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No Jewish Pluralism At
Frankel Jewish Academy
Yasher koach to Rabbi Gamer and
Congregation Beth Shalom for hosting
JTS scholar Rabbi Joel Roth's "Why Carft
We Just Be Jews?" lecture last week.
Rabbi Roth spoke about the need for
Jews of all denominations to respect each
movement's sometimes-conflicting ideolo-
gies and to remember our commonly held
beliefs about Torah and the State of Israel.
Unfortunately, Rabbi Roth's words are
not put into practice at our local communi-
ty Jewish high school. Instead, our Frankel
Jewish Academy uses a "shomer Shabbas"
[strictly Sabbath observant] litmus test to
exclude otherwise qualified Jewish educa-
tors from even applying to teach any Bible
or rabbinics classes or even lead one of
several morning minyanim.
If you are not "shomer," you are deemed
not to be a "model of Jewish commitment
in your personal life" and, therefore, not
"Jewish enough' to apply to teach any
Bible or rabbinics classes or lead a morn-
ing minyan. This "shomer only" litmus
test continues to offend and divide our
Jewish community.
As parents of FJA graduates and stu-
dents, we applaud FJA for providing a
Jewish education to our children and
thank the Frankel family for their finan-
cial support. But true pluralism, which
studies have proven is beneficial to our
entire community, requires FJA (our com-
munity's only non-Orthodox Jewish high
school) to eliminate its "shomer only" hir-
ing policy and simply hire the best quali-
fied Jewish educator ... period.
Suzan and Michael Curhan,
Lisa and Hannan Lis, Lynn and Don Apel,
Ellen and Bill Kestenberg, Beth Stone,
Stefany (Lester) and Gary Freeman,
Pam Bloom, Cherie and Neil Blazofsky,
Ron and Ronda Ferber
Leviticus Forbids
Tattoos For Jews
I was dismayed to read in the Jewish News
that the Chroma Tattoo studio is promot-
ing Jewish art in body tattoos ("Wearable
Art," April 25, page 53).
I am just an ordinary Jewish mother
and grandmother fortunate to have been
born into an Orthodox Detroit family
and fortunate to remain observant. I have
many friends both Orthodox and non-
Orthodox. I have never judged or dictated
to them regarding their religious practices.
The one thing we all tell our children
is that Jews, as stated in Leviticus, are
not allowed to tattoo their bodies. I felt
compelled to write this letter, thinking
that perhaps the younger generation does
not know that we Jews are not allowed to
tattoo our bodies.
Ask Attorney
Ken Gross
about...
Your
Financial
Issues
Yiddish Limerick
Shavuot
In Sinai, mir alle gevayn *
Un Moishe Rabeinu gezayn. **
So Yidn, zahy nisht
We have our holy Toire.
Un Shvuos tzuzamen tzu shul
mir vel gayn.
* mir alle gevayn — we all
were
** Un Moishe Rabeinu
gezayn — And Moses,
our teacher, saw
*** zahy nisht moire — don't be afraid
**** Toire — Torah
***** Un Shvuos tzuzamen tzu shul mir vel gayn —
And on Sout, together we will go to shul.
I'm retired. My credit
card debt and housing
- Rachel Kapen
costs are too high. Do
I keep paying?!
For an essay on Shavuot, see page 46.
A tattoo is not a ham sandwich that
you can regret eating; it is a permanent
mark on your body and very painful to
remove should you regret getting it.
I love Jewish art, but it belongs not on
our bodies but on our walls.
Helen A. Sherman
Southfield
JCC Plans Events,
Trips For Singles
The Jewish News recently ran an article
and a Soapbox (April 25, page 57) cit-
ing the need for more programming for
singles at the Jewish Community Center of
Metropolitan Detroit.
The JCC listened and has since hosted
Sophisticated Singles meetings twice a
month at the JCC, 6600 W. Maple Road
in West Bloomfield. On May 13, the JCC
will hold a meeting at 4:30 p.m. to discuss
and plan trips for singles and, on May 30,
the JCC is having a singles' dance. We also
will have a meeting at 4:30 p.m. June 17 to
discuss more singles' programming.
I hope whoever wrote the Soapbox —
and everyone else in the community who
is interested — will join us and help us
come up with more interesting programs
for singles. We appreciate all the input and
help we can get
Noemi Herzig, director
JCC's The Active Life Department
Fun Run For Israel
Was A Family Affair
In case you missed it, there was a lot of
"family fun" in the Run for Israel Family
5K Fun Run in West Bloomfield on May 5.
The Grand family of Huntington Woods
decided to make the first annual Run for
Israel a family tradition. All four guys
from the family decided to join approxi-
mately 20 other members from their
synagogue, Young Israel of Oak Park, for
the run.
The father, Joel Grand, ran his first
5K ever. Sons Samuel, a ninth-grader at
Frankel Jewish Academy, Jonah, an eighth-
grader, and David, a sixth grader, both of
Akiva Hebrew Day School, all joined their
father for the run. It was a good family
rivalry that resulted in Slurpees all around.
The Grand family winner was 11-year-
old David, who not only beat the rest of
his family, but went on to win the Run for
Israel's 18-and-Under division (boys and
girls). He placed second overall for the
entire 5K out of a field of more than 250
runners with a time of 23:54.
Supporting Israel, sunshine and healthy
competition truly made for family fun.
Next year, may other families join the
Grands on Lag b'Omer for the second
annual Run for Israel.
Stine Grand
Huntington Woods
Corrections
• An incorrect website address
was given for psychic medium Lynn
Darmon in "An Open Channel" (May 2,
page 32). The correct website address
is heavenswhisper.net . Darmon can be
reached at (248) 860-1121.
• The correct date is 7 p.m.
Wednesday, May 15, for Destinations: A
Mini-Musical adapted from the Book of
Ruth by Barbara H. Goldman and per-
formed as a staged dramatic reading by
the T'chiyah Thespians at Congregation
T'chiyah in Oak Park. Free. Information:
tchiyah@tchiyah.org or (248) 542-0900.
If you are elderly,
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May 9 • 2013
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