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Nimoy's Work
Not Offensive
I feel so saddened by the actions of
the community coalition, supported
by the Jewish Community Center of
Metropolitan Detroit, to arbitrarily
omit Leonard Nimoy's photographic
study Shekhina from the JCC Book
Fair ("Community Consensus," Nov.
1, page 24).
The intent of this study is not to
offend or heap abuse upon members
of our community that seem to have
a lower than average threshold for
offensive language and ideas.
The voices of art and creativity are
as diverse as our Jewish community.
The coalition and the JCC, by their
actions, seem to reflect a lack of
understanding of the main purpose
of creative artistic endeavors — that
is, to provoke, stimulate and per-
ceive things in new ways.
What a failure on their parts.
Freedom of expression is certainly
worthy of celebration. It has always
•
been a curiosity that some people
believe certain materials will be too
upsetting for others and assume the
role of gatekeepers.
Many Jewish women have adopted
Leonard Nimoy's breathtaking and
dignified photographic interpreta-
tion because the voice and message
of this photographic study is one in
which genders are co-equals. They
reflect the feminine, enfolding, nur-
turing side of God that is within.
The image of a judging, warrior God
is missing.
This is the very image that thou-
sands of individual Jewish women's
groups have adopted. Nimoy's work
recognizes, honors and celebrates the
feminine and women's spirituality in
all its forms.
Most mainstream religions have
been heavily patriarchal in their lan-
guage, which is usually masculine,
with customs and traditions that •
neglect women, put them down or
disadvantage them in some way.
Nimoy's voice focuses on egalitarian-
ism between the sexes, a sense of
partnership- and honor for all of
nature.
His body of work is directed to
women who have felt that traditional
religion has not adequately addressed
their needs or enabled them to par-
ticipate fully in religious life. It is
also for those women who have felt
unfulfilled within their traditions
and whose contributions to their
communities are not honored, even
11/22
. 2002
6
if they don't subscribe to a feminist
focus. And, it is also for anyone who
is open-minded.
Too bad no one had the courage
to tell Mr. Nimoy, face to face, that
his work was being censored.
Norine G. Zimmer
Huntington Woods
Don't Repress
Artistic Voices
The title of your article "Community
Consensus" (Nov. 1, page 24) is as mis-
leading as the contents are disturbing.
The decision to ban Leonard Nimoy's
book Shekhina from the JCC Book Fair
was made by the few for the many.
The Jewish community is as diverse
in its taste in art and books as it is in its
politics and religious beliefs. Yet the
right to exercise our own judgments
about this work, as members of this
community, has_been wrested from us
with much self-congratulation by our
leaders, who not only spoke in one
voice, but for one segment.
The "compromise" change of venue
to Temple Shir Shalom may have creat-
ed the illusion of largesse, but by deny-
ing Shekhina a place in the prestigious
and widely attended Book Fair, the
committee blatantly engaged in censor-
ship.
Art, by its very nature, stirs emotions,
creates discomfort and jabs at the status
quo with bold strokes and wild juxta-
positions. In a society in which power
is being consolidated, artistic expression
and freedom of expression in general,
are rightly viewed as challenges to that
power and must be stamped out.
The not-too-distant past is instruc-
tive. In the 1980s, the Ayatollah
Khomeni of Iran put out a contract on
the life of Salman Rushdie for writing
The Satanic Verses. An extreme exam-
ple? Of course. But is it only horrific
pronouncements that will rouse us
when, on a daily basis, films are being
"cleansed," literary classics are being
desecrated by White-Out or removed
altogether from libraries and classrooms
and dissenters are being labeled into
submission?
I fear that by censoring Mr, Nimoy's
book, our community leaders have
become unwitting cogs in the machin-
ery of repression. I can only hope that
in the future, some representatives of
our community will exercise leadership
and not accede to power.
