Letters How to Send Letters We prefer letters relating to JN articles. We reserve the right to edit or reject letters. Letters of 225 words or less are considered first. Longer ones will be subject to trimming. Letter writers 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 JN: 29200 Northwestern Highway, Suite 110, Southfield, MI 48034; fax (248) 304-8885; e-mail, letters@the jewishnews.com . We prefer e-mail. Live beautifully. Maly Bed. Design: Peter Maly. Find inspiration at Ligne Roset. Ligne Roset 255 South Old Woodward Birmingham 248-723-2500 www.ligne-roset-usa.com emaillibmerosetmi@aol.com ,e 4, Jidre,de . the season... with a memorable gift from : 18 01 S. Otd Woodward Holiday Hours, Starting Dec. 8th: Birmingham, MI 48009 Mon-Fri: 10 am-8 pm (2481 642-1690 Sat: 10 am-5 pm Parking at store front Sun: 'I pm-5 pm Gift Certificates available www.CeresnieAndOffenFurs.com FURS • SHEARLINGS • ACCESSORIES *On select styles. A6 December 6 m 2007 A Worthy Kitchen I was very happy to see the refer- ence to the Jerusalem soup kitchen Carmei Ha'ir in Special Writer Ethel Hofman and Story Development Editor Keri Guten Cohen's article about The Holocaust Survivor Cookbook ("Cooking Up Memories;' Nov. 29, page C42). When I was in Israel for my daughter Amy's wedding, she took me to Carmei Ha'ir, in the historic Nachlaot neighbor- hood where she has lived while learn- ing at Yeshivat Simchat Shlomo. Amy asked me if my husband and I would be willing to make a dona- tion to Carmei Halr in honor of her wedding. And so, on the night of Nov. 21, dinner at Carmei Ha'ir was served as part of the wedding of Amy Fay Kaplan and Oren Benyamin Benoff at the biblical nature reserve Neot Kedumim, near Modi'in. It probably is no surprise to anyone that the number of Israelis who live in poverty and need help to meet basic human needs — shelter, food, cloth- ing, medical care — is high and grow- ing. Not nearly enough is being done by the government to provide a safety net for them. They also live in terrible social isolation. Many of them are elderly survivors of the Shoah. Non-governmental organizations such as Carmel Ha'ir are doing their best to fill the gap. But Israel must do much more to fulfill its Torah respon- sibilities: Lift up the fallen; clothe the naked; feed the hungry. In the mean- time, we can contribute directly to this and other social private agencies. The Carmei Ha'ir address is : Carmei Ha'ir, P.O. Box 6084, Jerusalem 91060 Israel. Phone: +972 2 500 4222 Fax: +972 2 500 4220 E-mail: info@carmeihair.org.il Web site, www.carmeihair.org.il An informational CD is available. Work With Israel I certainly agree that the Detroit Jewish community needs to rebuild itself (Publisher's Notebook, "Jewish Detroit Must Save Itself:' Nov. 29, page 5). However, I believe it should be done in collaboration with Israel and not at its expense. Our community can utilize the inge- nuity of Israel to incubate new local businesses and create jobs for the next generation of Jews and non-Jews alike. The Jewish community can begin by inviting Michigan's institutions of higher learning to work with Israel's innovative universities. Why should the University of Michigan and Michigan State only have formal relationships with insti- tutions in the Arab world? As our community is perhaps the largest benefactor of the U-M, we should use our influence to help it, and also MSU and other institutions, build bridges to Israel in renewable energy and medi- cine, in addition to building elaborate structures with Jewish names on them. Florida is building partnerships with Israel, as is Ohio, among others. What are Michigan and local govern- ment doing to leverage the technology gold mine in Israel? What is our gover- nor doing in this regard? The Jewish community leadership should use its influence to do the right thing for our people here and for our brethren in Israel. It should not be an either/or option. We also need to know how we have squandered precious resources in the past, even if unpleasant, so we don't continue to squander both our political capital and our hard-earned dollars. Let's have thoughtful and enlight- ened leadership and not a simple- zero-sum-game perspective toward greater Jewish long-term communal interests and needs. Nancy F. Kaplan Eugene Greenstein West Bloomfield Farmington Hills KERET icha Don't Know What world record-type feat did Ms. Dina Noth, of the Riverdale, N.Y., Hebrew Home for the Aged, accomplish recently? —Goldfein •Jagopo ul laml @Copyright 2007. Jewish Renaissance Media yeAlle apew gi.oN •sil '66 ly Liamsuy