Letters
DIGEST
New Orleans Vitality
How ironic your article on the
New Orleans Jewish community
ran Feb. 16 ("Renewal Amid the
Ruin," page 27). Our cousin
Meyer Lachoff, whose son Irwin
tells the story of trying to get a
minyan to say Kaddish for his
father following his death the day
after Katrina, was reburied in
New Orleans on Feb. 19.
Meyer loved New Orleans and
he loved B'nai Israel. We are con-
vinced that when Meyer heard that
he was going to be evacuated, he
was determined not to leave New
Orleans alive. He had just celebrat-
ed his son's wedding two weeks
earlier. His brother Gerson was
evacuated from the Jewish nursing
home where they were both living;
Gerson has recently returned.
Their sister Benah Klafert has
made the trek from Shreveport to
Houston (to retrieve Meyer's body
so he could be buried temporarily
in Baton Rouge), and finally to
Little Rock, where she is living
temporarily. Irwin and his new
wife have returned to New Orleans
and are starting over.
New Orleans is our home even
though none of us were born
there. It is where our mother grew
up; our parents were married
there at B'nai Israel. Family mem-
bers are buried at the Jewish
cemetery there. It has been said
that New Orleans is a state of
mind. For us, it's that and more: It
is also a state of heart. The corn-
munity may be down, but trust us:
It will come back, stronger and
more vibrant than before.
Marsha Avrushin
Esther Weitzman
West Bloomfield
Josh Leopold
Farmington Hills
Sharon Krasner
Huntington Woods
.
A Life Foundation
Michigan, co-founder of the NCCJ
I am a senior at the Jewish
(National Conference for
Academy of Metropolitan
Community and Justice)
Detroit; next year, I will be study- Interfaith Partners and a valuable
ing at Midreshet Lindenbaum, a
partner and friend to our Jewish
religious seminary in Jerusalem.
community.
My year will be spent studying
He has continuously spoken
Jewish texts, volunteering in the
out, and encouraged others to
community and touring the land. join him, in condemning suicide
Growing up in an Orthodox
bombing, violence and fanati-
community where the post-high
cism. He has been involved with
school year in Israel has become
annual interfaith symposiums for
the norm, I used to take for
18 years, including the World
granted that after graduating, I
Sabbath of Religious
would have the chance to live
Reconciliation, and he has been
and study in Israel ("A New
instrumental in promoting
Communal Norm," Feb. 23, page
Reuniting the Children of
36). However, when I began the
Abraham ("Encore For Abraham's
process of researching and
Children:' Feb. 23, page 45)
choosing an Israel program, I
As a founding trustee of the
was able to realize the impor-
Muslim Unity Center and an
tance of studying in Israel for the • executive board member of the
year — not just as something
NCCJ, he has been to Israel, the
that is expected of me, but as an
Palestinian territories, Jordan,
experience that will help to
Egypt and Syria in search of cre-
strengthen my values as a Jew
ating peace through partnerships.
and as a Zionist.
Wherever and whenever he can
While many of my friends
reach out to interfaith communi-
can't wait to start college next
ties for increased tolerance and
year, I am so grateful that I will
understanding, Victor Begg has
have next year to focus on
done so.
Judaism intellectually and spiri-
We offer an invitation to meet
tually, and create a personal
Victor Begg and our other
bond with Israel. I know that
Interfaith Partners and partake in
when I return from Israel and
a presentation of Reuniting the
enter the "real world:' I will have
Children of Abraham, a creative
the knowledge and experience
vehicle that helps break down
that I gained from my year
longstanding barriers of igno-
abroad as a foundation for the
rance, fear and hate. If civilization
rest of my life.
is to survive, we must work
Yael Mendelson
together to heal our communities.
JAMD Class of 2006
Peace is possible, but it must be
West Bloomfield
pursued through education,
understanding, commitment and
Coming Together
action.
We were devastated to read the
Gail Katz
letter "Behind The Riots" (March
West Bloomfield
2, page 6) about NCCJ Interfaith
Sheri Schiff
Partner and friend Victor Begg.
Birmingham
He is chair of the Council of
Brenda Rosenberg
Islamic Organizations of
Bloomfield Hills
JNonline.us
dotCOM SURVEY
Howard Yale Lederman's interest in •
Jewish history led to his book Stalin's
Last Crime: The Plot Against The
Jewish Doctors. At the same time, he
began to think that "Purim is due for
a change or two not because the holi-
day is bad, but because it needs •
renewal." See how he ties the book's
plotline to his Purim hopes.
Were you surprised that
Crash received the Oscar for
Best Picture?
Read about it on JNonline.us
To vote, click on
JNonline.us/Opinion
6
March 9 a 2006
Last Week's Results
A recent U.S. poll by the
Institute for Public Opinion
found that two-thirds of
Americans believe Sen. Hillary
Rodham Clinton will run for
president, but only one-third
believe she can win.-Do you
think a woman candidate can
win the 2008 presidency?
70% said yes
30% said no
Kabbalah Course
Donate To Bookstock
Beginning Tuesday, March 14,
Federation's Alliance for Jewish
Education and the Jewish
Community Center of
Metropolitan Detroit will offer a
class, "Kabbalah and Its Impact
from the Middle Ages to
Madonna: Uses, Misuses and
Abuses:'
The seven-week course will be
led by Dr. Howard Lupovitch, vis-
iting associate professor at the
University of Michigan and
Pulver Family Associate Professor
of Jewish Studies at Colby College
in Waterville, Maine.
The Tuesday classes will meet
9:30-11 a.m. March 14, 21, 28;
April 4 and 25; and May 2 and 9
at the JCC in West Bloomfield.
The course costs $125 and is
open to the community.
To register, call Marion
Bronstein, (248)642-4260 ext.
372, or e-mail
bronstein@jfmd.org .
Separate Colossal Collection Days
a week apart — in Bloomfield
Township and Ann Arbor — are
scheduled to donate books, tapes,
videos, CDs and DVDs for resale
at Bookstock. Tax receipts will be
provided.
In Bloomfield Township, drop
off items 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Sunday, March 12, at the Max M.
Fisher Federation Building, 6735
Telegraph.
In Ann Arbor, bring items
10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Sunday,
March 19, to the Jewish
Community Center of Washtenaw
County, 2935 Birch .Hollow Drive.
The Bookstock sale will be
held April 30-May 7 at Laurel
Park Place in Livonia.
Presented by the Friends of
Literacy, the Jewish Community
Council of Metropolitan Detroit,
the Detroit Jewish News and CBL
& Associate Properties, Inc. For
information, call (248) 291-1235.
Beyond Hamantashen.
Correction
Photographs accompanying
"Love of Learning" (March 2,
page 17), misidentified Sam
Miller, who is pictured with
his study partner, Rabbi
Reuven Green of the Kollel
Institute of Greater Detroit.
Berkley-based Yad Ezra will .
offer donors the chance to con-
tribute to the kosher food bank
through the purchase of Purim
tribute cards.
The purchase of Purim cards
can add to that opportunity,
while -allowing the sender to
honor friends and family with
the donation.
To obtain Purim tributes and
envelopes that can be delivered by
the purchaser, call Yad Ezra at (248)
548-3663. The cost is $18 for a
packet of four cards.
Tribute cards are also available
year-round to honor or memorialize
individuals through support of Yad
Ezra.
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