views
essay
letters
Iran’s Bad Year
I
ran is deter-
mined to be the
leader of the
Middle East and
it’s working hard to
earn this title. The
Shi’ite regime has
been attempting to
Kobi Erez
create a territorial
continuity expanding
from Tehran to the
Mediterranean Sea,
and it’s getting closer
to realizing that goal. This is espe-
cially true after the nuclear deal Iran
made with the U.S. and the billions
of dollars that came with it. This
money has been used to fuel Iran’s
proxy Shi’ite terrorist organizations
that are fighting against the Sunni
Muslims and Israel in Syria, Yemen,
Iraq, Lebanon and Gaza.
Of course, investing vast resources
in military expansion instead of in its
people has come with a price. Iran’s
economy is now crippled. Iranian
currency, the rial, has fallen to a
new low of 90,000 to the dollar. Over
12 percent of Iranians are unem-
ployed, inflation has skyrocketed and
imports are too expensive for most
citizens to buy. In addition, Donald
Trump’s decision to exit out of the
Iran nuclear deal will have a major
effect on Iran’s economy, reinstating
sanctions and forcing international
businesses and investors to flee the
country. President Trump’s decision
will also result in a significant reduc-
tion in Iran’s main revenue asset —
oil exports.
This recent economic disaster has
prompted thousands of Iranians
around the country to take to the
streets and protest against their
government. Videos of Iranians
angered by Iran’s investment in ter-
rorist organizations have emerged
on the internet showing protestors
shouting, “Death to Palestine,” “No to
Gaza, no to Lebanon,” and “Invest in
us — not in Syria.” The Iranian gov-
ernment tries to suppress the protes-
tors, arresting them and even killing
them, but the regime understands
that bullets alone will not deter peo-
ple who have nothing to lose.
The most recent set of protests is
only one link in a chain of protests
that have been erupting in Iran every
few months over the last year and
a half. Iranian women have been
demonstrating against their Islamic
government, violating one of its
most fundamental rules by pulling
off their headscarves in some of the
busiest public squares and burn-
ing them in front of cameras. These
images have spread across social
media, inspiring other women to do
the same, even at the expense of vio-
lent attacks and arrests.
History has taught us that giving
in to a bully in hope that he will back
off only convinces him to become a
bigger bully with hope for an even
greater reward. In 1938, British
Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain
believed that if he would just
appease Hitler by letting him take
Contributing Writers:
Ruthan Brodsky, Rochel Burstyn, Suzanne
Chessler, Annabel Cohen, Don Cohen, Shari
S. Cohen, Shelli Liebman Dorfman, Adam
Finkel, Stacy Gittleman, Stacy Goldberg, Judy
Greenwald, Ronelle Grier, Esther Allweiss
Ingber, Allison Jacobs, Barbara Lewis, Jennifer
Lovy, Rabbi Jason Miller, Alan Muskovitz,
David Sachs, Karen Schwartz, Robin Schwartz,
Steve Stein, Joyce Wiswell
Arthur M. Horwitz
Publisher / Executive Editor
ahorwitz@renmedia.us
F. Kevin Browett
Chief Operating Officer
kbrowett@renmedia.us
| Editorial
Managing Editor: Jackie Headapohl
jheadapohl@renmedia.us
Story Development Editor:
Keri Guten Cohen
kcohen@renmedia.us
Arts & Life Editor: Lynne Konstantin
lkonstantin@renmedia.us
Digital/Social Media Editor:
Hannah Levine
hlevine@renmedia.us
Editorial Assistant: Sy Manello
smanello@renmedia.us
Senior Columnist: Danny Raskin
dannyraskin2132@gmail.com
Contributing Editor: Robert Sklar
rsklar@renmedia.us
| Advertising Sales
Sales Director: Keith Farber
kfarber@renmedia.us
Account Executives :
Martin Chumiecki, Wendy Flusty,
Annette Kizy
Sales Manager Assistant :
Karen Marzolf
| Business Offices
Billing Coordinator: Pamela Turner
control of the “Sudetenland,” Hitler
would refrain from further con-
quests. This move actually convinced
the German leader that the Allies
were too weak to stop his planned
invasions of European countries.
