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Presbyterian Vote Is
'New Anti-Semitism'
The Presbyterian Church US/Vs General
Assembly (GA) vote to divest from
Caterpillar, Hewlett-Packard and
Motorola Solutions is very troubling.
Yes, the vote was close, 310-303, and
yes, there were many comments in the
resolution that spoke about the impor-
tance of Israel. (See related stories on
pages 8-9).
Sadly though, it was a one-sided res-
olution that condemned Israel but said
nothing about the Palestinian Hamas
and Fatah charters, which call for the
destruction of Israel and death to the
Jews. The Hamas Charter's Article
Seven is the most explicit.
I would be remiss to not mention
that there were many dedicated pro-
Israel Presbyterian activists who put up
a good fight at the GA. Regardless of
the closeness of the vote, the only thing
that will be remembered is that the
divestment overture won.
Months prior to the GA, a
Presbyterian advocacy group issued a
study guide titled Zionism Unsettled,
which is blatantly anti-Israel and anti-
Semitic. The bottom line is that the
Jewish people and Israel are losing the
war of public opinion. Anti-Semitism is
rising in this country.
As the recently released Anti-
Defamation League survey pointed
out, anti-Semitism is at horrific levels
in Europe and most other places in the
world. The tipping point, according to
some, has been reached and possibly
surpassed. To make matters worse,
Jewish Voice for Peace and the rabbis
associated with it are lending Jewish
voices to the delegitimization and
demonization of Israel.
As a community, we have a lot to
ponder. It is time to awaken to the fact
of our new anti-Semitic environment,
focused primarily for now on Israel,
that is circling the globe and respond
with protective actions instead of
silence.
Eugene Greenstein, Ph.D., president
Zionist Organization of America-MI Region
Anti-Israel Protestants
Fighting The Wrong War
Presbyterians, Anglicans and
Methodists gang up on Israel for a
laundry list of offences — "occupation:'
"apartheid:' "racism" to name a few —
to justify punishing Israel by boycott,
divestment and sanction (BDS) of com-
panies doing business with Israel, Israel
exports, Israeli theater and everything
that Israel is associated with.
At the same time, the plight of
Christians, their brothers and sisters, is
totally ignored. Some 50,000 Christians
emigrate from Lebanon annually, and
the city of Bethlehem lost 85 percent
of its Christian population. Shariah,
practiced in many Muslim countries,
including the West Bank and Gaza,
accounts for Christian persecution.
The learned elders of the Protestant
churches refuse to deal with shariah; it
is too difficult for them. Instead they
focus on conversion of Jews as decided
in a general assembly of 2004. In the
assemblies that followed, the main topic
of discussion was Israel and the Jews,
as if this is the major and only prob-
lem that Christians are facing. Run by
anti-Zionist zealots, the word Zionism
replaced anti-Semitism, a politically
incorrect term. No wonder that in the
last 30 years the Presbyterian commu-
nity decreased by 46 percent.
The "evils" of Israel must be com-
pared to practices in Muslim countries,
which directly control Christian life
there. Non-Muslims are considered
dhimmis — subservient minorities
subject to special taxes and horrendous
indignities and persecution.
The Presbyterians are fighting the
wrong war. Judeo-Christian philoso-
phy is challenged and so is the life of
millions of Christians. Shariah for
Christians is worse than "apartheid"
to Palestinians. It is time for them to
wake up to the new reality where the
Palestinian conflict is trivial compared
to the Syrian war, Iraq war, Boko
Haram, etc.
Isaac Barr, M.D.
Bloomfield Township
Walk For Israel
A Big Success
The sky was blue with white clouds
looking down over the hundreds of blue
and white Israel flags and our Stars and
Stripes as 2,000 advocates for Israel cele-
brated Israel at our annual walk (and run)
for Israel hosted by Temple Shir Shalom
in West Bloomfield, Sunday, May 18.
We danced, we sang, we hugged, we
kissed and greeted our pro-Israel breth-
ren, both Jewish and non-Jewish broth-
ers and sisters, before and during the
walk down and up Orchard Lake Road.
I congratulate our remarkable leader,
Walk for Israel CEO Andre Douville,
and his team for their extraordinary
effort in making this joyous, yearly
event happen.
See you next year: Sunday, May 17,
2015!
Am Yisrael Chai!
Ed Kohl
West Bloomfield
Chabad Contributions
Support Lawsuit Costs
While it may or may not be true that
Rabbi Shemtov as the head emissary is
entitled to the deed of the Bais Chabad
Torah Center, doesn't his position come
with the responsibility that his other
local Chabad centers and their members
are cared for as well?
For years, the Detroit Chabad emis-
saries have reached out to "non-Chabad"
local philanthropists for funds in order
to 24/7 provide our community with the
wide-range of wonderful Chabad servic-
es for every Jew, regardless of affiliation.
These philanthropists are perplexed as
to why the Shemtovs, who have millions
in private and public donations, not only
want to bully and disassemble a success-
ful Chabad house, but also do not want
to help their own.
Moreover, the Shemtov donors think
they are donating their money and time
for holy work and not for the Shemtov's
seemingly personal issues with Rabbi
Silberberg, which have racked up nearly
$1 million in legal fees.
Also, why is Bais Chabad Torah Center
the only Chabad House being demanded
to hand over their deed?
This summons is beyond the pale!
Our listings
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4080 Walnut Hill Dr.
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Ellen Singer
Jerusalem, Israel
Host Families Sought
For Exchange Students
Visiting students, ages 14-18, from around
the world including Germany, Spain,
Switzerland and Thailand, are seeking host
families in and around Southfield for the
upcoming 2014-2015 academic school year.
Host families are needed for the fall semes-
ter and full school year.
Host families (traditional families, sin-
gles, empty nesters, etc.) serve as mentors
and a home base for their student. Visiting
students participate as active members of
the family and integrate into their host's
daily routines and traditions just like any
other family member.
Exchange student participants undergo
an extensive application and orientation
process in their home country prior to
being accepted into iE-USAs program.
Each student is responsible for his/her own
spending money and full health insurance
coverage.
To learn more about how to make the
dream come true for an international high
school exchange student, contact Michigan
representative Emily Rolin at e.rolin@
international-experience.net or call (269)
625-4662. Host families may review pro-
spective student profiles online at iE-USA.
org. Families interested in hosting this year
must apply by Aug. 15, 2014.
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$166,000
• 34-day listings
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. 5% to local charities
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248.354.1400
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June 26 • 2014
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