Rescue Detroit is an exciting concept for the world to behold. A not-for-profit Michigan corporation founded to help re-populate the city of Detroit and make it a valuable destination to move into and raise a family. Nowhere in the history of America has one community been so polarized over the issue of race than in Detroit. America may not realize both the unique position Michigan and Detroit have played in the history of this great nation, specifically as it relates to the production of automobiles, but also, as it relates to the American lifestyle that is envied by some and hated by others. A natural disaster has happened in Detroit. It did not come from a hurricane, like Katrina to New Orleans; it came over time, generations. The natural disaster hit Detroit as hard as any hurricane could. There is urban decay in most large cities of the world, not just America. However, nowhere has urban decay occurred on such a great scale than in Detroit.
This is a unique story because unlike in other cities where there may have been a rotation of ethnic populations in and out of its borders over time, those cities were able to maintain themselves through taxes and revenue generated by new residents of the city as much as from commerce and industry. In any city you can think of in this country, nowhere have people intentionally segregated themselves so dramatically between colonies of white and black, than in Detroit. That, which was sacrificed on the cross of prejudice, as borne by Detroit, was its very life. It’s still dying a slow death, but dying it is none the less. Yes, there are few glimpses of hope for the future; a few neighborhoods here and there, mostly filled with younger generations, not tarnished by the history of racism that was rampant in Detroit. I challenge anybody that doubts this history, to visit Detroit, to see and understand.
NuWire Investments published an article on October 17, 2007, entitled: The Top 5 Declining U.S. Markets. New Orleans was excluded because, while suffering the greatest recent decline, it was caused by nature, and not economy; therefore, NuWire felt it should be excluded. Remove New Orleans and what is left, Detroit, as the number one Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) in decline in today’s America. A conflagration engulfed the city of Detroit as greatly as Katrina devastated New Orleans; why Detroit burned is a legitimate question beyond the scope of this writing. Like the reason the city de-populated, it’s complicated, and not beholden to any one reason.
We can compile statistics, which show Detroit growing in spurts from 1900-1950, when it reaches its pinnacle population of about 1.8 million residents, making the city of Detroit, the fourth largest city in America; then the decline starts. From 1950-2000, Detroit's population not only reverses, but bottom's out, with significantly less that 1 million residents today, with 1/3rd of the residents below the poverty line. The highway system had a lot to do with it; the growth of sub-urban in favor of urban, with Detroit creating the first limited access road, the Davison highway. Then the J. L. Hudson Corporation sowed the seeds of its own decline, through creating the first suburban shopping mall, Northland, followed in time by Eastland, Southland, and Westland malls; until the day the J. L. Hudson company was no longer, purchased by Minneapolis' Dayton company, only surviving in the memory of Detroiter's and continuing its corporate existence as the Target Corporation. Then there came the riot of 1967, court ordered school bussing, declines in property values, the election of Coleman Young, and the wholesale evacuation of the neighborhoods, below 8-Mile Road, in favor of larger zoned lots and larger built homes, and largely white, safe, neighborhoods, of suburban sprawl.
In the final analysis, it does not matter who did what, when; there is blame-a-plenty to be shared on both sides of the racial divide. The only salient question which remains is what are we going to do about the situation, as it now stands ten years into the 21st century? Rescue Detroit, a not-for-profit company, presents a business model that hopefully will shift the paradigm from the past, to the future; from decline to re-growth. The business plan which follows is presented with the intent that Detroit can be re-populated and thereby, saved from its impending bankruptcy and collapse.
B. CORPORATE OBJECTIVES
“A new scientific truth does not triumph by convincing its opponents and making them see the light, but rather because its opponents eventually die, and a new generation grows up that is familiar with it." Max Plank, the father of Quantum Mechanics.
The corporate objective of Rescue Detroit is to create an institution that will achieve the goals of:
1) Creating an incentive for new residents to return to home ownership in the neighborhoods of Detroit; through the founding of a university that will educate any resident in the cities of Detroit, Hamtramck, and Highland Park for free;
2) Creating a fund to assist home owners to either renovate a current structure, or in the alternative, to encourage the construction of a new structure on an existing site. Rescue Detroit supports the construction of housing, which complies with the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification program, as developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (www.usgbc.org); to replenish the housing stock of Detroit with sustainable housing, which are environmentally responsible, energy efficient, healthy homes for people to live in. Rescue Detroit would encourage construction of homes awarded the platinum certificate for 90 LEED points of efficiency over prior standards (cf. http://www.greenbuiltmichigan.org; http://www.buildingmichigan.org; http://www.wbdg.org/resources/lidsitedesign.php; www.deltechomes.com, for panelized housing which may be constructed by a homeowner within 100 hours) (source: the Detroit Free Press, October 12, 2008, by James Dulley, 1H and 6H);
3) Restoring the culturally rich and distinct structures, (destroyed by time and vandals), of the Michigan Central Railway Station (designed in the Beaux-Arts style by the Warren & Wetmore and Reed and Stem firms, who also designed New York City's Grand Central Station) and the former Louis Cass Technical High School, (designed by Albert Kahn), both of which, stand vacant;
4) Creating a fund for the development of small business ownership and the restoration of neighborhood markets and commercial buildings, which have been decimated over the years, as competition from large commercial retailers, drove the commercial life of the neighborhoods out-of-business, along with the erosion of the population base;
5) Creating a foundation for the purchase and use of other historically relevant structures and, or land, for the use and enjoyment of Rescue Detroit on behalf of the current and future residents of the city of Detroit.
