I LETTERS
Continued from Page 6
that the activists who de-
mand 40, 50 or more miles
per gallon are also the same
people who make a big fuss
about how terrible it is that
so many are killed in
automobile accidents every
year.
If the need to conserve fuel
is that pressing, we should let
the price of gasoline rise to
whatever it will, or even levy
a special tax on the same.
Some people may choose to
cope with the increased cost
of gasoline by buying a very
small, 35 plus miles per
gallon car. Then again, a per-
son may prefer to alter his or
her lifestyle so as to require
less driving, so he or she won't
have to drive such a small car.
Given that tiny cars are
much more likely than larger
cars to break one's neck in ac-
cidents, we may be better off
with less driving than trying
to attain 40 miles per gallon
in an attempt to maintain our
present lifestyles.
Alexander R. Kounat
West Bloomfield
Mideast Positions
Not Pre-Conceived
In Susan Grant's otherwise
excellent article in the Sept.
15 paper, entitled "Mideast
Travelers Think Two States
Equal Peace," there is an un-
fortunate quote by David
Gad-Harf, Jewish Communi-
ty Council executive director,
which misrepresents our posi-
tion. Mr. Gad-Harf is quoted
15111119 and hoping
the new year bill/19s
()Many tine
and wonderful things —
Jicalth and happiness
that endures,
Everythit19 ‘good to you
and yours.
MEDIUM DUTY
TRUCK CENTER
10
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1990
28111 TELEGRAPH
AT 12 MILE & 1-696
SOUTHFIELD
as saying, "They had their
minds made up before they
left. The trip just reinforced
their conception. I don't think
it was an objective tour."
The statement released by
the Michigan Interfaith
Group before it left on its tour
stated, "Most of us believe
that the Palestinians have a
right to establish a state in
the occupied territories and
that a two state solution
holds the greatest promise of
bringing peace and justice to
the Palestinians and Israelis."
That statement was purpose-
fully put in because some
members of the group had
reservations about a two-state
solution.
Moreover, the statement
further went on, "Each of us
pledges to go with an open
mind and to consider alter-
natives in an effort to further
a peaceful and just solution to
the Israeli-Palestinian con-
flict." That commitment was
met by every member of the
group and only after speaking
with all factions to the con-
flict did the group then
unanimously agree on the
statement we released after
we returned from Israel.
The cutting issue, however,
is not whether our position
was misrepresented, but how
best to achieve peace with
security and justice and it is
in that sense that we went to
Israel and the occupied ter-
ritories and offer our opinions
for discussion within the
Jewish community.
Rudy Simons
Leonard Grossman
Pricey Judaism
Continued from Page 7
bean and Israel Passover
lined up for the years to
come.-
Stay home? And cook?
That's for the proletariat,
not for those how have come
of age in the goldeneh
medinah. Pesach cleaning,
for some, is just something
they read about once in a
Jewish storybook. Even the
live-in gets Pesach off.
Now, of course, I acknowl-
edge that there is such a
thing as "hiddur mitzvah,"
the beautification of the
ritual, showing our love for
Judaism by "dressing" it in
lovely clothes. Silver
Kiddush cups, decorated
sukkot and oil lamps add to
the beauty of the mitzvah.
Our sages spent a great deal
of time and money in search
of the "perfect" etrog.
But what we must be
careful of is losing sight of
the mitzvah itself, being so
blinded by the glare of the
gold case that we fail to see
the parchment.
When the taste of the
Passover ice cream and not
the afikomen matzah lingers
in our mouth, the lesson, it
seems to me, has been lost.
When I begin to judge my
success in Judaism by how
many shalach manot
baskets I received, or sent; or
by how many different
brands of kosher French
wine I sampled at the seder,
when cost equals content, it
is time to re-evaluate.
In Ethics of the Fathers
(6:4) we read: "The way of
Torah is this: a morsel of
bread with salt to eat; water
by ration to drink; sleep on
the ground; live a life of
hardship. If this you do,
happy shall you be in this
world and the next."
Perhaps, America, it is
time to scale down. ❑