PIN

J EWIS

"Kumzitz" disc jockey Dave Winter tells listeners about upcoming
NCSY events.

SUSAN GRANT

Staff Writer

T

en minutes before
beginning his radio
show, disc jockey
Dave Winter sits
down at the micro-
phone and reaches into a
small bag. He pulls out a bot-
tle of orange juice, a vial of
medicated spray to counteract
a sore throat and a black box
filled with tapes.

He's running a little late.
Normally, Winter gets to
WCAR 1090-AM in Livonia
around 9:30 p.m. Tuesdays
to do some last-minute prep-
arations for "Kumzitz" - an
hour-long weekly Jewish
program that airs at 10 p.m.
"I pretty much know what
to do," said Winter, who
began the program in
November and doesn't show
any signs of nervousness.
While Winter is busy,
Rabbi Mark Cohn, Central
East Region National Con-
ference of Synagogue Youth
director, signs a contract to
keep the show on the air un-
til the end of April.
As the Japanese news
report that precedes
"Kumzitz" winds down and
the clock shows 10 p.m.,
switchboard controller Lin-
da Kulczyk points to Winter,
telling him he is on the air.
Winter, known on the air-

waves as "Dr. D," welcomes
the unseen audience to
"Kumzitz." While listeners
hear a collection of Jewish
songs, in the control room
Winter, Rabbi Cohn and
high school student Ari
Schochet spend the time tell-
ing jokes and singing along
with the music.
"Kumzitz," which is pro-
duced by NCSY, features
Jewish music and gives
teens information about the
Jewish community.
After 20 minutes of play-
ing tapes, Winter returns to
the airwaves, introduces
Rabbi Cohn and gives the
trivia question. The phone
lines light up with people
trying to guess the right an-
swer. Schochet, in an adja-
cent room, answers the calls.
Although he has some disc
jockey experience, Winter
didn't come to Detroit to host
a weekly radio show. But
"Kiunzitz" has become an
integral part of his job as
Central East Region NCSY
assistant director.
Back in the Greenfield
Road NCSY office, Winter,
24, dressed in a sweater and
a pair of jeans, leans back in
his chair. Behind him, a
banner welcoming him to
Detroit covers the wall.
He arrived in Detroit in
July after working for a year
as an NCSY adviser. His
brother, who is now the di-
rector for NCSY's southern

Dave 'Dr. D' Winter
puts NCSY on the airwaves

region, got Winter involved
10 years ago. Winter's been
an active member since.
Based in New York,
Winter worked with NCSY
regions all over the country.
One weekend he would be in
Los Angeles, the next
weekend in Peoria, Ill.
During a weekend in Wit-
chita, Kan., he spoke to
Rabbi Cohn who was sear-
ching for an assistant. Rabbi

Cohn asked Winter if he was
interested. A short time
later, just before the region
was named the best in the
country, Winter arrived in
Detroit.
Winter likes his new posi-
tion even though it carries
more responsibility.
"I'd fly in, stay for the pro-
gram and leave. Now I have
to put the program
together."

Finding activities that will
satisfy the 100 area teens
involved with NCSY and
give them a Jewish experi-
ence takes time and creativi-
ty.
"Kids' motives are all diff-
erent. I want to try and give
them all a Jewish edu-
cation," Winter says.
He puts in long days espe-
cially if he has a program at
night. Despite his busy

1\1

"Dr. D" enjoys his new gig.

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS