Letters
JN Owes Apology
First off, we were very pleased
when the Jewish News finally
allowed gay couples to announce
their unions. But the Torah Portion
"Creating A Community Of
Holiness" by Rabbi Reuven Spolter
(July 20, page 46) was appalling.
How could you have allowed such
an arrogant statement (Rabbi
Spolter seems to be the one who
knows what God will say) in your
paper?
Following his reasoning,
shouldn't all Jewish couples be
examined for: a) food consump-
tion — maybe they eat shrimp, or
b) what they wear, i.e., clothes with
mixed fibers, before being allowed
access to marriage announce-
ments?
The Jewish News owes an
apology for giving Rabbi Spolter a
pulpit where he could blame gay
union announcements for God not
wanting to be a part of our Jewish
community It continues to pain us
how some Jews try to exclude oth-
ers (gays) for their differences.
We Jews, of all people, should
know the harm and deep trauma
from such persecution.
Marian and Bea Sandweiss
Oak Park
Diversity Noted
We were happy to see that the
Jewish News has published a
notice of a same-sex commitment
ceremony along with the engage-
ment, wedding and anniversary
notices.
As a married, heterosexual,
Reform Jewish couple, we were
happy to see the photo of the smil-
ing same-sex couple. By publish-
ing news of their simchah, the
JN recognizes the diversity of our
Jewish world.
Frank Castronova
Gaye Tischler
Ferndale
Mission To Remember
On July 5, 14 Jewish young adults
ranging in age from 20-40-years-
old returned home from the
Jewish Federation of Metropolitan
Detroit's yearly Young Adult
Mission to Israel. As is the case
every year with this trip, we, along
with 250 other participants from
around the country, were able to
see Israel from every angle as only
the Jewish Federation could show
us.
One day we traveled back into
time to experience Israel 2,000
years ago and the next night we
danced with young Israelis at a
local nightclub. We visited the
Israel Museum, Yad Vashem, -
Masada and the Dead Sea; and we
hiked in the Galilee. We sang songs
welcoming Shabbat at the Western
Wall and learned the history of
Jerusalem, Judaism and Israel.
For many of our participants,
this was their first time in Israel
and all came home saying that this
trip was a life-changing experi-
ence. Even for participants who
had been to Israel as teenagers,
this Federation trip cannot be
compared to any other. Every
participant now has a better idea
of our homeland in Eretz Yisrael,
what it is to be a Jew and eager to
be involved in the Detroit's Jewish
community.
We want to thank each and
every participant from Detroit
who made this year's trip a once-
in-a-lifetime experience. In only
a week, you have become some of
our best friends now for life. We
encourage young adults to go next
year and share in this glorious
opportunity.
Am Yisrael Chai [The Nation
of Israel Lives!].
Shira and Mike Kahan
2006 YAD Mission co-chairs
Bloomfield Hills
Federation Was Right
I do not believe that solidarity
for Israel, whether on a strictly
foreign policy basis or because of
religious affiliation, requires that
we endanger children by keeping
•
them in a country that is "at war','
as Dr. Jacqueline Zeff alludes to in
her letter ("Tangible Unity Lost,"
July 27, page 9).
I do believe that the Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit
made the only decision possible by
bringing the Teen Mission home
from the dangers they faced in
Israel.
Perhaps solidarity is better
shown for Israel when the Jewish
community stops being divided on
issues like this and stands together
as one. Support Israel and the
ideals of democracy and a Jewish
land vocally, monetarily or in any
other manner that one deems
appropriate. But our children do
not have to be potential sacrifices
in a foreign country in order to
show solidarity.
These teens went on a trip to
learn about Israel as a country and
their heritage, not to be part of a
war. If, as Dr. Zeff's son decided for
himself, they wish to go back to
fight for a country other than their
own, then that is their personal
decision when they become an
adult. Until then, it was the respon-
sibility of the adults in charge
of the Teen Mission to decide
what was best for the teens, and I
believe they made the only deci-
sion possible.
