Editorials
Good-Natured Ribbing
Primes Purim Spoof
It's a time for peppering ourselves and roasting
others in jest.
It's a time for masquerading and revelry.
It's a time where frivolity grabs the spotlight
in comic plays called spielen.
It's Purim.
So it's curtains up on a tradi-
tion laden with tomfoolery here
at The Jewish News — our
annual Purim spoof It starts on
the cover and continues to our
Close Up pages inside.
The Purim holiday, which
started Wednesday with the Fast
of Esther and ends today with
Shushan Purim, is a minor Jew-
ish holiday commemorating the
Persian Jews' escape from
Haman's plot to destroy them.
"Feasting and gladness" to an
extreme is an ancient custom of
the holiday, pointing up the his-
torical willingness of Jews to
tease without contempt.
The Megillat Esther (Scroll of Esther) relates
how Haman drew purim (lots) to determine
when to exterminate the Jews, already in exile
and their Temple in ruins. It was Queen Esther
and Mordecai, her brave cousin, who convinced
IN FOCUS
King Achashverosh to step in and stop Haman.
When the Megillat Esther is read, children
twirl groggers (noisemakers) at the mere men-
tion of Haman to drown out his name and
destroy his memory. Hamantashen ("ears of
Haman") are eaten at the con-
cluding seudah feast, and
washed down with plenty of
wine.
In this playful spirit, we
(sc)roll out our Purim spoof.
Trust us: Our intent is to paro-
dy, not offend.
The Jews of old playfully
poked fun at themselves, and
who could blame them as sur-
vivors of the evil Haman.
Through the ages, Jews have
continued to survive —
despite the Spanish inquisi-
tion, Russian pogroms, the
Holocaust and Saddam's
Scuds.
As a people, Jews should be
comfortable exchanging friendly banter because
we've shed enough tears. So in celebration of
Purim, let's lighten up, kid and laugh together
— then move on to more pressing issues of the
day. ❑
Pressure? What Pressure?
The Netanyahu government again is issuing
dire warnings of impending American pres-
sure. Now they want American Jews to rally to
stop the new initiative in its tracks.
Last week, American Jewish leaders visiting
Israel were pressed to stage a preemptive strike
against the rumored American squeeze play. At
the same time, Netanyahu representatives were
in Washington, mobilizing Republican opposi-
tion to an administration policy not yet fully
formulated.
Israeli officials are walking a precarious line
in this new confrontation with the Clinton
administration. To be certain, history makes it
clear that harsh public threats and one-sided
U.S. pressure often produce a political back-
lash in democratic Israel that works against
U.S.-goals, not to mention Israel's interests.
Worse still are comprehensive plans that sug-
gest a Washington-imposed settlement on the
Middle East. Such efforts focus more on
American interests than on those of the people
who have to live with the consequences.
But it's important to distinguish between real
pressure and diplomatic spin from an Israeli
government that increasingly seems to regard
almost any American involvement as intrusive.
In reality, the Clinton administration, according
Summer Countdown
More than 3,000 people visited Wayne State University/Mer-
rill-Palmer Institute's "Super Summers for Kids: A Camp &
Activities Fair" March 1 in Farmington Hills. Participants
included Diane Quarles, right, school director, and Tillie
Costello, camp director, who run the Bloomfield Township-
based Echo Park Camp for preschoolers and kindergartners.
Many of the camp directors and parents who attend the annual
fair are Jewish.
LETTERS
Clarification
to almost every mainstream pro-Israel leader,
has been the most overtly pro-Israel ever, despite
some lapses and current deep unhappiness over
the direction of Israeli policy.
For both diplomatic and political reasons,
the administration has been cautious and def-
erential. It's nudging of Israel on issues like a
settlements "time out" and the long-postponed
West Bank redeployment has been accompa-
nied by stronger, more public criticism of the
Palestinians for their erratic performance in
fighting terrorism. The administration's pro-
posals to bring the two sides back to the table
have been offered quietly, and officials in
Washington have reacted with surprising
patience to the unwillingness of either side.
So where's the unfair pressure? We just don't
see it. We urge the administration to remain
engaged in the talks, and to maintain their bal-
anced approach as both "honest broker" in the
negotiations and Israel's best friend.
American Jewish leaders should think care-
fully about calls to confront an administration
exceptionally friendly to Jewish interests and to
Israel. If they blindly follow the dictates from
Jerusalem, they may risk their hard-won credi-
bility. That would jeopardize the needed work
yet to come on Israel's behalf.
❑
A Feb. 27 letter, tided "A
Lesson In Democracy,"
states that William Cohen,
Madeleine Albright and
Sandy Berger are Jewish.
Cohen and Albright are
not Jewish, according to
Donald Cohen, director of
the Anti-Defamation
League Michigan Region.
Recognition
Of Children
I would like to thank Carla
Schwartz for writing her article
on Jan. 30 regarding Andover
High School's one-act plays.
It is a pleasure to see our
children be recognized for
their diligence, hard work and
talents. It makes children feel
good about themselves and
highlights the caring, pride
and concern of the communi-
ty to see their accomplish-
ments in print in The Jewish
News.
I appreciate the efforts
made to support and recognize
these activities.
Carol Ogusky
Bloomfield Hills
Need To See The
Whole Picture
A letter that appeared recently
("Lesson In Democracy" Feb.
27) seems to come from a lack
of knowledge of the total situ-
ation created by Iraq and the
threat to the destruction of the
world by overpowering
weapons.
There seems to be a desire
to distort the role of Secretary
of State Albright and the secre-
tary general of the United
Nations. It is also written in a
manner that attacks the Jewish
community, claiming that
there is a correlation between
being Jewish and denying the
rights of free speech to the cit-
izens of the U.S.A.
To begin with, Secretary
3/13
1998
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