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JCC Is The Linchpin
Of Oak Park Jews
Judith Levin Cantor's letter reminds us
of what's at stake in the Oak Park Jewish
Community Center ("Federation Should
Rethink Closing Of Oak Park JCC," July 9,
page 5).
People in our community invested
hugely in the Jewish Federation's
Neighborhood Project to save the Jewish
neighborhoods in Oak Park, Southfield
and Huntington Woods. Federation
insisted on renewing the Center because,
they told us, the JCC was vitally necessary
as a stabilizing and magnetizing force. So
we committed to it. People followed. The
Neighborhood Project worked.
Now the Federation wants to close
the JCC — to solve budget problems
caused by years of bad bookkeeping by
the regional office. Is this wise? People
invested in these neighborhoods counting
on the larger community for support. How
does it reflect on us, shutting down the
linchpin of the community that's the JCC?
Michael Mien
Detroit
Closing Oak Park JCC Is
Unwise, Hostile, Insulting
The Jewish Federation's decision to close
the Oak Park JCC shows how out of touch
its current leadership is with our Jewish
community. It is a shandeh [shame] that
Federation has made this unwise, hostile
and insulting decision, one that effectively
leaves a large segment of our Jewish pop-
ulation in Metro Detroit without a JCC.
I urge Federation to reconsider its deci-
sion to close the Oak Park JCC.
Andrea Hartman
Royal Oak
Judge Tried To Undo
Parental Alienation
You have done a wonderful public service
educating the community by covering the
story "Family In Crisis" (July 16, page 1).
Doug Wartell saying "parental alien-
ation is a strategy some parents use in
divorce proceedings when they have
control of the kids and paint a picture
that everything is horrible and talk about
everything Daddy's done wrong" is spot
on. The stats show that men use this
strategy 30 percent of the time, women 70
percent.
As the facts of this case come out, the
truth is that no one who really under-
stands how the family court system
works objected to what Judge Gorcyca
did. Knee-jerk reaction(s) such as a silly
"Facebook page created by a group of
local Jewish mothers to call for the chil-
dren's release" or, according to a court
worker I spoke with, phone call death
threats received by the court on July 8 and
9 were a typical response by those who
had no clue of the details of this situation.
While sending the kids to Children's
Village perhaps may not have been the
best decision, it was made as the judge
was put into a position by the mother and
the children after many warnings; the
judge likely felt she had to do something.
Once the naysayers really truly under-
stand what parental alienation is and
what damage it does, only then can they
make an informed opinion of what Judge
Gorcyca did.
There are a lot of people in this com-
munity, state, country and world who can
relate to this. Simply Google the words
"parental alienation" You will be shocked,
and you will be educated.
Barry Canner
West Bloomfield
Judge Can't Command
End Of Family Animus
Your article about the tragic situation
with the Tsimhoni family ("Family In
Crisis," July 16, page 1) was both informa-
tive and went to great lengths to counter
the criticism that has been aimed at Judge
Gorcyca, the judge handling this most dif-
ficult matter. For that, I laud the reporter.
However, at times, some analysis helps
illuminate the facts. Two issues stand out.
First, Judge Gorcycis comparing Dr.
Maya Eibschitz-Tsimhoni, the children's
mother, to Charles Manson bespeaks a
level of malevolence that is unbefitting
this matter. Further, by the mere act of
prohibiting any communication among
the mother and children, the judge would
have cast herself as a threat to the chil-
dren's security. Certainly better options
were available.
The second issue equally demonstrates
some failure in full understanding. The
children were ordered by Judge Corcyca
to have a "healthy" relationship with their
father. The number of divorce cases filling
court dockets and the frequent animus
between the litigants in such cases is
ample evidence that "healthy" relation-
ships are not things within a court's
power to mandate. Certainly the judge
could wish for that outcome, but a wish
cannot become a command.
Karen Colby Weiner, J.D., Ph.D.
West Bloomfield
Tisha B'Av: As We Mourn,
Remember The Holocaust
The month of Av is a month of mourn-
ing for us, the Jewish people. On Tisha
b'Av, the ninth day of Av, we remember
the many tragedies that have befallen
our people. We mourn the destruction
of our holy temples, the first and second
Batei Mikdash, holy Temples, that were
National Counci o ewish Women
Greater Detroit Section
elebrating
124 years
Yiddish Limerick I
SAC 2 SCHOOL
Tisha B'Av
a project of NOW/Greater CI
Mir hobn forlorn* di Bais
HaMikdash,** even tzvay***
So, undzer Yidn,**** Lamentations
they will say.
Mir zitzn tzuzamen***** on
the ground
Nisht a shmeichl****** all
around.
On Tisha b'Av, tayere Yidn,*******
it's O.K.
* Mir hobn forlorn — We have lost
** di Bais HaMikdash — the Temple
*** tzvay — two
**** undzer Yidn — our Jews
***** Mir zitzn tzuzamen — We sit
JOIN US
For our 2nd Annual
Back 2 School Store
Sunday, August 9
A day for 375 underprivileged
Detroit students to receive the
right tools for a successful year.
Each child "shops" with a personal
shopper for new clothing, a
backpack, school supplies,
personal care items, and a book.
together
****** Nisht a shmeichl
—
Funding
Not a
Provided by individual, in-kind,
smile.
******* tayere Yidn — dear Jews.
— Rachel Kapen
destroyed more than 2,000 years ago.
Tens of thousands of men and women
were killed by the Romans just because
they were Jewish. We were driven out
from our holy country that God, Himself,
gave us. We were driven out from our
holy city of Jerusalem. We have been in
golus, in exile, ever since.
On Tisha b'Av, we must also remember
another churban, another tragedy, which
our generation experienced in Europe.
I am referring to the cold-blooded and
premeditated murder of our dearest pos-
session, our fathers, our mothers and our
families. We lived in Europe for hundreds
of years. We were good citizens. We
obeyed the laws of the country.
Then, in 1933, the Third Reich came
into power in Germany. It was eventu-
ally joined by many European countries.
Together they forced us out of our homes
and put us into ghettos. They built kill-
ing factories in Auschwitz, Majdenek and
Buna and hundreds of other cities. Our
Jewish brothers and sisters were mur-
dered in cold blood ... 6 million of them
... including 11/2 million children.
The 6 million kedoshim, holy ones,
never had a levaya or a kever (funeral
or gravesite). Their graves are in heaven
and in our hearts. Indeed, that was the
churban in our generation. That is the
Tisha b'Av for us, the survivors. Yes, the
Nazis killed 6 million Jews. They burned
our shuls and our holy books, but they
could not kill Yiddishkeit. Z'chor v'al
tishkach. Remember and never forget the
Holocaust.
Letters on page 6
It
and corporate donations,
foundation grants, support from
local and national companies,
and service groups.
Volunteers
Needed for set-up, to work on the
day of the store and planning for
next year.
Come make a difference
and put a smile on the
children's faces.
To learn more about our
Back 2 School Store, how you
can donate or volunteer,
visit www.ncjwgds.org and
follow the link.
We invite you to become
a Member today! Support
the work of NCJW/Greater
Detroit. Visit our website
or give us a call.
MISSION:
The National Council of Jewish Women
(NCJW) is a grassroots organization
of volunteers and advocates who turn
progressive ideals into action. Inspired
by Jewish values, NCJW strives for
social justice by improving the quality
of life for women, children and families
and by safeguarding individual rights
and freedoms.
26400 Lahser Road, Suite 306
Southfield MI 48033
248-355-3300
www.ncjwgds.org
IN
July 23 • 2015
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