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I,

Survivors' Reunion
Stirred Emotions

My wife and I just returned from the
tribute to Holocaust survivors in
Washington ("Connections," Nov. 7,
page 19). It commemorated the 10th
anniversary of the opening of the U.S.
Holocaust Memorial Museum.
It was a very moving experience,
attended by thousands of survivors from
all across the country, including a large
number from Michigan. It was nice to
see that so many of their children and
grandchildren also attended.
I had a meaningful reunion with sur-
vivors (including my brother Nathan)
from my hometown, Krakow, in the
gigantic tent of the "village." This all
took place on the Eisenhower plaza,
where the U.S. Army units that liberated
the camps, including the 11th Armored
Division that liberated me in
Manhausen, paraded their flags.
This was followed by tributes from
President Bush's representative — many
of us were disappointed that although
the president was invited, he did not
attend — and other dignitaries.
We were lauded for our accomplish-
ments and for choosing America as our
new homeland. The ceremony conclud-
ed with our singing of ghetto and camp
songs, accompanied by the U.S. Armed
Forces Band. It left me with a lump in
my throat.
This reunion with my fellow survivors
was an emotional reminder of our
shared, tragic past. It helped to be
together for perhaps one last time. We
never thought we'd see each other again,
and we rejoiced in our reunion.
Sam Offen

West Bloomfield

Better Idea
For Mideast

rk. fir

11/14

2003

6

I hope my ideas on a possible solution to
the Palestinian-Israeli problem ignite the
power you all have to project them to
the powers that be. I'm proposing to
offer the Palestinians a corridor to the
sea, uniting their territory into a unified
country!
In return, a narrow strip of land east
of the present Green Line, and on a line
north out of Beit Ghur Tahta up to the
present Green Line on the north, would
go to Israel. This simple bit of territory
would provide the Israelis with a defensi-
ble line with enough distance from the
sea to maneuver.
At the southern end of the present
Palestinian territory — going southwest
from Metsudot and lining up across just

'Haifa

Mediterranean
Sea

Nazareth .

Hader

Tel Aviv-Yafo

West
Bank •

Bat Yam

salem
.

Ashdod

Gaza
Strip

Ashqelon

• Beersheba

pimona

north of Beersheva to the Egyptian bor-
der as the southern line, and again going
southwest from the present Green Line
just below the town of Rehat to the
present Gaza Strip — this would
become part of a new state, Palestine.
A midsection of this territory, with
Highway 31 on the east and Highway
25 on the west, would be a U.N.-super-
vised area with free, controlled access for
Israelis and Palestinians.
My idea would recognize the "love of
land" by the residents of these areas that
might go to the "other side" under such
an arrangement so dual-citizenship
rights would be guaranteed for Israelis
and Palestinians. Each would be allowed
to vote in their home area as well as
national elections of their homelands.
I do believe that Palestine, were it to
be created, would make a more effective
country — unified — with freedom of
movement for Palestinians. Israel would
still have freedom of movement between
the north and south parts of their coun-
try albeit through a U.N.-guarded area.
Julius A. Chupack

Golem, the Dybbuk and, maybe even
stretching a point, Ezekiel's vision of the
dry bones and the resurrection men-
tioned in the book of Maccabees? The
bloody tales of Chanukah are sometimes
scarier than those of Halloween.
Halloween is sometimes accredited to
the pagan festival of Samhain. What
many scholars are neglecting to mention
is that our pagan ancestors — Adam,
Seth, Noah, Nahor, etc. — followed
Adam's habit of lighting a bonfire when
winter approached. Some midrashim
attempt to use this story as Chanukah's
origin, and they may be correct.
If, indeed, Samhain is the precedent of
Chanukah, then it very well could also
be the precedent of Halloween.
I also wish to mention the haunted
sukkot we have every year. After all, we
invite the ghostly spirits of Abraham,
Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron and David to
join us; and with so many ghosts around
the table, why not celebrate Halloween?
In conclusion, while I respect Rabbi
Silberberg's views on the holiday, he will
have to come up with a better argument
than the injunction in Leviticus.
Randy H. Farb

Gift Reinforces
JAMD's Value

Israel Lacks
A Partner

West Bloomfield

Keep Religion Out
Of Commentaries

This is in regards to the story about
Channel 7 newscaster Frank Turner and
his commentaries ("Final Thoughts,"
Nov. 7, page 7). As someone who was
raised Catholic, married a Baptist-
turned-Lutheran and who has a ton of
Jewish friends, I don't think he should be
including religion in his commentaries.
I personally don't want to hear about
his relationship "with his Savior Lord
Jesus Christ"'nor do I care to hear about
any other person's religious input in a
newscast. All I want is to relax after a hard
Flint day at work and hear whether it's going
to rain or not for the upcoming week.
Since when did Channel 7 turn into
the Channel 700 Club?
Sheryl Biermarm-Coll ns

Jean and Sam Frankel have done some-
thing extraordinary. Again, they have set
the standard for tzedakah and Jewish
education with their monetary gifts to
the Jewish Academy of Metropolitan
Detroit ("A Transformational Gift," Nov.
7, page 17).
We decided to send our son Jonathan
to the JAMD as an investment in his
Southfield •Jewish future. Jean and Sam have now
made an investment in the Jewish future
of our entire community.
What an honor it is to know them
and how exciting it is to learn that they
are the "anonymous" donors. Their
vision and leadership continue to inspire
I disagree with Rabbi Elimelech
us. We are filled with gratitude.
Silberberg on Halloween ("When
Cheryl and Dan Guyer
Worlds Collide," Oct. 31, page 16).
Huntington Woods
If the Lubavitchers seriously follow
Leviticus' injunction against following
the customs of the gentile, then they
would not dress in the style of Polish
nobility, and they would not kiss the
Torah during the processional, which is
symbolic of Jesus' parading the crucifix.
Israel needs a King David or an
Ghosts and demons parade through
Abraham or an Abraham Lincoln, who
Judaism, and Halloween is a magical
declared, "A house divided ... cannot
time for Jewish instruction; it is a shame
stand." He chose war instead of compro-
that more rabbis do not recognize the
mise. The difference was that Africans
opportunity.
were forcibly brought here and put into
What more perfect time is there for
slavery, whereas very many Israeli Arabs
learning about the Witch of Endor, the

Jews And
Halloween

come voluntarily for a better life or free
hand-outs. Before the Jews brought the
land of Palestine back to life, the Arabs
shunned it like a plague.
Israel is trying to do what no nation,
including the United States, ever did,
which was to compromise on land. The
PLO does not want to compromise;
they want it all and have said so.
Sidney Leitson

Beverly Hills

JET Play
A Must See

My husband and I saw a very thought-
provoking play at the Jewish Ensemble
Theatre at the Jewish Community
Center in West Bloomfield..
Dirty Story by John Patrick Shanley, the
author of Moonstruck, is an allegory on
the Israeli-Palestinian situation. We have
spent many hours discussing the play and
the author's attempt to understand the
situation in the Middle East.
While the play is written as satire, its
themes are extremely serious.The dia-
logue is filled with double meanings. We
found the play so interesting and well
done, we are considering seeing it for a
second time.
The acting in Dirty Story is superb, and
the Detroit Jewish News and Detroit Free
Press favorably reviewed it. I'd highly rec-
ommend this play to everyone in our
community. It forms a wonderful basis
for discussion on the current situation in
the Middle East. The play will only be at
the JET until Nov. 23.
Barbara S. Cook

Farmington Hills