Essays and viewpoints

PURELY COMMENTARY

for openers Can Your Loving Pet Be a Member of the Tribe?

Bertie, our loveable dachshund, left us a couple of years ago. He was willful, stubborn, loving and adorable. He thought he was Jewish.

He got me to thinking. So, is there such a thing as a Jewish dog? Is it a Sadie or Schmaltsy or Nuddel? Not a Fido or Spot. Every Friday night when I lit candles (no matter where we were), Bertie would suddenly show up from another room wagging his tail. He stuck around because he knew we were going to cut the challah at some point. There definitely was food in his future. And when we cut the challah, there he was again, wagging his tail waiting for the end piece that Michael, my husband, would cut off. He ate first. We followed.

While buying his dog food one day, I spied a yarmulka and tallis for a small dog. It was marked down — the only one left. Should I or shouldn’t I buy it for Bertie? He would never keep a sweater on — he always managed to wriggle out of them. I was sure he would not tolerate the duo, but I bought it anyway.

It was Passover, and we were preparing for the seder. So, I put the yarmulka and tallis on him, and he loved it. He fell asleep with it on and didn’t want to take it off. He even posed for pictures. Yes. He was definitely proud to be Jewish.

But to be sure, I had to do some research.

Sandy Hermanoff

A LONGTIME SABRA?

I learned that there is a national dog of Israel: the Canaan dog. It apparently has survived in the desert regions of Israel for thousands of years. The Hebrews used the dog in biblical times as a guard dog, and it is still used by Bedouins and Druze today.

Professor Phillip AckermanLieberman from Vanderbilt Jewish studies writes that the relationship between dogs and Jews has been a fraught and complicated one. Though dogs fared poorly in the Hebrew Bible, of late they have been honored as family pets and even granted “bark mitzvahs.”

We know people who have sent out printed invitations for their “bark mitzvahs.” No fountain pens needed unless they’re edible. After all, humans can have bar and bat mitzvahs, why not dogs?

A few years ago, we made a shivah call. A couple, a guy with his significant other, came in, sat down and joined in on the conversation. The significant other who was not Jewish and had never been to a shivah before, was asking questions about the shivah rules and regulations. In the meantime, the family dog sauntered in wearing a cone on his head. He had just come from the vet.

“Is that part of the shivah?” the significant other asked. You could hear a pin drop. Then someone started to snicker. And another. And then the whole place was giggling. Obviously, the cone did not pass the test for being a Jewish dog.

Bertie PHOTOS SOUGHT

Did you know there’s a website where you can send videos of your Jewish pooch at dogs@forward.com? They ask that you “send your family photos or videos of your Jewish dog, and we’ll feature our favorites on the site.”

The site also says that: • Jeff Goldblum in the 2008 film Adam Resurrected, plays a Holocaust victim walking the line between human and canine personalities. • In Exodus 11:7 it reads, “no dog shall snarl at any of the Israelites.” What could be more supportive of God’s plan to redeem the Israelites? • The protagonist of Nobel Prize winner S.Y. Agnon’s novel Only Yesterday Balak is the Hebrew word for dog spelled backwards. •The Canaan dog was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1997, the creation of this breed was a natural part of the founding of the State of Israel.

There’s a charming book on Amazon (five stars) that seals the deal: How to Raise a Jewish Dog (Sept. 5, 2007) by the Rabbis of Boca Raton Theological Seminary.

The fictional “Rabbis” delve into how specific sounds, TV preferences, tricks and food preferences prove your dog is Jewish, but the way they present “the smell segment” is the winner. They begin:

“What self-respecting Jewish family would not, if given the choice, pick a Jewish dog? Yet one typically does not even give a thought about one’s dog’s religion. And even if one did, how could one possibly ensure that the dog you’ve chosen to invite into your home to become a treasured part of your Jewish family — is, in fact, Jewish?

