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presenfs
A Trunk Show
Ecidi Jewelry
Jeweled Handbags
Theme T-Shirts
Vulgar, Not Cute
Concerning the article "Jewish
Identity To A 'T'" (Nov. 7, page 84), I
find the T-shirts "Heeb," "Jews for
Jeter" and "Jewcy" not funny, not
clever, not cute.
The T-shirts are vulgar, unsophisti-
cated and without merit. These T-
shirts do nothing of a positive nature
but make money for the entrepre-
neurs.
Betty B. Cohen
with representative Wendy Huang
Friday, November 28
Saturday, November 29
Huntington Woods
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As a child growing up in Young
Israel at the time, I attended many of
the aforementioned events and recall
the very day the Preros enrolled their
children at the Yeshiva Beth Yehudah.
I was also there, over a decade later
— at the Young Israel of Northwest
on Wyoming —when a blind attorney
and his Leader Dog came to Rosh
Hashanah services.
After davening, by the way, many
commented on how the dog set an
example for many in attendance by
remaining silent while in the syna-
gogue.
Irwin Cohen
Oak Park
More About
Rabbi Prero
Friendship Or
Conversion?
Regarding the obituary for Rabbi
Samuel Prero ("Young Israel's
Visionary," Nov. 14, page 113), it was
stated that "Rabbi Prero became rabbi
of the first Young Israel congregation
in Detroit in 1948." Here are the
facts:
Young Israel of Detroit was formed
in 1924 and met as - a congregation in
the basement of the Mogen Abraham
Synagogue on Farnsworth, west of
Hastings, south of Grand Boulevard.
By 1927, Young Israel had three
congregations in three different
Detroit locations. At the time, Young
Israel also had a junior congregation,
youth groups for all ages, one of
Detroit's top Jewish basketball teams,
adult education classes and an
employment bureau for Sabbath
observers.
In 1934, Young Israel bought a
small building on Joy Road, west of
Dexter, to serve as its main branch.
During World War II, 55 members
of Young Israel served in the armed
forces and a site was purchased on
Dexter, near Fullerton, to construct a
synagogue and youth center.
Rabbi Prero came to Detroit in
1948 to direct fund-raising activities
for the Yeshiva Beth Yehudah. His all-
around dynamic skills as an orator,
scholar and fund-raiser soon became
known to leaders of Young Israel.
Early in 1949, Rabbi Prero was
engaged as director of Young Israel
activities. His major duty at the time
was to oversee construction of the new
Young Israel building already under
way.
About a year later, on Feb. 17,
1950, Rabbi Prero was installed as
spiritual leader and director of Young
Israel.
What do you do when people who are
missionaries, whose stated aim is to
convert, extend their hand to you in
friendship and make you believe that
the only reason they come to visit
your house of worship is to learn
about you and build a bridge of peace
and reconciliation between Jews,
Christians and Muslims?
As I was standing at the door of
Congregation Shaarey Zedek's sanctu-
ary, welcoming everyone with a
Shabbat shalom, I couldn't help notic-
ing three Japanese women with shop-
ping bags in their hands, waiting for a
man who was putting on a kippah.
They told me they were a Christian
group on an interfaith mission.
I welcomed them most warmly, gave
them each the customary chumash and
siddur and pointed them to some
empty seats in one of the first rows.
Every once in a while, I sneaked from
my post to point them to the right
page as well as whisper some explana-
tion.
At the end of the lengthy Shabbat
service, I walked them through the
Kiddush and invited them to join the
congregation for our customary
Kiddush luncheon. They were happy
to accept, but first wanted to present
the rabbi with a gift. Rabbi Lee
Buckman officiated. that Shabbat. He,
too, welcomed them with friendship
and thanked them kindly for the
beautiful origami mobile, their very
own creation.
As we sat in the social hall, I found
out the man who led the three
Japanese missionaries is a Warren pas-
tor who is part of the Rev. Sun
Myung Moon's Unification church
group. The three women came to the
United States for a few months for a
.