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I have visited him twice while he has
been in the army, and he was home
for a visit last summer. The benefits he
receives as a Lone Soldier are very help-
ful as he gets extra time off to visit us
here each year.
Overall, I am so proud of him and his
commitment to the State of Israel, but
at the same time aware of the dangers
he faces every day in protecting Israel.
Thank you for bringing attention to
these Lone Soldiers. They do us all a
service every day.
Armonite Albalak
West Bloomfield
Alon Albalak
Lone Soldier's Inspiring
Commitment To Israel
Thank you for your wonderful article
on the Lone Soldiers on May 1. It is
truly exciting and awe-inspiring to see
young people connect to Israel on such
a level that they volunteer to join the
army.
However, you missed one impor-
tant person in your article — my son,
Mon Albalak, is also a Lone Soldier.
He joined the Midwest Region Garin
Tzabar, and in August 2012, made
aliyah with his garin and hundreds of
other Americans that arrived in Israel
at the same time.
His home in Israel is on Kibbutz
Kinneret, where he has a host family
that are wonderful and give him much-
needed support. His garin all live in
communal housing on the kibbutz and
that gives a special group of friends
going through the same experiences a
support structure.
Alon had already graduated MSU
when he made aliyah and was 23 (the
oldest age Garin Tzabar will accept),
but he really not only wanted to make
aliyah but also wanted to serve in the
IDF and "make a difference Based on
his age, he would only need to serve
six months in the military, but Garin
Tzabar requires a two-year commit-
ment.
However, Alon pushed forward and
got through multiple tryouts, and was
accepted to an elite unit that would
require 14 months of training and a
total commitment of three years. He
started the army in November 2012 and
is in a Special Forces Reconnaissance
Unit in Givati (the Southern
Command). This is an elite combat
unit.
Thank You, JSL, For
Eight Over Eighty
On Sunday, May 4, I participated in the
2014 Eight Over Eighty luncheon as
an honoree. The Detroit Jewish com-
munity is blessed to have the services
provided by Jewish Senior Life.
I would like to extend my apprecia-
tion to the dynamic Carol Rosenberg,
director JSL Foundation, and her staff,
the JSL board and volunteers for spon-
soring this amazing event.
I would like to thank all of those who
attended on my behalf as well as for the
other honorees.
Sissi Lapides
West Bloomfield
All Of Israel Is 'Occupied'
Says Hamas Covenant
Any discussion regarding "occupa-
tion" by Israel rarely asks the question,
"Which areas in the Holy Land are
considered occupied by Israel?" (Point/
Counterpoint, May 1, page 39). Is the
perception of the U.N., E.U. and U.S.
the same as Palestinian, Arab and
Muslim perceptions?
The answer is no.
The Palestinians and Muslims believe
that not only the West Bank is "occu-
pied" — but Israel proper, Tel Aviv,
Natanya, Haifa, are occupied, too.
In the letter of Haj Amin al-Husse-
ini, the grand Mufti of Jerusalem to
Winston Churchill in1926, he declared
that Mandatory Palestine is Waqf,
defined best in Hamas Covenant: "The
Islamic Resistance Movement believes
that the land of Palestine is an Islamic
Waqf, consecrated for future Moslem
generations until Judgment Day ...
This is the law governing the land of
Palestine in the Islamic Sharia [law]:'
The same message is conveyed by
politicians, sermons in mosques and
Palestinian media, and this is what is
taught in Palestinian schools. Hamas
is quite honest: No Jew or Christian
can own Palestinian land including the
Land of Israel proper, which is "occu-
pied Palestinian territory:'
"From the river [Jordan] to the
[Mediterranean] sea, Palestine will be
free" is the chant. Palestinian Authority
President Abbas confirms that future
Palestine will be Jew-free. Hamas insti-
tuted Sharia in Gaza which leaves no
space for dhimmis, second-class Jewish
and Christian citizens.
Moreover, large areas in West Bank
are land bought by Jews. Gush Etzion,
for example, included four Jewish vil-
lages that were founded on property
purchased in the1920s and destroyed
by the Jordanian Arab Legion in 1947.
Some 176 Israeli were massacred
including Israeli POWs. Today, Gush
Etzion includes 22 villages on Jewish-
owned land with a population of
70,000.
The recent reconciliation of Fatah
and Hamas obviates any discussion of
what is occupied and what is not.
May 28, 2014
6-9 pm
Rain or Shine!
ALL-INCLUSIVE
family event at
the Detroit Zoo!
Isaac Barr, M.D.
Bloomfield Township
'Outside The Tent'
Regarding J Street's failed bid to join the
Conference of Presidents (May 8, page
36), this is not an issue about gathering
as many Jews as we can inside our "big
tent:' It's about maintaining a strong,
united Jewish community that can
effectively counter our enemies.
Jewish groups that actively side with
our enemies (while they falsely claim
to support Israel), like J Street and
Americans for Peace Now, weaken our
resolve and destroy our unity.
The only "sad" aspect of this vote is it
wasn't unanimous against J Street.
As always, and just like those who
scapegoat Jews, J Street chooses to pin
the blame for their failure on "a minor-
ity of farthest right-wing organizations"
rather than on their own anti-Israel
policies.
Harry Onickel
Ferndale
Chai Riders Seek
New Members
Thank you for acknowledging the
20-year anniversary of our motorcycle
club (May 8, page 46). We are always
seeking new members and encourage
anyone interested in riding with us or
in learning more about the group to call
Michael Feldman at (313) 909-7682 or
Mike Gold at (248) 563-3268.
Chai Riders Motorcycle Club
it
Carousel Rides
g LEGO Building with
The Robot Garage
Picnic Dinner
Catered by Quality Kosher Catering
Clue Hunt with PRIZES
Music and Dancing
Crafts
Great Door Prizes
Wildlife Exhibits
Polar Bear Feeding
Tauber Family Railroad
SPECIAL PHOTO OP
with "PAWS",
The Detroit Tigers Mascot!
1-10Kiv&
TickrA ►
r
GREAT FAMILY EVENT
FREE PARKING
Children Under 2 FREE
BUY TICKETS ONLINE
wwwjarc.org/springelation2014
• 248.538.6611
May 15 • 2014
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