points of view
Commentary
Art from page 47
to show Detroit what they can do. It is a chance for a new
crop of artists to get some terrific exposure.
I have been to every one of the cycle openings (a cycle
is the eight-week period the artists have to create their
art in the Red Bull studio space), six to date. Each one
is jam-packed with people, energy and great music.
This past cycle, I even saw one of the members of the
band the Rascals getting down on the dance floor!
The artists have just eight weeks to create an entire
body of work for each exhibition at Red Bull.
"It's supposed to represent a variety of different
artists and mediums:' said Matt Eaton, director and
curator of the Red Bull House of Art. "I'm curating per-
sonalities, people who are passionate about what they
do and the process. I think it turned out being a diplo-
matic broad selection of work without forcing my taste.
"The mission here, obviously, is to give people wings:'
he added. "It's absolutely not a matter of finding the cool-
est artists. It's a matter of finding the most passionate
artists with the most to lose if they take any risks — and
giving them an opportunity to really take risks:'
One of my favorites from the first cycle is Franklin
Jonas. Jonas, a true artist, has helped cultivate and
bring fresh expression to the art scene. His work is not
only beautiful, it also takes chances by including ele-
ments of math and numeric precision.
On the tour we saw "Frank's Wall of Stars" covering
more than 60 feet of the Red Bull space; nearly half of
the stars were sold by the end of the closing weekend.
Jonas, a West Bloomfield native, grew up in a Jewish
home in Southfield. He spends months planning and
drawing on graph paper or using his computer to ren-
der what his geometric shapes and patterns will look
like. He describes his art as, "a hybrid of minimalism, a
1960s form of art focusing on simple precision shapes:'
Another great art gallery is located just across the
way and around the corner on the outskirts of the
Eastern Market. Inner State Gallery sits in a space that
was once used as a knitting mill. The owners, Jesse
Cory and Dan Armand, are very much in touch with
the community. They have created a gallery and online
art store that are literally booming! Their current
exhibit is called Versatile, featuring the work of graffiti
artist COPE2. Inner State focuses on a more nation-
wide approach when searching for artists, but there are
plenty of Detroiters in the mix here.
The gallery, which received help in 2012 from
Bedrock, is more than self-sufficient now, with sales of
close to $1 million in 2013.
Jimmy Ketai says, "Our neighborhood is alive with
new ideas and much talent. We love Detroit, and we are
here for the new businesses for the long haul:'
Dan Mullen, vice president of Bedrock, adds,
"Bedrock is doing more than buying property. We are
helping young entrepreneurs reach their dreams of
owning businesses and leaving their mark on Detroit:'
Yes, it is true that great things are happening in the
Detroit art scene. Not just because the artists will move
to and live in Detroit, but because art connects us as
a community. It plays a major role (sometimes very
obviously and sometimes unknowingly) in many of our
lives.
I am excited to let people know about all the great
things that are happening in Detroit, and what makes
me so proud (and what people will read in the history
books) is that much of this is happening thanks to
members of the Jewish community.
❑
Terri Steam calls herself an art ambassador to Detroit. She is
the former director of the Janice Charach Gallery at the JCC.
48
February 6 • 2014
Why Synagogues Should
Be Out Front On Israel
A
recent survey by the Jewish Council for
Public Affairs found that many Jewish
religious leaders are reticent to express
their views about Israel and bring Israel-related
topics to the attention or programmatic focus of
their institutions.
Ironically, on Oct. 9, one day after this sur-
vey was released, I humbly accepted
the Zionist Organization of America's
"Guardian of Israel" award. But this
recognition was less about personal
achievement – and more about what
our Adath Israel synagogue community
does to foster a broader sense of Israel
advocacy at our synagogue.
Little did we know that our efforts
would grow 10-fold in just three years.
But in that short time, I have come to
learn from our volunteers that support-
ing Israel makes sense for synagogues.
