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DETROIT
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THE JEWISH NEWS
1 TAMMUZ 5754/JUNE 10, 1994
Off On The Right Foot?
Jewish groups send a message to schools starting
classes on the High Holidays.
LESLEY PEARL STAFF WRITER
ewish students at Wayne State and
Oakland universities and Oakland
Community College are facing a
tough decision: observe the holidays
— or attend classes and commencements
and take exams.
This year, Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish
New Year, will be from sundown Sept. 5
through sundown Sept. 7.
Fall semester begins Sept. 6 at WSU
and Sept. 1 at OCC. Students enrolled
in Monday and Wednesday classes at
OCC will meet for the first time Sept. 5.
At OU, fall classes begin Sept. 6. Winter
term finals, beginning April 21, overlap
with Passover, and 1996 fall commence-
ment exercises are slated for the second
day of Rosh Hashanah, Sept. 15.
The problem is neither new nor unique.
Various colleges and universities through-
out the state battle with the issue each
time the lunar calendar sends Jewish hol-
idays into the early part of September.
Hillel of Metro Detroit and the Jewish
Community Council provide local colleges,
j
11 aside
FOCUS
Poles like Jewish
culture, but can't
find their Jews.
Page 34
HEALTH
A connection
with love for the
elderly.
Page 40
BUSINESS
A struggling
gallery still makes
the owner happy.
Page 48
Contents on page 3
universities and public sec-
ondary schools with
Jewish calendars for five
years ahead. In addition,
the two groups sent letters
of concern to learning cen-
ters with schedules con-
flicting with major Jewish Campus of Wayne State University.
holidays.
Eastern Michigan University and the rescheduling) in depth, but no workable
University of Michigan altered their cal- rearrangements could be found," Ms.
Williamson said in her letter.
endars.
George Keith, president of the Orchard
OU has not given definitive answers as
to its final scheduling. WSU and OCC Ridge Campus of OCC, responded to Ms.
Weiner with a letter regarding contract
stand firm.
Marilyn Williamson, provost and vice agreements and labor unions and the im-
president for academic affairs for WSU, possibility of making a change. In addi-
wrote to former JCCouncil President tion, he sent a memo to faculty and staff
Jeannie Weiner that WSU maintains a alerting them to the religious holiday.
He added, "In a minority of instances,
policy of not scheduling tests or required
activities on religious holidays. She re- due to the nature of the class or its in-
quested all instructors provide essential structional methods, some instructors do
materials on class meetings following the not permit missed classes and/or assign-
holiday and reschedule placement exams. ments of any students. In these instances,
"We investigated this possibility (of HOUDAYS page 8
l C ose Up
Where will
we be in
the year
2044?
ADL Targets Campus Hate
RUTH LITTMANN STAFF WRITER
"But issues of anti-
ichard Nodel, vice
president of the Semitism have come to the
Anti- forefront, particularly during
Michigan
Defamation League, the past year with Louis
was discussing bigotry with Farrakhan and the Nation of
a group of teen-agers at Islam, and we sense a grow-
Temple Israel when one ing need to educate students
high-school student recount- on how to respond."
To that end, the Michigan
ed a firsthand experience.
The young woman, who ADL sponsored the seminar
attends public school in
suburbia, described how
she was walking past the
gym when a male student
accidentally dropped
some coins near a pop
machine.
"Just leave them for
the Jews to pick up," the
boy told his buddy.
Speaking last week to
a roomful of ADL board
members, Mr. Nodel de-
scribed this incident as
presenting "the classic
dilemma we all face at
some time or another"-
should we respond to the Jeffrey Ross
anti-Semitic remarks or
featuring Jeffrey Ross from
ignore them?
"Many students, because the organization's parent of-
they're not prepared to deal fice in New York. The semi-
with these issues, tend not to nar was held at Michigan
deal with them. They just ADL headquarters in
walk away," Mr. Nodel said. Southfield.
IIN ill we rocket to
"The group of people here
have children who are in
school or will be going away
to school soon," Mr. Nodel
said. "Some of our children
have experienced anti-
Semitism in high school.
We're not only concerned as
Jews, but also as parents."
Mr. Ross, who serves as
the national director of
campus affairs and high-
er education, offered
strategies aimed at help-
ing students combat anti-
Semitism at high schools,
colleges and universities.
The issue holds special
importance, Mr. Ross said,
because the number of
anti-Semitic incidents on
campuses throughout the
United States is growing.
In 1984, the national ADL
office recorded six sepa-
rate incidents. In 1993,
more than 120 were re-
ported.
"The obvious question
is, were there more incidents
or was there better report-
ing? I answer 'yes' to both."
Colleges and universities pro-
vide fertile ground for anti-
ADL page 10
synagogue?
Buy kosher over
home shopping networks?
Meet dates through video
conferencing? Or learn
Talmud in our sleep?
The next century might
bring Jews back to
Detroit or catapult
them west to Brighton.
The future
is anyone's
guess.
STORY ON PAGE 56