“Worry about this no more, my

essay Partnership2Gether: Two Communities, One United Family

Why is the program But what do “relationships” Partnership2Gether actually mean? Let’s back up (P2G) so very and start with what P2G is. important to our community? P2G is a program of the Relationships. It’s all about Jewish Agency for Israel Illit), Migdal HaEmek and the engagement and education. relationships. (JAFI). There are more than Jezreel Valley. Where once 100% of When I took over as the 550 communities around the In the beginning, P2G the dollars went to Israel director of Federation’s Israel world involved in 45 different was created as a way for to support basic needs, and Overseas partnerships. us (the Michiganders) to now much of the money Department in Michigan was one of the take care of the people in is used to bring Israelis 2015, that’s what first to join back in 1994. Israel. We raised funds and and Israel experiences to I heard over Metro Detroit, Ann Arbor assisted with basic needs. our community from the and over when and Grand Rapids are paired As Israel evolved over the Partnership region through acclimating all together with three years, so did Partnership. programs like Shinshinim,

Jennifer myself to P2G municipalities in what we call Today, Partnership focuses School Twinning and

Levine — one of the the “Central Galilee Region on four primary areas: the Lester Young Adult Detroit Jewish of Israel,” including Nof Jewish identity, leadership Ambassador program. Federation’s flagship programs. HaGalil (formerly Nazareth development, volunteer

Central Galilee 11th-graders comingle on the Naim BeYahad bike trail.

JN FILE PHOTO

continued on page 8

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Covering and Connecting Jewish Detroit Every Week

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PURELY COMMENTARY

JEWISH DOG from page 4

beloved Judaic friends. For after years of study, research, interviews, and consultations with experts, I am about to publish the only guide of its kind, ‘How to Tell if Your Dog is Jewish.’ At long last, you can have peace of mind about at least this one small yet vital part of your family’s life. You’re welcome.”

THE SMELL TEST

The rabbis continue: “For a week, chart the things (and people) that your dog sniffs. Clothes may make the man, but smells make the dog, and in particular, the Jewish dog. “Do you find him primarily sniffing the pets of other Jewish pet owners? When you walk past a Jewish deli, do his nostrils go crazy as he makes a sharp turn to steer you toward the pastrami? And while we’re on the subject of Jewish meat, has your dog, after getting a whiff of your Shabbat brisket, jumped up on the table and gobbled it down while you’re distracted lighting the candles?”

And finally, the Rabbis of Boca Raton tell us: “Then again, ask yourself if it really matters if your dog is Jewish. If it does, perhaps that’s a sign that your life is not Jewish enough to start with.

“Because if there’s enough Judaism in your life and in your relationships with others, you could have a Baptist dog, a Muslim dog or an Episcopalian dog and still live a pretty good and satisfyingly Jewish life, no? Then again, if you’d truly prefer a Jewish dog, who am I to stop you?”

I say the Rabbis of Boca Raton are correct. Bertie would have loved them!

Sandy Hermanoff is a local public relations consultant who loves to cook and bake.

PARTNERSHIP2GETHER from page 6

LINKS WITH ISRAEL

The mission of Partnership is “to create and support programs and initiatives that foster deep, interpersonal relationships between the communities in Michigan and our Partnership Region in Israel. We utilize these experiences to engage and strengthen our communities while embracing Israel as a core value.”

Relationships are defined as a connection between people or groups. Great. What is it, then, that connects us?

Is it that we are all Jewish? Well, not so fast. That is evolving with the times … If you happened to see the March issue of the Israel and Overseas Department’s Newsletter, you would have read about Hisham Bisharat, an avid biker, Christian Arab Israeli and dedicated volunteer in the Partnership region. (By the way, if you are not currently receiving the Israel & Overseas Department Newsletter you can sign up at jewishdetroit. org/get-involved/israel-andoverseas.)

Is it that we all care about Israel as the land for the Jewish people? Yes, though, we don’t live there. We also care strongly about our local Detroit community. In fact, 70% of the funds raised by the Jewish Federation stay local to take care of needs here.

Or is it the idea of Partnership being our “home in Israel”? I think this comes closest to explaining what is special about Partnership.

The vision of Partnership that was developed by the committee, chaired by Randi Sakwa and Ron Sollish and staffed by Dona Stillman, is that our Partnership builds relationships of mutuality, understanding and support in which members of our communities are one family. • Mutuality — both parties benefit from these relationships and connections. • Understanding — we know about one another, our communities and our lives. • Support — we are there for each other emotionally, financially and otherwise.

