LETTERS
Mal
Divine, Human,
But Not Secular
The May 22 article by
Sulius Harwood claims that
my recent book Seek My Face,
Speak My Name "in-
advertently captures the
thesis of Secular-Humanistic
Judaism."
I realize that Mr. Harwood
considers this a compliment,
but I am afraid he
misunderstands me deeply.
Mr. Harwood is right in say-
ing that I am a non-literalist
when it comes to Torah. But
this hardly makes me
■ - "secular." On the contrary, I
believe deeply in the Divini-
ty of Torah and in the Divine
Presence to be found in it.
I also believe deeply in the
human authorship of Torah.
►
-In fact, if I am asked "Is the
Torah Divine or human?" my
answer will be a resounding
"Yes!" This point of view can
be characterized as religious
humanism, but it is very
much not secular.
Dr. Arthur Green
President, Reconstructionist
Rabbinical College
Wyncote, Pa.
Applauding The
Mitzvah Heroes
I read with great pride your
1.article of May 22 regarding
"Mitzvah Heroes." Certainly,
Much of that pride stems from
• reading about Joshua
Michael Zwickl, one of your
Mitzvah Heroes, whom I have
k _ nown since his birth .. .
1 . However, I believe that
pride was enhanced through
(She quality of the article
which you have written and
the importance you have plac-
ed on the kind of life your
'Mitzvah Heroes lead.
As a member of the extend-
11, ed Detroit Jewish community,
applaud your efforts in
recognizing those named as
Mitzvah Heroes, and more
importantly, encouraging all
'-"of us to emulate them in our
own lives.
Larry H. Pachter
Highland Park, Ill.
Conservative
-Movement
►
I read with interest your
May 8 article by Alan Hitsky
(on the Conservative move-
ment and would like to note
the following points.
First, we should be clear
"about the fact that congrega-
tions move, as do businesses,
* when demographics dictate
that a move makes sense.
• Whether Orthodox, Conser-
vative or Reform, synagogues
move where the people are,
not as a sign of weakness.
Mr. Hitsky also notes that
•
.
at least one synagogue has
chosen to remain and "rein-
vigorate its programs and its
membership to succeed."
Recognition that programs
must change with the needs
of the community is an
enlightened position, and one
that should be praised and
strengthened.
United Synagogue strongly
supports the need for creativi-
ty and in fact has developed
the Synagogue of Excel-
lence/Rapaport grants to en-
courage synagogues to under-
take creative, innovative
programming.
The point is also made that
while some synagogues have
merged, others have chosen to
remain independent — with
great results! Lay involve-
ment has increased and
members take greater respon-
sibility for the success of the
synagogue. This is something
United Synagogue is certain-
ly trying to encourage.
A more involved and
knowledgeable laity can only
enhance the Conservative
movement as a whole and en-
sure our survival. The United
Synagogue Committee on
Commitment and Observance
has prepared booklets en-
couraging observance of
kashrut at weddings and bar
mitzvahs. Also, Project Imun
is specifically engaged in ef-
forts to train laypeople to fill
para-religious functions —
whether davening, delivering
D'vrei Torah, or officiating at
life-cycle events.
Several of those interview-
ed point out that "people are
looking for spirituality."
United Synagogue is well
aware of this and, in fact,
dedicated the recent biennial
convention to that issue.
The last issue of the
Synagogue Review featured
an article on the development
of chavurot in Conservative
synagogues. It demonstrates
not only the search for
spirituality but the many con-
structive ways in which peo-
ple are finding it.
Rabbi Berman makes a
very important point when he
notes that if people don't start
supporting their synagogues
soon, the synagogues won't be
there when they need them.
Unfortunately, he's right. We
believe that people should
realize this and should be en-
couraged to donate more
generously to their religious
institutions — whether Con-
servative, Orthodox or
Reform.
Finally, the table at the end
of the article demonstrates
that the Conservative move-
ment is still a large and grow-
ing movement. Obviously,
synagogues that leave an
area must be given time to
have a look at the U.N.
records.
Ms. Barnes hopes that
Damascus would adhere to
the terms of a peace treaty,
and refrain from using the
Golan for military purposes.
