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Paula Deen Email
Is A Bogus Smear
Recently, I received a totally fake email
titled, "Paula Deen Blames the Jews"
containing the most blatant anti-Semitic
words that Paula Deen supposedly told
an interviewer.
I didn't buy it, as it wasn't consistent
with the person who owned up to her
racial slurs years back and who begged
her many viewers and supporters for
forgiveness and for giving her a second
chance. Needless to say, I broke the
chain and didn't forward this piece of
garbage to anyone else.
And then, I received another email
from the friend stating that he investigat-
ed it and found it to be completely made
up. Days later, I received the same bogus
email from another friend, and when I
responded that the story is completely
false, he thanked me and said, "Thank
God it is not true." I felt the same.
To the person who wasted precious
time to create and circulate this fake
anti-Semitic document, I would like to
say, "There are enough bona fide anti-
Semites, we don't need to invent more
And to Paula Deen, "If you saw this
hateful message which targeted you, I
express my deepest apologies for the
added anguish it caused you."
However, if there is a silver lining to
this regretful episode, it is that people
will hopefully think twice before believ-
ing everything they are receiving. As
former President Ronald Reagan put it:
trust but verify.

Rachel Kapen
West Bloomfield

Partners In Torah:
A Community Jewel
Thank you for your column on Partners
in Torah by Contributing Editor Robert
Sklar ("Empowered To Learn:' July 11,
page 1) that cast well-deserved light on
a true jewel of the community.
I have been studying Tuesday nights
at Partners for 12 years, and I can testify
to the wonderful work the Yeshiva Beth
Yehudah is doing through this amazing
program.
Aside from the rich and deep rela-
tionship I have with my study partner,
I have made true and fast friends with
many others whom I would otherwise
never have met. This has enriched
my Jewish experience and Jewish life
immeasurably.
The common denominator of those
Partners staff I have gotten to know
over the years is a desire to study Torah
and to share that learning. In a warm
and open way, Partners welcomes and
values all Jews, regardless of their level

of observance or affiliation. It is a model
for vibrant Jewish life, both for our
community and for the world.

Larry Jackier
West Bloomfield

More Study Opportunities
At Yeshiva Beth Yehudah
Partners in Torah provides a great
opportunity for Jews in Detroit to
study Torah. It is refreshing to read
an article that promotes the positive
values of Torah study and Jewish unity,
both of which are sorely needed at this
time ("Empowered To Learn;' July 11,
page 1).
In addition to the Partners in Torah
programs mentioned in the article,
one more series of classes should be
publicized. Rabbi Baruch Gendelman
gives classes on Gemara, Prophets,
the Siddur (prayerbook) and the 613
Mitzvos. These classes take place
Sunday morning, and Monday, Tuesday
and Wednesday evenings at the Yeshiva
Beth Yehudah building in Southfield.
As with the main Tuesday night
Partners program, Rabbi Gendelman's
classes are open to everyone, and there
is no charge and no solicitation. These
classes are due to resume Aug. 5. Those
interested in expanding their Jewish
learning are encouraged to contact the
Partners office at 248-JUDAISM for
more information about any or all of
these classes.

Corrections

• Regarding the
July 18 sports
item "Welcome
To Hockeytown,"
(Page 43), it
was incorrectly
reported that
Detroit Red
Stephen Weiss
Wings player
Stephen Weiss is
Jewish. He is not
— a fact verified by Shel Wallman of
the Los Angeles-based Jewish Sports

Two JARC Jocks: Jack Saffe
and Bob Wake!,

On July 9th,

Review.

over 100 JARC

• The "Reader Mini Review" section
by Jim Lemire in Danny Raskin's
column last week (page 52) named
the wrong person having seafood
pasta at Magdaleno's restaurant
in Lincoln Park. Contrary to what
was printed, Robin Rosen had
vegetarian pasta. We regret the
inadvertent error.

• 'Goddess On The Go' (July 18,
page 26) had incorrect email
addresses for the Aug. 4 event in
Oak Park. For information, contact
Leora@Goddess-onthego.com or
Susie@Goddess-onthego.com .
Also, view the website, www.
goddess-onthego.com.

Avrom Weisman
Oak Park

The Swiss Hypocritically
Claim They Are Friends
Your article regarding AJC's Global
Forum ("Insiders' View:' July 11, page
20) left me perplexed. According to the
report, Switzerland's ambassador to the
U.S. informed participants of what a
great friend Switzerland is to Israel and
the Jewish people. Unfortunately, Swiss
(and European) actions contradict this.
If the Swiss are such good friends,
why do they and the Europeans refuse
to recognize that Hezbollah, which has
carried out terror attacks against Jews
throughout the world, is a terrorist
group? This failure allows Hezbollah to
raise money for its murderous activities
in Europe.
If the Swiss are such good friends,
why do they blame Israel for a lack of
progress in the "peace process" when
Israel offered Palestinians statehood in
2000, 2001 and 2008, withdrew from
Gaza and has been willing to engage in
peace negotiations without condition?
It is the Palestinians who have either
refused Israeli offers of independence or

Tq.

failed to respond. It is the Palestinians
who used Israel's withdrawal from
Gaza to create a terror state that has
fired more than 10,000 rockets at
Israeli citizens since 2005. And, it is the
Palestinian Authority who refuses to
negotiate with Israel.
Finally, if the Swiss are our pals,
why do they obsessively bully Israel
and say nothing about India's occupa-
tion of Kashmir, Russia's occupation
of Chechnya, Turkey's occupation of
Cyprus, China's occupation of Tibet,
Armenia's occupation of parts of
Azerbeijan and Sri Lanka's occupation
of territory claimed by Tamils?
I would hope that when American
Jewish leaders meet with European
representatives that they ask these
questions. I would also hope that they
impress upon the Europeans that pre-
tending that the Israeli/Arab dispute is
of utmost importance is nothing more
than a smokescreen for scapegoating
Jews, which the Europeans have been
doing for far too long.

Josh Baker
Birmingham

Jocks took part

in a sports picnic

at Beverly Hills

Park. The popular

event allowed

participants of

ALL abilities to

h o•

enjoy and sample

a variety of sports

and

lawn games

from basketball

and bowling to

bocce ball and a

football toss. A

delicious BBQ

dinner was the

perfect ending to a

really fun evening!

)

S

ARC stoat

ww

183465

July 25 • 2013

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