Letters

Don't Bust Unions

In 1963, my brother had one
choice for college, Brooklyn
College, which only cost $35 for a
semester's tuition. My mother
began teaching in 1964. In 1967, I
had the opportunity to attend the
University of Michigan because
my mother's teachers' union col-
lectively bargained and expanded
opportunities for me and our
family.
I was saddened and angered
when I read that the Hillel Day
School of Metropolitan Detroit
board was withdrawing recogni-
tion of the bargaining unit
("School Days:' Sept. 1, page 36).
When Jewish educational institu-
tions bust a union, I need to ask a
few questions: Where is the
respect for democracy and collec-
tive bargaining? Where is the
respect for the long tradition of
Jewish teachings of fairness,
kindness, and compassion? Did
the board members forget where
they came from? Did they forget
where our grandparents and
great-grandparents worked?
We need to ask ourselves the
most fundamental question:
What values shall guide the edu-
cation of our children — union
busting or compassion, fairness
and democracy?

Rich Feldman

Huntington Woods

Hillel Not Wrong

As a Hillel Day School parent
and labor attorney, I would like to
make several points regarding
last week's letters about Hillel Day
School's decision to cease recog-
nizing its teachers' union.
The suggestion that withdraw-
ing recognition of the union is
not in conformity with Jewish
values is specious. It is the prod-
uct of thinking that equates fun-
damental and traditional Jewish

values with modern-day political
liberalism.
The suggestion that Hillel's
teachers are now "at will" employ-
ees subject to the whims of their
employer is false. Hillel offered
individual contracts to its teach-
ers after withdrawing recognition
of the union.
What is wrong with market
economics dictating the salary
and benefit levels of employees?
If Hillel pays below market, it will
lose its teachers. If not, it will
retain them.
Hillel did not "decertify" the
union. It exercised what both
state and federal courts have
deemed First Amendment consti-
tutional rights.
Where do parents, the cus-
tomers, figure in? At no time has
anyone addressed the fact that
when parents express concerns
about teacher under-perform-
ance and non-performance, they
are told the labor contract pro-
tects the teacher. In fact, Hillel
has had virtually no involuntary
departures for decades. Much as I
admire Hillel's current adminis-
tration, it cannot be the case that
it never makes a hiring mistake.
It ought to be free to redress its
mistakes without undue proce-
dural and substantive road-
blocks.
The suggestion that fair treat-
ment and adequate wages are
impossible to attain in a non-
unionized environment is absurd.
If it were the case, 90 percent of
American workers would be suf-
fering sweatshop conditions.
The suggestion that quality
education can only reign in a
unionized environment is equally
absurd. Were it the case, 99 per-
cent of American Jewish day
schools would be providing less
than a quality education.

David Arm

West Bloomfield

Restore Hillel Union

Jewish education begins at
home, and is reinforced through
schools such as Hillel Day School,
appropriately named after one of
the most famous Jewish scholars,
Rabbi Hillel. His dedication to
study and education reflects one
of the tenets of Jewish values
As a Hillel alumnus, I can truly
appreciate the dedication of its
teachers. They could opt to work
in the public school system for
increased pay — but they choose
Jewish values as their guiding
force. Hillel teachers are the heart
and soul of the school. Their ded-
ication made Hillel a great place
to learn.
I never knew who was on the
board, but I knew every teacher.
It is the teachers that make an
impact on student's lives.
Therefore, I am deeply troubled
by the recent events that the
Hillel board has initiated:
Eliminating the teachers union
without consulting the teachers
("School Days:' Sept. 1, page 36).
Rabbi Hillel's rulings were
often based on concern for the
welfare of the individual. What
would Rabbi Hillel say about
these recent events?
"No collective bargaining"? I
think not!

While the board may find it
more efficient to make unilateral
personnel decisions, other schools
successfully function with teach-
ers' unions, and they resolve diffi-
culties with mutual respect.
Without a sense of community
between the board, the teachers,
the students and the parents, the
school's mission will not be ful-
filled. Given labor's and the
Jewish community's common
dedication to social and econom-
ic justice and to the State of
Israel, I would hope that mutual
respect between the board and its
teachers would get them both
back on-track.

dal policies ("Israel's Chips On
The Table Sept. 15, page 73), ter-
rorists will seek to emulate
Palestinian success by using their
primary strategic weapon: name-
ly suicide bombings.
If we really wish to honor Nazi
hunter Simon Wiesenthal's mem-
ory, we should remember that
Nazis became a global power due
to Western appeasement
("Legacy Lives On," Sept. 22, page
41). When Israel ceases the
appeasement policies of the
Clinton administration, Israelis
and American Jews will be much
safer.

Marc Baker

Rosemary and David Wolock

Birmingham

Royal Oak

Editor's note: This letter ran last
week but an editing error changed
the writer's meaning. We're re-run-
ning it correctly.

Don't Give In

According to an interviewee in
your story "From Cynicism To
Hope," Sept. 15, page 31), diaspo-
ra Jews do not have the right to
say what Israel does is right or
wrong. But as Americans, we do
have because in the post 9-11
world, the global community is
connected like never before. The
"New World Order" is one where
terrorists attack one country
based on another country's
actions.
Thus the Gaza withdrawal has
been
a catalyst for a resurgence of
Nita Bekker
West Bloomfield
terrorism in Iraq and around the
world, including the London
Bring Union Back
bombings and the Jordanian
attack on U.S. Navy ships.
It was shocking enough when
The Israeli claim that Israel left
the Michigan Court of Appeals
Gaza with "their heads held high"
held recently that teachers in
("After 38 Years:' Sept. 15, page
parochial schools were not entitled
31) is a sign that Israelis have lost
to collective bargaining. Even more
the will to combat terrorism.
shocking, however, was the swift
Israelis like to blame internation-
action of the Hillel board of direc-
al pressure but, in reality, instead
tors in withdrawing recognition of
of fighting terror, Israel is delud-
the teachers' union at its school,
ing itself by labeling appease-
especially given that there wasn't
ment policies a "sign of strength:'
an impasse nor a pending strike
As long as Jewish publications
("School Days:' Sept. 1, page 36).
like the JN endorse Israel's suici-

Inspired By Shoebat

Your Editor's Notebook on pro-
Zionist Palestinian Walid Shoebat
("Silence Not Golden;' Sept. 22,
page 5) expressed my feelings
exactly. I had an opportunity to
hear him speak in Ann Arbor last
fall at the University of Michigan
Hillel and was inspired by him.
Thank you for helping the
Detroit Jewish community
become more aware; unfortu-
nately, so many people in our
community need educating, no
easy task.
As a grandmother with four
Jewish boys, I realize how impor-
tant it is that "Silence is Not
Golden."

Lois Stulberg

West Bloomfield

Letters on page 8

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October 6 . 2005

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