LETTERS
tBrreelvairt3e, tios eanttcicolteisraignedd Jewish News. We reserve the right to
edt porrefre rjelcetttleertstedrr
We
Letters must contain the name, address and title of the writer, and a daytime
telephone number. Original copies must be hand signed. Mail to the Jewish News
at 30301 Northwestern Highway, Suite 200, Farmington Hills, MI 48334;
fax to (248) 539-3075; or e-mail to: rsldar@thejewishnews.com
Please Keep
JCC Courts
In the recent article "Racket At The
JCC" (May 31, page 14), Jewish
Community Center of Metropolitan
Detroit board members said the rea-
son they were "renovating" the rac-
quetball courts is because not
enough youth use them.
day, numerous
However, every,
Jewish Academy of Metropolitan
Detroit students and physical educa-
tion classes use the racquetball and
squash courts. The racquetball and
squash courts epitomize the goal of
the JCC. They bring our community
together. Where else can elderly ath-
letes, middle-aged professionals, stu-
dents and rabbis compete and inter-
act socially?
I hope Mr. David Sorkin, execu-
tive director, reconsiders the elimina-
tion of racquetball and squash at the
JCC.
Jonathan . S. Guyer
Huntington Woods
Your Israeli
Family Awaits
We recently returned from a two-
month stay in Israel visiting with
family and friends.
In spite of the continuous coverage
of the suicide bombings and the hor-
rific stories (and they are horrific) of
deaths and casualties that are broad-
cast in the U.S. media, we never
once felt as if we were living in a
war zone," nor do the Israelis
("Heartbreaking," June 7, page 31).
We used a little discretion as to
where and when we traveled about:
Most of our time was spent in
Jerusalem, where we rode buses,
went to the symphony and theater,
shopped, ate at a different restaurant
each time we ate out and visited
with friends.
It's true that most Israelis try to
avoid going into downtown
Jerusalem at night and some will not
travel on certain high-risk roads, but
it really is amazing how determined
they are that life go on as normally
as possible — and it does.
Yom Yerushalayim and Yom
HaAtzmaut saw families picnicking
in the parks, which were filled to
capacity. People went to the Kotel
(Western Wall); the Yom
Yerushalayim Parade of Flags was
held as usual.
"
6/14
2002
6
The only thing missing was "you."
It is painful and sad to see restau-
rants and hotels empty for lack of
tourists. However, the one benefit to
the Israeli public is the great deals
they're able to get for weekend get-
aways. Small shopkeepers, who rely
on the tourist trade, are suffering;
many have had to close.
We have returned home with one
goal: to tell everyone we know to go.
Don't turn your back on your "fami-
ly." There is no reason whatsoever
not to visit Israel at this time. If you
hesitate to go on your own, go with
a group. Contact one of the many
solidarity missions. Yes ; there is a
risk, but no greater than the risks
that one faces daily [anywhere]. You
will be greeted with hearty hand-
shakes and grateful smiles by your
waiting Israeli "family."
Fayga and Dave Dombey
Southjield
Israel's Security
Is Overriding
.
In your editorial "The Bigger
Picture" (May 31, page 31), you
conclude that those who consider
shifting their support to the
Republican Party and Christian con-
servatives, groups which have been
enormously supportive of Israel,
should not lose sight of how this
support may impact those issues that
are typically important to the Jewish
community — opposing prayer in
public schools, gun control, Social
Security, etc.
I recognize that these are impor-
tant issues, but I have no doubt that
we will be discussing these same
issues five, 10 years from now. Given
Israel's tenuous situation, I am not
so sure that the same may be said
about the long-term survival of the
one and only Jewish state.
In times of crisis, the Jewish corn-
munity has generally come together
with a unified voice, particularly as
it affects Israel. If our friends in the
Republican Party and among the
Christian conservative movement
choose to champion Israel's survival
— the single most important issue
facing our community — surely that
is, and should be, something we
should welcome and reciprocate with
our support.
It seems to me that we will have
ample opportunity to address those
other important, but peripheral
domestic issues — issues that seem
trivial by comparison — once Israel's
very existence does not hang in the
balance!
Marc Weinbaum
West Bloomfield
Closing Courts
A Bad Call
First, let me say I had conversations
with your staff writer, Sharon
Luckerman. Please accept my com-
pliments; she is a professional
reporter who is fair and willing to
listen to both sides of the controver-
sy regarding the Jewish Community
Center of Metropolitan Detroit's
outrageous decision to eliminate all
racquetball and squash courts at the
JCC in West Bloomfield.
• If this decision is implemented,
the membership loss could easily be
more than 100. Can the JCC afford
this immense loss?
Occasionally, I travel the Seven
Mile-Outer Drive area in Detroit
and see the Sinai Hospital building
complex sitting forlorn and empty. I
implore the Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit not to let this
happen to our beloved JCC.
Rudolph Keller
Sar-El Volunteer:
No Reservations
In response to last week's article
"Grunt Work for a Cause" (June 7,
page 28), I am concerned that some
readers may come away with the
impression that all Sar-El program
participants had reservations about
Israel, its policies and the army prior
to the trip.
.
I would like to *clarify that there
are those of us. who already fully
supported Istael's political and mili-
tary efforts, and in fact participated
in the program for that very reason.
I -would like to thank Hillel of
Metro Detroit's Miriam Starkman
and community leader Jane Sherman
for spearheading the effort and the
Sherman Family Israel Experience
Fund, the Blumenstein Family
Young Adult Mission Fund and the
Irwin and Bertha Green College Life
Fund for underwriting what was a
very valuable experience for both the
participants and for the Israelis with
whom we came in regular contact.
Sarah Y. Goldfein
.
Southfield
Bloomfield Hills
Synagogue Story
Stirs Memories
I just finished reading the article on
architecturally significant synagogues
by Alan Abrams ("Prayerful Portraits,"
May 31, page 68). The article was so
very interesting to read, especially the
part about Temple Jacob in Hancock,
Mich., because I have been there many
times.
The great-granddaughter of Jacob
Gartner [who the temple is named
for] was my college roommate. The
friendship has continued for more
than 40 years. I was surprised that
the photographer, Laszlo Regos, was
unable to find out who the architect
was. In the Michigan Jewish History
booklet dated November 1998, vol.
38, it states that the architect was
most probably Henry L.
Ottenheimer. This booklet was put
out by the Jewish Historical Society
of Michigan.
Ethel Rosenblatt
West Bloomfield
Corrections
In "Words Of Wisdom" (June 7,
page 101), the Hillel Day School
of Metropolitan Detroit Dream
Maker Award was presented May
23 to Eleanor and Saul Bluestone
of Farmington Hills. Also,
Herman Brodsky, winner of the
Rabbi Jacob Segel Award, has
two surviving sisters: Beth
Weintrob and Lee Rothstein.
In "Spiritual Leaders" (June 7,
page 17), the ordaining institu-
tion for the Humanistic Judaism
movement is the International
Institute for Secular Humanistic
Judaism. The school should have
been under the heading of
Humanistic Judaism, not
Renewal.
Rabbi Michele Faudem has
been with Hillel Day School of
Metropolitan Detroit for seven
years. Her children's names are
Tal and Ari Ershler.