DETROIT JEWISH NEWS theJEWISHNEWS.com Arthur M. Horwitz Publisher / Executive Editor ahorwitz@renmedia.us Jackie Headapohi Managing Editor jheadapohl@renmedia.us Keri Guten Cohen Story Development Editor kcohen@renmedia.us Gail Zimmerman Arts Editor gzimmerman@renmedia.us Deborah Schultz Corporate Creative Director dschultz®renmedia.us EDITORIAL Senior Copy Editor David Sachs dsachs@renmedia.us Editorial Assistant Sy Manello smanello@renmedia.us Senior Columnist Danny Raskin dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net Contributing Editor Robert Sklar rsklar@renmedia.us Contributing Writers Bill Carroll Suzanne Chessler Annabel Cohen Don Cohen Shelli Liebman Dorfman sdorfman@thejewishnews.com Ronelle Grier Lynne Konstantin Robin Schwartz Steve Stein sports@thejewishnews.com RD THEM magazine Bryan Gottlieb Editor bgottlieb®renmedia.us Executive Editor Gail Zimmerman gzimmerman@renmedia.us Contributing Editor Keri Guten Cohen kcohen®renmedia.us 69 1942, 21111 onn..ting It.rt %S"L rinted Ifi ichi frontlines >> letters Imam Needed Vetting For 9-11 Event At CSZ On Sunday, Sept. 11, Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Southfield hosted an interfaith worship service in com- memoration of the 2001 terrorist attacks ("Sept. 11 Memorial Events:' Sept. 1, page 13; "Mazel Tov!" Oct. 6, page 12). One of the participants was a local imam, Mustapha "Steve" Elturk, the president of the Islamic Organization of North America (IONA). According to a Jan. 18, 2011, report on the national ADL website, the IONA "is the North American branch of a radical anti- Semitic and anti-American Pakistani organization, Tanzeem-e-Islami." On Oct. 13, 2011, the national ADL website stated, "Despite its effort to `mainstream itself, IONA maintains its official ties to Pakistan and remains committed to its goals and extremist ideology." I feel that Shaarey Zedek allowing the imam's participation in the 9-11 commemoration has now conferred legitimacy upon this radical, Jew- hating organization. This issue raises serious questions about the failure of our communal leadership to rigorously vet speakers and the consequences of interfaith alliances that compromise the welfare and security of our community. Sue Burstein Farmington Hills Docent's Courtesy Enhanced Visit To Holocaust Center I visited the Holocaust Memorial Center in Farmington Hills after read- ing the article in your Oct. 6 issue (page 30), "Holocaust Center Honored by Local Television Station." In it, WADL-TV chose the HMC as one of the "Great 38" local organizations. I arrived too late to participate in the 1 p.m. public tour. Fortunately, a docent was serving as a host. She explained the many panels and exhib- its and was responsive to my many questions. She made my experience meaningful and informative. Its selection is richly deserved. While scheduled tours may have much to offer, I think the afternoon with my host was equally rewarding. Kay Hall West Bloomfield Wonderful Memories Of Shaarey Zedek I want to thank the Jewish News and particularly Jackie Headapohi for the informative and beautifully written article about Congregation Shaarey Zedek. I have worked at the synagogue in some capacity for 55 years and got married at the Chicago Boulevard location. My children went there from Beth Hayeled Nursery through Hebrew DETROIT JEWISH NEWS the,JEWISHNEWS.com High School and two of them were married at our current location. Shaarey Zedek has managed to cre- ate wonderful memories for so many of the people in Metro Detroit. Its physical beauty is awesome, and the warmth that is generated for so many is a source of pride for all of us con- nected with the synagogue. Those of us that were privileged to attend the High Holy Day services this year, which were so innovative and inspiring, came away with renewed inspiration and great hope for a long and productive future for Congregation Shaarey Zedek. May we all be blessed with good health and may we see peace in the world, espe- cially in our beloved Israel. Janet Pont Director of Member Support Services Congregation Shaarey Zedek, Southfield Obama Ignores Israel's Need For Safe, Defensible Borders Is President Obama prepared to take his own advice and negotiate the U.S. borders back to those of yesteryear? Is he prepared to negotiate Oklahoma, South Dakota and much more back to the Native Americans? Our president should "practice what he preaches:' before suggesting that other sovereign countries return to indefensible borders. This is part of what Barack Obama stated: "We have to get some 'daylight' between the U.S. and Israel." He needs to visit Israel, to see that there is no "daylight" between the democracy practiced in Israel and the democracy practiced here. He will not find that democracy in any other place in the Middle East. And I ask that American Jews think before they vote for a party rather than a man. Just because our father voted for a party, doesn't mean we have to, unthinkingly, do the same. Larry Freedman F. Kevin Browett Chief Operating Officer kbrowett@renmedia.us Keith Farber Sales Director kfarber@renmedia.us Account Executives Ann G. Abrams Jan Haskell Melissa Litvin 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 Manager Scott Drzewiecki Designers Jeffrey Meyer Pam Sherevan Michelle Sheridan PUBLISHED BY: RENAISSANCE (Tv:NEM Chairman Michael H. Steinhardt President Arthur M. Horwitz ahorwitz@renmedia.us Chief Operating Officer F. Kevin Browett kbrowett@renmedia.us Controller Craig R. Phipps Corporate Creative Director Deborah Schultz dschultz@renmedia.us IT & Circulation Director Deanna Spivey Clawson FULFILLMENT Update/Clarification • In "Eagle School Challengers" (Oct. 6, page 11), an emergency appeal, not a formal appeal, was filed after a judge ruled the plaintiffs had no standing to sue the Farmington Public Schools (FPS) and its board over the proce- dure used to sell the former Eagle Elementary School to the Islamic Community Association (ICA). That emergency appeal, filed on Sept. 26, was denied on Sept. 29. A formal appeal was filed on Oct. 11 and is still pending. Citing the appeal, FPS administration extended the ICNs 120-day "inspection period;' which was due to expire on Oct. 14, to Oct. 31. The closing of the sale was extended until Nov. 30. 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. Subscriptions: 1 year $79 2 years $142 3 years $189 1 year out-of-state $119 2 years out-of-state $214 Per year foreign $286 Detroit Jewish News 29200 Northwestern Highway Suite 110 Smithfield, MI 48034 © 2011 Detroit Jewish News