THE JEWISH NEWS THIS ISSUE 60(P Recovering Lost Roots Contents Page 7 The ultimate fantasy for chocolate-lovers. SERVING DETROIT'S JEWISH COMMUNITY MAY 27, 1988 / 11 SIVAN 5748 Beth El Offshoot Forming For the second time in recent history a Beth El splinter group is creating its own congregation, with Rabbi Dannel Schwartz expected to be at the helm ELIZABETH KAPLAN Staff Writer Shir Shalom, a new Reform tem- ple forming here, is negotiating a con- tract with Rabbi Dannel Schwartz that would put the former Temple Beth El rabbi at its helm. One member of the new congrega- tion, who asked that his name not be used, said negotiations with Rabbi Schwartz should be completed within the next two weeks. He would not discuss details of the proposed contract. Rabbi Schwartz could not be reached for comment, but observers say the rabbi is expected to accept the position. The Shir Shalom ("Song of Peace") source said the new temple already has about 150 members, and that it is not soliciting other con- gregants except by word of mouth. He also said the temple has hired a religious school director, but would not identify him. Officials at Shir Shalom have signed an intent to lease an office building near Maple and Orchard Lake roads — some five miles from Temple Beth El. The observer said final approval of the lease should be rendered in the next several weeks. A number of the founding members of Shir Shalom split from Beth El after the temple board's 26-21 vote in July 1987 not to extend Rab- bi Schwartz's contract beyond June 30, 1988. Rabbi Schwartz began his tenure with the 1,500-family Temple Beth El in 1974, when he assisted Rabbi Emeritus Richard C. Hertz. In 1982, he was named senior rabbi. Under the terms of the 1987 board decision, Rabbi Schwartz was to have remained at Temple Beth El through July 1988. But last December, he an- nounced at Friday night services that he would leave immediately. A group of temple members, angered by the board's decision not to retain Rabbi Schwartz, began a drive to remove Beth El officers and trustees including President Jerome Ash, Vice President Laurence Deitch and Secretary Herbert Kaufman. The Continued to Page 20 Anti-Bigotry Campaign Launched KIMBERLY LIFTON Staff Writer Seven times last week, 20-year-old Jennifer Epstein found hand-drawn swastikas on her door in Case Hall at Michigan State University. The self-professed Jewish activist was shocked by the actions, which came one week after she and other campus Hillel representatives laun- ched MSU's first Campaign Against Continued on Page 20 HAND HAND in In February, the AFL-CIO publicly criticized Israel for the first time. Yet relations between the Jewish community and Big Labor are hardly in jeopardy.