C. MARKETING AND DEVELOPMENT PLANS.
The goal of Rescue Detroit is not to destroy and rebuild, but to renovate and renew that real and personal property, which currently exist as a liability, instead of an asset, to the city of Detroit, or the county of Wayne. To achieve true renewal of the city of Detroit, we have witnessed the Renaissance of the Downtown core, of the riverfront, of the Midtown areas, but what we have not seen is a corresponding overall rise in the domestic tax base of the city. The city of Detroit must contend with the decimation of its infrastructure through the limited options created by the eroded tax base and declining revenues from the economic devastation that has hit the nation generally and Detroit, specifically.
It is the firm belief of this organization that no political regime, will ever be successful in solving the problems of Detroit; no billions spent in federal and state funds over the years, will ever replace the necessity of a valued domestic citizenry, engaged in the development and security of the neighborhood communities, through the personal responsibility of home ownership, that repopulation of the neighborhoods will accomplish.
Therefore, to that end and goal, Rescue Detroit is committed to the establishment of Zaddik University, an institution dedicated to the non-sectarian study of God and Science. For too long the peoples of the world have chosen to emphasize the differences in our respective belief systems, instead of our similarities. This is premised on the concept of religious dogma, which by definition establishes a world view of absolute truth, which requires the religious faithful that their belief is the absolute, objective truth, and therefore the other person's beliefs are not only inferior and wrong, but expose the non-believer, the gentile, the infidel, the heretic, to hell. Rescue Detroit in partnership with the non-sectarian Church of the New Apostles and the not-for-profit Newapostles.net, will found Zaddik University, not only for the express purpose of studying the scientific principles of religion and in the divergent, yet ultimately harmonious theories and faiths in God, and the freely educate any resident of the city of Detroit who chooses to avail themselves of a free college education.
Zaddik University will incorporate the progressive theory of education postulated by the progressive movement, as defined by John Dewey, William James, and others. Zaddik University accepts that cultural diversity is a societal goal to be accomplished, not only because as a society it is an admirable goal, but because it is an admonition of God. Jesus says the Imperial Rule of the Father is like a mustard seed; to that end, Rescue Detroit intends to plant a seed in the city of Detroit, to educate those that choose to seek an education, asking nothing in return for the education. Zaddik University will seek accreditation, such that its graduates will be highly prized job prospects, wherever they may choose to go; there are to be no strings attached to an education at Zaddik University, other than the education The Zaddik, provides as an institution, will be free only for the residents of the cities of Detroit, Hamtramck, and Highland Park.
Rescue Detroit believes that the eyes of the world should focus on this city at this time in history, because when we achieve our goals, not only will Detroit be able to boast that it has the finest institution dedicated to the study of God, but because, if we can overcome racism in the city of Detroit, we will show the world that overcoming racism is possible anywhere. Cognizant of the fact that next to Detroit, in the city of Dearborn, lives the largest population of Arab citizens outside the Middle-East, Zaddik University shall be dedicated to founding the first-most center of Islamic studies outside the Middle-East.
II. RESCUE DETROIT'S MISSION STATEMENT
Rescue Detroit's Corporate Mission is to re-populate the city of Detroit, to increase its domestic tax base, and allow the municipality to fund its budget to provide necessary human services to its residents. It is the belief of this organization that the city of Detroit is not a "throw-away" city, but an integral part of American, a worthy of preservation and revitalization. The decline of Detroit is marked over sixty years, and while there may have been precipitating factors, such are better left to the scrap-pile of history. Detroit needs a beacon, a clarion to the world that if you seek to live on a beautiful peninsula, look around you. Not only is the state of Michigan a geographic marvel, boarded by the world's largest mass of fresh water lakes, but it creates an individually unique identity on this planet, which may most assuredly be seen from space. The city of Detroit, founded by the French explorer, Suer de Cadillac, in 1701, is situated north of the southernmost point of Canada, Windsor Ontario, making this region one of the most cosmopolitan, international, pleasant areas in North America to live. In the latter years of the Nineteenth Century, the city of Detroit was acclaimed, the Paris of the Mid-West. There is no reason to doubt that this city may once again bear such favorable comparisons.
