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DWYER
AND
SONS
Defining Conservative
I was privileged to be a part-time rab-
binics instructor at the Jewish Academy
of Metropolitan Detroit this past year.
Although the school is non-denomi-
national and caters to every sort of
Jew, the majority of my students this
past term identified themselves as
Conservative.
To unravel the mystery of the deterio-
ration of Conservative Judaism ("Hand
In Hand," June 8, page 14), one needs
only ask the teens what Conservative
Judaism means to them. My students
this past year were excellent and bright
— not a bad one in the group. But
after completion of elementary and
middle school Conservative educa-
tion, not one could say what it means
to be a Conservative Jew, nor could
they explain, other than their parents'
synagogue membership and things they
did not have to keep because they were
not Orthodox, why or how they are
Conservative.
In that sense, the movement, such as it
is, has succeeded in instilling exactly the
opposite of what it intended. The kids
understand the abrogation of Jewish
responsibility that they associate with
Conservative Judaism — but noth-
ing of its commitment. They consider
themselves free from keeping Shabbat or
celebrating the "minor" holidays (other
than with blintzes and gefilte fish) but
they have no notion of what responsi-
bilities they have that distinguish them
from their Reform classmates or, indeed,
from the gentile on the street.
While the founders of Conservative
Judaism may have intended to point out
places in which they thought to make
a legitimate scholarly argument that
Orthodox Judaism goes farther than
required by Halachah, the result that I
see is the mere institutionalization of the
wholesale disregard of Jewish law and
custom in the form of "my tradition is to
do nothing to celebrate Shemini Atzeres.
What makes your tradition better?"
Ezra Goldman
Oak Park
Anti-Jihad
Thank you very much for your article
on Robert Spencer's talk to about 160
people on May 4 at Adat Shalom ("Jihad
Watcher," May 11, page 12) .
Mr. Spencer spoke about the teach-
ing of Isalm that calls upon Muslims to
wage war to impose Islamic law on non-
Muslim states.
The jihad ideology is based upon
Jews, Christians and other non-Muslims
being inferiors to be subjugated under
Islamic law. This requires the non-
Muslims to be made to convert to the
Islamic religion, or pay tribute taxation
and accept inferior status, or be sub-
jected to jihad and killings.
Mr. Spencer wants to stop U.S. aid
to any and all countries that allow
this jihadist ideology to be spread and
accepted among and by its population.
He urged that this be done with a major
effort, also undertaken to accomplish
self-sufficiency in energy resources with
the goal being to win the battle against
jihadist militant terroristic Islam.
Mark Segel
Public Affairs Committee,
Zionist Organization of America
Southfield
Dr. Wilbert Simkovitz
National Security Management Consultant
Clawson
A Positive Influence
JTA Staff Writer Rachel Pomerance's
article ("Jewish-Presbyterian Ties:'
June 1, page 25) refers to the Sabeel
Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center
in Jerusalem as a "corrupting influence!'
That descriptor, attributed to "Jewish
groups and many Christians," flies in the
face of very positive experiences that I
and other Detroit-area Jewish delegates
had during our visit to Israel and the
Palestinian territories in 2003.
Based on our time spent with mem-
bers of Sabeel, it is my belief that the
organization is truly devoted to achiev-
ing peace with justice for both Israelis
and Palestinians. Our small group took
part in long and useful discussions on
many issues. We were also taken on
several informative Sabeel-led tours on
both sides of the Green Line.
Our direct experiences with the men
and women of Sabeel lead me to believe
that the characterization of the organi-
zation is nothing less than outright and
undeserved calumny.
Rudy Simons
Berkley
Food Allergies Tip
Thank you so much for your article on
children with food allergies ("Always
On Guard," May 18, page 28). As grand-
parents of two boys with severe food
allergies, we are concerned about this
increasingly common problem.
One item that has been of great help
to us is the SafetySack (www.safetysack.
corn). It is a compact container that not
only holds EpiPens, but also other medi-
cations. It includes a form on which
parents can place all the information
anyone who cares for the boys needs to
know about their medical needs in case
of an allergic reaction.
Whenever we have those grandsons at
our home or out, one of these for each
of them is always with us.
The dilemma of food allergies is
increasing in the Jewish community
and in society at large and merits atten-
tion by all who come into contact with
children.
Karen Colby Weiner
West Bloomfield
Correction
In "4 To Watch" ("Focused Energy,"
June 15, page 14), a few clarifica-
tions: Summer in the City runs
Tuesday through Friday, not
Tuesdays and Fridays; two of the six
carpool sites are in Detroit and not
all in the suburbs; and the volunteer
season ends Aug. 18.
Family owned since 1959.
(248) 824-0400
VolvosatesCciwyerandsons.corn
www.dwyerandsons.corn
REPO Icha Don't Know
Who is the only Jewish lawmaker in the Arab
world?
—Goldfein
14 Mile Road
quawellied ue!s!uni aq1 ut Joleuas e
On Maple Rd., W. of Haggerty
1/2 Mile E. of M-5, 4 Miles N. of 1-96
OPEN SATURDAYS
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June 22 . 2006
.Copyricht 2006, Jewish Renaissance Media
ydasor Liamsuy
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