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Rabbi Philip Spectre
Holds Onto His Optimism
Rabbi Philip Spectre, international director of
Masorti (Hebrew for tradition), the
Conservative movement's organizational heart-
beat in Israel, is now visiting in the United
States.
Rabbi Spectre, the brother of longtime Adat
Shalom spiritual leader Rabbi Efry Spectre,
says he and the Conservative movement are
trying to remain optimistic for gains in reli-
gious pluralism within Israel.
While there is optimism back in Israel, he
admitted to The Jewish News that the audi-
ences he is addressing in the United States and
elsewhere are gravely concerned. In - Israel,
Conservative and Reform conversions are not
recognized by the government. Also, requests
for Conservative and Reform representation on
Israeli religious councils have been denied.
All sides in the current debate agreed to
keep working with Dec. 31 as a target date for
a possible compromise. It is Rabbi Spectre's
hope that by that time a workable solution will
be worked out.
If not ...
We encourage the Netanyahu government
to do what it can in the spirit of compromise
within Israel. In the United States, four-fifths
of Jews are Conservative or Reform. It is our
sense that this majority of American Jewry will
see a lack of compromise as an almost irrepara-
ble sign of damage and divisiveness within
Judaism.
We hope not. We ask for patience from all
sides now. It is our wish that Diaspora Jews
get reliable information on all sides of the
issue happening now within Israel before act-
ing in a way that might be damaging. That
damage will almost assuredly be manifested
in one place, their checkbooks. Then groups
such as the United Jewish Appeal, Israel
Bonds, Jewish National Fund and almoSt
anything associated with Israel will be affect-
ed.
Rabbi Philip Spectre shares his optimism.
We hope people are equally as optimistic. We
hope that everything is done based on infor-
mation, not emotion.
❑
The Annual Fair
Of The Book
The JCC
Book Fair.
Palestinian youths attempt to extinguish a teargas grenade fired by
Israeli soldiers during clashes near a refugee camp.
Detroit has one of the nation's best
it and biggest Jewish Book Fairs. What
the Fair. does year after year is impress
us with the caliber of both national
§ and local authors.
Sure, it is in vogue and it is conve-
nient to shop and frequent a local
book store. They are wondrous shops
that fill the imagination and satisfy our
yearning to learn more.
However, in the days to come,
Jewish books will turn the
4►
Maple/Drake and Jimmy Prentis
Morris JCCs into their own high-ener-
gy book emporiums. Some of the best
minds in the area of Jewish literature
and information await us. They'll
speak to us, they'll meet us, they'll
even sign our books.
It is important for us to make sure
that we bring along our young chil-
dren and teens. Just like they see us
giving to charity, praying, lighting can
they need to understand that the
written word has always been a back-
bone of Judaism.
Free expression and respect for
diversity are important aspects of our
people. Book Fair — use it and learn
from it. ❑
LETTERS
Adult Education
_•
Facts Missing
I read with interest the recent
article and editorial in The
Jewish News about adult
Jewish education ("The
Learning Gap" Oct. 31).
I am delighted in the
interest The Jewish News has
shown in the subject. I
would, however, have been
more delighted if they had
attempted to base their story
on and obtain facts in such a
manner as to reach a reason-
able conclusion. The story is
based upon an incomplete
investigation of the informa-
tion.
Changes in the Midrasha
program are not a result of
indifference on the part of
the Agency for Jewish
Education or the Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan
Detroit. In fact, I want to
41,
take this opportunity to
thank our Federation for
focusing on the importance
of Jewish education and dra-
matically increasing its sup-
port to Jewish education over
the last few years.
Traditional semester-long
courses, once a mainstay of
our programming, are now •
just one part of our format.
We also have a mini-series or
one-time lecture format. This
shift is a result of the mandate
of our constituency. All of
you have voted for this
change through your hesita-
tion to register for semester
courses. Despite our aggres-
sive efforts at outreach and •
marketing, in one case 25,000
AJE Midrasha enclosures were
placed in The Jewish News,
class enrollment for the tradi-
tional long-term courses has
declined from 184 partici-
pants in 1994-1995 to 53
people in 1997-1998.
FACTS MISSING on page 28