C01111111111117 VIEWS

Interfaith Relations
Show Renewed Strength

Catholic and Jewish relations and real-
ne year ago, Rabbi Dannel
ized a new friendship in each other.
Schwartz of Temple Shir
One month later, Bishop Nienstedt
Shalom and chairman of the
was invited to Temple Shir Shalom to
Michigan Board of Rabbis,
continue the dialogue.
and Bishop John Nienstedt, an auxil-
Events like these, though
iary bishop of the Archdio-
touching only a small por-
cese of Detroit, spoke at the
tion of this vast metropoli-
Shrine of the Little Flower in
tan area, are quite inspiring
Royal Oak about relations
and point to a new open-
between Jews and Catholics
ness to people of other
in our society today.
faiths. In the last 30 years,
They had traveled together
there has been astounding
with a group of American
progress in interfaith rela-
bishops and rabbis to Israel
tions. In our metropolitan
and Rome to consider these
area, there are at least four
relations. Before a gathering
official bodies that promote
THE REV.
of close to 200 Christians
interfaith relations.
LEON ARD P.
and Jews, Rabbi Schwartz
The National Council for
BL AIR
and Bishop Nienstedt spoke
Community
and Justice
Spec ial to
of an era in the past when
(NCCJ),
more
popularly
the Jew ish News
they could not possibly have
known as the Interfaith
addressed such a group, let
Round Table, promotes a
alone address them in that
variety of programs to create better
setting.
understanding among people of vari-
While acknowledging the tensions
ous faiths. Trialogue groups of Jewish,
that still exist in our relations with one
Christian and Muslim clergy, scholars
another, the clergymen spoke positive-
and laity meet monthly to address
ly of the dialogues taking place
topics of mutual concern. Each year,
between Christians and Jews. Indeed,
they sponsor a symposium for the
they said they returned from the trip
leadership from these religious corn-
with great hope for the future of
munities to dialogue around an issue
affecting all religious faiths. The
NCCJ is also offering workshops in
The Most Reverend Leonard Paul
schools and civic communities to pro-
Blair's Episcopal ordination as auxil-
mote understanding and tolerance for
iary bishop of the Roman Catholic
differences in religious expressions.
Church Archdiocese of Detroit was held
The Southfield-based Ecumenical
Aug. 24 at Cathedral of the Most
Institute
for Jewish-Christian Studies,
Blessed Sacrament in Detroit.

0

founded by the late Dr.
James Lyons, promotes
activities between Jews
and Christians that have
as their aim a greater
appreciation of each
other's faith traditions
and mutual understand-
ing. The institute offers
a number of educational
opportunities for Chris-
tians to understand the
Jewish faith and cus-
toms. Christians and
Jews are brought togeth-
er for an annual church-
synagogue tour in
which the participants
not only tour different
churches or temple, but
also meet religious lead-
ers and enter into dia-
logue. The institute has
an ambassadors pro-
gram in the schools to
help Christian and Jew-
ish teens respect and
understand each other.
New on the scene is
the Detroit .Parliament
on Religions, which had its first gath-
ering a year ago at Oakland Universi-
ty. It brought together representatives
from the major world religions repre-
sented in metropolitan Detroit to dis-
cuss family life. The parliament will
offer programs in the future to reflect
on issues that are of concern to peo-
ple of various faiths. Not only will

these issues be addressed commonly,
but also in the course of discussion,
people of different faiths will learn
much about one another.
The Christian Communication
Council has as its purpose to promote
dialogue among Christians. Yet, in
recent years, it has also expanded some
INTERFAITH ON PAGE 38

LITTIRS

King, we have no King but You") said
recently in our synagogues on the
High Holy Days, reflects the supreme
bond that impel a Jew to act as a kid-
dush Hashem, one . who sanctifies God's
name.
Your editorial ("Roots of Diversi-
ty") states that Secular Humanism has
made a "distinct break from Torah tra-
dition" in that it embraces Judaism's
culture and customs but not its
"divine inspiration." Since this move-
ment has taken the deity out of
Judaism, which from its inception is
based on a deep belief in God and
divine intervention, it can hardly call
itself a legitimate expression of our
religion. Define Secular Humanism as
you wish, but don't try to pass it off to
us as Judaism.
In recent times, the American Jewish
community has begun to face up to the

10/22

tragedy evidenced by the escalating crisis
of intermarriage and assimilation and
has become obsessed with its survival,
i.e., "Jewish continuity." Locally, both
the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan
Detroit and the communal educational
and religious infrastructure sponsor
many worthwhile and innovative pro-
grams to promote Jewish awareness.
Therefore, Federation's overt endorse-
ment of Secular Humanism by its grant
to fund Colloquium '99 is a convoluted,
self-defeating gesture that imparts a con-
fused and troubled message to our com-
munity.
The contradiction in terms in the
article's title, "The Future Is Now," is
reflective of the oxymoron that charac-
terizes the Secular Humanistic move-
ment in general. To "reinvent"
Judaism by stripping it of God is not
just a "distinct break from Torah tradi-

tion," but a denial of the innate con-
nection that has sustained us as a
nation since the beginning.
Nacha Sara Leaf

Oak Park

Let's Expose
Arab Propaganda

Congratulations to the Jewish Federa-
tion of Metropolitan Detroit and the
Jewish Community Council of Metro-
politan Detroit for taking Michelle
Engler and such a large group of state
officials plus staff from the Federation
and the Council to Israel ("Lasting
Impression," Oct. 8).
I understand that it was designed to
display Israel's social services and there
was some limitation on time. But, if
you are going to spend such a very

large amount of donated Federation
funds to sponsor opinion makers to
Israel, how about taking some time to
counter the incessant pro-Arab propa-
ganda that appears in the media? How
about taking a couple of days to pre-
sent Israel's side of the political story
and enlighten your visitors?
We see trip after trip like our own
miracle missions originating in the Unit-
ed States and sponsored by federations
supported entirely by donated dollars
not attempting, in most cases, to do the
very basic educational and political work
so vital to Israel's interests.
Why are politicians, opinion mak-
ers and just plain Jews not shown so-
called "Arab East Jerusalem?" Why are
they not shown the remnants of 58
destroyed synagogues and Arab
attempts to destroy hundreds of mezu-
zot in the door posts of formerly Jew-