750

THE JEWISH NEWS

2

Final Countdown

I he excitement mounts as the Michigan Miracle
"Mission-aires" prepare for their flights to Israel.

RUTH LITTMANN STAFF WRITER

ore than seven decades sepa-
rate Markus Simon and Shari
Katz. But their mission is the
same: to visit Israel with 1,284
Jewish Detroiters.
In two days, 84-year-old Mr.
Simon and Shari, 13, will board
El Al flights to Israel. They are
among the oldest and youngest
participants in the touted
Michigan Miracle Mission,
sponsored by the Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan
Detroit and The Jewish News.
Today, Miracle "Mission-
aires" dropped their luggage off
at the Maple-Drake Jewish
Community Center. The lug-
gage will be taken, en masse, to
Detroit Metropolitan Airport. On
Sunday the travelers will check in
at Metro's International Terminal.
After months of planning, weeks
of packing and many spirited
meetings with fellow travelers,
Mission-airs say an aura of ex-

5 NISAN/APRIL 16, 1993

lifetime, Mr. Simon, of Clarkston,
has visited Israel twice — but nev-
er with a group. He and his wife of
53 years, Mildred, can't wait to go
again.
"This is something we really
wanted to do," he said. "This is a
chance to take in the museums
and do a tour. We've done a lot of
this before, but never on a tour."
Once in Israel, the Mission-aires
will travel on buses — over 30 of
them. Based in Jerusalem, the trip
will begin with an opening cere-

citement and camaraderie pre-
vails.
"There is a special kind of emo-
tionalism that is generated at each
meeting we go
to," said Shari's
mother, Susan
Katz of
Farmington
Hills. "There's a
very high degree
of thrill."
Her teen-age
daughter feels it,
too.
"I've
been
studying the
and Susan Katz eagerly await heading off to Israel with the
Torah for nine Shari
Michigan Miracle Mission.
years at Hillel,
but it means much more to see our mony, planting trees at Modi'in
heritage in person," Shari said. with Israeli children. Afterward,
"I'm giving up two weeks of school participants will walk to Jeru-
because the knowledge I'll gain salem to recite the Shehechiyanu
from this trip is something I'll car- blessing.
ry with me for a lifetime."
Of special significance to Shari,
In his eight-and-a-half decade MISSION page 21

PROFILE

SRO On Campus

U-M students honor
Sidney Fine every term.
Page 25

BACKGROUND

Without Palestinians

Israel took a break from
terrorism over Passover.
Page 49

ENTERTAINMENT

East Coast Direction

Julie Nessen feels
at home at JET.
Page 73

Putting Patien
At The Tbp

Fifty years ago this week the
destruction of the Warsaw Ghetto
began. Instead of going quietly the
Jews inside revolted. battling the
Nazis longer than did the entire
nation of France.
The oldest fighter was 24.
Among the remnants found in the
rubble after the ghetto was burned
was this note: "I believe in the sun
even when it is not shining.I believe
in love even when feeling it not. I
believe in God even when He is
silent." Today, local residents
recall life inside the ghetto, and
after the battle.

Inside The
Terrible Walls

Page 38

Story on page 14

SENIORS

Weekly Party

The audience is the show
at this Wednesday social.
Page 90

Contents on page 3