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itorials

Letters to the Editor are updated daily and archived on JN Online:
www.detroitjewishnews.corn

For A Stronger Akiva

IVIT

Metropolitan Detroit (Conservative).
From our perspective, a determined effort
to stay in touch with alumni, commission an
independent evaluation and initiate physical
and academic improvements would increase
the prospect of Akiva rain'
the $1.2 million
that's required to cOnve...,:r`;‘. former Beth
Achim synagogue in St .titi , lijd into its new
home.
But first, the administrative and lay leader-
ship must acknowledge that public interest in
Akiva's future is keen and appropriate.
By accepting help from the Jewish Fed-
eration of Metropolitan Detroit and its
banking/real estate arm, the United Jew-
ish Foundation of Metropolitan Detroit,
Akiva has made itself accountable to the
• •fl •
entire Jewish community of Detroit.
7.s, 4
If enrollment doesn't somehow jump
substantially in the next year, Akiva
may have no alternative but-to merge
its high school, at least to some extent,
with either Yeshiva Beth Yehudah or,
more likely, the planned Conservative
high school.
If compromises could be struck on
non-religious operational issues, the
merged schools could share secular
classes and extracill -ular programs to
help anchor enrollment. That would
inspire the critical ► iJss numbers so
vital to creating a strong college
preparatory, Jewish high school.
Sure, Jewish teenagers from the
Orthodox, Conservative, Reform and
possibly other movements would be
mingling in the case of the Conserva-
tive high school, but why not? A plural-
istic approach to secular study wouldn't
strip any of the movements of their
ideals, traditions or level of observance.
That kind of approach works in so
many other areas of the Detroit Jewish
community it should remain a front-
Akiva Hebrew Day School students mingle between
burner option if Akiva's enrollment
classes.
doesn't turn around quickly.
Meanwhile, Akiva must dig deep
within
its soul, and that of the Detroit
Center of Metropolitan Detroit on various
Jewish
community,
to address the hard realities
projects over the past year to fulfill this com-
of strengthening its general studies without
mitment.
losing the vigor of its religious text studies or
Teens especially are vulnerable, given they
its pursuit of "a vibrant atmosphere of Torah
are in their greatest growth, and most impres-
values and academic challenge."
sionable, years.
As a community, we would suffer if a
We're hoping that by focusing the public
potentially
viable Jewish high school like Akiva
spotlight on the rundown facilities, revenue
should
fail.
So we as a community are obligat-
shortfall, declining enrollment, staff turnover
ed
to
look
nationally
to see how other Jewish
and curriculum needs at Akiva, we can rally
high
schools
work
—
and to discover the keys
the Detroit Jewish community around the 34-
to success.
year-old modern Orthodox day school.
For its part, -6 ■ 1<iva must step up to solving
Without community support, Akiva won't
the litany of problems its embattled high
be able to solidify its tenuous niche between
school faces quickly, creatively and prudently
the more successful Yeshiva Beth Yehudah (tra-
— and with a visionary eye to the future.
ditional Orthodox) and Hillel Day School of

e want Akiva Hebrew Day
School and its high school to
survive and prosper. But to do
so, they must resolve a critical-
stage confluence of fiscal, enrollment and cur-
riculum problems.
We're committed to promoting Jewish edu-
cation as a builder and sustainer of Jewish
identity — and as a lifeline to Jewish continu-
ity from generation to generation. And we've
teamed with the Jewish Federation of Metro-
politan Detroit and the Jewish Community

1 / 1
1999

36 Detroit Jewish News

Take A Deep Breath

I

f, as Shakespeare said, the world's a stage, then this week
the cast in the Jewish world needed respite from the series
of recent dramas. Happily, we can embrace the start of a
second consecutive three-day weekend, one that includes
the serenity and rejuvenation of Shabbat.
We've been dazzled and frazzled in recent weeks by stunning
headlines of impeachment, war and elections. And the word
momentous does not adequately describe a once-in-a-century
impeachment of a U.S. president combined with an Israeli gov-
ernment collapse, a dangerously battered peace process and
massive missiles strikes against the owner of the world's most
threatening chemical weapons cache.
Had recent events occurred one year from now, the mil-
lenialists, who believe that calamities will occur at century's end,
could have seen the beginnings of apocalypse. We don't see
that. Instead, we see the latest acts in an ongoing play that
teeters between theater of the absurd and existentialist drama.
But that was all last week. And it will all return soon enough.
For now, we'll focus on the chance to rest. Indeed, Jews who have
never been to Israel had a taste of what Shabbat is like in the Jew-
ish state. Few cars in the street, no traffic jams, a chance to sleep,
visit and relax.
We know it's the calm before the storm, but we'll enjoy it all
anyway. By this time next week, look for more headlines on
impeachment proceedings in the Senate, Mideast peace snafus,
verbal hostilities leading up to Israeli elections, and God knows
what in as yet unknown stories.
The world is indeed a stage; this intermission showed up just
in time. Fl

IN Foos

Memory Lane

Storyteller Corinne Stavish relates the history of the Detroit
Jewish community at a recent reception hosted by the Allied
Jewish Campaign Quarter Century Club and the 100-Year Cel-
ebration Com-
mittee. The
evening marked
the opening of
"Memory and
Vision: A Cele-
bration of Jewish
Community,
1899-1999" at
the Kahn Jewish
Community
Center in West
Bloomfield. The
free exhibit
marks the 100th
anniversary of
organized Jewish
philanthropy in
Detroit. Co-
sponsors include
the Jewish Feder-
ation of Metropolitan Detroit and the United Jewish Founda-
tion of Metropolitan Detroit.