CO 0

PERSUASION

From The Other Side

SUSAN STRICKLAND SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

grounds from having any bearing
on the relationship.
But they do.
I attend church no more than
once a year. I do not pray, nor do
I turn to the Bible for answers to
everyday concerns. My boyfriend
does not regularly
attend synagogue,
and although he of-
ten spends Shabbat
dinner at his grand-
parent's house, he
considers it a fami-
ly affair rather than
a religious experi-
ence.
Clearly, religion
has little influence
over our lives; how-
ever, I have found
that small parts
manifest in the tra-
ditions we associate
with childhood, and
prove to be more significant than
the issue of God Himself.
Christmases and Easters, for
example, comprise a large part of
my childhood memories. It has al-
ways been a family time which I
treasure and look forward to shar-
with my own children one day.
Susan Strickland is a graduate of ing
My boyfriend maintains the same
Cranbrook and will attend
feeling, although his memories
College of the Holy Cross in
are of Chanukah, Passover and
Worcester, Mass., this fall.

R

r

"

SIMONE VITALE

Entertainment
• Agency •

JERRY FENBY

A Christian girl waxes philosophical about dating a Jewish boy.

eligion is a funny thing. It's
not obvious as skin color,
hair or height. But it is as
distinguishing a character-
istic as any.
Ninety-five percent of the hu-
man race practices some form of
religion. Two people of the same
faith, even, may have completely
different ideas as to who or what
God is.
It amazes me that such myri-
ad beliefs could have erupted from
what is, ultimately, a very basic
idea: to love and serve something
greater than ourselves, in search
of meaning of, and protection
from, a confusing world.
I suppose that is why I have lit-
tle trouble dating someone of a dif-
ferent faith.
I was brought up in a Christ-
ian household, and my boyfriend
in a Jewish one, but we are equal-
ly spiritual people. We both pos-
sess strong moral and ethical
values, both believe that someone
or something is watching and
guiding us through each day. It
seems our agreement on this
should prevent our different back-

FENBY
STEIN

his bar mitzvah. Neither of us
lacks respect or admiration for the
other's practices and beliefs, and
we share them with each other.
The challenge comes from know-
ing that we might never find the
joy in each others' heritage that
we find in our own.
I don't think the re-
lationship is likely to
fail as a result of reli-
gious tension. Funda-
mentally, my
boyfriend and I are no
different, and making
our relationship work
is simply a matter of
patience and compro-
mise.
At 18, I know, it is
idealistic to hold such
beliefs, and often I
wonder — should our
relationship continue
— about the choices I
make and how they will change.
Perhaps they will become more
significant as I age.
Now, however, I am elated to
know someone who is not exactly
like me, who broadens my hori-
zons and helps me grow as a per-
son. That, in my opinion, is God's
truest gift, regardless of whose
place of worship the message is
received in. 0

Behind The Scenes

BILL MEYER

HOT ICE

HOT ICE
TEEN ANGELS
THE CONTOURS
SIMONE VITALE
QUIET STORM
PERSUASION
JERRY FENBY GROUP
SUN MESSENGERS
SUNSET
BOULEVARD
TIM HEWITT
LOVING CUP
BILL MEYER
RENNIE KAUFFMAN
FENBY-CARR
ERIC HARRIS-DJ

PLEASE CALL FOR A FREE
VIDEO APPOINTMENT

810-553-9966

The Ultimate in Bands
and Entertainment

• Rumplestaltskin
• Simone Vitale
• Notorious
• Jerry Ross Band
• Vizitor
• And More

AND THE BACK STREET HORNS •

"The band was absolutely great, as evidenced by the

delighted praise from our guests. The volume level and
choice of tunes was mkt..."

A day in the life of a young news producer.

JULIE WIENER STAFF WRITER

very weekday at 6 p.m., TVs
click on in households
throughout metropolitan
Detroit, and smiling anchors
magically appear, delivering the
day's events.
The news may be grisly and
shocking, but the presentation al-
most always looks seamless, re-
laxed. That illusion is due, in part,
to the hard work of
Matt Friedman people like Matt
walks through Friedman, a news
the newsroom producer at Chan-
at WON.
nel 4 (WDIV).
At 25, Friedman
is one of the youngest stars of
broadcast news. But you won't see
him on the screen.
BEHIND THE SCENES page 48

E

BUY OR LEASE, WE CAN BEAT ANY DEAL!

ROSE
CHRYSLER PLYMOUTH JEEP EAGLE

6700 Highland Rd. (M-59)
(Across from Alpine Ski Village)

(248) 889-8989
www.rosejeep.com