viewpoints >> Send letters to: letters@thejewishnews.com Ask Attorney Ken Gross about... j ewfro How To Live In Detroit Without Being A Jackass A s Detroiters go, Aaron Foley "Is Eight Mile dangerous?" The answer: and I are basically the same, "Sure, if you put yourself in danger on except that he is black and Eight Mile, like attempting to rob a bank gay and grew up in Detroit and lives in on Eight Mile or sell drugs to strangers on Eight Mile:' Detroit. Other than that, our philosophies on the city — what he writes about in his 3. Everyone is a jackass in Detroit book How to Live in Detroit without Being sometimes, including both of us. Aaron a Jackass and my daily attempts to avoid and his partner bought a house near jackassness here — are substantially simi- Boston-Edison and learned firsthand how lar. Also I introduced him to Hygrade Deli, inherently difficult it is to enter, let alone so that's got to count for something. join a community with all due respect and 1.There are no Detroit humility: "But there was always experts, including either of us. that awkwardness of us having Whenever I give a tour of Detroit, just moved in. We lived among I start with — exclaiming as people who sent three genera- much as disclaiming — my non- tions to Central High, the school expertise. Aaron opens his book up the street ... I grew up think- noting that, despite some postur- ing Central was one of those ing otherwise, "no one can ever bad-kid schools where fights be an expert on Detroit The city broke out every day." Ben Falik is just too large for anyone to do a Contributing How have I been a jackass Writer in Detroit over the years? Let comprehensive analysis of life in this city:' me count the ways! Once, I Detroit isn't just changing; the rate of proposed to an Arab American center change is changing. Rather than dueling that we paint a mural of a cross, Jewish facts and figures, newcomers and long- star and crescent — on the side of their time Detroiters are better served sharing building on Seven Mile. When Summer (and actively listening to) each other's in the City bought the house adjacent to perspectives. its headquarters, we considered turning 2. Detroit is a lot like a lot of places, the entire thing into an apiary (bees). To except for all the ways it isn't. One of the say nothing of our regrettable experiments best things about Aaron's book is that it is with Quikrete and bottlecaps. grounded in the banalities of everyday life 4. We can neither simply solve nor here. In a city that has seen high highs and afford to ignore race in Detroit. My fam- low lows, laws — as dictated by govern- ily and I are white. Or, as Tinehisi Coates ment and physics — still generally apply. proposes in Between the World and Me, Most people manage to lead ordinary we have been brought up to believe we are lives in sometimes extraordinary circum- white in a "dream" that separates — and stances. imperils — communities of color. In Chapter 3, "Difficult Questions About Aaron writes, "Detroit and black- Detroit With Simple Answers:' he writes, ness are interwoven; they cant easily be Speaking on behalf of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Metropolitan Detroit, which I head, we are pleased that the tone and content reported at the White House meet- ing Nov. 9 between President Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu reflects the foundation of the U.S.-Israel relationship: two allies working together and cooperating on issues of common concern. The U.S. remains committed to Israel's undone. And you are told constantly that you are monolithic, that you are worth- less, your existence is incomparable, you had it worse off, you didrit make it out, you did make it out but you're nothing more than an affirmative-action case, you are too defensive, you are loud, dirty and unkempt, and that you are a malady" To borrow from him borrowing from Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy, "Only when we are honest about our issues can we truly solve them:' 5. The future of the city is not yet written. Both encouraging and daunt- ing when you consider the challenges of co-authoring something so epic. I often close my Detroit spiel asking volunteers and visitors to, yes, say nice things about Detroit — and, as importantly, to distin- guish between being critical and cynical, sympathetic and empathetic. Between opportunity and opportunism, pity and solidarity. Aaron's admonition to Detroit's new- comers is simple: "If you have read all this and want to learn even more about the history of the city and don't consider your- self a savior, well, then you will do fine here. Welcome to Detroit. Don't forget to pay your property taxes:' How to Live in Detroit without Being a Jackass is an invaluable, imperfect book. But you don't have to take my word for it! Aaron will be reading, signing and shmoozing at the Repair the World Workshop (2701 Bagley Ave. in Southwest Detroit, ample parking) on Thursday, Dec. 10, at 6 p.m. * Dry Bones letters Obama, Netanyahu Get Down To Work Your Legal Issues security and is united with Israel in the battle against terrorism. Both countries share the goals of containing Iran's ambitions toward a nuclear weapon, advancing the peace process with the Palestinians and fighting the instability in the region exemplified by extremists like ISIS. We are encouraged that the impor- tance of U.S.-Israel cooperation in the face of these challenges was reaffirmed in the meeting between the two leaders. THEY CAN HURT US, THEY CAN FRIGHTEN US, THEY CAN DEPRESS US, THEY CAN DISAPPOINT US, BUT THEY CAN NEVER DEFEAT US, FOR WE ARE HOME! NEVER AGAIN! IMPORTANT MESSAGE I'm retired. My credit card debt and housing costs are too high. Do I keep paying?! If you are elderly, retired and living on a fixed income and your obligation on your credit cards and housing costs leaves you no money for food, transportation and living, you can and must do something to fix the problem. You can't keep paying until you are broke. There are solutions that will get rid of the credit card debt and trim your housing costs - so you have money to live and enjoy your retirement - but you need to take action. L THAV GROSS has been solving its clients' business, tax and financial problems since 1982. Be sure to tune in the Law and Reality - Sundays at 11 AM on TV20 and Tuesdays Noon -1 PM on WCHB 1200AM/99.9FM. 0 THAV GROSS Dr. Richard Krugel, president Jewish Community Relations Council of 888.235.4357 (HELP) or 248.645.1700 Metropolitan Detroit Bloomfield Township For information, visit us online at thavgross.com • lawandreality.com www.drybones.com 30150 Telegraph, Suite 444 Bingham Farms, MI 48025 continued on page 6 November 19 2015 5