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The committee of "they" in the Jewish news-
paper business always tabs the summer as a
slow time of the year for news and events. Our
neighbors, our friends, after all, are up north or
too busy getting the kids ready for school.
Detroit, however, never fails to provide a mag-
ical sense of ongoing community stories that
aren't sensational, yet are heroic for their com-
mitment.
Three stories. Shoshana Rubinstein, a social
worker with JARC's Independent Living Pro-
gram, helped create a social action committee
of JARC residents that has its members out
working for the good of our community. These
are developmentally disabled neighbors of ours
whose commitment to caring defies any stereo-
types of shut-in life.
Rubinstein was awarded the 1997 Elizabeth
Monroe Boggs Young Leadership Award for her
work on the project. The President's Commit-
tee on Mental Retardation bestows the award
annually on future leaders in the field of de-
velopmental disabilities.
Then there's the story of Murray, Ina, Erin
and Jeffrey Pitt, who have donated a home to
Kadima, the organization in this community
that helps people with mental illnesses who are
not quite ready for a fully independent lifestyle.
But then again, Sam and Carol Sobel also
saw the great service of an organization such
as Kadima, and they donated a house. So did
Gloria Hamburger, in the name of her son,
Bill Howard. Now Kadima will operate four
group homes and 12 apartments and condo-
miniums.
Again, these aren't stories that are going to
change most of the life of Jewish Detroit. But
for the community that is served, these are ma-
jor, major events. In the chemistry that is Jew-
ish Detroit, these are examples of why, despite
its challenges, this is such a forward-thinking
community.
Need another example? On Aug. 13, Warren
and Margot Coville were cited for donating $1
million to the Group Apartment Program for
the Elderly, a program run by the Jewish Fam-
ily Service .
This might not have anything to do with your
life or the lives of your loved ones. One day,
though, it might.
In this community's infrastructure, there is
quality of life. These people and programs are
just an example. There are many more.
So many times, people from outside of Detroit
joke about what it must be like to live here.
Then, if they're in the know about Jewish De-
troit, they want to know why we're a success-
ful community.
We know. So do you. So do the Covilles, So-
bels and others.
Yes, it's still summer. There's really a great
deal happening, isn't there?
JEWISH NEWS
Restrain Both Sides
Of Border Confrontations
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Be it a bomb shattering the lives of innocent shop-
pers in a marketplace or missiles slamming into
residential areas of northern Israel or southern
Lebanon, the danger and the risk of irresponsi-
bility and possible war seems to be on the in-
crease.
Israel's wounds are caused by suicide bombers
within its borders and terrorists with missile
launchers to the north. Yet at almost every junc-
ture Israel is asked to be more responsible and
show restraint.
While we worry that the South Lebanese
Army, a small force of Christian Lebanese, act-
ed without Israel's knowledge during recent
shellings of the Lebanese town of Sidon, there is
also a greater concern on the horizon.
Recently, Lebanese Army artillery fired side-
by-side with Hizbollah terrorists into northern
Israel. The town of Kiryat Shmoneh sustained
direct hits as 30 rockets struck residential areas.
The appearance of the Lebanese Army's in-
volvement, a corps under the thumb of the Syr-
ian Army, which has some 30,000 troops
stationed in Lebanon, is the major danger. Syr-
ia's forces shadow the activity at Israel's north-
ern border like a wolf getting ready to pounce.
The bottom line: Too many citizens, Israeli and
Arab, fear for their lives. Even more are in dan-
ger if the puppets controlled by Syria and by Is-
rael are not restrained.
Priorities: Envoys of peace and the focus of the
U.S. government and the world seem to be point-
ed only at Jerusalem. The focus needs to also be
on the north. The battle lines are getting too close
to the Syrian Army at this point. The fear is,
"close" is exactly where the Syrians want it to be.
Israel can control the South Lebanon Army.
Syria can control the Hizbollah. The missiles
coming into Israel show just what that control
can do.
T H E
PROMISED LAND
THE CONTINUING STORY OF JEWISH LIFE IN THE DIASPORA
by Jordan B. Gorfinkel
BECCA BETH BERNIE
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the
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the
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YOUR CONTEMPORARY GUIDE
TO JEWISH HEAD COVERINGS
THREE - MY-A-YEAR 5111-6
(also known as FOREIGN
DIGNITARY or TEEPEE
FOR THE JEWISH NEWS GROU P CJ 1 99 7 BY JORDAN B GO RFI NKEL ALL
Some Really Great 'Things'
Keep Summer Moving
Letters
Thanks You
For Awareness
Re: "Controlling the Pain"
Aug. 8 — we are grateful and
thank Rabbi Bunny Freedman
for arranging for this article.
We thank editor Phil Jacobs
for the beautiful write-up.
We sincerely hope Jewish Hos-
pice will benefit from this arti-
cle.
Gert and Lew Honigman
Oak Park
Mr. Ross
Not The First
In your July 25 issue you fea-
tured an article ("Relentless
Boss") on Doug Ross and
his plans to run for governor of
the state of Michigan in 1998.
One of his reasons for seeking
this office was to be the first Jew-
ish governor of a Midwestern
state.
I would like to inform Mr.
Ross that in 1932 the Honorable
Henry Horner, an active Jew,
was elected governor of the state
of Illinois on the Democratic tick-
et.
Governor Homer ran for re-
election and won a second term
in spite of strong opposition from
the powerful Kelly-Nash politi-
cal machine in upstate Illinois.
Governor Horner's re-election
was made possible by unusual
support from downstate Illinois
which is mainly a conservative
Republican area.
Unfortunately, Governor
Homer died before completing
his second term. His adminis-
tration was so outstanding there
is no telling how far he would
have gone in national politics —
the first Jewish president?
Bert Weil
West Bloomfield
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