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Danil Sobolnitsky made it there.
Then, finally in this "village" of ours...
On Sunday, marking the first yahrtzeit of
Lubavitcher Rebbe Menachem Mendel Scheer-
son, a campus was dedicated in West Bloomfield
that will add to the picture of Jewish education.
Israel's Chief Rabbi Yisroel Meir Lau spoke be-
fore hundreds of our community members at the
groundbreaking and at the following banquet.
Important stories, trends and issues will con-
tinue to be reported and analyzed. But as we
slowed down a bit for the July 4th weekend, a
kind of gateway into summer, sometimes it's
good to slow down and read the stories of your
neighbors, their struggles and victories. The
news of Arafat and Rabin, the Supreme Court
and other important issues remain with us al-
ways.
Issues that aren't going to necessarily shake
the world or a nation occur right in our own back
yard. As Mr. Sabolnitsky or the Hillmans have
shown us, small, personal miracles happen dai-
ly...in this "village" of ours.
Freedom's Blow
On the eve of the nation's birthday, celebrated
this week, the U.S. Supreme Court took a step
backward in its quest to preserve freedom. In a
narrow majority last week, the court said that
the University of Virginia was constitutionally
required to subsidize a student religious maga-
zine as it would any other student publication.
Such a ruling protects our freedom of speech at
the expense of the rest of the First Amendment,
which says Congress can't make a law "respect-
ing an establishment of religion."
The decision in Rosenberger vs. the Universi-
ty of Virginia seems to indicate that the justices
have overturned, however subtly, a 1971 prece-
dent, which had since been used to strike down
government policies that had the purpose or ef-
fect of advancing religion.
Sadly, in the wake of the 1994 Republican rev-
olution — through which some conservatives
have manipulated the GOP to find legislating
morality at least as important as fiscal measures
— decisions such as the Virginia one no longer
are radical. Apparently, this court can favor free
speech and promote religion. Further, it can er-
Ci) roneously do this in the name of the U.S. Con-
w stitution.
Some optimists argue that the Virginia ruling
will
help with the argument against prayer in
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school, making it more difficult for groups such
as the Christian Coalition to claim that the gov-
ernment discriminates against religious people.
But we have fears about the signal sent out here
about the First Amendment. The court appears
to be saying— albeit in a divided, tentative voice
— that a separation must exist between church
and state, except in cases where a question of free
speech is raised.
When the ruling was handed down last week,
Robert G. Sugarman, chair of the Anti-Defama-
tion League's National Civil Rights Committee,
noted that, sadly, the case involved the Univer-
sity of Virginia, which has strong links to Thomas
Jefferson.
Indeed, Jefferson — passionately committed
to the principle of the free mind, as created by
God — worked endlessly to promote both the
freedoms of speech and religion. In a bill that es-
tablished religious freedom in Virginia — leg-
islation that was a precursor to the First
Amendment —Jefferson wrote "that to compel
a man to furnish contributions of money for the
propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and
abhors is sinful and tyrannical."
To that we can only say, in the private sphere
of our synagogues and homes, "Amen."
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In This "Village" Of Ours...
In this "village" of ours...
In any given week, there are so many impor-
tant stories that reflect a close, personal side of
Detroit area Jewish life. Many times we admit-
tedly get caught up in the issues, such as agency
allocations and education reforms.
Then there's the story this week of two broth-
ers who have not spoken for one reason or an-
other in eight years. One of them, Bruce Hillman,
needs a perfect bone marrow transplant to sur-
vive. His brother, Michael Hillman, is that match.
The Hillmans' story reminds us of the fragility
of relationships, even among people of the same
blood. Also, how that "fragile" blood link can be
one of strength. In this case, it could be a life-
saver.
In this "village" of ours...
Danil Sobolnitsky, 92, gets to fulfill a lifelong
dream, to see Israel. He did, thanks to his own
persistence and the help of a young friend,
Reuven Millman.
