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Pouring For Profits

t.

Congregation Shir Tikvah members
run beer and food booths at the Silverdome
to raise money for the synagogue.

LYNNE MEREDITH COHN
-StaffWriter

(

T

he crowd roars as men in
blue and silver carry a
pigskin down the field. Fans
cheer and yell, while dip-
ping nachos in rubbery orange cheese
and gulping beer or pop — which
may have been purchased from ven-
dors who belong to Congregation Shir
,;rilcvah.
' Yes, the Detroit Lions are playing at
the Pontiac Silverdome. And Reform
Jews from the Troy congregation are
tending to fans' appetites by selling
beer and food from portable vending
booths set up in the aisles. It's their
way of bringing in extra cash for the
synagogue.
About eight years ago, Shir Tikvah
member Mort Racklin got involved
with the food booths at the Dome,
which collectively add up to the shul's
second largest annual fund-raiser, he
says. "It was a chance to see the Lions
every week — or at least an outside
chance, if we weren't too busy."
Shir Tikvah members also staff con-
certs, like the Rolling Stones on Dec.

with] exhibition games on Friday
2, and U2 on Oct. 31.
nights."
Every year, Shir Tikvah signs up to
Racklin hasn't heard any complaints
work at 10 games and concerts; the
from members about selling non-
events can include college bowl or
kosher food.
high school football games. A
For Jennifer Winer, volunteering to
spokesperson for Elias Brothers, which
take money or pour beer at
arranges for staffing of food
a Lions game is an opportu-
booths, said there currently
Marcy L emanek
nity to get to know other
are no other Jewish organi-
and Les Silverman synagogue members "in an
zations running vending
work a t Shir
booths at the Silverdome.
Tikvah's concession exciting fast-paced environ-
ment."
Civic groups get 11 per-
stand at the
Plus, she says, it's "my
cent of gross proceeds,
Silverdom e during
mitzvah
to the synagogue,"
which amount to between
the Than ksgiving
which
currently
is con-
Day Lio ns game.
$500 and $1,000 per game,
structing
a
building
of its
Racklin explains. This year,
own,
paid
for
in
part
by the
Shir Tikvah is averaging
food booth proceeds.
between $700 and $800 per game, or
For Lions games, six to eight mem-
roughly $6,000 to $8,000 annually.
bers work for about four hours selling
They take in less at concerts, because
beer. A concert requires 15-20 people
once fans walk into the arena, they
for a little longer to staff a bustling
usually stay put during the entire
food booth.
show, he notes.
"They do educate us for food han-
Admittedly, "there's not a lot of
dling
and serving beer, alcohol train-
says.
Jewish angle on it," Racklin
ing," Racklin says.
"We've had some question marks here
Bottom line: "We don't pay to get
and there — one game fell on erev
in — we're not necessarily supposed to
Yom Kippur, but it ended before Kol
be out in the stands watching — but
Nidre. At the most, [it's] only two or
we
do run up and take a look." ❑
three times a year on Shabbat, [like

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