jews d

in
the

Doing
What’s Right

Detroit Jews get the message
of Trump’s immigration order.

KERI GUTEN COHEN STORY DEVELOPMENT EDITOR

MICHAEL BUGARD

L

TOP: Detroit Jews for Justice group at
the Metro Airport protest.
CENTER: Suzanne Levin of Pleasant
Ridge is interviewed at the
airport protest.
BOTTOM: Randy and Leah Gawel
of Novi at the solidarity march in
Hamtramck.

12

February 2 • 2017

jn

ast Friday, President Donald
Trump signed an executive
order halting all refugee
entry to the U.S. for 120 days,
with admission of Syrian refugees
suspended indefinitely and block-
ing entry for 90 days to residents
from the mostly Muslim countries
of Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya,
Somalia and Yemen.
Coming just a week after wom-
en’s marches in Washington, D.C.,
and around the U.S., Trump’s action
fueled the determination of citizens
already primed to act.
Although a U.S. district judge on
Saturday granted an emergency
stay to part of Trump’s executive
order, protests already were set
in motion for Sunday at major
international airports in New York,
Boston, Atlanta, Chicago, Los
Angeles, San Francisco and more.
Detroit was no exception. An
estimated 2,500 people (organiz-
ers say 4,000) protested at Detroit
Metro Airport Sunday afternoon
at the McNamara terminal. Other
protests occurred in Ann Arbor,
Hamtramck, Dearborn, Traverse
City and Grand Rapids.
Jewish Detroiters were among
the protesters locally.
“I find it particularly ironic this
troubling executive order was
signed on Holocaust Remembrance
Day,” said Batya Schreiber of Oak
Park. “When I consider the lives
lost because the Jewish refugees
aboard the St. Louis were denied
sanctuary in 1939 and were
returned to Europe where many
of the passengers perished, I don’t
know how I could not try to do
what I can to prevent similar trag-
edies in my own time.
“The America I love opens its
arms to refugees and immigrants,
and values diversity.”

Suzanne Levin of Pleasant Ridge
protested “because my grandmoth-
er Clara Birnbaum came here from
Russia at age 7 in 1907 with vivid
memories of pogroms. She was just
one of 2 million Jews who came in
the late 1800s and early 1900s.
“Anne Frank was just one of 6
million Jews who died because no
country would take them. That is
why I protested,” Levin said.
Leah and Randy Gawel of Novi
were at the march in Hamtramck.
The week before, Leah and her
teen daughter attended a women’s
march in Ann Arbor.
“For our family,” Leah said, “it
was important to attend both ral-
lies because we are Jewish; because
my husband is one generation ‘off
the boat’ from Poland; because any
of my great-grandparents’ relatives
who remained in Europe were mur-
dered in the Holocaust; because we
believe in the fundamental ideals
that make America strong, diverse
and free; and because we simply
cannot sit and close our eyes in
outrage and fear.
“And, most importantly, because
we are American. It is our responsi-
bility to stand up for what is right.
“We also spend time each day
calling and emailing our elected
officials, demanding change,”
said Gawel, an educator at
Congregation Shaarey Zedek in
Southfield. Her husband is princi-
pal of Berkley High School.

JEWISH SUPPORT
The airport protest was organized
by Women March in Michigan and
the Michigan Muslim Community
Council, with JCRC/AJC and
Detroit Jews for Justice (DJJ) among
the partners. Nationally, all streams
of Judaism issued statements con-
demning the executive action.

“At the [airport] protest Sunday,
I saw an older woman in a hijab
holding a sign saying, ‘Anne Frank
was a Refugee. #neveragain.’ I start-
ed tearing up looking at her,” said
Alicia Chandler, a JCRC/AJC vice
president.
“It is our responsibility as Jews to
stand united with the Muslim com-
munity at this time. We know what
this discrimination feels like and
we know where this can lead.”
Rabbi Alana Alpert of DJJ said,
“It’s challenging for me to explain
why Jews need to stand with
immigrants, Muslims and refugees
— what could be more obviously
demanded of us? We were proud to
represent the best of Jewish tradi-
tion and hope that the larger Jewish
community will continue to join
these struggles.”
David Kurzmann, JCRC/AJC
executive director, said, “The scene
at DTW was a beautiful display of
democracy. Despite strong emo-
tions, it was entirely orderly and
there was not a single arrest. It was
a very patriotic gathering, includ-
signs that expressed solidarity with
our nation’s ideals and values.”
A JCRC/AJC statement said, “We
look to Jewish texts and traditions
that proclaim we should welcome
the stranger. The Torah admonish-
es 36 times against unjustly treating
the stranger. This is a Jewish and
American core value.”
As an immigrant, Jane Gazman
of Farmington, knows the impor-
tance of accepting the stranger.
She and her family came here in
1990 as refugees from the Soviet
Union. Through Jewish Detroit’s
Family-to-Family program, they
were “adopted” by Mandy Garver
and Allen Wolf. Her first introduc-
tion to Judaism was at a Shabbat
dinner at their house. The two
families became one and, 27 years
later, the friendship continues.
“I have achieved academically
and professionally,” Gazman, 36,
said. “My brother in Chicago is
a long-term volunteer with Big
Brother Big Sister. My parents
work for Ford Motor Company. My
stepfather holds multiple patents.
My grandfather Isaak Gazman has
volunteered building computers for
Jewish schools for nearly 25 years.
“Success and growth and hap-
piness are all possible when we
welcome people seeking a future
in America with open hearts and
open arms.” •

