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Youth Aren't Just Into Crime;
Check Out Our Scout Troops
The sensationalism often associated with the mod-
ern media does a thorough job of dramatizing the
ills and downfalls of our youth.
A day doesn't go by when we don't see a TV spe-
cial on urban, and now suburban youth gangs.
Photo stories chronicle the lives of AIDS infected
teen-agers and their sick babies. We've all prob-
ably seen stories about runaway youths and the
lives they live.
Quietly, though, like a deep, rich earth per-
mitting our children to grow, men and women we
know, with names like Cheryl and Ken Reid and
Donna Feldman, work in their dens and living
rooms to give our children a standard of civility
far from "gangsta" rap and the mall. Local Jew-
ish scouting groups, as chronicled in our Close
Up, take the pressure off of our youth to "conform"
to what's out there. Instead, it's cool to assem-
ble a tent and camp out with dads at Kensington
Park. It's special to earn a Ner Tamid merit badge
for religious study. It suddenly doesn't matter if
a person can afford a computer gadget or a sneak-
er that promises aerial views of the basketball
hoop. Instead, it's a chance to meet with other
youths in a safe environment, work on crafts, learn
about religion, teamwork and see adults in po-
sitions of role model.
This is what scouting, Jewish scouting has to
offer. Locally, we're fortunate to have active groups
who offer Jews of all levels of observance a safe
place to be boys and/or girls , "good boys" and
"good girls." Remember that term? It used to be
something to be proud of. Local Jewish scouting
organizations have kept the term intact. It has
not been lost to the ages. It's still a place where a
youth doesn't have to grow up so quickly. You'll
see from the children Associate Editor Alan Hit-
sky interviewed, it's a matter of just wanting to
have fun. It's also not a matter, as television might
tell us, of wanting "to be like Mike." Scouts want
to be like Dad or Mom. Well it should be that way.
Hopefully it's not a principle exclusive to scout-
ing. But it sure is nice to know it's at least hap-
pening there.
In this world, that's one of the best reasons
we've heard for young Jews to get together in a
long time.
Jonathan Pollard
Needs Continued Support
the rank-and-file of American Jewry to sympa-
thize with Mr. Pollard's plight. As a result, Amer-
ican Jewish indifference to Mr. Pollard prevailed,
giving President Clinton no cause to seriously
ponder the unjust particulars of the case sepa-
rate from the political climate in which it was pre-
sented.
But rather than become mired in anger and
frustration, those who support freedom for Mr.
Pollard must persevere. After 10 years in prison,
Mr. Pollard will be eligible for parole next year,
although legal experts say he is unlikely to gain
freedom on his first try.
However, if the Pollard case has proved any-
thing it is the importance that political consider-
ations play in the so-called justice process. By
continuing to lobby President Clinton on his be-
half, Mr. Pollard's supporters may still convince
a president whose re-election appears far from
certain that sufficient political points can be scored
by favoring parole for Mr. Pollard.
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Willing Volunteer
Was Never Called
Along with lots of others, I at-
tended the volunteer day at the
Jewish Community Center on
Jan. 7.
Being a social action type of
person and being new to the
area, I looked forward to get-
ting involved with something
worthwhile.
I selected two organizations
that I was willing to spend a
large amount of my spare time
with, registered at their re-
spective booths and have nev-
er heard from either.
Please explain to me the
point of having such an event if
the staffers of these organiza-
tions are so indifferent that they
obviously do not care.
Needless to say, I am some-
what disillusioned!
Jim L. Myers
Farmington Hills
President Bill Clinton's decision to deny Jonathan
Jay Pollard clemency just days before the start of
the Passover holiday was another cruel twist in
the sad saga of the former Navy intelligence an-
alyst sentenced to life in prison for spying for Is-
rael.
Mr. Pollard, in prison since his 1985 arrest (he
pleaded guilty to the spy charges in 1987), bears
primary responsibility for his plight: He know-
ingly broke U.S. law and accepted thousands of
dollars from his Israeli handlers. But Mr. Pollard
also fell victim to international and domestic po-
litical considerations that cost him both a fair tri-
al and proper consideration of his request for
clemency.
In addition, Mr. Pollard was victimized by some
of the very same individuals who were his most
vocal supporters. By unabashedly portraying him
as an unbending Zionist hero worthy of uncriti-
cal praise, the more rabid elements of the orga-
nized pro-Pollard movement made it difficult for
tuft LAD
Letters
kr,
ag:
Designing Funds
For Borman Residents
We are very disturbed over the
recent events concerning the
closing of Borman Hall. We
have also learned that other
than religious needs, the Jew-
ish Federation will provide no
financial support for the new
home.
Just taking care of the
home's religious needs is not
enough. If the Jewish Federa-
tion cannot support a home for
the Jewish aged, something is
drastically wrong. Our religion
teaches us to honor and respect
our elders.
Many Jewish organizations
distribute money to many wor-
thy causes. If each distribution
was decreased by a small
amount, this savings plus the
amount saved when Borman
Hall is closed, and the money
from the sale of Borman Hall
should go to help maintain the
new home.
We believe that the Allied
Jewish Campaign and the Jew-
ish Federation should see that
the parties who are willing to
try and make a home for
our elderly are able to succeed
so they will not abandon the
project.
We feel so strongly about this
issue that we are going to hold
our 1994 pledge and wait and
see how this issue will be han-
dled.
If other people feel the same
way, we encourage them to do
the same.
B. Paul Benton
Molly Benton
West Bloomfield
Ina Friedman's
Political Editorial
Israel correspondent Ina Fried-
man's article March 18 was a
political editorial, not a news
report. She not only abandons
any attempt at neutrality but
also gives a completely unbal-
anced view of the West Bank.
She notes the "blatant dis-
crimination" in place because
of the "application of two sets of
laws" without explaining that
Israel could never extend civil-
ian law to the Arabs in the West
Bank because it would amount
to tacit annexation — the op-
posite of what Palestinians
want. She then asserts that
Palestinians "essentially enjoy
no civil rights," an allegation for
which she offers no evidence
and expects us to simply accept
as truth because of the Hebron
massacre.
Yet, despite the hardships
imposed by the occupation,
Palestinian prisoners have been
entitled to an admirable ap-
peals process. At the same time,
Alan Dershowitz has called
West Bank newspapers "the
freest in the Arab world." Just
because Israel has not been per-
fect in administering the ter-
ritories, making unfounded
accusations hardly qualifies as
journalism.
In her discussion of how ter-
rorists are classified, she is only
interested in implying that
army policy is racist and she ig-
nores relevant securityissues.
She actively attempts to por-
tray the army leaders as a
bunch of racists because they
have a double-standard for as-
sessing Arabs and Jews who
carry guns.
FRIEDMAN page 10