LETTERS
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Stand With Own
To Show Unity
Arab World's
Other Weapons
Rampant anti-Semitism, not "occupa-
tion," is the cause for crimes against
humanity manifested as suicide-homi-
cide bombings in Israel.
As early as.kindergarten, schools
— as well as universities, the Arab
press and TV programs — com-
pound the indoctrination and
enforcement of anti-Semitism. Hitler
did not need an excuse to kill Jews.
The mere existence of Israel provides
justification for Arab anti-Semites to
kill Jews. They get support from
some academics.
The Europeans cynically figure that
to sacrifice 6 million Jews and win the
market of 400 million Arabs makes
good sense. Except that terrorism, like
cancer, tends to spread.
To achieve peace in the Middle East,
the world has to fight anti-Semitism in
any form that it takes. The schools and
news media in the Arab countries
should be supervised by observers from
the United Nations. Such observers are
no less necessary to this effect than
looking for weapons in Iraq.
The madrassa [Islamic schools] , the
Islamic universities and the news
media in the Arab world — all are
weapons of mass destruction no less
than Saddam's atomic bombs.
Isaac Barr, M.D.
Southfield
World Must
Speak Out
Twenty Israelis were murdered on
Sunday and more than 100 were
maimed, blinded or crippled for life by
Palestinian homicide bombers sent by
Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement.
Where is the outrage from the
European governments that con-
demned the Jenin massacres that never
happened? Where is the condemnation
from Kofi Anan and his United
Nations?
Where is the outrage from the "mod-
erate" Arab states and their "peace lov-
ing" relatives here in the United States?
The Palestinians and their allies have
murdered more than Israelis in the last
two years, the equivalent of 40,000
Americans.
When Israel justifiably takes meas-
ures to protect itself is when you will
hear the outrage and condemnations.
Trust me.
Ed Kohl
West Bloomfield
1/10
Where is the compromise? In your story
"A New Home" (Dec. 27, page 43),
Cantor Stephen Dubov of Congregation
Chaye Olam announced that a dinner
would be held — in advance of his Jan.
3 Shabbat service, Shabbat Salaam
(Arabic for peace) — at a Middle
Eastern restaurant that is not kosher.
What is the other side doing to promote
peace?
We are sure that another night could
have been chosen for an interfaith
salaam service and we could patronize
Milk & Honey of West Bloomfield, or
another kosher restaurant so as not to
alienate our community.
It is important to reach out to others,
but more important to stand with our
own as a symbol of unity. We personally
will be more open when the leadership
of the Arab community stands up and
publicly denounces the suicide murders.
Their silence is deafening.
Martha and Steven Zinderman
West Bloomfield
How Do 'Souls'
Figure In Cloning?
I found the lack of consensus amongst
rabbis regarding cloning surprising ("Is
Cloning 'Kosher?'" Jan. 3, page 19).
The question of the "soul" is even
more confusing now. Some people
believe their soul has always existed,
hence the belief in past life and reincar-
nation. That's consistent with Einstein's
theory that energy is neither created nor
destroyed: There arguably always has
been, and always will be the same num-
ber of "souls." They just get transferred
from one person to another.
Rabbi Paul Yedwab, however, stated
that each soul is unique. Does this mean
that once your soul leaves your body, it
can't go anywhere else but heaven ... or
maybe hell? Is there a reserve of souls
waiting to be placed in just one body,
and then they get put out of commis-
sion? That's still consistent with the idea
that there are a set amount of souls ...
they just don't get transferred from one
person to another.
Why can't a clone have a soul? Fatal-
ists would argue that the clone was
already "factored in" by God, and there-
fore a soul is already in storage and ear-
marked for that ... "person." If cloning is
happening, it must be part of God's plan
because otherwise it wouldn't happen,
right?
