At Yeshivat Akiva

COMING UP

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Detroit Jewish community rea di es for
Yom HaZikaron and Yom HaAzmaut.

Israel In Crisis

Former Detroiter Amy Goldstein, national director
of Israel, Zionist and International Affairs for
Hadassah, will speak at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 14, at
Temple Kol Ami, 5085 Walnut Lake Road, West
Bloomfield.
Her topic is "Israel in Crisis: Learning the Facts,
.Taking Action." Advocacy materials and updates on
the current situation in Israel will be provided.
Goldstein coordinated Hadassah's international
advocacy effort to secure special consultative status
for Hadassah in the United Nations. She has led
Hadassah's advocacy efforts regarding the World
Conference Against Racism in Durban, South
Africa. She represents Hadassah to Congress and the
Bush Administration.
Contact the Jewish Community Council of
Metropolitan Detroit at (248) 642-5393 for more
information.

At Shaarey Zedek

Members of the community are invited to stand in
solidarity with Israel at a service and gathering on
Yom HaZikaron, Israel's Day of Remembrance, 7:30
p.m. Monday, April 15, at Congregation Shaarey
Zedek in Southfield (please arrive by 7:15 p.m. in
order to be seated on time).
The Yom HaZikaron program will be modeled
after the programs held all over Israel on the 4th of
Iyar, which honors the sons and daughters of Israel,
heroes who have given their lives, as well as those
who live on with courage and hope in these difficult
times.
Unlike America's Memorial Day, Yom HaZikaron
is a somber day throughout Israel. On Yom
HaZikaron, Israelis stop their cars and stand with
others in silence upon hearing a siren that sounds in
remembrance.
The Shaarey Zedek Yom HaZikaron memorial
service will include a.candle-lighting ceremony, as
well as speakers from the community. Air Force Col.
Ze'ev Snir from the Israel Defense Forces will repre-
sent the military There will be opportunities to
learn of other advocacy efforts on behalf of Israel.

Yeshivat Akiva will host a communitywide obser-
vance of Yom HaZikaron (Israel Remembrance
Day), Yom HaAzmaut (Israel Independence Day)
on Tuesday, April 16.
. The event provides a chance to rally for Israel and
to express solidarity with the Jewish state. Tuesday's
celebration will result in a statement of support for
Israel, which is celebrating 54 years of independ-
ence.
The modern State of Israel, known as the third
Jewish commonwealth, was established in 1948 as
the British Army pulled out of what was then
known as Palestine. The armies of five Arab nations
invaded the new Jewish state, resulting in the loss of
all the territory that had been allocated by the
United Nations for the Arab state that was to have
been Israel's twin in the area. That land was occu-
pied or annexed by Jordan, Egypt and Israel.
Akiva's doors open at 6:30 p.m. The official start
of Tuesday's program is a memorial to Israel's fallen
soldiers — Yom HaZikaron. Commemorative
prayers are at 6:45, followed by the traditional
Minchah (afternoon) service at 7:45.
Immediately afterward, Merav Elkan, director of
public affairs/special projects at the Consulate
General of Israel to the Midwest in Chicago, will
speak about the Middle East conflict and the hopes
for peace.
Elkan, a graduate of Hebrew University, served in
the Israel Defense Forces. She worked between
1989-96 as a tour operator and later as a manager at
Incentives Special Groups Department for
Diesenhaus, Ltd., the largest tourist company in
Israel.
The Yom HaAtzmaut program will begin at 8:20
p.m. with the Maariv (evening) service, festive
prayers and shofar blowing. The program will con-
tinue at 8:45 p.m. with music, dancing, singing and
lots of ruach, featuring Israeli singer Yaniv with the
Shalhevet and Segula orchestras.
Yaniv is releasing his second compact disk, Bakol,
later this year. -The album's theme is geula (redemp-
tion), which can be divided into three elements:
achdut (unity), Kiddushat EretzrAm Yisrael (the
holiness of the land, people and Torah of Israel),
and shalom (peace). "The three will lead to the ulti-
mate redemption of the Jewish people with the
coming of the Messiah," said Nathaniel Warshay,
Akiva's director of development.
Yaniv, who grew up in the United States and is
majoring in business with a music minor at Loyala
University in Chicago, draws his musical inspiration
from Munah Rosenblum, one of Israel's top conduc-
tors and composers. Yaniv met him while participat-
ing in Rosenblum's Pirchei Hadar Choir in Rehovot.
The evening is sponsored by Yeshivat Akiva and
the Young Israel Council of Metropolitan Detroit.
Co-sponsors include Keter Torah Synagogue-
Sephardic Community, Akiva PTA, American
Jewish Committee, Amit Women-Batya Chapter,
Friends of Akiva, Jewish Community Council,
Kollel Torah Mitzion and the Zionist Organization
of America.

There is a small charge for the event; falafel and
light refreshments also will be served.
-
For information: (248) 386-1625.

Hillel Day School

Hillel Day School of Metropolitan Detroit will host
a community celebration of Israel Independence
Day from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 17. Games,
a moonwalk, Hebrew necklaces, a giant slide, air-
brush tattoos, cappuccino and the Tel Aviv Cafe are
highlights.
Games, arts and crafts and rides are sold by punch
card: 20 punches for $15. Food beverages and
Hebrew necklaces; cash only. The Tel Aviv Café will
feature pizza, tuna and falafel sandwiches, bagels, ice
cream, soda and water.
Michele Borovoy and Beth Margolin are festival
co-chairs; Judy Goldsmith and Candi Sherman are
associate chairs.
For information: (248) 851-6950.

Israel Defense Forces

For Yom HaAtzmaut, Michigan Friends of the
Israel Defense Forces will host a solidarity rally at
7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 18, at Congregation
Shaarey Zedek in Southfield.
Guests will include the parents of three soldiers
kidnapped by Hezbolla. They will share the
impact of the trauma.
The IDF Musical Ensemble will perform.
You may pay at the door. For ticket information,
call (248) 203-2060.

Stand With Israel Shabbat

The Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit
has launched "Stand with Israel Shabbat" April
19-20 with area synagogues.
"The goal is to unite the Detroit community in
raising awareness of the plight of Israelis during
this most difficult time, and to raise funds to help
relieve their pain and struggle," said Penny
Blumenstein, co-chair of Federation's Alliance for
Jewish Education.
In addition to rabbis' sermons on Israel, speakers
will be available to congregations to address the
needs of the campaign and the many issues facing
Israel today. Also, Federation plans to place Israel
tzedakah boxes at each synagogue and school, and to
distribute Federation pledge cards, lobby posters,
stickers and other campaign materials.
The effort is to support Federation's Israel
Emergency Campaign, with a goal of $5 million by
the end of the month to be sent directly to Israel.
So far, the following synagogues are committed
to the project: Adat Shalom Synagogue,
Congregation B'nai Moshe, Congregation Beth
Shalom, Congregation Shaarey Zedek-Southfield
and West Bloomfield, Congregation Shir Tikvah,
Temple Beth El, Temple Emanu El, Temple Israel,
Temple Kol Ami, Congregation Beth Ahm,
Temple Shir Shalom, Young Israel of Oak Park,
Young Israel of Southfield and Birmingham
Temple.

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4/12
2002

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