75¢
DETROIT
THE
15 TAMMUZ 5754/JUNE 24, 1994
Israel Bound?
CLOSE UP
AJE responds to suggestion made at annual meeting.
LESLEY PEARL STAFF WRITER
The Many Faces of Ruach
RUTH LITTMANN STAFF WRITER
MTV, shopping malls, video games — even homework —
gave way for a weekend of being Jewish at Camp Wise in
Ohio, where 130 teen-agers gathered in rustic surround-
ings. Some of the young people were from Orthodox homes.
Others knew little about holidays and prayer. Lest they for-
get their heritage, the National Conference of Synagogue
Youth set out to teach them more.
Story on page 42
C harles Bronfman made the challenge.
The Agency for Jewish Education has
the plan. The question is money.
At the AJE's 75th annual meeting
June 13, Seagram Company Ltd. co-
chairman Mr. Bronfman suggested af-
fordable, educational trips to Israel
may be the only hope for youth "who do not nec-
essarily believe in a Jewish people with a soul in
Jerusalem."
Mr. Bronfman said 73 percent ofJews ages 65
and older make charitable contributions to Jewish
agencies and causes. Less than 35 percent ofJews
ages 35 and younger do the same.
"The younger generation views financial sup-
port to Israel as an option, rather than an inher-
ited tradition. We need youth to love being Jewish
as we do. We must ask them to become emotion-
ally involved — to return to their roots," Mr.
Bronfman said. "Jewish education is more than
the alef bet."
Jewish Education Service of North America
(JESNA) studies have shown an Israel experience
reinforces Jewish identity and involvement —
in all ages.
However, of the 358,000 Jewish teens in North
America, less than 1.5 percent traveled to Israel
in the summer of 1993. And of the 2,000 Jewish
teens per grade level in metropolitan Detroit, about
100 made the trip.
The AJE recently proposed its Israel Experience
to Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit for
funding — $200,000 to $250,000 every two years,
independent of its yearly Allied Jewish Campaign
Talk Politics
Candidates for U.S. Senate address key issues with the Jewish community.
allocation. Trips for
a minimum of 150
students, optimal-
ly 300-400, would
occur every two
years for 31 days.
The AJE's pro-
gram operates on a
two-year plan, pro-
posed to begin the
fall of 1995.
Prior to depar-
ture, 10th- • and
11th-grade stu-
dents will study
Israel, religion, cul-
ture, politics, geog-
raphy, Hebrew and
CRB Foundation Chairman
Bible for one year
Charles Bronfman
within their indi-
vidual congregational schools. The AJE will pro-
vide instructional materials and plans.
Planes would depart the summer of 1996 with
students, instructors and rabbis. Upon their re-
turn, students would have a variety of opportu-
nities to reconnect with traveling companions in
both social and Jewish contexts.
Howard Gelberd, AJE executive director, em-
phasized the need for a quality program and per-
sonnel.
'The idea is not a self-contained trip. Fun in the
sun or picking grapefruit is not enough. This is
not travel for travel's sake; it's an organic part of
ISRAEL page 8
nide
JENNIFER FINER STAFF WRITER
fter attending a candidates' forum,
Cindy Franklin of West Bloomfield
said she has a better idea of which
candidate to vote for in the highly con-
tested U.S. Senate race.
Arlene Barris, also of West
Bloomfield, said the forum changed
her mind about which candidate she
liked.
"I thought I had an idea of whom
I'd vote for, but now I'm thinking
about voting for someone else," she
said.
Ms. Franklin and Ms. Barris were two of several hun-
dred audience members at Adat Shalom Synagogue on
Monday, where candidates for the U.S. Senate discussed
Israel, crime, health care and economics.
Five of the nine candidates vying for Sen. Donald Riegle's
seat attended the event. The forum was sponsored by eight
Jewish organizations, including The Jewish News, The Anti-
Defamation League, Joint Action Committee for Political
Affairs, National Council of Jewish Women — Greater
Detroit Section, The American Jewish Committee — Detroit
Chapter, B'nai B'rith Michigan Regional Council, Women's
American ORT and Hadassah.
Democrats William Brodhead,
John Kelly, Carl Marlinga, Lana
Pollack and Libertarian Jon Coon
aired their own views.
Representatives filled in for
Spencer Abraham and Ronna
Romney — the lone Republicans
in the race — and Democrats Bob
Carr and Joel Ferguson.
The format of the panel allowed
candidates and their representa-
tives two opportunities to intro-
duce themselves and present their
views. A question-and-answer ses-
sion followed for candidates only.
John Kelly airs his views.
Mr. Coon began by telling the
audience that he is not a lawyer
or an incumbent and that he has never held office.
"All I really want is to know that someday I can bounce
my grandchildren on my knee and know it is OK and that
their future will be secure," he said.
Sen. Pollack used her five minutes to discuss her ap-
prehensions: health care, job security and personal secu-
rity.
POLITICS page 8
Dear Old Dad
How some swell dads
spent Father's Day.
Page 14
Behind The Headlines
Does everyone believe
the good economic news?
Page 30
Contents on page 3