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 r 1 ❑