Letters
DIA Apologizes
I deeply regret the offense that
has been caused by the Detroit
Institute of Arts holding a
members-only preview of the
Annie Leibovitz exhibition on
Rosh Hashanah (Editor's Letter,
"Sharpening The Focus," Sept. 14,
page 5).
It is undoubtedly an insuf-
ficient excuse, but balancing the
complexities of our construction
and exhibition schedules led us
to the wrong decision. We have
scheduled three additional dates
on which the exhibition curator
will give her presentation. I apol-
ogize again and have taken steps
to ensure that this never recurs.
director
The Arab American Political
Action Committee is an invalu-
able institution that helps
integrate Arab Americans
into the larger society. A well-
respected mainstream group,
AAPAC suggests candidates that
Arab Americans should consider
when voting as well as gives sup-
port to candidates that hold posi-
tions in the best interest of the
community and the country.
Your call to isolate AAPAC can
only be seen as an attempt to
remove whatever Arab American
influence exists in the political
process. This is especially trou-
bling since Jewish Americans
deserve much of the credit for
laws that made this country what
it is: open, tolerant and inclusive.
Detroit Institute of Arts
Oman Alkhatib
Detroit
president
Graham W. J. Beal
American Arab Anti-Discrimination
Committee
A Political Siege
I am writing to express my dis-
may at Robert Sklar's Editor's
Letter "Don't Mainstream
Extremists" (Aug. 31, page
5). This opinion column is
particularly troubling since it
comes from the voice of Jewish
Americans in the Detroit area.
The truth is that it is not pos-
sible to improve the relations
between the descendants of
the children of Abraham when
statements, in context or out of
context, made by two leaders of
the Arab American community
are used as a pretext to produce
a political isolation of perhaps
the only Arab American PAC in
the Detroit area. I can assure you
that even those who disagree
with Osama Siblani and Abed
Hammoud view your advocacy
as an attempt to impose a politi-
cal siege on Arab Americans in
the Detroit area. Your call for
isolation will not help bridge the
divide between Jews and Arabs
in the Detroit area.
Detroit
Principl.e First
We salute Michigan gubernato-
rial candidate Dick DeVos for
putting principle above politi-
cal expediency in declining to
appear before the Arab American
Political Action Committee
("New Awareness," Sept. 14, page
14). When presented with fuller
disclosure about the hate-inciting
pronouncements of its leader-
ship, DeVos did the right thing
and canceled his engagement.
Kudos to DeVos for refusing
to confer legitimacy and main-
stream acceptability upon dan-
gerous groups seeking to exploit
political seals of approval and
pass themselves off as moderates
when their leadership records
reveal they are anything but.
DeVos has established a bench-
mark against which all our state's
elected officials and their chal-
lengers should be judged.
Our community also owes a
debt of gratitude to Jewish News
Editor Robert Sklar for using the
power of his pen to expose the
radical agenda of the leadership
of AAPAC and the Congress of
Arab American Organizations
and to demand accountability
on the part of public officials on
both sides of the aisle.
We, too, as a constituency have
to own up to our responsibilities.
Just as no self-respecting black
community would let a public
official speak before a Ku Klux
Klan meeting, no self-respecting
Jewish community should give
a pass to politicians who speak
for individuals or organizations
demonizing Jews or Israel.
Whether it be a candidate, the
city of Detroit, the president of
Malaysia or the U.N., we must
put all on notice that we will
hot-fold-ate anti-Semitic and
anti-Zionist intolerance nor will
we remain passively mute when
professors, politicians, journalists
and institutions pander to pur-
veyors of hate and violence.
It's time we wake up and rec-
ognize that we are a minority
under global assault, and if we
don't step up to vigorously assert
our rights we will have only
ourselves to blame for the conse-
quences.
Linda Stulberq, director
Ed Kohl, communications coordinator
StandWithUs-Michigan
Oakland County
Great Campaign
The article on the Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan
Detroit's allocation of more
than $11,383,000 to local agen-
cies misses the mark ("Slight
Increase," Sept. 14, page 20).
The title of the article sets the
wrong tone and the article itself
fails to acknowledge one of the
greatest campaigns and fundrais-
ing efforts the Detroit Federation
has ever seen. Indeed, the dollar
MERU Icha Don't Know
There are two names that Israelis cannot adopt, except by marriage. What
are they?
—Goldfein
wAuone ue paiap!suo3) zlem JO asapd) uatio3
•(„}sand snoalq6p„ JO „4apazl uatio4„
gum *bat bue3 spas! 'aounot!s snoifmai aAey saweu ay} asnepag Liamsuy
saweu
0Copyrkeit 2006, Jewish Renaissance Media
8
September 21 • 2006
iN
increase in allocations to local
agencies for fiscal year 2007 was
more than half a million dollars,
one of the greatest dollar increas-
es at any time in recent memory.
This dollar amount represented
an increase of approximately 5
percent. This contrasts with much
smaller increases in the several
years prior thereto and a decrease
in at least one earlier year.
All in all, the Federation is
proud of the immensely suc-
cessful fundraising efforts and
the accomplishments that were
achieved through the support
of almost 11,000 donors in our
community.
Peter M. Alter
president
Jewish Federation
of Metropolitan Detroit
Bloomfield Township
Critical Mission
I would like to thank Robert
Sklar for his Editor's Letter, "The
Power of Docents" about the
Holocaust Memorial Center in
Farmington Hills (Sept. 7, page
5).
As a Holocaust docent, I always
feel transformed and enriched
after conducting a tour. To wit-
ness the change of expression on
students' faces as they "connect
the dots" between hateful speech
and actions and the murder of 6
million people is humbling and
powerful.
As a mother of three school-
age children, I feel it is my
responsibility to teach the lessons
and consequences of hatred and
intolerance. I thank Robert Sklar
for highlighting our mission
that, unfortunately, isiii2OW more
important than ever.
Gail Fisher
Precious Jewel
How wonderful to see the
Holocaust Memorial Center in
Farmington Hills receive the
respect it deserves in the Editor's
Letter by Robert Sklar, "The Power
Of Docents" (Sept. 7, page 5).
I am one of those "age 50-plus"
docents who has been at the cen-
ter for nearly 20 years. As a "pro-
fessional" volunteer, I have found
that this is the most rewarding
and meaningful volunteer expe-
rience for me.
Everyone at the center, from
the architects and craftsmen
who worked on the building to
the professional and volunteer
staff, all feel a commitment and
dedication that transcend politics
and turf.
The Holocaust Memorial Center
is a precious jewel in the secular,
and especially the Jewish, com-
munity. The center and the les-
sons it teaches deserve the moral
and financial support of all.
West Bloomfield
Thank You r Joel
Thank you for publishing
"Feeding The World" by Staff
Writer Shelli Dorfman (Sept. 14,
page 38).
Although not a close friend,
I have known Joel Jacob for 20
years. While Joel is reserved and
modest, his accomplishments are
breathtaking.
Before his death, Robert F.
Kennedy would often say in
every corner of the planet, "One
person can make a difference."
Joel best exemplifies this and is a
role model and hero for us all.
Imagine a world where every-
one contributed to society as Joel
Jacob does.
Harvey S. Bronstein
Southfield
Donna R. Sklar
Farmington Hills
Letters on page 11
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