The issue of the creche in downtown Northbrook has prompted me to write the first ”letter to the editor” in my 50 years.
I am Jewish. I live in Northbrook. I support the erection of the creche on public property.
I don`t see that this is a threat to my personal freedom. I don`t see it corrupting my personal Judaic religious thinking. And I don`t see it as a threat to the perpetuity of Judaism in Northbrook or in America.
I feel any strong Jewish objection to the appearance of the creche on public domain is a recurrence of a primordial Jewish anxiety that perceives the Christian world as the ”enemy camp.” This is not a feeling among all Jews and I write to let the Christian community know that I don`t feel threatened by the majority practicing its religion publicly or privately.
However, I am very upset over the emergence of this as a front page issue in The Chicago Tribune. And it raises some related questions.
1. Why, when there is a very logical place for the creche on the lawn of the beautiful church no less than a block from downtown Northbrook, is it necessary to wage a battle to place it on public ground?
2. Knowing that this would cause division in the community, why did Mrs. Cavanaugh and Mrs. Cramblit make this an issue? Is that the ”Christian”
thing to do?
3. Why is it necessary to give this front-page coverage, if it merits coverage at all?
