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Celebrate Israel 2017 Offers Adult and Family Programs Washtenaw Jewish News Presort Standard In this issue… c/o Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor U.S. Postage PAID 2939 Birch Hollow Drive Ann Arbor, MI Ann Arbor, MI 48108 Permit No. 85 JCC JCLP The "Jewish" Film 2017 Game of Festival Graduates Rummikub Page 3 Page 4 Page 17 April 2017 Nissan/Iyar 5775 Volume XL: Number 9 FREE Celebrate Israel 2017 offers adult and family programs Dinner with the Family Clara Silver, special to the WJN helps raise funds for elebrate Israel, the annual commu- Nahalal, will travel to Ann Arbor to participate world celebrate Israel Independence Day. They crucial community services nity-wide festival that marks Yom in the festivities and share their love of their bring their experiences and passion for Israel to Laurie Cohen, special to the WJN Ha’atzmaut, Israel Independence Day, home country through activities and a display help create this wonderful opportunity for the C Eating a meal together can be a place of joy, is both returning to its outdoor family festival community to gather together and strengthen roots as well as expanding with an evening our relationship with Israel.” celebration and friendship. Dinner with the geared toward adults. Hosted by the Jewish Fed- Adults and children of all ages will have Family, a weekend fundraiser sponsored by eration of Greater Ann Arbor and co-sponsored an opportunity to enjoy an inflatable obstacle Jewish Family Services, celebrates distinctive by the Jewish Community Center of Greater course, a kibbutz style petting zoo, Krav Maga menus and the community of diverse fami- Ann Arbor, Celebrate Israel will begin at 7:30 (Israeli self-defense) demonstrations, live lies. “There is such a nice variety of meals for p.m. on the evening of May 1, with a drive-in music, Israeli dancing, and arts and crafts themed movie night for adults. activities provided by participating synagogues The film that will be shown is Atomic Falafel, and Jewish organizations from around the a critically acclaimed film called the Israeli “Dr. community. David Stone, executive director Strangelove.” The comedy follows an Israeli of the Center says, “I’m happy to see that this teen whose mother owns a falafel truck near celebration is being re-invigorated by some a desert army base, and an Iranian teen who great volunteers and enthusiastic professional wants to be a rap star. They become acquainted staff. These events are exactly what the J is for and via the Internet, but through a series of mishaps we are proud to offer our support to Federation discover a plot that threatens to destroy both for their signature family event.” Kosher falafel their countries. Hilarity ensues as the teens try will also be for sale. The participation fee will be Dinner with the Family, 2008 to stop their governments from entering into a $10 per household or $5 per person and include nuclear war. There will be kosher popcorn and all activities. people to choose from, with many different other movie theater style snacks for this no cost Both the adult drive-in movie evening and menus,” said Laurie Barnett, co-chair of the drive-in evening. family festival will be held at the JCC. For more Dinner with the Family committee. “People Festivities continue with the Celebrate Israel about Nahalal, including the annual Teen Ex- information or to register, visit jewishannarbor. in the community have come together to Family Festival on Sunday, May 21, 2017 from change with Ann Arbor. David Shtulman, ex- org and click on the community calendar help raise much needed funds for JFS.” 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. with the theme of “around ecutive director of Federation, notes that, “we menu item or contact Ayelet Shapiro, Eating together is one of the oldest and Israel.” A delegation of volunteers from Ann have a fantastic committee of lay leaders who outreach and program coordinator, at ayelet@ most fundamentally unifying of human ex- Arbor’s Partnership 2000 community, Moshav have seen Jewish communities from all over the jewishannarbor.org or (734) 677-0100. n periences. It speaks to the mission of JFS, creating solutions, promoting dignity and inspiring humanity. Dinner with the Fam- ily will be held the weekend of April 21–23 It’s official: picketers are pro-Nazi “Hate Group” at over 28 locations throughout Washtenaw WJN staff writers County. Hosts design a meal either at their home or restaurant and people come choose very Saturday for over 13 years picketers extremism, in Deir Yassin Remembered campaigned for where they would like to attend. When guests sponsored by a group calling itself Deir an interview the release from prison and the exoneration purchase tickets, they indicate their choice as E Yassin Remembered have picketed Beth with Michigan of Ernst Zundel, a German neo-Nazi who to which meal(s) they’d like to attend, and JFS Israel Congregation in Ann Arbor. That group Radio