viewpoints » S end letters to: letters@thejewishnews.com
DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
theJEWISHNEWS.com
editorial
Arthur M. Horwitz
Publisher / Executive Editor
ahorwitz@renmedia.us
Jerusalem Must Stay A United City
F. Kevin Browett
Chief Operating Officer
kbrowett@renmedia.us
| Editorial
D
onald Trump’s wavering in
MAKING A CASE
response to a question about
On Dec. 4, the Zionist Organization of
whether he would consider
America issued a concise and unapologetic
Jerusalem, Judaism’s holiest city, the undi-
statement about the Jewish people’s indisput-
vided capital of Israel brings to light Arab
able claim to the city that has maintained a
pressure to designate the eastern sector of
Jewish presence for 3,000 years.
the historic city as the capital of a future
Israel holds what the ZOA called a “legal,
Palestinian state.
historical and moral right to its own
As the Republican frontrunner
undivided capital.” Jewish holy places,
in the 2016 presidential race, the
like the Western Wall, the Temple
New York real estate titan’s per-
Mount and the Mount of Olives, are
spective on Jerusalem, a biblical
located in the Arab-dominated east-
city with a re-established Jewish
ern sector. Hebrew University and the
majority since 1850, is pivotal
Jewish National Library also are there.
for Jews. The JN is steadfast in its
During Muslim Jordan’s illegal
belief that Jerusalem must stay
occupation
of east Jerusalem from
Donald Trump
united although provisions could
1948 to 1967, Jews and Christians
be made for some Arab autonomy
faced violence and vitriol as well as
in predominantly Palestinian neighbor-
religious restriction if not persecution. Under
hoods. Unity came when Israel won its 1967
Israeli sovereignty, Jews, Christians and
war against Arab forces.
Muslims alike are free to worship.
Speaking Dec. 3 before the Republican
Jewish Coalition in Washington, Trump
STAKING A CLAIM
refrained from taking a position whether
As for Israel’s legal right to what Israeli
Jerusalem should be a divided between
poet Naomi Shemer described as
Israel and the Palestinian Authority if it
“Jerusalem of Gold” in Israel’s unofficial
meant helping their decades-long conflict.
second anthem Yerushalayim Shel Zahav,
That revealing stance later became lost
the ZOA points to Jerusalem being part
amid Trump’s outrageous assertion that all
of the territory earmarked for a Jewish
Muslims should be banned temporarily from homeland in 1920 at the San Remo
entering the U.S. in the wake of increased
Conference, which drafted the League of
fears about terrorists infiltrating Syrian refu- Nations Charter.
gee pools.
The San Remo Resolution, passed by
the Supreme Allied Powers, recognized
that Great Britain was granted the British
Mandate in what then was called Palestine
to establish a Jewish homeland — a
“sacred trust in civilization,” according
to the League of Nations. The San Remo
documents recognizing the Jewish people’s
rights have never been superseded by an
internationally binding agreement.
SURE DANGER
It goes without saying a divided
Jerusalem would jeopardize Israel by giv-
ing Palestinian terrorists easier access
to Jewish holy sites, heavily Jewish west
Jerusalem and central Israel.
What’s more, the Jerusalem Embassy
Act passed by Congress in 1995 recognized
Jerusalem as Israel’s undivided capital and
mandated the U.S. Embassy be moved there
from Tel Aviv. Only a presidential waiver in
effect since then has stalled the long-overdue
move.
The act holds that “Jerusalem should
remain an undivided city in which the rights
of every ethnic and religious group are pro-
tected” and that “Jerusalem should be recog-
nized as the capital of the State of Israel.”
The act sends a powerful message.
Donald Trump’s waffling notwithstanding,
Jerusalem clearly is, and should remain, the
indivisible, eternal capital of Israel and the
Jewish people.
*
continued from page 5
JN, Jewish Agencies
Have Wrong Focus
I find it surprising that the Detroit Jewish
News manages to thrive despite being seri-
ously out of touch with its readership. We
have two major newspapers covering Detroit,
and I fail to see any compelling Jewish inter-
est in another rehash, and I say that despite a
financial stake in Detroit’s survival.
Sure, there are always the philanthropists
worthy of recognition that take up Detroit’s
cause, but they are too insignificant to
merit the number of pages dedicated to
them. Outreach is important, but not at the
expense of protecting our own.
Far more pertinent to Jews today is the
raging anti-Semitism on college campuses,
but that gets too little coverage to keep it on
the minds of those busy with everyday life.
In most cases, there’s no call for action or
coverage at all. Colleges produce the leaders
of tomorrow, and we should not be cavalier
about the ideas being put in their heads
today.
