THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
44—Friday, August 2, 1974
YOUR CHANCE TO
VOTE
JUSTICE
INTEGRITY
BERNARD L.
KAUFMAN
ELECT
A ND
PROMOTE
BERNARD L.
FOR
JUDGE
COURT OF
APPEALS
2ND DISTRICT
HIGHLY QUALIFIED
Elected by his peers to the
Workmen's Compensation Council
of the State Bar of Michigan, 1970
through 1973
• Appointed Arbitrator of the
American Arbitration Association
• Associate Editor of the Journal of
the American Trial Lawyers As-
sociation, 1959 to present
• Am4Bar Assoc. Litigation Section
• Appointed to Lawyer to Lawyer
Consultation Panel
• Associate member International
Association of Industrial Accident
Boards and Commissions
• Detroit Bar Association
• ' Michigan Trial Lawyers Assoc.
• Fellow of International Academy
of Law and Science
AUGUST 6, TUESDAY
Former Detroit Rabbi Relates Story
of Brain-Damaged Son and 'Miracle'
"Why me?" — How often rabbi found solace as he
that question must occur to learned to cope with his
the parent of an afflicted feelings of shame and guilt.
child. Reflecting the depth of
"When Michael was still in
a man's faith in his God, the Frances' womb, I day-
question takes on even deep- dreamed of my child's fut-
er connotation when it is ure. If a boy, would he fol-
asked by a rabbi.
low my footsteps into the
It is the title chosen by for- rabbinate, would he become
mer Detroit Rabbi Hyman an attorney, a doctor, or a
Agress for a very special scientist? I took for granted
book (Creation House) about that he would attend college.
his very special son.
I wanted him to be happy,
'Michael Agress, the eldest but this is such a nebulous
of Hyman and Frances term. I had equated it with
Agress' three children, was success, with material well-
born in Detroit in October being. I had ignored the sage
1959, when the rabbi was ser- advice of ancient rabbis:
ving a new congregation, `Who is wealthy? He who is
happy with his portion in
Beth Moses.
The boy was 3 before his life.'
"These prideful assump-
parents, then living in Yon-
kers, learned that Michael
was brain-damaged. The ef-
fect of the awful revelation. 'Courage of British
on the young couple, their Pioneers Is Akin
encounters with too many
uncaring institutions and too to Israelis' Spirit'
few exceptional ones, the . JOHANNESBURG (JTA)
rabbi's own coming to terms —The courage of the pioneer
with himself and his son's British settlers who came to
handicap comprise a poig- South Africa in 1820 was
nant story of love and cour- compared to that of the Is-
age.
raeli people by South Africa's
Rabbi Agress reveals more state president, Jim Fouche,
than the impressions of an when he dedicated a new
anguished parent. He fath- monument to the 1820 set-
oms the almost impenetrable tlers which has been erected
world of his special child, in Grahamstown, Cape Pro-
a boy who tested retarded, vince.
whose eyesight and hearing
Paying tribute to the 1820
are scrambled, who is hyper- settlers, Fouche said that
active, physically uncoordin- their spirit could be com-
ated and emotionally imma- pared to the pioneers and
ture.
present inhabitants of Israel.
Yet he was "tentatively This spirit was the driving
groping toward a form of self- force of nationalism.
expression that might give
"Where can one find a
him both self-respect and a better
example of that than
life of his own. :That he was in present-day I s r a e 1?"
able to do this, in spite of Fouche said. "Whether or not
all his handicaps, is a trib- we agree with their senti-
ute to his own great courage, ments, the way they are
persistence,' and innate cap- helping millions must be re-
abilities. It is a mark of the spected by friend and foe.
individuality that exists in That wonderful will to sur-
all of God's creations."
vive is generated. by nothing
Throughout • the account, more than Jewish national-
there are many quotations ism, borne out of the unify-
from the Bible. Here, the ing force of Jewish history.
The dedication ceremonies
J. CLARKE STUDIO
included an inter-denomina-
'Portraiture of_ Distinction]
tional service in which the
For Your Wedding
participants were Christian
Formals - Candids - Direct Colori
church leaders and Chief
• 3223 W. McNkhols -
Rabbi Bernard Casper on be-
Nr. Muirland
half of the Jewish commun-
Call 341-4141
ity.
What Is The
Child Success System Al! About?
Let Us Sho
Y o u W ha t
Car id Do
tv ' w
your C hi/
CG
F :rrialdn'ciscfhriiiednidyour
Free!
Complimentary Session...
that won't cost you a
penny (while you shoe!)
HERE'S ALL YOU DO
Call 563-7853 now to enroll your child in this FREE
Mini Session — But Do n itNOW, Space Is Limited!
at *IVESTLAND, SOUTHLAND and
TEL TWELVE MALL
We help your children ages 7-14 to . . . develop
greater confidence ... organize his time effectively
. set and meet realistic goals . . . experience pub-
lic speaking and decision making AND HAVE FUN
DOING IT! Help him to prepare for a successful
school year.
Jewish-Gentile
Relations Studied
in German Project
BONN — A 10-volume
scientific work begun here
gives a comprehensive sur-
vey of relations 'between
Jews and Christians written
by 100 authors from various
countries. The purpose is to
remove prejudices and im-
prove relations between
Christians and Jews, which
carry a heavy burden from
the past.
