TEENS
BBYO Project Aims To Aid Homeless
LISA EIDELMAN
Special to The Jewish News
I
t is something I would
never wish on anyone. You
feel so disposable. The
basic anchors in life are not
there for you. There are no
undergirdings; you are
perpetually blowing wherever
you are tossed. Homelessness
is rootlessness; it is a lifestyle
without joy.
— Unknown
These lines describe the
turmoil and pain millions of
Americans to through every
day. Basically they are just
like you and me, but they
have one quality that
separates them from us; they
are homeless.
Every year the Interna-
tional B'nai B'rith Youth
Organization selects one
social problem in which it
tries to help through pro-
gramming. It was decided at
an international convention
last year that this year's pro-
gram focus would be Project
R.E.A.C.H. — Responsibility
Everywhere to Aid and Care
for the Homeless. In addition
to the different regions and
districts planning individual
Lisa Eidelman is president of
the Michigan Region, B'nai
B'rith Girls.
programs, the international
program committee chose one
day where the whole
organization would devote its
time to Project R.E.A.C.H.
Last Jan. 15, BBYO
members from all over the
world gave time and effort to
this program. In Michigan
Region, we spend the day col-
lecting, sorting and
distributing clothing, per-
sonal hygiene articles and
canned food. Various chapters
in the organization went door
to door collecting these ar-
ticles. After they were done
canvassing, they then drop-
ped off the articles at the
Maple/Drake Jewish Com-
munity Center. Later that
week, the South Oakland
Shelter in Royal Oak and the
Coalition On Temporary
Shelter in Detroit came to
pick up the items.
The response was tremen-
dous. We had 75 percent of
the B.B.G. and A.Z.A.
chapters participate on that
day and a few more come in
a day or two later to drop off
their contributions.
Altogether we filled two vans
with winter clothing, soap,
toothbrushes, shampoo, food
and toiletries.,
In addition to the B'nai
B'rith Youth Organization
chapter participation, there
were boxes set up at the en-
trance to Camp Tamarack's
annual jamboree which was
held the same day at the
Jewish Center. B.B.Y.O. had
hoped to collect articles from
the people attending the jam-
boree. However, since this was
the first time this program
took place, word to the jam-
boree participants didn't get
out in time.
According to Adele Lewin,
assistant director of B.B.Y.O.,
the "BBYO international
OUTR.E.A.C.H. project was a
success. I would love to see
this as an annual event in
conjunction with Camp
Tamarack's jamboree." It is
hoped that next year the
response will be even greater.
"I think this program work-
ed out very well," said Beth
Cousens, BBG probraming
vice-president, and Paul
Niser, AZA programming
vice president. "It really
made a statement," the two
coordinators of this program
felt. They put in much time
and effort into this program
and its success shows it.
Give me your tired, your
poor, your huddled masses
yearning to breathe free, the
wretched refuse of your teem-
ing shore. Send these, the
homeless, tempest-tost to me. I
lift my lamp beside the golden
door.
MSTY Youth Gather
For Winter Conclave
ROBERT WEINER
Special to The Jewish News
I
t's a place where
everybody is accepted,"
said Amy Frank, a junior
from Grand Rapids.
"It's a place that doesn't
teach you in a classroom for-
mat, it teaches you about
life," explained Josh Dyme, a
freshman from East Lansing.
Jewish youth made these
comments about Michigan
State Temple Youth after they
attended MSTY's annual
Winter Conclave Jan. 27-29
at Temple Israel, hosted by
the members of Temple Israel
Temple Youth (T.I.T.Y.).
(MSTY is an organization af-
filiated with the North
American Federation of
Ibmple Youth (NFTY), which
is a section of the Union
of American Hebrew
Congregations.)
Reform Jewish youth in
ninth-12th grades came from
all over Michigan to the tem-
ple for a weekend filled with
services, mixers, programs
and friendship circles. MSTY
members stayed in the homes
of Temple Israel members
where they shared Friday
night Shabbat dinner.
Beth Cousens and Paul Niser catalogue food and clothing donations.
"This day really opened up
my eyes to see the real pro-
blem of Homelessness in
America," said Rick Goren of
Mendoza AZA. Jimi Jo
Meretsky of Masada BBG
added, "Homelessness has
always been one of my major
concerns and I'm glad I had
this opportunity to help."
