Forces] gratitude. We owe them every-
thing," she said.
The evening began with Minchah
(evening prayer service), followed by
the recitation of Psalms, the traditional
way of mourning by expressing faith
in God.
Merav Elkan, director of cultural
affairs for the Chicago-based Consulate
General of Israel to the Midwest, said
that when she arrived at her hotel in
Detroit, CNN was reporting it was the
quietest Israel Independence Day, with
the emptiest streets, in Israel's history.
She shared the hope that bshanah
ha baah in the coming year), we could
all be together, filling the streets of
Jerusalem with joy. "That is the way it
should be," she said.
Rabbi Yigal Tsaidi, Akiva's educa-
tional director, who was introduced as
the local "voice of religious Zionism,"
related how a Jewish man killed at the
Netanya hotel bombing during a
Passover seder donated his kidneys to
an Arab woman. The Israelis didn't
criticize his action, he said — in fact,
they gave a yasher koach (job well
done) to the family.
Every Israeli knows, Rabbi Tsaidi
said, that the three most recent Israeli
prime ministers — Binyamin
Netanyahu, Ehud Barak and Ariel
Sharon — don't like each other at all.
However, they have joined together
for the good of the state of Israel. He
urged all Jews, regardless of their polit-
ical or ideological differences, to do
the same.
The kollel Torah Mitzion program,
comprised of young families from
Israel who provide programs and Torah
learning in the diaspora, presented a
play to explain "the 54-year journey"
from the establishment of Israel until
today. Candles were lit by veterans of
Israel's struggle for independence,
including as Ann Newman, former
member of the underground Etzel
movement led by Menachem Begin.
At 10 p.m., after evening prayers,
people were still arriving to enjoy the
lively music and dance, to socialize
and fill their plates with pitas over-
flowing with falafel and salads.
For Ariella Nadel, co-chair of the
Akiva PTA, it was a wonderful expres-
sion of the Zionism that characterizes
life at Akiva.
Holding Yosi., her smiling 1-year-
old, Nadel said, "Israel is a real focal
point for Akiva. We need to be in soli-
darity, with Israel and it is important
to have a community event for us to
be together to remember the fallen
and then celebrate the miracle of
Israel." ❑

Endorsed by:
•Jim Harper
and the
Magic Morning Show
• Chuck Gaidica
105.1
and
the Breakfast Club
•
Jay Towers and the Morning Revolution 100.3
• Mojo in the Morning
93.1
95.5
•Kevin O'Neill on the
First Shift 99.5
• Oldies 104.3
• The New
DVD 96.3

SAME DAY
EYEGLASSES
& CONTACT
LENSES

SABLE C
J &J
WJ
OCULAR
SES & B AUSCH
LOMB ACUVUE FRESHLOOKS SCIENCE

:

COMPLETE - INCLUDES EYE
LENSES, CARE KIT WITH SOLUTIONS

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

)iS POSABLE

CONTACT

OMPLETE INCLUDES FRAME & SINGLEIASION
WPROOTED LENSES - CHIWREN'S:INCEU
SCRATCH RESISTANT, VIRTUALLY UNBREAKABLE
LENSESWIIH ITV PROEM

COMPLETE - INCLUDES EYE
PAIR OF CLEAR LENSSX:Att
& ALL FOLLOW4i

EGLASSE

LIGHT

-LINE PROGRESS'

NE PROGRESS!

COMPLETE - INCLUDES F !?
RESISTANT, LA/ .P.R:OT:F:.
THOUSANDS OF FRAWT .

COMPLETE - INCLUDES : f
RESISTANT, UV PR
THOUSANDS OF FRA

•• •

some restrictions may apply

DOCTOR OF OPTOMETRY EYE EXAMS • MOST INSURANCES ACCEPTED

visit our new
location
8,000 sq. ft, Frames
wi 20,000 Lenses to
& Contact
with
choose from!

rectopttca com

or

-mail us at: directopt@earthlink.net

directopticaLtlsa

Find us fast in the Ameritech Yellow Pages

No games....simply the best value in eyeglasses & contact lenses today!!

The Detroit
Jewish News
speaks to your
interests an
your conce rp

.44,

t

IP. 441

------vt.

,

er

--

41-50 II i I ..... ...., .. e.

Wedding and Party Specialists
Flowers For All Occasions

G

T4 sq. IF
, 1 .1 1

F '

Ap

At

OF NATURE
TATE T
FLOWERS

To order your subscriptylft,„ ,
for family or friend

(248) 559-5424
(888) 202-4466 Fax: (248) 559-5426
29115 Greenfield, Southfield, MI 48076

:14

4/19
2002

19