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 Should Rethink Closing Of Oak Park JCC Historian Howard Lupovitch's June 29 talk at the Jewish Community Center in Oak Park causes us to seriously re- examine the facility's pending closure. In your story ("The Role Of Jewish Centers:' June 25, page 16), Professor Lupovitch points out, "Jewish commu- nity centers have helped preserve the integrity of communities and neighbor- hoods:' In our recent memory, Robert Aronson, the former executive director of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, had the vision not only to understand this but to initiate the Neighborhood Project campaign. That project solicited major funds — for the renewal of the JCC in Oak Park and also to offer interest-free loans to prospective home buyers and renovators. As a result, the many hundreds in our greater community who contrib- uted to Federation's special campaign thus stabilized the north Oak Park and Southfield Jewish neighborhood. At the time, we were told that a neighborhood with a Jewish butcher shop, restaurant, bookstore, yeshivah, schools and synagogues would be exceedingly costly to replace elsewhere and needed a vital Jewish Community Center as a stabilizing and magnetizing force. This has proven true. We hope that Federation re-examines this issue and that they indeed back up their earlier commitment to a success- ful community center that our mutual funds built. The Oak Park JCC building is the essential, vital center for the very people who followed up on our initial investment and who built homes and a life for their families in this neighbor- hood. Let us urge a re-evaluation by our current leadership of their responsibil- ity to this Jewish community in our midst — to which we have already made a moral commitment. The Oak Park JCC building should not be closed to solve our overall finan- cial problems. We have an obligation to this community that we helped build. The Oak Park JCC makes a real differ- ence. It matters to all of us to keep it open. Judith Levin Cantor Bloomfield Hills Rabbi Falick's Classes On Bible History Praised Kudos to Rabbi Jeffrey Falick. Attending his classes on "Who Wrote the Bible?" has been an enlightening and exciting learning experience. He brings extensive scholarship, personal experience and a unique perspective to the beauty and the value of biblical literature and the vast history of Jewish civilization. Rabbi Falick is a passionate scholar. He is able to present the history of the biblical landscape, the stories of the written texts, the migration, the immi- gration and the struggle for survival of ancient peoples with the perspective of archeological and scientific evidence. The human story behind the written words connect an ancient civilization to the current modern Jewish question of "Who is a Jew?" Thank you, Rabbi Falick of Birmingham Temple. Marilyn Rowens former executive director, International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism Rabbis' Diverse Views On Marriage Welcomed I just finished reading the article about how our local rabbis are responding to the Supreme Court's recent decision on same-sex marriages ("Historic Ruling; July 2, page 1). Irrespective of my personal belief on this issue, just reading about the diver- sity of rabbinical responses filled me with pleasure. Isn't that what this coun- try is all about? The freedom to still do as your conscience dictates as long as it conforms to the law. Regardless of one's position on the issue, the mere fact that clergy are able to have diverse beliefs and act on them accordingly without fear of repercus- sions is what differentiates our country from most others. It's too bad that the "right to lifers" will not let us reach the same conclu- sion vis-a-vis abortion. Ronald M. Horwitz Farmington Hills Keep Iran Sanctions Instead Of Bad Deal Shortly, the U.S. is expected to reach an "executive agreement" with Iran, the most despicable Islamic regime on Earth. An actual treaty with them would require a two-thirds vote in Congress. Jarc INCLUSION Speaking in Southfield on June 22, Mort Klein, national head of the Zionist Organization of America, made a strong case for us being concerned about the upcoming deal. He said, "A bad deal with Iran is a bad deal for America and a catastrophic deal for Israel ... We're not talking politics, just facts:' Here are some facts: • Behind barbed wire, Iran enriches uranium, purportedly for nuclear energy, which requires no enriched uranium. Iran cheats and outrageously has a representative on the committee investigating whether they cheat. • Iran won't reveal their activi- ties; instead they passed a law against America visiting their military or inter- viewing their scientists. They demand 48 hours' notice before inspections. • As negotiations proceeded, Tehran billboards screamed, "Death to America!" and former President Ahmadinejad declared Iran will wipe Israel off the map. All this during nego- tiations with sanctions on. • God told Joshua, "Fear not!" The IDF surprised and stunned us in 1967 by destroying Egypt's air force, and IDF generals say they can take on Iran. When Mort inquired as to how, they politely declined to say. This vote should not be a partisan one. You can make a difference by call- ing your senators and others. We need 13 more Democrats to vote against a bad deal. Go to ZOA.org for names of senators. Call and say, "Keep the sanc- tions on. Vote against a bad deal with Iran threatens us all. Israel is just the "canary in the mine Sylvia Halpert Rochester Corrections • The story "Historic Ruling" (July 2, 2015), incorrectly stated that the three children of Franklin couple Brian Kutinsky and Michael Neumann were adopted. The story should have said the couple's three children were born through surrogacy. • The photo caption for "Calm Before The War" (July 2, page 18) should have given the Oriole Theater location as Linwood and Philadelphia. • "Pop-Up Furniture Shop" (June 11, page 31) should have stated that the Danto Furniture Company in Detroit was founded by Julius Danto. COMMUNITY CHOICE EMPOWERMENT RESPECT DIGNITY ADVOCACY HOME FAMILY INDEPENDENCE SUPPORT CARING RELATIONSHIP LOVE GENTLE COMMITTMENT 7 mr:AriED VALUED SECURITY TRUST www.jarc.org VOLUNTEER FOR JARC presented by SoaringEagle CASINO N RESORT• Sunday, September 6, 2015 SIGN UP TODAY! 248.488.7535 HallieEisenberg@jarc.org www.jarc.org/volunteer July 9 • 2015 5