desecration of human life by terrorism?
Council continues in this vein, it should
up a variety of issues both domestically
It is distressing that Mr. Gad-Harf
and on Israel's behalf. It is not the role of no longer be the voice of the Jewish
didn't
even perform basic due diligence
the board to micro-manage the executive community.
to learn about rally host Imam Qazwini's
director.
I am very proud to have been a part of
Alex Skoczylas anti-Jewish/anti-Israel activities. Why
the Jewish Community Council board,
West Bloomfield would Mr. Gad-Harf confer acceptabili-
ty on causes inimical to the welfare of
and to have taken part in many initia-
world
Jewry?
tives over the past years. I will continue
Where is the reciprocity of brother-
to support the Jewish Community
hood? If Mr. Gad-Harf was so willing to
Anti-Semitic Koran
Council in the future. It was a tribute
publicly condemn desecration of a holy
and an honor to have worked with such
Jewish Community Council of
book, why didn't he insist that his "mod-
a kind, wise, bridge builder as David
Metropolitan Detroit Executive Director erate" colleagues publicly condemn the
Gad-Harf.
David Gad-Harf put himself— and by
indiscriminate murder and butchery of
Last week, as many, many, tributes
extension the entire Jewish community
Israelis by terrorists?
were read and presented from our Jewish
he is paid to represent — in the news
Why would the Jewish Community
and secular communities at David's
media spotlight in a show of solidarity
Council
elevate this issue to priority sta-
farewell celebration, it was obvious to
with local imams to condemn the sensa-
tus?
me that the comments in the two letters
tionalized report of Koran abuse by U.S.
At the very minimum, I would expect
were clearly not the voice of our
military personnel at Gitmo ("United
the
Council to organize a rally to show
Metropolitan Detroit community. David
Voice," June 16, page 25). Where was a
solidarity
with our Israeli brethren dur-
has made us very proud in this commu-
rally on behalf of the Jewish community
ing
this
wrenching
period of disengage-
nity. I wish him and his family well as he
to protest distribution of a noxiously
ment from the Gaza Strip and the
heads to New York.
anti-Semitic version of the Koran by the
northern part of the West Bank.
Council on American Islamic Relations
Debbie Levin
Jeffrey Rubinoff
Southfield (CAIR)?
According to USA Today, CAIR
Clawson
launched a campaign to distribute tens
of thousands of free Korans in response
to the since-retracted Newsweek story
One-Way Bridges
alleging that a Koran was flushed down
Validating Our Enemy
the toilet. The particular version of the
Regarding the Detroit City Council/
There seems to be a deep disconnect in
Koran that is being blanketed to educate Rachel Corrie issue ("Heroic Act
our community between the Jewish
the public about Islam is one that was
Debated," July 7, page 20), divestment
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit,
yanked by the Los Angeles public school
campaigns and other anti-Jewish/anti-
which works in overdrive to support
system for its rabidly anti-Jewish state-
Israel actions: These are symbols of our
Israel, and its public relations arm, the
ments within its commentaries. World
failures as individuals and our Jewish
Jewish Community Council, which
Net Daily reports that the Saudi-
organizations to be strongly assertive,
partnered with apologists for a terror
approved translation makes it clear the
pro-active and on the offensive.
organization dedicated to the annihila-
Koran's references to "apes" and "swine"
I commend the Jewish Community
tion of Israel.
are descriptions of Jews. In the index
Council, Anti-Defamation League and
David Gad-Harf, Council's executive
under "Jews" also are these phrases:
others for bridge building with other
director, had no business joining forces
"cursed," "enmity of," "greedy of life"
faiths, the battle against divestment and
with Imam Hassan Qazwini in a show
"slew prophets," "took usury," "unbelief
their successes after much hard work —
of solidarity at a recent rally at the
and blasphemy of" and "work iniquity."
but let's see where it got us.
Islamic Center of America in Dearborn
Imam Hassan Qazwini, at whose
We're doing the bridge building.
("United Voice," June 16, page 25).
Dearborn mosque Mr. Gad-Harf spoke
What are they doing for us? For exam-
According to a comprehensive terror-
to deplore Koran abuse and to promote
ple: Has the clergy that we've working
ism briefing prepared by the American
tolerance, was just the featured speaker
with to alleviate the Sudan genocide
Jewish Committee in 2003, Qazwini
at a major fund-raiser in Florida for
mentioned one word in our behalf
"defended fund-raising efforts on behalf
guess which organization? CAIR!
regarding the divestment, slaughter of
of Hezbollah's social welfare institu-
Israelis or Corrie matters? Have the
tions," which, according to the report's
Andre Douville organizations and schools that the book
author, are a mechanism for "indoctrina-
Waterford fair at Laurel Park Place in Livonia sup-
tion" and a "pool for recruiting new
ported assisted the Jewish community in
members to its Islamic Resistance
any way without us going to them for
Movement."
help? Nope.
Misguided Action
Hezbollah, which is on the U.S. State
Here's what I suggest our community
Department's list of terrorist organiza-
leaders do: Go after our opponents; go
Why
has
the
Jewish
Community
tions, has masterminded and executed
on the offensive. In the case of the
Council's executive director appearance
some of the most deadly attacks target-
Detroit City Council/Rachel Corrie
at
a
June
10
rally
at
a
Dearborn
mosque
ing Israelis and Americans and has been
issue, contact all the Michigan schools,
not
raised
any
questions?
("United
cross-linked to training of Al Qaida
businesses, religious leaders and politi-
Voice,"
June
16,
page
25.)
It
is
still
operatives and Iraqi insurgents.
cians that we have cultivated and helped
unclear
who
authorized
Executive
Why go out of our way to support
and tell them they are expected to con-
Director David Gad-Harf to lend our
and legitimize the enemies of the Jewish
demn the Detroit City Council resolu-
community's support to an event whose
people?
tion. Tell them it's time help goes both
objectives
are
not
unanimously
endorsed
Mr. Gad-Harf's indefensible decision
ways.
by
our
community.
Did
he
get
approval
to partner with Qazwini demonstrates a
State in the strongest terms that
from Federation to put the imprimatur
glaring lack of judgment and a misrepre-
Rachel Corrie was an American flag
of
our
community
on
a
rally
that
sentation of our community's consensus
burner and anti-American activist, not a
protested incidents of reported Koran
and priorities. If the Community
abuse, but failed to condemn widespread

