EDITOR'S NOTEBOOK

LETTERS

Letters are posted
and archived on JN Online:
www.detroitjewishnews.com

AN AMAZING
EVENT TO HELP
CHILDREN WITH
SPECIAL NEEDS!

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What A March It Should Be!

D

espire the emotional land mines and physical dangers that lie ahead,
35 teenagers from the Detroit Jewish community are determinedly
strapping themselves in for the ride of a lifetime.
On April 16, they're embarking on a rwo-week trip that's likely to
transform not only how they view the world, but also each other. Together, they
will explore who they are Jewishlv. Two local Shoah survivors, accompanied by
family members, also will take part.
The journey will take them from the wrenching images of
German death camps in Poland to the panoramic vistas of bibli-
cal lands in Israel.
The March of the Living-Detroit Teen Poland/Israel Unity
Experience is sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Metropoli-
tan Detroit and two of its agencies, the Agency for Jewish Edu-
cation and the Michigan/Israel Connection.
Detroit's contingent will connect with 2,500 teens from 35
countries to observe Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Memorial Day)
ROBERT A. in Poland, and, later, Yom HaZikaron (Israel Memorial Day)
and Yom HaAtzmaut (Israel Independence Day) in Israel.
SKLAR
More than 1 million Jews cruelly died at Auschwitz near
Editor
Krakow between 1940 and 1945. Poles, Gypsies, Soviet POWs
and people of other nationalities were among the thousands of
others who faced a no-less horrid existence there.
The gas chambers and crematoriums remain an integral part of the concentration
camp visit to remind people everywhere that Hitler, despite killing six million peo-
ple, failed in his ultimate objective: to destroy the Jews en
route to creating a "master race."
In Israel, Yad Vashem, the Central Galilee
and the Old City beckon. Still, tension is
high, peace is elusive and troops are on alert.
As a parent of one of the teens going
on the March of the Living, I think a
lot about the sweeping emotions
and potential risks that are sure to
sprout in both Poland and Israel.
But I know that I echo all of the other parents in expressing confidence that
sensitivity and safety will be the priorities of the chaperones. Easing my con-
cerns, Rabbi Elimelich Goldberg of Young Israel of Southfield told the Jewish
News: "There are extraordinary security , precautions in place and I think things
will be handled in the proper manner."
The March is a great chance to learn about our history and heritage.
Yet, it's something more.
Temple Israel's Andrew Bocknek, a Michigan State University junior from Farm-
ington Hills, was on Detroit's first communally sponsored march four years ago. "I
had always known about my past, but on this trip, I had found it," he said. "I now
not only had the knowledge, but also the feeling of where I came from as a Jew."
Our newest group of marchers comes from Orthodox, Conservative,
Reform and Reconstructionist synagogues. I was especially struck by the focus
of Yeshivat Akiva llth-grader Talya Schostak of Southfield.
"I think that with everything going on in the world around us today, this will
be an amazing opportunity to experience Jewish unity, in mourning and in hap-
piness, together with other kids my age," the Israeli native wrote in an essay.
"I can go to Poland and see the camps, and I can go to Israel and visit the
holy sites," she added, "but the feeling of doing these things together with thou-
sands of kids from all over the world cannot be felt anywhere else but through
the March of the Living."
The hope, of course, is that the bonding spurs lasting friendships — and a
healthy respect for Jews of other backgrounds.
On behalf of Detroit Jewry, I wish each of our travelers — teens, rabbis, staff,
survivors and others — a nsiyah tovah, a good journey!
And may they be blessed with health, fortune, joy and, most importantly, a
shalom sukkat — a shelter of peace.

Not
Dr. Laura
Deserving Of Award

The National Council of Young
Israel is entitled to its interpretation
of Judaism. However, I was sur-
prised, to say the least, with its
selection of Laura Schlessinger as its
National Heritage awardee
("Embracing Dr. Laura," March 16,
page 31).
I expected that a humanitarian
award, especially from a Jewish
group, would honor someone who
cares for, and respects, all people —
not an abrasive and hurtful radio
host like "Dr. Laura." What has she
done to help or uplift the vulnera-
bleI?
see this National Heritage Award
as divisive — an act certain to alienate
not only homosexuals, but many
other Jewish women and men who
view homosexuality, abortion and
feminism with much more complexi-
ty.
Our community needs unity, not
division.
Harriet Alpern

Bloomfield Hills

Revisiting Roles
That Women Play

According to Rabbi Marla R. Horn-
sten ("Reclaiming The Voice Of
Women," April 6, page 30), it appears
that many people are mixing apples
(and nuts, wine and spices) with
oranges at their seder in order to
affirm the important multiple roles
women play.
It's instructive to note that
throughout the actual telling of the
Exodus at the seder, the name of
Moshe (Moses) isn't mentioned. The
commentaries explain this as fol-
lows:
The emphasis is to be on God's
direct, miraculous intervention, not
the role of flesh-and-blood leaders, to
the extent that we even downplay the
role of Moshe, our greatest prophet.
Similarly, adding a kos (cup) for
Miriam seems less an honor than a
non sequitur. The four cups corre-
spond to the four expressions of
redemption mentioned in Exodus. A
fifth cup, no matter how worthy the

LETTERS on page 6

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