TAKING ACTION

I see examples of all three of these qualities every day on our P2G What’s App group. When fires tore through Nof HaGalil last fall, Detroiters immediately responded with: “What can we do? We are here for you.”

Similarly, when the gravestones at the Ahavas Israel cemetery in Grand Rapids were desecrated last November, the message from the P2G Israelis was clear: “We think of you and our hearts are with you always and especially in these difficult hours. We are supporting you all the way from your home away from home in Israel.”

Ruthi Zamir, the immediate past Israeli chair of P2G, summed it up nicely on What’s App during Tu b’Shevat: “Our Partnership is like a tree. We have old and strong roots that keep us safe together in stormy weather. Each year, we grow and flourish, we have new branches and very good fruits.”

I hope that each of you will be able to experience this home away from home for yourself. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you are planning a trip to Israel. We will help you plan a visit to the region. We promise that it will leave a lasting impression and that you will come away with new relationships and connections to the Land of Israel.

Jennifer Levine is director of the Israel and Overseas Department for the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit.

PURELY COMMENTARY

guest column Holocaust Victims and Heirs Seek Justice from Defiant Global Insurance Companies

The financial damage caused to Jewish families during the Holocaust continues to be felt, especially by more than 25,000 survivors in the United States who live in poverty. To date, only 3% of the nearly 800,000

Jonathan H. insurance poli-

Schwartz cies paid for by Jews during the Holocaust have been honored, due primarily to intentional plus the right to receive 6% obstruction by global insur- yearly prejudgment interest, ance companies and loopholes attorney’s fees and costs, and in the U.S. legal system. treble (3x) damages if there is

Fortunately, there is biparti- proof the insurer acted in bad san legislation under consider- faith. ation by Congress which will provide much needed assistance to tackle this ongoing injustice.

On April 13, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), along with several co-sponsors, introduced the Holocaust Insurance Accountability Act of 2021.

The bill provides Holocaust victims (both survivors and slain, and their beneficiaries and heirs) who held insurance policies issued in Nazi-controlled territory (or Switzerland) between Jan. 31, 1933, and Dec. 31, 1945, the right to file a lawsuit seeking insurance proceeds in U.S. federal courts.

In addition, the law provides a renewed 10-year statute of limitations to bring claims,

BIPARTISAN SUPPORT

The overwhelming bipartisan support for the new law is a reflection of the moral consensus that Holocaust victims and their families “should be the heirs to unpaid policies that were set aside for times of trouble — not the insurance companies,” as Rep. Schultz explained. Elected legislators have an obligation to “do everything we can to support survivors and their families,” echoed Sen. Rubio, especially removing legal barriers to lawsuits being filed in federal courts. The vital legislation has gained the support of many Jewish organizations across the country because it “will allow survivors, and our children and grandchildren, to recover our family histories and legacies [and] expose details about the insurers’ history of collaboration with Nazi authorities” according to David Schaecter, president of the Holocaust Survivors Foundation USA.

ASSISTING VICTIMS

As president emeritus of the Jewish Bar Association of Michigan and leader of the Holocaust Art Recovery Initiative, I have helped many survivors and their families who faced an uphill battle seeking a return of their stolen property. The injustices caused during the Holocaust era and the years that followed are further compounded when U.S. courts, which often provide the only real path to justice, are closed to claims. The Holocaust Insurance Accountability Act of 2021 is an essential tool in the effort to help right the historic wrong done to the Jewish people and provide a viable path to recovery for so many Jewish families who have been wrongfully denied insurance proceeds for so many years.

I encourage all members of the Metro Detroit Jewish community to join with me in supporting the passage of the Holocaust Insurance Accountability Act of 2021. Please contact your elected federal representatives and explain to them the importance of voting for this bipartisan bill. Legislators have a special opportunity to help address this ongoing injustice, and they should be confident that voting in favor of the bill is the right thing to do.

Afterward, we begin the hard work of pursuing lawsuits to obtain recovery against global insurance companies who have reaped the benefits from their ill-gotten gains for decades. I look forward to assisting with that effort, which has the potential of creating dramatic change in the lives of Holocaust survivors and their descendants, including in our Metro Detroit Jewish community.

It is long past time for us to tackle this problem, and passage of the Holocaust Insurance Accountability Act of 2021 is the next necessary step to finally help do it.