III. INTRODUCTION OF RELATED COMPANIES AND HISTORY OF COMPANY.
Rescue Detroit is a Michigan Not-For-Profit corporation founded for the purpose of establishing an internationally recognized institution, Zaddik University, for the non-sectarian study of God.
The Church of the New Apostles is a Michigan ecclesiastical corporation founded to advance the mission statement of Rescue Detroit, and to pursue the science of religion through application of the Four Laws of Quantum Theodynamics.
Newapostles.net is a Michigan Not-For-Profit corporation founded to market and develop future products and marketing efforts on behalf of its related corporate entities and to operate the website, www.newapostles.net.
Zaddik Literary Agency, Inc. is a privately held for profit Michigan Corporation established to market and publish literary works.
Zaddik Law PLLC is a Michigan Professional Limited Liability Company, which provides legal services to Rescue Detroit and its related corporate entities.
IV. THE BUSINESS MODEL FOR RESCUE DETROT; A SHORT HISTORY OF SIMILAR BUSINESS MODELS
A. THE MARKET AND THE BUSINESS MODEL
The charitable industry has many examples of coordinated fundraising to achieve large goals. The business model of Rescue Detroit is "synergistic manifest market coordination" to quickly create momentum, which will catapult the mission of Rescue Detroit to the forefront of national news, followed by a blitzkrieg promotional campaign beginning in France, then Spain, and from there, the rest of Europe and Great Britain. With sufficient coverage generated by the popularity of the mission, Rescue Detroit will become an international cause-celebre that will create the funding necessary, to rehabilitate both the Michigan Central Railway Station and the erstwhile Cass Technical High School building designed by the talented architect and Detroiter, Albert Kahn.
Is the business proposal sound and can it be implemented, in such a way as to achieve the stated goals? The answer must be a resounding yes; such a plan can and will work, if Rescue Detroit can mobilize a grassroots movement of local charitable organizations and the citizenry of Detroit. Rescue Detroit will create a focal point to allow people of goodwill throughout the world who know of Detroit and want to help. Motown, Hockeytown, the Motor City, the Arsenal of Democracy, Detroit is a name brand that can and will summon good will across continents; one needs but ask.
Not-For-Profit corporations are no different in their business tactics, as for profit corporations. The only significant difference is intent, and the inability to disburse dividends to shareholders. Nonetheless, Not-For-Profit and for profit corporations must be operated using similar methodology, if they hope to be successful. Rescue Detroit has adopted several proven business models, which will allow it to rally support for its mission. The first business model Rescue Detroit looks to for guidance is that used by Danny Thomas in raising funds for St. Jude Children's Hospital. Before Danny Thomas became a national celebrity, he was a night club performer and local comedienne in Detroit. He was essentially broke and his career barely paid to feed his young family. Danny Thomas stopped into a Detroit Church, St. James, on John R. on the east side of the city and said a prayer to St. Jude, the purported saint of lost causes. Why this is relevant, will be discussed in greater detail later in this business plan under the section heading, Synchronicity.
Danny Thomas dropped his last $7.00 into the collection box and promised to build a shrine to the purported saint, if he would help him. Danny Thomas got a job in Chicago the next day. Keeping his promise after achieving extraordinary success, Danny Thomas eventually rallied the good will, which the public felt towards him, into the St. Jude Children's Hospital. If the question became, can it be done, the story of Danny Thomas proves that it can.
The next business model Rescue Detroit seeks to emulate is that of Martha Stewart, and later, in Martha Stewart's own image, that of Harpo Productions and Oprah Winfrey. Martha Stewart proved an innovative concept to America. If a product or name brand can be successful in one medium, then the goodwill which the public attaches to that name brand, can be developed and marketed in other business platforms, to create cross-marketing opportunities for both the original product in the original medium, and a new product, in a different medium; Martha Stewart referred to this as synergistic cross-promotion between the branded products and complimentary mediums. Hence, a household catering business spawns the cookbooks, which in turn elevate the name brand, which may then be transferred and applied to yet other mediums and products, such as magazines, and then television shows, and then simply a name linked to quality products, branding books to bedding, and so forth. Oprah Winfrey used the same essential business model as Martha Stewart until her name denoted quality and inspired goodwill for that branding. What Oprah added to the business model of cross-promoted synergy, was the ownership of the means, by which her branding could be distributed. Oprah did not license her name to another company to produce a consumer good; she bought the means to produce her own television show, by purchasing a studio. In doing so, she retained absolute artistic control over her image. In producing her own television show, instead of allowing others to produce her brand, Oprah Winfrey was able to keep the lion's share of all profits generated by her personal popularity; Martha Stewart had to buy the rights back from various companies, before she could combine her branding into Martha Stewart Omnimedia, and launch a public offering.