The Oslo agreement, the disen-
gagement from Gaza and the Iran
deal have all proven that trying to
appease terrorism only leads to fur-
ther bloodshed. The Palestinian gov-
ernment and the terror group Hamas
receive billions of dollars to help
the Palestinian people but use them
instead to promote terrorism and to
pay families of terrorists. Just in the
past three months, Hamas has spent
more than $45 million in their riots
along the Gaza-Israel border that
resulted in 700 fires and the burning
of 2,300 acres of Israeli forests, 2,000
acres of Israeli agricultural land and
hundreds of acres of open fields.
Now that Iran’s economy is weak-
ened, it is imperative that the U.S.
and Israel block efforts by European
countries to lift sanctions on Iran
and to offer financial relief. An eco-
nomically weak and unstable Iranian
government will prompt Iranian
protestors to continue their struggle
to divert money invested in terror-
ism back to the Iranian people and
perhaps even bring a change the
current regime, one that we know is
determined to destroy Israel and the
U.S . •
Volunteering For Israel
Regarding “Volunteers For Israel Starts
New Program” ( July 19, page 5), VFI
offers three exciting ways to volun-
teer on an IDF Army Base in a civilian
capacity and also tour Israel. These
programs are: VFI Plus, VFI Plus
Advanced and VFI Plus Archaeology.
The VFI Plus programs offer unique
opportunities to tour and volunteer
while immersing one’s self in Israeli
culture. A five-minute video describing
the programs can be found at www.
tinyurl.com/vfiplus.
Volunteers for Israel is associated
with Sar-El, a nonprofit organization
that administers the program in Israel
and offers a way to contribute to the
State of Israel in a very direct way.
I’m the Great Lakes regional man-
ager and have been involved in orga-
nizing and leading these exciting new
additions to VFI’s program options.
For more information, contact me or
Ed Kohl at michgan@vfi-usa.org, call
(248) 420- 3729 or visit the VFI-USA
website www.vfi-usa.org.
Carol Kent
West Bloomfield
Correction:
Maverick Levy, quoted in “Teen
Mentor” (Aug. 2, page 10), is a student
at Michigan State University,
not University of Michigan.
Kobi Erez is executive director of the Zionist
Organization of America-Michigan Region.
| Operations Manager
Tara Lennon
tlennon@renmedia.us
| Production By
FARAGO & ASSOCIATES
Manager: Scott Drzewiecki
Designers: Kelly Kosek, Amy Pollard,
Michelle Sheridan, Susan Walker
| Detroit Jewish News
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
| Departments
General Offi ces: 248-354-6060
Advertising: 248-351-5107
Advertising Fax: 248-304-0049
Circulation: 248-351-5120
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 2018 Detroit Jewish News
The Detroit Jewish News (USPS 275-520) is
published every Thursday at 29200 Northwestern
Highway, #110, Southfield, Michigan. Periodical
postage paid at Southfield, Michigan, and
additional mailing offices. Postmaster: send
changes to: Detroit Jewish News, 29200
Northwestern Hwy., #110, Southfield, MI 48034.
To make a donation to the
DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
FOUNDATION
go to the website
www.djnfounadtion.org
OUR JN The Jewish News aspires to communicate news and opinion that’s useful, engaging, enjoyable and unique. It strives to reflect the full range of diverse viewpoints while also advocating positions that strengthen
Jewish unity and continuity. We desire to create and maintain a challenging, caring, enjoyable work environment that encourages creativity and innovation. We acknowledge our role as a responsible, responsive
MISSION member of the community. Being competitive, we must always strive to be the most respected, outstanding Jewish community publication in the nation. Our rewards are informed, educated readers, very satisfied
advertisers, contented employees and profitable growth.
6
August 9 • 2018
jn
jn
1942 - 2018
Covering and Connecting
Jewish Detroit Every Week