Front Lines
Menthe
NOTEBOOK
This Week
JN Race for Hunger
Historian's Work
For The Birds
.Sy Manello
Editorial Assistant
n the fifth day of
creation, God created
winged animals to fly
above the Earth. Since then, birds
have played a part in our lives in
story, song and superstition.
Staying with the Bible for
another moment, there is the
part the dove played in the
Noah's ark story. That creature is
also a universal symbol of peace,
but we shall address symbols
later on.
Without much effort, each of
us could probably name several
songs that feature birds. From
Dorothy's wish in the Wizard of
02 to be like birds that "fly over
the rainbow" to the jazz stylings
of "Lullaby of Birdland,". many
are the musical musings on our
feathered friends.
How do you know it's spring?
Well, the "red, red robin comes
bob-bob-bobbin along." Doesn't
it? How do you know you're
happy? Why, there's a bluebird on
your shoulder — and doubtless
large cleaning bills as a result.
There is also the pursuit of the
"Bluebird of Happiness!"
Our sympathies are aroused by
someone who is wealthy but not
happy (yeah, as if that
could be a scenario!).
We may describe this
individual as "only a
bird in a gilded cage."
Understanding the
plight of a creature
who is fettered led an
author to pen I Know
Why the Caged
Bird Sings. And we
are reminded of each
man's importance to the Creator
as we note that "His eye is on the
sparrow"
The bird as a symbol
— remember the dove, or are
you not really reading care-
fully? — is prominent in our
lives: Our national emblem is
the bald eagle; the fact that it is
on our paper money, too, is fod-
der for another article. The pink
flamingo is representative of
many things from tropical climes
beckoning you, to vacation, to
the images of a drunken vision.
(Their color, by the way, is depen-
dent on the number and type of
shellfish they consume. Let it not
be said that my columns are not
educational.) And what picture
of a pirate would be complete
without the parrot on his shoul-
der?
Both aspects of luck — good
and bad — have
their respective bird
symbols: the crane
(Oriental) and the
albatross ("The
Rime of the Ancient
Mariner"). When it
comes to babies, we
all know that they
are brought by the
stork; I'm sorry to
burst the bubble of
those of you who hold with the
"under-the-cabbage-leaf" theory.
Did you realize that there were
several flightless birds? This list
includes penguins, those tuxedo-
Wearing, cold weather denizens;
chickens, those Friday-night sup-
per staples; kiwis; and ostriches,
noted most for putting their
heads in the sand.
Not to leave without some of
my birdbrain humor:
• An Arctic airfield crew daily
had to drive away the terns with
stones so that planes could safely
take off and land. Their motto:
"Leave no tern unstoned."
• The wiseold owl sat in an
oak. The more he heard the less
he spoke. The less he spoke, the
more he heard. We all should be
like that wise old bird. 111
Davidson, Taubman Still On Forbes' Wealth List
T
Bill Davidson
Al. Alfred
Taubman
wo Jewish communal philanthropists have placed
prominently on Forbes magazine's annual list of world
billionaires.
• William Davidson, 83, president and CEO of glass manufac-
turer Guardian Industries, the Detroit Pistons and Palace Sports
& Entertainment, was ranked first in Michigan and 194th in the
world by Forbes with a fortune estimated at $3.5 billion.
• A. Alfred Taubman, 82, founder of Taubman Centers shop-
ping mall developers, was ranked seventh in Michigan and
645th in the world with a fortune estimated at $1.2 billion.
- Alan Hitsky, associate editor
Selected
ewish historian and
author Judy Levin
Cantor helped kick off
a major series of appearances by
authors in the "Discovering the
Peoples of Michigan" series, part
of a grant from the Michigan
Humanities Council. ..
The event, the first of 10
developed by Michigan State
University Press, which pub-
lished the series, and the .
Michigan Museums Association,
was held March 16 in Jackson;
another will be March 30 at the
Port Huron
Museum.
Cantor is
author of Jews
in Michigan,
which won
the Historical
Society of
Michigan
Judy Levin
Award for
Cantor
an outstand-
ing book
of Michigan history. She is
a former editor of Michigan
Jewish History, the journal of
the Jewish Historical Society of
Michigan, was co-chair of the
Michigan Coalition for the 350th
anniversary of Jews in America
and the professional archivist at
'Congregation Shaarey Zedek.
Lewis Walker, author of
African Americans in Michigan,
also will speak. He is emeritus
professor sociology at Western
Michigan University and the
author of several'books.
This series, "Exploring the
Roots in Your Community:'
will continue with other pairs
of authors in communities
throughout the state.
j
-
•
- Keri Guten Cohen,
Mark your calendars for the
2- & 5-mile Run for Hunger
on May 7 presented by the
Jewish News! Proceeds
will benefit Yad Ezra and
Gleaners Food Bank of
Southeast Michigan.
Go to JNonline.us and
click on the Hunger banner.
Let's Get Together
So you were at a gathering,
or in a restaurant, and you
spoke to this interesting
stranger, and now you wish
you'd gotten a phone num-
ber? Or maybe you can't get
your first love or high school
sweeth e art out of your mind?
Now's your chance to try and
seize that lost opportunity by
posting your missive here.
Visit JNonline.us and click
on "Let's Get Together..."
on the left.
J1:flogs
Mission Improbably
by Stephen Maiseloff
Looking for adventure and
personal growth, in Maui, Los
Angeles, San Francisco and
Chicago ...
Go to JNonline.us and
click on "JBlogs" on the left.
Your Ticket to Win
Win 2 free passes to Emagine
Theatre in Novi. Last week's
winner was Paula Duke of
Southfield.
You can win, too! Enter
by visiting JNonline.us and
clicking on the "Win 2 Free
Tickets ..." button on the
right.
You Voted
Last week's survey question:
"When do you think U.S.
forces will be able to leave
story development editor
1 Year - 16 %
3 Years - 1 °/0
5 Years - 83%
Alr JN Cap & Gown
Are you a Jewish high school senior in Michigan who is graduating in June? Do you have a 3.50 or higher unweighted GPA?
• You can place a free listing of your accomplishments in our Cap & Gown section May 25. Go to our Web site - JNonline.us - click on the
Cap & Gown button in the upper right corner*and print out the information on how to be included.
• And if you want to place'an advertisement in our Cap & Gown issue, call (248) 351-5100.
This week's question: This
Passover, will you invite
those without a place to go
to your seder?
To cast your vote, visit
JNonline.us and click on
"Opinion" on the left.
March 30 • 2006 11