LETTERS We prefer letters that relate to articles in the Jewish News. We reserve the right to edit or reject letters. Brevity is encouraged. Letters must contain the name, address and title of the writer, and a daytime telephone number. Original copies must be hand signed. Mail to the Jewish News at 30301 Northwestern Highway; Suite 200, Farmington Hills, MI 48334; fax to (248) 539-3075; or e-mail to: rsklar@thejewishnews.com Soldiers Need Our Support JOHN C. HART, JR, M.D., FAGS BRIAN SYGIEL, With Israel's people and economy suf- fering, there is something we can do to help ("Painting The Picture," May 10, page 22). If we visit Israel, stop in as many shops and restaurants as time and budget will allow and purchase gift certificates. Distribute them to Israeli soldiers as a token of appreciation for being on the front lines defending the Jewish people. This way, we help the economy, shopkeepers, soldiers and we don't have to shlep anything back except mitzvot. • Complicated Cataract Specialists • No Stitch or needle cataract surgery • Glaucoma & diabetic eyecare • Experienced Lasik surgeons • Complete eye exams • Full service eye center (optical/contact lenses) • Emergencies welccmed Beaumont Medical Building 6900 Orchard Lake Rd., Suite 307 West Bloomfield (248) 855-1020 Irwin Cohen Oak Park Palestine: It's Already Divided Portraits Aksel www.willisunaksaut.com (248)156-7812 email: wakselewilliamakselart.com B&W and oil/alkyds r As ir 1 HIE ROME ROW $110P RUMS Store and Drop-off Hours: Monday - Safurday: 10-6 PICK-UP SERVICE AVAILABLE Proceeds benefit programs and services for older adults in our community. a service of Jewish Home & Aging Services 5/17 2002 6 27050 fvertreen, laihrup Village located in Lathrop Landing (11 Mile f, Evergreen) President George W. Bush and Secretary of State Colin Powell call for Israel to surrender the Jewish land they had liberated in 1967 to allow the establishment of an Arab Palestinian state. But Palestine has already been divided between Arabs and Jews ("Painting The Picture," May 10, page 22). If Israel surrenders and returns to its 1949 cease-fire lines as the president demands: • With the center of Israel only nine miles wide, it would not take a major military effort to slice the country in half and destroy it. • Every commercial and military flight into and out of Israel will be threatened by shoulder-held Stringer missiles. • Israel will lose its main hope for survival if invaded -- its Jewish land to hinder invaders while mobilizing its defenses, the Jewish land that saved Israel's life in the surprise 1973 Arab invasion. • The Jewish people will again lose their holy Jerusalem, which Arabs seized in 1948 — killing 1,490 Jews in Jerusalem and destroying all ancient synagogues, which Israel had liberated in 1967. • The 220,000 Jews living in their 1967 liberated land will lose their homes, businesses, synagogues and schools to the Arabs. No Jews in tradi- tional Jewish land equals racism. Israel has to lose just one war — and that is the end of the Jewish state and its people. To survive, Israel has to deport those financing, inciting and organizing the brutal murderous ter- rorism against them. Besides Arab Palestine-Jordan, with less than half the population of Jewish Palestine-Israel, the Arabs have 22 vast oil-rich homeland states — sharing family, language, culture and religion. Such a transfer of Arabs will com- plete the population exchange when the Arab states drove out their Jewish citizens after 1948, 860,000 settling in Israel, their motherland. Hymie Cutler director, Michigan Committee for a Safe Israel Detroit Israelis Need Our Support There seems to be no end to the unique freedom drive being staged by some residents of the West Bank, or Palestine ("Palestinian Unrest," May 10, page 23). These patriotic fighters have discov- ered that negotiations are a dead end, their rights have been revoked perma- nently and they have nothing left to make their life worth living. Hmm. I can't figures this out. In Jenin, a horrible massacre turns out to be only 56 dead, most of whom were not civilians, but gunmen. Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is released from his siege and the standoff at the Church of the Nativity is about to end with the worst of the criminals inside being offered sanctuary in Italy. I guess it doesn't matter that the Italians weren't asked in advance if they wanted to harbor people who could easily begin destroying Italian cities. But in return for a troop pullback, a release of Arafat and an agreement to let criminals go free, the freedom fighters of the Palestinian Authority strike one of the most strategic of all military targets. We all know that pool halls harbor soldiers and specially trained elite military troops. What bet- ter staging area than the felt top of a pool table where strategy is planned over a game of eight ball CA Test For Arafat," May 10, page 22). Give me a break and give the Israelis a break. We are striking back against terror, and they must also. If we love freedom around the world, let's start giving more backing to the people who are on the front lines every minute of every day. Zachary M. Davies Oak Park NCCJ Protests Anti-Jewish Bigotry The mission of the National Conference for Community and Justice is to fight bias, bigotry and racism and promote understanding and respect among all races, religions and cultural groups. Therefore, we have been deeply troubled when at several southeast Michigan and national demonstrations regarding the Middle East, Jews were referred to as Nazis ("Opposing Voices," April 12, page 20). At one location in West Bloomfield, demon- strators held signs showing a Jewish star and swastika with an equal sign between them. There also have been other forms of bias, such as flag burn- ing and anti-Semitic bigotry during these demonstrations. NCCJ protested against the profil- ing of Arab Americans and Muslims after Sept. 11 when some people tried to imply that most Arabs and Muslims were responsible for those terrorist acts. And we protest just as strongly when some Arab Americans and Muslims equate Jewish people here and abroad with the racial war that Nazi Germany used to exterminate two-thirds of the world's Jewish popu- lation. Leaders in the Islamic, Christian and Jewish communities need to speak as forcefully against this type of bigotry, as do those religious leaders who protest current religious and ethnic discrimination against Muslims and Arab Americans. Rev. Daniel Krichbaum executive director, NCCJ Alan A. May vice chair, NCCJ Detroit Story On Tappers On The Mark I await the delivery of my Jewish News with eager anticipation. Your article about the Tapper broth- ers ("Silver Success," May 10, page 122) was right on the mark. Howard and Steven Tapper always greet me warmly and with great courtesy. Estelle Fink and Stanley Berlin have given wonderful service and shown great patience. Add to this, the Tappers' involvement in the Jewish community. It is truly a "Silver Success." Trudi Messer Oak Park