FREEDOM SUNDAY

Nathan Ellsberg's strum-along at Metro Airport.

The Word Went Out

DAVID HOLZEL

back to Detroit, Jewish Community
Council Assistant Director Allan
Gale expressed relief — and some sur-
ive weeks ago, all that existed prise — that despite the tumult at the
of Detroit's plan for participa- rally, everyone made it back to the
tion in the Dec. 6 Soviet Jewry planes.
rally was a list of names of charter
Aside from the planning by the
airline companies, a general idea of Jewish Community Council and the
how much it would cost to charter a Jewish Welfare Federation, and the
plane, a list of 150 people interested assistance of numerous volunteers,
in traveling to Washington and a com- much of the credit for keeping
mittee ready to meet when a rally Michigan participants from disap- Robert and Arianna Gordon and Naomi Leobl switch from bus to plane in Baltimore.
date was set.
pearing into that sea of 200,000 souls ; approved by Federation's funding fers found that they were unexpected-
By Sunday, though, the number of can be traced to those silly white- arm, United Jewish Charities, to ly becoming travel agents. "We got in-
people eager to march for Soviet Jews with-red-lettering paper hats.
underwrite the cost of transporting to the business of seating people,"
had swelled to over 1,000, three
The hats were printed by the the delegation to the event. That sum Gale said. "Every day we were getting
airplanes had been chartered, kosher Craig-Richard specialty company at a included $10,000 to assist the na- calls. It was something we'd never
breakfasts and lunches had been cost of $1 apiece, according to the tional effort.
done before!'
brown bagged, picket signs, hats and Jewish Welfare Federation which ar-
Gale explained that the staff ran
But all the money in the world
song sheets had been printed, and the ranged for their manufacture. Federa- would have been for naught without a computer program to arrange the
877 who were to fill the planes had tion also took care of the printing and a breakfast of bagels, lox and cream constantly changing seating needs.
received three information updates stuffing of the information packets cheese. This surprise repast for 877
Sen. Carl Levin and U.S. Reps.
through the mail.
which travelers received along with was donated by Borman Foods. Sander Levin (D-Southfield) and Dale
The Michigan contingent was the their tickets, and arranged for the Lunch, however, was planned, and Kildee (D-Flint) joined the Michigan
largest non-east coast delegation to fleet of 12 United Hebrew Schools was catered by Rabbi Henry delegation at the rally. State Senator
attend the demonstration. Outfitting busses, which ferried over 400 Goldschlag, Gale said.
Lana Pollack (D-Ann Arbor) was at
and managing a group that size was travelers between the airport and the
One hundred picket signs were Metro Airport to see the group off;
a Herculean feat. Once at the rally pick-up/drop-off point. The site, at printed, at a cost of $300, by the Governor James Blanchard sent a
site, the literal crush of humanity 30100 Telegraph Road, was made Hacker Sign Company.
proclamation to the delegation.
prevented coordination among the available by its owner, Lester Burton.
As the requests for seats poured
The rally practically sold itself, he
delegation's leaders. On the flight
Also important was the $45,000 in, Jewish Community Council staf- said.

Staff Writer

F

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1987