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A Successful Walk For Israel
Regarding your May 9 "Walk/Run for Israel:' (page 24) article,
those of us on the Walk for Israel committee and other vol-
unteers were elated at the number of marchers, visitors to the
organization tables and large number of attendees at the talk
by Steve Pomerantz, the Jewish Institute for National Security
Affairs' director of counter terrorism programs. The singing
and dancing by young and old during the Walk was emotionally
moving as we marched. We congratulate our first annual "Run
for Israel" participants wearing their special bright T-shirts.
Everyone involved in the Walk thanks and congratulates Walk
for Israel chairman Andre Douville for his extemporary leader-
ship, and I am sure every one of us will be on his team next year.

Yiddish Limericks

Ask Attorney
Ken Gross
about...
Your
Financial
Issues

Ed Kohl
West Bloomfield

FJA Should Continue To Stand Firm

There is no reason for parents who don't believe to send their
children to a Hebrew school at which the teachers don't observe.
Perfunctory tradition will eventually, without fail, lead to
assimilation and intermarriage. Simply put, Jewish children who
learn to love Shabbat will not intermarry. The Frankel Jewish
Academy has created a nurturing environment in which Jewish
students from all streams find role models in Shabbat-observant
teachers. Kudos to FJA for standing firm in its commitment to
bring Judaism to life for its students, who deserve no less.

Rick Dorfman
Englewood, NJ

(formerly of West Bloomfield)

Correction:

Memorial Day

Mir gedeynkn undzer* heroes on Memorial Day
It's because of their deeds we're all here today.
So gay essn dine** "dog"
Yet remember der tog***.
A tog mir gedeynkn undzer heroes and pray.

* mir gedeynkn undzer — we remember our
**gay essn dine — go eat your
*** Der tog — the day

Michigan Sen. Dr. Roger Kahn was incorrectly referred to as a
Democrat at one time in "At The Capitol" (May 16, page 1).

Legal Challenges To
Eagle School Sale End

Don Cohen
I Contributing writer

T

he Michigan Attorney General
has found "insufficient evi-
dence of a crime" and will not
empanel a grand jury to investigate
the Farmington Public School (FPS)
Board's June 2011 decision to sell
Eagle Elementary School to the Islamic
Cultural Association.
A May 9 letter from the AG's Chief
Legal Counsel Richard Bandstra to the
politically conservative Thomas More
Law Center in Ann Arbor, which had
requested the grand jury, stated, "After
careful consideration of your comments
during our meeting and the available
facts ascertained from the materials
reviewed, I believe that insufficient evi-
dence of a crime exists to petition for
the empanelment of a grand jury."
While some area residents had filed
a civil lawsuit challenging the school
board's action (which was dismissed on
appeal this past February on the grounds
that the plaintiffs did not having stand-
ing to sue), the June 3, 2012, letter from
the More Law Center that urged a crimi-

nal investigation was something differ-
ent. It charged the school board with
bribery, illegal campaign contributions,
misuse of public office and inside deal-
ing. The center went so far as to charge
that there was a "fog" of corruption and
conspiracy in the school district, involv-
ing "tentacles of the international threat
of Islamic radical jihad."
From the beginning, Farmington
Public Schools denied any wrongdo-
ing, charging that those who opposed
the sale through litigation were "again
twisting and distorting the facts, mak-
ing a number of allegations that are
completely false. The District plans to
rebut these claims in due course and in
an appropriate manner," FPS said in a
statement issued at the time.
The More Center also charged that
the Michigan regional office of the
Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the
Jewish Community Relations Council
of Metropolitan Detroit (JCRC) "were
involved with the inner workings of the
sale of Eagle Elementary to the ICA."
Both Jewish organizations have denied
the charge and no evidence has been
provided by the More Center.
Though it appears legal challenges to
the sale, which closed in January 2012,
have ended for now, speculation remains

- Rachel Kapen

about the ultimate fate of the property.
The ICA needs the township's approval
to move forward with plans for a
mosque and community center, but last
October it asked the township to table its
zoning requests.
There has been no public action
since, sparking rumors that the property
and building will be sold. The ICA has
denied that they will sell, and the FPS,
which has the first right of refusal for
repurchasing the property, says it has
not been approached about purchasing
the property nor does it have an interest
in doing so.

Camp Simcha Summer Plans
Camp Simcha, on the premises of
Yeshivas Darchei Torah in Southfield,
will be held from June 24-July 19.
Activities include learning, crafts, trips
and swimming. Lunch will be served
daily at 12:30 p.m.; a snack will be served
daily at 4 p.m. Free meals will be made
available to children 18 and under or per-
sons up to age 26 who are enrolled in an
educational program for the mentally or
physically disabled that is recognized by a
state or local public educational agency.
For information, contact Rabbi Tuvia
Weiss or Mrs. Breindy Weiss, (248)
357-3560.

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consequences, to determine the
best solution. Sometimes there
are more effective strategies -
and we make sure to pick the one
that yields the smartest result.

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May 23 • 2013

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