DETROIT

750

THE JEWISH

14 AV 5754/JULY 22, 1994

Round Two

Detroiters express mixed feelings about talks between
Israel and Jordan.

JENNIFER FINER STAFF WRITER

nne Gonte Silver wor-
ries that peace will
lead to destruction.
"Israel is being cut
up, piece by piece,"
said the president of
the Detroit chapter of
the Zionist Organ-
ization of America. "I
worked to see that
Israel came into exis-
tence. Now it is being

destroyed."
"This is a way to see more bloodshed,
problems and suffering," added Michael
Dallen, Detroit chair of Americans for a
Safe Israel.
The two were distressed to hear this
week that Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin
and Jordan's King Hussein have agreed
to talk July 25 at the White House.
Negotiators for the two already have met
privately and said talks are going well.
Israel and Jordan have been in a tech-
nical state of war for the past 46 years,
since Jordan joined Egypt, Iraq, Syria and
Lebanon in an attack on Israel when the
state was established. Among the sticky
issues the two are expected to face during
talks: territory (Jordan still lays claim
to the West Bank) and the Palestinians.

Meanwhile, President Bill Clinton is
seeking congressional approval for new
military assistance for Jordan and to can-
cel all or part of the $900 million the Arab
nation owes the United
States. That possibility has
Ms. Silver furious.
"The United States
keeps forgiving the Arab
countries," she said. "Why
should we be rewarding
them?"
Dena D. Greenberg dis-
agrees.
"I think it is marvelous,"
said the president of the
Labor Zionist Alliance
Council of Metro Detroit.
"The only way to have
peace in the world is to
have peace in the Middle
East. It looks like Syria is
out in the cold. Eventually
they, too, will meet with Secretary of State Warren Christopher at a recent'meeting with
Israel, but it will be on Jordan's King Hussein.
Israel's terms."
Michael Rubner, a native of Israel, is a not give up any part of Jerusalem.
There's a third party who stands to
professor of international relations at
Michigan State University. He believes gain a great deal, as well.
Observers say President Clinton, who
both Jordan and Israel stand to gain from
the talks.
TWO page 8

nside

DETROIT

Dirty Dozens

Camp Get-A-Way
loved Mud Day.

Page 14

Foreign Policy

Senate candidates
state Israel views.

Page 35

CLOSE UP

Moving Beyond Miracles

Coming Full Circle

The Ecumenical Institute wants to take a more active role.

Why day school
graduates want the
same for their children.

ALAN HITSKY ASSOCIATE EDITOR

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Story on page 97

Israel, can achieve more stable
peace with its neighbors.
"Jordan's economy is in shambles,
with unemployment estimated at 30
percent," Professor Rubner said.
"Hussein also wants to demonstrate
to Middle East leaders that Jordan
is more independent of Syria and is
not going to wait for Syria to solve its
problems with Israel. King Hussein
wants to stake claim to being the pro-
tector of the Muslim holy places in east
Jerusalem."
Ms. Greenberg is confident Israel will

T

he Rev. James Lyons doesn't worry
about money. He's not concerned
about his health or the roof over his
head. Some how, some way, God
manages to provide.
It doesn't bother the Protestant minis-
ter whose God gets the credit. After all,
that's what his Ecumenical Institute for
Jewish-Christian Studies is all about.
Twelve years ago, a series of miracles
led to the founding of the institute.
First, the Rev. Lyons went into a dia-
betic coma. When he recovered and left
the hospital, the spiritual leader of the
large Pine Hill Congregational Church in
West Bloomfield resigned to pursue a life-
long calling.
A native Detroiter, he began planning
to enter the ministry while a student at
Mumford High School, where he had
many Jewish friends.
At Wayne State University, he came
under the tutelage of Rabbi Max Kapustin
and Professor Abram Spiro, sitting in on
discussions and classes on Tanach (Bible).
He majored in speech, earned a master's
in Near Eastern languages, and directed

a research library at WSU when it spon-
sored a seminar on the German church
during the Third Reich.
He also attended the University of
Michigan and Southern Baptist Seminary
in Louisville, Ky. But opening the
Ecumenical Institute seemed to crystal-
ize his training and experience into one
purpose.
The organization's goal, according to
its mission statement, is to "improve the
relationship between Christians and Jews
in a strictly non-conversionist way."
Richard Lobenthal, director of the
Michigan Region Anti-Defamation
League, was the catalyst for the institute's
next miracle. Mr. Lobenthal, who later
served three terms as Ecumenical
Institute president, sent a foundation rep-
resentative to the Rev. Lyons. The result:
A $35,000 per year grant for three years
to help fund the new organization.
The year was 1982 and the miracles
continued. The Rev. Lyons led 55
Christians on a trip to Israel and Lebanon,
just as Israel invaded its northern neigh-
ECUMENICAL page 12

LAST
CHANCE

Do-or-die sale will decide
the future of Kosins Clothes,
a retailing institution.

Story on page 56

Culture Catalyst

A national foundation
stimulates Yiddishkeit.

Page 79

Contents on page 3