LET'TERS
Yeshivat Akiva
Invites the Metro Detroit Jewish Community
to Help Honor
1 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.
t Letters must contain the name, address and tide of the writer, and a daytime
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at 29200 Northwestern Hwy., Suite 110, Southfield, MI 48034;
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Mr. Jim Hiller
of Hiller's Markets
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Bush Not Best Choice
In reference to the April 2 letter,
"President Bush Best Choice" (page 6),
George W. Bush is a president whose
entire family, going back three genera-
tions, has benefited from and generated
much of its wealth through their rela-
tionships with Saudi Arabia and other
Arab oil-rich countries.
A Democratic president would not
sell out a precious ally (economically
and militarily) and would be incapable
of trying to resolve a Mideast crisis using
Israel as a sacrificial lamb.
Where is Bush's presidential order to
recognize Jerusalem as the capital of
Israel, as he boasted when he was cam-
paigning Republican Jews for their
money and votes?
As a Jew who loves my country and
Israel, I would certainly take my chances
with an honest Democrat not tainted
with Arab money and oil in his family
tree. Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., may not
be perfect, but we've seen that President
Bush and Vice President Cheney cer-
tainly are not.
Jerry Soble
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Akiva will be presenting
The friend of Israel Award to Mr. Hiller
at its annual banquet on
Sunday evening, May 23, 2004
Congregation Shaarey Zedek, Southfield, MI
Orchard Lake
You can show your support to Mr. Hiller
as a real hero of our Jewish Community
by being included in our special tribute book.
.
.
I/we would be pleased to honor Mr. Hiller as follows:
■
Our names included on your community gold page — $50
■
Our names and a three line message — $100
■
Please send me information on other size ads that I can
place in the special tribute book
■
We will be happy to join you at the tribute dinner
$180 per person
Phone (
State
Zip
)
Make checks payable to Akiva Hebrew Day School
21100 W. 12 Mile Road, Southfield, MI 48076
6
For any further information, please call the school
office at (248) 386-1625
/
Bloomfield Hills
In a recent letter ("Scriptural Accuracy,"
April 9, page 6), Dennis L. Green criti-
cized my use of a Biblical verse in an
article I had written a few weeks earlier
("Facing Facts, Dispelling Myths,"
March 26, page 36). The quote in ques-
tion was the aphorism "the fathers have
eaten sour grapes, and the children's
teeth are set on edge," which I had
attributed to the prophet Jeremiah. Mr.
Green noted that the aphorism was not
from Jeremiah but Ezekiel and claimed
that "he [i.e., me] needs to get the facts
straight."
I would like to point out that the
"sour grapes" aphorism appears in both •
Jeremiah (31:28-29 as I cited in my arti-
cle) and Ezekiel (18:2, as he cited in his
letter). Jeremiah and Ezekiel were con-
temporaries, both writing in the years
leading up to the Babylonian exile (587-
538 B.C.E.) and both concerned with
preserving the teachings of the Torah in
Address
City
It is great having George Cantor's article
to read each week (For Openers, pages
10-11). His is the first I turn to every
Friday. I enjoy his commentaries on the
world around us. He is certainly a very
versatile writer.
Ida Nathan
Jeremiah And Ezekiel
Name
4/16
2004
The First Read
830870
that desperate period. It is fitting that
both prophets should cite the same
popular aphorism in the interest of
their teachings.
In my article, I chose to cite
Jeremiah rather than Ezekiel because
a strong association between Jesus
and Jeremiah existed in early
Christian texts (see Matthew 16:14).
As to the assertion that "Islam
declares Judaism and its Scriptures
corrupt and unworthy of trust or
respect," please consider the follow-
ing Koranic passage: "Surely, those
who believe, those who are Jewish,
the Christians, and the converts; any-
one who believes in God, and
believes in the Last Day, and leads a
righteous life, will receive their rec-
ompense from their Lord. They have
nothing to fear, nor will they grieve"
(Sura 5:69).
The Quran contains verses that
preach hostility, but also respect, for
Jews and Christians — who are
called Ahl Al-Kitab, "People of
Written Revelation." It is a matter of
individual choice as to which senti-
ment — respect or hostility — is
taken to heart. This, to me, seems to
resonate rather well with the Biblical
statements that the individual is
responsible for his or her own
actions.
Mark Leuchter
Boston
2 Weeks 2 Go!
Did you have a great time on spring
break? Well, now it's time to get a lit-
tle serious.
The deadline for submissions for
the Jewish News Cap & Gown sec-
tion for Jewish high school seniors is
just two weeks away: April 30.:
Do you have a 3.60 or higher
grade point average? Are you graduat-
ing this June? Then get our Cap &
Gown directions from your high
school counselor or go straight to the
Cap & Gown logo at the top right
corner of our Web site:
WWw de tro it j ewi shnews c o m
It's getting down to finals time. Do it
now!
And, if you want to honor some-
one in our May 17 Cap & Gown
section with an advertisement, call
(248) 351-5100 or see the ad on
page 76 in this issue.