Insight

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Special Places

JILL DAVIDSON SKLAR
Special to the Jewish News

A

few years ago, Michelle
Engler was crushed when
plans to join her husband,
Gov. John Engler, on a
trade mission to Israel fell through,
leaving her at home and him with a
ticket to nearly two weeks of adven-
ture and learning. He had a blast and
she was bummed.
"I was very sorry about that and
very, very disappointed" at the lost

been so impacted by a trip," she
said. In many ways, it changed my
perspective in history, religion and
life. I hesitate to sound like that
because it sounds like cliche or
hyperbole, but it was such an
impactful experience."
Engler headed the 10-day
Michigan delegation that included
political leaders and state department
heads. Their purpose was to examine
Israel's social service and health pro-
grams. The delegation included
James Haveman, Michigan

Grocer's Association; and a State
Police officer assigned to Mrs. Engler.
The trip was funded by the
United Jewish Foundation
(Federation's banking/real estate
arm) and staffed by Federation and
the Jewish Community Council.
The delegation left July 27 and
began touring in Jerusalem. The trip
also included stops at the Dead Sea,
Masada and the central Galilee ;
including Nazareth Illit. The group
ended. the trip in Tel Aviv, stopping
at Yad Vashem before boarding a

m ression

our-fold:
• Examine opportunities to col-
laborate between Michigan and
Israel, especially in the central
Galilee.
• Expose Michigan officials to
Israel's social services.
• Boost understanding of the
relationship between Israel and
Detroit Jewry.
Build understanding of Israel's
role in the Mideast.

Michigan First Lady Michelle
Engler at the Western Wall.

Michelle Engler heads JCCouncil political
delegation to Israel and returns transformed.

opportunity, she said.
So when the Jewish Community
Council of Metropolitan Detroit
asked if she would like to head a
similar delegation this past July, she
jumped at the chance. "I couldn't
pass up the opportunity, even with-
out him," she said, laughing.
And she is glad she did.
"I think this trip was transforma-
tional for me and for most of us in
the delegation. I have traveled over-
seas quite a bit but I have never

10/8
1999

32 Detroit Jewish News

Department of Community Health
director; his wife, Barbara Haveman;
James Alexander, director of the gov-
ernor's southeast Michigan staff; his
wife, Lynne Alexander, director of
the state's Office of Services to the
Aging; Allan Gale, assistant director
of the Jewish Community Council;
Dennis Muchmore, a Lansing lobby-
ist for the Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit; Richard
McLellan, family friend of Engler;
Linda Gobler of the Michigan's

plane for the United States.
Most of the stops in the various
cities focused on health and human
service ventures in Israel, including a
meeting at a health center for immi-
grants and a tour of a home for
troubled youths. During a trip to an
ethnically mixed preschool, delega-
tion members were awed by the
bravery of the Jewish and Arab par-
ents who would put their children
in the same school.
LASTING IMPRESSION on page 33

Remember
When

From the pages of The Jewish News
for this week 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50
years ago.

Rabbi Alon Tolwin joined publisher
Arthur Horwitz in affixing a mezuza
to the door of the new Southfield
office of the Jewish News.
Alex Blumenberg was installed as
the president of Congregation B'nai
David.

Irving Lopatin was elected presi-
dent of the United Synagogue of
America Michigan Region.
Six persons were injured when a
bomb exploded on Allenby Road,
the main thoroughfare in Tel Aviv.
Mstislav Rostropovich, world
renowned cellist and conductor of
the National Symphony Orchestra
of Washington, D.C., was honored
at a tribute dinner in New York by
the American Friends of Tel Aviv
University.

Plans were finalized for the upcom-
ing dedication of the Irwin I. Cohn
Hall, housing the new facilities of
the B'nai B'rith Hillel Foundation
at Wayne State University.
Kenneth M. Bertin, son of Mr.
and Mrs. Sidney Bertin, has joined
the 7th Infantry Division in Korea,
as communications officer with the
6th Battalion of the 80th Artillery.

1959

Brandeis University announced the
appointment of Marc Chagall to its
faculty as its first artist in residence.
William Hordes, representative
of the Columbus Mutual Life
Insurance Co., has been honored as
the leading agent of the month.

low .

Children of the Jewish Folk Schools
of Detroit planned to celebrate the
opening of the season at the
Linwood-Pasedena branch.
In Jerusalem, Minister of Labor
Golda Myerson told a gathering of
Arab women that they must learn all
trades if they want to take their right-
ful place in Israel or Arab society.

— Compiled by Sy Manello,
editorial assistant