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Shir Energy Carries Temple
To Its Sunday Dedication
Perhaps Temple Shir Shalom Rabbi Dannel
Schwartz said it best: "This temple was con-
structed so no one will feel too far away from the
Torah."
There are many reasons why Shir Shalom suc-
ceeds and continues to grow. It is refreshing that
Shir Shalom can look back over seven years and
remember a time when six families turned into
20 and then into 100 and now 680. Refreshing,
especially when many religious institutions
across the nation and in our own back yards find
survival a struggle.
On Sunday, a Torah will be passed, hand by
hand along Orchard Lake Road to the new Tem-
ple Shir Shalom on Walnut Lake. The symbol-
ism cannot escape us. Whether or not one believes
in Reform Judaism or even in the style with
which Shir Shalom delivers its religious philos-
ophy, the spiritual leadership and the member-
ship have made it work.
Just like the passing of the Torah from person
to person, sanctuary seats bring the worshipper
comfortably close to the bimah. Upper level class-
rooms also open up to the sanctuary. On the out-
side, an interfaith garden permits families to
memorialize Jewish or gentile relatives. Some
40 percent of Shir Shalom's membership is in-
termarried.
They are not turned away. The intermarried
are involved and active. Rabbi Schwartz sym-
bolically brings members close to Judaism by
giving them the Torah to carry, a seat or a class-
room near the bimah or even a place to remem-
ber their loved ones.
This is why Shir Shalom succeeds. Realizing
we live in a time and space when some Jews
choose a more modern pace of Judaism that
sometimes involves intermarriage and assimi-
lation, Rabbi Schwartz and Shir Shalom offer
sanctuary and acceptance. With that has come
remarkable and well-deserved growth. No should
ever feel far away from the Torah in the new Shir
Shalom.
On Monday, it was Jerusalem's turn — again.
The capital of Israel became home to numbing-
ly familiar scenes: a bus explodes; the ritual bur-.
ial society searches the ground for body parts;
political talks with the Palestinians are sus-
pended; ensuing near-riots against the peace
process engulf the surrounding streets; govern-
ment leaders treat the public to a litany of state-
ments — some responsible and some outrageous.
This week, Israel Prime Minister Yitzhak Ra-
bin and Palestinian Authority leader Yassir
Arafat were supposed to point to positive de-
velopments. On Saturday, the Palestinian se-
curity forces, acting on information shared by
Israeli security forces, cornered Hamas terror-
ists believed to be planning to launch a different
suicide bombing in Israel. After a shootout, at
least one Islamic fundamentalist was taken into
custody. A few days earlier, four other Hamas
activists suspected in planning the aborted at-
tack were arrested.
The two leaders were also supposed to discuss
preparations for a long-awaited Sept. 13 cere-
mony in Washington, D.C. On that day, the
heads of Israel, Egypt, Jordan, the Palestinian
Authority and the United States were to sign
and witness an accord detailing the second phase
of Palestinian autonomy.
Instead, Jertisalem's Monday morning rush
hour came to a horrifying halt. Of course, Mr.
Arafat, initially through a spokesman, quickly
condemned the violence. Such quick reaction is
relatively new for him. But words are not enough.
Israelis and their friends need to know and see
more of what Mr. Arafat's forces did at last week's
end: the hunting down and arrest of Hamas ac-
tivists or anyone else seeking to spread terror.
Today, Messrs. Rabin and Arafat, old foes who
have made their respective place in history
hostage to the success of the other, must recap-
ture the rapidly eroding momentum of peace's
fleeting promise. Together, they must stand to
denounce terrorism and the hopeless hate it
spawns. This must not be done in a perfuncto-
ry manner through spokespersons, third parties
or in any other patronizing fashion. It can be done
at the proposed Sept. 13 White House signing.
It should be done earlier. At the same time, Mr.
