Opinion
ZIONIST ORGANIZATION OF AMERICA-MICHIGAN REGION
JOIN US AT THE 76th ANNUAL
BALFOUR CELEBRATION
A Precarious Moment
from page 33
Covenant and Mission': which reject-
ed a clear statement that there can be
no attempts to convert Jews as part
of the interfaith dialogue. Instead
the U.S. bishops approved language
that Catholic-Jewish dialogues could
explicitly be used to invite Jews to
baptism. They told us the change was
directed by the Vatican.
On Aug. 27, the bishops announced
that the Vatican had officially
affirmed its decision to jettison a
teaching in the American adult cat-
echism that the "covenant that God
made with the Jewish people through
Moses remains eternally valid
for them." The U.S. Conference of
Catholic Bishops had several options
to update its adult catechism, but
chose instead to no longer affirm the
validity of the Sinai covenant.
e
Sunday, October 25 • 7:00 P.M.
Congregation Shaarey Zedek, Southfield, MI
Desreti /4 /1 /1
zAtt,
General Admission $50
Student Admission $20 with student I.D.
Troubling Trend
There is no getting around that these
two documents are a one-two punch
against a continuing trust in the
permanence of the Catholic Church's
reform in its teachings about Jews.
Why must the Bishops Conference,
which has been a model to the rest of
the world in forging a new relation-
ship with the Jewish people, now
issue documents that threaten to
undo the dialogue's basic founda-
tions?
And why devalue the Mosaic cov-
enant, which is central to Jewish self-
understanding, by removing a clear
affirmation of its eternal validity,
therefore insinuating that the Mosaic
covenant has been superseded?
The Bishops Conference speaks for
a church that claims to want honest
dialogue with Jews. To issue state-
ments about Jews that demonstrate
little concern for Jewish self-under-
standing would seem fundamentally
at odds with that goal.
These are challenging times indeed
for the Catholic-Jewish relationship.
Still, the process is not finished, and
much work remains to be done. We
will voice our concerns honestly and
forthrightly, with every hope that the
relationship will continue on a solid
footing.
We only ask that our interlocutors
and friends in the Catholic Church
listen to our concerns, take them seri-
ously and try to understand why we
are so pained.
Safam, the Boston based six-man band, has dominated Jewish music in America with
theiMewish-American Sound"since 1974,0ften copied, never duplicated,they are originals.
Safam songs have become a fabric of our Jewish lives, Songs like Leaving Mother Russia,
Amnesty,Just Another Foreigner, and Nachamu Anti by group composers Joel Sussman and
Robbie Solomon have become classics and have kept Safam at the forefront of the Jewish
musk scene,
Satan's musk covers the wide breadth of American musical styles while maintaining a
decidedly Jewish flavor. Safam creates a tapestry of musk with an eclectic approach that
reaches out to Jews of all ages and denominations, Through its music, humor, passion and
sensitivity, Safam instills in its audiences a sense of pride about being Jewish in America.
Safam has already earned a vital place in mainstream Jewish-American culture.
Laughter and tears• singing and dancing — nostalgia and hope are among the whirlwind
of emotionat reactions that one experiences during a Safam concert.
Safam remains for me one of the most vital and
important Jewish musical groups on the scene today.
I am particularly impressed with the respect they
have for the Jewish musical tradition while leading
the way for an 'American sound" to be part of the
mix, Kol hakavod!
— Cantor Jacob Ben Zion Mendelson
President, Cantors Assembly
Since the Boston based group formed in 1974,
American Jewish Music has never been the
same. The music of Safam has prompted
people to make aliyah, join Jewish youth
groups or simply dance for joy. This American
Jewish Supergroup is at the top of its game.
— The Baltimore Jewish Times
JON US IN CELEUATING THIS YEAR'S RALFOUR HONOREES
DR. MAR BOROFSKY AND DR, MARGO WOLL
CHECK OUT
OUR NEW-WEBSITE
WWW,MiZ0a,Org
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Acqw4rt
Adiit
44,
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ZIONIST ORGANIZATION OF AMERICA, MICHIGAN REGION
6735 Telegraph Rd., Suite 350, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301 balfour2009@mizoa.org
art Ala
For information
(248) 282-0088
1531950
34
October 8 • 2009
Abraham H. Foxman is national director
of the Anti-Defamation League.