Letters
Shop Local!
Kudos for your Publisher's Notebook "Our
Economic Challenge" wherein you outlined
the need and effectiveness of shopping
locally (Feb. 7, page A5).
For years, we have encouraged everyone
who will listen — our children, friends and
relatives — to shop locally and support our
local merchants.
The independent office suppliers, book-
stores, drugstores and others have all van-
ished, in part, because of the category-killer
retail chains. Although it takes little effort to
shop locally, it does take a raised collective
consciousness to put our money to work in
our community instead of shopping at the
latest mega store.
By explaining the interdependence
between local advertising and Jewish News
editorial content, we can all see how it affects
our Jewish cominunity.
Thank you for spearheading the clarion
call to redirect a small part of our purchas-
ing power back to our neighbors and friends
here locally!
Kathy Wilson Fink
Bloomfield Hills
An Awakening
Your Publisher's Notebook struck home with
me so seriously ("Our Economic Challenge
Feb. 7, page A5).
I keep saying in my advertising and phi-
losophy,"Why are we going to these chain
businesses?" In reference to eye care, eye-
glasses and contact lenses, so many of us are
straying away and hurting our own econo-
my. We have so many local optical shops that
are local families.
Why spend money at Pearle, Lenscrafters,
Target Optical, Sears Optical, Sunglass Hut?
They are owned by an Italian company.
Where do you think the profits are going?
Back to Italy.
Also, there are chains like Americas Best,
owned by a New York company. How about
800 Contacts? None of the profits stay here;
and they are not that much cheaper, usually
about the same that you would pay at your
local optical shop.
We need to all wake up and help each
other. Keep our money here, not Italy, New
York or some other country or state. Do your
homework before you spend. Thanks for the
awakening.
Dennis Chaiken
Direct Optical
Farmington Hills
Stand With Community
Kudos on a wonderful Publisher's Notebook
("Our Economic Challenge,' Feb. 7, page A5).
In these desperate economic times, your
words couldn't be more poignant. We at the
Shirt Box have been a part of this commu-
nity now for more than 26 years. By way of
history, we were born and raised in the area
and together with our families have been
intricately involved in many communal and
charitable affairs and causes.
Supporting your local businesses is an
excellent way to keep families here, to per-
petuate community involvement and to keep
local dollars local. We stand with the Jewish
community and look forward to your stand-
ing with us so that we may celebrate many
more successful years in business.
Ron Elkus and Rod Brown
The Shirt Box
Farmington Hillis
Jews And Food Addiction
Thank you for your article regarding Jews in
recovery from alcohol and drugs ("Jewish
Denial, Recovery,' Jan. 31, page A27).
This article opens the door to talk about
other addictions, such as compulsive over-
eating, in the Jewish community. I was
disappointed to find that food addiction and
compulsive overeating were not included
in your article along with information on
the Overeaters Anonymous meeting held
at the Daniel B. Sobel Friendship House on
the Shul-Chabad Lubavitch campus in West
Bloomfield.
Overeaters Anonymous is a 12-step pro-
gram that offers recovery. It is patterned
after Alcoholics Anonymous using the word
"food" in place of alcohol and "abstinence" in
place of sobriety.
There is an Overeaters Anonymous
meeting on Monday nights 7-8 p.m. at the
Friendship House. In addition, Overeaters
Anonymous has day and evening meetings
throughout the tri-county area
(www.region5oa.orgicletroit/index).
The only requirement for membership is
the desire to stop eating compulsively (or
undereating). It is important to know that
our anonymity code means that "who you
see here, what you hear here, stays here" This
is a safe environment in which to recover.
This is a killer disease that is not dis-
cussed openly. Hopefully, the Jewish commu-
nity will come out of denial with your help
(the IN) — and help those afflicted with
love and support.
Susan Yesenko
West Bloomfield
Our JN Mission
The Jewish News aspires to communicate news and opinion that's useful, engaging, enjoyable and unique. It strives
to reflect the full range of diverse viewpoints while also advocating positions that strengthen Jewish unity and con-
tinuity. We desire to create and maintain a challenging, caring, enjoyable work environment that encourages creativ-
ity and innovation. We acknowledge our role as a responsible, responsive member of the community. Being competi-
tive, we must always strive to be the most respected, outstanding Jewish community publication in the nation. Our
rewards are informed, educated readers, very satisfied advertisers, contented employees and profitable growth.
