EDITOR'S WATCH
Miracle Mission III Offers
Special Bonding Opportunity
venirs than what's sold in gift shops.
hat's so special about
Rosenthal envisions two full planes,
Detroit's Miracle Mission
or 865 delegates, similar in size to Mira-
to Israel? Experiencing the
cle Mission II in 1995. The first mis-
spiritual vitality, physical
sion, in 1993, drew 1,300 delegates.
beauty and historical wonder of the Jew-
Plans cq11 for 21 air-conditioned
ish homeland alongside hundreds of fel-
buses with approximately 40
low Detroiters.
people each. Each bus will
So says Ben Rosenthal,
have a distinctive itinerary.
who's chairing the Jewish Fed-
Buses won't travel as a caravan
eration of Metropolitan
but some mega-events are
Detroit's Miracle Mission III.
planned, including Friday
El Al Airlines will fly direct
night at the. Western Wall and
from Detroit to Tel Aviv on
a gala closing dinner-dance.
April 18, 1999. A 10-day bus
First-time visitors will
journey to religious and his-
enjoy an itinerary of popular
toric sites in Tel Aviv, Tiberias
tourist sites — the Dead Sea,
and Jerusalem follows.
ROB ERT A.
Masada, Yad Vashem, Tzip-
I've known Ben for 20
S KLAR
pori, Museum of the Diaspo-
years, since the days we both
Editor
ra, the Golan Heights, a
were active in Junior Federa-
farming collective. Repeat vis-
tion. And he has always been a
itors will have more time to explore Tel
fine ambassador for the Jewish commu-
Aviv.
nity. So I'll take him at his word when
Itineraries aren't finished, but Rosen-
he says: "When you're standing on the
thal says the mission's strength in num-
southern steps of Temple Mount before
bers provides access to sites and digni-
Shabbos, and all you see are 800 smiles,
taries other excursions don't.
it's terrific. It makes it all worthwhile."
When I asked Temple Israel's Rabbi
That's one reason my wife, Beth, and
Harold Loss about the sheer size of the
I have already signed up for Miracle
anticipated delegation, he said, "I know
Mission III — our first Miracle Mission.
there's a fear about being part of a horde
We're also impressed with Rosenthal's
of people, but that's not what happens.
goal: to touch our neshama (Jewish soul)
We're together as a large group for cer-
via speakers and discussions. "We'll deal
tain incredible moments, like Kabbalat
with hard issues like peace and plural-
Shabbat at the Kotel in the Old City,
ism. And we'll talk about Israel's needs,
where you truly feel part of the Detroit
shortcomings and strengths," he said.
Jewish community together in Israel.
He points as well to the friendships
But most of the time, you are part of a
he has built with Israelis from all walks
bus or two that travel together, in
of life on past missions — better sou-
essence, offering unique bonding
Vir
left out. It's part of the excitement of
opportunities — shared experiences,
being a Jew"
new friendships, a sense of family."
To allay fears about any drudgery
After listening to Rosenthal's passion-
associated with overseas travel, Rosen-
ate sales pitch over lunch last Friday, I
thal vows there'll be "no shlepping." The
must say I'm looking forward to touring
hassle-free arrangement will include
Tel Aviv (and celebrating Yom
advance check-in at the Kahn Jewish
Hazikaron and Yom Ha'atzmaut there),
Community Center in
relaxing at Lake
3 West Bloomfield two
Tiberias in the Central
days before takeoff so
Galilee (Detroit's Part-
all you need to bring
-E
7)
nership 2000 sister
to the airport is a
region) and taking in
,tscarry-on. "And as we
Jerusalem, invigorating
§ move from place to
my Jewishness in that
e- place in Israel," Rosen-
•
holiest of cities.
thal said, "your bag-
The success of the
gage moves ahead of
first two Miracle Mis-
you, getting to your
sions lies not only in
As the sun starts to set over
hotel before you get
the food, fun and
Jerusalem during Miracle Mis- there."
friendship but also the
sion II, a bus stops so the dele-
Oh, Rosenthal
myriad of delegates who
returne d home with a - -gates on board can gather for
insists Miracle Mission
prayer.
III will be solicitation
deeper awareness of
free. So any dipping
Jewish identity and a
into your wallet will boost Israel's econo-
stronger feeling for Jewish unity. Some
my, not Federation's coffers.
got more involved in their synagogue,
Time will tell whether the mission
others in Jewish organizations. Many
lives up to its billing: The Journey of a
became more observant.
Lifetime."
West Bloomfield's Bert and Marion
But early vibes are that it well
Stein feel more connected to their Jew-
might. 0
ishness and to the Jewish community,
thanks to the first two missions. For
For information about registration and
them, Miracle Mission III, when they
fees, please call the Jewish Federation of
again visit the Jewish homeland with
Metropolitan Detroit (248) 6424260,
other Detroiters, is a definite go. Said
ext. 228.
Bert: "We don't want to miss out on the
pride you feel in Detroit — your com-
To leave a voice mail message for
munity — being so widely represented
Robert Sklar, please call (248
in Israel. It's part of us now Every
3542
6060, ext.158.
minute is exciting. We don't want to feel
PUBLISHER'S NOTEBOOK
Jews Need To Set Example For An Enlightened World
ANDREW A. BUERGER
Publisher
he Jewish people haven't sur-
vived over the last 2,000
years by being laid back and
complacent. Over the last 50
years, we've gone from being history's
most victimized people to arguably the
world's most powerful ethnic group.
Our current status was accomplished
through hard work and the realization
that we cannot leave our fate in anyone
else's hands but our own.
Andrew A. Buerger is an executive vice
president of The Jewish News Group of
Waterspout Communications LLC, parent
company of The Jewish News.
There are those, however, who
believe that Jewish thought and prac-
tice are racist and prejudicial.
Here's a day-to-day example: inter-
dating. For some gentiles, the thought
that many Jews wouldn't consider dat-
ing them could be difficult to under-
stand.
On the level of world opinion: the
tragic "Zionism as racism" label still
resurfaces, especially among Israel's ene-
mies.
Before we become overly self-right-
eous, though, it's important to under-
stand that we as Jews sometimes cross
the line as groups and as individuals. I
periodically get complaints when a
subscriber realizes that a non-Jewish
receptionist answers our phone.
More offensively, during the High
Holidays last fall, I heard someone
complaining about the new cantor at
my synagogue. The person didn't like
the fact that the cantor was a convert.
How could the cantor officiate at a bar
mitzvah, when he, himself, never
observed this uniquely Jewish mile-
stone? I just wish some of our congre-
gants showed the cantor's passion for
Judaism.
And if I hear another Jew refer to
an African-American as schvartze
under the guise of "it's just a Yiddish
expression, not a racial slur," I think
I'll scream.
Scream is exactly what I want to do
about another recent occurrence in
Washington, D.C.
Professor John K Roth, a philoso-
pher from Claremont McKenna Col-
lege, was tarred, feathered and run out
of town because he wasn't Jewish. Roth
had been appointed to head a new aca-
demic arm of the U.S. Holocaust
Memorial Museum there. However,
critics painted him as a radical because
of an OpEd piece he wrote for the L.A.
Times a decade ago. Those critics cited,
out-of-context, a paragraph in which
Roth compared a radical Israel political
party, who wanted to bus Arabs out of
Israel, to the Nazis. The Jewish people
are a little tired of the Holocaust being
used as a hyperbole, but the bad analo-
gy doesn't negate the dozens of
acclaimed books that show Roth's quali-
fications.
.
7/24
1998
Detroit Jewish News
31