Now they have a whole
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LETTERS
DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
tiPTEWE R
Inside: The Year 5757 In Review — Locally, internationally.
Neighborhood Shifts To Improvement Loans.
amount of land to be handed over to
the PA is Israel's decision to make and
is to be made on the basis of a reci-
procity agreement that validates steps
taken to change Arab attitudes vis-a-
vis the destruction of Israel. It is no
secret that these so-called "Palestinian
Arabs" support the ruthless dictator of
Iraq and give every indication of con-
tinued support for the destruction of
Israel.
Is the administration forgetting what
World War II taught us — that appease-
ment only leads to conflagration?
The Middle East sorely needs the
presence of a strong and viable state
— a state which places great emphasis
on the doctrine of man's responsibility
to his fellow man. The PA already has
about 98 percent of the Arab popula-
tion in the territories under their con-
trol and seems to be creating just
another dictatorship in the area. We
must stop placating the PA and use
our energies to ensure the security of
the Jewish people all over the world by
supporting a secure and safe haven for
our brethren in Israel.
Honey & Apples
For A Sweet
New Year
Rosh Hashanah 5158
Lillian Rosenberg Hurwitz
Franklin
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The House Judiciary Committee
approved the so-called "Religious Free-
dom" amendment to the U.S. Consti-
tution proposed by Congressman
Ernest Istook, R-Okla. This pending
legislation, which has appeared in vari-
ous forms over the past few years, has
taken a disturbing and unnecessary
step on the road to consideration by
the full House.
The "Religious Freedom" amend-
ment tampers with the First Amend-
ment and threatens to undo essential
constitutional protections against gov-
ernment endorsement of religion and
would form a basis for religious coer-
cion. And it is unnecessary because
the First Amendment already protects
private religious expression in public
schools and in the public square, with-
out government intervention.
If the amendment were to become
law, it would permit — or even
require — the government to fund
religious activities on the same terms
that it funds secular activities.
This religious freedom amendment
could conceivably open the door to
organized, coercive public school
prayer as well as to government-
endorsed religion.
This is a blatant violation of our
fundamental constitutional principle
that taxpayers shall not be forced to
support religious institutions. We
oppose it, as should anyone who truly
seeks to protect religious liberty in our
country.
Sharona Shapiro
Michigan area director,
American Jewish Committee
Religious Confusion:
Who Is A Jew?
The reaction of American Jewry to the
issue of religion in Israel is certainly
understandable. Our entire heritage is
directed toward freedom of religious
expression. Anything less sounds like
some sort of medieval persecution.
These are predictable American emo-
tions and those that are frequently
encouraged by denominations with
their own religious axe to grind.
But what are the facts of life in
Israel? The Orthodox comprise
approximately 20 percent of the popu-
lation. Eighty percent of Israelis are
secular; but, when polled, the far
greater proportion of these identifies
with Orthodoxy.
Other religious groups do not make
a ripple on the horizon, let alone have
enough members to form a political
party. How then does American Jewry
have a right to dictate to Israel as to
their religious practice — just because
we give them money or have some
political influence in this country?
And what about the demand by
some American religious denomina-
tions that part of United Jewish
Appeal and Federation charitable con-
tributions be redirected toward financ-
ing their political battle over religion
rather than the badly needed social
projects for which the money was
donated?
Unfortunately, some charitable
organizations have already made this
re-appropriation; is this not some sort
of sacrilege in itself?
What is totally bothersome is the
fact that this awful example of sense-
less internecine warfare is endangering
the very existence of the State of
Israel. It is weakening the ability of
Israel to negotiate with the Arabs and
its ability to take a firmer position
against the pressure of the current
American administration.
Is this the time to have a family
quarrel? I don't think so.
Dr. Jerome S. Kaufman
Bloomfield Hills