If this journal is the voice of the Metro
Detroit Jewish community, then it has a
duty to first and foremost report on issues
that matter to the Jewish community. We
need to know about fellow Jews being slan-
dered, harassed and assaulted; and once our
community has risen to their defense, we
then can be concerned for our neighbors in
Detroit.
There are serious existential threats to
our community and Jews in general, and
the last thing we need is to be lulled into
apathy with a diet of feel-good journalism.
Not one recent graduate in my family has
remained in this community, and Detroit’s
problems are not the reason.
I seriously doubt that the dearth of
printed rebuttal letters represents a con-
currence with your editorial policies based
on the comments of friends and family,
and they are predominantly progressive
and liberal. With no better option, they
subscribe for coverage of events and obitu-
aries; and most read from the back as if
written in Hebrew.
The problem is not limited to journal-
ism. I hear many people renouncing fur-
ther support of our Jewish charities and
organizations after finding them too busy
helping “others” to offer us assistance in
things like finding an affordable Jewish
nursing facility or even one in the neigh-
borhood. I just heard a tirade from some-
one whose mother landed in a Detroit
facility where visitors fear to tread, and no
tributes will be suggested in her obituary
going to those who turned their backs.
JVS is just “JVS” because the words no
longer define them, and apparently, that
includes the “J.” If these organizations are
not here to serve the Jewish community
and to address our unique needs or even
to elevate our repute, then they are redun-
dant to other secular organizations and a
wasteful dividing of resources.
Managing Editor: Jackie Headapohl
jheadapohl@renmedia.us
Story Development Editor: Keri Guten Cohen
kcohen@thejewishnews.com
Arts & Life Editor: Lynne Konstantin
lkonstantin@renmedia.us
Senior Copy Editor: David Sachs
dsachs@renmedia.us
Editorial Assistant: Sy Manello
smanello@renmedia.us
Senior Columnist: Danny Raskin
dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net
Contributing Editor: Robert Sklar
rsklar@renmedia.us
Contributing Writers:
Ruthan Brodsky, Suzanne Chessler, Annabel Cohen,
Don Cohen, Shari S. Cohen,
Shelli Liebman Dorfman, Ryan Fishman,
Stacy Gittleman, Judy Greenwald, Ronelle Grier,
Esther Allweiss Ingber, Harry Kirsbaum,
Barbara Lewis, Rabbi Jason Miller, Alan Muskovitz,
Steve Stein
| Creative Services
Corporate Creative Director: Deborah Schultz
dschultz@renmedia.us
Graphic Designer: Rebecca Schock
| Advertising Sales
Sales Director: Keith Farber
kfarber@renmedia.us
Account Executives : Kathryn Andros, Wendy Flusty,
Andrea Gusho, Annette Kizy, Melissa Litvin,
Paige Lustig
Sales Manager Assistants : Joelle Harder,
Karen Marzolf
| Business Offices
Billing Coordinator: Pamela Turner
Collections Analyst: Hazel Bender
| Production By FARAGO & ASSOCIATES
Manager: Scott Drzewiecki
Designers: Amy Pollard, Pam Sherevan,
Michelle Sheridan, Susan Walker
Published by: Renaissance Media
Chairman: Michael H. Steinhardt
President/Publisher: Arthur M. Horwitz
ahorwitz@renmedia.us
Chief Operating Officer: F. Kevin Browett
kbrowett@renmedia.us
Controller: Craig R. Phipps
Corporate Creative Director: Deborah Schultz
dschultz@renmedia.us
| Fulfillment
circulationdesk@thejewishnews.com
Customer Service Manager: Zena Davis
| Departments
General Offi ces: 248-354-6060
Advertising: 248-351-5107
Advertising Fax: 248-304-0049
Circulation: 248-351-5174
Classifi ed Ads: 248-351-5116
Advertising Deadline: Monday, 2 p.m.
Editorial Fax: 248-304-8885
Deadline: All public and social announcements must be
typewritten and received by noon Tuesday, nine days
prior to desired date of publication.
Subscriptions:
1 year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $85
2 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $153
3 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $204
1 year out-of-state . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $125
2 years out-of-state . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $225
Per year foreign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $300
Detroit Jewish News
29200 Northwestern Highway, Suite 110
Southfi eld, MI 48034
©copyright 2015 Detroit Jewish News
Dennis L. Green
Farmington Hills
To make a donation to the
DETROIT JEWISH NEWS FOUNDATION
go to the website
www.djnfounadtion.org
6 January 7 • 2016