AJC DETROIT HONORS

Gene Michalski

PLEASE JOIN US FOR THE AJC DETROIT
2014 Distinguished Leadership Award Dinner
Honoring

Gene Michalski

President & CEO, Beaumont Health

Children of survivors: Mirka Gluck, Lodz, Poland; Detroiter Charles Silow
and Mirka's sister, Bogna Rutkowska of Warsaw.

pillars, not knowing what lurks.
When you emerge, there is a sense
of relief that you are safe.
Below the memorial is a
Holocaust museum. It was filled
with people who were solemn,
serious and seemingly moved by
what they saw.

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Townsend Hotel, Birmingham, MI
5:30 PM Reception
6:30 PM Dinner

Guest Speaker*

Governor Rick Snyder

Dinner Chair
Nanci J. Rands

At The Conference
At the opening of the conference,
a powerful and heartfelt speech
was given by Klaus Wowereit, the
governing mayor of Berlin. He rec-
ognized that Germany was where
Child survivors: Detroiter Miriam
the murder of European Jews was
Ferber and Barbara Lesowska,
planned and set into motion. He
Lublin, Poland.
stated that Germans also inflicted
unimaginable suffering on Jewish
child survivors who endured the bru-
future. He said that, overall, German
tal murder of family members and
Jews feel they are "on thin ice:'
friends.
He stated they recognize that in
Wowereit pledged that Berlin
Nazi Germany the German people
would never forget what Jews suf-
rapidly lost their democracy. Together
fered in the Holocaust. He urged us to today with the German government,
visit the memorials that commemo-
they stand vigilant and united against
rate the atrocities, the genocide that
the spread of anti-Semitism.
the National Socialists inflicted. He
The growing anti-Israel and anti-
wanted us to know that the Jewish
Semitic sentiments seemed to be
community of Berlin was growing
the proverbial 800-pound gorilla in
and that Berlin had become an attrac- the room. I spoke to several Israelis
tive place for Jews to live once again.
now in Berlin who said they felt like
He concluded by saying Jews are
German Jews in the 1930s, unsup-
accepted and protected.
ported by the general Jewish com-
John Emerson, U.S. ambassador
munity.
to Germany, and Yakov Hadas-
At the conference, we heard inter-
Handelsman, Israeli ambassador to
esting presentations from Holocaust
Germany, reiterated how Germany has
educators and scholars. We also met
changed and is sincere in its attitude
in workshops for survivors, second
toward Holocaust remembrance and
and third generations as well as for all
caring about its Jewish population.
three generations.
However, the new threat of anti-
We got to know and learn from
Israeli sentiment that is morphing
one another. At night, we enjoyed
into outright and blatant hatred for
wonderful klezmer music and danced
Jews was very disturbing to the con-
together.
ference attendees. Are we witnessing
As the survivors, even the child
the budding of a new and malicious
survivors are getting older, we, the
European anti-Semitism similar to
second and third generations, are
that of the 1930s?
working together with survivors and
Dr. Andreas Nachama, a profes-
our Holocaust institutions to teach
sor and rabbi, stated the next day in
about the Holocaust and its moral les-
his plenary address that the Jews of
sons for future generations.
Germany, of Europe, are uncertain of
As Rabbi Tarfon in Pirkei Avos,
the future given the alarming rise of
Ethics of Our Fathers, stated, "The
anti-Semitism. He stated Jewish life
day is short, the labor vast, the toilers
in Germany today is indeed vibrant,
idle, the reward great, and the Master
but that they are not sure about the
of the house is insistent:'

Individual tickets begin at $250
Tribute Committee Levels begin at $750

Please RSVP by October 16, 2014 at www.ajc.org/detmichalski
For additional information please contact AJC Detroit at
248.646.7686

*AJC is a tax-exempt organization and does not endorse or oppose any candidate for public office.

1953480

CARE House of Oakland County

Invites you to the

it should^'t hurt
to be a 'had

CARE House

of Oakland County

2014 CARE Night Charity Ball

Honoring Community Leader Mark Davidoff for his commitment to supporting the
CARE House mission to prevent child abuse and neglect and protect children.

Saturday, October 25, at 6 p.m.
The GM Heritage Center, Sterling Heights

Evening also features vocal performance from Detroit Legend Thornetta Davis,
dinner, live auction and dancing.

To purchase tickets, visit: www.carehouse.org or call (248) 332 7173

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1948910

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October 16 • 2014

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