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Bedbug Article Unfair
To Jewish Senior Life
I was disappointed and frustrated after
reading your recent article "Bedbugs
Hit The 'Burbs" (Sept. 22, page 12),
which unfairly portrayed the Jewish
Federation, its agencies and Jewish
Senior Life (JSL).
As the owner of more than 14,000
apartment units across the United States,
I can assure you that if your reporter
would have taken the time to compare
JSL's protocol to any professional stan-
dard nationwide, he would have found
that JSL's program is exemplary.
Using the term "infestation" was a
gross exaggeration, as there were only
six units out of 800 that were affected
at the time of publishing. Quoting an
anonymous resident was irresponsible.
Giving the impression that JSL doesn't
inform or doesn't care could not be fur-
ther from the truth.
I have always thought that Federation
and the Jewish News have the same goal:
to strengthen the Jewish community.
Irresponsible journalism, in this case, cre-
ated unnecessary confusion and concern.
With this letter comes a pledge from
me as a vice president of the Federation
to work with the leadership at the
Jewish News to bridge any differences
and to strengthen the bond between our
organizations.
Matthew B. Lester
Bloomfield Hills
Jewish Senior Life
Apartments Clean, Safe
I am extremely disappointed and dis-
turbed after reading the 1 3/4-page article
on bedbugs and Jewish Senior Life.
There are many day-to-day problems
that occur in the senior living homes
of our senior residents at JSL. The pro-
fessional staff addresses the problems
every day. The bedbug issue is being
taken care of and the living quarters at
JSL are kept clean and safe every day.
The mission of the IN states very
clearly that it "communicates news and
opinions that's useful, engaging, enjoy-
able and unique." I fail to see how the
article on bedbugs fulfills any of these
statements. I hope the JN thinks about
the consequences a negative article has
on the Jewish community, its residents
and the future of JSL.
Pearlena Bodzin
Southfield
Patinkin Slammed For
Boycott Of Ariel Venue
Mandy Patinkin appeared at the West
Bloomfield JCC Festival of the Arts on
Sept. 22., but he is one of the American
actors who has refused to perform at
Israel's concert hall in Ariel, Israel.
The Jewish people, and the people of
the Detroit community, do not need to
endorse other Jews who work to the det-
riment of Israel and the Jewish people.
I asked Mark Lit, the JCC's executive
director to rescind Patinkin's invita-
tion. He declined stating: "Mr. Patinkin
simply supported most of Israel's
leading artists. He had made clear on
several occasions that he loves Israel,
just disagrees with the current govern-
ment. Before signing him we conferred
with the JCRC and leading members
of the community. He [was] invited to
perform, not to do politics, although his
politics are supported by a great num-
ber of Israelis and American Jews."
Why the JCRC and "leading members
of the community" would endorse any-
one that states, "It is now the artists who
are standing up and saying, we refuse to
play in a new theater that you have built
in an illegal settlement, and we are ask-
ing the world to pay attention" is bewil-
dering, and they certainly are not my
"leading members of the community."
Patinkin also told the Toronto Theatre
Company (they unfortunately endorsed
him as well in spite of people there ask-
ing he not perform), "I signed the peti-
tion to support a group of Israeli artists
who were taking a stand to defend what
they thought was best for Israel and
best for humanity."
Patinkin, who has made his living
off of being Jewish and playing Jewish
roles, threw in his Jewish credentials
with the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions
movement to delegitimize the State
of Israel when he joined "Hollywood,
Broadway Stars Israeli Cultural Boycott."
Ed Kohl
West Bloomfield
Praise For Frankel Academy's
Policy And Leadership
I am not surprised the long-standing pol-
icy requiring Judaic Studies Department
teachers at Frankel Jewish Academy to
be shomer Shabbat is being contested
by members of the Reform movement
("Frankel Academy Can't Let Spiritual
Discontent Linger:' Sept. 1, page 33).
I am surprised, however, that as the
letters and editorials continue to criti-
cize the school, no parents or communi-
ty leaders have come forth with support
for the school (kudos to the one student
who did have the courage to do so).
I am not an FJA parent, but I do
support the role the school plays in
offering a Jewish education to children
who would otherwise not receive one.
My understanding is that the shomer
Shabbat standard has been in place
since the school was founded, and I
commend the school's professional
and lay leadership for maintaining this
standard as a way of educating their
students as to the importance of adher-
ing to our laws and traditions.
The statements that "their money
comes from the Reform community"
and "FJA readily enrolls Reform stu-
dents and accepts their tuition pay-
ments" are poor arguments that the
school therefore needs to abandon the
principles it has previously established.
Where is it written that if an organi-
zation is welcoming and inclusive, then
it also needs to compromise its values
when those values are not shared by
some who choose to join?
I am even more disturbed by the
accusations that school representa-
tives have treated people with a lack of
respect or in a derogatory manner, and
have made some feel "ostracized."
I know [head of school] Rabbi
Grossman and President Goss person-
ally, and I can assure you they would
never treat anyone that way nor would
they tolerate that from any of their
employees. You can disagree with and
debate their policies, but there is no
room to question their character.
Joseph Greenbaum
Southfield
Chai Flyers Deliver Holiday
Gifts To Needy Children
It is important to know that every
December, about two weeks before
Christmas, the Chai Flyers (Sept.
15, page 12) join other flying clubs
and deliver gifts to needy children
throughout the state. This is known as
Operation Good Cheer.
No fanfare, no publicity, just some
pilots who want to make sure these kids
have a happy holiday!
Bobbie Blitz
West Bloomfield
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