DARCHEI page 4
MILE NEW CHAPTERS BEGIN,
(-
— to ask Federation to reconsider
its position and formulate for-
ward-looking, instead of "status
quo," policy decisions.
The future of our children is
not appropriately allocated to
past perceptions of community
needs. What is required now is a
clear recognition and acceptance
of reality as it exists and co-
exists.
Debora Rothbart
Oak Park
Intermarriage
And Continuity
1
OME SHOULD BE CONTINUED.
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started teaching your children at a very young age. In it were the holidays, rituals and
joys of Jewish life. And now as your children start a
new life, and eventually a new family, you can keep
those past lessons alive and growing. A gift sub-
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a first-hand look at their community. From the events
and happenings of the day, to the challenges of the
future. We can help add meaning to their lives. And,
at the same time, serve as a foundation for build-
ing a proud family...just like the one they came from.
THE JEWISH NEWS
A Publication You Can Put Your Faith In
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AD694
For those of us who lead a more
sheltered life, The Jewish News
becomes an important news-
paper, shedding light on Conser-
vative, Reform and non-affiliated
Jews' lifestyles and issues.
It was perplexing, however, to
read the article "Assessing the
Issues of Intermarriage" (June
17), which described the estab-
lishment of a task force by the
Jewish Federation and Jewish
Experiences For Families (JEFF).
Lynda Giles, JEFF chairwoman,
declares the purpose of the task
force is "not to judge if intermar-
riage is good or bad . . . but to
address the needs of the inter-
married."
Mrs. Kathleen Wilson Fink, co-
chair of the task force, whose
"parents are gentile," is herself a
gentile, as are her two children
— unless they have converted.
Mrs. Wilson Fink comments on
wanting "to maintain the in-
tegrity of Jewish values and
make my parents' and siblings'
practices acceptable to my chil-
dren." One may wish to live such
a dual lifestyle, but in Judaism
you can't have it both ways! Why,
then, does Mr. Robert Aronson,
executive vice president of the
Federation, think that keeping
the interfaith families a part of
the Jewish community is "a ma-
jor priority"?
All would agree that an urgent
priority should be Jewish conti-
nuity, an issue so often cited in
The Jewish News in response to
the staggering trend of assimila-
tion. The way to counter and re-
verse this alarming trend is
through education and the rais-
ing of knowledgeable, committed
Jews.
The Federation can help great-
ly in this goal, by reconsidering
to financially assist Darchei
Torah. The above-mentioned
school is an established, vibrant
body with nearly 200 students,
who are seriously committed
Jews and whose parents sacrifice
a great deal to give them a Jew-
ish education.
I hope the Federation will
think of these children not as a
competition to the Orthodox
Yeshiva Beth Yehudah, but as
200 individuals who need the
Federation's aid to continue their
Jewish education.
There is no question that these
children will provide continuity
for future generations — not only
for Orthodox Jews, but for all
world Jewry. From such inten-
sive study will the great Torah
scholars and leaders arise, to per-
petuate the Jewish teachings and
traditions into eternity.
Bracha Stein
Oak Park
Israel-Diaspora
Relationships
Seven months ago, I returned
from Israel, where I spent a year
studying through the generosity
of the Harry and Sarah Laker Is-
rael Scholarship and the Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan De-
troit Community Scholarship.
While in Israel, I spent a sig-
nificant amount of time ponder-
ing and discussing the problems
that plague the North American
Jewish community. At first, I
believed that the high rate of
intermarriage and assimilation
within our community was the
problem. But I discovered that
this was only a manifestation of
the greater problem — the lack
of unity within the Jewish com-
munity.
Our community recognizes
and is making some progress
toward combatting this situation
at home. However, we have failed
to dedicate enough time or effort
toward fostering unity between
the North American and Israeli
Jewish communities.
For too long, many of us have
taken for granted the connection
between Diaspora and Israeli
Jews. Unfortunately, many Is-
raeli Jews have not felt the same
connection with us that we have
felt with them, and the rift be-
tween our two communities has
grown dangerously wide. Even
those elements that have contin-
ued to cement our relationship
are now being called into ques-
tion.
As Israel becomes more pros-
perous and her enemies slowly
become her partners on the road
toward peace, many North Amer-
ican Jews are asking the ques-
tion, "What will unite us when
we are no longer needed for
Israel's economic and physical
security?" This question indicates
that, among other things, we
have overemphasized the role
financial contribution and con-
gressional lobbying play in our
relationship.
After reaffirming the central
role that Israel plays in our col-
lective Jewish identity, we must
redirect our attention toward
maintaining and strengthening
the connection between North
American and Israeli Jewry. In
my opinion, we can build bridges
between our two communities
most effectively by first estab-
lishing ties at the individual level.
RELATIONSHIPS page 10