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Welcoming Strangers
Corporate downsizing. Economic insecurity. The
rising cost of health care. Crime and violence. Traf-
fic. Bad weather. No problem is too grand to blame
on the strangers in our midst — especially in an
election year.
But talk of building taller fences — both literal
and figurative — at our borders to solve our every
economic and social woe ignores that the country
we would protect was built by immigrants. It is a
heritage that inspires our unique commitment to
pluralism that begins at our welcoming gates:
"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled
masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched
refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the home-
less, tempest-test to me. I lift my lamp beside the
golden door!"
If, as an American, the words of the Jewish po-
etess Emma Lazarus fail to inspire you, consider
the wisdom of the Torah, in Leviticus:
'When a stranger resides within your land, you
shall not wrong him. The stranger who resides with
you shall be to you as one of your citizens; you shall
love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the
land of Egypt."
Whether we are committed to these ideals re-
mains a critical test of our nation's moral fiber. The
Senate passed the first part of the latest test last
week when its judiciary committee decided to split
an immigration overhaul bill, separating measures
on legal and illegal immigration.
`,en. Spencer Abraham (R-Mich.) lobbied fel-
low members of the committee to vote for the split.
'We're talking here about (legal immigrants) who
want to come and make a constructive contribution
and play by the rules, and I think that should be
dealt with separately," hesaid.
While his colleagues in the Senate agreed, anti-
immigrant sentiment in the House is much
stronger. Its members need to be reminded that for
more than three centuries, people have come here
to better themselves and this nation. Today they
arrive according to a system that sets overall nu-
merical limits and strict quotas for each country
and admissions category.
Our representatives need to know that we op-
pose any cap on refugee admissions because we
want our country to continue to protect those who
would flee religious and political persecution, and
that we reject proposals to redefine the immediate
family unit that would prevent families from re-
uniting by hindering citizens in sponsoring their
parents, their children over the age of 21 and their
brothers and sisters.
They should know that we want to address the
problem of illegal immigration, but not by closing
our borders to everyone and not by dealing harsh-
ly with those whom we welcome to contribute and
share in our great country.
Our representatives need to hear from us to-
day.
Oh Say, Can You Stand?
For 48 hours last week, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf took coaches and trainers are to stand and line up in a
a public stand for his religious beliefs. The profes- dignified posture along the sidelines or the foul line
sional basketball player had refused all season to during the playing of the national anthem."
rise during the playing of the national anthem. But
The national anthem is a sensitive subject, arous-
media reports finally brought the conflict with team ing patriotic emotions that are difficult to contest.
management to a climax, and the NBA suspended But before we allow these passions to take over, we
him without pay.
must consider the First Amendment and subse-
After an uproar from Americans who questioned quent laws guaranteeing Mr. Abdul-Rauf — and
his patriotism, Mr. Abdul-Rauf agreed to stand and all of us — the right to state our personal views
pray silently, ending this controversy. But the na- without fear of punishment.
tional debate is likely to resurface, pitting the rights
While the government cannot discriminate
of a private organization to enforce its rules against based on religion, nothing in the Constitution says
the religious and civil liberties reserved by the Con- a private organization can't. But Title WI of fed-
stitution for individuals.
eral law requires employers to make reasonable
The abstract concepts of freedom of speech and accommodations for an employee's religious be-
freedom of religion are very real to the many mi- liefs. As Mr. Abdul-Raufs employer, the NBA had
norities who cling to them as a lifeline to uninhib- a legal and moral obligation to respect his spiri-
ited dialogue and unimpeded worship. Mr. tual convictions.
Abdul-Rauf says his aim was not to blaspheme
Those who believe that disrespect for the anthem
these liberties. "My intentions were not in any way should be punished should observe the partying in
, to be disrespectful to those who regard the nation- the basketball arenas' luxury skyboxes as it is sung.
al anthem as a sacred ceremony," he said. "I am an Tiny should listen to the many professional singers
African-American, a citizen of this country, and one wh ) have mangled its words in front of crowds who
who respects freedom of speech and freedom of ex- aren't paying attention anyway.
pression."
People may be offended when the NBA's rule is
Mr. Abdul-Rauf sees the American flag as a "sym- conscientiously disobeyed. But being offended is
u) bol of oppression" that conflicts with his Muslim part of being American. And feeling insulted is not
beliefs. His faith — disputed by other Muslims — a good reason to suspend a man's constitutional
z clashed with the NBA rule that says: "Players, rights.
Some
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9-16ro OPS
W111-1 HEADS
OF STATE •
Opinion
Rabbi Morris Adler,
In Memoriam
RABBI IRWIN GRONER SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
T
his year marks the 30th an-
niversary of the yahrtzeit
of Rabbi Morris Adler, who
passed away on March 11,
1966, the 19th of Adar. This year,
the date of yahrtzeit was March
10.
Rabbi Adler, whose life was so
tragically ended in the midst of
the vigor of his career, left the
Jewish community bereft of a dis-
tinguished scholar with a passion
for righteousness.
His eminence was woven of
many strands — sensitivity of
soul, profundity of emotion, mag-
netism of spirit, cogency of
thought and power of expression.
Rabbi Adler was a graduate of
the College of the City of New
York and was ordained at the
Jewish Theological Seminary of
America where he graduated with
highest honors. He later was in-
vited to serve as visiting profes-
sor of homiletics at the seminary.
Prior to his assuming his du-
ties as rabbi of Congregation
Shaarey Zedek in 1938, he served
as rabbi of Temple Emanu-El in
Buffalo, N.Y. During World War
II, while on leave of absence from
Shaarey Zedek, he was assigned ,
to service in the southwest Pa-
cific. Later, he was the first Jew-
ish chaplain to land in Japan.
A distinguished communal
leader, scholar, teacher and au-
thor, his many civic and cultural
endeavors won him national
renown and recognition.
Rabbi Adler took a prominent
part in developing the broad phi-
losophy underlying the program
and activities of the Jewish Com-
munity Council of Metropolitan
Detroit. He was called upon by
the National Jewish Communi-
ty Relations Advisory Council
(NJCRAC) and by the Synagogue
Council of America to interpret
the Jewish position regarding
separation of church and state,
whether in dialogue or on plat-
forms with representatives of oth-
er faiths.
Irwin Groner is senior rabbi of
Congregation ShaareyZedek.
A prolific writer, Rabbi Adler
had articles published in leading
Jewish periodicals. He was the
author of Selected Passages from
the Torah and May I Have a
Word With You?.
Rabbi Adler served on boards
and commissions locally, state-
wide and nationally, not only as
a member but as chairman of
many groups, from Jewish to in-
terfaith.
In 1964, in a service of tribute
for 25 years at Shaarey Zedek,
Rabbi Morris Adler
the east social hall was renamed
the Morris Adler Hall. In Febru-
ary of 1966, the Shaarey Zedek
Religious School accepted the
privilege of building the Morris
Adler School in Gadot, Israel, an
unprecedented Jewish National
Fund project.
If one were to choose one phrase
to describe him, it would be that
Rabbi Adler was a "man of words"
in the authentic Hebrew sense.
For the Hebrew word "davar"
means not only "word"; it also
means something substantive: a
deed, a faithful achievement.
Rabbi Adler was an ish
d'varim in a double sense. By
means of his spoken and written
words, he instructed and inspired
an entire community.
His memory endures in our
midst as a blessing and inspira-
tion. ❑