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Robbing This Community
Of Its Coming 'Bonus'
Many of us at one time or another have earned
a bonus for work we've done in our profession. Or
if it's not some extra cash at work, it's a tax refund
or even a checkbook error in our favor.
Just when it seems that we have some spare
change rattling around in our purses, that's when
the car blows a muffler or the refrigerator stops
operating. It always figures that way.
In a broader, community-wide sense, we should
all be extremely happy that the sale of Sinai Hos-
pital to the Detroit Medical Center could result in
anywhere from $40 to $60 million in funds that
will go into a Jewish foundation. The interest
earned from that foundation will go to help the
Jewish family and for other worthwhile causes in
and out of our community.
Here's the broken muffler. We reported recently
in The Jewish News that federal welfare reform
is going to mean that the safety net currently used
to provide our growing immigrant population with
money for the basics, food and shelter, is in real
danger. Consider that many government benefits
available to American citizens will be reduced or
eliminated. Benefits for noncitizens (legal immi-
grants and refugees) will also be restricted or elim-
inated beginning July 1997.
What this means is that we could have hun-
dreds, maybe even thousands of people in our com-
munity in danger of starving or even being
homeless. The Federation, which will help ad-
minister the foundation, will be pressed, despite
any additional foundation funds, to handle what
could be an emergency situation.
Also, non-Federation agencies such as Yad Ezra
might be forced into redefining their very exis-
tence. Most of Yad Ezra's clients receive food
stamps every month that last about three weeks.
Yad Ezra provides food that lasts for 7-10 days,
giving clients enough food to last the month. With-
out these food stamps, without their federal aid,
these clients could need food every week of the
month.
Then there's a flip side. People who give to Fed-
eration might think that with the sale of Sinai,
Federation doesn't need their money. Also, Fed-
eration cannot get complacent, thinking it doesn't
have to be out there fund raising. We don't have
war in Israel, thank goodness. We don't have Jews
trapped in Russia, thank goodness. Now, we have
a mass of people in real danger with addresses
that read Oak Park, Southfield, West Bloomfield
and beyond.
Even with a new foundation, we don't have ex-
tra money. The government has placed this com-
munity and others like it all over the country in a
position of taking a bonus to possibly pay for a ne-
cessity. That necessity is staring us right in the
face. It's that critical that we act now.
IV
u
T HE DE TR OI T J EWIS H N EWS
Giving Up Hebron
For the first time in their history, Jews living in
Israel are about to voluntarily give up total con-
trol of a holy city. On Wednesday, Israel and the
Palestinian Authority reached an agreement on
an Israel Defense Forces withdrawal from ma-
jor portions of Hebron, the resting place of our ma-
triarchs and patriarchs.
In the near six millennia that Jews have mea-
sured the history of the world, Jews have often
been forced to leave their sanctified places. But
they have always fought to the bitter end. For in-
stance, in the year 70 CE, with Jerusalem lost,
Jews did not surrender until the Romans had com-
pletely laid waste to the land of Israel and had
overwhelmed the Jewish armies.
But today, a conservative Likud-led government
led by a man whose brother was a famed army
hero and whose father is a great Jewish scholar,
will soon pull troops from 80 percent of Hebron.
For months, Israel and the Palestinian Au-
thority have been reportedly on the verge of sign-
ing the complex agreement. But at the last
moment, they kept backing away from the cere-
mony tables. Nevertheless, on Wednesday,
through the wise and effective diplomacy of Jor-
dan's King Hussein and the constant presence
of U.S. officials, a deal was ready.
This is puzzling. Israel Prime Minister
Binyamin Netanyahu, like most of his Cabinet, is
a strong believer in the historical rights of Israel
to possess its ancient land and holy sites, which
dot the West Bank. So why is he voluntarily do-
ing this? It is because Mr. Netanyahu has learned
the harsh lessons of realpolitik, a global economy
and pragmatic governing. As opposition leader,
he tried to erase Oslo I and Oslo II accords from
the books. But once in power, he realized that this
could not be done. The frustrations and pressures
of this have been inordinate.
Now, Mr. Netanyahu needs to recreate his vi-
sion of this unstoppable peace process. He was not
elected to end it, as he eloquently said on victory
day, but to correct it. Mr. Netanyahu is right in
demanding that for Israel to give up such a holy
place, it must ensure that it gains peace in return.
And since this military withdrawal alone will not
produce the required results, his government must
move forward at a responsible, steady pace to
achieve a lasting agreement. Of course, the Pales-
tinians must also honor the agreements and learn
to become mature negotiating partners. They, too,
have much work to do.
Mr. Netanyahu needs a plan. He cannot sim-
ply negotiate for the sake of quieting the world
and the vociferous pro-peace faction of the Israeli
populace. For the sake of the Jewish people and
their independent state, he must better advocate
the cause of Israel.
THE PROMISED LAND
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Letters
Jewish Federation from all of the
other community agencies which
have already been cut over the
last several years.
With all the budget cuts at the
We should not assume, how-
Federation level, it is very good ever, that we can reduce the
to hear of the establis'..ment of community effort to raise funds
the new "Jewish foundation for each year. The new foundation
health and human services." dollars along with Allied Jewish
These funds will be available Campaign pledges at the current
from the interest earned on the level will at least protect the
dollars to be received from the agencies from further substan-
pending affiliation of Sinai Hos- tial cuts in years to come.
pital with the Detroit Medical
Center.
Harvey Bronstein
Since many immigrants and
Southfield
others will require medical ser-
vices, this money would have po-
tentially been deducted by the Modern Zionism
Pledges Needed
To Offset Cuts
And The Torah
How can Sherwin Wine presume
to speak for what is happening
in Israel ("When A Dream Be-
comes A Nightmare" Jan. 3)?
He believes that the idea of
Zionism started and ended with
Herzl. Actually, modern Zionism
goes back approximately 2,000
years (70 CE) to when the sec-
ond Holy Temple in Jerusalem
was destroyed by the Romans,
and we, the Jewish people, were
driven from our homeland.
What kept us together as a
TORAH page 24