Front Lines
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PBS Explores Anti-Semitism
W
This Week
hile much of America was watching the Super Bowl last
month, the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) was airing
Anti-Semitism in the 21st Century: The Resurgence.
It was a solid and incisive documentary, but little seen. Now you've
got another chance.
The hard-hitting one-hour documentary will be shown at 7 p.m.,
Wednesday, March 14, at Congregation B'nai Moshe, 6800 Drake Road
in West Bloomfield. The program will be followed by a moderated
discussion. There is no charge for this event sponsored by the B'nai
Moshe Men's Club and B'nai B'rith Great Lakes Region.
Through extraordinary and disturbing archival footage, interviews
with leading experts and bold man-on-the-street interviews, Anti-
Semitism in the 21st Century: The Resurgence weaves together
the past and the present to explore the
evolution and re-birth of an age-old
prejudice. The documentary is hosted
by veteran journalist Judy Woodruff
and was written, produced and directed
by Andrew Goldberg, whose previous
PBS productions include A Yiddish
World Remembered, which won an
Emmy in 2002, and The Armenians, A
Story of Survival.
For more information call (248) 788-
0600 or (248) 646-3100.
Historic Sermon For Sale
ittittc3101:s DI'q'klt , Rt3L
One of only two known copies of Rabbi
Gershom Mendes Seixas's sermon deliv-
ered at Congregation Shearith Israel
— the first Jewish congregation in the
country and, at the time, the only syna-
gogue in New York — on Thanksgiving
Day 1789 will be up for auction at Swann
Galleries' Printed and Manuscript
Americana Auction on March 22.
Rabbi Seixas was the first American-
born cantor, and was known after
the Revolutionary War as the "Patriot
Preacher" because of his strong support for American independence.
In fact, in 1787, Seixas was one of three clergymen who took part
when George Washington was inaugurated as the first president of the
United States. This symbolized respect for Seixas and also for the role
Jews had played in establishing the new nation. It may also have been
symbolic of Washington's own ecumenical views.
The copy of the sermon is expected to sell for $8,000 to $12,000.
Those interested in making a bid can view the item on public exhibi-
tion Saturday, March 17 or March 19-22, but you have to go to New
York City.
School Spotlights Darfur Crisis
West Bloomfield High School student activists, along with their teach-
ers and the administration, have planned a program to educate the
community about genocide and the current atrocities in Darfur.
"Mending a Broken Promise — Darfur: The 21st Century
Genocide" will include a trio of speakers: Rene Lichtman, a Holocaust
"Hidden Child"; Thomas Kamilindi, Rwandan genocide survivor; and
Elqasim Salih, a Darfur refugee.
Speakers begin at 6:30 Wednesday, March 21, at the high school,
4925 Orchard Lake Road in West Bloomfield. From 5:30-6:30, an
empty bowls display can be viewed.
Tickets are $6. Reservations are due by March 12. Call Mara Hoffert
at (248) 865-6720.
- Keri Guten Cohen, story development editor
Israel's Balance
Illan Peleg, Dana Professor of government and law at Lafayette
College and the editor of Israel Forum, will speak at the inaugural
Michael and Elaine Serling Lecture on Modern Israel from 7:30-9 p.m.
Tuesday, March 13, at 334 A&B Case Hall at Michigan State University.
His topic is "Israel as a Jewish and Democratic State: Balancing the
Particular and the Universal."
Peleg is an award-winning scholar and teacher, author or editor of
several books and articles on the Middle East peace process, Israeli
leaders and foreign policy, and Israel as a Jewish and democratic state.
He is a leading scholar exploring the compromise Israel has struck
between ethno-religious hegemony and equal rights for all, and a
leading voice calling for new ideas aimed at transforming Israel in a
spirit of enhanced democratization.
The program is part of the MSU Jewish Studies Department within
James Madison College.
-Keri Guten Cohen, story development editor
E-Newsletter
ne Resurgence
- Don Cohen, special to the Jewish News
- Keri Guten Cohen, story development editor
Get There! Israel, That Is
As incentive for more young adults to visit Israel, the Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit has created the "Get There!" Teen
and Young Adult Travel Fund to defray associated costs.
The fund was established through gifts from the Samuel and Jean
Frankel Jewish Heritage Foundation Israel Youth Travel Fund and the
Ben Teitel Israel and Overseas Teen Travel Fund.
With the creation of the new fund, the 15-year-old Ben Teitel
Israel Incentive Savings Plan — which helped fund trips to Israel for
teens — is closed to new applicants. Through the Ben Teitel Travel
Millennium Fund, families currently enrolled in the Savings Plan have
the option to continue their participation or join the new "Get There!"
Teen and Young Adult Travel Fund program.
"A priority of the Jewish Federation is to assist young people
in exploring their Jewish roots," said Robert Schostak, chair of
Federation's Israel and Overseas Department. "It is our goal to open
new horizons through this program and to help as many young peo-
ple as possible participate in travel to Israel"
The new "Get There" travel fund will provide grants ranging
from $500 to $1,000 per student for programs or trips approved by
Federation's Israel and Overseas Department. Additional funds may
be requested based on individual need.
Applicants must be Jewish residents of Metro Detroit between the
ages of 13 and 28 years old and participating in a program for 12
months or less. Applications and eligibility for trips to other overseas
destinations will be considered on an individual basis.
For information on the "Get There" program or to obtain an
application, call Cherron Jackson at Federation's Israel and Overseas
Department, (248) 203-1494 or cjackson@jfmd.org .
- Shelli Liebman Dcrfman, senior writer
JN
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March 8. 2007
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