Rescue Detroit seeks no less, than to own all aspects of its brand name and to cross-promote it in different mediums, keeping all profits, tax free, for the express mission of the charitable corporation. As Rescue Detroit is not a 501 (C) (3), entity, it is not in a position at this time to receive contributions made for tax incentive from for profit corporations, or governmental programs. Rescue Detroit seeks a charitable corporate partner to receive grants and donations, made to support the mission of Rescue Detroit, and generated by its brand name.
The final relevant business model, which has been proven successful, is that of Habitat for Humanity. As investment by Rescue Detroit grows, to develop renewal or new housing, homestead rights should be premised on the general business model established by Habitat.
B. INFRASTRUCTURE ACQUISITION.
The Michigan Central Railway Station shall be converted into the only economic use it will ever generate in this generation of Detroiters. The sad reality with the renovation of this historic structure is there are simply not enough residents in the city to make the renovation for commercial investment feasible. The bold and daring investment, planned in better days, but struggling to establish itself today, by the Ferchill Group, has resulted in an investment of over 200 million into the Book Cadillac/Westin; with plans to develop the Book Tower as well. The Fort Shelby Courtyard Hotel by Marriott represents an additional 80 million in downtown investment. Yet catering to business travelers and movie stars may allow these companies to survive in the short run, they will not long do so, if the decline of Detroit is allowed to continue. It is mission of Rescue Detroit to focus the good will of the local business community to assist in creating the perfect storm of synergy that will re-populate the city. It is only when Detroit's neighborhoods are renovated, block by block, house by house, for a sufficient tax base to exist, to pay for the primary and secondary education of the citizenry. With residents, come a cumulative reserve of capital, income, and resources, to support the local business community. Through judicial priming of local entrepreneurs and small business owners, people who live and work in the neighborhoods, to renovate the commercial real estate infrastructure of the city.
C. COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.
While Rescue Detroit anticipates raising the necessary funds to renovate both historic structures, there is no reason that the synergy generated by the success of Rescue Detroit, cannot facilitate other fundraising efforts. Rescue Detroit will host an international telethon to raise funds for the city of Detroit. Detroit is the center of class culture as it's exists today, from the lower to upper Middle classes. The fact that Eminem has sold over 80 million albums worldwide, has everything to do with his refraction of urban black culture, specifically, Detroit City culture; a combination of Marshall Mather’s unique brilliance and talent, with Detroit neighborhood, or rather, the hood, street culture. Statistically, rap music is by far the most prevalent American export, the word over, in today's world, with Arab kids rapping on the streets of Mid-eastern cities, to Chinese kids in the night clubs of Beijing.
Detroit has immense, untapped good will, to premise a world-wide effort to save the city and help preserve that which multicultural racism shattered in the seventies and eighties, the neighborhoods. Rescue Detroit envisions the use of Comerica Park and Ford Field to host a free concert for the citizens of Detroit, simultaneously; both concerts televised the world over, with such Detroit luminaries as Eminem, Kid Rock, and Mike Posner.
It is the desire and intent of Rescue Detroit to create and endowment that will allow Rescue Detroit to fund all stated projects, to shock the heart of a dying city into new life and create an institution that will live long into the future; and to be cliché, prosper.
D. MARKET FOR ZADDIK PRODUCTS
Rescue Detroit is keenly aware that at once there is a niche market for Zaddik products, yet, that does not diminish the potential for market share, when spread across the potential world market. The success of similarly situated products, lend credence to the available market potential; the only variable being the produce itself.
Non-traditional market analysis infers success in all segments of the world market, but in varying degrees, based largely on cultural influences. There is a strong possibility, that the international market may actually prove larger than the domestic market.
Moreover, one should never discount the unlimited potential that is created when a single individual chooses to freely, voluntarily, and for the express purposes of doing the right thing on behalf of God, creates. Related synergy and international goodwill should propel Zaddik products and its strategic allies and partners, into its own market segment that will dominate all future products in this market for a generation to come.
In considering your participation in this grand and glorious venture, participation, which may readily bestow on the participant the same goodwill and success as the proposed product, will be good for business on all levels. Investment in terms of cooperation and donation, where appropriate, will return to the participant, economic, if not esoteric success and goodwill.
V. ZADDIK UNIVERSITY'S PRODUCT AND SERVICES
A. THE UNIVERSITY CENTER CAMPUS
Turning the Michigan Central Station into The Zaddik, an institution dedicated to a multiple-cultural center of learning, will create an ivory tower, sought the world over, as a free zone of thought to create valuable discourse for peoples around the world. Located in the Michigan Avenue corridor The Zaddik, will anchor the Corktown to Mexicantown neighborhoods, creating a zone of industry that will create a high demand for future housing, largely historic, that will enable Rescue Detroit to buy low and sell high in the future. Detroit is only an undervalued asset, if the city has the ability to recover. The only source then of recovery for the city, is to create a strong demand for investing in residential homes, or to create new value from constructed green housing.
