Akiva students celebrate teddy's birthday and help out with a great cause.

ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM
AppleTree Editor

t was a beary full day at
Yeshivat Akiva in Southfield.
In honor of-the 100th
anniversary of the teddy bear
— named, of course, for former
President Teddy Roosevelt and created
by a Jewish American businessman,
Morris Michtom — students marched
through the halls with their favorite
bears.
Some were huge, larger than the
children themselves. Some were quite
worn, with patches covering bellies,
legs and a missing eye. Some were in
their finest garb, including one in a
pink-sparkling tutu.
The parade was held in conjunction
with the school's drive to help out
with what Phyllis Rochen, who coor-
dinated the events, calls a "beary spe-
cial tzedakah program."
Akiva is one of several local Jewish
organizations participating in a drive
to send bears and blankets to Israeli
children wounded in terrorist attacks.
Thanks to a great deal on bear kits
from Bill Iverson of the Teddy Bear
Factory at Great Lakes Crossing Mall,

and with the money Akiva students
raised on their own, the school was
able to purchase and complete 115
bears and 40 fleece blankets.
Students in the upper grades made
the blankets and worked with the
younger children to help stuff, sew
and name the bears planning to make
aliyah (immigrate to Israel). Even the
youngest of boys and girls helped out:
The nursery students made cards and
"birth certificates" for each bear.
At the end of the parade, students
took their creations to an American
Red Magen David for Israel ambu-
lance parked in front of the school
and completed the day by singing

Hatikvah.

Editor's Note: In the coming weeks,
AppleTree will be bringing you more
news and updates about the Bears and
Blankets program. Right now, the pro-
gram has plenty of bears, but if you
would like to make a donation, please
send your check to..
American Red Magen David for Israel
Dr. John J. Mames Chapter
23470 Riverview Dr.
Southfield, MI 48034

Clockwise from top:

Josh Kornblum, 3, of Southfield, Noa Jerusalem, 10, of Oak Park and David
Kresch, 3, of Oak Park work to assemble a bear.

Rafi Lerman, 3, of Oak Park gathers stuffing for the bear.

Dena Berlin, 11, of Oak Park assists Rafi Lerman.

12/27

2002

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