Before You Head Up North
How many of us are now picking up our friends'
mail or newspapers while they are on their way
for a week or two of getaway "up north" or "back
east"?
And how many of us know that the favor will
be returned when it is our turn to head north
on 1-75?
Before we get going on these richly deserved
vacations, just a couple of suggestions, because
the problems of the world aren't going to go away
while we're reading our "trash" novels on the
beach.
May we remind you that the cost of one of the
dinners you'll pay for on vacation would make
for a nice contribution to help rebuild the black
churches destroyed by fire? Detroit's Jewish
Community Council is collecting money for that
purpose. Checks can be written out to Jewish
Community Council Arson Relief Fund and
mailed to Jewish Community Council, 6735
Telegraph Road, Suite 100, Bloomfield Hills, MI
48301.
What an incredible example to our families
we would set by ordering a quick pizza instead
of a sit-down meal and sending the funds we
saved to a cause such as this.
Speaking of meals. Many of us do rightfully
get caught up in the food and shelter drives
around November and December holidays. It's
perhaps easier to relate to a situation of dys-
function when it's difficult to stay warm. Yet,
according to most experts, the summer is when
rates of child and spousal abuse rise dramati-
cally. Also, landlords are more apt to evict a ten-
ant in the warmer months than in the winter
months.
No, we're not asking you to donate a night
of your Petoskey condo over to a family that
needs shelter. Instead, think of how valuable it
would be if you and your family volunteered for
organizations such as Yad Ezra for an hour two
on your vacation.
Instead of leaving on a trip in the morning,
drive over to Yad Ezra, help stock some shelves
or pack some parcels, and then go on vacation.
All of us at one time or another shake our
heads and declare how quickly the year is go-
ing. It's already July 5. That's right. Before we
know it, back to school will be on our minds. The
month of Elul begins on August 1, signaling the
season of the approaching High Holidays.
We all need our vacations.
Unfortunately, the needs of our society can't
take a holiday. Hunger doesn't go away for two
weeks in the summer. Neither does the hate
that goes into the burning of a black church.
Even though we are fortunate enough to vaca-
tion, there is still something we can do.
`What Do You Think?'
So many of us have had the opportunity to surf
the Internet, picking up pieces of important
Jewish information. Every once in a while, we
are asked when we, as well, will be an Internet
participant.
That is something that the Jewish News
Group, with its wealth of talent from its five
publications, is addressing.
But just because we aren't part of the Inter-
net doesn't mean that we aren't interactive.
Beginning with this week's Editorial Page,
readers will be asked to respond to a weekly
question called "So, What Do You Think?"
There are several ways to respond to the ques-
tion. Of course, a letter to the editor, sent to
27676 Franklin Road, Southfield, MI 48034, is
an option. Or you can call in a response to 810-
354-6060, Ext. 258. Our Fax number is 810-354-
6069. There's always E-Mail. Responses can be
sent directly to 6355360@MCLMAILCOM.
Each week, we'll print many of the responses
we get to the "So, What Do You Think?" ques-
tion. Or, if you have a question you want asked,
let us know what it is.
This is a bulletin board opportunity for The
Jewish News and for the community. You
should never feel left out of the opinions and is-
sues happening around us. This publication is
part of your community, your life. Make use
of it, interact with it.
C/D
LL,
Letters
Howard Gelberd:
Needs extended view.
Home Provides
The Keystone
In the article (June 14) concern-
ing education's role in stemming
the tide of assimilation, I was sur-
prised there was virtually no ref-
erence regarding the role of the
family. AJE director Howard Gel-
berd is quoted as saying that de-
spite all other influence, "without
the classroom and the right per-
son in front of it, it all flops." I
strongly disagree.
While I can't speak highly
enough about the training my
children receive at the religious
school they attend, as well as the
genuine commitment of the entire
staff, I believe (to paraphrase Mr.
Gelberd) that without constant re-
inforcement at home, it all flops.
Being born Jewish is a privi-
lege, and with privilege comes re-
sponsibility. This is best taught to
children by their parents' com-
mitment to basic Jewish tradi-
tions, ethics and values. Until we
learn to teach our children by reaf-
firming these commitments in our
homes on a daily basis, rm afraid
the best education in the world
will only be marginally successful
is curtailing assimilation.
Steven G. Winkler
do vote for the surrender of Jew-
ish land and Jewish values to the
growing Arab population. To the
contrary, Israel should be a Jew-
ish republic with only Jews vot-
ing on all matters.
Sadly, the Israeli government
is proud of the subversion and
traitorous behavior of the Israeli-
Arabs that it calls "citizens." The
Arabs vote their own interests in-
cluding Arab history, and it
serves to unite the Arabs against
the Jews.
Israel must become the only
state in the world where Arabs
cannot vote and participate in
elections. The Israeli-Arab citi-
zen must be deprived of his vote
entirely. As an alternative, the
Israeli-Arabs shall be barred from
passing citizenship to their chil-
dren. Least effective, their votes
can encompass only those pro-
grams that are very local and not
include "Who is a Jew?" "Jewish
land for Arab piece" and the Jew-
ish prime minister on whom past
Arab Knesset members have vot-
ed.
Ultimately, if the Israeli-Arab
is no longer going to endanger Is-
rael internally, he must be
stripped of his Israeli citizenship
and returned to Arab domination
by his Arab brothers.
Arnie Kantor
Troy
`Eye' Appeal
Is Lacking
The weekly Eye Spy column fea-
turing young adult community
events and gossip is often wasted
space. Young adults should be
able to look to Eye Spy for articles
focusing on issues as well as suc-
cesses and tragedies of those with-
in our age group.
Franklin
LJ-1
CC
LU
CI)
20
and technological pow,..r, are you less emo-
tionally in- clined to buy an Israel Bond or donate
to the, United Jewish .r 4
Who Votes?
While it is true that Israel's elec-
tion counts both the Arab vote as
well as the Jewish vote, the ques-
tion is, who votes?
Israel is an "absolute democ-
racy" of Arab and Jewish voters.
Being that, the Arabs could and
Previous Eye Spy columns
have done nothing more than tell
insignificant stories about the
same people week after week. I
encourage the new Eye Spy
columnists to be committed to the
issues and leaders of today's
young adults and not their gossip.
Paul Niser
Southfield