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

