NOVEMBER 18 • 2021 | 9

THE JCC BOOK FAIR
I grew up in Northwest
Detroit and also have
friends who remember the
“old neighborhood” whose
high school students went
to Central High. Because of
this, I have always enjoyed
reading Mike Smith’s col-
umn, as I enjoyed reading
about the many good times
my friends and I enjoyed
growing up in the 1950s in
these areas in Detroit.
However, I did have an
issue with his last column
about the history of the
Jewish Book Fair (Nov. 4,
page 54). First, let me thank
and commend all the many
volunteers who helped make
the Jewish Book Fair such
an important event. It was
what was not included in
the article that bothered me.
The Jewish Book Fair
was a pretty small event
for quite a while. However,
under the hard work and
guidance of Adele Silver,
it became the best Jewish
Book Fair in the United
States. Adele was able to
bring many well-known
Jewish authors to speak at
the book fair without them
receiving large payments
for doing such. There were
also new authors who were
brought to our attention.
Sometimes, it was difficult
to choose which lecture to
attend. It was an oversight
not to acknowledge her con-
tribution to the book fair.

— Judith Ancell

Farmington Hills

THANK GOD
FOR ISRAEL DAY
On Sunday, Nov. 7, I had the
privilege of attending the
“Thank God for Israel Day”
via Zoom.
This annual event, spon-
sored by the Friends of Israel
Gospel Ministry, is held
to educate and bring the
Christian and Jewish com-
munities together in steadfast
support for the State of Israel.
Sixty enthusiastic pro-
Israel supporters attended the
event.
We listened with great
interest to our speaker,
Daniel Pollak, Zionist
Organization of America
director of government
relations and head of its
Washington office, discuss
the embassy/consulate issue;
the political turmoil in Israel;
the younger generation’s loss
of interest; and the hatred
and extremism driving a
wedge in the U.S./Israel
relationship.
Pollak’s command of the
subject and Q&A responses
were smart, educational and
important.
We came away from this
experience encouraged by
our Zionist Christian friends
who expressed their whole-
hearted commitment to the
survival of the State of Israel
and its people.
As Psalm 133:1 states:
“Behold, how good and how
pleasant it is for brethren to
dwell together in unity.”
Congratulations and thank
you to Rev. Tim Munger, the
Friends of Israel Great Lakes
executive director, for his
tireless efforts with this yearly
program and his organiza-
tion’s dedication to Israel, and
to ZOA”s Dan Pollack for his
clarity and expertise.

— Ed Kohl

West Bloomfield

letters

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