Can cloning be compared to stem cell
research that can potentially cure dis-
eases, but, as some believe, goes against
the "laws" of nature? Is it the opposite
of abortion? If it's supposedly wrong
take a "human" life, should we be
allowed to create one? Is it consistent
with creationism or the theory of evo-
lution? If we all came from Adam and
Eve, a clone would still be part of that
chain ... just not in the biblical sense.
If we evolved by natural selection,
only the fittest DNA could be used to
successfully clone. Maybe if there are
souls, it doesn't really matter where
they end up ... even in a clone.
Gary L. Fineman
Farmington Hills
Group's Purpose:
Promoting Peace
In the interest of accuracy, there are
several important issues that need to
be corrected in the Dec. 13 letter on
Seeds of Peace ("Facts Challenge Basis
Of Seeds, Dec. 13, page 6).
First, the writer asserts that
Palestinian negotiator Saeb _Erekat is a
founder of Seeds of Peace. He is not.
Mr. Erekat, whose daughter has par-
ticipated in the program with Israeli
teens, is on the advisory committee..
Second, Seeds. of Peace does not
"hire Arab sympathizers" to partici-
pate in its fund-raisers. Over the
years, many credible people commit-
ted to Arab-Israeli peace, including
those mentioned by the writer, have
participated in various Seeds' activities
and events. That list also includes
Secretary of State Colin Powell, Vice
President Dick Cheney, Israel's
Shimon Peres, Jordan's King Hussein,
Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert, Lea
Rabin and the list goes on.
Third, Adam Shapiro has had no
association with Seeds for two years.
We do not support his activities or
endorse his views.
Fourth, contrary to the writer's
belief, former Prime Minister Yitzhak
Rabin was a strong supporter of our
organization.
Finally, Seeds of Peace is a nonpolit-
ical organization with one overriding
goal: promote personal ties between
Arabs and Israelis on the basis of tol-
erance, respect and understanding to
increase the chances some day of
securing a real peace. No one who is
genuinely interested in the security of
Israel and Arab-Israeli peace can possi-
bly oppose that.
Rebecca Hankin
director of media relations,
Seeds of Peace
New York City
Putting Money
To Better Use
The United States finances the Palestine
Liberation Organization radio and TV
broadcasts to the Arab world — broad-
casts that incite hatred and violence
toward Jews — and also finances PLO
summer programs, where 25,000 Arab
children are trained to use weapons.
America also finances — billions of
dollars — the United Nations' Arab
"refugee" camps that produce most of
the suicide terrorists murdering Jews.
The United States, instead of financ-
ing the terrorist PLO and its 59 United
Nations' Arab welfare camps, should
help scarcely populated Arab Palestine
Jordan develop technical schools, indus-
trial parks, housing settlements and
tourism — so fellow Arabs can move in
from U.N. camps and start earning an
honest living and set an example for all
Muslim states.
And that will complete the population
exchange when almost a million Jews
were driven out after 1948 from Arab
countries where Jews had lived for cen-
turies, their homes and all their posses-
sions taken from them.
That will complete the two-state solu-
tion when 78 percent of Palestine was
given to form Arab Palestine Jordan.
That will leave Israel 40 miles wide —
an Israel well able to defend itself
If Jews are forced to return to the
same kind of "peace" they got in 1948,
how long will there be an Israel? How
many of Israel's 5 million Jews will sur-
vive?
Hymie Cutler
director;
Michigan Committee
for a Safe Israel
Detroit
Teens Reaffirm
Jewish Identity
The. theme was "Destination
Unknown" but the path of pursuit was
quite clear. As hundreds of B'nai B'rith
Youth attended the regional convention
two weeks ago, many parents were priv-
ileged to watch as our children
rehearsed, cheered, sang, ate, slept
(hardly) and socialized for five fun-filled
days ("Fun Week," Jan. 3, page 14).
It was a real pleasure to open our
homes and hearts to such responsible
and respectful young adults. With the
negative rap many teenagers get today
just simply because they are teenagers,
the community needs to know about an
LETTERS on page 12