Community Views
Editor's Notebook
A Different Dayenu,
A New Outlook
Please Tell Us Your
Camp Tamarack Story
JEANNIE WEINER SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
PHIL JACOBS EDITOR
I have a Jewish
friend who works
with Hindus,
Buddhists, Chris-
tians of a variety
of denominations
and people of dif-
ferent races. It is
not uncommon
for her to enter-
tain these colleagues in her home,
and she is scrupulous in her plan-
ning to be certain that each guest
has appropriate food to eat and
that each guest is made to feel
comfortable and welcome.
Yet this same friend bitterly
complained to me that her Jew-
ish organization was "having to
accommodate" Jews who keep
kosher at her organization's func-
tions.
One of the as-
pects of Jewish life
and Jews in gener-
al that most pleas-
es me is that we, as
a whole, are people
known for our sen-
sitivity and toler-
ance of others. We
have organizations
devoted to the de-
velopment of good
relations with our
neighbors. We ad-
vocate for other mi-
nority groups. We
form coalitions and
sensitize our chil-
dren to understand
people who are dif-
ferent — whether they are dis-
abled or of a different race or
ethnic background.
Why then, do we have so much
difficulty being tolerant of each
other? How is it we can actually
resent accommodating each
other? How is that some of us tol-
erate our own spiritual organi-
zational leaders who verbally
denigrate co-religionists who are
seen as more or less "religious"
than we choose to be?
This year, as we do every year
at our Passover seders, we dipped
Jeannie Weiner is immediate
past president of the Jewish
Community Council of
Metropolitan Detroit.
our spoons to reduce our cups of
wine to remember the suffering
of our enemies. Even in victory
and celebration, we are sensitive
to others.
At my own seder table, we
asked the Fifth Question from the
Unity Readings for Passover by
the Unity Committee of the Jew-
ish Community Council. That
question asks, "Why on this night
should we celebrate the spirit of
unity that binds together a free
Jewish people ... ?
One answer is that our Jewish
community in Detroit is strong as
well as diverse. Most of us par-
ticipated in some way in a seder
at which we reflected on the
meaning of Passover in our lives.
We do share a common history
segregated from our own co-reli-
gionists. Some of us have church-
temple exchanges and yet, when
another synagogue sponsors a
"city-wide program," Jews not af-
filiated with that "kind" of Ju-
daism don't attend.
As Jews, we are known for our
hospitality; so how can we doubt
that kosher food should be served
at all events sponsored by Jewish
organizations so that every Jew
can be made welcome?
As a community, we could use
more care in using the commu-
nity calendar so that we do not
impact on true city-wide pro-
grams that the entire communi-
ty can share for purposes of
education or celebration.
Most of all, we should sensitize
ourselves and oth-
ers to the scur-
rilous language we
use in reference
to each other. To
avoid stereotyping,
we could begin
to learn about co-
religionists who
practice- Judaism
differently. If we
do not accept our
differences, our di-
visions could ulti-
mately destroy us.
As we celebrat-
ed our delivery
from slavery dur-
ing Passover, we
must continue to
remember to em-
phasize what unites us. We
should strive to live by these
words of "Dayenu" from the Uni-
and common values. We also
share a concern for our people's
security and for Jewish survival.
American Jews live in a plu- ty Readings for Passover:
ralistic society as a minority reli-
• If we would promote Jewish
gion, but I think we have learned unity in our community, our con-
how to get along with the major- gregations and our homes,
ity cultures even better than we DAYENU.
get along with each other.
• If we would agree to disagree
We teach our children not to with other Jews on issues with-
tolerate anti-Semitic remarks, but out rancor, hostility, bitterness or
some of us continue to use terms malice, DAYENU.
which prejudice our children
• If we would speak up when
about other Jews. We talk about others use derogatory terms for
being "not Jewish enough" or "too other Jews, DAYENU.
Jewish."
