750 Celebrating 50 years of growth with the Detroit Jewish Community THE JEWISH NEWS 10 CHESVAN 5753/NOVEMBER 6, 1992 It's Clinton's Turn What the turnover at the White House means to Israel and domestic Jewish concerns. JAMES B. BESSER/WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT ill Clinton's deci- sive victory on Tuesday repre- sents the end of a long and contro- versial era in American politics and the beginning of a wrenching pe- riod of national readjustment that will severely test the president- elect's mettle. Few presidents have entered office with so many daunting crises ready to boil over, with so many conflicting demands for his attention. For the Jewish community, Mr. Clinton's busy agenda in the next few months holds enormous promise for progress on a wide array of domestic concerns, in- cluding critical religious freedom and church-state issues. At the ANALYSIS But continuity could prove a tall order. With rising violence in the re- gion posing a clear challenge to the negotiations, Mr. Clinton needs to act quickly to make it clear that the peace process will be a top priority for him, accord- ing to Middle East experts. "The challenge here is to pick up the negotiations quickly," said Martin Indyk, director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, a Middle East think tank. "The danger is, if you leave the process to languish during same time, economic problems at home and the distractions of a world on the brink of a dismay- ing variety of po- tential disasters may make it hard- er for the incoming administration to concentrate on a leading priority for many American Jews — the ongo- ing Middle East peace talks. Mr. Clinton has repeatedly ex- Bill Clinton lost his voice, but won the presidency. pressed his strong support for the the transition, you have the Middle East peace negotiations, Hezbollah and others taking the which began with such promise a year ago in Madrid. His closest initiative, undermining the ne- gotiations from the ground up." advisers insist that continuity The Clinton transition staff is in the negotiations will be a ma- being advised to work closely jor goal of the new administra- CLINTON / page 24 tion. aside NATIONAL The Landslide What the U.S. election means to Jews and Israel. Page 23 SPORTS Center Of It Cranbrook's rise mirrors Farbman. Page 57 CLOSE-UP So Now What? Religious right looms on Michigan horizon. KIMBERLY LIFTON/STAFF WRITER loomfield Hills par- ent Mindy Nathan is ready for battle. She's been preparing for this fight for five years, when a group of fundamentalist Christians, called TORCH, un- successfully tried to include Christmas celebrations in the Bloomfield Hills school curricu- lum. A parent of two school-age chil- dren, Ms. Nathan knows all too well that a Democratic victory nationally will not protect Mich- igan from active religious ex- tremists. "We have to start talking to each other about the reality of this," Ms. Nathan said. "It is right here in our own back yards. We are seeing it everywhere, even in Birmingham, where 13 Clinton supporters In Greektown cheer his victory. some parents are fighting over implementing teaching about ho- mosexuality." Michigan election results showed the GOP emerging vic- torious in local, county and state races. In addition, the Repub- licans now have control of both state houses. This, GOP and Democratic leaders suggest, widens the prospects of a power struggle between the moderate and far right factions of the Republican party. "This leaves free reign for Michigan right-wing fundameiv- talists to put their policies into action," said Democratic pundit Larry Owen, who ran President- elect Bill Clinton's Michigan fund-raising campaign. Oakland County GOP Chairman Jim Alexander said SO NOW WHAT? / page 25 Walking to feed 600 families for a month. Hunger Pangs Page 32 ALTERNATIVES Crossing The Line Sparks fly when Jews and gentiles interdate. Page 100 Contents on page 5