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world. We must all take a stand; we
ties advertised by this student group
must work to stop the hatred. Allowing
present only one side of very complex
a conference on hatred is wrong.
issues.
For the sake of our children and their
It is our hope that open and fair
children, we need to build bridges, not
academic debate in a civil atmosphere
The "Second National Student
barriers. The University of Michigan has
will prevail and that all attending will
Conference on the Palestine Solidarity
just built a tremendous wall.
follow the university's outlined proce-
Movement" at the University of
Cheryl and Richard Kirsch
dures. Security for all students must be
Michigan on university and corporate
West Bloomfield
a
priority.
divestments from Israel, among other
If there is rhetoric and/or behavior
things ("Israel Targeted," Oct. 4, page
that cross the line, witnessed by reli-
14) reflects excellent organization of
able sources, the university must step
pro-Arab Palestinian propaganda,
in and respond appropriately.
which also has emerged at other aca-
Sharona Shapiro
demic institutions in the U.S.
Michigan area director, American Jewish I read the letter from President Mary
The propagandists nourish from
Committee Sue Coleman of the University of
European academic institutions that
Dr. Kenneth Wolf Michigan regarding the "Second
systematically deny Israeli academi-
chapter president, American Jewish National Student Conference on the
cians participation in academic life,
Committee Palestine Solidarity Movement" ("Israel
funds for research and help to Israel
Bloomfield Township Targeted," Oct. 4, page 14). Although I
medical services. This well-coordinated
assault on academic freedom is propa-
appreciate the outcome, with all due
gating anti-Semitism and questioning
respect, it is a very weak response.
the right of Israel to exist.
Some things are simply wrong or
The propagandists give the moral
wrongheaded. This conference is one of
justification of murder and terrorism
them. It promotes many of the things it
We are deeply saddened and ashamed,
far beyond the assault on Jews and
claims to oppose. It is racist. It promotes
but certainly not surprised, by the events
Israel. They provide the breeding
the kind of boycott and hatred mentality
to take place at the University of
grounds for dissent and terrorism
that the president of a major university
Michigan this weekend, which, by the
under the pretext of academic free-
should find horribly offensive.
way, is "Parents Visiting Weekend"
dom.
It extends the desire of the Arab com-
("Israel Targeted," Oct. 4, page 14).
How should we respond? The
Our disappointment in the attitude of munity to isolate Israel economically,
option is not to respond and deny
socially and intellectually. It continues
U-M President Mary Sue Coleman was
these militants the publicity they seek
the "Israel is racist" argument presented
only heightened when the American
or respond while showing weakness if
at Durban, South Africa, and the United
Jewish Committee published a list,
the response does not include thou-
Nations.
"College Presidents Decry Intimidation
sands of Jews. The conference is
President Coleman appears to have
on Campuses," in a frill-page ad on Oct.
spread over three days, which does not 7 in the New York Times — and
done the right thing for the wrong rea-
allow working people to attend.
sons. And she left the door open by her
President Coleman's name was not
Jews need to be organized better to
lack of strength., to those who would
among them.
answer this challenge and many others
Where is the support of the University press the issue further.
on the horizon. It is imperative that
I would have been delighted had she
of Michigan for its Jewish students, fac-
the Detroit Jewish community takes
written
something half as stirring as the
ulty and alumni?
anti-Semitism seriously.
address by the president of Harvard
Regents Andrea Fischer Newman and
Dr. Isaac Barr Lawrence Deitch, along with President
University. He recognized this confer-
Southfield Coleman, support freedom of speech
ence for what it is: an extension of a roil-
ing anti-Semitism that is gripping the
and the right ro -organize for the Arab
world.
students. What about freedom from
I hope that her future communica-
intimidation and anti-Semitism for its
tions
and actions on this issue will
Jewish students?
uphold the moral principles — not just
The philanthropy of the Detroit
the business principles or free speech
Jewish community has helped make the
The American Jewish Committee is
principles — but the moral principles
University of Michigan one of the finest
very concerned about the "Second
that are inherently in her care.
institutions of higher learning in the
Leonard I. Wanetik
National Student Conference on the
world. Perhaps our generosity needs to
Palestine Solidarity Movement" sched-
West Bloomfield
be reconsidered in light of these events.
uled at the University of Michigan
The conference at U-M is a follow-up
("Israel Targeted," Oct. 4, page 14)
to one held at the University of
We have urged the University of
California at Berkeley; however, the
Michigan administration to closely
president of U-C Berkeley, Robert
monitor the conference. We feel that
Berdahl, may have rethought the events
genuine study and debate do belong
at his campus as he signed onto the
It is very disturbing to read about the
on college campuses. What do not
AJC statement decrying intimidation
efforts of certain special interest groups .
belong on American college campuses,
on college campuses.
seeking to silence debate and dialogue at
however, are inflammatorv.hate-filled
In a recent editorial in U.S. New and
the University, of Michigan ("Israel
diatribes and anti-SemitisM.
World Report, Publisher Mortimer
Targeted," Oct. 4, page 14).
This conference's mission and goals:
Zuckerman wrote of-- the "virus of anti-
I applaud the integrity and courage of
are biased. The workshops and activi-
Semitism" running rampant across the
Boldly Couhter
Anti-Semitism
U-M President
Weak On Forum
U-M Forum
Evokes Disgust
-
U-M Must Monitor
Forum For Hatred
U-M President's
Stance Praised
the new president of U-M, Mary Sue
Coleman, who has refused to suspend or
cancel the upcoming conference on
Palestine solidarity.
Contrary to the fiction and disinfor-
mation now being promoted by these
groups, the rejection of Israel's polices
does not make one anti-Semitic nor pro-
Arab. This type of religious and cultural
McCarthyism must be defeated whenev-
er it surfaces.
U-M has tolerated KKK appearances
and other controversial topics; it can cer-
tainly weather this conference. If we
allow these groups to censor free speech,
issues like reparations, America's holo-
causts and Iraq invasion plans will be
targeted next for mindless censorship by
these cultural police.
Greg Thrasher
West Bloomfield
The Story Behind
JVS Name Change
In response to the letter
"Downplaying Our Jewishness" (Sep.
27, page 6) regarding "the word Jewish
disappearing from JVS: JVS has had
several name changes in its 61-year
history, three in the past 35 years.
. These names have been descriptive
of the kind of services JVS was provid-
ing. For many years, we were known
as Jewish Vocational Service and
Community Workshop. The reason
for the change from Jewish Vocational
Service to JVS over a year ago was
again precipitated by the need to bet-
ter reflect our services and mission.
JVS has evolved into a multi-service
organization with increasing resources
devoted to an array of non-vocational
areas, such as: services to senior adults,
including outreach, case management .
and dementia day care; supports coor-
dination for people with disabilities;
services to the homeless and medical
case management.
The word "vocational" had beCome
misleading and problematic. The "V"
word presented credibility issues with
potential funding sources, as well as
prospective program participants. The
"V" led to their preconceived limita-
tion as to the scope of our expertise.
Focus groups confirmed the need
for a name change, the strong recogni-
tion of the JVS logo, and that over
half of the community , regularly
referred to us as "JVS." We retained
the logo and initials as a continued
linkage to our distinguished history
LETTERS on page 10