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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