Community

New Relationships

Catholic nun tells JEEEP participants she's optimistic
about better relations between Jews and Christians.

Tip Your Hat

In the patio area of Menorah
House in Southfield, staff
member Ruby Fields of
Detroit wheels resident Yetta
Flesher, as the two show off
hats they created for the
Southfield nursing facility's
spring hat show.
Flesher brought the talents
of years in the millinery busi-
ness in New York City to res-
idents, assisting them in mak-
ing their own hats for the
May 14 afternoon musical
and fashion show event.

— Shelli Liebman Dorfman,
staff writer

AJC Hosts Annual Meeting

J14

5/25
2001

42

The Metropolitan Detroit Chapter of
the American Jewish Committee will
hold its annual meeting 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, June 14, at the Max M. Fisher
Federation Building in Bloomfield
Township.
This year's meeting will join in the
year-long celebration of Detroit's 300th
birthday. It will feature speaker Dr.
Sidney Bolkosky, professor of history at
the University of Michigan-Dearborn. It
will also include a video presentation
titled "Detroit 300 Vignettes," produced
by WDIV Channel 4 programming
executive Henry Maldonodo and Wayne
State University History Professor Phil
Mason.
Channel 4 anchor Carmen Harlan
narrates the mini-video programs, com-
posed of historical anecdotes and facts
about the Detroit area.
U.S. District Judge Avert Cohn of
Detroit will serve as the evening's pro-
gram chair.
The 2001-2002 slate of officers and
board members will be presented by
AJC's nominating committee chair
Judith Greenstone Miller.

The officers and board nominees
for the program year beginning July
2001 include: president, Martin Baum;
vice presidents, Kenneth C. Gold,
Alan Schlang, Dr. Kenneth Wolf,
Andrew S. Doctoroff; secretary, Allen
Olender; treasurer, Judith Greenstone
Miller; board members, Joanne
Aronovitz, Mark Bakst, Robert Benyas,
Dr. Allen Berlin, Debra Bernstein-
Siegel, Ricky Blumenstein, Judge
Susan Borman, Leon Cohan, Judy
Goldsmith, Robert Gordon, Laura M.
Gould, Lisa Gretchko, Carey
Kalmowitz, Joel Kellman, Jay B. Knoll,
Mark Lichterman, Ann Mandelbaum,
George Mann, Fred Marx, Todd
Mendel, Judith Owens, Nanci Rands,
Donald Robinson, James Rosenfeld,
Irene Sobel, Dr. Guy Stern, Michael
Traison, Howard Wallach, Bradford T
Yaker and Joshua Yaker.
A kosher dinner buffet will precede
the business meeting. Following the pro-
gram, a dessert reception will be held.
Reservations are $18 per guest and are
required.
For information, call (248) 646-7686.

prevailing Jewish attitudes and behavior,
Boys explored the issue of "oppositional"
Judaism, which sometimes says more
about what Jews aren't than what they
rofessor Mary C. Boys has
really are.
devoted much of her career to
"The Shoah," she said,
stimulating dialogue,
"greatly
scarred Jewish
encouraging under-
identity
formation."
standing and promoting educa-
She
assured
the audi-
tion between Christians and
ence
that
most
Christian
Jews.
churches
have
radically
As guest speaker for JEEEP
changed their teachings
(Jewish Early Education
about Judaism. These
Enhancement Project), Dr. Boys
efforts range from textbook
offered an unsparing yet opti-
revisions, Holocaust stud-
mistic personal overview of cur-
ies departments and inter-
rent Jewish-Christians relations.
faith efforts between clergy,
Mindful of the lethargy often Dr. Ma ry Boys
lay leadership and congre-
experienced in after-dinner
gants.
engagements, Boys, who is a
"There are now 17 centers for Judaic-
member of the Roman Catholic Sisters
Christian studies across the United
of the Holy Names, drew immediate
States," Boys said, "and 12 of them are
laughter by saying, "I'm going to heed
the words of Jesus and not pile up words within Catholic colleges and universities.
"I am not so naive as to believe that
like the goyim."
anti-Semites
don't exist or that there are
She began her May 15 talk at Temple
no
Catholic
anti-Semites.
But I can
Beth El by quoting Jewish scripture that
assure
you
that
those
who
are would be
implores us "not to oppress the
considered
sinners."
stranger."
Reminding listeners that attitudes
"Strangers sometimes see the best in
about others shape how we teach our
our traditions when we don't. It can be
own traditions, she emphasized that the
tremendously invigorating when a
educational approach has to occur on all
stranger raises fresh and unexpected,
sides for it to succeed.
even uncomfortable, questions" she said.
"It's important that in Jewish
Sharing a reflection from Roger
schools
and seminaries, recognition,
The
Jew
in
the
Lotus,
Kamanetz's book
tolerance and understanding of
Boys quoted, "If only Jews could see
Christian teachings is also accom-
themselves as sweetly as the Dalai Llama
plished," she said.
does!"
Recognizing that no one can magi-
Boys is the author of four well-
cally
heal the wounds of history, Boys
regarded books, the latest being Has God
closed
with a rabbinical quote: "You
Only One Blessing? Judaism as a Source of
are
not
required to complete the work,
In
it,
she
dis-
Christian Understanding.
nor are you permitted to abstain from
cusses the church's troubled relations to
and distorted image of Jews and Judaism it."
Dr. Carol Ingall, a faculty member of
over the centuries, while also presenting
the William Davidson Graduate School
proposals for a theological and practical
at JTS, who addressed JEEEP educators
reconstruction of the relationship.
last August, had recommended Boys as
Boys is the Skinner and McAlpin
an inspiring speaker.
Professor of Practical Theology at New
Jackie Gilbert, a preschool teacher
York City's Union Theological Seminary
and is also an adjunct faculty member of at Beth El and a first-grade teacher at
Temple Emanu-El in Oak Park, said,
the Jewish Theological Seminary of
"Mary Boys gave a very important talk
America. She is respected as a trailblazer
to help us understand that Christians
in the field of religious education and is
and Jews have more in common as
a member of the Tanenbaum Center for
human beings than we do differ-
Interreligious Understanding.
ences." ❑
Demonstrating a keen awareness of

DEBBIE WALLACE LANDAU
Specail to the Jewish News

ip