LETTERS
We prefer letters that relate to articles in the Jewish News. We reserve the right to
edit or reject letters. Brevity is encouraged.
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: rsklar@thejewishnews.com
There's Help For
Displaced Seniors
Your article on Elan Village ("After
Losing Their Home," July 5, page
12) spoke of the regret of many of
the residents about the Southfield
facility's closing. The Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit
was also saddened to hear the news.
Elan is not a Federation agency
and is privately owned and operated.
However, the facility has been part
of the continuum of care for older
adults provided in the Jewish com-
munity. The Federation's agencies
have always been supportive of Elan
Village and the fine care provided to
its residents.
Upon hearing the news of its plan
to close, the Federation agencies
immediately stepped in to work
hand-in-hand with Elan Village
management to ensure that the resi-
dents will have a smooth transition
to appropriate care facilitieS.
A social worker from Jewish Home
and Aging Services (JHAS), a
Federation constituent agency, is on
site at Elan several days per week
and is assisting residents and families
with counseling and finding alterna-
tive placements appropriate for their
level of care and needs. She will
work in conjunction with the other
Federation agencies as needed until
all the residents have appropriate liv-
ing arrangements.
Admissions staff from Fleischman
Residence, a Jewish assisted living
facility operated by JHAS, did on-site
assessments with all Elan residents
who expressed a desire to move to
Fleischman. Fleischman will accom-
modate all residents for whom they
can provide appropriate services,
regardless of their financial situation.
Those Elan Village residents mov-
ing to non-Jewish facilities will be
connected to the Jewish community
through the services provided by the
Jewish Community Chaplaincy
Program, based at JHAS and, if
desired, arrangements can be made
for kosher meals.
Elan Village staff seeking help with
job placement have been referred to
JVS.
Through the many new and exist-
ing services provided by Federation's
agencies, more older adults than ever
are assisted by the Jewish Federation
and enabled' to age in place. We
want to express how proud we are of
Federation's many accomplishments
on behalf of older adults in the met-
7/12
2002
6
ropolitan Detroit Jewish community.
We understand that it is difficult
to move to a new home and we are
so pleased at how Federation's agen-
cies have stepped in to work with
Elan Village on ensuring that its res-
idents have appropriate care in the
future.
Ellen Labes and John E. Jacobs
Jim Blanchard
Earns My Vote
The overflow crowd at the July 8 candi-
dates' forum, sponsored by the Jewish
Community Council of Metropolitan
Detroit and the National Council of
Jewish Women, demonstrates the
Chairs, Jewish Federation of importance of the primary election on
Metropolitan Detroit Commission on Tuesday, Aug. 6.
Jewish Eldercare Services
It was surprising that Michigan
Bloomfield Township Attorney General Jennifer Granholm
would miss such an opportunity to per-
sonally communicate her views with
her rivals, former Governor Jim
Blanchard and U.S. Rep. David Bonior.
She was represented by her husband,
Daniel Mulhearn. He did not state
where she was, but explained that in
Who does Mr. Harvey Bronstein
think he's kidding when he compares the final month of the campaign, his
wife has had 71 requests to attend pub-
[Michigan Attorney General]
lic forums.
Jennifer Granholm's lack of experi-
Obviously, a forum with the Jewish
ence to [former
community is not one of her priorities.
Gov.] Jim
Same with attending publicly televised
Blanchard's being
debates, like the one originally sched-
only 40 at the time
uled for that evening in Grand Rapids.
of his inaugura-
It is a great disservice to Michigan's
tion? ("Granholm:
citizens
if she continues to avoid dis-
The Best For
cussing
critical
issues. We all know pre-
Governor," June
packaged campaign commercials on the
28, page 6).
small screen are much safer than debat-
He seems to for-
ing our concerns on the unpredictable
Jim Blanchard
get that at that
stage
of the big tent.
point, Jim
If
she
benefits from her own absence,
Blanchard had
then
W.C.
Fields was right. And, I am
served four terms in Congress, sav-
no
sucker.
Jim Blanchard is getting my
ing Chrysler, standing up for minor-
vote because he is a close friend of the
ity and women's rights, and more, as
Jewish community and can face the
well as building alliances to which
tough issues.
he has been loyal during his entire
Steven Morton
public-service career.
Oak Park
Ms. Granholm, on the other hand,
was not loyal to her party's candidate
for governor in 1998. Far from
being a fresh voice, she learned her
politics from the master of the back-
room, good-old-boy political
machine, [Wayne County Executive]
You were right on . target in your
Ed McNamara (a fact she forgets to
Editor's Notebook ("Court Of
mention in her TV commercials) —
Judgment," June 28, page 5) concern-
and she has spent her tenure as
ing the Jewish Community Center of
attorney general ignoring the need
Metropolitan Detroit Health Club and
to investigate the shenanigans that
racquet sports. Your article was really
took place in the Wayne County
well presented. The action of the JCC
Executive's office over the years she
board is truly the "end of a lifelong
served as its counsel.
association," as one racquetball player
In these times, when we don't
said.
always know who we can trust, we
Health club members greet one
can place our confidence in Jim
another at restaurants or on the street
Blanchard's experience, integrity,
with a sadness as if a dear friend is
dedication to public service and spe-
moving out of town. We have been a •
cial relationship with the Jewish
chavurah for 50 years, each doing his
community.
own thing at the club, however —
Cynthia I. Brody meeting in the lounge over coffee or
Beverly Hills over the world's longest-running chess
tournament for shmoozing, kibitzing
Blanchard's Resume
Extensive By Age 40
Editor's Notebook
Right On The Mark
and reliving our life experiences, which
are so intertwined with one another.
Someday, someone will write a best-
selling book about the Guys at the
Club. Sometimes, we might even forget
each other's names (a sign of our times)
and sometimes we don't hear each
other so good (another "sign"), but
there is a mutual love and respect we
have for each other unequalled any-
where.
May the Jewish News long continue
to be the "voice of the Jewish commu-
nity" in this area.
Jerry Gerger
West Bloomfield
Peace Impossible
Under Arafat
In a key policy shift, President George
W. Bush no longer views Palestinian
Authority leader Yasser Arafat as a
"partner for peace" in the peace process.
Instead, he has challenged the
Palestinian people to elect a new leader-
ship, one worthy of their best aspira-
tions.
This policy shift is viewed as favor-
able, particularly by those concerned
about Israel's safety, as expressed in the
editorial "Clarifying The Moral Values
For Peace" (June 28, page 27).
Under Arafat's leadership, Palestinian
children have been educated and indoc-
trinated to hate Jews, ensuring that
Hamas and like-minded organizations
will have an endless supply of new
recruits.
Unless there is a new leadership will-
ing to change the Palestinian education
system to promote tolerance and co-
existence rather than intolerance and
hatred, any progress made towards
peace in negotiations will eventually be
undermined.
In addition to a war on terrorism,
Israel finds itself also in a propaganda
war. Why, one may ask, is it reasonable
to believe Jews living in contested or
"occupied territories" in the West Bank
represent an "obstacle to peace," .
according to media pundits, while
Arabs living in Israel do not? Clearly,
there is an asymmetry in thinking here.
Its justification seems to depend on
the "land for peace" formula; otherwise,
it could be considered as racist.
History, rather than media pundits,
will determine if President Bush's policy
shift will eventually lead to peace — a
peace both sides deserve. Under Arafat's
leadership, that peace is unachievable.
Irving Warshawsky
West Bloomfield