What Did The Armistice Mean? The world's headlines report this week of mas- sive celebrations of the 50-year commemoration of the end of World War IL Russian President Boris Yeltsin helped unveil a monument in mem- my of those who died fighting the Germans. The British paraded with vintage RAF aircraft over- head, and President Clinton laid a wreath at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. With these events of memory, however, come chilling reminders that an armistice didn't end the killing in Europe. Indeed, the Russian Par- liament has opened an investigation into the cold- blooded killing of 100 children, men and women in the Chechen farming village of Samashki by 3,000 Russian soldiers who took the town, doused its houses with gasoline and torched the houses and the people occupying them. In reconquered Croatia, a western Slavonian village was seized last week resulting in death and the flight of its villagers. Serbian artillery shells killed eight more peo- ple and wounded 40 in a suburb of Sarajevo. President Bill Clinton is under pressure from GOP leaders to cut back aid to Russia should it go through with its plans to sell nuclear tech- nology to Iran. What is it that we're celebrating? It seems that for some, the lessons of 50 years haven't been learned very well and that hu- manity even in times of contemporary "peace" is something that can be cruel. The Russian army's civilian victims or the Slavonian refugees are not interested in parades or laying wreaths. They only know that like so many millions of 1940s Europeans, they are displaced. Helpless parents who know they cannot even protect their own children from a sniper's bul- let. Yes, we can remember well, but people need to learn also that the war might not be over. And until we can rid the earth of ethnic killing and leftover hatred, the armistice is sometimes noth- ing more than ink and paper. The world seems dangerously at peace. While that's better than a declared war, it means that the armistice signed 50 years ago still needs to be worked on, perhaps worked on harder between world pow- ers than ever. Giving over of nuclear capability to countries such as Iran could turn the world hostage to ter- rorism of unknown and unsaid potential. Again, the goal of the armistice was to bring the world together. But the actions we're seeing seem to be doing just the opposite. Two Schools Need Help From Southfield, Federation We are hopeful that Federation can make it So much has been written and so much has been said over the last five years about the viability a priority of urgency to assist both schools in re- of Southfield as a Jewish home, not only for res- locating in areas close to their current sites. For so many years, Southfield officials have publicly idents, but also Jewish institutions. While we understand the need for Federation and privately talked of a need to bolster the city's to maintain its Agency for Jewish Education fa- attractiveness to Jewish residents and institu- cilities on 12 Mile, we also want to urge officials tions. We urge the city of Southfield to help the to do their utmost to help both Darchei Torah two schools relocate close to their current homes. We think it's important that the city continue in and Akiva find new homes in the area. Darchei Torah and Akiva are bursting at the an active way its relationship with the Jewish seams with the need for classrooms and new- community. There remains so much in Southfield for Jews er, more modern facilities. Here are two insti- tutions preferring to stay in the Southfield area. to stay. Darchei Torah and Akiva should con- There's no talk of moving to the outer suburbs. tinue to be two of those reasons. Cr) LU V') U-1 H- C.) CC UJ LU H- 4 TAT onAtiomA CAR Sct4BERR S DIFFER EST F om AN ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALIST OR SOMBER li TO BO KILL MoceKri WOM I AND 44 HIEKREN CLD, TEAR •ri-teY FAMILIES APART GRIEF ran- CUNDAMENTACIS -r CAR EicMgeR oTH Is SE 146 eaSSINGS oF NIS ReoGious LEA%Rs .! Letters Apparent Oversight I would like to point out an ap- parent oversight in the May 5 Jewish News article "Shall We Pray?" regarding the Jewish com- munity's response to the issues of constitutionally mandated school prayer. It would appear as if your article was based on the document "Religion in the Pub- lic Schools: A Joint Statement of Current Law — April 1995," a booklet released by a coalition of 34 religious and public policy or- ganizations. In the piece in your paper, credit was properly given to the Anti-Defamation League and the American Jewish Com- mittee, but no reference was giv- en to the American Jewish Congress, the organization that chaired the drafting committee and prepared the text on behalf of the rest of the coalition. Please note that the Chicago of- fice represents the Detroit metro area, but works in conjunction with its local representative, Robert Brown, who can be reached at 810-352-9080. Joel L Rubin. Executive Director Chicago Editor's Note: The Anti-Defama- tion League's monthly newsletter (January 1995) and the Ameri- can Jewish Committee's Teligion in Public Schools: What Is Per- missible, What Is Not" (March 1995) were included among the numerous sources and interviews used. The American Jewish Con- gress text was not consulted. Judaism Prescribes Individual Responsibility Contrary to popular Jewish opin- ion, it is not in the Jewish best interest to support the continu- ation of the "welfare state." America, founded on the princi- ple of individual responsibility, which encouraged an indepen- dent citizenry, has since become a country whose societal premise is dependency on government. James Besser's assertion ("Welfare Reform's Cost To Jews," March 31) that "it is in everyone's best interest to use government as an instrument of compassion and social stability" ignores the fact that compassion can only be produced by individ- ual action, not government fiat. Ironically, the Founding Fa- thers had a clearer understand- ing of the Jewish Bible than do many Jews today. Judaism was founded on the impulse that men were responsible for their own actions. The covenantal statement that "if men do what is just and right then all that the Torah promises will occuf' (Genesis 18:15-17), as- sumes free will and its ethical corollary, individual responsibil- ity. Thus, the proper type of soci- ety, compatible with Judaism, is not a quasi-socialist welfare state, but one founded instead on indi- vidualism and independence from government. Jewish survival is predicated on the cultivation of what Rab- bi Steinger ("Our Jewish Sur- vival Is Determined By Us," April 21) pejoratively labels "Jewish parochialism, narrowness and triumphalism," which are mere- ly liberal code words for the transformation of Judaism from a particularistic religion to a uni- versalistic one. Thus, personal perfection is es- chewed in favor of global tikkun olam. And as long as this philo- sophical predisposition results in the perpetuation of the myth that Judaism is primarily founded on unconditional compassion, as op- posed to individual responsibili- ty, Judaism will continue its theological, cultural and nation- al decline. Any legislative action which seeks to limit the overextended role of government in our lives should be applauded as consis- tent with Torah Judaism. Marc Baker Birmingham Letters Policy Letters must be type- written, double-spaced, and include the name, home address, daytime phone number and sig- nature of the writer.