JULY 14 • 2022 | 9

a teacher, acquire for yourself 
a colleague in study, and be 
in the habit of judging people 
favorably” (Avot 1:6). As indi-
viduals and as families, we are 
called upon in this moment 
to strengthen our Judaism by 
devoting time to learning from 
our synagogue clergy. 
Each of us must also ensure 
the security of Jews and the 
success of America by engaging 
with and listening genuinely to 
our neighbors, especially those 
with whom we disagree, and 
by assuming the best in each of 
those around us. 
Moreover, for Jews and for 
Judaism to thrive, our syna-
gogues and communal institu-
tions need to better educate and 
inspire children and adults alike 
for this new period in America. 
More Jewish knowledge, broad-

er Jewish skillsets and greater 
Jewish joy are required. We 
must further elucidate the deep 
profundity of Judaism’s moral 
teachings and demonstrate 
the meaningfulness of robust 
Jewish living. 
Jews of all backgrounds must 
intentionally partner together 
for an America in which moral-
ity, compassion and kindness 
prevail; in which truth, justice 
and freedom are celebrated; in 
which Jews and Judaism can 
thrive. 
The American future and the 
Jewish future, including that of 
our Jewish third-graders today 
and tomorrow, depend on what 
we do right now. 

Rabbi Aaron Starr, a spiritual leader of 

Congregation Shaarey Zedek, is study-

ing in Jerusalem at the Shalom Hartman 

Institute.

 Where’s the moral out-
rage? To answer this question, 
it’s important to understand 
what the AAUP
, AAU, ACE and 
250 university presidents failed 
to grasp about academic BDS, 
even as they forcefully con-
demned it eight years ago, and 
to consider the deeply disturb-
ing turn that academia has 
taken since then. 
Within the last eight years, 
the number of faculty who 
have publicly expressed support 
for an academic boycott of Israel 
has more than doubled. 
 It is important to point out 
that since MESA began issu-
ing full-membership resolutions 
in 1993, Israel is not just the 
only country in the Middle 
East that has been targeted 
by a MESA resolution for an 
academic boycott, but it’s the 
only country in the region to be 
targeted by that group for any 
punitive action. 

 This, in a region that includes 
such flagrant human rights 
violators as Syria, Saudi Arabia, 
Libya, Sudan, Afghanistan and 
Iran — yet instead of punishing 
these countries with boycotts, 
as it has done to Israel, MESA 
defends them from boycotts. 
 If higher education lead-
ers refuse to break their 
silence, state and Federal leg-
islators should withhold funds 
from schools that permit facul-
ty and departments to engage in 
such behavior. The public, too, 
must demand that colleges and 
universities establish safeguards 
against the politicization of edu-
cational spaces and never allow 
their tax, tuition or donor dol-
lars to be used for hateful polit-
ical propaganda and activism 
that dangerously undermine the 
public good. 
Silence and inaction are not 
options.

— Ed Kohl, West Bloomfield
Hebrew Free Loan Detroit

6735 TELEGRAPH ROAD, SUITE 300 • BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MICHIGAN 48301

@HFLDetroit

STORY
Our

STORY
Our 

Milton M. Ratner made his living in commercial 
real estate, in particular with apartment complexes 
along Jefferson Avenue and properties along the 
Detroit River. In addition, he was a philanthropist who 
held a firm belief in higher education, so when he put 
part of his wealth in trust to create a Foundation, the 
first of its directives was to give money to educational 
ventures. Mr. Ratner died in 1968, and his namesake 
foundation, established shortly thereafter, supports 
opportunities for post-high school education, along 
with health and human services for children, families 
and the elderly. 
The Milton M. Ratner Foundation created a fund at 

Hebrew Free Loan to assist with college and 
continued educational opportunities. As one of a 
group of educational funds at HFL, the Milton M. 
Ratner fund can help current students who are looking 
for money to finish school, and those who want to 
return to school for advanced degrees. It can also 
assist those who want to take classes or specialized 
training required for their jobs. 
The foundation’s namesake was a very quiet and 
private philanthropist, but his forethought allows 
Hebrew Free Loan to help support Michigan’s Jewish 
students at all levels. 
Learn more about Hebrew Free Loan’s education 
loans at www.jewishcollegeloansmi.org.

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www.hfldetroit.org • 248.723.8184

Community donations help Hebrew Free Loan give 
interest-free loans to local Jews for a variety of personal, 
health, educational and small business needs.