Arafat — in Arabic, Hebrew and English — must
address his recent and absurd talk about a Mus-
lim jihad, or holy war, to liberate Jerusalem.
After such repeated declarations and his black
past, Mr. Arafat is a man that few Israelis can
trust. However, many, in the hopes of a future
where their children will not go to war, remain
willing to engage in a peace process with this
neophyte toward responsible authority. In the
meantime, Mr. Arafat should recall that Israel
is ceding real power in exchange for the hope of
peace. The Palestinian leader should realize that
as morally and physically painful as the pre-1993
status quo was, Israel will return to that situa-
tion if it is deemed in its best interest — a
prospect that another bus bomb only draws clos-
er.
A Bombing Again
Threatens The Process
Letters
Dr. Bolkosky Part
Of Spielberg Project
like to know that she and her
partner, William Harder, were
joined in this project by yet an-
other Michigander, Dr. Sidney
As a survivor of Auschwitz and Bolkosky of Oak Park, history
several other labor and concen- professor at the University of
tration camps, I was very inter- Michigan-Dearborn, who acted
ested in the article about the as a trainer of the future inter-
Spielberg project and Fran Vic- viewers. This Los Angeles session
tor. It is very exciting to see that was one of the four that he has
Detroit Jews have become in- trained. The others were in
volved. But I was surprised that Toronto, New York, and Chica-
no mention was made of the oth- go.
er Detroit person who has been
We can all be proud as Michi-
with the Spielberg project since ganders of the contributions
last year. Dr. Sidney Bolkosky, made by these members of our
who has been interviewing sur- own state to the Spielberg pro-
vivors for many years in Detroit, ject.
has been consulting with the
Spielberg people, lecturing and
Mary Koretz
training volunteers all over the
Oak Park
country and in Canada.
He was asked to do this be-
cause of his expertise, which is There Once Was
well-known to Detroit survivors. No Place Like Home
What was also omitted from your
article was any information about Less than two decades ago, the
the oral history project at the Detroit Jewish Home for Aged
UM-Dearborn, which has already had a world-renowned reputation
begun to share its collection with and a highly respected profes-
institutions and researchers sional staff. It attracted visitors
around the world. Some of us in from many different nations, ea-
Detroit have already been men- ger to see and to learn.
tioned in books by famous schol-
The leadership of the Jewish
ars because they watched or community allowed the facility to
listened to our tapes.
deteriorate and watched much of
Last week I sat in the UM- the skilled staff leave. Rather
Dearborn Library, watched a than correct the situation, it sim-
computer screen and read part of ply abandoned its responsibility
a transcript of a Detroit survivor. for the elderly and the infirm.
At the same time, I could listen
Even granting that the Con-
to the woman's voice. These tran- sumer Reports article was poorly
scripts will soon be available to researched and probably exag-
over 20,000 libraries upon re- gerated Menorah House's prob-
quest and will also be on the In- lems, it is hard to imagine why
ternet.
Federation would place people in
The Jews of Detroit should take the facility as described in your
great pride in the accomplish- article.
ments of Fran Victor, but the sur-
Something is indeed wrong.
vivors in Detroit have long known Where was the outcry of the com-
about the equally important ac- munity? Where were editorials
complishments of Dr. Bolkosky denouncing the Federation's cal-
and his staff at the UM-D.
lousness? Were there any ser-
mons on the subject?
Abraham Pasternak
Southfield
Meyer E. Pollack
corresponding secretary, North
American Association of "Jewish
Proud Of Local
Homes and Housing For the Aging
Film Involvement
I enjoyed the August 11 cover sto-
ry regarding Fran Victor's in-
volvement in the Spielberg effort
to record the experiences of Holo-
caust survivors. It was both in-
teresting and significant.
I feel that your readers would
NYU, CCNY,
CUNY, NU?
In the article, "The Jewish Iden-
tity Is In The Mail," (Aug. 11), it
was stated that Leonard Jeffries
NYU page 12
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