Opinion
ommunity Views
Seattle Showed Us
Critical Times Are Now
On Being Jewish
In 'Our' Land
GARY TORGOW SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
JEANNIE WEINER SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
I have just had a
disturbing visit
with cousins from
Israel.
Our cousin
Miriam was born
in the 1930s in
Tiberias, the
daughter of new
pioneers from
Russia. As a young woman, she
was one of a handful of people
who established a kibbutz about
six miles from Gaza. She eventu-
ally married Ari, a Holocaust sur-
vivor from Germany. Together
they had six children.
Miriam and Ari have visited us
This was apparently not the vide an uplifting, invigorating,
on other occasions, and we have
unique experience to adult and
been privileged to spend time case for Miriam's son and daugh- child alike, but visiting Israel
ter-in-law.
My
cousin's
son,
who
with their family in Israel. We
alone cannot provide a deep-seat-
love being together, discussing now has an unpronounceable ed understanding of Jewish law,
name
and
lives
with
his
"leader,"
politics, art, music, history. We
ethics and beliefs.
care very much about these is the son of a man who almost
Trips to Israel and other Jew-
became
a
victim
of
Hitler.
I
could
bright and kind people. On this
ish
experiences need to be fol-
latest visit, Miriam and Ari ar- not sleep the night after this fam- lowed by the knowledge of what
ily
left
my
home
because
of
a
pro-
rived with their youngest son, his
found sadness and anger that it means to live as a Jew.
wife and small daughter.
My cousin's story indicates to
Miriam and Ari's son and fam- another Jewish family had been me that no matter where we live,
ily live on a yoga ranch in the lost, not at the vicious hands of even if it is in Israel itself, we can-
United States. The young family the Nazis, but out of benign ne- not take our Judaism for grant-
left Israel and have given up their glect.
As Americans, we have wit- ed. While in Israel it sometimes
Hebrew names to live meagerly
nessed young Jewish students be- seems that we are enhanced from
with their "leader."
the very soil and air, being an Is-
While discussing their lifestyle, ing attracted to cults. American raeli is not the same as being
they told us that they found yoga Jews long ago sounded the alarm
more "spiritual" and more "mean- that we and our children need a Jewish.
The Detroit Jewish communi-
ingful" than Judaism. Exploring sense o f spirituality and mean- ty offers many Jewish experi-
this further, we discovered that ing. We are trying to deal with the ences — educational, cultural,
they knew very little about Ju- situation of living in a society in religious. Our lives as Jews can
daism. which we are free to choose Ju-
be rich if we so choose. But life
I recall now a conversation I daism and a Jewish lifestyle.
provides no guarantees whether
As
Americans,
we
have
a
ten-
had a few years ago with Miriam
we live in Israel or in the Dias-
and Ari when they came to Michi- dency to look for "easy" solutions
gan prior to the High Holidays. to complex problems. To solve the pora.
It seems to me that under-
As I prepared for the holidays, problems of Jewish continuity standing the essence of Judaism
Miriam commented that Ameri- and assimilation, we say that we
can Jews needed to keep kosher will "send our kids to Israel" or to and living under the guidance of
that understanding is wt offers
and spend time in the synagogue a Jewish camp. We'll drop them
at
Hebrew
school.
Many
the
power to sustain us and our
because we were a minority cul- off
us
believe
that
a
trip
to
Is-
children.
This effort to live life
tune and religion. This was "not among
the case in Israel," she said. She rael or a summer Jewish experi- Jewishly is daily, and it is lifelong.
also expressed a thought I have ence will provide our children Being Jewish involves com-
heard before that being Israeli is with a sense of peoplehood and mitment and example which is
"enough," and that the practice of an understanding of who they are not found in the soil and in the
air. For the sake of Miriam and
Judaism isn't necessary because as Jews.
Israel does indeed hold a spe- Ari and the continuity of the Jew-
it "surrounds" you in Israel sim-
cial place in our hearts and ish people, we can hope the yoga
ply by living there.
minds. Israel is part of the glue ranch will someday be replaced
which holds us together. Israel is by a Jewish home; but in the case
Jeannie Weiner is past president
the Jewish homeland, our place of my young cousins, the odds do
of the Jewish Community
of refuge. Visiting Israel can pro- not look good.
