Reaction

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"I'm sure that many shared my feeling of loss
when I heard the news. The Jewish News isn't
just the most important communication vehi-
cle for the Detroit Jewish community — it is a
symbol of our community's unity. When the
Jewish News is wounded, we all feel wounded.
"This is the time for the entire Jewish corn-
munity to rally around the Jewish News. The
Jewish Community Council offers whatever
assistance we can to help restore the newspa-
per to full operation, and we look forward to
the grand opening of the new home of the

Jewish News."
— David Gad-Half, executive director,
JewishCommunity Council of Metropolitan Detroit

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Editorial Assistant Seymour Manello and Staff Writer Harry Kirsbaum discuss strategy for the coming week.

"My feeling is the Jewish News has been an
absolutely significant partner over the past 20
years I've been in the community. Specifically,
JEFF (Jewish Experiences for Families) would
never have been able to succeed without the
enthusiasm and support of Arthur Horwitz and
the Jewish News. Arthur has been a source of
unbiased support throughout the years."

— Harlene Appelman, director, Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit's Alliance for Jewish Education

could be saved, there's hope for my parents' wed-
ding pictures," which were stored in a drawer in
her office, with their condition still unknown.
The advertising department had been hit hard
by the fire. Account Executive Dharlene Norris
says, "We all had to remember as many of the ads
as we could." Calling advertisers isn't easy because
essential address files also were lost. Couriers are
sent to pick up copies of ads, but some advertisers
help out by dropping off their own.
Staff Photographer Krista Husa reschedules
photo shoots to replace pictures already taken, and
now lost. She's been shooting the staff all day, doc-
umenting the effort.

Tuesday

8:30 a.m. Computers rented the day before are
ready for use, bringing much of Monday's work-at-
home staff into the "office." A second set of com-
puters on loan are installed later. Staff arrange work
stations, sitting four or five to a table.
A collective gasp is heard frequently as the power
suddenly fails, either from a blown fuse from the
overload or when someone accidentally trips on a
cord.
Supplies are set up on a corner table. The room
bustles with the movement of employees switching
computers to sit next to staffers working on the
same project. Stories are saved on diskettes and
walked to the "department" where they are needed
next. All is accompanied by a cellular syrriphony of
varying phone rings, from "The William Tell
Overture" to "The Entertainer."
4:30 p.m. At an all-staff meeting, Associate
PublisherrDavid Neill makes the announcement
that most departments will move to a temporary

office on the second floor of the building that
houses the JARC offices in Farmington Hills.
Computers and supplies are moved throughout
the night.

Wednesday

8:30 a.m. The suite that will house the JN for
the next several months is filled with folding
tables and chairs, computers, printers and the -
bulk of the paper's staff. There are no phones, fax
machines nor Internet access. JARC staff provided
space, fax lines and other needed amenities.
1 p.m. To bring some semblance of normalcy,
the staff marks the first day in the new location
by singing "Happy Birthday" to Sales Director
Jim Cohen. A cake cheers the troops, too.
Rabbi Alon Tolwin stops by with information
on a change of venue for his weekly Aish Center
lunch-and-learn session, held for the last 13 years
in the Jewish News offices.

Thursday

While Thursdays are typically a day off for many
in the design department, this Thursday is the
extreme exception to the rule. Waking up to snow
and sleet after a night of weather warnings, staff
still made it in for the final day of production.
5 p.m. Last-minute touches are made to pages
before they're out the door to the printer in Port
Huron. Corks are popped and exhausted staffers
toast themselves with champagne from foam cof-
fee cups stolen from the kitchen. 0

— Story Development Editor Keri Guten Cohen
and Staff Writer Harry Kirsbaum
contributed to this report.

"The Jewish News has been a mainstay of our
community and has been published by people
of great strength and creativity for decades. The _
paper will endure and will be stronger because
of that legacy and because of the community's
tremendous support."
— U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D - Mich.

"I first heard about the Jewish News fire at 6:30
the next morning in the health club at the JCC.
The JCC members there were so concerned.
First, they wanted to know if everybody was
OK. Then, since I'm from out of town, they
asked if I knew how important the Detroit Jewish
News was to the Jewish community. They started
reminiscing why the JN was important ...
"The paper always made sure to communicate
not only our community issues, but the con-
cerns of other Jewish communities as well ...
"I look forward to the paper coming out this
week. I know that everyone is looking forward
to seeing it."

— David Sorkin, executive director, Jewish
Community Center of Metropolitan Detroit

"The Jewish News is an integral part of the
Michigan community providing a vibrant and vital
communications link over its decades of services.
"Vicki and I are saddened by this temporary
setback, but offer our fullest support to the tal-
ented staff as they — in the finest tradition of
the paper — meet this challenge in the coming
weeks and months."
— U.S. Rep. Sander Levin, D -Royal Oak

REACTION

on page 19

2002

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