February was jailed in Canada for publishing literature staff assigns them. On the day of the meal, a has now been listed by one of America’s leading 28, explained “likely to incite hatred against an identifiable JFS staff person will join each family in their civil rights organizations on its annual register the SPLC’s group,” and who was sentenced to five years home to assist with delivering information of “Active Hate Groups.” position as imprisonment in his native Germany for about JFS’ services during the meal. To fight bigotry of all types, the Southern follows: “We list “inciting racial hatred.” During his German According to Anya Abramson, executive Poverty Law Center (SPLC) in Montgomery, them because trial, Zundel’s lawyer signed court motions with director of JFS, “We are entering uncertain Alabama, compiles an annual list of “hate over the years the words “Heil Hitler.” In addition to founding times. JFS is working hard to continue pro- groups” that malign categories of people on they have come a press that published neo-Nazi materials, viding crucial community services direct and the basis of race, religion, or sexual orientation: to more and Zundel co-authored a book The Hitler We supportive social services. This event raises anti-black organizations; neo-Nazis and other more explicitly Loved and Why, published by White Power funds to help our most vulnerable members. anti-Semitic groups, anti-Muslim groups, racist embrace real-life Holocaust denial. The kind of Publications. “It was never Hitler’s Germany. It JFS is about connecting with families and re- skinheads, and anti-LGBT crusaders. Holocaust denial that these people practice is shall always be Germany’s Hitler, the man loved sponding to community needs.” Last month the SPLC placed Deir Yassin essentially a defense of Germany and National by his people,” the book explains and concludes Tickets are $100 per meal. To purchase Remembered on its hate register because its Socialism,” that is to say, Nazism. with the words: “Today [Hitler’s] spirit soars tickets, go online at www.jfsannarbor.org/ members deny the Holocaust and sympathize Why, after a year-long investigation using beyond the shores of the White Man’s home in dwtf or contact Laurie Cohen, development with Nazi Germany. Mark Potok, Senior Fellow websites, field sources, and news reports, did continued on page 2 director, at (734) 769-0209. n at the SPLC and a leading authority on political the SPLC reach this conclusion? Hate Group, continued from page 1 2935 Birch Hollow Drive Europe. Wherever we are, he is with us. WE Whatever happened to them in World War Two Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108 LOVE YOU, ADOLF HITLER.” they brought on themselves. They deserved voice: 734/971-1800 To express their apparent solidarity everything they got.” e-mail: [email protected] and admiration for Zundel, in 2006 Henry These, then, are the materials from which www.washtenawjewishnews.org Herskovitz, a member of the SPLC constructed its case against Deir Yassin the board of advisors and Remembered. In the same Michigan Radio directors of Deir Yassin program of February 28 in which Mark Potok Editor and Publisher Remembered, together of the SPLC was quoted, Herskovitz sought to Susan Kravitz Ayer with Daniel McGowan, frame the issue in terms of free speech. “I feel executive director of Deir very fortunate to live in America, where free Calendar Editor Claire Sandler Yassin Remembered, visited speech is protected. If I were in Germany or Zundel in Mannheim France, I’d be in jail just for speaking my mind. Advertising Manager Henry Herskovitz Prison in Germany. Recalled That’s not right to me.” He did not address the Gordon White Herskovitz on the Deir Yassin Remembered central substantive issue of Nazi sympathy and website with evident emotion, “I share with anti-Semitism. Design and Layout Dan the warm feelings felt at the end of the The Southern Poverty Law Center gained Dennis Platte hour visit. Ernst Zundel… did not merely shake national attention in 1987 by destroying in Staff Writers hands with me; he held mine in his. Eight years court and bankrupting the United Klans of Mary Bilyeu, Lisa Carolin, Sandor Slomovits, later the memory remains strong.” America, with chapters in 31 states, whose Rochel Urist In 2014 Herskovitz, a leader of the Ann Arbor members had lynched an African-American picket, posted a picture of himself greeting teenager and bombed Birmingham’s 16th Street Contributing Writers Holocaust survivors at a memorial ceremony Baptist Church, killing four African-American Lior Appel-Kraut, Barb Banet, Laurie Cohen, Dan organized for their murdered families at the children. Since then the SPLC has continued Cultler, Ruth Ebenstein, Rabbi Robert Dobrusin, Karen Freedland, Rabbi Aharon Goldstein, Sora Holocaust Memorial Center in Farmington to win recognition for its “teaching tolerance” Gordon, Merrily Hart, Rachael Hoffenblum, Sarah Hills, Michigan.
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