Learning Jewishly

Machon ETorah's campus outreach spurs `;an explosion of requests to learn."

SUSAN TAWIL

Special to the Jewish News

Ill achon ETorala/ The
Jewish Learning Network
of Michigan, celebrated
what Rabbi Avraham
Jacobovitz termed "20 years of hard
work and great accomplishments" at the
20th anniversary banquet on June 27.
Baila Jacobovitz, wife of "Rabbi J,"
said more than 600 people of all ages
and levels of observance and affiliation, a
record turnout, attended.
Based in Oak Park, Machon ETorah
sponsors adult Jewish education pro-
grams. The primary focus of the organi-
zation, however, remains outreach to
college campuses.
"Assimilation is spreading rapidly,"
said Rabbi Jacobovitz. "College students
are at a vulnerable age. Without expo-
sure to the wealth of knowledge and
spirituality of Judaism," he worried that
they could be lost forever.
' As a result, the seemingly indefatiga-
ble Rabbi J fills his days driving out to
teach and inspire students at Michigan
State University, Western Michigan
University Central Michigan University
Oakland University Kalamazoo College,
Cooley Law School, the University of
Windsor and the University of

ETorah — Dr. Larry Loewenthal, Dr.
Jay Novetsky, Eugene Sherizen, and
Chana Nusbaum — received the "Pillars
of Israel" award.
The "Harbingers of Jerusalem" award
went to Oren Cahlon, Brooke Gerber,
Jordan Scharg, Aimee Silberblatt and
Noah Stern. They are college students
or graduates, active in Machon LTorah
and recent visitors to Israel. Machon
Israel trips so far have involved 60 stu-
dents.
Rabbi Jacobovitz said the two most
powerful experiences to bring young
Jews back to their heritage are Shabbat
and a visit to Israel.
A video at the dinner included high-
lights of Machon recent trips to Israel
and testimonials from the honorees
about the impact of Israel on Jewish
identity.
"It boggles the mind that the
majority of Jewry hasn't been to
Israel," said Dr. Novetsky. "Machon
L'Torah encourages students to recon-
nect with their ancestry."
"I learned more in those 10 days
(in Israel) than in the rest of my life,"
said Aimee Silberblatt.
Noah Stern's visit to Israel made
him realize that it was now "not
enough for me to let others perpetuate
Judaism. I had a stake in it as well." ❑

Michigan. In 1996, Machon bought
and renovated a Prat house in Ann
Arbor. It now serves as the Jewish
Resource Center, staffed by Rabbi
Aharon Eisemann.
"There's been a tremendous awaken-
ing and thirst for knowledge," said
Rabbi Jacobovitz. "We've had an explo-
sion of requests to learn."
The dinner raises 25 to 30 percent of
Machon's annual budget of $450,000;
$100,000 goes toward Israel trip schol-
arships.
This year's dinner honored Rabbi
Shmuel Irons, head of the Oak Park-
based Kollel Institute of Greater Detroit,
with the "Crown of Torah Award." "He
is a giant of scholarship and humility,"
said Rabbi Jacobovitz.
In accepting the award, Rabbi Irons
said: "Rabbi Jacobovitz teaches us an
invaluable lesson. Look how much one
individual can accomplish when he gives
of himself for the benefit of others."
The "Community Service Award"
went to Brian Granader of Royal Oak.
Referring to Granader's Hebrew name
"Barak," which means lightning, Rabbi
Jacobovitz noted that he is a young man
"with enthusiasm to help others with
the speed of lightning."
Other outstanding community
activists and supporters of Machon

Sinai Heritage Remembered

Heritage wall hails contributors.

TENDER

Former Sinai
Guild presi-
dents Sandy
Schwariz,
left, and Hope
Silverman at
the ceremonies
with Dr.
Robert
Michaels,
Sinai-Grace
chiefofstaff:

271 WEST MAPLE
DOWNTOWN BIRMINGHAM
248.258.0212

r*X-
JA

7/7
2000

Monday-Saturday 10-6
Thursday 10-9

inai Hospital's doors may no longer be open, but its
donors will not be forgotten thanks to the newly
installed Sinai Heritage Wall. The large glass structure
was dedicated June 29, with many donors in attendance.
The wall was designed by Kalamazoo artist Donavan
Kindle. It bears the names of 949 individuals, families and
organizations that donated $1,000 or more to Sinai Hospital
during its existence.
The wall, in the Sinai-Grace Hospital lobby (east of the old
Sinai Hospital on West Outer Drive in northwest Detroit),
was commissioned by the Sinai Heritage Committee, estab-
lished by former board members after the sale of
Sinai to the Detroit Medical Center in 1998.
The committee includes Bruce Gershenson, founding
chairman of the Sinai Healthcare Foundation; Rose Rita
Goldman, Sinai Guild president; Merle Harris, part
chairman of the Sinai board of directors; Dr. Eduardo
Phillips, chief of surgery at Sinai-Grace Hospital; and
Richard Roth, past chairman of the Sinai Healthcare
Foundation.

❑

The new Sinai Heritage Wall
at Sinai-Grace Hospital.

— Keri Guten Cohen,
story development editor

