This Week

Insight

Remember
When

IF

A Two-Way Street

DIANA LIEBERMAN

StaffWriter

lir hen Richard Bernstein first visits your office, his
steps are a little hesitant.
Blind since birth, the 26-year-old lawyer can
see only large shadow-like objects as he makes
his way into the conference room. But tell him it's set up in
typical conference-room fashion, with a rectangular table in the
center, and he'll be perfectly fine. And the next time he comes
to visit, you won't have to tell him a thing. All the information
will be stored in his phenomenal memory.
A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Michigan,
Bernstein's memory, tenacity
and intelligence propelled him
through the Northwestern
University School of Law. He
passed the Michigan Bar
Examination the first time he
tried, although the process
required two readers over seven
days.
Recently, Bernstein overcame
another obstacle. He became
the first blind person ever to
participate in the Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan
Detroit's Young Adult Division
(YAD) Mission to Israel, which
took place July 2-12.
The son of Samuel and Susie
Bernstein, Richard Bernstein has
worked as a personal-injury trial
lawyer in his father's Farmington
Hills law firm since returning from
Northwestern to the Detroit area about seven
months ago. Although he had visited Israel before, earlier trips
were on the deluxe plan, his father said. "He certainly didn't do
what he did this time."
At first, Richard Bernstein wanted nothing to do with the
YAD mission. He had two concerns: the physical challenges of
the trip and the burdens he felt his presence would put on
Federation staff and the other mission participants.
"They took 160 people to Israel," the Birmingham resident
said. "The last thing they needed was the added responsibility
of a blind person." •
Instead, staff members rave about how Bernstein's participa-
tion enhanced the mission for everyone involved.
"It was our delight," said Andrew Echt, Federation's assistant
campaign director and one of four professional staff on the mis-
sion.
"Richie is a tremendous person. Not only did we learn about
him, we learned about ourselves. Spending time with him,
escorting him place to place, he makes you slow down and see
where you are, see what you're doing."
Josh Cohen, YAD director, said Bernstein is "filled with the
desire to help people.
"If anything, he should be a staple on next year's trip — on

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

the next five years' trips," Cohen said.
Bernstein serves on several Federation committees. In addi-
tion, he shared this year's Volunteer of the Year Award from
West Bloomfield-base Jewish Home and Aging Services with
friend and co-worker David Cohen, for their volunteer work at
the Fleischman Residence in West Bloomfield.

Getting Around

Bernstein long ago learned to navigate certain crucial areas
around metropolitan Detroit by himself. Then his repertoire
grew to include buildings and places in urban areas such as
Chicago, New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Israel is
another story altogether. "Visiting Israel,
it's absolutely required that you visit old
ruins. These are, by definition, 1,000
years old," Bernstein said. "You can lose
your footing very easily.
"In Israel, you have steps in the middle
of nowhere," he remembered. "Rocks you
were walking on would give way — stair-
ways went on for miles or were incredibly
steep — mountains with sheer cliffs, with
no guardrails or protective barriers —
land mines literally next to your path."
Along with other YAD mission partici-
pants, he climbed Masada, snaked
through the tunnels under Jerusalem's
Western Wall and dodged land mines in
the Golan Heights. With no vision of his
own, his impressions came from his other
senses and from the stories of the other
mission participants.
"What you'll get is nine or 10 descrip-
Richard Bernstein
tions," Bernstein said. "And no two people
are going to give you the same one."
At the Western Wall, he heard about the specific stones, the
plaza, the play of sunlight, the diverse people in the crowd and
much more.
"Sometimes there's no better way to see something than by
being a blind visitor," he said. "I got to look at Israel through so
many people's perspectives and points of view."
On an impulse, Bernstein took a walk by himself through Tel
Aviv, armed only with his cane. "It wasn't the smartest thing I've
ever done," he admitted, "but it was something I did enjoy."
Strangers grabbed his elbow at every intersection to help him
cross. "They realize you're Jewish and you're in need, so they act
accordingly."
Bernstein said he felt that, wherever he was in Israel, people
would have acted in his best interest.
"You know there is no one in the country who wouldn't assist
you or help .you," he said, "as though you are a Jewish person in
a Jewish family
"Of course, you are dealing in holy issues and holy places,
but anyone can tell you about that. I came out of it and tell you
it's a life-changing experience because of the people — the peo-
ple on the mission with you and the people you meet while
you're there."

Blind lawyer m akes his own
contribution to Federations
Young Ad ult Mission.

10/6
2001'

38

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❑

$90

Adat Shalom Synagogue hosted a
sukkah-building workshop.
Yoram Aridor was appointed
Israel's permanent representative to
the United Nations.
Real-estate developer Sandy
Layne mass-marketed his spaghetti-
sauce recipe under the Domino's
Pizza brand label.

IWO

A garden of trees was planted in
Israel to honor the 85th birthday
of retired builder Ernest
Goodfriend.
Ramaz High School, an Orthodox
Jewish day school in New York, was
defaced by supporters of the
Palestine Liberation Organization.
Jewish Association for Residential
Care named Lynn E. Medovv as
director of residential programs.

1970

-

Adath Emet Israel, a black Jewish
congregation in Philadelphia,
moved to a new building in time
for the High Holy Days.
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Powers of
Flint went on the UJA Young
Cabinet Leaders mission to Israel.
Rabbi Hayim Donin became the
new president of Akiva Hebrew
Day School.

1960

The Morocco government took
over one-third of the Jewish
schools as a first step in the nation-
alization of all private Jewish
schools.
Morris Lieberman was named
chairman of the Zionist Council of
Detroit.

1950

Three directors of the Jewish Bank
for Industry and Commerce in
Frankfort were arrested on charges
of currency smuggling and fraud.
Rhumba King Xavier Cugat and
his orchestra were booked for five
days at the Elmwood Casino in
Windsor.

— Compiled by Sy Monello,
editorial assistant