Susan Burstein-Kahn
Farmington Hills
Newfound Friend
My husband and I were lucky
enough to be a part of Federation's
2006 Israeli Camper Program in
which we hosted one of the staff
members who was in charge of
taking care of the Israeli campers
who came here to attend Tamarack
Camp ("Camp Connection:' July 6,
page 33).
Her name is Meital Fischer and
she is such an amazing person; we
really were fortunate that we could
be a part of this positive program.
We spent time with her weekly
on her days off and hosted her on
the last weekend before she and
the Israeli campers went back to
Israel. We spent time getting to
know her and sharing information
about ourselves.
It turned out that we were simi-
lar in many ways. When we were
seen together, we were mistaken
for being sisters as we both have
curly hair and are about the same
height. From the first meeting
we had, Meital just ran up to me
and hugged me. We became close
friends and introduced her to our
friends and family. We took her to
see a Tigers game, to Ann Arbor
and to lots of shopping. She taught
us how to make Israeli salad and
introduced us to Israeli music.
All in all, we made a close
friend with Meital and hope to
visit her in Israel soon. I just want
to thank the Jewish Federation
of Metropolitan Detroit and the
Israeli camper program for giving
us this opportunity. We have made
a lifelong friend because of it.
Andrea Belen
Berkley
State Clout Matters
We applaud Robert Sklar's Editor's
Letter "Our Political Clout" (June
29, page 5) with its emphasis on the
importance of being informed vot-
ers and using the power of our vote
to make a difference for our Jewish
community and for the state.
It is important that we encour-
age our legislators to address the
needs of vulnerable populations
such as the elderly and those with
chronic and developmental dis-
abilities.
Not many people in our com-
munity know that the Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan
Detroit's Government Relations
Oversight Committee (GROC) is
doing just that. It coordinates the
communication and advocacy
efforts of the Jewish communal
agencies.
GROC members meet regu-
larly with state legislators and
take them on tours of our Jewish
communal agencies to familiar-
ize them with the work of the
agencies and the needs of their
clients. Annually, the Committee
updates and oversees the imple-
mentation of the advocacy plan to
protect current funding and seek
additional funding for the mental
health, health care and social ser-
vices provided by our agencies.
Due to the efforts of the GROC
and the important relationships its
members have built with state leg-
islators, the Jewish Federation has
been the recipient of $3,320,000
over the last five years from the
state's multicultural line to provide
mental health and social welfare
services to vulnerable populations.
The entire amount has been given
directly to the Jewish communal
agencies to enable them to contin-
ue to serve these populations. The
state recognizes the valuable and
exceptional work that our agencies
do in providing services and in
leveraging funding.
The GROC's main advocacy
priorities are to increase the mul-
ticultural line grant and to main-
tain and work toward increasing
Medicaid mental health and basic
healthcare funding. It is important
that everyone in our community
who has a relationship with a state
legislator let him/her know how
important this funding has been
to our community and the dif-
ference that it makes to our most
vulnerable members.
Dennis Bernard
Evan Weiner
co-chairs
Federation's Government Relations
Oversight Committee
Bloomfield Township
Clarification
In "Tamarack Tragedy" (July 27,
page 27), a camp spokesperson
stated he was unaware of any
death ever among Tamarack
campers. According to Linda
Garfield of West Bloomfield, her
brother, Martin Ferst, drowned at
age 15 while swimming during a
camp canoe trip in 1964.
..2.10:72.MOCOMOMAASIMICIIC
How to Send Letters
We prefer letters relating to IN articles. We reserve the right to edit or reject letters. Letters of
nLEFIET 'cha Don't Know
Who recently became one of the oldest b'nai mitzvah?
—Goldfein
_•tienzpw
paleigaia3 isnf
C.Copyright 2005, Jewish Renaissance MeIla
6
August 3 • 2006
sesueN to '001. ttsses AiieH :Jamtsuy
225 words or less are considered first. Longer ones will be subject to trimming. Letter writ-
ers are limited in frequency of publication. Letters must be original and contain the name,
address and title of the writer and a day phone number. Non-electronic copies must be hand
signed. Send letters to the IN: 29200 Northwestern Highway, Suite 110, Southfield, MI 48034;
fax (248) 304-8885; e-mail, letters@the jewishnews.com . We prefer e-mail.