Spirituality

TEMPLE ISRAEL TEENS INVITE

JARC CLIENTS TO CELEBRATE

CHANUKAH AND MAKE

YFTI members Jordan Marroko, 15, of West
Bloomfield and Zack Chutz, 15, of Bloomfield
Hills entertain the group.

DONATIONS TO AREA HOMELESS.

STAFF PHOTOS BY KRISTA HUSA

Gabe Scharg, 15, ofWest Bloomfield dances with Denise Bennett of the Bloomberg
home in Farmington Hills.

SHELLI LIEBMAN DORFMAN

Staff Writer

A

group of teens, joined by
adults with developmental
disabilities, all found that
working toward a common,
meaningful cause brought them not
only satisfaction but a shared personal
relationship.
For the 15th year, the Youth
Federation of Temple Israel (YFTI)
planned a Chanukah party at the syna-
gogue for clients of JARC's area group
homes.
In addition to music, dancing and
lakes, the Dec. 10 celebration included
a social action component, something
paramount to all programs planned by
Temple Israel Youth advisers Pam
Bloom and Lisa Sallen.

The choice of a project arose from a
discussion during a youth group corn-
mittee meeting. "We were brainstorm-
ing when the idea evolved that we
should connect the party with YFTI's
homeless dinner," says Tara Forman,
15, of West Bloomfield, YFTI social
action vice president and chair of both
events.
Serving one night's dinner is YFTI's
contribution to Temple Israel's annual
program to join area religious institu-
tions in housing, feeding and transport-
ing a group of homeless individuals
from the South Oakland Shelter in
Royal Oak for one week.
At the Chanukah party, also attend-
ed by Temple Israel Rabbis Joshua
Bennett and Paul Yedwab, the teens
worked together with — 8 JARC clients
who live in the 13 homes of JARC's

Jennifer Bloom, 16, ofWest Bloomfield and
Rabbi Bennett dance with JARC client Noreen
Goodman of Farmington Hills.

Justin Benson, 15, ofWest Bloomfield chats with JARC client Andy Collins of West
Bloomfield.

Jean and Samuel Frankel Residential
Services Division.
They joined forces to create and
decorate packages for each of the 30
homeless guests of the synagogue's pro-
gram. They filled bags with candy, a
welcoming note, socks brought by the
JARC group and gloves collected as a
part of the previous week's youth group
scavenger hunt.
"The project gave those served by
JARC the opportunity to work along-
side others in the community and to be
able to give back to their community
by performing this mitzvah," says Alissa
Pianin, JARC's community relations
coordinator.
Residents of each JARC home
brought a potluck addition to the
Chanukah dinner, which was cooked,
organized and served by the teens.

"From the moment we walked in
the door, they were there greeting us,
serving beverages, engaging the men
and women served by JARC in conver-
sation and dancing, posing in photo-
graphs and more," Pianin says of the
35 teens.
JARC clients left the party with
memories of celebrating Chanukah,
socializing with friends and the knowl-
edge that they created a gift to help oth-
ers. They also each took with them a
framed keepsake picture, photographed
and donated by Stewart Photography in
Franklin.
"And the kids left with a different
humility," adviser Bloom says. "Because
of the time spent together, hearing each
others' stories, dancing together, they
perceive JARC in a different way. I think
the kids walked away changed."

12/28
2001