homework we received, my
mother and father taught us
how to read and write Arabic.
Determined and hard work-
ing, the Arab people are grow-
ing in education. Devoted to
our future, we worked very
hard to be successful in
school.
There are more than 5,000
businesses owned by Arabs in
the Detroit area. Despite the
language difficulties, they
have opened a wide chain of
grocery, party, liquor stores,
insurance and travel agen-
cies, fashion boutiques and
wholesale outlets. Using their
knowledge, they entered the
fields of photography, print
shops, salons, and formed
many other businesses from
construction companies to the
fields of accounting and in-
vestment firms.
There are many programs
that have been formed by
Arabs to help other Arabs
who come to the United
States from Lebanon, Iraq,
Iran, Yemen, Israel, Jordan
and many other different
areas of the Middle East.
Even though the Arab com-
munity is extremely diverse,
they tend to be viewed by out-
siders as one. ❑
Jewish American
Or American Jew?
SUSAN LEVIN
I
am often asked, "What
are you, a Jewish-Ameri-
can or an American-
Jew?" Until recently, • I'd
never been exactly sure of my
answer. Now however, I know.
And I can answer with a
definitive, "Both."
, Though my answer is a
most ambiguous one, my
"American-ness" and my
"Jewish-ness" are so closely
woven and interconnected
that I could not be one
without the other.
I, as a Jew, am affected by
being an. American by the
simple fact that I live in a
country where I have the
freedom to practice my
religion. Unlike Soviet and
Ethiopian Jews, for example,
Americans have always had
the opportunity to be vocal,
active, and, most importantly,
proud Jews.
Similarly, my Jewish back-
ground has molded many of
my qualities and characteris-
tics as an American.
Throughout my Jewish
education at 'Ibmple Kol Ami,
pre-kindergarten through
high school, I have heard,
learned, and studied the
stories of persecution against
the Jews.
Even today, anti-Semitism
is apparent. I have heard the
"Jew jokes" fly around school,
I have been called names, I
have had pennies thrown at
me as I walk down the halls.
Yet, for some strange reason
it has not made me bitter. I pi-
ty the people, who in their ig-
norance fail to look beyond a
person's label to find out who
Ms. Levin just graduated
from Farmington Harrison
High School and will attend
the University of Michigan in
the fall.
THE LARGEST ON•PRENIISES
NO NOTICE REQUIRED
COLD STORAGE AND CLEANING
FACILITY IN WEST BLOOMFIELD!
they really are. And I increase
my own efforts to educate
myself and my peers.
Last week, I participated in
a "Chaldean Food-fest" pro-
vided by an organized group
of. Arab-Americans in my
school. My friend and I were
the only two non-Chaldean
students to come. Our first
comment was, "Wow! This is
just like Jewish food!" We
loaded our plates full of hum-
mus, tabbouleh, and falafel,
and thoroughly enjoyed our-
selves. We engaged in discus-
sions about the often unnotic-
ed similarities between Jews
and Chaldeans, arranged for
a "Chaldean and Jewish
Food-fest" to take place and
are in the process of arrang-
ing a multi-cultural student
club.
As a minority, I am more
sensitive to prejudices around
me and I use this advantage
to increase other's sensitivity.
My moral values, instilled
in me as a Jew, teach me to of-
fer my services to those in
need, to stand up to what I
feel is wrong, and to work my
hardest to make it right. I
take these words to heart.
Through simple discussions
at school and in my communi-
ty, I try to alleviate some of
the anti-Jewish/Arab sen-
timents I find around me. By
uncovering common stereo-
types and breaking down pre-
judicial barriers, I hope to
help people realize that it's
not whether you're a Jewish-
American or an American-
Jew, a Jewish-American or an
Arab-American, it's the quali-
ty of your person that counts.
And, if and when I do some-
thing considerable or com-
mendable, I don't want it to be
recognized as the act of a
"good Jew" or a "good
American," but rather as the
accomplishment of a good per-
son. ❑
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THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS 93