here Do We Go
From Here?

Earlier this week, the peace process appeared to be
getting back on track as Israel Prime Minister
Binyamin Netanyahu reportedly put the finishing
touches on what may be his first complete, serious
plan to settle key issues with the Palestinians.
As if by magic, hopes, which had been dimmed
throughout the Middle East for months, were lit
up again. But not for long. The disturbing events
that followed in the middle of the week knocked the
breath out of the temporarily revived peace process.
First, an internal legislative panel advised Yas-
sir Arafat to replace all of his 18 ministers because
they are corrupt. Among other problems, the in-
vestigating committee reported that the Cabinet
misused almost half of the Palestinian Authority's
$800 million annual budget.
Then, on the same day, a Palestinian stabbed an
Israel Defense Forces soldier near a settlement in
the West Bank.
And on Wednesday, two suicide bombers killed
and injured many people in a market in Jerusalem.
Did the peace process come out of a coma only to
be put back to sleep? Not necessarily.
The reason for continued cautious optimism
comes mainly from Mr. Netanyahu's apparent re-
cent realization that time is no longer on his side
and that he must act quickly and decisively on the
peace front. His swift, strong move to oppose build-
ing a new Jewish settlement in east Jerusalem
showed he now means business. It also may have
indicated a political maturing on his part. Maybe
he
is finally learning from his mistakes — namely,

allowing the construction on Har Homa, which led
to the breakdown of the last series of talks in March.
But what makes Mr. Netanyahu seem more de-
termined than ever to move ahead are reports that
he has formulated a plan for a final status agree-
ment with the Palestinian Authority. His blueprint
even takes on the emotional topic of east Jerusalem,
allowing for a possible symbolic representation
by the PA.
Although he offers the Palestinians nothing close
to what they demand — they want all of east
Jerusalem to be their capital — his willingness to
even discuss this topic is an important step.
We, of course, agree with the Netanyahu ad-
ministration and previous governments that Israel
should never give up an inch of the eternal capi-
tal of the Jewish people. But Mr. Netanyahu can
certainly make some symbolic concessions, espe-
cially since the Palestinians already control most
of the holy sites and have direct influence on the
vast majority of the residents of east Jerusalem.
The two sides face many more challenging is-
sues, including implementing past decisions, such
as building a Palestinian airport and seaport in
Gaza and releasing Palestinian prisoners.
It is therefore vital that both sides remain com-
mitted to sitting at the negotiating tables for as long
as it takes to work out differences. Getting up and
slamming the doors this time could be a lose-lose
situation.
Only long-term thinking and the willingness to
make sound compromises, on both sides, will lead
to win-win results.

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

A List Of Accounts
And Swiss Accountability

32

Earlier this year, hundreds of Holocaust sur-
vivors, their loved ones and friends crowded Con-
gregation Shaarey Zedek to take part in a claims
seminar.
There was no shortage of questions tendered
by the survivors, and no shortage of personal sto-
ries that could wrench a heart made of stone.
Many there were trying to process paperwork
which would entitle them to an extra couple of
hundred dollars a month for the unspeakable
pain they endured during the Holocaust.
Can we imagine? Losing it all: relatives, prop-
erty, and ultimately, belief in humanity — and
then having to fight for a pittance of compensa-
tion
Then, there was the other story. Swiss banks
were denying earlier this year that they had hold-
ings of Jewish money. They placed red tape in
the way as a roadblock. Actual account numbers
weren't good enough.
Now, through the hard work of individuals
such as Charles Bronfman and organizations
such as the World Jewish Congress, all of a sud-

den there are lists of names. The Swiss are "sor-
ry" for the earlier unavailable funds.
The Swiss Bankers Association claims there
are about 775 accounts totaling over $30 million.
You might have a friend or a relative on the list
of names.
Whether or not this is the end of the Swiss
bank account situation remains to be seen. But
the work of the world's Jewish leaders in expos-
ing this indecent act is really the only reason why
there is now some $30 million to be had. The
money did not come to the surface voluntarily.
Obviously, there are names on the list. But
like the hundreds who flocked to Shaarey Zedek
earlier this year, each name, each account doesn't
only represent an amount of money but the sto-
ry of a person and his or her family.
This is sacred money; this is a passbook on a
time we can't ever forget.
Check the list. It's about our people and our
experience. Sometimes "not forgetting" takes a
gallant, determined effort. For that we are grate-
ful.

The city of Southfield is alive and well.

Letters

Information
Out Of Date?

In the article "Out Of The Ashes"
(July 25), demographer Patricia
Becker is quoted as saying, "The
exodus continues with many
Jews and their institutions leav-
ing Southfield and Oak Park for
the northwest." This statement
is at best misleading and cer-
tainly inaccurate.
While Jews do move to the
northwest, the Jewish population
in Huntington Woods, Oak Park
and Southfield and the Jewish in-
stitutions in Oak Park and
Southfield are strong and getting
stronger. Through the Federation
Neighborhood Project, Jewish
families are purchasing homes
each week Property values have
skyrocketed at a compounded an-
nual rate of 12-15 percent in
north Oak Park and 8 percent
compounded in Southfield and
Huntington Woods.
The JCC in Oak Park has lim-
ited membership available in its
health club, while the Maple-
Drake facility struggles to main-
tain its membership. Synagogues,
Jewish stores and other Jewish
institutions are generally thriv-
ing in the Oak Park-Southfield
area. Expansion is taking place
at a number of synagogues and
places of Jewish study. In fact,
The Jewish News itself is enjoy-
ing great success based in South-
field.
Yes, the new families are often
Orthodox or frequently new
Americans, but Jewish nonethe-
less. Huntington Woods is the
hottest community for young and
middle-aged Jewish families,
most of which are neither Ortho-
dox nor new Americans.
Jews today can and do live
anywhere that they can afford
to, including Troy-Rochester,

Northville-Novi, the Grosse
Pointes and Bloomfield Township-
Bloomfield Hills. However, the two
largest Jewish communities re-
main Huntington Woods-Oak
Park-Southfield, followed by
Farmington Hills-West Bloom-
field. We are enjoying stability to-
day, not a mass exodus.
Perhaps Ms. Becker was mis-
quoted, or perhaps she is just out
of date.

Harvey Bronstein
Southfield

Attack In Letter
Was Unfair

As Jewish Unfair Labor practice
strikers who have not crossed the
picket lines during the two-year
newspaper strike/lockout, we
were disgusted by George Can-
tor's letter attacking The Jewish
News for raising the strike issue
in its profile of Mark Silverman
("Company Man" July 4).
Mr. Cantor would have us be-
lieve that this strike is about "in-
competent union leadership." But
a National Labor Relations Board
administrative law judge ruled
the strike an unfair labor prac-
tice strike, found that it is actu-
ally about bad-faith bargaining
on behalf of Gannett and Knight.
Ridder, the paper's out-of-state-
owners, and called the hiring of
replacement workers illegal.
What's Jewish about that?
The Jewish Labor Committee's
report "Labor Rights in the Jew-
ish Tradition" clearly states
where our faith lies on this issue.
Halachah upholds workers' rights
to good-faith collective bargain-
ing and holds management re-
sponsible to engage in that
practice.

ATTACK page 35