4.„

Global Ambassador

A Call for
Nominations for...

EIGHT
EIGHTY

Over

TODAY'S REAL HEROES

The Seventh Annual Installation
into the Jewish Apartments &
Services (JAS) Senior Adult
Jewish Hall of Fame

The annual event recognizes the spirit
of Chanukah and Metro Detroit
seniors who are eighty years or older,
for their contributions in the Jewish
and/or community-at-large.

To request a nomination form:

Call Sherry Veal at
(248) 661-0123, Ext. 1-233.

Completed nomination forms must be
postmarked by December 31, 1999.

Media Sponsors:

414

MEMORIES

.8C:3

A i (LAND

PRESS

Corporate Sponsors:

DDS Jfilmisori

Henry Ford Medical Center — West Bloomfield

Jewish Apartments & Services also thanks all the other
organizations who are contributing to the success of
"Eight Over Eighty."

11/19
1999

10

Airport with the president of BB-
Heideman has been running hard
Great Britain, who will become the
since even before he won a three-man
president of BB-Europe, and then
race for the B'nai B'rith presidency last
went
to France to install the first presi-
year. He is trying to implement changes
dent
of
BB-France.
in BBI he promised in his election cam-
"We're
the only Jewish organization
paign, an agenda of new programs he
that is in 58 countries," says
believes will reverse a 20-year decline in
Heideman. "Our members call upon
membership:
us, and we call upon them for political
• BBYO Alumni Network to involve
action.
1 million former BBYO members in
David Bittker of Orchard Lake has
B'nai B'rith
been
active in B'nai B'rith locally , and
• Chai Network, a five-year program
nationally
for decades. A member of
to keep BBYO graduating high school
the BBI executive board, he says B'nai
seniors involved with B'nai B'rith
B'rith's restructuring "remains a work
through the college years
in progress." B'nai B'rith's NGO (non-
• Genesis Network, for college gradu-
governmental organization) status at
ates to young professionals
the U.N. is critical, says Bittker. "Most
• B'nai B'rith Sports Activities
people don't realize it, but B'nai B'rith
Network
is the conscience against those who try
• International Singles Network
to bash Israel. We spend a lot of
International
Center
for
Senior
•
money on the (B'nai B'rith) office at
Services
the U.N., and on the office of the
Three
program
centers
in
the
•
B'nai B'rith presidency."
United States to encompass community
Bittker says a major problem for
action, Jewish identity, and public policy
the
organization is its inability to sell
and international affairs
itself
to the American Jewish commu-
Heideman says the programs already
nity. "But Richard Heideman is an
implemented have led to an increase in
eloquent spokesman," says Bittker.
membership renewals, and increases in
He has marvelous ideas and he's try-
leadership giving and general fund-rais-
ing
his darndest to see that those ideas
ing, with 80,000 new contributors in
are
fulfilled
... He's trying to involve
recent years.
people
who
have
drifted away, and he's
While the 250,000-member figure is
succeeding
at
it."
Part of the attrition
half of what it was 20 years ago,
in
B'nai
B'rith
numbers
this decade
renewals in the last year are up 5 percent
can be attributed to the exodus of
and new memberships increased 10 per-
B'nai B'rith Women, which left the
cent. "That's the first upswing in 20
BBI family to become the 50,000-
years," says Heideman. "More people
member Jewish Women International.
are asking others to join B'nai B'rith and
Heideman
extended an olive branch
get involved in activities tailored to their
to
JWI
earlier
this year, meeting with
interests."
JWI
President
Randee
Lefkow.,
Heideman's concern about member-
"We came to the conclusion that
ship goes beyond programming and
we would like to do things program-
finances. At the international level, B'nai
matically, together," says Lefkow.
B'rith's numbers carry diplomatic clout.
Although
nothing has happened yet,
The president of BBI is part of the
"we
hope
we can do this in the
Conference of Presidents of Major
future."
Many
TM members retain
American Jewish Organizations.
some
form
of
B'nai
B'rith membership
Heideman chairs the conference's
and
many
are
involved
with the B'nai
United Nations committee, and has lob-
B'rith
Youth
Organization.
Lefkow
Israel's
admission
to
the
bied hard for
herself is a member of the national
U.N. Western European Observation
commission of the Anti-Defamation
Group.
League, another major spin-off from
The Arab nations have blocked
BBI.
Israel's participation in the Asian
Lefkow does not envision a re-
Observation Group, and France has
merging
of BBI and JWI, but
been cool to Israel's admission to
Heideman
"extended his hand, and we
WEOG.
appreciate it."
To put pressure on France for this
and other issues, Heideman asked
Detroit Roots
French B'nai B'rith groups, which are set
Richard Heideman has deep ties to
up in autonomous regions, to form an
Detroit and B'nai B'rith. His dad, the
umbrella organization. "By strengthen-
late Ted Heideman, was a member of
ing B'nai B'rith in France," he says, "we
Morgenthau Lodge, and grandfather
can bring some clout and attention."
Jack
Yura was a 50-year B'nai B'rith
During his recent London-Paris
member.
Ted and Marion Heideman
jaunt, Heideman met at Heathrow