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Your Cellular Superstore/
Sharing Wisdom
Question: Is there any
evidence that cell phones cause
cancer?
Interfaith outreach group compare religions.
Answer:
There is no scientific
evidence that proves that wireless
phone usage can lead to cancer
or a variety of other problems,
including headaches, dizziness or
memory loss. However, organiza-
tions in the United States and
overseas are sponsoring research
and investigating claims of possible
health effects related to the use of
wireless telephones. The Federal
government is monitoring the
results of this ongoing research,
and the FDA is participating in an
industry-funded research project
to further investigate possible
biological effects.
Question: I'm having
billing problems with my cellular
provider; who can help me?
Answer:
The FCC does not
regulate contractual arrangements
with cellular providers, but it does
handle complaints about wireless
service. You can file a complaint
with the FCC by using the FCC's
on-line complaint form, or stop
in to one of our 40 metro Detroit
Wireless Toyz® locations and let
our expertz fit you with the right
phone, carrier, and rate plan to
match your wireless needs.
Email Questions to:
asktheexpertz@wirelesstoyz.com
and visit the nearest
locations at:
Jennifer Babby
12 Mile & Northwestern
248.945.0090
Elizabeth Price
10 Mile & Evergreen
248.948.5000
Sandy Maizi
Orchard Lk. & Telegraph
248.253.1400
Advertisement
A24
June 26 • 2008
1374890
IN
Diana Lieberman
Special to the Jewish News
A
s told in Pirkei Avot (Ethics
of the Fathers), a man once
asked Hillel to teach him the
entire Torah while he stood on one foot.
"That which is despicable to you, do
not do to your fellow:' Hillel replied.
"This is the whole Torah, and the rest is
commentary, go and learn it."
The five speakers at the Birmingham
Temple in Farmington Hills June 6 were
faced with a similar quandary. Each
woman — all members of the mul-
ticultural group WISDOM (Women's
Interfaith Solutions for Dialogue and
Outreach in Metro Detroit) — was asked
probing questions about her religion.
Each had about five minutes to answer.
Among the questions: What is the
place of women in their religion? What
is most misunderstood about your reli-
gion? How would you summarize your
own religious experience?
WISDOM came together soon after
9-11 to work to build bridges between
different faith communities.
"Detroit is one of the most segregated
communities in the United States," said
WISDOM president Gail Katz of West
Bloomfield, who modefated for the event.
"We want to set up opportunities for peo-
ple who, under everyday circumstances,
would never get together and give them
an opportunity to meet each other."
WISDOM member Judy Satterthwaite
of Rochester Hills said, "We have more
in common than the media would have
us think."
The Birmingham Temple event,
titled "Five Women, Five Journeys: How
Different Are We," began with a potluck
dinner attended by more than 100 peo-
ple. The menu was vegetarian to accom-
modate the broadest possible religious
and cultural laws and preferences.
Panelists were the Rev. Sharon Buttry,
an ordained American Baptist min-
ister; Paula Drewek, retired professor
and author of interfaith teaching aids,
representing the Baha'i faith; Padma
Kuppa, founder of the Troy Interfaith
Group, who is Hindu; Sofia Begg Latif,
a co-author of the Children of Abraham
play, who is Muslim; and Rabbi
Tamara Kolton of the Birmingham
Temple, the first person ordained by
the International Institute for Secular
Humanistic Judaism.
As they fielded questions, several
speakers cautioned that their opinions
and their life journeys as women were
not necessarily typical of everyone who
practices their religion.
"Islam is a religion of about 1.2 billion
people," Latif said when asked about the
position of women in her religion. "Islam
itself doesn't put women down. It's the
culture that puts women down."
Similarly, Kolton explained the first
woman rabbi was ordained in 1972
in Judaism's Reform movement. It
took until 1985 for the Conservative
Movement to ordain its first rabbi.
"Half the students at seminaries that
Lecture On The Last Lecture
Wall Street Journal columnist Jeffrey
Zaslow, will speak about his collabora-
tion with Professor Randy Pausch on the
book The Last Lecture 7:30 p.m. Tuesday,
July 15, at Temple Beth El, 14 Mile and
Telegraph in Bloomfield Township. The
event will benefit the Prentis Memorial
Library and the Pancreatic Cancer Action
Network.
Pausch is a professor at Carnegie
Mellon University in Philadelphia. He
was diagnosed last year with pancreatic
cancer. Zaslow, who lives in the Detroit
area, writes the Moving On column for
the Wall Street Journal. In his presenta-
tion, Zaslow will show clips from the
professor's lecture and the worldwide
media coverage of it.
Tickets for the event are $18 in
Birmingham Temple Rabbi Tamara Kolton (second from left) with WISDOM
founders Trish Harris, Gail Katz and Shahina Begg
are ordained today are women;' she said.
"But most are not hired as pulpit rabbis.
The image of the person on the pulpit is
not a woman."
The case is similar in most Christian
denominations, Buttry said. "Being
ordained is one thing; finding a pulpit is
another."
Kuppa differentiated between Hindu
culture and religion. "Hindu women
may be putdown culturally; but from
the scripture, women are very powerful,"
she said. "A lot of Hindus do not know
about the faith traditions."
There are roughly 5.5 million Baha'i
spread across the globe, Drewek said.
She found the religion a good fit with
feminist beliefs. "Because we feel all
religions come from god, we take a little
from here, a little from there."
Kolton said the evening was very
much ion the spirit of the Birmingham
Temple. "This congregation believes not
only in creating bridges, but in walking
across them." ❑
For more information about
WISDOM, go to the Web site
www.interfaithwisdom.org .
advance; $25 at the door. Donor oppor-
tunities are also available, beginning at
$250. A donor reception, at 6 p.m. will
precede the event. An afterglow for all in
attendance will follow the talk. The book
will be available for sale and signing at
the afterglow.
For information and donor inquiries,
call Eileen Polk, (248) 865-0627, or
Evelyn Prince, (248) 626-6641.