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National Council of Jewish Women

Greater Detroit Section

j ewfro

Invites you to our

Fall Focus
Annual Meeting

REPAIR
Let's Keep Repairing The World Together TH
Well LI)

F

ive years ago, my world and the
I had a byline about Jews and Chaldeans
world around me were in disrepair. volunteering together in Northwest
Against a backdrop of crashing
Detroit. That fall, I shared my clumsy
home values, fleeing talent, tee-
thoughts about being in Upper
tering automakers, racketeering
Manhattan on Sept. 11 in the
officials and foreboding census
pages of the JN.
figures, I failed at my legal
"Arthur; I said in the fall of
2010. (I'm both paraphrasing
practice.
I had many euphemisms
and picturing myself on a rotary
for this over the months and
phone with a cigar and fedora.)
years that followed: honor-
"There's lot going on out there,
able discharge, irreconcilable
and I have a little to say about it
Ben Falik
right here'
differences, escape from neck-
ties, early release/retirement. I
Over the last 60 Jewfros, I've
fought the law and the law won. But it
had about 40,000 words to say; four were
was the first time my life had ever veered the "word" Backpacktacular (now five).
off a smooth, stable path. I felt like I had
Second, I got back to repairing the
let people down.
world. Owing to the crisis here — and, I
In contrast to my son's first ultrasound think, Katrina fatigue, five years after the
(during a break from my law school
levees broke — many national groups
Election Protection duties in Highland
began flying over Detroit or parachuting
Park on Nov. 4, 2008), my daughter's (the in. Repair the World, a new Jewish orga-
same day as the beginning of the end at
nization based on an old Jewish idea,
the firm) seemed decidedly less hope-
had a novel idea: Hire someone local to
ful. I cried both nights.
repair the world locally. (Me.)
Two things happened over what
I could kvell about the meaning-
seemed like an eternity and was, in
ful, measurable work the Repair the
World Fellows (more on them in my
hindsight, mercifully quick succession.
Continuing Investigation of Emerging
First, I called Jewish News Publisher
Arthur Horwitz. I'm not sure if it was
Adulthood) and our volunteers have
chutzpah or muscle memory.
done. Instead, I want to invite you to
I had turned up at the IN in the sum-
partner with us as we partner with
mer of 2001 and, thanks to a glitchy
strong communities and organizations
transition to iMacs, he put me to work
throughout Detroit. Here are just a few
right away fielding calls from loyal read-
of the myriad ways you can get involved.
ers none too pleased when their copies
Freedom House. You don't have to
didn't arrive — especially if their neigh-
spend much time with the residents of
bors' had. Before the summer was over,
Freedom House — refugees from all

over the world seeking
asylum from persecu-
tion, living together in the old convent
at Saint Anne's Church in Southwest
Detroit — to realize that the world is
big and your problems are small. We
host Monday-evening workshops for the
residents and need you to join us as an
instructor or facilitator (or participant)
for topics including American history,
financial literacy, creative writing, insur-
ance, popular culture, local politics and
whatever else we dream up together.
Project Healthy Community.
PHC may be deeply rooted in the Old
Neighborhood, but it is firmly focused
on the present and future of its residents.
You can work and play with the students
at Schulze Elementary after school
or help at their FUN (Fundamentals
of Understanding Nutrition) Pantry
Friday mornings. Down the street at the
Northwest Activities Center (at Meyers
and Curtis), support monthly food dis-
tributions or the community garden.
More at projecthealthycommunity.org
Angels' Night. On Oct. 30, Detroiters
and allies take back their neighborhoods
from vandals and arsonists. It's safe,
supportive and successful citywide. We
will be hosting festivities in Southwest
Detroit for people who want to carb up
after work before patrolling or just want
to help negate a negative night with your
positive presence.
Interested? Inspired? Indubitably! Get
in touch: ben@werepair.org or (313)
3388-BEN. *

It's hard to take complaints about
Jewish extremism in Israel seriously
when there have been almost daily
reports of Jews being attacked and
murdered by Palestinian terrorists on
the streets of Jerusalem.
Jewish children, of course, are not
spared by these savages. Children are
also targets of Palestinians who gather
specifically to harass Jews on the
Temple Mount.
Israeli police have acted as rescuers
more than once. The Al Aqsa Mosque,

Kym Worthy

Wayne County
Prosecutor

In acknowledgement of
Domestic Abuse
Awareness Month
Thursday, October 29, 2015
7:00 pm speaker

Refreshments following

Temple Shir Shalom

3999 Walnut Lake Road
West Bloomfield

Currently, Ms. Worthy is
involved in resolving the
massive backlog of 11,000
unprocessed rape kits in
the city of Detroit. She is
controversial, courageous,
brilliant, fearless, and tenacious.

Members: $10.00
Non-Members: $15.00

letters

Attacks On Jews
The Major Issue

featuring

an alleged Muslim holy site, has been
used by Palestinian terrorists to store
some of the weapons they use in their
attacks.
Are we to ignore the fact that Jews,
even in Israel, are under constant
attack to focus on a single murder at
a gay pride parade by a Jew? A single
attack on a Palestinian home is more
of a threat to Israel than Palestinian
terrorism?
I don't think so.
Israeli society has been beating its
collective breast because clues point
to possible Jewish arsonists in the case
of the torched Palestinian home. This
is in contrast to Palestinian society

where terrorists are lionized. Hamas
referred to the murder of two Jewish
parents in front of their four children
as a "heroic operation."
Can we also acknowledge the
threats posed by the Iranian nuclear
program and the Russian army on
Israel's Syrian border?
These are concrete dangers, which
must be faced by sober minds as
opposed to hyperventilating over
exaggerated spiritual threats.

Harry Onickel

Ferndale

(When you join NCJW as a new member
at the event or when registering for the
program in advance, receive $10 off of
your first year annual membership)

Students:
Free (with valid student ID)

For more information or to register please
call 248-355-3300, ext. 0,
Mail check made payable to
NCJW/Greater Detroit, 26400
Lahser Rd, Ste. 306, Southfield, MI 48033
or pay online at

www.ncjwgds.org

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

continued on page 6

and freedoms.

JN

October 15 •2015 5

