Pennies From Heaven

How a handful of change and a lot of hard work can help change the world.

ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM
AppleTree Editor

T

hrough the Penny Harvest, chil-
dren collect pennies and other
donations, then participate in a
program where they learn how
funds are allocated.
This year's Tzedakah Experience, held Jan.
26 at Temple Beth El, was chaired by Laurie
Goldmeier and Beth Margolin, with associ-
ate chair Randi Sakwa.
The Penny Harvest was chaired by Margot
Gardner and Jodi Goodman, with associate
chairman Sharyl Ackerman. Sponsors of the

event included Temple Beth El, the
Women's Campaign and Education
Deptartment of Federation, the Agency for
Jewish Education, the Department of
School Services/Jewish Experiences for
Families, the Jewish Educator's Council, the
Detroit Jewish News and Bank One
Michigan.
Rather than having the event covered by
an adult reporter, this year AppleTree decid-
ed to hear about the event from the perspec-
tive of a participant, Molly Goldmeier, a
fifth-grade student at Yeshivat Akiva in
Southfield (and daughter of event chairman
Laurie Goldmeier).

Learning The Lessonds of Tzedakah

Editor's Note: The Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit's annual Tzedakah
Experience,-co-sponsored by the DeRoy
Testamentary Foundation, is held each year in
an effort to teach fifth gradersabout charita-
ble giving.

MOLLY GOLDMEIER

Special to AppleTree

F

or many people, Sunday, Jan. 26,
was Super Bowl Sunday. But for
nearly 400 fifth-graders in metro
Detroit, it was the Jewish

Federation's Tzedakah Experience and Penny
Harvest Project.
The Tzedakah Experience is a program
that teaches fifth-grade children from area
day schools and afternoon synagogue pro-
grams about the different charities that the
Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit
helps to support.
The participants learn about the organiza-
tions and how they help the Jewish commu-
nity. Then the children make projects that
the organization distributes to those in
need.
PENNIES on page 90

Clockwise,
from top left:

Wearing gloves
while writing gives
Samantha Schlaf,
10, of Southfield
an idea of the
challenges that
face older people.

Zack Bergman,
10, of West
Bloomfield helps
put together items
to help those
in need.

With obscuring
glasses and plugs
in his ears, Jessie
Frank, 10, of
Birmingham gets
a preview of the
handicaps of
old age.

Mike Goldstein,
14, of West
Bloomfield
prepares the
coin table.

2/ 7

2003

89