Priceless
Moments

B'nai B'rith Honors Arnold. Michlin
For Life-Long Interfaith Efforts

Students join seniors with Alzheimer's disease
to share a special timne of year.

SHARON LUCKERMAN
Staff Writer

A

s a celebration of Rosh
Hashanah, 11 seventh- and
eleventh-graders from
Yeshivat Akiva in Southfield
swept into the Dorothy and Peter
Brown Jewish Community Adult
Day Care Program in West
Bloomfield to spend time with 25
seniors who have Alzheimer's dis-
ease. This is the second year for
the student visits.
"The program is priceless," says
Jennifer Kaman, recreation thera-
pist for programs at the Brown
Center. "I can't even put into
words what it means for our par-
ticipants to have the younger gen-
eration come and share the holi-
days with us."
Yosef Klein, 15, of Oak Park
explained to the seniors about
Rosh Hashanah, including its
association with apples and honey.
Not all of the seniors are Jewish.
"It's obvious the students have
been taught responsibility and
want to share their knowledge of
the holidays with us," said Marvin
Hilf, 69, of West Bloomfield, a
cc articipant at the Brown Center.
Every generation in the Jewish
community keeps getting better
and better."
He could have been referring to
one seventh-grader, Ariel Mann,

From top:
Ariel Mann, 13, of Franklin wishes
participant Sol Allweiss of West
Bloomfield a happy new year.

Yosef Klein, 15, of Oak Park,
standing, reads the prayers before
eating apples and honey.

9/27
2002

40

Shumgi Shumunov, 12, of
Southfield, Glenn Gendoff of
Farmington Hills and Jonah
Stiennon, 12, of West Bloomfield
enjoy a funny moment together.

13, of Franklin. He returned once more
after the others left, shaking each partici-
pant's hand and offering wishes for a
happy new year.
"It was beautiful how each person
awaited their turn with him," says
Kellman.

❑

Arnold Michlin, Detroit Jewry's Mr.
and trust between Christians and
Ecumenism, was named the Louis
Jews. John Rofel, president of B'nai
Marshall Suburban-Tikvah Lodge of B'rith, also spoke.
B'nai B'rith's Man of the
In his response,
Year at a Sept. 9 dinner.
Michlin spoke of his
Michlin, 82, of
Above: Arnold
father who was brought
Waterford is a longtime
Michlin, right,
to the U.S. in 1911 by a
Suburban Lodge member
shows his award
retired Dutch school-
with his wife, Florence. He
to his wife,
teacher-farmer in
was honored for his devo-
Florence, and
Hudson, Ind. Their rela-
tion to B'nai B'rith causes
granddaughter,
tionship was one of
and other endeavors that
Esther Michlin,
friendship and trust. It
bring people together. -
13, of West
carried over to Michlin
Meyer Silverman
Bloomfield.
and his family and
arranged the
affected their reach-
dinner event.
ing out to others.
Gary Rich was
His experiences
in charge of the
prompted Michlin
candlelighting
to found the
ceremony.
American Arab and
Lodge presi-
Jewish Friends in
dent Iry
November 1981,
Handelman,
with the late Judge
emcee for the
George Bashara.
evening, spoke
The organization,
about his 50-
affiliated with the
year relationship
Detroit chapter of
with the
the National
Michlins. David
Conference of
Blewett, execu-
Christians and Jews
tive director of
(NCCJ), is thriving
the Southfield-
in spite of the
based
Middle East crisis.
Ecumenical
Michlin's newest
Institute for
Arnold Michlin
project is creating
Jewish and
an ecumenical
Christian
forum to invite
Studies, gave insights into Michlin's
reasoned dialogue on solutions to
efforts to achieve friendship, respect
the Palestinian uprising.