75¢ 11111111111111111111101111•1111 DETROIT ■ . 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