TA 7 1 k k‘\ Lauren, 12, Jessica, 11, and Ross Kepes, 8, of Bloomfield Hills place stickers during the book drive. Book Drive Aids Schools Children placed commemorative "Spottie's Club" stickers in books at a pre-holiday Children's Book Drive held at the Orchard Mall in West Bloomfield on Nov. 26. Spottie's Club is named for Lindsey Ann Shapiro, a Farmington Hills North High School graduate and Michigan State University student who collected children's books as a hobby until a fatal car accident took her life in November 2000. Lindsey was nick- named "Spottie Dottie" after a charac- ter in the "Hello Kitty" children's toy series. Since its launch in July 2001, Spottie's Club has collected and dis- tributed 6,500 books to metro Detroit schools and community programs. Many students have also assisted in the effort as a mitzvah project, said Terri Rossman, Lindsey's mother. "Lindsey's devotion to collecting children's books, and the inspiration of their loving spirit will continue through Spottie's Club, to make the `fun of books' happen for children who might otherwise miss that opportuni- ty," she said. To donate books or to help with processing, call Terri Rossman, (248) 204-6066. Honors For Volunteers Merle Schwartz, Kadima president, of Farmington Hills and Sissi Lapides, a Kadima vice president, of West Bloomfield were recognized as distinguished vol- unteers at the Southfield-based organization's National Philanthropy Day. MELTDOWN from page 31 the two largest JCCs, Hebraica and Hacoaj, already have done so. Diego Freedman, the department's director, projects savings of $250,000 a year just from this one consolidation. The future sale of buildings that the community no longer needs will gener- ate endowment money for new and expanded services. The cost of being Jewish is expensive and many can no longer afford either the dues or the tuition for day schools. A bright spot in the situation is the development of Hillels in both Buenos Aires and Montevideo, Uruguay. Reaching out to more than 20,000 students from 25 colleges and universi- ties in the region, the programming at these Hillels will be geared to help these young people stay connected to the Jewish community, as well as to prepare 12/20 2002 32 them for a future in another country should they decide to emigrate. The Hillel professionals, like those who provide all the other services, are committed to providing the best possible programming to all students, from first- rate English classes to tzedakah projects, to dances. This mission is ambitious, but the Hillel leadership has no doubt it will be achieved. Gabriel Trajtenberg, the Buenos Aires Hillel director, refers to them as places of hope, not misery. Argentina's Jewish community cur- rently is being sustained in large part by the generosity of the American Jewish community (whose dollar is now almost 4 times stronger than before the crisis) and other private donors from Argentina and around the world. Sustaining this vibrant community's future lies in greater commitment — that every Jew will help every other. ❑ Cemetery Revisited The Jewish Historical Society of Michigan's bus tour of old Jewish Detroit included a special stop at Beth Olam Cemetery, located within the secured walls of the General Motors Plant in Hamtramck and the area's oldest Jewish ceme- tery. Shown are Chuck Domstein; Harriet Siden, programming vice president; Adele Staller, bus narrator and a past president; and Jim Grey, a past president.