JUST DOING IT page 8

It was an insight from a home-
less man whom she had be-
friended that eventually inspired
her to form the Social Action Corn-
mittee.
"He lived on a steam vent and
he had gnarled hands and his
clothes were tattered. He was a
bright man. I asked him one day
what he dreamed of. He said he
never felt good enough where he
would be included in a place like
the gardens across the street,
which happened to be where a lot
of wealthy people live. He said,
The best gift you can give some-
one is a chance."'
Said Rena Friedberg, co-devel-
opment director at JARC, "It's an
incredible thing that she's done.
The transformation that's oc-
curred in the members of this com-
mittee has been phenomenal. It's
had a tremendous effect on their
self-esteem and people's percep-
tions of people with disabilities."
"We're not looking for accep-
tance; we're looking for inclusion,"
Rubinstein explained.
Rubinstein formed the actual
committee after watching a TV
news report one night 3 1/2 years
ago. A truck operated by a food
bank was stolen, leaving shelters
with massive amounts of un-
packed cans and other foodstuffs.
She called the food bank and
offered to help. At first, she
encountered reluctance from su-

pervisors there because they didn't
think individuals with develop-
mental disabilities would be able
to handle the work.
"I persisted and said they'd be
like anyone else, they'll do fan-
tastic, give them a chance," she re-
called. A group of 13 went to the
food bank and packed and labeled
thousands of cans.
"They did so well they were
asked back to pack things for
Thanksgiving and for refugees in
Rwanda," Rubinstein said.
A few committee members, like
Harold Folkoff, now sit on the
planning committee at the Agency
for Jewish Education, which ini-
tiates programs like the Purim
Parcel Project.
Folkoff, though, is an old hand
at volunteering. He's been in-
volved in so many projects with
JARC, it is difficult for him to pin-
point one that was particularly in-
teresting to him.
Searching his memory, he re-
called a committee project in
which members cooked and
served food to a group of homeless
people who were sheltered at
Temple Israel last December.
`The main point for me is show-
ing the community that I want to
be part of the community," Folkoff
said. "I want to show, especially
young people, that we are re-
sponsible, that we can give back
... If I don't do it, who will?" ❑

Hebrew Headgear

A Philadelphia-based hat company is covering
baseball fans in the holy language.

LONNY GOLDSMITH STAFF WRITER

I

n 1995, Arthur Raynes, a
Capolino added baseball hats
long-time customer of Mitchell with the team names in Hebrew
& Ness Nostalgia Company in to the license that he already
Philadelphia, noticed people had. In order to get a license, an
wearing baseball hats with team advance of $25,000 to MLB Prop-
names written in hieroglyphics. erties is required, as well as a
It irritated him.
percentage of the royalties.
"My Israelites were dragging
stones around for the Egyp-
tians 4,000 years ago to build
their pyramids," the attorney
joked. "I wanted Major League
Baseball hats in Hebrew."
Two years later, Mitchell &
Ness owner Peter Capolino
obliged his friend's request, and
Hebrew baseball caps have
now become a reality.
"I applied for a license in
1996, and we started selling at
the beginning of the year,"
Capolino said. "The hat has
started selling really well."
Three thousand hats have been Peter Capolino models his "Tigers" hat.
sold at $24 apiece, but aren't yet
available in Detroit-area stores.
"I think they're great," Raynes
"No dealer has bought them yet, said of the new hats. "It started
and they are only available as something fun, and has turned
through our mail-order catalog." into something real successful."

The teams that have Hebrew
hats available are the Detroi,
Tigers, New York Mets and Yan-
kees, Chicago Cubs and White
Sox, Philadelphia Phillies, San
Francisco Giants, Florida Mar-
lins, Montreal Expos, Baltimore
Orioles and the St. Louis Cardi-
nals.
Although Mitchell & Ness sells
the hats, each team has to give
its approval for its logo, which ap-
pears on the left side of the hay
and nickname to be used.
The only current problem with
the hats: Capolino is behind in
stocking them.
"It takes eight weeks from
the time they are ordered to the
time we receive them," he said.
"Interest is much stronger than
expected." The hats, which are
made by American Needle Co._
in Buffalo Grove, 111., have been -
selling particularly well in New
York and Philadelphia, Capoli-
no said.
The demand for the hats in
Israel isn't quite as strong.
"People here want the hats
in Hebrew, but the Israelis
want the hats the way the pros
wear them," he said. "It's not a
novelty for them." ❑

;

e

To get a catalog from
Mitchell & Ness Nostalgia
Company, call (800) 483-6377.

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