NI I -11-ZVAN
H EFEC1E.

Photos by Glenn Triest

THE IFZEALL.
DREAM BOY

Josh Zwickl is an example for others.

At 1 0,

Josh ZWICKL.,

IS A ROLE

MODEL FOR

ADULT

VOLUNTEERS.

KIMBERLY LIFTON

Staff Writer

70

FRIDAY, MAY 22, 1992

I

f there's one thing that both-
ers Joshua Zwickl, it's the at-
titudes of kids at school who
don't believe Jewish people are
needy.
"I feel sad for them," says
Josh, 10, a fourth-grade honors
student at Hillel Day School.
"Some people think there are no
poor people. I keep trying to tell
them. Sometimes they won't lis-
ten."
Whether anyone listens or
not, Josh says he won't stop
talking about the plight of the
underprivileged. Soon, he be-
lieves, he will convince more of
his young friends to join his al-
truistic mission.
For the time being, Josh is
satisfied with his volunteer
work at Yad Ezra, the kosher
food pantry. (He started when
he was 8.) There, at least once
a month, he and his parents,
Sara Zivian Zwickl and Tim
Zwickl of Southfield, stock
shelves, pack boxes and stuff en-

velopes — among many other
tasks.
"He does whatever is needed,"
says Yad Ezra Executive Direc-
tor Jeannette Eizelman. "He is
just an all-around good kid.
"He is an experience to know
and a delight," Mrs. Eizelman
says. "He is an inspiration to the
adults who work here. Every-
one comments on his ability. It
stimulates them to do well."
Through Josh's inspiration,
his best friend, Sam Lasser, also
has done some volunteer work
at Yad Ezra. Sam brought with
him his father, Marshall Lass-
er.
'It's fun and it helps people,"
Josh explains.
When he is not at Yad Ezra,
he may be doing other volunteer
chores with Hillel Day School's
G'milut Hasidim Project, which
encourages students to perform
mitzvot.
"Josh is one of those rare chil-
dren who is internally driven

and committed to helping oth-
ers," says Nancy Kaplan, who
coordinates the Hillel mitzvot
project. "He needs no encour-
agement or pressure from
grown-ups. He is really a self
starter."
Or he may be collecting mon-
ey from his family for Yad Ezra.
Josh is in charge of the fam-
ily pushke for Yad Ezra. He
saves much of his $2 weekly al-
lowance and makes money in
the neighborhood for doing
small chores. Then, he puts
money in the can each Friday
before Shabbat dinner.
Once a month, he tries to
save enough money so he can af-
ford to put $5 in the can.
"He stands out," Mrs. Kaplan
says. "Josh was already doing
the kind of thing we were trying
to teach the kids. I think there
really are people in this world
who direct their energy in this
way, and when you meet one,
you recognize it immediately."