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The Scene

110

Coming Up
Roses

Lisa Rose climbs the ladder to success
and blossoms along the way.

ing toward a master's in training and
development at Oakland University.
"It's the first semester they're offering
the program," she says. "I'm in a
isa Rose is climbing the
guinea pig class."
walls. Literally.
A willingness to try new things has
As a member of Planet
led
Rose to where she is today. She
Rock, a rock climbing gym
was
in high school when her dad, at
in Pontiac, it's one of the things she
the
time
a math teacher in Oak Park,
likes to do when she's not working.
came home
Which is
Photo by Krista Husa
with a com-
hardly ever. As
puter — and a
a graphic
minimal
designer, a
understanding
committed
of how it
volunteer, a
worked.
master's degree
"It was a
candidate and
really old
a mother of
Mac," she
two — a yel-
recalls. "It did-
low Lab
n't even have a
named Dannie
hard drive."
and a minia-
Rose . figured
ture German
out how the
shepherd
computer
called Cricket
worked on her
— it seems as
own. Today,
if Rose is
she uses that
always work-
computer
ing. Not that
know-how
she minds.
and her design
For the past
skills for more
six years, she's
than just a
been happily
.
paycheck.
employed with
Through a
Auburn Hills-
program spon-
based
sored by Ford,
Learning
Lisa Rose: Designing a hip lift.
Rose voluntar-
Designs, Inc.,
ily taught art
a company
to
kids
at
Detroit's
Miller
Middle
that creates custom training programs.
School.
Involved
with
the
When she first started, it was Rose's
job, as she put it, to "add all the pretty Organization for Rehabilitation
through Training (ORT), she designed
stuff" to the training programs being
cards, programs and publications.
developed. But these days, she's doing
Rose's current project is the UJA's sin-
more of the program development
gles mission to Israel. Her part is to
herself.
design the invitations and posters —
"I write classes that teach beginners
and to tag along (her first visit to
how to use computer software," she
Israel).
explains. "I publish the manual, and I
The 29-year-old grew up in a
teach the class."
Reform household in Southfield and
Come January, she'll also be work-

Oak Park. "My parents gave me the
choice of going to Hebrew school, so I
ended up not going," she explains.
Today Rose belongs to
Congregation B'nai Moshe
(Conservative). "I'm not an every
Saturday morning girl," she says. "I go
on the High Holidays. I find it corn-
forting to be around Hebrew."
She also surrounds herself with
comforting objects. The spare bed-
room in her house is home to Snoopy,
Curious George and dozens more
stuffed animals. The rest of the house,
decorated with framed photographs
and lots of candles, is warm and invit-

ing. Even Dannie, her Lab, can't resist
wandering over for a scratch and a
kiss.
"Dannie is 11 years old, and
Cricket is 9," she says of the pets she
adopted from the Michigan Humane
Society and Canine Rescue League,
respectively.
One day, she says, she'd like kids of
the two-legged variety. So what does
she look for in a future mate?
"Someone with diverse interests.
Someone who likes my dogs."
Anything else?
"Someone who might climb a wall
once in a while." ❑

DEBBIE FEIT
Special to The Jewish News

L

11/14

1997

72

YAD's pre-Thanksgzmng bash is
back in Birmingham.

Tunick. "The Birmingham
Community House is usually
packed."
But it takes more than just loca-
's time again. The days of
tion
to make a great party. Like tim-
November tick off one-by-one
ing.
Scheduling this event the night
until the big one. The evening
before
Thanksgiving is a masterful
moozing
and
hanging
f sc h
move—
people who currently live in
when everyone's in town, is almost
and
those who return from
area
the
upon us.
school
or
jobs
in other cities can
You know Federation's Young
attend.
It's
like
a mini-reunion for the
Adult Division (YAD) pre-
young
adult
Jewish
community.
Thanksgiving party is the place to be
"Its
a
great
opportunity
for people
— Wednesday, Nov.2,6 at 8:30 p.m.
to get together with people they don't
The theme of this year's party is
normally see —. its a great time to
"Back to Birmingham," and it means
reconnect," says Tunick, a social
just that. For years the party was
worker
from Farmington Hills. Of
always held at the Birmingham
course,
its for single and married
Community House. Last year, how-
Jewish
young
adults between the ages
ever, the event was moved to U.S.
of
21
and
35,
and thus a fantastic
Blades in West Bloomfield, and
opportunity
to
meet new people.
unfortunately drew fewer people than
You
can
dance
to Q, a live band
usual.
performing
at
the
party, and munch
"People like what they're used to
on
the
array
of
food.
— the activities at U.S. Blades might
The annual Thanksgiving bash is
have taken way from the point of
one
of YAD's biggest events. "We
the party, which is a pure social
increase
the Y.AD database every
event," says Marc Berke, campaign
time
we
have this party," comments
associate for Federation and the pro-
Berke.
"It's
a really great way to get
fessional helping to coordinate this
people
involved
and excited about
year's party.
YAD,"
adds
Zales,
a Birmingham
This year, expectations are set at
resident.
many more than last year's 300 party-
So, on Wednesday night, Nov. 26,
goers. Hilary Zales, who chaired the
set
the VCR to tape "Beverly Hills
last Community House gig in 1995,
90210"
and "Party of Five" and head
is again back in charge and estimates
over
to
the
Birmingham Community
that 500 people will attend this year's
House
for
a
bash you won't want to
bash. "We are expecting a huge
miss.
turnout," echoes co-organizer, Barbra

ELANA HARRIS
Special to The Jewish News