1 105 S. Adams
Birmingham, MI 48009
sure, more than a lot of other aged
Jews have also.
Unfortunately, she had no other
family and thus she was put into a
local nursing home which was over-
crowded, with little attention to her
needs other than what was necessary.
According to the Jewish Federation
of Metropolitan Detroit, there are more
than 96,000 Jewish people in southeast
Michigan. Certainly there is a great
need for a Jewish nursing home.
I realize that the arts are important
to us and our city, but what of our
own people? Are they less important?
Lori Betson
Southfield
Historical Truths
Fairly Shown?
Ir
0
o-40
As 18th century images of "the Jews"
line the Janice Charach Epstein
Museum/Gallery, other images of Jews
in the 1920s and '30s in Detroit fill
the lobby of the Jewish Community
Center.
Steve Rosman's exhibition has
become controversial and much publi-
cized. Should he have included (or
focused on) the Purple Gang? Do the
two guns serve any function or
enhance the main themes of the show?
Beyond this difficulty, does the exhibi-
tion have any thematic coherence and
integrity?
The Jewish News has boldly spon-
sored the show in defiance of what it
perceives as potential censorship after
other sponsors withdrew their support
for a variety of reasons. Most impor-
tant among those reasons is the discus-
sion of the Purples; along with the dis-
cussion, some have argued that the
pictures contribute to a misplaced
attention; others are incensed that
names would be prominently listed
along with the photographs.
As a professional historian, I would
be critical of an exhibit that eliminat-
ed this part of Detroit Jewish history.
The gang appears in my own book
(Harmony and Dissonanace: Voices of
Jewish Identity in Detroit, 1914-1967)
six times. The initial reference is part
of the introduction to the chapter
titled "The Roaring Twenties" and
describes the gang and its significance
to Detroit.
Unlike some others in the commu-
nity, I do not object to the inclusion
of the Purples in the exhibition; I do
not believe that Jewish history in
Detroit ought to be presented as "glo-
rious" or "inspirational." The question
(248) 723-9838
for me, if not for Mr. Rosman, rests
on the professional nature of the exhi-
bition and issues like gratuitously
including names, lack of substance
and accuracy. Does the exhibit main-
tain some integrity and grace?
In my view, the exhibition is partly
an accurate historical one that lacks
discretion, grace and sensitivity. Most
importantly, it lacks historical context
and any reasonable sense of meaning-
ful
Here are only a few examples,
beginning with the most controversial
issue, the Purple Gang. There are 13
panels on the Purples, mostly of bor-
ing mug shots, most of which contairi
names; there are two more panels of
Prohibition agents and two exhibition
cases containing a machine gun_and a
.38 caliber Smith and Wesson revolver.
In contrast, there are two panels on
"Our Enemies," familiar photographs
of Father Couhglin and Henry Ford;
one half-panel on the Black Legion,
whose raid terrorized Jews and
Catholics in at least three states; one
panel on "Our Radicals," which does
not include the Workmen's Circle or
the Chaim Greenberg Communist
School; no panels (although a few
photographs) on the landsmanshaftn,
of which there were more than 40
which boasted upwards of 5,000
members at any given time.
There are inaccuracies and dupli-
cate photographs under the Sholem
Aleichem shul — of the eight pictures,
two are duplicates of two others and
the dates are incorrect on at least two
of the photos. There are no pictures of
the Farband or its shul. Several of the
synagogue photos already identify
them as churches.
I will stop here and point out that,
despite the hysteria-with which some
members of the Jewish community
responded, the exhibit clearly points
to the Purple Gang as its center. I
believe that anyone is entitled to put
together such a show and entitled to
put it together in the most amateur-
ish, trivial and inept ways. But the
community failed in its responsibility
to preview and evaluate the show.
Mr. Rosman may be a poor, naive
and unschooled historian; the leader-
ship matched him by approving the
initial offer of the exhibition.
Sensationalism sells, but even that
must be slick these days; and few peo-
ple will come for a second look at this
fiasco.
Sidney Bolkosky
Professor of history, U-M Dearborn
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