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ditorials

An Opportunity
To Carry Unity
Further

If ever there was a chance for at least a passing
improvement in Jewish unity, that window was
opened to us last Thursday night at the Jewish
Community Center. -
There were plenty of reasons why commu-
nity members and rabbis couldn't be there,
largely because of the need to prepare for the
High Holidays.
Still, the positive aspect of last Thursday
was the fact people were interested enough to
come. The difficult component was that we
really couldn't dip deep below the surface and
candidly talk about our challenges.
Still, this was a start. We think it is impor-
tant that the Jewish Community Center and
Jewish Community Council take this step fur-
ther. We recommend a series of talks that
would result in breakout sessions, mixing Jews
from different affiliations. One need not have
the title "rabbi" to be an expert on one's own
feelings towards unity.
The High Holidays are here to unify us as
Jews. When we return from the holidays, it's
important that this community build on the
momentum that was started last week at the
JCC. Chairs were set up for under 100, and
some 250 people showed up.
There's something there. We need to go for
it. For those community members and leaders
who couldn't make it, let's offer more opportu-
nities.

Lighting A Candle
Underneath Our
Community

On Oct. 24 and 25, the United Jewish
Foundation and the Berman/Cohn Pilot Fund
for Continuity will be attempting to light a
candle underneath this community.
Two of them to be exact.
That's when congregations will be partici-
pating in a program called "Rekindling
Shabbat." Individual congregations are plan-
ning for the kickoff with different program-
ming. For example, Temple Israel will be dis-
tributing Shabbat bags full of materials over
the High Holidays to its members, and follow-
ing this up with a weekly early Shabbat service.
Adat Shalom is planning a special Shabbat
program throughout the afternoon of Oct. 25,
including a dinner, services and Israeli danc-
ing.
As part of celebrations all over the commu-
nity, congregations will enable those who
desire to participate in both a family-based

10/3
1997

34

Shabbat dinner and a synagogue-based
Shabbat service. The purpose of this Michigan
Board of Rabbis-endorsed program is to
encourage affiliated and unaffiliated Jews to
share Shabbat.
Rekindling Shabbat will then be followed
up with similar programs on the last Shabbat
of each month. There will be a community-
wide celebration on Nov. 20 at the Maple-
Drake Jewish Community Center.
This is a real opportunity. It is important
that those who have felt embarrassed in the
past attend. Embarrassed? Yes, many Jewish
adults feel they "should know" what Shabbat is
all about and don't. They stay away. We're say-
ing, put that aside. Nobody cares what you
don't know However, "know" one thing. We
want you to take advantage of this special pro-
gram. If it is done correctly and followed
through consistently, it will make a huge dif-
ference in your lives and the lives of your chil-
dren.
Give it a chance. And hopefully we'll not
only have Shabbat, but a special program
bringing us together.

How About A
Timeout?

Nothing is simple in the Middle East, and
U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright was
wise not to speak of a "breakthrough" when
Israeli and Palestinian officials agreed last
Monday to resume limited negotiations after a
seven-month impasse.
Only hours after the agreement, Israeli
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu
announced that settlement construction to
meet "natural population growth" would con-
tinue, despite the agreement by Foreign
Minister David Levy and Palestinian negotia-
tor Mahmoud Abbas to take up Ms. Albright's
call for a "timeout" in construction as part of
the upcoming talks.
We don't know how this diplomatic drama
will play out this week, but we do know Mr.
Netanyahu has some hard decisions to make in
his dealings with Washington. Settlement con-
struction has always been a hot-button issue.
Lest we forget, it was the prime minister's deci-
sion to start construction at Har Homa in
March that precipitated the breakdown in
negotiations.
Until recently, Mr. Netanyahu's actions paled
in comparison to Palestinian leader Yassir Arafat's
reckless use of violence as a negotiating tool. But
the settlements issue won't go away. Israel does
have the right to build new housing to meet
population growth, but there is evidence that
new settlement construction is necessitated less
by housing demands than by politics.
Are the political benefits of undertaking
new construction at this sensitive moment
worth the damage?

Mt;

Palestinian children taunt police by waving a-Palestinian flag near
a compound in east Jerusalem where Jewish settlers took over two
houses.

LETTERS

Jewish News
Misses Mark

I am writing in response to the
Sept. 5 Close Up feature on
intermarriage ("Inter Circle")
in which The Jewish News' stat-
ed position was, "We do not
condone intermarriage, nor do
we condemn it."
It is time that Jews stop
making unwarranted conces-
sions to what is politically cor-
rect in American society and
start living up to our historical
role and continued obligation
as a light to the nations. When
Jews embrace our traditions,
learning and values, then we
ensure our continuity as a peo-
ple and the entire world bene-
fits.
It is important for Jews to
know that continuity is more
than an emotional issue —
there are compelling rational
arguments for continuity and
against intermarriage. To recog-
nize and promote the beauty of
Judaism among our people is

not an act of bigotry or intoler-
ance. It is a responsible act of
love and care for the world.
strongly recommend reading
The Nine Questions People Ask
About Judaism by Rabbi Joseph
Telushkin for a through
description of these concepts
from a Jewish perspective. We
are all surrounded by and
understand the secular perspec-
tive.
Of course, intermarriage
exists; and the programs
described in the article that
promote Jewish affiliation,
education and identity are nee--
essary and important. But we
should first and foremost pro-
mote Jewish marriage. This is
done through Jewish practice
in the home, family involve-
ment in the community and
education. We should read and
understand Telushkin's book.
We should tell our children,
siblings and friends why Jewish
marriage is the best choice.
This is the correct course for
all of us who desire continuity
in our own families and for our
people.
Rich Kahn
Oak Park