J-SERVE

JEWISH TEENS SERVING THE WORLD

Interfaith meeting blends urban
and suburban to help Detroiters.

Stacy Gittleman
Special to the Jewish News

U

nified by the moral impera-
tive and a religious duty not to
turn a blind eye on the city's
woes, 200 leaders representing multiple
faith groups and grassroots organiza-
tions packed a conference room Feb.
3 at Detroit's Second Ebenezer Church
at a meeting organized by the Jewish
Community Relations Council and
the Interfaith Council of Metropolitan
Detroit.
The town hall-style meeting buzzed
with a positive energy fueled by many
ideas to help Detroit's most neglected
neighborhoods. However, participants
maintained a practical understanding
that to reap results, there must be clear-
stated goals and effective communication
across the faith communities.
Andy Levin, vice president of
Congregation T'chiyah in Oak Park,
moderated the morning's discussion led
by Rabbi Joseph Krakoff of Congregation
Shaarey Zedek of Southfield and Bishop
Edgar Vann of the Second Ebenezer
Church.
"Our traditions teach us that it is not
only undesirable but also sinful to live in
a society that perpetuates crime, illiteracy
and neglect toward our senior citizens:'
Levin said.
Pointing to an article from the front
page of the Jan. 28 Detroit Free Press,
Levin demonstrated the outside financial
world's lack of understanding of Detroit's
ordinary citizens. The article quoted a
bond rater who said the state's proposal
of infusing city pension funding with
$350 million was "unfair" to bond inves-
tors.
"Is it acceptable that the needs of
bond investors should be equated with
the needs of elderly retirees who for
decades plowed our city streets, worked
as a secretary, janitor or a firefighter and
who are depending on their pensions to
live?" Levin asked. "This is an outrage.
As people of faith, we are obligated to
uphold our common values and speak up
for justice for our city's retirees:'
Vann recognized that Detroit is start-
ing to rise out of its "black hole:' refer-
ring to development projects like the Ml
light rail and the new bridge proposal

Above: Andy Levin, center, vice
president of Congregation T'chiyah
in Oak Park, facilitates a panel
discussion with Bishop Edgar Vann of
Detroit's Second Ebenezer Church and
Rabbi Joseph Krakoff of Congregation
Shaarey Zedek in Southfield.

between the city and Canada. However,
he was skeptical of how such projects will
ultimately benefit the city's unemployed
and the pensioners who have for decades
"gone to work, served our city and have
taken care of their families:'
"Every one of us here who serve our
congregants, we have tender hearts:'
Vann said. "We must tell our congregants
that all of us must be concerned about
the fate of the people of Detroit:"
Last October, Krakoff and Vann trav-
eled to Washington, D.C., to update
politicians of the role of faith communi-
ties during the city's bankruptcy. Krakoff
said politicians were excited about
Detroit's "cool" factor — the resurgence
of Downtown. However, Washington
needs to know the other side of the story,
he added.
"Yes, there are young professionals
moving into high-rent apartments near
trendy cafes. We also know that the
majority of Detroiters are struggling with
dwindling city services and infrastruc-
ture. This dialogue, and the work that
will come from it from the suburbs into
the city, is a holy task:'
During the meeting, clergy and grass-
roots leaders spoke of their projects and
ways to get involved. Members of the
Detroit City Council, including Council
President Brenda Jones and Councilman
Andre Spivey, listened to ideas and
offered feedback.
"You do not have to live in the city to
pray and hope and help the city:' said
Spivey, referring to the general discon-
nect between residents in urban and
suburban areas of Metro Detroit. In a fol-
low-up conversation, he suggested what
needs to happen next are smaller, more
intimate meetings where people across
religious, economic and racial divides
have "self-exposing" conversations and
find commonalities within each other.
"Ultimately, we have to break down
barriers across the city and the suburbs
to get to know each other better:'

❑

THURSDAY fix

FEBRUARY

20

2:30 - 6:30 P.M.

Teens from around our community will
gather to volunteer at organizations
making a difference in Detroit.

Drop off and Pick up:
Adat Shalom Synagogue
29901 Middlebelt Road
Farmington Hills, MI 48334

Projects include
(not limited to):

INTERACTING WITH KIDS
PAINTING
FOOD PACKAGE ASSEMBLY
SERVING FOOD

Kosher snacks and
bus transportation provided

Pre-registration required

J-serve is made possible thanks to local partners and generous grants from the
Stephen H. Schulman Millennium Fund and a grant from National J-Serve.

For more information and to register
visit www.jservedetroit.org

Supported by

The Jewish Federation

OF METROPOLITAN DETROIT

February 13 • 2014

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