LETTERS 15% off Mirror Walls Call for free estimate 15% off Euro Showers Enhance the beauty of your home. Elegant designs for all decors. Custom options available 15% off Bath & Tub Enclosures Shower Doors starting at $199 installed (Parklane PV Series Swinging door up to 36") Mirrored Bi-Fold Closet Doors starting at $299 installed For Series 1 — 4'x8' FOGGY WINDOWS GOT YOU DOWN? We fix insulated windows! If your windows are older, no warranty, company is out of business...CALL US! 2388 Franklin Road 2891 Haggerty Road 31205 Grand River 24055 W. 10 Mile Road Bloomfield Hills Commerce Twp. Farmington Southfield 248-333-9348 248-624-2288 248-476-0730 248-353-1500 It Doesn't Have To Cost A Fortune...Only Look Like It! • Woods • Formica I Bedrooms • Stones • Dining Rooms • Glass • Home Theatre • Kitchens & Baths • Lucite • Offices Wall Units 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 29200 Northwestern Hwy., Suite 110, Southfield, MI 48034; fax to (248) 304-8885; or e-mail to: rsklar@thejewishnews.com its sailors — we visited another bat- tleship, the Missouri, the Mighty Mo. The Missouri is where the Japanese, following defeat, signed the surrender papers. All around were I read with disbelief the concluding Japanese tourists ()fall ages, but statement of Columnist George mostly young families, vacationing in Cantor's article "Question of Black Hawaii, who had come to visit this and White" (Jan. 2, page 11). historic place. He suggests that we should, "Cling Shelly was curious to find out how tenaciously to our identity in private these Japanese people felt as they vis- and make it nobody's business but ited Pearl Harbor. One of the our own." It appears that he thinks Missouri guides said that although we ought to be "closet Jews," as were most of Japanese visitors to Pearl the Marranos in the time of the Harbor don't express their feelings Spanish Inquisition. In my opinion, because of a language barrier, one that would be a pre s - cription for self- English-speaking tourist once told destruction. him, echoing the opinion of many, In the land of the free and the that Japan's defeat and surrender was home of the brave r we don't need to the best thing that could have hap- feel uncomfortable with our Jewish pened to his country. It transformed identities. We should identify with Japan from a country led by harsh the message many of us gave by plac- military rule into a free, democratic ing our chanukiahs in our front win- and prosperous country. dows for all the neighbors to see. IS This insightful self-assessment can there discrimination out there? Yes. easily spill over to other countries Could someone- lose or be denied still ruled by dictators whose sole employment, at least partly due to interest is power and self-preserva- his or her Jewish identity? Yes. tion, not the welfare of the people. Should we then hide our identity? North Korea and a host of African No. and Middle East countries come to What we should do is exercise the mind. talents we do have, for the good of We just freed Iraq from such a dic- the community. Additionally, we tator while paying a daily price in should conduct ourselves in the busi- human sacrifice, a dear price. ness world true to the ethical teach- The Palestinian entity is another ings of Judaism. If there are then prime example of bad leadership. bumps in the road with this Until democracy and freedom come approach, so be it. The Constitution its way, there is no hope for peace of the U.S. guarantees religious free- between Israel and its Palestinian and dom. We should not change who we other Arab neighbors, or for victory are or the pride in our heritage when against the worldwide scourge of ter- we walk out the front door. Dr. Gerald H. Katzman ror. Rachel Kapen Farmington Hills It's A Question Of Black And White West Bloomfield Memories Of Pearl Harbor ALL NEW 2004 BUICK RAINIER °••;•'• * 't,g Leather, 17" Alloy Wheels, Loaded *Must qualify for GM lease loyally. Total due $2,565. All rebates to dealer. Plus tax, title & plates. Expires 1/31/04 St arting From ) 13U ICK 2004 6 TamaRoFF B U I C K www.tamarofficom $295 00 Stk. #206481 /MO. * 24 mos., 12,000 miles/yr. • $0 sec. dep. Non-GM Employees & families slightly higher During Chanukah, my husband, Shelly, and I were in Hawaii. The most meaningful aspect of our excur- sion was the day spent in Pearl Harbor, where the horrific attacks by - the Japanese took place on the morn- ing of Dec. 7, 1941, the day President Roosevelt said would live in infamy. The U.S. battleship, the Arizona, was attacked suddenly by Japanese warplanes; more than 1,000 young Americans were killed. Before taking the boat ride to the Arizona Memorial, erected in the exact spot where the atrocity took place — the ship was sunk and remains an eternal resting place for Misuse Of `West Bank' How can the Jewish News print "Chanukah With The IDF" in the "West Bank" city of Nablus? (Dec. 26, page 11). This Jewish citation uses.an erro- neous Arab reference of "West Bank" as if it were gospel truth. It is not. It is Nablus (from Naples, Italy) in the Samarian Hills of Israel. Besides, would the Jewish soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces celebrate Chanukah in the Arab "West Bank"? No, they would not. Harriet Drissman Farmington Hills 248-3- 53-1300 28585 Telegraph South of 12 Mile • Southfield i 4 d ••• * ♦ 4. • • e- ****** • • • •