The Jewish News and Style Magazine Congratulate Kathy Johnson, Account Executive on her selection as a 1999 Sales and Marketing Executive Fab Five. 10, 20, 30, 49! Children learn that counting the days of the omer can be fun. SHELLI DORFMAN Editorial Assistant T To reach Kathy, call 248-354-7123, ext.217 STYLE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS magazine Marvin L. Kofender, MD specializing in Endocrinology and Internal Medicine takes great pleasure in announcing the association of James A. Golden, MD, JD Dr. Golden's background includes: University of Michigan Law School graduate 1980 Magna cum laude University of Michigan Medical School graduate 1984 12 years of Private Practice on Long Island, NY from 1987 until 1999 Beaumont Medical Building 6900 Orchard Lake Rd. Suite 207 West Bloomfield (248) 539-9084 Office hours by appointment FILSUSIISIISTAMS11191301 1.911SIISUST1S11.41191WELS; .2 AMAZIK1G 4AVE11403® i aS% g. Quality Closeouts At Amazing Prices! ISI 10. , m 1 ti I' 30887 Orchard Lake Road (S. of 14 Mile) 26215 Greenfield (at 10-1/2 Mile) aP I Farmington Hills, MI 48334 d Southfield, MI 48076 Phone: (248) 569-6699 Phone: (248) 932-5110 0 IP 41 HOURS: Sunday 10:00 am — 6:00 pm • Mon. —Thurs. 9:30 am — 9:00 pm • Friday 9:30 am — 8:00 pm • Saturday 9:30 am —5:00 pm t d, 1:A SHERWOOD SQUARE SHOPPING CENTER HUNTER'S SQUARE SHOPPING CENTER 0 4/30 d ISIEKSt 1 9 9 9 ilS11.S11413.911,411511.911610INCIATIMUSUSIISIISI 4 4 _Detroitlewish_Ne_v_v_s he room was filled with 49s. There was a game with 49 pieces, and there were 49 days on the calendar. The group, participating in the pro- gram "From Pesach to Shavuot: Countdown to Receiving the Torah" was learning about the days between Passover and Shavuot, the days con- sidered the omer, of which there are ... 49. A simultaneous lesson was held April 18 for families with children ages 4-12 at both the D. Dan & Betty Kahn and Jimmy Prentis Morris buildings of the Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan Detroit. The JCC's Jewish Educators Council was the sponsor. The meaning and stipulations of the omer were taught at hands-on craft stations. The group learned about the bless- ing recited nightly dur- ing the omer and partic- ipated in omer-related activities, such as coloring a map of Egypt and Israel, and making their own Ten Commandments (Shavuot, the hol- iday that concludes the omer period, celebrates God's revelation of the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai). At the No No station, participants created a picture of what is not permit- ted during the omer period, a time when a plague struck down students of Rabbi Akiva in the 2nd century C.E. The picture was covered with a diagonal red banner, indicating that it included things that are not allowed during the 49 days, such as weddings and haircuts. Lisa Bernstein, program coordinator of the JCC Judaic Enrichment Department created the program. It was facilitated at the Kahn JCC in West Bloomfield by Amy Brode, who is the JCC cultural events coordinator. A high- light of the event there, she said, were the dozens of teenagers from Ruach Chapter, B'nai B'rith Girls, who volun- teered to helped the children with their projects. Program Coordinator Andy Roisman led the activities at the JPM Building in Oak Park. In West Bloomfield, BBG members Pam Goldfaden and Shawn Brickner, both 15, explained to the children the Above: Brenda Oventhal- Saperstein and her- daughter Sari, 10, com- plete their omer calendar. Left: Daniel Blechner, 4, fills in a map of the Jews' exodus from Egypt. meaning of the important holiday of Lag b'Omer, a celebratory day when the usual restrictions are lifted. "Lag b'Omer is the 33rd day of the omer," noted Brickner, who instructed the children to remove the banner covering their No No picture, to symbolically remove the restrictions of the omer. With Israeli music playing in the background, the children learned the meaning of the word omer, a measure of grain indicating the harvest. It was gath- ered by the ancient Israelites between Passover and Shavuot and taken to their Temple in Jerusalem. Children were given the opportunity to create their own "wheat" using licorice sticks. Many found that activity a high point of their afternoon, but Jeremy Levine, 11, disagreed. He preferred the creation of an omer game, saying, "This game (with 49 spaces) is something I am going to be able to use over and over again. But, once you eat the bundle of wheat, it's gone."