B. THE CASS-TECH CAMPUS
Restoring the former Cass Tech will not only preserve that building, which is of historic merit, but expand the scope of influence of Zaddik University, to the last remnants of the Cass Corridor and anchor the area between downtown and Midtown. The Cass Tech campus will provide a school to assist anyone who needs additional education and training, to achieve success at the college level. It is the mission of Rescue Detroit to educate the young and the old, and all persons between, who want to go to college or improve their lives through education. While the college will charge tuition to students attending, as an incentive to those would invest their time, money, and family, as residents of the city of Detroit.
C. NEIGHBORHOOD FEEDER SCHOOLS
As much as Detroit's homes and commercial buildings have been burned, abandoned, vandalized, or left to rot, so too is there a host of primary and secondary school buildings which have been closed for lack of need. The Detroit Public Schools have suffered as much from the abandonment of Detroit as from the legislatively permitted Charter School and School of Choice options, which further erode the School Districts viability. Rescue Detroit does not desire to be a competing influence, as much as an adjunct source of continuing education, for those who graduate, yet are not ready for college level course-work. Therefore it may be necessary to acquire some additional infrastructure by way of local neighborhood schools. They may also prove a valuable addition for community based resource centers.
VI. MARKETING MISSION, BUSINESS STRATEGY AND FUNDING.
Rescue Detroit is committed to its mission through self-funding, accomplished through the distribution, marketing and sale of various works of historical fiction. Rescue Detroit will be the sole owner of all intellectual property rights of the novel: THE ZADDIK, A STORY OF JAMES AND PAUL, a history of the first century from the death of Jesus to the death of his brother, James, in 62 c.e. This work is the first volume in the series entitled: THE JESUS CHRONICLES, a trilogy covering the history of the first century.
The Zaddik will be followed by the publication of volume two, THE DIARY OF JUDAS THOMAS, which details the lives of the generation preceding that of Jesus, from roughly 20 b.c.e., to 27 c.e. the date of Jesus' death, as told through the eyes of the youngest brother of Jesus, Judas, so called Thoma, in Hebrew, meaning twin, for his remarkable likeness to his elder sibling, Jesus.
The third volume in the series will be entitled: THE CHURCH OF THE APOSTLES, covering the history of the first century from the death of James to the death of Simeon-bar-Cleophas, the brother of Jesus, who was born between James and Judas, and who built the Church of the Apostles. The Church of the Apostles was constructed around the Canticle, or room of the Last Supper and the location of the Pentecost, which was the former home of James, on the hill of Mt. Zion.
Together the three volumes will explain the history of the first century from the reign of Augustus through the reign of Nerva, in 98 c.e., as interpreted by the Dead Sea Scrolls.
VII. CORPORATE INFLUENCE ON THE COMMUNITY
Rescue Detroit plans on maximizing the initial publicity of the books sales, by involving the community in the restoration process. Not only is there a large alumni of Cass Tech High School graduates, but by involving the community in the design of the Zaddik as a building worthy of its purpose, the study of God, the great hall of the Zaddik, shall be designed by local talent incorporating local products, such as Pewabic Pottery, into the redesign of the former train station.
The Zaddik shall reserve several upper floors of the building for dormitories creating a true sense of the collegiate experience and providing assistance to those students who need it.
The Zaddik University seeks to incorporate new and unique teaching methods to educate its students. The rise of home-schooling has proven that children can achieve great educational strides if allowed to learn at their own pace, with a curriculum designed for their specific needs. The Zaddik will incorporate as much self-study programming as necessary to become a respected school of higher learning.
Apart from a host of online courses, The Zaddik will seek guest lecturers from across the world seeking the primary assistance with the plethora of retired professors who seek to continue their teaching, even after established emeritus status.
As necessary, The Zaddik shall employ the staff needed to carry out the mission of Rescue Detroit, seeking to employ local talent in this grand and glorious endeavor.
VIII. THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS
The Dead Sea Scrolls were originally discovered in the late 1940's; however it took until the early 1980's, before general access was allowed to photograph the Scrolls and allow other scholars a chance to translate the Scrolls. Having now been translated, about 4 of the Scrolls make historical sense, only if interpreted as first century documents, perhaps referencing and harkening back to an earlier period of religious fervor, but certainly referencing events which occurred after the death of Jesus. Traditionalists, not yet willing to accept the paradigm shift, hold strong to their youthful acceptance of historical beliefs and religious prejudice, to compose convoluted and strange syllogisms, which strain known history to exclude the Scrolls from their proper time period. Certain of the Scrolls, such as The Damascus Document, and The Letter to Foreign Communities, most likely a fragment of the Letter of James, the Zaddik of Jerusalem and brother of Jesus, instructing Aretas, the King of Adiabene, in the ways of the Jewish established synagogues, loyal to the original apostles of Jesus and his family. The instructions are similar to the famous Letter of James, rejecting all Gentiles from the communities established by the Apostles, who do not first become a Jew, which generally meant adult male circumcision. It was the same theme as that which James issued to counter inroads made by Paul in preaching his Greek-culture version of belief in the Christ.
