Sign up now at the
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Day-To-Day: Karen hears acquain-
tances say they are amazed and con-
fused that the Alpiner family is "so
normal" when they spend Shabbat at
synagogue and home, not at the mall
or organizing the children's activities.
She explains: "You make time for the
things that are important."
Karen attends the children's field
trips, and each child is allowed one
extracurricular activity. Brett is
learning to play the electric guitar,
while Sean and Kallie enjoy hockey.
Brendan takes singing and acting les-
sons at the Jewish Community
Center, and Kyra takes swimming
lessons.
There's no nanny at the Alpiner
home, and rarely a baby sitter.
Sometimes after Shabbat, Neal and
Karen go out for dinner or coffee,
although recently they chose to stay
at home instead to watch The
Rugrats Movie with their children.

THREE MONTHS FREE!

GET 15 MONTHS FOR THE
PRICE OF 12 DURING OUR
SUMMER MEMBERSHIP SPECIAL!

New Projects: It all began with a

birthday party. Karen and Neal
recently found themselves looking at
the many gifts one of their sons had
received for his birthday. It was so
much — and there are those who
have so little. That's how they came
up with the First Fruit Program.
"We can take our children to all
kinds of [charitable] functions,"
Karen explains. "But we wondered
how to teach them immediately that
they need to give, too."
Karen and Neal's idea was to have
children donate a gift they received
for a celebration, such as a birthday
or bar/bat mitzvah party, then
donate it to a Jewish child who does-
n't have as much.
Look for a large box, designed to
look like a wrapped present, at next
fall's Apples & Honey and Lots, Lots
More program at the West
Bloomfield JCC. Children will be
able to leave gifts in the box. Later,
each gift will be wrapped by mem-
bers of youth groups and distributed
throughout metro Detroit.

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Hopes For The Future: Karen and

Neal hope their children "have a
strong sense of self and a strong
Jewish identity, that they're happy,
that they are good people who give
back and always try their best.
"We want them to continue having a
sense of family, as well, and to be
there for each other as they art
now." ❑

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D. Dan and Betty Kahn Building
Eugene and Marcia Applebaum Jewish Community Campus
6600 W. Maple Rd., West Bloomfield, MI 48322
Your membership

Jewish Community Center
of Metropolitan Detroit

Jimmy Prentis Morris Building
A. Alfred Taubman Jewish Community Campus
15110 W. 10 Mile, Oak Park, MI 48237

at both
good
i s
JCC locations.

*Application fee of $75 waived. Some restrictions apply. Must not have been a member in the last 12 months.
For more information or additional membership options, call (248) 661-7665 in West Bloomfield or (248) 967-4030 in Oak Park.

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