I CONTENTS
The Rainbow, Flood,
Nuclear Destruction
ARTHUR WASKOW
0
n Tuesday night
in Washington, D.C.,
and on Wednesday
night in New York City, Jews
will be gathering in the midst
of rainbows, arks and doves,
painted by children. They will
be hearing a new poem by the
noted novelist and poet
Marge Piercy, written
especially for the occasion —
"The Ark of Consequence."
In New York, there will be
the taste of salt in the air and
the great arc of the Brooklyn
Bridge outside, at the river's
edge on the tip of Manhattan
Island.
What will all this mean? It
is focused- around Yom
HaKeshet — "Rainbow Day"
— the 27th of Iyar. On that
A new flood
endangers all of
the earth, the
flood of nuclear
fire.
day the Torah says the great
flood was finally over, Noah's
family came out of the Ark,
and the rainbow appeared as
a promise of renewed and con-
tinuing life for the human
race and all the other species
of the Earth.
And in these gatherings,
Jews will be addressing to-
day's danger that a new flood
might destroy all life on earth
— the flood of nuclear fire, the
danger of a nuclear holocaust.
In Washington, the gather-
ing will focus on action.
Spokespersons for the
Religious Action Center, the
lobbying arm of Reform
Judaism, and for the Shalom
Center, the national center
for Jewish thought and action
to prevent nuclear holocaust,
will speak on the next
political and educational
steps to end the nuclear arms
race. Jews from a broad range
of the Washington Jewish
community will be taking
part.
They will be examining how
the United States should res-
pond when important uni-
lateral steps in reducing arms
have been taken by the Soviet
Union, and when both peace
and human rights for Soviet
citizens — Jews and others —
may hang in the balance.
In New York, the focus will
be on celebration and honor.
Arthur Waskow is director of
the Shalom Center in
Philadelphia.
Two courageous and creative
leaders of the Jewish com-
munity and one remarkable
group of local activists will be
receiving from the Shalom
Center awards for the work
they have done.
Rabbi Alexander Schindler,
president of the Union of
American Hebrew Congrega-
tions, and an activist commit-
tee from Rochester, N.Y., call-
ed "Jewish Action for Nuclear
Responsibility," will be receiv-
ing the Brit HaDorot/Cove-
nant of the Generations
Awards.
Ira Silverman, executive
vice president of the
American Jewish committee,
will receive the Noah Award
for helping to found the
Shalom Center and heading
the New Jersey Campaign.for
Nuclear Disarmament.
Why draw on the story of
the Flood to deal with this
issue?
When Jews live through
earthquakes, good or bad, we
turn the anniversaries into
moments of re-experiencing
the earthquake and its deeper
meaning — as with Pesach,
Yom HaShoah, Chanukah.
Now Jews, along with all
other human beings, are liv-
ing in the .midst of another
earthquake. Simultaneously
we experience the oneness of
the earth, and face the danger
of a world-wide Flood of
nuclear fire — that could con-
sume all life.
On the 27th of Iyar long
ago, Noah and his family
stood on Mt. Ararat, looking
down at the destruction that
had consumed the world they
knew. And then they looked
up from the disaster to see in
the heavens a rainbow — a
curve of light made up of
many colors. That curve
reflected the great fertile cres-
cent of the Middle East. The
many colors echoed many
cultures.
Many — and one. The one
human race in all its
differences.
With the rainbow came a
covenant: the covenant that
the cycles of life and the spiral
of the generations would con-
tinue if human beings chose
to act on behalf of life.
How can a 3,000-year-old
story help us face our un-
precedented danger? First,
the command comes to Noah
to save — not himself alone,
nor just his own family, nor
even the human race — but
all the species of life on earth.
We know today that the only
Continued on Page 20
24
CLOSE-UP
The Collectors
WENDY ROLLIN
Matchstrikers to miniature shoes
are a passion for these Detroiters.
34
BACKGROUND
Liberal Legend
1
HELEN DAVIS
Apartheid foe Helen Suzman
turned privilege into power.
BEHIND THE HEADLINES
39
Unwelcome Guests
DAN HARRIE
Utah and Idaho are fighting an image
created by the racist Aryan Nations.
41
LIFE IN ISRAEL
24
A Different Sound
DAVID HOLZEL
Israel has changed a former Detroiter's
music, broadcast and national identities.
57
ENTERTAINMENT
Head Of The Class
ILENE LEHRMAN
Dr. Frischman's television role
has earned him tons of mail.
PARTY GUIDE
41
center
Our annual look at what's new
and exciting at party time.
75
KIDS
En Masse
SUSAN SALTER
A bar mitzvah at Workmen's Circle
is a whole group experience.
LIFESTYLES
Extraordinary Student
80
CARLA JEAN SCHWARTZ
Michael Weiss is leaving a strong
record at West Bloomfield High.
DEPARTMENTS
30
45
46
52
54
67
82
85
89
92
Inside Washington
Community
Synagogues
Education
Sports
Fine Arts
Engagements
Births
Single Life
Classified ads
CANDLELIGHTING
75
May 26, 1989 8:39 p.m.
Sabbath ends May 27 9:45 p.m.
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
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I OPINION