Letters

Disguised Blessing?

page 33). Mr. Sachs captured the true

A Special Bond

While strong opposition to allowing a
person such as Iran's President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad to appear in a venerable
institution of learning such as Columbia
University in New York City is quite
understandable, I tend to think that,
after all, this was a blessing in disguise
("Repelling The Revulsion You Stand
For," Oct. 4, page 29).
By speaking there, he exposed once
again the ignorant fool that he is, some-
thing university leaders were not at all
shy about and told him so in no uncertain
way.
If he learned anything from the
Columbia encounter, it is hopefully that
he has a lot to learn. This includes not
only about modern world history, but
also the history of his Persian nation. He
will probably come across a much more
worthwhile forebear of his, the most ven-
erable King Cyrus.
Cyrus ruled the Persian Empire from
259 to 229 B.C.E. Upon conquest by the
Babylonians, Cyrus called upon Jewish
exiles from 586 B.C.E. to return to their
land and rebuild their Temple, which was
demolished by Nebuchadnezzar. A num-
ber of Jewish exiles heeded his call and
returned to the land of Judea and started
Jewish life there once again.
King Cyrus's call to the exiled Jews is
known in Jewish history as the Cyrus
Proclamation.
The now Iranian nation has a glori-
ous history. It is deserving of better
leaders than they now have; hopefully,
Ahmadinejad's pathethic showing at
Columbia helped prove that.

essence of those two exceptional indi-
viduals.
Forty years ago, Joe Mermelstein taught
and nurtured our three sons. Ruth and Joe
embraced our boys as family. To this day,
when our sons speak about Joe and Ruth
Mermelstein, it is always with respect and
deep affection.
We thank you for acknowledging
the lifelong service that Joe and Ruth
Mermelstein have given to Congregation
Beth Ahm and to the Jewish community.

Thanks for the beautiful piece on the two
Larrys ("A Tale Of Two Larrys," Sept. 27,
page 35) and Larry Horowitz's gift of his
wonderful sukkah to his friend Larry
Winer, both of whom are members at the
Young Israel of Oak Park.
Larry H's gift to his friend is simply
the latest in a series of gestures between
the two families. For many years, Larry,
his wife, Rita, and the entire Winer family
have performed numerous acts of chessed
on behalf of the Horowitz family, during
times of illness and difficulty and espe-
cially since the passing of Larry Horowitz's
beloved wife, Phyllis.
Every Shabbos, I watch from the bimah
as Larry Winer — after picking up Larry
H from his apartment and wheeling him
to shul, escorts his friend into shul with a
sense of tenderness and care and assists
him on his return home as well.
While Larry Horowitz's gift of his suk-
kah to the Winer family is a beautiful ges-
ture, it is a gift of thanks for years of care,
kindness, chessed and friendship. May
their friendship continue for many years.

through the Games. Not only will the kids
benefit, but so will host families and vol-
unteers.
Anyone who attends opening ceremo-
nies will kvell during the parade of ath-
letes — watching more than 3,500 Jewish
athletes and coaches march in or during
the week watching Jewish teens from all
over the world interact or even hearing
about kids who may not otherwise be
exposed to so many Jews, learn and grow
from each other.
The JCC Maccabi Games is something
everyone in the Detroit Jewish community
should be a part of. Paraphrasing what
Zachary Silver says, we hope everyone
learns how to make playing sports a
Jewish experience.
If you are interested in participating as
an athlete for the Games, please attend an
informational meeting Sunday, Nov. 18,
at 4 p.m. at the JCC in West Bloomfield or
Monday, Nov. 19, at 7 p.m. at the JCC in
Oak Park.
To house athletes or to volunteer, please
contact Karen Gordon, (248) 432-5482, or
kgordon@jccdet.org .

Rabbi Reuven Spolter
Young Israel of Oak Park

2008 JCC Maccabi Games chair

Rachel Kapen

West Bloomfield

The Mermelstein Gift

We would like to thank Senior Copy
Editor David Sachs for writing such a
beautiful and sensitive article about
Joe and the late Ruth Mermelstein
of Congregation Beth Ahm in West
Bloomfield ("Soul Of The Shul," Oct. 4,

Zita and Don Kirsch

West Bloomfield

A Charter School?

I enjoyed your Editor's Letter about Jewish
education and its funding ("The Contours
Of Learning," Oct. 4, page 7). By my rough
calculations — based on current tuition
with 5 percent inflation — you'd pay
close to a quarter-million dollars (unsub-
sidized) to send a local child through
12 grades of Hillel Day School and the
Frankel Jewish Academy.
Oy!
Perhaps it's time to explore establishing
an English-Hebrew charter school, like
South Florida's Ben Gamla Charter School.
After all, a charter school could teach his-
tory and culture, literature and language,
giving students the tools they need for an
intellectual understanding of our religion.
For free. Religious studies themselves
could be handled in the home, the syna-
gogue and after-school programs.
One Florida rabbi quoted in Hadassah
magazine (October 2007, page 40) warns:
"With charter schools like Ben Gamla, we
are opening the door for public money to
be used to support all sorts of religious
ideologies across America"
The door is already open thanks to our
democratic process. Other ethnic commu-
nities have already stepped inside. Shall
we join them?

Joe Lewis

Oak Park

Maccabi's Something More

When asked to describe the JCC Maccabi
Games, the first answer most people give
is, "It's the Jewish Olympics." The Games,
however, are so much more than that just
athletic competition.
Participants take away from the Games
so much more than just the thrill of vic-
tory or the agony of defeat. It is evident in
the teen articles on Maccabi ("An Amazing
Event" by Zachary Silver and "A Life-
Changing Experience" by Sarah Richard,
Oct. 11, page 50). They got the true experi-
ence of JCC Maccabi Games. It is not just
athletic competition for Jews, but also a
Jewish event through athletics.
When the Games come to Detroit Aug.
17-22, 2008, this community will have
the opportunity to give each visiting par-
ticipant a meaningful Jewish experience

Most U.S. synagogues place their ark, containing the Torah scrolls, on the
eastern wall so congregants face east toward Jerusalem during prayer.
Congregation Beth El Keser Israel in New Haven, Conn., has an interesting
history as to why their ark is on the western wall.

-Goldfein

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6A October 18 • 2007

Karen Gordon

2008 JCC Maccabi Games director

West Bloomfield

Corrections
•"A Matter Of Choice" (Oct. 4, page 44)

should have stated in the caption that
Ellen Grumeretz of Superior Township is a
breast cancer survivor.
• In "Food For Thought" (Sept. 27, page
59), the name of Estie Tolwin was mis-
spelled in a photo caption.
• In "Israel Advocacy" (Oct. 11, page 8),
the sponsor should have been listed as the
Jewish Community Relations Council of
Metropolitan Detroit.

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