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Meeting The Top Lawmen
Two Detroiters were among the 11 Jewish
community activists who met privately
with new U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder
on March 2.
Dr. Conrad Giles and Wendy Wagenheim
met with Holder following his address
to the plenum of the Jewish Council for
Public Affairs in Washington, D.C. The two
- _
represented the Jewish
Community Relations
Council of Metropolitan
Detroit.
"There is no contradic-
tion between our safety
and our ideals," Holder
declared at the plenum.
Dr. Giles
"President Obama cor-
rectly characterized that
as a false choice. Yes, we must do every-
thing in our power to thwart the evil aims
of those who would do us harm. But we
must do so in a manner that preserves,
protects and defends the rights that are
enshrined in our Constitution and the rule
of law itself?'
While a range of anti-terrorism poli-
cies are being reevaluated, he said the
U.S. Justice Department will not justify,
rationalize or condone water boarding in
interrogating federal prisoners. "The use
and sanction of torture is at odds with
the history of American jurisprudence
and American values:' Holder said in his
speech.
"While his speech to the delegation was
most notable for his statement that 'water
boarding is torture,"'Wagenheim said,"the
private meeting included a discussion of sub-
stantive policy issues regarding the separation
of church and state and religious freedom."
Holder leads the 100,000-employee
■-1
Wendy Wagenheim and Eric Holder
Justice Department. "We left the meeting
feeling that both the attorney general and
our group were equally appreciative of the
dialogue Wagenheim said.
A Record Birthright
Talk about a demand!
More than 35,000 Jewish young adults in
North America have applied for 8,000 spots
on Taglit-Birthright Israel trips this year.
Almost all registered in the first 48 hours
for the free 10-day educational trips.
The nine-day rush prompted a new
fundraising campaign to help cover the
cost. Registration is now closed following
the unprecedented expression of interest.
Research shows the 9-year-old program
has become the single most effective meth-
od to combat the alarming trend of young
Jews who are distant from the Jewish com-
munity and from Israel.
"What a bittersweet achievement:' said
Gidi Mark of Taglit-Birthright Israel."We
are taking as many participants this year as
could ever be expected in this economy, but
we're also at risk of leaving behind more than
ever before. It's an extraordinary challenge'
The Birthright Israel Foundation will
launch a national fundraising campaign
led by Foundation Chair Daniel Och and
President Robert Aronson, who is also CEO of
the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit.
The Foundation has unveiled an up-
to-$20-million challenge grant from the
Adelson Family Foundation to increase
2009 trip participation numbers.
"We hit gold with registration this time
around:' Aronson told the JN. "But we can't
mine it yet."
Taglit-Birthright Israel projects taking
25,000 young Jews to Israel in 2009 — at a
cost of $3,000 per participant. That total is
more than in any year before 2007 and the
start of Israel's 60th anniversary.
More than 200,000 individuals from 52
countries have participated in the program.
Israel Study Scholarships
Students planning to attend accredited
educational programs in Israel for the
2009-2010 school year may apply for schol-
arships thorugh the Zionist Organization of
America-Michigan Region. The scholarship
committee includes chair Toby Schlussel,
Rabbi Milton Arm, Dr. Barbara Goodman
and Dr. Leora Bar-Levay.
Applicants must submit an essay on
"What the State of Israel and Zionism
means to me" with their application. Letters
of recommendation from a Jewish educa-
tor and rabbi also are required. Application
and essay deadline is May 1.
For an application, log on on to info@
mizoa.org or call (248) 282-0088.
The Jewish News will consider publishing
an abridged version of the winning essay.
— all notes by Robert Sklar, editor
Quotables
JN
Cap &
Gown
Section
"My goal is for all to recognize that the earth is filled with the
presence of God. If we remember this when we walk by the way,
when we lie down and when we rise up; if we could act with God's
household in mind at home, at work, in our communities, when we
shop and when we travel, we would fulfill the biblical imperative to
be shomrei adamah, keepers of the earth. The rest is commentary."
— Ellen Bernstein, founder, Shomrei Adamah, a kibbutz-style, ecological
and spiritual community geared to college- and post-college young adults
at the Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center, Falls Village, Conn. From
"Finding (Jewish) Roots," February issue of Hadassah magazine
The annual Jewish News
recognition of top Jewish
high school seniors will
be published May 21. The
deadline for editorial list-
ings of a student's achievements is May 1. The dead-
line for congratulatory advertisements is May 13.
For complete information for both listings and ads,
go to JNonline.us and click on the Cap & Gown but-
ton on the home page.
A8 i,,larc h
19 -- 2009
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