•

A couple who are
giants in the
Jewish community
earn Hillel Day School's
top plaudits.

Heroic

rmeli

Rabbi Irwin
Groner presents the
Dream Maker and
Rabbi Jacob Segal
awards to Doreen
and David
Hermelin.

- .

al
a la to

.Ata

:

fi
; g

The Hermelins

have been parents,

grandparents, leaders

and benefactors over

their 30 years of

affiliation with Hillel Day

School — but they also

are beloved throughout

the Detroit Jewish

community.

ROBERT A. SKLAR
Editor

D

green and David
Hermelin are heroes for
what they've done phil-
anthropically and on
behalf of Israel, and for what they've
spurred us as a community to
achieve together, Rabbi Irwin
Groner said in helping honor them
last week.
"David and Doreen, you make us
feel so proud to be Jewish as you
share with us your vision of Israel,
your hope for the future, your com-
mitment for the redemption of the
Jewish people," Rabbi Groner said at
Hillel Day School of Metropolitan
Detroit's Dream Maker dinner June
6 at Congregation Shaarey Zedek.

The Hermelins received Hillel's
Dream Maker and Rabbi Jacob Segal
awards in appreciation for their
devotion to, and support of, the 42-
year-old Conservative day school in
Farmington Hills. Rabbi Segal, of
blessed memory, was one of the
school's founders.
David is a real estate developer,
former ambassador to Norway and
both a civic and communal leader.
Doreen is a long-serving community
activist in her own right.
Rabbi Groner said a hero demon-
strates in our lives what lies dormant
in our hearts. He 'said a hero stirs
and inspires us.
He called David a hero because
he presents "a profile of courage" in
his "determination to overcome ill-
ness and to gather support for med-

ical research and healing." David is
receiving treatment following 1999
surgery for a brain tumor and is a
long-time contributor to cancer
research.
The rabbi also eqUed David a
hero because, before his treatment
regimen forced him to step down, he
served as ambassador to Norway for
two years "with great skill, imagina-
tion and success, including providing
the setting for very important meet-
ings between Israeli and Palestinian
leaders."
Rabbi Groner called both Doreen
and David heroes for uniting "our
entire community in a shared loyalty
to the Jewish heritage, the Jewish
home, the synagogue and the com-
munity."
Elaborating, he said, "history

"VAC•IMMK.

35

