CHURCH-STATE page 4 It's not every day that you're written about in The Jewish News. Just every week. And each day throughout the week you read about your community, neighborhood and synagogue. You find out about money- saving sales, new store openings, great places to eat and exciting entertainment. You discover jobs, new homes to buy, the Amazing Marketplace, and where to go if you're single. You learn about local sports and Jewish life, around the world and down the street. So if you're not subscribing, you're missing what we're all about...YOU! Worth writing about. Worth reading about. THE JEWI S H NEWS So Easy To Critique Save 40% off the newsstand price. Receive 52 issues plus six issues of Style magazine for only $39.00 ($54 out-of-state). ADDITIONAL SAVINGS: TWO YEAR SUBSCRIPTION FOR $7200. Yes, I'd like my own II] Please bill me. year subscription to The Jewish News. ❑ I'd like to send a year subscription as a gift to: ❑ Payment enclosed. Name DETRO IT JEW C/3 My Name Address My Address City City State State Zip Zip Phone Phone New subscribers only Gift Card Message Please send all payments along with this coupon to: The Jewish News, P.O. Box 2267, Southfield, MI 48037-9966. Allow 2-3 weeks for delivery. IT For faster service call 810-354-6620 and charge it to your Visa , or MasterCard between the hours of 8:30 an and 5:00 pm naa maa am ama mm am mm time settlement. Once we signal that we are willing to make ex- ceptions for our own benefit, it will be interpreted that we are willing to make exceptions to the detriment of others, and thus, should expect nothing different for ourselves. The stories heard lately from schools in the suburbs about Christmas icons in the classroom, religious type songs included in classroom holiday parties and at- tempt after attempt to find the equal-time balance between hol- idays, as well as the hands-off at- titude of school administrators in maintaining policies that are now in place in most districts to pre- vent violation of the separation directive, signals that the climate is right for school prayer to creep back into our children's daily cur- riculum. Although teachers are well-in- tentioned in highlighting differ- ences among "cultures," there is a danger when religion is treat- ed as a culture and, as a result, students are categorized by the beliefs they hold. Further, any ef- fort to determine if the benefits of practices such as prayer in public schools outweigh the neg- atives is not an appropriate ap- proach. As with any civil liberty, a negative impact on one is a neg- ative impact on all and thus can- not be "outweighed" by a counter-balancing positive. We as parents of public-school children must confront these en- croachments on the separation doctrine at the earliest hint of such an event and in a direct and non-offensive manner. The Jew- ish Community Council and the Anti-Defamation League stand ready to assist in more difficult circumstances. But it is the par- ents who can have the greatest opportunity and responsibility for impact by being involved with teachers, administrators, and the curriculum and by staying the course in keeping all religion out of the public schools, even our own. Mark Davidoff West Bloomfield AD 194 After reading J.S. Kaufman's let- ter to the editor (Dec. 23), I re- alize he is making a point that no Jew in the galut (Diaspora) can in good conscience make. It is so easy for us as Jews living in the galut to sit back and critique the policies of the Israeli government. We don't suffer in any tangible way from 7,000 miles away. We don't pay exorbitant taxes, we don't lose our sons and fathers to war, nor do we live in fear of ter- rorist attacks. Israel is a democracy and as such has a democratically elect- edgovernment. The Rabin gov- ernment has withstood numerous votes of confidence in the past two years which should, in and of itself, serve to validate the Labor Party's right to power. To use the Gallup Poll to suggest that Prime Minister Rabin no longer enjoys the support of the nation is absurd. Israel is a coun- try where daily events, such as a terrorist attack, can sway public opinion on a moment's notice. If J.S. Kaufman is so quick to condemn the policies of the Is- raeli government, maybe he should make the ultimate sacri- fice and make aliyah. Then, and only then, can he make his ob- jections legitimate. It is in our best interest to have policy mak- ers here in the United States sup- port the Israeli government, no matter who is in control. One final note: I have yet to hear those people complaining about the inadequacies of the peace process provide any real al- ternatives. It is a painful realization that we Jews who have chosen to be comfortable in the United States have no right or authority to den- igrate the policies of the Israeli government. The best we can do is support Prime Minister Rabin in his efforts to achieve peace, just as we should support every other Israeli government in its efforts to achieve its policies. Elisa R Lupovitch Chicago No Guarantee For Good Conduct By now you've probably been told over and over that the Lord's Prayer is not Psalm 23. It's part of the Sermon on the Mount, from Matthew, Chapter 6. Inter- estingly, Jesus' sermon would keep prayer out of schools, for he advised people to pray privately. "When you pray, go into a room by yourself, shut the door, and pray to your Father who is there in the secret place" (New English Bible translation). That's good advice for proponents of school prayer, for school prayer does nothing to promote good conduct. I grew up in England, a land with an official religion and a dai- ly diet of school prayer. During the prayer portion of morning as- sembly, Jews, Muslims and Catholics — about 4 percent of the school body — lined up out- side the school hall and entered for the daily announcements; in a Christian country, in those days it was not possible for Catholics to pray with Anglicans. We learned without fear of guns and knives. Rebellious na- tures descended to smoking — drugs were almost unheard of — but rarely lower. What kept us in line? Had school prayer served in any way to promote good con- duct, surely the non-Anglican mi- NO GUARANTEE page 10