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Specs Howard's Kindness
Remembered By Singer
How delighted I was to see the beautiful
article about the Liebman family's "live-
in" Passover! ("The Family Who Came
To Dinner; March 21, page 45).
Many years ago, when my twin and I
were embarking on our singing career
in our hometown of Cleveland, there
was a great young disc jockey at a local
station named Specs Howard. He was
absolutely marvelous to us — support-
ive, kind, and, best of all, he played our
records on his show.
Many years passed, and as luck would
have it, in 1972, my husband was hired
by Temple Emanu-El in Oak Park as its
first cantor. As I drove around my new
city of Southfield, I discovered a school
of broadcasting headed by a guy named
Specs Howard. Could there be more
than one? Of course not!
I called him and, lo and behold, my
Specs Howard was actually a lovely
observant Jewish man named Jerry
Liebman! How could I have known?
After all, when we met lo those years
ago, I was one of the Tracey Twins,
and he was a disc jockey named Specs
Howard!
I have seen him through the years,
and have served with his son on a
Southfield school advisory committee.
He has always been sweet and friendly
and dear. It was so good to see in your
article how vital he still is.
Thank you for giving me an early
Passover gift!
Euni Rose
Southfield
Jewish Honor And Dignity
In Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
On the eve of the 14th of the Hebrew
month of Nissan and the 25th of March,
2013, Jews in the United States, Israel,
and the rest of the Free World began the
celebration of Passover, or as it is also
called, the Festival of Freedom, in com-
memoration of the famous Exodus from
bondage in Egypt into freedom and
nationhood, with a ritualistic, sumptu-
ous meal called the seder.
But amidst the nostalgic sight of the
filled-to-the-rim Elijah's cup, the sweet
sound of the youngest child asking the
Four Questions listed in the Haggadah,
another seder comes to mind — that
one under entirely different circum-
stances.
For it was 70 years ago, on the seder
night, that the Warsaw Ghetto uprising
erupted, which was to become known as
the ultimate in man's struggle for free-
dom and dignity. But unlike the ancient
Hebrews under the great leadership of
Moses, the heroic figures of the Warsaw
Cap Gown
YEARBOOK
201
the Seder at
t Home
Cap & Gown Coming In May
T
he Jewish News will honor all Jewish students who are graduating
this spring from Michigan high schools in our new Cap & Gown
Yearbook 2013. The Yearbook will be published in our May 23 issue.
For free, we will include a photo and up to 40 words listing the student's
name, school and accomplishments. We also encourage families to honor
their students or out-of-state graduates with a congratulatory ad.
This year, it is easier than ever for students and their families to submit
their information for the Cap & Gown issue – it's all online.
Log on to www.thejewishnews.com/cap-and-gown-2013 and click on "Free
Listing Form," follow the prompts, upload your photos and hit "Submit."
Family members can submit paid congratulatory ads at the link as well.
All free listings need to be submitted by May 3.
Any questions? Call Jackie Headapohl, (248) 351-5110 or jheadapohl@
renmedia.us .
Special
thanks to our
wonderful
Passover Seder
leaders who
helped to make
the holiday
traditions rich
and meaningful
for the people
ARC serves:
❑
Ghetto uprising could not hope for free-
dom, not even for mere survival.
For them, the redemption of Jewish
honor and dignity was good enough
cause to fight the Nazis to the bitter end
— and that was what they did.
Passover was always my favorite holi-
day despite the hard work its prepara-
tions entails, and the seder ranks tops
with its readings, which the attendees
do in turn, and its variety of inspira-
tional hymns. However, what I find
most significant as well as relevant to
us today is a declaration we all say in
unison: "Every man has to regard him-
self as though he personally came out of
Egypt"
How pertinent this is and relevant to
each and every one of us in any genera-
tion, for we all have to be cognizant
of the fact that we are all but a link in
a long chain and that all our accom-
plishments aren't ours alone, but were
enabled by these of our forefathers and
rest on their shoulders.
Rachel Kapen
West Bloomfield
Korean Veteran Opposes
Gun Control Legislation
At the risk of offending a lot of our lov-
ing mothers, I am not an advocate of
gun control, and let me tell you why. I'm
not saying my reasons are correct, but
they are my reasons.
I served (honorably) with the 1st
Marine Division during the Korean war,
so I am no stranger to violence and
death. I've seen my share and more.
As long as our global philosophy dis-
plays greed and hatred, and as long as
the rich get richer and poor get poorer,
we will always have hate and dissention
in the world. And as long as it remains
a dangerous place to live, I reserve the
right to protect myself and those around
me, much as I did on the front lines
during the Korean war.
As much as our loving mothers wish
it were a peaceful and fair world (and
so do I), it's clearly not. And as long as
these dangers persist here in our own
country and elsewhere (and they do), I
will maintain my resistance to any and
all gun control and support the Second
Amendment to our Constitution of the
United States of America.
Semper Fidelis (Always Faithful).
David Barg
Michael Benghiat
Ron Elkus
Fox Family
Paul Mattson
Lisa Korotkin
Rothberger
and Family
Eli Scherr
Dave George
Auburn Hills
Emergency Manager
Alone Can't Save Detroit
Detroit's financial mess is just a symp-
tom of a deeper problem. Home rule for
Detroit is a Catch 22; political autonomy
comes with a gerrymandered tax base
that follows the same corporate borders.
Just as for Jews who willingly lived in
ghettos for the cultural protection they
offered before they became virtual pris-
ons, Detroiters find themselves trapped
Letters on page 6
M
April 4 • 2013
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