Saying We're Sorry

A student in a suburban area religious school
class once asked her teacher, "Why is it that we
only say we're sorry for our misdeeds to one
another around Yom Kippur? Shouldn't we
apologize all year, whenever we do something
wrong?"
Rabbis differ in their opinion. All agree that
we should be aware of our transgressions and
feel sorry for them every day of our lives.
Some, however, argue that to have one day
such as Yom Kippur is what people need to
underscore the importance of personal sorrow.
It also is a chance to collectively apologize,
showing that we are all, indeed, very human.

If we offended you,
we apologize.

At The Jewish News, with thousands of
pages of stories, photographs, advertisements
and other materials, we know that we might
offend some readers and advertisers during
the course of a year. It doesn't have to be an
article or a headline. It could be in failing to
return a phone call, not being treated well
on the phone or not being given enough
time to share your views. We love to hear the
good stuff, sometimes a little too much. It's
the complaints that are more difficult to
stomach.

The Chabad Shofar Factory recently visited many
Hebrew and religious schools in the area, helping
participants create their own shofars. With help
from Rabbi Bergstein, Saadya Cohen of Ganeinu
Preschool in West Bloomfield tries to blow a new
shofar.

MR 0

1997

30

Often, we hear that stories offend you
because you disagree as to whether we should
run them or because they shed poor light on
something. We walk a fine line between our
responsibility as journalists and our role as
community promoter.
Whatever the issue, if we slighted you in
any way, we ask forgiveness. We recognize your
support, loyalty and dedication — and we
appreciate your candor in telling us when we
disagree. As such, you always have an opportu-
nity to "set the record straight" on these pages.
What we can't do is harbor grudges or turn
our backs on our fellow Jews. True, we might
disagree about the coverage of an issue or air-
ing of our "dirty laundry" in public. But we
are all interested in the well-being of our com-
munity, its children, its elderly and everyone
else. All of us must always recognize that —
and we must use the New Year to renew our
dedication to the shared goal of energizing and
spreading the impact of our vibrant Jewish
world. ❑

An Important Fair
For Entire Family

For so long, the Jewish community ques-
tioned, sometimes challenged, the role of
Federation when it came to elder care services.
We lived through the demise of Borman Hall
and other less sensational issues. One couldn't
help but observe that the elderly seemed to be
on the back burner.
Federation is making an effort to change
that. More recent moves, such as the opening
of the Danto facility, have shown the commit-
ment is there. But it takes an overall effort to
facilitate the elderly. Federation knows that,
and that's why it created COJES, the
Commission on Jewish Eldercare Services.
On Sunday, Oct. 12, COJES is providing a
free resource and health fair called "Putting the
Pieces Together." The event will take place
from 1-4 p.m. at the Maple-Drake Jewish
Community Center. Older adults can take
advantage of free flu shots, glucose and blood
pressure screening. Joyce Hunt, an expert on
benefits for the aging, will speak and be avail-
able for questions. More importantly, there
will be representatives from many Federation
agencies available for discussion.
All of this on Sunday sends an important
message to our older adults: that they are not
alone, that the community is with them on a
"day-to-day" basis.
We urge the community's participation on
Sunday. Also, understand that our older adults
are loved, essential members of our family.
It's wonderful to have a Sunday afternoon
health fair and workshop. On the Monday
after, however, we should be ever more sensi-
tive to the needs, goals and paths of these fam-
ily members. ❑

We need to be sensitive to our seniors every day.

LETTERS

Vilna Story
Stirs Memories

It was with interest and per-
sonal identification that I
read Lynne Cohn's article
regarding Harold Berry and
his cousins, descendants of
the Gaon of Vilna, partici-
pating in the Lithuanian gov-
ernment celebrations of the
200th anniversary of his
death ("Visiting Their Roots"
Oct. 3).
It made me think of my
father, Yosef Garber, who was
called a "Litvak" in Palestine
and later Israel, but was
called a Jew — in a derogato-
ry manner — in the
Lithuanian army where he
served in the early 1920s
before immigrating to
Palestine in 1925.
My father credits leaving
his native Lithuania and

going to Palestine to help
build his ancient homeland
to the virulent anti-Semitism
he encountered in the
Lithuanian army.
All of his family, except an
older sister and a brother
who immigrated to the
United States years before,
were murdered by the Nazis.
According to a memorial
book to the shtetl, the mass
murder took place by the
Germans in June 22, 1941.
The book also recounts how
overjoyed the Lithuanians
were that they were rid of the
yoke of the Russians as to
give them the opportunity . to
quench their thirst with
Jewish blood and how they
welcomed Germans with
bouquets of flowers and
thunderous applause and, in
order to please their libera-
tors, pointed out to them
every Jew who walked by.
My father, a strictly
Orthodox yeshiva bocher and
VILNA on page 32