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NOT ALL SUICIDE
IS PREVENTABLE
Having just buried our 42-year-old nephew
who took his own life, imagine my surprise
when I read the article “Death Isn’t The
Answer” (Nov. 3, page 18) featuring com-
ments by Rabbi Daniel Syme.
In the story, the rabbi said, “Every bit of
evidence we have suggests that suicide is
preventable …”
I am uncertain whose evidence he is using,
but for some people, it is not preventable. For
these folks, there is a biochemical element
that Syme ignores. What is of concern to me
is Syme’s opinion will cause additional grief
for those who are already suffering with the
grief that maybe they could have done some-
thing to prevent the suicide.
There is so much we don’t know about
suicide. I believe that it is not helpful to make
sweeping generalizations.

Pola Friedman
Bloomfield Hills

Editor’s Note: We asked Rabbi Syme to
respond to the above letter.

I SHARE THE PAIN
OF FAMILY SUICIDE
I have read Pola Friedman’s letter and spoken
to her by phone. The last thing I would ever
do is to intentionally increase the pain of
anyone who has suffered a loss by suicide,
and for that I apologize.
As one who lost my 21-year-old brother,
Michael, to suicide in 1975, I know all too
well the sense of helplessness and guilt of
believing I could have saved him had I gotten
him help at once.
Mrs. Friedman is correct. There is still
so much that is unknown about suicide,
but that does not mean, at least to me, that
nothing can be done. Remarkable initiatives
are under way at the University of Michigan
Depression Center, under the direction of
Dr. John Greden, the first such center in the
United States, which also includes the Heinz
C. Prechter Bipolar Research Fund.
Their work, and that of many other
institutions, will, I believe, help us achieve
the same sort of breakthroughs in suicide
that we have seen in other diseases, such as
cancer.
That sense of hope is what led me to dedi-
cate myself to the new “Single Soul” youth
suicide prevention program of Jewish Family
Service. So, I will do my best, and I will
never give up, but I will always share in the
grief of any family that has lost a loved one
to suicide.

Rabbi Daniel B. Syme
Bloomfield Township

JN ENDORSED WRONG
PRESIDENTIAL CHOICE
I’m sorry that your reading of Atlantic’s
endorsement of Hillary Clinton caused the
Jewish News to echo that cry for election
(“JN Endorses Clinton For President,” Oct.

8 November 24 • 2016

27, page 6). This because she was, if the JN
would read her accomplishments, the least
qualified in the 2016 presidential horserace.
Read Hillary’s boasting. Her support for
Obamacare (and its design for bankruptcy);
support of the Iran nuclear deal — even
though it was loudly opposed by Israel as a
real threat; Clinton’s dismissal of four dead
Americans at Benghazi — maintaining it
was only a minor rebellion at the anti-Arab
movies; the Clinton files from the U.S. State
Department that remain unread by the
general public; and her lack of a defense for
decades of money accumulation while on the
governmental payroll. Nevertheless, the JN
endorsed her with no analysis.
And Donald Trump, with no governmen-
tal experience, offered a drastic change in
where our federal government is headed. He
advocated a fence to stop the disintegration
of the borders of America, and Trump won
the majority in the country (leaving out New
York and California) and achieved 270-plus
in the Electoral College. It seems to be that
the American people really wanted a change,
and who can blame them? Seems to be what
a decentralized democracy does.

Michael Drissman
Farmington Hills

TRUMP ELECTION
CAUSES DISTRESS
As the election of Donald Trump became
a reality on Wednesday, Nov. 9, many of us
were sadly commemorating the 78th anni-
versary of Kristallnacht in Germany, when
uncontrolled mobs of Nazis burned hun-
dreds of synagogues, smashed Jewish stores,
arrested thousands of Jews and caused many
Jews to commit suicide. The majority of
decent Germans turned their heads for fear
of retribution or out of indifference. Some
have suggested that Kristallnacht was the
beginning of the Holocaust.
As someone who has personally experi-
enced that infamous night, the Trump vic-

tory sent shudders down my spine. We now
have a president-elect enthusiastically sup-
ported by neo-Nazis, by the KKK, by white
supremacy groups and other right-wing
extremists.
Moreover, his election is gleefully cheered
by many, many extreme right-wing xeno-
phobic and anti-Semitic European parties in
France, Hungary, the Netherlands, Germany,
Italy, Sweden, etc., as any unbiased perusal
of the news will reveal. Does that not make
us Jews think of what a Trump presidency
might mean?
The “lock her up” crowds and the vitriolic
attacks on Clinton frankly should disturb us
especially. They remind me of the mobs at
Hitler rallies; they are too easily swayed by
inciting rhetoric.
I hope I am overly pessimistic, but I need
lots of convincing. Future actions by Trump
will show us soon enough the direction he is
choosing to take.

Eric Billes
West Bloomfield

TORAH WISDOM
IS COMFORTING
After the unexpected election result, I felt
comforted to read Rabbi Aura Ahuvia’s Torah
portion commentary (“Our Lives As Service,”
Nov 10, page 47). It gave us remarkable uses
of the parshah Lech-Lecha to help all of us
manage our internal levels of stress and cope
with future uncertainties that we are mostly
powerless to influence.
Whether we look inward or outward, as
she says, it restores meaning to our lives.

Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry, is held to
educate and bring the Christian and Jewish
communities together in steadfast support
for the State of Israel.
One hundred enthusiastic pro-Israel sup-
porters attended the luncheon.
We listened with great interest to our
speaker, Andre Douville, CEO of the Walk
for Israel, discuss the status of Israel and the
upcoming election with Rev. Tim Munger,
executive director of the Great Lakes Friends
of Israel.
We came away encouraged by our
Christian friends who expressed their whole-
hearted commitment to the survival of the
State of Israel and its people.
As Psalm 133:1 states: “Behold, how good
and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell
together in unity.”
Our congratulations and thank you to Rev.
Tim Munger for his tireless efforts with this
yearly program and his organization’s dedica-
tion to Israel.

Barbara Moretsky, Margot and Herb Gardner,
StandWithUs-Michigan;
Paul Matlin, Irving Ginsberg and Ed Kohl,
Volunteers for Israel;
Eugene Greenstein,
Zionist Organization of America-Michigan

Yiddish Limerick

Irv Wengrow
Troy

ISRAEL’S CHRISTIAN
FRIENDS APPRECIATED
On Sunday, Nov. 6, we had the privilege of
attending the “Thank God for Israel Day” at
the Sheraton Hotel in Novi.
This annual event, sponsored by the

THANKSGIVING

Dos kumt nor* in November un
keinmol** in May
Dos kumt nor on Donershtik,*** it’s
all I would say.
Mir zogn a dahnk**** for all
we possess
Gezunt un parnoseh***** and
everything else.
Mir essn un essn****** on Thanks-
giving Day.

* Dos kumt nor — it comes only
** un keinmol — and never
*** Donershtik — Thursday
**** Mir zogn a dahnk — we say a
thank you
***** Gezunt un parnoseh — health
and livelihood
****** Mir essn un essn — we eat
and eat.

— Rachel Kapen

