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Black Jewish Family
Finds Spiritual Home
As I read the delightful story of the
Knox family, I smiled throughout it
("Jews Of Different Hues:' Feb. 2, page
27). I could identify with the family.
Many of us as black Americans have no
idea of our roots. I'm glad Ms. Knox's
grandmother was able to help her iden-
tify her Jewish roots.
Just as Ms. Knox stated, I too, went to
church every Sunday. I tried my hardest
to accept the Baptist faith and accept
Jesus as my personal savior. I went to
Sunday school, sang in the choir and
did as much as I could to become a
good Christian. I failed.
My family is mostly Christian; it just
wasn't for me and my beliefs. When
my church started preaching that Jesus
was God, it was definitely time for
me to move on. I embrace the God of
Abraham and Sarah. I never baptized
my 26-year-old daughter, which is hard
not to do in a black church. She freely
chose Judaism. I also attended different
churches and denominations searching
for what was right for me. I never found
it. I knew it was Judaism that I was
seeking.
I am a lighter-skinned black per-
son with green eyes. My husband and
daughter are darker; we have had some
experiences. It didn't matter that I am
lighter. What we mostly experienced
was curiosity of the unknown. Most
blacks are viewed as Christians or
Muslims, and here we are stating that
we want to be Jewish. It's different in
both communities. I don't expect all
Jews to accept me because I am black,
just as every black person doesn't accept
me as black because of my complexion
and eyes. People are people.
I can state, within my own Temple
Israel family, our color doesn't matter.
We are just another Jewish family. When
we visit B'nai Moshe, we experience
the same. I share the dream Ms. Knox
envisions of bringing the communi-
ties together and tikkun olam. We have
submersed ourselves in the Jewish com-
munity, found genuine acceptance and
couldn't be happier.
I am glad the Knox family has found
what is right for them. I hope they have
a wonderful life in the Jewish commu-
nity just as we are. No community has
treated us fairer than the Jewish com-
munity, including the black community.
We are home.
Camille F. McMillan
West Bloomfield
Israel Isn't The 'Bad Guy'
In Conflict With Palestinians
Toby Citrin's article ("My Long Journey
From 12th Street To J Street:' Feb. 9, p.
40) noted his Zionism and humanitari-
anism and ultimately his multicultural-
ism, as related to the suffering of the
Palestinians.
However, I am quite disappointed
in what I see as his failure to take
into account why the plight of the
Palestinians is so difficult. Imagine how
things would be if they were to accept
the legitimate right of Israel to exist as
a Jewish State rather than vowing its
destruction and sending in terrorists?
Look at how the Druze thrive in
Israel. On our 2010 family trip to Israel,
we visited the Druze village, Delet-Ha
Carmel. It was booming! Tourists wait-
ing in line to buy trinkets, eat the Arabic
foods, and see the city. Imagine how dif-
ferent it might be ...
What Mr. Citrin fails to take into
account is the Palestinian conviction
and vow to destroy the Jewish State.
I believe the Palestinians' religious
ideology contributes greatly to the deni-
al of Israel's right to exist as a Jewish
State. That is because they believe that
Jews are dhimmis, second-class citizens
who have no right of political sover-
eignty. It's a concept that is quite foreign
to Western minds like our own and flies
in the face of "multiculturalism."
Yet, it's time we recognize that many
people in this world are, underneath
it all, "anti-multiculturalists." Yet what
they believe is unimportant. But what
they put into action hurts us all.
Without acknowledgment of the
above, an oversimplified stance makes
Israel seem like the bad guy, and that
isn't fair. Mr. Citrin needs to look at the
whole picture, not just the snapshots.
Ruth Katsnelson
West Bloomfield
Israelis Want Peace,
Palestinians Do Not
In response to Mr. Toby Citrin's guest
column, I find another well-meaning,
moral and ethical person not under-
standing what is going on in the Israeli/
Palestinian conflict.
Keeping focused on the true cause of
the conflict is sometimes hard with the
deluge of negative press and descrip-
tions such as Mr. Citrin's of how the
Palestinians are living, but focusing like
a laser beam we must.
Whose fault is it that the West Bank
Arabs are "water-starved"? Theirs.
Your=
Financial
Problems
Whose fault is it that they must walk
through "narrow, fenced checkpoint
corridors:'? Theirs. Whose fault is it
that the "ugly separation barrier" even
exists? Theirs.
The Palestinians do not want peace
with Israel — they want to destroy
Israel. If they had lived peacefully next
to Israel for the last 60 years, they would
have their own country with infrastruc-
ture and laws. Israel must defend itself
with checkpoints and the barrier.
We Jews all want peace and the Israeli
government wants peace. But those of
us who can keep focused know that giv-
ing the Arabs what they want will not
magically bring peace.
Michael L. Kahan
What can you do
ff I have tax
problems?
Bloomfield Hills
Have J Street Members Read
Hamas' Genocidal Charter?
J Street representatives consistently
present themselves as "pro Israel and
pro peace' But they always leave certain
questions unanswered.
For example, why do they place the
onus for peace on Israel while ignoring
any responsibility the Palestinians have
for the continuation of violence? Why,
in their alleged quest for peace, can't
they admit that those hated checkpoints
and that divisive separation barrier
were forced on Israel by unprovoked
Palestinian violence and have saved
many lives? How will J Street's policies
help get Fatah and Hamas to the nego-
tiating table? Has anyone from J Street
read Hamas' genocidal charter?
Why does J Street still cling to a two-
state solution when Palestinian leader-
ship has demanded a one-state (no
Israel) solution?
Why, when every other Jewish organi-
zation was able to reach a compromise
and together produce a document
condemning the recent Boycott-
Divestment-Sanctions (BDS) program
at Penn State was J Street's signature
absent, preferring instead their own
weak scolding of BDS, complete with
a false moral equivalence between the
Israelis who are defending themselves
and the Palestinians who are trying to
murder them?
In short, why does J Street ignore the
reality of the situation in exchange for
wishful thinking and self-delusion?
Well - I wish I could
say we can snap
our fingers and the
problem will vanish. If
you call the big outfits
you see advertising on Cable
TV they lead you to believe it
is that easy. The truth is — they
oversell to get your money.
What we do is take control
of the issue and resolve
the problem. We obtain
reasonable payment terms,
seek to have penalties abated
and sometimes, we use the
bankruptcy laws to discharge
the debt. Most important - we
take the necessary steps to
protect your business and
paychecks from IRS and State
levy and eliminate the panic
most people endure who bury
their heads in the sand and
refuse to address the problem.
THAV GROSS has been
solving its clients' business,
tax and financial problems
for 30 years. Be sure to tune
in to the Financial Crisis Talk
Center, Saturdays at 10 AM
on the New Talk Radio 1270
WXYT AM
We are unique - catch the radio show
& visit our websites to see why!
0 THAV GROSS
Harry Onickel
888.235.4357 (HELP) or
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February 16 • 2012
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