COMMUNITY
Weizmann Group
Plans Benefit Events
Editor's note: The lives of
thousands of Jews here and
overseas are touched by the
agencies of the Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan
Detroit, through contribu-
tions to the Allied Jewish
Campaign.
Jeff Levin became an
unofficial ambassador of
Detroit's Jewish community
when he visited Israel as a
Project Otzma participant.
Mr. Levin said his objec-
tive was "to be a represen-
tative of the American
Jewish community, to try
and strengthen ties between
American Jews and Israel
by establishing one-to-one
relationships."
Although his stay was in-
terrupted by the Persian
Gulf crisis, he brought a lit-
tle bit of Americana to the
Israelis he met, while lear-
ning about them and daily
life in the Jewish state.
Subsidized locally by the
Jewish Federation of Metro-
politan Detroit, Project Otz-
ma is a program of service to
Israel and the Jewish people
for young adults age 19-24.
Participants live, work and
study throughout Israel, in-
cluding Project Renewal
neighborhoods. Upon their
return to the United States,
Otzmaniks are required to
spend one year working in
the Jewish community. Cur-
rently, Mr. Levin is an in-
tern at Federation.
During his Israel visit, he
studied Hebrew, worked on
an army base and on a kib-
butz, taught English and
math at a Youth Aliya vil-
lage and volunteered at a
kindergarten in Jerusalem.
In Detroit's Project
Renewal sister city of Yavne,
Mr. Levin taught English,
entertained senior adults
and arranged after-school
activities for children.
Begun in the late 1970s,
Project Renewal links
American Jewish com-
munities with under-
developed neighborhoods in
Israel to rehabilitate them
into viable, livable com-
munities. In Yavne, Detroit's
Jewish community has con-
tributed day care, elderly
and community centers; a
park and child development
center.
Mr. Levin visited Israel for
the first time five years
before his Otzma experience.
But Otzma offered a new
perspective on Israel. "It
gave me a whole new sense
of Jewish history," he said.
"I don't think of cities; I
think of people I met there
and the way they live."
His Otzma trip was coor-
dinated locally by Federa-
tion's Israel Desk. Headed
by shlichah (Israel emissary)
Sivan Maas, the Israel Desk
is the Jewish community's
central resource on Israel
programs and travel. Infor-
mation on tours and mis-
sions for all ages as well as
a variety of study programs,
from Kibbutz University to
archeological digs, is
available at the Israel Desk
offices.
Among these programs is
Project Discovery, a high
school semester-in-Israel
program designed for
American students. Co-
sponsored by Federation, the
Israel Desk and Agency for
Jewish Education, Project
Discovery gives 10th- and
11th- graders an opportuni-
ty to study in Israel, tour,
socialize, study Hebrew and
build bridges between
themselves and their Israeli
peers.
C.H.A.I.M. Sets
Minsk Program
C.H.A.I.M. — Children of
Holocaust Survivors Associa-
tion in Michigan — will host
a program 7:30 p.m. March 29
at the Maple-Drake Jewish
Community Center. The pro-
gram will be on the recent
Holocaust remembrance ac-
tivities in Minsk, Detroit's ci-
ty sister in the former Soviet
Union.
Charles Silow and Sarah
Hartman traveled to Russia
to represent the Jewish com-
munity of Detroit at the
memorial activities held in
Minsk. Mr. Silow and Ms.
Hartman will conduct a slide
presentation and lecture on
the activities in Minsk. They
also will show slides and
discuss their visits to Warsaw
and Lodz, Poland.
There is a charge. For infor-
mation, call C.H.A.I.M.,
489-8886.
F.R.E.E. Offers
English Skills
In an effort to assist new
Americans with English
language skills, Friends of
Refugees of Eastern Europe is
recruiting volunteers to
spend one hour per week con-
versing with new Americans
on a one-to-one basis.
Although new Americans
attend ESL classes, their pro-
ficiency in speaking English
is poor and is a definite detri-
ment at job interviews. The
volunteer program is aimed
to develop skills in reading
comprehension and conversa-
tional English.