The social and political war fought by James and Paul, for control of the religion of Christianity, is played out over three generations, beginning in the intimate days of the Maccabees, and there nominal, if not brief, control of the Promised Land of Judea. While they administered the government, their Galilean allies administered the role of the High Priesthood, namely, the family of Jesus.
Those who would continue to teach the past, continue to downplay the role the family of Jesus had in the time from the death of Jesus to the death of James. They refuse to accept the relevance of the book of the Community Rule; .which describes the pious men and women who tirelessly worked to preserve the history of the Jerusalem Assembly and every book of the Jewish Testament, including some version of the Book of Enoch never before known. The Dead Sea Scrolls represent the combined writings of the Qumran Community, in harmony with the beliefs and principles of the Jerusalem Assembly. Acceptance of this historical interpretation establishes the paradigm shift.
Worldwide, the Dead Sea Scrolls are very popular, with over one-hundred thousand people, queuing to see the purported ossuary of James in Toronto. France has been intrigued with the Scrolls, since their discovery; as has much of Europe.
IX. THE ZADDIK, A STORY OF JAMES AND PAUL
The market for the Zaddik will exceed that for The Da Vinci Code, which sold 80 million copies world-wide. Not only is the Zaddik equally compelling, but historically accurate, premised on the noted interpretations regarding the Dead Sea Scrolls. Rescue Detroit submits that given the unique differences regarding each novel, the market for the Zaddik should well exceed 100 million units. Given the revolution in on demand printing, Rescue Detroit, will own all rights, therefore all profits from sale of the book.
Rescue Detroit has selected the trade partner of Amazon.com, not only for their market dynamics, but to ensure adequate capacity to handle the initial worldwide demand for the novel upon distribution. The novel will be produced on demand. The book will be priced at $19.95 to accommodate the relatively high production price, until such time as demand for the product permits the resources necessary to produce the units at a lower price, through mass-market offset printing.
Using the market success created by The Da Vinci Code, as an example for the potential sales of The Zaddik, Rescue Detroit believes that the manifest success of a prior novel telling a fictional story of an alternate reality of the first century, will generate sales income for the Not-for-Profit, in excess of 1.6 billion dollars. If projections hold true, The Zaddik's sales should net Rescue Detroit funds in excess of 2 billion dollars, all pledged to the restoration of the proposed infrastructure and foundation of an institution which will be able to provide free college education for several generations of Detroiters. Regardless of the ability of the institution to carry its work into the future, the Zaddik University, shall jump start the re-population of the city of Detroit.
SYNOPSIS OF THE ZADDIK
The Zaddik is the story of James, the brother of Jesus and his struggle with Paul over leadership of the early Christian Church. The manuscript is an historical-suspense with two distinct plots. The first story is set in modern times when a young Jesuit priest from the University of Detroit goes on a dig near Pella, in Jordan, looking for the lost camp of the Jerusalem Assembly, which, after the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 c.e., as lead by Simeon bar Cleophas, brother of James and Jesus, fled to Pella, where they encamped for several years, while the Romans ravaged Judea. Father Brendan McMahon travels to Jordan to dig for the settlement’s remains when he discovers a cache of ancient books. In the find are two very important works, the Q document, the earliest book of the Bible, written by Judas Thomas the brother of Jesus, a sayings bible from which Matthew and Mark drew their work, and the Book of Epaphroditus, the history of the early church written by Epaphroditus, a colleague of Paul and personal secretary to the Emperor Nero.
Father Brendan translates the books and emails the chapter’s home to his Father Superior in Detroit. Abu ‘Ali Mansur Tariqu l-Hakim, a student from Dearborn, Michigan intercepts the translations. Abu traveled with Father Brendan on the dig and is a sleeper cell leader for Al Qaeda. Abu realizes the importance of the works to the Christians and Jews and decides that he must intercept Brendan on his journey to Rome and steal the books. Father Superior arranges for Brendan to meet Miranda, a covert agent for the Mossad, who is to make sure Brendan gets on a plane to Rome safely with the books. In Jerusalem, Miranda takes control of the books, tests, logs and photographs them for Hebrew scholars and finds a device that signals to a global positioning satellite, allowing Abu to track the location of the books. Abu calls Father Brendan before he leaves for Rome and offers to meet him and deliver yet another ancient manuscript which the team later translated entitled: the Apostolic Acts of the Apostles of the Jerusalem Assembly.
