Small Miracle Gets Bigger
An organization that helps Jewish children in need hires an executive director.
want to make this a memorable
experience."
Consequently, through an
aul Finkel and Wendy
anonymous system that employs
Brickner believe in
the assistance of day schools, Yad
making children's
Ezra and Jewish Family Service,
dreams come true.
A Small Miracle asks families to
This year, they plan to do that
send in a request form for the
for more than 700 children.
exact gift their child wants. Then
Finkel, along with his wife,
members of the organization buy
it and make certain it gets to the
Kathy, last year founded A Small
Miracle, which distributes gifts to
child.
low-income Jewish families in
Sometimes the requests stir
metro Detroit.
even the hardest heart: A girl
Brickner is the organization's
dreamed of having her own
newly named executive director.
Shabbat candlesticks, and a boy,
"I've always had this thing for
when asked what he wanted
kids," said Finkel, who is active
more than anything else in the
with both Jewish Association for
world, said simply, "Comic
Residential Care (JARC) for peo-
books."
ple with disabilities and Yad Ezra,
Never, Finkel said, has A Small
the kosher food bank. His own
Miracle received an outlandish
childhood, he said, was magical.
request such as, "I'd like a trip to
"It was very happy. We never
Disney world." Not that he hasn't
knew from want."
been surprised by the responses.
Brickner, Finkel's sister-in-law,
There are requests for board
also describes herself as drawn to
games and Barbie dolls, gift cer-
children. The mother of two
tificates to clothing stores and
Wendy B rickner
said, "My parents always gave us
books, Finkel said. "But we also
all they had, which is what I'm
get a lot of requests for model
trying to give to my children."
kits — especially from girls."
She further stressed the importance of
Stuffed animals also are a popular commodity, which
helping others, a message she continually
is what led to A Small Miracle's December program in
strives to teach her children.
conjunction with the Single Jewish Parents Network.
Brickner, of Walled Lake, is a graduate of
On Dec. 9, the two organizations will meet to make
the University of Michigan School of
stuffed toys at the Build-A-Bear shop in the Somerset
Business who for 12 years owned and man-
Collection North in Troy, where children will select a
aged Mail Works Plus (two years ago she
soft animal body, help stuff it, put a little fabric heart
sold the business) before coming to A Small
inside and choose the bear's clothing. They also will dec-
Miracle.
orate a home for the bear, and A Small Miracle will then
She said she hopes to build on A Small
distribute the entire package to Jewish children in need.
Miracle's program by adding birthday gifts
"Every child I know loves those build-a-bears," Finkel
and providing opportunities for children to
said.
enjoy the arts and sports activities.
"I know that she's organized and that she
Though Finkel, who grew up in Southfield and
had run her [Mail Works] business success-
Bloomfield Township, said his own upbringing lacked
fully," Finkel said of his decision to hire
for nothing, this was not the case for his mother.
Brickner. He also pointed out that A Small
"In the 1980s, I joined Goodfellows, and my mother
Miracle has grown so much in the past year
told me that was the proudest moment of her life," he
that it became impossible simply to depend
said. "Her parents were immigrants, and when the
on volunteers.
Goodfellows knocked on the door it was the only time
Unlike many other charitable organiza-
she got a toy and one new dress.
tions, A Small Miracle does not purchase
"That's when it came to me that that's what I want to
gifts en masse, then distribute them simply
do."
based on sex (a toy car for boys, a doll for
Last year, A Small Miracle distributed Chanukah gifts
girls).
to 225 Jewish children. Most recently, Finkel and
"We're not doing this just to make our-
Brickner teamed up with First Fruits, which also solicits
selves feel good — 'Look how great we are,
gifts for Jewish children in need. They worked together
we gave these kids toys,"' Finkel said. "We
at the Jewish Experiences for Families' Apples & Honey
ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM
AppleTree Editor
10/12
2001
92
event at the Jewish Community Center in Oak Park,
collecting both cash donations and toys, which A Small
Miracle will distribute.
In past years, Yad Ezra also has given presents at
Chanukah. Finkel noted, however, that A Small Miracle
is unique in that it purchases the specific gift a child
requests.
Finkel and Brickner said they have received tremen-
dous support from the community so far, both in terms
of financial gifts and volunteer services.
"This year, we have a group of people," both longtime
supporters and new faces, "and we're loosely calling it
our board," Finkel said. "We've established a budget of
$25-$40 per child."
And while he's confident A Small Miracle can raise the
necessary funds, if it doesn't Finkel himself will foot the
bill.
His philosophy: "I won't let any child go without a
gift."
A Small Miracle has become something of a family
affair. In addition to working with her brother-in-law,
Brickner noted that her cousin's daughter, Madison
Chomsky, decided on her own to help out.
"She didn't even tell us she was going to do this,"
Brickner said. "But she wrote on her bat mitzvah invita-
tion, 'Please bring an unwrapped gift to donate to A
Small Miracle.'" ❑
Upcoming Activities
A Small Miracle has the following events
planned:
• Family Bingo and Silent Auction at
Congregation B'nai Moshe. Auction begins at 2
p.m and Bingo is at 2:30 p.m. Nov. 18.
Congregation B'nai Moshe is co-sponsoring the
event, which is open to the community. There is
a $5 minimum donation for each reusable Bingo
card.
• Build-A-Bear Workshop Begins at 4 p.m. Dec.
9.
Open to all Jewish single families.
There is limited space, and advance reserva-
tions are necessary. Contact Single Jewish
Parents' Network director Linda Orbach-Shear
for reservations: (248) 205-2542.
Tax-deductible donations may be sent to:
A Small Miracle, 3179 Kenicort Dr., Walled
Lake, MI 48390
For information about upcoming programs or to
learn bow a family can receive a gift, contact the
oraanization at (248) 624-9645.