LETTERS

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www.detroitjewishnews.com

Arafat Incompetent,
Not Irrelevant

Brown Program
A Lifesaver

Get A Life And
Avoid Red Herrings

Bombing Palestinian Authority
leader Yasser Arafat's police stations
and helicopters while pledging not
to harm him only makes Israel look
impotent. Arafat's response is simi-
larly reckless. Arresting militant
leaders or closing their headquarters
will not disengage their troops —
especially if the command continues
from PA jail cells ("Dismissing
Arafat," Dec. 21, page 20).
Along with their leaders, the bar-
barians running loose need to be
controlled, and there is a precedent
in recent history for quelling a simi-
lar situation.
This eyewitness observation comes
from an ex-Jordanian Christian
Arab acquaintance, and I believe it
is worth repeating:
"Once upon a time not long ago,
the same Palestinian thugs operated
from Jordanian territory, but they
got drunk with power and began to
threaten King Hussein. The king
declared martial law and tight cur-
fews. He ordered the civilian popu-
lation to set out and surrender all
munitions.
"He sent his army to collect the
weapons and search every building
before easing the curfews. Anyone
caught hiding contraband was exe-
cuted on the spot. The weapons ban
was made permanent, and the king
lived happily ever after. These stern
actions made possible the peace that
exists between Israel and Jordan, but
the thugs regained launching
grounds when the PA was created."
Arafat's fear of the militants'
response to any compromise is
probably legitimate. Lacking an
effective and loyal army, he cannot
duplicate King Hussein's precedent,
but as the legitimate elected leader
of the PA, he can declare martial
law and enlist the aid of Jordan and
its army to establish and maintain
order. Jordan has the might and
credibility to both quell the violence
and enforce Arafat's authority with-
out offending other Muslims or pos-
ing an unacceptable threat to Israel.
Putting forth a workable plan first
will set a measure by which foolish
plans, like cease-fires that are a call
to negotiate at gunpoint, can be
seen in proper perspective.

Our mother, Shirley Traitel, who
died Aug. 10, had been enrolled in
the Brown Adult Day Care Program
for the past nine months ("Forgetful
Support," Nov. 30, page 95). She
had suffered for over 10 years from
dementia. She had previously been
attending some residential assisted
living dementia-care programs as
well as other day care programs.
Our father, William Traitel,
learned of the opening of the Brown
Adult Day Care earlier this year and
placed Mother in the program,
which proved to be a blessing for
both of them. This is a non-residen-
tial day program that provides out-
standing activities, nurturing and
support for dementia patients as
well as advice, emotional support
and respite for their caregivers.
I am a clinical psychologist who
has been in private practice for more
than 33 years and I have worked
with numerous programs, both pub-
lic and private, in terms of referring
clients to, as well as serving as a
consultant for, such programs. I can
tell you, without reservation, that
on both a personal and professional
level, the Brown Adult Day Care
program and its staff are truly exem-
plary and an invaluable asset to the
community.
Their philosophy and dedication
to attending to the needs not only
of the client, but also the often-neg-
lected and forgotten caregiver, is
outstanding and all-to-rarely
encountered in such programs. The
staff showed unbelievable flexibility
in accommodating to ever-changing
and challenging needs of Mother
and Father over the course of many
months.
While Mother was in the Brown
program, in contrast to past pro-
grams, she truly blossomed. She was
much calmer, less physically or emo-
tionally agitated, less depressed and
much more responsive and interac-
tive to the people around her. The
time-out afforded my father during
these important day hours when
Mother was attending the program
was truly a lifesaver for him. Our
entire family is forever grateful.

Your article and editorial on the
Jewish Defense League ("Fighting
Anti-Semitism?" Dec. 21, page 25;
"The Shame Of The JDL," Dec. 21,
page 31) is a classic case of a red
herring.
The JDL has been effectively
defunct since its founder, Rabbi
Meir Kahane, immigrated to Israel
in the 1970s. It was never much
more than a one-man band, and I
challenge anyone to name the great
coups that it has pulled off in the
last 20 years.
Nevertheless, in your rush to beat
the proverbial Jewish breast and klop
at chet for sins that may not have
even been committed, you attack
this figment of your imagination as
extremist and shameful.
Interestingly, I attended recent
Jewish Community Council of
Metropolitan Detroit meetings
where high on the agenda was the
issue of racial profiling of Arabs and
Muslims in the wake of Sept. 11.
Yet, that same organization and
other organs of the Jewish commu-
nity are blind to their own
hypocrisy in rushing to judgment
and apologizing for actions that are
merely alleged.
First, you feign to be non-judg-
mental. Then you state that you
have full confidence that the perpe-
trators will be brought to justice. .
Perpetrators of what? There is not
yet proof of any conspiracy, and that
is all that is alleged as no actual
damage was ever carried out. Then,
you label those accused as shameful.
The shame is yours. I say, "Get a
life," and focus on real issues, not,
unfortunately, ghosts of the past.

Dennis L. Green
Detroit

Richard B. Traitel
Bloomfield Hills

David Arm
West Bloomfield

JCC Responds
About The JWV

The Jewish Community Center of
Metropolitan Detroit is deeply grate-
ful for the ongoing fine and fair cov-
erage it receives for its programs and
services. That's why we were disap-
pointed by the article "Waiting For A
Room" (Dec. 21, page 29).
We feel the article is incomplete
since we were not given the opportu-
nity to explain our role in the process
of providing space for the Jewish War

BECAUSE
EVERY
CHILD
IS PART
OF OUR
COMMUNITY

JARC
Merle and Shirley Harris
Children and
Family Division

Services for children with special
needs and their families.

'"..."••••••••■•e*

'ft

✓ Outreach, support,
information, referral and
advocacy for families

✓ Educational and social
programs for,families

✓ In-home respite care with a
trained JARC staff person

✓ Case management with a
person-centered focus

✓ Funding for aides so children
with special needs can
participate in recreational
activities with their non-
disabled peers

✓ Comprehensive supports to
help children with special
needs successfully attend
religious schools

Thanks to The Jewish Fund
and Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit for their
support of the Harris Division.

Call JARC at

248-538-6610

30301 Northwestern Hwy.
Suite 100
Farmington Hills, MI 48334

12/28
2001

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