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Grand Rapids Shows
Support For Israel
We were privileged to attend the
Israel Connection-Standing Together
Rally in Grand Rapids on Aug.
25 where a rousing crowd of 500
pro-Israel supporters heard several
speakers including Pete Hoekstra,
former U.S. congressman; Pastor
Thomas Wilson, Word of Faith
Christian Center; Rabbi Michael
Schadick, Temple Emanuel in Grand
Eugene Greenstein, Sheryl Siegel, Elliot
Rapids and Israeli Mideast military
Chodoff, Tim Munger, Rae Sharfman and
and political analyst Elliot Chodoff
extol Israel and its accomplishments, Ed Kohl
listen to a generous helping of wonder-
in particular our Grand Rapids
ful American patriotic and Israeli music Zionist Organization of America and
and meet many new friends and sup-
StandWithUs' giant for Israel and the
porters of Israel.
Jewish people, Sheryl Siegel.
We salute our friends in Grand
Eugene Greenstein, Farmington Hills
Rapids for their steadfast support
Ed Kohl, West Bloomfield
of Israel and the Jewish people,
Tim Munger, West Bloomfield
Frankel Academy Should
Respect All Jews' Beliefs
I am a native Detroiter, and my first
experience as a child with "Jewish anti-
Semitism" was when my classmates
made fun of me for going to "Father
Fram's church." Now, many of those
same people and their children are
members of Temple Israel.
As a teenager I experienced similar
prejudice, and I wrote Rabbi Fram. He
advised me to simply "remember who
you are and where you come from."
Probably the best advice I ever received!
When I was a mother and wife, I heard
a Conservative rabbi say on the radio
that Reform Jews "pray to a different
God." Another rabbi in a High Holiday
sermon referred to Reform Judaism as
"bargain basement Judaism." A few weeks
later, however, Elie Wiesel spoke at that
congregation, and the focus of his speech
was "Jews who denigrate other Jews."
We are a community. Our Jewish com-
munity is very strong, but often very
divided, and getting smaller every year.
Frankel Jewish Academy should not only
be a "community school," it should also
be teaching our young people to respect
all people and their beliefs, includ-
ing those Jews who chose to celebrate
Judaism in different manners ("At The
Core, Aug. 25, page 1).
Being shomer Shabbat does not make
you a better Jew — or teacher — than
someone who is not strictly observant.
I would guess that Frankel and other
Jewish (non-Reform) organizations do
not ask whether their money comes
from the Reform Jewish community.
They are happy to receive it!
Frankel students should be introduced
to all branches of Judaism so that they
will learn what they believe and what
is spiritually satisfying to them. That
should be the goal of the academy and,
if they do not choose to respect all
branches of Judaism as authentic, then
they are missing the point and dimin-
ishing our people.
Judith Miller
Bloomfield Township
Hillel Day School A Model
For The Jewish Academy
My wife and I are Temple Israel mem-
bers. We're also parents of a Hillel Day
School (HDS) second-grader and a child
in the Early Childhood Center at Temple
Israel. We were shocked and upset upon
hearing Rabbi Bennett was no longer
teaching at Frankel Jewish Academy (FJA).
When it was time for our daughter
to start school, my wife and I had some
debates. My wife is a graduate of HDS,
and my education was entirely public.
When we met with Steve Freedman,
head of school at HDS, I stated my con-
cern, as a Reform Jew, that HDS was "too
Jewish." He assured me their goal was to
give a proper education in Jewish studies
and have the students bring home what
they felt is important to their families.
Not all HDS families are shomer
Shabbat, and HDS embraces that. Last
year at the first-grade siddur party, rab-
bis from all the students' congregations
participated. How wonderful it was to see
rabbis of all denominations blessing the
children. FJA needs to observe how HDS
teaches for all denominations of Judaism.
All involved at FJA need to issue an
apology, not only to Rabbi Bennett
and the students in that class, but to
the entire Jewish community for the
uncomfortable and disturbing tone" at
"
the school in addition to "offensive com-
ments" regarding Reform Jews.
As the number of Reform Jews who
send their children to HDS continues to
rise, the opportunity for FJA to capture
those students also rises. If their current
policies continue, I know we and many
other Reform families will have to recon-
sider FJA as a option for our children.
Ask
Financial Crisis
Attorney
Ken Gross
about...
Your
Financial
Pro
Kevin Elbinger
Farmington Hills
For an editorial comment on the Frankel
Jewish Academy issue, see page 33.
'Young Jews And Booze'
Story Was Too Negative
As a 23-year-old Jewish person who has
made a conscious decision to stay in the
Detroit area and get involved in the com-
munity, I was deeply disturbed by your
cover story, "Young Jews and Booze" (Aug.
25, page 10) for its negatively slanted con-
tent and, especially, its poor timing.
There is so much positivity happen-
ing within the young, Jewish network
here that deserves press from your
publication; as the longstanding, trusted
"town crier:' the Jewish News should be
promoting the efforts being made to
strengthen our community, by highlight-
ing the amazing programs for young
adults, organized by young adults, to
your devoted readership.
The perfect example of this bull-by-
the-horns attitude for our own genera-
tion is happening this very weekend.
Pitch For Detroit is bringing hundreds
of young, vibrant Metro Detroiters
together over a common cause: keeping
Next Generation leaders in our com-
munity. Why not profile that as the cover
story? Why not applaud the fact that
YAD brings out nearly 100 young Jews to
study Torah with a rabbi every month?
Why not cover all the entrepreneurial
support young community members
give to one another, to make sure we
all succeed and stay here? That lack of
coverage — and your negativity in the
place of more deserving content — is a
true slap in the face to all of us that have
remained at home.
Leah Moss, publisher and editor-in-chief
Jack Detroit magazine, Southfield
JCRC Benefits Our
Jewish Community
Last week's JN Publisher's Notebook
("Pillars That Resonate: Time to over-
haul our external engagement model;'
page 26) set forth a compelling argu-
ment supporting the importance to the
Jewish community of effective commu-
nity relations.
Connecting with and working with
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Letters on page 6
30150 Telegraph. Suite 444,
Bingham Farms, MI 48025
1670,180
September 1 . 2011
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