This Week
ANOTHER SWING from page 15
JN
6/14
2002
16
Fitness and Racquet Club, about the
they're a racquetball and fitness club,
possibility of a JCC-FFRC relationship. while we have many other options.
"Rick and his father, Seymour, have
The FFRC has a significant player
been very good friends of the Center
base at their club. For us, we have a
for many years," Sorkin said. "Their
waning number; we're at the tail end
club's main focus is racquetball and
of our numbers."
tennis. And they've agreed to meet our
At present, the FFRC has about 150
requirements, including building an
racquetball and squash players, about
international double squash court."
the same as the JCC. The staff
Two other requirements the JCC
includes two top-ranked racquetball
has asked of the FFRC include an
pros. "We have racquetball and squash
attractive dues package for the JCC
leagues that compete with other clubs,
members and enough courts to service
and they're strong," Brode said.
all the JCC players. 'And they agreed
The FRFC also has a tennis and
to meet all three of our criteria,"
basketball summer camp for kids from
Sorkin said.
age 4 and up.
Monthly dues for individuals at the
"With the right individuals develop-
FFRC are $102 per month, which
ing and promoting the racquetball and
includes racquetball
squash programs,
and squash time,
participation would
Brode said.
increase," Brode said.
Brode added that his
That was one of
family has long sup-
the points that
ported Jewish causes,
inspired JAMD rac-
such as the Israel
quetball player Guyer
Tennis Centers, 14
to draw up a petition
centers throughout
against closing the
Israel geared toward
courts.
helping children.
"I feel that racquet-
Seymour Brode served
ball is the forgotten
as its international
sport at the JCC.
president at one time.
They don't organize
The family also is
tournaments and
involved in other
don't advertise or
Jewish charities, and
take care of the facili-
Rick Brode said, they
ty at all," Guyer said.
look at the JCC as the Jonathan Guyer of Huntington
He complained
cornerstone of the
that compared to the
Woods gathered 100 signatures
Jewish community.
marketing of the
for a petition against the JCC
"Whenever we can,
JCC's InLine Hockey
closing all its racquetball and
we try to help them,"
Center, racquetball
squash courts.
said Brode, whose father
has gotten close to
is chairman of the 33-year-old FFRC.
nothing. Guyer is one of 10 students
"We are going through a $4 million
in JAMD's first-hour racquetball class
renovation ourselves," Brode said,
that meets at the JCC every Monday,
which started before Sorkin contacted
Tuesday and Thursday.
him. "We decided [after talking to
"They don't have good racquets
Sorkin] to add an international dou-
available. They haven't repainted the
bles squash court as part of our reno-
walls or fixed the floorboards or even
vation plans."
the lights [for years]," he said, which
This court will be added to the
was echoed by other players.
already existing three single squash
Rabbi Lee Buckman, head of JAMD
courts. Renovation plans also include
and a frequent racquetball player at
reconverting a "spinning" exercise room the Center, also signed the petition. "I
to an additional racquetball court,
think it's wonderful that the students
which will bring the total racquetball
who feel passionate about something
courts available at FFRC to eight.
are willing to take a stand," he said.
Sorkin said the JCC's $7 million
"They initiated it and I signed on.
sports and fitness wing renovation will
"We [JAMD] have a terrific rela-
make it more competitive. The JCC's
tionship with the JCC and clearly the
health club membership has dropped
students feel they have a stake in the
by 300 to 1,500 the last two years.
progress of the JCC and wanted to
When asked why, if racquetball and
make sure their voice was heard. And I
squash are continuous money-makers
trust the JCC to make the right deci-
for FFRC, they weren't added to the
sion, after listening to all those who
JCC's renovation plan, Sorkin replied,
have a stake in it, and then do what
"That's what they do at FFRC —
they think is most wise." ❑
Bridge Builder
Rabbi Marla Feldman heads for New York job,
leaving the Jewish Community Council closer
to other Detroit communities.
HARRY KIRS BAUM
Staff Writer
I
-
Rabbi Feldman, a Toledo native,
received her ordination at Hebrew
Union College-Jewish Institute of
Religion in New York City. Before she
came to Detroit, she served as director–
of the Jewish Community Relations
Council in Delaware.
"Detroit presented some nice oppor-
tunities," Rabbi Feldman said. "It's a
larger community and the Council has
a nationally known reputation as
being among the finest in the coun-
try"
"Marla [Rabbi Feldman] brought a
certain energy and intellect, and a cer-
n her job as an assistant director
of the Jewish Community
Council of Metropolitan Detroit,
Rabbi Marla Feldman has been a
professional bridge between the Jewish
community and others in metro Detroit.
In her 6 ' /2 years, she's put her
stamp on the Detroit Jewish Initiative,
Detroit Jewish Coalition for Literacy,
the Public Education Initiative and the
Religious Diversity Symposium, to
name a few of the JCCouncil outreach
programs she's supervised. Rabbi
Feldman is also executive direc-
tor of the Michigan Board of
Rabbis.
Now the rabbi is taking her
bridge-building skills to a new
job as director of the
Commission on Social Action, a
Manhattan-based joint commis-
sion of the Union of American
Hebrew Congregations and the
Central Conference of American
Rabbis. CSA assists with pro-
gramming for Reform congrega-
tions around the country
The job is "similar to what I
do locally, and will give me the
opportunity to do it on the
Rabbi Marla Feldman
national level," the rabbi said.
"My work with Council had
tain amount of fun here," said Micki
been in the area of domestic public-
Grossman, Council board secretary
policy matters and inter-group rela-
and -former member of the Detroit
tions. Working with people from dif-
Jewish
Coalition for Literacy Steering
ferent religious, ethnic and racial
Committee. "She didn't let us off easy.
groups, building bridges between the
When you said it couldn't be done,
Jewish community and other groups
she suggested you try it another way"
in the community at large, has been a
JCCouncil Executive Director
rewarding part of my job here.".
David Gad-Harf said Rabbi Feldman
Rabbi Feldman considers her trip
arrived in Detroit with a deep interest
earlier this year to Senegal and Israel
and commitment to the domestic
with other local rabbis and African
public-policy agenda.
American.ministers to be the culmina-
"In interfaith relations, she was able
tion of her work for the JCCouncil.
to hit the ground running and apply
"It was the pinnacle of that part of
my career here, both in Israel advocacy her skills and experience," he said. "A
lot of the credit for putting the Jewish
and building bridges between the
Community Council on the map in
Jewish community and the city of
the eyes of our friends in other ethnic
Detroit," she said. "The group is still
and religious and racial communities
continuing to meet and work on pro-
goes to her. She's had a tremendous
gramming here. The bonds formed
impact on our community." ❑
from the trip will be lifelong."