Metro
Jewish Beginnings
Dedication of historic marker
celebrates early Michigan Jews.
I
n celebration of the first
Jews to settle in Detroit,
the state of Michigan and
the Detroit Jewish commu-
nity will dedicate a Michigan
Historical Marker at the
Michigan TriCentennial Park
on the Detroit RiverWalk, 1900
Atwater Ave. in downtown
Hannan Lis
Detroit from 3:30 to 5 p.m.
Sunday, April 29.
Co-sponsored by the Jewish Historical
Society of Michigan and the American
Jewish Committee in collaboration with
the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan
Detroit, the afternoon's program is free
and open to the public and will include
welcoming remarks by U.S. Sen. Carl
Levin.
The marker is distinctive, highlight-
ing two significant periods of time in
Michigan's Jewish history. On one side it
tells the story of the arrival in 1762 of fur
In Unity
Desecrated
church gets
Jewish support.
T
he leader of the Detroit Jewish
community's public affairs
council spoke out against the
graffiti steeped in ethnic bigotry that
targeted a Christian
church in Warren.
The Passover story,
said Robert Cohen,
executive direc-
tor of the Jewish
Community Relations
Council, "teaches
us to respond when
David Nelson
other peoples are vic-
timized by those who
hate them because of their faith."
Cohen, joined by David Nelson, rabbi
emeritus at Congregation Beth Shalom in
Oak Park, said that during Passover, Jews
are commanded to zahor, remember, how
the experience of slavery shaped them as
a people.
"We cannot stand idly by in the face
of the desecration of this house of God,"
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Apr
2007
aN
trader Chapman Abraham, the first
Jewish settler in Detroit. The other
side depicts the 181 Michigan Jews
from a population of 150 families in
the state who served in the Union
Army during the Civil War.
The marker was awarded by the
Michigan Historical Commission's
Department of History, Arts and
Libraries, which examined the exten-
sive archival documentation. It is the
legacy project of the statewide coalition
that spearheaded "Celebrate 350 — Jewish
Life in America: 1654-2004,"the commem-
oration of 350 years of Jewish settlement
in America.
Commenting on the significance of the
marker placement in the first and only
urban state park in Michigan, Hannan Lis,
chair of the dedication committee, said,
"We are thrilled to showcase these special
moments in Michigan's Jewish history as
we unveil the marker on our city's new
Cohen said about the black and blue
graffiti discovered on the walls of St.
Mary's Assyrian Catholic Church.
"We must stand alongside our friends
and neighbors in this community
— together with our interfaith partners:'
Cohen said. "We pray that this congrega-
tion heals quickly, and that those who
perpetrated this act of hatred and igno-
rance ask themselves how God looks
upon their actions."
Cohen and Rabbi Nelson were among
19 members of the Interfaith Partners
along with 30 others who stood in
solidarity with rep-
resentatives from the
church on April 5.
The Interfaith
Partners, sponsored
by the Michigan
Roundtable for
Diversity and
Inclusion, released a
Robert Cohen
statement in support
of the church. The
statement defended the sanctity of all
houses of worship, sacred texts and reli-
gious practices:.
"The vulgar references ironically
appear to speak against Arab Americans
and non-Christians — despite the fact
that many of the parishioners of the
Apostolic Catholic Assyrian church are
not Arabs and all are Christians! But
The historic marker will be placed in Michigan's TriCentennial Park on the Detroit
RiverWalk.
and vibrant RiverWalk, a place of promi-
nence now and for generations to come."
The afternoon program will feature
music by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra
Civic Jazz Ensemble and a Jewish Boy
Scout color guard. Young volunteers from
Camp Tamarack will re-enact Chapman
Abraham's arrival by voyageur canoe.
Light refreshments will be served riverside
with kosher laws observed. Samuel Logan
Jr., publisher of the Michigan Chronicle,
will represent the Michigan Historical
Commission.
The Michigan TriCentennial Park is
located adjacent to the Detroit River at the
corner of Atwater and St. Aubin streets,
three blocks east of Rivard. The area is
handicapped accessible and valet parking
will be provided.
Shuttle transportation will be avail-
able at 2:30 p.m. from the Max M. Fisher
Federation Building, 6735 Telegraph Road
in Bloomfield Township. The shuttle is $10
per person, with reservations required
in advance by calling (248) 432-5517 or
(248) 661-1000.
Judge Avern L. Cohn and Judy Levin
Cantor have served as co-chairs of the
committee for the historical marker and
"Celebrate 350 Jewish Life in America."
Karen Alpiner is the associate chair of the
dedication committee.
this is really beside the point. An attack
on any house of worship, on any ethnic
populations or on any faith is wrong,
whether its factual premises are correct
or not."
Interfaith Partners, which represents
all faiths in the diverse metropolitan area,
stands in solidarity "against this bigoted,
ignorant action, because an assault on
one faith is an assault on all: according
to the statement. I I
Book Discussion Slated
The Sholem Aleichem Institute will
host a book review and discussion 2
p.m. Sunday, April 22, at the Jewish
Community Center in Oak Park.
Margaret Winters and Geoffrey Nathan,
professors at Wayne State University in
Detroit, will review selected sections of
The History of the Jews by Paul Johnson.
The sections to be covered are pages
338-366 and 369-375. To have those
pages mailed to you, for a $5 charge, call
(248) 557-8599. The book is available at
local libraries.
There is no charge for the event.
JTS Gala Set
Professor Arnold Eisen, chancellor-elect
of the Jewish Theological Seminary, will
speak at the Detroit JTS Gala Thursday,
April 26, at Adat Shalom Synagogue,
Farmington Hills.
This year's Shin Award honorees are
Dr. Eli and Joanna Berger from Beth
Shalom, Sidney Blackman and Dr. Linda
Bolton Blackman from Beth Ahm, Dina
Brodsky and the late Herman Brodsky
from Shaarey Zedek, Lois Shiffman and
the late Dr. Milton Shiffman from Adat
Shalom, Seymour and Sharlene Ungar
from B'nai Moshe.
Cantor Samuel Greenbaum from Beth
Shalom will be presented with an honor-
ary doctorate of music.
Cost is $180 per person. Reservations
by April 23: Tom Wexelberg-Clouser,
toclouser@jtsa.edu , (248) 258-0055.
-
Speech Focus: Immigration
The law form of Miller Canfield will
present an international business brief-
ing 7:30-9 a.m. Thursday, April 26, at the
Automation Alley International Business
Center, 2675 Bellingham in Tory.
The speaker will be Brian M.
Moskowitz, special agent in charge, U.S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
He will discuss customs enforcement,
immigration and worksite enforcement,
money laundering and fraud.
There will be a question and answer
session.
There is no charge, but reservations are
necessary. Call Sandy Bera, (248) 267-
3345.