Oakland Will Re-Vote
On $5,000 Grant For JWV
AMY J; MEHLER
Staff Writer
T
he Jewish War Veter-
ans of Michigan are
not giving up their
fight to win a $5,000 grant
from Oakland County to
help support their June state
convention.
They will have another
chance to plead their case
May 9 when the full board of
Oakland County Commis-
sioners convenes to vote on
the proposal.
Commissioner Dennis M.
Aaron, (D-Oak Park), who
requested a full board vote,
said he didn't feel the deci-
sion of the finance com-
mittee was representative of
the full board.
"I don't think the mem-
bers of the finance com-
mittee were given enough
information and back-
ground," he said.
The finance committee de-
nied the JVW request last
week, even though they
awarded the same grant last
year to the Military Order of
Purple Heart.
In a letter sent this week
to all 27 commissioners, the
JVW insisted they were as
deserving as the Purple
Heart veterans group.
The grant, which was to
help defray the costs of the
JVW's 50th anniversary
convention, was defeated in
committee by a 7-2 vote.
Only Commissioners
Lawrence R. Pernick (D-
Southfield) and Hubert Price
(D-Pontiac) voted for it.
Commissioner John G.
Pappageorge, (R-Troy), who
voted against funding the
Jewish War Veterans, said
he voted for the Purple
Heart veterans last year be-
cause he found its member-
ship requirements so
unique.
The Purple Heart is a
medal awarded to soldiers
wounded in action.
Irving Keller, national
service officer, said he found
Mr. Pappageorge's remarks
insulting to Jewish war vet-
erans.
In his letter, Mr. Keller
noted that the JVW, which
was established in 1896, is
the oldest active veterans'
organization in the country.
He also said the JVW is the
only veterans' organization
headquartered in Oakland
County and the only one
that maintains a memorial
shrine in the state.
Mr. Keller added that
many Jewish soldiers,
who've fought in every
battle from Colonial times to
the present, have been
awarded the Purple Heart
and the Congressional
Medal of Honor.
Mr. Pappageorge, who
spent 30 years in the U.S.
military, said he was
"shocked and upset" by the
JVW letter.
"Mr. Keller completely
misunderstood my state-
ment," he said. "Mr. Keller
implies that I based my deci-
sion on the basis of his
organization's name, and
that's not true at all.
"This has nothing to do
with religion," he said. "It
would have been easier for
me to vote yes and duck the
whole thing. I voted for the
Purple Heart (last year) be-
cause I believe they are
unique. I'd have voted
against approving a grant
for any other veterans'
organization besides the
Purple Heart." ❑
Afternoon Of Events
Follows Israel Walk
SUSAN GRANT
Staff Writer
R
obert Orley's father
still talks about the
time he carried his
granddaughter on his
shoulders during the Walk
for Israel. Now, as a parent
of three boys, all under the
age of five, Mr. Orley makes
sure his children never miss
the walk.
The Walk for Israel has
become not only a celebra-
tion of Israel and the Detroit
Jewish community, but a
multi-generational family
experience, Mr. Orley said.
He loves watching the young
and old walk together and
seeing Jews come from
outlying communities to
show their support for Israel,
said Mr. Orley, who with co-
chairman Marta Rosenthal,
will lead the annual Walk
for Israel on Sunday.
This year, more than 7,000
people, including many new
Americans, are expected to
attend Sunday's 3.5-mile
walk, Mrs. Rosenthal said.
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THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS 15