special Cafe Europa on Jan. 17, we
focused on the 60th anniversary of
the liberation of Auschwitz, dis-
cussing the liberation, as well as the
survival and continuity of the Jewish
people after the Holocaust.
We are proud of our work on
behalf of the survivors in the Detroit
metropolitan community. We wel-
come survivors and children of sur-
vivors to contact us at (248) 661-
2999, ext. 299, or view our Web site,
www.jhas.org/holocaust.htm
Charles Silow
director, Program for Holocaust
Survivors and Families, Jewish Home
Aging Services
West Bloomfield
Remember JVS
I commend the Jewish News for the
article "Our American Roots" and
the accompanying Michigan Jewish
timeline that commemorates the
350th anniversary of the establish-
ment of the American Jewish corn-
munity (Jan. 13, page 42). They were
both educational and inspirational.
Clearly, space was limited and dif-
ficult choices needed to be made in
constituting the Michigan timeline. I
am pleased that Sinai Hospital,
Hebrew Free Loan, and United
Jewish Charities were included; how-
ever, it is regrettable that a significant
portion of history that involved the
Jewish community's establishment of
safety nets for those most at risk in
our community was overlooked.
JVS was one of the organizations
not mentioned. This social service
agency was officially incorporated
during the Depression (the beginning
of 1941) due to the ongoing crisis of
unemployment. It expanded during
World War II to address the career
development and employment issues
of returning war veterans.
In 1954, in a response to the reset-
tlement and employment needs of
refugees from the Holocaust, a relat-
ed organization then known as the
Community Workshop (now part of
JVS) was established to address the
needs of Holocaust survivors who
were so emotionally and physically
disabled by their experience that they
were deemed unemployable. The
sheltered workshops later expanded
to help members of our community
with developmental disabilities.
All of this work and more contin-
ues to this day to support a decent
quality of life for everyone in our
community. There are similar exam-
pies that relate to other human serv-
ice organizations in our community.
Hopefully, as the year goes on,
more can be written about this most
commendable aspect of Detroit's
generous and caring Jewish commu-
nity.
Barbara Nurenberg
Archives Are Community's
Thank you for the fine issue com-
memorating the 350th anniversary of
American Jewry ("Our American
Roots," Jan. 13).
In their struggle to build a life and
create the community we enjoy today,
president and CEO, JVS wouldn't it have been great if our
Southfield founding generation could have relat-
ed their experiences on videotape! -
Thanks to modern technology, we're
more fortunate. The Jewish Federation
The Work Of Trees
of Metropolitan Detroit's Leonard N.
Simons Jewish Community Archives
Tu b'Shevat is a holiday that has
[(248) 203-1491] is proud to sponsor
truly redeemed the land of Israel.
an
oral history project for young peo-
The New Year for Trees, it celebrates
ple
and their families. All it takes is a
when trees start drinking the new
video
camera or a tape recorder and a
year's rainwater and the sun renews
list of questions. It's the reality show
itself.
with a difference: Kids interview their
During the early pioneer move-
ment in late 19th and early 20th cen- parents and grandparents for a perma-
tury Palestine, Jewish pioneers linked nent record that will live on in the
family for years to come. Think bar-
the environmentalism of Tu b'Shevat
specifically with the practice of plant- bat mitzvah project.
The archives is working with
ing trees in the land of Israel.
Federation's
Alliance for Jewish
According to the Mishnah, where it
Education
to
bring this project to the
is first mentioned, Tu b'Shevat — the
attention
of
students
in day and after-
15th day of the month of Shevat —
noon
schools.
However,
families can
is the date used by farmers to calcu-
get
their
own
oral
histories
under way.
late the year's crop yield and deter-
Those
without
video
equipment
can
mine the tithe that the Bible
hold
their
interview
at
the
David
requires. It also marks the beginning
Hermelin-ORT Resource Center at
and end of the first three and four
the D. Dan and Betty Kahn Building
years of a tree's growth, during which
on the Eugene and Marcia Applebaum
it is forbidden to eat its fruit.
Jewish
Community Campus in West
In recent years, Jewish environ-
Bloomfield.
mentalists adopted Tu b'Shevat as a
The Jewish Community Archives
"Jewish Earth Day," involving organ-
will
gladly accept and preserve a copy
ized seders, tree plantings and eco-
of
each
oral history as a contribution
logical restoration activities as a way
to
the
history
of our community.
to express a specifically Jewish corn-
Every
family
— particularly grand-
mitment to caring for nature and
parents
with
priceless
memories —
protecting the environment.
has
a
story
to
tell.
And,
who knows?
Jews are encouraged to celebrate Tu
Among
the
young
interviewers,
there
b'Shevat by planting trees in Israel,
could
be
a
future
Steven
Spielberg.
conducting a Tu b'Shevat seder, recit-
Charlotte Dubin
ing the blessings and eating fruits
Sharon
Alterman
and grains from Israel (wheat, barley,
Leonard
N.
Simons
grapes, fig, pomegranate, olive and
Jewish
Community
Archives
dates), and dancing the mayim, the
Bloomfield Township
Jewish dance for water.
Over the past 100 years, Jews have
come together to plant 240 million
trees through the Jewish National
Fund www.jnf.org providing luscious
• The name of attorney Edward D.
belts of green covering 250,000 acres
Gold was misspelled in a Business &
of land in Israel. But there already
Professional Memos item Jan. 20
was a Jewish response. Tu b'Shevat
(page 44).
reminds us that no matter what hap-
pens, we all have to share this planet
• In "Enlightening Changes" (Jan.
and care for it.
13, page 53), the design for renova-
Bruce Israel tions of the Adat Shalom Synagogue
JNF Michigan regional president sanctuary should have been attributed
Franklin to Neumann-Smith and Associates of
Southfield.
Corrections
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