THE JEWISH NEWS THIS ISSUE 60' SERVING DETROIT'S JEWISH COMMUNITY CLOSE-U P JUNE 2, 1989 / 28 IYAR 5749 Groves Students Don't Feel Threatened KIMBERLY LIFTON Staff Writer Ellen Kogan, like many aspiring liberals, wants to do something to make this world a little better. For now, the Wylie E. Groves High School sophomore will settle for teaching her peers about cultural differences. On a daily basis, she talks with friends about the dangers of prejudice. And when opportunities arise, she also expresses her views with students she does not know well. Kogan doesn't think she has a choice. Groves, in affluent Beverly Hills, consistently made headlines after several racist and anti-Semitic incidents that began last November. "I'm not expecting world peace. But we have to get people to unders- tand differences while they are young enough to listen," Kogan said. "Peo- ple in high school are willing to listen more than adults, who are set in their ways." Despite some isolated acts of hatred and the sensational media at- tention given to the school, life ap- pears normal for Jewish students at Groves. Of the many Jewish students interviewed, none felt threatened by racists. Some advocated combatting prejudice; and others suggested passive behavior. Groves' cultural problems mirror those at other schools in the nor- thwest suburbs, where increasing numbers of minorities in the past decade have led to racial tensions. A few Jewish students said pen- nies have been thrown at them. Most just walked away. One girl said she picked up the penny and put it in her pocket. None reported the incidents. Many who were called Jewish American Princesses ignored the comments. Freshman Rebecca Grant is tired of people asking her if she feels safe at school. Grant and other Jewish students have been flooded with such questions Continued on Page 20 Passage To Freedom May Not Be Repeated RICHARD PEARL Staff Writer Justice For All The Anti-Defamation League is dedicated to fighting prejudice on all fronts. Mandell L. (Bill) Berman, presi- dent of the Council of Jewish Federa- tions, believes this year's massive ef- fort to resettle Soviet Jews in America can't be repeated. Berman joined fellow Detroiter Edward C. Levy, Jr., president of the American Israel Public Affairs Com- mittee, as a keynote speaker at the Jewish Community Council's annual meeting last week, held at Congrega- tion Shaarey Zedek. Describing the upcoming refugee situation as "the immense moral issue" that will be facing North American Jews, Berman told the Council that, "at the moment, it's pretty clear, it seems to me, that we cannot do this again." One reason is, "We couldn't raise the money ($75 million for the Passage to Freedom) again. Congress wouldn't give us the money if we didn't share it, plus we've got the Gramm-Rudman (federal spending control act) out there." The American Jewish communi- ty is raising $75 million this year to help resettle Soviet Jews. Congress is working on a bill that would provide a matching amount. Berman later clarified his remarks, saying "it is unlikely that the dollars that the system will need for a second year, which would have to come from both the Jewish com- munity and the American govern- ment — it is unlikely that those dollars would be available for a second year, particularly in view of the in- creased volume (of Soviet Jews) that would be coming out." He expressed concern that the American Jewish community "wouldn't be able to raise the money without taking money away from Israel and hurting Israel, which we definitely don't want to have happen!" Berman said a reassessment con- ference will be held in mid-July in Chicago so that North American Jews can see how to plan for the next year. Berman told Council members that the $75 million transmigration bill "which will be passed, God will- ing . . . is the only bill in Congress Continued on Page 22