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20151490 You're invited to join us at a Novartis MS Education Link Event Hear Christina Caon, NP-C, RN, NP share information about multiple sclerosis (MS), learn about a prescription treatment option, and connect with people in your community living with MS. 12/15/15 at 6:30PM Fishbones 29244 Northwestern Highway Southfield, MI 48034 Tell or bring a friend! Accessible to people With disabilities. Light meal served. Parking will Be validated. Space is limited. Please RSVP by calling 1-866-682-7491 Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation East Hanover, New Jersey 07936-1080 © 2013 Novartis 1/13 T-XMG-1234308 viewpoints » S e n d l e t t e r s t o : l e t t e r s @ t h e j e w i s h n e w s . c o m continued from page 5 8 December 10 • 2015 Volunteers From U.S. And Europe Aid Israel Nine of us "Detroiters" traveled to Israel as Volunteers for Israel/Sar-El volunteers and linked up with fellow Detroiter Carol Kent to volunteer on an Israeli Army base. After visiting Tel Aviv, we went to the IDF base as Sar-El volunteers. We were three miles from Gaza. There were 10 volunteers … four of us girls. We completely cleaned out three huge ware- houses. My body never hurt so much, and my heart was never so full. We really worked hard … all of us. The soldiers were so grateful and couldn't get how much we got out of doing the work. The four girls slept in one small room. We laughed at night and got really close. The others were from England, Poland and Fort Lauderdale. The guys were a riot and nights were fun. Got to Jerusalem and saw the actual ambulance that my husband, Bernard, and I donated. Wow! It is used a lot and has a medical team on it. They were great people. Volunteers for Israel-USA (VFI-USA) is associated with Sar-El, a nonprofit orga- nization that administers the program in Israel. Volunteers typically spend two or three weeks living and working alongside Israelis at an army base, Israeli Defense Forces warehouse or service base. The program offers a way to contribute to the State of Israel in a very direct way. Ed Kohl and Carol Kent, the Great Lakes regional directors for the states of Michigan, Indiana and Wisconsin, are available to speak to groups and individu- als about the VFI/Sar-El program. For information, call or email Ed Kohl at (248) 420-3729, michgan@vfi-usa.org ; Carol Kent at (248) 865-8580, carolkent@ aol.com; or visit the VFI-USA website www.vfi-usa.org. Rozie Friedman West Bloomfield There Is No Way To Vet Refugees In response to the letter from the Jewish Community Relations Council "JCRC Backs Settlement Of Syrian Refugess in U.S." (Nov. 26, page 8), letting emotions override facts and rationality is an unnec- essary risk to the safety and security of American citizens. During congressional testimony on Oct. 21, both FBI Director James Comey and Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson admitted they do not currently have the ability to properly screen and conduct sufficient background checks on Middle Eastern refugees. In part, from the "Preliminary Findings of a House Homeland Security Committee Review," the FBI director on the challenges of screening Syrian refu- gees said, "We can query our databases until the cows come home, but nothing will show up because we have no record of that person … You can only query what you have collected." FBI Assistant Director Michael Steinbach said, "The concern in Syria is that we don't have the systems in places on the ground to collect the information … All of the data sets, the police, the intel services that normally you would go and seek that information [from], don't exist." National Intelligence Director James Clapper stated, "We don't obviously put it past the likes of ISIL to infiltrate opera- tives among these refugees." "There are no real controls," one European diplomat explained. "[The authorities] take fingerprints, accept whatever identification they provide — if they have one — and send them on their way." Common sense dictates that it is time to call a halt to bringing in Middle Eastern refugees until proper vetting is in place and working. Irving W. Ginsberg, Ph.D. Farmington Hills Loan Corporation A Fantastic Idea As an engineer, I was intrigued by the fantastic concept of the Ideal Detroit Loan Corporation ("Bypassing The Bank," Nov. 12, page 12). I have enticed my children and colleagues to join Ideal. All of my grandchildren and many nieces and nephews are also members. Your story was excellent. Isaak Itkis Southfield Bernard Friedman, Rozie Friedman, Harold Friedman, Carol Kent, Marek Kalinowski, Halina Kalinowski, Paul Friedman, Denise Andreski, Stan Meretsky, Jim Andreski letters Brigade who lost an arm in a Hamas ter- ror attack near the Gaza Strip security fence, and wounded U.S. Marine Corps veteran Gunnery Sgt. (Ret.) Edward Schrank, whose life was saved when he was diagnosed with a potentially termi- nal brain tumor during treatment for serious head trauma he sustained in the line of duty. "During my time in Israel, I saw how much our two militaries have in com- mon," Schrank told the crowd, which included many veterans of both armies. "The United States and Israel share so much in our passions and our core val- ues — and those who want to see our values destroyed." It is important that Israel's soldiers know that the Jewish community — in Detroit and across America — stands with them. We must show them that we appreciate their sacrifices and sup- port their well-being in whatever ways we can during and after their difficult service defending Israel and Jews world- wide. * Gary Shiffman is president of Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) Michigan Chapter. He lives in West Bloomfield with his wife, Lisa.