DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
theJEWISHNEWS.com
frontlines >> letters
DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
theJEWISHNEWS.com
Letters from page 5
Arthur M. Horwitz
in an economic ghetto. Detroit jumped
Publisher / Executive Editor
ahorwitz@renmedia.us
into the cesspool of reverse racism driv-
ing away too much of its talent and tax
base, and our Chamber of Commerce
governor stands on the shoulders of the
drowning man withholding revenue shar-
ing to cajole concessions that will mini-
mize any obligation of his constituency
to help.
A mayor who led his own company into
bankruptcy cannot rescue Detroit. Neither
can a council that lets vocal malcontents
overrule good judgment. An emergency
financial manager cannot save Detroit by
negotiating a division of the spoils ahead
of bankruptcy while preserving the finan-
cial ghetto that isolates the city.
Chrysler was not rescued with auster-
ity alone but with massive investment
and proven leadership from Fiat. Mr.
Orr cannot rescue Detroit with financial
management and no investment or new
leadership.
Detroit has a free hand with which it
can continue to grasp power for its own
sake or reach out for a helping hand. That
decision requires leadership skills that we
cannot assume to be included with the
skills of a financial specialist.
Jackie Headapohl
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
Dennis L. Green
Farmington Hills
Contributing Editor
Robert Sklar
rsklar@renmedia.us
Grandparents Must Provide
A 'Safe Space' For Kids
Contributing Writers
Suzanne Chessler
Annabel Cohen
Don Cohen
Shelli Liebman Dorfman
sdorfman©thejewishnews.com
Ronelle Grier
Esther Allweiss Ingber
Harry Kirsbaum
Lynne Konstantin
Rabbi Jason Miller
Allan Nahajewski
Robin Schwartz
Steve Stein
sports®thejewishnews.com
RED Ttirm
Managing Editor
Jackie Headapohl
jheadapohl@renmedia.us
Contributing Editors
Gail Zimmerman
gzimmerman@renmedia.us
Keri Guten Cohen
kcohen@renmedia.us
6 April 4 • 2013
JN
As a grandchild, I was extremely fortunate
to know, love, enjoy and appreciate my
F. Kevin Browett
four grandparents for many, many years;
and as a grandparent myself for more than
20 years, I have determined that we as
grandparents have at least two main mis-
sions in life!
We are to provide memories and "safe
space." Usually, a grandchild does not
really understand what safe space means
until sometime in their mid-teens they
have a confrontation with their parents
and seek to locate someplace "safe" to
hang out. Grandparents can usually pro-
vide that safe space.
Somehow, apparently, Sandra Layne
missed that lesson in her grandparenting
training! Her recent actions have devas-
tated all of us observing grandparents.
The justice system has, however, helped
provide us true grandparents with a little
bit of comfort and consolation!
Joel G. Basset!
West Bloomfield
Corrections
• The Katz-Katzman engagement
announcement (March 21, page 71)
should have stated that Dr. Rebecca
Katzman is a scientific editor for the
journal Cancer Cell.
• In "Super Simchahs" (March 28, page
C24), Party Management should have
been listed as Dee Dee Hoffman Party
Design.
• In "We Are Here" (March 28, page
14), on Witness Theater, Erica Schuman's
name was misspelled and her age is 15.
Chief Operating Officer
kbrowett@renmedia.us
Keith Farber
Sales Director
kfarber@renmedia.us
Account Executives
Ann G. Abrams
Jan Haskell
Melissa Litvin
Ilene Lubin
Heidi Martin
Rick Nessel
Senior Sales Assistant
Brigitte Lute
BUSINESS OFFICES
Customer Service Asst.
Jan Shain
Billing Coordinator
Pamela Turner
Collections Analyst
Hazel Bender
Production By FARAGO & ASSOCIATES
Manager
Scott Drzewiecki
Designers
Amy Pollard
Pam Sherevan
Michelle Sheridan
Susan Walker
PUBLISHED BY:
RENAISSANCE
OTWEDIA
Chairman
Michael H. Steinhardt
Last Week of Downtown
Synagogue's Fund Drive
The last free-standing Jewish religious
institution in the city of Detroit has
launched a $120,000 capital campaign
to help its 80-year-old building accom-
modate its growing needs.
The Isaac Agree Downtown
Synagogue has launched a $60,000
online campaign to match $60,000
raised offline from private donors to
make necessary improvements to its
historic building.
Founded in the 1920s, the syna-
gogue grew— and declined — with
Detroit and was nearly given up for
dead when one day in 2007, a handful
of young Jewish professionals living in
Downtown Detroit took interest in the
building, only to find out that the board
was making plans to sell it.
"We realized we couldn't let that hap-
pen:' said attorney Leor Barak, now the
synagogue's president.
With a lot of hard work, today the
synagogue claims some 280 members,
whereas "fewer than five years ago,
it was a blessing if we could make a
minyan [a quorum of 10] on a Friday
night:' Barak said. "Now our challenge
is keeping up with the capacity."
The funds sought in the capital cam-
paign will provide a fire escape to meet
safety codes, a functional kitchen (the
synagogue provides locally sourced
dinner for the community after Friday
night services); a handicap-accessible
restroom, a bike rack to accommodate
more guests, among other improve-
ments.
The fundraising campaign is nearing
its final days. Already, more than half of
the $60,000 has been raised. To contrib-
ute to the effort with whatever amount
one can afford, visit www.indiegogo.
com/projects/make-it-history.
BBYO Invites Girls To
Scavenger Hunt At 12 Oaks
A "Mall Scavenger Hunt" for prospec-
tive BBYO members will take place at
Twelve Oaks Mall in Novi on Sunday,
April 7, from 2-4 p.m. This free event is
sponsored by Or Shemesh BBG #786, a
new local BBYO chapter.
All Jewish girls in grades 8-12 who
are not currently affiliated with a BBYO
chapter are welcome to attend. The
group will meet at the mall entrance near
the food court. For more information or
to RSVP, contact orshemeshbbg@gmail.
corn.
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
FULFILLMENT
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, 2 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
$214
2 years out-of-state
Per year foreign
$286
Detroit Jewish News
29200 Northwestern Highway
Suite 110
Southfield, MI 48034
© 2013 Detroit Jewish News