Bernie’s a Jew; Don’t breathe a word My partner offers some criticism of presidential candidate Bernie Sanders to family members, telling them that he’s a Jew. The reaction to her comment is sharp, almost hostile … “What difference does THAT make?”. She withdraws from the conversation, saying later that she should have said “Zionist”. But […]

Disappointed http://www-personal.umich.edu/~hersko/Photos/Disappointed.jpg A hard core of Jewish Witnesses for Peace and Friends showed up this week to once again take to the streets for the only regular protest in Ann Arbor, certainly the only one which holds the Jewish community accountable for their support of Apartheid Israel. Loyal readers have heard this before. What perhaps […]

Young Men’s Judeo-Christian Association? Floating across our desk this week from our local YMCA came “We Belong – A newsletter for members & volunteers of the Ann Arbor YMCA” (January 2016). The Mission statement was printed on page one: To put Judeo-Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for […]

Is Jewish leadership getting nervous? It should be. This writer attended a press conference this week at a Dearborn Heights (Michigan) mosque, which was to show solidarity with the Muslim community against Islamophobia in the face of alleged racist comments by presidential candidates, notably Donald Trump’s. Had the religious leaders in attendance listened to what […]

In the face of Jewish Power, Lamar caves Last month we reported on the one-sided news coverage provided by television station WXYZ about the billboard, “America First, NOT Israel” erected by Lamar Advertising Company and paid for by Deir Yassin Remembered. Readers will remember that Heidi Budaj of the Anti-Defamation League was allowed to make […]

Whither Academia? Four members of Jewish Witnesses for Peace and Friends attended an academic discussion of “The Israeli Palestinian Conflict” at the Ford School for Public Policy on the University of Michigan campus. For ninety minutes Professors Shai Feldman and Khalil Shakaki lectured an audience of 50 people and answered note-card-filtered questions without once mentioning […]

Local TV station initiates coverage of DYR billboard, then clams up A story within a story … reporter Camille Amiri of local television station WXYZ-TV “breaks” the news of our billboard in the Detroit area and interviews only ADL (Anti-Defamation League) Detroit Regional Director Heidi Budaj, and claims that she tried to “reach out to […]