Brendan wants to collect the book before he leaves for Rome and is persuaded by Miranda to allow her to retrieve the book and bring it on to Rome. Brendan leaves for Rome with his books. Abu, unaware that Brendan is on a plane with the books, arranges a meeting on a bus. After the priest is seated on the bus, Abu calls to tell him that there is a suicide bomber on the bus, who will detonate herself if the priest does not hand over the books. The priest gives up the books and as the young girl gets off the bus an Israeli sniper shoots her. The bomb explodes with great loss of life and Abu discovers that the books were not on the bus. He takes the next plane to Rome to intercept the books at the Vatican. When Miranda realizes that Al Qaeda terrorists were stalking the priest, she boards a plane to warn Father Brendan of the danger Abu poses. Before Miranda can warn Brendan however, Abu arranges another meeting with the priest at the Vatican. They meet in St. Peters Square where Miranda arrives in time to throw herself on Abu who detonates a bomb he is carrying before Brendan and the books are harmed. While Brendan recovers the lost book Abu offered, he is forever plagued with the knowledge that his pride caused the death of so many.
This story is woven between chapters of the Book of Epaphroditus, which tells the story of James and his leadership of the Jerusalem Assembly. After the crucifixion of Jesus, James is elected leader of the Jerusalem Assembly, the faith formed by the surviving apostles and followers of Christ. In time the Jerusalem Assembly grows to rival the power of the Sanhedrin as a governing force in Jerusalem. James rails against Rome and her puppet rulers the Herodians. Paul is a Herodian cousin and begins his career as the Temple's chief prosecutor of the faithful followers of the allegedly resurrected Jesus. Paul persecutes James and his followers, at one point physically throwing James from the Temple steps breaking both his legs.
Despite Paul's beating, James continues to rail against the Herodians, foreigners and fornicators who defile the Holy of Holies by their sacrifices at the Temple. James accuses Herod Agrippa with sleeping with his own sister Berenice, who is mistress of the Roman Governor Felix. After Paul is converted to the faith by his interaction with the Holy Spirit on the Emmaus Road to Damascus, he is accepted into the assembly of the faithful by the personal recommendation of Judas Thomas, the brother of James. Paul begins to preach the faith to Gentiles or Greek speaking foreigners. James insists that to follow the Way of Jesus is to follow the laws of Moses. James insists that all male followers of Jesus must be circumcised and all must keep to the strictest forms of Mosaic Law. Paul knows that the Greek world of the Roman Empire will not accept adult circumcision and continues to preach the Word in direct confrontation to James' orders.
While Matthias, author of the book of Matthew and father of Josephus, with Peter, tries to integrate Paul into the fabric of the Jerusalem Assembly, James will not budge on his ruling. When he finally issues a written directive ordering that Paul only teach a faith adhering to Mosaic Law, Paul's work is quickly undone in city after city of his teaching by the faithful followers of the Jerusalem Assembly and the original apostles. Paul, along with his most trusted followers including Lucius the Cyraean, author of the book of Luke, and Epaphroditus, broker a deal with Matthias, Judas Thomas and Peter at the first Council of Jerusalem to accept a public oath that Paul will not preach to Jews that they did not have to follow Mosaic Law. As Paul's mission is exclusively to the Gentiles, both sides accept a public settlement for the good of the faith, but they clearly split from each other and go their separate ways. Paul, however, is discovered at the Great Temple after his oath to the Jerusalem Assembly and is nearly lynched before being arrested by the Romans for fomenting public discord. Paul spends several months under house arrest before he demands to be tried as a Roman citizen before Nero Caesar in Rome.
James continues to oppose the Herodian leadership in Jerusalem and its corrupt priesthood, which runs the Great Temple. James convinces the lower class of priests to stop accepting any sacrifices from the Herodians, Romans and any foreigners as a pollution of the Temple. James also begins construction and completes a wall across the sacrificial alters of the Temple which blocks King Herod Agrippa's view of the sacrifices from his palace's dining room. When the Roman Governor Festus dies in office, James is cruelly murdered by the High Priest Ananus, son of the High Priest that ordered the death of Jesus. James is stoned to death at the steps of the Great Temple. After the death of James, followers of the Jerusalem Assembly set the city of Rome on fire and in time, Jerusalem erupts into open insurrection. Nero replaces the Roman Governor of Syria with Vespasianus Flavians, conferring two legions upon the Roman general to crush the Jewish revolt. In Corinth, Nero appoints Vespasian upon the advice of Herod and Berenice who send Paul to Corinth to recommend Vespasian for the job. Nero accepts Paul's recommendation but accuses Paul of plotting against him through his association with Piso who was recently discovered as plotting the Emperor's overthrow. Paul denies any involvement with the Piso Conspiracy, but is brought back to Rome by Nero for his sentence of death.
