* EDITOR'S WATCH

Helping Build Bridges

dren. "Our goal is to send at least one
elinda "Mindy" Soble,
more than that this year," Soble said.
an Emmy Award-win-
Grandfather Harold Soble found a
ning television producer,
new
life in America after fleeing the
has worked diligently to
Russian
pograms buffeting Sokolka,
bridge the streams of Judaism. •
near
Chernobyl,
in 1918, when he
"I've traveled through the branches
was
13.
The
family
settled in Detroit's
of Judaism equally and comfortably —
shtetl around Hastings Street
in my TV work and in my life
in 1920. Harold would
practices," the West Bloom-
build and become president
field resident said. "That's a
of Congregation B'nai
big theme of mine, to bring
David when it was located
Jews together and to work
in the Southfield Road
with everyone, from Recon-
building now home to the
structionist to Orthodox."
Southfield
Centre for the
In salute to her contribu-
Performing Arts. Mindy's
tions to promoting Jewish
uncle, Jerry Soble, is hon-
identity and education
orary
chairman of the Nov.
through television program-
ROB ERT A.
1
concert
there, giving the
ming, Soble will be honored at
S KLAR
event
roots
to three genera-
. the sixth annual family benefit
Ed itor
tions
of
Sobles.
concert of Chabad's Children
After the Chernobyl nuclear
of Chernobyl/Michigan
disaster,
the
Lubavitcher rebbe, Men-
Region. The concert is Sunday, Nov. 1,
achem Mendel Schneerson, called on
at the Southfield Centre for the Per-
the Chabad-Labavitch Chassidic
forming Arts.
movement to help young Jewish vic-
Children of Chernobyl is a human-
tims
and their families make aliyah.
itarian medical relief program for ill
His
followers
pledged to save at least
Jewish children in the Chernobyl
3,000
children.
And they're well on
region of the former Soviet Union. It's
their
way.
More
than 1,600 children
a region where high rates of thyroid
have
been
saved
since
1990.
cancer and other diseases have been
Airlifted children live and attend
linked to radiation exposure from the
school in Kfar Chabad, a village south
1986 nuclear reactor explosion.
of Tel Aviv. They receive intensive
Concert proceeds help air lift these
medical evaluation and treatment,
sick children to Israel. The cost for
proper
nutrition and literacy training
one child's airfare, and the first three
in
preparation
for Israeli citizenship.
months of health care, is $15,000.
Chabad's
Children
of Chernobyl
Last year's concert raised $45,000,
touches
Jews
of
every
stream,
regard-
which covered the air lift of three chil-
less of affiliation or devoutness. "It's

JN Online
Welcomed

I have been waiting for a year for The
Jewish News to go online. Staying
informed of my community's news will
be made much easier.
Living in London, England, and
being able to read the paper online is
going to be a joy!

Marsha Barnett

London, England

Right Of Freedom
Is Threatened

•

Having been born at the end of World
War I, I have lived through the disas-
trous events that have occurred in this
century. As threatening as these times
have been, we are now faced with one of

the worst. We are threatened with the
destruction of the only successful
democracy in history — the right of
freedom for every American citizen.
To proceed to nullify a presidential
election on the basis of authoritarian pri-
vacy-invading questions about sex, ques-
tions the government does not have the
legal power to ask, is producing irrepara-
ble harm to our nation and to its Con-
stitution. There is no crime of perjury
arising out of questions the government
doesn't have, and should not have, the
legal right to ask.
We must stop this terrible carnal
carnival, this tragic, malevolent, parti-
san, confusing, anguishing, national
experience. The purpose of the Con-
stitution — to unify the nation in
opposition to autocracy and abuses of
constitutional authority — is being

very inclusive," Soble said. "It's not an
need for help is greater than ever.
Orthodox exercise."
"We're dealing with a humanitarian
The Michigan Region arose from
effort to save lives — nothing less."
Rabbi Elimelich Silberberg's Sara Tug-
Silberberg called Soble "a very spe-
man Bais Chabad Torah Center in West
cial person — a stellar individual,
Bloomfield, where Soble often studies.
especially in the area of sensitivity to
She joined the cause two years ago.
the needs of people."
"With my interest in children
A Southfield-Lathrup High School
through Jewish television program-
graduate, Soble earned a B.A. in
ming, Children of Chernobyl has been
broadcast journalism from the Univer-
a natural tie-in for me," Soble said.
sity of Southern California. While
"The air lifts have been wonderful.
there, she worked as a production
The number of children who are in
assistant on the syndicated children's
line for rescue changes daily, like a
show "Dusty's Treehouse" as well as on
ticker tape."
CBS' "Mike Douglas Show."
- Parents
She went on to earn an M.A. in
typically
radio, television and film, and to con-
join their
tinue postgraduate work, at North-
children in
• western University in Evanston, Ill.
Israel within
Keying on her twin loves of Judaism
two years.
and journalism, Soble joined the staff of
About 8
the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan
percent of
Chicago as director of programming
the airlifted
and syndication for the Jewish Televi-
children are
sion Commission. At the same time,
orphans.
she developed many independent TV
Today, 12
projects, including the Emmy Award-
years later,
danger still
Tickets for the Chabad's Children -
haunts
of Chernobyl family benefit concert
Chernobyl.
Nov. 1 are $20 in advance or $25
Melinda Soble:
Says Rabbi
at the door for adults; $7 in
Working to bring Jews
Silberberg:
advance or $10 at the door for chil-
together.
"The inci-
dren younger than 12. Israeli
dence of
singing star and recording artist
cancer and other diseases in Dedi will perform. Show time is 7 p.m. at the
adults, and especially chil-
Southfield Centre for the Performing Arts.
dren, remains shockingly
high. The contamination
levels remain high. The
BRIDGES on page 36

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LETTERS on page 36

10/16
1998

Detroit Jewish News

33

