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be completed by month end.
• Completion of the Jewish
Community Center's upgraded health
and fitness center.
• Opening of Shalom Street at the
Last year, I complained about the lack
JCC
this December.
of conservative books and authors at
• The Brown Memory Care Center,
the 51st annual Jewish Book Fair
under construction at Fleischman
hosted by the Jewish Community
Residence.
Center of Metropolitan Detroit.
• An aggressive 2004 Israel mission
This year, the fair is just as lacking
program, including Michigan Miracle
("Eye Of The Hurricane," Oct. 24,
Mission 4, the Teen Mission and the
page 65). It should be renamed the
Alliance
Teachers' Mission.
Democratic Party book fair.
• Progress on the Legacy Campaign
The opening and closing speakers,
to rebuild unrestricted reserves with
Sidney Blumenthal and Madeleine
achievement of $7 million in com-
Albright, senior adviser and secretary
mitments to date.
of state, respectively, for Bill Clinton,
• Success in obtaining outside fund-
are shills for the count and countessa
ing,
including a $450,000 NORC
of money grubbing, power abusing,
grant from the U.S. Housing and
cheesy deals. Albright chased after
Urban Development and a $500,000
Palestinian Authority President Yasser
grant from the state's mental health
Arafat after he insulted her by walking
program budget.
out of a meeting.
• Establishment of a collaboration
Where are the prize-winning, bril-
task
force with Federation and its
liant conservative Jewish authors who
agencies
to identify further areas of
have written and published books in
potential synergy, from the back
2003: Richard Pipes, Daniel Pipes,
office to the front line of service.
Dore Gold, Norman Podhoretz,
Like driving a car, it is helpful to
Bernard Lewis? The list goes on. I
take a periodic glance in the rearview
have read all the books by these
mirror. However, it is equally, or even
authors; each book is a gem.
Gita Raymer more, important to keep both hands
Huntington Woods on the wheel and maintain steady
focus on the road ahead.

Fair's Ideology
Needs Balance

Detroit Jewry
Moves Ahead

On a periodic basis, the Jewish News
reminds us through articles and edito-
rials that Federation's reserves have
declined over a number of years and
that last year, Federation led the com-
munity through a re-basing of budg-
ets. Although it is important to know
where we have been, it's also impor-
tant that we recognize that we are
moving forward.
Following two consecutive record-
breaking campaign years (2002 and
2003), the 2004 Annual Campaign is
out of the starting blocks with great
momentum. With community sup-
port, we can reach our $35 million
goal.
In addition, I offer these other
examples of our moving-forward agen-
da:
• Recent groundbreakings for the
Mondry Administration Building for
Jewish Apartments and Services in
Oak Park and the Orley Jewish Family
Service Building in West Bloomfield.
• Eugene and Marcia Applebaum
Jewish Community Campus Phase II
improvements in West Bloomfield, to

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2003

6

Mark Davidoff
executive director and COO,
Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit
Bloomfield Township

rorist acts that have threatened their
well-being.
Shop owners were grateful and they
never stopped thanking us for travel-
ing to Israel during these troubled
political times. "You are like dia-
monds to us," one store owner told
us.
We never felt we were in danger.
We were content and secure in letting
our kids roam around the hotel even
when we were in our rooms, some-
thing we would not do even in the
United States. It was all too clear that
the news media in the U.S. focus on
the bad news in the region instead of
the good.
And are there ever good things hap-
pening in Israel! There are new high-
tech buildings, glorious parks and
zoos, breathtaking marked trails and
brand-new clearly lit highways with
signs clearly labeled in Hebrew,
English and Arabic. Each morning,
you can wake up and dial your time
machine to a different important time
in our history and explore it to the
fullest.
Most of all, it was a true joy to
watch our children experience the
exhilaration of Israel for the first time.
We plan to go back this summer and
send the kids to camp there.
Israel needs our support right now
more than ever. Please conquer what-
ever fears that you harbor inside —
and travel to our wonderful home-
land. It is not only vital for Israel, it
will inspire your life.

Dr. Howard and Michal Korman
Southfield

Israel: Ideal
Family Visit

What are you thinking? Why are you
endangering the lives of your kids?
Please don't go!
These were the responses we
received each time we told people
about our upcoming trip to Israel.
During Sukkot, Oct. 7-20, we trav-
eled with our three oldest boys (ages
10, 7 and 6) to Israel, joined by sever-
al other Yeshivat Akiva families with
their children.
From the second we arrived in
Israel, we knew we belonged. Even at
1 a.m., when our flight arrived, we
were greeted with friendly faces eager
to share our beloved country with us.
Israel was bustling with people
walking in the streets, shopping, din-
ing out and hurrying to do their busi-
ness. We were so happy to see the
Israelis' resiliency and resolve to lead a
normal life despite the senseless ter-

At the Western Wall in Jerusalem are:
(back row) Elie Sherizen, 8; Jenny
Korman, 7; Joshua Sider, 9; Jacob
Korman, 10; (front) Ben Sider, 5;
Andrew Korman, 6, Eli Sider; 5, all of
Yeshivat Akiva in Southfield.

Missing The Point
On Rush Limbaugh

I believe Columnist George Cantor's
remarks about Rush Limbaugh
("Shut Up, They Explained," Oct.
24, page 11) totally miss the point.
First, there isn't much truth to
sports writers overrating Donovan
McNabb; I live in the Philadelphia
area and most are often critical of the
Eagles quarterback.
Second, however legal Limbaugh's -
remarks are, they are not helpful in
the world of sports where, like every-
where else, it has taken the longest
time for the African American com-
munity to get their just due.
Does Cantor forget that it took no
time for the Los Angeles Dodgers to
fire General Manager Al Campanis
when he made similar remarks or for
CBS to dump Jimmy "the Greek"
Snyder for making disparaging
remarks? They did what they had to
do.
Even when a remark is legal, ESPN
couldn't afford to keep Limbaugh for
strictly business reasons; it needs the
ratings and they would go down if it
kept him.
Talk radio is conservative and
wants people like Limbaugh. ESPN is
just sports TV and doesn't claim to be
conservative, liberal or anything else.

Ralph Goren
Margate, N.J.

Comic's Jokes
Were Insulting

Many senior citizens feel very insult-
ed and hurt by the comic who "enter-
tained" at the Balfour concert on
Oct. 26. For a half hour, I was insult-
ed by poor jokes about how senior
citizens are crippled, cannot walk,
cannot park their cars, and are cheap
and greedy.
The Zionist Organization of
America-Michigan Region should
interview the performers and screen
their performances to avoid such inci-
dents. After all, we the senior citizens
are the ones who fund them.
If it weren't for us, there wouldn't
be a ZOA or Israel, our beloved
country.
William Weiss

West Bloomfield