Attorney Jonathan H. Schwartz is a partner at Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss, P.C. in Southfield and a member of the firm’s diversity and inclusion committee. He is the recipient of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit’s 2021 Frank A. Wetsman Young Leadership Award.

PURELY COMMENTARY

guest column

Support the NO HATE Act

The eight Asian spa Khalid and Heather, for whom murders in Atlanta. the bill was named, were real A 65-year-old Asian people whose lives were cut American woman kicked in short because of hate. the stomach and face while Jabara, an Oklahoma being verbally native of Lebanese attacked in New Christian descent, York City. A was shot and killed by Jewish family his white neighbor in slashed with 2016. Heyer, who many a knife, also are familiar with, was killed

Lauren in Manhattan. while counterprotesting at

GarfieldHerrin Constant attacks on African the white-supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va., in 2017. Americans.

Sadly, today, many Americans are in constant fear for their safety simply because of the color of their skin, whom they love or how they choose to pray.

Earlier this month, the Khalid Jabara and Heather Heyer National Opposition to Hate, Assaults and Threats to Equality (NO HATE) Act was introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives as H.R. 2383., and into the Senate a few days later. It had been passed twice in the 116th Congress by the House but was never passed by the Senate. In the 117th Congress, the Senate passed the bill on April 22. In the House, leading the bipartisan charge to get it passed are four representatives, two Democrats and two Republicans, the latter which includes Michigan’s own Fred Upton of the 4th District.

To date, Rep. Peter Meijer, a Republican from the 3rd District (Grand Rapids), has signed on as a co-sponsor and several other Michigan representatives are on the waitlist to be included.

For some background,

REPORTING OF HATE

The goal of this legislation is to close the gaps in the reporting of hate crimes across the nation, namely incentivizing state and local law enforcement to improve reporting by making grants available to provide resources such as trainings, reporting hotlines, public educational forums and increased resources to communicate with affected communities. One may ask: Why is reporting such a large part of this bill? Each year, the FBI publishes the previous year’s hate crimes statistics. While it is shocking to see how many and which groups are targeted, it is perhaps more upsetting when one realizes that the numbers they share are woefully inaccurate and, in reality, much higher. This is because not every municipality reports hate crimes accurately, or at all, and many victims are afraid to go to authorities. Today, only 13 percent of U.S. law enforcement agencies submit any hate crimes data to the FBI. In the Jewish community, per the American Jewish Committee’s 2020 State of Antisemitism in America report, 76 percent of Jews who were the target of a hateful remark or attack did not report it.

So, without proper reporting, what would incentivize victims to go to the authorities? How else will resources that could possibly curb the rising numbers be provided, such as the forums and trainings?

To help make hate crimes a terrible memory of the past, we, as Jews, must remember that we have been taught to love our neighbor and to make this a better world through tikkun olam. Today, there may be no better way to show our love than supporting the NO HATE Act, which will inevitably help all Americans, no matter their religion, skin color or sexuality.

We can all make a concerted effort to “see something, say something,” whether the verbal or physical attack was on you, a friend, family member or even a complete stranger.

Lauren Garfield-Herrin is associate director of the Jewish Community Relations Council/AJC.

Marketplace Health Enrollment Extended

When President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, countless Americans breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that some financial relief would be on its way in the form of a stimulus check.

But what some may not know, is that the Act also calls for major improvements in access to and affordability of health coverage through the Marketplace by increasing eligibility for financial assistance.

In other words — more financial relief.

The new law lowers health insurance premiums for most people who currently have a Marketplace health plan and expands access to financial assistance for more consumers. On average, premiums for a single person will decrease by $50 per month or $85 per policy per month.

When a special enrollment period was opened (originally set for Feb. 15-May 15; it has since been extended until Aug. 15), more than 200,000 people signed up for Marketplace coverage through healthcare.gov in the first two weeks — some of whom were assisted by the health care navigators at Jewish Family Service. Community members who are signing up for health insurance for the first time, as well as those who have already enrolled through the Marketplace, may be eligible for more savings and are encouraged to contact Jewish Family Service for assistance.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact Olga Semenova at (248) 592-2262 or osemenova@ jfsdetroit.org.