August 22 • 2019 5
jn

views

O

ur house pets are more 
than just family. They often 
influence our daily conver-
sations. Case in point: the cat.
A deluge may be described as 
raining cats and dogs (with a poo-
dle in the road).
If you are seek-
ing to describe a 
nerve-wracking 
situation, you may 
say you feel like a 
cat on a hot tin roof. 
(Tennesse Williams 
liked the saying 
enough to title a 
play.) You may also conjure the 
image of a cat in a room of rocking 
chairs.
We may observe that a very quiet 
individual is that way because a cat 
has his tongue. This may be pre-
ferred to an extremely talkative per-
son, who may let the cat out of the 
bag if he’
s in on a secret.
One way to solve a tired condi-
tion is to take a cat nap. Waking 

refreshed, you may 
find in approaching 
a problem that there is 
more than one way to 
skin a cat. Be original, 
though, not a copycat. 
Be bold, not a scaredy-
cat.
The epitome of some-
thing in the ’
20s was said 
to be the cat’
s pajamas (or 
cat’
s meow). A person feeling the 
music in the ’
40s might have been 
described as a hep-cat. The “with it” 
person in the ’
50s was a cool cat.
If you act smug about an accom-
plishment, you may be said to look 
like the cat that got the cream. If 
your deed was a bit mischievous, 
you look like the cat that swallowed 
the canary. Appearing bedraggled, 
you may look like what the cat 
dragged in.
It seems contradictory to encour-
age questioning and investigation 
and then to warn that curiosity 
killed the cat.

Looking for a 
vocation? Do not 
consider being a cat 
burglar; it’
s frowned 
upon.
Feeling hemmed in, literally or 
figuratively, you may observe that 
there is no room to swing a cat. If 
you take advantage of not being 
under scrutiny, you may recall that 
when the cat’
s away, the mice will 
play (and anyone who turns you in 
is a rat!).
I’
d like to find the purr-fect way 
to end this, but I don’
t kitten to 
anything that fits. Oh, well … ■

for openers
Feline Fun

letters

A Thank You 
to the Community
On Aug. 9, the 2019 JCC Maccabi 
Games and ArtsFest ended with a bang 
… literally. Close to 2,000 athletes, 
artists, coaches, delegation heads and 
volunteers watched as the torch was 
passed closing out an incredible week. 
Fireworks illuminated the sky as teens 
were sharing their final few moments 
and saying goodbye to their newfound 
friends. 
It has been said over and over again, 
this event is so much more than sports 
and arts. It is a feeling that is indescrib-
able. You have to experience it. We are 
thrilled that so many did. It truly takes 
a village. We are so very proud of our 
Detroit community for once again step-
ping up to volunteer and house. Thank 
you! 
Just a few short weeks before the 
Game and ArtsFest, we sent out word 
that we were significantly short on beds 
for our visiting teens. Your response: 
“Heneni” — Here I am. Not only did 
we house every single athlete and artist, 

but we had extra beds. You answered 
our call.
Hundreds of volunteer shifts also 
needed to be filled. Again, we asked 
our community to help. Your response: 
“Heneni” — Here I am. Volunteers in 
their purple shirts were now peppered 
across our venues, thrilled to be taking 
part in such a powerful community 
wide event. You answered our call.
We are thankful to everyone who 
had a part in the success of the 2019 
JCC Maccabi Games and ArtsFest. 
There are now 1,400 athletes and art-
ists, who made Metro Detroit their 
home for a week, still gushing from the 
amazing Jewish experience that you 
helped to create. 
Metro Detroit has a rich, long-stand-
ing JCC Maccabi history. We have set 
the record of hosting more than any 
other community. We do so because, 
no matter where you live (Grand Blanc 
to Coldwater to Windsor), your Jewish 
affiliation or your age, we band togeth-
er. Your hospitality, generosity and 
willingness to step up is what makes 
this community so special in helping to 

enrich the lives of so many. We could 
not have made this possible without 
you answering our call. Heneni.

 
— Steve Fisher

— Karen Gordon

— Franci Silver

 2019 JCC Maccabi Games 

and ArtsFest Co-Chairs

What’
s in a Name?
In regards to all of the commentary 
about the border crisis and the places 
where families are being separated and 
detained, I remain heartsick by these 
events. However, I strongly disagree 
about the acceptability of calling these 
places concentration camps. Over these 
past several weeks, I have given careful 
thought regarding how to express what 
is so disturbing to me about this mon-
iker (besides the obvious fact that my 
dad was a Holocaust survivor). 
I am fully aware of the dictionary 
definition of the term “concentration 
camp” but, my purpose in writing this 
letter has little to do with a debate in 
semantics. Although I personally dis-

Sy Manello
Editorial Assistant

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