Spirituality

Tikvah members
artzcipate in national
°gram to help the
ilungry.

Rabbi Arnie Sleutelberg created a bowl for the Empty Bowls dinner.

SHELLI LIEBMAN DORFMAN
Staff Writer

G

uests of Congregation Shir Tikvah's third
annual Empty Bowls dinner will take
home a reminder of the evening's purpose
— working to
eliminating world hunger.
"The premise is to have
artists, students, adults and
the artistically challenged
make hand-made ceramic
bowls," said Janet Schenk,
publicity chairperson for the
event. The bowls are then
donated to the project and
sold to participants who
attend the event.
"Diners then take the
empty bowls home as a
Michael Phillips
reminder of all the empty
bowls worldwide and many
people living in hunger," she said.

The Troy congregation will hold its event at 6
p.m. Friday, Oct. 27, in commemoration of World
Hunger Day.
"Empty Bowls meals began over 15 years ago to
show the power of art working for social action,"
Schenk said. Founders of the international program
were two artists from Oxford, Mich. Shir Tikvah
began participating in 1998.
Thus far, congregation members have created
approximately 130 bowls under the supervision of
Michael Phillips, chairman of the event.
"The bowls were made in Sunday school classes
and during Rosh Hashanah at the tashlich [ritual
casting away of sins] program in the park," said
Phillips, a Detroit Public Schools visual arts teacher.
He is coordinator of both the Detroit district's artis-
tically gifted and talented program and Shir Tikvah's
Hebrew High School program.
Rabbi Arnie Sleutelberg expressed pride in his
congregation.
"They are involved in the cause of hunger in a
very creative, warm, beautiful and spiritual way," said
the rabbi, who also created a bowl for the project.

Members of Shir Tikvah will prepare the meal,
which will include homemade soups, salads,
breads and desserts.
Bowls are sold at $10 each; $25 per family.
The previous two years' events raised over
$1,800. Participants make checks out directly to
the food charity of choice, most commonly Yad
Ezra, the kosher food pantry in Oak Park, or the
Oakland County Food Bank in Pontiac. As in the
past, donated cash will be shared between Yad
Ezra and Gleaners Community Food Bank in
Detroit.
A small silent auction also will be held. "We
will auction off the more outstanding bowls,"
Phillips said. "And the one the rabbi made." ❑

Bowls may be purchased at the event for
$10/person; $251family. For reservations or
information, call Michael Phillips, (248) 723 -
9256.

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