Dry Bones

Opinion

Editorials are posted and archved on JNonline.us .

THE
i11.56880A,

PIP IRAN WILL WIPE

ISRAEL OFF THE
MAP!

The Power Of Oneness

ust a few years back, there
was a slogan used by the
United Jewish Appeal: "We
are one." It spoke to our intercon-
nectedness with each other, with
Israel and with Jews throughout
the world.
Our local connection with UJA
was the Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit, and though
UJA has now become the United
Jewish Communities, one thing
has remained constant: our Jewish
Federation is striving to making
"we are one" a reality through its
programs and services.
Federation's Family Miracle
Mission over Chanukah is an
excellent example of how the
Federation works to keep us con-
nected. Bringing together
informed and able community
and synagogue leaders with cler-
gy and professional staff, the
Federation, in collaboration with
the Detroit Jewish News and
Michigan Board of Rabbis, craft-
ed a life-enriching experience for
families that has never been done
on such a scale by any Jewish fed-
•
eration in the world.

j

And they pulled it off quite
well, thank you.
The trip took 730 people from
some 200 families traveled to
Israel on multiple flights and on
multiple dates (including a char-
tered El Al flight that flew round-
trip from Detroit). Mission-goers
crisscrossed Israel from morning
until night, coming together for
mega events and having a blast.
The trip was comprised prima-
rily of Israel first-timers who
were looking for a special way to
go. Others had been to Israel mul-
tiple times, but wanted to go with
their kids or grandkids. The
tremendous response showed
that the Federation rightly antici-
pated the desire and set out to
meet the need.
Synagogue involvement gave a
special measure of depth and
meaning to the 10-day mission.
That was shown by the turnout at
the b'nai mitzvah morning serv-
ices organized by Adat Shalom
Synagogue, Congregation Shaarey
Zedek and Temple Israel. Plenty
of families without 12- and 13-
year olds came to share the expe-
rience rather than use their limit-

ed time for other pursuits; the
services drew other synagogue
families who came to express
themselves and join others.
Many of those who shared the
multi-denominational Kabbalat
Shabbat service in Eilat kept
referring to the experience as the
perfect tone-setter, especially
since Jerusalem, undoubtedly the
religious center, was still .days
away.
We applaud the efforts of those
who made the Mission such a
success, and are proud to have
played a small part. Federation
— indeed the Jewish community
— has its challenges with Jewish
education, senior services, Jewish
Community Center funding and
other communal needs amid •
tough economic times. But in the
case of the Mission, we have all
benefited from the organizational
savvy of the Federation and, once
again, clearly see the key role it
plays in strengthening Jewish life
in Metro Detroit and Israel. This
tremendous experience left a pos-
itive impact that goes well beyond
those fortunate enough to take
part. Mission follow-up will be .

ISRAEL IS NOT
ON OFFICIAL
IRANIAN MAPS!

www.DryBonesBlog.Blogspot.com

pivotal. Through the efforts of
Marianne Bloomberg, the new
director of Mission Outreach and
Development, Federation is posi-
tioned to harness all the energy
that the Mission exuded and turn
it toward helping Detroit Jewry,
Israel and the Jewish world.
To paraphrase comments by
Rabbi Harold Loss of Temple
Israel, the task ahead is to main-
tain and build the connection with
Israel while harnessing the excite-

merit and energy to invigorate
American Jewish life. Our commu-
nity has shown time and time
again, just as Israelis have shown,
the truth of the Zionist maxim, "If
you will it, it is no dream"
For if we aren't one yet, efforts
like this show we can be - and we
must. ❑

believe but it is true.
town in the dead of
So they will bash the
winter, you really
city. This is a long
would strongly pre-
sports-writing tradi-
fer that it be warmer
tion, initiated by the
than it is at home.
late Jim Murray at the
For the media,
Los Angeles Times more
this is really a week-
George Cantor than 40 years ago. Not
long frolic with
that Los Angeles is any
Columnist
more parties and
great shakes, either, but
freebies than you
chances are it will be warmer
can shake a stick at — if that's
than Detroit in February. A few
your idea of a hot time. All of
of the best writers may not do
that is ever so much nicer when
this because it is such a
it's warm out.
painfully obvious ploy. But
Detroit, as you also may be
many will.
'aware, is not New York or
The TV guys, like Jimmy
Chicago. It does not offer the
Kimmel, will be defanged
diversions available in those
because they are lapdogs of big
places. The national sports
advertisers. Network execs get
media will not hesitate to point
nervous over a major market,
this out. Perhaps repeatedly.
the home of several big clients,
There will be a slow day or
trashed by their employ-
being.
two when columnists will be
ees.
Print
media, however, are
stuck for something to say. I
free
and
unfettered
and they
know this sounds hard to

will more than fill the void.
And you know what? Who
cares? Besides titillating some
of the readers at home, their
opinions count for very little.
If the CEOs and assorted
other big shots who get here
two or three days before the
game like what they see, that's
the ballgame. That's where
decisions about the economic
viability of Detroit will be
made.
So ignore the stricken look
on the faces of local news
anchors over all the mean
things being-Said about Detroit.
Ask, instead, whether the
event will have an impact on
the city that lasts an hour
beyond Super Sunday? Because
that's really what matters. 111

E-mail letters of no more

than 150 words to:
letters@thejewishnews.com

We Just Want To Be Loved

T

he countdown to flagel-
lation is almost over.
The actual flaying
process .will begin this Sunday,
when the national sports media
arrive in Detroit to cover Super
Bowl week. By the time the game
is actually played, the worst will
be over and we can all get on
with it.
Many in the local media seem
to believe that if the city tries
real hard, and everyone is jolly,
and brand spanking new direc-
tional signposts are in place, and
there isn't an actual blizzard the
day before kickoff, the national
media will play nice.
In your dreams, my friends.
Downtown Detroit is incom-
parably better than it was 15
years ago. In the last year of
Coleman Young's reign, it was a
shambles. Nothing happened in

the city unless the mayor said it
would, and he had lost interest.
He was by then a sick old man
whose only resources were a
feisty wit and a fiery past.
Since then, however, down-
town has been on something of
a roll. A modest roll, but a roll
nonetheless.
Still, it's all too reminiscent of
the title of Richard Farina's book
from the 1960s, Been Down So
Long, Looks Like Up to Me.
The national sports media
won't care about where we've
been and what's happened since.
Before they ever set foot in the
city, they will resent being here.
Super Bowl is a plum assign-
ment; not only because it's the
most-watched sports event of
the year but because it is usually
played in a warm place. That is a
significant consideration. If you
have to spend a week in another

George Cantor's e-mail address

is gcantor614@aol.com.

January 26 2006

43