frontlines >> letters
}low to Send Letters
We prefer letters relating to JN articles. We reserve the right to edit or reject letters. Letters of 225 words or less are considered first. Longer ones will
be subject to trimming. Letter writers are limited in frequency of publication. Letters must be original and contain the name, address and title of the
writer and a day phone number. Non-electronic copies must be hand signed. Send letters to the JN: 29200 Northwestern Highway, Suite 110, Southfield,
MI 48034; fax (248) 304-8885; e-mail, letters®the jewishnews.com . We prefer email.
Federation Would Be Wise
To Invest In Oak Park JCC
While the statements attributed to me
in last week's Jewish News ("Save JPM?"
page 1) may have validity, what I said in
my public comment was that Oak Park
worked with Federation to preserve
and strengthen Jewish family life here,
supporting the Neighborhood Project
investments that successfully avoided
the high costs of uprooting and relocat-
ing the community and its institutions,
and by lobbying for and maintaining the
plaza decks that unify the community.
The investment in the Oak Park JPM
JCC branch at that time was an integral
part in preserving and strengthening
Jewish life. This is the center of this
Jewish community, unifying all people
regardless of personal belief and prac-
tice.
While supporters have provided
some enhancements to the JPM build-
ing through the years, the last major
investment was with the Neighborhood
Project over 20 years ago, despite some
people in leadership at that time who
underestimated the potential of this
community and did not want to invest in
a pool, fitness center or other potential
revenue-generating resources.
We are fortunate to have a well-led
and highly motivated staff here who
have garnered high rankings for what
this center does provide for the com-
munity.
We are located on a beautiful campus,
including a serviceable plaza deck. Oak
Park again stands ready to work with
Federation, and again it would be a wise
investment for Federation to preserve
and strengthen the Oak Park JPM facil-
ity, investing in its ability to enhance ser-
vice and revenue, continue in unifying
our Jewish community and for its future
role as a center for this vibrantly growing
area of Metro Detroit Jewish life.
Paul Levine, mayor pro tern
City of Oak Park
Move Federation HQ
To Large JCC Building
Thank you for your coverage of the
Jewish Community Center's problems
and the Jan. 12 public meeting ("Save
JPM?" page 1, Jan. 15).
I may have misspoken at the meet-
ing. My proposal to close the Max M.
Fisher Federation Building on Telegraph
in Bloomfield Township was meant to
suggest moving the Jewish Federation
of Metropolitan Detroit's offices to the
more spacious Kahn JCC building in
West Bloomfield, not the Jimmy Prentis
Morris JCC building in Oak Park.
The savings gained from selling the
Fisher building could then be used to
help fund Federation programs, includ-
ing the JPM JCC.
Alan Hitsky
Southfield
Alcohol Plus Stimulants
Are A Deadly Combination
Thanks to Contributing Writer Ronelle
Grier and Story Development Editor
Keri Guten Cohen for the thorough and
thoughtful article "Tragic Reality" (Jan.
15, page 1). Since July, my family and I
have been living this tragic reality.
I appreciate the Jewish News highlight-
ing the perils of binge drinking and co-
ingesting stimulants with alcohol. It is a
frightening and potentially lethal com-
bination that killed my son Josh when
he was just beginning his adult life. He
was a wonderful young man who made
a poor choice.
As a result, I will work to curb the
binge drinking epidemic at the high
school and college levels as well as pro-
vide advocacy about the dangers of co-
ingestion. Kudos for highlighting these
deadly behaviors.
The Josh E. Levine Foundation is in
the process of formation. Right now, the
contact email address is
jelfoundation@gmail.com. I will be
speaking publically at West Bloomfield
High School at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb.
11, sponsored by the Greater West
Bloomfield coalition.
Julie Buckner
Cincinnati
United We Walked
In West Bloomfield
It is a West Bloomfield tradition for the
past 21 years to celebrate Martin Luther
King Day with a community walk fol-
lowed by a beautiful and meaningful
program at West Bloomfield High School
and a candlelight vigil.
On Jan. 18, the MLK Day activties
were under the uplifting slogan of
"Mentoring for Social Justice and Peace
with hundreds of participants walking
side-by-side — kippah-wearing Jews,
hijab-wearing Moslem women or Hindu
women and men. You could look at the
program and see the diversity of names
of the students responsible.
Each year, another person contribut-
ing to these lofty ideas is added to the
United We Walk Hall of Fame. This year,
the new face was that of Pakistani teen
Malala Yousafzai, who fought for let-
ting girls learn and was most seriously
injured by dark forces opposed to this
basic human right.
Another United We Walk tradition
is bestowing the honor of Community
Leader, which was given, very deserv-
edly, to West Bloomfield's Police Chief
Michael Patton.
Every year, as I participate in what
became for me and my family as sacred
tradition, I realize anew how fortunate
we are to be living in the kind of com-
munity where diversity and respect for
one another's differences is the name of
the game.
Rachel Kapen
West Bloomfield
let
A social network for teens
and young adults with
disabilities to meet new
people, try new things and
have/
Terrorists Have Declared
A War Against The World
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls
stated, days after the Charlie Hebdol
Hyper Cacher killings in Paris, that
France is in a "war against terror-
ism, against jihadism, against radical
Islamism, against everything that is
intended to break fraternity, liberty,
solidarity."
So, to my great surprise, it appears that
at least one French government official is
actually in touch with reality. The truly
frightening aspect of Valls' statement is
that France (or at least Valls, individually)
seems to be the only government outside
of Israel's to recognize the fact that radical
Islamists of every stripe, from the Shiite
Iranian mullahs to Sunni al Qaida, ISIS
and Boko Haram, to mention only a
few, have in fact declared and are busily
engaged in war on the whole rest of the
world, including their own "moderate"
Muslim brothers and sisters!
It is not only France, M. Valls; we are
all targets. And we must all fight back
with every means at our disposal. Will
someone please explain this to President
Obama?
Mark Fink
Huntington Woods
Corrections
• "Saving JPM" (Jan. 15) should have
stated on page 12 that the JCC in Oak
Park has 1,200 member units and the
JCC in West Bloomfield has 2,500 mem-
ber units. "Historic Timeline: JPM, Oak
Park" on page 13 should have stated that
in 1980 the JCC building was renamed
for Jimmy Prentis Morris.
• In "Tragic Reality" (page 1, Jan.
15), Andrew Levine should have been
described as Josh Levine's older brother.
• "New Digs" (Jan. 8, page 28) should
have stated that Jamie Michelson is a
member of Temple Beth El in Bloomfield
Township and is not a member of
Temple Israel in West Bloomfield. He is
not on the board nor is he Brotherhood
president of either congregation.
Search JARCIinkup
For more information:
Kendall Bear
LINK UP Coordinator
248.488.7546
www.jarc.org
1958930
January 22 • 2015
5