MJAC Organizes Major Community Programs BARBARA ACKER SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS Peter gave up studying medicine to pursue his true love of performing. When his dance troupe toured Detroit, Peter remained behind. During the decade he was here he was involved in fund-raising, sound and light production, and was part of a singing group known as "Peter, Paul & Ella." He planned to move to San Francisco, but instead became a goat farmer in rural New York. Peter was infected with HIV while in Detroit and died at his mother's house in New York on Dec. 26, 1993. He was 43 years old. I n the hope that people like Peter will not be forgotten, the Michigan Jewish AIDS Coalition (MJAC — pro- nounced "magic") is bringing a portion of the AIDS memorial quilt to the Jewish Community Center for 13 days. The Jewish names on the pan- el are a reminder to the com- munity that AIDS is a reality affecting everybody. To empha- size this, MJAC has organized an extensive program called "...Until There's A Cure." It is a multi-faceted, multimedia 13- day event beginning Nov. 26 which is planned to coincide with Chanukah and World AIDS Day on Dec. 1. "We want to create an atmos- phere of openness and commu- nication," said Linda Lee, program chair of MJAC. By in- volving everyone from school- children to senior citizens, MJAC hopes to raise awareness and promote better under- standing. To that end, an AIDS educa- tion curriculum was developed by MJAC for area religious schools. Utilized last year with eighth- and ninth- graders in at least six synagogues, the pro- gram was beneficial to both stu- dents and participating parents. The three-part program, "Choose Life, So That You May Live," will be offered this year on Nov. 29, Dec. 6 and Dec. 13. "Educationally, we found the kids knew more than their par- ents did," said Ms. Lee. Students are also being asked to make quilt panels for some- one who has died of AIDS and had no one to make a panel in his or her memory. To make the experience more personal and meaningful, biographies like the one above will be 'given to each student or group of students. The finished panels will be pre- sented at a Dec. 8 closing cere- mony. . A workshop is being offered on Oct. 24 to show how to make these panels. It will be held at the Agency for Jewish Education in Southfield at 7:30 p.m. In commemoration of indi- viduals who have lost their lives to AIDS, Nancy Gurwin has written a musical, "Memories," which will be performed on Sun- day, Dec. 4. For those who may think they are not at risk, "You Are Never Too Young or Too Old" on Nov. 29 and Dec. 7 will explore the perils of dating in the 1990s. Men and women who may be re- entering the dating world after many years are encouraged to attend. "There are 50- and 60-year-old women out there with 15 locks on their doors who haven't giv- en thought to the safety of their bodies," said Ms. Lee. "Friend-Raiser," a preview opening on Nov. 26 at the Jan- ice Charach-Epstein Museum/ Gallery will include entertain- ment by Marcus Belgrave and friends. The official opening ceremo- ny will coincide with erev Chanukah on Nov. 27. Rabbi Arnie Sleutelberg of Congrega- tion Shir Tikvah will lead a memorial service of healing and hope which will include memo- rial services and Kaddish. "We need to re-emphasize our Jewish values of visiting the sick, repairing the world, saving MJAC page 16 All programs are at the Maple-Drake JCC unless otherwise noted. Saturday, November 26, 8 p.m. "Friend-Raiser," preview opening at the Janice Charach- Epstein Museum/Gallery. En- tertainment by Marcus Belgrave and Friends. $25 con- tribution. Sunday, November 27, 1:30 p.m. Opening ceremony. Memori- al service. Quilt panels pre- sented. Sunday, November 27, 2:30 p.m. "AIDS: Rx For Care." Sinai Hospital staff will discuss med- ical issues. Questions and an- swers afterward. Monday, November 28, 7:30 p.m. "AIDS: Rx for Care." At the Jimmy Prentis Morris JCC. Tuesday, November 29, 1 p.m. "You Are Never Too Young or Too Old." Program aimed at adults over 30 who think they may not be at risk. Tuesday, Nov. 29, 7 9 p.m. "Choose Life, So That You May Live." A three-part series for teens and their parents on AIDS education and Jewish val- ues. - Wednesday, Nov. 30 7 p.m. "Teens and Sex, An Open Discussion." An informal op- portunity for teens to ask ques- tions and talk to people who have firsthand AIDS experience. Sunday, Dec. 4, 2 p.m. "Family Album: The Many Faces of AIDS." An outreach program for the gay and lesbian community, as well as an op- portunity for the general Jew- ish community to learn more about gays and lesbians. Sunday, Dec. 4, 7 p.m. "Memories," a Nancy Gurwin musical written specifically for this program. • Tuesday, December 6, 7-9 p.m. "Choose Life, So That You May Live." Second part of the series. The conclusion is sched- uled for Dec. 13, after the quilt is no longer on display. Wednesday, Dec. 7, 7:30 p.m. "You Are Never Too Young or Too Old". A repeat program at the JPM JCC. Thursday, Dec. 8, 7:30 p.m. Closing ceremony led by Rab- bi Arnie Sleutelberg. School groups and individuals will pre- sent new quilt panels. Jeannie Weiner: Help continues. Council Provides Food For Soviet Jews JILL DAVIDSON SKLAR STAFF WRITER I n changing the focus of their Soviet Jewry efforts, the Jew- ish Community Council re- cently was able to assist 750 families in Minsk with food parcels and homecare help. Leonid Levin, president of the Belorus Association ofJewish Or- ganizations, notified the council that their donation of $6,500 reached the Minsk community. "We were able to reach many needy, elderly clients who have no other family members to take care of them," Mr. Levin wrote. "A large portion of these people are bedridden and the only out- side contact they have is their homecare provider." • The money for the donation was left over from past fund-rais- ing efforts of the Soviet Jewry Committee. The committee, now known as the Minsk Task Force, has grad- ually changed its focus to meet the needs of Jews in the former Soviet Union, said Jeannie Wein- er, former chair of the Soviet Jew- ry Committee and immediate past president of the Jewish Community Council. At first, the committee fought for the removal of travel restric- lions for Soviet Jews and for their right to immigrate to other coun- tries. When that goal was ac- complished, the committee raised funds to support resettlement in Israel, the United States and Eu- rope. The committee also funded Jewish educational programs for the resettled Jews. "The numbers of people who are leaving the former Soviet Union are quite diminished, thankfully," Ms. Weiner said. Prior to the collapse of the for- mer Soviet Union, the retirees there lived off meager pensions. Now the pensions are worth- less, leaving many of those left behind with little to no source of income. The funding provided by the Jewish Community Council was given to the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee. The funding was then distributed in the form of food packages and sponsorship of homecare by the Belorus Association ofJewish Or- ganizations. "It is so important that we re- member the Jews who are still there," Ms. Weiner said."They still need our help." 0