JEWISH RENAISSANCE Front Lines DETROIT JEWISH NEWS DIGEST theJEW1SHNEWS.com Advertising Sales 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 The Eyes Have It If I could sing, I could do some quick rendi- tions of "I Only Have Eyes For You" or "His Eye Is On the Sparrow" or maybe "Where Did You Get Those Eyes?" Rather, I am going to share some observations of the import of the eye. If you were in the military (or at a really strict boarding school), you may have heard the com- mand "eyes right (or left)." A sharp turn of the head to the indicated direc- tion was to be immediate. One would not even think of replying "in a pig's eye" (never) or one might be picking one's eyes out of the dirt. It is always advisable to keep an eye out — for a bargain, a good-looking per- son or someone who might catch you at something nefarious. If you suffer from eyestrain, I suggest getting glasses; they will not make you an eyesore and they may aid you in becom- ing a better eyewitness. Trying to avoid involvement, many of us succumb to shutting our eyes to happenings around us. If the situation is truly severe, you may consider opening someone's eyes to what is going on. We often hear that the eyes are the windows to the soul. If so, why is it that we are often looking elsewhere in evalu- ating someone we meet? We try to catch someone's eye; we say they are eye candy; we make eyes at them the minute we lay eyes on them. We feast our eyes on them and then try to convince them that we have an eye for — intelligence, beauty, color, form — whatever your "line" happens to be. Well, I hope that my words have proved to be an eye-opener and that as you eye- ball what I've written (don't just run your eyes over it), we will come out seeing eye to eye. If I've given you an eyeful, then there will be no cause for seeking an eye for an eye. Be seeing you! ❑ G ov. Jennifer Granholm has appointed Oakland County Treasurer Andy Meisner to the board of the Michigan State Land Bank Fast Track Authority. He will serve until May 31, 2012, finishing the unexpired term of Genesee County Treasurer Dan Kildee. "Serving on the board of the Michigan Land Bank will help me keep pace with land- bank best practices throughout our state and country:' said Meisner, a former state repre- sentative from Ferndale. "I'm excited to bring these valuable lessons home to Oakland County for when we're ready to deploy this powerful tool for fighting foreclosures and property value declines." Andy Meisner The Michigan Land Bank Fast Track Authority was created by Public Act 258 of 2003. Its intent is to return blighted and foreclosed properties back to pro- ductive and economically viable use. Meisner voted for the land bank statute while serving in the state House. He has proposed the creation of an Oakland County land bank to help the county bolster its property values and sagging tax revenues. "We must do everything within our power as a county and a state to protect our property values and fight the devastating effects of foreclosures:' Meisner said. The Michigan Land Bank sells tax-reverted and mortgage- foreclosed properties. It operates an adjacent lot-transfer program for connecting neighbors with foreclosed or irregular parcels. The Garden for Growth initiative promotes entrepre- neurship and urban agriculture. — Robert Sklar, editor ECO(f...s.Judaism Shopping • Buy one large size item rather than several small-size items to avoid excessive packaging and shipping. • Buy products labeled as FSC-certified from sustainable forestry. Avoid virgin wood. • Buy reused timber. • Buy a reusable stainless-steel water bottle and forget all those plastic water bottles. • Instead of buying harsh cleaning chemicals, use house- hold, nontoxic items such as vinegar, baking soda, borax and lemon juice. There also are lines of nontoxic cleaners for household cleaning, laundry and dishwashing. • Buy rechargeable batteries. • Choose reusable products over disposable products. • Purchase products produced locally. Jewish Thought On The Environment "L'dor v'dor. from generation to generation. This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:' — Genesis 9:12 Please contact Michigan Coalition on the Environment & Jewish Life for global warming presentations: (248) 642-5393, ext. 7, or mi-coejl@jfmd.org . Source: Michigan Coalition on the Environment E. Jewish Life 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 continuity. We desire to create and maintain a challenging, caring, enjoyable work environment that encourages creativity and innovation. We acknowledge our role as a responsible, responsive member of the community. Being competitive, 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. 8 Octoberl 2009 Customer Service Asst.: Jan Shain Billing Coordinator: Pamela Turner Collections Analyst: Hazel Bender Creative Services creative@thejewishnews.com Creative Director: Deborah Schultz Production By VERTIS INC. Site Manager: Scott Drzewiecki Designers: Jeffrey Meyer, Pam Sherevan, Michelle Sheridan Editorial Editor: Robert A. Sklar rsklar@thejewishnews.com Associate Editor: Alan Hitsky ahitsky@thejewishnews.com Story Development Editor: Keri Guten Cohen kcohen@thejewishnews.com Arts Editor: Gail Zimmerman gzimnnerman@thejewishnews.com Senior Writer: Shelli Liebman Dorfman sdorfman®thejewishnews.com Senior Columnist: Danny Raskin dannyraskint'sbcglobal.net Columnists: George Cantor, Robin Schwartz, Steve Stein Copy Team: Senior Copy Editor: David Sachs dsachsl'thejewishnews.com Copy Team Assistant: Sy Manello smanello@thejewishnews.com Meisner Boosts Land Banks Our JN Mission Business Offices Platinum: Editor: Lynne Konstantin lkonstantin@thejewishnews.com Executive Editor: Gail Zimmerman gzimmerman@thejewishnews.com Young Adult Advisory Board Gayle Friedman Gold, Jordan Glass, Robin Schwartz, Brad "Bubba" Urdan Published by: Jewish Renaissance Media Chairman: Michael H. 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