Breaking Away

Four state lawmakers split om overwhelming support for Israel's West Bank incursion.

ALAN HITSKY
Associate Editor

0

n May 2, both houses of
Congress defied a Bush
administration request to
tone down their rhetoric and
overwhelmingly passed resolutions sup-
porting Israel's April anti-terrorism
incursion into the West Bank.
The U.S. Senate document passed
94-2, with only Robert Byrd, D-W.Va.,
and Ernest Hollings, D-S.C., voting
against.
House Resolution 392, "Expressing
Solidarity With Israel In Its Fight
Against Terrorism," had even stronger
language. It passed on a 352-21 vote.
Of the 21 negative votes, four were
from Michigan, and two additional
members of the Michigan delegation
voted "present." Only California, with
52 representatives compared to
Michigan's 19, cast more negative votes
on the resolution: five.
Michigan's negative votes were cast
by U.S. Reps. David Bonior, D-Mt.
Clemens; John Conyers, D-Detroit;
John Dingell, D-Dearborn; and Nick

may be forced to run against
Smith, R-Addison
Dingell in a new district that
(Jackson/Battle Creek). In
includes Dearborn's Arab
addition, U.S. Reps. Lynn
American neighborhoods if
Rivers, D-Ann Arbor, and
the state redistricting plan is
Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, D-
approved by the courts.
Detroit, voted "present" on the
Kilpatrick's son, Detroit
bill.
Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, was
David Gad-Harf, executive
in Dubai last week to pro-
director of the Jewish
mote trade between the
Community Council of
Motor City and its partner
Metropolitan Detroit, can
area in the United Arab
explain three of the negative
Emirates. His trip followed a
votes. In coordination with the
speaking engagement in
American Israel Public Affairs
Southfield before a Jewish
Committee (AIPAC) in
Federation of Metropolitan
Washington, D.C., the
Detroit audience.
JCCouncil lobbies Michigan's
Gad-Harf said all the
delegation on Israel issues.
Michigan representatives
Gad-Harf believes that
generally "vote the right way
Dingell, and to a lesser extent
on foreign aid" bills.
Conyers, are influenced by
The pro-Israel community
their Arab American con-
Clockwise from top left: U.S. Reps. David Bonior, John
tries to maintain relation-
stituents. Bonior, who is run-
Dingell, John Conyers and Nick Smith
ships with every senator and
ning for governor of Michigan,
representative. The Council
has an ideological issue with
has ongoing meetings with them,
Israel, Gad-Harf said. Smith's
Gad-Harf said, the vote "doesn't come
involving its volunteers, professional
vote "may be the first time he's voted
as a surprise; it continues a pattern."
staff and any member of the Jewish
that way."
A pro-Israel activist in Detroit, who
community "who has a personal rela-
For Bonior, Conyers and Dingell,
asked not to be identified, said Rivers

Note Of Discord

Cantor Stephen Dubov resigns from Temple Beth El.

SHELLI LIEBMAN DORFMAN

Staff Writer

A

fter six years of bringing
both tradition and inno-
vative musical program-
ming to Temple Beth El,
Cantor Stephen Dubov has
informed congregants he will be
leaving the Bloomfield Township
synagogue July 1.
"I valued my time at Beth El,"
Cantor Dubov says. "Ultimately,
when one is unable to grow and
progress creatively and spiritually,
they must go forward."
He says his decision to leave is
about "quality of life" and his
"inability to promote the spiritual
ambiance which every temple
deserves," not "about money."

5/17
2002

18

In a May 10 letter sent to congre-
gants explaining his resignation,
Cantor Dubov writes he originally
resigned June 1, 2001, because he
felt "much frustration with continu-
ing friction between senior staff
members." He writes that he rescind-
ed the resignation at a June 13 tem-
ple board meeting based on promises
to resolve the situation.
Seven months later, he writes, he
felt the staff friction issues had not
been addressed and told temple
President Alan May and First Vice-
President Stuart Lockman he would
be looking for a cantorial position
elsewhere.
May says Cantor Dubov told him
at the beginning of this year that he
wanted to leave. "He wanted to
interview for what he called The

remaining, with a new
chance of a lifetime' at
10-year contract,
a New York congrega-
including a substantial
tion," May says. This
compensation increase.
was followed by several
"We thought this was
other requests to inter-
acceptable to him and
view for positions in
we were surprised
other cities, all of which
when he rejected it,"
were granted, May says.
May writes in a May 9
"The requests were
letter to the congrega-
made out of courtesy
tion.
because half-way through
In his letter, May
my contract, I am per-
writes, we are
mitted to interview and
Cantor Dubov
amenable to releasing
audition elsewhere,"
him from his current
Cantor Dubov says.
obligations" if the can-
But with the hope the
tor fulfills professional responsibili-
cantor would stay on at Beth El,
ties to the synagogue until a new
May says the temple board of
cantor is engaged and if he does not
trustees unanimously voted to offer
accept a position in Michigan or
to replace the cantor's current five-
southern Ontario.
year contract, which has two years