Muslims denounce the "cancer of the Middle East."
ty policy, the administra-
tion cannot remove ban-
ners once a group secures
permission to hang them
— unless the banner "is
clearly outside the protec-
tion of the First Amend-
ment," said Robert War-
tner, director of media
relations.
He knew of no banner
that ever fit into this cate-
gory.
"When something is
deemed to be offensive, the
sponsors are asked to re-
move the banner. The de-
cision, however, is left up
41.6.tvi _St
ARCH 15 •
Ny-ormlowfd
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A sign of concern for WSU students.
to the organization," he
said.
Many Jewish students
believe the banner should
not be protected by First
Amendment rights.
- "I think it's a violation of
my civil rights," said Ms.
Stollmann. "Free speech is
one thing, but free speech
doesn't include conduct To
authorize the spilling of
blood — I d.on't \know.
That's a little dangerous."
Wayne State Professor
Leon Warshay thinks the
banner might indicate the
rejuvenation of a trend
toward anti-Israel and
anti-Semitic behavior on
the WSU campus.
In the 1980s, Professor
Warshay said there was
some inter-ethnic friction.
"When the Gulf War came,
everything quieted down
on campus," he said. "And
until recently, that's been
the case. So (the banner)
may be the revival of a
trend."
David Jarcaig, executive
chair of the WSU Hillel
student board, will attend
the Student Center board
meeting next week to voice
his objection to the ban-
ner.
"I am Jewish. I
shouldn't have to be in any
public place where there
are signs belittling me for
what I am," he said.
But, as nearly 200
demonstrators gathered on
the corners of Wyoming
and Warren avenues for
last Friday's march, local
Muslims denied accusa-
tions of anti-Semitism.
The march, held annual-
ly, honors a holiday creat-
ed by the late Iranian
leader Ayatollah Kho-
meini. "Worldwide Day of
Jerusalem" takes place on
the last Friday of the
month of Ramadan, the
month of fasting. The holi-
day condemns the State of
Israel and calls for the sov-
ereignty of the Palestinian
people.
Marching toward Dear-
born City Hall on March
19, Muslim demonstrators
shouted "Zionism is Rac-
ism" and "Cancer of the
Middle East. Israel does
not exist."
Many were quick to clar-
ify beforehand, however,
that they distinguish
between Jews and the
Jewish state.
"How can (the holiday
and the banner) be against
Jews?" said Syed Zaidi,
from the Zainabia Center
in West Bloomfield. "The
government is different
from the people. These
(government leaders) are
the people who have
brought our problem."
Anbther demonstrator
explained the banner's
depiction of a barbed and
bloody Jewish star in
terms of the relationship
between Israel and Pales-
tinians.
"Zionism is putting
barbed wire around op-
pressed people in the occu-
pied territories," Ali
Mokhtarzazadh said. I
Israeli Students Offer
Insight To Americans
LESLEY PEARL STAFF WRITER
H
oping to create better
understanding
between Americans
and Israelis, Chava
Shane and Adam Handel-
zalts have been touring
the Midwest, speaking to
sch&ols and social clubs
about their country in the
Middle East.
Last week the two high
school students made a
stop in Detroit, visiting a
range of locations from
Andover High and West
Bloomfield High to Cass
Tech and Grosse Pointe
Pierce Middle.
Local families and
Jewish Community
Council sponsored their
stay.
At Grosse Pointe Pierce
Middle School, Chava and
Adam were brought in to
complete a unit on World
War II and the Holocaust.
"This is ideal," said
Susan Allan, assistant
principal. "Our students
get to hear the teens speak
on culture, but also upon
political aspects."
Standing in front of 20
or more eighth-grade
faces, Chava and Adam
attempted to give the class
a sense of life as a Jew,
and a teen, in Israel.
Chava, the daughter of
Americans who made
aliyah in 1975, spoke of
life as a religious Jew in
Chava writes in Hebrew for a class.
Beersheva — majoring in
literature and working
with a youth group.
"I am the minority,"
Chava said. "Most Jews in
Israel are not religious."
Adam discussed secular
life in Herzliya, where he
majors in chemistry, plays
and coaches baseball and
is a vegetarian.
They explained that they
are part of a youth delega-
tion of the Israeli govern-
ment. Thirty pairs of stu-
dents travel around the
United States and Europe
— talking about life in
Israel and answering ques-
tions.
The students had many.
But first, Chava and
Adam gave statistical data
about Israel, its education-
al system and mandatory
army duty, and taught the
students to write their
names in Hebrew. They
also attempted to dispel
any myths.
"No, I don't live in a tent
or ride a camel," Chava
said.
Adam was quick to add
that life in Israel is similar
in many ways to existence
in the United States —
especially in the popularity
of television show "Beverly
Hills 90210."
Students wanted to
know about life during the
Persian Gulf War and the
realities of being surround-
ed by unfriendly countries.
"Were you scared? How
long did you have to stay
in the sealed room? Did
you have to wear a gas
mask? Do you carry a
gun?" were among the
questions asked.
They also fielded ques-
tions about rollerblades,
Hebrew typewriters, malls
and movies.
At West Bloomfield High
and Southfield-La hrup
High, Chava and Adam
were faced with more
sophisticated questions
from older students with a
better understanding of
the country.
Land for peace, terror-
ism and the Jewish lobby
were the issues.
"We're here to give peo-
ple an idea of Israel,
Adam said. "We're always
in the media. And people
get the wrong perception.
We're not diplomats; we're
here to create an image, a
real image."
Chava agreed.
"We want to communi-
cate with people all over
the world. They don't see
the whole picture," Chava.
said.
Correction
Robert Meeropol
will speak 7:30 to-
night (March 26) at a
reception in Palmer
Woods about the spy
case and execution
of his parents, Ethel
and Julius Rosen-
berg. For directions,
call Julie Hurwitz
and Bill Goodman,
893-1421.
15