Detroit's Jewish community marches
to support Israel, even with disagreements
on its political direction.
SHARON LU C KE RM.AN •
Staff Writer
Israeli flag, says he wants to support Israel to go back
toward the peace process. "The Palestinians are the
children of God, too," he said.
While marchers came to make a statement of public
support, they also gathered as a local community, shar-
ing a sense of solidarity and celebration.
"Individuals have a variety of ways to connect to
Israel," said Allan Gale, Jewish Community Council
assistant director, who manned an Israel advocacy
booth. "But this is the one event where as a communi-
ty we express our support for Israel."
The event also offered the community a collective
time to remember. Said Pearl Manello of West
Bloomfield: "It's sad. This is the-first year David
Hermelin's not here."
Camaraderie continued to grow after the march as
people gathered under tents and in the sun to partake
of the old-market atmosphere. The tones of old and
new Jewish music by the Klezmer Fusion Band and folk
singer Julie Silver permeated the air, along with the
scent of Middle Eastern food.
eeling from the crescendo of vio-
lence in Israel the past eight
months, more than 500 men,
women and children gathered in
West Bloomfield May 20 to
march in solidarity with Israel.
Afterward, the number grew to 2,000 who celebrated
at the culture shuk, an -,pen-air, Israeli-style market, on
the Eugene and Marcia Applebaum Jewish Community
Campus it Maple and Drake roads.
"You can agree or disagree with what they do in Israel,"
said Mike Golod, of Troy, carrying an Israeli flag. "But we
Jews have a common cause with Israel."
"It's always important for the Jewish community to show
solidarity with Israel — but especially now," said Randy
Topper of Farmington Hills, assistant director of the Jewish
Community Center's Sarah and Irving Pitt Child
Development Center. He lined up to march with his wife,
Kristi Sorkin. "It's important to show that we
stand behind Israel 100 percent," he said.
"I wis the situation in Israel
Sam and Hyla Offen of West Bloomfield
have attended Detroit Jewry's IsraelFest in the
was as light and optimistic as
past. But this year, he says, it's most important
the mood is here. I take
because of the unjust situation in Israel. "The
encouragement from the
International Red Cross accused Israel of war
crimes and they're supposed to be neutral," he
community at this event."
said.
•
Mark Myers
IsraelFest coincides with Israel's Jerusalem
Day, this year May 21. It celebrates the
anniversary of the unification of Jerusalem in the 1967
As several older couples danced to the music at the
Six-Day War. Though the Detroit area has a tradition of
band shell, others watched and ate under a large tent,
honoring Israel on this date for 21 years, participation
visited the booths selling arts and crafts, and surveyed
over the last few years has lessened — until now, says
the 35-40 Jewish organization tables providing peti-
Mark Myers, community shaliach (Israeli emissary).
tions and information.
"When the march didn't happen last year," he said,
Nearby, children played or colored and learned at cre-
"there was an outcry from. the community."
ative activities provided by Jewish Experiences for Families.
So this year, the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan
A five-foot -tall replica of the Western Wall was erected for
Detroit's Michigan/Israel Connection joined the JCC
children to display their drawings and wishes for Israel.
to sponsor "JerusaleMania," a combination solidarity
Last week, Myers said it was most important for
march and culture shuk.
American Jews to come together to make a statement "to
About 200 volunteers, ui Jer volunteer chair Micki
Detroit, to America and to Israel in these troubled times."
Grossman of Farmington Hills, helped the event run
But at the shuk, though clearly pleased by the
smoothly. Event chairs were Sharon Lipton of
turnout, reality also set in.
Farmington Hills and Dr. Irvin Kappy of Orchard Lake.
"I'm happy to see all the people, who came today,"
Franklin's Jane Sherman was honorary chair of the walk.
Myers
said. "I also wish the situation in Israel was as light
Many walkers echoed the need for solidarity as they
and optimistic as the mood is here. I take encouragement
gathered under a warm noon sun, their mood friendly
from the community at this event."
and upbeat. Some carried American and Israeli flags
"Most important," he added, "is that the communi-
and others pulled children in wagons and strollers, as
ty comes and expresses their solidarity."
bottles of water, caps and free JerusaleMania T-shirts
Marla Ziskind of West Bloomfield sat enjoying the
were distributed to participants.
music with other seniors. She lived in Israel after she left
Joel Fenkell 15, of Bloomfield Hills, who was pass-
Poland around World War II. "I love everything about
Mg out T-shirts, said: "I'm here to support a good
Israel and this event. I only wish more teenagers were
cause — the soldiers."
here, and that we did this twice a year — not once." ❑
Ralph Scheer, of Far ington Hills, holding an
ri ;VT any who marched in West
4 = Bloomfield cited the killings
and expansion of the settlements as
reasons for their participation.
The march came on the heels of
the bloodiest day this year in
Israel, May 18, when five Israelis
and 12 Palestinians were killed.
The Mitchell Commission
report, released Sunday, called for
an end to Mideast violence.
Former U.S. Sen. George J.
Mitchell called on Palestinians to
jail terrorists and on Israelis to
freeze all settlement activity.
"Each side must act quickly to
pull the region back from the
abyss," Mitchell said.
Conservative Rabbi Daniel
Nevins of Adat Shalom
Synagogue said, "...Israelis must
not be intimidated by opponents,
but nor should they stoop Co their
level of atrocities. What Israelis
need to do is to protect them-
selves and remain true to them-
selves."
Secular Humanist Rabbi
Sherwin Wine, of the
Birmingham Temple, was con-
cerned that the Israeli government
"doesn't have a strategy for either
winning victory or ending the
war. It's therefore a strategy that's
leading nowhere... Israel's aggres-
sion will alienate the American
government and world public
opinion..."
Orthodox Rabbi Elimelech
Goldberg,of Young Israel of
Southfield, sees it differently: "My
concern is that Israelis are allow-
ing political correctness and the
fear of international censure to
allow us to hesitate to protect our
citizens."
While some rabbis agree with
the report's suggestion to freeze
settlement's growth, others, like
Orthodox Rabbi Elimelech
Silberberg, of Sara Tugman Bais
Chabad Torah Center, believes
that Israel's families need to grow.
Yet, in a poll reported by New
York Times columnist Anthony
Lewis May 12 after the killing of
Jewish teenagers, 55 percent
of the Israelis surveyed said Israel
should agree to freeze all settle-
ment building in return for a
cease-fire with the Palestinians.
— Sharon Luckerman,
staIT writer
5/25
2001
15