EDITOR'S NOTEBOOK
Rallying Together
S o many emotions, so many things to think
about, so much ro say ...
In horror, Detroit Jewry viewed the tele-
vised or published images of the Sept. 11
attack on America — haunting images of death and
destruction.
The enemy was faceless.
We didn't know what spurred the carnage at the
World Trade Center, the Pentagon and on the
Pennsylvania countryside. We were stunned that anyone
could have the wherewithal to kill so
freely, so ruthlessly. We didn't know the
depth of hatred in some parts of the
world.
Elaine Gluckman of Farmington Hills and Edna Freier of Beverly
But we knew we had to do some-
Hills, at a memorial service Friday at the Birmingham Temple in
thing.
Farmington Hills.
And we did.
We came together.
gogues included memorial prayers, healing prayers and spe-
Quickly, we held prayer services and can-
cial readings in their services. Rabbis dug deep within their
ROBERT A.
dlelight vigils, gave blood, organized relief
souls to shape their pre-Rosh Hashanah messages.
SKLAR
drives, displayed patriotism, promoted ecu-
Others found more spontaneous ways to help in the wake
Editor
menism and comforted each other.
of the tragedy. Here's just a small sampling:
We also denounced unprovoked threats
• Seniors at Jewish Apartments & Services' Prentis
against, and harassment of, metro Detroit's Arab, Muslim and
Apartments on the Taubman Jewish Community Campus
Chaldean communities — targeted because the suspected ter-
in Oak Park, many on fixed incomes, donated $900 toward
rorists, Islamic radicals, were of Arab descent. Many in these
relief efforts.
communities are our neighbors and friends. The vast majority
• Jewish Family Service volunteers, with support from the
have good hearts and share the Jewish values of family, educa-
Greater Detroit Chapter of Hadassah, made red, white and
tion, harmony and hard work. They grieve as we do for the
blue ribbons for synagogues, schools, youth groups and
loss of life and property — and the assault on the American
others to pass out during the High Holidays.
way of life.
• Each day in school last week, students at Yeshivat Akiva
in Southfield said special prayers for those who died, were
Strengthening Bonds
missing, sustained injury or joined in search and rescue.
I was especially moved by Detroit Jewry's call for interfaith
Rabbi Joseph Klein of Temple Emanu-El in Oak Park
unity at the height of last week's chaos in hopes of calming,
took part in two ecumenical prayer services, in Berkley and
rather than inciting.
Ferndale. They were representative of services held nation-
We're Jews, but we're Americans, too, and we uphold
wide.
American ideals. As Rabbi Marvin Hier, dean and founder of
"Nothing like this has ever happened in America," Rabbi
the Los Angeles-based Simon Wiesenthal Center and its
Klein said, "and I think that the American community
Museum of Tolerance, put it: "This is the darkest period of
knows that we are forever changed, that nothing will ever
American history since Pearl Harbor."
be the same."
Speaking for Detroit Jewry, Ann Zousmer, president of our
Sunday night, he told me there's a burning need to come
public affairs voice, the Jewish Community Council, aptly
together, "to recognize that with everything changed, we
caught our collective hurt.
really need each other.
"We must not permit fear of the unknown or the threat of
"That, to me, seems to be the
terror to undermine our democratic values," she said. "We
force of the groundswell."
must not allow these events to divide our community, lest the
And I agree.
purveyors of evil succeed."
The terrorist mainland attack
She challenged us to "demonstrate that, despite our differ-
threw us so off balance that we're
ences, mutual respect exists within our community and that, as
struggling to make sense of it.
people of good will, we will work together to begin the healing
In times of crisis, Americans look
process.
for stability, security and continuity
I loved what the locally rooted American Arab and Jewish
— and they find it in religion. Like
Friends, founded by Detroit Jewry's interfaith ambassador,
Rabbi Klein says, faith gives us
Arnold Michlin of Waterford, said about blanket blame.
"such a sense that everything is
"Regardless of who will be ultimately found responsible for
OK, it counters the disconnect of
these terrorist murders," it said in a statement, "no ethnic or
abject horror and the inability to
Rabbi Joseph Klein
religious community should be treated as suspect and collec-
fully grasp what has happened to
tively blamed. No American should be influenced by the
us."
insane acts of a few."
This High Holiday season, I hope
and pray that we unify as a nation and as a community to
Helping Hands
stand together against evil and in pursuit of tikkun olam, of
On the last Shabbat before the High Holidays, our syna-
making the world a better place.
SHARE
YOUR
SOUL
Become a
Judaic Volunteer
for JARC
Drop by a JARC home
on Friday night to...
* Lead Shabbat prayers
* Celebrate with JARC
friends at an oneg- bring
your guitar! Sing a song!
* Accompany your JARC
friend(s) to services
* Offer lessons in Hebrew
language or prayer to a
man or woman served
by JARC
* Share photos from your
trip to Israel, Jewish art
books or music with a
JARC friend
A great family volunteer
opportunity!
JARC's Judaic Volunteers
enrich the spiritual lives
of men and women with
disabilities in many ways.
Call (248) 538-6610, ext. 349
to find out how you can
share your soul.
Because doing something
good for someone will do a
world of good for you.
Helping people with disabilities
lead full, dignified lives
30301 Northwestern Highway • Suite 100
Farmington Hills , MI 48334-3233
jarc@jarc.org • WWW. jarc.org
9/21
2001
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