Insight

Remember
When • •

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Target: Gas Guzzlers

accelerate the process."
The issue of fuel economy has a
far-reaching effect on U.S. foreign
policy. "Every minute of every day,
$200,000 is being sent outside the
United States to purchase oil," said
Jacobs. "Fifty-two percent of our oil is
imported, and that percentage is grow-
ing. The only way to deal with the sit-
environment and the health of all
RONELLE GRIER
uation is to reduce our use of oil.
humans and creatures," Jacobs said.
Special to the Jewish News
"Israel's security is affected because we
"It's a fundamental part of tikkun olam
find ourselves indulging nations such as
I is not often that religious lead-
(repairing the world).",
Saudi Arabia, which we might not do if
ers stand side by side bearing
Following the press conference,
we didn't need their oil," he said.
signs that read "What Would
Jacobs and other interfaith campaign
The Nov. 20 rally and press confer-
Jesus Drive?" and "Gas Guzzlers leaders met with representatives from
ence were part of an ongoing multi-
Are Not Kosher," but such was
state campaign that includes
the case on Nov. 20 when an
television and magazine ads.
interfaith delegation of environ-
ti The "What Would Jesus
mental activists met in Detroit
Drive?" slogan was developed
with -automotive executives to
by the Evangelical
promote the manufacture of
rf Environmental Network, a
more fuel-efficient vehicles.
1g7 group of Evangelical
The program, which included
Christians committed to
a convoy of fuel-efficient vehi-
improving the Earth's ecology.
cles and a press conference, was
"We're working together as a
sponsored by the Interfaith
broad coalition," said Jacobs.
Climate and Energy Campaign,
" We're each pursuing the strate-
a partnership between the
° gies that will be most effective
National Council of Churches
in our respective communities."
and the Coalition on the
Michael Sklar, chairman of
Environment and Jewish Life
\ A
the Michigan affiliate of
(COEJL), a Jewish environmen-
Sara Bernstein and Mike Sklar of MI-COEJL a re
COEJL, said: "The program
tal advocacy organization.
interviewed during a downtown environmental rally.
was tremendously. exciting not
The campaign received
just because of the national
national media attention, with
attention, but because people of differ-
coverage by local newspapers and tele-
General Motors, the United Auto
ent faiths were able to come together
vision stations as well as the New York
Workers and Ford Motor Company,
over this issue.
Times, CNN and Good Morning
including chairman William Clay Ford
"Keeping kosher is our way of being
America.
Jr.
conscious of God and His laws, and
Mark X. Jacobs, execu-
An open letter, signed by more than
incorporating that into the way we eat
tive director of COEJL,
100 religious leaders nationwide, was
every day," said the Huntington Woods
traveled from the organiza-
presented to the automotive executives,
resident. "We're trying to bring similar
tion's New York headquar-
imploring them to make the develop-
ideals into the daily act of driving.
ters to attend the event.
ment and m a nufacture of more fuel-
Being mindful of our actions is very
"This effort is rather
efficient vehicles a high priority.
important in Judaism.
unusual in American
"The U.S. auto companies have a
"The rally was very exciting, not just
Jewish life, reaching out to Jacobs
long history of resisting change," Jacobs
because of the national attention it
corporate leaders to ask
said. "They tell the public that making
received, but because we were able to
them to do what we think is morally
changes will make the cars more
right and in the best interests of our
expensive and the companies less prof- bring together different faiths who are
working toward a common goal," he said.
community and our country" Jacobs
itable, resulting in job loss. In fact,
"We have an obligation to minimize
said.
that's never been the case. Many analy-
the negative effects of our daily activi-
One of the speakers was Rabbi
ses show that jobs will actually be
ties on the people in our own commu-
David Saperstein, director of the New
added by improving fuel economy.
nities, and, in this case, around the
York-based Religious Action Center of
"We had some very productive con-
world," Jacobs said. ❑
Reform Judaism.
versations," he said. "Although we
"Technology exists to build cars that didn't agree on everything, we were
better reflect our values, protect our
able to find some common ground on
For more information, visit
children and preserve God's creation,"
the issues of protecting our environ-
vvww.mi-coejl.org or call Sarah
th rabbi said.
ment and decreasing our dependence
Bernstein at (248) 642-5393.
"The Jewish tradition has something on foreign oil. We hope this will be the
profound to say about protecting the
beginning of a dialogue that will help

COEJL joins interfaith environmentalists in pressing
auto execs to make fuel efficiency a priority.

1

From the pages of the Jewish News for
this week 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60
years ago.

4991
A suspect is arrested in six different
incidents of vandalism at Beth
Israel Congregation and the
University of Michigan Hillel
Foundation in Ann Arbor.
Rabbi Elimelech Silberberg of
Bais Chabad Torah Center of West
Bloomfield publishes a book on
Jewish law called Lichvod Tzaddik.

Sam Cohodas of Ishpeming is hon-,
ored at Hadassah University
Hospital in Jerusalem for his family's
donation of a chair in microbiology.

.

Milton Meretsky is named 1973
chairman of the United Jewish
Appeal Campaign in Windsor.
"The World of Anatole Kaplan,"
an exhibition including lithographs
based on Sholem Aleichem's Tevye
the Milkman, opens at Daedalus I
Gallery in Birmingham.

WN

Detroiter Irwin I. Cohn and Bar-
Ilan University are honored at a
Fellowship Dinner at Detroit's
Cobo Hall.
Hillel Day School of Metropolitan
Detroit receives its official perma-
nent charter from the state
Department of Public Education.

Rabbi Sidney Akselrad, assistant
rabbi of Temple Beth El of Detroit,
will depart in January for Temple
Beth El in Berkeley, Calif.
The Michigan State Temple
Youth Conclave brings together
150 young people from Michigan
and five delegates from Ohio at
Temple Israel in Detroit.

Violinist Bronislaw Huberman,
founder of the Palestine Symphony
Orchestra, performs in concert at
Detroit's Masonic Temple with Emma
Shaver, well-known Detroit soprano.

-- Compiled by Holly Teasdle,
archivist, the Leo M Franklin
Archives, Temple Beth El

ZElf

11/29

2002

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