LOOKING BACK '91 MODEL CLOSEOUT!!! Letters And Drawings To The Front up to $2,500 factory cash REBATE! (plus tremendous dealer discounts) Smart Lease continues • Free loaner car program SHOP THE REST ... THEN CHECK WITH THE BEST! • Huge selections of '91 Sedan De Villes • Extra discounts on '91 Demos • Entire inventory of new & used cars on sale!!! Detroit's #1 CADILLAC DEALER! • SHOWROOM OPEN MON. & THURS. 9 AM•9 PM Dreisbach Sons 531.2600 GRAND RIVER MICHIGAN'S #1 CADILLAC SERVICE DEPT. 1-6% M 10 MILE 9WIE BMILE 7MILE 6MILE 111: MI Aillint smiu 4: - JUST W. OF TELEGRAPH ALAN H. FEILER Special to The Jewish News D uring one of the most critical moments in her life, Noga, a 14- year-old Israeli girl, penned a letter last January to a stranger — an American soldier stationed in Saudi Arabia. "Just now we had an alarm and we all ran too (sic) the bomb shelter," she wrote. "All the neighbours in my building are running to the same shelter, so now I am sitting with one crying girl, one panic (sic) woman and two old 'crazy' men. Well, you can see that I am having a nice time, so if one d'ay you will meet Sadam Hussein tell him thanks a lot from Noga." More than a thousand Israeli youngsters sent letters and drawings to American servicemen dur- ing Operation Desert Storm. A compilation of those works will be featured in a book to be published in September by Shapolsky Publishers en- titled Thank You America.. The Children Of Israel Salute The Soldiers Of Desert Storm. For your home or business Custom built to your specifications or do-it-yourself! We provide design assistance to help you create the Sauna of your dream! • SOUTHFIELD 26630 Southfield Rd. Southfield, MI 48076 LIVONIA 13250 Newburgh Road Livonia, MI 48150 1/2 Block off 1-96 Between 10} & 11 Mile . (313) 557-6550 ROUTS: Mon.-Fri. 40-8, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 12-5 EXERCISE & FITNESS I wr I (313) 462-2697 Hours: Mon.-Fri. 9-6 EXERCISE & FITNESS • SAUNA & STEAM Tables • Desks Wall Units Bedrooms Dining Rooms . _ . 12 Years' Experience & Expertise in the Design of Affordable Laminate, Lucite & Wood Furniture For Appt. Call 100 Muriel Wetsman 661-3838 FRIDAY,' AUGUST 23, 1991 The campaign to send letters and drawings to American soldiers during the war and the resulting book were the brainchild of Yitzhak Fieldust, a retired Israeli major who lives in the Tel Aviv suburb of Rehovot. Besides giving Israeli chil- dren an opportunity to ex- press themselves about the war, "we wanted to thank American soldiers and give them a good feeling," said Mr. Fieldust. A veteran of Israel's War of Attrition (the border fighting between 1969 and 1971) and the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Mr. Fieldust said he empathized with soldiers' fears about being in a war zone. "I remember fighting in the Sinai and getting letters from kids," he said. "It made me feel somebody loved me and was behind me. It was important that we show the Americans that we were on their side and were grateful for their help." Mr. Fieldust, who came to the Jewish state from Iran in 1958, contacted elementary Alan H. Feiler is a staff reporter for the Baltimore Jew- ish Times. and high schools in Israel to mobilize students to submit letters and drawings to thank American soldiers in the Persian Gulf. He also placed advertisements in Israeli newspapers and on radio stations. The idea for the appeal came after helping his seven-year-old son, Ayal, with a drawing of Israeli and American soldiers pointing guns at Iraqi President Hus- sein. Mr. Fieldust also re- quested that schools for Israeli Arab children ask their students to send letters and drawings. He said he "felt they need- ed encouragement to make peace and a chance to also thank Americans." Asking for letters and drawings to be written in English, Mr. Fieldust / / "It was important that we show the Americans that we were on their side." Yitzhak Fieldust received a wide array of ma- terials from students. One crayon drawing from a girl named Hilla shows an American flag punching out an Iraqi flag. Another sketch shows Israeli and American soldiers saluting a monu- ment for war dead. Several other drawings depict family members wearing gas masks ( in sealed rooms and Patriot missiles knocking Scud warheads out of the sky. Letters from the children to American soldiers were equally moving. "Life here in Israel is not like it was before the war in the Gulf," wrote Odelia Abramovitch, a 16-year-old Tel Aviv high school stu- dent. "People now are very frightened and depressed (especially my mother) .. . Thanks to you and to your friends. You're doing a great job there." After collecting more than a thousand letters and draw- ings, Mr. Fieldust turned the material over to the United States Embassy in Tel Aviv to send to American soldiers. He said he is not sure if any students and soldiers main- tained contact. After the success of the project, Mr. Fieldust tried to market the idea of a book of children's letters and draw-