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Jews by choice and those born Jewish
but now seeking basic knowledge at
individual synagogues by pooling
resources."
Project NAOMI, an effort of the
AJE in cooperation with Jewish
Family Service "may be the first com-
munity council of its kind in the
country," Stettner says.
One of Project NAOMI's first
undertakings is it's "Mikva Project."
Now, when men or women convert
through any of the council's syna-
gogues, a package filled with various
ritual objects and materials from com-
munity organizations is waiting at the
mikvah for each of them.
"Women wept when they received
their mikvah baskets," Sklar says.
"The package is a beautiful offer-
ing," adds Rabbi Joseph Krakoff of
Congregation Shaarey Zedek, "as peo-
ple go through the incredible conver-
sion process and cross the threshold
into Judaism."
Among the items in a basket,
donated by individuals and organiza-
tions, are towels, candlesticks,
tzedakah (charity) boxes from the
Jewish National Fund, mezuzah covers
made by children at Hillel Day School
of Metropolitan Detroit, hand-
stitched challah covers made by the
Pomegranate Guild (a Jewish needle-
work group), a trial subscription to
the Jewish News and a copy of its JN
Sourcebook.
Each synagogue personalizes the
baskets and includes the names and
phone numbers of people in the con-
gregation to call "to break into the
community" and who can answer
future questions that may arise, says
Sklar.
The project already has distributed
60 baskets. The success has attracted
the attention of Temple Israel's .
Sisterhood, which last month awarded
a $9,000 grant to completely fund the
mikvah packages.
"So many of our children and
grandchildren are in interfaith rela-
tionships," says Sherrie Stern, Temple
Israel Sisterhood president. "We don't
want them to lose touch with their
Jewishness."
Building Jewish Memories
Stettner conceived the idea of Project
NAOMI after she returned from an
outreach conference of the Union of
American Hebrew Congregations, the
national organization of Reform tem-
ples.
NAOMI, she says, is an acronym
for Newcomers Affiliating through an
Outreach Mentoring Initiative; it's
also a reference to the biblical Naomi
who reached out to her Moabite
daughter-in-law, Ruth.
Cooper also attended a certification
program as an outreach fellow at the
Reform movement's Hebrew Union
College-Jewish Institute of Religion in
Cincinnati last summer.
In the past, Cooper conducted
Temple Israel's program "A Naomi for
Every Ruth," a half-educational, half-
support group that met at her home.
It was aimed at those considering con-
verting to Judaism, those who have
converted or those born Jewish and
who want to learn more about the
Jewish traditions.
"We help build Jewish memories
for those who don't have any," Cooper
says.
Hoping that the Temple Israel
effort will spread to other synagogues,
Cooper started a new Project NAOMI
program, "A New Beginning" — five
classes, sometimes conducted by a
rabbi, for people considering conver-
sion to Judaism.
"It's a place where people can dis-
cuss practical issues," Cooper says,
"from how to tell family and friends
you've converted, to how often the
mikvah is cleaned."
In the future, Project NAOMI is
looking into two more programs. The
first is a mentoring program to con-
nect family-to-family and person-to-
person within the synagogues.
Another would train support staff at
the synagogues, especially people
answering the phones, "to build sensi-
tivity and awareness skills."
"The most exciting part about this
council," Stettner says, "is creating a
bridge between newcomers — the
unaffiliated who become affiliated —
and the congregation." 0
eopk interested in participating
Or learning more about Project
OMI or the Mikva Project,
on call Sue Stettner (800) 399-
76
Some of the synagogues that
ave participated in Project
NAOMI are Conservative .
Congregations Beth Shalom, B'nai
Mo.she and Shaarey Zedek and
Adat Shalom Synagogue; Reform
Temples Israel, Emanu-El, Kol
Arni and Shir Shalom and
Congregation Shir Tikvah; and
the Secular Humanist
Birmingham Temple.