January 14, 1997

Rabbi Daniel Sherbill
Northbrook Community Synagogue
3340 Dundee Rd.
Northbrook, IL 60062

Dear Rabbi:

Thank you for today’s telephone call in which we discussed the meeting between the Jewish Federation and Northwestern University President Henry S. Bienen on the inappropriate use of Northwestern University’s WWW server to publish Holocaust-Revisionist propaganda. In response to your invitation, I propose the following article for inclusion in our congregation’s news bulletin.

President Henry Bienen, Dean Jerome Cohen and Department Chairman Abraham Haddad of Northwestern University, all of whom are Jewish, terminated my academic appointment because I publicly opposed the improper use of a Northwestern University INTERNET server to publish Holocaust Revisionist propaganda. They were infuriated by my using the INTERNET to publish an engineering class exercise called CANDOR - The Language of Engineering . In that document and in C96 - Last Call and Candor , I challenged their judgment in condoning the use Northwestern University property for broadcasting a libel against the victims of the Holocaust.

In my writings, I emphasized the following points:

1. As a tax-exempt institution, Northwestern University is party to a social contract to devote its energies to the search for and publication of the truth and the proper education and ethical training of our children.
   
   
2. The First Amendment - Free Speech claims made by Northwestern University are inappropriate because the University is not a branch of government and because there has been a complete dereliction, under the excuse of Free Speech, of the faculty’s obligation to self-police its members which the faculty undertook in exchange for obtaining tenure. As mentors to our children, it is not Free Speech but Responsible and Accurate speech which the faculty is obligated to provide for our students.
   
   
3. The problem is not one between Northwestern University and Sheldon Epstein; but, between Northwestern University and the community at-large and, more specifically, the Jewish community. It was Jewish men in leadership positions at Northwestern University who solicited donations and students from the Jewish community while failing to disclose a material fact; namely, the use of Northwestern University resources to publish Holocaust-Revisionist propaganda. The Jewish community contributes 25% of all donations made to Northwestern University. Therefore, we have both the right and the responsibility a) to demand full disclosure to alumni, donors, students and their families and b) to oversee corrective action.

Jewish law and tradition charges all of us with the responsibility to preserve our heritage and the historical record for our children and for generations now unborn. We look to our scholars to preserve the accuracy of material taught to our children.

Jewish law also demands the highest integrity of those among us who hold leadership positions - especially with respect to children and students. When Jewish leaders fail to meet that standard, we then have a responsibility to hold these people and their acts up for public inspection. Only when we have done this can we go to the Christian and other communities where there are men and women of good-will eager to help us. Meanwhile, the task of restoring honor to the Jewish community at Northwestern University belongs to each of us.

Please call me with your questions and suggestions.

Sincerely,

Shel
Sheldon L. Epstein