8 May 9 • 2019
jn
B
etween anti-Semitism, gender
inequality, gun violence and glob-
al warming, our world has a lot
of problems, and we deserve the change
we are craving to see.
Today, there are rough-
ly 2.2 billion of us on
Earth, and these issues
are too important for
us to leave to the rest of
our planet’
s population.
Together, we have the
ability to change this
world for the better, and
as a pretty average 5-foot-2-inch girl,
looking up, even I know how much this
world could use us.
Instead of sitting back and kicking
our feet up, let’
s take it on because we
are the ones who can handle it. You are
not just a child. You have the ability to
change these dilemmas into acceptance,
equal rights, gun control and safe tem-
peratures.
I am confident that every teen in this
world can make a difference.
Since the tragic shooting in Parkland,
Fla., the students from Stoneman
Douglas High School are undeniably
making a difference, and their change
has affected the entire country. Among
the most recognizable faces from that
community are Emma Gonzales and
David Hogg. Last February, Hogg used
his 1 million twitter followers to lead
a successful boycott against compa-
nies who support the National Rifle
Association. Many companies termi-
nated their relationship with the NRA
as a result of his boycott. Social media
can be teen activists’
best friend while
they advocate for what they believe in
because it is a productive, efficient way
to get the word out to many people at
a time.
According to CNN, Joshua Douglass,
a professor at the University of
Kentucky College of Law who special-
izes in voting rights and constitutional
law, says that activists from Parkland
show exactly why 16- and 17-year-
olds should be able to vote. He noted
that several places in the U.S., such as
Takoma Park, Hyattsville and Greenbelt
in Maryland, have a lower voting age
for local elections. Those voting stu-
dents can provide more opportunities
for other teens and even change the law!
However, we do not see changes like
that every day. Changes this intense
take enormous amounts of time and
effort. Even the littlest changes make a
big difference! According to the New
York Times, “In the spring of 1968, stu-
dent protests exploded on multiple con-
tinents. Some accomplished their stated
goals and others did not, but even the
latter contributed to a climate in which
change seemed possible and more peo-
ple were inspired to act” (Grinspan).
Whether or not you get the outcome
you are looking for, know that you can
make a difference by inspiring those
around you. From the first day of
student activism to today, the change
students have made has made a tre-
mendous impact all over the world.
You could be the next to inspire! And
remember, no change is too small!
Advocate for something you believe
in. Make change based on an experi-
ence you have had and encourage oth-
ers to do the same.
Whether it is for women’
s rights, gun
control, climate change, police violence,
etc., I encourage teens to stand up and
make change. Do not let your age stop
you from making the difference you are
capable of because we, the children, can
be the ones to make the change that this
world needs. ■
Lindsey Zousmer is a freshman at Bloomfield Hills
High School who belongs to Temple Israel, vol-
unteers at Friendship Circle and participates in
YFTI and BBYO.
commentary
Dear Gen Z:
You Can Make a Diff
erence
views
terumah (“gifts from the heart”) model
in an effort to make our community
accessible across economic strata. With
support from the D. Dan and Betty
Kahn Foundation, we have been able
to design innovative programming to
meet the needs of our young families,
like our “Babies, Bubbies & Babka”
kid-centric, musical Shabbat.
We invite young Jewish Detroiters,
like the ones referenced in the article,
to try us on for size. We may not be for
everybody, but we might be right for
you.
Mary Ellen Gurewitz, President
Jake Ehrlich, Community
Engagement Associate
Congregation T’
chiyah
Hateful Words
When Jewish Republicans continue
to say and do nothing when Donald
Trump spews hatred toward his real
or imaginary enemies, that hatred is
mentally ingested by xenophobic hate
mongers who incite potential murder-
ers, and these murderers care not who
they attack and kill, as long as they can
sate their hatred by killing perceived
enemies.
We, as Jews, were warned that
Trump’
s unrestrained hatred will not
stop at Muslims or Latinos or Asians
because he is inculcating his hateful
words to thousands of people who can-
not discern that he, Trump, doesn’
t hate
Jews, but only hear his song of hatred,
whenever he tweets or campaigns.
When is enough enough with his dia-
logue of hate?
Jewish and non-Jewish Trump sup-
porters may feel they are not complicit,
but because they say nothing to deter
him, their silence on his diatribes is
deafening. Attacks on Jews will contin-
ue, along with the other innocent vic-
tims, until Republican Jews open their
mouths and let their voices be heard by
demanding that Trump stop his hate-
mongering.
Jerry Soble
Orchard Lake
Drag Queen Bingo
Maybe our Jewish Federation and
Jewish Community Center were right in
closing the Oak Park JCC. And maybe
they are further right to support Drag
Queen Story Hour for 0- to 5-year-olds.
Or maybe they have long swayed from
their mission statement and need new
leadership.
Steven Zimberg
Huntington Woods
An Important Event
Sunday, I attended an amazing event,
“
A Day to Honor Israel,” at the Word
of Faith Church in Southfield orches-
trated by Christians United For Israel.
The event started with spiritual music
followed by an amazing performance
by Cantor Gross from Adat Shalom.
He was followed by Pastor Kenneth
Butler, who opened his remarks
with the statement, “Judaism doesn’
t
need Christianity to explain itself but
Christianity needs Judaism to explain
itself.”
The 5,000+ who attended respond-
ed with a long applause. The keynote
speaker was Rabbi Jonathan Hausman
from Massachusetts. The effort that
the church made to make Jewish par-
ticipants comfortable was very appar-
ent. They did not mention the name
of Jesus; their choir sang both the
American National Anthem followed
by Hatikvah with the lyrics projected on
the screens in transliteration as well as
translation to facilitate everyone singing
it.
I was deeply saddened by the meager
attendance by the Jewish community.
Here was a missed opportunity to show
the Jewish appreciation for the black
pro-Israel community. There were a
few members of our Federation leader-
ship and JCRC plus a few individuals.
I found out about the event because of
a personal friendship that I have with
a couple of members of the church.
When I checked with others, it was
clear that this event was not promoted
by our community leadership.
Shoshana Janner
Commerce
Correction
In the Celebrate! section in the April 25
issue of the Jewish News, it stated that
Joe Muer Bloomfield would be closing
for lunch. That was incorrect. Joe Muer
Bloomfield remains open for lunch.
Lindsey
Zousmer
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