fronffines >> letters How to Send Letters 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 email. 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. 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