COMMUNITY VIEWS
Reaching Out
With Toys
LENA MASS
Special to The Jewish News
T
ime and time again, I
am disheartened by the
image of 8-year-old
Alvin. He is dying of
cancer and undergoes chemothera-
py regularly, which has not only
resulted in the loss of all of his
hair, but the loss of his childhood
as well.
Fortunate enough to have made
it thus far, Alvin, along with the
hundreds of other children who
face the fatal disease, hope to sur-
vive until tomorrow. In February, I
saw WDIV-TV4 health reporter
Lila Lazarus' segment covering the
DANA Children's Hospital in Tel
Aviv, in which Alvin's story was
told. Doctors from Detroit have
been developing a method to send
cell cultures to the Israeli hospital, Lena Mass, founder of "Toys For Children Fighting Cancer"
where children from around the
world are treated. The news seg-
known as Toys for Children Fighting
The TCFC Committee has been
ment inspired me to help the children
Cancer (TCFC). I chose six of my
extremely busy over these past several
in a way medicine cannot. For several
peers, all of whom I felt would be able
months attempting to raise money to
years, I have had a sincere desire to
to contribute and work whole-hearted-
buy toys for the children. We have
become a pediatrician, and I realized
ly to comprise the TCFC committee. I
also sponsored several toy collections
that although I cannot help such chil-
have also been working in collaboration
throughout the community My
dren medically just yet, I may be able
with Lila Lazarus, who will be doing a
dream has been to deliver the toys to
to bring happiness into their lives.
follow-up story on the TCFC commit-
those children in Tel Aviv. To hand
I decided to organize a toy collection
tee by interviewing us and publicizing
them their toys is the one image in my
program that would enable children
the progress we have made, as well as
mind that I have longed for.
suffering from cancer to receive toys.
the doctor heading the medical project
Aside from my desire to make suf-
The organization I have founded is
between Detroit and Israel, Dr.
fering children's lives a little brighter,
Lena Mass is a senior at Detroit Coun-
try Day School in Beverly Hills.
William Lyman (director of Children's
Research Center of Michigan).
I also possess a more grand objective
for this project. By collecting toys
da, Mexico, Israel and Great Britain.
Three-thousand seven-hundred children
excelled in different events and arrived
in Detroit welcomed by families who
hosted their stay and participation.
The behavior and patience of the
children was impressive.
Liddy Kahn Weinberg, 72, sat and
watched the entry of these young peo-
ple with great enthusiasm. She and her
family had escaped from Frankfort,
Germany, in 1947. She exclaimed,
"Hitler should see us now!" This is the
true significance of the JCC Maccabi
Games — after the devastating Holo-
caust upon the Jewish people and
their children. This celebration occurs
valiantly and beautifully in different
forms each year.
Ann Barnett
Technion
Played A Part
for children in an Israeli hospital AO
that treats children from around
the world, I would like to make
the point that children from var-
ious ethnic and racial back-
grounds are fighting the same
disease. They do not worry
about their heritage, but rather
hope to survive battling cancer.
I hope that my efforts enable
biased onlookers to realize that 111
the background of suffering
children should have no bearing
on the support they can offer
TCFC. I envision myself hand-
ing little Alvin his toy, his face
lit up with such happiness. Only
then will I share his happiness
and be truly satisfied with my
endeavors.
At this time, I am planning
to take the toys to Tel_ Aviv dur-
ing the first week in September,
but I am still hoping to find a
sponsor. The cost of flight
arrangements, cargo shipping
costs and taxes total approximately
$3,000. A combination of the corn-
mittee's funds and my own cover
only a fraction of the total cost. With
only two weeks left until delivery, I
"I
am still in search of sponsorship. If
you are interested in supporting our
efforts, please do not hesitate to con-
tact me at (810) 268-3244.
TCFC will also be focusing on
delivering toys to children in several
Detroit-area hospitals over fall and
winter. ❑
uo
LETTERS
excited and proud to part of this
undertaking.
Carol Lubin
Bloomfield Hills
Opening Night
Was Sensational
The night of Sunday, Aug. 16, was a
sensational night for Jewish children
from countries around the world.
It was the opening night of the
JCC Maccabi Games. This. is the
largest such event for Jewish youth; in
fact, it is one of the largest of its kind
in the world.
With the opening bell, these young
athletes began marching into the stadi-
um with banners flying and wearing dif-
ferent-colored uniforms. They came
frorri many American cities plus Cana-
8/21
1998
34 Detroit Jewish News
President, American Zionist Movement,
Michigan Region
We share in the pride our community
feels as a result of the role played by
the State of Israel in the rescue efforts
in Nairobi and Dar Es Salaam.
We are also privileged to share with
the community a connection between
the organization that we represent, the
Technion-Israel Institute of Technolo-
gy, and the rescue operations.
The men and women of the Israel
Defense Forces' Rescue and Salvage
Unit sent to Kenya and Tanzania have
been trained in the use of the "crush
syndrome" protocol by Technion Dr.
Ori Better.
This treatment method, which
involves injecting large amounts of a
saline solution into the veins of vic-
tims, is implemented even before the
victims have been freed from the rub-
ble. The treatment works to minimize
the severity of the injuries. •
Dr. Better's technique was also used
to help victims of the Oklahoma City
bombings in this country.
111
Morris Rochlin
President, American Society
for Technion Israel Institute
of Technology Inc.
James Deutchman
Chairman
Nancy Gad-Harf
Regional director
Not All
Were Kosher
In his article on Paul Kohn's efforts to
open a kosher restaurant ("At Your