EDITOR'S NOTEBOOK

Centennial Anniversary Of Detroit every
Engenders A Spiritual Uplifting

B

eing Jewish means more than grant Orthodox Jews from Eastern
Europe (Ostjuden) were fed, clothed
being asked to contribute to
and housed — and began to assimilate
charity. It also means inter-
to an American, but still Jewish, way of
acting with others who share
life.
your spirituality and beliefs.
Many of metro Detroit's
'As we've become assimilat-
96,000
Jews are familiar
ed, there's a greater need for
with
Jewish
Federation
us to clan together," says West
through
its
major
fund-rais-
Bloomfield's Michael Maddin.
er,
the
Allied
Jewish
Cam-
He's chairing the 100th
paign.
But
Maddin
stresses
anniversary celebration of the
that except for a Yitzhak
organizing of Detroit's Jewish
Perlman concert, free admis-
community, which dates to
sion
will be the byword for
the founding of United Jewish
centennial
events. "Our
Charities in 1899.
intent
is
to
reach out to the
The communal celebration
ROB ERT A.
community,"
said Maddin, a
will boast educational, cultural
S KLAR
Jewish
Federation
Board of
and social themes. It'll cater to
Ed itor
Governors
member
and
families and individuals,
United
Jewish
Foundation
seniors and students, congre-
immediate past-president.
gants and the unaffiliated. Its purpose:
Maddin has teamed with celebration
to spur a deeper, richer sense of Jewish
co-chairs
Carolyn Greenberg of
identity in metro Detroit.
Franklin
and
Harold Berry of Bloom-
Celebration co-hosts are United Jew-
field
Hills.
They're
working with 100
ish Foundation, successor to UJC, and
volunteers.
the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan
Maddin anticipates meeting the
Detroit, successor to the Jewish Welfare
$500,000
celebration budget via corpo-
Federation, founded in 1926.
rate
and
private
donations and a grant
Rabbi Leo Franklin of Temple Beth
from
the
United
Jewish Foundation,
El, a Reform congregation of wealthier
which
acts
as
banker
for Jewish Federa-
German Jews (Yahudim) at the turn of
tion.
Cash
sponsors
will
help defray the
the century, was the spiritual leader
cost
of
specific
events,
products
and
behind the founding of UJC in 1899.
Detroit
Jewish
News
is a
services.
The
UJC's mission was to unite charitable
promotional
sponsor.
causes, broaden social services and
"We're taking pains to not interfere
bring together Detroit Jewry under the
with
normal Allied Jewish Campaign
aegis of an efficiently run, philanthrop-
fund
raising," Maddin said. "We're
ic-minded association.
striving
to assure none of our donors
UJC worked to assure poorer immi-
diminishes his or her Campaign contri-

loyal, long-term members who are
only there because of the courts. The
numbers just don't add up and the
proposed plans are inadequate.

Louis G. Elkus

West Bloomfield

Public TV
Sensibilities

It was good to read Detroit Public
Television's (WTVS-56) public
acknowledgement that their effort to
provide perspective and balance to
their broadcast of "People and the
Land" was not successful ("Broadcast
Evaluation" Feb 27).
We are glad they are working to
improve their process of evaluating
programs for broadcast and that they
have invited input from a broad spec-

trum of the Jewish community. They
are making a serious and genuine
effort to understand and address our
concerns.
While attention was drawn to "Peo-
ple and the Land" by its blatant and
mean-spirited anti-Israel bias, any pro-
gram containing such gross distortions
and omissions should not be aired
whether we agree with the political
perspective or not. Public television
should not avoid broadcasting pro-
grams on sensitive issues as long as
they contain fair, complete and accu-
rate information.
It can be difficult to determine
where to draw the line, and WTVS
misses it when they equate "People
and the Land" with "Jihad in Ameri-
ca." Applying the same standards of
journalistic integrity to both, only
"Jihad in America," produced by

bution as a result of supporting us.
by the Jewish Theological Seminary
will be on display at the Detroit Insti-
Needy people won't go unfed or
unclothed, or won't have their emo-
tute of Arts starting in March.
The Michigan Council for the
tional or spiritual needs unmet, on
account of the celebration. Their needs
Arts has commissioned renowned
will be taken care of."
pianist Jeff Haas to compose a piece for
the celebration. He'll debut it in April
The centennial celebration will be
kicked off as part of the opening cere-
as part of a Jewish jazz/folk concert.
monies of the Jewish
Other events will
include a fun-run, a
Community Center of
film series, a cultural
Metropolitan Detroit-
weekend, a young
sponsored Maccabi
adult show, a cyber-
Games Aug. 16, at the
space virtual Jewish
Palace of Auburn Hills.
museum and a salute
A family reunion ice
to century-old busi-
cream social is the first
nesses.
official centennial event.
A kosher foods fair
It'll be Sept. 27, at the
will close the celebra-
JCC's D. Dan and Betty
Kahn Building in West
tion June 6, at the
JCC's Jimmy Prentis
Bloomfield.
Morris Building in
The Yitzhak Perlman
Oak Park. It'll help
concert, with tiered tick-
spotlight the stability
et pricing to allow bene-
of the Oak
factors to help defray the Michael Maddin
Park/Southfield Jewish
cost of the evening, will
community.
be Oct. 25, at Detroit's Orchestra Hall.
One of Federation's top ambas-
A historical exhibit, curated by for-
sadors, whose enthusiasm for building
mer Henry Ford Museum staffer Joe
bridges between Jews is infectious,
Hines, will open for members of Feder-
Maddin ambitiously envisions identify-
ation's Quarter Century Club Nov. 28,
ing 10,000 local Jews who are under-
and to the public the next day at the
involved or not involved. He hopes to
JCC's Kahn Building. Club members
bring them around to participating in
have donated to the Allied Jewish
the celebration and other Jewish events.
Campaign for at least 25 years.
He wants "the understanding they
A juried art show and a display of
develop to lead to involvement in the
Chanukah menorahs will run from
Jewish community — emotionally,
Nov. 29 to Dec. 13, at Troy's Somerset
Collection.
ANNIVERSARY on page 33
Rare illustrated manuscripts loaned

respected CNN Special Correspon-
dent Steven Emerson, was worthy of
air time.
The many letters and calls to
WTVS from community members
questioning the broadcast decision
and explaining concerns sent an
important message. While not in sup-
port of the organized boycott effort,
we understood and often shared the
concerns that led some individuals to
send a message with their pocket-
books.
At the same time, it is important to
acknowledge and applaud the many
superb programs WTVS has broadcast
on Jewish culture, religion and history,
particularly regarding the Holocaust.
This is in addition to their wide range
of quality programs on other subjects.
It is time to move forward together.
We urge community support of

WTVS for the important contribu-
tions a healthy and responsive public
television station makes to the Jewish
and general communities.

Michael Horowitz
Regional president ofADL
Donald H. Cohen
Regional director ofADL

What Prompts
The Outcry?

In the Feb. 27 Jewish News ("Broad-
cast Evaluation"), Steve Antoniotti,
president and general manager of
Detroit Public Television, expressed
his concern about criticism received
from the Jewish community regarding
his station's airing of "People and the
Land," an anti-Zionist program.
To indicate that the Jewish commu-

3/6
1998

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