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."