Archbishop Desmond Tutu Is This Year's Wallenberg Honoree
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October 2008 Tishrei/Cheshvan 5769 Volume XXXIII: Number 2 FREE Archbishop Desmond Tutu is this year’s Wallenberg honoree Wendy Ascione, special to the WJN obel Peace Prize winner and they would be suffering “with a purpose.” The around the world on behalf of human South African cleric Archbishop policy succeeded and pushed the government rights. “When we look around us at some N Desmond Tutu will be awarded toward reform. Tutu seized the moment and of the conflict areas of the world,” says Tutu, the eighteenth University of Michigan Wal- organized peaceful marches, which brought “it becomes increasingly clear that there is lenberg Medal by the U-M President Mary 30,000 people to the streets of Cape Town. not much of a future for them without for- Sue Coleman on Wednesday, October 29, This marked a turning point: within months giveness, without reconciliation.” at 7:30 p.m. in Hill Auditorium. After the Nelson Mandela was freed from prison and A 1935 graduate of the University of medal presentation, Archbishop Tutu will apartheid began to crumble. Michigan College of Architecture, Swed- give the Wallenberg Lecture. In 1994 the first free multi-racial elec- ish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg saved the The first black South African Anglican tions in South African history led to a black lives of tens of thousands of Hungarian Archbishop of Cape Town, Tutu rose to majority government, the African National Jews near the end of World War II. Working international fame during the 1980s as a Congress, headed by Nelson Mandela. The in Budapest in the late 1930s, Wallenberg deeply committed advocate of nonviolent following year Mandela asked Tutu to in- came into contact with many Jewish refu- resistance to apartheid. His opposition was vestigate atrocities committed on all sides gees from Europe. In 1944, at the request of vigorous and unequivocal. Tutu was outspo- during the apartheid years, appointing him Jewish organizations and the American War ken in both South Africa and abroad, often chair of South Africa’s Truth and Reconcilia- Refugee Board, the Swedish Foreign Minis- comparing apartheid to Nazism and Com- tion Commission. Tutu brought his immense try sent Wallenberg on a rescue mission to munism. His passport was twice revoked moral authority to the long and traumatic Budapest. Over the course of six months, and he was jailed in 1980 after taking part hearings. The conflict under apartheid had Wallenberg issued thousands of protective in a protest. It was widely understood that resulted in violence and human rights abuses passports. He confronted Hungarian and Tutu’s growing international fame shielded from all sides. No section of society was able German guards to secure the release of Jews him from harsher punishments. to escape these abuses. According to Tutu, whom he claimed were under Swedish pro- Tutu’s 1984 Nobel Peace Prize was a ges- the TRC’s final report underscored the im- Archbishop Desmond Tutu tection, placing some 15,000 Jews into 31 ture of support for him and the South Af- portance of changing the quality of life of Forgiveness is an account of his work on the safe houses. rican Council of Churches (which he led at the most deprived. He described the process commission. After reporting to Soviet headquarters in the time) in their efforts to end apartheid. of the TRC as using “restorative rather than Today Desmond Tutu, Archbishop Emeri- Budapest on January 17, 1945, Wallenberg Tutu supported disinvestments as a means retributive justice, which is a kind of justice tus of Cape Town, is widely regarded as South vanished into the Soviet Gulag. Although the to change, knowing the poor would be hit that says we are looking to the healing of rela- Africa’s moral conscience. He continues hardest by the policy. But he argued that tionships.” Tutu’s memoir No Future Without to speak out passionately and courageously Continued on page 2 Innovative course to provide Kabbalah- New program at University of Michigan connects next generation of business leaders with State of Israel based tools for emotional happiness Elianna Starr, special to the WJN Rabbi Aharon Goldstein, special to the WJN Fifteen students from the University of Michigan have founded a non-profit investment group eople struggle every day to understand “Soul Maps” is designed for people at all which will connect top American business students with the State of Israel and its economic fu- themselves and find inner peace,” says levels of Jewish knowledge, and participants ture. The TAMID Investment Group is currently being piloted at the University of Michigan and P Rabbi Ahron Goldstein. “They’ve been don’t have to have any prior experience or back- will afford students the opportunity to raise and manage a $1 million portfolio of Israeli compa- through every book in the self-help aisle and ground in Jewish learning to attend and enjoy nies, interact with top Israeli executives, and engage