Opinion
A MIX OF IDEAS
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Editorial
Helping Our Friends
I
is a noble human service vying for
the ultimate in grants.
And every member of the Jewish
community, indeed everyone with a place
in their heart for kids with special needs,
should take the time to vote for Friendship
Circle of Michigan in its quest to land $1
million in the Chase Community Giving
Challenge sponsored by JP Morgan Chase.
The Facebook-based vote-a-thon runs
Jan. 15-22.
There's something seemingly beshert
(destined) about this online campaign.
West Bloomfield-based Friendship Circle,
one of Jewish Detroit's best-known non-
profits for the past 14 years, survived a
Round 1 cut of 500,000 charities to rank
among the Round 2 100 seeking the mil-
lion-dollar prize.
The money would go far in improving
the organization, already popular among
families with children who have special
needs and among the volunteers eager to
serve in an uplifting way. As good as it is,
however, Friendship Circle must change to
stay fresh and vital — and to serve more
kids with special needs, their siblings and
their parents.
So it's fitting that Friendship Circle,
under big-hearted ambassadors Rabbi
Levi and Bassie Shemtov, plan to use the
winnings, should they come, to double the
size of Weinberg Village, the real-life mini-
town that draws young people and adults
from throughout Detroit. Visitors learn
basic life skills through role play at a drug-
store, a bank, a beauty salon, a pet shop,
a medical center, a library, a crosswalk
— even a movie theater.
The village is one of Chabad Lubavitch's
special gifts to the larger community. It's
located at Ferber Kaufman LifeTown, an
amazing, interactive building that serves
as a therapy and activity center, social
meeting place and hub for volunteers, pro-
fessional staff and supporters. LifeTown
also is beacon of friendship, a spot for
friends from all walks of life to gather and
rally around a common cause.
The hoped-for winnings also would pay
for a professional development program
for Friendship Circle volunteers, enabling
IRAN CHANGED
FROM BEING A
THEOCRACY
them to more expressive-
ly advocate for the spe-
cial needs community.
Friendship Circle
also extends support to
individuals and families
AND IT WLL BE
struggling with addic-
tion, isolation and other
DURING 2 010
crises through the Daniel
THAT THE DEA
B. Sobel Friendship
OF AN IRANIAN
House.
DEMOCRACY
In the orbit of Jewish
life, families are at the
center of the universe.
This has been nurtured
through the ages by
Jewish theology and
tradition. It's also why
Jews are so quick to join
DryBonesBlog.com
forces to strive to keep
families whole and vibrant.
family, friends and even acquaintances to
Friendship Circle won't be a lesser
do the same. ❑
charitable service if it doesn't win the $1
million. But the number of people it helps
For details on how to take part in the Chase
will grow exponentially if it does.
Community Giving Challenge on behalf of
So vote often Jan. 15-22. And tell your
Friendship Circle, see page 16.
Muslims Who Fight Anti Semitism
New York City
A
t a time when Judaeophobia
— a more accurate term than
anti-Semitism in the context
of Israeli-Arab or Jewish-Muslim rela-
tions — is on a stark upswing in the
Arab street, it is important for us to pay
tribute to the efforts of the handful of
Jewish and Muslim leaders who are fight-
ing against hatred and extremism on
both sides of the chasm that separates
the respective descendants of Isaac and
Ishmael.
Hardliners have long dismissed as
naive and utopian those Israelis and
Palestinians who try to find common
ground against the ongoing cycle of
suicide bombings and rocket attacks fol-
lowed by military reprisals.
They have a point. The shrill, hate-
filled voices of Iranian President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his ilk con-
tinue to dominate the airwaves and shape
the debate. Each time Ahmadinejad
repeats his canard that the Holocaust is a
"lie" and a "myth" purportedly invented
by western leaders to justify the creation
of the State of Israel, we retreat to our
22
January 14 2010
ideological bunkers and recon-
cile ourselves to the disquieting
probability that any perceived
light at the end of the tunnel
may well be a freight train
heading straight at us.
of understanding and trust.
Rabbi Marc Schneier, a
vice president of the World
Jewish Congress, believes
that "Muslim leaders have
an obligation to help prevent
the toxic spreading of anti-
Semitism among the Muslim
masses ... In the same spirit, I
believe that more Jewish lead-
ers must speak out against
Islamophobia, making clear
that it is wrong to demonize
an entire religion because of
the hateful actions of a rela-
Looking Forward
Still, a consensus appears to
be growing that dialogue with
Menachem Z.
Israel 's sworn enemies may
Rosensaft
be inevitable. Shaul Mofaz,
Special
the former chief of staff of the
Commentary
Israel Defense Forces and Likud
defense minister (now the sec-
ond-in-command of the centrist Kadima
tive few?'
Party) has not only presented an acceler-
Rabbi Schneier's Foundation for Ethnic
ated plan for Palestinian statehood, but
Understanding has "twinned" American
also is prepared to negotiate with Hamas
and European mosques and synagogues.
"if Hamas chooses and wants to sit at the He is endeavoring to bridge the Jewish-
negotiating table
Muslim divide by forging a dialogue
In this charged environment, those
among imams and rabbis from the
among us who remain committed to a
United States, Canada, Belgium, France,
political two-state solution to the Israeli-
Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway,
Palestinian conflict must recognize those Russia, Switzerland and the United
individuals and organizations dedicated
Kingdom.
to bringing Jews and Muslims closer
The London-based Sheikh Muhammad
together, to shattering stereotypes and
al-Hussaini is taking part in this process
creating at least the beginning of a spirit
because "it's absolutely critical at this
juncture that there are Muslim voices
that are willing to stand firmly and prac-
tice in opposition to Islamic-inspired
anti-Semitism?'
Positive Example
In France, the Foundation for the Memory
of the Shoah is sponsoring Project Aladdin
whose purpose is to spread awareness of
the Holocaust in the Muslim world. Project
Aladdin translated the Diary of Anne Frank
into Arabic and Farsi.
When Al-Manar, the television station of
the Iranian-sponsored militant Hezbollah,
called on Lebanese judicial authorities to
prosecute those responsible for "distri-
bution and import" of the classic work,
Project Aladdin publicly condemned "this
campaign of vilification and intimidation"
and reiterated its conviction that reading
the Diary "is a way towards the rejection of
hatred, anti-Semitism, racism and xeno-
phobia. Reading the Diary must be one of
the basic rights of every human being in
any society"
Project Aladdin's Web site features
Arab and other Muslim personalities
who have written and spoken out about
the importance of teaching the history