metro
A Changing Tide?
Federal judge to decide
constitutionality of Michigan's
same-sex marriage ban.
Ronelle Grier
Contributing Writer
F
ederal District Judge Bernard
Friedman will decide the fate of
the Michigan amendment ban-
ning same-sex marriage following a two-
week trial that ended Friday, March 7.
The case, DeBoer
v. Snyder, began as
an adoption dispute
wherein two Hazel
Park nurses, Jayne
Rowse and April
DeBoer, sued the state
of Michigan for the
Judge Bernard right to jointly adopt
Friedman
the three special
needs foster children
they are raising together. Rowse has
legally adopted two of the children, and
DeBoer has adopted the third. They
sued after becoming concerned about
what might happen to the parental
rights of the non-legal parent if one of
them should die or become incapaci-
tated. Current Michigan law does not
allow unmarried couples of any gender
to adopt jointly.
After a hearing last October, Friedman
expanded the case to include the state's
gay marriage ban and ordered a bench
trial, which began Feb. 25.
Plaintiff attorneys Dana Nessel,
Carole Stanyar and Ken Mogill present-
ed expert witnesses from the fields of
social science, law, economics and psy-
chology. They offered evidence to sup-
port that children raised in same-sex
households fared just as well as those
raised by heterosexual parents.
Assistant Attorney General Kristin
Heyse argued on behalf of the state that
voters approved the Michigan Marriage
Amendment in 2004; therefore, the
court does not have the right to over-
ride the will of the people. She also said
more time is needed to study the long-
term effects on children being raised by
same-sex parents.
"It's just too early to know the conse-
quences of redefining marriage Heyse
said. "We're not sure if it would stabilize
families, and letting them [same-sex
couples] marry puts the cart before the
horse:'
One of the state's witnesses,
University of Texas sociologist Mark
Regnerus, cited an oft-disputed study
claiming that children from same-sex
households suffered more disadvan-
20
March 13 • 2014
tages than those raised by a mother and
a father.
Experts for the plaintiffs presented
testimony debunking Regnerus' study
as misrepresentative, saying that many
of the children in the study had been
born to heterosexual parents who later
changed their sexual orientation, and
the research did not take into account
other factors affecting children such as
divorce, custody disputes and economic
changes. It was also pointed out that the
study included children who had only
lived in same-sex households for a short
time, less than two years in many cases.
"It would be impossible to find a
more reviled, rejected study:' said
Mogill during closing arguments,
adding that the study defined people
who had never actually lived with the
children as parents. "Regnerus tried to
make it a social science experiment, but
life is not an experiment; it's a reality.
Gay and lesbian families are going to
continue to exist. Their children need
the stability of married parents:'
Friedman said it would take approxi-
mately 10 days to review the testimony
and supporting documentation and
render a decision.
Oakland County
Clerk Lisa Brown
was also named as a
defendant in the law-
suit; however, she and
her attorney, Michael
Pitt, made it clear she
Oakland
believes the Michigan
County Clerk
Marriage Amendment
Lisa Brown
is unconstitutional
and looks forward to
issuing licenses to same-sex couples as
soon as the law is changed.
Brown said the discrimination shown
against gay and lesbian couples by the
state was especially disturbing to her as
a Jew.
"Growing up, I was called a like' and
a 'dirty Jew'," she said. "Why would you
want other human beings to go through
that?"
Susan Horowitz, editor and publisher
of the LGBT publication Between the
Lines, who attended the trial, said she
hopes the case will prove that changing
the marriage laws is in the best interest
of children.
"I'm just struck by how little the state
really has to stand on, except policies
we already know are discriminating;
she said.
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Bridging Generations
Dor L'Dor program marks 35 years
with Hillel Day School students and
Jewish Senior Life residents.
Karen Gordon Rosenberg
Special to the Jewish News
older adults, relationships that fre-
quently extend years beyond the pro-
gram itself'
collaborative program
Instrumental to the success of this
between two generations
program is Carol Rosenberg, director
resounds just as strongly
of the Jewish Senior Life Foundation.
today as it did when it began 35 years
Just a few weeks ago, Rosenberg
ago.
launched this year's program by meet-
Dor EDor, which means Generation
ing with Hillel students to talk about
to Generation, is a program con-
the aging process.
necting sixth-graders at Hillel Day
"This experience of interacting one-
School in Farmington Hills with
on-one builds self-esteem in the stu-
older adults living at the Fleischman
dents and energizes our older adults,"
Residence/Blumberg Plaza, Hechtman
Rosenberg says.
Apartments and Meer
She enjoys seeing the
Apartments, residences of
benefits of Dor EDor and
Jewish Senior Life, locat-
getting to know the stu-
ed on the Eugene and
dents.
Marcia Applebaum Jewish
"These kids are wonder-
Community Campus in
fur she says. "They are
West Bloomfield.
eager to learn, and I love
Helen Naimark, the
teaching them 'everything
first executive director
they ever wanted to know
of the Jewish Federation
about older adults but were
Apartments (now Jewish
afraid to ask: It's a credit
Senior Life), spearheaded
to our community that
the Dor EDor program,
this program is still going
which began as a choir
strong after all these years,
that partnered residents
keeping the doors of com-
of the apartments with
munication open between
Hillel students.
young and old:'
Since then, the pro-
Each year finds the Dor
gram has grown from a
nor program infusing
joint singing experience
a new yet similar theme.
to a multi-faceted many-
This year's theme, "Acts
of Loving Kindness ...
months program that
Making A Difference
matches sixth-graders
with seniors. Through
has participants working
.,! ~
'r
lessons and meaningful
together to make items
Carol Rose nberg
interactions, the students
to donate, including dog
gain comfort with the
biscuits for a no-kill shel-
aging process and build special rela-
ter and Passover cards to distribute
through JSEs Chaplaincy Program.
tionships with older adults.
One Dor EDor highlight is the day
Although Dor EDor has evolved
over the years, the impact remains
"Seniors Go Back to School." While
most Dor EDor programming is held
steady; sincere and rewarding connec-
tions continue to be made between
at the JSL West Bloomfield campus,
younger and older people.
this spring activity offers the students
"Dor EDor is a treasured program
an opportunity to showcase their
at Hillel and embodies what we strive
school. Students proudly guide their
to instill in our children:' says Steve
older counterparts through the hall-
Freedman, head of school.
ways and classrooms where they spend
their days learning.
"The Torah teaches, 'You should
rise before the elderly and honor the
The students and older adults may
aged' (Lev. 19:32). While we may
change with each year of Dor EDor,
live in a youth-centric culture, our
but some things remain constant:
Jewish tradition teaches our chil-
smiles, laughter and connections.
dren that all people are sacred and
Karen Gordon Rosenberg is creative
deserving of our time and respect.
producer at Your People LLC, a
Beautiful relationships are forged
Southfield PR firm.
between our students and the
A
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