16 May 16 • 2019
jn
Anti-Israel Resolution
Voted Down
Kalamazoo Jewish community
rallies to defeat resolution.
A
fter a divi-
sive business
meeting of
the Kalamazoo City
Commission on May 6,
the city commissioners
voted 5 to 2 against a
resolution calling for an
“End to U.S. Military
Aid to Israel.”
The resolution was
drafted by Kalamazoo
Non-Violent Opponents
of War, calling for an
end in military aid to Israel until
it “stops violating the rights of
Palestinians.”
The resolution stated that the city
of Kalamazoo “condemns Israel’
s mis-
use of U.S. weapons to commit grave
human rights abuses of Palestinians
living under its 51-year military
occupation of the West Bank, East
Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip.”
The defeated proposal also stated
that the city of Kalamazoo “calls upon
members of Congress to end U.S.
military aid to Israel and redirect
that money to unmet community
needs until Israel abides by interna-
tional law, stops engaging in human
rights abuses against Palestinians
and ends the military occupation of
Palestine.” The resolution also called
on Congress to “support the rights of
both Israelis and Palestinians to live
in safety and security, condemning
violence by either side.”
The Kalamazoo Jewish commu-
nity had little advance warning of
the resolution and did not receive
the resolution text until a few days
before the vote. The community
quickly mobilized and came together
to defeat the resolution, according
to a bulletin issued by Kalamazoo’
s
Congregation of Moses, signed by
Elizabeth Grode and Rabbi Harvey
Spivak of Congregation of
Moses, Randy Lubratich
and Rabbi Simone Schicker
of Temple B’
nai Israel, and
Jacob Weintraub, president
of the Jewish Federation of
Kalamazoo and Southwest
Michigan.
According to news
reports, dozens of people
came to the two-hour
city commission meeting
to express their views,
including Rabbi Schicker,
who said, “It is incendiary because
it will read as the city supporting
Palestinians over Israelis, and in the
United States, people who mean
my people harm do not differenti-
ate between Israelis who are Jews,
Christians, Muslims, Druze, Bedouin
and other Americans.”
Many in the Kalamazoo Jewish
community spoke at the meeting
about the rise of anti-Semitism and
the fear that the resolution could
ostracize the community.
The bulletin issued by the Jewish
community said, “We believe our
broader Kalamazoo community can
support dialogue and peacebuilding
efforts between Israel and Palestine,
for we, too. want to see peace for all
the Palestinians and Israelis living in
the region.
“The Kalamazoo Jewish communi-
ty remains committed to being part
of the solution and committed to
helping the city of Kalamazoo to cre-
ate meaningful relationships with the
Jewish community and Israel through
educational experiences. We will
continue to proudly and authentically
create a community that supports
peace and honest dialogue and con-
tinue to work to make our communi-
ty and our Jewish homeland safer and
more peaceful for all.” ■
JN STAFF
Rabbi Simone Schicker
(FACEBOOK PHOTO)
City of Kalamazoo
M
etro Detroit synagogues
and temples can apply
for funds to upgrade
security through the Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit
and United Jewish Foundation.
The organizations secured funding
to provide $500,000 in matching
grants to enhance the safety and
security of synagogues and temples
in the Metro Detroit Jewish
community. For each of the grant
programs below, the Federation
will match up to $6,000, dollar-
for-dollar, which will be paid as a
reimbursement once the project is
completed. Eligible synagogues or
temples can apply for either or both
grant programs.
FACILITY GRANT
Synagogues can apply for a
one-time security match grant
of up to $6,000 to improve the
physical safety and security of
their facilities. Work must be
approved by Federation’
s security
staff beforehand and completed
by a licensed and insured
contractor. Examples include, but
are not limited to, access control,
window film, video intercom,
bollards, radios, trauma kits,
etc. To be eligible, synagogues
or temples must be housed in a
non-residential building used
exclusively as a synagogue or
temple in Metro Detroit. Multi-use
buildings are not eligible.
SECURITY PERSONNEL GRANT
Synagogues and temples can
apply for up to $6,000, renewable
annually for up to five years, to
match organization expenditures
that increase security personnel
presence. To be eligible, synagogues
must be housed in a non-
residential building in Metro
Detroit. Funds may be used to add
security coverage for Shabbat or
holiday services and special events.
In the past year, Federation has
raised and allocated $850,000 to
community security, according to
Marketing Director Ted Cohen,
and it plans to grow that number
this year. In addition, Cohen
says, Federation has a team of
highly experienced security
officers deployed throughout
the community, is providing
ongoing trainings, evaluations
and consultation with Jewish
organizations, is offering tools and
technology to monitor and protect
facilities, and is working in close
coordination with security and
law enforcement on a local and
national level. ■
jews d
in
the
Federation Offers
Security Grants
to Area Synagogues