EDITORIAL
Neighborhood Test
Within the city limits of the city of
Southfield, 29 buildings are for sale or
lease that would accommodate the space
needs of the Jewish Welfare Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit.
The lease prices range, according to a re-
cent survey by Burland, Reiss, Murphy and
Rembiesa, Inc., from $9 a square foot to $25
a square foot. If someone were interested in
constructing a new building, Robert
Burland believes, "with the few (construc-
tion) starts right now it could probably be
done for $75 to $100 per square foot."
It is easy to throw around figures when
building or leasing office space in the
Detroit area. But there are other factors to
consider when Federation discusses a new
30,000-35,000 square foot home to replace
the beautiful but functionally wasteful and
poorly located Butzel Building in
downtown Detroit.
A prime concern should be the statement
made to the community by the location of a
building. Such a statement was made near-
ly three decades ago when United Jewish
Charities acquired the land for the Maple-
Drake Jewish Community Center and
triggered the latest chapter in the nor-
thwest passage of the Detroit Jewish com-
munity.
But Federation has been making another
statement in recent years, a statement that
said, "we are taking a stand" in Southfield
and Oak Park. And it's been backing it up
with action, including the acquisition of
the B'nai Moshe facility on behalf of the
Sally Allan Alexander Beth Jacob School
for Girls, the initiation and expansion of
the Neighborhood Project from a home-
buying subsidy program into a genuine ad-
vocate for all things positive about the two
communities, and the planned renovation
and expansion of the Jimmy Prentis Morris
JCC facility as part of the 10 Mile Road
Jewish Community Campus.
This is why we find Federation's desire to
move to Farmington Hills such a con-
tradiction. If Southfield is the center of
Jewish communal life — as the Federa-
tion's recent population study suggests —
and if Federation truly believes in backing
up its statements with action, then there
can be no other location for a new Federa-
tion building — the corporate address for
Detroit's Jewish community — except
Southfield.
is particularly vibrant. Only now, most of
the migration is from the Soviet Union to
the State of Israel, where the largest
numbers of newcomers since 1953 are ar-
riving at a rate of more than 15,000 a mon-
th.
The common denominator remains the
same, though. Men and women willing to
give up all that is familiar — family,
friends, language and homeland —for the
opportunity to create a better life for them-
selves and especially their children.
Perhaps the new Ellis Island museum
will inspire visitors to reflect on the hard-
ships an immigrant must endure and stir a
wellspring of empathy for newcomers,
whether they be landing in New York or
Ben-Gurion airport.
'I LETTERS
Compliments On
Maccabi Games
I want to express the won-
derful feeling the Maccabi
Games and athletes brought
to me and my family. The
camaraderie at all the events
at the Jewish Community
Center and everywhere we
went was marvelous.
We were fortunate enough
to be able to house three girls
from Chicago who really
became part of our family for
the week. We loved watching
them in all of their competi-
tions and going with them to
6 FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1990
watch the other events.
The opening ceremonies
were spectacular and the ex-
citement continued through-
out the week. The highlight
for us was a wonderful Shab-
bat dinner hosted by Andy
and Bruce Katz for more than
100 people in our area.
Everyone who attended felt a
warmth and friendship that
will not be forgotten.
I want to complement the
entire Jewish community on
doing such a fabulous job in
making things so terrific for
the athletes, the host families
and everyone who became in-
volved with the 1990 Maccabi
Games.
Cathi Lefton
West Bloomfield.
Maccabi Games
Were Great
We wish to commend Dr.
Morton Plotnick, the Jewish
Community Center and the
many volunteers who made
the Maccabi Games a truly
wonderful happening.
What an accomplishment to
bring together Jewish youth
4i7
I 'MINK 1/11
tiuST 1RYiNG TO KEEP
A 1.0W Fgoritzfi
from all over the world for
what was truly an outstan-
ding and very happy occasion.
The events were well-coor-
dinated. Good planning was
evident in every aspect of the
games.
The Jewish youth and their
families in attendance will
take home a positive picture
of the Detroit Jewish
community.
Beatrice and Oscar Hertz
West Bloomfield
Passage To Freedom
The name Ellis Island conjures up
memories of tears and hope for millions of
Americans. Next week, a $156 million res-
toration of the historic national monu-
ment, where more than 10 million immi-
grants first stepped on American soil, will
be dedicated with a new museum.
In the late 19th century and early 20th
century, millions of Jews fled persecution
and deprivation in Europe and Russia and
came to these shores. They dreamed of
starting a new life, of religious and polit-
ical freedom, of the opportunity to achieve
comfort and wealth. Their story, and the
stories of many other ethnic groups, will be
told in the museum commemorating the
immigrant experience.
Ironically, though Ellis Island was closed
in 1954, the Jewish immigrant experience
p t /thi//ow
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A Presence
In Detroit
I wish to discuss the article
"JIFF Approves Suburban
Site" (Aug. 31) regarding the
Jewish Welfare Federation's
approval for purchase of land
"for future agency head-
quarters." The article implies
that, should the Federation
move, there would be no ma-
jor Jewish institution in
Detroit. That is not true.
Sinai Hospital is the largest
agency of the Jewish Welfare
Federation. With 2,700
employees, Sinai is the 10th
largest employer in the city of
Detroit. Sinai is deeply corn-
mitted to the city of Detroit
and has always enjoyed an
outstanding relationship
with the black community.
For many black people, the
only opportunity to interact
with anyone or anything
Jewish is Sinai. We have a
liaison with the mayor's office
and with the Detroit school
system. Sinai was the first
Detroit institution to "Adopt-
a-School." We help our
adopted school, Winship
Elementary, with substance
abuse prevention, tutorial
programs, hospital tours and
holiday basket programs.
Without a doubt, Sinai's
medical staff is a most
talented one and provides
superior health care to the en-
tire community. Our teaching
programs provide the City of
Detroit with many fine physi-
cians. If this were all Sinai of-
fered to metro Detroit, it
would be sufficient.
However, of equal impor-
tance to the Jewish communi-
ty is the fact that Sinai is the
ideal setting in which gen-
tiles of all races and religions
learn about Jewish people
and what they stand for.
It is no coincidence that our
new logo blends the Star of
David with the Sinai name.
The values we have all been
raised with: education, pro-
viding tzedekah, social justice
for all, are embodied in Sinai
Hospital.
Robert Steinberg
President, Sinai Hospital
Jennings On Iraq
And Israel
The crisis in the Middle
East has commanded the at-
tention of the nation, pro-
mpted extensive TV coverage.
It is most revealing to com-
pare the efforts of our three
anchormen in covering Iraq's
invasion of Kuwait. Dan
Rather of CBS tried to report
from every country in the
region; Tom Brokow of NBC
flew to Saudi Arabia. Only
ABC's Peter Jennings had
not moved from his desk.
During the first week after
the invasion, NBC and CBS
devoted their evening news
programs solely to this event
and used strong language in
condemning the Iraqis. Mr.
Jennings, on the other hand,
appeared uncomfortable and
confused about the invasion
and seemed determined to
profess a stance of evenhand-
edness and neutrality. Un-
willing to criticize the Iraqis,
the ABC anchorman instead
delivered a convoluted ser-
mon about the "haves" and
"have nots" in the Arab
world. He also pointed out
that nobody likes the rich
Kuwaitis. He conveyed his
biggest disappointment in life
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