It should be one of our central purpos-
es, for the following three reasons:
Williams, a black Democrat, who, in accepting his
ZOA award, proudly expressed his friendship and
admiration of the State of Israel, despite pressure
against him from Israel's antagonists. Indeed, it
was Sen. Williams, an African American Democrat,
who reminds those in the Jewish community who
may express ambivalence or enmity toward our
homeland, "There is a State of Israel,
not just because Jews wanted it, but
because the world demanded it."
Israel needs friends like this – and
if Jewish communal institutions do
not support its basic right to exist and
thrive – even through policy disagree-
ments that exist in any open society
– then we can hardly expect the world
at-large to do so.
These first two reasons should be
enough of a rationale for synagogues'
support of the Jewish state. But the
third reason was one that, initially, I
did not anticipate.
It Is The Right Thing To Do
It Is Good For The Synagogue
Given the historical claim of the Jewish people to
the Jewish homeland, it is a part of our narrative.
As a people, we have a story. As a synagogue, we
are – and should be – an ideologically driven com-
munity. This means that we are not bound by the
relativistic principle that "all viewpoints are equal-
ly valid." We have a narrative. We have a history.
We have a purpose and a vision for this world, and
for our valid, enduring place in this world. But how
proud are we of our story?
I ask our high school kids this all the time – and
we all need to ask ourselves this: How well do we
know our story as a people – and how far would
we go to share and even defend our version of
the narrative? How proud are we of the story that
defines who we are?
Knowledge of our Jewish story – that is an edu-
cational question. But pride in our Jewish story
– that is a kishkes question, which cuts to the
core of who we are and how we see ourselves, our
Jewish self-esteem. We need to feel part of some-
thing big and timeless to own that story.
Showing support for Israel has been good for us
as a community. It strengthens us; it fosters pride;
and it gives people a strong sense of "belonging."
We stand for something – for a narrative, a hope,
a belief that has driven the Jewish imagination for
millennia. It is at the core of our being; it is the
backbone of who we seek to become, a catalyst
for building a more perfect world.
This energizes us as a synagogue – and absent
the hope and efforts for a peaceful and secure
Israel, we would have little left in our story.
Think of the Torah. In the Book of Genesis, God
tells Abraham, "Lech l'cha – Go forth, to a land that
I will show you." Without Israel, Abraham has no
destination, no purpose. He has no reluctance to
leave that land when famine forces him to do so.
In Exodus, the point of leaving Egypt is that
there is a land where our people can be safe from
persecution. In Leviticus, most of the laws are
predicated on there being a land of Israel, with
Jerusalem at its core. In Numbers, we wander in
search of a land, on whose border we encamp,
with great anticipation, for the entire book of
Deuteronomy. Israel is at the core of our story –
and the story would be much shorter – and much
emptier – without this core.
This story enlivens our synagogue's Jewish life.
It is a privilege to be a part of a community that
proudly tells the narrative because it is good for
the modern, miraculous Jewish State of Israel;
because it is enriching for us in our own syna-
gogue community; and because it is, simply, the
right thing to do.
It Is Good For Israel
Given the need to advocate for a small but miracu-
lous country whose security and stature in the
world is far from assured, whose demonization
and singling out barely raises an eyebrow, we
cannot overestimate the effect that our support
has. Also, we cannot overestimate the effect that
our tacit or overt acceptance of those who seek
Israel's destruction does to "give license" to their
hateful speech and actions. People hear our voic-
es, but those who are on the fence" or less aware
of the issues hear even more clearly our silence in
the face of antagonism toward Israel.
For this reason, I was most proud to be in the
company of Pennsylvania State Sen. Anthony
❑
Rabbi Eric Yanoff is religious leader of Adath Israel in
Merion Station, Pa. He formerly was a rabbi at Congregation
Shaarey Zedek in Southfield. This essay was originally
printed in the Philadelphia-based Jewish Exponent.