanon. Should we not be just as outraged at Israel? It should be pointed out that Iran and the groups in Lebanon did not go out of their boarders to ab- duct their hostages. Moshe Arens implied that it is the right of civilized government to take hostages. If so where does it stop? .. . Abducting and holding hostages is not and should not be a function of a civiliz- ed government. Where does that leave Israel? Where does that leave me in my support of Israel? How can one believe the rhetoric of Israel about the evils of terrorism and ter- rorists when it stoops to a higher degree of terrorism. History has shown us what happens when a group of peo- ple are oppressed. Whether or not the plight of "Palesti- nians" or Lebanon was caus- ed by Israel or the 1967 war, they are oppressed. While I understand why Israel has taken the positions it has, I hope that in the very near future it can again demonstrate to the world the moral leadership it was known for before the Shamir administration. When that happens, hopefully Israel will be shown working for a peace for all in the Mideast and a solution that all can take pride in. P. Franklin Auburn Hills Why Are 40 + Singles Ignored? On Aug. 4 the six local Con- servative synagogues held an Oneg Shabbat for singles at Congregation -Shaarey Zedek. The publicity said singles ages 25-40 were invited. As president of the Social Singles, a group of men and women ages 40-55 + , and a divorced mother who has aised six children, I resent all of the attention given to the younger singles, a high Continued on Page 14 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.