The Great
Cover Up
LIFE IN ISRAEL
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5665 W. MAPLE ROAD
WEST BLOOMFIELD, MICHIGAN 48033
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Former Detroiter Richard Fox
Detroiter Fills A Need
For Americans In Israel
851-1125
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fed Grossman alliery
requests your presence as our
special guest for a major
showing of recent works by
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PAINTINGS • DRAWINGS • GRAPHICS
* FRIDAY, SEPT. 5, 1986 6-9 pm
* SATURDAY, SEPT. 6, 1986 1•5 pm 7-9 pm
* SUNDAY, SEPT. 7, 1986 1-5 pm
EXHIBITION THRU SEPT. 20th
* ARTIST IN ATTENDANCE
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29528 Northwestern Highway in Sunset Strip Southfield, Ml 48034 (313) 350-1686
24
Friday, August 22, 1986
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
SHELLEY SHERMAN NADIV
Special to The Jewish News
n American in Israel
is not the same as an
American in Paris,
or, for that matter, Detroit.
However, as you roam the
streets of Tel Aviv and the
craving hits you for apple pie
and hot dogs, you can find
such patriotic pastimes as
baseball (well, really it's
softball) and chocolate chip
cookies!
Now for those of you that
are unenlightened on the
culinary preferences in the
Holy Land•, they lean mainly
towards salty and spicy de-,
licacies. The idea of chocolate
chip cookies is totally foreign
— my Israeli in-laws had
never even tasted one until I
baked them at home!
Before my marriage I was
not at all domestically in-
clined. In Hebrew the word
for cook is tabach and pach is
garbage — and I fully defined
the relationship between the
two words. So, when I craved
my chocolate chip cookie fix,
the only place in Tel Aviv
was The Cookie Co., owned
by former Detroiter Richard
Fox.
When Richard came to Is-
rael in April 1981, he didn't
even know how to bake. The
idea of a cookie business
wasn't even a thought.
Going to school at North
Farmington High in the early
1970s wasn't the same as it is
today. Being one of the only
Jewish students, Richard
encountered quite a bit of
anti-Semitism. After several
visits to Israel and graduat-
ing with a journalism degree
from Central Michigan Uni-
versity, Richard decided to
return on a permanent basis.
A
•
Shelley Sherman Nadiv is a
native Detroiter who has
lived in Israel.
Six months on an ulpan in
Arad led to volunteer work
with Project Renewal in Ash-
kelon.
He spent 15 months work-
ing with Israelis,- helping
them to improve their sur-
roundings and to feel good
about themselves. "In
America, Jews are usually
typecast as being wealthy
and intelligent. Here in Is-
rael, I've also seen a different
type of Jew — some that are
illiterate and poverty stric-
ken. It makes you think
twice."
For the next six months
Richard took a vacation and
hit the beaches. If you've ever
been on the shores of the
Mediterranean or the Kin-
neret, you know how easy it
is just to lay back and absorb
the sunshine. Through the
Association of Americans and
Canadians in Israel, a
softball team was formed.
Richard and a friend of his
began plans to open a rac-
quetball court and bring an-
other American sport to the
country. After running
around dealing with red tape
and realizing the cost in-
volved, they decided to go
into the cookie business in-
stead.
In the beginning, it wasn't
easy — difficulties with the
language, the need for a
kosher license and the Israeli
version of the IRS would dis-
courage even a native.
After the first year,
Richard's business partner
left and he acquired a new
personal partner, his wife
Ilana. Since then things have
definitely been on an upsw-
ing.
Richard's parents are
Donald and Nancy Fox of
West Bloomfield. Richard is
currently living in Raananna.
So, the next time you're
cruising Dizengoff and the
munchies hit, just go east on
Gordon St. and follow your
nose to the Cookie Co.