THE PROMISED LAND by Jordan B. Gortinkel 0
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Our Friend Is Gone
And Will Be Missed
Charles A. Buerger.
This name was the anchor of our masthead
since March 1984 when he became our pub-
lisher and principal owner. In those 12 years,
Chuck's planning and implementation forev-
er and for the better changed the Detroit Jew-
ish community.
Chuck didn't have bylines or a column with
a photo. Rather, he was the visionary and in-
novator who cajoled, prodded and outright de-
manded excellence from his staff. His work was
done behind the scenes. But Chuck could insist
on this extra level of performance because he
made his employees his friends — you can tell
your friends to do things that you can't tell oth-
ers.
Through his Jewish News Group, which in-
cludes The Detroit Jewish News, the Atlanta
Jewish Times, the Baltimore Jewish Times (co-
published with his sister, Susan A. Patchen),
the Palm Beach Jewish Times, the Boca I Del-
ray Jewish Times and the Western Jewish Bul-
letin (Vancouver, British Columbia), Chuck cre-
ated the largest and most influential group of
publications in North America oriented to the
Jewish community. Chuck also published Style
magazine in Detroit, Atlanta and Baltimore.
At the time of his death last Friday, Chuck
was planning a new publication for Broward
County, Fla., and a dynamic presence on the
Internet.
Chuck's rugged independence and entrepre-
neurship were matched by a tremendous com-
mitment to community service. One could learn
all of life's lessons through Chuck. Love your
family. Work hard. Try new things. Don't be
afraid to fail. And have fun.
Today's Jewish News is a work in progress.
It will continue to change — to improve — to
strive to meet the needs of our diverse commu-
nity. Chuck wouldn't have it any other way.
Neither would we.
We deeply miss our friend.
An Expensive Present
That's Worth The Price
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GLOSSARY: SHUL=YIDDISH/COLLOQUIALISM FOR SYNAGOGUE
Comment
All That Glitters
Should Be Returned
RABBI AVI SHAFRAN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
ecent news stories report
that a sizable cache of Nazi
gold — largely loot stolen
from concentration camp
victims — lies unclaimed in Swiss
and American banks. To put the
find in its proper perspective, con-
sider this scenario: The same dis-
covery is made 50 years ago, in
1946. The shattered remnants of
Europe's Jewish community pon-
der, what should be done with the
R
Jewish educators in De-
troit and nationally have
stated for years that they
can fix Jewish education.
But, they warned, the
community has to be
money?
ready for marked
Some say the wealth belongs
changes from what we
to survivors of the hell that yield-
remembered about He-
ed it. Though most of the original
brew school or cheder.
owners of the coins, jewelry and
dental metal likely perished in
And the solutions will
the Nazi extermination machine,
not be cheap.
the men and women who shared
Today's article on page
their torment — the argument
12 details one of those so-
goes — are the logical choice to
lutions. Detroit's Jewish
receive what was stolen from
community, at the urg-
their co-religionists. A further
ing of Rabbi Steven Weil
contention is that some funds
of Young Israel of Oak
should be utilized to preserve Eu-
Park, is making a con-
ropean Jewish historical sites like
Participants in this year's Teen Mission enjoy an archeological dig.
certed effort to send local
synagogues and cemeteries.
Others feel that the soon-to-be-
teen-agers on next
that difference, the cost is not too high. In fact,
born Jewish state would be a
spring's March of the Living mission to Poland
it's a bargain.
more defensible recipient of the
and Israel.
Parents today have a different set of circum-
The cost of the two-week trip will be $3,100. stances to deal with than when they were funds. After all, they argue, the
nascent state's raison d'etre is to
Weighed against or added to a year's tuition j
young. We recognize that on every other front become the home of most if not
a traditional Hebrew school or Sunday school but in the area ofJewish education and Jewish
. all of the world's Jews. What bet-
program, that's a lot of money. Weighed against affiliation. For parents who give those issues ter place could there be to invest
the impact that such a trip can make, it is very any kind of priority, last summer's Teen Mis- the fiscal remainder of the most
cost efficient.
sion to Israel and next spring's March of the recent mass tragedy of a Jewish
Jewish parents and grandparents today wor- Living trip are the wave of the future.
Rabbi Avi Shafran is director of
ry about the Jewish community's future and
So save your shekels. This kind ofJewish ed- public affairs for Agudath
the Jewish identity of their children and grand- ucation is expensive. But it's worth it.
Israel of America.
children. If one trip can make that connection,
community, than in a country
conceived as an assurance that
such destruction would never
again occur?
A third suggestion is present-
ed, too: Since what was destroyed
was a way oflife, a culture of Jew-
ish religious observance and
study, might it not be appropri-
ate to channel most of the largess
to Jewish institutions dedicated
to the rekindling of what was ex-
tinguished on Europe's shores?
Had the question truly been
timely in 1946, which point of
view would have prevailed? Sure-
ly the first would have carried a
great deal of moral gravity. Dis-
placed persons camps overflowed
with men and women facing only
haunting memories and uncer-
tain futures. The welfare of those
huddled Jewish masses was, and
rightly, a top priority.
On the other hand, the idea of
a Jewish state representing the
ideals and hopes of all Jews the_
world over would have been
captivating one as well. Could
there be a better place for un-
claimable Jewish funds than the
coffers of a country that, it was
assumed by many, all Jews
would soon view as their home?
One thing, though, is over-
whelmingly likely: the third op-
tion, investing in traditional
Jewish education in the hope that –
a new generation might lift the –
torch thrown to the ground with
GLITTERS page 26