Letters

Terrifying Response
Regarding "Our Neighbors" (Feb. 21, page
A20), reporting on a program in the Anti-
Defamation League-Michigan Region's
"Weaving Our Community" series, there
is one paragraph that I hope many others
considered disturbing.
Story Development Editor Keri Guten
Cohen reported that local ADL executive
director Betsy Kellman said that a local
Arab American speaker had backed out.
He told Kellman that his business had
been threatened by others in the Arab
American community because he would
be speaking before the ADL.
Personally, I found it terrifying to read
that a local Muslim's First Amendment
right to freedom of speech was threatened
and no one in his or our community could
come to his defense.
It is apparent that an Arab Muslim
segment in the Detroit area is so power-
ful in its use of intimidation that self-
identified moderate Muslims are unable
or unwilling to counter Jew hatred and
successfully defend against being threat-
ened by members of their "American"
community.
While the Arab American speakers com-
plained about rights being ignored by law
enforcement and the news media, assert-
ing that "Like all groups, Arab Americans
want to be part of society:' the example
of freedom of speech being denied leads
me to question the "society" they want to
weave us into.

Barbara Moretsky

West Bloomfield

No Quick Fix
We at Scott Gregory would like to thank
you for publishing your Publisher's
Notebook on how important is for our
community to support the local economy
in Michigan ("Our Economic Challenge,"
Feb. 7, page A5).
I can't tell you how often I hear my cus-
tomers say, "Scott Gregory has a fabulous
selection and I found so many things I
love, but I am going to Chicago (or New
York) this weekend and I want to save my
money to spend on my trip."
Very often, these same people return
and tell us they liked what they saw in
our store better than anything they found
elsewhere, but I am also sure that many of

them take their Michigan dollars to spend
out of town.
This practice is not restricted to local
women. I have heard many men who are
local business entrepreneurs encourage
their spouses to save their money to spend
out of town.
There seems to be some prestige asso-
ciated with a purchase that is made in
Chicago or New York, whether it is cloth-
ing, art or home accessories.
It is these same people who often
complain that there are no longer any
unique specialty stores to shop in in the
area.
I am sure that most businesses have
been affected by the economic problems
in Michigan and resulting loss of popula-
tion. Banding together as a community is
not a quick fix to our problem, but it may
help many of our favorite small businesses
weather the storm.

Wendy Schwartz, co-owner

Scott Gregory

West Bloomfield

Hillel's Proximity
We enjoyed reading Special Writer Robin
Schwartz's article "Hot Suburbs" (Feb. 7,
page A13).
There is no question that Huntington
Woods is a vibrant community for young
families, including a large percentage
of Jewish families. We love the sense of
community our family experiences play-
ing outside, walking along the sidewalks,
enjoying concerts in the summer, swim-
ming at the pool and enjoying the plethora
of activities the recreation center has to
offer.
While our son does not attend Burton
Elementary School, like many of his
friends (who he still plays with on a
weekly basis), we are fortunate that our
"community" has expanded to include
the many families who have chosen to
send their children to Hillel Day School in
Farmington Hills.
Huntington Woods (and its surrounding
cities) offers convenient access to 1-696,
making the commute to Hillel approxi-
mately 10 minutes — a commute that is
well worth the exemplary education our
son is receiving both in general studies
and Judaics, not to mention learning how
to be a true mentsh and building his own

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A6

March 6 • 2008

strong foundation of community from
where many came before him.
There is no question that schools like
Burton offer our children a great educa-
tion; however, parents should remember
that they can give their children the best
of both worlds — a great neighborhood,
and a school like Hillel, which offers much
more than what even the best public
schools can provide.

Amy and Jeff Schlussel

Huntington Woods

Credit Due
Thank you for pub-
lishing the story of
the Kindertransport
Quilts ("A Stitch In
Time," Feb. 28, page
A13).
The
Kindertransport
was the largest
organized rescue of Jews during the entire
Holocaust period.
The children on it, ranging from 4
months to 17 years, were saved from
almost certain death since the Nazi selec-
tion process sent those under 14 years
directly to the gas chambers and the older
ones to labor camps where survival was
an exception.
Although credit must be given to the
British government who allowed them to
enter, the British public who took them
in, the German government who allowed
them to leave and the Dutch government
who permitted transit through Holland, the
real heroes of this episode were the parents
who willingly sent them away before they
knew that extermination was the intended
fate for them and the children.

Hans Weinmann

Kindertransport participant

West Bloomfield

Joe's Wide Support
We, the undersigned, are Democrats,
Republican and Independent voters. We
encourage you to support, financially
and with your vote, whichever candidate
for U.S. Congress you choose to. But
we implore you to carefully review the
facts when it comes to the important
issue of the U.S.-Israel relationship and
Congressman Joe Knollenberg's record

("Knollenberg Defended;' Feb. 14, A25).
There have recently been false claims
circulating in our community regarding
Congressman Knollenberg's pro-Israel
voting record in Congress. Congressman
Knollenberg, whose Ninth Congressional
District represents much of southern
Oakland County, is not only one of Israel's
strongest advocates in Congress, but also
a fixture in our local Jewish community,
supporting many local Jewish agencies
too numerous to mention in this letter. He
speaks frequently at community events
and we are fortunate to have him as our
voice in Congress.
With many months before the election,
we urge you to take that time and study
Congressman Knollenberg's record on
Israel and our Jewish community and to
disregard political propaganda that is not
based on fact.

Jane and Larry Sherman, Franklin

Marc Weinbaum, West Bloomfield

Yale Levin, Farmington Hills

Larry Jackier, Bloomfield Hills

David Victor, Birmingham

Ed Levy Jr., Birmingham

Irving Nusbaum, Franklin

Rob Nusbaum, Franklin

David Sherman, Franklin

Correction
This is the correct
"Day by Day" necklace
that is available at
Tapper's Diamonds &
Fine Jewelry in West
Bloomfield and Novi
as part of a fund-
raiser facilitated by
Steven Tapper and
West Bloomfield resi-
dent Nancy Rosenthal
Tapper for the National Multiple Sclerosis
Society ("Living Each Day;' Feb. 28, page
A8).
The handcrafted, sterling-silver pen-
dant with two diamond accents comes
with a sterling silver, 16-inch necklace.
The price is $149, with $49 from every
purchase going directly to multiple scle-
rosis research and treatment.

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