LETTERS 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 arc 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: rsklarethejevvislinews.com Hillel Lauds Hiller's Efforts Judge Film For Yourself We, the board of Hillel Day School of Metropolitan Detroit, applaud the efforts of Jim Hiller to support the people of Israel by selling Israeli prod- ucts in his supermarkets and donating the profits to Israel through the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit ("Standing With Israel," March 5, page 13). Mr. Hiller does so despite threats of boycotts by groups demanding that he withdraw and apologize for his sup- port of Israel. Rather than back down, Jim Hiller has extended his program and he intends to increase the number of products he sells from Israel. We thank Jim Hiller for his generos- ity and loyalty to Israel. To help his program succeed, we encourage all friends of Israel to visit Hiller's Markets -and purchase the Israeli prod- ucts that he makes available to us. Suzanne Gildenberg I really thought Staff Writer Sharon Luckerman's story on Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ was good ("Passionate About The 'Passion,'" Feb. 20, page 16). As a Christian, I see our ties with Jews being very close and certainly have not seen any anti- Semitism relayed, conveyed or con- strued out of the film's intent. I don't believe that any one race or culture condemned Jesus to his death — it was all who have ever lived and sinned. We're all guilty. But I hold Jews very close and respect your customs and traditions. I have many Jewish friends. I certainly don't look at them any less or hate them for something that hap- pened to Jesus. I am just as guilty as any human being. I believe the ties between Christianity and Judaism will actually be strengthened not dimin- ished by this film, if it has any long lasting effect at all. I feel as if our two religions are tied together so closely and we walk together through what life brings us. I watch with terror every day to the "real" anti-Semitism that occurs almost daily in Israel from neighboring coun- tries and their terrorism. Our hearts as Americans and as Christians go out to them and our prayers. So it was great to read your article and know that not all Jews fear this film, as they shouldn't. Embrace it and go watch it for yourselves. Make your own judgments about it. Greg D. Musgrove on behalf of the board of Hillel Day School of Metropolitan Detroit, Farmington Hills Hiller Congratulated The Israel bashing continues. Now it's right here at home via the boycott of Hiller's Markets because the owner, Jim Hiller, is donating profits from the sales of his Israeli products back to Israel through the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit ("Standing With Israel," March 5, page 13). It looks like these protesters support a boycott of the only democracy and real ally of the United States in the Middle East -= Israel, the only coun- try in the Middle East that shares our democratic values. Do these protesters understand that when they boycott Israel they strength- en and support the Palestinian Authority — the same P.A. that cheered the calamity of 9-11 and sup- ports the terror being perpetrated against our soldiers in Iraq. Have the protesters considered boy- cotting Mexico, Canada or the European countries that have not sup- ported the U.S. in Iraq? I doubt it. Israel is an easy target. Mr. Hiller has stated that in face of the bullying threats, he will "extend the program of donating to Israel indefinitely," and that he intends to "increase the number of products from Israel in every way that he possibly can." I congratulate Mr. Hiller and intend on shopping at his markets. Ed Kohl West Bloomfield 3/26 2004 6 Atlanta Big Payoff For Gibson Man, ever since the days of the cave- man, has feared the unknown and has invented answers to make his eventual death more bearable. Mel Gibson has parleyed this fear to make himself very rich and to foster anti-Semitism through his movie The Passion of the Christ. He depicts a mad crowd of Jews screaming for the blood of Jesus and a reluctant Pontius Pilate struggling with the decision to crucify Jesus. This defies history. Pontius Pilate was said to have been willing to kill anybody who defied the will of Rome. The question remains, has this sacri- fice changed history at all? The Turks slaughtered Armenians; America imported human slaves; Hitler caused the deaths of approximately 40 million people, including English, French, Americans, Russians, homosexuals, gypsies and 6 million Jews. Perhaps Gibson made this movie to exonerate his father and his own anti- Semitic leanings. The money didn't hurt either. Robert Leaf Farmington Hills Scouts Are An Asset Thank you for the wonderful article about our Adat Shalom Synagogue Boy Scout campout and about Jewish Scouting in general ("Hot Dog!" Feb. 27, page 30). We have worked very hard to get this program off the ground. We have great den leaders and assistants who are leading smaller groups of Cub Scouts. We have parents at all our Scout meetings, eager to pitch in. My mom says, only half jokingly, "No one ever helped me when I was a den ” mother. We are very happy we are truly a community Scout program with fami- lies who attend Reform, Conservative and Orthodox synagogues. We have 10 boys who attend Hillel Day School and 10 boys who attend Yeshivat Akiva. This is a real strength. Louis Sugarman Scoutmaster, Troop 364, West Bloomfield Micah's Story Is Inspiring Your article about Micah Fialka- Feldman ("New Guy On Campus," March 19, page 31) was truly wonder- ful. It should serve as a source of inspi- ration to all parents whose children are in special-needs programs, as well as those who lead these programs. Micah's success is the result of a con- certed effort by his teachers, his peers and his parents who refused to give up on their son. How lucky it is that he was able to be in the Berkley School District, which takes a special interest in all of their students. I can say this because I was a teacher at Berkley High School and know first hand how caring the teachers and administrators are — how important it is to them that grad- uating students are able to live inde- pendent lives whether they go on to higher education or not. Your article, by Staff Writer Sharon Luckerman, was well written, warm - and certainly grabbed my heart. Anne Weinman Farmington Hills Hospice Care A Mitzvah As a reader of the Jewish News for more than 50 years, I truly appreciate the frequent heartwarming articles that are published. The March 19 issue had two such articles. The cover story, "New Guy On Campus" (page 31), featuring Micah Fialka-Feldman, was extremely mov- ing. As a college educator for 36 years and a parent of a son with learning disabilities, I fully understand the struggle that these students go through and how good it is to read of the suc- cesses that Micah has accomplished. Your article "Giving Hope To The Ailing Young" (page 20) was wonder- ful. I have known Rabbi Elimelech Goldberg for more than 20 years and Kids Kicking Cancer is one of the most inspirational programs in exis- tence. I believe that only Rabbi Goldberg could have created, managed and grown such an idea. He is truly doling something extraordinary and making the world a better place. Harvey Bronstein I.want to publicly thank the Jewish Hospice and Chaplaincy Network for the wonderful services they provided my father for the past year. I am an only child and could not visit my father, Jerome Ziegler, as much as I would like. It was very corn- forting to see cards from various Jewish Hospice volunteers who left . their names and a short note of what type of visit they had with my father. Visiting someone who is sick and does not speak much is difficult. But the Jewish Hospice was there to'help feed my father in the morning, listen to music with him and speak Yiddish to him. I had great comfort knowing that there are wonderful people out there who give their time to people and want be with someone who needs an extra hand. Thank you, Jewish - Hospice for all the wonderful services you pto.- my father and the peace of mind you provided me during the past year. I want other members of the communi- ty to know that you are truly God's gift to the community. Nothing can take the place of the human touch, and for that I am forever grateful. Rosalind Keidar Southfield West Bloomfield Heartwarming Stories