SAVE THE DA TE
Sunda y, April 22
dent of Southfield-based Hospice of
Michigan and one of three non-Jews
on the trip. On their own, the trio
visited the Church of the Holy
Sepulchre, built in 1149 at the site of
the Crucifixion.
People-to-People Connection
The heart of this brief mission was
the connection made between mis-
sion participants and Israelis they
encountered.
Each of five buses visited at least
two schools. At the Rambam School
in Netanya, serving mostly Ethiopian
children, the need for books was
clear. Mission participants there
passed the hat spontaneously and
donated $2,000 on the spot. At
Jezreel Valley Regional College in the
Central Galilee, another busload
learned how Arab and Jewish stu-
dents dealt with the intifada.
"This was the real te s t when you
examine your relationship with your
friends," Fareed Banna, 26, a
Moslem Arab from Nazareth, told
the group. "Thank God, it didn't
affect my personal relationships with
my Jewish friends. We are a role
model for other places in Israel."
At Emek Hospital in Nazareth Ilit,
participants learned how the Milton
and Lois Shiffman Home Hospice of
the Valleys — a joint program of
Partnership 2000, Hospice of
Michigan and Livonia's Madonna
University — has been a role model
for Jewish-Arab cooperation during
troubled times.
Arab and Jewish Hospice workers
cared for patients in both Nazareth
and Nazareth Ilit, often working by
phone when roads were barricaded.
At ORT Hermelin College in
Netanya, named for the late
Ambassador to Norway David
Hermelin, because of his fund-raising
efforts and strong belief in the
school's high-tech mission, partici-
pants were treated to tributes to the
late philanthropist by U.S.
Ambassador to Israel Indyk and
longtime Bloomfield Hills friend and
ORT leader Paul Borman, who flew
in from a vacation in Paris.
"David loved to do things for peo-
ple that made them feel good about
themselves," said Doreen Hermelin
of Bingham Farms, who brought a
large portrait of her late husband to
hang in the school. "David's memory
will be a great place here."
At Zippori, an excavation in the
Central Galilee, another Detroit fami-
ly was honored for its generosity.
Alfred and Bernice Deutsch of West
Bloomfield and their family cospon-
sored (with the Israeli Ministry of
Tourism) a pavilion that shelters a
mosaic floor from a fifth-century syna-
gogue at the site. On hand for the
dedication were mission participants
son Robert and Carol Deutch of
Asheville, N.C., and their son Andy.
V
Akiva
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Day
School
A Family United
For some, the capital "M" in this
"Mission" stood for making personal
connections. For members of Adat
Shalom Synagogue in Farmington
Hills, a past connection was rekindled.
Several buses stopped at a Conservative
synagogue in Nazareth Ilit to dedicate
a Torah given 20 years ago by Adat
Shalom's Rabbi Efry Spectre.
Michiganders joined in as the Torah was
danced up the hill and into the small shuL
The jam-packed room held Jews from
Michigan and from Israel, singing together
in Hebrew, united by a sacred Torah. Adat
Shalom Rabbis Daniel Nevins and
Herbert Yoskowitz were among those who
held the Torah and danced.
"I was in tears; it was a highlight," said
Micki Grossman of Farmington Hills.
During a home hospitality dinner in
the Central Galilee that night, she was
in for another emotional high.
Throughout the mission, she'd been
trying to reconnect with a young
Israeli she'd hosted in her home 15
years ago when he came to work at the
Jewish Community Center of
Metropolitan Detroit (ICC) day
camp. She mentioned his name casual-
ly at dinner, and things happened
quickly. Later that night, she was
reunited with Arieh Tzilik. They
intend to stay in contact.
Other emotional connections were
forged when participants enjoyed din-
ner in Israeli homes in the Partnership
2000 region. The next evening, the
Israeli hosts joined their new Detroit
friends for a festive banquet, complete
with entertainment by children from
the region. Conversations were lively,
hugs were-plentiful, and promises were
made to keep in touch and visit again.
True connections had been established.
Gabi and Ruti Reshef of Moshav,
Nahalal hosted Rabbi Marla Feldman
of the Jewish Community Council of
Metropolitan Detroit and Maureen
Bayer of Farmington Hills, a first-
timer to Israel. Bayer grew emotional
as the evening drew to a close and so
did her hosts.
"This is my first experience seeing a
Jewish community act as a whole,"
Gabi said. "I feel really close, part of a
big family."
MAKING A CONNECTION on page 12
37th Annual Banqu
honoring
Mr. Todd Sachse
Recipient of the Torah Builder Award
Councilman Jonathan Brateman
Recipient of the Community Chesed Award.
For more information, to purchase tickets or
to place an advertisement in the dinner journal
please call Adell Kleid at Akiva 248-386-1625
1/26
2001