Why rely on her hopes, when
one can directly examine
historical experience?
The Syrians signed an ar-
mistice with Israel in 1949 —
yet that did not prevent them
from using the Golan to at-
tack Israel throughout the en-
suing 18 years.
Remember what Syrian dic-
tator Assad declared in 1987
(as quoted in the liberal
Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz):
"Israel's fate will be the same
as that of the Crusaders, who
also succeeded in taking con-
trol of portions of the Arab
region, only to be defeated in
wars that lasted 200 years."
Mr. Assad made that speech
just five years ago; that gives
him, according to his calcula-
tions, at least 195 more years
to evict the "Crusader-like"
Jewish state from the Middle
East.
Herbert Zweibon
Chairman, Americans For
A Safe Israel
•Arneork from the Los AnsvIes Times by Catherine Kanner. Copyright. 1990. Catherine Kanner. ..13.0d by We Angeles Torn Syndicate.
regroup and regrow. We can
expect their numbers to in-
crease in the near future.
Larry W. Lando
President, Michigan Region,
United Synagogue of
Conservative Judaism
Borman Hall
Moving Forward
As the co-chairs of the Bor-
man Hall Family Forum, we
represent the family
members of current Borman
Hall residents.
We take exception with
those individuals who seek to
dwell on the Home's past and
fail to recognize the forward
strides made by the Home
during this past year.
Our interest is in assuring
that quality care is being pro-
vided to our loved ones now
and in the future. The Home's
management, under the
leadership of Arnie Budin,
created a forum for family
members to raise issues and
to then work with manage-
ment in arriving at
reasonable solutions.
While many issues and con-
cerns remain unresolved, the
family members are making
progress in cooperation with
the Home's management
staff. We now feel that we are
part of the solution and not
part of the problem.
Midge Appel
Southfield
Molly Diamond
Detroit
Golan Heights
And Hafez Assad
In her May 29 Op-Ed essay,
Caroline Barnes of the left-
wing Nishma group argued
that the dispute between
Israel and Syria over the
Golan Heights is simply a
matter of "restoring Syrian
pride while assuring Israeli
security!'
In fact, what is at stake is
not merely Syria's "pride" but
rather Syria's continued devo-
tion to the goal of eventually
destroying Israel and replac-
ing it with Greater Syria —
which is why the surrender of
the Golan cannot be reconcil-
ed with the need to "assure
Israeli security?'
What would Syria do if it
was given the Golan Heights?
Just recall what the Syrians
did the last time they had the
Golan Heights, from 1949 un-
til 1967. They mercilessly
shelled the Jewish settle-
ments and kibbutzim in the
Galilee region below, turning
the lives of Jewish farmers
and their families into an
endless nightmare of sleeping
in bomb shelters and burying
their dead.
Abba Eban, Israel's am-
bassador to the United Na-
tions, detailed the grim
history of what he termed
"murderous Syrian attacks"
in a speech to the U.N. on Oct.
14, 1966; if Ms. Barnes and
her Nishma group don't recall
those events, they should
Article Furthered
Family Tragedy
When tragedy strikes
within the Jewish communi-
ty it is the obligation of all to
do everything in their power
to comfort those who have suf-
fered. Any actions that can be
taken to alleviate the pain
and avoid more suffering
should be taken.
To place a front page article
(May 29) in a Jewish paper
that only serves to aggravate
the hurt and satisfy morbid
curiosity does no one any
good.
A Jewish paper should not
be just a paper, but a paper
with a Jewish neshama. The
article about the Binder
tragedy only caused further
hurt and suffering. It was un-
necessary and therefore cruel.
I hope you will feel greater
sensitivity to the pain and
suffering of others in the
future.
Rabbi Martin J. Berman
Congregation Beth Achim
Steven Kaplan
A Candidate
In the May 29 article detail-
ing the Jewish candidates
seeking political office in
1992, your reporter neglected
to mention that Steven
Kaplan is the Democratic
candidate for the position of
Oakland County prosecuting
attorney. Kaplan is unoppos-
ed in the primary .. .
Judge Michael D. Schwartz
Macomb County Circuit Court
Tun
ICIARCLI KICIA/C