COMMON MAN, MYTHIC VISION:
The Paintings of Ben Shahn
JULY 25- OCTOBER 31
'KITCHEN
Bookshop: Hebrew Books, Holy Day Books, I 953;
The Detroit Institute of Arts
© Estate of Ben Shahn/Licensed by VAGA, New York, NY
BEN S H A H N championed social justice and made paintings that communicate
the shared experiences and concerns of humanity. His art expresses our joys and
sorrows, reflects his Jewish heritage, and celebrates the strength of the human spirit.
Enjoy Gallery Talks on Sunday, August 29 at 2 p.m. &
Friday, September 3 at 6 & 7:30 p.m. (open till 9 p.m. Sept. 3)
Free with museum admission.
This exhibition is sponsored by Ernst C-Young LLP. lajor support ryas recrired through the generosity ef The Henry Luce
Foundation. Additional funding WEIS provided by the .National Endearment /or tlw Arts, a federal agency Organized by The
Jewish :Muse tt e,
.In Detroit the exhibition is made possible with support from the Michigan Council for :Arts and Cultural
Affairs and the City or Detroit.
atu
THE DETROIT INSTITUTE OF ARTS
5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit • 313-833-7900 • www.dia.org
The Case
For Conversion
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8/27
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98 Detroit Jewish News
marriage, he said, "that we failed to
deal" with the many non-Jews "who
are honestly interested in Judaism."
The community has "missed the
boat terribly by a general misconcep-
tion that Judaism is opposed to
accepting these people," said
Schulweis, who characterized the typi-
cal reaction to such seekers as "conde-
scension almost flirting on racism."
Tobin agreed, saying at the confer-
ence that an overwhelming fear of
intermarriage "spills over" into the dis-
cussion of conversion.
"If we can keep the stranger out,
then we can keep our sons and daugh-
ters in. If the walls are permeable,
then our sons and daughters can
leave," he said.
At the New York conference, Rabbi
Rachel Cowan described her own feel-
ings of rejection when she decided to
convert to Judaism.
"We need a language of welcome,"
she said.
Cowan and Dru Greenwood, the
director of the Commission on
Reform Outreach of the UAHC-
Central Conference of American
Rabbis, grew up together as Rachel
Brown and Dru Crigler in the exclu-
sive community of Wellesley, Mass.
"They say a successful Jew is some-
,,
one who has Jewish grandchildren,
Cowan said.
Pointing to Greenwood, who also
converted to Judaism, Cowan said,
"Well, Mrs. Crigler and Mrs. Brown
have Jewish grandchildren." I 1
Author Gary Tobin lists the bene-
fits of an inclusive policy toward
others, including:
• A possible renaissance in Jewish
Check out the
Painters and
Wallpaper Hangers
in our
Marketplace
Home and Service
Guide.
• An infiision of the experience
and knowledge of new individuals
to help build institutional strength
inside the Jewish community.
• The thriving of institutions
which offer a vehicle for Jews to
express their Judaism.
• Enhanced religious depth of all
who participate in Judaism.
• Increased ability of Jews to
relate to other groups, adding
richness to the fabric of life.
• Jewish population growth accom-
panied by greater political power,
with an added influence "to repair
an increasingly broken world."