After 10 years' preparation
the first volume of the En-
glish basic edition has ap-
peared under the title "The
Jewish People in the First
Century." Copies have been
presented to the Israeli and
German presidents. The first
edition in German is due to
appear at the end of 1975.
It is estimated that it will
be between 12 and 15 years
before all volumes are avail-
able.
tions disappeared with the
words, 'Michael has brain
damage and may be retard-
ed.' In place of pride came
an equally selfish though
opposite response, self-pity.
I could think only of myself,
my misfortunes, my feelings.
There was little, if any room
in heart or mind for my wife
or children as I found I
was wallowing uncontroll-
ably in a sea of despair and
self-pity."
After frustrating rejections
by schools and endless test-
ing by doctors, the miracle
came in the form of Virginia
Mat so n, director of the
unique Grove School for Ex-
ceptional Children in Illinois.
With the love of his parents
and teachers, Michael learn-
ed to become a useful citizen.
Today, Michael at 14 at-
tends the EMH (educable
mentally handicaped) school
in Aurora, Ill., where his
father heads Temple Bnai
Israel. This summer, the boy
is serving as a teacher's as-
sistant for a class of five
children in special education.
The epilogue to this story—
indeed a prologue to his
future — is the Bar Mitzva
that Michael observed on his
14th birthday. Rabbi Agress
taught his son Hebrew, des-
pite experts' opinion that
such a child could not learn
a second language and des-
pite Michael's auditory prob-
lem.
The boy's love of -music
had helped him to memorize
the Friday evening kidush,
the Hanuka blessings, Four
Questions of Passover and a
few other Hebrew prayers.
Rabbi Agress thought he
would try -Michael at a sim-
plified Bar Mitzva before a
small group. So successful
was this attempt that the
family decided to permit the
boy to have a full ceremony
before 200 adults at Bnai Is-
rael.
The boy's recitation was
faultless.
Recalled Rabbi Agress: "It
had been a long and hard
road to this day. At one time
had despaired of ever hear-
ing Michael talk or sit still
during a service. This Satur-
day he had chanted a por-
tion of the prophets in Heb-
rew and had helped conduct
the services, also in Heb-
rew."
As the rabbi arose to say
a few words, be found he
could not. "My throat grew
dry, tears welled up in my
eyes, and I began to sob. I
was so proud of Michael.
This day had been such a
joyful and spiritual occasion
that I could not control my
emotions."
An interesting footnote was
provided to The Jewish
News by Detroiter 'Ruth
Shusterman, a close friend
of the Agresses who attended
Michael's Bar ,Mitzva. Last
month, she also was present
for the Bar Mitzva of his
brother, Stephen. "Michael
was called up for an aliya,"
she said. "It was as emotion-
al an experience as his own
Bar Mitzva."
"Why Me?" is already in
its second printing. It is easy
to see why. No reader, par-
ent or not, will come away
from this little book without
renewed 'belief in God's mir-
acles. —CD
AJCommittee Nets Settlement
in Bias Case Against Temple U.
NEW YORK — The Phila-
delphia chapter of the Ameri-
can Jewish Committee has
announced the signing of an
agreement of conciliation
with Temple University in a
case involving a young pro-
fessor of Afro-American his-
tory who had been denied an
opportunity to compete for a
faculty position at that
school's Institute of Pan Af-
rican Studies in December
1971.
The complainant, former
Philadelphian Martin Gold-
man, contended that after he
had been advised that his
qualifications were the best
of all applicants, •he was not
permitted a personal inter-
view when it became known
he is white.
Goldman has charged the
university with racial dis-
crimination, and AJC had
brought the matter to the at-
tention of the Pennsylvania
Human Relations Commis-
sion and the U.S. Department
of Health, Education and
Welfare in Washington, D.C.
The dispute ended with an
agreement by the academi-
cian and AJCommittee to
withdraw their complaints in
return for a cash settlement
equal to the salary Goldman
would have earned at Temple
had he been hired, less other
salary earned during that
time.
In offering the $5,500 settle-
ment, the university did not
concede that any discrimina-
tory act occurred and ex-
pressed the desire to avoid
lengthy and costly litigation.
No one knows where death,
behind the wheel will strike
next—drive carefully.
Bar Mitvias, Weddings
Garson ZpItzer
Photography
559-7876
dio
IRENE'S
BOUTIQUE
All Summer
Ladies Apparel
1/2 OFF
20% Sale on Fall Merchandise
Call Now! For Appt
273-4244 or 273-9648
custom designed
S
.
.
•
TIFFANY LAMPS
11111
Stained Glass
V.R.SATTLER
Since 1946
111 , 7
557-6983 V::.;A.
„
tet The Professionals Perform
DICK STEIN Inc.
Jeep Smith — Dick Stein
Shelby Lee — Patty Grant
Mori Little — Leonard McDonald Etc.
From, one to any number of musicians
Complete Party Planning on Request
358-2777
"Music The Stein Way"
GALS...It's time to hang up
your BIKINIS and come to
where it's at for fashion...
SPORTIN°
GAL
2399 Coolidge ( Next to TasteeFreeze)
Re-Opens Mon., Aug. 5th
with smashing styles for Fall
that will make you wish for a
cold spell. This is no put on,
the only put on for you will be
our out of sight outfits!
COME SEE US
WE LOVE OUR FASHIONS
YOU WILL TOO!
Lorraine
Ina
.'
and .special occasions
Natalie