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25

For The Love Of...

BY ROBYN KLEEREKOPER

Special to The Jewish News

ow Jong does it take to
put together an enormous
art show, even if this is
the 23rd annual one your
group has been involVed in? Accord-
ing to the organizers of the Sholem
Aleichem Institute Annual Art Show
and Sale being held this weekend at
the Shenandoah Country Club in
West Bloomfield; you start about-
three weeks after last year's show!
The Sholem Aleichem Institute's
show is a juried *event, with the
works of about :125 artists being ex-
hibited. Not a small feat, indeed. Ac-
, cording to the group's publicity'
chairman, Lilian Meisner, the show,
"is probably the forerunner for all
art shows in the area We were the
first to have a juried show, and the
first to have the kind of talent we
do. Many of the artists we've chosen
have gone on to become nationally
and internationally recognized.
We've had Edward Chesily and John
Glick, among others."
The jury committee goes around
to shows during the year, finding ar-
tists of merit that interest them.
Other artists approach the commit-
tee, and slowly the task of getting
the show ready for the March date
becomes a reality.
This year's art show chairman,,
Rose Roth, says "It's become a city-
wide, looked-for event. People come
to socialize, as they would at an art r
',gallery, as well as to buy. 'We've ;
given fantastic exposure to young
Michigan artists over the Years,
,,They come to us, es . i tmigiowns and
each year we seem to come up 'with!:
a star."

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The show which '..runs today
oug un
y, inc
includes
u es many d.
1-
through
S da
verse media -- oils, watercolors,
sculpture, soft sculPtUre, fiber art,
glass, ceramics and pottery, for'
example. Both estahli'shecl and riew
*talent will be on exhibit.
Sholem Aleichem. Institute has
been in existence sines; ' 1927,
founded by Moishe Haar. Its aim is
to keep Yiddish alive: Meisner says
'the group is a cultilial and eduCa-
tional organization that tries to re-
late, Jewishness to literature, drania,
music .and philosophy.:Among its ac-
tivities is a monthly Oneg Shabbat
where book reviews of Jewish inter-
est are presented, and Jewish issues
are debated. Recently the topic of
EthioPian Jews was discussed. When
possible, the members hire_ speakers
from the University, of 'Michigan to
some of the items for this weekend's art show and sale, are, from left:
talk to .them. There's an annual Inspecting
Lilian Meisner, chairman Rose Roth and Gertrude Edgar.
three-day retreat with several in-
vited 'speakers. Occasionally Yiddish
Plays are brought in:from New York.
, The understanding and speaking synagogue or temple, 'but wish to be
of Yiddish is definitely an advantage part Of the Jewish community.
in the group, hut it is not a pre- Sholem Aleichem Institute serves
requisite for attending, as there are such 'a function as it' is an active
plenty of activities conducted in group, and has a representative` on
English. 'or Yiddish speakers, hair- both the Detroit Jewish Community
eir,er, it is an excellent forum for Council, and the Detroit Soviet
Jewry Committee. It has adapted a
using that skill.
What type of members belong to Russian family in' the Soviet Union
Sholem Aleichem InstitUte? - Meisner and regularly sends parcels- and let-
says there's a good; cross-section of ters.
The group holds Rosh Hashanah
the Jewish Community and they are
_ddle-age -The ancip Yoin Kippur services to which
y in theini
ubl -is. welcome to come, free
,Orsanization wouldlikp to see YoUng the. ic
'07,#*40,1'.. !. 4/Ieisner says there's a
people hecome interested in it.
jargia:77,Wiffolit of PeP.P10,..IXQP13110.-
br,A, 'strong- :pereeiktage_of,
'
members are not affiliated with any • Continued on next page

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The Sholem
Aleichem Institute
will continue a
23-year tradition
as it opens its
annual art show
and sale t9nig

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