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1998 Is Detroit's Next Chance
To Grab Maccabi Spotlight

The year was 1990 when thousands of youth-
ful athletes and their coaches converged
on Detroit for what was and still is
considered the best Maccabi
Games ever held.
It wasn't that a particular
game was won by a certain
team or athlete. Sure, win-
ning and losing was very
much part of the competi-
tion. For Detroit's Jewish
community, though, the best
part of the games was what
happened off the playing field.
Hundreds of our neighbors
hosted the children of communi-
ties from all over the nation. It gave
a new definition to the extended fami-
ly of Judaism. With the hard work of the Jew-

ish Community Center, Detroit's fine Maccabi
brain trust and hundreds of volunteers,
this community became the talk of
the Maccabi world.
Now as Associate Editor Alan
Hitsky reports on Page 3,
Detroit will once again host
the Maccabi Games in 1998.
Our athletes will showcase
their talents; our communi-
ty will showcase its facilities.
Most important, our families
will get an oppOrtunity to
demonstrate again why Detroit
continues to be the standard
for these games. Here, there are
no visiting teams. Everyone is at
home.

THE PROMISED LAND by Jordan B. Gortinkel

I/0M5 DEBATE TODAY JEWS///15/45.
LET'S OPEN THE PHONE t1Ne5 - 10
OUR ‘1.5ffNOR.5.
FIRST UP 15 DAVID YURICH FROM

With so much focus on Hebron, one could think
As the Israeli government knows, dealing
that the end of the Arab-Israeli conflict will be with the government of Syrian dictator
at hand upon the successful negotiations over that Hafez al-Assad is dangerous and unpredictable.
ancient city's fate. Lest we believe that, the news In recent years, Syria has purchased a large
from Damascus reminds us of a much greater
quantity of Chinese Silkworm missiles
threat to regional stability.
and North Korean SCUD rockets, ones much
Last week, a bomb exploded on a Syrian bus.
more sophisticated than those used in the Gulf
Eleven people were killed and 44 others wound-
War.
ed. The Syrians
Finally, increased
promptly blamed the
Ei
Syria-Israel
tensions
Mossad, the Israeli
g have brought Mr.
secret service. The
(.; Assad to a new
accusation is bizarre.
thinking. He clearly
While the Mossad
2 understands that he
does operate against
cannot defeat Israel
anti-Israel targets,
in a full-scale con-
civilians have never
flict.
But to pressure
been a prime target.
his
lifelong
nemesis,
And Israel con-
he might send troops
demned the bus
into limited action
bombing, which is
along the Golan
more than Syria ever
Heights.
Not only
did while Israel's city
might
Syria
gain
buses were exploding
some
territory,
but
each week last win-
this
would
bring
im-
ter.
mediate
American
Maybe that's be-
cause those taking credit for those actions were pressure for a resumption of long-delayed Is-
rael-Syria negotiations. This likely would cre-
members of Hamas and Islamic Jihad,
ate yet another layer of strain on the
terrorist groups that receive counsel and
Israel relationship.
President
U.S.
refuge from Damascus.
Clinton
with
So
for Israel, Assad's Syria remains a
Meanwhile, Syria lashed out at the Hafez Assad:
looming
threat to Israeli security. At least
United States for claiming the accusa- Still trying to
Yassir
Arafat
and the Palestinians are
tions against Israel "wild and irresponsi- pull strings.
w
i
ll
i
ng,
wiing,
for
the
moment, to opt for diplo-
ble." In a communique, the Syrian Foreign
matic
conflict
over
aimed battle. It's some
Ministry managed to find the gray in every sit-
thing
that
Madeleine
Albright, the U.S.
ver cloud. "We noted the absence of any con-
ig
to
demnation for this terrorist attack," it bluntly
understand as the Uni ted States develops a
said.
comprehensive strategy to enhance efforts at

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MACCABI
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DETROIT

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FOR THE JEWISH NE WS GROU P. 0 199 7 BY JORDAN B. GO RFINNEL ALL RIGH TS RESERVED.

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HOW MANY JEW5 IGNORE

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Comment

Silencing A Rabbi
Turns Simchah To Sin

RABBI AZRIEL C. FELLNER SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

M

embers of my congrega-
tion recently requested
that I co-officiate at the
wedding of their son.
Since the future daughter-in-law
belongs to an Orthodox commu-
nity and the wedding would take
place in her synagogue, I knew
my participation in the ceremo-
ny would be severely limited.
During my career as a Conser-
vative rabbi, I have often come
across this form of discrimination
— for that, in bold language, is
what it is. But because the happi-
ness of two families is far more im-
portant than whether I am
considered "kosher" by an Ortho-
dox rabbi, I have always given
way. Under these circumstances,
I am generally offered the oppor-

Rabbi Azriel C. Feltner is the
religious leader of Temple Beth
Shalom, in Livingston, N.J.
This article originally appeared
in the MetroWest Jewish News.

tunity to speak to the couple be-
neath the chuppah, or wedding
canopy, and I am happy to com-
ply.
In this case, the Orthodox rab-
bi himself invited me to speak to
the couple. Several days after
having met the bride and groom,
however, I was informed by one
of the other co-officiating rabbis
that a "public appearance" by me
in any official capacity would
mean that the Orthodox rabbis
present would immediately leave.
I was prohibited from speaking
under the chuppah; clearly, my
very presence was anathema to
these rabbis.
In fairness, the rabbi who re-
layed that information to me was
apologetic. Yet, he left no doubt
that the Orthodox rabbis of his
community, and the Brooklyn,
N.Y., community from which this
edict came, were adamant in re-
fusing to be seen in an official ca-

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