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FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 1991

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Continued from Page 6

Jewish parents does not
guarantee their children will
choose to marry Jews.
He follows this statement
by concluding that ". . cer-
tainly a converted Jew will
have no greater impact upon
the child's choice than a non-
Jewish parent." This assumes
the act of conversion is done
without conviction and with-
out the genuine intent on the
part of the convert to enter in-
to the Jewish people.
It is perilous to adopt a
passive stance toward Jewish
survival since Judaism is a
minority religion in a
Christian-dominated society.
Even more dangerous is to
send the message to the cou-
ple, who has agreed in ad-
vance to raise any children
Jewishly, that it is allowable
to actively follow two separate
religious paths.
Mr. Wengrow contends the
Jewish community must
transmit such a message, for
to do otherwise tells the non-
Jewish spouse that their
religion is inferior. It is not an
issue of superior versus in-
ferior. For the sake of the
children, one religious voice
must be heard in the home.
But, on the other hand,
what are we Jews afraid of?
Of course, we should send the
message that Judaism is
superior. The parents
themselves recognized that
fact by deciding to raise their
children as Jews.
Neither do we believe Mr.
Wengrow's model of reality is
a true one — for he posits a
situation where the non-
Jewish spouse is asked by the
organized Jewish world "to
formally renounce a religion
that they have a fervent belief
in." Perhaps Mr. Wengrow's
experience is wider than our
own, but we are inclined to
doubt that many "fervent"
believers in religions other
than Judaism would both (a)
marry a Jew and (b) agree to
raise their children as Jews.
Respect for different
religious traditions is
desirable, even necessary,
when adults engage in inter-
faith dialogue. This is not the
case when children are con-
cerned. Treating all religions
as fundamentally equivalent
within the home setting does
not build in the children a
Jewish identity, or, we fear
any religious identity at all.
We agree with Mr.
Wengrow's call to the organiz-
ed Jewish community to
become more actively engag-
ed in outreach. We cannot
agree with him when he asks
these institutions to not en-
courage conversion and sit
passively on the sidelines.

To offer Judaism to others

willing to accept its respon-
sibility is not an insult, but
rather a compliment of the
highest order.

Miriam Imerman
Laurence Imerman
Birmingham

Butzel Family
Was Not Denied

In response to Linda
Lovenstein's letter (Dec. 28), I
wish to say that I wrote (Dec.
21), "There are no longer any
male direct descendents of the
Butzel family living here" —
in Michigan.
For instance, Justice
Butzel's son-in-law, attorney
Erwin Simon, who gave us
the pictures of the twins in
the carriage, has several
children living in Michigan,
but their family name is
Simon, not Butzel. I was talk-
ing about carrying on the
Butzel family name in
Michigan, not just Butzel
relatives whose family name
Butzel is lost through
marriage.
We Jews in Michigan are
proud of all the Butzel
mishpocha living among us,
men and women, regardless
of what family name they
now use. I was just making a
point of historical interest to
the readers who know or
knew about the great ac-
complishments of the Butzel
family in our local
community.

Leonard N. Simons
Southfield

Tay-Sachs Interest
Remains Very High

In your Jan. 18 report on
the Tay-Sachs screening, your
writer indicated lack of in-
terest in the Orthodox
community.
That was not the case. In-
terest and participation in
the relevant age group is very
high. We had hoped to reach
a segment outside the com-
mitted group. That requires
better advertising and per-
sonal contact.

Rabbi Shaial Zachariash
Congregation Shomrey Emunah

Arab Plans
For Israel

The next time Israel is con-
sidered "intransigent"
remember that the rape,
pillaging and slaughter in
Kuwait are child's play com-
pared to what the Arabs have
planned for Israel.
This is why Israel must be
deliberate and firm in its
negotiations and tenacious in
its defense.

Ed Kohl
Farmington Hills