DETROIT JEWISH NEWS ttieJEWISHNEWS.com Arthur M. Horwitz Executive Editor ahorwitz@renmedia.us Jackie Headapohl Managing Editor: jheadapohl®renmedia.us Keri Guten Cohen Story Development Editor: kcohen@renmedia.us Deborah Schultz Corporate Creative Director: dschultz@renmedia.us EDITORIAL Arts Editor: Gail Zimmerman gzimmerman@renmedia.us Senior Columnist: Danny Raskin dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net Contributing Editor: Robert Sklar Contributors: Bill Carroll, Suzanne Chessler, Annabel Cohen, Don Cohen, Shelli Liebman Dorfman: sdorfman@thejewishnews.com Ronelle Grier, Robin Schwartz, Steve Stein: sports@thejewishnews.com Copy Team: Senior Copy Editor: David Sachs dsachs@renmedia.us Copy Team Assistant: Sy Manello smanello@renmedia.us RED THREAD: Editor: Bryan Gottlieb bsgottlieb@renmedia.us DETROIT JEWISH NEWS frontlines >> letters GOP Redistricting Plan Shreds Oakland To Pieces I assume your interview with Rep. Marty Knollenberg was done over the phone so that you could not see him laughing all the way to the political bank. As chair of legislative redistrict- ing for the Michigan House in 1991, I can assure you that none of our maps looked like this. We aimed for compact, contiguous districts and strove to keep ethnic and other cultural groups together wherever possible. For example, we reunited a long-divided Hispanic portion of Detroit. This year's legislature seems to have deliberately ignored those considerations. Yes, we had partisan consider- ations, but we still created maps that allowed citizens to choose their elected officials, not officials picking constituents. Yes, the loss of a con- gressional district would undoubt- edly mean a loss of a Democratic seat with Republicans drawing the lines. Democrats would drop a Republican member if they were in charge. But that still doesn't excuse the kind of lines drawn. Oakland County may have had four different congressional dis- tricts before, but the county wasn't shredded to pieces. Even Republican Brooks Patterson has loudly criti- cized the new results. I doubt any amount of lobbying on the part of the Jewish communi- ty or anyone else would have made a difference. Rep. Knollenberg and his cohorts did not draw the maps with their constituents in mind. theJEW1SHNEWS.com They drew them with the future of the Republican Party and the political aspirations of Republican state and federal legislators as their only guideline. Maxine Berman Michigan House of Representatives 1983-1986 Gail Zimmerman girded Eh ichi 6 July 14 • 2011 kbrowett@renmedia.us Keith Farber Sales Director: kfarber@renmedia.us Account Executives: West Bloomfield Ann G. Abrams Pet Rescue Group Deserves Support It is sad to me that we even need an organization such as Almost Home, but thank goodness that there is. Gail and Lauren, and their entire team of volunteers work endlessly, tirelessly and selflessly to give these pets a second chance at a lifetime of happiness. They live and breathe pet rescue and adoption, 24/7. I encourage and plead to any- body who is looking for a loving pet, to please go to Almost Home. If you know of somebody looking for a pet, please go to Almost Home. Don't want a pet? Please donate to Almost Home so that they can con- tinue to operate to the best of their abilities. Many members of my family have adopted great dogs from them, including me. Heard of "cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs?" Well, I am "bananas for Bruno:' my adorable terrier mix adopted from Almost Home last sum- mer. Just ask anybody who knows me! Thank you for getting the word out about Almost Home. Melissa Litvin Jan Haskell Jill Greenbaum Southfield Heidi Martin Rick Nessel Dharlene Norris Senior Sales Assistant: Kim Metzger BUSINESS OFFICES Customer Service Asst.: Jan Shain Billing Coordinator: Pamela Turner Collections Analyst: Hazel Bender Production By FARAGO & ASSOCIATES Scott Drzewiecki Manager: Designers: Jeffrey Meyer, Pam Sherevan, Michelle Sheridan PUBLISHED BY: ~~ SOLUTIONS Chairman: Michael H. Steinhardt President/Publisher: Arthur M. Horwitz ahorwitz@renmedia.us Chief Operating Officer: F. Kevin Browett kbrowett@renmedia.us Controller: Craig R. Phipps Executive Editor: gzimmerman@renmedia.us F. Kevin Browett Chief Operating Officer: Rich Jewish Life In Traverse City Traverse City has a rich Jewish life to offer residents and guests alike. Congregation Beth El, a reform synagogue founded in 1885, is Michigan's oldest temple in continuous use and has its home in a beautiful, Rabbi historical build- Castleman ing. Congregation Ahavat Shalom, a non-denominational synagogue is a relative newcomer having been founded in 1997. Both congrega- tions are in Traverse City, but serve many surrounding communities as well, from Manistee to Torch Lake to Charlevoix. Opportunities for Jews in the Traverse area include Kabbalat Shabbat services every Friday eve- ning during the summer at one of the two congregations; Shabbat morning services once a month; monthly Havdalah gatherings; weekly Torah study; monthly adult education programs; and monthly programs for teenagers. For more information and a schedule of events, go to www.ahavatshalom. corn and mi013.urj.net . Starting this month, Rabbi Seth Castleman will be the rabbi for both congregations. Having served for three years with Ahavat Shalom, Castleman now will help bring the Jewish community closer together as they share his services. A kickoff Shabbat service will be held with both congregations together on Friday, July 15, at 7 p.m., preceded by a potluck dinner starting at 6 pm. Both will be held at the Unitarian Universalist, 6726 Center St. Corporate Creative Director Deborah Schlutz dschultz@renmedia.us Managing Editor, New Products: Bryan Gottlieb IT & Circulation Director: Deanna Spivey FULFILLMENT circulationdesk@thejewishnews.com Customer Service Manager: Zena Davis DEPARTMENTS General Offices: 248-354-6060 Advertising: 248-351-5107 Advertising Fax: 248-304-0049 Circulation: 248-351-5174 Advertising Deadline: Monday, 4 p.m. Editorial Fax: 248-304-8885 Deadline: All public and social announcements must be typewritten and received by noon Tuesday, nine days prior to desired date of publication. 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