Substance

barriers to involvement."
He picked key people who were
not involved, brought them on
board with the concept and gained
their commitment. Then they put
together the event and the mailing
list, Kaufman said. About 75 percent
of the 750 names on the mailing list
didn't come from Federation.
The committee created a buzz
about the event, Kaufman said. The
invitation, designed by Zimmerman,
was cool. Sushi is a no-brainer draw
among a crowd this age, and there
was no initial Jewish message,
though Prager was chosen for his
broad appeal and smooth delivery of
Jewish content.
Prager's speech ended the evening,
though many left a bit early to
relieve baby-sitters or to watch the
end of the Red Wings game. He
spoke mostly about Israel and the
threat of fundamentalist Islam, but
also about making sense of life after
the terrorism of Sept. 11. His
departing message was that Jews
were at the center of hatred for a
reason — to spread the message
about loving life and honoring God
who gave life.
"This is the most important kind
of event I can think of," Prager said
before his speech. "These people are
winners. If we can get them involved
in Jewish life and Israel, we've got it
made."

Continuing The Legacy

Many attending the event are children
of parents very involved in the Jewish
community. Zimmerman, for example,

is the daughter of Bluma and Robert
Schechter of Bloomfield Township,
who were honored volunteers this year
at the annual dinner of Yad Ezra, the
Berkley kosher food bank.
"I wanted to get involved, just
didn't know how," Zimmerman said.
"This event gives you the opportuni-
ty to get involved as much as you
want to."
Lauren Cohen of Huntington
Woods was ready. Her husband,
Adam, is very involved Jewishly. She
was asked to join the committee
planning the event.
"I felt like my kids are grown
enough for me to get involved and
give a little," she said. "I was really
pleased at the turnout."
So were Joseph and Fran Fetter of
Bloomfield Hills and their son Neil,
whose Millennium Campaign gift
was earmarked for outreach to
younger adults.
"We gave it thought for quite a
while, looking for the ideal concept
to get them introduced and involved
in the Jewish community," Joseph
Fetter said. "They are the future.
"I'm worried in a way. They have a
different lifestyle— intermarriage,
unaffiliated. This is important to
me. I have a strong feeling for keep-
ing the future of the community
going."
Amir Eyal of Royal Oak is an
active member of YAD who is lead-
ing a young adult solidarity mission
to Israel this summer. He attends
most YAD events and says he was
surprised to see so many new faces.
"I haven't met more than half
these people," he said, looking

around at the clusters of people
schmoozing and popping pieces of
sushi into their mouths.
Brian Siegel was heartened by the
crowd. As he welcomed them before
Prager's speech, he said, "For our
newer generation, being involved
Jewishly is a choice rather than a
birthright because we didn't go to
[Detroit] Mumford High School or

ride the Jewish bus.
"We get daily invitations to fund-
raisers and singles mixers. Our goal
was to create ongoing Jewish-based
events that are fun and worthwhile in
and of themselves and that could lead
to a long-term relationship with the
Jewish community," he said. "We
hope the legacy of meaningful Jewish
interaction will bear fruit." ❑

une 14 Friday, 7 p.m. Hillel
RSVP by Jtiii.e 12 for direction an y to arran
Rachel at HMD, (313) 577-3459.

June 23 Sunday, 8:30 a.m. Hillel Metro Detroit participates in
American Heart Association Tour de Cure seven-mile bike ride, Island
Lake Recreation Area, Brighton. Contact Luba Nevill,
sunnycat@lycos.corn

June 23 Sunday, 6-8 p.m. B'nai B'rith Leadership Network all-you-can-
eat pizza, salad, beverage at Buddy's, Farmington Hills. Cost: S15,
payable to B'nai B'rith, 6735 Telegraph, Suite 304, Bloomfield
Township 48301. For information, call Lisa Sternfeld, (248) 505-1499,
or Bobby Wolok, (248) 730-9266.

June 26 Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. Young Adult Division annual meeting,
Janice Charach Epstein Art Gallery, West Bloomfield JCC. RSVP,
Jonathan Goldstein, (248) 203-1471.

To have your programs listed, contact Alan Hitsky at the Jewish News,
ahitsky@thejewishnews.com or (248) 539-3001.

Dinner: Tuesday thru Thursda 5pm-lOpm • Friday thru Saturday 5pm-11pm
•
Sunday 4pm-9pm

Live• Entertainment and Dancin

Until 2 am In Our Lower Level
1403 S. Commerce Road in Walled Lake • Just North of Pontiac Trail

6/14

2002

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