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DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
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War Vet Honored
Posthumously
Detroiter Ben Shiffman, one of the last
surviving Jewish war veterans of the
Spanish-American War, will become a
member of the Jewish War Veterans of
the USA/Joseph L. Bale Post 474 based
in Oakland County. The war effort
extended from 1898 to 1902.
A posthumous installation is sched-
uled for May 17. Shiffinan died in 1969
in his eighties.
Jan Durecki, archivist at Temple Beth
El in Bloomfield Township, called the box
of Shiffinan's memorabilia provide by his
grandson Doug Shiffman of Farmington
Hills — pictures, newspaper articles,
awards, certificates, army caps, an
American flag — a treasure trove.
The installation program will take
place at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 17, at
Language School Needs Help
In less than two years, a church basement
program in Pontiac led by a
Cuban-born Jewish woman has grown
from 60 adult students learning English
to more than 120.
The Hispanic Education and Life Skills
Project (HELP) at St. Michael's
Catholic Church is run by Dr. Ann
Mandelbaum of Franklin. Al Swerdlow of
Farmington Hills is one of her volunteers.
Publisher/President Arthur M. Horwitz
ahorwitz@renmedia.us
Sales Director: Keith Farber
kfarber@renmedia.us
Account Executives: Ann G. Abrams, Jan Haskell,
Melissa Litvin, Heidi Martin, Rick Nessel, Dharlene Norris
Senior Sales Assistant: Kim Metzger
Temple Beth El.
Refreshments will be
served. Reservations
are requested; call
post commander Alan
Nathan of Farmington
Hills: (248) 432-7260.
Keynoter Jan
Durecki will speak on
Jewish war veterans in
the Spanish-American
War, including those
involved with Admiral
George Dewey and the Ben Shiffman, on right, at a JWV function
sinking of the battle-
ship Maine in Havana
the two Iraq wars to join the Bale post.
Harbor. The unsolved explosion that
The application form appeared page
sank the ship on Feb.15, 1898, precipi-
A6 of the IN on April 9; call Nathan for
tated the Spanish-American War; 266
more information.
men died in the initial blast.
Nathan also urges Jewish veterans of
— Robert Sklar, editor
Swerdlow said that part of the program's
growth is due to the poor economy
Unemployed men and women are com-
ing to HELP to improve their English skills.
Founded to assist adult women in the
Hispanic community, the group now
includes Asian students. Five of the stu-
dents have now passed their U.S.
citizenship test.
HELP is expecting to receive its
501(c)3 non-profit status within a month
JN Cap & Gown
Section
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 achieve-
ments 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 button on the right side of the home page.
and is seeking volunteers with grant-
writing experience and additional
teachers. Swerdlow said HELP also needs
updated computers and software.
"Everyone is looking for computer
training," he said, "so they can get
jobs."
For information about HELP, call Dr.
Mandelbaum, (248) 787-6207.
— Alan Hitsky, associate editor
Quotables
"Some Jews arriving at Ellis Island underwent unethical
medical exams and many were slated for deportation.
Due to language barriers and legalities, they were rarely
able to defend themselves. They also faced impossible
working conditions and exploitative employers.
"Today's immigrants are facing hardships remarkably
similar to our ancestors'. Too frequently, they are met
with hostile policies, racially motivated agendas and an
unwelcoming atmosphere. This is simply wrong — we
remember from our own history where this mentality
and actions based on it can lead.
"As Jews we are commanded not to enslave, wrong or
oppress strangers:"
— Lauren Bastlen, a community organizer with Jewish Community
Action (www.jewishcommunityaction.org) in St. Paul, Minn.,
which is spearheading Progress by Pesach along with the Jewish
Council on Urban Affairs and the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society.
Quoted in a JTA commentary released April 2.
Our JN Mission
April 16 • 2009
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