This is the fourth in a five-part series chronicling Erica Lansky's
year in Israel as part of the Otzma Program.
Say Hello to Your
Sister...Yavne
Our Project Otzma correspondent
spends time in Detroit's
sister city.
ERICA LANSKY
THE DETRO IT JEWISH NEWS
SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
11)
id you know that
you have a sister
thousands of
miles away? All
of us have a less
fortunate sister
in Israel. Like
every major city
around the world,
Detroit has adopt-
ed a city-in-need to be
its sister city. Her name: Yavne.
Her home: 15 miles south of Tel
Aviv. Aiding in what's known
as "Project Renewal," the De-
troit Jewish community has do-
nated money, buildings and
time to help give Yavne's Neot
Shazar neighborhod a much-
needed face lift.
As in many cities, Yavne's
28,000 residents have fallen
prey to the "other-side-of-the-
tracks" syndrome. Certain
parts of Yavne rival the Detroit
metro area in beauty and com-
fort. Many of these palmed tree-
lined Yavne streets have no
connection to Detroit through
Project Renewal; yet, they have
become unknowing partners
with Detroit in a mission to
raise the standard of living in
Yavne. The town has desig-
nated specific neighborhoods to
members of the Air Force or po-
lice department and their fam-
ilies. And, in other sections,
already "renewed" by Detroit,
cheery, Boca Raton-style apart-
ments have replaced dingy
dwellings. These fancier areas
of Yavne have adopted a dis-
taste for the less developed
sides of town, like Neot Shaz-
ar, whose 3,000 residents make
up 11 percent of the Yavne pop-
ulation. The more well-off were
quick to distinguish between
their Yavne and the other sec-
tions of the city, lest they be
deemed "have-nots."
During the third phase of my
Project Otzma 10-month Israeli
experience, I participated in
Project Renewal as a resident,
worker and friend to the Yavne
community. For two months I
shared an apartment — down
the street from a terrific pita
bakery — with six other De-
troiters (Rob Fish, Michael Gut-
man, Elizabeth Levine, Eric
Rosenthal, Alyson Rubin and
Tami Rubin). As in any sibling
relationship, we encountered
surprises, dealt with hardships
and formed a strong bond with
Yavne.
One aspect that surprised
me about Yavne shouldn't have
been a surprise at all. Even
though I had been in Israel for
five months, I don't think I ever
became accustomed to the fact
that Jews are everywhere.
Jews drive the buses; Jews pick
up paper off the floor; Jews
whip up a mean falafel sand-
wich; and yes, Jews live in the
Yavne projects. It was strange
to realize that the drug dealer
who lived below us in our apart-
ment building was Jewish.
Likewise, the nice man who
worked at the local fruit mar-
ket not only knew his apples
and oranges, but he also knew
the Ten Commandments.
Over time, people have be-
come familiar with the not-al-
ways-flattering image of the
"rich Jew," the "successful Jew,"
even the "family-man Jew."
Logically, we know that not all
Jews are well blessed, neither
in the United States nor in Is-
rael. Nevertheless, it hurts to
see fellow Jews struggle and
fail, and many of the people we
encountered in Yavne were un-
doubtedly lacking — not just fi-
nancially, but emotionally as
well.
As volunteers in Yavne, we
immersed ourselves in all facets
of this needy, yet Jewish, com-
munity and as a result, we be-
came members in our own
right. We each had a schedule
that allowed us to work ac-
cording to our talents and in-
terests, while meeting Israelis
of all ages. Many of the people
we met had problems, and our
purpose was to make their lives
a bit easier and a bit happier.
For instance, every Monday
night, Tami and Alyson met
with a group of "Women in Dis-
tress." Each of these 30-some-
thing aged women had a
They asked, "Why
do you not want to
stay in Israel?" And
they didn't just
mean until the
next Shabbat.
husband in. prison or on drugs
so they needed a release. Enter
two energetic Otzmaniks who
planned relaxation sessions
and aerobics lessons so these
distraught women could
breathe and sweat their frus-
trations away. Since Vic Tan-
ny hasn't franchised to Yavne,
Tami and Alyson provided their
version of American stress re-
lease...in a community bomb
shelter.
Of course, people's troubles
and needs don't cease to exist
as they climb over the hill and
towards their golden years. As
their ages increase, their num-
ber of companions decrease.