ARGENTINA page 9
A National Gathering
Detroit is sending a bigger delegation than usual to a
conference of Jewish community relations
organizations this year.
JULIE WEINGARDEN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
PHOTO BY GLENN TRIES T
Ironically, the bombing helped
"So then 25 people came the
facilitate Mr. Avruj's dramatic next week. Now we have 150 peo-
revival of the 45-year-old syna- ple for kabbalat Shabbat, 30 to
gogue where he had been re- 45 people for Saturday morning
cruited to sing for the High services." Under Mr. Avruj's di-
Holidays. Located in a poor rection, the synagogue began
neighborhood long since aban- youth activities last year with
doned by Buenos Aires' wealthi- more than 70 participating, and
er Jews, the synagogue had been opened a twice-a-week Hebrew
virtually dead for 20 years.
school. Although Mr. Avruj has
"Next door, there was a small not yet been ordained, he serves
building where only 10 people as the synagogue's rabbi.
regularly attended Saturday
Since they arrived in Michigan
morning Shabbat services," ex- in early January, Mr. Avruj and
plains Mr. Avruj. "When one of Mr. Freedman have packed a lot
them died and they no longer had into their stay. Aside from their
a minyan, they called me because studies through Project STaR,
they knew me from my singing Mr. Freedman has met with
during the High Holidays.
youth movement leaders and
"When I started coming, I JCC professionals in Detroit and
found out that five of them had Ann Arbor. Mr. Avruj has met
been paid to attend! I began to with a number of rabbis in the
gather people — eventually we region, as well as the staff of the
became 20, 25."
Agency for Jewish Education.
The 1994 bombing occurred
Both also enjoyed a crash
only two months before the High course in Jewish American fund
Holidays, and as he prepared to raising at the Jewish Federation
lead services, Mr. Avruj worried of Washtenaw County.
that people would be too fright-
Although they are committed
ened to attend.
to working toward Jewish conti-
"All the synagogues were full," nuity in Argentina, neither Mr.
Mr. Avruj recalls. "At the last cer- Freedman nor Mr. Avruj has any
emony of Yom Kippur, everyone illusions about the challenges
was crying, so I told the people, ahead. They anticipate an in-
`OK, you're crying now, but all crease in intermarriage and a
the year the synagogue is closed. need for institutional consolida-
So raise your hands — who will tion as the community comes to
come next week for kabbalat terms with its declining num-
Shabbat if we open?'
bers. ❑
M
ore than a dozen Detroit
delegates are heading to
Washington this week-
end for the 1997 Nation-
al Jewish Community Relations
Advisory Council (NJCRAC)
plenum.
The annual conference, which
runs from Saturday to Wednes-
day, will see 500 Jewish commu-
nity relations leaders from around
the country exchange views and
create policies.
This year's speakers include for-
mer Republican vice presidential
candidate Jack Kemp, U.S. Rep.
Eleanor Holmes Norton, Israeli
Ambassador Eliahu Ben-Ellisar
and Labor Party leader Shimon
Peres.
Fourteen Detroiters will be at-
tending the plenum, including
Adat Shalom Rabbi Efry Spectre,
who serves as NJCRAC's Soviet
Jewry Committee chair; Allen
Zemmol, Allan Gale and Rabbi
Marla J. Feldman of the Jewish
David Gad-Hart: Leading Detroit's
delegation.
Community Council of Metropol-
itan Detroit; David Gad-Harf, ex-
ecutive director of the Council; and
Temple Kol Ami Rabbi Norman
Roman.
"This is the largest group that
Detroit has ever sent and will like-
ly be one of the largest groups at
the plenum," said Mr. Gad-Harf.
"It is an opportunity to focus on
what's happening in Washington
and meet with American govern-
ment leaders, from the Clinton ad-
ministration to senators and
House members, to discuss the
three or four issues that are most
important to the Jewish commu-
nity right now," Mr. Gad-Harf
said.
Topping those issues is the im-
pact of welfare reform on legal im-
migrants and the poor and what
role Jews should play. "Something
has to be done to prevent wide-
spread trauma that includes
hunger and homelessness down
the road," said Mr. Gad-Hart "Our
interest goes beyond helping Jews.
We are part of the Coalition for Re-
sponsible Immigration Policy,
which represents Arabic, Asian,
Latino and Jewish communities."
U.S. and Israeli relations and
school vouchers will also be hot
topics.
Senator Carl Levin (D-Mich.)
will be awarded NJCRAC's
Chernin Award for humanitari-
an service. 'This will be one of the
highlights," said Mr. Zemmol. "It
is always exciting to give nation-
al recognition to a member of the
Jewish community of Michigan."
Coinciding with the plenum
will be the Hillel Foundation
Spitzer Forum on Public Policy,
which brings together college stu-
dents from around the Nation. ❑
CANADA ISRAEL EXPERIENCE CENTRE
CHECK OUT OUR PROGRAMS...
WE'LL KEEP YOU SMILING IN FEBRUARY!
ak al
.
GE°
laik;e976e666
.19i1P
PlaYmobil
\IITY
1
00_sros—s-ti--
114 s s
,0
GUND
ambi
toys
THE DETROIT J EWISH NEWS
AND OUR. PRICES! •
ISRAEL DIMENSIONS (For Ages 16 & 17)
July 2 to August 11, 1997
$3210 u.s.
ISRAEL ENCOUNTER (For Ages 16 & 17)
July 2 to August 11, 1997 •
$3210 U.S.
BILUIM CANADA (For Ages 17)
YOU NAME IT
SALE!
20% OFF On Any One In Stock
Item of Your Choice thru 3/1/97
July 6 to August 18, 1997
For More Information:
Sale Extended thru 3/1/97
Due to Overwhelming Response!
• Dolls/Bears/Beanie Babies Not Included.
• One Item Per Person Per Day
• Cannot Be Combined W/Any Other Discount.
• No Layaways.
THE DOLL HOSPITAL &
To SOLDIER SHOP
DOLL & BEAR LOVERS
SAVE 10%40%
On A Nice Selection
• Madame Alexander • Corolle
• Effanbee • Steiff • Gund & More!
3947 W. 12 Mile Rd. • Berkley • 810-543-3115
(696 Exit Greenfield, N. to 12 Mi., 3 Blks. E. of Greenfield) Hours: M-Sat: 10-5:30, Fri: 10-8
$3610 u.s.
Canada Israel Experience Centre
4600 Bathurst St.#3 1 S
NorthYork, Ontario M2R 3V3
(416) 398-6931
I (800) 567-ISRAEL (4722)