DETROIT) RON T This Week's Top Stories Some Jews Can't Stand Partnership Sails Ahead The knot gets tighter as winds of change blow toward the year 2000. Not Standing DAVID ZEMAN STAFF WRITER W hen National Basket- ball Association star Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf claimed his Islamic faith prevented him from stand- ing for the national anthem, he received mixed reviews from Jews active in free speech and religious issues. Though the controversy was resolved late last week when Mr. Abdul-Rauf agreed to a com- promise, his antipathy toward the anthem divided civil liber- tarians and sports fans alike. For many Jews, the player's refusal to face the flag during the anthem was undermined by what they saw as a lack of re- ligious foundation for his posi- tion. "Standing for the anthem is showing respect; it's not wor- shiping," said Richard Loben- thal, executive director of the Michigan regional office of the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith. "It's not prayer. It's not idolatry. It's showing re- spect. No religion in the world says that it's a sin to respect a country's anthem." Indeed, several Islamic schol- ars were quoted in the days fol- lowing Mr. Abdul-Rauf's sus- pension by the NBA as saying they could find nothing in the Koran or any other religious writing that would-make stand- ing for the anthem anathema to devout Muslims. Herschel Fink, a Detroit at- torney who works on First Amendment constitutional is- sues, concurred. "I would feel differently if it was an article of his faith," said Mr. Fink, who represents sev- eral media clients, including The Jewish News. "For instance, a Jehovah's Witness as a tenet of faith is not allowed to stand and pay respect to a flag. I think that's a different situation." Mr. Fink, like others inter- viewed, said the player's stance clearly was borne of political — rather than religious — convic- tion. He noted in particular Mr. Abdul-Raufs provocative com- ment that the American flag was a symbol of oppression and tyranny. "I think it's just that he wish- es to express a view that is odi- REFUSAL page 14 At"' 4 4. : RUTH LITTMANN STAFF WRITER T he challenge: finding tal- ented, business-minded Americans to help a Russ- ian proctologist in Israel market his device for hemor- rhoid removal. In one of the latest Partner- ship 2000 adventures, students from the University of Michi- gan's graduate school of busi- ness, eager to lend a hand, flew to metro Detroit's sister region in the Central Galilee. Partnership 2000, a program linking Israelis and Diaspora Jews through cultural, econom- ic and academic exchange, shift- ed into overdrive this month with several cross-continental Israeli medical professionals visit metro Detroit: Left to right, Shuly Shay, Dr. Raul visits. Once in Israel, the U-M busi- Raz, Dr. Edith Flatau, Dr. Natan Tzur, Dr. Eliezer Shazev, Dr. Stavit Alon-Shalev. ness school students met with the struggling Russian proctol- Adamczyk — traveled with U-M ital funding," Mr. Camiener says. ogist — who has little problem Professor Andrew Lawlor. The "This wasn't just theory in a text- designing scientific marvels, but dean of the business school, Joe book." Another group of U-M stu- remains clueless about what to White, in cooperation with the Jewish Federation of Metropol- dents with similar goals depart- do next. "Oftentimes, inventors don't itan Detroit, is responsible for ed for the Central Galilee understand markets. This is es- spearheading Partnership 2000 (specifically, the principality of Migdal HaEmek) yesterday. pecially true of someone who was projects at U-M. "The trip enabled us to work During the four-week trip, they not brought up in a market econ- omy," says Jeff Camiener, a sec- with a real inventor with a real will assist an Israeli agriculture ond-year student in the MBA product. He's someone who company with its finances, mar- needs support developing a busi- keting and advertising. program at U-M. U-M students in both groups The group — Mr. Camiener,. ness plan, help understanding John Stein, Amir Rubin, Scott how to penetrate the U.S. mar- - have promised to submit corn- Dougall, Matt Haile and Brad ket and help getting venture cap- plete business plans to their Is- raeli partners by the end of April. On the local front, Partnership 2000 delegates from Israel trav- eled to metro Detroit earlier this month to meet with Sinai Hos- pital staff. Another group of Is- raelis visited representatives of Jewish communal agencies, like the Jewish Vocational Service and Fresh Air Society. At Sinai, the medical profes- sionals discussed ways to com- bine resources in the fight against hepatitis, a disease in- flaming the liver, and the treat- ment of HIV/AIDS patients. "This represents a new and evolving relationship between peers," says Federation Execu- tive Vice President Robert Aron- son. "We are identifying and focusing on some real results." One of those results is a new machine for breast cancer de- tection. Developed by scientists in the Central Galilee, the ma- chine bases its diagnosis on elec- trical charges at the site of a potential malignancy. Jeanette Pesamoska, 10, and her As a result of discussions be- mother, Debbie, check out the tween local and Israeli physi- PARTNERSHIP page 18 r Jewish children have fun and learn the joy of giving at tzedakah event. PHOTO BY DANIEL LIPPITT Debate swirls over an NBA player's refusal to stand for the national anthem.