As Nero returns to Rome from Greece, he realizes that his generals have turned against him and he is about to lose his throne to the advance of the Spanish general Galba, who has sworn to rid Rome of the terrible Emperor. When he is no longer able to pay, the Praetorian Guard, they stand down and Nero is ultimately abandoned to Galba who marches on Rome to claim the Imperial throne. Nero flees the city only to commit suicide with the help of Epaphroditus, clearing the way for Galba's short-lived reign. Galba is replaced by Otho who is later deposed by his own troops when they switch their loyalty to Vespasian who marches from his victories in Judea to claim the Imperial seat. Josephus, son of Matthias, surrenders to the Roman general Vespasian after watching his Jewish troops kill themselves to a man rather than be captured and enslaved by the Romans. Vespasian spares Josephus when the young man tells him that his God has declared that Vespasian will one day be Emperor of all Rome. Vespasian leaves the destruction of Jerusalem to his son, the future Emperor, Titus, who destroys Jerusalem, sacks the Temple and returns to Rome in triumph.
The Book of Epaphroditus ends when Epaphroditus returns to Jerusalem after the death of Nero to meet with Simeon bar Cleophas, the last surviving brother of Jesus. Simeon has returned from Pella to build the synagogue which will later be known as the Church of the Apostles, built around the Canticle or room of the last supper and the appearance of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. Both men note the achievement of their lives and the deaths of their friends and each looks forward to the future.
The Zaddik Literary Agency, Inc. is the exclusive literary agent for the marketing and distribution of the books published by NewApostles.net, a Michigan not-for-profit or The Church of the New Apostles, a Michigan ecclesiastical company. The Zaddik Literary Agency is currently representing for distribution the Zaddik, the first novel in an historical/suspense trilogy entitled: The Jesus Chronicles, recounting the lives of the brothers of Jesus. The first book is The Zaddik, a story of James and Paul and their struggle for leadership of the nascent Jerusalem Assembly, the forerunner of the Christian Church. The story is told through the recollections of Epaphroditus, the personal secretary of the Roman Emperor Nero and friend of Paul. The story covers the first century from the death of Christ to the death of James.
James was thrown from the Southern steps of the Temple, stoned, pressed and half buried; James was finally murdered when a Temple Guard emerged from the crowd and smashed James in the head with a fullerman's club. The Second Apocalypse of James found in the Nag Hammadi Library reports that they stoned James, ending the life of Jesus' brother, the Zaddik, leader of the Jerusalem Assembly and one of the acknowledged, "Pillars" of the Church as Paul said.
The second book is the Diary of Judas Thomas, the youngest brother of Jesus. This novel tells the history of the family of Jesus during the years before the birth of Christ. Joseph the patriarch of a priestly clan, attending to the last of the Hasmonaean kings, navigates the treacherous political waters of Judeo/Roman politics during the transition between the Maccabees and Herodians in the days of Julius Caesar. His sons, Zachariah and Cleophas-bar-Joseph of Arimathea, marry cousins; Sarah, the mother of John the Baptist and Mary, the mother of Jesus. The story covers the first century till the death of Christ.
The third book is The Church of the Apostles, which is the story of Simeon-bar-Cleophas, the second brother of Jesus. The story is told by Simeon who returns to Jerusalem after its destruction in the Jewish War by Rome and establishes the Church of the Apostles, around the Canticle, the room of the Last Supper. Simeon struggles to shepherd his flock, avoiding Roman persecution. The novel covers the first century from the death of James to the end of Domitian’s reign in 98 c.e., and ascension of Nerva.
X. LEGAL DISCLAIMER
The proprietary rights to the novel, The Zaddik, A Story of James and Paul, belong to The Church of the New Apostles. The author has executed a "work-made-for-hire" as said term is defined under Title 17 of the United States Copyright Act. While all rights to the novel belong to The Church of the New Apostles, the author retains all intellectual property rights in and to the series, The Jesus Chronicles, and the proposed novels, The Diary of Judas Thomas and The Church of the Apostles, as referenced herein.
The Zaddik, a Story of James and Paul, is a work of fiction. While the author contends the historical facts contained therein is an accurate representation of the historical period based on canonical, non-canonical, and other historic writings, including the most recent interpretations of the Dead Sea Scrolls, nothing herein contained is intended to represent the lives of any persons living or dead; except for the named historical personages. This work is the sole creation of the author and or the editor named herein. The views expressed in this compendium, do not represent the views of the Social Security Administration or the United States Government. They are solely the views of Kevin A. Casey, Esq., in his personal capacity, or as representative of Rescue Detroit, The Church of the New Apostles, or Newapostles.net. Mr. Casey does not represent the views of, nor is he acting as, an agent or representative of the Social Security Administration or the United States Government in this activity. There is no expressed or implied endorsement or views or activities of Rescue Detroit or its affiliate companies by either the Social Security Administration or the United States. No information contained herein is to be regarded as approved by or endorsed by Zaddik Law PLLC, a Michigan professional limited liability company.