A6
February 14 • 2008
Unlock Our Secrets
Mazel tov to the IN for allowing Special
Writer Judith Doner Berne's insightful and
informative article out of the Jewish closet
("Jewish Denial, Recovery" Jan. 31, A27).
Dr. Jay Kutinsky makes an important
point about the many interesting paral-
lels that exist in the Torah, furthered by
Rabbi Abraham Twerski's work in relation
to surrendering to a higher power, soul
searching, speaking our truths and taking
regular inventory so that we can promptly
attend to areas that need to be healed.
As Jews, we often miss this connection
in our prayers and meditation. There are
plenty of individuals in this community
who suffer in silence or are ambivalent
about accessing help for their own chil-
dren due to their own denial.
If the Jewish community continues to
remain in denial when it comes to alcohol,
drug, food or any other related addictions,
then we are as sick as our secrets.
Beverly Price, RD, MA, RYT
registered dietitian
and eating disorder specialist
Huntington Woods
Miracle Of Tradition
Yaakov Spielman (son of Doran and Sarah
Spielman of Maaleh Adumim, Israel) is 3
and it is time for his first haircut.
Mysteriously, it will take place at the
tomb of one of Jewry's greatest sages, Rabbi
Shimon Bar Yochai, who plumbed the depths
of the Torah to lay the groundwork for the
Zohar, the book of the Kabbalah.
It is out of respect for him that Yaakov will
now forfeit his curls at the rabbi's gravesite
in Meron near Sfat.
We enter the old stone structure amidst
intense praying and fervent singing. Twenty-
five family and friends crowd into an empty
corner and Yaakov, dressed for the occasion
in a sport jacket, awaits the scissors.
Each of us will cut a precious curl and
Yaakov will then say one of the letters of the
Hebrew alphabet. He will then lick honey
from a picture of the letter. This custom
repeats for all 25 letters and portends that
all of the worlds of the Torah will be sweet in
his mouth.
I am struck by the aura of this 400-year-
old tradition and how my son and his wife,
both from the diaspora, have been absorbed
into the Holy Land. As Yaakov passes from
babyhood to boyhood, he is instructed as
to his responsibilities to Torah. His gifts are
tzitzit, a yarmulke, a tzedakah box and a
book about the Baal Shem Tov of whom he
is an 1 lth- generation descendant.
As the ceremony ends, he is lifted onto his
father's shoulders and they join a dancing
circle with other fathers and sons. As I listen
to their voices, I envision the miracle of the
cycle of our people regenerating our ancient
traditions.
Geraldine Spilman
Orchard Lake
Oak Park, Too
As a proud resident and city council mem-
ber in Oak Park, I found the "Hot Suburbs"
cover story (Feb. 7, page A13) article's omis-
sion of the Oak Park community insulting,
narrow-minded and inaccurate.
Oak Park continues to be an attractive
location and destination for Jewish sin-
gles, couples and families. Oak Park offers
excellent city services, homes that hold
their value and optimum convenience for
commuting throughout the metro area.
Additionally, Oak Park is the hub of the
Jewish community for all of the areas
mentioned in your article.
It should be undisputable that people
not only frequent the many and varied
Jewish institutions here; people come to
Oak Park to live.
And, regardless of its exclusion from
among its neighboring cities in the "Hot
Suburbs" article, Oak Park is a vibrant
community for the future. Beyond the
fond nostalgic memories many people
have of Oak Park in its past, those who live
here know that the Oak Park of the present
is a great place that is creating tomorrow's
nostalgic memories.
Many Jews recognize that Oak Park is
a great place to live as they continue to
choose to live in the center of it all. We
continue to welcome in a diverse and con-
fident population of Jewish residents into
comfortable neighborhoods with all of the
conveniences, advantages and desirability
of metro suburban life.
Paul Levine
council member
Oak Park
Correction
In "Hot Suburbs" (Feb. 7), the photo cap-
tion on page 14 should have identified the
preschool pictured as the Early Childhood
Community at Temple Emanu-El in Oak
Park. Congregation Beth Shalom, also
in Oak Park, has its own preschool, Gan
Shalom.
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-elec-
tronic 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.