There has much discussion concerning the firebombing in Montreal. From all indications it was a hate crime. It is very admirable that AJL is trying to find ways to help the victims restore the library itself. Is this organization missing the bigger picture? If in fact a library and place of Jewish learning is the target of hate with possible linkage to the current Middle East situation, shouldn't AJL make a statement about the incident.
There is an increased environment of Anti-Semitism and Anti-Israel sentiment in recent times. Just today Bin-Laden issued a tape message that links 9/11 with United States support of Israel. Even the message that was left at the bombing scene related to the Middle East. Unfortunately, what happened in Montreal could happen in any one of our libraries. Do we have to wait for that to happen. Silence is the greatest tool of the hate peddler and terrorist. We are a national organization of Jewish librarians and one of our own was attacked. We need to make a statement of condemnation of this brutal act. The Rabbis tell us that silence is equivalent to admission. When the nation was attacked on 9/11 there was fear, sadness, and resolve. We as an organization should does at least that much. Eliezer M. Wise Library Director Tuttleman Library of Gratz College 7605 Old York Road Melrose Park, Pa. 19027 215-635-7300 extension 159 Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the AJL =========================================================== Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: Hasafran @ lists.acs.ohio-state.edu SUBscribing, SIGNOFF commands send to: Listproc @ lists.acs.ohio-state.edu Questions, problems, complaints, compliments;-) send to: galron.1 @ osu.edu Ha-Safran Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html AJL HomePage http://www.JewishLibraries.org
