a.
Ci Of
Cover Story
Detroit 300 Birthday Festival
devotes a day to celebrating religious traditions.
With the hope that the Detroit
Jewish community would be well rep-
resented, Rabbi Marla Feldman took a
leadership role on the planning com-
mittee.
"If we didn't do a Spiritual Day, we
would have been ignoring the faith
communities that were a part of the
establishment of Detroit," says Rabbi
Feldman, assistant director of the
Jewish Community Council of
Metropolitan Detroit in Bloomfield
Township and executive director of the
Michigan Board of Rabbis.
"The Jewish community has
played an important role in plan-
ning and executing the event," -
says David Gad-Harf, executive
director ofjCCSouncil.
"Despitethe small size of our
community [96,000 Jews], we are
considered an equal partner with
the other larger religious groups.
This is a result of many years of
nurturing relationships with lead-
ers of these groups, and of the sig-
nificant contributions made to
Detroit by so many Jewish indi-
viduals and organizations."
SHELLI LIEBMAN DORFMAN
Staff Writer
S
piritual Day — a part of this
month's Detroit 300 Birthday
Festival -- could be the area's
largest interfaith gathering
ever, say its organizers.
Christians, Jews, Muslims and oth-
ers representing 3,300 congregations
and 120 denominations will congre-
gate at Chene Park, Atwater at Chene,
from 7-9:30 p.m., Wednesday, July
25.
;Iri.";40c-
The Big Event
,
s-mkn ettr& q.
etroit
y Orch estra Hall,
Michigan Opera Theatre, the
Detroit Institute of Arts and
Wayne State University.
Hermdin served as U.S.
Ambassador to Norway from 1997-1999,
when he resigned to undergo treatment for the
brain cancer. In his position as ambassador, he
fostered an economic alliance for Detroit by
arranging with the Ford Motor Company to
build an electric car in Norway called the
"Think," which now is sold throughout
Scandinavia.
Focusing on the Detroit contributions of
David Hermelin in celebration of Detroit 300
does not allow space to give credit to his pro-
found contributions to world Jewry, Israel and
to local Jewish life. Indeed, he was a pillar of
Jewry, and his legendaiy works will live on.
Yet, in the broadest sense, in the words of U.S.
Rep. Sander Levin, II :Royal Oak: "All the
world felt his embrace." ❑
David
Hermelin
7/20
2001
38
— Judy Levin Cantor
•
At the eVent, a 100-voice gospel
choir led by the Rev. Edgar Vann
of the Second Ebenezer Baptist
Church will precede the proces-
sion of faith-based leaders.
During the celebration, clergy
will discuss topics of the past,
present and future relating to the
impact of faith communities on
Detroit. Invited to discuss histori-
cal background, Rabbi Feldman
says she will include a time line
that takes in establishment of the'
area's first Catholic church, Ste. -
Anne de Detroit, founded hand-
in-hand with the City of Detroit -
in 1701, and Temple Beth El, the
first Jewish congregation, founded
in 1850.
Catholic Bishop John Nienstedt
chairs the planning committee.
Honorary chairman is Cardinal
Adam Maida of the Archdiocese -
of Detroit.
The planning committee will
circulate for signatures the
Covenant Pledge, which they cre-
ated to include general promises
to help those in need, advocate to
promote equality and encourage
love, justice and peace. A Native
American blessing will be recited.
A Web link was instituted to
-
offer information on various faith__
communities. A section on the history
of Detroit Jewry was compiled by Judy
Levin Cantor, who consolidat-
ed material from her new
book, Jews ofMichigan
(Michigan State University
Press, East Lansing, 2000).
Worship Service
Prior to the Spiritual Day
evening community event, a
worship service and dinner will
be held for clergy at Ste. Anne's
church.
Keynote speaker Rabbi
David Nelson of Congregation
Beth Shalom in Oak Park plans
to spotlight the title of the pro-
gram, "Gathering of
Shepherds."
"Since Moses, the central role
of the shepherd was in the pro-
tection of his flock," he says.
Rabbi Nelson will address an
expected 300-400 clergy and
their families and friends, dis-
cussing, he says, "things we
share with many diverse faiths
and traditions."
Rabbi Nelson says an impor-
tant part of his rabbinate
includes working with those of
other faiths. He was part of the
worship service planning dis-
cussion of "what is an appro-
priate way of thanking God
from all traditions."
"This is a milestone in the
history of our community"
Rabbi Feldman says. "The
planning process itself was a
wonderful collaborative work of faith
groups."
Gad-Harf says: "I think that the
event underscores the importance of
th6 religious community to the vitality
of Detroit throughout its history:4f-- -
also will be one of those rare occasions
every religious
when peo-
group gather together for a common
purpose." 111
For information on the Detroit
300 Birthday Festival week July
19-26, call (877) 338-2001 or
access the Web site:
www.detroit300.org
For information about and a
schedule of events for Spiritual
Day on Wednesday, July 25, click
on "Spiritual Day." For "The
Story of the Jews of Detroit," click
on "The Jewish Faith."
Top to bottom:
Rabbi Marla
Feldman,
Rabbi David
Nelson, David
1-Gad-Ha-717 -