6 | MAY 21 • 2020 

I 

wrote this week’
s cover story, 
and it’
s a long one, so I won’
t 
take too much of your time 
here. But I do want to explain 
why we put a for-
mer neo-Nazi on 
the cover of the 
Jewish News.
I first heard 
of Jeff Schoep 
earlier this year, 
as he was begin-
ning his anti-hate 
outreach. I was intrigued by his 
former prominence within the 
neo-Nazi movement and also by 
the fact that he lives in Detroit. 
The timing of Schoep’
s exit also 
coincided with the JN’
s Anti-
Semitism Project, our effort to 
tell stories about how hate and 
bigotry against Jews has evolved 
and mutated in the modern day. 
From my perspective, this 
was an easy call. What better 
way to have a conversation 
about anti-Semitism in our 
community than by sitting 
down with a local figure who, 

until very recently, was one 
of the country’
s foremost 
perpetrators of it?
I understand my deci-
sion to profile Schoep 
won’
t sit well with 
everyone. But I think 
it’
s important for us, as 
Jews, to grapple with this 
essential question of what leads 
to hate. The only way we can 
understand bigotry is to learn 
how and why people are led 
down this path, and what might 
have the potential to lead them 
away from these toxic beliefs.
Schoep received plenty of 
publicity while he ran the 
National Socialist Movement 
and gets his fair share of skep-
ticism now that he says he’
s 
left all of that behind. I was 
skeptical, too. But in our hours 
of interviews, many emails and 
social-distanced interactions at 
his photo shoot, I’
ve found him 
to be thoughtful and introspec-
tive, willing to acknowledge the 
hurt that he’
s caused, wishing 

to make amends with Jews spe-
cifically and struggling to find 
a path forward after a lifetime 
of abhorrent behavior. He’
s not 
hiding, and I give him credit 
for confronting his past in our 
pages — although I think he 
still has much work to do, and 
I’
ve told him so. 
I’
m not trying to provide 
cover for Schoep and his past 
deeds. It should be obvious I 
despise everything he stood 
for in his adult life up until this 
moment. But he wants to do 
better now. And truth be told, 
I’
m less interested in the ques-
tion of whether he’
s “for real” 
than in the question of how 
Jews should respond to figures 

like him who want to reform. 
The story discusses 
Charlottesville for a reason. 
We are now living in a time 
of resurgent white national-
ism and anti-Semitism and, 
therefore, we must grapple 
with people like Schoep — 
both the “before” and the 
“after”— one way or another. It’
s 
better, I think, to do so on our 
terms. And since Schoep can no 
longer appear in public owing 
to the COVID-19 pandemic, 
this is how we have that conver-
sation.
I’
d like to invite the commu-
nity to talk about this more 
in-depth. I will be hosting a 
Facebook Live video at 1 p.m 
on Tuesday, May 26, where I 
will address reader response to 
the article. Please contact me in 
advance with any (respectful) 
questions, critiques or thoughts 
you have, and I will be sure to 
address them. I look forward to 
talking through this with you. 

Views

S

ome people express that 
summer camp is a priv-
ilege for kids. For those 
who have seen camps’
 incredi-
ble impact, sum-
mer camp is an 
important oppor-
tunity for chil-
dren that helps 
shape our com-
munity’
s future. 
Jewish identity, 
authenticity, 
leadership, lifelong friendships, 

problem-solving skills, respect 
for the outdoors, disconnection 
from technology and indepen-
dence represent just some of 
what kids gain. 
Hundreds of thousands of 
dollars are raised by our com-
munities each year to make 
camp financially accessible. 
Inspiring young leaders give up 
internships and opportunities 
for higher paying summer jobs 
to accept a coveted counselor 
position. Professionals and 

volunteers work tirelessly year-
round to create two magical 
months. After living through 
unimaginable times over the 
past eight weeks, comes the 
news that our beloved camps 
have made necessary decisions 
to close for the summer. Camps 
are adhering to the first rule 
they teach: Safety first.
Parents’
 initial instinct is to 
protect their children from 
hurt. Watching our children 
experience yet another COVID-

related loss is so tough. For 
those for whom camp is so 
important, losing a precious 
camp summer is akin to a grief 
process. The initial emotions are 
very raw. Parents and kids are 
feeling disbelief, sadness, anger, 
questioning, denial and under-
standing, to name a few. 
At this moment, what our 
kids need from their parents 
is to be attentive, present and 
available. Listen. Validate. Show 
empathy. Hug and hold your 

guest column
If Summer Camp Closes:

Embracing the moment and opening the door for new opportunities for families.

Dr. Daniel 
Klein

continued on page 8

Andrew Lapin

editor’
s note

Why We Profi
 led an Ex-Nazi

