EDITORIAL
The Message Of Shavuot
The holiday of Sukkot has booths, the holiday of Passover has
matzah and the seder, but, alas, all Shavuot has is the Torah.
It is unfortunate that the third of the three Biblical holidays has
no immediate celebratory symbol to associate with it, but Shavuot,
which is observed this year on Sunday and Monday, is a major
festival. It was on Shavuot that God gave Moses the Ten Command-
ments on Mt. Sinai, making the holiday the true birthday of the
Jewish religion.
The story of the exodus from Egypt and the sojourn in the desert
reaches a climax with the revelation of the Law, which has sustain-
ed the Jewish people ever since. From physical slavery in Egypt to
spiritual freedom at Sinai.
Our rabbis teach that the voice of the Lord continuously speaks
to us, and the giving of the Torah never stops — if only we hear the
voice and heed the word.
It is up to us to complete the process that God has begun, to fulfill
the Torah through our actions. In that way the revelation that began
at Sinai will never end.
$7,845,170 was budgeted for local agencies and services from an
estimated available allocation of $21.7 million. Most of the remain-
ing funds raised went overseas, primarily to Israel. If the 1988-1989
Allied Jewish Campaign reaches its fund-raising collection goals,
and the percentage of dollars earmarked for local agencies and ser-
vices remains the same, the lion's share of all new dollars available
locally will go to subsidize the Home For Aged. Where does this leave
Jewish education? The Jewish Community Center? The Jewish Fami-
ly Service? Fresh Air Society? Jewish Vocational Service?
Is the Jewish community prepared to subsidize the Home,
regardless the cost? Is the community willing to close beds and turn
away Medicaid patients in favor of private-pay patients as a way of
reducing costs and increasing revenues? Is the community willing
to recalculate the percentage of fund-raising dollars that stay here,
to the detriment of Jews in need overseas?
A strong lobbying effort in Lansing to overturn the proposed cut-
back in Medicaid reimbursement is justified. But it does little to ad-
dress the long-term prospects for providing quality care to our Jewish
elderly. Tough decisions are necessary, with trade offs that will be
difficult.
Tough Choices
The Jewish community of Detroit must address a major crisis
in care for the elderly that is impacting far beyond the aged in our
community. The growing million-dollar-plus deficit at the Jewish
Home For Aged, caused in part by federal and state cutbacks in
already meager payments for Medicaid patients, is threatening havoc
with the community's allocations from the Allied Jewish Campaign.
At a time when we are faced with a burgeoning elderly popula-
tion, and when more seniors and their families are looking to the
Home For Aged as a final haven, the Jewish community must assess
whether it can continue to afford to bridge the widening gap bet-
ween revenues and expenses. The gap, which is currently estimated
at $1.2 million, has expanded from $600,000 in community support
five years ago to a projected $1.7 million this year if the proposed
15 percent reduction in Medicaid support is adopted by the state
legislature.
If fund-raising dollars grew on trees, there would be no need to
worry. The Allied Jewish Campaign could fund the gap indefinite-
ly. But they don't. From the 1987-1988 Allied Jewish Campaign,
LETTERS
Transliterating
Yiddish
Congratulations to "The
Jewish News" for the splen-
did issue of April 22, 1988
and the special supplement
honoring Israel at 40! It is
also a pleasure to discover a
monthly column devoted to
teaching American Jews to
enjoy and learn Yiddish.
I might point out that Yid-
dish has a very distinct and
precise grammar whose rules
apply even at the most
elementary level and also, in
our day, a fixed pattern of
transliteration into the
Roman alphabet. Quotations
from Yiddish sources incor-
porated into English text are
presented in accordance with
that transliteration scheme.
The method of translitera-
6
FRIDAY, MAY 20, 1988
tion is very clearly discussed
and amplified with examples
in the Guidelines to the
"Modern English-Yiddish,
Yiddish-English Dictionary"
by Uriel Weinreich, as well as
in most good textbooks for
teaching/learning Yiddish.
I trust that your editors
who handle the monthly Yid-
dish lessons will now be able
to establish the appropriate
standards worthy of the Yid-
dish language and cultural
heritage.
Dr. Chava Lapin
Program Director
Education Department
Workmen's Circle
End The
Occupation
This appeal is directed to
those people outside of Israel,
both Jews and non-Jews, for
whom the democratic and
moral character of the State
of Israel has a special
significance.
For many of you, the recent
events in Israel, the violent
repression of the Palestinian
uprising, the squalor of the
refugee camps in the occupied
territories and the despair of
their population are a source
of profound concern and
shame .. .
As Israelis who represent a
wide spectrum of Israeli socie-
ty opposed to the occupation
and to the deterioration of our
democracy, we appeal to you
to voice your disapproval and
thus actively support our
common cause. In so doing,
far from weakening Israel,
you would be strengthening
those elements in Israel
whose values you share and
would be assisting in the
prevention of the moral and
physical collapse of Israeli
society.
We appeal to you to put
pressure on your government
and on Israeli officials in your
country to take steps for
bringing about an end to the
oppression of Palestinians in
the Occupied Ibrritories and
initiating negotiations be-
tween Israel and the chosen
representatives of the
Palestinians.
We would appreciate any
support you feel you can offer
to our movements here in
Israel. Any of the undersign-
ed organizations will gladly
answer your requests for fur-
ther information.
Representatives of Yesh Gvul,
Hashanah Haesrim Ve'achat,
Dai Lakibush, Re'ut, Gesher
Leshalom, Tnuat Nashim
Demokratiot B'Israel, Israelis
By choice, Israeli Friends of
New Jewish Agenda
Jerusalem
Conservative
Diversity
I am writing in response to
your recent article that dealt
with the cantors assembly's
vote on the admission of
Continued from Page 10
Let Us Know
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must include the signa-
ture, home address and
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the writer.