COMMUNITY VIEWS
Jewish-Christian Relations
Have Roots In Yom Kippur
gentle giants of the prairie," who are
hen I mention that I am
misunderstood because no one takes
from a small town in
the time to know them.
Minnesota, many people
When I listen to Keillor talk about
jokingly ask if I am from
the fictitious experiences of Norwe-
Lake Wobegon, the fictitious small mid-
gian bachelor farmers in
Minnesota town that Garrison
Lake Wobegon, I cannot
Keillor talks about each week
help being reminded of the
on his Prairie Home Compan-
real experiences of Jews who
ion radio program. No, I am
have lived in Christian soci-
not from Lake Wobegon, but I
eties for most of the past
know the people who live there
two millennia. Until recent-
because they are composites of
ly, whatever contact existed
people everywhere; his stories
between Christians and Jews
about Lake Wobegon are a
usually involved Christians
humorous mirror on the
talking at Jews or about
human condition.
Jews. At best, Jews were
DAVID
Some of my favorite char-
kept on the outskirts of
BLEWETT
acters from Lake Wobegon
Christian society; they were
Special to
are the Norwegian bachelor
objects of ridicule and mis-
the Jewish News
farmers who live on the out-
trusted because Christians
skirts of town. They are
made no effort to talk with
described as burly, slow-wit-
Jews. Only recently, in the last half of
ted, anti-social men who bathe only
this century, have Christians begun to
when the seasons change, "whether
challenge their attitude of contempt.
they need it or not." On those rare
The history of Christian-Jewish rela-
times when they come to town,
tions is one long lesson of the relation-
women cross the street to avoid them
ship that develops between two people
and kids stare as if they were some
when one or both parties refuse to hum-
kind of mutant life form; everyone in
ble themselves, repent and seek forgive-
Lake Wobegon sees them as mysteri-
ness from those who are being offended.
ous misfits. But Garrison Keillor, the
Christians ignored Jesus' persistent
storyteller, reminds us that, in reality,
teaching of love for the other and the
these men are decent, hard-working,
need for self-examination that leads to
self-reliant and shy introverts, "the
repentance and restoration of fellowship.
IV
David Blewett is executive director of
the Ecumenical Institute for Jewish-
Christian Studies in Southfield.
Jesus even said that repentance and rec-
onciliation were more important than
sacrifice (Matthew 5:24). I find it inter-
esting that this lesson, part of the Ser-
mon on the Mount, generated no argu-
ment — Jesus' audience of Jews knew
he was right because that is the lesson of
Yom Kippur.
Only since the Holocaust have
Christians begun to apply that teach-
ing of Jesus to their relationship with
Jews. In 1962, as part of the Second
Yom Kippur
reminds us that
repentance is a
serious matter
and intensely
personal.
Vatican Council, the Roman Catholic
Church shocked the world by publicly
confessing that its teachings and over-
all attitude towards Jews had been
wrong. Not only did the church
repent, it also committed itself to cor-
recting its teaching about Jews and
Judaism. That confession, repentance
and desire for reconciliation began the
process of Christian-Jewish relations
that we enjoy today.
Beginning in the late 1970s, every
major mainline Protestant denomina-
tion has followed the example of the
Catholic Church and issued its own
statement of confession, repentance
and desire for reconciliation. That
process continues today in both the
Christian and Jewish communities; it
is an exciting and rejuvenating process
to be part of.
In Jewish-Christian dialogue, we
Christians and Jews continue to dis-
cover new areas needing further repen-
tance that, when dealt with, lead us
together into new discoveries and
deeper levels of Jewish-Christian rela-
•
tions. No longer do we avoid or
ignore each other; instead, we seek
each other out for our own good and
that of our faith communities.
Yom Kippur reminds us, both Jews
and Christians, that repentance is a seri-
ous matter and intensely personal.
Churches and synagogues may confess
and repent towards each other, but with-
out the personal repentance of individ-
ual Christians and Jews, corporate
apologies are little more than words on
paper. To authentically participate in
Jewish-Christian dialogue, each partici-
pant must come to the place where a
spirit of honest self-criticism and will-
ingness to repent dominates his or her
life. The person truly committed to
Christian-Jewish relations echoes the
prayer of David, "Search me, 0 God,
and know my heart; test me and know
my thoughts. See if there is any wicked
way in me, and lead me in the way ever-
lasting" (Psalms 139:23-24). Without
that humble self-examination, there can
be no dialogue. 111
LITTERS
food pantry even though they may
have actually been kosher.
If these party planners had ever vis-
ited Yad Ezra, they would have known
how it works. Although Yad Ezra was
more than gracious about distributing
the unacceptable goods to other, non-
kosher food banks, I fat that I had
been misled by these "experienced"
planners. Not to mention, Yad Ezra
had to waste valuable volunteer hours
sorting through and distributing these
baskets.
Cindy Krainen
West Bloomfield
Archives Are A
Combined Effort
I would like to thank the Jewish
9/17
News for the article on Sinai Hospi-
tal ("Remembering Sinai," Aug. 27).
It was important that the communi-
ty be alerted to the fact that while
Sinai may be "gone," it will not be
forgotten.
I would like to point out that it
was a combined effort to secure the
collection for the Leonard N.
Simons Jewish Community
Archives. Top Federation leadership
urged the Detroit Medical Center to
donate the collection, Archives chair
Susan Citrin added her voice to
remind DMC of the collection's
value (and she also added her muscle
when it came to moving the collec-
tion) and several of the gentlemen
here at Federation made certain the
materials were carefully relocated.
The Jewish Historical Society of
Michigan also advocated for the col-
lection's preservation.
I will let the readers of the Jewish
News know when the collection will
be open for research.
Heidi S. Christein
director,
Leonard N. Simons
Jewish Community Archives
Jewish Federation
of Metropolitan Detroit
Bloomfield Township
Violence
And Students
I.applaud Jennifer Rosenwasser and
Gary Weisserman for their efforts to
help students openly discuss the
causes and potential solutions to
violence in our schools ("Coming To
Terms," Aug. 27).
As a clinical psychologist and mem-
ber of the Michigan Psychological
Association's anti-violence task force, I
have had the opportunity to visit
many schools and talk with students
about the warning signs of violent
behavior and what to do about them.
I have been surprised to find numer-
ous students who feel they have no
adult to talk with about their fears or
concerns.
Having an adult that a young per-
son can trust to talk with is critical,
whether that person be a parent, a
friend's parent, teacher or janitor. This
"safe" person allows our children to
feel less alone and more hopeful that
help will be there should they fear or
experience violence, prejudice or other
problems.
Given the recent traumatic events