Staff Notebook
communities of Michigan and the Central Galilee.
The site was chosen by the Ramon family for the
full military burial because Col. Ramon spent time
there during his military training.
— Shelli Liebman Dorfman
Astronaut Tribute
A
Col. Ilan Ramon
Personal Connection
I
n 1999, student Rachel Lachover of West
Bloomfield wrote a letter in Hebrew to an
Israeli Air Force colonel requesting an auto-
graphed picture and letter.
Lachover was a Hillel Day School of Metropolian
Detroit student at the time and was becoming a bat
mitzvah. "I wish for you continued success in your
life," Col. Ilan Ramon wrote back in Hebrew. "You
should continue to learn and to be interested — the
world is filled with magical and interesting things."
He also sent a signed portrait of himself in his shuttle
uniform, posing in front of American and
Israeli flags.
Lachover had been collecting autographs
from Israeli government officials and gen-
erals, presidents and their first ladies, and
astronauts since she was 11.
Then the space shuttle Columbia
broke up over Texas and Louisiana upon
re-entry on Feb. 1.
Rachel
Now a student at the Jewish Academy of
Lachover
Metropolitan Detroit, Lachover brought
her letter and photograph to class. "I felt sort of like
I had a personal connection to Ilan Ramon and I
was emotionally attached, so it stung a little more."
— Harry Kirsbaum
Ramon And Michigan
w
hen Israeli astronaut Ilan Roman was buried
in Moshav Nahalal Cemetery Feb. 11, it was
on a site with a connection to Detroit.
The gravesite, prepared in Israel's first moshav oved-
im (worker's settlement), overlooks the Jezreel Valley in
the Michigan-Central Galilee Partnership 2000 region.
The program of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan
Detroit encourages relationships between the Jewish
2/14
2003
14
lmost immediately following the tragic Feb. 1
death of seven astronauts in the Columbia space
shuttle, opportunities to pay tribute arose.
• The Israel Defense Forces have created an e-mail
address where condolences may be sent to the family
of Col. Ilan Ramon: ilanfamily@malidfil
• Rabbi Chaim Zvi Konikov, Chabad Lubavitch
director for Florida's Space Coast region, who
advised Col. Ramon about Shabbat observance in
space, has offered to personally take letters of condo-
lence to his family. Letters may be e-mailed through
chabad.org/magazine/article.asp?AID=69663 Click on
"Condolences."
• Ronald S. Lauder, president of Jewish National
Fund, announced the establishment of a memorial
in American Independence Park in Jerusalem in memory
of all seven astronauts who were aboard the space shuttle.
On the JNF Web site, Lauder also writes of Col.
Ramon's request a week earlier to have "13 or 14 mil-
lion new trees planted in Israel exactly one year from
now, on the anniversary of the [Columbia] launch-
ing." The hope is for trees to be planted now in the
astronauts' memory. To plant a tree, go to: www.
,jnf.org/site/PageSeryer?pagename=flan_Ramon_Tree
To make a donation toward the memorial, go to
jnf.org/site/Donation and scroll to "Ilan Ramon
Donation" or call (800) 542-8733.
Tree certificates can be directed through JNF to
the families of any of the seven crew members.
• NASA has created a condolence page for sending
messages to families of fallen astronauts:
spaceflight.nasa.goy/feedback/condolence
— Shelli Liebman Dorfman
A Feather In Hillel's Cap
he national reputation of Hillel Day School
of Metropolitan Detroit got a boost Jan. 30,
when the K-8 school received full accredita-
tion from the Independent Schools Association of
the Central States (ISACS).
The accreditation process was coordinated by Dr.
Mitch Parker, Hillel's special needs director. "ISACS
has acknowledged what we have always known, that
Hillel is a school of excellence, on par with the best
independent schools in the nation," Dr. Parker said.
As part of the accreditation process, the ISACS team
recommended that Hillel institute a
review of the school's strategic plan,
improve its outdoor playing field and,
ultimately, build a new gymnasium.
Founded in 1908, ISACS is a
membership organization of more
than 200 independent schools. With
the addition of Hillel, the organiza-
tion now accredits eight Jewish day
Dr. Parker
schools. Although Hillel is the only
ISACS-accredited Jewish school in Michigan, the Jewish
Academy of Metropolitan Detroit anticipates receiving
the organization's endorsement later this year.
Dr. Mark Smiley, Hillel headmaster, called ISACS
"one of the most prestigious independent school
associations in the United States, and said he "cele-
brates" acceptance by the organization.
Hillel is also a member of the Solomon Schechter
Day School Association, which represents Conservative
Jewish schools throughout North America.
— Diana Lieberman
T
M Names Ad Director
Media veteran Susan Cascade to lead advertising sales.
of our senior management team as we look to further
meet the needs of our customers and community."
Cascade is a graduate of Detroit Mumford High
School and Wayne State University. She worked in
S usan Cascade has been named advertising
New York for 25 years, including nine as a sales rep-
director of the Jewish News.
resentative, advertising sales manager and then direc-
Cascade, a Detroit native, began her new
tor of sales for global sponsored conferences
duties this week. For the last seven
for Institutional Investor magazine. She later
years she was advertising director for Crain's
-",f worked at a marketing company, selling three-
Detroit Business, responsible for outside sales,
dimensional marketing concepts.
inside sales and marketing. She will have sim-
While in New York, Cascade wrote and
ilar advertising sales responsibilities at the
published
a book, Park It! In Manhattan —
Jewish News, Style magazine, Style at the Jewish
The Survival Guide for You and Your Car.
News, JN Online and for the Jewish News'
Cascade has found it increasingly "important
parent company, Jewish Renaissance Media.
to me to be involved with the Jewish commu-
"We are pleased to have someone with
Susan
nity. I have been reading the Jewish News since
Susan's experience and skill leading our sales
Cascade
I was a kid — it's always been a part of my
effort," said Jewish News Publisher and Jewish
life. I'm absolutely delighted to be here."
Renaissance Media President Arthur M.
Cascade
lives in Bloomfield Hills with her Maltese
Horwitz. "Her knowledge of the market, creativity and
mentoring skills will be of considerable value to current dog, Porsche. "She's expensive, low to the ground
and fast," she said, "and I've always wanted one."
and future advertisers. She'll become an invaluable part
ALAN HITSKY
Associate Editor
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