• If we would reach out to Jews
Most American Jews promote of all backgrounds to work to-
diversity and tolerance. We grap- gether toward common goals in
ple with living in a segregated so- an atmosphere of respect,
ciety, and yet we frequently are DAYENU.
❑
TheDJN@Laol . corn
11
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Do You
Think?"
Is Bibi finished as Israel's
prime minister?
Three years ago
We would like to hear about
I remember the those stories for a Close Up
angst I was feel- we're going to be putting to-
ing, getting my gether. It would be an added
then-11-year- plus if you could send a photo-
old daughter graph or even a letter you or
registered and your child wrote from Tama-
ready for camp. rack.
You may re-
Examples: A rabbi friend met
member the his wife while the two were
feeling, or maybe you're experi- counselors at a New York camp.
encing it now. The registration That's the kind of story we'd
that happens in January makes welcome.
July seem so far away. Then,
Personally, I can tell you
school is over, and the next thing about a story that had a
we know, after that last name major effect on my life as a
is placed on that last elastic un- 12-year-old camper. My first
derwear band, it's time to go.
day of camp, after we came
As parents learn, sitting here off the buses, the director
at home, the month at camp gathered us around the flag
goes very quickly, even as we pole at the center of camp.
send our "care packages" and He said the following: "Wel-
plead for letters in return.
come to Camp Moshava. My
During that angst, a friend name is Steve. I am the rosh
helped me with a quick piece of hamachaneh (camp head).
advice. A veteran "camp moth- These will be the last words of
er," she simply said that in some English you hear me speak
cases the friends made at camp during announcements unless
last longer than even school it's an emergency."
friends. Sometimes, she added,
Help. This is how I started to
those "friends" are the wonder- learn Hebrew.
ful memories we get from a
It gets better. My counselor
summer in the mountains or by was apparently going to be a
the lake.
day or two late. He was in Israel,
Last week, I took my daugh- fighting during the Six-Day
ter, now 13, to the airport for a War.
trip to New York. She was vis-
Again, the stories he told —
iting a friend whom she met at a the mere fact that we were
small camp last summer outside meeting a strong, Jewish man
of Scranton, Pa. The two, both who had actually fought for
voracious readers, became close. something he believed in — still
When we visited on Parents Day, stick with me.
it wasn't the lake or the swim-
But the small things are im-
ming pool she wanted us to see. portant as well. This man
It was, instead, her friend.
helped me with my homesick-
That friend-
ness. He
ship has turned
played hours
into months of
F--s- and hours of
phone calls and
catch with me.
letters back and
j_ 9 He
was a
.
forth.
9_ friend, a hero.
I felt that
`.2_ Truth is, it was
"separation"
more difficult
angst again last
in my camping
week when my
years to come
daughter kissed A fabled Camp Tamarack green bus. home and
me, walked
blend in with
down the airport ramp and onto the day-to-day.
the plane. On the other hand, I
Shabbat was sweet as hon-
felt so confident that if her camp- ey at my camp. We'd dress in
ing experience resulted in just white, welcome the Sabbath
one great friend like this, that ex- Queen by the lake. We played
perience would be forever.
color wars, slept under the stars
Now, here's where I need in tents made of blankets, twine
your help.
and pebbles.
This summer marks the 95th
We sang around campfires,
anniversary of Camp Tamarack. raided the girls' bunks, failed
There are thousands of you who plenty of bunk inspections. But
did not leave Michigan to go to most of all, we had the time of
camp but stayed right here to our lives in a Jewish environ-
develop your precious camp ment.
memories.
Should we want anything less
Some of us "grew up" through for our children? ❑
camp experiences. We had fa- ..tgaNi,,m;istms:,Nt.RKK
vorite counselors. Maybe you
started as a camper and became
t)z
"
a counselor and now your chil-
ks . .Ac,4<q
dren or even grandchildren are
Tamarack campers.
,
To respond: "So, What Do You Think?"
27676 Franklin Road, Southfield, MI 48034
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