Dear Mr. Worthington,

RE: "Ukrainian teens were Nazi victims," Toronto Sun, April 29, 2001.

Back in June 1998, we had a series of discussions, Bernie Farber and I, discussions we'd been having off and on since 1996.

Our dialogue metronomed between the playful (Bernie once composed a limerick in my honour) and the acrimonious (he accused me -- quoi de neuf? -- of being an "anti-Semite").

At one point our discussion turned to the subject of torture, then legal in Israel. I asked Bernie what he thought of the "kosher Klaus Barbies" who were free to inflict harm on Arab detainees in Israeli jails.

Copied below was his answer to me, spelling errors and all:

Bernie M. Farber responds:

Israel is a democratic nation that since its existance has faced the brutal reality that its neighbours want to eradicate it. Torture is a sad albeit at times necessary part of war. Israel would prefer peace and never again have to worry about terrorist bombs and the mureder of its children. Until that day Israel will do what it must to protect itselfe and its people. "Kosher Klaus Barbies", please Orest, you of all people must know the difference between nazism and democracy. Wait, I know, your response....

Bernie Farber who insists neither Wasyl Odynsky nor Helmut Oberlander is fit to remain in Canada also believes "Torture is ... at times [a] necessary part of war."

Our exchange is posted on the Internet, archived by Google and accessible via the URL copied below:

http://groups.google.com/groups?q=Bernie+Farber,+Torture+is+a+sad&hl=en&lr=& safe=off&rnum=1&ic=1&selm=slepokuo-2006980954160001%40gen2-112ip167.cadvision.com

Sincerely yours,

Orest Slepokura
Strathmore AB, 2001-04-29