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and mission of the con-
ference.
Few speakers even re-
ferred to Crown Heights or
Mr. Farrakhan, sticking to
the more obtuse language of
academia. Keynote speakers
Harold Cruse of the Univer-
sity of Michigan and Pro-
fessor Thomas addressed the
issue from historical and
philosophical levels.
Professor Cruse described
a relationship between
blacks and Jews that was
rooted in economics. He
characterized the alliances
built between the two groups
as "alliances of the elite,"
while the day-to-day contact
in New York between Jews
and blacks remained one of
mutual mistrust.
Professor Thomas, taking
a philosophical tack, called
the erosion of relations a
result of "excusable envy"
by blacks of Jews. Jews, Pro-
fessor Thomas said, have "a
place in the Western tradi-
tion, in the birth of Chris-
tianity itself." Blacks have
no such claim, and what's
worse, have not developed
"traditions and values that
are their own."
The resulting gap between
a Jewish community with
deep communal ties and a
black community with no
shared goals has created "a
tension that couldn't just be
based on wealth," said Pro-
fessor Thomas.
In a session titled "Slavery
and the Holocaust," Pro-
Engler To Honor
Jewish Conference
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fessor Kenneth Waltzer
cited Jewish connection to
the Holocaust as a "key
component to their identi-
ty." Slavery has had a simi-
lar effect on blacks, he said.
On top of these post-World
War II developments is the
growing reality that "blacks
and Jews do not live near
each other or compete or co-
operate on jobs and hous-
ing.
"Black and Jewish rela-
tions are shaped less by con-
tact and more by the sym-
bolic identities each group
has made for itself," said
Professor Waltzer, acting
dean of MSU's James
Madison College.
This, he said, has created a
situation where Jews are
suspicious of power-sharing
because of their fear of anti-
Semitism and blacks are
unwilling to cooperate be-
cause of their fear of
"unrelieved racism."
While both fears are
understandable, they have
destroyed the "universalism"
that first created the black-
Jewish alliance. Professor
Waltzer said an emphasis on
victimization "privileges"
minority leaders to reject
compromise and coalition-
building.
"Deep down, both groups
know what it means to be ob-
jects of persecution, to be
outsiders, to be scapegoats,"
he said. "There is much that
is different but there is much
that is shared." ❑
t's been a year since the
Michigan Jewish Con-
ference was created, and
on Monday, Governor John
Engler as well as local and
state officials will honor the
organization's first anniver-
sary at a reception in Lans-
ing.
The conference is a state-
wide organization that pro-
vides consultation on a
myriad of issues to smaller
Jewish communities outside
of the Detroit area.
"The gathering will be an
opportunity for Jewish
leaders around Michigan to
meet with each other and
with government officials,"
said Caryn Nessel, con-
ference director.
The conference has spent
its first year identifying the
needs of the state's Jewish
communities. It has already
assisted in the formation of
various Holocaust com-
memorations.
"I've been traveling to
various communities during
the year, seeing what they
need," said Ms. Nessel. "I
help communities get
together resources and pro-
gramming. For instance, if a
community is having
difficulty resettling its
Soviet immigrants, I'll con-
nect them with the Detroit
Resettlement Service. One
community wanted to know
how to set up a program
similar to JARC.
For the coming year, Ms.
Nessel said the conference
wants to continue to net-
work the state's Jewish
communities. She said there
will be more of a focus on
legislative issues.
"We want to be involved in
health care and issues that
are involved with human
needs and social justice," she
said, "and we want to con-
tinue to build coalitions with
other groups." ❑