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Beth El's Mitzvah Meals
Meets Community Needs
I was pleased to read that Temple Israel
has joined in the fight against hunger,
partnering with Forgotten Harvest to
answer community needs ("Shavuot
Blessings" May 29, page 19). However,
they are not pioneers in this effort.
Temple Beth El has been engaged
in this fight since June 2009, when Jim
Hiller of Hiller's Markets approached
his rabbi, Daniel B. Syme, about creat-
ing a program that would offer a box of
high-quality groceries at a substantially
discounted price to those in need in the
Jewish community.
Each box would contain five dinners
for a family of four. Though not kosher,
the meals contained no pork products
or shellfish. Rabbi Syme enthusiasti-
cally agreed and the program, Mitzvah
Meals, was born. Though the dis-
counted cost of each box is valued at
$30, the majority of recipients receive
the food at no charge. The cost is borne
by the generous contributions of Beth
El members and friends to the Temple
Mitzvah Meals Fund.
Since the program's inception, more
than 100,000 meals have been provided
to 6,500 individuals in our community.
One Tuesday each month, an enthusias-
tic crew of Temple volunteers packages
the food provided by Hiller's Market.
Recipients are greeted at the door and
volunteers using "little red wagons"
deliver their selections to their cars.
When the program was first con-
ceived, Rabbi Syme noted that Temple
Beth El was the only congregation
in the Detroit Jewish community to
undertake this unique project. He notes
today that he is "delighted to see that
other congregations in the community
are emulating our example"
For information about the program
and how you can serve the needs of
others, call Temple Beth El, (248) 851-
1100, ext. 3121.
Deloris Weinstein, Mitzvah Meal chair
Temple Beth El, Bloomfield Township
Bais Chabad Members
Dedicated Life To Shul
We have been members of the Sara and
Morris Tugman Bais Chabad Torah
Center for 21 years — more than half
the life of the shul — which recently
celebrated its 40th anniversary at a
dinner attended by many hundreds,
honoring the lifelong commitment of
our spiritual leader and his wife, Rabbi
Elimelech and Rebbetzin Chaya Sarah
Silberberg.
It is important for the Detroit Jewish
community to understand that (a)
Lubavitch Foundation of Michigan has
not given one cent of funds for our
building during its entire existence,
(b) funding for the lawsuit against
our shul comes solely from Lubavitch
Foundation of Michigan/Rabbi
Shemtov, and not from Lubavitch head-
quarters in New York and (c) to the
best of my knowledge, Rabbi Shemtov
has not stepped foot into our building
nor been involved in any capacity what-
soever for at least as long as I have been
there (if ever).
These facts are important because
they belie both the claim of a hierarchy
as well as the specious comparison
of Lubavitch to the Catholic Church,
which oversees both the financial as
well as the spiritual well-being of par-
ishes throughout the world ("Strong
Reactions To Ruling In Bais Chabad
Lawsuit" June 5, page 16).
The lawsuit against our shul is noth-
ing more than an attempt at a hostile
takeover and has both profound finan-
cial and emotional consequences. Our
Torah Center is more than a building
and a congregation. As members, we
have all dedicated our time, our love,
our energy, and yes — our money —
to building a closely knit, supportive
and loving community. Our shul is our
home.
Lubavitch of Michigan has contrib-
uted nothing to the Torah Center, and
now wishes to take away the building
that we constructed from the ground
up. Rabbi Shemtov, have you com-
pletely forgotten the mitzvah of ahavas
Yisrael? Have you once stopped to ask
yourself "What would the Rebbe say?"
Steven and Laurel Fink
West Bloomfield
J Street Is More
Dubious Than Dovish
Your June 5 editorial ("Right Or
Wrong, J Street Carves A Political
Niche" page 37), in its second para-
graph, made the statement that J
Street, in its unsuccessful attempt to
gain membership in the Council of
Presidents of Major American Jewish
Organizations, "heightened awareness
of its dovish cause"
You then proceeded to point out
all of J Street's "dubious" policies and
practices that would lead to the oppo-
site of peace for Israel and the world.
Think about where each one would
lead. Might as well let Hamas and
other Anti-Zionists "in the tent" as
well as J Street/George Soros/Ben-Ami.
Also, the editorial mentioned J
Street's "gall" of defending John Kerry's
remarks saying Israel could become
an apartheid state. What about the gall
of Barack Obama to request Israel to
return to undefendable pre-1967 bor-
ders? Is Obama prepared to give South
Dakota, Oklahoma and New Mexico
back to the Native Americans? Just who
waged war on whom in 1967?
You are trying to be all things to
all people. Your editorial "By Natural
Right, Israel Is A Jewish State" (May
15, page 28) is the way to talk to anti-
Jewish-state George Soros/J Street/Ben
Ami. Stop tiptoeing around the fact that
J Street is a "fifth column" among Jews.
thanks to you,
SpringElation
was a huge
success!
Your support
will impact
O
hundreds of
children with
disabilities and
C
their families.
Larry Freedman
Clawson
Correction
In "To A Tea" (June 5, page 35) the
name of Bridget Gottlieb was mis-
spelled.
Interventionist At
Friendship House
The Daniel B. Sobel Friendship House
will host an evening on intervention
with clinical interventionist Jeff Jay.
Jay, co author of Love First: A Family's
Guide to Intervention, has been work-
ing in the alcohol and drug treatment
field since 1986. He is a graduate of the
University of Minnesota and a certified
addictions professional.
The Daniel B. Sobel Friendship
House provides guidance and sup-
port to individuals and their families
struggling with isolation and other life
crises, such as addiction, through a
welcoming Jewish recovery community
that offers friendship, support and
spirituality.
The event will take place 7 p.m.
Thursday, June 19, at the Friendship
Circle, 6892 W. Maple in West
Bloomfield.
Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. The
event is free. Register in advance at
www.friendshipcircle.org/events.
This event is being sponsored in
memory of Mark Brandwine by the
Brandwine and Granader families and
close friends.
"The purpose of this program is
twofold: to remember my brother,
Mark Brandwine, and to learn how to
intervene on behalf of a family mem-
ber or friend who is battling what may
appear to be insurmountable odds,"
said Lois Granader.
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June 12 • 2014
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