Birthday Bash

Party and museum exhibit honor work
of the Jewish Community Council.

HARRY KI RS BAUM
Staff Writer

A

mid the backdrop of an
exhibit tracing the relation-
ship between the Jewish
community and other eth-
nic groups since the 1930s, Detroit's
Jewish leadership paid homage Sunday
to the "voice of the Jewish communi-
ty" at the Detroit Historical Museum.
More than 250 people packed the
lower-level exhibit hall as the Jewish
Community Council of
Metropolitan Detroit opened its
exhibit, "Sixty Years of Working
Together for Justice and Harmony,"
and listened to short speeches by
local politicians, some Jewish.
In a proclamation read by a repre-
sentative, Detroit Mayor Dennis
Archer thanked the Council for its
numerous achievements that "have left
an indelible mark on the city of
Detroit and surrounding areas."
Michigan Attorney General
Jennifer Granholm kept it short.
"Mazel toy," she said. "This is exhibit
A of how vibrant and how wonderful
the Jewish Community Council is."
U.S. Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.)
looked back:
"The Jewish community comes
together to educate our young, to

Harry Kirsbaum can be reached at
(248) 354-6060, ext. 244, or by e-mail
at hkirsbaum@thejewishnews.corn.

5/28
1999

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groups battling against discrimination
house our seniors, to take care of
while pursuing religious freedom,
immigrants, and provide culture and
human rights and multicultural
recreation. I watched this sense of
understanding.
community with wonder as a boy, aad
Earlier at its annual meeting, the
I see it with great pride as a man," he
Council recognized executive director
said, reading from a statement he put
David Gad-Harf for 10 years of ser-
into the Congressional Record last week.
vice, and elected and installed officers
"This deeply felt sense of commu-
and board members.
nity, of being part of something larger
Howard Wallach, outgoing president,
than our individual selves, is a larger
summed
up his two-year term by
part of who we are. We are very proud
reviewing
the Council's domestic con-
of the Jewish Community Council,
cerns for coalition building, improving
for the work that they do in bringing
literacy, and its opposition to the school
together those of us who are Jewish,
voucher system. He cited continuing
and in helping bring together all of
political WP trips to Israel as a way to
the communities which are a part of
enhance government relations.
this spectacular mosaic that we call the
Focusing on the top
metropolitan Detroit
of
the
ticket is not
area. "
Party snapshots: Top le
enough,
he said, "The
Other dignitaries
U.S. Rep. Sander and Sen.
person you unwittingly
present included U.S.
Carl Levin; center, U.S.
elect, for the school
Rep. Debbie Stabenow and
Reps. Sander Levin,
board or city council,
Council President Kathleen
John Conyers and
may be a state senator in
Straus chat with a guest;
Debbie Stabenow, all
just
a few short years."
exhibit
designer
Joe
Hines
Michigan Democrats,
adjusts
his
Ziandiwork.
After
accepting a certifi-
and Republican State
cate
of
commendation
Rep. Patricia Godchaux.
from
the
office of Gov.
The Council's eight-
John Engler, Gad-Harf, himself a school
panel exhibit, designed by Joe Hines,
board candidate in West Bloomfield,
principal of Projects & Ideas, and
welcomed the new officers and board
sponsored by the Ford Motor
and thanked each staff member.
Company Fund, will remain at the
Gad-Harf called Wallach an out-
historical museum, \Woodward at West
standing
leader and friend and said he
Kirby, through Sunday, June 6.
"has left his mark on the Jewish
Museum hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Community Council, the Jewish com-
Wednesday-Sunday.
munity and Detroit."
The exhibit traces the cooperative
According to its mission statement,
spirit among local ethnic and religious

the Council is the umbrella body for
mole than 200 local Jewish organiza-
tions, advancing Jewish interests by
promoting Jewish values and advocat-
ing on behalf of Jews at home and
around the world.
Newly elected Council President
Kathleen Straus called on the mem-
bers to continue the work outlined by
Wallach.
She also said not only is the board
more representative of the community <
now, but the officers are more broad-
based as well. A staunch Democrat,
Straus* noted that Republican Jim
Alexander, director of the governor's
southeastern Michigan office, is one of
three Council vice presidents.
"So right at the top ; we have a
political balance," she said.
Penny Blumenstein, president of
the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan
Detroit, spoke of the relationship
between the two organizations.
"The Council acts as the community
voice in many difficult situations. It is
the connection between diverse groups
and divergent opinions as well as search-
lights to situations that might divide us,"
she said. "The Council has and will con-
tinue to fulfill a role in Federation, in
the metropolitan area and the world
communities that otherwise would be
empty. Through the trips and educa-
tional forums it sponsors, (the Council)
helps the Detroit and Michigan com-
munity understand the Jewish needs
here and in Israel." El