Volunteers need not have
previous teaching experience
although it would be a plus.
F.R.E.E. will assist volunteers
in selecting Judaica texts to
be used as a springboard for
discussions. An ESL training
session will be provided.
For information, call Peggy
Letvin, 547-8792.
research in cancer of the
breast.
Joining Professor Harari
will be Vainutis K.
Vaitkevicius, who will be
honored for his commitment
to the care of his patients, his
service to the community and
his quest for excellence in the
research to fight cancer.
Dr. Vaitkevicius is president
of the Michigan Cancer Foun-
dation. His positions have in-
cluded chief of oncology and
chief of medicine at Harper-
Grace Hospitals and
physician-in-chief of the
Detroit Medical Center.
Dr. Vaitkevicius will be
recognized at the 1992 Weiz-
mann Dinner 6 p.m. May 14
Vaitkevicius
Harari
at the Hyatt Regency.
Honorary Chairpersons of the
dinner are Bernice Gershen-
son and Sylvia Gershenson
Sloman. General Chairman is
Dr. Claude Oster. The fantasy
troupe Le Masquerade will
entertain.
For information about
either event, call Edie
Slotkin, 855-4112.
Hillel Day School
Sets Annual Dinner
Hillel Day School will host
its annual dinner May 27 at
Adat Shalom Synagogue.
Rosalyn Shulman and the
late Rudolph Shulman will be
honored.
Honorary dinner chairs are
Rabbi Efry Spectre and
Robert Schokak. Rabbi Spec-
tre is the senior rabbi at Adat
Shalom Synagogue and a
board member of Hillel Day
School. Mr. Schostak is a
Hillel Day School graduate
and a vice president of the
school. He is a member of
Adat Shalom Synagogue. Mr.
Schostak's grandparents are
being honored.
Honorary dinner co-chairs
are Norman Allan, Julius E.
Allen, Max Goldsmith and
Gerald R. Rosenbloom,
Harold Berry, Henry Dorf-
man, Martin Goldman, Mark
Schostak
OMM N IT
Campaign Close-Up:
Otzma Helping Israelis
Professor Haim Harari,
president of the Weizmann In-
stitute, will speak 8 p.m April
1 at the home of Lois Spector
Freeman.
Professor Harari, a nuclear
physicist, was elected presi-
dent of the Institute in 1988.
He is the first sabra to head
the research center. Professor
Harari is an authority in
theoretical particle physics.
The evening will serve to
benefit a fund at the Institute
in Rehovot, the Detroit
Women's Research Fund.
Monies raised will be de-
signated specifically for
Spectre
Goldsmith, David Hermelin,
Arlene Tilchin and Saul
Waldman.
Carla Jean Schwartz is the
dinner chairman. She is a lo-
cal columnist for The Jewish
News, editor of Style
magazine, and a Hillel
parent.
For information, call Sandy
Kresch, 851-6950.
The Shalom Campers
Elect 1992 Officers
The Shalom Campers held
their 20th annual installa-
tion of officers. Elected for the
1992 camping season are
presidents, Chuck and
Marlene Toby; vice presi-
dents, Harold and Audie
Leider; secretaries, Ed and
Barbara Spivak; treasurers,
Joyce and Larry Zisholtz;
members at large, Laurel and
Mark Felsenfeld, Dorthy and
Frank Bushta, Lynn and
Dennis Strachan.
The Shalom Campers are
Detroit area Jewish families
who enjoy camping in tents,
trailers and motorhomes.
Campouts are held the second
weekend of each month, May
through October. The camp-
outs begin with all families
sharing in the Oneg Shabbat
followed by songs around the
campfire.
Saturdays are highlighted
by a potluck supper, games for
the children and more songs
and games around the camp-
fire. Sundays feature ice
cream socials, fruit pots and
lots of relaxing.
The Shalom Campers
membership is now open to
new members. For informa-
tion, call Chuck and Marlene
Toby, 682-5560.
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
45