Editorials

Federation Holds Key
To Brighter Education

Communities around the country, including
Detroit, are competing fiercely, often with
attractive contracts, for professionals to lead
their Jewish education programs. But the pick-
ings are slim.
The Jewish Federation of Metropolitan
Detroit is in the best position to help solve the
shortage locally.
As a key voice in the Detroit Jewish commu-
nity, Federation has pledged to
make Jewish education a priority,
but we believe it must become the
top priority for 1998.
For starters, Federation should
consider dedicating a percentage of
the money it generates to helping
develop Jewish educators, especially
at the top. A possible spinoff bene-
fit to such a pro-active move could
be increased fund raising overall.
Without a strong education pro-
gram in the Jewish day, afternoon,
evening and Sunday schools
throughout metro Detroit, Federa-
tion likely will find support fading for its other
priorities — more fulfilling synagogue experi-
ences, greater support for Jewish arts and cul-
ture, increased first-time visits to Israel.
Federation long has been a funding friend to
local day schools. It recently pledged $750,000
toward the planned Jewish high school. And it's
hoping to create a $25 million endowment for
an array of Jewish life experiences, including
Jewish education, a key link to keeping Judaism
alive through the generations.

IN FOCUS

But Federation's commitment must
include helping identify and promote ways to
convince more top-notch people to become
top-level educators. Strong school leadership
is pivotal to hooking kids on their Jewishness
while they're still highly curious and impres-
sionable.
Locally, openings exist for an executive direc-
tor at the Agency for Jewish Education, an assis-
tant principal at Hillel Day School
and at least three synagogue educa-
tion or youth directors. Beyond
that, the Jewish high school pro-
jected to open in fall 1999 requires
a headmaster and teachers.
These jobs no doubt will be
filled, but how long it takes is any-
body's guess. A combination of low
pay, low esteem and scarce
resources has kept talent away from
careers in Jewish education. Some
prospects chose rabbinical school,
others mainstream teaching.
While efforts intensify to fill the
talent gap (the Davidson School at the Jewish
Theological Seminary is a welcome, better-late-
than-never example), there's still much to be
done to make any career in Jewish education an
appealing one.
Federation has invested plenty over the years
in Jewish education. It brings to the table now
what other local agencies cannot: resources, per-
spective, contacts and prestige to help invigorate
the role of Jewish educator so it's more tempting
as a profession. ❑

Jewish
education
needs to
be the
priority.

A Vatican Apology

Some Jewish leaders are disappointed that a
critical new Vatican statement on anti-Semi-
tism does not go far enough.
They're right, but they must also acknowl-
edge the unprecedented step that the Vatican
took last week by releasing the 14-page docu-
ment, which took a committee 11 years to
produce. The work admits that while many
Christians did help Jews during the anguished
years of 1933 to 1945, many others stood
silently as an ideological horde systematically
erased vibrant Jewish life from their Christian-
dominated continent.
Sadly, there is no admonishment of then-
Pope Pius XII for keeping silent about the
atrocities literally taking place outside his door.
To do so would have been particularly painful
as well as ignobling. Truth be told, no church
document could ever attain forgiveness for the
massive dimensions of the Shoah, which has
forever changed Jewish history and psyche.
But the remarkable text released Monday

sets an unprecedented stage for additional dia-
logue between Catholics and Jews. The five
sections of the document tell of the historic
shift that has taken place.
Most important, in a cover letter Pope John
Paul II directly spoke of "the unspeakable iniq-
uity of the Shoah" and asked that "the Lord of
history guide the efforts of Catholics and
Jews...as they work together for a world of true
respect for the life and dignity of every human
being, for all have been created in the image
and likeness of God." It is a welcome and
absolute refutation of anti-Semitism.
We are far from satisfied. The chilling book
on the relationship between the church and
the Jews earlier this century will never be
closed. But we see the overwhelmingly positive
direction being taken in wrestling with the
unspeakable. To paraphrase the talmudic dic-
turn, it is not our task to finish the process,
but neither can we desist from pursuing its
completion. ❑

Puppet Show
Puppetspiel

The mastery of Igor Gozman and PuppetART, his company of
puppeteers and beautifully crafted puppets, entertained a crowd
at the Detroit Institute of Arts with a Purimspiel. Here, Emily
Haapala, 8, of Farmington Hills, sketches Esther after the
show. PuppetART is a Detroit-based company that stages Russ-
ian folktales and stories from the Old Testament.

LETTERS

Community
Mourns Loss

The Detroit Jewish commu-
nity mourns the loss of the
Rev. James Lyons, who was a
force for goodness, under-
standing and reconciliation
in metropolitan Detroit.
He touched the lives of so
many who worked with him
on building bridges between
the Christian and Jewish
communities, who joined
him on any of his many
journeys to Israel and who
attended his speeches and
classes on Jewish-Christian
relations, Israel and the
Holocaust.
At the Jewish Community
Council, we especially
remember the Rev. Lyons as
a supportive partner on pro-
jects to advance multicultur-
al understanding and to
build collaboration among
diverse religious and ethnic
communities.
As he inspired us in life,

his memory will inspire us
for years to come.

Howard I. Wallach
President,
Jewish Community Council
David Gad-Harf
Executive director,
Jewish Community Council

How Prevalent
Are Objections?

It is disappointing to this
mohel to see that the mitz-
vah I take-so seriously is
assaulted through negative
headlines and outrageous
graphics in your publication
("Breaking With Ritual"
March 20).
I believe that contrary to
your cover title, brit milah is
probably the best kept mitz-
vah of all and I find it trou-
bling that you turn to Norm
Cohen, a Birmingham activist
who claims Jewish authority
because he is the son of a
Conservative rabbi. How

3/27
1998

33