JN SourceBook
READERS'
CHOICE
AWARDS
for
Jewish
Detroit
Here's your
chance
to tell us what
you like best
about
our community.
Use official
ballot
on page 106
-or-
vote online:
www.detroitjewishnewsnews.com
1.
4
6/7
2002
100
Ballots due June 20
Balancing Act
National Council of Jewish Women chooses busy,
unassuming Lauren Meklir as youth award winner.
all honors classes in mathematics
and English and also college-level
anatomy and physiology. Her plan is
to study pre-law and business at
hough she's an honor stu-
Michigan State University in the fall.
dent and active in both
Musically inclined, Meklir has
music and her religious
played piano for 12 years and violin
school, Lauren Meklir of
for seven. She played both instru-
Oak Park still didn't count on being
ments with the Berkley High
selected for one of Detroit Jewry's
Symphony Orchestra and was a sec-
top youth awards.
tion leader last year.
Meklir, the daugh-
She also plays both
ter of Sherry and the
instruments in solo
late Jules Meklir, is
and ensemble compe-
the 2002 first-place
titions and gives vio-
winner of a scholar-
lin lessons. She takes
ship in the National
dance lessons at the
Council of Jewish
Center for Advanced
Women Greater
Studies in the Arts. At
Detroit Section's
Temple Emanu-El,
annual Jewish Youth
she was active in the
Awards. NCJW took
youth choir.
over the project in
Her volunteer activ-
1994, after. the former
ities included tutoring
sponsor, the League of
Detroit public school
Jewish Women, dis-
banded. -High school
students. She volun-
teered at Jewish
seniors that apply for
Family Service for the
an award are judged
Lauren Meklir
last three years,
on their scholastic
spending time with
achievement, formal
Jean Erdos, a senior citizen. When
Jewish education and participation
Mrs. Erdos died in 1999, Meklir
and involvement in both the Jewish
honored her memory by creating the
and secular communities.
concert series "Piano and I," where
"I was very surprised to find that I
she plays the piano and entertains
had won," said Meklir, a 2002
residents at the Margot and Warren
Berkley High School graduate who
Coville Apartments in Southfield.
also graduated from Temple Emanu-
Meklir held as many as four part--
El's religious high school. Meklir
time jobs at once during her high
said she did not expect the honor
school years. One of the goals she
since she was not a class valedictori-
achieved was saving money over
an and "not very religious."
three years and making arrangements
She said, "There were other appli-
for her mother's lifelong dream: a
cants [30 applied this year] that I
trip to Paris. Meklir and her mom,
thought had a better chance,
Sherry, went last December for her
although I felt that I had a good
mother's 50th birthday.
interview."
Sherry Meklir tells how proud she
Five judges from the Jewish com-
is of her only child. "The award
munity chose Meklir for the top
showed all aspects of her life com-
honor. The award co-chairs were
mitments to Judaism and her volun-
Linda Klein of Bloomfield Hills and
teer work. It really painted a picture
Joyce Sherman of Southfield.
of who Lauren is."
At Berkley High, Meklir belonged
Betty and Grant Silverfarb of West
to the National Honor Society and
French National Honor Society. As a Bloomfield, Congregation B'nai
David members, have endowed the
peer mentor (and also board mem-
Jewish Youth Awards for the last 14
ber), she was among those who
helped incoming freshmen with their years.
Betty Silverfarb said she got
transition to high school. She took
LISA FEIN
Special to the Jewish News
T
involved in the award program after
her now-grown son became a winner
many years ago. "I took a day off of
work to see him collect his award
and all he received was a certificate,"
she said. "He wasn't disappointed;
he was too young to know the dif-
ference, but it hurt me deeply."
She said she and her husband
decided to offer a $500 scholarship
the first year, but since then have
given $1,000. There is one big win-
ner, like Meklir, but every applicant
is given a financial award.
"When the applicants are present-
ed with the reward at the ceremony,
you'd think they were the first-place
winner, with all their cheering,"
Betty Silverfarb said.
"Those kids are fantastic," she
added. "I don't know how they And
the time to do all they do. When
involved with the community, it
teaches them to be compassionate."
"It was very honorable of the
Silverfarbs," Lauren Meklir said.
"They are very nice people to give
me the scholarship." ❑
NCJW'S
Honor Roll
The group of applicants for this
year's NCJW Jewish Youth Awards
were Ruth Adler, Ypsilanti; Amy
Anspach, Beverly Hills; Jodi Beals,
West Bloomfield; Marina Belyayev,
Flint; Amanda Benkoff, Farmington
Hills; Audrey Bloomberg,
Farmington Hills; Ari Brandes,
Bloomfield Hills; Amy Dunayevich,
Farmington Hills; David Dworin,
Bloomfield Hills; Sara Eber; West-
Bloomfield.
Also, Joshua Foster, West
Bloomfield; Michael Glazier, West
Bloomfield; Jared Goldberg, West
Bloomfield; Daniel Horwitz, West
Bloomfield; Sara Levey, West
Bloomfield; Sara Levin, Farmington
Hills; Miriam Levine, Huntington
Woods; Anne Lieberman,
Farmington Hills; Jeff Lutz,
Bloomfield Hills; Zoya Mavashev,
Oak Park; Jason Pesick, West
Bloomfield; Chad Rochkind, West
Bloomfield.
Also, Dena Roth, Farmington
Hills; Zachary Roth, West
Bloomfield; Joshua Scafe, Rochester
Hills; Shira Schrieber, Oak Park;
Daniel Solomon, West Bloomfield;
Daniel Storchan; West Bloomfield;
Sarah Wolkinson, Southfield.