These statements reflect the
way most of the teens felt who
participated. It is hoped that
if this program does continue,
it will become even more
successful.
Helping the homeless is
something that Americans
have been concerned with for
hundreds of years. Emma
Lazarus expressed this con-
cern whdn she wrote these
lines which appear on the
Statue of Liberty:
Robert Weiner is president of
Michigan State Temple .Youth.
After dinner, the parents
brought the MSTY'ites back
to temple Israel for a creative
service presented for the con-
gregation by Temple Israel
Temple Youth. The sermon,
by Danny Singer, T.I.T.Y. vice
president, highlighted the
theme of the weekend:
"Changes." Singer spoke on
the changes in ourselves and
on the changes that we can do
to make the world a better
place. Following the service,
the MSTY'ites went through
a series of social mixers to
bring the 183 teens closer
together. The mixers allow
the participants to have a
good time while getting to
know each other. To end the
evening, the teens heard a
moving talk by Stacey Fisher
about the changes one makes
throughout his or her life —
physical, emotional at-
titudinal. Once the speaker
concluded, the MSTY'ites
returned to their host homes.
The next day, the teens at-
tended many programs focus-
ing on changes in themselves
and the changes in Judaism.
Stacie Smith, the writer of
the Judaism program, con-
structed a fun way of describ-
ing not only how science af-
fects Judaism, but how all
other religions are affected by
een Calendar
Frequently in this space,
The Jewish News will run a
calendar of events of Jewish
teen activities taking place in
the metro Detroit area.
GRAND RAPIDS TEMPLE
YOUTH — multi-youth group
event, noon Feb. 18 to noon
Feb. 19, Temple Beth El,
Grand Rapids, free admission.
Held in conjunction with Bat-
tle Creek Temple Youth,
Muskegon Temple Youth,
Kalamazoo Temple Youth.
Members of these organize.-
tions are eligible to attend. For
information, call Hileet
Kravitz, GRTY president,
1-616-243-2997.
B'NEI AKIVA -- Sunday Fun
Groups, Wind in the Willows,
Sunday, meeting 4:30 p.m. at
Young Israel of Greenfield.
$2.75 members, $3.50 non-
members for youth grades one-
five. By advance reservation
only, call Gabriele Albert,
352-5837.
— Kvutzot Shabbat Groups, 4 p.m.
Saturday at Young Israel of
Southfield and Young Israel of
Greenfield. Refreshments will
be served. For information,
contact Nancy Berman,
352-2020; or Elisheva
Schreiber, 559-6210.
— Collegi.ates, National Aliyah
Conference, Feb. 16-20, Long
Island, N.Y. For information,
contact I3en ny Appel,
967-3742.
— Shevet Athinaut, Regional Con-
vention in Cleveland, Ohio,
today-Sunday. For members in
10th grade only. Contact Ab-
by Eisenberg for information,
350-3323.
Shevet Hatzvi, Regional Con-
vention, in Detroit, Feb 24-26.
For ninth grade members only.
:tiAttional sessions. ice
s
night, ice cream
t ournament .
Jkii.*. ion $30. Contact
audit .,, lussel for reserva-
tions, 557-3810.
YACHAD BBG — Beau Dance,
7:30 < p.m., Saturday, Shaer
Hashomayim Synagogue, 115
Giles Blvd. E., Windsor, open
to all Jewish teens, grades
nine through 12, semi-formal.
44mi,
; ;: ,osion: $8 single, $12 cou-
ormation, contact •
1519) 969-7973,
, —
itt*teavaitIL
Basketball
Sunday,
0itnity College
re
ake
HE
sltil
Region
t
a i4
t s'Y
t h°e rt oodwan
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Sunday
idoany B
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int„* "40.1 weekend.
T 1-41 4(f:.'",'MY0 Fellowship."
Beau Dance Saturday.
THE GREAT LAKES COUN-
CIL AZA BASKETBALL
LEAGUE — Oakland Com-
munity College's Orchard
Ridge campus. (Sunday's
games and March 5 games at
the Windsor Jewish Corn-
munity Center, home court
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS 87 .
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