Floreen Halpern
Huntington Woods
Pursuing Peace
By Understanding
The invitation read "Courage in the
Pursuit of Peace." The Nov. 18 gala for
Seeds of Peace lived up to its title
("Friend Or Foe?" Nov. 8, page 29).
Seeds of Peace was the brainchild of
the respected journalist John Wallach.
His vision was to help young people
break the cycle of violence through con-
flict resolution and coexistence. In John's
words, "Seeds of Peace is a detoxification
program for the hatreds that all of us
possess. It is these hatreds.that fuel mis-
understandings and that often culminate
in violence and terrorism."
Throughout the evening, we were
reminded that our generation has failed
to attain peace. Terrorism, thwarted
diplomacy, distrust and hatred have
taken thousands of innocent lives. Our
children are paying for our failures.
Seeds of Peace brings hope to young
people. In an intense, month-long pro-
gram, mutual understanding and trust
are the operative concepts. And that
respect and appreciation for one another
continue to be nurtured via technology
and conferences.
Upon receiving the Peacemaker Award
from Seeds of Peace for his personal sup-
port and vision, Bob Lutz [General
Motors vice chairman of North
American Operations] described it this
way, "Pushing and shoving for what you
believe to be the right cause is the key to
moving forward. Errors of commitment
are less dangerous to us than errors of
omission."
Seeds of Peace supporters understand
that it is far more dangerous and destruc-
tive to succumb to violence than to work
toward peaceful coexistence.
Four very articulate and passionate
Seeds of Peace graduates made the argu-
ment that our leaders have unsuccessfully
tried other avenues to resolve differences
and conflicts. Seeds can succeed — one
child, one heart, one mind at a time.
Ann Zousmer
Bloomfield Hills
Finkelberg Served
Tamarack Well
The summer of 1999, I cried every day.
I had been diagnosed with scoliosis and
had to wear a plastic brace. It was hot; it
was uncomfortable; it was unattractive;
and, worst of all, I couldn't go to camp.
This was the first summer in eight
years that I couldn't go; and, in my opin-
ion, this was the worst side effect of my
back brace. Camp has always been a
huge part of my life. Many of my best
friends in the world I met at Tamarack
Camps.
There are many things I attribute to
my love for camp, one of which is
Harvey Finkelberg. This is why I was
floored when I received a phone call
telling me he had been fired. I was in
shock. In my opinion, [ex-executive
director] Harvey Finkelberg embodies
Tamarack Camps. Anyone would be
hard-pressed to find a more dedicated
individual to his or her job. As a family
friend of the Finkelbergs, I have experi-
enced this love and dedication firsthand.
Not a family dinner, Sunday afternoon
or outing has passed without camp being
the main topic of conversation.
In all my years with Tamarack Camps,
I have met and spoken to many people
with many different opinions of Harvey.
As a camper and as a staff member, I
have come to one decision: Whether
someone likes him or not, agrees with
him or not, is friends with him or not,
no one has ever denied that Harvey was
great at his job.
Rachel Silver
Huntington Woods
NCJW Proves
Worthy Effort
A very great organization that does a lot
for seniors is the National Council of
Jewish Women. It is the umbrella for
Meals on Wheels. The volunteers work
different days, packing and delivering
meals to seniors who can't cook for
themselves. They have a different menu
every day — fresh.
The NCJW volunteers have a program
that comes up in the fall. They take sen-
iors to the services at Temple Israel on
Shabbat to listen to a rabbi and cantor.
Then the temple's Senior Shabbat
Committee provides and serves lunch.
Tables already have some food, but for
sandwiches and drinks, there is a line in
the serving area. There, ladies with
nametags take you to a table.
A charming lady helped me; her name
was Beth Sklar. She stopped at the table
several times to see if we wanted any-
thing more. She suggested we take some-
thing home; some did.
We are certainly blessed with an organ-
ization of the caliber of NCJW When it
calls for volunteers, please join. You'll
realize what a worthy cause it is. You'll
make friends.
Sonia Pittman
Oak Park