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Federation tops list
of start-up donors.

DI FF [RENT

DIANA LIEBERMAN
Staff Writer

S

Elektra Petrucci ofRoyal Oak is a
ninth grader at the Jewish Academy
of Metropolitan Detroit.

into a different state every morning
before learning."
The Simons family of West
Bloomfield is adopting a wait-and-see
attitude as their older son, Joe, enters
eighth grade at Abbott Middle School in
West Bloomfield.
"From what I gather, they are going
to work hard to make everything suc-
ceed," said Joe's mother, Andie Simons.
"But we're concerned about extra-curric-
ular activities. That's part of what high
school is about."
Joe is now involved in wrestling and
may take up debate in high school, his
mother said.
On the other hand, she feels the
JAMD would promote the kind of val-
ues the Simons believe in. "It's hard to
know what to do," she said. "We are a
pretty traditional family and, though
we've always been happy with the West
Bloomfield schools, there are so many
influences at a large high school."

WHY DAY SCHOOLS?

The national explosion in Jewish day
high schools of all sorts is fueled by
many factors, said Dr. Ronald Wolfson,
vice president of the University of
Judaism in Los Angeles.
First, there is the pressure of what to
do with the students graduating from
Jewish elementary day schools. "They've
gotten a taste of it and they and their
parents, want to continue" a Jewish edu-
cation," Wolfson said.
A growing dissatisfaction with public
schools is another factor, along with the
growing acceptance of private education
of all sorts.
Finally, Jews of all ages and denomi-
DREAM on page 12

tart-up funding for the
Jewish Academy of
Metropolitan Detroit has
exceeded projections, thanks to sev-
eral sizable grants and local fund-
raising efforts.
Early in the planning process,
the Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit came
through with a challenge grant of
$750,000, on a 3-1 match. In
other words, the funding would
become available if the new school
succeeded in raising $250,000.
This amount was accomplished
by a "close, small group of con-
cerned parents and community
people," said Robert Kleiman, the
JAMD treasurer.
"We said, 'This isn't the last of
the fund-raisers, but we need it for
our start-up, right now.' People
were glad to give," Kleiman said
The $750,000 grant was very
likely the largest start-up assistance
from a federation to a new school,
said Dr. Leora Isaacs of the New
York-based Jewish Education
Service of North America.
Isaacs, who is director of-
research and evaluation at JESNA s
Mandell L. Berman Jewish
Heritage Center for Research and
Evaluation, said grant funding and
contributions are crucial for Jewish
day high schools.
"Funding a free-standing high
school is very different than ones
that ride on the tuition of the
school below," she said. "The
tuition paid by the parents is usual-
ly not a true representation of the
true cost."
"The Detroit Federation believes
very strongly in Jewish education at
all levels," said Federation CEO
Robert Aronson. "Unlike other
federations that wait several years,
we believe we should be there in
the beginning to help them get on
their feet. That's the most crucial
time."
The new school will greatly
expand the educational offerings
for the area's Jewish families, he

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PAYING THE BILLS

on page 14

"Serving the community for 44 years"

CH AB AD'S

CHILDREN t
CHERNOBYL

A HUMANITARIAN
MEDICAL RELIEF PROGRAM FOR
RUSSIAN JEWISH CHILDREN

kohorf

SHELLEY NADIV

at

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8th Annual Family Concert

performance by

DuDu Fischer

Wednesday, November 8

Southfield Centre for the Arts
7:00 p.m.

For more information call

(248) 542-1880

6

8/25
2000

