Metro

Java Well Traveled

Ugandan Jews add to brew.

Shelli Liebman Dorfman

Staff Writer

ast winter, members of Uganda's
Jewish community visited Detroit,
bringing their Grammy-nominated
music, fascinating photos and the remark-
able story of how its founders chose to
become Jewish in 1919. Now, they are bring-
ing coffee.
Through a fund-raising program at Hillel
Day School of Metropolitan Detroit, coffee
drinkers can taste the crop of the Mirembe
Kawomera Cooperative in Mbale, Uganda.
The local sales plan began with
Jennifer Teper of Farmington Hills, who
along with Kim Levin of West Bloomfield,
chairs Hillel's Feb. 13-28 project.
"Hillel P.T.O. was looking for new fund-
raising ideas, and I thought this was a new
kosher product that would have mass
appear Teper said. "The coffee craze is here;
so I thought it had the potential to be a suc-
cess.
Teper and Levin were spurred further
after learning about the unique origins of

L

the coffee company.
The crop is grown by a group of Ugandan
Muslim, Christian and Jewish neighbors,
assembled by Jewish farmer J.J. Keki, who
went door to door asking them to join
together in the project, which partners with
Kulanu, a Baltimore-based charitable organ-
ization.
"We think this coalition — 400 farmers
strong — is unique in all of Africa," said
Keki, the co-op's president, who with his
daughter Rachel Namudosi Keki spent time
in Detroit last March.
"The taste of the coffee is pretty impres-
sive Levin said. "We opened a bag and
brewed a pot to serve at a meeting at Hillel
and it was well received!'
Besides providing funds for Hillel's P.T.O.,
Teper said coffee sales are "helping so many
different communities and supporting peace
and fair trade, ensuring that the small-scale
farmers are paid a fair price per pound. And
with each purchase, one dollar of every bag
goes directly back to the co-op to fund the
purchase of new machinery'
Hillel's Dean of Judaic Studies Saul Rube

added a new dimen,
sion to the project,
tairiak
incorporating a sec-
Kim Levin and Jennifer Teper display a bag of Ugandan coffee.
tion on the Ugandan
"Today the world is in pain',' Keki said.
Jewish community into the school's social
"We want to prove that a better way is to be
studies unit on Africa this semester. Hillel
also hopes to host Keki for a student presen- proud of who you are, respect each other
.and make something great together!" ri
tation during an upcoming visit to Detroit.
The 700-member indigenous Ugandan
Jewish farming community was virtually
Twelve-ounce bags of coffee are
unknown until 1992, when they were dis-
available in whole bean or drip
covered by travelers, Julia Chamovitz of
grind. Light roast, dark roast and
Pittsburgh and former Michiganian
espresso blend are $10.50 per bag;
•
Matthew Meyer.
decaf is $11.50 per bag.
Among those who became involved with
Purchases may be made through
the community since that time is singer-
Tuesday,
Feb. 28, by calling Kim
activist Laura Wetzler, Kulanu's Uganda
Levin
at
(248)
851-2585, sending a
coordinator, whose initiative created the cof-
check,
payable
to Hillel P.T.O. to Kim
fee co-op. After approaching 50 coffee com-
Levin,
2400
Walnut
Lake Road, W.
panies, Paul Katzeff, founder and CEO of
Bloomfield,
MI
48323,
or by
Thanksgiving Coffee Company in California,
accessing
an
order
form
by going
responded by buying all the coffee the co-op
to:
www.JNonline.us/coffee.
can produce. He also offered wholesale
Buyers will receive pick-up informa-
fund-raising programs and Uganda com-
tion
after ordering.
munity development profit-sharing to fur-
ther assist farmers and their families.

C utting Aid t

ith ah ke o r ld 's dle irte tc e tr a ais dkt s oPp re A sident Bush
Lo aw
wm

address, 'The leaders of Hamas must rec-
ognize Israel, disarm, reject terrorism and
work for lasting peace:
pset with the results of the
"Until this occurs, and llamas proves
they are committed to These sim-
Palestinian elec-
ple principles, the United States
tions, which put
and the international community
the terrorist group Hamas
must immediately end all assis:
in power, Rep. Joe
tance to the P.A:"
Knollenberg, R-Bloomfield
Knollenberg wrote that indi-
Hills, has written a letter to
rect aid to the Palestinian people
the White House asking the
through organizations like the
Bush administration to
USAID (an independent federal
withhold direct support of
agency that receives guidance
the Palestinian Authority
from the secretary of state) •
"The Palestinian people
should be re-evaluated, and the
should be congratulated
U.S. should "consider new
for holding an election
Rep. Knollenbe rg-
options to prevent assistance
process that was peaceful
from going to any terrorist
and free of violence the
organization."
letter said. "However, the United States
The letter was signed by 12 representa-
must maintain its longstanding policy of
tives, including Mike Rogers, R-Brighton,
not dealing or negotiating with terrorists.
and sent to the White House on Feb. 14.
Hamas' stated goal is to destroy Israel and
Three bills, two in the House and one in
replace it with an Islamic state.
"As you stated in your State of the Union ' the Senate, also have been written to limit

Harry Kirsbaum
Staff Writer

U

the goals of terrorists."
financial aid to the P.A.
Rudy Simons of Berkley, a
"Rep. Knollenberg does not
human
rights activist, said
oppose indirect - aid at this time,
he'd
like
the United States to
although he is concerned about
give
llamas
some time to
the possible use of it in the
change
their
views before
future," said spokesperson
pulling
its
aid.
Jennifer Hing from
"I hold no brief for any
Knollenberg's Washington, D.C.,
government that wishes to
office. "The letter outlines our
destroy Israel, but I would at
concern in that regard. He's not
least give the new P.A. a
asking for every single dollar in Sharona Shapiro
chance to display its new
the region to be stopped, just
policies before withdrawing
direct aid to Hamas."
support," he said. "We do, after all, call for
Knollenberg ieright to question and to
free and fair elections, and Hamas has been
urge U.S. restraint, said Sharona Shapiro,
chosen to lead the new Palestinian govern-
Michigan area director of the American
ment. Let.us see what course it chooses to
Jewish Committee.
take in the coming days.
"I do not want to see the Palestinian
"If the.U.S. does decide to withhold
people suffer," she said. "However, they
have chosen through an electoral system to financial aid from the desperately poor
Palestinian people and, at the same time,
shape their future with leaders that teach
wishes to be consistent about halting aid to
and use violence to promote their agenda.
`terrorist' governments, it should also block
The United 'States Congress has'a
aid to the governments of Haiti, Nigeria,
responsibility to ensure that America's
money is used wisely and does not further Colombia and other nations as well." LI

.

February 16 • 2006

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