Letters How to Send Letters We are dedicated to making every home a Your Home. Your Office. Your Health. cleaner and healthier place to be. As the nation's premier air duct cleaning company, we are trusted by hospitals, schools, and homes like yours all across America. Breathe easier knowing you and yours are N, protected by the best. $ 5A OFF Air Duct Cleaning Special With whole house cleaning of air duct system. Not valid with any other offer. Restrictions may apply. Residential only. Must present coupon at time of cleaning. Expires 12/31/2010 Try a FREE Dryer Vent Cleaning! With whole house duct cleaning, a $149 value! Not valid with any other offer. No cash value f or coupon. Restnctions may apply. Residential only. Must present coupon at time of cleaning. Expires 12/31/2010 734.973.7777 I www.ductz.com Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra 2010 - 2011 Concert Schedule HILL AUDITORIUM MICHIGAN THEATER Arie Lipsky, Conductor September 26, 4:00 PM - Made In Michigan October 23, 8:00 PM - Beethoven Festival November 13, 8:00 PM - Strings on Fire November 14, 4:00 PM - Peter and the Wolf January 22, 8:00 PM - Mozart Birthday Bash March 12, 8:00 PM - Russian Romance March 13, 4:00 PM - Sea to Shining Sea April 30, 8:00 PM - Mahler's Third t. For Ticket Information: 734/994-4801 www.a2so.com First time season subscribers: Buy one, get one free! 6 September 16 • 2010 iN We prefer letters relating to JN articles. We reserve the right to edit or reject letters. Letters of 225 words or less are considered first. Longer ones will be subject to trimming. Letter writers are limited in frequency of publication. Letters must be original and contain the name, address and title of the writer and a day phone number. Non-electronic copies must be hand signed. Send letters to the JN: 29200 Northwestern Highway, Suite 110, Southfield, MI 48034; fax (248) 304-8885; e-mail, letters@the jewishnews.com . We prefer e-mail. Erez Studied In Israel, Too University of Michigan sophomore Jessica Curhan wrote a wonderful article in jewish@edu extra ("Life-Altering," Sept. 2, page 102). Unfortunately, there is a misleading caption on a photo on the second page of her piece. The photo depicts five wonderful young adults in our community who spent the year following high school participating in valuable programs in Israel. But the caption implies that Erez Brandvain of Farmington Hills didn't do this. In fact, Erez spent the year on Habonim Dror's workshop pro- gram, the longest-running Israel-gap- year program, now in its 60th year. Erez, along with 58 of his peers, worked as community builders while studying Judaism, Israeli history and society, Jewish history, Hebrew and the psychology of group leadership. For an example of Jewish leaders trained by Habonim, turn to page 74 of the same IN and read about Mira Sussman ("Gala: Ameinu cites refugee aide:') Kol Hakavod [right on!] to Mira, Erez, Jessica and all our young leaders. Jewish traditions they observed ("New Vows, Old Debate," Aug. 12, page 26). Yet there are those who not only frown at this union, but also condemn it. They ask that we speak out against intermarriage because it "destroys the fabric of Judaism." Jewish day school education is advocated as a means of combating this scourge. Mixed marriages became inevitable once Jews no longer lived in shtetls. Children go off to college and fall in love. Significantly, when one member of an intermarried couple is Jewish, the tendency is to practice Judaism. Today, most synagogues wisely welcome inter- married couples as a means of strength- ening our numbers and maintaining close family relationships. If the Mervinskys have children, it is incomprehensible to me that they can never be considered Jewish. Just because in ancient times Ishmael was consid- ered "a bad influence,' we are advised to denounce intermarriage. I can think of greater dangers to the Jewish people: narrow-mindedness and intolerance. Ruth Lerman Farmington Hills Edith Broida West Bloomfield Mission To Build On It was with great pride I read the cover story spotlight by Special Writer Rachel Lachover on the Becker All-Star Leadership Mission ("Next Generation Of Leaders:' Sept. 9, page 12). As co-chair of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit Young Adult Division (YAD) 2009 Original All-Star Mission, I have seen firsthand just how successful a trip like this can be. If the 2009 All-Star Mission is any example, I know that the 2010 Becker All-Stars will surely become successful young leaders in our area. Six of the Original All-Stars did not grow up in Metro Detroit, but have chosen to make their homes here and become an active part of the young adult Jewish community, most becom- ing members of the YAD board this year and creating the new Cluster initiative. While half of the Becker All-Star participants are already YAD board members, I know they will continue to hone their leadership skills and bring their fired-up energy back to Detroit. So stay tuned Metro Detroit: There are some great things coming from the All-Stars! Anti-Israel Boycott Regarding "West Bank Boycott" (Sept. 9, page 8), please print for all to see the list of those American television and film artists that signed a letter in support of an Israeli artists' boycott of performing in the West Bank. We should add those names to Meg Ryan, Carlos Santana, Elvis Costello, the Pixies, Devendra Banhart, alternative rockers Gorillaz, the British band the Klaxons and American soul singer Gil Scott-Heron, who all boycotted the recent Jerusalem Film Festival. These individuals believe they are advancing "peace" with their "brave decision" to boycott Israel. They are naively providing fuel and ammunition to Israel's and the Jewish people's Arab and European enemies, who will use the boycott letter to advance their anti-Israel propaganda and incitement. Israel's ene- mies are enemies of the Jewish people and their "brave decision" is playing right into our enemies' hands. I intend to use my "clarity of mind" and boycott everything those "theater professionals" perform. Ed Kohl West Bloomfield Dani Gillman-Glickfeld West Bloomfield On Interfaith Marriage The marriage of Chelsea Clinton to Mark Mervinsky brought smiles to most of the people I know, especially in view of the Correction "Swimming, Squash And Spirituality',' (Sept. 2, page 72) should have stated that the Detroit Athletic Club elected its first African American member, Robert Young, on May 18, 1979.