Held said that Hillel plans to discuss thematter further with Counter, and that theorganization's official reaction will be decidedat a coordinating council meeting next weeks.

Daniel J. Libenson '92, a former Hillel leadersaid he will file an official complaint todayasking the University to remove Counter as head ofthe Foundation. Libenson emphasized that he isnot acting in connection with Hillel.

Libenson is quoted anonymously in thecontroversial letter as "complaining that'Harvard's celebration of Christian holidays suchas Christmas is as offensive to Jews as racism isto Blacks."'

"It's completely unprofessional to take thewords in of a student and say anything about themin a public forum," Libenson said. "He used myquote to try to prove some sort of Jewish plot andI feel betrayed."

Counter apologized for quoting Libenson in theletter and said that the "any quotes we makeregarding race relations are an effort to bringout the difficult issues we face... [and] to haveothers in the community see how difficult theissues are and how hard we must work to theresolve them."

Counter and Reid wrote in the letter that TheCrimson's articles and editorials were biased andunfair and that the views of "the Crimson group"did not represent the feelings of other studentson campus.

They also wrote that the "most intractableracial conflict has been between Jewish and Blackstudents."

The Crimson responded to the letter with alengthy staff editorial which defended itscoverage and sharply criticized counter asinsensitive.

Counter said the phrase" Crimson group wasmeant only to refer to what some students see asThe Crimson's "fraternal" nature one which makessome minority students feel excluded.

Held objected to the counter and Reid'sdescription of Hillel "as one of the studentgroups that is the dissatisfied with theFoundations work."

Held maintained that Hillel leaders have nevercriticized the Foundation and indeed have praisedits work.

Another inaccuracy in Counter's letter,according to Held, is that Hillel members wereasked to join the Foundation and refused, sayingthey were not minorities.

Rabbi Ben-Zion gold, the who was director ofHillel when the Foundation was founded, said thatno formal membership offer was ever made. Heacknowledged that an informal one to individualsmight have occurred without his knowledge.

Counter's assistant, Adrienne McLaughlin, saidyesterday some individual Hillel members refused afoundation grant four years ago. she said thestudents they were not minorities.

Held did not Libenson in calling for Counter'sresignation. The Crimson said counter "should notbe in charge of intercultural and race relationsat Harvard" unless he retracts statements in hisletter.