"consummate international peace and
justice activist." Our Detroit Jewish News
shows a picture of Corrie as a pretty, stu-
dious young lady instead of a picture of
her burning an American flag. Where's
the logic in that?
Regarding the divestment issues, hit
them with lawsuits using U.S. anti-boy-
cott laws. Put them on the defensive.
Tell them we're not going to beg divest-
ment organizations for anything.
Here's what we can do as individuals:
Tell our secular and religious leaders to
force our opponents into the defensive
posture and don't let up. Write letters to
the editors exposing Corrie for what she
was and fight the divestment moves,
It's up to us to defend ourselves.

Ed Kohl

West Bloomfield

The Times' Apology

Community View writer Berl Falbaum
makes some important points when
writing his opinion regarding the
Holocaust and the journalistic coverage
by the New York Times during World
War II ("A Journalistic Outrage," July 7,
page 30).
He aptly refers to Professor Laurel
Leff's newly published book Buried

the Times: The Holocaust and America's
Most Important Newspaper.
Mr. Falbaum and Professor Leff cor-
rectly mention that the mass murder of
Jews, while reported in the newspaper,
was unfortunately buried in the inner
pages. This policy encouraged America
and its populace to be intent on win-
ning the war while ignoring the plight of
European Jewry. It allowed the evil
nature of Nazism to extend beyond our
imagination and comprehension.
Mr. Falbaum goes on to say that the
New York Times should consider an apol-
ogy or explanation.
On Nov. 14, 2001, in the 150th
anniversary issue of the New York Times,
an apology was published. "And then
there was failure: none greater than the
staggering, staining failure of the New
York Times to depict Hitler's methodical
extermination of the Jews of Europe as a
horror beyond all other horrors in
World War II — Nazi war within the
war crying out for illumination."
It took 56 years for the Times to rec-
ognize its failure and publicly confess.
We all wish it would have been much
sooner. However, I have to correct Mr.
Falbaum on this one point of an other-
wise excellent article.

Dr. Stuart Falk
docent, Holocaust Memorial Center
Farmington Hills

LETTERS on page 8

Jig

7/21
2005

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