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Ameinu Supporter Says
Its Voice Must Be Heard
Thanks for reporting on Ameinu's cel-
ebration of Yom HaAtzmaut ("Ameinu
celebrates Israel Independence Day
with a sing-along," May 21, page 44).
Unfortunately, the Zionist Organization
of America (ZOA) is making false accu-
sations that Ameinu and other progres-
sive or liberal Zionist organizations are
anti-Israel.
As I was preparing the Ameinu table
for the Walk for Israel, I was confronted
by a leader in the ZOA who seemed
proud of preventing Americans for
Peace Now and Partners for Progressive
Israel from having tables and was told
that next year he intends to do the
same to Ameinu.
I spent eight months last year work-
ing in Israel, took shelter repeatedly
and had colleagues in the tunnels dur-
ing the Gaza war, and was even fea-
tured on the front page of the Jewish
News ("Hands-Free Driving:' April 24,
2014), yet the ZOA claims my brand of
Zionism is anti-Israel.
They claim it is anti-Israel to agree
with large parts of the Israeli security
establishment that the settler enterprise
is harmful to Israel or to object to the
racist or anti-democratic positions of
specific Israeli politicians, even though
a large part of the Jewish citizens of
Israel agree.
I believe that it is their anti-demo-
cratic attitude that threatens the exis-
tence of the State of Israel. My question
is, if they succeed in ostracizing these
organizations, who is next? Which pro-
gressive or liberal Zionist organization
will they attack next?
Jeremy Salinger
Southfield
discusses Israel and the Middle East
should be welcome with open arms
even if we do not agree with each
other's opinions. That is what they call
democracy and should be what the
ZOA is calling for not trying to quiet
voices of dissent.
Mark Phillips
Oak Park
Cancer Thrivers Join
Jewish Family Service
On June 1, the nearly 300-member
Cancer Thrivers Network for Jewish
Women officially joined the Jewish
Family Service in its family of pro-
grams. We will collaborate in JFS
Wellness programming, including
Cancer Connection.
At this time, we publicly extend our
gratitude and deepest thanks to the
Jewish Community Center. In 2008,
our founders, Sandy Schwartz, Michelle
Passon and Patti Nemer (z"1) were
encouraged to establish a home for the
Thrivers at the JCC, including the use
of its facilities and personnel.
Without the JCC's tremendous sup-
port, the Cancer Thrivers Network
would not have been able to continu-
ously achieve our mission: "to enrich
and empower Jewish women through
activities, friendship, resources,
education and humor. The Network
welcomes women who have been diag-
nosed with any kind of cancer at any
time in their lives."
We look forward to partnering our
efforts with Jewish Family Service in
the years to come. For information
about the Cancer Thrivers Network,
please contact our program coordina-
tor, Tracy Agranove at (248) 592-2267
or tagranove@jfsdetroit.org .
simpler than people make it out to be.
And you have all summer.
Two indispensable books for your
Israel education are Israel, A History and
In Ishmael's House, both by historian
Martin Gilbert. More historical and
current information is easily available
on the StandWithUs, ZOA, CAMERA,
Honest Reporting and Elder of Ziyon
websites. You should "like" them all on
Facebook, and follow them on Twitter
for regular, informative updates.
The Israel-haters have gotten very
ugly and anti-Semitic. They are bullies.
Don't be afraid to stand up to them.
And if you need help you can get help,
at least here in Michigan, from your
local StandWithUs and ZOA chapters.
Contact them. I also know a certain
obsessive, letter-writing Israel advocate
(also on Facebook) who is willing to
help.
Ameinu Member Is Proud
Of Progressive Zionism
The organization that I belong to,
Ameinu, is being unfairly attacked
by the ZOA as being anti-Zionist for
questioning the policies of the present
government. As someone who lived,
married and had children there, I find
it insulting that my Zionism is being
questioned. Also, I find it insulting that
Ameinu and its members are also being
questioned about their Zionism.
Ameinu has been around for many
decades and is a supporter of progres-
sive groups in Israel including the
Labor Party. We also support Habonim
Camp Tavor, where love of Israel is
taught.
In my opinion, any group that
Benefitt ng Children with Disabilities
THANK YOU
ONE AND ALL!
Correction
• Nancy Firestone of West Bloomfield,
mother of Israel mission-goer Richard
Kay of Birmingham, was misidentified
in the JN story "Israel Unmasked" (May
28, page 38).
Yiddish Limerick
PT%
To each sponsor,
volunteer and guest...
thanks to you,
SpringElation was a huge
success! Your support
will impact hundreds of
Father's Day
founders
Prepare To Defend
Israel On Campus
More advice for high school seniors
heading off to college: The thing to
remember about the BDS (Boycott,
Divestment and Sanctions) propo-
nents and all of the other on-campus
Israel-hating groups is that they are all
liars. They are informed and practiced
enough, though, to make their lies
sound convincing — unless you know
the truth.
Most people know very little about
Israeli and Jewish history. They are eas-
ily taken in.
Learn the truth. The truth is much
SPRING ELATION
Ferndale
Miriam Cohen, chair; Rita Sitron, co-chair;
Michelle Passon and Sandy Schwartz,
ANNUAL
Harry Onickel
Cancer Thrivers Network for Jewish Women:
For related opinion pieces, see page 33.
taro
Far undzer mames, * there is a tog*in
May
So what about us? di tates*** did say.
Un**** this is how der tate,*****
too
Deservedly received his due.
So have a Happy Father's Day.
* Far undzer mames — for our
mothers
**A tog — a day
*** di tates — the fathers
**** Un — and
***** der tate — the father
— Rachel Kapen (dedicated to her
husband, the late Dr. Shelly Kapen,
father of their four sons).
children with disabilities
and their families.
Eracinc 5, 13arriv.
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ci"Tg5/
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June 11 • 2015
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