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Friday, December 28, 1984
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
THE JEWISH NEWS
Serving Detroit's Metropolitan Jewish Community
with distinction for four decades.
Editorial and Sales offices at 20300 Civic Center Dr.,
Suite 240, Southfield, Michigan 48076
Telephone (313) 354-6060
PUBLISHER: Charles A. Buerger
EDITOR EMERITUS: Philip Slomovitz
EDITOR: Gary Rosenblatt
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ART DIRECTOR: Kim Muller-Thym
NEWS EDITOR: Alan Hitsky
LOCAL NEWS EDITOR: Heidi Press
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT: Tedd Schneider
LOCAL COLUMNIST: Danny Raskin
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES:
Lauri Biafore
Rick Nessel
Danny Raskin
Seymour Schwartz
OFFICE STAFF:
Marlene Miller
Dharlene Norris
Phyllis Tyner
Pauline Weiss
Ellen Wolfe
PRODUCTION:
Donald Cheshure
Cathy Ciccone
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Ralph Orme
1984 by The Detroit Jewish News (US PS 275-520)
Second Class postage paid at Southfield, Whig%) and additional mailing offices. Subscription $18 a year.
CANDLELIGHTING AT 4:50 P.M.
VOL. LXXXVI, No. 18
Year of the terrorist?
Newsweek magazine has declared 1984 "The Year Of The Yuppie." Okay.
We suppose you can call it the year of anything and make a pretty good case.
We hate to be so downbeat, but there is one trend that seemed to dominate the
news more than Yuppieism this past year: Terrorism.
Hardly a day has gone by during the last 362 without a report of some
insane hijacking, kidnapping, assassination or bombing. Terrorists have
succeeded in terrifying the world, and there appears to be very little that
anyone can do to stop the determined terrorist. Terrorists, particularly the
suicidal variety, are virtually unstoppable once they strap on their bombs and
start walking.
Obviously, some nations encourage terrorism simply for the sake of its
disruptive effects, never mind a srvific goal. And terrorist organizations do it
for publicity, which leads to the bizarre spectacle of hit groups vying with
each other for responsibility, as in the case of this week's tragic train blast in
Italy. The grotesque incongruity of it: Killers fighting over who will receive
the credit for committing man's most heinous crime! And the White House
becoming a fortress. And the Capitol building barricaded.
Perhaps the only remedy is to establish a whole new intelligence network
dedicated to the single purpose of foiling terrorism in the planning stages. Or
an educational campaign directed at teaching people that "Thou Shalt Not
Commit Murder." A novel idea.
In any event, the world this year seemed to have been more concerned
with avoiding death than taxes. And we think even the Yuppies would agree
with that.
Good will
In the fulfillment of the duty to establish the closest relationships in
citizenship, the major obligation is that it be on the highest levels of
cooperation and with an elimination of politicized intentions.
An important effort introduced in New York by 100 blacks and Jews had
the intention of creating anew the urgent need to re-establish the friendship
- which knotted their mutual aspirations for elimination of racial discord.
There was a regrettable suspicion which had political intonations. Hopefully,
this is being healed and will be eliminated in pursuant tasks toward the
building of good. will.
There is a vaster field of similar endeavor to be taken into consideration.
The black-Jewish friendship is not limited to New York. It has national
obligations. It is a citizenship duty. Whatever interruptions had crept in, the
suspicions and tensions are deplorable and do not belong in good citizenship,
whether in New York or in Detroit or anywhere else in the country.
Primarily, the efforts to create good will must never be politicized. The
sacred matter must be treated on a high level, unpoliticized, without -
suspicions, based on the highest levels of good citizenship.
Immunity and its judges
Israel's Knesset voted to deny political immunity to Rabbi Meir Kahane.
The action came as a relief to Israelis with a sense of fair play, to Diaspora
Jewry who fear terrorism in Jewish ranks as well as from strangers.
There is shock, however, in the defense of Kahane from 36 Kensset
members who voted in a secret ballot against the immunity proposal. It
means that the anti-Arab stand of extremists who support the Kahane
menace has support in Jewish ranks. This is most deplorable.
OP-ED
a
id
Are individuals and society
•
putting singles up on a shelf?
BY ESTHER PASTOR
Special to The Jewish News
We are lost in time and space,
waiting. We are waiting for a room-
mate, a lover, a husband, or a God-
knows-what that will simultaneously
put an end to our single status and
justify our existence. We are waiting
to change a lifestyle that has neither
life nor style. We are waiting for sing-
les to not be treated as second-class
citizens, women especially, by a
society of couples and men, men of
whom there are less to go around than
the number of adult marriageable
females.
The pressure is great to be ac-
cepted in a society that has been con-
ditioned in attitudes and values that
no longer fit today. The religious sec-
tor has condoned these attitudes, not
using the foresight needed and waving
the red carpet that would encourage
their acceptance because of a change
in society and the needs of that society.
Therefore, there is a loss of affiliation,
because I am not a couple, a partner-
ship, a twosome.
I put on hold purchasing a home,
or furnishings, major traveling and af-
filiation in the couples world of reli-
gious affiliation. Single-social clubs in
religious sectors are kept separate
from the coupled members, sister-
hoods, men's clubs, which offer more
rewards to the commitment.
Instead of a sharing, caring com-
panionship, I become the "urban
camper." I've put my life on a shelf. I'm
continually postponing until???? How
can I purchase a home or condo for one
that would fit the needs of two when
perhaps tomorrow I might find that
special someone. When I go to pur-
chase a car, a luxury I will allow my-
self more out of necessity, the sales-
person ignores me or tells me to come
back with my husband — the second
class syndrome again. The male who
Esther Pastor is a behavioral management
specialist in Birmingham.
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desires to become a Scout leader for his
daughter or purchase furniture for his al
apartment is told to come back with •
the little woman — that's her job. The
woman who is seated in the back of the
restaurant because she is not escorted,
or is not welcome at the couples clubod
dance without an escort, or any other 4.1
function so labeled for couples.
Single women especially are de- 1
nied equal access to social events, pur-
chasing or "inclusion." Is there any
doubt that they begin to believe they di
are indeed "second class" persona
when that is the way they are contin-
ually treated. Widows and widowers
"Instead of a sharing,
„I
caring compansionship, I
become the 'urban camper.'
I've put my life on a shelf.
I'm continually postponing 411
until???"
have a little more acceptance, but the
divorced woman — parent or non-
parent — and many single non-
married women are just not accepted -
in the coupled society.
It is a lifestyle without accounta-4
bility and can make you lazy. No moti-
vation, no one to share or plan with. -
For too long your life as a single is lost z
in time and place — in reality, a fail-
ure to commit myself to myself.
What is the "normal" life-style?
For how long do we continue to shelve
our lives by putting everything on the
back burner until the right roommate,
lover, spouse fits us into the couple --
society. It is the waiting game.
Attitudes need changing concern-
ing singlehood. A little reaching out
and understanding from the coupled
society will help.