LETTER l 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 ac 30301 Northwestern Highway, Suite 200, Farmington Hills, MI 48334; fax to (248) 539-3075; or e-mail to: rsklar@thejewismews.com Nimoy's Free Speech Is Not The Issue Whether or not Leonard Nimoy should have been allowed to appear at the JCC's Jewish Book Fair, you need a lesson in the meaning of the First Amendment. Contrary to your assertion of Mr. Nimoy's "free speech rights" in your edi- torial ("The Art Of Compromise," Nov. 1, page 37), he has no more right to appear at the Book Fair than an anti- Semite or any individual who wishes to appear there. The right of free speech is exercisable in public fora and as against the govern- ment. It is the property rights of private organizations, such as the Jewish Community Center, which you seek to abridge when you declaim "free speech" rights for Mr. Nimoy. David Arm West Bloomfield Absurd Reaction To Nimoy Work Regarding the Nov. 1 article "Community Consensus" (page 24) concerning Leonard Nirnoy's book Shekhina — let me get this straight. The leaders of our community have clarified the purpose of the Jewish Book Fair — to promote Jewish literary and artistic expression as long as it does not offend anyone, that is. Also, the leadership has identified a proper forum for a book depicting nude women wearing tallisim and tefillin — a synagogue. If I were Leonard Nimoy or his publicist, I'd be laughing all the way to Temple Shir Shalom's doorsteps. Rabbi Spolter is correct; this isn't Hollywood. But, it sure feels a lot like Disneyland right now Laurel Stuart-Fink West Bloomfield Valiant Response To Offensive Book Kudos to Rabbi Reuven Spolter for his principled stand concerning Shekhina ("Community Consensus," Nov. 1, page 24). His courageous leadership lends digni- ty to the Detroit rabbinate and augurs well for the community. The rabbinic, professional and lay committee should be commended for recognizing the offensive and incendiary nature of the book. If, according to Hannan Lis, Leonard Nimoy is a "very religious Jew," I hope it is manifest in more than supporting "Israel and [doing] a lot of fund-raising around the country." His scholarship seems suspect, starting with, as Rabbi Joseph Krakoff so eloquently states, "a distortion of the beauty of the tallit and tefillin ... [and] the Jewish values of modesty." Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, author of Meditation and Kabbalah, offers an alter- native method of evoking the divine spirit that lives in all of us": "[T]he Shekhinah ... only resides in Israel through the merit of observing God's commandments with joy." (Shabbath 30b; Zohar 1:216b, as cited in The Handbook of Jewish Thought, vol. 2, Moznaim.) It is surprising that Nimoy's publicist was surprised at the local controversy. Even more surprising, and dishearten- ing, is that there was so little protest until now Perhaps leaders were afraid of being considered not "open-minded" or "intellectually empty and culturally frozen." Alas, perhaps the Detroit community is now doomed to a reputation of not being a "cosmopolitan, educated, open society." I'll take provincialism any day. Fayge Young Oak Park Nimoy Photos Degrade Women . Regarding the Leonard Nimoy articles (including "Community Consensus," Nov. 1, page 24): Proponents of Nimoy's "art" try to present this as a free speech vs. censorship issue. Censorship is not the issue — there Menorah House Leader Leaves On A High Note Having spent the past nearly nine years as administrator of Menorah House in Southfield and as I now leave that posi- tion, I felt obliged to thank your fine com- munity for allowing me the opportunity to help serve your elders and to work with so many of you As a stranger to your faith and culture Dennis on my arrival at Menorah House, I feel Hayes absolutely blessed to have been exposed to each of you over these past several years. At every turn, I was met with a welcoming kind- ness from residents, families and your community leaders alike. Never once was I made to feel less than a full partner in the mission of caring for so many of your elderly. I should like to mention several individuals who nurtured me, showed patience with me and helped me throughout both good and less good times. First among these is Rabbi Hershel Klainberg, who served as a mentor to me on the ways of your faith and culture. Each and every day, it seemed, we would discuss one point or another that allowed my eyes to be opened and to allow me to 11 /8 2002 6 better understand how to serve. He is some- one I consider a true and lasting friend. I would like to thank Mark Davidoff, your exceptionally talented executive director [and chief financial officer] of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit. He was at all times a strong supporter of the efforts made at Menorah House to provide needed services to frail elderly persons in a facility with a Jewish flavor and feel. I thank him publicly for the generous gift of an exquisite Kiddush cup, which he, [Jewish Home and Aging Services Executive Director] Margo Parr, [JHAS Associate Director] Carole Rosenberg and [Commission on Jewish Eldercare Services Director] Linda Blumberg arranged to present me recently. I shall cherish that gift. Each time I gaze upon it, I will recall and savor the memory of my time with your community. I would like to thank the generous volunteers of both the auxiliary of JHAS and of the Bikur Cholim group, who so dutifully served residents of Menorah House either by their direct financial support, daily staffing of the shop and nosh nook, are far more authors and artists vying to display their work than there are promi- nent public forums for them to do so. If [Nation of Islam leader] Louis Farrakhan wanted to talk about Judaism, would Temple Shir Shalom or Hebrew Union College grant him the prestige of their platforms? If not, would that denial violate the Constitution? Rather, Shir Shalom and HUC, the worldwide center of the Reform rab- binate, have endorsed Nimoy's "art" as being within the appropriate and accept- able range of Jewish religious expression. Besides, these institutions themselves are both censoring Nimoy — Shir Shalom, through the sponsoring National Foundation for Jewish Culture, is refus- ing to allow people younger than 18 to attend Nimoy's presentation and HUC is refusing to publicly display "full- frontal nudes. In my view, this is anything but appropriate Jewish expression — there is almost nothing more debasing or degrading to a woman than to ask her to disrobe and pose for photographs to be publicly exhibited. The shame and dis- grace inherent in a woman taking her clothes off for a camera, presumably to earn a buck, is not something that any Reform rabbi should publicly embrace, let alone showcase to their students and congregants as an expression of Judaism. In the words of (Reform) Rabbi " LETTERS on page 10 running of bingo or their direct service in helping feed dependent residents at meal times. Their kindness and tremendous humility is unparalleled in any other nursing facility of which I am aware. I would like to recognize the young men and women, boys and girls of the various yeshivot in the area Their visits, with the unbridled encour- agement and support of their faculty and their individual families added a tremendous breath of life for the residents. These young people are your future and thus it seems that the future is undoubtedly bright if their acts of kindness are any measure. There are so many others who could and should be named, but this brief note is not the place for that Let me close by simply saying thanks to the residents, their families, the many friendly visitors and volunteers we enjoyed on a daily basis and the excellent staff of Menorah House for letting me work with them these past years. I am convinced the team at Menorah House, under the leadefship of my successor, will continue to acquit themselves favorably by providing a homelike, comfortable and culturally sensitive home for your elders. Dennis Hayes Allen Park