kff NQ'Tg f `Hebrew Hammer' Joins Hillel Written and directed by Jonathan Kesselman, The Hebrew Hammer pres- ents a character rarely seen in Hollywood: a sexy and powerful Jewish superhero. "We chose to partner with Hillel on this project because Hillel shares the film's cutting-edge, youthful sensibility," explains Kesselman. "The film also shares Hillel's commitment to Jewish pride." A resource guide, available at wwvv.hillel.org offers programming ideas, a glossary of terms used in the movie, Chanukah recipes and Hebrew Hammer e-cards. Kesselman will join students for an online chat at wwwhillel.org at 7 p.m. Nov. 9. Students at the University of Michigan and Michigan State University Hillels will join more than 80 colleges and uni- versities across the United States and Canada in getting an early start on Chanukah this year with the Nov. 16 DVD launch of over-the-top hit comedy The Hebrew Hammer. Hillel has partnered with cable TV's Comedy Central and the film's produc- ers to sponsor screenings and provide an educational context for the movie. "A good-natured Jewish spin on the `70s 'blaxpoitation' genre," according to Variety's David Rooney, the film focuses on the Hebrew Hammer's (Adam Goldberg) quest to save Christmas from an evil Santa (Andy Dick). With help from his friend Mohammed (Mario Van Peebles), the head of the African- American Kwanzaa Liberation Front, he protects his traditions from destruction — while keeping his pimpy sense of style. — Keri Guten Cohen, story development editor On Christian Zionism ments against "Christian Zionism" did - not take into account the long history of Protestant and Catholic statements affirming Jewish aspirations regarding Israel. "Christians in Israel are free to wor- ship and pray in a state that safeguards the freedom of all religions — in stark contrast to the surrounding Arab Muslim countries," the statement read. "Persecution in those countries is inten- sifying. It is short-sighted to criticize Christian support for Israel, the one country in the Middle East that is a true friend to Christians." In a show of solidarity with the Jewish community, the executive committee of the National Christian Leadership Conference for Israel made a strong statement of support at their Oct. 24 meeting in Detroit. "We, the members of the NCLCI executive committee, will not be intimi- dated or silenced in our commitment to and advocacy for the people, land and State of Israel," they stated. The group, a coalition of Protestants, Catholics and other Christians, respond- ed to this past summer's statements and resolutions by a number of Protestant denominations that denounced "Christian Zionism." The NCLCI added that the state- (-- 1----- — Sharon Zuckerman, staff writer r --- 3 — 7 U.S. Holocaust Museum Feted Leo Melamed was 7 years old when the Germans marched into his home- town of Bialystok, Poland. The chairman emeritus of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange told his tale during the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum's Michigan Tribute Dinner in Birmingham on Oct. 19. He and his parents took the last train out of Bialystok to Lithuania before getting a transit visa to Japan, courtesy of Chiune Sugihara, Japan's consul general in Lithuania who saved 3,000 Jews. "Our odyssey spanned three conti- nents and six languages," he told a rapt crowd of 450. "Today, those 3,000 souls he saved are over 250,000 descendants. "No one else in my family was so lucky, nor were any of my friends so lucky. On June 27, 1941, every Jew in our neighborhood, some 800 souls including both my grandparents and my aunt, were forced into the Bialystok shul and torched," he said. Quotables 17 . 11 7-C _, -: . 'cha ji I — C ' 1 ( Don't Know Leo Melamed: "No one else in my family [in Bialystok] was so lucky" 2004 Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has proposed leaving all Jewish settlements in Gaza and four in the northern West Bank. Can you name the four? — Goldfein pur tisatuoH quIrieN curlyED arc rem-uptp.m Joj palvIs sivaumplas )1u-eg lsam. moj aq1 :Jamsuy Melamed said he always remembers who and what were lost. "My mission is that the world remembers," he said. "In memory lies our salvation, in memory lies our `Never Again.'" As pledge cards were being filled out and collected, dinner chairman Mickey Shapiro of Bloomfield Hills urged the crowd to give more. The event raised more than $1 mil- lion toward a $22 million goal. The museum is also aiming to add a $10 million endowment fund. "The museum's basic operating needs are funded by the federal gov- ernment, said Marcia Ross of the USHMM. Most of the programming, which includes exhibitions, educational and scholarly research, is funded privately. In 2003, the USHMM raised $25.8 million in private donations and received $37.7 million from the feder- al government. — Harry Kirsbaum, staff writer Do You Remember? November 1994 "There would be no American musical without Jews. Their influence is corollary to the influence of black musicians on jazz; there were as many Jews involved in the form." — Laurence Maslon, associate professor of arts, New York University, in 'A Jewish Street Called Broadway" in October's Hadassah magazine. Jordanian King Hussein promised Israel "a very warm peace" and a major effort to curb Islamic militants operating against Israel from his king- dom. Hussein rejected criticism from Syrian President Hafez Assad that the treaty was "blas- phemous." "Nobody will teach me what Islam is and what my belief is," said King Hussein. — Sy Manello, editorial assistant 11/ 5 2004 II