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Tlaib Seeking Global Spotlight
to the Detriment of her District
M
ichigan’s 13th
Congressional District
is one of America’s most
impoverished. Anchored by large
swaths of the city of Detroit, it
reflects the massive challenges
faced by many of the approximate-
ly 700,000 people who reside with-
in its boundaries. Inferior public
and charter schools. Crumbling
infrastructure. High unemploy-
ment and low wages. Dirty air and
water. Neglected and often dan-
gerous neighborhoods. Shocking
levels of adult illiteracy. Shorter life
expectancies.
Its future representative in
Congress, Rashida Tlaib, will have
no shortage of opportunities to
try and ease the pain her constitu-
ents — two-thirds who are African
American or Hispanic — feel every
day.
It is unlikely the people of
the 13th Congressional District
expected their future representa-
tive’s first public initiative on their
behalf to be organizing her own
Congressional trip to Israel and
areas under Palestinian Authority
rule. But that is what Rashida Tlaib
is putting at the top of her agenda
— something totally disconnected
from the basic of needs of her con-
stituents.
The unexpected retirement of
Democratic Congressman and civil
rights icon John Conyers created
a unique vacancy for voters this
past August. First, they were asked
to elect someone to fill the rest of
Conyers’ term and did so with the
election of Brenda Jones. Then,
they were tasked with electing a
new representative for a full two-
year term, beginning in January.
In a six-way race, Tlaib received
31.2 percent of the vote, edging out
Jones by less than 1,000 votes.
As a state legislator, Tlaib was
a passionate and visible advocate
for her constituents, many who
suffered for decades in the shadow
of Southwest Detroit’s Marathon
Oil refinery and the Ambassador
Bridge. She called out those exhib-
iting sexual harassment against
her, regardless of their place in the
community. If elected, her track
record suggested the people of
the 13th Congressional District
would have a strong and youthful
voice advocating for their myri-
ad domestic needs. A refreshing
change from the venerated but
vigorless Conyers.
But with national and glob-
al media focusing on her as a
Palestinian-American trailblazer,
that spotlight — taking on AIPAC
(American Israel Public Affairs
Committee), championing the
Boycott, Divest and Sanctions
(BDS) movement against Israel and
a “one-state solution” that would
eliminate Israel as the nation-
state of the Jewish people — is too
intoxicating.
Congresswoman-elect Tlaib
— the people of the 13th District
need you to carry on their fight
first. Every day you chase the
global spotlight dilutes your focus
from their needs and means that
one more life — right here — is
irreparably harmed. Once your
constituents see and feel the results
of your primary and ongoing
commitment to them, they will be
more forgiving of your pursuit of
foreign affairs. Unless, of course,
you already recognize that you will
lose to a candidate in the August
2020 Democratic primary whose
interests are honestly aligned with
the entire district.
Since you intend to use your
election as a personal springboard
for a future foray into national and
international Middle Eastern poli-
tics, why not say so? Your constit-
uents deserve better. So does the
state of Michigan. ■
See story, page 16.
I have been lucky to spend significant
time in many American cities — New
York, Washington, D.C., New Orleans,
Philadelphia among them. I’ve always
said Pittsburgh is the most special.
In truth, my specific memories of
Pittsburgh are not city-specific: hot
summer days playing with my cousins in
my grandparents’ pool, lighting sparklers
on the front lawn on the Fourth of July
with my uncles and ice cream sundaes at
King’s with my grandma. It’s the people
that have made Pittsburgh the biggest
and brightest in my heart. The intangible
warmth of neighbors and friends, the
sincerity of people I knew and loved,
and the easy friendliness of strangers.
Pittsburgh is generations-deep filled with
families who took root and continued to
grow. Pittsburgh has heart. Pittsburgh is
the comeback kid, much like Detroit —
and like the Jewish people. As we say at
Pesach, in every generation, more than
one enemy has risen up to try to destroy
us; and in every generation God saves us.
If the tragedy inspires anything,
let it be love and not fear. Support
your community with your talents,
engagement and resources. Show up to
services. Don’t take it for granted that
we have so many beautiful buildings
housing talented and brilliant clergy
to lead us in prayer and ritual. Light
the Shabbat candles in your home and
invite friends to your table. Invest in
your children’s Jewish identity. We are
blessed to live in a time when we can
publicly light a giant menorah in the
middle of Detroit and spread the light
of our holiday with pride. That should
inspire awe.
This past Shabbat marked the end
of Sheloshim, the period of mourning
for the victims of the Oct. 27 massacre.
My Uncle Barry described praying
with his congregation, which has only
grown stronger, in a service held at
Beth Shalom. He felt the warmth of
friends and of happy memories he had
made there, having been married at
that very synagogue many years ago.
Even in darkness, perspective and faith
can light the way. May we all find our
own light. ■
Erika Bocknek of Farmington Hills is an assistant
professor of counseling psychology at Wayne
State University.
letters
Falbaum Incomplete
Proud of NIF
Berl Falbaum’s listing of anti-Semitic
participants on today’s political scene
is incomplete (Nov. 29, page 6). He
neglected to list Louis Farrakhan,
Keith Ellison, Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan
Omar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez,
Michigan’s new Lt. Gov.-elect
Garlin Gilchrist, Al Sharpton, Linda
Sarsour, J Street and supporters of
the BDS movement who single out
Israel, while ignoring all the other
countries who are practicing what
they condemn Israel for.
And to add to his listing of anti-
Semitic “lowlights”: Barack Obama/
John Kerry refusing to veto the
U.N. resolution putting all who pray
at the Jerusalem Wall, and other
holy Jewish shrines on “occupied
territory”and Obama/Kerry freeing
up hundreds of millions in cash to
send to Iran, who then finance the
groups who vow to destroy Israel.
Thank you for publishing the
eloquent guest column by Michael
Brodsky, a regional board member
of the New Israel Fund (“NIF
Represents Our Most Essential Jewish
Values,” Nov. 29, page 8). Michael’s
first-person account of why he was
initially drawn to NIF and how it
gives him and fellow millennials a
space in which to engage thoughtfully
with their Jewish heritage and Jewish
values in the context of the complex
issues facing Israeli society today, is
very powerful.
His call for inter-generational
support, understanding and
thoughtful nuance in our
conversations about Israel is a most
welcome breath of fresh air. As a
longtime contributor to the New
Israel Fund, I am proud of its great
work. I hope others will consider
becoming supporters of the New
Israel Fund. To learn more about all
that NIF does to help build a better
Israel, go to www.nif.org.
Larry Freedman
Clawson
Nancy F. Kaplan
West Bloomfield
8
December 13 • 2018
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