Insight
Remember
When • •
layed their seats in the Knesset to
access to government and the
Editor
resources it distributes."
Rabbi Geffen said the key to reli-
pragmatist, Professor Zvi
gious
pluralism in Israel lies in building
Gitelman of the University
relationships that "manage our con-
of Michigan doesn't flinch in
flicts, strive toward common goals and
arguing that most Israelis
bring a jolly good argument, which is a
aren't "agitated" by Orthodox control in
very Jewish thing. We should not hate
Israel. A dreamer, Rabbi David Geffen,
each other when we disagree."
a fervently Orthodox Jew who lives in
Professor
Jerusalem's Old City, sees
Gitelman's
frank conversation as the
reminder is that
road to bridging the gulf
most of the world
between the Orthodox
doesn't relate to the
and the less-traditional
notions of toler-
movements.
ance or pluralism.
So the stage was set
"The majority of
for an insightful discus-
Jews
who came to
sion that took place April
Israel
didn't come
6 before an audience of
from
societies
that
80 at the Jewish
value those things,"
Community Center of
he said.
Metropolitan Detroit in
Rabbi Geffen
West Bloomfield. The
said it's not out of
Jewish Community
the realm of possi-
Council of Metropolitan
bility that obser-
Detroit co-sponsored this
vant
and nonobser-
second installment of the
vant
Jews
will pray
new Shiffman Lecture
peacefully
together
Series. The three-part
at the Western Wall
series' theme is "Israel: A
one day, although
Journey Toward Peace."
along different por-
Professor Gitelman,
tions of it.
director of U-M's Frankel
"But that can
Center for Judaic Studies
only
be achieved,
in Ann Arbor, argued
even
with haredi
that."there is no problem
support,
when we
of religious pluralism in
start
to
treat
each
Israel. It's an American
other
as
family,"
he
problem."
An OrthodoxJew immerses dishes in boilin water in the Mea Shearim
said.
"It'll
never
Israeli society is polar-
neighborhood in Jerusalem to purify them or Passover.
happen through
ized and divided into at
provocation, the
least four cultural groups,
Knesset or the high court. The only
they have in common and now do
but the vast majority of the Jewish
way
it can happen is through quiet
joint
programs."
population, he said, "is quite similar
meetings
and emotional connections.
Largely
secular
and
a
melting
pot
to many of us."
After
all,
you
can't avoid your friends.
for
Jews
from
North
Africa,
Eastern
For example, he said, most Israelis
"If we can make friends with the
Europe and the Mideast, Israel is
are not deeply observant. They prac-
Arabs, we can make with fellow Jews."
home to maybe 100 Reform and
tice "Judaism selectively, as a symbol
West Bloomfield's Bert Stein, a con-
Conservative synagogues, whose theol-
of our ethnic belonging rather than
gregation B'nai Moshe member, liked
ogy is rooted in Western Europe.
our religious belonging."
the professor's candid assessment better,
Only in recent times have these rela-
Rabbi Geffen, director of Common
but acknowledged the rabbi "did a nice
tively young movements enjoyed legal
Denominator, an Israeli organization
job
arguing that we Jews would be
equality
in
Israel
with
Orthodoxy,
committed to unifying the Jewish
more
apt to solve our problems if we
much
older
and
a
force
in
Israeli
poli-
people, said we can "find ways to live
sat
down
and got to know one another.
tics,
Professor
Gitelman
said.
together, despite our profound differ-
"What did I get out of the discus-
He said the Orthodox religious par-
.
ences.
sion? Reinforcement that, in the end,
ties have been crucial to building the
"We should seek a unified consen-
we're all the same, despite our differ-
coalitions that have brought in each
sus of opinion," he said, "and create a
ences.
new administration since Israel's
framework for Jews of all backgrounds
"We're all Jews:11
founding 52 years ago. "They've par-
to work together."
ROBERT A. SKLAR
A
He said the haredi (fervently
Orthodox) in Israel fear meeting
Reform Jews "10 times more greatly
than Reform Jews fear going to Mea
Shearim (the haredi neighborhood in
Jerusalem)."
"By word of mouth, and clever
marketing," he said, "these Jews have
started to share a deep feeling for one
another. They've identified how much
Experts Discuss What It Means
From the pages of the Jewish News for
this week 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50
years ago.
„..
J ournalist Wolf Blitzer left journal-
ism to become an on-air reporter
for CNN.
Domino's Pizza opened its first
franchise in Israel.
Samuel Semp, Congregation
Beth Shalom ritual director,
received the Schochet Family
Outstanding Teacher Award.
Israel and Egypt concluded an agree-
ment covering land and sea trans-
portation between the two countries.
Dr. Maurice Croll published a
short novel, Little Miss David —
and Goliath.
Shopping center developer
Aaron Gershenson died at age 72.
1970
United Hebrew Schools of Detroit
received an award for distinguished
service to Hebrew education from
the Herzliyah Jewish Teachers
Seminary.
Dr. Donald Shapiro of Huntington
Woods has been appointed visiting
clinician in oral surgery at Rambam
Government Hospital in Haifa.
Adat Shalom Synagogue hon-
ored Cantor Nicholas Fenakel on
his 20th anniversary with the syna-
gogue.
For the first time since Israel's found-
ing, an Arab citizen presided as mayor
of a large city, Acre, serving in place of
the Jewish mayor who was ill.
Mrs. Jack Zeldes, president of
the Turover Ladies Auxiliary, hosted
a luncheon at the Turover Temple
on Dexter.
1SAV\Wittr \NW NW:MN
teseasacm::,:\wx4W-\
Pinkus Chmielnicki was sentenced
to death in Paris on charges of tor-
turing prisoners at the Birkenau
concentration camp.
Mrs. Julius Hersh was elected
president of the Congregation B'nai
Moshe Sisterhood.
Britain rejected a license for sale
of arms to Israel.
— Compiled by Sy Manello,
Editorial Assistant 14, 4
'4,
4/14
2000
45