DETROIT

THE

DI H NEWS

S

Th

This Week's To Stories

Tree-
mendous!

Beth Shalom students
discover many fun
aspects of the Jewish
New Year of the Trees.

Rebecca Cooper
paints her
Tu B'Shevat planter.

PHOTO BY BILL HANSEN

Apart, But Not Detached

The Sinai Health Care Foundation emerges from under
the hospital umbrella.

Voice For Social Justice

A rabbi-lawyer takes a position with the Jewish
Community Council.

DAVID ZEMAN STAFF WRITER

RUTH LITTMANN STAFF WRITER

he fund-raising branch
of Sinai Hospital has
split off from its parent
institution to sprout
roots of its own in
metro Detroit.
As an independent
entity, the Sinai
Health Care Founda-
tion hopes for increased visibil-
ity within the local Jewish
community.
With more than $6 million in
endowment monies, it will con-
tinue to support Michigan's
only Jewish hospital, says
Foundation Chairman Richard
Roth.
"We were established for
Sinai and our goal is Sinai," he
says. "Our efforts are still 100
percent for Sinai, and for the
long-term future, they will be
> 100 percent for Sinai."
Mr. Roth says the split from
Sinai neither indicates a rift nor

1111

drastic change. He says it was
motivated primarily by the
need to clarify the foundation's
identity, heighten its profile and
lighten the workload of Foun-
dation President Pola Fried-
man.
Ms. Friedman previously car-

ried the additional duties of om-
budsman, hospital vice presi-
dent and head of the Guild and
Department of Volunteer Ser-
vices.
Pola
"Pola was wear-
Friedman
ing many hats.
This (reorganiza-
tion) is a better opportunity for
her to concentrate her efforts
solely on the fund-raising," Mr.
Roth says.
Reporting directly to Mr.
Roth, Ms. Friedman has moved
her office from the hospital's
Outer Drive campus in Detroit
to the Centrum Building in
Southfield. Two former Sinai
employees, Bobbie Blitz and
Laverne Footwalker, have re-
located with her.
After the split, the hospital
eliminated its development de-
partment, which had previous-
ly included the foundation.

SINAI page 10

abbi Marla Feldman community in a professional ca-
brings a voice of com- pacity. The idea of not doing
passion — compassion that has never occurred to me."
Rabbi Feldman joined the
for the poor, the elderly,
immigrants and victims of Council Jan. 15 after direct-
ing the Jewish
genocide — to her
Community Rela-
new post as assis-
tions Committee -in
tant director for do-
Wilmington, Del.
mestic concerns at
Rabbi Feldman
the Jewish Com-
said one of her top
munity Council.
priorities in Detroit
It is a voice that
would be to help
has guided her
the Jewish commu-
training as a rabbi
nity build sturdier
and as an attorney.
relationships with
And it's a voice she
other ethnic and re-
has devoted to her
ligious communi-
faith and to a host
ties.
of political and so-
In her view, that
cial issues.
Rabbi Feldma n:
means not just or-
"Day in, day out, Speaking out.
ganizing luncheons
the practice of law is
not something that has inter- between Jews and Arabs,
ested me," she said of her Flori- Chaldeans, or African Ameri-
da law license. "I've always cans to talk about issues. It
wanted to serve the Jewish SOICIAL JUSTICE page 12