The Center
Of It All

JCC stalwarts talk about
the good old days.

Ecumenical Institute's Dove Dinner
To Fete Volunteers, Rescuers' Kin

At its annual Dove Dinner to be
held on Thursday, April 11, the
Ecumenical Institute for Jewish-
Christian Studies will be present
Anneke Burke-Kooistra with the

k*,

Right:
Avern Cohn,
Irwin Shaw. and
Melba Wine

migration. The United Jewish
Foundation (Federation's financial
arm) showed "great foresight," he
said, in acquiring the Maple-Drake
acreage in 1966.
hree leaders closely identi-
"We hope in this [West
fied with the Jewish
Bloomfield]
building, we've gotten
Community Center of
Metropolitan Detroit rem- ahead of the Jewish community.
Otherwise," Cohn quipped, "we'll
inisced recently about the agency's
have to build in Genesee County."
past — and gave some thought to
He added that the JCC building in
the future.
Oak Park is a stabilizing force for
The several hundred people at a
Jews
living east.
panel discussion March 19 at the
From
the audience, N. Brewster
West Bloomfield JCC enjoyed the
Broder
of
West Bloomfield recalled
evening of nostalgia with JCC
how,
in
the
old days, "Kids could
Executive Director Emeritus Irwin
ride
their
bikes
to the Center. They
Shaw, U.S. District Court Judge
didn't
need
rides."
Avern Cohn and Jewish Federation
Acknowledging that the community
Lifetime Achievement Award
is
widely scattered today, Shaw said,
Winner Melba Winer. David Gad-
"We
need a level of programming to
Harf, executive director of the
keep
the people coming. They'll drive
Jewish Community Council of
miles
and miles if there's something
Metropolitan Detroit, moderated the
here
they
want to do."
discussion.
Cohn advised the JCC to coordi-
Shaw spoke of the "marvelous,"
nate with day schools, synagogues
always-busy Meyers and Curtis JCC
building in Detroit, filled with those and temples to attract young people.
"Give them art, music, theater —
who supported the Center's theater,
things
they are not getting in their
symphony and adult chorus.
schools,"
Winer said.
Theater co-founder Winer remem-
The
JCC
75th anniversary corn-
bered the many contributions of the
mittee
and
the
Institute for Retired
sewing group and art and dance
Professionals co-sponsored the event.
departments. She expressed regrets
JCC board member Debbie Levine
that economics precluded adding
was the chair.
anything as nice as the Meyers-
For the next event in its yearlong
Curtis Center's nearly 500-seat
celebration,
past JCC presidents will
Aaron DeRoy Theatre to the new
be
honored
at
a black-tie gala at the
West Bloomfield building. A corn-
West
Bloomfield
JCC at 5:30 p.m.
puterized library is also on her wish
Sunday, April 14. Tickets are $125.
list.
For an invitation, call the JCC at
Cohn detailed each of the JCC
(248) 432-5418. II
locations, reflecting Jewish Detroit's

Anneke
Burke-Kooistra

Christine Lyons

ESTHER ALLWEISS
TS CHIRHART
Special to the Jewish News

T

Marjorie Saulson

Saul Saulson

James Lyons Award in Christian-
Jewish Relations.
During the Holocaust, Burke-
Kooista's parents, Wopke and
Heiltje, hid eight Jews in their
home in the Netherlands from 1942
until the liberation in 1945. Her
parents have been recognized and
honored by the Dutch government;
a tree was planted in their honor on
the Avenue of the Righteous at Yad
Vashem, Israel's national memorial
to the victims of the Holocaust.
Burke-Kooistra shared her family's
story and was the keynote speaker
at the Ecumenical Institute's
Holocaust Memorial Observance
held at the National Shrine of the
Little Flower in Royal Oak on
March 10.
As the Ecumenical Institute cele-
brates its 20th anniversary, the
Legacy Award is being presented to
four individuals whose participation
and support have been crucial to
the organization:
• Christine Lyons worked along-

side her husband, Rev. James R.
Lyons, when he founded the insti-
tute in 1982. Following his death,
she organized the institute's archives
and currently serves on the advisory
council.
• A member
of the
Southfield
institute's
speakers
bureau and a
longtime sup-
porter, Arnold
Michlin has
tirelessly pro-
moted the
work of the
Arnold Michlin
institute. He
has spoken to
numerous religious and civic
groups about the importance of
Christian-Jewish relations. A
board of trustees member,
Michlin served as board president
in 1993 and 1994, and is now on
the advisory council.
• Marjorie and Saul Saulson
were among the earliest support-
ers of the Ecumenical Institute.
Marjorie Saulson organized its
first trip to Israel, served as a
member of the board of trustees
and as the institute's first fund-
raising chairperson. She produced
the award-winning cablevision pro-
gram, "Echoes of the Past." A val-
ued consultant, Saul Saulson pro-
moted the programs of the
Ecumenical Institute in the business
community. The Saulsons continue
their involvement as members of
the advisory council.
David and Joyce Cornwell and •
Libby and Leo Sklar are honorary
chairpersons of the event, with
Brian Renaud and Mark Segal serv-
ing as co-chairs. On the dinner
committee are Hilary Isakow, Ken
Kinzler, Vicki Lange, Mort Meisner,
Patricia Metz, Heather Ross,
Barbara Veale Smith, Elaine
Sturman and Susan Yorke.
The 2002 Dove Dinner will be
held April 11 at Congregation
Shaarey Zedek in Southfield. The
"strolling dinner" begins at 6:30
p.m. with the awards ceremony to
follow. For further information,
please contact the,Ecumenical
Institute at (248) 557-4522.

4/5
2002

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