I

Not Taking Freedom For Granted

NISSA WIMBERLY
Special to The Jewish News

day filled with so much adventure, it
was nice to mellow out as a group in
this close setting. Havdalah was beauti-
ful. As part of our service, we shared
some thoughts about the past 36 hours.
Cy Finkelstein, Ernie Scher, Yetta
Shubow and Norma Schonwetter really
feel a part of our group. When we went
through Chinatown together, we broke
into four groups, each with an older
adult. It was fun exploring that part of
New York City together, to choose a
restaurant together and to hear their
impressions of what we were doing. The
adults have a great deal to share from
their own experiences in New York, but
what is most amazing
is that every one of
them has experienced
life so differently.

March 19
On the ferry to Ellis Island, I began
to wonder why this island was chosen as
an entry point. Our ferry went by the
Statue of Liberty. It is so big, just like
the rest of New York. The statue means
so much to me, like freedom and happi-
ness, but I imagine it meant a whole lot
more to the immigrants first coming to
America. It seems that today so many of
us take freedom and all the benefits we
have in Michigan for granted.
In hearing the stories of Ernie Scher
-
and Yetta Shubow,
I am once again
reminded how
fortunate we are. I
think about what
March 21
they experienced
We
explored the
and went through
Lower
East Side this
as children. Time
morning
— buying
\_ and again, the two
pickles from Guss on
/—) of them talked
the street, walking
about the fear
through old Jewish
they felt as they
neighborhoods and
were brought on
learning
about the
to Ellis Island. But
Eldridge
Street
Ernie held up a
Synagogue.
It is amaz-
picture of the
ing
how
old
this syna-
Statue of Liberty
Nissa Wimberly shops for Juclaica on the
gogue is and how it
and shared how
Lower East Side of New York.
was not used for so
,=‘incredible he felt
many years. Literally
when he first saw
boarded
up
and
closed
down. But now
it from the deck of their ship.
they
are
renovating
it.
It
too was obvi-
We welcomed in Shabbat at B'nai
ously
a
beautiful
synagogue
many years
Jeshurun in Manhattan. The people
ago. You can imagine how this commu-
praying here have made it so welcoming.
nity of Jews used to pack into the syna-
Everycine joined in the singing and they
gogue to pray.
even began dancing in the middle of ser-
We ended our morning with a stop
vices. I feel you could come to this syna-
at
Katz's
Deli. What corned beef! This
,— gogue all by yourself and feel so corn-
was
Jewish
food through and through.
fortable, welcomed and connected. I
You
could
tell
how excited the adults
really got a lot out of this service — a
were
to
have
a
taste
of this classic deli's
sense of joy and a sense of relaxation
food.
after a very long and hectic day.
I have to say that through this week-
end I gained more of a feeling of what
March 20
New York was like for Jews earlier in this
We visited Temple Emanuel this
century and how incredibly difficult it
morning. It is truly amazing, a phenom-
would have been to immigrate here
enal place in appearance. All the walls
from Eastern Europe. But most of
/— look like intricate paintings and then
all,
this feeling makes me appreciate
you walk up to them and see their
how lucky I am, especially in
incredible tile work and design. The
America, a place at times I have
early Reform Jews were really proud of
taken for granted. ri
their Judaism and wanted to make a
statement with this beautiful building.
Nissa Wimberly, a member of
We ended the day by making
Temple Shir Shalom, is a freshman at
Havdalah in the rabbi's room. We all
Andover
High School in Bloomfield
crowded in together, 23 of us kids, four
Hills.
older adults and staff But after another

From
,?\‘'Tc\-\00sc"se°'s
Tellegroph
to Tell Aviv

• Raft down the Jordan River
Climb the Golan Heights in an Open-Air Jeep

• Trek up Massada as the sun rises
• Explore Ancient Ruins
• Celebrate Shabbat in Jerusalem

• Party Day Night
• Meet Jews from far-away places (Melvindale)
• And lots morel!

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT
THIS INCREDIBLE TRIP

INFORMATION MEETING

Wednesday, May 5 at 7pm
• Moosejaw
34288 Woodward, Birmingham

Operators standing by call (248) 203-1492

or e-mail dworkin@jfmd.org

T his is federation

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4/9
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,Detroit Jewish News

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