It is said that each Jew who gets to see the
Western Wall brings with him souls of thousands
who died trying to get there.
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Letters
Insulting
Remarks
As someone who has worked as a
part-time professional in both the
profit and nonprofit sectors for the
past 11 112 years, I was truly in-
censed by the insulting remarks
made in a recent Jewish News ar-
ticle by (Agency for Jewish Edu-
cation executive director) Howard
Gelberd about the lack of com-
mitment on the part of part-time
employees.
Contrary to Mr. Gelberd's opin-
ion, part-time status does not di-
minish one's professionalism or
level of commitment. In fact, it de-
mands that professionals maxi-
mize their efficiency and
productivity on days in the office
and accept the fact that their re-
sponsibilities extend well beyond
preset office hours.
As for Mr. Gelberd's claims that
part-time employees are often
more temporary, I look to my own
history as an example. After work-
ing as a highly successful part-
time marketing executive for
nearly six years, I decided to make
the change, five years ago, to what
I find to be a more rewarding role
as a part-time nonprofit profes-
sional. I value my work as does my
agency, and as long as funding al-
lows, I intend to continue in my
current capacity.
In addition, my experience with
other part-time professionals
whom I have had the opportunity
to interface with (even one or two
from Mr. Gelberd's own agency) is
that their work standards are very
much the same as my own.
Part-time employees offer their
employers a true bargain. We save
our agencies and businesses mon-
ey by accepting lower salaries and
reduced benefits for our skills, tal-
ent and hard work. Surely, this is
a benefit that we would want Mr.
Gelberd, the director of one of our
most important communal agen-
cies, to acknowledge, particularly
at a time when finding dollars are
being so carefully allocated.
Part-time status surely provides
the professional with many won-
derful rewards. It affords us the
opportunity to contribute to our
families and financial needs, en-
rich our lives through the chal-
lenge of our work and perhaps the
greatest privilege of all: spend
more time with our children. What
our employers gain are economi-
cal, truly dedicated employees who
make important contributions to
the workplace and our communi-
ty.
Beverly K. Phillips
Farmington Hills
An ADL Reaction
To Jackson Editorial
Your editorial on Michael Jackson
(June 23) was naive at best— par-
ticularly your criticism of ADL and
the Wiesenthal Center for "jump
ing instantly on Mr. Jackson" and
your advice that we "should have
first spoken privately with him to
determine why he had chosen
these words." Lest your readers
forget, "these words" included the
lyrics "Jew Me, Sue Me/Everybody
Do Me/Kick me, Kike Me/Don't
You Black or White Me."
ADL would have reacted the
same way if a song contained vile
anti-black lyrics, or lyrics that
were hurtful toward any minori-
ty or religious group. Indeed, we
have publicly criticized other per-
formers and record companies.
In fact, it was the New York
Titnes music critic Jon Pareles
who first slammed Jackson's
lyrics, saying that "he gives the lie
to his entire catalogue of broth-
erhood anthems with a burst of
anti-Semitism..." This review ap-
peared in the Times' "Arts and
Leisure" section on Sunday, June
18 — printed on Wednesday, June
14 — which was before ADL spoke
out against Mr. Jackson. (In ad-
dition, a June 15 Titnts article by
Bernard Weinraub made refer-
ence to the lyrics and to the Par-
eles review.)
Your statement that "he surely
learned that the Jews are quick to
judge" is preposterous, and a
thoughtless stereotype in itself.
Mr. Jackson ought to have known
that his lyrics were hateful; in-
deed, his subsequent apology and
decision to re-record the song
without hate slurs — to his cred-
it—testify to the accuracy and ap-
propriateness of ADL's position.
Finally, your statement, "That's
what fuels the defense groups,"
(i.e. controversy) is gratuitous, as
well as ironic—journalists are of-
ten accused of the same thing for
doing their job.
Abraham H. Foxman
National Director,
Anti-Defamation League