LETTERS
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Aiding The Mission
Many thanks for your excellent arti-
cle on the Glazer School, my family
and the volunteers ("A Hidden
Treasure," Jan. 27, page 55). You cap-
tured the spirit and dedication of the
school as well as my father's and
mother's devotion to the community.
It is my pleasure to continue my
family's connection with the school
and to work to further its goals. I also
have been directly involved with the
Glazer Institute for the Christian and
Muslim clergy held at Temple Beth El
for more than 25 years.
Again, I respect your in-depth analy-
sis of the Glazer School and the con-
tribution of my father and mother to
Detroit. I am convinced that your
reporting will aid the mission of the
school and has provided a fresh per-
spective on the Detroit Public Schools
and how volunteers from the Jewish
community can make an important
difference.
Mark J. Glazer
Bloomfield Hills
Great Experience
Thank you very much for the article
and pictures about the Hillel Day
School Tsunami Relief Learn-a-Thon
("Reaching Out," Jan. 20, page 64).
It was validating for our school
community to see the Jewish News
place such a high priority on Gemilut
Chasadim. As of today, proceeds from
our Learn-a-Thon have surpassed
$6,600; Schechter schools nationwide
have collected over $18,000.
This experience had a great influ-
ence on the hundreds of students, par-
ents and teachers who participated and
will continue to influence how we
structure many of the Gemilut
Chasadim projects that are a mainstay
of the Hillel school culture.
Robyn Glickman
elementary principal,
Saul A. Rube,
dean, Judaic studies,
Hillel Day School
of Metropolitan Detroit
Farmington Hills
The Mideast Nightmare
JEN
2/10
2005
6
Together, President George W. Bush
and the U.S. State Department have
produced a version of "Nightmare of
the Middle East."
Bush stands as conquering "hero."
Like past presidents, he deliberately
foisted "stateless" Arabs onto the
shameful 1967 Six-Day War con-
quest, giving Arabs virtually Judea-
Samaria. This part of "Palestine,"
albeit the heartland of Jewish history,
has not become "liberated," but mere-
ly "occupied territory" Guilt-ridden
Israeli leaders like Menachem Begin,
Yitzchak Rabin and Ariel Sharon tried
to appease Arab demands from 1967
by restricting, then choking off,
Jewish expansion in anticipation of a
nascent "Palestine."
Despite a 58-year history of boiling
hatred for anything Jewish, waging
war and mindless terrorism with end-
less Arab enthusiasm, "stateless" Arabs
have attacked Israel in the United
Nations and in murderous quests as
interfering with Palestinian resurrec-
tion.
But being kind to Arab history and
storytelling despite its rabid anti-
Jewishness, it is hardly poetic the way
the State Department blindly pro-
claims Iraq as a single country.
Despite warfare apparent between
Iraq's Arab factions, America com-
bined three Arab sheikdoms formerly
controlled by Ottoman rule. The 400-
year-old Turkish dominance collapsed
due to westernized warfare of the
British Empire. The resulting chaos of
1917 created an amalgam of Shiite,
Sunni and Kurdish hatreds.
No wonder it took the Baathist dic-
tatorial regime of Saddam Hussein to
impose some semblance of order since
Shiite vs. Sunni encompasses violent
religious hatred — and all hate the
Kurds for wanting their own land
with its oil.
The final four years of Bush's reign,
linked with the United States' obses-
sion with Israeli self-defense and
aggression, will yield chaotic warfare
and unimaginable Arab hatreds. Add
a mythical Iraq with antagonistic Arab
hatred and a no longer mythical Arab
Palestine, and all will be prepared to
unite with several other Arab coun-
tries to eliminate the remainder of
Jewish Israel.
Arnie Kantor
president,
Committee for the Jewish Idea
Troy
Let's Work Together
Over the millennia, many have taught
that the main cause of war lies at the
feet of religion. Because of this hor-
rendous past, all religions must elimi-
nate a contribution to war and launch
into a purposeful worldwide effort
toward universal peace, preaching faith
in God in the name of peace. How
can we hate each other merely over
translations of the holy books?
The world is at an all-time danger-
ous crossroads. We must sit down with
each other, talk to each other.
We live in a time of unprecedented
material progress. We live in a time of
instant communication. Let us use
these unbelievable gifts to reach out to
one another, learn to know each other,
love each other, respect each other and
prevent extremists from passing out
their venomous meanness and hatred
all in the name of the one God who
created this world and each of us.
Let's at least try. Anything we all
work at together has got to be better
than where we are now. We will all
have to bend a little. We can do it.
Technology has show that we can do
anything we can imagine. With God's
help, we ought to be able to share
God's bounty. There is enough for
everyone. Let's do it now.
Arnold Michlin
Waterford
Aid Israel's EMS
American Red Magen David for Israel
(ARMDI) applauds the efforts of the
American Red Cross to support
Magen David Adom in Israel. We look
forward to the day when the "federa-
tion" will be known as the
International Federation of Red Cross;
Red Crescent and Red Star of David
Societies.
American Red Magen David for
Israel (ARMDI) is the exclusive sup-
port arm of Magen David Adorn in
the U.S. Our annual contributions to
MDA account for 25 percent of the
annual budget. MDA is privileged to
be participating in the relief efforts for
victims of the tsunami. Wearing our
own uniforms, we are proudly operat-
ing field clinics in Sri Lanka.
In addition to being responsible for
95 percent of the blood requirements
in Israel, MDA also is currently sup-
plying blood products from the MDA
National Blood Services Center to
those in need in Sri Lanka.
If you would like to know more
about how to support Magen David
Adom, please go to our Web site
-www.armdi.org or call (866) 632-
2763.
Daniel IL Allen
executive vice president
Sandy Rosen
Midwest Region director
New York
Digest
Lawmakers Press Saudis
Washington/JTA — A group of U.S.
lawmakers called on Saudi Arabia to
stop distributing anti-Western and
anti-Semitic propaganda in the United
States.
In a letter sent Monday to Saudi
Prince Bandar bin Sultan, the coun-
try's ambassador to the United States,
the lawmakers said they're particularly
concerned about the distribution in
the United States of Saudi textbooks
that "propagate a Nazi-like hatred of
Jews."
Rep. Steve Israel, D-N.Y., wrote the
letter, which was signed by a biparti-
san group of lawmakers. The letter
came after Freedom House released a
report detailing how Saudi hate propa-
ganda is distributed at mosques in the
U.S.
Syria To Buy Golan Apples
Damascus/JTA — Syria said it would
buy apples grown by Arab farmers in
Israel's Golan Heights. It's believed
that the purchase of 10,000 apples
from Arab farmers would represent the
first time Syria has bought goods pro-
duced in the Golan, which Israel
annexed after capturing the strategic
plateau from Syria in the 1967 Six-
Day War.
Syria said the move, which it called
a one-time purchase, would take place
because of the "harsh economic condi-
tions" in the Golan. Israel said the
move was a positive step.
Friend Of Israel's Sons Killed
Baghdad/JTA— An Iraqi politician
who drew criticism for visiting Israel
lost two sons to assassins. Mithal Al-
Alusi survived a gun ambush Tuesday
on his car in western Baghdad, but
two sons traveling with him were
killed, police said.
As secretary-general of the
Democratic Party of the Iraqi Nation,
Alusi has been a leading progressive
figure in postwar Iraq, speaking out
against Syrian- and Iranian-backed ter-
rorism. But his private visit to Israel
last year was too much even for fellow
moderates and led to his expulsion
from the Iraqi National Congress
party.