COMMUNITY VIEWS
We Are Making A Difference
groups and then walk through the
n a recent trip to Israel with
town to a community center, where
the Jewish Federation of
we
met our "host" family. After brief
Metropolitan Detroit's Part-
introductions,
we followed our host to
nership 2000 Steering Corn-
his
home
to break the fast
mittee, I was introduced to
of
Ramadan
with a tradi-
an Israel unfamiliar to me on
tional
feast.
my previous trips, and cer-
Steve Schanes, Tanya
tainly unfamiliar to me by
Mazor-Posner,
Rabbi E.B.
news accounts on television
"Bunny"
Freedman
and I
or our daily publications.
were
warmly
greeted
by our
Partnership 2000 is a
family
and
the
aroma
of the
cooperative effort with the
feast
prepared
for
our
central Galilee region in Israel
arrival. Three generations of
and our Jewish Federation of
this family warmly wel-
Metropolitan Detroit. The
DAVID
comed
us as we were about
partnership focuses on the
TECHNER
to
share
in the festivities.
development of Jewish iden-
Special to
There
was an informative
tity and unity between and
the Jewish News
discussion
of the signifi-
amongst the communities.
cance
of
Ramadan
in the
Through the enhancement of
Arabic
faith.
There
was
an
awareness
social services, business development,
of kashrut (kosher laws), understand-
integration of new immigrants and
ing an Orthodox rabbi was seated at
programming for all ages, the goal is
the
table. Our host, a school principal,
to enhance the quality of life in both
his
son,
an auto mechanic, and his
communities making our world a bet-
son-in-law,
an electrician, recited and
ter place.
interpreted
prayers
in anticipation of
Although there was some anxiety
the
meal
and
asked
Rabbi
Freedman
by family and friends about my visit,
to
bless
the
occasion;
prayers
for peace
the sense of warmth, appreciation and
were
exchanged.
commitment was felt from the
The discussion went from the simi-
moment we landed and extended
larities
of our traditions, conflict in
throughout our brief time in the
Israel,
education
and an exchange of
region. Wherever we traveled in the
family
information.
Each group spoke
region, our Israeli "family" continually
of
the
richness
of
the
experience with
expressed their gratitude for our visit
a
shared
appreciation
for the warmth
and the role their friends in Michigan
and
friendship
extended
to strangers
have played in shaping their commu-
from
a
faraway
place.
nity.
We returned to the community
As we proceeded through a packed
center
to reunite with the rest of the
schedule of meetings and visits with
steering
committee, where we learned
our partners in the region, there was a
of
a
shared
program between the Ara-
very strange entry in our itinerary.
bic
and
Jewish
schools. The entire
From 3:30-6 p.m., we were to visit
fifth
grade
from
each school meet
Kibbutz Em Dor. The next item on
every
Tuesday
for
an archeological dig,
our agenda was at 8 p.m.: an "Evening
dinner
and
playtime.
As we sat with
With Volunteers."
the
fifth
graders
and
their
teachers,
What were we doing from 3:30-6
they
shared
their
enthusiasm
and suc-
p.m. at a kibbutz we had all visited on
cess
of
this
weekly
exercise.
:`We
are
previous trips here? There was no
friends
—
we
want
to
go
to
school,
do
mention of activity from 6-8 p.m., no
our
work
and
play."
When
asked
mention of, heaven forbid, dinner.
about the current tension, one
Had they forgotten to feed us? Hardly.
responded, "We just want to live in
peace."
We stared in stunned silence
Marking Ramadan
with
the
knowledge that what seemed
After a brief visit at Kibbutz Em Dor,
so
simple
in the heart of this young
we loaded a bus and were transported
boy
was
lost
in the bitter history that
to an Arab village, K'Far Masar. As we
we
could
not
explain.
arrived, there was a "Call to Worship"
Our
final
day
included, for Rabbi
from a mosque in the center of town.
Freedman
and
me,
two home visits as
We were asked to break into small
part of the Milton and Lois Shiffman
Home Hospice of the Valleys. Mali
David Techner is a Birmingham resident
Scheiffer, the director of the hospice,
and active in helping develop ties between
picked us up at the Tzippori Syna-
Michigan Jewry and its Partnership 2000
gogue Pavilion recently dedicated in
sister region in the central Galilee.
honor of Albert and Bernice Deutsch.
0
(A
12/22
2000
36
The Tzippori Synagogue is another
shining example of the commitment
of our community to our Partnership
2000 region.
Visiting Hospice
From Tzippori, we drove to the pre-
dominant Arab city of Nazareth where
we were to meet with the hospice
staff. There were seven home hospice
patients in the Arab component of the
Upon learning Bunny was an
Orthodox rabbi, Waddad asked him
to say a prayer for her. Granting her
wish, she asked for the interpretation
of this prayer recited for her. Waddad
stated she had never had a rabbi pray
for her and was honored by the ges-
ture. As she complained of pain to her
nurse and social worker, she explained
that she doesn't want to die — she still
has much work to do. Having just
Yosef, an Arabic
nurse, Irena, a
Jewish nurse from
Russia, Waddad,
a hospice patient,
David Techner,
Mali Schlaefer,
Shiffman Hospice
director, Rabbi
Freedman and
Amal, a social
worker for the
Arab community;
the setting is
Israel's central
Galilee.
Shiffman Hospice of which we were to
meet with two. Bunny and I strolled
the streets of Nazareth with Mali on
our way to the clinic. The hustle and
bustle in the midst of a surprising
calm carried the message of "business
as usual." There was not even a hint of
conflict so evident on the news some
six weeks previous to our arrival.
Greeted by seven members of the
Shiffman Hospice Staff, three Arabic
and four Jewish, it was apparent that
the goal we had established on our
hospice visit one year ago to provide
quality care to terminally ill patients
of all faiths in the region, was a daily
reality. The sense of pride in knowing
the positive impact of this program
and the outstanding work being done
is a dream coming true as this partner-
ship gets stronger and stronger.
After being briefed on our upcom-
ing visits with several of our Hospice
staff, we proceeded to the home of
Waddad, a 68-year-old woman whose
breast cancer had now spread to her
lungs. A tiny woman less than five
foot tall, the seriousness of her physi-
cal condition was muted by her obvi-
ous joy at being the center of all of
our attention. She conveyed her
appreciation for our having come so
far; her warmth and friendly manner
clearly communicated her delight at
having visitors, especially her hospice
friends.
cared for her 94-year-old mother who
died just prior to her diagnosis, she
wanted to teach others how to care for
the elderly. Our 20 minute allotment
of time turned to over an hour pre-
venting our other scheduled visit.
Bunny promised a return visit upon
his arrival on the Michigan Unity
Mission to Israel, scheduled in Janu-
ary. Waddad promised to be there
when he came.
Traveling from meeting to meeting,
my sense of awe of our community
and its commitment through Partner-
ship 2000 to the central Galilee was
stunning. We- are making a difference
in the lives of our partners in
Nazareth, Nazareth Ilit, Migdal
HaEmek and the Jezreel Valley.
For those fortunate enough to par-
ticipate in the unity mission Jan. 14-
19, co-sponsored by Federation and
the Jewish News, know you will be
greeted with warmth, enthusiasm and
appreciation at every step of your brief
journey. Your Partnership 2000 family
hopes to communicate this sentiment
ih person. If you can't make the trip,
please know your continued support of
our Federation extends not just
throughout our local Jewish communi-
ty, but to a grateful region in Israel.
-
❑
Call Trudy Weiss at Federation for unity
mission details: (248) 203-1485.