For those not familiar with prayer services at synagogues, it is customary to sell tickets to non-members for attendance at high holiday services (Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur). Having been a past regular attendee for Yom Kippur Services at Beth Israel Congregation, this writer decided to request a ticket from the Synagogue, and received the following reply from Congregation Executive Director Elliot Sorkin:

Sept. 7, 2004

Dear Mr. Hershkovitz [sic]

We cannot provide you with a ticket to our High Holiday services this year. If you are interested in having a more positive relationship with our congregation, a meaningful first step would be for you to end your practice of picketing outside a synagogue.

Let us begin the New Year with a spirit of mutual respect, and perhaps we can ultimately work more effectively towards truly meaningful dialogue.

Elliot Sorkin

Executive Director [Beth Israel Congregation]

see scanned image: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~hersko/Letters/YK2004

Note: Rabbi Levy of Temple Beth Emeth (Reform) was reportedly more open minded, claiming attendance would be allowed "after Hell freezes over".

Rabbi Dobrusin (Beth Israel Congregation) sent an e-mail to Hedy, asking our guest vigiller for October 2nd not to stand with Jewish Witnesses for Peace and Friends. Following his request is her reply.

Dear Ms. Epstein:

I am writing to you with a matter of deep concern. While we have never met, our paths are about to cross in Ann Arbor, MI on October 2. I want to make sure that you are completely aware of the situation here in Ann Arbor.

Since last September, the group known as the Jewish Witnesses for Peace and friends has been conducting a vigil on Shabbat morning outside of our Synagogue. They are completely acting within the law. On most occasions, they have acted civilly towards our congregants arriving for services although their presence and their signs have been provocative to say the least.

We have, at Beth Israel, taken a stand of non-confrontation. We deplore the decision to have any such protest in front of a house of worship on a holy day and we completely reject the substance of the signs (for example: "Zionism enabled Nazism"). This group proposes an end to the Jewish state and has been clear in their condemnation of Israel as the root cause for the tensions in the Middle East. But, as much as we deplore the message and the location of the protest, we do recogniz freedom of speech and we do not want to do anything or say anything in a way that might encourage any kind of confrontation.

I completely respect your right to believe as you do. I, myself, have been critical of the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza and supportive of the Geneva conference document from the bima [pulpit]. I have been involved repeatedly in Jewish-Palestinian and Interfaith dialogue efforts in the community. We all must stand clearly for our position in such serious matters. However, I want to make sure that you are aware how upsetting this vigil has been to our congregants and to the community. It has only served to divide people and to bring tension to what normally is a peaceful community in which serious dialogue on all issues does take place.

While the leadership of our Congregation adamantly disagrees with the position of this group, we respect fully their right to express this opinion. We believe there are appropriate places for this to occur such as in front of government offices or other public locations. However, the vigil outside of our Synagogue on Shabbat mornings,especially when there is a Bar or a Bat Mitzvah, as will be the case on October 2 has been the cause of great pain and consternation for our Congregants. I would respectfully ask you to consider this seriously before participating.

I would be more than willing to discuss this with you at any time.

Wish wishes for a peaceful New Year.
Rabbi Robert Dobrusin
Beth Israel Congregation
Ann Arbor, MI

Dear Rabbi Dobrusin,

Thank you very much for your e-mail. It isn't every day that I hear from a rabbi, so I want you to know how much I appreciate your writing to me.

I can well understand your concern, but I also hope that you can understand my concern, my pain, after having visited the West Bank twice within the past year. Let me just cite one instance.

When I stood next to the 25 ft. high cement wall in Qalquilia last December, I remembered the motto of Jews, especially of Holocaust survivors - "Never again!" And I said, yes that means, never again "for Jews," but now it is "by Jews." That was an awesome, deeply disturbing realization. It reinforced my commitment never to be a bystander. And so, I shall join Jewish Witness for Peace and friends in their weekly vigil. Joining the vigil is one of several ways in which I am responding to a request by many peace-loving, dignified Palestinians I met, to let Americans know what I feel, saw and experienced.

Additionally, I hope to have an opportunity to meet and chat with you while I am in Ann Arbor. I also would like to have an opportunity to dialogue with the members of your congregation in an open, respectful way about my experiences. Given the time constraints, I realize this would have to be at another time.

I look forward to hearing from your further, especially to an opportunity to meet with you, and at another time, with members of your congregation.

Shalom,
Hedy Epstein

When I see the word PALESTINE,
I see checkpoints.
roadblocks, the Wall,
and tortured civilians on the streets.

When I hear the word PALESTINE,
I hear piercing gunshots, soundbombs,
ilent screams from a tortured people, and
their cries for freedom, justice and peace.

When I feel the word PALESTINE,
I feel an excruciating pain,
bruised and aching hearts of those that
lost their loved ones in the struggle.

When I smell the word PALESTINE,
I smell the acrid stench of tear gas,
the dust of bulldozed homes
of an oppressed, yet dignified people.

When I taste the word PALESTINE,
I taste the bitterness
of injustice and oppression that
people have to endure to survive.

When I reflect on this,
I think about great leaders for independence,
I think about freedom, human rights;
I think about the long struggle to achieve this,
and the faint sound of freedom ringing, far away.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

JWP&F will indeed be fortunate to stand with this woman October 2nd. See her web site at http://www.hedyepstein.com.
This Saturday brought out yet another new face, an Israeli Jew now here at the University. He joined 12 other vigillers and (we hope) will become a regular witness for peace.

Work for Peace,
Henry Herskovitz