Editorials
Teen Mission Requires A Sensitive Followup
Travel to Israel provides the potential for
teenagers to build their Jewish identity, expand
their Jewish friendships and enrich their Jewish
heritage. But that potential can only be tapped
through impassioned followup.
Describing her first trip to the Holy Land,
Adat Shalom Synagogue teenager Rachel Tur-
bow told us: "You feel closer to your faith; to
your ancestors and to everything you've been
taught in Hebrew school."
The Teen Mission to Israel, co-sponsored by
the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit
and its Michigan/Israel Connection, left this
week. The five-week trip includes 216 Detroiters
who will tour Israel with 33 Israelis from the
Central Galilee, Detroit's partner region. The
Israelis spent eight days here in April as part of a
mifga.sh, or get-acquainted encounter.
With Detroit's second Teen Mission now
under way, it's important we address two corn-
pelling questions: How will returnees sustain the
excitement about Judaism they develop in Israel?
And how will they parlay that excitement into
lasting involvement in Jewish communal affairs?
The answers lie in innovative, even daring,
programming that creates a transformative expe- _
rience for returnees.
Michigan/Israel Connection's Come
Back/Give Back Committee; intent on keeping
Teen Mission participants hooked on Jewish tra-
dition and Jewish life, vows to keep kids con-
nected so they want to give back to the Jewish
community throughout their lives.
Particularly appealing committee ideas
include encouraging participants to converse
with Arab American teens, visit the U.S. Holo-
caust Memorial Museum and other significant
Jewish museums, perform volunteer communal
work, team up with a Federation Young Adult
Division mentor, become more Shabbat obser-
vant, and take part in "Teen Tapestries," full
days of learning at the Jewish Community Cen-
ter of Metropolitan Detroit.
Beyond that, Federation should consider cre-
ating a Teen Division. Such a division could sup-
plement and enhance the work of synagogue
youth groups and their regional organizations.
Federation also could develop a written evalu-
ation that asks revealing questions like: "Did the
mission accomplish its stated goal?", 'Are you
inspired enough to go back to Israel?" "Will
your Israel experience translate into local Jewish
communal work?" and "What do you expect in
the way of followup?"
The key to ensuring a successful Teen Mis-
sion? An unswerving commitment to followup
so participants know we care about their Jewish-
ness. Without that commitment, anchored by
the Jewish Federation leadership, we'd be foolish_
to think the subsidized mission will prove any-
thing more than a great summer vacation.
Masada, the Negev, Yad Vashem, the Old
City, the Dead Sea: All await Teen Mission trav-
elers, whom we wish a healthful, safe, joyous
journey.
It's our fervent hope the journey's life-chang-
ing moments strengthen the lenses through
which participants view their faith. Let there be
no mistake: fulfillment of that hope hinges on a
committed, well-focused followup.
It's Time To Stop Talkin' Trash
In defending his Cabinet's approval of a plan to
expand Jerusalem's municipal authority over sev-
eral Jewish settlements on the West Bank — a
policy condemned by Palestinians and virtually
the entire world community as a means of aug-
menting the Israeli capital's Jewish hegemony —
Binyamin Netanyahu says the measure merely
aims to improve services such as refuse collec-
tion.
But the Israeli prime minister's detractors
might counter that Netanyahu should deal less
with rubbish and more with his administration's
genuine aspirations for extending Jerusalem's
boundaries.
On national television last Sunday, U.S. Sec-
retary of State Madeleine Albright called the
plan to expand Jerusalem "not helpful to the
peace process because in this very delicate envi-
ronment, unilateral actions are not the kind that
are helpful." A day later, Netanyahu softened his
comments, a move designed to appease the
United States.
Let's face it, the Oslo accords were never
Netanyahu's cup of tea. Rather, they are a noi-
some remnant of the heady days of his predeces-
sors, Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres. Then the
prospect of a Middle East peace no longer
seemed a fool's dream, but a vision within reach.
Since his election two years ago, Netanyahu has
played a cat-and-mouse game with a sizable
number of Israelis and the world — including
Israel's primary ally, the United States — that
support efforts to achieve a lasting peace.
Netanyahu has continually attempted to
shield himself from criticism by declaring him-
self only concerned with Israeli security. Security
is indeed paramount to Oslo's success. But
expanding Jerusalem's boundaries at this time to
strengthen Jewish sovereignty over the holy city
is another provocation that mocks the peace
process and antagonizes those who support it.
And it discourages those on the Arab side who
sincerely long for peace.
Jerusalem is the eternal capital of Israel and
the Jewish people. Israelis and diaspora Jewry are
united in determination to keep it that way. But
dismissing a key element of the final status
rounds of Oslo does nothing to further the cause
of peace or Israel's status in the world communi-
tY.
IN FOCUS
Circle Of Friends
Chana Leaf, 16, and Tamar Pieczenik, 15, share a laugh last
week at the Daniel Sobel Friendship Circle's annual dinner in
Southfield. The two were among 180 volunteers honored for
their assistance to families with special-needs children. At the
dinner, which attracted 500 guests, the Friendship Circle
announced the launching of a campaign to raise $1.5 million
to build a local park for special-needs children next to the
Lubavitch Campus of Living Judaism in West Bloomfield. ❑
LETTERS
Sensational
Vs. Security
In your June 19 issue,
two articles and an
editorial focused on
Adat Shalom Syna-
gogue. We appreciate
your support in our
merger with Congre-
Vandalism at Adat Shalom Synagogue.
gation Beth Achim,
which has already
would have made the evening
brought wonderful new leader-
news, and millions of people
ship and programming ideas to
could have read the vandals'
our congregation. This union
message of hate. It was clear to
will produce many benefits for
our leadership, professional and
our combined membership.
lay (not only to executive
While we do. appreciate the
director Alan Yost) that the dis-
two positive pieces, we take
semination of this message
exception to Julie Edgar's
would not benefit the Jewish
attack on Adat Shalom and the
community.
Anti-Defamation League over
Responsibly, we immediate-
our response to the recent van-
ly notified the Farmington
dalism incidents at our congre-
Hills police, the ADL and
gation. When we discovered
other community leaders.
the disgusting graffiti, we cer-
Many of our congregants were
tainly could have elected to call
also aware of the incident. The
in the press. No doubt it
best thinking of the police and
❑
6/26
1998
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