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Making A
Difference
National Council of Jewish Women

Greater Detroit Section

for openers

Fall? No! I’m Just Not Ready!

I

’m in the throes of the angst
because Halloween merchandise
I experience every year when
will start hitting store shelves far
I try to come to terms with
too early for my liking. There
the fact that it’s already (cue
oughta be a law.
theme music to Jaws) September.
Another telltale sign that sum-
The mere words “Labor Day”
mer is slipping away is the kickoff
send a chill up my spine. I’m not
of preseason football. For us Lions
ready for cider mill donuts, nor
fans, that’s a double dose of debili-
their greasy residue that makes
Alan Muskovitz tating depression. The
you wonder what they’re doing
Lions suffer from their own
to your insides if their ingredi-
version of Seasonal Affective
ents can disintegrate a paper bag within
Disorder — it’s called football season.
seconds.
Correction: The Lions suffer from
I’m not ready to see if last year’s High
Seasonal Inaffective Disorder.
Holiday suit still fits. I’m not ready to com-
Plus, you can’t escape the current
mit to my snow removal company — pay
onslaught of television networks promot-
by the push or the seasonal rate? I’m not
ing what they guarantee will be “this fall’s
ready to give up my summer!
funniest new comedy!” It better be funny
Yes, technically the Autumnal Equinox
if it’s going to compete with the knee-
is still three weeks away, but you can’t deny slapping hijinks certain to be on display
that 75 degrees in September somehow
during this fall’s presidential debates.
feels colder than 75 degrees in June.
(Pause … place paper bag over mouth
Look, I’m not ashamed to admit I suf-
and nose, take a deep breath in, exhale
fer from Seasonal Affective Disorder. But
slowly, repeat.)
I find it hard to believe, with summer
OK, I’m back, and I’m so sorry if in
drifting away as fast as the Tigers’ chances any way this self-indulging pity party of a
of making the post-season, that we all
dissertation regarding my personal battle
don’t fall somewhere on the spectrum. My with a mere change in seasons has been a
Kroger has had ceramic pumpkins on dis- downer. It’s my problem, not yours, and I
play for weeks! I’d like to meet the person
hope you’ll find it in your heart to forgive
who doesn’t shudder at that sight.
me. Shame … on … me.
You know “the change” is coming when
(Cue soothing background music.)
in late August you have to adjust the
How quickly I’ve forgotten that every fall
timers on your home’s outside lights as
Mother Nature uses her trees as a canvas,
sundown arrives earlier each day. Back-
transforming leaves into a breathtaking
to-school ads, running now for weeks,
mosaic of color. How dare I lament that
contribute to the pain. And don’t blink
the High Holidays are fast approaching —

Rachel Matz

a time to reflect, give thanks and ask for
forgiveness all while providing a chance
to reboot and prepare for what we pray
is another sweet New Year. I don’t need
summer to do that. I’ve got all that and so
much more to look forward to … this fall!
Yes! Bring it on, fall!
Whew. I feel so much better. Finally, a
feeling of well-being that I know will sus-
tain me through the months ahead … as
long as I remember to get my flu shot.
Flu shot! Want to talk flu shots? There
are already signs outside pharmacies that
they’re available! Come on, couldn’t they
have at least waited a couple more weeks
to promote that?

*

Alan Muskovitz is a writer, voice-over/acting tal-
ent, speaker, emcee and a regular guest host on the
Mitch Albom Show on WJR AM 760. Visit his website
at laughwithbigal.com and “Like” Al on Facebook.

letters

Beating Back
Radical Islam

Contributing Editor Robert Sklar’s
Aug. 18 essay “Can Israel Overcome
Palestinian Religious Decree” (page
6) was interesting. Unfortunately, the
“elephant in the room” is political
Islam.
You can’t have peace when you teach
your children to hate, and that ties
back to political Islam (Sharia law).
Over a year and a half ago,
President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of
Egypt, a devout Muslim, made the
need for a reformation in Islam
clear when he addressed the Islamic
scholars at Al-Azhar University.
On Dec. 28, 2014 (www.memritv.
org/clip/en/4704.htm), he said, basi-

cally, “We can’t keep preaching we
want to kill all those who don’t believe
the way we do.”
Hamas is a branch of the Muslim
Brotherhood, as is ISIS. The Muslim
Brotherhood creed is: “Believers are
but Brothers,” “Islam is the Solution,”
“Allah is our objective,” “the Qur’an is
our law,” “the Prophet is our leader,”
“Jihad is our way,” and “Dying in the
way of Allah is our highest hope.”
Moderate Muslims who don’t buy in
are afraid to speak up, and their voices
are not sought out or supported by
our government in any aspect of the
“peace process.”
Unfortunately, without a change in
ideology, how can there be peace?

Eugene Greenstein
Farmington Hills

CORRECTION
• Danny Raskin’s column on Aug. 25
(page 74) should have stated that Benito
Mautone, founder of Benito’s Pizza, was
one of the first franchisees of Domino’s
Pizza in 1969, and that is where Benito
met and worked with Tom Monaghan.

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It has been a widely accepted criticism
that “kids these days” do not care about
the world around them. However, I see
the opposite in my classroom every day
as students pursue social justice and
equity. When I learned of GROW (Girls
Reaching Outward) and its mission,
empowering young girls to advocate on
behalf of women, children, and families
everywhere, I quickly signed on as their
advisor. As such, I have been privileged
to guide an incredible group of creative
young women who are passionate
about inspiring change.

GROW, which is the teenage division
of National Council of Jewish Women,
Greater
Detroit
(NCJW/Greater
Detroit), began as a vehicle for high
school girls to learn about and pursue
advocacy on a local, state, and national
level. Their focus topic this year is
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toward its eradication and for better
support for its victims and survivors.
In addition to discussing this important
issue, the GROW girls are working
with NCJW/Greater Detroit at-large
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Awareness Symposium on October 30.

I am looking forward to my continued
work with GROW. It has been an
absolute honor to work with the
GROW girls for the last two years and
to witness the girls gaining a broader
global perspective and pursuing ways
to advocate for those who need it. My
hope is that their work with GROW
will encourage the girls to maintain a
lifelong commitment to advocacy and
to speaking up and speaking out.

Join NCJW/Greater Detroit today.
Become a new annual member and
take advantage of our special $25
annual membership fee in honor
of our 125th Anniversary.
Call us at (248)355-3300 ext. 0

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.

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September 1 • 2016

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