LOCAL NEWS Join us in supporting Denise Richman Alexander for Southfield's City Council. Secure Southfield's Future... Vote Tuesday, November 7. Ethel Abrams Morris Abrams Dr. Irving Adler Lillian Adler Dr. John Alter Dr. George Barahal Mamie Barden Gladys Baskin Max Baskin Cindy Benjamin Henry Benjamin Mike Beresh Rose Berman Dr. Herbert Bloom Martha Boraks Paul Boraks Sadye Bosin Alfred Brook Evelyn Brook Emily Buchman Isadore Buchman Bea Canchester Jack Canchester Charles G. Carson Herbert Carson Robert M. Carson Jack Cohen Lois Cohen Marvin Daitch Alan Deal Charlotte Dolinka Sarah Dolinka Sharon Edwards Belle Epstein Jack Epstein Mayor Donald Fracassi Gilbert Fink Jeanette Stewart Fink Joseph Fischer John Francisco Linda Francisco Cynthia Frey Dale B. Fuller Jacqueline Gage Frank Gettleson Gwen Gilbert Deborah George David Ginsberg Esther Ginsberg Harold Goodstein Edward D. Gold Francine Gold Gordon Gold Cindy Resnick Gudenau Hanley Gurwin Julie Gurwin Marilyn Berman Habsburg J. Leonard Hyman Phyllis Kaplan Laurie Keidan Esther Kolovsky Reva Kogan Ben Kosins Harry Kosins Goldie Kramer Marion Krone Rena Levy Ida Lucas David W. Potts Wendy Potts Helen Kershbaum George Kramer Marion Krone Phillip Langwald Andrea Lawton Robert Lawton Edith Lax Harold Lax Jeffrey M. Leib Helen Lerner David Levine Norman Lippitt Carol Lopatin Norman Loptain Bruce Milen Kenneth Neumann Bruce Nosanchuck Laurie Nosanchuck Michael Nosanchuck Dr. Joel Ostro • Judy Ostro Sidney Ravin Sylvia Ravin Magene Richman Sam Richman Susan a Richman Anne Roberts Johanna Robins Morton Robins Bernice Robinson Charles Robinson Eli Robinson Al Rosenberg Sarah Rosenberg Allen Rosenfeld Harriet Rotter Anne Saperstein Bernard Schlussel Irene Schlussel Mark Schlussel Rabbi Dannel Schwartz Abraham Selesny Rodney Shackett Susan Shackett Mickey Shapiro Mark Sherbow Charles Siegel Esther Siegel Helene Simon Ronnie Sinai Craig A. Smith Jerome Soble Marilyn Soble Max Sosin Ruth Sosin Bernice Soskin Kal Soskin Harry Spoon Millie Spoon Janice Stoneman Martin Stoneman Dorothy Storchan David M. Techner Dr. Morton J. Tatken Dr. Geoffrey Trivax Valerie Trivax Herman Troy Terry Troy Marvin Walkon Richard Warsh Charles Weiner Tillie Weiner Danny Weintraub Yetta Weintraub Bernard Whiteman Fredell Whiteman Marion Wolfe Warren Wolfe Frank Worack Helen Worack Jill Young Secure Southfield's Future, Vote November 7. Alexander DENISE for CITY COUNCIL Paid for by the Committee to Elect Alexander for City Council. 20 FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1989 Peace Platter Continued from Page 1 members of the more mainstream Jewish com- munity. Consequently, Kasem began another letter- writing campaign, this time to representatives of organizations like B'nai B'rith and the American Jewish Congress. He met at a deli with 10 of the Jewish leaders who, he says, were "interested in building bridges between the two communities but were not ready to discuss politics. I wanted to discuss politics." Also interested was the AJCongress' Zev Putter- man, who introduced Kasem to Michael Lame. A Jewish lawyer, Lame started the Foundation for Mideast Communication in 1983. Raised in a Zionist home, Lame lived for several years in Israel, where he met Arabs who "had a complete- ly different version of what happened in the region and who did what to whom than I had learned," he says. Lame decided Arabs and Jews would benefit from organized forums in which they "explored each other's perspectives." He created the foundation and began holding workshops, which he describes as "controlled communication," in the United States and Israel. Kasem soon became a foundation board member, joining forces with such fig- ures as Hyman Bookbinder of the American Jewish Committee and James Zogby of the Arab-American In- stitute, both of whom serve on the organization's ad- visory council. Kasem hosted his first workshop for the foundation in June 1986 and has since participated in 24 more. Last week's forum in Detroit was the city's first. The workshops give Arabs and Jews the chance to get to know each other as someone other than "the opponent," Kasem says. Accustomed to sharing little more than "an environment loaded with fear, hatred, misunderstan- ding and mistrust, we have to sit down and look at each other eye-to-eye," Kasem says. "We have to see that the face across from us is human." The workshops include "a look at the past and all the baggage that comes with it, discussions about the pre- sent and then a vision for the future," Kasem says. "We don't sign any peace contracts and we don't en- courage everyone to start writing letters to his sena- tors," he adds. "And I we don't believe that everyone will come out liking or agreeing with each other. What I do think we have at the end is a newfound respect for one another." In addition to his work with the foundation, Kasem is a member of the Coalition for Arabs and Jews, which advocates a two-state solu- tion in the Middle East. Kasem stresses that he does not bring his own political perspective to his work with the foundation. The foundation is non- partisan. Its board comprises everything from fervent Zionists who do not support a Palestinian state to dedicated Palestinian na- tionalists. Kasem has spoken at a number of synagogues and plans to participate in more foundation workshops. He says he will not stop until there is Middle East peace. "We will not get anywhere as long as we maintain this posture that the other side is evil. That thinking is what is evil. "There will be peace, maybe in the next year," he says. "If I didn't think I would see peace in my lifetime, I wouldn't be doing this. But I can see that vi- sion of peace. I can see it." ❑ NEWS Ima""' Ecumenical Day Gets Support Rome (JTA) — Italy's Jewish community has welcomed an approach by Italian Catholics to establish an annual ecumenical day dedicated to improving Catholic-Jewish relations. The idea originated with Alberto Ablondi, the bishop of Livorno and president of the Italian Bishops Con- ference Secretariat for Ecumenism and Dialogue. He wrote to Tullia Zevi, president of the Union of Italian Jewish Com- munities, asking for com- ments. Ablondi said the bishops, who discussed the idea at a meeting on Sept. 28, favored Jan. 17 as the ecumenical day because it immediately precedes the church's "week of prayer for Christian uni- t': That would serve to "distinguish the inter- religious dialogue with the Jewish people from the ecumenical movement aim- ed at restoring unity among Christians," Ablondi ex- plained in his letter to Zevi.