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LETTERS

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Since 1972

Shoah Memorial
Program Uplifting

Mitiltskin

her Ground

We have just returned from the third
annual Holocaust Memorial Service and
Reception, hosted by the Ecumenical
Institute of Jewish-Christian Studies, at
the National Shrine of the Little Flower
in Royal Oak (This Week, "A Time To
Heal," March 15, page 20).
We heard an inspiring, uplifting pro-
gram, beautifully arranged and scripted
by David Blewett, with addresses by
Anneke Burke-Kooistra and Esther
Posner, and a memorable Kaddish sung
by Mary Grivas.
The various spoken parts were
solemnly presented by clergy and lay
people from the Detroit area. Among
the good-sized audience was a small rep-
resentation of the Jewish community.
The sad aspect, from our viewpoint, was
that there was not a single member of
the Jewish clergy who actively participat-
ed or even attended.
Eric Bales
West Bloomfield

Support Our New
Kosher Restaurant

Lorio Ross
Entertaimentific

;IN

Call (248)398-9711

3/15
200 2

505 S. Lafayette • Royal Oak
www.lorioross.com

6

The fact that two kosher restaurants,
Sperber's Carryout at Whole Foods
Market and Paul Kohn's La Difference,
closed due to the lack of support of
the West Bloomfield-Farmington Hills
Jewish community, one of the largest,
indeed most philanthropic, of
America's Jewish communities, is a
shande [shame].
That the closings occurred while a
large number of local restaurants up
and down Orchard Lake Road enjoyed
the support of our community merely
adds insult to injury. Clearly, support-
ing kosher dining is not merely the
responsibility of the Orthodox com-
munity. Conservative Judaism, as
much as Orthodoxy, mandates kashrut
[dietary laws] as law.
Indeed, the newly adopted 1999
Principles of Reform Judaism note
that the "mitzvoth ... demand renewed
attention," a not-so-subtle reference to
the mitzvot of tallit, tefillin and
kashrut, as noted in the accompanying
commentary to the Principles.
The opening of Matt Prentice's Milk
& Honey of West Bloomfield at the
Jewish Community Center provides us
with the opportunity to enjoy fine
dining, reasonable pricing, a beautiful
atmosphere
and dine-in or carryout
•
(Insight, "Enter, the Land Of Milk &
Honey," Feb. 22, page 27).

We would suggest the Jewish News
has an obligation to help ensure that
Milk & Honey receives the accolades
due it. We hope the local rabbinate,
especially Conservative and Reform
rabbis, will make sure their congre-
gants are aware of the importance of
supporting a fine restaurant "that just
happens to be kosher."
For those unhappy about the JCC's
parking, note that valet parking is
available at dinner, and the restaurant
is open at 8 a.m. for continental
breakfast.
We owe it to ourselves to make sure
Milk & Honey is a viable enterprise in
our community. "Three strikes and
you're out" is certainly no virtue.
Amy and Allen Olender
West Bloomfield

Notebook Strikes
Emotional Chord

Yael Zohar grew up in Farmington
Hills. Her family moved back to Israel
when she graduated from high school.
She started school at the University of
Michigan, but felt a need to return to
Israel and join the army. So, in the mid-
dle of her sophomore year, she moved
back to be a soldier, leaving a number of
loving friends. She became a sergeant;
Captain Moshe Eini was one of her sol-
diers. She is now a civilian and is trying
to decide if she wants to return to U-M
or finish school at Tel Aviv University.
In the past two months, she has lost
two of "her" soldiers. Another of her sol-
diers is mourning his mother and men-
tally handicapped daughter, both killed
in the turmoil that is Israel today.
Yael lives in the same constant fear
that everyone is living in over there. But
she has an American background and a
big, kind heart, and has written me
almost daily about the senselessness and
pain of it all.
When I read last week's Editor's
Notebook ("Israel Needs Us," March 8,
page 5), I knew instantly the Eini it dis-
cussed was "her" soldier. So I e-mailed
the column to her.
Yael's response was immediate and
grateful, to me but, mostly, to you. I
wanted you to know that you have
been a part of her healing. Hopefully,
so have I. But I am not certain that
anything heals what will continue to
happen with such frequency and
such violence and such insanity. But
you helped, and she asked me to tell
you that.
Jane Reiser Williams
West Bloomfield

.

Recalling His
`Perma-Smile'

I am one of counselor Jane Reiser
Williams' former students at North
Farmington High School (class of 1998)
and recently completed my service in
the Israel Defense Forces, where I
became friends with Captain Moshe
Eini (Editor's Notebook, "Israel Needs
Us," March 8, page 5).
His death affected me; even now,
three weeks later, I still think about him
every day. He was an amazing 2 1 - year-
o Id man and I just wanted to thank you
for describing Eini just as I got to know
him during my service.
The brilliant young man with the
"perma-smile" on his face who would
climb on just about anything (he was an
avid rock climber) was, indeed, very spe-
cial. The article touched me, and for
that, I'm grateful.
Yael Zohar
Tel Aviv

Diversity Task Force
Welcomes Coverage

I was delighted to find Columnist Carla
Schwartz's coverage of the Birmingham-
Bloomfield Task Force on Race Relations
and Ethnic Diversity's 10th annual
Martin Luther King Jr. celebration
(Spotlight, "Ethnic Diversity," March 1,
page 82).
I had been disappointed that our event
wasn't included in the other articles writ-
ten about local communities' commemo-
rations of King Day. More than 300 peo-
ple heard Leonard Pitts Jr., syndicated
columnist, speak and then attended a
choice of five workshops.
Our goals are to improve race relations
in the Detroit area, specifically within
our own communities and to develop a
climate that promotes inclusivity in the
Birmingham-Bloomfield area. As many
of your readers live in our area and share
out beliefs, I hope you will continue to
include us in your coverage of communi-
ty events about diversity, inclusion and
racial issues.
Deena Lockman
co-chair, Birmingham-Bloomfield
Task Force on Race Relations
and Ethnic Diversity

t

We prefer letters that relate to ar icles in the Jewish
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Brevity is encouraged.
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Jewish News at 30301 Northwestern Highway,
Suite 200, Farmington Hills, MI 48334; fax to
(248) 539-3075; or e-mail to:
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