BUSINESS

STOCK WI SE

wo years ago, Nfld.
Shapiro decided it
was time to do
something other
than just put her
money in the bank.
Because interest rates were
so low, Ms. Shapiro and her
husband began investing their
individual retirement accounts
in the stock market.
Investing evolved into a
friendly bet for the West
Bloomfield couple.
"I bet him I could increase
my IRA faster than he could,"
Ms. Shapiro said. "In 20
months, I've had a 22 percent
increase on my IRA, which has
$1,000 more today than my
husband's."
Ms. Shapiro was hooked.
And like so many Americans
who have taken to playing the
market, she joined a stock club
— a group of investors who col-
lectively buy and sell stocks.
Thanks to current low-in-
terest rates and word of mouth,
stock clubs have become very
popular. According
to Thomas O'Hara,
chairman of the
National Associa-
tion of Investors
Corporation, stock
clubs around the
country are form-
ing on a steady ba-
sis. Nearly 300
new clubs join the
organization each
month. Total
membership is
about 10,000 clubs.
Though there
are countless
types, stock clubs
within the metro-
politan Detroit
Jewish communi-
ty include women-only invest-
ment groups and Israel clubs.
"I think investment clubs
are becoming more popular
among women because they
are earning their own money
and are more interested in
learning about finances," said
Fenei Greenwald, who is in a
relatively new, 13-member lo-
cal women's stock club.
The Michigan Israel Invest-
ment Club, founded by Rick
Rosenhaus, has done well in-
vesting in Israeli companies on
the American markets. Some
club members, who have put
in more than $2,000, have seen

T

their assets climb to between
$8,000 and $10,000.
Seven years ago, the club
was founded with several goals
in mind: making money on in-
vestments, increasing aware-
ness of opportunities for
investing in Israel, and en-
couraging other groups to do
the same.
"We are helping Israeli
industry expand to allow
them to increase their ex-
ports and be financially
independent. We're help-
ing reach that goal and
hopefully share in their
gains and profits," said
Hymie Cutler, a member
of the Michigan Israel In-
vestment Club.
Through the Zionist
Organization of America,
Detroiter Malcolm Lev-
enten has helped estab-
lish 19 Israel investment
clubs nationwide, includ-
ing four in the Detroit
area.
Like other Israel in-

Women's groups and Israel
investment clubs make savvy
investors.

JENNIFER FINER STAFF WRITER

Above: Walter Schram
gives advice to members
of a woman's stock club.
Left: Marilynn Silberman
and Karen Egren listen
closely.

vestors, Mr. Leventen has done
well with his investments. Re-
cently he has given up helping
other groups because he felt he
was working harder in retire-
ment than he was when he
was employed.
While Mr. Leventen and
others who invest in Israel
want to help the Holy Land,
women like Ms. Shapiro said
they joined clubs to learn about
investing and because the
groups offer a good social out-
let.
Mr. O'Hara of the NAIC
said evidence collected over 34
years shows that all-women's

groups do better
than men's groups because the
women tend to buy at better
prices.
All-men groups decide what
stock to purchase and usually
buy at current market prices,
but all-women groups often go
one step further and discuss at
what price they should buy the
stock.
Walter Schram, a South-
field financial consultant
whose business focuses pri-
marily on wealthy individuals,
is helping advise Fenei Green-
wald's club. He said women of-
ten bring fresh investment
ideas to the group, such as ob-

servations on consumer trends
or what they see their children
buying.
Joan LaBelle, who was re-
sponsible for founding the club
Mr. Schram is helping, round-
ed up a group of interested
women, brought a broker to the
first meeting and contacted the
National Association of In-

Statistically,
groups that consist
of all women do
better than men's
groups.

vestors Corporation, a Royal
Oak-based, nonprofit organi-
zation aimed at helping and
educating investors.
Judy Stein and a handful of
other women had the same so-
cial and learning ideas in mind

10 years ago when they began
their club.
"We really like getting to-
gether," said Florence Abel,
who is in the same club as Ms.
Stein. "It's a lot of fun, we en-
joy each other's company, and
we've made money on the side.
It teaches us how to buy and
analyze stocks."
Playing the stock market
has been profitable for Ms.
Stein's group, where some
members have an estimated
stock net worth of $10,000 or
more. Depending on the club,
members generally contribute
between $25-50 a month.
While groups like the Michi-
gan Israel Investment Club in-
vest only in Israeli stocks on
the American market, others
have their own game plans.
Ms. Stein's group, for exam-
ple, likes to maintain a diver-
sified portfolio. Their holdings
include drug companies, com-
puter manufacturers and en-
vironmental corporations. 0

