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8 May 12 • 2016

he anti-Israel boycott, divestment clothing and other goods and, this month
and sanctions (BDS) movement
especially, Israeli food items.
continues to rear its ugly head
May is the month of Yom HaShoah
across our nation. We often hear reports
(Holocaust Remembrance Day), Yom
of academic associations, university stu-
HaZikaron (Israel Memorial Day) and Yom
dent governments, graduate
HaAtzmaut (Israel Independence
student unions and church
Day), and many associated commu-
groups voting to take punitive
nity events that bring Detroit Jewry
action against Israel, blaming
closer to each another and to Israel.
her solely and unfairly for the
Yet our faith commands us to also be
Palestinian-Israeli conflict. So
concerned about our greater com-
the Detroit JCRC is fighting
munity and to care about the less for-
back by turning BDS into Buy,
tunate. The JCRC’s Buy Israeli, Help
Defend and Support (Israel).
the Homeless project helps the Israeli
Richard Krugel economy and will also help those in
In a unique effort, the
Jewish Community Relations
need in our own community. The
Council (JCRC) is asking the Jewish com-
project builds Israel (Boneh Yisrael) and
munity and all local friends of Israel to
repairs our local community, tikkun olam.
“Buy Israeli and Help the Homeless.”
BDS as a tactic is deceptive, dishonest
Participants are encouraged to buy Israeli
and fundamentally unfair. But we know the
foods at local grocers, donate them at des-
pro-Israel community won’t be able to win
ignated drop-off sites and Israel-themed
every battle. There will be church groups
events in our community, and JCRC will
that vote to divest. University groups that
later transfer the goods to homeless shel-
call for breaking off academic relationships
ters in our community.
with Israeli colleges. Food co-ops that stop
With Passover, many stores greatly
carrying Israeli products. Attempts to stop
increased their offerings of Israeli-made
the delivery of Israeli goods at U.S. ports.
products and added extra shelf space to
Demonstrations against and shout-downs
accommodate them. Who would have
of Israeli speakers. But the actions of pro-
expected Lay’s Potato Chips, Knorr falafel
Israel individuals and groups are effective
mix, bagel flats, animal cookies, cereal
and can continue to be effective in giv-
bars, popcorn and mango juice — all made ing Israel the overseas support she needs
in Israel — to be available to Detroit area
and deserves. The Buy Israeli, Help the
shoppers? Your purchases could help to
Homeless project is a simple and direct way
encourage the grocers to carry these prod- you can make a difference in countering
ucts year-round.
BDS. Please join us.
All details on the JCRC project — avail-
Dr. Richard Krugel is president of the Jewish
able food items, grocers that carry them
Community Relations Council of Metropolitan
and the several drop-off locations in the
Detroit.
Jewish community — are listed at the
JCRC’s website, www.detroitjcrc.org.
The month-long effort, new to Detroit,
was started a couple of years ago in Great
Britain by North West Friends of Israel and
Sussex Friends of Israel, found great suc-
cess there and has spread internationally
since.
Why is JCRC doing this? It’s obvious
that Detroiters live some 6,000 miles from
Israel. But just because Israel is out of sight,
doesn’t mean that it is out of mind. We
have many ways to be supportive of the
Jewish State. Give to the Jewish Federation
and other organizations that provide fund-
ing to Israeli institutions. Monitor the
media, seek fair coverage and write letters
to the editor. Get to know our U.S. senators
and U.S. House members and ask them
to support Israel. Talk to your non-Jewish
neighbors, co-workers and friends about
Israel. And support Israel’s economy by
purchasing Israeli securities, Israeli-made

CORRECTIONS
• In “Documenting Mass
Murder” (May 5, page 40),
the last line of the story about
Father Patrick Desbois was
inadvertently cut off. The last
two paragraphs of the stories
should have read:
“I am moved by the work
Father Desbois is doing to
expose those murdered in the
Holocaust, not in camps or
ghettos, but by bullets,” said
Robin Axelrod, Holocaust
Memorial Center’s director of
education.
“He’s showing the world a
largely unknown chapter of the
Holocaust in order to identify
those who perished and make
us recognize and denounce the
ongoing epidemic of global
genocide. We must learn the
dangers of unrivaled hatred and
make the ethical choice to con-
demn it.”
• “Test Before You Toke”
(May 5, page 10) should have
stated that with a state-issued
medical marijuana certificate,
patients can grow up to 12
marijuana plants for individual
use or designate a caregiver to
grow marijuana on their behalf.
Caregivers can grow 12 plants
per patient on behalf of five
patients.
Also, Dr. Nina Robb was
misquoted on pages 12-13. The
article should have reported her
view that dosages for marijuana
edibles are not easier to adjust
for medical marijuana patients
than other marijuana options.