TO: Mr. Tomi Lapid

Minister of Justice

Dear Mr. Lapid:

We, the chess players from the town of Arad, are writing to you in connection with the following. For many years, we’ve been reduced to play chess in a basement, which has served as our chess club, opening only once a week from 10am to 2pm. On February 15 2004, Mr. Eddie Beckford, a Christian U.S. citizen, rented a facility for us at his own expense, purchased tables, chairs, chess sets, chess clocks, and provided us an opportunity to play chess every day from 10am to 4pm in a normal environment. Mr Eddie Beckford did a great job assisting in arranging for chess tournaments between Arad and Dimona, Arad and Ophakim. More chess events are underway. Mr Beckford is very active in providing assistance to the Ghetto and Concentration Camps Survivors Association. However, local local [Jewish] religious organizations demonstrate how ‘grateful’ they are by picketing his house, the chess club where we play, by blowing tires on and throwing stones at his car.

We request that you take appropriate measures to ensure compliance with the law since our petitions to local police rendered no results.

April 2004 [signatures]