750 DETROIT NEWTS 25 TISHREI 5755/SEPTEMBER 30, 1994 APN Turns A New Chapter In Detroit They feel peace is in Israel's best interest. ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM ASSOCIATE EDITOR Tzaly Reshef en Knoppow sees a battle for American Jewish public opinion, and he wants to be part of it. The issue is Middle East peace. Mr. Knoppow, a Southfield attorney, is concerned that not enough American Jews who support the peace process are speaking out. Some in this country, he fears, too easily equate "pm-Likud" with "pro- Israel." So Mr. Knoppow has joined with others in the community to form a Detroit chap- ter of Americans for Peace Now (APN), the U.S. partner of Israel's Shalom Achshav, Peace Now, movement. At 8 p.m. Oct. 5 at Temple Emanu-El, APN will hold its first event, a lecture fea- turing Peace Now co-founder Tzaly Reshef. There is no charge. Despite the several extant dovish organi- zations in the area, Mr. Knoppow is opti- mistic that APN will attract many new members — especially those in the commu- nity who may have liberal leanings but have shied away from groups like New Jewish Agenda. The difference with APN, he says, is a single word: Zionist. "APN's focus is specifically Zionist," he said. It is "fundamentally different from New Jewish Agenda," which attracts both Zionists and non-Zionists, and from Labor Zionist Alliance, whose platform is directly tied to that of Israel's Labor Party. "APN's concern is solely what is in the best inter- est of Israel," he said. "And we feel peace is in Israel's best interest." Established in 1981, APN has American offices in Marriage And Judaism How do Jewish values solidify the union between husband and wife? RUTH LITTMANN STAFF WRITER Story on page 48 APN page 8 Charter Schools Under Fire A home school academy is asking the state to finance students, including those who are learning about religion. JENNIFER FINER STAFF WRITER ena Berkowitz, 12, attended a American Civil liberties Union, who claim local Lubavitch school until the academy is unconstitutional and as her parents, residents of part of Council of Organizations and Southfield, decided she should Others for Education About Parochiaid, study at her own pace. They Inc. have gone to court to block public fund- enrolled her in the Noah ing for the school. The controversy began earlier this year Webster Academy, a newly created char- when legislators passed charter school leg- ter school. But now, Rena's new school has come islation enabling private citizens to create under fire by groups like the Michigan their own, publicly funded schools sepa- Jewish Conference, the Michigan rate from formal school districts. The idea behind the Education Association, the Michigan Association of School Boards and the law was to create some R competition for local school districts and give parents and students more educa- tional choices. Some of these charter schools stress arts; others stress a tradi- tional education. Noah Webster is a home schooling network, en- abling parents to educate their children at home. Currently, 1,850 students are en- rolled in Noah Webster. Throughout Michigan, several charter schools have been established since the act passed. Charter schools could receive as much as $5,500 in public monies for the education of each student. ThiS new phenomenon, particularly Noah Webster, has sparked dissent be- cause opponents believe home schools are private and not entitled to public funding. The lawsuit also challenges the entire charter school law as unconstitutional be- cause it allows public money to be spent without supervision by the state Board of Education. If Noah Webster is approved for state funding, school organizers said the mon- ey will fund a computer link-up between students at home and the office of the SCHOOLS page 10 ALTERNATIVES Guess Who? On The Blocks Coming Home Mr. Moms Some fabled visitors in the sukkah. A new swim team at the JCC. Ruth Laredo's career brings her to Detroit. More fathers are home with the kids. Page 14 Page 64 Page 73 Page 87