First Round

Week Apologies

I watched some of the hear-
ou didn't have
ings
during lunch at the deli.
to read too far
After
listening to 20 minutes of
into the paper
Sen.
Joe
Biden, D-Del., talking
or listen too far into a
smack
about
Princeton before
newscast to have heard
even
asking
a
question, I left the
an apology from nation-
room
in
tears,
too.
ally known figures last
week.
Slippery Slope
Evangelist Pat
Harry Kirsbaum S
On
Jan. 12, the world of sports
Robertson led the apolo-
Columnist
chimed
in when U.S. Olympic
gy train in light of a
skier-hopeful
Bode
Miller came under
statement he made on his 700 Club TV
the
apology
umbrella.
program the day after Israeli Prime
The World Cup champion, famous
Minister Ariel Sharon's latest stroke.
for
his unpredictable quote-making
"God considers this land to be his,"
abilities
and swear word repertoire,
Robertson said Jan. 5 about Israel
was
profiled
on 60 Minutes a week
while reading from the Bible. "For any
earlier.
prime minister of Israel who decides
"There's been times when I've been
he is going to carve it up and give it
in
really tough shape at the top of the
away, God says, 'No, this is mine.'"
course,"
he said. "Talk about a hard
On Jan. 11, Robertson apologized
challenge
right there ... If you ever
with this missive to Sharon's son:
tried
to
ski
when you're wasted,
"My concern for the future safety of
it's
not
easy"
your nation led me to make remarks
According to Sports Illustrated, the
which I can now view in retrospect as
U.S.
Ski and Snowboard Association
inappropriate and insensitive in light
was
"swamped
with angry phone calls
of a national grief experienced
from
team
donors
and corporate
because of your father's illness:' said
sponsors"
after
the
profile.
the letter, probably written in crayon
After
apologizing
to his family and
and converted to type by a secretary.
friends
in
a
press
conference,
Miller,
"I ask your forgiveness and the for-
28,
added
a
statement
to
his
fans.
giveness of the people of Israel:'
"To the people who I don't have any
This is the first public apology of
direct
interaction with: fans, just peo-
the year from Pat, who apologized last
ple,
parents
who are trying to put all
August for calling for the assassina-
athletes
up
on
a pedestal and show
tion of Venezuelan president Hugo
their
kids
what
they're supposed to be
Chavez.
like:'
Miller
said,
according to the
If there's a Pulp Fiction sequel and
story,
"obviously,
the message that
Samuel L. Jackson is unable to reprise
came
through
was
not something that
his role as Jules, the Bible-quoting hit
I
would
promote
or
[what] I'm about
man, I have a great idea for a stand-in.
in any aspect of my sporting career."
Miller's "wasted" comment, proba-
Senate Sobs
bly
didn't upset one major Ski Team
Mere hours after the Robertson state-
sponsor,
Anheuser-Busch; nor did it
ment, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.,
upset
many
of the ski areas out West
apologized to Supreme Court nominee
where
you
can
buy a libation at dozens
Samuel Alito.
of
locations
on
the mountain.
"Judge Alito, I am sorry that you've
A
quick
look
at the exploits of oth-
had to go through this. I am sorry that
ers
who
happen
to become world-
your family has had to sit here and lis-
famous
Olympic
ski champions —
ten to this',' Graham said during the live
wild
Americans
Bill
Johnson and
— yawn — confirmation hearings.
Tommy
Moe;
and
playboys
Jean-
He was speaking about the hours of
Claude
Killy
of
France
and
Italian
questioning concerning Alito's mem-
Alberto Tomba — it's readily apparent
bership in the Concerned Alumni of
Princeton, a conservative group whose that living like Pat Robertson won't
publication had an article with "bigot- bring home any medals. LJ

y

ed" statements.
Upset by the line of questioning,
Alito's wife, Martha-Ann Bomgardner,
left the room in tears.

Meet one of the faces of success

Shlomo Mandel, AID., is the
director of the Center for Spinal
Disorders at Henry Ford Medical
Center—West Bloomfield. He is a
board-certified, senior sta ff
physician in the Department of.
Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation
and a Inember of th.e Henry Ford
Medical Group.

Born in Israel to American immi-
grants, Dr. Mandel grew up in a
rural kibbutz Hazorea, where he
planned to follow in his father's
footsteps as a mechanic. His plans
changed when he was 13 years old,
and his family returned to the
Detroit area. •

As a high school student in Oak
Park, he developed an interest in
science and pursued a career in
Medicine. He obtained his medical
degree from the Wayne State
University Medical School and a
master's degree in public health
from the University of Michigan.

Dr. Mandel completed his intern-
ship and residency at Henry Ford
Hospital in Detroit and has been
part of Henry Ford for 22 years.
His primary clinical interest is in
the care of spinal disorders and
back pain.

"The back and spine is of particular
interest to me for several reasons,"
he says. "I have had back pain for
many years. It is easier to
understand and empathize with
people experiencing back pain
when you have endured the same
symptoms. My ultimate goal is to
guide patients through all the
challenges that back pain presents,
and to see them return to work, •
family life or sports."

Dr. Mandel sees patients of all
ages, including professional
athletes and weekend warriors.

"I've treated athletes of every age
group and skill level," he says. "It's
always.a pleasure to help others to
accomplish something, Whether it's
an athlete who is competing at the
highest level, or someone trying to
achieve a simple task, such as tying
a shoe.

"In addition to
patient care, I
spend time
studying sources
and potential
treatments for
various spinal
disorders. It is
especially grati-
fying when we
have an oppor- Shiolno
Niandel, M.D.
tunity to offer
patients insight
or treatment that came from our
own research efforts.

"There are many new and exciting
developments in the orthopedic
treatment of back problems,"
Dr. Mandel continues. "We have
minimally invasive procedures that
can provide excellent pain relief for
some patients. When surgery is
indicated, a simple disc excision or
the new artificial disc replacement
can be performed."

Dr. Mandel has been seeing
patients at the Henry Ford Medical
Center-West Bloomfield since
2000. He also sees patients at
Henry Ford Hospital.

"Shortly after I arrived, an elderly
woman presented with a sprained
ankle, which happened While
dancing at a Purim-party. Telling.
my wife the story that evening, I
kneW I had cone to the right
place," he says. "The Henry Ford
West Bloomfield Hospital, which
is scheduled to open in 2007, will
be in the heart of the Jewish
community.

"Meeting and getting to know
people is the best part of my job.
The smile or hug I receive from a
satisfied patient after a therapeutic
procedure is what brings me back
to work day after day."

Dr. Mandel resides in Bloomfield
Hills with his wife, Rhonda, and
their two children.

Harry Kirsbaum's e-mail address is

hkirsbaum@thejewishnews.com

For more information or to make an
appointment call 1-800-1-IENRYFORD or
visit our Web site anow.henrOml.com

106, 3'2.10

January 19 a 2006

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