EDITOR'S WATCH

Keeping The Flames
Of Pluralism Aglow

Jews reject the notion that Conserva-
s debate rages over religious
tive or Reform Jews are even Jewish,
pluralism in Israel, Detroit
others guard their traditions but reach
Jews are quietly showing
out to others who also cherish the
they can co-exist, no matter
Covenant of Abraham and Sarah.
how different their commitment to
While some liberal Reform Jews
dismiss black-hat Jews as
Torah study.
In some respects, Detroit
lost in a time warp, others
Jewry is a model for other
believe in the ideals of
American cities with diverse
assimilation set forth by
Jewish populations. Unfortu-
Reform Rabbis Leo Franklin
and Leon Fram in 20th-
nately, our promising
approach to pluralism isn't
century Detroit but vigor-
well known, even among our-
ously defend the disciples of
the Baal Shem Tov, founder
selves.
And that's disheartening.
of Chasidism in 18th-centu-
We should be proud of
ry Europe.
how many of us accept one
As I travel through the
ROB ERT A.
myriad
neighborhoods in
another, despite some pro-
SKL AR
foundly divergent beliefs and
the
Detroit
Jewish commu-
Ed itor
nity, I've seen more than
lifestyles.
I fervently believe that
mere tolerance by members
Judaism's enduring vigor flows from
of one stream toward those in another.
the diversity of its streams and the
I've often seen genuine acceptance.
devotion of its people.
And I've seen it at all age and income
As I see it, each of the three major
levels.
streams — Orthodox, Conservative
In just the past year, children of
and Reform — derive strength from
various streams shared good times at
their collective successes and tensions.
Jewish Experiences For Families'
Together, they represent the support-
"Israel At 50" fest at the Jimmy Pren-
ing pillars of our faith. Remove one
tis Morris Jewish Community Center
/-
and Judaism's foundation as we know
in Oak Park.
it in North America is perilously
During the March of the Living to
Poland and Israel, the JCC Maccabi
weakened.
As a lifelong Detroiter, I've fol-
Games and the local Walk for Israel,
lowed with interest, curiosity and
teens of different streams co-mingled
hope how Jews of all streams have
in an upbeat way.
interacted amid the steady northwest-
Young adults of all streams joined
erly migration since the 1950s.
hands and hearts on the Jewish Feder-
While some devoutly Orthodox
ation of Metropolitan Detroit-hosted

`-)

streams and those contributions help
young adult leadership mission to
support programs and services in all
Israel — under the tutelege of Rabbis
streams.
Paul Yedwab of Temple Israel, Stephen
Gladdened as I am by such com-
Weiss of Shaarey Zedek and Steven
munal concord, I know we in the
Weil of Young Israel of Oak Park.
Detroit Jewish community can do
Older adults from Reform, Conser-
more — we must do more. We must
vative and Traditional synagogues
build eternal bridges of understanding
broke bread together at the annual
among the streams.
intercongregational senior luncheon
I still hear grumbles that we at The
hosted by Temple Israel.
Jewish News devote too much
Secular to observant adults
space to the Orthodox
came to study at Rabbi
community given that it
Avraham Jacobovitz'
represents less than 10
Machon L'Torah/The
percent of Detroit's
Jewish Learning Net-
96,000 Jews.
work of Michigan in
I still hear grum-
Oak Park and Rabbi
bles that the big
Elimelich Silber-
Reform temples are
berg's Sara Tugman
thriving only
Bais Chabad Torah
because they have
Center in West
wealthy benefactors.
Bloomfield — both
And I still hear
headed by Orthodox
grumbles that the
rabbis.
Conservative synagogues
Lunch-and-learns,
control Jewish leadership
growing in popularity,
positions in Detroit.
typically appeal to Jews of
I long to hear more
all stripes, from observant
Moses M endelssohn
Reform Jews say they need
to secular, regardless of the
(1729 -1786)
to know what's happening
host agency.
in the Orthodox commu-
In a JCC-sponsored
nity, and more Orthodox Jews say the
community forum on spiritually, an
same about the Reform community.
Orthodox, a Reform, a Conservative
I realize we're still caught in a briar
and a Humanistic rabbi sat together
patch when I hear conversations dwell
on the dais.
on the Reform way, the Conservative
Detroit rabbis also cooperate in
way or the Orthodox way. For those
chaplaincy to inspire healing, not
who keep score, there's also the Recon-
observance.
Federation's Allied Jewish Cam-
PLURALISM on page 37
paign pulls contributions from all

.

an issue as critical as Akiva, those stan-
Akiva per se is a misrepresentation of
dards have been compromised.
more accurate and honest assessment.
You acknowledge that evaluating a
the facts.
In a sidebox titled "Leaders' Kids
Yeshai Koenigsberg
From reading the article, one gets
private school is not a simple matter.
Aren't at Akiva," the article notes that
Jerusalem, Israel
the distinct impression that Jewish
You then proceed to attempt such an
a number of leaders in the local cen-
studies at Akiva boils down to ward-
evaluation by turning to the Indepen-
trist Orthodox community do not
ing off evil spirits and avoiding
dent Schools Association of Central
send their children to Akiva. The
God's anger. Whether those state-
States and its spokesman, Patrick Bas-
implication is clear: something is
ments were made as stated, or what
set. Mr. Basset's comments are certain-
wrong at Akiva. Once again, you have
Certainly, some difficulties confront
the actual context in which they
ly important and deserve mention.
neglected to examine the situation in
Akiva's
high school("Akiva: The Roads
were
said
was,
is
beside
the
point.
However, to employ such a compari-
other communities. Had you done so,
Ahead
Jan.
1). However, enrollment,
The fact is that the Jewish studies
son as the sole means of evaluation is
you would have discovered that this
scores
and
performance
are up. The
curriculum at Akiva covers a wide
unjustified.
phenomenon is not uncommon in
article
neglected
to
distinguish
its
range of subject matter that is rich
Clearly, an Orthodox private school
centrist Orthodox communities and
focus
on
the
high
school
from
the
in meaning, relevant and inspiring.
such as Akiva is fundamentally differ-
institutions throughout the country.
lower
grades.
The
many
graduates
By focusing on isolated information,
ent from its nonsectarian counterparts.
In fact, even at Yeshiva University,
who were successful at Akiva, and
the article has succeeded in trivializ-
Attention should have been directed
the flagship educational institution of
remain successful as committed and
ing,
even
demonizing,
Jewish
studies
to the dozens of Orthodox day schools
Centrist Orthodoxy, a number of
observant individuals at top universi-
throughout the country that are virtu-
at Akiva.
prominent leaders have been known
ties, were not mentioned.
The Jewish News has always been
ally identical to Akiva. A sampling of
to educate their children in right-wing
The panic that many of us felt
known to strive for excellence in its
such schools would have uncovered
If anything, this trend is a
upon
confronting the challenge of a
yeshivot.
commitment to responsible journal-
many revealing parallels regarding the
reflection of centrist Orthodoxy as a
college
curriculum was ascribed solely
ism. It is unfortunate that in regard to
issues addressed in the article. More
whole. To in any way attribute this to
importantly, it would have provided a

Negativism
Unmerited

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Detroit Jewish News

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