with Israel on a daily basis. they visit their therapist or confide in friends to this course. Additionally, all JLI courses are open While college students across American have sort through their feelings.” Concludes Rabbi to the entire Jewish community and people do multiple outlets for interacting with Israel, the Goldstein, “What people really need is a guide not need to be a member of any particular syna- founders of TAMID realized that there is no cur- to help them navigate their own complexity, gogue or temple in order to attend. The JLI is the rent program that provides a substantive and sus- and the Kabbalah has provided these tools for adult education arm of Chabad-Lubavitch. JLI’s tained connection to Israel which engages students centuries.” classes and programs are offered at over 300 loca- based on their professional and personal aspira- This November, the Rohr Jewish Learning tions in more than 200 cities nationwide, as well tions. Moreover, nothing currently exists to connect American business students with the State Institute (JLI) will launch “Soul Maps,” an an- as in international locations (including Australia, of Israel. TAMID is the first organization to bridge the gap between American business students’ cient yet innovative approach to human psy- Belgium, Brazil, Canada, the Netherlands, South professional ambitions and the collective interest of Israel and the Jewish people. chology. Soul Maps is structured as a six-step Africa, etc.). The JLI’s classes have been attended “Political Science students can connect with Israel by attending advocacy seminars and politi- program, utilizing tools from the Kabbalah to by nearly 75,000 people since its creation in 1998. cal lectures. English and Journalism students can connect with Israel by writing for an endless help participants understand themselves and Every course offered by JLI is synchronized, so number of publications. What about business students?” asked Hadar Taylor, the education coor- find inner contentment. The course is based on that lessons are offered concurrently in all loca- dinator for Hagshama, “Now they can connect with Israel by participating in TAMID.” Tanya, an eighteenth-century book that made tions. This unique feature has helped to create a The executive board members of TAMID are actively raising the funds needed to finance the previously esoteric teachings of Kabbalah true global learning community. their goal of a $1 million initial investment planned for January 2009. The investment fund practical, relevant, and accessible. Continued on page 33 Continued on page 33 Washtenaw Jewish News NON-PROFIT ORG. In this issue… 2935 Birch Hollow Drive U.S. Postage PAID Ann Arbor, MI 48108 Ann Arbor, MI JCC Local Election Permit No. 85 Annual Educators 2008 Book Festival at CAJE Page 3 Page 13 Page 25 I Correction 2935 Birch Hollow Drive From the editor Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108 My sincerest apologies to Jewish Family Services, who were inadvertently left off the cover voice: 734/971-1800 of the Guide to Jewish Life, 2008. Jewish Family Services is a vibrant, vital part of our local fax: 734/971-1801 Jewish community. When creating the cover, their photo was originally part of the artwork, e-mail: [email protected] but somewhere along the process it was accidentally left out. Below is their photo that should www.washtenawjewishnews.org have been included. Editor and Publisher Susan Kravitz Ayer Copy Editor David Erik Nelson Calendar Editor Claire Sandler Advertising Manager Gordon White Design and Layout Dennis Platte Staff Writers Judy Cohen, David Erik Nelson, Sandor Slomovits Contributing Writers Richard Address, Halye Aisner, Wendy Ascione, Rabbi Robert Dobrusin, Stewart D. Friedman, Florence Gerber, Rabbi Aharon Goldstein, Peretz Hirshbein, Deborah Huerta, Ron Kampeas, Karen Kohn, Dina Kraft, Rokhl Kafrissen, Carol Lessure, Joan Levitt, Merrill Poliner, Edmon J. Rodman, Dina Shtull, Ronnie Simon, Elliot Wallenberg, from page 1 Sorkin,Elianna Starr, Barbara Stratman, Martha Young, Shternie Zwiebel Russians say that Wallenberg died in 1947, Monday, October 27: the results of numerous investigations into Mailing Committee his whereabouts remain inconclusive. The The Challenge of Freedom After Apartheid Ruth Ankiewicz, Beverly Bixler, Ruth Breslaw, University of Michigan Raoul Wallenberg in South Africa, with Yazir Henri Ethel Ellis, Steve Fishman, Esther Goldman, Fran Goldman, Betty Hammond, Jayne Endowment was established in 1985 to com- Yazir Henri is a poet, writer and a pro- Harary Evelyn Horwitz, Doris Jamron, memorate Wallenberg and to recognize those fessional human rights activist. He is the Marilyn Krimm, Lily Ladin, Doris Miller, whose own courageous actions call to mind founding director of the Direct Action Cen- Bob and Sophie Mordis, Irwin Pollack, Lotte Wallenberg’s extraordinary accomplishments tre for Peace and Memory in Cape Town, Rosenbaum, Esther Rubin, Sol Saginaw, and values. n South Africa. Henri currently lectures at the Sarah Shoem, Nell Stern Gerald R.