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Creche Display Defeated
Officials of the American Civil Liberties
Union Michigan Chapter were "heartened
that the citizens of Berkley did the right
thing" in the Nov. 6 election.
Berkley voted 2,275 to 1,861 to defeat
a city charter proposal that would have
required a Christmas nativity scene to be
displayed in front of city hall each year
from
Thanksgiving through Jan. 6.
Kary Moss
The creche had been displayed in front
of Berkley city hall for many years until
the ACLU challenged the practice last year. The city council voted
to donate the creche for display in front of the city's churches.
A group called Berkley Citizens Vote Yes to Christian Holiday
Display, with support from the Thomas More Law Center in Ann
Arbor, drew up the charter initiative and circulated petitions to
place it on the November ballot.
Kary Moss, executive director of the Detroit-based Michigan
ACLU, said the organization did not get involved in the Berkley
election because local religious and elected leaders campaigned
against the proposal. Opponents feared the ACLU would entangle
the city in a costly lawsuit if the proposal passed and religious
leaders did not want the creche displayed on city property with
secular symbols of the season that would dilute its religious mes-
sage.
Berkley Mayor Marilyn Stephan said it was inappropriate for
cities to have religious displays. On Nov. 6, Stephan won re-elec-
tion against a write-in candidate by a vote of 2,987 to 612.
- Alan Hitsky, associate editor
This Week
More New Cub Scouts
Congregation B'nai Moshe, under the leadership of Rabbi Elliot
Pachter, will offer a full Cub Scout program to boys in grades 1-
5. Cub Scout Pack 1911, so named to celebrate the year of B'nai
Moshe's founding, is open to the entire community.
An informational meeting for all boys and parents will be
held at 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 26, at the synagogue, 6800 Drake
Road, West Bloomfield.
Questions about the new pack can be directed to Rob
Gilkerson, district director, Ottawa District of the Clinton Valley
Council of Boy Scouts, (248) 462-2251 or by e-mail: RGilkers@
bsamail.org.
- Keri Guten Cohen, story development editor
www.JNonline.us
Teen2Teen Site
You've seen the printed sec-
tion each month in the JN, now
Teen2Teen goes online! Though
the Web site is for Jewish teens
by Jewish teens, other genera-
tions can check it out, too. Look
for it on Nov. 22.
Only at JNt2t.com .
Musical Interlude
An East Lansing author is looking for information about Jewish
musicians active in Metro Detroit before 1955. David Klein is
interested in musicians who performed at Jewish weddings,
b'nai mitzvah and other types of celebrations. Contact him at
heartlandklezmorim@hotmail. corn.
"There is a great deal written about the Jewish musi-
cians from New York City who performed before 1955, but I
have never read about Jewish musicians from other parts of
America;' Klein said.
Klein is looking for names of group members, any recordings
made in the Detroit area and any Jewish music published in
Detroit during the era. He's especially looking for musicians still
alive from the era.
"There is much useful information to learn from these musi-
cians," Klein said. "One learns of the folk tradition that was
brought over to America as many were beginning to settle here
and start a new lif'
Today, the kind of music that Klein is exploring is referred to
as klezmer, a term that didn't come into vogue until the 1970s.
"This is the music that people danced to at Jewish weddings
and other Jewish celebrations;' Klein said. "This is the music I
am interested in."
- Robert A. Sklar, editor
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Latest From Israel
Want the most current news
from Israel? Check our stream-
ing news from Ynetnews.com for
continuous updates and longer
news, opinion and feature stories.
And look at the center of our
Homepage for an Israel story
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Just visit JNonline.us and click
on a scrolling story on the left.
Celebrations!
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NATALIE. MAI
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Saving Lives
A Mobile Intensive Cardiac Care Unit was donated to
the people of Israel by Natalie and Manny Charach of
West Bloomfield in tribute to their friends, Eva Mames
of Southfield and the late Dr. John J. Manes. Mrs.
Mames noted that the gift symbolizes the Charachs'
selfless and stalwart support of American Red Magen
David for Israel over the past 25 years. The ambu-
lance will bring emergency relief to victims of ter-
rorist attacks, accidents, medical distress and life to
newborn babies.
A8
November 15 • 2007
Ballot Box
Jewish candidates successful in the Nov. 6 general election
included:
• Farmington Hills — Jerry Ellis was elected to a 2-year
term as mayor. Barry Brickner was re-elected to a 4-year
term on the city council.
• Huntington Woods — Jeffrey Jenks and Mary White
were re-elected to 4-year terms on the city commission.
• Oak Park — Gerald Naftaly was re-elected to a 2-year
term as mayor. Challenger Paul Levine and incumbent
Michael Seligson won 4-year terms on the city council.
• Rochester — David Becker was re-elected to a 4-year
term on the city council.
• Southfield — Sidney Lantz was re-elected to a 4-year
term on the city council.
Find weekly listings of births,
b'nai mitzvah, engagements, wed-
dings and anniversaries online as
well as past simchahs all online.
They are all bundled under each
week's publication date.
Just visit JNonline.us and click
on Lifecycles on the left.
Poll Question
This week's poll question:
Will you be in town for
Thanksgiving?
Visit the JNonline.us homep-
age, below the left menu, to cast
your vote.