6 | JANUARY 16 • 2020 essay A Message from Federation: Invitation to Forum on Anti-Semitism Views W e’ ve said goodbye to the festive lights of Chanukah and move forward into the first days of our secular calendar. Before we close the books on 2019, however, we want to offer a sincere thank you to every one of our supporters, volunteers and participants who continue to make the work of the Jewish Federation possible. We are grateful to report that 2019 was a year of exceptional generosity and commitment. Thanks to more than10,000 donors, we were once again able to raise and distribute the resources necessary to take care of those in need and support Jewish life throughout Metro Detroit, as well as in Israel and around the world. We continue to change and evolve with the times, but — because of you — Detroit remains one of the most vibrant and cohesive centers for Jewish life to be found anywhere. We must also acknowledge the challenges that emerged over the past year. In partic- ular, anti-Semitism has risen throughout the world and we have seen, for the first time in history, continuous acts of vio- lence perpetrated against Jewish people living in the United States. The Tree of Life syna- gogue in Pittsburgh, Chabad of Poway in San Diego and now the heinous series of assaults in New York, culminating in the attack on a rabbi’ s residence in Monsey: These murderous acts of anti-Se- mitic violence signal a terrible new paradigm in our society and demand a sustained response to protect our Jewish homes, busi- nesses and houses of worship. Security for our community is a central priority for the Jewish Federation. Our expanded com- munity-wide security team col- laborates closely with local orga- nizations as well as with local and national law-enforcement entities — including the Secure Community Network, a national homeland security organization working on behalf the American Jewish community. Beyond security measures, education and ongoing com- munication are essential in this effort. For this reason, we invite our entire community to a forum on anti-Semitism and our local response, to be held at Adat Shalom Synagogue on Thursday, Jan. 23, at 7 p.m., in partner- ship with ADL Michigan and JCRC/AJC. There, we will hear from local leaders, clergy and law enforcement professionals on their efforts to confront anti-Semitism and security con- cerns. We wish to offer our deepest sympathy and support to all those affected by these crimes, and we look forward to a time when hatred and bigotry are finally eradicated. Until then, one thing is certain: Standing together as a strong and proud community, we will not be deterred from living active and joyous Jewish lives. Beverly B. Liss is president of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit and Alan Jay Kaufman is pres- ident, United Jewish Foundation of Metropolitan Detroit. Beverly Liss Alan Jay Kaufman ANTI-SEMITISM & SECURITY FORUM The forum will include a panel discus- sion with local rabbis, school adminis- trators and community leaders discuss- ing how the recent rise in anti-Semitism — including lethal attacks on Jewish institutions in other communities — has affected our synagogues, Jewish schools and community. A second panel will feature security professionals and local law enforcement, along with the directors of ADL Michigan and JCRC/ AJC to discuss security, as well as actions community members can take. David Kurzmann, senior director of community and donor relations for the Jewish Federation, will moderate. Professor Howard Lupovitch of Wayne State University will open the event with remarks about the new wave of anti-Semitism, its historical context and the impact of recent events on Jewish life in the United States. An audience Q&A with the members of both panels will follow the discussions. Panelists include: • Rabbi Azaryah Cohen, Frankel Jewish Academy • Rabbi Jen Lader, Temple Israel • Rabbi Asher Lopatin, JCRC/AJC • Special Agent Joseph P. Lupinacci, FBI Detroit Division • Carolyn Normandin, ADL Michigan • Rabbi Yisrael Pinson, Chabad in the D • Gary Sikorski, director, JFMD com- munity-wide security The event takes place Jan. 23, at 7 p.m., at Adat Shalom Synagogue. The event is free, but seating is limited. Attendees should register in advance at jewishdetroit.org/forum. Why the Jews? Thank you for publishing Rabbi Aaron Starr’ s column “Why the Jews?” (Jan. 2, page 6) on the causes of anti-Semitism and what Jews should do about it. Rabbi Starr says it all except as pointed out in David Schraub’ s separate column on current right-wing anti-Semitism in the Jan. 2 JN. We need to stop point- ing fingers and follow Rabbi Starr’ s direction. — Harvey Bronstein Southfield Volunteers for Israel Volunteers for Israel (VFI) has several new programs that combine volunteering on an IDF Base in Israel with touring on the weekends. I was on the Volunteers for Israel Advanced Program from Dec. 6-22. We worked on an Air Force base the first week and a para- trooper base the second week. The soldiers and commanders expressed appreciation that we had come from America to help them. For me, it was a gratifying experience. The tours on the weekends were wonderful as well. We went to the Machane Yehuda Market in Jerusalem for a food-tasting experience, visited a Herodian Fortress in the Judean Desert and went stargazing in the Negev. I enjoyed the combination of volunteering and sightseeing. For me, it was a one-of-a-kind expe- rience. Volunteers for Israel is asso- ciated with Sar-El, a nonprofit that administers the program in Israel. Volunteers typically spend letters continued on page 11