LETTERS • •14- • • • t10014'''Px: I We prefer letters that relate to articles in the Jewish News. We reserve the right to edit or reject letters. Brevity is encouraged. Letter writers generally are limited to one letter per 4-6 week period, space permitting. 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; Cu to (248) 539-3075; or e-mail to: rsklar@thejewishnews.com 1bt tree carelret ).11,01.1.. k J.-tart:iv at :0.9.5 CadVaa v! Prices reflect Franklin Club OnlY. living apartments izelpiemeni a alfalfa-1de ooze THE FOUNTAINS AT FRANKLIN ... is pleased to reintroduce THE FRANKLIN CLUB APARTMENTS lets you choose the THE FRANKLIN CLUB APARTMENTS services you want, when you want them! Find out just how carefree and affordable retirement living* can be. AU/63 0084627 • N P IDj01 0303 Call today (248) 353-2810 FOUNTAINS 1( THE AT FRANKLIN We're building a new neighborhood, one neighbor at a time. Retirement Living • Assisted Living • Alzheimer's Care 28301 Franklin Road • Southfield, MI 48034 www. thefountains. coin OPPORTUNITY furniture & accessories Store Closing • After 3 Successful. Years In Business, we are not renewing our lease • Every Lamp • Picture • Accessory and all. Furniture 50% off Everything Must Go 17.3 0 33080 Northwestern Hwy. ccf, Between Orchard Lake Road & 14 Mile West Bloomfield 1/ 1 h. C) 0 Prior Sales Excluded 1/ 3 2003 6 The script and visuals of the film consist of a carefully crafted Muslim piece of political propaganda meant to counter today's very hard facts of worldwide Muslim terrorism. It was also a deliberate revision of ancient I was very interested in the article history designed to further Arab "To Reach Out Or Not" in the Dec. political ambitions. 20 issue (page 16). The most egregious of these dis- As an active board member of the Jewish Community Council of tortions was the attempt to re- enforce an Arab claim to Jerusalem. Metropolitan Detroit and a frequent A history of Muhammad's allegorical attendee of events sponsored by the visit to Jerusalem is depicted that is American Jewish Committee, I was a pure pipe dream. The claim is supportive of both organizations' based entirely on one line in 17 Sura participation in the private showing (chapter) of the Koran. The chapter of the PBS documentary Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet. recounts the story of a dream Muhammad had where he takes a The film contains nothing objec- tionable to the Jewish community midnight ride (al-Isra) on his flying and was an opportunity to bring horse (al-Buraq), which had the face of a woman, the body of a horse and members of all three monotheistic the tail of Peacock. The narrative of religious communities together. Of the Koran in 17 Sura describes it as course, there should be comparable meetings featuring Jewish content. follows: "Glory be to Him, who carried His A person was quoted as saying "the servant by night fi-om the Holy other side" of Arab America "is a Mosque [in Mecca] to the further- real threat to Jews." I find this to be mosque [al-masjid al-Aqsa], the very far from experiences that I have encountered in a long list of situa- precincts of which we have blessed." "The furthest mosque." That is the tions with Arab Americans.-I have only phrase upon which the whole always been treated warmly with a myth of Arab claim to Jerusalem is great deal of respect. I have noticed made! There is no reference whatever that other Jews around me have had to Jerusalem in the whole Koran! similar experiences. The other revision revolves around Even if one chooses to hate these the Treaty of Hudibaya. A historical groups, it is counterproductive. The revision is made to obscure sheer number of Arabs, Arab Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's fre- Americans and Muslims requires quent references to Hudibaya when considerable effort on our part to he addresses only Arab audiences. naturally accommodate each other's Arafat's implication is always, "Don't goals. worry. I am not really making peace While no one can justify the acts of with these Jews. Remember the Sept. 11, or the terrorism continuing Treaty of Hudibaya." in Israel, we must have dialogue and The basic facts of this treaty are understanding if we ever want a better that Muhammad was unable to world with less conflict. defeat the Quarish tribe. He there- Harvey Bronstein fore made a 10-year treaty with Southfield them, which, after just two years, he canceled, having marshaled enough forces to annihilate the Quarish. The comparison to current Israeli-Arab negotiations is easily made, but more easily negated, by the film's historical revisionism. The worst thing about this film is As I watched the supposed PBS doc- its visual success. Television stations, umentary Muhammad: Legacy of a disinterested in the true story, might Prophet, I had the feeling I was view- well make it a perennial event, ing The Lion King or some similar lulling the world into yet another Disney production. FOX News Arabian fable from which we will all Watch called the presentation politi- suffer unless a concerted protest is cally dishonest and a shrieking made. example of why the federal govern- Jerome S. Kaufman ment should get out of funding pub- Bloomfield Hills lic TV and radio. Dialogue Key To Getting Along (248) 353-2810 14 Mite Road oo , 1(a .A Ad: 248.538.7747 M-F 10-7; Sat. 10-8, `Muhammad' Not A Documentary