L

Rig-ht: A'fichaelyn Silverman of
Temple Emanu-El helps Elana
Price, 5, with a preschool project.

Detroit's
National
Role 4*

Education leader says
programs here can lead the way
to bolstering Jewish identity.

ROBERT A. SKLAR

Editor

etroit can provide a model road map for life-
long Jewish learning, the key to sustained
Jewish identity into the next century, says a
local visionary for Jewish education.
"I envision us being the national laboratory for curricu-
lum and study, and figuring our how to attract and keep
educators in a community, - says Robert Naftaly, one of the
lay architects of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan
Detroit's blueprint for Jewish education.
In a wide-ranging interview, Naftaly, executive vice presi-
dent and chief operating officer of Blue Cross and Blue
Shield of Michigan, discussed local initiatives that can serve
as national models over the next five years. They include:
• Encouraging parents and other adults to renew their
understanding of Judaism's central ideas and texts, not only
for themselves but also to set an example for children. "Kids
are more apt to respond ro God's teachings," Naftaly said,
"if they can follow the example of adults kv h o they respect."
• Nurturing stronger relations with seminaries to aid
teacher recruitment, a perennial problem for day and con-
gregational schools. Also, providing more workshops and
other support to teachers already on staff to help retain
classroom talent. "Professional development," Naftaly said,
"needs more investment across-the-board."
• Building endowment funds to assure all children have
access to high-quality education and to enlarge scholarship
opportunities. "People need to understand why donating
for endowments is as important to Jewish continuity as
giving for bricks-and-mortar," Naftaly said.
• Developing a more vigorous outreach program on
campuses ro help the many young people who drift away
from their Jewish identity before they get to college. A vig-
orous effort through campus Hillels and similar activities,
adequately supported with money and ideas, can make col-
lege students actively seek to strengthen their Jewish ties.
NATIONAL ROLE ON PAGE 64

Above: Art Goldsmith of
Huntington Woods, Ari
Glogower of Ann Arbor,
Limy Berkove of Southfield,
Joel Shere of West Bloomfield
and Lynne Avadenka of
Huntington Woods at a
Talmo class.

Above right: Avram Mendel
gets his diploma
. Shayevitz
-
from President Gary Tozgozv
at Yeshiva graduation cere-
monies.

.Above: Temple
AraelS BOok Club
featured a round-
table discussion
without the table.

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7 ewish learning cakes place every day in metropolitan Detroit in scores of for-
mal and informal settings.
It happens in day schools and congregational schools, in formal adult
, . courses, in book club sessions and lunch and learn meetings. It starts in the
home and goes on to preschool and grade school and college and beyond.
And sometimes this learning happens when we just take the time to talk to one
another about what it means ro us to be Jewish. In this supplement, you can hear
some of the voices of people who consistently put Jewish education first. F ____I -

111111P

The

Way,
We
Le arn

This supplement to the Jewish News is
cosponsored by the Kroger Company of Michigan

8/6
1999

Detroit Jewish News

59