EDITOR'S NOTEBOOK
LETTERS
Letters are posted
and archived on JN Online:
www.detroitjewishnews.com
In The Spirit Of Purim
S he risked her life by entering the king's inner court without being
asked, then summoned the courage to beg for mercy on behalf of Per-
sia's Jews, already in exile and their Temple in ruins.
Never forgetting her Jewish roots, Queen Esther got King Aha-
suerus to reverse his decision to sign off on Haman's plan to kill all Jews in the
empire.
The message of this brave woman — who changed the course of Jewish his-
tory with her cousin Mordechai, part of the king's court — is
simple: be bold, even daring, in pursuing a cause in which you
believe deeply.
The story of Purim is one of lots and loyalty as well as fasting
and feasting. It's a story of caring and concern, too. There's no
direct mention of God in this triumphant tale of genocidal
ambition and palace intrigue, but there's a Divine twist to the
storyline. The risk-taking of Queen Esther and Mordechai
returned Persia's Jews to the study of Torah and the acting on
ROBERT A. mitzvot.
SKLAR
While we savor the spirit of this festival through masquerade,
revelry, Megillat Esther readings, gifts to friends and alms to the
Editor
poor, I suggest that each of us appeal in a special way to a
senior adult.
Done with gusto as a community, we could help make our small part of the
world a better place — much like Queen Esther did in a Persian palace on the
14th of Adar 2,400 years ago.
Our seniors are generally well treated, thanks to loving relatives and friends
and to Detroit Jewry's array of social services. Even most who live on fixed
incomes do so with dignity. But making them feel valued community members
is something more; its something we don't do enough of.
_
Local communal and secular agencies deserve plaudits for the mitzvot they
do day in and day out on behalf of our seniors.
But how nice it would be if each of us, over the three-day festival of Purim,
did one mitzvah to lift the self-worth of a less-fortunate senior. You could
accompany a senior to synagogue, a community event or to a loved one's
gravesite, or tap into a senior's wisdom. The gesture, a compassionate response
to human vulnerability, just might lead to a new friendship.
Being Mindful
Sadly, many seniors have lost their zip and focus;
some are even senile. But others remain indepen-
dent thinkers and community shakers long past
age 70; their spunk is inspiring.
In our obsessive search for youth, what a trav-
esty it is to take seniors for granted, especially
because so many contributed to the quality of life
most of us enjoy.
On Purim, let us remember and help those
seniors who we, collectively, may have forgotten
for a while. They may be disadvantaged, in dan-
ger, hungry or just lonely.
In that spirit, Purim is a good time to volun-
teer.
"We need volunteers to do grocery shopping,
to do friendly visiting at homes, nursing homes
and assisted living facilities, to help with pro-
Linda Blumberg
gramming at different sites, to answer our infor-
mation lines, to assist with Meals on Wheels and to help process applications
for free prescription drugs," says Linda Blumberg, director of the Commission
on Jewish Eldercare Services (COJES), a partnership between the Jewish Federa-
tion of Metropolitan Detroit and its constituent agencies.
You also can tailor a volunteer opportunity to your specific interest. To vol-
unteer, call Michelle Greenstein at Jewish Family Service, (248) 559-1500.
As a group, seniors are extraordinary people, but we tend to look upon as
them ordinary. We'd be wiser to etch their teachings in our hearts. D
Scout Ideals Within
Reach Us All
I applaud the courage of the rabbis of
the Reform movement, who were
willing to take a stand against the Boy
Scouts of America for their prohibi-
tion against gay Scout leaders
("Scouting: Not For Everyone," Feb.
2, page 16).
As a psychologist, I like to think
that all of us have the capacity to be
all those things. As a former Scout,
those were words we said at every
meeting they were ideals to strive
for — high ideals, but possible. But
those were ideals for everyone, be
they child, parent or citizen.
In his letter (Letters, "Reform
Challenged On Gay Scoutmasters,"
Feb. 23, page 5), Douglas H. Ruben
of Okemos suggests the underlying
moral principles of the Scouts are
proof that homosexual Scout leaders
cannot be "trustworthy, loyal, help-
ful . . . and that they pose "emo-
tional hazards." When I was a
Scout in the '70s, my scoutmasters'
sexual orientation was never a rea-
son I respected or emulated them —
nor was it a topic of conversation.
Some of those ideals were easy —
"Clean," "Cheerful," "Courteous,
"Helpful" and "Kind." We all wanted
to be "Loyal" friends, "Friendly" to
the people we cared about and to new
people, "Obedient" to our parents
and scoutmasters. "Thrifty," well .. .
that called for money.
"Trustworthy," to be worthy of
another's trust, was like a work in
progress, where every day you had to
do your best so as to keep earning
that honor. What job is more worthy
of trust than to be a parent? That's a
job where a child trusts you before
they even know the meaning of the
word — to take care of them until
they can do it for themselves, to teach
them about the world, and to teach
them right from wrong. And to teach
them reverence — for God and for
each other.
But to be "Brave," you have to
stand up, challenge your complacen-
cy or your fears and do the hard
thing. For the Reform rabbis to be
brave, the hard thing was taking a
stand on homosexuality and Scout-
ing, where no other religious branch
of any organized religion had done
so.
Ross Grossman
Oak Park
Looking for
6ononR
6pReial?
Make a friend to
last a lifetime
Become a
Person-to-Person
Volunteer
for JARC
Share the gifts of your
time and friendship with
a man or woman with a
developmental disability.
• Visit at his or her home
• Go to the movies
• Run an errand
• Just hang out and chat
Whatever you do, building
a friendship a few hours
each month can make a
tremendous difference in
someone's life.
And it will do wonders
for your JARC friend, too.
Call (248) 538-6610
ext. 349 today.
Because doing something
good for someone will do a
world of good for you.
Helping people with disabilities
lead full, dignified lives
30301 Northwestern Hwy.
Farmington Hills, MI 48334
jarc@jarc.org • www.jarc.org
3/2
2001
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