Differing Ideas WSU President Reid meets with three Jewish leaders about the university's Syrian agreement. DIANA LIEBERMAN StaffWriter I n a meeting late last month with three leaders of Detroit's Jewish community, President Irvin D. Reid of Wayne State University downplayed the significance of the agreement he signed Jan. 6 with Syria's Damascus University. "He said he would not allow joint projects to be used for anything but nursing education [or] to be used for anything that would threaten the United States," said David Gad-Harf, executive director of the Jewish Community Council. The meeting, held in Reid's Detroit office at WSU on Feb. 21, also included Robert Aronson, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, and Miriam Starkman, executive director of WSU's Hillel of Metro Detroit. The "Memorandum of Understanding" with Syria calls for "long-term educational and research projects ... calling upon the broader capabilities of each organization as appropriate." There is no mention of nursing education. "President Reid gave us a considerable amount of time," Gad-Harf said. "It was an open exchange of opinions. We very forcefully presented to him why many people in the Jewish community are concerned about this agreement." According to Gad-Harf, "President Reid has no illusions about the Syrian regime: He truly believes in the power of academic collaboration,. that such collaboration can lead to a different atmosphere between societies. When the current Syrian regime ends, it can lead to greater understanding and coop- Healing Family Abuse Jewish Women International assists domestic violence victims here and in Israel. SHARON LUCKERMAN Staff Writer ewish Women International, formerly B'nai B'rith Women, has come of age — but the name change six years ago caused an identity crisis of sorts. "We want people to know we're still here. We do exist and we're thriving," says Cindy Moss of Southfield, president of JWI Galilee Chapter, one of eight chapters in the Detroit metro area. Total member- ship is more than 1,330 members. There are 75,000 members world- wide. What hasn't changed is the organi- zation's commitment to healing fami- ly violence, especially by helping children — and its ability to fund- raise. Both skills were influential 60 years ago in the opening of the Residential Treatment Center (RTC) in Jerusalem 60 years ago. j 3/14 2003 20 "Once only for boys, the center has expanded and houses about 50 boys and girls who have been physically, sexually or emotionally beaten," Moss says. "It's remarkable to see these chil- dren when they're first brought in after being taken out of their parents' home. They don't talk to anyone; they're depressed. But through coun- seling, they eventually become posi- tive members of society." She says that the center has healed thousands of children who have been scarred by family violence. The cen- ter's success has lead to training part- nerships with Yale University's Child Study Center in New Haven, Conn.; Baylor University in Waco, Texas; and Israel's Ben-Gurion University in Beersheba. JWI is also the sole supporter of Esther's House, a shelter in Baltimore for Jewish women and children who've experienced domestic vio- lence, says Gari Feldman of erasion. "It was clear that he was unwilling to curtail the agreement. We discussed how Wayne State could strengthen its involvement with Israeli universities." The meeting also focused on how WSU and the Jewish communi- ty could develop better communications "so we won't be hearing about controversial matters after the fact," Gad-Harf said. David "He assured us we would be part of the con- Gad-Haif sultation process should the agreement be broadened beyond nursing education.". Gad-Harf reported that Dr. Reid told him the American embassy in Syria approves of the pact. In an e-mail to the Jewish News, a spokesman for the Farmington Hills, local fund-raising chairperson. The local groups, which meet monthly, support local families who usually remain anonymous. One woman beneficiary of JWI's efforts, however, "who had been ter- ribly battered by her husband," Moss says, once came with her two daugh- ters to a JWI Chanukah party to openly tell her story of healing. The chapter had taken the family under its wing, which included buy- ing computers for the children and a washer and dryer and High Holiday tickets for the mother and children. "She said she had to come and thank us for what we had done." Moss says. "There wasn't a dry eye once she spoke." Showing Support The evolution of the national and local organization is a lesson in patience and dedication. The women's organization was founded more than 100 years ago <