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Dry Bones

Slap On The Wrist

C

ongress and the White House are moving
to enact the Syria Accountability Act,
which is intended, it says, "to halt Syrian
support for terrorism, end its occupation of
Lebanon, stop its development of weapons
of mass destruction, cease its illegal importa-
tion of Iraqi oil, and hold Syria accountable
for its role in the Middle East, and for other
purposes."
Now doesn't that all sound grand.
The only problem is that the act probably won't
accomplish a tiny fraction of its goals, unless the real
goal is to spare a bunch of
Washington politicians —
Democrats and
Republicans alike — fur-
ther embarrassment about
having given Syria a pass
for more than two decades
as it spread its tentacles of
terror into Lebanon and
other convenient places
for attacking Israel.
In the last 13 years, Congress has repeatedly
lamented Syria's refusal to be a nice guy, passing at
least seven bills and resolutions on the topic. In the
meantime, two Syrian presidents — Hafez Assad and
now his son Bashar — have unsurprisingly refused to
remove their 20,00G soldiers from southern Lebanon.
The troops help Damascus run an almost puppet gov-
ernment in Beirut and provide cover for the
Hezbollah terrorists who are happy to fire missiles
into both military and civilian targets in Israel.
That most of the missiles don't do a lot of damage
now doesn't mean that the strikes aren't good training
for the day when other missiles might be used to carry
to Jerusalem and Tel Aviv the chemical and biological
warheads that Assad's generals are trying to build.
Somehow, words don't hurt Syria.

AND NIS ADVISER

A P4AN Fo
D6tett, WITI4
u, S, ABOUT

The weak-kneed State
Department listed Syria among
states that sponsor terror by, among
other things, funneling money and
supplies from Iran to the
groups like Islamic Jihad
and Hamas that send sui-
cide bombers to blow
themselves up in restaurants in
Haifa. The listing didn't stop Syria
from earning $1.2 billion a year on
oil it illegally allowed to flow
through a
pipeline
from
Saddam
Hussein's
Iraq.
What
did Syria
do when
the
United
Nations concluded it had no legiti-
mate claim to the positions that
Israel holds in the border area
known as Sheba Farms? It continued
to attack the positions and then
took its seat on the U.N. Security
Council where it could score more
points in the Arab world by spon-
soring a resolution condemning
Israel's fully justified assault on a ter-
rorist training base north of
Damascus.
So don't expect Syria to be shaking in its boots if
the Congress passes and President George W Bush
signs a law letting him impose very limited sanctions
on the country. The record says it will take a great

ARiet, ANA)

EDITORIAL

The record says it will take a
great deal more ... to get
Damascus to give up its love
affair with terrorism.

1T 16 56CuRITY
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deal more than that to get Damascus to give up its
love affair with terrorism.
You could ask the folks in the camp that Israel tar-
geted which they feared more: the Syria
Accountability Act or the Israeli Air Force. El

Saving The Past

March Of Freedom

imchat Torah ("Rejoicing with the
Torah") begins Saturday night with
one of the most joyous and significant
moments on the Jewish calendar.
The annual hakafot parade of the Torahs in
our synagogues has meanings on
many levels.
Centrally, we celebrate the com-
pletion of the annual cycle of read-
ing the Torah from beginning to
end. These ancient scrolls compil-
ing the laws of Moses represent
what makes us Jewish and gives us a sacred
common thread.
The holy parchment is revered and protected
throughout the year, but on Simchat Torah it
literally touches all of us. The apples, candy
and flags for children of all ages bring the

S

KING SOLOMON

1117

ith its striking architecture already capturing
Torah directly to the masses and make it some-
headlines, the Holocaust Memorial Center
thing sweet as well as dignified — and
nearing completion in Farmington Hills stands
approachable as well as holy. The hakafot is a
to be a world-class museum and a destination
joyous party unlike any other in Judaism.
stop
when
it
opens
in January. As anticipation toward that
Less than three decades ago, Simchat Torah
opening
builds,
we
share this intriguing thought: Detroit
took on even greater meaning in the
Jewry
having
a
small
historical museum of its own.
former Soviet Union. Especially in
We can imagine an interactive muse-
Moscow, Jews would crowd the Great
um with permanent and changing
Synagogue and fill the streets for
exhibits that recount the origins of the
blocks around it to show their faith.
Detroit Jewish community and the
While the dreaded KGB filmed and
photographed the crowd, people who immigrant experience here. The museum would celebrate
Jewish Detroit, from culture and charity to education and
hid their heritage the rest of the year took the
worship to work ethic and human services. Showcased would
risk on Simchat Torah to identify with their
be the role of Jews in shaping Detroit, serving America and
community and heritage.
standing with Israel. We're eager to see if the Jewish
What greater reason to party could there be
Community Center's new "Shalom Street, the Address for
than the celebration of freedom, heritage and
Jewish
Discovery" accomplishes some of this.
belief? ❑

EDITO RIAL

EDITORIAL

❑

10/17

2003

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