Put The Chopsticks Away,
Volunteers Needed On Dec. 25
While Christmas day (Monday) is a time for our
. Christian friends to celebrate and take a day off,
it is appropriate for us to turn the time into more
than a video-rental day or a time to gorge on Chi-
nese food. These seem to be the Jewish traditions
of Christmas.
For the total cost of a couple of hours invest-
ed, there are several Jewish volunteer programs
that will help keep people fed and warm on Mon-
day. We suggest that venturing out to help would
be a huge mitzvah.
Federation, along with its Young Adult Divi-
sion, Business and Professional Women's Divi-
sion, Women's Division and Community
Outreach and Involvement Department, are ask-
ing for volunteers to come to the Max M. Fish-
er Building from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 25.
Volunteers will be assigned to a number of fa-
cilities in the area, ranging from the Fleischman
Residence to the Menorah House to Harbor
Lights.
Some of the tasks involve helping with Bin-
go or serving a meal. You'll be giving a break to
Christian employees or volunteers so they can
spend the holiday at home with families.
Or if these options don't suit you, check with
a local temple or synagogue to see if a men's club
or sisterhood activity involves volunteer work on
Christmas. We know that Shaarey Zedek's men's
club will once again cook meals for Salvation
Army clients as part of its Shine Light In Dark-
ness program.
There are other volunteer opportunities as
well. Local police and fire stations sometimes ask
for volunteers to help with light filing or other
tasks. Hospitals can always use the help.
Again, whatever can be done not only teach-
es us more about giving but shows the entire
metro region that the Jewish community is ac-
tive and caring.
Then, once Dec. 25 has come and gone, con-
sider going back to your volunteer post again.
And again.
New Life At NAACP
With Mfume's Leadership
w
w
C)
CC
F-
LU
C:I
LLJ
8
Rep. Kweisi Mfume's decision recently to leave they are simply not welcome in the nationalist
Congress and assume the leadership of the Na- and exclusionist world of the Nation of Islam.
tional Association for the Advancement of Col- . Mr. Mfume's departure from Washington —
ored People is an important development for the the NAACP headquarters is in Baltimore — also
African-American community and those who removes a known entity from the national po-
seek to help advocate its complicated agenda. litical scene. He will be sorely missed by many
That segment of our country needs strong and in the D.C. arena, particularly Democrats and
farsighted leadership to fight the unprecedent- black legislators. They are still faced with daily
ed attack on civil-rights advances now under way battles over the traditional civil-rights agenda
in Washington. It also is welcome news for a Jew- under assault, such as entitlement programs,
ish community that remains concerned about job training initiatives and important social pro-
the decay of our cities, and rising signs of black grams that have helped stabilize cities despite
growing poverty and despair.
anti-Semitism.
Rep. Mfume faced an extraordinary choice:
Rep. Mfume's story — his rise from a life on
the streets and the kinds of social problems that stay in a safe congressional seat and fight from
have become epidemic in our cities — is the ma- within to head off the most sweeping Republi-
terial of legends. And he has become, as described can cuts or work to rebuild the organization once
by one Jewish leader, "a strong and supportive the towering giant of the civil-rights movement,
one that has failed to adjust to the harsh reali-
friend of the Jewish community."
Nonetheless, his tenure as chair of the Con- ties of today.
Rep. Mfume's decision for the latter reflects
gressional Black Caucus was not without con-
troversy; it was Rep. Mfume, after all, who his deep commitment to his people and to a na-
suggested a "covenant" between the influential tion that can no longer afford to turn a blind eye
congressional group and Nation of Islam leader to the agony of our cities. We hope that this man,
the Rev. Louis Farrakhan. This, with the seem- who has kept close ties with Jewish leaders in
ing concession by the NAACP to the Nation's good and bad times, can provide the soul for a re-
prominence in black leadership, remains of grave vitalized alliance that should benefit both com-
concern. We are reminded that while Jews con- munities and our nation.
tinue to be active in and on behalf of the NAACP,
Letters
Mayor's March
Was Wrong
They displayed political courage,
the kind we desperately need from
our leaders, and they displayed it
when they could have surrendered
On reading The Jewish News sto- to political expediency.
ry on Mayor Archer's participa-
To those in the Jewish corn-
tion in the Million Man March, we munity who would rationalize the
were terribly saddened to read his implications for the march under
explanation and rationalization. Mr. Farrakhan's leadership and
We believe his participation and others who have suggested a "di-
its symbolism sent a wrong mes- alogue" with him, we respectfully
sage, not just to Jews, but to any- suggest that it is time we learn
one who works to promote how to fight anti-Semitism. We
understanding and principles of will not and cannot win through
decency and morality among peo- appeasement. Appeasement does
ple of clifFerent races, religions and not work in international politics.
creeds.
Let us simply imitate the strate-
We are also saddened and trou-
of blacks: to confront racism
bled by Jews who supported the whenever and wherever it occurs.
mayor's decision and others who
We will begin winning the bat-
want to sit down and "dialogue" tle when we begin standing up for
with Mr. Farrakhan. In a word: it our dignity, self-respect, culture,
is shameful.
religion and heritage. No one will
Lest we forget, Mr. Farrakhan do it for us. We will not win the
has a long record of anti-Semitism. battle by sitting at the same table
It spans many years and includes with bigots and haters or sup-
vile and vulgar attacks on Jewish porting those who speak from the
people. It is an ugly record, and it same podium as colleagues. The
is clear.
fact that we are not speaking out
With the Million Man March, on this issue forcefully, condemn-
a brilliant strategic move, Mr. Far- ing all that implied support of Mr.
rakhan has achieved an objective Farrakhan means to the Jewish
he could only have dreamed of — people, is, as we said, a sin.
acceptability from the mainstream
Members and Officers of
— which means all his messages,
La'Asot-To Do
including his anti-Semitism, fall
Farmington Hills
on more sympathetic ears. The
mayor's presence and that of oth- Dismayed By
er mainstream black leaders gave
Mr. Farrakhan respectability and Scientology Article
strengthened his political position.
We want to emphasize that we I was dismayed by the article on
applaud and laud the march. But Scientology. I stopped by the
the mayor and his supporters are Church of Scientology the Friday
wrong when they maintain that the article appeared. I asked the
you can separate the message young man in the office, "Did you
know that an article appeared on
from the messenger.
We did not separate the mes- the cover of The Jewish News? He
sage from the messenger in the said proudly that he was quoted in
South when racists opposed in- the artide, though not by name. He
tegration, nor in Germany and introduced himself as Ron, and said
throughout Europe when dema- that the very day the article ap-
gogues used Jews as scapegoats peared, a Jewish woman from
to promote more "acceptable" mes- Southfield had called the office ex-
sages. Nor have we ever separat- pressing great interest in Scientol-
ed the messenger from the ogy and very anxious to speak with
message with the David Dukes in the couple featured in the story.
My dismay is that The Jewish
our political system.
Mr. Farrakhan is using attrac- News was the vehicle by which a
tive messages — economic and po- Jewish woman may be influenced
litical — for his audiences while to leave Judaism. I read Phil Ja-
scapegoating minorities, primar- cobs' thought-provoking and
ily, although not exclusively, Jews. thoughtful response to the criti-
cism, and I remain totally uncon-
That is classic demagoguery.
We are grateful to the many vinced by his reasoning. I feel the
black leaders and writers who re- printing of this article had no place
fused to participate and who con- appearing in The Jewish News.
demned Mr. Farrakhan's politics. DISMAYED page 12