Council of Metro Detroit.
❑
6355360 A4CIMAIL . COM .
11
What
Do You
Think?"
The financing of day schools.
What should Federation's
role be?
To respond: "So, What Do You Think'?"
27676 Franklin Road, Southfield, MI 48034
Yes, the difficult questions
I have recently
returned from facing our people were dis-
the General As- cussed and debated. Religious
sembly of the pluralism was raised as was
Council of Jew- the controversy both in Israel
ish Federations and the United States about
held in Seattle. the issue of Reform and Con-
Over 3,000 del- servative conversions. These
egates repre- topics cause a great deal of con-
sented nearly sternation and highlight the
every federation in North differing views of our collective
America. It was a gathering constituency.
The debate on both sides is
filled with Jewish pride and
Jewish consciousness reflective very passionate and heartfelt.
of the diversity of our nation- Natan Sharansky put it best
al constituency. The week pro- when he said it is our right to
vided me with a glimpse of the debate, even to try and con-
many issues and concerns fac- vince, but never, ever to hate.
ing our people on the eve of the There is, after all, enough of
21st century. that outside our ranks.
As an Orthodox Jew, I was While it is true that there is
clearly in the minority of the much that still divides us, the
participants. However, every message transmitted in Seat-
effort was made to be inclusive. tle was that we must work to-
The food was kosher, prayer gether to increase brotherhood,
services were inspirational and continuity, Torah scholarship
well-attended, and the learn- and Jewish commitment. In
ing sessions were excellent. The our community of Detroit, that
Shabbos arrangements and at- message emanates loud and
mosphere were appropriate clear from our Federation lead-
and stimulating. ership. David Hermelin, a tire-
The opening plenary began less Jew for all of our people, is
with greetings from Norman currently leading the critically
Rice, the charismatic African- important Detroit Continuity
American mayor of Seattle. He Initiative, which is studying all
applauded the local Jewish fed- possible avenues to strengthen
eration for leading the way in and sustain Jewish life.
many critical social and com- A most telling moment oc-
munal efforts on behalf of Seat- curred on the Wednesday night
of the conference when De-
tle's citizenry.
We heard eloquent testimo- troit's own Dr. Conrad Giles,
ny from three high school stu- the new and eloquent president
dents regarding the positive of the CJF, interrupted his in-
impact of their recent trip to Is- augural address to announce
rael. Audrey Baker, a very spe- that the entire gathering had
cial young lady from West to be evacuated because a bomb
Bloomfield, described how 12 threat was lodged against our
years of afternoon school could assemblage. As we were quiet-
not convey the spirituality of ly exiting the hall, what ran
one visit to the Kotel (Western through my mind was that
with so many enemies of our
Wall) in Jerusalem.
An important and uplifting people still out there, it truly
highlight of the GA was the ap- behooves us to search hard for
pearance of two of our genera- our commonalities and our
tion's miracles, Israeli cabinet strengths.
As we embark on the next
ministers Yudi Edelstein and
century,
our generation has
Natan Sharansky. Just a few
a
special
obligation
to focus on
years ago, each was a con-
the
survival
of
our
people.
demned prisoner in the former
Soviet Union with little hope of Today, our greatest challenge
emigration. Today, they are is to educate and to inspire
yarmulke-clad Jewish leaders, a generation of Jews who,
genera-
directing trade and immigra- because of social and
is being lured
tional
pressures,
tion for world Jewry.
We were told of the Bronf- in directions that are non-Jew-
man family's generous efforts ish, non-communal and non-Is-
to afford every Jewish teen- rael.
Without a community-wide
ager a trip to Israel. We lis-
tened to the chairman of the mobilization from every corner
Boeing company describe why and crevice, we are doomed to
his company loaned a full-time be the caretakers of an assim-
executive for 18 months to co- ilated and uninspired future.
ordinate the GA. He said the There are simply not enough
Jews give so much to the Seat- children in day schools, fami-
tle community, Boeing wanted lies in synagogues and volun-
Sustainr Jewish survival to
to give something back.
us. Our young and not
Gary Torgow is president of
Yeshiva Beth Yehudah.
CRITICAL page 24
1-0
(7)
CD
CC
LU
LU
23