Simply the best ntertainnien in the business... Since 1972 Stand 4 Israel For the second time, Jewish Detroiters take their support of Israel to the streets of Oakland County. *nplestiltskin RONELLE GRIER Special to the Jewish News 0 link Street Herbs Hot Ice • Vizitor sloyRide • Nightline Radio City • Higher Ground Persuasion • LIMA Cheers • Intrigue Nouveaute Sun Messengers Teen Angels n April 11, the seven-month anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, several hundred Jewish demonstra- tors gathered at 10 suburban locations to show their support for Israel and to protest Palestinian suicide bombings. The event was the second such "Stand 4 Israel" event organized by Don Cohen of West Bloomfield, an Israel advocacy activist who has been organizing pro-Israel events both inde- pendently and as a consultant. The first demonstration, which took place April 1, attracted about 65 peo- ple at eight Oakland County sites. The largest crowd last Thursday was at the intersection of Maple and Orchard Lake roads in West Bloomfield, where approximately 150 people carried signs and chanted slogans of peace. The group included many students from Hillel Day School of Metropolitan Detroit in Farmington Hills and the Jewish Academy of Metropolitan Detroit (JAMD) in West Bloomfield, accompa- nied by teachers, parents and siblings. Rabbi Lee Buckman, head of • JAMD, urged all students to attend. At the school's weekly Friday assembly, the school distributed laptop comput- ers, so every student could e-mail a legislative representative in support of Israel. Rabbi Buckman also announced that the school would be closed Monday, April 15, to allow as many students as possible could attend the pro-Israel rally in Washington, D. C. Nearly 60 JAMD students made the trip. . The demonstrators at Maple and Orchard Lake roads were rewarded with horns honking, shouts of "thank you," thumbs-ups and waves. Some cars doubled back to see the group again. Only a few passing cars gave negative reactions. "Standing on this corner, I'm proud to be a Jewish American, fighting ter- rorism alongside the people I care about," said Alli Pilcowitz, 13, of Bloomfield Hills. Nitzana York of West Bloomfield Was there as an American and also because of her extended family in Haifa. "I talk to my parents and my sister . to 4 / 1 9 2002 26 Call (248) 398-9 7 11 505 S. Lafayette • Royal Oak www.lorioross.com all the time; and they're scared and upset and sad. My sister is afraid to go to the mall, afraid to send her kids to school," York said. "I cry every day." "We need peace in the Middle East," said her 13-year-old daughter, Orian. "For Israel, this is a war of existence," said Zivit Shamir, who lives in Bloomfield Hills and was born in Israel. "If the Americans aren't going to sup- port us, the terror will end up here." Phyllis Altman of West Bloomfield waved an Israeli flag, then revealed the tattooed number on her forearm, a Gale, assistant director of the Jewish Community Council of Metropolitan Detroit. "We're at a time in Jewish history when public expressions are more important than ever." A group' of about 25 people that included New Americans" and Orthodox Jews gathered at 10 Mile Road and Greenfield. "It was the blend of people that really struck me," said Diane Baum of West Bloomfield, who directs the Circle of Friends program for New Americans at Congregation Beth Shalom. "The New Americans felt especially proud. People kept saying how they could never have done this in the Soviet Union. They were thrilled to be doing something to help Israel," she said.. Cohen was pleased with the turnout and the energy of the group. "People are happy to be able to do Debra Darvick of Birmingham joins others demonstrating at Maple and Orchard Lake. remnant from two years in Auschwitz during World War II. "It makes me sick to watch the killing and see what's going on with our people again," said Altman, tears flowing. "We've got the right to live, too. But it makes me feel good to be here today." Several passersby, including Laurel Felsenfeld and her daughters, Emily, 11, and Rachel, 7, saw the crowd gath- ered and stopped to join the cause. "We wanted to join in and show our support," said Felsenfeld of Farmington Hills. "A gathering like this makes you relate to the vulnera- bility that Israeli Jews feel every day." "I was passing by and saw some- thing going on that I believe in," said Barry Levine of West Bloomfield. "I'm standing where every one of us should be standing." "This is very emotional; it's given people a needed outlet," said Allan something," Cohen said, "and it's great to get so many kids involved. I think it struck a chord in a lot of people." Take Frayda Kresch, 15, Southfield, for example. "I wanted to do something really dif- ferent [for the demonstration]," said Kresch, a JAMD student, who also went to the rally in Washington with fellow students. With the help of her father, neighbors and relatives, she collected enough money to pay for an airplane to carry a banner over the demonstration sites for two hours. The banner sported an American flag and the words, "USA & Israel — United Against Terror." "I. saw the plane on the news (ABC and Fox) multiple times that night," Frayda said. "They wanted to keep each group of demonstrators small, so things didn't get out of hand, and hav- ing the plane really made something little look so big." ❑