Letters
Say It Straight
I recently read that Jimmy
Carter has declined to debate his
new book with Professor Alan
Dershowitz as, in his opinion,
Dershowitz "knows nothing
about the situ-
ation."
This, of
course, will
come as a
surprise to
those who are
Jimmy
acquainted with
Carter
the Harvard
professor's
considerable knowledge of the
Middle East and world affairs;
and it also means that, on the
same grounds, Carter would
decline discussing software
with Bill Gates, physics with
Edward Teller, automobiles with
Henry Ford and electricity with
Thomas Edison.
More to the point, Jimmy
Carter's statement means that
he does not have the intellectual
courage and integrity to debate
his book with a person who is
likely to put both the book and
its author in their proper pro-
spective.
Les Goldstein
West Bloomfield
What's In A Name?
Two of the three Israeli soldiers
captured months ago by the
Hamas and Hezbollah terror
organizations carry the names of
two of my own sons. Whenever I
hear the names Gilad and Ehud
(Udi), my heart misses a beat or
two.
As an Israeli native, I real-
ize that the captured Gilad and
Udi could have easily been my
own beloved sons, an unbear-
able thought. The Hebrew -
Bible's renowned prophet
Rachel Kapen
Know The Question
I want to commend Columnist/
Staff Writer Harry Kirsbaum for
his well-done column of Dec. 21
regarding the recent convention
of Holocaust deniers, held in
early January in that freedom-
loving nation of Iran ("A Good
Week After All:' page 10).
I particularly liked Mr.
Kirsbaum's suggestions for what
the convention delegates can do
to educate themselves. I would
like to make two other sugges-
tions — if it's not too late.
One is play Schindler's List
24/7 on the public-state-run
TV stations throughout the
Middle East as well as show the
Auschwitz segment from the film
Sophie's Choice.
Some JN readers may have
noticed in the last paragraph of
the first Detroit Free Press wire
service story about the convention
that inadvertently exposes the real
purpose of the so-called event.
One delegate commented that
the real purpose of the conven-
tion is to criticize and question
the legitimacy of the State of
Israel's existence as an indepen-
dent nation-state. This appears
to be the strategy of the 21st cen-
tury since the focus of the past
58 years of trying to defeat Israel
militarily has been unsuccessful.
The anti-Israel nations are
attempting to do what I have
suggested to policy makers
throughout my newspaper career
of 42 years, several of which were
with the Jewish News as a part-
time copy editor.
It's not the answer that's
important in a policy discussion;
it's the question. If you don't like
the answer you're getting, just
change the question.
West Bloomfield
Leonard Poger
Jeremiah asked: "Is there a
balm in Gilead?" The continu-
ation of the sentence Arukhat
Bat-Ami — the healing of my
people — became the motto of
Hadassah, the wonderful wom-
en's Zionist organization, which
is the founder and sole supporter
of Jerusalem's famed Hadassah
Hospital, arguably the best in the
region and known to serve Jews
and Arabs alike.
Ehud was the judge and leader
from the Book of Judges who
most courageously killed Eglon,
the king of Moab, the mortal
enemy of the Jews at that time.
Our Jewish sages teach us,
"He who saves one soul is as
if he saved the entire world."
Accordingly, Israel is known to
do everything in its power to
save each and every one of its
captives; this important mitz-
vah is called pidyon shvuyim,
the redemption of captives. It is
often at the dear price of releas-
ing hundreds and thousands
of Palestinians who may very
well be returning to do harm to
the state and its people the way
they did before their arrest. But
as Israelis say,"Ein brairah,"
— "No alternative."
The mitzvah of pidyon
shvuyim for Israelis overrides
any other considerations; despite
the often-repeated statements
of Israel not negotiating with
terrorists, this is what is going to
happen now if we are to get our
sons back alive.
In times like these, the three
captives are everyone's sons; this
is not a hollow statement. I feel
it deep in my heart every time I
hear their names — the names
of my own beloved sons.
Beware Of Gambit
The Baker Commission proposal
to arbitrarily make Israel and
her troubles central to the chaos
in Iraq is so patently absurd it's
not worth critiquing. There is,
however, a related matter to con-
sider that requires some serious
attention.
The irrelevant focus by Mr.
Baker and Company on the tiny,
beleaguered Jewish state harks
back to a very old, thought to be
very useful, policy, which I call
"Throw Them a Jew:" Always a
handy move when sharks are
surrounding the ship, it is meant
as a distraction and delaying
tactic. Unfortunately, it doesn't
work. It didn't work for the czars
with the peasants. It didn't work
for the Poles with Hitler. It isn't
working now for France and
England with their obstreperous
Muslim populations.
Of course, it works very well
if, just on general principles, you
want to get rid of Jews. It is an
anti-Semitic gambit and should
be labeled as such.
Mitzi Alvin
Franklin
Human and Civil Rights Division
of the Muslim American Society
Freedom Foundation, Ibrahim
Ramey, issued a statement Dec.
14:
"History will recall the tragedy
of the genocide that slaughtered
some 6 million European Jews
between the rise of Adolf Hitler
and the Nazi Party in 1933 and
the culmination of the Second
World War in Europe in May
1945.
The evidence of this crime and
the horrible magnitude of this
killing are irrefutable.
"As a Muslim of African decent
in the United States, whose
ancestors were victimized by
the enormous crime of slavery, I
object.
"And I believe that all Muslims,
like other human beings who
value compassion and truth,
must vigorously object to this
gathering as well."
The reason this view, that
"Islam is Islam is Islam:' is dan-
gerous is that it undermines our
natural allies. We need to strong-
ly support moderate Muslims,
not deny their existence.
David Grinstein
Work With Moderates
Westland
The article "Survivors' Tale" (Dec.
14, page 16) quotes Lebanese
Christian
Zionist Brigitte
Gabriel say-
ing,"I don't
think there
is a differ-
ence between
radical Islam
Brigette
and moderate
Gabriel
Islam. Islam is
Islam is Islam."
I think this outlook is both
wrong and dangerous.
As an example that this view
is wrong, the director of the
Waltham, Mass.
Relative Thanks
Just want to thank the IN for
running the comic "Everything's
Relative" by Jordan Gorfinkel
(weekly on the To Do!/Calendar
page).
I've seen it in other papers
around the country and have
long been hoping we could get it
here. I, and many friends, enjoy it
a lot, and we hope to see it in the
JN for a long time.
Avy Schreiber
Southfield
.C...*C.O.X.t,,X.O.,,,...i.%.,,(0.0**VX,,MCCOOttaVe*MtV.V.MCCVNVa.*P.C,,X.X,XPWC<PVTO
IlLEFnET
How to Send Letters
We prefer letters relating to IN articles. We reserve the right to edit or
Icha Don't Know
Where can you find an eight-branch 15-foot saguaro cactus, which decorates
a Jewish home's front yard during Chanukah?
—Goldfein
•awou x!uaoqd gpou s4aumi
0Copyright 2006. Jewish Renaissance Media
6
December 28 2006
Lien pue
:JeMsuy
reject letters. Letters of 225 words or less are considered first. Longer
ones will be subject to trimming. Letter writers are limited in frequency
of publication. Letters must be original and contain the name, address
and title of the writer and a day phone number. Non-electronic cop-
ies must be hand signed. Send letters to the IN: 29200 Northwestern
Highway, Suite 110, Southfield, MI 48034; fax (248) 304-8885;
e-mail, letters@the jewishnews.com . We prefer e-mail.