Bags,;-.A&eE Front Lines DETROIT JEWISH NEWS Treif Decision The U.S. Court of Appeals in Cincinnati last month ruled against a Michigan prison inmate who sued the Michigan Department of Corrections for taking away his kosher meals. Phillip Berryman, 66, serving a life sentence for murder, had his kosher meal privileges taken away in 2005 after he pur- chased non-kosher candy, soup and pizza sauce at the prison store. Berryman claimed the food was for another inmate. At the time, Berryman was imprisoned in St. Louis, Mich., 45 miles north of Lansing. He has since been transferred to a facility in Jackson. The appeals court panel supported an earlier ruling by a U.S. District Court judge in Detroit dismissing the case. Its rul- ing said, "Prison officials have a legitimate interest not only in controlling the cost of the kosher meal program and ensuring that only those with sincere beliefs participate ... but also in maintaining discipline." The Michigan Department of Corrections says 822 of their prisoners identify as Jewish and 239 inmates are on the kosher meals program. There are 47,500 prisoners in the state system. — Alan Hitsky, associate editor Seeding Growth The seed has been planted for increased professional devel- opment for the Detroit Jewish community's congregational- school teachers. On Aug. 16, the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit's Alliance for Jewish Education, in conjunction with the Metro Detroit Board of Jewish Educators, sponsored the first Seminar for Educational Excellence in Detroit (SEED). The Temple Israel-hosted event in West Bloomfield drew 175 educators from across the state. Participants chose a track for the main portion of their day of study. They could choose from Hebrew prayer, family educa- tion, the primary-age child, working with upper-elementary students, post-bar and bat mitzvah, Judaism 202, the veteran teacher and modern Hebrew. Teachers also participated in an elective class designed to enrich how they related subject material. Presenters consisted of clergy, educational directors and people with expertise in teaching in congregational schools. The Magic Word Marilyn Rowens has been a volunteer in the Jewish com- munity for 40 years. During this time, her experiences have motivated her to create cartoons on the human con- dition. "Many years ago," the Livonia resident told the JN, "I was a guest author at the Jewish Book Fair at the Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan Detroit. I displayed one of my cartoon collec- tions." For her 80th birthday, the former ceremonial director of the Birmingham Temple in Farmington Hills published a current collection "Now That I've Retired..." (Mini-Lectures Press, Livonia). "And it seems to be a hit with my peers!" she said. She's donating some copies to the Jewish Book Fair this fall in order to share a few smiles with other seniors in the Jewish community. Rowens ran a creative expression workshop at the Detroit Jewish community's Borman Hall and Prentice Manor start- ing in 1978. Some of the poetry created by the residents was published in The Treasure Chest, a publication distributed at the 100th anniversary celebration of West Bloomfield-based Jewish Home & Aging Services (now part of Jewish Senior Life) in 2007. From 1986 to 2004, Rowens served as executive director of the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism led by the Birmingham Temple's Rabbi Sherwin Wine. "My cartoons are my alter ego and I love sharing them," Rowens said. "I feel like Groucho Marx. Whenever anyone mentions my cartooning, that's the magic word — and I give them a copy!" —Robert Sklar, editor —Robert Sklar, editor Advertising Sales Publisher/President Arthur M. Horwitz ahorwitz@renmedia.us Sales Director: Keith Farber kfarber@renmedia.us Account Executives: Ann G. 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Sklar IT & Circulation Director: Deanna Spivey Fulfillment circulationdesk®thejewishnews.com Customer Service Manager: Zena Davis Quotable "Astonishingly, the reform that President Obama is trying to pass, in all of its congressional permutations, doesn't actually offer a reasonable, morally sound system. It's far more watered down than the universal health plans proposed over the years by Theodore Roosevelt, Harry Truman and Richard Nixon. It leaves the main burden on private businesses, driving up labor costs and hurting American competitiveness. The notion that Obama is pressing for some radical reordering of American society is just plain silly. It's a wonder anybody buys it." — J.J. Goldberg, editorial director of the New York-based Forward newspaper in his Aug. 21 "Good Fences" column. Our JN Mission The Jewish News aspires to communicate news and opinion that's useful, engaging, enjoyable and unique. 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