26 | APRIL 4 • 2024
J
N
OUR COMMUNITY
T
he Common Bond
Institute and Michigan
State University Dept.
of Psychiatry will present “The
3rd Side,” a two-day nonpartisan
conference April 13-14 at MSU
that aims to raise public aware-
ness and support for the many
grassroots Palestinian/Israeli
peace-building partnerships
actively working on the ground
in the region.
The free conference is a
hybrid in-person/virtual event
that has been endorsed by the
Serling Institute for Jewish
Studies and Modern Israel.
“Since Oct. 7, we’ve heard
from many who are deeply dis-
tressed by the crisis and looking
for some way to support a ces-
sation of violence and advance
healing, reconciliation and
peace,” said Steve
Olweean, director
of the nonprofit
Common Bond
Institute. “
At the
same time, we find
most in the public
are only limitedly
aware or not aware at all of the
many long-standing and grow-
ing grassroots organizations
collectively striving toward
this end, some operating for
decades. This initiative is one
way we’ve chosen to respond.”
During the conference,
participants will be invited to
strategize ways to support these
efforts, and the organizers will
assist in developing mechanisms
for enacting these strategies.
“There are well over 200
grassroots organizations work-
ing daily on peace efforts for
the conflict, and dozens of joint
partnerships involve people
with their feet in both commu-
nities working closely together
and demonstrating every day
what’s possible,” Olweean said.
The nonpartisan conference,
open to the public, is endorsed
by a growing list of organiza-
tions representative of both
Arab/Muslim-American and
Jewish-American communi-
ties. Organizers hope to attract
as many people as possible to
encourage support of a third
side in the conflict made up of
peacebuilding partners, which
has consistently fallen under the
radar of media who often pres-
ent a narrower picture of two
sides in perpetual hostility and
zero-sum conflict.
Information about the confer-
ence program and registration
are available online at https://
cbiworld.org/conferences/t3s/,
and by email at Solweean@aol.
com or phone/WhatsApp at
(269) 501-5453.
MSU to host two-day event highlighting
organizations working together.
Conference on Palestinian-Israeli
Peacebuilding Partnerships
JN STAFF
Steve
Olweean
T
emple Emanu-El is
hosting a K.I.S.S Dance
(Kids Invite Someone
Special) at 6 p.m. on April 13.
It is an inclusive alternative to
a Daddy/Daughter or Mother/
Son dance and a great excuse
to have dinner and show off
your dance moves.
Kids can grab a parent, a
grandparent, an aunt or uncle,
or any loved one as their date
to join them on the dance
floor. The K.I.S.S Dance is
open to the community.
Temple Emanu-El recently
restructured and elevated its
programming, collaboration
and outreach, thanks to the
Hermelin Davidson Grant for
Congregational Excellence.
By diving headfirst into the
Woodward Corridor resur-
gence as a community hub,
Temple Emanu-El is support-
ing the Jewish population
thriving along Woodward.
This commitment to the
Woodward Corridor will trick-
le down to local businesses
and community organizations
that the temple can support
through events.
With the resurgence of peo-
ple coming to the Woodward
Corridor, the goal is for the
local community to feel wel-
come to participate and engage
with the multi-generational
congregation.
“It’s wonderful to be able to
bring even more energy and
excitement to Temple Emanu-
El while also reminding the
community that we are a
phenomenal place to cele-
brate, make connections and
build lasting friendships,” said
Lorelei Berg, Temple Emanu-
El’s executive
director.
As the home
of the Jewish Gay
Network, Temple
Emanu-El has
the additional
purpose of pro-
viding support,
programming
and a communi-
ty for LGTBQ+
individuals.
Proceeds from K.I.S.S Dance
ticket sales will go to support
the Ruth Ellis Center, whose
mission is to create opportu-
nities with LGBTQ+ young
people to build their vision for
a positive future.
Temple Emanu-El’s focus
on social action and social
justice go hand-in-hand
with the purpose of the
Hermelin Davidson Center for
Congregation Excellence.
Rabbi Matt Zerwekh
shared, “Since its founding,
Temple Emanu-El has strived
to support and engage with
our community
through acts of
tikkun olam and
through creative
and enriching
programs, con-
certs, classes,
spiritual oppor-
tunities and
through engaging
with our friends
and neighbors
around us. With
the help of the Hermelin
Davidson Grant, we are able
to grow our reach and provide
even more creative and rele-
vant programming.”
Register for the K.I.S.S
Dance at https://jlive.app/
events/7535.
Kids can invite someone special
to the April 13 event.
K.I.S.S. Dance at
Temple Emanu-El
ELIZABETH HAUSER SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS