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be subject to trimming. Letter writers are limited in frequency of publication. Letters must be original and contain the name, address and title of the
writer and a day phone number. Non-electronic copies must be hand signed. Send letters to the JN: 29200 Northwestern Highway, Suite 110, Southfield,
MI 48034; fax (248) 304-8885; e-mail, letters®the jewishnews.com . We prefer email.
JN's Annual
Chtmatk COW1gT
Contest
Mark Fink at an IDF base
IDF Volunteers Come
From Around The World
Having just returned from my first
trip to Israel, where I worked for three
weeks as a civilian volunteer on an
Israel Defense Forces base, I want to
share my wonderful story.
The first thing about the Sar-El
program to strike me was the volun-
teer diversity. I met a Canadian and
two young brothers from the Czech
Republic, an English couple, an Italian
and a Serbian Jew. There was a large
contingent of Spanish-speaking volun-
teers as well.
My two roommates were from Finland
and South Africa. We all got along won-
derfully and worked in the true team
spirit for the good of the IDF and Israel.
I am struck by the knowledge that our
work was truly significant and not just
a show of support. I was assigned to a
communications base where we refur-
bished military radio equipment. It is
no small thing to know that lives might
depend upon the skill and diligence you
apply to the work you are doing.
That is why I unreservedly urge all
men and women, young and old, Jews
and non-Jews alike, who value democ-
racy, justice and freedom to avail them-
selves of the wonderful opportunity
provided by Volunteers for Israel (VFI)
and Sar-El to make a truly meaningful
contribution to the well-being of the
State of Israel.
Indeed, the satisfaction of knowing
that I have played even a small part in
maintaining the IDF's preparedness and
ability to protect the people of Israel
(and itself) is perhaps the most gratify-
ing feeling I have ever experienced.
From Sunday through Thursday
afternoon, volunteers live on a military
base and eat three kosher meals per
day. If you want to spend weekends
in Tel Aviv/Jaffa, you can also get free
room and board at Beit Oded, Sar-El's
own hostel.
Volunteers typically spend two or
three weeks living and working along-
side Israelis at an army base, IDF ware-
house or service base.
For information, call or email Ed
Kohl at (248) 420-3729 or michgan@
C ailing all budding artists;
it's time for the Jewish
News' Chanukah Cover Art
Contest.
To enter, submit one original piece
of artwork, along with the entry
form on page 51 by Nov. 1, to Jackie
Headapohl, the Detroit Jewish News,
29200 Northwestern Highway, Suite
110, Southfield, MI 48034.
Winners will be chosen in three
age groups: up to age 6, ages 7-9 and
ages 10-12.
When choosing your materials,
make them bright and bold, using
markers, crayons, paint or cut paper.
No pencils, light blue crayons, glitter
or computer-generated artwork. All
artwork must be handmade.
The grand prize is $100 and the
winner's artwork will appear on the
Nov. 21, 2013, cover of the Jewish
News.
First-place winners in each cat-
egory will receive $18. Public online
voting will take place at www.
vfi-usa.org; Paul Matlin at (248) 557-
0004 or prm371@yahoo.com . Visit the
VFI-USA website, www.vfi-usa.org , or
contact me at mhf.61346@yahoo.com
or (248) 541-7368.
Mark H. Fink
Huntington Woods
Racism Must Not
Be Met With Silence
The headline read, "Mecosta County
Family Attacked with Arson, Racial
Slurs." According to Eric Lloyd, report-
ing for www.9and10news.com , a pole
barn was burned to the ground, prop-
erty was stolen and "nigger" was spray
painted on the house of a black family
that lives just across the street from
Chippewa Hills High School [located
about halfway between Mount Pleasant
and Big Rapids, Mich.].
His report stated, "This all happened
around 1 in the morning on Saturday
[Sept. 14] ... it is unclear how many
people were involved or when the
house was spray painted. But the racial
slur, written on the house is a sign of
racism that Mecosta County has not
dealt with very often in the past:'
And it really looks like Mecosta
Z:\N
Ask Attorney
Ken Gross
about...
Your
Legal Issues
IMPORTANT MESSAGE
I'm retired. My credit
card debt and housing
costs are too high. Do
I keep paying?!
thejewishnews.com from Nov. 7-14.
First-place winners in online voting
will receive $18 each as well.
Finalists in all categories will be
featured inside the 2013 Chanukah
issue, Nov. 21, and will be exhibited
on our website: thejewishnews.com .
Submissions can be picked up at
the Jewish News Nov. 7-Dec. 1. ❑
County is not going to deal with this
sign of racism either. Since the inci-
dent, there has been silence. Three bare
bones news stories appeared locally on
Sept. 15 and then silence.
When something really bad hap-
pens, community leaders speak, people
assemble, light candles, ribbons are
draped, and the violence and racism are
condemned. But in this case, there was
nothing. Nothing was heard from the
victims, nothing from the black com-
munity and nothing was done in the
high school. There was no memorial,
no apology, shock, horror or condem-
nation issued by the school or any of
the churches or government officials.
Three short stories and then silence.
I guess it wasn't a big deal, and that
scares me. If my shed were burned down
and someone spray painted "kike" on
the walls of my house, would it merit a
150-word story? Would anyone want to
quote me about how I felt? Would my
neighbors want to try to lift my spirits,
come to my defense, speak out against
the hate, or would it be just another
short news item and then silence?
Barry Mehler
Big Rapids, Mich.
Letters on page 6
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October 24 • 2013
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