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Who's At Fault

the survey is to address sound awfully
familiar.
I was saddened to see the comments
The Jewish News reminds us of
made by letter writer Edward Taub
other recently concluded surveys that
about the security fence after his
determined a rising assimilation rate
recent visit to Israel ("Wall Was a
with a 54 percent out-marriage rate,
more deaths than births, less commu-
Wake-Up," April 21, page 11). It sad-
dens me because, once again, for the
nal participation, a distancing from
millionth time, the effect is being
Israel, 60 percent of all Jewish families
scrutinized and not the cause.
not belonging to a synagogue and
It is honorable that Mr. Taub was
only 45 percent of American Jews age
in Israel on an interfaith meeting that
25-29 regarding being Jewish as very
sees the "essential pre-condition for
important at all. So we know all that
peace in the Middle East is reconcilia-
and it is not hard to imagine what
other depressing statistics will be
tion among religious leaders of
Judaism, Christianity and Islam."
revealed by yet another survey.
Unfortunately, I will say the "vocal
Maybe we should be addressing a
more basic problem like what is a Jew
minority" of Islam, including many of
their imams, preach hate in their
anyway? Maybe the very definition
mosques. They equate Jews and
has gone astray and most Jews have
not a clue what a Jew is supposed to
Christians as pigs and infidels and that
these non-believers should be treated
be anymore or what his or her aspira-
as such. Even the birthplace of Christ
tions should encompass. Who and
is almost devoid of Christians since
what are Jews supposed to be and
the Palestinian Authority has taken
believe and teach our children?
over. The radical elements of Islam are
Is our religion liberalism, human-
at war with the West for total domina-
ism, environmentalism, radical indi-
tion of the world. If they win, it
vidualism, atheism, agnosticism or rel-
ativism, which, to quote Pope
would be disaster for peace-loving
Benedict XVI, "does not recognize
people in every country.
As for the fence, it, of course, was
anything as for certain and which has
the Palestinian terrorists that built
as its highest goal one's own ego and
this fence, not the Israelis. It was
one's own desires."
Israel's absolutely last choice after
How about we should go back to
years and decades of fruitless negotia-
basics and teach us what Jews were
supposedly placed on earth to do —
tions. The Palestinians could have
avoided this fence — that can be
proclaim the One God and His Torah
and His commandments. Let us get
removed at any time if there is peace
— many, many times, but have
our kids back to the synagogue and
thought wrongly that they could
preferably a Jewish day school where
destroy Israel through terror.
he and she truly learn to be the
. Torah's definition of a righteous Jew
The fence is a non-lethal way of
reducing the killing of Jews! It makes
and not one of the other characteriza-
terrorists reroute their paths of
tions above.
destruction or completely give up
Then, very likely, all these surveys
thoughts of blowing up women and
with predictably depressing results will
not be necessary. There will be an
children because of its presence.
We all feel badly for the poor
ingathering of Jews under the tent that
Palestinians who suffer from their own
the One God very carefully constructed
leaders' greed and corruption and
as a shelter for us all.
deep-seeded need to destroy Israel, but
Jerome S. Kaufman
Bloomfield Hills.
it is not Israel's fault. The security
fence is saving both Israeli and
Palestinian lives.

We Must Mobilize

Michael L. Kahan

Bloomfield Hills

What Is A Jew?

It was of interest to learn that your
Editor's Notebook "Securing Detroit
Jewry" (April 28, page 5) focused on
another survey, this time commis-
sioned by the Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit. The issues that

5/5

2005

6

I am not sure if I should have read
your Editor's Notebook before or
after I went to the Isaac Meyer Wise
service on April 29 at Temple Shir
Shalom in West Bloomfield, but I did
read it beforehand, as I often do on
Thursday evenings ("Securing Detroit
Jewry," April 28, page 5). If there are
as many Reform Jews in the Detroit
metropolitan area as I believe there

are, the number in attendance clearly
supports your message of concern
about declining participation in all
.things Jewish.
How is it that the most brilliant
minds in southeast Michigan can
develop, establish and maintain a vital
partnership region in Israel, more
than 6,000 miles away, but not be
able to reach the folks in our own
back yards? I guess that is my prevail-
ing concern.
Maybe it is time for a new think tank
in our area. Perhaps we are not asking
the best questions in order to get to the
right answers about mobilizing our
Jewish community at home. Maybe
while we have spent lots of valuable
time looking at the past (Holocaust),
we are not giving ample time to the
future. Every Jew must be given myriad
reasons to feel a stake in the future of
Judaism.
I remember when I visited
Congregation Shir Tikvah in Troy, a
woman (later a fellow congregant) came
to my home with a basket that held a
challah and a bottle of Manischewitz
wine. I can't fully remember our con-
versation, but don't think I will ever
forget how that made me feel.
Karen W. Melaas

Corrections

• Bernard Zaffern of Southfield
retired as a full colonel in the U.S.
Army ("Allied Reunion," April 28,
page 11).

• Economist Jeffrey Sachs
("Repairing The World," April 28,
page 16) graduated from Oak Park
High School in 1972, not 1973.
Marty Abrin of Oak Park was class
president.

• In "Partners In Perpetuity" (April
14, page 48) regarding John Kander
and Fred Ebb's revue The World Goes
Round, the following are corrected
facts regarding cast member Kate
Willinger:
1) Both her parents are Jewish.
2) She met her husband, John
Manfredi, when he was stage manag-
er, not director, of a play she
appeared in at the Jewish Ensemble
Theatre; Evelyn Orbach directed the
production.
3) She did not appear in the New
York production of I Love You, You're
Perfect, Now Change but at the
Detroit premier at the Gem Theatre.

Oxford

Thanks To Teens

On behalf of Teitel Jewish Apartments
and Services, I would like to express my
deep appreciation to the volunteers of
JServe: Jewish Youth Repairing the
World, One Day at a Time as part of
National Youth Service Day ("Caring
Efforts," April 28, page 26).
Under Judy Lewis' guidance, close to
60 students, youth group leaders and
parent volunteers came to Teitel on
April 17. They generously worked at
beautifying our building and the A.
Alfred Taubman Jewish Community
Campus for Passover. Not only did
these volunteers give up their Sunday to
help others, they did it with such posi,
tive and enthusiastic attitudes that it
was truly a pleasure to see. The Teitel
residents and staff alike were thrilled
with the sparkling silver, shining dining
room and attractive grounds.
We look forward to working with
Federation's Alliance for Jewish
Education in future years to continue
upon this year's success.
Kol HaKavod to all involved!
Jennifer Epstein Rube

geriatric social worker
Teitel Jewish Apartments
Oak Park

Avsa oTdmg.

Israel's Critics

The Charge

Israel is an 'occupier'

The Answer

Israel "occupies" the West Bank
and Gaza as a result of its victory in
the defensive war of 1967. Israel
begged Jordan's King Hussein not
to join the attackers — Syria and
Egypt — but he refused. As a
result, Hussein lost the West Bank.
Israel is the only "occupier" in
the world that has been and contin-
ues to be willing to negotiate an
end to its military presence. No
one asks China [Tibet] or India
[Kashmir] to end their occupations.

— Allan Gale, Jewish Community
Council of Metropolitan Detroit