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Christian Dior
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Maple at Lahser (Next to Blockbuster Video) • Bloomfield Hills
Open 10-6 Daily • 248 644 4576

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Since
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STEVEN TARNOW, C.R.

(248)
626-5603

PREFERRED

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Fax

248-932-0950

Residential & Commercial Remodeling

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1490
Malls

6235 Orchard Lake Rd. • Next to Orchard Mall

Hydro-spa whirlpool
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Appointments:

12/24
1999

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MOM MADE 1110011Vitalir

German Jewish Renewal

VOICE

from page 11

PEACE

from page 7

not to be harmed bodily."
Today, the Michael Witti Law Offices
Ironically, some of the new immi-
is one of the largest practices working on
grants
who most want to be involved
Holocaust-related claims — from slave
Jewishly are, as the children of Jewish
labor compensation to property restitu-
fathers and gentile mothers, not con-
tion to health claims. Aside from class-
sidered Jewish according to halacha, or
action lawsuits, the firm represents some
Jewish
law. Thus, according to corn-
14,000 clients, he said — mostly in
munity
regulations, they cannot take
Israel, the United States, Hungary and
part
in
all
official communal activities.
the Czech Republic.
"It's
a
big
problem," said Kessler.
During his travels, the blond German
"They
say,
rightly,
In Russia we were
is sometimes mistaken for an Israeli by
Jews,
and
here
we
are
Russian. Why
clients. "I am an example," said Witti,
will no one have us?'"
"that you don't need to be Jewish" to
Inna Orlowski, a member of the
work for justice for survivors.
first
graduating class of Berlin's new
Now that the slave-labor talks appar-
Jewish
high school, is part of a back-
ently have concluded, Witti expects to
to-Judaism
movement among young
travel from Washington to Detroit,
people.
where he will visit members of the
"My grandparents had decided
Jewish community and speak with
against
Jewish life and for communist
elderly survivors who have had prob-
ideals," she said. "Now, we can begin
lems getting reparations from Germany.
again to rebuild the relationship to
"I will give them information about
Judaism.
If I don't do it, then for my
what is possible; they will give me files
children
it
would not be possible."
of people who were turned down for
Throughout
the postwar period, the
reparations, or whose prewar property
prevalent
view
of
world Jewry was that
was not returned," Witti explained.
no
Jews
should
live
in Germany.
Witti said he will not be able to
Until the influx of immigration over
help some people. For others, howev-
the past decade, the Jewish community
er, this is not the end."
consisted mainly of Eastern European
These future cases have nothing to
Jewish
survivors who ended up in
do with the planned industry repara-
Displaced
Persons camps after the war,
tions fund for former slave laborers,
Many openly
descendants.
and
their
Witti explained. The participating
said
that
they
lived
"with
packed suit-
firms in that fund expect a guarantee
cases"
at
the
ready
—
just
in case.
of protection against future class-
Sometimes, ironically, immigrants
action lawsuits and company-related
encounter more overt discrimination
damages.
in Germany than they faced at home.
Recently, an opinion poll indicated
Two
years ago, citizens of the econom-
that the slave-labor talks had awak-
ically
depressed eastern German town
ened latent anti-Semitism in many
of Gollwitz demonstrated against plans
Germans.
to place 50 Russian Jewish immigrants
"Whenever somebody gets some-
in their midst.
thing bigger, there is someone else
German xenophobia is most often
who is jealous," Witti said. "It is easier
directed
against the millions of Turks
to be aggressive when you use a stereo-
and
other
foreigners living in the
type: 'The bad Jew who gets all and
country.
But
a series of recent anti-
we get nothing.'''
Semitic
episodes,
including the dese-
Witti even has received threats on
cration
of
the
biggest
Jewish cemetery
his answering machine. "They say
in
Berlin,
has
put
the
community on
they will blow me up and my house
guard.
and my firm. We take it seriously,
The fact is, however, that 10 years
because we know that by being a little
after
the fall of communism and more
bit public with these issues and bil-
than
half
a century after the
lions of dollars, we have to be careful.
Holocaust,
Jews are building new lives
"But this is nothing compared to
in
Germany,.
what prominent Jewish people," like
"I don't believe that the young
the late Ignatz Bubis, who led the
German
born yesterday should carry
Central Council of Jews in Germany,
guilt
on
his
shoulders," said Slayskaja,
"had to live with for years," Witti said.
the Yiddish singer from Birobidzhan.
"There was not a day when he was not
"Maybe in 15, 20 years, when the
threatened.
young
extremists come to their senses,
"There will always be stupid people
it
will
be
better here," said Lyonia, the
and there will always be anti-Semitism.
Lithuania. "Whoever
engineer
from
You cannot change that," Witti said.
doesn't
take
a
risk,
gets nothing." II
"But you can try your best." 11

