A year has passed since the tragic terrorist attacks on the United States. September 11 is etched in our minds as a day of horrific loss and devastating destruction. Evil forces disguising their heinous acts in the cloak of religious doctrine snuffed out thousands of innocent lives. It is only proper for us to remember the lives that came to a premature end, as well as to pay tribute to the loved ones they left behind. This month's Gantseh Megillah is dedicated to the courage, fortitude and memory of the victims.

In the past year, America has been engaged in a "War on Terror." President Bush promised to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." Brave American soldiers have been fighting in Afghanistan in an attempt to root out Osama and to destroy al Qaeda. Aerial and ground combat has resulted in the loss of thousands of civilian and military lives yet Osama and his top commanders remain on the loose. To date, we have succeeded in removing the Taliban from power but failed in our primary objective of destroying the terrorist network.

America now is shaking its sword in the direction of Iraq. President Bush is insisting Saddam Hussein is the epitome of evil and he must be removed from power. This will result in more bombing, more bloodshed and more lives lost. Although the president is doing his utmost to tie-in the "regime change" with the "War on Terror" there appears to be no coherent connection between the events of September 11 and Iraq's leadership.

Saddam is a cruel dictator but it is not appropriate for the United States to invade Iraq unilaterally. The U.S. should first insist on the return of the United Nations weapons inspectors rather than interfering and thus risking the entire fragile coexistence in that part of the world. If Saddam refuses to allow the return of inspectors; then it is up to the United Nations to organize a response, perhaps headed-up once again by the United States.

Will we ever come to the understanding that the answer to bloodshed is not more bloodshed? Thousands of lives have been lost in Afghanistan, the United States, Israel and other world hotbeds of unrest. Al Qaeda, Shining Path, Hamas, Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations continue to attack civilian targets, which results in massive retaliation from a superior military force. More blood spilled in the name of stopping bloodshed.

If we truly wish to honor those innocent souls who lost their lives on September 11, we should do so by urging our leaders to stop the killing. Make them realize that we have no choice but to find another way of solving our differences. Certainly, the perpetrators of terrorism must be punished; but I believe that thousands of additional dead bodies need not be added to the mound of retribution.

The High Holy Days are upon us, and I urge that we pray to G-d for peace and understanding. When we leave our synagogues after praying for peace, let us make sure that our elected officials understand that we really mean what we pray.

We have had many lovely letters commenting on the Weekly Megillah as well as the new format for the Monthly edition. Pictures for our Megillah family album continue to arrive regularly. If you have not yet emailed us a photo, please do so. It is our goal to have as many members of our Megillah family represented in the album as possible.

Of course, I cannot close my monthly message without reminding everyone of the continued need for financial contributions. To those who have made donations, thank you. To those who have not yet done so, please click on the links below to learn how you can help the Megillah survive. Remember, there is no fee for subscribing to the newsletter. All donations are voluntary and no one will ever be dropped from the subscriber's list if they cannot contribute. If you are in a position to help, it would be enormously appreciated.

Arnold and I wish all of you and your loved ones much happiness, good health and peace in the year 5763.

Much love to all of you,
Michael
Editor