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GOING PUBLIC from page 21

Federation Avenues invites you to participate in a

An Evening of Spirituality

with Rabbi Arnie Sleutelberg

of Congregation Shir Tikvah

Saturday, June 2, 2001
8:45 p.m.

Havdalah • Musical entertainment
Wine tasting • Dessert reception
No charge

Space is limited

Questions? Contact Maine Waldshan, (248) 203-1486,
or e-mail waldshan@jfmd.org

AVENUES: Providing social, educational and cultural avenues
for individuals between the ages of mid-30s to 50,
while connecting to Federation and the greater Jewish community

Visit us on the Web: www.thisisfederation.org

COMPLAISANT
WEST BLOOMFIELD PLAZA
6720 ORCHARD LAKE ROAD

d

5/25

2001

22

and twat

S!

Advertise in our JN Entertainment Section.

groups interacting. It's an awareness issue."
A member of the Temple Israel
Sisterhood, she has also been involved
in the Women's Campaign and
Education Department of the Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit.
Some candidates picked the public
schools over the private schools —
Jewish and secular — because they felt
the education was superior within their
districts. Doug Zack, a first-time can-
didate for a Bloomfield Hills School
District seat and a board member at
Congregation B'nai Moshe, said he
and his wife debated about where to
send their three children before choos-
ing the public schools in his district.
"If we were not in Bloomfield Hills,
we probably would have sent our oldest
child to Hillel," Zack said. "I really sup-
port Hillel and the Hebrew high school
(Jewish Academy of Metropolitan
Detroit), too, but I felt my children
would have a better education at
Bloomfield Hills schools academically."
Gad-Harf and Nathan each had
children educated in private schools
prior to their involvement with their
respective school boards but found
that the public schools offered their
children more in the way of academics
and extra-curricular activities.
"I learned that public schools offer far
more in terms of innovation in teaching
methods and the quality and caliber of
the teachers themselves," Nathan said.
Barbara Berger White, who is com-
pleting her fifth year as a member of the
Berkley Schools' board of education,
said she would "absolutely not" consider
sending her children to a private school.
White and candidate Catherine
Fridson, who was on vacation as the
Jewish News researched this article, are
the only candidates for the Berkley board
whose children attend public schools.
"I feel that public education is a very
important part of our democracy,"
White said. "It's the best way for our
children to learn about all kinds of peo-
ple, to internalize the idea of democracy"
Other candidates felt that service on
the school board was a simple act of
giving back to a system that has pro-
vided so many benefits for them and
their children. Phil Neuman, a candi-
date for the Farmington board and the
father of three children currently in
the school system, said his primary
motive for entering the race was to
lend his expertise as a lawyer to the
board. "I have an investment in the
school system," he said, referring to
his children. "I am committed to mak-
ing it the best district possible." El
— Not all Jewish candidates were avail-
able for comment. Staff Writer Diana
Lieberman contributed to this report.