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Jewish-Arab Group
Should Be Emulated

Congratulations on your cover story
about Zeitouna: Arab & Jewish
Women Working for Peace & Justice
("Refusing To Be Enemies," July 11,
page 49). There's an example there for
all Jews and Arabs.
This is a spontaneous move by
Jewish and Arab women to refuse to
fall prey to the insidious efforts by
extremists on both sides to set up
against each other. This indigenous
effort should be reproduced all over the
United States and all over the world.
These ladies from Ann Arbor and
Ypsilanti meet as a dialogue group,
tackling the toughest topics head-on —
as women and mothers and sisters —
determined to find their common
ground and find the solution we all
pray for, namely, peace.
I urge everyone — not just women
— to re-read the article. Perhaps we
can gain courage to emulate their suc-
cess. They, too, have become friends
first, then friends who can talk about
anything.
Arnold Michlin
Wate rford

Supreme Court
Got It Right

While your editorial ("Still in the
Dark," July 4, page 21) takes issue with
the U.S. Supreme Court's affirmative
action ruling, the American Jewish
Committee and most other major
Jewish organizations believe the Court
got it just right.
In rejecting the position that race can
never be a consideration in admissions,
the Supreme Court deferred to the law
school's judgment that diversity is
essential to its educational mission. As
Justice Sandra Day O'Connor said, "It
is necessary that the path to leadership
be visibly open to qualified and talent-
ed individuals of every race and ethnic-
ity. ”

The law school program sanctioned
by the Court did just that. There are
no fixed numbers or percentages of
persons from a given race who will be
admitted. Rather, the race of an appli-
cant is only one factor that is consid-
ered during a process where the over-
whelming criteria used in making
admission decisions are academic quali-
fications.
The evidence shows that our society
is becoming more diverse in population
every day. In 2000, African Americans,

7/18
2003

6

feel that the kinds of ideas that this
Native Americans, Asian Americans
movement believes in destroy the
and Hispanics made up 20 percent of
Jewish nation.
the population of the United States.
Of course, we can't actually see God,
According to one estimate, these
groups will constitute 47 percent of the but we have to have faith that He
exists; and the only way we will survive
U.S. population by the year 2050.
as a nation is through having faith in
Thus, the importance of a diverse stu-
God. We, as Jews, have to be strong
dent body cannot be minimized.
and make sure not to get swallowed up
A racially and ethnically diverse stu-
in the false beliefs described in the arti-
dent body has far-ranging and signifi-
cle.
cant benefits for all students. They
As a conclusion, I want to say that
learn better in such an educational
environment and are better prepared to just like Rabbi Sherwin Wine is going
around trying to convince people that
become active participants in our plu-
there is no God, we have to strengthen
ralistic, democratic society once they
ourselves to go and help people under-
leave such a setting.
stand that there is a God and that every
Against this backdrop, it would
second is a miracle caused by Him that
indeed be ironic if — with all the fac-
we shouldn't take for granted.
tors that universities take into account,
Miriam Leaf
including sports capability, geography
Oak Park
and legacy status — the only factor
that could not be taken into account
would be that associated with popula-
tions historically underrepresented on
our nation's campuses.
This country should strive for the
day when we are what we ought to be
The beautiful cover photo of Rabbi
— diverse and equal. Until that time,
Sherwin Wine as well as the compre-
public universities will have to contin-
hensive article by Staff Writer Shelli
ue to consider race as one of the factors Liebman Dorfman were a tribute to
taken into account in their admissions
the rabbi and the Birmingham Temple
programs in order to achieve diversity
("The Power Of Man," July 4, page
in higher education.
37).
Jeff Sinensky
Your coverage is greatly appreciated.
National affairs director You may be sure that this material will
Sharona Shapiro be included with pride in our temple
Michigan area director, archives.
American Jewish Committee
Pera Kane

Rabbi Wine Story
Was Fine Tribute

Bloomfield Township

Faith Counters
Humanistic Judaism

Although I'm only 13, I understand
how absurd this "new branch" of
Judaism, Humanistic Judaism, is ("The
Power Of Man," July 4, page 37). So
many Jews are being misguided.
It is doubtful that Rabbi Sherwin
Wine is aware of the extent of the
damage he is causing. It is even more
pathetic that the Jews, of all people, are
coming up with this new stream,
Humanistic Judaism, since we were the
people who witnessed first hand the
miracles of leaving Egypt: being given
the Torah and somehow surviving
many terrible situations throughout the
ages, including the Holocaust.
Previously, I have heard my parents
discussing this issue of Humanistic
Judaism many times and have seen
how disturbed they were by it; but I
didn't realize it was this tragic until I
read the article in the Dervish News. As a
Jewish girl, I an very hurt by this. I

archivist and librarian
Birmingham Temple
Farmington Hills

Adoption Article
Touches Hearts

When Special Writer Ronelle Grier vis-
ited with my family, I knew that she
was moved by the sequence of events
that had unfolded ("Reunion Of A
Lifetime," July 11, page 28).
However, I had no idea she would
transfer her data into such a poignant
article. My objective for sharing the
story was to inspire people to look for
lost relatives, even if they were doubtful
that a happy ending could be found.
Ms. Grier conveyed the message mag-
nificently.
I have heard from many people that
they were moved to tears while reading
the story. I must admit I was one and
so was my Uncle Marty.
Linda Lee

West Bloomfield

French Rappers
Spew Anti-Semitism

I would like to call attention to the
recent release of the album "Carved in
the Rock," by French rap group Sniper.
On the album, released by [a divi-
sion of] Warner Music, a subsidiary of
AOL Time Warner, several tracks con-
tain anti-Semitic references, including
one song that urges Palestinian youths
to "make carnage" against Israel and
praises them for their violence against
Israelis. Still another song compares
Jews to "Hollywood starlets."
As a Holocaust survivor, I find it
appalling that people can still be
exposed to the same racist garbage that
Jews were exposed to nearly 60 years
ago. We were subjected to songs with
lyrics like: "When the Jew blood from
the knife spurts, then goes twice as well

It is all too apparent what horrible
things lyrics like those above can
inspire.
Abe Pasternak

Southfield

Don't Bypass
Miracle Mission

My first glimpse of the Detroit Jewish
community in its full glory was from a
high balcony overlooking the southern
steps of Israel's Western Wall in May
1993. On that day, 1,100 members of
the first Miracle Mission proudly
assembled and sent out a very loud and
clear message of love to the citizens of
Israel.
During the subsequent four years,
based in the Jewish Federation's Max
M. Fisher Building as the Jewish
Agency shaliach (emissary), I had the
privilege of being involved in many
other missions to Israel, all designed
and executed to absolute perfection.
Together, we traveled the country
from Metulla to Eilat and from the
Dead Sea to the Mediterranean. We
laughed and cried together and came
much closer to understanding the mys-
teries of this amazing land. Calls of
support for "the Wolverines" and "the
Spartans" were usually left behind us,
leaving many Israelis to believe that
Detroit must be the home to the
biggest U.S. Jewish community outside
of New York.
On April 18, 2004, the blue and
white El Al airplanes will once again
land in Wayne County. I urge every
single one of you to have secured a seat