Community
Sarah and Harold Gottlieb
Gottliebs Help
Jewish Students
el 1 U S 1 - L C (
DIANA LIEBERMAN
Copy Editor/Education Writer
7
he first graduation ceremony
of the school year took place
April 7 at the Fleischman
Residence-Blumberg Plaza
in West Bloomfield.
About 90 men and women, all resi-
dents of Fleischman or of the adjacent
Hechtman and Meer Apartments,
received diplomas for their participation
in the Jacob's Ladder program. Through
this program, the seniors enjoyed intel-
lectually stimulating courses brought to
the comfort of their own homes.
"The program has so much value —
social as well as educational," said Myrna
Katz, Fleischman's program director.
"One lady had tears in her eyes at gradu-
ation. She told me, 'In my life, the way
it was when I was young, I never had
the opportunity to graduate from any-
thing before.' "
The program began in the fall with
classes on travel, Jewish art and writing
an autobiography. For the second semes-
ter, all participants took a class in Jewish
music, from the biblical lyre and timbrel
to Jewish folksinger Debbie Friedman
and Jewish rock group Schlock Rock.
"It brought a value to their lives, an
understanding that, even though you are
what society calls 'old,' you can still
learn, you can still grow," said Gail
Greenberg, who taught the music class.
Greenberg, a program coordinator for
Jewish Experiences for Families, played
the guitar and sang at many of the
Sunday afternoon classes. Participants
heard CDs of religious, classical and
popular music from Jewish cultures
throughout the world. The sessions also
included lectures, with handouts on the
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topic of the day.
Greenberg said she welcomed the
opportunity to share her knowledge
while also learning from her students.
Among the participants were Mary
Papo, who commented on Sephardic
music and culture, and Rabbi M.
Robert Syme who offered musical
insights. Both are Fleischman resi-
dents.
At one session, Rabbi Syme, rabbi
emeritus at Temple Israel, pointed out
the melodic similarities between the
song "It Ain't Necessarily So," from
George and Ira Gershwin's opera Porgy
and Bess, and the Boruchu, the
Hebrew prayer that opens the
Shacharit (morning) service.
"Everyone is fascinated when I tell
them about that," Greenberg said.
❑
Clockwise from top:
West Bloomfield resident Elana
Balkin photographs Audrey
Lacoff of West Bloomfield and
Jacob's Ladder graduate Belle
Freedman, a resident of
Hechtman I Apartments.
Proud graduate Helen Bluestone
of the Fleischman Residence.
Storyteller Corinne Stavish enter-
tains the Jacob's Ladder partici-
pants and their families.
Sadie Braver of Hechtman I and
Mildred Neumark of Hechtman
II Apartments chat at the gradu-
ation party.
Sarah and Harold Gottlieb of
Birmingham have underwritten major
funding to the Jewish Educational Loan
Service. Harold Gottlieb wrote a check
for $500,000 to JELS to benefit
Detroit-area Jewish students in perpetu-
ity.
JELS, to be known from now on as
the Sarah and Harold Gottlieb Jewish
Education Loan Service, is a program of
the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan
Detroit, administered through two of its
agencies, JVS and Hebrew Free Loan.
Fund-Raiser Aids
Special Children
Proceeds from SpringElation help fund
Farminton Hills-based JARC's Harris
Children and Family Division, which
provides services to families who have a
child with special needs. This year the
event will be noon-4 p.m. Sunday, April
21, at GameWorks at Great Lakes
Crossing Mall in Auburn Hills.
The chairs are Jeff Cohen of West
Bloomfield, Craig Erlich of Bloomfield
Hills and Steve Rosenthal of Franklin.
Tickets are available at the door or
online at www.jarc.org. Admission:
adults $40; children ages 5-15 $20;
younger than 5 are free.
Mom-Daughter
Event Planned
National Council of Jewish Women
Greater Detroit Section will present
"Carefree Cooking: An Evening for
Busy Mothers and Daughters" with
Annabel Cohen 6:30 p.m. Wednesday,
May 8, at the NCJW office.
Edie Broida, Beverly Stone and Mary
Schwartz are co-chairs. Guests may
bring an easy recipe with each reserva-
tion. Send $20 per person to NCJW,
26500 Lahser, Suite 100, Southfield,
MI 48034 by May 1. A light supper
will be served. Call NCJW, (248) 355-
3300.