This
dent of the Jewish
sidered the only son of
United Fund/Jewish
God, but is revered as a
Federation of
divinely inspired person.
Metropolitan Chicago,
Nonetheless, Williamson is
was the first communal
a member of Temple Beth
executive to turn down
El, and her daughter
the position.
Emma attends religious
Aronson's decision left
school there.
Penny Blumenstein, the
"Marianne Williamson is
Detroit Federation's
one of the key figures in
president, feeling gleeful.
the New Age movement
"You can imagine how
and she has a message
thrilled I am to know he Marianne Williamson
that people want to hear
is staying in our area.
and need to hear," said
He's a man of vision, wonderfully cre-
Temple Beth El Rabbi Daniel Syme.
ative and we will be so well-served by
Over the years, Beth El has been a
having him remain here."
forum for a variety of speakers, some
controversial. Syme said he'd be com-
After a 2-1/2-week struggle, the dri-
A woman who describes herself as
fortable hosting a messianic Jew, or a
ving force of Jewish communal
Jewish yet serves as spiritual leader for a
Jew for Jesus, but noted that "Marianne
Detroit has decided to pass on an offer
church and has a painted icon of Jesus
Williamson is not a messianic Jew."
for greater national prominence.
hanging in her office will address con-
Robert Aronson, execu-
gregants of a Reform temple next
Congregation B'nai David has lost its
tive vice president of the
month on "Healing the World in a
1-1/2-year battle to get a 10-acre piece
Jewish Federation of
Spiritual Age."
of land to build a synagogue on. The
Metropolitan Detroit,
Marianne Williamson, a Texas-
decision came down last week from
turned down an opportu-
born Jew who achieved national
Oakland County Circuit Court Judge
nity this week to become a
fame with motivational speeches
Rudy Nichols.
chief professional of
of
and New Age bestsellers like the
The Traditional synagogue had sued
the still-unnamed national
1992 A Return to Love, will speak
C.B.D.S. Limited Partnership, which
entity that would represent
at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 12,
was formed in 1987, to buy the land
the merger of the United
at Temple Beth El. Her talk is part
on Maple Road between Halsted and
Robert Aronson of the congregation's two-night
Jewish Appeal, the
Haggerty roads in West Bloomfield.
Council of Jewish
series on "Political and Spiritual
The judge decided that B'nai David
Federations and the United Israel
Power." (Journalist Helen Thomas of
had set forth three separate versions of
Appeal.
United Press International will speak
the contract, said defense attorney
Making the choice didn't come
the preceding evening on "Front Row
Gregory Hanley, representing
easy, Aronson said Tuesday, but "all
at the White House.")
C.B.D.S. "I don't think they ever
things considered, at this time in my
In an interview with The Jewish
articulated what the agreement was."
life, I feel that this (staying in Detroit)
News last year, Williamson admitted
He would not comment on what
is a better decision for me."
an "as-yet unresolved oddity" of being
would happen to the land now
He said the Federation Board of
the Jewish head of a Christian house
Patrick McLain, the attorney for
Governors did not have to sweeten the
of worship. Her 3,000-member
B'nai David, said he didn't know
pot to keep him. "That was not even a
Church of Today in Warren adheres
whether the congregation would
consideration, nor should it have been."
ro the 100-year-old "Unity" sect of
appeal, ask for a new trial or simply
In March, Steven B. Nasatir, presi-
Christianity, whereby Jesus is not con-
drop the case.
Saying 'no' to New York;
Williamson at Beth El;
reusable prayer books;
Irnai David loses.
1Narkiug 100 Tears
Of Detroit Jewry
Remember
When
From the pages of The Jewish News
for this week 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50
years ago.
1989
A brick was thrown through the bed-
room window of Amy Harmon, co-
editor of the Michigan Daily in Ann
Arbor, as debate continued over the
paper's anti-Israel editorial policy
A Philadelphia insurance company
is suing a student at Yeshivah
Gedolah who allegedly set off fire-
crackers that started a fire at the
Oak Park day school in March.
1979
El Al Israel Airlines inaugurated
flights from Chicago's O'Hare
International Airport twice weekly,
departing at noon.
Edith and Joseph Jackier were
named 1979 honorees by the
Jewish National Fund in recogni-
tion of their joint roles in many
social service causes over the years.
1969
The Palestine Liberation
Organization distributed posters in
Beirut depicting Sirhan B. Sirhan,
assassin of Robert F. Kennedy, as a
heroic Arab commando.
Dr. Frederick Bernstein, a foot spe-
cialist in Berkley, was installed as pres-
ident of the Southeastern Division,
Michigan State Podiatry Association.
1959
Maxwell M. Kalman, one of
Canada's foremost architects, left for
Israel to take command of building
a faculty row at Bar-Ilan University.
This year, Good Friday prayers
were recited by Catholics without
the traditional reference to "perfidi-
ous Jews" by order of Pope John
XXIII, who struck the reference. •
1949
This unidentified trampoline artist is
participating in the dedication of the pla ground
at the Jimmy Prentis Morris Building o the
Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan
Detroit in this circa 1955 photograph.
The JPM Building is in Oak Park.
Photo courtesy of Leonard N. Simons Jewish Community Archives/Jewish Federation
of Metropolitan Detroit. If you have information about this photograph, please call
Heidi Christein, Jewish community archivist. (248) 642-4260.
Congregation B'nai David's basket-
ball team won the title in the inter-
synagogue league, defeating the
Temple Israel team by a score of
39-29. B'nai David's high scorer
was Maynard Flusty.
Committee members Joe Medwed,
Helen Karabenick, Abner Dunn and
Estelle Levinson made plans for the
Young Adult Council's model seder
to be held at the Jewish Center.
4/9
1999
Detroit Jewish News
27