UP FRONT
Federation's Successes, Goals
Listed By Dr. Giles At Meeting
ALAN HITSKY
Associate Editor
r. Conrad Giles left
office with a flourish
Tuesday evening,
delineating some of the
Jewish Welfare Federation's
accomplishments during his
three-year term as president
and listing some goals yet to
be achieved.
Speaking at the Federa-
tion's annual meeting at
Adat Shalom Synagogue,
Dr. Giles listed the following
achievements:
• Federation has improved
its relationships with
synagogues and temples in
the Detroit area, meeting on
a quarterly basis with rabbis
and synagogue lay leaders.
• It has enhanced Judaic
studies programs at the
University of Michigan and
Wayne State University and
started Project StAR at U-M
to train Jewish communal
workers.
• Federation has expanded
its contacts with Israel,
utilizing community
shaliach Yefet Ozery,
creating a high school pro-
gram in Israel for Detroiters,
sending people to Project
Otzma and preparing pro-
grams for Detroit residents
making aliyah.
• A Michigan Jewish Con-
federation has been created
in partnership with Detroit,
Flint, Aim Arbor and Grand
Rapids. The Confederation is
planning a state-wide mis-
sion to Israel. In addition, a
state legislative office is ex-
pected to open in Lansing
within 90 days.
Dr. Giles listed
Federation's
achievements and
some expectations
for the coming
months.
On items related to Fed-
eration and its agencies, Dr.
Giles reported that the
Home For Aged "has turned
the corner" on its financial
problems and is focusing on
intermediate and long-term
solutions. In other areas, he
reported:
• The Task Force on the
Disabled will present its
report to the community
within 60 days.
• The Education Task
Force will complete its
report within four-to-six
months.
• Detroit's Jewish popula-
tion study will commence
after the High Holidays.
• The Detroit Jewish com-
munity raised $41 million in
1989 for the Allied Jewish
Campaign, for the endow-
ment funds of United Jewish
Charities and for construc-
tion of a new Hillel at U-M.
• The Neighborhood Pro-
ject has provided interest-
free loans to enable 288
Jewish families to move into
Oak Park and Southfield.
Dr. Giles told the Federa-
tion leaders that "we owe a
debt to the 10 Mile Road cat-
chment area" and he called
for improvements to the
Jimmy Prentis Morris
Jewish Community Center.
In the coming month, Dr.
Giles said, he expects to see
a restructuring of United
Jewish Charities and a move
toward a long-range strate-
gic plan for the Federation.
He also called for Federa-
tion to become a partner of
Mazon - The Jewish
Response to Hunger.
"This will be the last Fed-
eration dinner that doesn't
contribute 3 percent of its
cost to Mazon," he said.
Because of transitions,
many tributes were paid
during the evening to outgo-
Mark Schlussel
Dr. Conrad Giles
ing and incoming leaders.
Former Federation Exec-
utive Vice President Martin
Kraar, who recently left
Detroit to become the profes-
sional leader of the Council
of Jewish Federation, prais-
ed Dr. Giles for "taking seri-
ously the business of repre-
senting the Jewish com-
munity." Kraar also was
praised for his leadership
during his four years in
Detroit and for bringing
quality executives to the
city's Jewish agencies.
New Federation President
Mark Schlussel told the au-
dience that Federation's
tasks "remain great and we
must continue to raise the
funds to complete those
tasks." And he emphasized
that "our ties to Israel must
be foremost."
"If we, the Jewish com-
munity, publicly question
Israel's rights we undermine
her legitimacy. We must
understand Israel in the con-
text of her environment," he
said, "not in the context of
Western values."
"We must be diligent to
work with all our fellow
Jews and work for all our
people," Schlussel said.
"The Federation is open to
all who seek the betterment
of our community."
Communal leader Max
Continued on Page 12
the United States and
describes customs and
ceremonies of Jewish fes-
tivals and traditions.
To receive the calendar,
send a long, self-addressed,
stamped envelope to Rabbi
Rubin R. Dobin, Calender-
Almanac, Jews For Jews
Organization, Post Office
Box 6194, Miami Beach, Fla.
33154.
carnation, the nature of God
and the concept of charity in
their different religions. At
the end of the meeting, the
Jewish representatives gave
the Dalai Lama gifts of a
shofar and a tallit.
ROUND UP
Funds Needed
For Immigrants
Several municipalities, in-
cluding Detroit's Project
Renewal city, are prepared
to help absorb Soviet
emigres if Israel provides
funds for housing and social
services.
"Give us the power and the
money to provide them with
the culture and to teach
them language," Yavne
Mayor Yehuda Baros said
during his visit this week to
Detroit. "We can do it better
than anyone else."
While few Soviet emigres
have opted for Israel, pro-
posed changes by the U.S.
government in their status
is expected to increase the
number, straining already
crowded absorption center
facilities. Israel estimates it
will need $3 billion to absorb
an estimated 500,000 Soviet
Jews in the next decade,
with $1 billion from
Diaspora Jews, $1 billion in
the form of U.S. aid and $1
billion from higher taxes on
its citizens.
Baros said that in the
1970s, Yavne had a suc-
cessful absorption center,
with most of the Soviet and
Iranian emigres staying.
"There is no better ab-
sorber than the communi-
ty," he said. "All of Yavne is
ready to make efforts at ab-
sorption and we have vol-
unteers at city hall prepar-
ing for them."
But, Baros added, he has
no housing and the govern-
ment would need to build it
quickly.
The Jewish Agency
handles absorption through
a network of centers. While
the new immigrants are
supposed to stay for about
six months before finding
permanent arrangements,
many stay for four years.
The Fax
Of Life
Yes, folks, it's time for an-
other fax discovery.
Thanks to the facsimilie
machine, it is now possible
to receive right at your office
or home regular study sheets
about the weekly Torah por-
tion.
Called "The Fax Of Life,"
the project is the brainchild
of Aleynu/Aish HaTorah of
Metro Detroit. The sheets,
which are a joint effort of
Aish HaTorah staff, will
come from Los Angeles.
For a study sheet sample
or information, contact
Aleynu/Aish HaTorah, 968-
3000.
Free Calendar
Is Available
The National Jews For
Jews Organization, a
Florida-based group that
promotes Jewish tradition
and observance, is offering a
free calender-almanac for
the new Jewish year 5750.
The calendar contains all
the Jewish dates and their
equivalent in the secular
calendar. It also lists the
times for Sabbath candle
lighting in major cities in
Jews Do
The Dalai
Washington — Represen-
tatives of Orthodox, Conser-
vative, Reform and
Reconstructionist Judaism
groups met this week with
the Dalai Lama, marking
the leader of Tibetan Bud-
dhism's first formal dialogue
with Jews.
Buddhist representatives
said one of the reasons the
Dalai Lama requested the
meeting is because so many
of his followers were born
Jewish.
Among the topics the
group discussed were rein-
Thatcher's Family
Sheltered Girl
The family of British
Prime Minister Margaret
Thatcher sheltered a Jewish
refugee during World War
II, The Jerusalem
Postrecently reported.
The refugee, Edith
Muehvauer of Austria, had
been a pen pal of Thatcher's
older sister. Muehvauer's
parents appealed to the
Thatcher family in Gran-
tham, England, in 1938 as
the Nazis amassed their
power throughout Europe.
Thatcher's family lost
touch with Muehvauer after
the war. She is believed to be
living in South America.
Compiled by Elizabeth Ap-
plebaum
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
7